Bedford (IN) Weekly, August 16, 1901 p. 4. I now know this isn't part of
the South Central District in Indiana, but at the time I copied the article,
I wasn't sure of the county In which Washington was located. So I'm sharing
the information anyway. The second article noted below immediately
followed the first article in the newspaper. The latter article was
abbreviated below as noted by the ellipsis.
Washington, Indiana, August 9-Noah A. Southerland and Miss Nettie Purcell,
both of whom reside a few miles southwest of here, came to Washington last
night, and at the parsonage of Rev. L. B. Johnson, pastor of the Second M.
E. Church, were united in marriage. About the time they were expected home,
Mrs. Frank Purcell, mother of the bride, went to the door of her home in the
country to see if the newly married couple were in sight. She stood in the
doorway several minutes, and when she caught sight of the carriage on the
roadway she was so overcome with excitement that she sank to the floor and
died within a few minutes of heart disease.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Washington, Indiana, August 11-Frank Purcell, accused by his 14-year-old
son, Jesse, of killing his wife last Thursday night, the night of their
daughter Nettie's marriage, was arrested at his home five miles southeast of
here shortly before midnight by Sheriff McCord, Captain of Police Harris
and Constable Lemon. When informed that he was charged with the murder of
his wife, Purcell pressed his hands to his head and cried: "My God!" He
was led to the carriage and taken to jail where he is now confined. He
refused to make any statement whatever other than a general denial of the
accusations of his son.
At the inquest, the boy, who is trying to avenge the death of his mother,
related the details of his father's assault as witnessed by him through a
crack in the barn. In his boyish manner he told of how his father had told
Nettie that on the morning following the marriage she and her husband would
have to leave the Purcell residence and shift for themselves. This caused
Mrs. Purcell to break into tears and, in order to conceal her grief from the
guests that had assembled she went to the barn. She was weeping when
Purcell approached and began beating and kicking her.
It was found that the spleen on the right side was ruptured by a blow, and
the abdominal cavity was found filled with blood. There was a bruise on the
back and on the lower abdomen and right thigh were found the toe prints of a
heavy-soled shoe. At the inquest, Mrs. Noah Southerland, the bride whose
marriage celebration ended in the traffic death of her mother testified that
on several occasions her father had struck Mrs. Purcell with his fists.She
also testified that Purcell had threatened her.
(W)hile Mrs. Purcell lay unconscious, her husband objected to neighbors
bathing her face, and when told to get a doctor remarked: "I don't believe
there is any use, she's dead." The funeral took place this afternoon by a
large crowd. The seven children were seated in one large carriage. Frank
Purcell is the father of Frank, Jr., who is serving a life sentence in the
Michigan City prison for the murder of Rufus Ross in Pike County about one
year ago.