Lena Jane Laabs was born the daughter of Fred ___ Laabs and ________. They are buried in _______. Lena was married to John Edward Attwood on February 2, 1899 at Troy Mills, Iowa. He is buried in this cemetey. John and Lena Jane were parents of nine children: Mabel Lena Attwood married Daniel Gerald Powell and is buried in this cemetery; George Edward Attwood married Jennie May Whitson an is buried in Walker, Iowa; Mary Ann Attwood married Frank Dietz/Roy Petro and is buried in this cemetery; Roy Fred Attwood buried this cemetery; Rubert Willard Attwood buried this cemetery; Emil Attwood born 1898 died November 13, 1980 buried Waterloo, Iowa; Helen Harriet Attwood born August 17, 1918 married Harold Clemon died of heart attack buried Manchester, Iowa; Albert Attwood buried this cemetery; Lena Jane Attwood buried this cemetery. After the death of her husband, John Edward Attwood, Lena was married to Charles _____ Smith on ________. After Charles shot and killed her daughter, Lena, then Charles killed his wife, Lena Jane. After Charles reported the shooting, he shot at her grandson Leonard Attwood age 9 but missed him. Charles then went to the barn and shot himself. He is buried in an unmarked grave at Lower Spring Grove Cemetery.

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History of Troy Mills, IA 1853-2003:

Another terrible tragedy occurred on June 22, 1937 at the farm home half mile south of Troy mills. Charles Smith, age 57, stabbed his stepdaughter, Lena Jane Attwood, 19, and shot his wife, Lena (Laabs) Smith, age 57. He then drove to the cemetery to tell some men who were digging a grave, what he had done. Charles then hurried home and when the men started arriving, he committed suicide in the barn. Lena Jane Attwood and her mother, Lena Smith are buried in the Troy Mills Cemetery. Charles Smith is buried in the Lower Spring Grove Cemetery east of Troy Mills in an unmarked grave.

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1937, June 23 - Cedar Rapids Gazette - " 3 Shot Fatally Neat Troy Mills"

Farmer Kills Wife, Daughter, and Ends Own Life

Girl's Refusal to Cross Stream to Get horses Angers Stepfather; Had Quarreled

Troy Mills - Leaving his horses standing at a cornplow, Charles Smith, 57 year old farmer a half mile south of here, went to the house at 9 am Tuesday and killed his wife and step-daughter Lena Attwood, 17. He then drove to a nearby cemetery, told four workmen what he had done, returned home, went to the barn and killed himself.

Smith became enraged when his stepdaughter refused to wade across a stream to drive in some horses. Friends said he had been acting queerly recently.

Uses shotgun

The crimes were committed with a shotgun, Joe Saxton, Walter Kelly, Willard Carson and Luther Long, the men at the cemetery whom Smith had informed of his murders, found the bodies of the mother and daughter in the house and the body of the farmer in the doorway of the barn.

Smith the father of two daughters, was divorced. His former wife is dead. He was married in 1927 to the widow of Ed Attwood on the Attwood farm since then. Mrs Smith had seven children by her first marriage. Lena was the only child home. Both Mr and Mrs Smith were lifelong residents of this vicinity.

Smith is said to have been quarreling with his wife and step-daughter for some time. When he ordered Lena to cross the stream to get the horses, she went to the nearby home of her aunt, Mrs Jane Smith, and complained to her brother, Rupert.

Girl Preparing to Leave

According to dispositions taken by Dr R E Munden, deputy corner, Lena asked Rubert to take her to Cedar Rapids, which he said he would as soon as he got gas and oil in town. He then took her back home and saw her enter the house, went to town to service his car and was returning as Charles Smith drove his car out of the gate. It was at the time that Smith went to the cemetery to confess the double murder. Rubert did not stop, but went to a nearby farm and asked another sister to tell Lena he was ready. The older sister was afraid to help and just as she was refusing, a shot was heard. Rubert then returned to town and called the sheriff.

Investigation has convinced Dr Munden that before shooting his daughter, Smith chased her up a flight of stairs leading from the kitchen into a bedroom, where he cut a deep gash above her right ear with a safety razor blade, severing an artery. He then chased her down the stairs, the girl leaving a bloody trail as she fled from the murderer, who had also apparently pursued her about the bedroom.

Smith cornered the girl in the kitchen, firing at close range with the 12 gauge weapon. He had killed his wife in an identical manner. Earlier in the day he had fired another shot at a 6 year old grandson, who fled in terror, unhurt.

Smith's daughters are Mrs Fred McBerne of Anamosa and Mrs Jennie Bishop of Central City. Mrs Smith's surviving children are Emil Atwood of Waterloo, Mrs Marv Diedtz, Robert and George of Troy Mills, Roy of Manchester, Helen of Chicago. Mrs Smith was 58 years old, was formerly Lena Laobs. The funeral services will be held at the Walker Funeral Chapel at 10 am Wednesday.