The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-03-16
EASTHAVEN GETS
MURDER SUSPECT
Fine Looking Young Man
Brought to the Asylum from
Marion Has a Past.
REFUSES TO REVEAL 1T
AUTHORITIES HAVE REASON TO
BELIEVE THAT HE KILLED HIS
SWEETHEART IN VIRGINIA SEW
RAJ WEEKS AGO.

There was admitted to Easthaven
| Thursday man whose identity has
been completely lost His case has
attracted attention from the authors
ties of number of states who believ-
ed he answered descriptions of crimi-
mails fleeing from justice. But none of
the detectives who visited the stran-
ger could identify him and he re-
mained in the custody of the authori-
ties of Grant county until his admis-
sion into Easthaven was arranged for.
A few weeks ago a farmer living
near Marion was surprised to find a
strange man leisurely examining the
pictures and books in his parlor early
one morning. The stranger was gen.
tie and kind but demented He could
give no account of elf and the
strictest examination questioning
subsequently failed TO rtveal even a
slight clue which might lead TO his
identity. No one had ever seen him
before and nothing could be discover
ed which threw any light upon his
| strange appearance in the farmers
parlor. The clothing was covered with
coal dust, such as would soil the
clothes of a person riding on freight
trains or in coal cars.
Would Not Talk Of the Past.
The man was taken to the Jail in
Marion and there searched. His
clothes were marked with the name
&C. Ford" Upon being requested TO
| write his name the man always wrote
Frank Ferguson" never making the
mistake of writing the surname Fer
guson." He wrote fairly good hand.
and gave evidence of some education.
He never referred to his past history
He is apparently about twenty-four
years of age. The superintendent OF
! the infirmary of Grant county investi-
gated the mysterious case as fully as
he was able. but never succeeded in
coaxing the stranger to talk about his
past. Application was made for his
admission to Easthaven and the SUI
perintendent OF the Grant county i'm
firmary took the young man to that
institution Thursday.
May Be Wanted in Virginia.
The authorities of Grant county are
pretty thoroughly convinced that the
stranger ip the person SO diligently
searched lkfter by officers in Virginia.
A few weeks prior to the mysterious
appearance of the young man in the
farmers parlor at Marion, murder
was committed at the village of Dem
mark, near Lexington. Virginia A.
young man named Grover Cleveland
Ford killed his sweetheart in a fit OF
jealousy. The murderer escaped and
has not been apprehended. The gov
ernor offered reward of $500,
and the county in which the deed was
committed added another two hun
dred. Photographs of the young man
were scattered broadcast and every
part OF the country was warned. One
of the photographs came to the hands
of the sheriff of Grant county 1t SO
closely resembled the young man in
Jail that the officer wrote for personal
de escription. When this was returned
the stranger was found to fill the de-
scription almost exactly.
Detective Makes Visit.
Shortly afterward detective from
Cincinnati visited the county infirm.
airy where the young man was confin-
ed and asked to see him. The super
intendent caused the detective to en-
ter a room full of inmates of the in-
Urinary The young man was among
these. Without any hesitation the de-
tective picked this young man as the
person he was after. He informed the
superintendent that there was a re-
ward of $700 offered for Grover Cleye-
land Ford, who killed his sweetheart
in Virginia, and the young man an
swered the description of the murder
er in every detail. He said he would
return to Virginia and obtain full au-
thorfty for taking the young man
back, and would divide the reward
with the superintendent He did go
to Richmond, Virginia. and from there
telegraphed the superintendent that
the governor had withdrawn the Of
fered reward and the county of Rock
ridge had followed suit. That ended
the detectives interest in the matter
and nothing further was ever heard
from the Virginia officials.
Officers Are Confident.
No doubt exists in the minds Of mo
Grant county officials that the man
just sent to Easthaven is Grover
Cleveland Ford, who killed his sweet
heart at Denmark, Va. The marks on
his clothing alone would seem to fur
nish sufficient proof to establish his
identity. The all but perfect resem-
blance existing between Ford and
this man appears to complete the
proof The young man is insane, but
is regarded as belonging to that class
known as the cunning" insane.
He never forgets for a moment to
lay aside concealment Of his past his
tory and he cannot be induced to ever
write any other word or sentence than
the name Frank Ferguson
Virginia Fails to Respond.