Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1895-12-13
DR.. Fox, the Marceline Ghoul, Gets
Three Years.

Some time Last February a thrill
ing sensation was created in tn,
vicinity OF Westville, fourteen mile,
north OF Key tesville, when IL was
discovered that the dead body oi
Miss Leona Gates, a stsp-daughter
OF Rev. j. w. Estes, of Wrstville. had
been stolen from Bell cemetery,
where the young lady's remains bad
been inferred day or two previous.
The feeling in the community was
intense. aud had the ghoul been
found at once there is little doubt
but what a lynching would have
speedily avenged the wrath OF the
outraged citizens OF that vicinity.
1t was not until a few days after
wards when q large wooden box,
from the end of which protruded a
woman's feet, was discovered by I.
g. Garter, a Marcsline ice dealer, be-
hind the prescription case OF Martin
& Fox's drug store at Marceline,
that suspicion attached to James K.
Fox, the junior member OF the drug
firm OF Martin & Fox, and also a
young medical student as being the
heartIees wretch who had stolen
Miss Gates remains.
The night following Mr.. Carter's
discovery, Fox hired p. j. Noll, a
Marcsline draymaD, to haul the
corpse to his (FoI's) residence where
it was placed in the coal house. On
the way to his residence Fox asked
Noll to guess what was in the box.
Noll replied that he "didn't know"
but For insisted upon Noll's guess
ing, and Noll finally told tox he
guessed it was a corpse. when Fox
said to Noll "you are right"
The fact that Fox had the corpse
in bic possession leaked out, and re-
quilted 10 about 60 infuriated Chari-
ton COUNTY citizens, who were made
all the more determined by toe grief
Of the dead young lady's mother,
calling on Fox, who had been ar
rested on a warrant sworn out be-
fore Justice Watkins, OF Marceline,
and released on q bond of 5000, and
gave him to understand that unlpse
he divulge6 tn. hiding place of Miss
Gates remains that they would
lynch him.
Fox led his unweicome guests to
an unirsquented spot along a small
ravine, near Asrcsline, whose banks
were lined with a thick growth oi
brush, and there the corpse was
found, cut at the knees, and crowded
into a bloody trunk, which bore
labels showing it had been through
the union depot at Kansas City / 8
different times, leading many to be-
lieve that Fox had been doing a
Wholesale business in the body
snatching line in the interest of the
Kansas City Medical college.
Further, Developments revealed
that Jas. +. Wood, an employe of
Zimmerman's livery stable at Mar
celine, had driven Fox to Bell GENE
terry the night Miss Gates body was
stolen. Wood made a confession,
but took no part in the crime except
to help Fox lift the corpse fron the
grave when requested to do so. The
corpse was wrapped in a lap robe
and placed in the buggy between
Fox and Wood and taken back 10
harcelinp.
After the corpse was found by the
Charlton county citizens who waited
on Fox, it was again conveyed to
Bell cemetery and reinterred.
subsequently a warrant was sworn
out before Justice VIM. Clark, oil
Clark township, for Fox's arrest as
the crime OF which Fox was charged
was committed in Charlton county.
The accused waived formal arraigu-
ment, pleaded not guilty before Jus
tice Clark and gave bond for his ap-
pearsnce before the grand jury at
the last April term of the Charitcl
circuit court at Keytesvills.
The grand jury returned an indict-
ment against Fox, charging him
with disturbing a dead body, but
when his case was called for trial
Fox swore he could not get justice in
Charlton county, and took a changs
OF venue to the Linn county circui,
court at Linneus. The case wa:
docketed for the last June term o
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