Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-10-10

Sheriff w. E. Knox returned this
morning from Ollie, Hedrick and other
places in that vicinity after having
spent the entire day Wednesday at
work on clues in the MeEott murder
case.
Sheriff Knox in company with A. M.
Cowger and w. H. Rodibaugh of
Agency, and their bloodhounds, left
here early Wednesday morning inn
mediately after receiving the call from
Hedrick telling of the finding of Mr..
Mellott in his a south of that place
about 1 O'clock in the morning. They
were met in that vicinity by Sheriff
Grimes Of Keokuk county, who had
come down from Sigourney. Together
the men went all over that part of
Keokuk county and the extreme north
ern lines Of Wapello county. After
spending some time in Hedrick the Of
ficers went to Ollie and were there for
the remaining part of the day.
Several important clues have been
found by the officers and every indica-
ton is that they will result in some
thing definite. The hounds took up a
trail at Hedrick leading toward Sig.
Quincy but this was lost. Another
brought them down through Highland
Center to the Denny store which was
robbed the same night that the murder
was committed. Either the same trail
or a separate one started again at the
Denny store and came through Rut-
ledge to the Milwaukee crossing in Of
tumwa and from there down the Rock
Island tracks to the Burlington union
depot where it was lost Several
trails taken up along the different
country highways did not result in
anything fruitful.
Accurate descriptions have been Sc
cured of parties who were seer with
Mr.. Meliott on the afternoon before
the murder was committed and it>is
upon these clues that the greatest ef-
forts are being exerted by Sheriff
Knox, Sheriff Grimes and the other
officers. These people, in company
with Mr. Mellott, are said to have left
Ollie. on Tuesday afternoon for Pack
wood to meet a fourth member Of the
party who was to arrive on an even
ing train. Information has come to the
officers here that the three arrived at
Packwood, but that the incoming
member did not appear. An article Of
clothing left by a member Of the party
at a hotel at Ollie has not yet been
called for, nor have the two who had
been registered there returned. This
fact, and the information that they
were seen Wednesday at Delta, has
furnished the most definite working
basis for the officials. A blood-stained
handkerchief and a locket belonging to
one member of the party are said to
have been found il the Mellott car.
The murder was one of the most
brutal which has been known in this
part of the state. From all indica-
tons Mr.. Mellott had been attacked
in his car, apparently while driv-
ing and after the crime had been COM
mitted had been thrown into the rear
seat. When found he was huddled
down in the back of the car, while the
wind shield was broken in several
places and blood was splashed all over
the drivers part of the machine. His
skull had been crushed with a monkey
wrench and he had received four shots
through the head from a % calibre
revolver. A firearm which would an
swer that description was picked up
this morning by Will Kremer, who
lives near Highland, at a point near
that place on the road toward Agency.
Mr.. Mel1ott's remains were taken to
his home in Ollie Wednesday morning
and the funeral services will be held
at the First Methodist church Of that
place Friday morning at 10 o'clock