In the past I posted articles about the Dumkee murder case. Heres one follow-up (its quite long but interesting): The Columbus Democrat, May 25, 1888 On Wednesday morning and for several days previous, the residents of this city were all agog over the approaching trial of Albert Dumkee, for the brutal murder of his wife, the trial being set for Wednesday in the District court. About 8 oclock, and about the time court was opening for the morning session, prepartory to empanelling a jury and proceeding with the trial, word was received from the jail, that the prisoner had suicided by hanging himself in the cell. A Democrat reporter hastened to the jail for a verification of the report, thinking that perhaps some one had started it mischievously. But when he arrived there all doubts werre dispelled from his mind, as Dumkee was found suspended to the grating on the north side of his cell, stone dead. He had taken his suspenders, a piece of bed quilt and his handkerchief and twisted them together making the rope with which to put an end to his miserable and worthless career. He was in his shirt sleeves and looked quite natural and life like, and had evidently only been dead a few hours. He was hanging so low that his toes touches the floor. The last time Dumkee was seen alive was on Tuesday night when the sheriff gave him his supper. He ate heartily and seemed to be in excellent spirits. The next seen of him after that was on Wednesday morning about 8 oclock when Deputy Sheriff Newman took him his breakfast and found him hanging as above described. The prisoner never seemed to relent or feel the least remorse for the brutal crime he had committed, and as there is not the shadow of a doubt of his guilt, the following translation of a note he left written in German, shows that he went into eternity and appeared before the tribunal of God with a lie on his lips and malice in his heart: I request the county that they bury me alongside of my wife. I couldnt stand it any longer in this hole. I have been freezing day and night for three weeks. I was laying on iron plates and my bones are stiff. I dont want to make the county any more costs now, farewell. The county says they are going to lynch me. I am born 1836 on 25th day of September in Prussia. I leave behind me one son, one daughter-in-law, they killed us both. ALBERT DUMKEE. I dont want my son and my daughter-in-law to testify false against me as they did on the last examination, now all farewell. This winter death was put before my eyes and was in prison for my children and wife. As will be seen by the note he was born in 1836 and was consequently about fifty-two years of age. Sheriff Bloedorn telegraphs Coroner Caldwell who arrived in the city Wednesday night and on Thursday morning a jury was empanelled and an inquest held at the undertaking rooms of Henry Gass where the corpse had been removed from the jail. After getting the facts and summing them up the jury returned the following verdict: THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, )ss COUNTY OF PLATTE ) At an inquisition holden at Columbus, in Platte county, State of Nebraska, on the 24th day of May, 1888, before me J.C. Caldwell, coroner of said county, upon the body of Albert Dumkee, lying dead, by the jurors whose names are hereunto subscribed. The said jurors upon their oath do find and say that the said Albert Dumkee came to his death by his own act and hands on the 23d day of May, 1888, by intentionally and wilfully hanging and suspending himself by his neck with an old pair of suspenders, and handkerchief, and a strip of blanket twisted together and fastened to the bars of the cell in the county jail of said county wherein he was confined at the time of his death. In testimony whereof, the said jurors have hereunto set their hands the day and year aforesaid. Attest: J.C. CADWELL, Coroner. C.H.W. DIETRICHS, JOHN EUSDEN, JOHN ELLIOTT, JOHN HEMPLEMAN, F.W. RIEMER, ROBERT WAGNER Dumkee was a vicious and dangerous man. Since his death a stick which he had procured in the water closet, was found secreted in his cell, and he evidently had contemplated using it upon the jailor if an opportunity had presented itself. The crime for which Dumkee stood indicted was for the wilful and brutal murder of his wife Caroline Dumkee, on the night of April 9. Without the slightest provocation, he beat her brains out with a club and attempted to kill his daughter-in-law, Anna Dumkee. The murder occurred at the home of his son, Chas. A. Dumkee, who resides on a farm three miles northwest of this city. Dumkee was evidently of an economical turn of mind, and but for his solicitude for the financial interest of the county, in saving it the expense of his trial, the sheriff would more than likely have been called upon to perform the act which he performed for himself with so much neatness and dispatch in the loneliness and gloom of his cell. Probably he was too modest and could not bear the thought of shuffling off with the eclat attendant upon a legal necktie sociable. The corpse was interred in the Pottersfield at the expense of the county, yesterday, the son not caring to gratify the wish of his unnatural parent by having him laid by the side of his murdered wife.
Posted on: Sat, 24 May 2014 12:00:01 +0000