Noakes - Bob
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 7 June 1901
Bob Noakes, the star witness for the state in the Goebel murder case in Kentucky, may be shown to be a suicide.
Noakes, at the trials of Powers and Howard, perjured himself in order to obtain a part of the $100,000 reward, and shortly after the trials came here to visit the family of James Blankenship. He did not stay long but went to Linden, where for awhile he worked in the cellulose factory under the name of Robert Maclamore. From Linden he wrote to the attorneys of Powers offering to sign an affidavit that he had perjured himself if they would meet him at the Crawford house on a certain Sunday. They came here and waited for him all day, but Noakes came not, they later ascertaining that he had gone to Danville, Ill., the night before. From there they received another letter and also answered this in person. At Danville Noakes really met then and signed a statement that he had perjured himself at the request of the notorious Tom Campbell, the prosecuting attorney, and had received several hundred dollars from him for so doing. This was in December and a few days after signing the statement Noakes disappeared. No one has seen or heard from him since, and his trunk is still in the possession of the Blankenship family in this city.
A few days ago the dead body of a man was found in the wild spot some miles from Danville and there is considerable reason for believing it to be that of Noakes. The buzzards had torn the flesh but the size of the man, his hair, teeth and clothes all indicate that the missing man, Noakes, died there by firing a pistol ball through his brain. A revolver was found by the side of the body and the farmer for whom Noakes worked stated that Noakes had one like it. Noakes’ cousin, W. H. Delaney, of Muncie, is in Danville today examining the body to identify it.
When Noakes finally made his statement in Danville he was on the verge of collapse from his grief and remorse, and those who then saw him were inclined to believe that he would kill himself.
James Blankenship Monday said to The Journal: “Noakes is really not a relative of my family, but has a marriage connection. He was with us a great deal when a lad, and when he got in trouble he came to us. I should not be surprised at all if the dead body is shown to be his. He was on the verge of collapse when here and was wild with fear and nervousness. When he disappeared I settled it in my own mind that he had done away with himself.” - kbz