ELI YOUNG POSSIBLE MURDER  The Eye  March 1899 POSSIBLE MURDER   At between the hours of three and four o clock Wednesday afternoon, the insensible body of Eli Young was found in the roadway near Industry.  He was discovered by Ed Fry who gave the alarm and the body was taken into the house of Reece Adams.  Young died in about thirty minutes and before regaining consciousness.  A physician was summoned from Industry and he found a scalp wound on the left side of the head back of the ear.  The skull was also fractured.   From exclusive information THE EYE is able to give to it s readers the following information.  Wednesday morning, Young left his home, near Industry, with a wagon and team, and went to Elliott McCormick s farm, four and one-half miles southwest of Vermont, to secure a load of farming implements belonging to him.  McCormick s home farm is but a short distance south of the tenant house, and Elliott was at the latter place when he arrived.  "Bad blood" has existed between the two for some time past, trouble having come up when they tried to reach settlement when Young left the farm.  McCormick claims that Young was owing him some money.  John Moore, who now resides in the tenant house, met Young and the two talked for a short time.  Moore then went about his business, first telling Young that Elliott had his stuff locked up and intended to keep it until his claim was settled.  Elliott was working in a lot south of the house and Young went that way to see him.  Shortly Moore heard a vicious whack, and turning around saw Young in a reclining position on the ground, with McCormick on the other or south side of the fence which separated them.  He ran to the fallen man, placed his cap on his head and told him to get up.  This Young did, apparently being only dazed for a few minutes by the blow, which McCormick claims was delivered with his fist.  It is a significant fact, however, that two witnesses affirm that he held a fork in his hand, with which he had been cleaning the stocks from the ground.  After regaining his feet, Young seemed to experience no ill effects from the blow, and he and McCormick settled their difference, by the former giving Elliott a half ton of hay.  Young loaded his wagon and started home.  On the way he stopped and told John Gibble to let McCormick and Moore have the hay as agreed, and these two gentlemen got it that evening.  Mrs. Moore did not see the fray.  She says Young was there from 9 o clock until a little after 10.  Young passed several people on the road home, and as far as known he spoke to all of them and did not exhibit any wounds.  Besides John Moore there were no witnesses to the combat.  The fractured skull is the best witness obtainable that the blow was struck by the fork handle.   It s position and nature is such as would occur by a man striking a right-handed blow.  Young was standing on the fence at the time, probably half way up, and McCormick claims he struck in self defense.   The Coroner s inquest is in session this afternoon at Young s home.  It s verdict is awaited with interest, as the prominence of the parties concerned make the affair particularly disagreeable.   Eli Young was a young man about 35 years of age.  He married several years ago to Ellen Campbell and four children were born to them, two of whom are living.  Mr. Young was a member of the local M. W. of A. and carried insurance to the amount of $3,000. Another article FOUND DYING IN THE ROAD   Wednesday evening Eli Young, a farmer residing near Industry, was found unconscious and dying in the road by Ed Fry.  He was taken into Reece Adam s house, where he died in about thirty minutes.  Mr. Young had recently moved to the Martha Standard farm about three miles east of Industry, and was on his homeward trip with the last load of goods, and was within about one-half or three quarters of a miles of home.  He formerly lived in Flat Woods.  There is a report circulating as to the cause of his death, but as yet we are unable to give authoritive facts in regard to it, other than that when found he had a scalp wound in the back of his head and the skull was fractured, from which injuries death resulted. Submitted by: Betty Young Adair <Blaquilt@macomb.com>  For a scanned copy of these articles contact Betty.

MEETS A TRAGIC END! L.  R. Shannon, an Astoria Boy, Killed at Clinton, Ill. {written in pencil: age 29 years, 8 days; Nov. 8-99 -1899??} (From Clinton Daily Public, Nov.10. {DeWitt County})   About 10:30 Wednesday night, L. R. Shannon, a switchman, was run over by two Illinois Central cars in the yards here and almost instantly killed.   There were no eye witnesses to the accident, but fellow-switchman, C. S. Atwood, was on the two cars that passed over his companion.  He felt the jar to the cars and when he ____ reached the injured man s side he was breathing his last.  The body was horribly mutulated.   The remains were taken to the undertaking establishment of Campbell & Oakman and Coroner Emery notified.  An Inquest was held in the court house on Thursday.  The witnesses examined were Switchman C. S. Atwood, Foreman Harve Toombs, C. G. martin and Fireman Will Haynic {Haynie}.   The inquest developed the fact that the crew was making a drop switch to place two cars on the house track at the freight depot.  Five cars wers {were}  being pulled by switch engine No. 115.  The third car from the rear was a flat car and Shannon was staning {standing} on this car to pull the pin and cut off the two remaining cars to drop in on the house track.  The train was going toward the switch and Shannon was heard to halloo, "All Right," signifying that he had drawn the pin.  The engine and three cars pulled away.  It was then that Switchman Atwood, who was riding the cars in the house track, felt the cars pass over some object, and called the remainder of the crew to investigate.  They found him lying beside the track.   After the cars were cut off and the flat car had passed the switch, it was noticed that Shannon s lantern was on the car.   The unfortunate man leaves a wife, parents and many relatives.  He had been recently employed here and had been at work but three nights.  His wife is visiting her parents at Meredosia {Morgan County}.  Following is the verdict of the corner s jury.   We, the undersigned jurors, sworn to inquire into the death of L. R. Shannon, on oath do find that he came to his death by being run over by cars in yard while in the act of making a drop or running switch. R.  P. McHenry, Foreman. Lenord {?}  R. Shannon was a son of ?? ?? ?? Asel Shannon who &   *NOTE: found in a scrapbook in Roswell, New Mexico by Nancy Harvey while going though her mother s things after her death.  "The scrapbook is one which my great grandmother, Amanda Bryan Wetzel, or perhaps my grandmother, Nettie Wetzel Dean, pasted lots of obituaries of family and friends.  These families were from around McDonough, Fulton and Schuyler Counties.  These obits are probably around a hundred years old or may be more."