Individual Details
William Tobias "Willie" Rieken
(27 May 1911 - 14 May 1936)
Events
Families
Father | Hanke Minehard "Hank" Rieken (1872 - 1920) |
Mother | Etta Christina Schaefer (1879 - 1968) |
Sibling | Lena Johanna Rieken (1902 - 1939) |
Sibling | John Wilhelm Rieken (1905 - 1983) |
Sibling | Martha Margaretha Rieken (1908 - 1977) |
Sibling | Mary Mathilde Rieken (1914 - 1982) |
Notes
Death
THE ANAMOSA Eureka…May 21, 1936…..Page 1CASS TOWNSHIP IN SUICIDE LAST THURSDAY
WILLIE RIEKEN HANGS SELF FROM RAFTER IN COW SHED
Cass Township when he hanged himself from a rafter in the cow shed. No reason for his act has been made known, for he had shown no symptoms of moroseness, nor of insanity.
He had been employed by his brother, John Rieken for the last four years. The two men left the house at about 7:30 Thursday morning with plans for each to work on opposite sides of the farm. John Rieken went to the barn about 11:30 am. and going into the barn, discovered that Willie's team had not been worked in the morning.
He started the search for his brother and found him hanging from a rafter in the cow shed
The youth had used a strap from a bridle to commit the deed.
According to friends, Willie had always been in high spirits and had been in Monticello the previous evening. He had displayed no out-of-the-ordinary feelings at that time.