The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-07
STRANGE sToRT OF a WILL.
How an Outlaws Body Reached the
Dissecting Room.

dissected will be that of Poke Wells.
When in his palmy days Wells was noto-
rlous as a train robber and man-killer The
dead body of Wells is now in the wat" at
the medical college, undergoing the preser-
walton process necessary to dissection. The
story of how the outlaws body happened
to be turned over to medical students is pc
culiarly interesting. AS told in press dis
patches from ocean to ocean, Wells, the
notorious bandit who WED with Frank and
jesse James in deeds of outlawry, died in
the Iowa penitentlary hospital at Ana
mosa on Sept. II, of the present year.
Consumption closed the career of this re-
markable man. A few days after his
death long, heavy pine box was taken
from the baggage car OF Burlington tram
at the union passenger station in this city.
Inside the box was the corpse OF the dead
bandit 1t was received by AL Warneke
and loaded into an ordinary farm wagon.
From the depot the body was conveyed TO
the college building and delivered 70 Dr.
T. e. Potter. secretary of the faculty. rms
transaction was in accordance with an
agreement previously entered into between
Warneke and the faculty.
Warneke's right to dispose OF the pooy
was due TO the fact that only short time
before Wells died he willed his remains 10
Warneke, with the understanding that they
should be offered for dissection rms
strange bequest is doubly strange iron,
the fact that Warneke is now the husoahu
Of the young woman whom Wells married
when he was young man, prior TO ms no
toriety as an outlaw. Warneke wooed and
won the affection Of Mrs. Wells, put con-
trary to natural expectations, Wells dld
not become an enemy of Warneke.
Wells was born and reared few miles
south of this city, and in the year lo'z
was married to Miss Nora wilson VINO
IN
locality. Their acquaintance dated from
infancy, and the bride of the man VINO
was soon to become famous bandlt was
the daughter of highly respected parents
Wells and his wife vent to housekeep-
ing in the little town of RushYille, IN the
southern part of this county, Wnere ne
engaged in the grocery and liquor busl-
ness. He had previously spent several
years as a scout and Indian fighter in the
west and he found the life of village
grocer decidedly too tame for one or MS
reckless disposition. His business venture
proved to be a failure, and fortune that
he had inherited from his father was swept
away in the wreck. After having been
married two years, Wells left his wife in
the care of relatives near st. Joseph and
went back to the mining camps OF the
west. About this time there was a sue
| cession OF stage robberies In Colorado and
Wyoming, and when, after an absence OF
this county, he brought plenty of money
with him.
During his absence his wife had given
her heart to Warneke. a young former
living near this city, and he had married
her When Wells met Warneke everybody
thought there would be a killing. But
there was not; Wells assured Warneke
of his best wishes. One day he called at
Warneke's home, gave the woman that
had once been his own wife $500 in cash.
kissed her and rode away TO resume his
career of outlawry. 1t is said Of Wells
that while he gave no outward indication
of grief on account of his wife's marriage
to Warneke, he was none the less devoted
to her, and he brooded over the affair In
silence. meanwhile plunging deeper and
deeper into crime.
Warneke and Wells we're always friends
after the marriage. AS II to atone for the
alienation Of Mrs. Wells affection, War
neke never failed to favor the outlaw
whenever he found opportunity. 1t is a
matter of current comment here that Of
tentimes when Wells was closely. pursued
by officers of the law he found shelter
and security in Warneke's house. AS the
two men grew older II seemed that their
friendship became more firmly cemented,
| and when al last Wells was hunted down
and forced to appear in the courts for
trial. Warneke came to the rescue. He
to hire lawyers for Wells The outlaw
was convicted, but Warneke still remain
ed his firm friend, and spent much time
and great deal OF money in trying to
get pardon for the prisoner. But Wells
was released only by death.
One day shortly before Wells died he
called one of the penitentlary hospital at
PENDANTS to his cot and asked that he be
allowed to do some writing. 1t was then
that he wilsed his body after death. to
Warneke. The outlaw convict knew that
the end of his career was near, and he
asked that Warneke be notified. on re-
ceipt of a telegram announcing Wells
death Warneke ordered the remains sent
to him. Prior to that time he had In
formed the officers of the Central Medical
College Of the fact that he would offer
Wells body for dissection. The college
faculty offered to bear the expense of
shipping the body, but Warneke rejected
the offer, saying that he preferred to pay
the charges himself.
Addressing DR.. Potter, secretary of the
faculty. Warneke said:
Poke requested that his body be
given to some medical college for dssec-l
ton, and you can have II, provided you
will agree to what have to say. don't
want to sell the body, but after the dis
section want the heart and skeleton-the
skeleton to be placed together as It was
dissection. If you will agree to these
terms you may have the body"
DR.. Potter agreed to the proposition,
and this is the story Of how the Central
Medical College placed the dead body of
outlaw Poke Wells in its dissecting vat,
What strange fancy prompted Wells 10
bequeath his body to Warneke with in
structions TO have it dissected is a mys-
terry, and even more mysterious is the
grewsome demand Of Warneke for the
heart and bones OF the outlaw. Warneke
Is reticent on the subject, and declines TO
say what he is going TO make Of his ghast-
ly souvenir, The college faculty will no
tify Warneke when dissection Is to take
place, and II Is presumed that he will be
in attendance, in accordance with his ex-
pressed desire During all OF the years
that Warneke was so active IN befriend-
ing Wells, Mrs. Warneke, the outlaws for
mer wife, extended hearty cooperation,
and, Notwithstanding the fact that she
deserted Wells the woman was much
grieved when the announcement OF his
death was received. Charles p. Wells was
the correct name Of the outlaw, but he
was known as Poke" He was 50 years
Of age. at the time OF his death He was
Qnp ~ Col Iohr VVofls 80 Nar.s.r..,