In May 1926, Jessie Diken, a widow with five children who ran a boarding house north of Williamstown, where four miners were staying, was murdered by one of those boarders, Andy Olexa. After firing the fatal shot, Olexa committed suicide. In the newspaper articles describing the killing, it was brought out that Olexa, a Slav, had lived in the area for four years, was unnaturalized, was unemployed at the time, and had a wife and six children who were living in Austria. After purchasing a gun, and while in a drunken state, Olexa made unwanted advances on Mrs. Diken, and when she tried to get away, he shot her in the back – while she was holding her youngest child in her arms. The baby was unharmed. Mrs. Diken was taken to the Williams Valley Hospital where, after an attempt was made to remove the bullet which had lodged in her spine, she died.
The story is told here in news articles from Harrisburg, Lykens and Elizabethville.
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From the Harrisburg Evening News, May 11, 1926:
HOPE FOR LIFE OF WIDOW SHOT BY DRUNKEN MAN WHO KILLS SELF
WILLIAMSTOWN, May 11 [1926] — Physicians became more hopeful today for the recovery of Mrs. Jessie Diken, widowed mother of five children, who was murderously assaulted yesterday morning by Andy Olexa, a drink-crazed boarder, just before he sent a bullet through his heart. Olexa became enraged because the woman spurned his persistent attentions and he shot her down as she held her sixteen-months-old baby in her arms. The child escaped injury. The bullet struck Mrs. Diken under the right arm, and Dr. H. A. Shaffer, head of the Williams Valley Hospital, where she is a patient, said it is possible a probe will be made today for the bullet. She has been entirely conscious since the shooting, and today’s hospital report said her condition is satisfactory.” She is 27 years old.
A jury empaneled in Undertaker Ralph’s establishment yesterday afternoon by Coroner Kreider decided that Olexa had shot the woman and then committed suicide. Funeral services were being arranged today for the dead man, who was a Slav, 35 years old, and was said to have and six children in Austria. He had lived around Williamstown about four years and was unnaturalized. The funeral serviced, it was said, likely will be held from the Diken home, which is in a miners’ colony about a mile north of town.
One of Four Boarders
Olexa was one of four boarders who lived in the Diken home. The other three were at their work, and four of Mrs. Diken’s children, the oldest of whom is 13, were in school at the time of the tragedy. Witnesses at the coroner’s inquest said Olexa had been drinking but not working for about a week, and that on Sunday he came to Williamstown, and tried to buy a revolver. Not succeeding, he came to town again yesterday morning and bought a .32-caliber pistol and cartridges.
On his return to the boarding house, it was testified, he entered and locked the door behind him. When he professed his love, the widow rebuked him, whereupon he pulled the revolver. She ran screaming, and he fired, the woman collapsing in another doorway. Soon afterward neighbors found her and the dead boarder. They called Doctor Shaffer.
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From the Harrisburg Evening News, May 13, 1926:
EXPECT TO REMOVE BULLET FROM WOMAN’S BODY
WILLIAMSTOWN, May 13 [1926] — Removal of the bullet which Andy Olexa, drink-crazed miner, fired into the body of Mrs. Jessie Diken, his boarding mistress [sic], on Monday morning, was the purpose of an operation planned for today at the Williams Valley Hospital, where the woman has been a patient since the day of the shooting.
The funeral for Olexa, who committed suicide after shooting the woman in the back, was held at 11 a. m. today. He left a note saying that out of $1500 insurance money his debts should be paid and the rest sent to his widow and six children in Austria. The services were conducted at the home of Olexa’s cousin, and burial was in the Greek catholic Cemetery.
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From the Harrisburg Evening News, May 13, 1926:
LITTLE HOPE FOR WOMAN SHOT BY DRUNKEN MINER
WILLIAMSTOWN, May 13 [1926] — Only faint hope was entertained this afternoon for the recovery of Mrs. Jessie Diken, widowed mother of five children, who was shot in the spinal column Monday morning by Andy Olexa, a drink-crazed boarder, who committed suicide after the woman had spurned his improper advances.
