The Ocala evening star., 1915-07-05
ONE OF THE WORST

=
The evidence Is very strong against
J. J. Mendenhan of Clearwater, who
is accused Of killing Mrs. Chas. W.
Eliot and her daughter, Miss Susie,
of Tampa.
1t Is established by the testimony
of the chauffeur, Guy Stemple, in
whose car the tragedy took place,
that MendenhaIl engaged Stemple to
take him and the two women for
long ride; that they left Tampa at
TAO Friday evening, going toward
Green Springs; that at Mendenhall's
order the car took an old road, in bad
repair, instead of the newer and bet
ter one; that suddenly and without
warning, Stemple, who was driving,
while his passengers were in the ton
neau, was startled by the crash of
glass and woman's scream. Turn
! ing, he saw Mendenhall in a struggle
with the two women. He tried to
demonstrate, but MendenhaIl cut him
short with a fierce order not to inter
fere, and then drew pistol and be-
gan to shoot. Fearing for his life,
| Stemple stopped the car and fled on
foot. He heard several shots, which
he thought were fired at him, and ran
till he came to the main road, where
he met two men Zone of them Ed
Haley, formerly of Ocala), who took
him to Clearwater, where he notified
the authorities. Accompanied by the
sheriff and others, he returned to
the scene of the trouble They found
only the smouldering ruins Of the car
and the charred bodies of the women.
Mendenhall had disappeared. Later,
he was found at his home, arrested
and taken to Jail.
Mendenhall has engaged eminent
counsel, and beyond saying he is in
nocent, refuses to talk. He is man
of considerable means and has hun
dreds of friends. The evidence
against him would cause a negro to
be burned at the stake, and might
even hang a poor white man, but the
Star prophesies that Mendenhall will
not only escape the gallows, but be-
yond staying in Jail while his attor-
neys pull him thru two or three mis-
trials, will never be punished.
Rumor has it that Mendenhall was
infatuated with Miss Eliot, that she
accompanied him on a trip to Chi
cago some months ago and that the
girls mother threatened him with
prosecution under the Mann act. 1t is
/ e,,rroeaJ bo +ool- 4Io ty,-c ,,ro+oo,, -,
the long, lonely ride in the hope of
inducing them to make some agree
ment favorable to him, and failing
became enraged, killed them both and
set fire to the carS If such was really
his line of conduct he must have
been crazy with drink or temporarily
: insane.
Miss Susie Eliot was born at Thon-
otosassa 81 years ago. Her father, c.
w Eliot, is a respected business man
: of Tampa, and her mother, who was
killed with her, seems to have beer
drawn into the trouble solely from
the hatural desire to help and pro
tect her daughter.
Mendenhall is we'll known in Mar
ION county. OF him the st. Peters.
burg Independent says:
"John J. Mendenhall has been prom.
inent in business, social and church
circles at Clearwater for severa
years, and was popular and respect
ed wherever known. He came t.
Clearwater 16 or 18 years ago from
Cincinnati. When he irst visited thi.
section he was travelling representa-
tive of Fugassi & Co., fruit dealers
of Cincinnati. He has a wife, VIII,
came with him from Ohio, and /;
grown daughter, and both have beer
prominent and popular in the best so
cial and religious circles of Clearwa
ter. The Mendenhalls were affiliatet
with the Southern MethodiEt church
i After coming to Clearwater 15r. Men
denhall acquired a citrus grove an,
! made a success of it. Later he en-
: gagged in the lumber and fruit pack
ing business at Clearwater, and wa
regarded as one of the substantial
and leading business men of that city
About year ago his lumber var,
: burned. When the Florida Citrus Ex
change was organized Mr.. Mendenhal
was one of the leading spirits an,
: was made district manager and prov
: ed a valuable man. He has beel
2 closely associated with Mr. John s
TayloR chairman of the Pinella
board of county commissioners, i
, citrus activities, and they were warn
personal friends. His ability, stand
{ ing and integrity have never bee
> questioned, and until this affair startl
ed the people of the county his per
sonal habits were considered to be ex
ceptionally good"
MendenhaIl's First Wife Killed b
Accident
I A special from Cincinnati to the 81
Y Petersburg Times says: John J. Men
9 denhall's first wife, the daughter of
prominent northern Kentucky farmer
was accidentally killed about ninetee
years ago, when she dropped a rife t
the floor. Mendenhall had taken tn
gun from a rack on the wall and stoo