The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-11-11
POOLE MURDER CASE
TO BEGIN MONDAY
Loyal Daughter Strives to
Save Father from Pay
ing Death Penalty.

LAFAYETTE, Ind, Nov. 11.-Not
for many years has murder trial
caused so great a sensation and at
tracted such general interest in this
section OF the state as the trial to be-
gin here In Tippecanoe circuit court
next Monday, of John w. Poole,
prosperous Benton county farmer, who
Is charged with having murdered
Joseph Kemper, one of his German
farm hands. in December, 1909. 1t is
not morbid curiosity alone or a desire
to have an opportunity to listen to the
revolving details OF a brutal crime that
cause this general interest. The fea'
ture which more than any appeals to
the heart and sympathy of the people
is the brave fight which Grace Poole,
the daughter OF the accused man, is
making to save her father from the
gallows.
Grace Poole, alone OF all the men,
bers OF the Poole family faithfully
stands by her father and. out Of her
meager earnings as teacher in the
'Wheatfield public school. defrays the
cost OF defending her father in the
coming trial. Poole's wife and his 9TH
er daughter have turned against him
and have absolutely refused to con-
tribute to the fund for Poole's defense.
Ills son, Emory Poole, who has been
1.-THE prime accuser of his father and
has left literally no stone unturned to
find evidence against the old man,
continues to maintain his attitude Of
extreme hostility and has openly de-
clared that he would not rest until his
father had been hanged.
John w. Poole was one of the most
substantial men in Benton county. He
owned several prosperous farms but,
owing to some financial trouble few
years ago, he transferred the title to
his property to his wife. Joseph KEN
per, with whose murder Poole Is
charged, worked for Poole during the
summer and fall Of 1909. He was last
seen alive on December 10, or II. 1909
and since then every trace of him was
lost. 1t was supposed that he had left
the farm to find work in the lumber
camps of Michigan.
Nobody suspected that Kemper had
been murdered, until Poole's son,
Emory, informed the authorities of his
belief that his father had killed Kem-
per and buried his body somewhere
on the farm. The elder Poole was ar
rested on March IS, 1911 and charged
with the murder of kemper, but he
was discharged on the same day. be-
cause there was absolutely no evi.
dence against him at that time beyond
the mere accusation of Emory Poole.
Young Poole. apparently convinced
that his suspicion was we'll founded
and determined to find the necessary
proofs for the guilt OF his father. con-
tinued to search for Kemper's body.
exploring every part Of the grounds
with that object In view. His perse-
verence was apparently rewarded. In
the middle of big corn field. about
half a mile from the Poole homestead.
young Poole found the decomposed re-
mains Of human body, mingled with
the remains of a hogs carcass. He
notified the authorities and, although
the remains Of the human body were
far beyond Identification, insisted up
on the charge that the body was that
Of Joseph Kemper. whom. he accused
his father, Of having murdered.
John w. Poole was again arrested
and brought to Fowler, Indiana, where
he was arraigned before Justice l.. B.
Stephenson on May last. The
charge was preferred by Emory Poole
who submitted practically all the evil
dence. Poole pleaded not guilty and
was held to the grand jury without
bail on a charge Of murder. In due
course Of time he was indicted and his
trial was set for next Monday.
Although Poole continued to main
tain his innocence Of having commit
ted intentional murder. he Is said to
have confessed that he accidentally
shot and killed Kemper and then bur-
ded his body for fear Of the conse-
Quences Of his deed. Poole, 1t is said,
claims that while he climbed over the
fence OF his orchard to hunt rabbits.
his shotgun was accidentally dis
charged and the full load struck KEN
Der in the head at close range. killing
him instantly.
Elmore BARGE has been engaged to
defend Poole and it is believed that he
will make a plea of insanity for his
client. Fifteen years ago Poole was
tried for having tried to shoot a man
named Quigley. The jury decided.
however. that Poole was insane and
he was sent to an asylum in Indiana
polls. where he remained several
years.
Grace Poole. the prisoners younger
daughter. came near losing her posi-
ton ~ teacher in the Wheatfield pub
lie school where she has been doing
good work for several years. Many Of
the parents objected to her because
her father had been accused OF muir
der. but the brave girl called a meeting
Of the parents and won their sym.
pathy and support when she explain
ed to them it would be impossible for
her to help her father should she be
deprived Of her position.
Birmingham, England's busy manu-
featuring town. has adopted the open
school idea for children who need this
treatment.