I’ve spent a lot of time lately working on details of Otto Mauser’s life. He is my Great Grand Uncle and a brother to my Grand Grandfather Ben Mauser. As we start our planning to move into the home that Otto built, it’s been fun to reflect on a few of the things in his life. Otto never married, so for now at least I have become the person to keep his story going.
There are probably a few posts I’ll create that will cover Otto’s life, but this one was a big one.
On June 4, 1965 Duane Earl Pope walked into the Farmers State Bank in Big Springs, NE and shot all four of the bank workers. As Duane was leaving the bank he bumped into Otto who was on his way into the bank.
The local newspapers haven’t digitized in this time period, but the news was carried nationwide with information in Lincoln, NE and even later in New York, New York. Otto said in some of his comments that the bank was “kinda spooky” when he entered and before he noticed the bodies. These are just small clippings of the articles, but they show the reach of the news.
Otto also saved his subpoena to testify in District Court. On November 3, 1965 he was to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Lincoln, NE at 9 AM.
This was such a tragic story and impacted so many people in the community. In some ways it’s horrific to be part of and in another way an honor that someone in the family was there and was able to provide eyewitness testimony. I believe Duane is still in prison as a result of these crimes.
Cory and Nicole Family History 