Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1918-02-14
PROMINENT
CLAY WOMAN
Found Dead in Out Of The Way
Place BY Friends Three
Men Under Arrest.

h'O'e oShSot''iai ~ IiIlCS tildl lldS
ever been committed in the coun,
ty was brought to light Thurs
day morning at II O. clock when
the dead body of Mrs. Joey
Vance Sparks was found in an
old livery barn or stable on the
|. c. railroad near the court
house in this city.
Jake Hicks, a white man of
about fifty years of age, who,
together with his son. Heber
Hicks, aged about 10. have been
selling cultivators here for the
past several months, are thought
to be connected with the crime.
Young Hicks skipped the coun-
try about a week or ten days
ago. Jake Hicks, and two ne
groes, Jim and Casey, they are
called, were placed under arrest
this morning.
Mrs. Sparks was thought to
have been visiting relatives in
some nearby town by her moth
er. She had not been at home
for the past two or three weeks.
Being away a little longer than
usual, her mother began to make
inquiries about her.
Mrs. Vance asked some friends
to find where her daughter was
with young Hicks. Young Hicks
being out of town, these friends
asked jim, one OF the negroes,
where Hicks and Mrs. Sparks
were. He said he did not know.
jim stated that something had
been buried IN the old stable about
twelve days before; that young Hicks
had returned that morning about four
O'Clock with something in a buggy,
calling 1t whiskey, and ordering him
to town.
These friends. together with the ne
gro went to the barn and upon remov-
ing the planks, digging into the grave
found the body of Mrs. Sparks.
The grave was dug in an old office
room in the stable and the planks IN
the floor were sawed and were nailed
back. This room was very dark and
enclosed an old well. The barn was
rented and used to keep horses belong
ing to the Hicks. over the grave
were placed old rags and sacks Of
every description.
Tne body was carried to an rnder-
taker S establishment in this city TO
await a post-mortem examination and
inquest
Upon examination a bullet was found
to have gone through her body just
under the left arm, ranging toward
the heart, and is thought to have been
a IS cAlibre. Her body was powder
burned over the heart.
When she was found her body was
not in very decomposed state. Her
third or ring finger on the left hand !
was nearly severed She was nicely |
dressed in a coat suit and on her hair
was veil. She had on a glove on one
hand and her diamond and ruby rings
were gone.
Jim, one Of the negroes, who was
hired to dig the grave by young Hicks
in which Mrs. Sparks was buried said
that Heber Hicks told him that he
was going to bury some government
whiskey which he had stolen.
Physicians say the body has the sp-
peartnce of not having been dead over
q or - hours; that her joints were
not stiff; that the body was not entire
" rigid, which in most cases indicate
a recent death. They also state her
neck was red which shows she was
possibly choked. However, the ne
gro (Jlm) states the body was dead
and buried January 81.
Young Hicks went to Vance home
about two weeks ago and told Mrs.
Vance that he and Mrs. Sparks were
going to Madisonville, and that was
the last time she was seen alive by
her mother.
A telegram has been sent to Gym.
thiana to arrest young Hicks, who is
thought 10 be there
Hicks and Ms son lived at Cynthiana, |
KY, before coming here. The elder
Hicks had been lover of Mrs. Sparks, !
and his wife was here during the holi- !
days and tried to keep him from going !
with Mrs. Sparks, but without sue
cess. and returned home.
The Hicks men had Winton Six !
automobile and were high rollers.
Hicks, together with the negroes
were carried to Henderson over the
!. c.. this afternoon for safe keeping, |
"a mob violence was feared.
Coroner's jury did not return YER