While funeral services were being held at 11 o’clock for Olexa, physicians in the Williams Valley Hospital here made a futile effort to locate the bullet which the X-ray picture showed had entered and passed several inches along the spinal cord. When the X-ray picture was taken the bullet was lodged at the junction of two vertebrae, near the base of the spine. The surgeons were not able to locate it in the operation this morning. They were able, however, the hospital report said, to remove shattered bone and relieve the pressure from the spinal cord. in spite of that it was said two hours after the operation what the woman’s condition was “unsatisfactory.” As to her chances an attending nurse said her condition in critical and that not much hope remains.
Dr. H. A. Shaffer, surgeon and head of the Williams Valley Hospital, had hoped to remove the bullet and thereby clear the trouble which has paralyzed the woman’s lower extremities since she was shot down in her own home, with her sixteen-month-old baby in her arms. Olexa’s remains were buried at noon in the Greek Catholic Cemetery here. He left a note directing that the funeral expenses and his debts be paid out of $1500 insurance money and that the rest be sent to his widow and six children in Austria. His funeral was conducted from the home of his cousin and not from the Diken home in the mountain section, where he was one of four boarders. Neighbors have been looking after the five Diken children, the oldest of whom is 13 years.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, May 13, 1926:
WILLIAMSTOWN WOMAN SHOT
SHOT DOWN BY DRUNKEN BOARDER WHILE HOLDING BABY IN ARMS
CONDITION IMPROVES AT WILLIAMS VALLEY HOSPITAL
On Monday morning, Andy Olexa, a Slav, and boarder at the home of Mrs. Jessie Diken, a widow and mother of five children, murderously assaulted her at her home while she was holding a sixteen month-old baby in her arms.
It is said that Olexa, half crazed under the influence of intoxicants, and maddened because the woman spurned his attentions which he extended to her, shot her, the bullet striking her under the right arm and then killed himself instantly by firing a bullet into his heart.
Mrs. Diken has been wholly conscious since the shooting and Tuesday morning, a bulletin made public by the Dr. H. A. Shaffer, head of the Williams Valley Hospital, in which place the woman is a patient, and her condition was favorable and quite satisfactory. Doctors expected to probe for the bullet on Tuesday. She is 27 years of age.
Arrangements for funeral services of Olexa, 34 years old, and who is said to have a wife and six children in Austria were made on Tuesday, and it was thought then they would be held at the Diken home. He had been working in and about the vicinity of Williamstown for the past four years and was unnaturalized.
The foreigner was one of four boarders at the home and the eldest Diken child, aged 13, was in school at the time of the shooting.
A Coroner’s jury empaneled at the Ralph Undertaking Parlors in Williamstown by Coroner Kreider Monday afternoon, decided that Olexa had shot the woman and then committed suicide. It was also brought out at the inquest that the man had been drinking, but had not worked for a week. On Sunday he came to Williamstown and tried to buy a revolver but failed. However, on Monday morning he made the second attempt and purchased a .32 caliber revolver and cartridges.
It is said that he then returned to the Diken home about a mile north of Williamstown and upon entering the door locked it behind him. He again offered his love and was refused, when he pulled out his revolver. Mrs. Diken tried to evade him and ran to another room but he fired and the woman fell in the doorway. Neighbors later found the injured woman and the dead boarder and immediately notified the hospital and authorities.
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From the Lykens Standard, May 14, 1926:
SPURNED SLAV SHOOTS MOTHER OF FIVE AND SELF THRU HEART; CRAZED FROM MOONSHINE; BOTH ARE DEAD
Mrs. Jessie Diken, Victim; Between Life and Death Since Shooting; Died Yesterday Afternoon; Spinal Cord Almost Severed
VICTIM 27; MOTHER OF FIVE CHILDREN
Mrs. Jessie Diken, aged 27 years, of Williamstown, who lay between life and death from a bullet wound inflicted at the hands of Andy Olexa, a Slav, died at the Williams Valley Hospital, Williamstown, yesterday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock, following an operation yesterda morning to locate the bullet, which was fired by Olexa while drunk and enraged because the young, widow and mother of five spurned his love.
Olexa, who was a boarder at the Diken home, had been drinking for more than a week. He was one of the four boarders at the home. The Olexa attempted to force his attentions on Mrs. Diken. She rebuked him and a struggle followed in which Olexa drew a .32-calibre pistol and fired at Mrs. Diken. She fell to the floor unconscious and Olexa thought her dead.
