The Cases – Homicides (1900 – 1909)

BY ERA: Up through 1899 | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000 – present | Missing Persons

The cases below include unsolved Iowa homicides from 1900 – 1909, and are listed in chronological order. Click on any hyperlink to view a victim’s case summary page and to access additional information and/or feature stories related to that case.

John West
a.k.a. “Joplin Red”
Northwestern Hotel
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
February 24, 1900

John Hossack
51 YOA
Squaw Township
Warren County, IA
December 2, 1900

Charles Johnson
26 YOA
Saloon
E. Fifth & Court
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
December 24, 1901

William Mullikin
57 YOA
Montrose, IA
Lee County
February 25, 1902

Double Homicide
Thomas H. Peterson
13 YOA
Highland Park
Lee Township
Polk County
April 13, 1902

Double Homicide
Mary “Lena” Peterson
15 YOA
Highland Park
Lee Township
Polk County
April 13, 1902

Maude Lambert
22 YOA
Marshalltown, IA
Marshall County
June 28, 1902

Isaac Finkelstein
E. Walnut Street alley
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
August 5, 1902

Walter D. Schenck
26 YOA
210 Second Street
Adair, IA
Adair County
October 31, 1902

Kate Slifer
21 YOA
Whitten, IA
Hardin County
December 19, 1903

Thomas Callahan
66 YOA
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
June 25, 1904

Harry H. Salisbury
32 YOA
Red Oak, IA
Montgomery County
August 5, 1904

Winfield Carpenter
50 YOA
Iowa City, IA
Johnson County
August 12, 1904

Leonard L. DeLong
52 YOA
Washington Township
Clarke County
September 9, 1904

John Murphy
Age unknown
N. 6th & Concert
Keokuk, IA
Lee County
November 27, 1904

Addis Lyman
17 YOA
Carroll, IA
Carroll County
February 23, 1905

Ma-Sha-Che
16 YOA
Montour, IA
Tama County
April 4, 1905

Josiah M. Pratt
33 YOA
Rural Yetter, IA
Calhoun County
June 24, 1905

George Griswold
41 YOA
Des Moines & Raccoon rivers
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
September 13, 1905

Frank Callahan
34 YOA
Des Moines River
Des Moines, IA
Polk County
September 19, 1905

Fred P. Widmann
30 YOA
Waterloo, IA
Black Hawk County
November 11, 1908

BY ERA: Up through 1899 | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000 – present | Missing Persons