McMullen - James - Mary
Source: Crawfordsville Weeklly Journal 10 Jan 1885 p 5
The citizens of Coal Creek Township were startled by the news Thursday morning hat on Wednesday night the house of James McMullen who lived about midway between Elmdale and Whitlock had been destroyed by fire and Mr. McMullen and wife had perished in the ruins.Investigation proved that such was indeed the case. The bodies of the unfortunate couple were found by the searchers nearly entirely consumed. The strange part of the discovery was that his body lay in one part of the building while hers lay in another far removed. There are various theories in reference to the matter, some think the house was in flames before they discovered their danger and were unable to escape, others think they were murdered and the house fired. The latter is the most feasable. The coroner is now investigating the matter and the true facts will probably be known in many days - kbz
Source: The New York Times Jan 11, 1885
Crawfordsville, Ind Jan 10 -- There is considerable excitement here over the suspicion that James McMullen and his wife who were found burned to death with their dwelling were first murdered and the house then set on fire to conceal the evidence of the crime. A man named Coffee having a pair of McMullen's boots was arrested but escaped. - kbz
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Source: Crawfordsville Star, July 2, 1885 p 4 c2
Thomas Bowles, he who wrote up some of the horse detectives so mightily, offers a reward of $25 for the arrest of Jame Rankin. Not that he believes "old man" Rankin wa sin the McMullen tragedy, but as a means of getting James here to say his piece. Mr. Bowles is a man of goodly nerve, but at times a little bit erratical. - kbz
p 4 - c 2
There was an aapprent disagreement in the counsel for James M. Dennis yesterday. Mr. D.W. Doty's theory evidently being that Coffee's last confession was altogether false and yet giving the lie so directly to all previous evidence in the testimony which led to the convinction of Dennis as to show his client to be innocent. Mr. J.M. Seller took a more lawyer-like view of the case, holding that it was good grounds upon which to demand a new trial butnot exonerating his client, but rather making him worthy a new trial upon a milder indictment than one for murder in the first degree. A rtleast tha tis the way it looked to people who saw Mr. Seller sit down on Mr. Doty's coat-tail. - kbz
p 4 c 3
Sheriff Hoarper and D.W> Doty, the blue-eyed young lawyer, are still tilting away at one another I see. Well, one is young enough to learn better and the other old enough to know the people don't care a farthing as to the personal views of either as to the guilt or innocence of Dennis, and they ought to crop on themselves, i.e, Harper on the fact that he can't hang Dennis till the law says so, and Doty that he can't free Dennis just beause he has made up his mind that his client in innocent. - kbz
p 8 c 3
James M. Dennis is about the coolest man in the court room during his trial. He laughs and smiles with the utmost good nature and scarcely realizes his real condition. - kbz
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