Bork Catherine01

Waupaca Post

August 5, 1886

Mysterious Disappearance of Catherine Bork

The little village of Marion has been all torn up during the past week over the mysterious disappearance of Catherine Bork, wife of Fred Bork. The last time the woman was seen was on Saturday, July 17^th. The circumstances in the case are as follows:

The Bork family are Germans, father, mother and six children have lived several years upon a farm in the town of Dupont, one mile and a half from Marion. During the past year the old folks have had a great deal of domestic difficulty which finally culminated in a divorce being granted them by Judge Webb during his last session of court in Taylor County. The couple owned the 80 acre farm they have resided on, and in the division of the property the husband was to give the wife Catherine $950 in money as her share. At the time the divorce was granted he gave a mortgage on the farm to secure her that amount. The mortgage falls due Aug. 5^th, 1886. The woman since the divorce, lived in a small house a short distance from the one occupied by her husband and family. It was noticed this week Monday that she had disappeared and on inquiry being made of the Bork family they disclaimed any knowledge of her whereabouts, and finally said that the last time they saw her, on Saturday, August 17^th, that she came into the field where they were at work and quarreled with them, and told them that she would to away and drown herself. They also volunteered the information that they were positive that she was dead and that they never expected to set eyes on her again. The neighbors and people of Marion then organized and searched for the woman about he farm and vicinity, but discovered nothing. The search was kept up until Wednesday, when Sheriff McNeil went up from Clintonville and made an inspection of the house the woman lived in.

The search revealed blood upon the bed-clothes of the bed where the woman usually slept, blood was also found upon some mats on the floor, also large dark spots upon the floor and door casings to the outside door. The spots on the floor looked as though they had been scraped to obliterate them. Last of all a plank in the door step was found with clots of blood upon it and a hatchet covered with blood. The excitement over the discovery of these articles was great.

Bork and his family took no part in the search, but busied themselves in cutting a field of rye.

The people of Marion and the officers are unanimous in the opinion that the woman has been killed. The supposition is that the body has been taken some distance away from the farm and buried.

A story gained circulation that the woman had been seen in Pella, but Sheriff McNeil visited nearly all the farmers in that section of country and could find no trace of her. The woman is dead beyond a doubt, and the question now is how was she disposed of? If she has committed suicide her body would have been found by this time. Circumstances point strongly towards Bork as having disposed of her. One theory is that he may have quarreled with her and killed her. Another, that he may have foolishly supposed that by taking her life he would be released from his pecuniary obligations to her.

The District Attorney has been sent for and upon his arrival the Bork’s father, children, and son-in-law by the name of Megger, will undoubtedly be arrested. – Clintonville Tribune.

Waupaca Post

December 30, 1886

The Bork Case

Last year the Bork family, residing near Marion, had a “falling out”, and Catherine Bork was granted a divorce and $1,000 alimony. The payment of the sum fell due last July, at which date the woman, who resided in a small house near the old home, mysteriously disappeared. An examination of her late abode revealed blood upon the bed-clothing, floor, door casings, and the general belief of the neighborhood was that he woman had been murdered by her husband. A thorough search failed to reveal any traces of the missing woman’s body, and public excitement gradually cooled down.

Thursday, Bork and his son-in-law John Meggers, were arrested for the crime. The circumstances which led to this are as follows: A few days ago Charles Marquadart, of Neenah, a German by birth, hired out to John Meggers to chop wood. On Tuesday night last Marquadart retired to the upper part of Megger’s house, but fortunately did not go to sleep. About midnight Meggers came into his room and approaching the bed struck at him with a club. Being awake he partially dodged the blow but received a severe cut on the back of the head. He sprang up and grappled with Meggers, and a terrible struggle ensued. Marquardt straining every nerve to force his way to the stairway. Being a very powerful man he finally reached the head of the stairway and jumped. Meggers releasing his hold, evidently not daring to make the descent. When Marquardt reached the floor below he was assaulted by Bork, who struck him on the arm with some instrument and another struggle ensued, resulting in Marquardt getting out of doors. Either Bork or Meggers then fired several shots after their intended victim, who fled towards Marion attired in nothing but a shirt and drawers. The distance to Marion is two miles, and the night was very cold. Marquardt reached the Fuch House, in Marion, between midnight and 1 o’clock in the morning, bleeding and nearly frozen.

Marquardt had no money which his assailants could have desired, and the only reason he can give is that they may have supposed he was acting as a detective. He says the disappearance of Mrs. Bork was only mentioned before him once, that being the day before the assault. Some of the family made a remark about the woman, and Marquardt replied that “murder will out”, which may have made them suspicious of him.

LATER – At the preliminary examination Bork and Meggers were bound over for trial at the January term of court – Ed.