The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-01-26
SA'l trrntp 3rr''''ri-
IFrom the 81 Joseph QfO) Union January 81
MYRTERIOUA MURDER.


A MAN Pound Dead tn q House OF M
1nme-Hls Companion Hauls the
BODY 90 Platte County.
The outlines of most diabohcal muir
der, alleged to have been committed at q
house ofill-fame IN this city, one week ago,
have reached us. Whatever doubts may
exist as to whether the murder was COM
mitted in st. Joseph, certain it is that the
man was murdered.
1t appears that on January /, Joel
Drake and John Cradle came TO this city
from Albany, Gentry County, the former
having IN his possession a considerable
amount Of money. During the evening,
according to CRADLES statement, they sep
arated, and Cradle saw no more Of has
companion until Sunday afternoon Zone
week ago to-day, when he found his
nanoled and hfeless body in a house OF
ll-fame. He states that three of the IN
mates brought the corpse down stairs,
wrapped in a blanket, and deposited it in
his wagon, threatening TO swear that he
murdered the man provided he breathed q
word Of the affair BE took the body toa
stock yard, in the outskirts Of the city
where he passed the night, and the next
morning started for Platte County.
After stopping several times, he at
length reached the house Of Daniel Cradle
about two and a half miles below Park
vile. On Thursday he came to Parkville
10 procure q coffin but meanwhile the
suspicion Of the citizens were aroused, and
Cradle was taken into custody.
Before Justice Davis, in Pettes Town
ship, Platte County, Cradle was arraigned
and afidavits taken, together with his
statement A transcript Of these docu.
ments reached Sheriff Fish, of this city
last night, and he Immediately instituted
q thorough investigation. We subjoiI
eopies Of one Of the witnesses statement
and the statement of the prisoner:
Mary E. Murphy, being duly sworn
states upon oath: John Cradle came Il
our house last Monday evening, January
8; he stayed all night Tuesday morning
we started down here. Drake was in tn
wagon with us-dead. John Cradle wa
driving. The body was lying IN the bacl
part Of the wagon, with the head to tn
tail gate. ! was present when the corps
was taken from the wagon, and no bloc
was dripping from it."
John Cradle, being sworn, states; g
left Albany, Gentry County, December 81
in company with Joel Drake. 1 under
stood from certain parties that Drak
had when he left Albany, acheck for S41S
which was assigned to me, and drew tn
money at the First National Bank IN s
Joseph, and paid it over 70 Drake i'm
mediately afterward. He gave me Sl2
to give to his wife In the afternoon b
left the boarding-house. and saw nothin
Of him until Sunday, in the Afternoon
when found him in 4 house ofill-fame
the north part Of St. Joseph, about on
Numbered yards from Blaeksnake Bridg
dead. When ] LEFT ST. Joseph I placed th
body IN the wagon, and did not move
any more than necessary until i reache
thus place The body was placed in th
wagon on Sunday evening about thr'
o'clock. rolled up in a blanket. by thre
women, who threatened, IN case / tol
which house found it at, to swear Il
murder against me On that account
did not make the murder known befol
leaving st. Joseph
1t Will be seen that the location Of Il
fatal house is very indefinite 1t is els
where stated that the prisoner could n
tell whether it was two or three ston
high, or brick OF frame. He also thinl
there were about twenty female inmate
The improbabihty of hls.entire statement
patent at once. r
Joel Drake was about thirty-hve yea
old, about FIVE feet ten inches high rath
slender. dark complexion, whiskeFs da
and thin, hair dark and thin, and h
dark eyes. He was dressed rather sha
billy IN butternut suit