In a shocking incident that has left the community reeling, Cecil Earl Paris, a 31-year-old night watchman at the Iowa Fiber Box Company, was found dead on Sunday morning, February 19, 1928. His body was discovered by Walter Bryant, the day watchman, hidden under a lumber wagon about 40 feet from the boiler room entrance.
Paris had been shot by an unknown assailant armed with a .22 caliber revolver. Investigators believe he was killed after confronting someone trespassing on the premises. Notably, his own .32 caliber revolver was missing, along with some money, while a cheap watch remained untouched.
Evidence from the scene revealed three charcoal tablets, which were mistakenly thought to be a bill, discarded nearby. Bloodhounds were brought in to track the suspect’s scent, leading police to a nearby home belonging to a man named Hammond. However, a suspect named H. Lewis was cleared after providing an alibi confirmed by the Hammond family.
An autopsy conducted by Dr. F. B. Dorsey Jr. and Dr. Johannes Anderson showed that the bullet entered Paris’s body near his right nipple, piercing critical arteries and causing almost instantaneous death. Investigators also found powder burns on his shirt, indicating he was shot at close range.
The local sheriff’s office, along with various law enforcement officials, are diligently working on the case, hoping to uncover the truth behind this tragic murder. A coroner’s inquest is scheduled for February 21, 1928, to gather more information and evidence.
