Edgerton Shooting Caused by Jealousy, Officers Find
Edgerton, O, Dec 13 - Jealousy of another Edgerton woman whose name was not revealed prompted the murder and suicide tragedy here Sunday morning. It was disclosed Monday afternoon as Williams county authorities concluded a formal inquest.
The persons were questioned at the investigation into the shooting of Vern Eck, 42, by Mrs Nona Goeltzenleuchter, 32, who then fatally wounded herself with the same shotgun.
Note Spoke of Woman
“Murder and suicide” was the formal verdict returned by Dr Howard Lucan of Montpelier, Williams county coroner. He disclosed that the note left by Mrs. Goeltzenleuchter mentioned another woman, as well as plans for the double shooting and care by relatives of her two children, Dale Jr 13, and Dawn, 11.
Relatives and neighbors testified that Mrs. G was insanely jealous of Eck who had been a roomer in her home here for about a year. Her husband, Dale E of Defiance, filed suit for divorce Dec 2 in common pleas court at Defiance. The petition recited that Mrs G had refused frequently to go with him to live in Defiance.
Funeral Planned
Last rites for Mrs G was scheduled for this afternoon at 1:30 o’clock in the Church of Christ here. Burial was to take place in the Edgerton cemetery.
Services for Eck will be held Wednesday at 1:30 pm in the home of a brother, Frank, St Joseph Twp, Williams County. Interment also will be in Edgerton cemetery. Note that I don’t have a full citation on this as I found it on Find-A-Grave.
Another newspaper article gave a few more details - Defiance Crescent News (Defiance Co, OH), Monday, 12 December 1938 p1 c6-7: Mother At Edgerton Takes Own Life
When the children came home from Sunday School they witnessed an argument between their mother and Eck. They were told to go outside and play. Later they discovered the bodies. Eck was dead but Nona was still living. She told them to run to neighbors. Help was given but Nona died on the way to the hospital.
Vern Eck had been in the process of moving his belongings into a trailer he procured for a new home. Nona had left a note telling that she had planned this action for some time and stated she wanted her children to be taken in by relatives. She also told that husband Dale had sued her in court on December 2 for a divorce, citing gross neglect, extreme cruelty, and refusing to live with him. She filed a countersuit.
As late as May 1938 Eck was in a party of people with Nona visiting her relatives.
After reading these old newspaper articles, I found the following information about the principals of this tragedy.
Vernon Eck (11 Mar 1896 Milford, Defiance Co, OH - 11 Dec 1938, Edgerton, Williams Co, OH) was the son of Andrew and Elizabeth Upp Eck. His obit (Edgerton Earth, Thursday, 22 Dec 1938) stated he was born in Clarksville, OH, but his birth certificate listed Milford Twp. It said he lived in Toledo in boyhood when his mother died. In 1900 Milford Twp, Defiance Co, OH Federal Census Vernon 4 OH lived with his parents. In 1910 same place Vernon 14 OH lived with his father. According to the WWI Draft Registration, Vernon was living in Toledo; moreover, his physical description was tall, stout, brown eyes, and light hair. By 1920 Toledo, Lucas Co, OH Federal Census record, Vernon 23 OH was living with his wife Amber 31 OH, and worked as a mechanic in a shipyard.
He married Amber Harriet Holloran, daughter of Lewis Phelis and Lillian Warner, in Toledo, Lucas Co, OH on 19 Feb 1918. She was divorced from Rodrick Halloren, whom she married in Lucas Co, OH on 15 Aug 1906. In 1930 Lucas Co, OH Vernon 33 OH and Amber 39 lived together. At the time of his murder he had been living as a boarder for a year or so that would be 1937-1938. Amber, the widow, married Albert Strole in Williams Co, OH on 18 Feb 1939 and passed away on 1 March 1946 in Williams Co, OH, but was buried in Lake Twp Cemetery, Walbridge, Wood Co, OH.
Nona B. Proper, born 1906 prob Defiance Co, OH, was the daughter of Ira and Violet (Hart) Proper. She was enumerated with her parents in the 1910 Milford Twp, Defiance Co, OH Federal Census, and the 1920 St Joseph Twp, Williams Co, OH records. Nona married Dale E Goeltzenleuchter in Williams Co, OH on 30 August 1922. They were listed in the 1930 Edgerton, St Joseph Twp, Williams Co, OH Federal Census as Dale E 27 OH and Nona 24 OH. Dale E was born on 27 March 1903 in Edgerton, Williams Co, OH, the son of Charles and Estella (Kissinger) Goeltzenleuchter, and was listed in the 1910 St Joseph Twp, Williams Co, OH Federal Census with his parents. Sometime after this tragedy, Dale married Elizabeth “Goldie” (Shirey) Buckelman, former wife of Edgar Buckelman, whom she married on 5 April 1919 in Defiance Co, OH. Dale died on 21 May 1953 and was buried in Sherwood Cemetery, Defiance Co, OH.
