The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1892-08-18
MURDERED.
MRS. MATTE LOONEY OF POST OAK
THE VICTIM.

Mrs. Matte Looney, widow, aged about
Oh years, was murdered last Sunday in
Post Oak district. eleven miles from Mari.
eta
Mrs. Looney was left at home alone Sun
day Her step>mother, Mrs. Kirkland
lett her Saturday afternoon to attend the
Marietta Camp meeting. A colored man.
named Tom Mitchell, who lives on the
place, drove the wagon that carried Mrs
Kirkland to the Camp Ground. He re-
turned that evening and remained all night
and went back Sunday morning to bring
back Mrs. Kirkland Sunday afternoon.
he arrived st the Camp Ground, it is said
about l O'CLOCK An old miner stopped at
Mrs, Looneys about ten o'clock Sunday
morning, got drink of water, talked with
Mrs. Looney awhile and left. That was
last seer of her alive.
Mrs. kirkland returned home that after>
noon and found the house locked and Mrs.
Looney absent. She thought probably that
she had gone over to Mrs, Parkers to stay
ali night and concluded she would 90 over
there too, but being old, she gave out while
walking and returned to the house and
stald all night by herself. Next morning
she sent the colored man over to Mrs.
Parkers but he returned and stated that
Mrs. Looney had not been there. An
alarm was given and the neighbors gather
ed aud began to search for Mrs. Looney.
About quarter of a mile from the house
In the woods they found her, with her head
beaten into Disagreement as if some one
had used rocks in their deadly and mur>
derous work. She presented a horrible
sight. Her clothes were badly torn and it
looked as if there had been struggle. In
her pocket was found the keys to the house.
All the doors and windows having been
fastened.
Parties came to town and notified Sheriff
McLain and Coroner Lyon, and also
stated that it was believed that VIII Ellis
OF Atlanta, was her murderer. One of the
nelghbors stated that she had seen two
men, who stopped at her house and got
wafer. Upon being shown the photograph
OF Ellis she said that one Of the men looked
like him.
Mrs. Looney had bought the farm two
years ago, and moved from Atlanta to it.
for the special purpose of getting Ellis
away from Atlanta. Ellis had been raised
by her. Ellis didn't like the farm work
and not long after went back to Atlanta
and went to work at his trade, being a
painter The old lady had decided the
farm to Ellis to be his at her death
Sheriff McLain ,telephoned to Atlanta
policemen the facts and asked that Ellis be
arrested. The evening paper published
the story and Ellis gave himself ur, deny.
ing the crime, saying that he was in Att
Ianta all day Sunday at Grant Park with
three or four boon companions. whose
names he gave. A young mal named
'Cullom, was also arrested. He denied all
knowledge of it also and said he was at the
East Tennessee stops drinking on Sunday.
The Coroner went to the scene and work
ed faithfully untilten oclock Monday night
and went back again Tuesday and resum.
ed the investigation.
Coroner NJ f.. Lyon finished the invess
tigation Tuesday, after hard days work
No positive evidence was obtained The
jurys verdict condemned the murder as
foul and brutal and said the evidence points
ed to certain parties in the neighborhood.
Ellis will be brought up by Sheriff Me-
Lain to stand committal trial, to see if he
can be identified as having been seen in
the reighborhOod on Sunday.
AS the matter now stands the crime is
shrouded in mystery.
The body of Mrs. Looney was carried to
Atlanta Tuesday for burial: