Snapshots of History

By Editor | December 24, 2024 |

Homer Holland in about 1899.

Let’s revisit an old, old murder case that still has many unanswered questions. This case was once the biggest story in Ringgold County, but now is known to only a few.
Homer Holland was born in 1878 or 1879. Homer died on November 9, 1901 and the newspaper put his age at “about twenty-three.”
Isn’t odd that his exact age wasn’t known?
Homer was the son of Alexander Elliot Holland and Ellen (Burris) Holland, Alexander being a former Ringgold County Sheriff. Holland was called Captian because of his achieved rank in the Civil War. So, Homer came from good stock.
Homer had superior athletic ability and began racing bicycles in 1894. By 1896, he was playing baseball on the town team. Two years later, Holland was the best baseball and track and field athlete in the county. Homer was hired by neighboring towns to play on their team when a “must win” situation came up. Homer often foot-raced challengers for money. And Homer was a gambler.
In 1898, Homer was breaking records at Drake University.
I can find no evidence Homer graduated from high school in Ringgold County. But, here he was taking first place in everything track and field.
In 1899, Homer was at Chicago in some sort of regional track meet still representing Drake and he set a new record in the running broad jump. Holland was awarded a gold medal for this feat. On a side note: Joe Sellards of Mount Ayr finished first and second in many events of the Drake meets while Holland was there.
The gold medal was awarded by the Western Inter-collegiate Amateur Athletic Association and they got word of Homer’s “play for pay.” And it was true; it was common knowledge that Homer played baseball for money and Holland was stripped of his medal.
Things didn’t go well for Homer after this.
In April 1900, the newspaper reported Homer had signed to play professional baseball with a Des Moines Club. I don’t think he followed that up.
One year later, Homer Holland and Matt Hunter plead guilty to operating a gambling house in Mount Ayr.
On November 9, 1901, at 12:30 p.m., Homer Holland was shot and killed by Matt Hunter at the intersection of Fillmore and Walnut Streets in Mount Ayr.
Homer died instantly.
The Ringgold Record newspaper says the conflict was over a woman. The Mount Ayr Journal says it was a gambling debt. And there was, indeed, a shaky dice game the night before. A game that included “loaded” dice.
Matt Hunter was a professional gambler and he stood over Holland’s body until the first citizen arrived on the scene, a Mr. J. Hall Liggett, who lived in one of the houses at that intersection.
Hunter debated whether to turn himself in or run. He ran.
After others arrived on the murder scene, Holland’s body was raised.
Here’s where it gets tricky.
One account says there was a revolver under Holland’s body. Another witness said the gun fell out of Homer’s pocket as the body was being moved.
At his murder trial, Hunter plead self-defense and contended Holland had pulled a gun on Hunter.
The jury didn’t believe Hunter and he was sentenced to prison.
The State of Iowa dismissed the first trial and granted Hunter a second trial which was held in Clarke County.
Guilty again and Hunter was sent to Anamosa State Prison.
In January 1917, Hunter’s sentence was completed and he was referred to the Independence State Mental Hospital. That’s the last information I found on him.
I wonder what happened to Homer Holland after his gold medal was taken back. I never knew Homer to be legally employed. It’s possible he suffered an injury and could no longer earn a living through his athleticism.
And what happened to the weapons used in the murder? What happens to court evidence when it can no longer be returned to the owner? Hunter was in prison and Holland was dead – what happened to their guns? Were there any photographs taken of the crime scene? If so, where are they?
Anyway, both the Ringgold Record and the Mount Ayr Journal covered the crime and trial very well. But, it is still a very sad and tragic story.
Holland Foster was the nephew of Homer Homer and there is some info on this story in his book on Caledonia’s history.