Emily Forsell

1861 - June 15, 1882

epitaph reads: assinated age 21 years

Aspen Grove Cemetery- Burlington, Iowa - South end

Burlington Hawk-Eye June 16, 1882

Maple Street Murder

Emily Forsell immigrated from Sweden just last February of this year. She was accompanied by a former lover, John Wallin. Originally she stayed with cousins in Mount Pleasant but they soon moved to Nebraska so Emily moved to Burlington. Emily had broken up with Wallin and had made friends with a 4th Street Bar Keeper. She was recently hired to work at the Hene Mansion on the corner of Maple & Ninth Street (the corner where Benner/Giants/Aldi Food store used to be).

Emily had walked down Maple Street with a young female companion. Her companion got scared of the dark street and refused to go further then Eigth Street. Emily's young companion ran home.

John Wallin was living in a boarding house above the Swan's Saloon at 211 S. Main St. Evidence indicates that he attacked her at the corner of Ninth & Vine Streets. He stabbed her in the heart with a medium size, American made, black handle knife. Emily ran to the corner of Maple & Ninth and died at the door steps of the Hines Mansion. She was autopsied and buried the next day.

John Wallin was first discovered by the cop walking that beat. He was heading east on Division, stopping under the gas light on 8th Street (where Saint Johns Church is now located. Wallin had little direct evidence to link him to the murder. No blood stains were found on his clothes. He claimed that he had returned late and was locked out of his boarding house on Main Street.

John Wallin was sentenced to 2nd degree murder after two trials and was sentenced to life in prison. The Sheriff transported Wallin to the Ft. Madison Penetiniary by train. Wallin told reporters while boarding the train that he was as innocent as angels and was confident he would be granted another trial. The Sheriff's later recounted that Wallin was singing "Goodbye my lover, good bye" on the trip down to Ft. Madison. Wallin asked if he could be given one last drink of whiskey before entering the stone prison walls. The Des Moines County Sheriff just happened to have a flask of whiskey in his pocket, which he and gave to Wallin.

Interestingly: The first two grave markers that I have chose at random to start this project were Emily & Capt. Peel. Both grave markers are a half-mile and 32-years apart. My research tells me that Capt. Peel was one of the jurors on the murder trial of Emily Forsell.