This is a well-known case, but was new to me. I read about it in Wisconsin Game Warden magazine. Yes, I read Wisconsin Game Warden magazine! The story also appeared on the Beyond Contempt podcast, though I’ve not listened to that podcast and was not aware of it until I started researching this case. (I …
Erwin C. Heiden was born on March 30, 1904 in Black Creek, one of the last of several children of farmers August and Hulda Heiden. Also living with them were Erwin’s paternal grandparents and a farm laborer, John Lieg. The farm was located on what the census called “Center Township Road.” I was unable to …
At the end of part one, Spanbauer is sent to prison for a total of 80 years, beginning May 1960. Pursuant to the Wisconsin ‘Sex Deviate Law,’ Wis.Stats.Ann. 959.15 (1958 & Supp.1966), the court committed Spanbauer to the Department of Public Welfare for a pre-sentence social, physical and mental examination with respect to the sex …
David Frank Spanbauer was born in January 1941. His parents, Frank J Spanbauer and Evelyn Marie Bachtler, had both been born in Oshkosh and lived there all their lives. Frank worked as a machinist for Wisconsin Axle Division. Frank Spanbauer died March 27, 1956 in Oshkosh, at only 44 years old. Exactly what he died …
In 1968 or 1969, Debbie Westenberger was 16 and killed herself with a Dean family .22 rifle in boyfriend Douglas George Dean’s bedroom. Police later claimed she was pregnant, though the Dean family said they never knew of any such thing. Mother Hildegarde Dean was widowed on May 18, 1970 with the death of Warren …
While it is the duty of law enforcement to investigate crimes and rumors of crimes, the story of Leroy Sommers illustrates how this can get out of hand when rumors are allowed to spread freely. Leroy A Sommers was born circa 1920. His parents, Leroy and Luella Sommers, were from Outagamie County, having resided for …
As a young man, Jack Hebard worked as a daredevil named Lucky O’Hara. He would crash cars and get fired from a cannon. His most famous trick was lying inside a coffin that was surrounded by exploding dynamite. Jack later told Green Bay reporter Charles House, “When I was a kid, I kind of hooked …
Peter A VanVeghel (1862-1934) was twice the sheriff of Brown County. With wife Antoinette Herman (1862-1941), had several children, including John Peter “Jack” VanVeghel, born on October 22, 1893 in the town of Scott, Brown County. 1916: Jack VanVeghel lost his wife and child to influenza. He was 22. Jack helped his younger brother Walter …
In 1996, federal code required that railroad tracks be inspected twice weekly. The turnout inspection section of the reports on January 11 and January 30, 1996 indicated that “all were O.K.” Also on February 5, February 12, and February 15, 1996, the turnout inspection section of the reports indicated that “all were O.K.” It was …
Overview On July 20, 1931, the South Side State Bank in Green Bay, WI was robbed. Two officers were injured while responding to the robbery while it was in progress. Detective Gus Delloye was hit in the arm and forehead, and a piece of shrapnel entered his left eye. Chief Thomas Hawley took some glass …
