Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-11-03
NOEL KILLED
IN FEUD SAYS.
L0NGNECkER
ViIIisca Photographer Believed
Murdered; Mystery Shrouds
Shooting; Coroner's Jury
to sit On Case.

Detective l.. w. Longnecker is in
clined to believe that ]. w. Noel, Viii
lisca photographer, who was found
dead at Abba. Ia. Thursday with a
bullet hole in his forehead. was muir
dered. He had no definite theory to
offer, but bases his opinion on the
tense feeling which has been engen-
dered in Montgomery county.
81 worked on the case many weeks
and was one of the first to start an
investigation of the AK murders. |
have followed the case closely from
the first and know every angle of it.
1t is my belief that. Noel was mur-
dered," stated Longnecker.
my only surprise is that there has
not been killing before this. /
would not be surprised to hear Of
other shootings before this affair is
cleared up" he said.
Overheard Conversation.
"Noel," he continued. testified at
the Jones-Wilkerson slander suit a
year ago that he overheard con-
versation in Jones' machine shop in
Villisca. There was supposed to have
been a crack in the boards through
which he claimed to have heard a
conversation between Senator F. F.
Jones; and his son, Albert. Noel
claimed the INFORMATION he overheard
indicated that Jones and his son were
afraid of Ed Landers. At the recent
Kelly trial, you will recall, Landers
testified that on the evening of the
murder he observed Albert Jones
enter the Moore home at about 8:15
o'clock. His testimony was impeached
by the prosecution. Noel and Landers
were boon companions"
Noel Star Witness. e..
7. Noel was star witness in the Jones
SANDER suit against Detective~ N,
Wilkerson, and one of the strongest
supporters Of Wilkerson in his fight
in Montgomery. county, Iowa, to
bring about the acquittsl Of Rev. Lyn
G. J. Kelly for the Villisca ak muir
ders. ''''' ''''''
A eoroner''s, jury will sit on the
case Saturday morning.
Bearing on Havner Case.
Logan Ia, Nov. 2-(Special. )--1t
is expected here that the mysterious
death Of J. W. Noel, ViVllisco photo
who died in the hospital after
Being shot through the head at Abba,
Ia, will. have marked bearing on
the trial of H. M. Havner, attorney
general of Iowa" which is set for No.
vember f.
Havner is under Indictment on the
charge of Oppression in Office This
move was one of the outstanding de-
velopments in the investigation of
the Villisca, Ia. AK murders of 1912.
1t was in connection with the attor-
ney generals alleged action last spring
during a grand jury investigation of
the AK murders that the indictment
was returned at Red Oak, Ia, Septem-
Der 4, 1917.
Havner Gets New Venue.
Announcement of the indictment
came a few hours after the opening
Of the trial of Rev. Lyn George ].
Kelly, who was charged with the AK
Staying. The trial ended in jury
Havner was in per-
,onal charge of the prosecution.
Released on $1,000 bond, Havner
successfully sought a change of venue
o Harrison county on the ground that
1e could not be assured 'just and
trial in Montgomery county
Of which Red Oak is the seat. The
state supreme court recently sustained
his change when an attempt was
made to, have the order quashed.
The Indictment of Havner resulted
rom his examination of Mrs. Alice
Willard of Villisca, before the grand
ury at Red Oak during the investiga-
ion that terminated in the exonera-
ion of . former state senator, F. F.
Jones, and his son, Albert.