The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-08-01
BENTLEY MELLOTT DEATH
Story Of the Sad Affair as Brought Out
Before the Jiry at the Coroner's
Inquest.
MATTER STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION

George MellOJt, ll-vehr -Oiu SUI VI
Sam uel Mellott, near Foltz. The
boys name, we believe, is George
Bentley, and heis better known
as Bentley Mellott.
There is good deal OF feeling
among the neighbors and IN the
family of the boys father, as to
some one beng, indirectly at
least, responsible for the boys
death.
An autopsy by the Coroner and
Drs. Brubaker and Nevln showed
bad ruptures of the bowels and
other serious internal injuries
from which death came.
The Witnesses examined were
the boys IL year old brother
Harvey; w. S. Kolb, U. S. guager
and storekeeper at Ungers; Miss
Irene SIpes, at the tollgate; and
others.
Their stories synopsised make
this nara I've of the facts:
Harvey Mellott and his young
er brother, Bentley, were with
Carson McFadden. 1t was decid
ed to "chip in" and get some
whiskey. Near the distlllery
they met Ira Diehl and Edward
Keyser, two lumbermen from
the Big Cove. The matter of
whlskey was spoken of and Dlehl
aud Keyser got four quarts from
the still house. OF this the Big
Cove men gave the trio three
quarts. The entire party then
went to Mercersburg, where
the two Mellotts and Nc
Faddeh, helped the lumbermen
unload their timber and load the
wagon with coal. The older men
of the party drank some in Mer
cersburg and the older Mellott
acknowledged that he gave his
11-year old brother one swallow
of whiskey while in town. On
the return trip the lumbermen
offered to hire Bentley Mellott at
SO a month. They told him a
horse would be furnished him
and he could riie home every
night, If he desired. Bentley
agreed to this and IN passing his
home stopped and got together
some clothing. He joined the two
lumbermen. About $3.50 p. m.
after passing the dlstillery, in
Fulton county, Bentley fell from
the lazy board to the road and the
rear wheel of the heavy wagon
passed over his abdomen. Diehl
and Keyser brought the uncon-
sclous boy to the tOllgate and left
Mr.. Kolb, son of W. F.. Kolb, oi
Chamhersburg, took the boy tc
the Mellott home. The boy be
came conscious drrlng the night
and said he was given whiskey
by one-of the party. He said hs
fell off the wagon and got> hurt
The verdict was;
"That Bentley Mellotthad come
TO his death by beng run over by
wagon belonging to Ira Diehl
on the pike between Foliz and thu
first tollgate on the mountain ant
while evidence was produced
showing the parties intoxicatet
and had given the boy whiske,
we do not find evidence to shoy
that the SAID intoxicat'on of tn
men (Ira Dlehl and Edward Key
ser) in any way contributed t
the boys death. Nor was ltshowl
that the boy became lntoxicate
from the whiskey given him o
that the whiskey given was tn
cause OF his fall under wheels Q
The wagon, thereby causing hi
DEATH
samuel Mellott, the boys /;
ther, went to Chambersburg las
Saturday TO see the District A
torney and the Coroner Of Frani
lin county. To the Coroner, b
sad he was satisfied with tina vel
dict of the coroner's jury, havln
confidence IN the personnel of III
SIX men who investigated It
cause of his sons death. He di
played no bitterness, but said |
would like to see the men wi
gave MS boy whiskey, punishe
The Coroner said