ANNA REIF

From the Manitowoc Pilot, 27 Sept. 1906
REMAINS OF WOMAN FOUND IN THE LAKE
Body later identified, with a degree of certainty, as that of Mrs. A. Rief.
The body of a woman, aged about forty-eight years, was found floatin in the
lake in shallow water, near the beach at the south pier, last Monday
afternoon. The discovery was made by a little boy named Johnny Loef, who,
with several companions, had been playing at the beach near the pier
mentioned. The children hastened to make the discovery known, and a
telephone message was sent to the police station. Two officers responded,
and the corpse was taken to the undertaking rooms of Vogelsang & Murphy.
The body was found to be clothed in a dark skirt and a light wesket. There
were shoes on the feet and gloves on the hands. There were no marks of
violence on the remains. The indications were that the case was one of
accidental drowning, or one of self-destruction. The face was so badly
decomposed and changed that it could not be recognized even by relatives
and friends. But the discovery of a purse at the beach near the place
where the corpse was found led to the identification of the remains. The
purse contained four receipts obtained by Mrs. Anna Rief from business
men of this city. The purse was found by John Fricke several days before
the body was found, but Fricke did not report the find until after the
discovery of the corpse. A cape and a lady's hat were also found at the
beach near the place where the body was found floating on the water. These
articles, as well as parts of the clothing on the body of the corpse,
were identified by Mrs. Edward Heise as being those of her mother, Mrs.
Anna Rief. Mr. Heise also identified the hair and the height of the body
as being that of his mother-in-law. The body was taken to the receiving
vault in Evergreen cemetery Monday afternoon, and the decedent's children
residing out of the county were notified by wire. Mrs. Anna Rief was born
in this county and lived all her life in the county. Her husband, Peter
Rief, died about ten years ago. The family resided on a farm at Rief's Mill.
About a year ago Mrs. Anna Rief disposed of her farm to her son-in-law,
Mr. Kiel. Since then she had been making her home, off and on, with her
daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Heise of this city. She was
last seen at the Heise home on Tuesday, Sept. 18, when she said that she
contemplated making a trip to Antigo to visit her son Leonard, who resides
on a farm four miles from that city. She had not been in good health for
some time, but she had never exhibited any signs of despondency. She is
survived by six children. They are: Mrs. Edward Heise, this city; Peter Rief,
Chicago; Leonard, Antigo; Joseph, Kossuth; Mrs. Mathilda Rief, Rief's Mill,
and one unmarried daughter.
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From Der Nord Westen, 27 Sep. 1906:
(Long article about finding a woman's body in the water near south pier, the process
of establishing her identity as Mrs. Anna Reif, and speculation about possible
suicide.) Mrs. Reif, a widow, leaves 6 children: Peter in Chicago, Joseph in
Manitowoc, Leonhard near Antigo, Mrs. Edward Heise in Manitowoc, Mrs.
Mathilda Kiel in Kossuth, and an unmarried daughter. She was 48.
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[bur. 09-25-1906/cause: drowning]