Whitehead - Emma Meharry
Montgomery County, Indiana Waveland Independent Waveland, Montgomery County, Indiana Oct 20, 1899
Mrs. Elma C. Whitehead died at the home of a friend near Shawnee Mound on Tuesday. She was a central figure in the Petit murder trial, one of the most celebrated cases in Indiana history. The Crawfordsville Journal says: W. Fred Petit became pastor of the Shawnee Church back in the 80's. The brilliant but unscrupulous minister was called on to draw up the will of her father, David Meharry, and then learned that Mrs. Whithead would inherit a large estate. Although a married man he began to pay attention to Mrs. Whitehead in a clandestine manner and finally so ingratiated himself in her affection that he obtained from her a promise that should he ever be free that she would wed him. Soon after this Mrs. died from strychnine poisoning and Petit was arrested for her murder. The case was tried in Crawfordsville in 1890 and after a six weeks' legal battle Pettit was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. He had been in the northern prison for a year when the supreme court granted him a new trial. This he never had for he was dying from consumption when the news of his victory came and died the day after within the gray stone walls of the penitentiary. When he was indicted for the murder of his wife, Mrs. Whitehead was also indicted. It was not believed that she was guilty, but she was indicted because it was thought, and in fact known, that she was refusing to give testimony to the grand jury that would damage Petitt's case. She was never tried. The court here decided to try Mrs. Whitehead before Petitt, and the state realized that she could not be convicted nollied the case against her. She left at once for Washington state and remained there until after Pettit had been convicted. Thus she avoided service as a witness. Her after life was a very sad one, but was lived quietly and devotedly. No one ever really believed that she had any knowledge of Pettit's intention to murder his wife. She was simply the weak victim of a strong and designing man.
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Oct 18, 1899
Mrs. Emma C. Whitehead, aged 45 years, died yesterday afternoon at the home of Geo. Hawthorne, near Shawnee Mound. She had been a sufferer from heart disease for a long time and her death was not a surprise. Mrs. Whitheead was a dau. of the late David Meharry and when quite a young woman married a Methodist minister named Whitehead. He died in 1876 and she was not marr. again. She became housekeeper for her father and was a leader in the social and religious life at Shawnee Mound when W. Fred Petitt became pastor of the Shawnee Church back in the 80's. The story of the unfortunate relationship of Pettit and Mrs. Whitehead is a familiar one. The brilliant but unscrupulous minister was called on to draw up the will of David Meharry and then learned that Mrs. Whitehead would inherit a large estate. Although a married man he began to pay attention to Mrs. Whitheead in a clandestine manner and finally so ingratiated himself in her affection that that he obtained from her a promise that should he ever be free that she would wed him. Soon after this, Mrs. Petitt died from strychnine poisoning and Petitt was arrested for her murder. The case was tried in Crawfordsville in 1890 and after a six weeks' legal battle Petitt was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. He had been in the northern prison for ayear when the supreme court granted him a new trial. This he never had for he was dying from consumption when the news of his victory came and died the day after still within the gray stone walls of the penitentiary. When he was indicted for the murder of his wife, Mrs. Whitehead was also indicted. It was not believed that she was guilty, but she was indicted because it was thought, and in fact known, that she was refusing to give testimony to the grand jury that would damage Petitt's case. She was never tried. The court here decided to try Mrs. Whitehead before Petitt, and the state realizing that she could not be convicted nollied the case against her. She left at once for Wash. state and remained there until after Petitt had been convicted. Thus, she avoided service as a witness. Her after life was a very sad one, but was lived quietly and devotedly. No one ever really believed that she had any knowledge of Petitt's intention to murder his wife. She was simply the weak victim of a strong and designing man. .....
Wednesday’s Lafayette Journal speaking of her death says: “The immediate cause of her death was an organic disease of the heart. She had been an invalid for ten years, suffering from a disease of the stomach, and this resulted in the impairment of the heart. She traveled extensively in the hope of benefiting her health and, in company with her father, the late David Meharry, spent some time in Florida California Indianapolis
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 20 October 1899
Mrs. Elma C. Whitehead, aged forty five years, died Tuesday afternoon at the home of George Hawthorne, near Shawnee Mound. She had been a sufferer from heart disease for a long time and her death was not a surprise. Mrs. Whitehead was a daughter of the late David Meharry and when quite a young woman married a Methodist minister named Whitehead. He died in 1876 and she was not married again. She became housekeeper for her father and was a leader in the social and religious life at Shawnee Mound when W. Fred Pettit became pastor of the Shawnee Church back in the ‘80’s. The story of the unfortunate relationship of Petitt and Mrs. Whitehead is a familiar one. The brilliant but unscrupulous minister was called on to draw up the will of David Meharry and then learned that Mrs. Whitehead would inherit a large estate. Although a married man, he began to pay attention to Mrs. Whitehead in a clandestine manner and finally so ingratiated himself in her affections that he obtained from her a promise that should he ever be free that she would wed him. Soon after this Mrs. Pettit died from strychnine poisoning and Pettit was arrested for her murder. The case was tried in Crawfordsville in 1890 and after a six weeks’ legal battle Pettit was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. He had been in the northern prison for a year when the Supreme Court granted him a new trial. This he never had for he was dying from consumption when the news of his victory came, and died the day after still within the gray stone walls of the penitentiary.
When he was indicted for the murder of his wife, Mrs. Whitehead was also indicted. It is not believed that she was guilty, but she was indicted because it was thought, and in fact known, that she was refusing to give testimony to the grand jury that would damage Pettit’s case. She was never tried. The court here decided to try Mrs. Whitehead before Pettit, and the state realizing that she could not be convicted nullified the case against her. She left at once for Washington State and remained there until after Pettit had been convicted. Thus she avoided service as a witness. Her after life was a very sad one, but was lived quietly and devotedly. No one ever really believed that she had any knowledge of Pettit’s intention to murder his wife. She was simply the weak victim of a strong and designing man.
Wednesday’s Lafayette Journal speaking of her death says: “The immediate cause of her death was an organic disease of the heart. She had been an invalid for ten years, suffering from a disease of the stomach, and this resulted in the impairment of the heart. She traveled extensively in the hope of benefiting her health and, in company with her father, the late David Meharry, spent some time in Florida. She also traveled through the west and a portion of her time was spent in California. After the death of her father, she lived quietly at the old home place at Shawnee Mound. Two weeks ago she went to Indianapolis to take treatment from a specialist. On last Thursday night she had a severe attack and it was with difficulty that she was revived. She had a premonition that death was near and decided to return home. The trip was made against the protest of her physician. She reached home on Saturday and was feeling better. Her condition improved very much Sunday, and she felt so well on Monday that she took a drive, leaving home alone. She drove to the residence of Mr. Hawthorne, and there, at 4 o’clock in the afternoon while tying the horse, was again prostrated by the disease that caused her death. She was carried into the house and sank rapidly until the end yesterday afternoon.” - s