The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-06
INDIANA AND ILLINOISNEWS
A Murder of Thirty Years Ago Recalled
by the Finding Of a Skeleton.
The Rich Kentuckian Who Rode Into Nor
gan County and Was Never Again Seen
Alive-ShOt by His SOn-in-Law.
a Murder of Thirty Years Ago Recalled by
the Finding of Skeleton.
SpeCal to the Indiannpolis journal

a Murder of Thirty Years Ago Recalled by
the Finding of a Skeleton.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
MARTINsvILLE, Oct. A few days since,
while working in field, Simon Wilcox, of Baker
township, this county, disinterred, on the farm
of Hon. Joseph ]. Maxwell, human skeleton.
The remains had been buried in a secluded spot
and on being taken before DR.. S. c. Farr of
Hindoostan, were pronounced the bones of
white man. The finding of these remains has
revived an old story Of supposed murder and
robbery that occurred in that neighborhood over
thirty years ago, and which at that time was the
gossip Of all this section of the State. The muir
dered man was Joseph Munsie, rich cattle
broker and land buyer from Kentucky The
writer has been able to CLEAN the following items
touching the supposed crime:
Some thirty years ago stranger claiming to be
from Northern Kentucky came to this part
of Indiana to purchase land. He was riding
fine and spirited horse, and was known to have
on his person large sum of money. Late in
the afternoon of foggy autumn day he rode up
to the ferry kept by old man by the name of
Mckinney and was taken across the
river, after which he inquired for an old
friend John Munsie, and when directed to
Munsies residence, distance OF two miles, he
rode of in that direction. The ferry referred to
was located near where the bridge across White
river, west of this city, is situated. A day
or two after the above occurrence the riderless
horse Of the stranger returned to the ferry, and
of course the curiosity of the old ferryman was
excited He projected inquiries touching the
whereabouts of the owner of the horse having
distinct recollection Of both the horse and rider,
but could not learn anything for some time
concerning his fate. The neighbors began to
suspect the old ferryman of having murdered
the man, when Munsie's wife came to his relief.
She stated that the stranger had remained all
night at their house, after he crossed the ferry,
and that on the following morning, in company
with her husband, he had crossed White river in
"a canoe at point directly opposite the place
where the skeleton was found by Mr. Wilson.
After the statement of Mrs Munsie public at
tention was directed to John Munsie, who was
strongly suspected Of having committed the
murder. These suspicious were strengthened by
the strange conduct of Munsie, who was wont to
go about giving vent to wild and incoherent
mutterings, and who seemed to bear
singular remorse of conscience. He
was a hunter, and had but little as
sociations with his neighbors Nlunsie
often related to William N. Cunningham his
wretched state of mind. On several occasions
he assured Mr. Cunningham that while working
in the field he could hear cattle and horses
tramping in vast herds all over the field, and
that be had frequently seen ghost pursuing
him. He dwindled away until he became a
mere walking skeleton, and finally removed to
Missouri and in year or two afterwards died
carrying his horrible secret along with him into
another world