The Verheyen family lived in Little Rapids, an area between Green Bay and Kaukauna. Around 1929, John Stickl (then 22) was living with the family. But in December 1930, Stikl was ordered to leave after telling Mr. Anton Verheyen that he wanted to marry his daughter Helen Gertrude. (Actually, Stikl told the village pastor to announce the forthcoming marriage in church – the announcement surprised both the father AND Helen, who had not agreed to it.) It wasn’t just that Stikl was seen as a bad suitor – Helen was 14 (or maybe even 13). Stikl told the family he was moving to Milwaukee to look for work.
A few months later, mid-April 1931 (18th?), the Verheyen family was at a wedding anniversary party in the village, and so were the James Miller family. Helen, for whatever reason, was asked to watch the Miller children rather than attend the party. She was settled in, with her coat and shoes off, listening to the radio. Up pulled a red Chevrolet couple, John Stikl (now 24) at the wheel. According to the Miller children, Stikl came in and forcible took Helen – even choking her to get her out of the house. Her coat and shoes were left behind.
Neighbor children Robert Woodward (11) and Aloysius Gay (14) saw the abduction and immediately went into town to tell the Verheyen family. Brown County sheriff Joseph Francis put out the word that the vehicle was probably somewhere in northern or eastern Wisconsin. He described Helen as wearing a flowered dress and said she was “large for her age.” Motorcycle officers were dispatched and party guests “organized a posse.”
Milwaukee detectives were notified and could not find Stikl. The forwarding address he left at the Verheyen home did not match his current whereabouts. A brother, Henry Stikl, was also said to live in Milwaukee, but was not listed in the city directory or telephone book.
On April 21, district attorney Verne C. Lewellen issued a warrant charging John Stikl with kidnapping. If found, he would face up to three years in prison. The DA noted that even if Helen tells authorities that she left voluntarily, it would still be kidnapping because of her age and lack of parental permission.
Mrs. Verheyen told the press, “Helen never did like that boy. He was always trying to make love to her and wanting her to run away and get married. But she was only in the eighth grade and was too young to think about such things.” The mother said Helen was 117 pounds and “not exactly what you might call pretty.” She had blue eyes and light hair.
Unknown to the authorities, Stikl had brought Helen to his uncle’s house in Catawba, Price County. This does not seem to have worked out, because by April 23 he was back in DePere, trying to get loding with his friend John Rupiper. At first, Rupiper agreed, but it was all a ruse – Chief William Deppe was called, and soon the sheriff arrived. Stikl was held in the county jail, unable to post his $2,000 bond.
Conflicting reports came out regarding Helen. While everyone agreed she was unharmed, it was not clear if she was kidnapped or if she went willingly. She told the press she was kidnapped, but they seemed unsure. I’m not clear on why they doubted it, other than her being unharmed. But what did they expect?
May 1, Stikl remained in jail after his preliminary hearing before Judge Monahan and was bound over for trial on May 18. There was speculation that he would plead to a lesser charge than kidnapping, which would be punished by three years to life. Reports came at this time that his father, John Stikl Sr, was ashamed of the disgrace this had brought to the family and had a mental breakdown – he was committed to the Oshkosh asylum. Witnesses came forward that Stikl Sr had been driving his car down the wrong side of Monroe in Green Bay, blaring his horn the whole time. He then stopped his car in the road, tried to get into a nearby house, failed, and then ran after a gravel truck. Police caught him soon after.
On May 8, John Stikl Sr unexpectedly died at the Oshkosh asylum. He was 47-49 years old; cause of death was not reported. Surviving were multiple children and his widow. Burial was at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery in Wrightstown.
Defense attorney GF Clifford asked for the case to be postponed. Judge Monahan agreed, pushing it to May 25. At trial, assistant district attorney Cletus Chadek described the incident as an elopement and not a true kidnapping. He recommended the charge be reduced to causing the delinquency of a minor. Stikl agreed, pleaded guilty, and was put on probation for one year. As a condition of his probation, he was to avoid all underage girls, including Helen.
Helen Verheyen did marry young, at 16 or 17 years old, to Peter August Farrell, a farmer in Kaukauna. This same Peter Farrell was chairman of the Town of Kaukauna and a county supervisor. She passed away in June 1961, at only 43, because of a car accident at the corner of Greiner and Maloney Road. Doctors worked on her for two hours but her internal injuries were too much.
I did not finish looking up John Stikl by the time of this episode, but he later moved to Milwaukee. If he had a family there, I don’t know.