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CLEAR IIP MYSTERY IN DOUBLE SHOOTING(Continued from Page 1.)he saw a man running up the east driveway and shortly thereafter Monahan burst in the front door, threw himself down on a couch and said, ‘‘Max, I’ve been dodging bullets, Bert just shot Vernon.” Fineberg said he was'going to investigate but Monahan warned him not to go to the garage as ‘‘Bert’s got a gun on him.” 'Fineberg said he noticed the back of Monahan’s shirt was torn and had a black splotch on it.Monahan was in Dcs Moines • Monday, but in a telephone conversation with Stanley he denied that his shirt had been torn by a bullet. He told Stanley he would make a full statement when he returned to Cedar Rapids.Fineberg said it was his opinion that Shafer, after shooting Barta, turned the gun on Monahan. The frame of the east door of the garage is splintered and police said it appeared the splinter was caused by a bullet. Although police took signed statements Sunday of all other witnesses, Monahan's statement was not obtained. Word came from the hospital that Shafer had died Just as police were gelling ready to take Monahan’s version of the affair. County Attorney G. K. Thompson and Dr. Terrall were present at the police station when the statements of the other witnesses were taken, but the meeting broke up with the announcement of Shafer’s death.Secs Struggle.Frank Burr and Geneva Williams, Shafer’s neighbors, who were polishing an automobile in the back yard of 827 Fifth avenue SE. told Dr. Terrall they heard a shot, looked up and saw Barta and Shafer struggling in the door-wsy. They said Barta fell after having apparently been struck by Shafer. Burr said he ran into a house for safety.Mrs. Fred Pfeiffer, who lives in another downstairs apartment, said she peeked out her back door following the first series of shots and saw Shafer run into his office and stoop down near where tire safe is located. Mrs. Pfeiffer said she assumed that Shafer was reloading his gun. She ran to the front of the house. Police believe that Shafer was placing the .38 revolver in the safe after having shot Barta and that he obtained the .45 automatic from the same place.Mrs. Shafer told police that after she heard what she thought was a motorcycle backfiring, Mr. Shafer suddenly appeared in their upstaii's apartment, kissed her and said ‘‘Goodbye darling.” She said he then ran down the back stairs and she followed him to the garage. Before Mrs. Shafer entered the garage Shafer is believed by police to have turned the gun on himself.Reconstructing the affair, police said Shafer evidently fired five shots from the .38 revolver, three of which struck Barta. Possibility that marks made by two wild shots were also caused by bullets from the .38 was seen by detectives. Shafer then ran upstairs, said goodbye to his wife, went to the safe and switched guns, then returned to Barta’s body and fired into it once with the .45, after which he turned the gun on himself.Police arrived at the scene almost immediately. Shafer was removed to a hospital. Barta was dead when officers arrived. Mrs. Shafer was also taken to Mercy hospital, suffering from shock.]|ad Been Quarreling.Dr. Terrall announced no motive for the shooting, although persons who knew both men declared that the neighbors had been quarreling for several months over the hearse service.Shafer’s body was taken to the Monahan funeral home, while Barta’s body was removed to his father’s establishment next door to the scene of the shooting.Shafer made a hobby of collecting firearms. Officials have been unable to determine whether Shafer was carrying a gun at the time of the conference or whether he left the conference and obtained one from the safe.Barta was 35 years old and a native of Cedar Rapids. He was bom Nov. 6, 1902, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Barta, who survive. Barta was graduated from the University of Iowa and attended the Worsham school of Anatomy, Embalming and Plastic Surgery. He was married June 25. 1934, to Mildred A. Coufal of Swisher, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph C. Coufal of Swisher. They had one daughter, Selma Jean, 2.A brother, Adolf K. Barta, Washington, D. C., also survives.Active In Lodges.Barta was a member of Crescent lodge No. 25, A. F. and A. M.; Appollo Commandery No. 26, Knights Templar; Royal Arch Masons; El Kahir temple; Ambar Grotto; High Twelve; Kiwanis, Elks, and Optimist clubs: Sokols; Jan Hus I. O. O. F. No. 51; Junior 1 American Czechs; C. S. A. No. 388; 1 Cedar Rapids Lodge Z. C. B. J. No. 262, and the Sixteenth Avenue Commercial club.He was a member of the board of the National Funeral Directors association and served as president of the Iowa branch last year.Funeral services ^vill be held at the Barta mortuary Wednesday at 2:30 with the Revs. Melvin L. Welke and Francis Pokorny in charge. Burial will be in the Bohemian National cemetery. Pall-berrcrs will be William Quirk, Charles K. Melsa, Milvoy Horsky, Lester Koeningsmnrk, Harrington Buck and Robert Kubias. Honorary pallbearers will be Frank Beiler. R. L. McLaren, Lawrence Kessler, Homer Maxwell, Lester Stastny, and George Chadima.Shafer was the son of the late Sam Shafer, a pioneer resident of Cedar Rapids and founder ot the livery business which later became a service for funeral directors. He was 67. Surviving arc his wife, a sister, Mrs. Abbie S. Sheldon, who is now in Canada on a' motor (
Newspaper Details
Cedar Rapids Gazette
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, US
Mon, Jul 25, 1938
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
WI, USA 11 Feb 2024
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