I want to thank everyone who took the time to answer me. I never even
thought about being able to retrieve the original letter from Linton. Nor
did I think of several of the other suggestions. Thanks so much!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Loretta Teeters" <loretta(a)magiclink.com>
To: <INCLAY-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000 9:52 PM
Subject: Murder in Clay County
I could use some advice on where to start research on a possible
murder.
Family rumor says that John Beatty was murdered and then placed on
railroad
tracks to make it look like an accident. I was able to find only one
newspaper article covering the event, which evidently also served as the
obit. After reading the article below, I have more questions than answers.
Was someone after him? Is that why he was carrying concealed weapons? Or
was
he into something he shouldn't have been, such as a gang or
something?
Since
the body was taken straight to the undertaker, was a police
investigation
done? How about an autopsy? He must have just been released from the jail
if
the letter was still on him. Was he going to visit the author of the
letter?
Can someone suggest where I should start to look for these answers? I
live
in Idaho now so I would have to do all of this by phone or letters. Who
would I contact? I appreciate your help.
TRAIN CUTS OFF HEAD OF JASONVILLE MAN
John Beatty's body Found on the Southern Indiana Tracks at Latta Yards
Jasonville, Ind..Jan 25, 1909
John Beatty, a young man of about twenty-five years of age, was killed at
the Latta yards, one-half mile south of this place some time Saturday
night
by the midnight coal train on the Southern Indiana railroad. Beatty,
who
lived in Coalmont, had gone to Linton on the evening passenger Saturday
night and told some of his friends that he would return on the coal train
which passes through Coalmont late in the night. His body was found at
about
four o'clock Monday morning by a switch crew which had been
called out
early.
The body when found was lying alongside the rail with the head cut off;
the
left foot and left forearms also were cut off. The switch crew
brought
the
body to the undertaking establishment of H. W. Foreman in this city.
After
daylight, the undertaker went to the place where Beatty had been killed
and
after a search found Beatty's head which had rolled down an
embankment.
Beatty was identified by a letter written by a Linton girl and addressed
to
John Beatty care of Vigo County Jail, Terre Haute. Beatty had just
served
a
forty-five day jail sentence in teh Terre Haute jail for carrying
concealed
weapons.
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