Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-06-18

W - AACSAAOC0 CAuSSAOaSts LAC NhSAsSSsS
Of the family gathered at Helena GENE.
terry to open the grave.
There was much speculation as TO
whether. after almost half century.
there would remain sufficient evidence
to prove their contention or to dis
prove It,
However, large pieces Of the black
walnut casket. Its broadcloth draper
les. the handles OF the casket and
other relics of the burying box were
found. but the bones Of James w.
Glenn had disappeared.
Body Evidently Removed.
Thus tho contention that the grave
had been tempered with was upheld
by the evidence presented There
was no question but that the bones OF
q human would remain intact longer
than the cloth covering of the casket.
Furthermore the family asserted that
the casket had a glass covering AMI
there was not trace OF glass to be
found in the grave. Another evil
dence was the failure to find stone
sunk with the burying box to keep
it down at the time Of interment The
season was wet and there was water
in the grave when James w. Glen was
laid to rest. The stone also was
! missing.
Hold to Murder Theory.
AS a result CT these findings the
members of the family hold to the old
theory that the elder Glen was pois-
oned and that the body had been re-
moved from the grave rorty-five years
; ago to cover the crime. The grave
had long been undisturbed, as tree
; had grown above it and it was neces-
sary to dig around its roots in order
not to remove it.
The theory of murder held by the
family is backed up by stories OF the
old neighbors and friends. who re-
call wildly the incidents Of half CEN
tury ago.
Statement. Of Neighbors.
1t was the concensus Of opinion
among the old residents of the Helena
neighborhood that no murder had been
committed by the owner of the Farm
House" or any Of his descendants. These
tales they scoffed at as mere fabrica-
! ton. The place. according to these old
settlers, was always orderly, and
gaming was never permitted within
! the tavern walls.
Mrs. NJ. J. Clinker, of Tama, long
resident Of the neighborhood. now
resident of Tama, declared she had
never heard word of reproach upon
the house. and that the story attributed
to a former resident, who recently
died, to the effect that persons had
gone to the tavern for the night and
had never reappeared. was the inven-
ton Of some active mind seeking SEN
sation.
Perry Smith, of Tama, corroborated
the story of Mrs. Clinker, and recalled
the old story that the house was
haunted. He laughed at the old tales
and declared that he and companion
had slept in the house three nights, at
various times, after it had been aban-
doned as a tavern, and had not only
been disappointed in their quest for
apparitions but had heard no uncanny
noises such as ghosts are wont to
make at the hour of midnight.
Old EmpIoys Repudiates Story.
Caroline Hand, q resident of the
Helena neighborhood, who lived at the
Farm House" a short time, declared
I it was always an orderly place and
there was no scandal connected either
with the place. or with Its proprietor.
AS for the stories of murder, gambling
Tor lighting she declared them absolute
ly untrue.
Her sister. Mrs. Mary Marks, OF Mis-
| souri,, now visiting in the Helena neigh
borhood substantiated Mrs. Hands
story. Mrs. Marks was at one time
employed at the tavern.
j. C. Fathers, Of POS West Church
| street. Marshalltown. was an old neigh
Dor of the Clems. and declared the tav-
ern to have been conducted In an or
derby manner and that the stories of
murder were without foundation.
Glenn Gave Cemetery Land.
! The land for the cemetery at Helena,
where James w. Glen was buried, was
given to the county by Mr.. Glen. He
donated two acres for this purpose fifty
years ago, the deed to Tama county to
run for ninety-nine years.
Mr. Glen also gave to the county the
land where the Helena school house
now stands.
Glenn Family vindieated.
That the stories circulated about the
old tavern are untrue has been proven
beyond a doubt by the old settlers OF
| the Helena neighborhood and the name
of Glenn is held free from the stain OF
bloodshed. The origin OF the stories
was the finding Of the bones at
the old house and those who circulated
the reports were unfamiliar with the
situation and with the early life OF the
neighborhocd. AS the stories were cir
culated they became more lurid but 1t
was with no intention Of attaching 10
the name Of Glen the foul deed re-
ported as it was told that the old place
had been in the hands of many land
lords and that at some distant date IN
the past the place was conducted in
disorderly manner.
AS to the death Of James w. Glenn
the family have their own suspicious,
which have in the course OF recent
events been fairly we'll substanuated.
There is little doubt that the grave was
tempered with and 1t may be possible
that the few bones found at the ola
"Farm House" may be all that remains
Of the old landlord. and the finding may
prove the contention that he was mace
the victim of murder.
SAVE DISTRICT $500
a.. ~A.. Decd 4 AHa bid for