When I was a young girl visiting my Grandparents as usual in Anaheim I went down good old Sycamore Street to the Park where the ducks roamed. There was plush green grass and a pond that ascended over the entire property. I loved to go there as a kid. There was also a certain house just down the street from this park that always caught my eye.

It is located at 503 Zeyn Street.

At the time I knew nothing of the history within its walls. All I knew is I was drawn to the house for its Chalet- Styled appearance. I became so interested by the house I began asking about it. There was something about this house that was so beautiful and so rare, unlike any other on the block. I imagined myself there, as if I could step back in time to a different era. When things were simple and life was pure. Staring into the windows of that old house I felt sad. Sad that I knew there was a history behind its walls, but I was unable to know it it truly since I was born 66 years too late.

I soon forgot about the house, distracted as so often children do after so many years passing. Years later I moved to Anaheim and unexpectedly one day I passed the very same house I had been so intrigued by so many years before. I stopped and stared at it, looking upon the large columns and "Juan Costa" Mahogony front door.  I began to remember all questions and interests I had originally had as a child flooding back into my mind.

Then and there I decided that as an adult I would investigate. I quickly googled the address and came upon a few stories of Historic Anaheim. I decided to go to the Anaheim Library and look up its history further. Later, I came across an article from the Anaheim Gazette (an 8-page newspaper) dated October 21st, 1915. What I found there was astonishing….

First and foremost, Anaheim’s name is derived from two German words: “Anna” meaning river and “heim” meaning home….”home by the river". Many hundreds of people settled in Anaheim in the 1800’s and many places are historical landmarks now. One of which would be that home on Zeyn Street. For you to understand the history I must then tell the tale……

The house had been built in 1915 by Robert Rimpau (the grandson of Theadore Rimpau, one of the founders of Anaheim). Mr. Rimpau had been Head Clerk for the Miles Grocery Store Company for several months when he courted the 22 year old beauty Enid. Enid had been previously married to Charles Stone of Long Beach. They had been divorced about a year into the marriage due to Mr. Stones intemperate habits.

Enid moved to Anaheim in 1913 and began working at Weber’s Book store as well as a Millnery store. She was said to have been beautiful, sweet and always had a sunny disposition. She was well liked within the Community and that is how she captured the attention of her 2^nd husband Robert Rimpau.

After the construction of the beautiful home was finished they were married and moved in. Just four months after wedding Robert she was said to have told her friends she had become so lonesome at home that she would rather be working to pass the time then be home alone. All the while, she kept her bright and positive demeanor even up until the weekend of the tragedy.

Then that Sunday morning in October 1915 something went terribly wrong. As usual Mr. and Mrs. Rimpau came to St. Boniface Church located on Lincoln Ave to attend Sunday Services and Enid returned home alone as her husband stated he needed to run an errand. Just an hour after returning from his errand, Robert found his wife dying from cyanide poisoning.

Dr. Truxaw came to the residence only to find out it was too late. They found a small vial of Cyanide of Potassium Solution that was still pretty full. Only a small amount had been taken out of it. The means to which Enid acquired this poison is still unknown to this day. Some say she must have kept it for quite some time without her husband having any knowledge to the fact.

The Coroner deemed it a Suicide and that it was unnecessary to hold an inquest. But yet all who knew her could not believe such an even tempered and lovely person could have become mentally disturbed enough to end her own life.

There was a note found. It was never said whether it really was written in her hand. It did state that she was sorry and hoped that God would forgive her. The motive of her self-inflicted demise is still questionable. This alleged note was never examined or questioned by the authorities.

Several witnesses said that yes she was a bit melancholy and lonely the last few weeks leading up to her untimely death, but that she still kept positive and happy spirits at work and even at Mass the very day in which she died witnesses claimed she was her bright and happy self.

It was said that a life insurance agent Al Nowotny gave a statement that she had asked him if the Insurance was covered in the event of a suicide. *Remember though, that back in that time that Mr. Rimpau and his Associates did have a lot of “juice” within the community and payoffs could have been more than possible. Robert was in fact, a descendent of the Anaheim founders. There was rumors that Mr. Rimpau himself may have been jealous of her attention she received from her friendly and like able demeanor.

Was he jealous enough to poison his own wife ?

Perhaps her ex-husband Charles Stone may have come looking for her?

Was she sad that she had divorced Charles, and regretted it?

Or maybe she was afraid of Charles?

Did her husband poison her thinking she would leave him for her ex?

Or could it have been a member Robert's prestigious family?

The Rimpau's were considered a pretty high caliber family in that small community, and are seen in various historical photographs through out Anaheim's vast historical albums. Is it possible that they were unhappy with the union of man and wife that took place between their beloved Robert and newly divorced Enid?

Remember back in that time period, divorce was certainly frowned upon and many people made judgement based on circumstances and not by a person's character. Maybe they were worried she would put a damper on their clean and polished family reputation.

So what do you think? What reasons would Enid have had to end her young life? She had friends and a new life. Maybe it was Robert's family, or maybe her husband was just not as nice as he appeared. But that would lead me to the conclusion that he may have been the one who poisoned her.

Now, recently when my grandfather passed away from old age we laid him to rest in good old Historic Anaheim Cemetery. I was walking around the grave sites by the Anaheim Pioneers where grandpa’s grave is set and I stumbled across many historic grave sites of the old Pioneers including the Mausoleum for the Rimpau family.

I could not help but to feel emotion for this young woman who died way too soon, to feel sorrow and sympathy for her broken heart. Someone was hurting her enough that she died. Whether it was her hand or anothers’ there must have been serious pain there.

Will we ever know how she really died? Or maybe I should rephrase that…..why she died?

Did she really take her young life? Was she that sad that ending her life was more appealing that continuing on in the world? Did her husband kill her? Was he jealous of her? Did her ex-husband come back to kill her? Or perhaps it was someone within the very family she married into. The world will never really know what happened since the secret is buried with her.

Enid Rimpau died on a Sunday afternoon in October 1915. She was laid to rest on that following Tuesday morning in that very crypt in the photo. Now, when I go to see my grandfather I will always remember this woman's story that was left unsaid. The story that only a few left know. And a mystery, a mystery to a question we will never know the truth to. And our minds will keep searching for an absolution, one that we will never find.

Pachuca213 (copyright) 2009

Sources: October 21st, 1915 issue Anaheim Gazette

Anaheim Museaum and Anaheim Library