Realizing the severity of his crime, Olexa turned the pistol on himself and fired, the bullet entering his heart causing instant death.
Neighbors rushed to the scene of the shooting and found the man dead and Mrs. Diken, in excruciating pain, and weak from loss of blood. They summoned Dr. H. A. Shaffer and the victim was taken to the hospital where hopes were entertained for her recovery.
A probe for the bullet was made yesterday morning and the surgeon stated the operation disclosed that had Mrs. Diken lived she would have been unable to walk because the spinal cord was almost completely severed where the bullet struck the vertebrae.
Died From Shock
Information from the hospital yesterday afternoon stated Mrs. Diken’s death was due to shock. She was the mother of five children ranging in ages from 16 months to 13 years, and all with exception of the youngest were at school at the time of the shooting.
Shot With Babe In Arms
When Olexa made his attempt to force his attention on Mrs. Diken, she took her ten-month old child and attempted to leave the house. He shot her while she attempted to get away and with her child in her arms.
An investigation by the coroner’s jury held Monday afternoon reached a decision that Olexa “came to his death as a result of hemorrhages and shot due to gun shot of the heart, self inflicted, after attempted murder of Jessie Diken. The evidence show that he was under the influence of liquor at the time.”
Olexa’s Wife In Austria
Olexa was a married man, 35, and his wife and six children reside in Austria. He lived around Williamstown for the past four years, and was unnaturalized.
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From the Harrisburg Evening News, May 14, 1926:
SHOT OF DRUNKEN MINER IS FATAL TO WIDOW, MOTHER OF FIVE CHILDREN
WILLIAMSTOWN, May 14 — Mrs. Jessie Diken, widowed mother of five children, died here in the Williams Valley Hospital late yesterday, a victim of the bullet fired by Andy Olexa, a drink-crazed boarder who afterward committed suicide. Olexa was buried yesterday, and Mrs. Diken, who was 27 years old and a widow for about two years, probably will be buried Sunday.
Mrs. Diken suffered a sinking spell on the operating table yesterday morning when an effort was made to remove the bullet which had penetrated her spinal column and injured the spinal cord. The operation was halted and the patient rallied, but died in mid-afternoon, due to shock, the surgeon said.
Before going to the operating room the woman made a will in which she provided that her brother, who is a miner and living here in Williamstown, shall rear her five small children, the oldest of whom is 13 years.
Would Have Been Paralyzed
In addition to some insurance, the amount of which could not be learned here today, it is understood among Mrs. Diken’s close friends that she left personal property amounting close to $6000 or $7000, part of which came to her after the death of her husband.
Doctor Shaffer said this morning that the bullet had done so much injury to the spinal cord that had the woman survived she would have been paralyzed in the lower extremities and unable to walk.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, 20 May 1926:
WIDOW DIES AFTER SHOOTING
MRS. DIKEN DIES ON OPERATING TABLE
LEAVES ESTATE FOR CARE OF CHILDREN
While efforts were being made to remove a bullet from her spinal column, Mrs. Jesse Diken, aged 27, of near Williamstown, died suddenly. While on the operating table last Thursday morning she suffered a sinking spell and died several hours later.
A widow, and mother of five children, she was shot last Monday by Andy Olexa, an unnaturalized Slav and boarder at her home. Olexa, in an intoxicated condition, it is claimed shot the woman down while holding the youngest of her children in her arms, after she had spurned his advances for her affections. He turned the revolver upon himself and committed suicide. Neighbors later found the man dead, and Mrs. Diken in an unconscious condition. Authorities were notified and Mrs. Diken taken to the Williams Valley Hospital at Williamstown, where Dr. Shaffer, physician in charge, found the bullet by the means of X-ray pictures, lodged in the spine. It was during the probe for the bullet Thursday morning that Mrs. Diken suffered a sinking spell, the operation was immediately stopped and the woman rallied, but late in the afternoon a death occurred. It is stated that Olexa was married and had a wife and children in Austria.
Before going in the operating room, Mrs. Diken had written a will with the provision that her brother should take care of her children, the oldest being 13, to which she left an estate of $7,000.
Hospital physicians say that the bullet did so much damage to the spine that should she have recovered from the shooting, she would have been paralyzed the remainder of her life.
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News articles from Newspapers.com.
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