The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1922-12-11
Coroner, County Judge and Grand
Jury Investigate Case at Same Hear
Ing Held Monday Morning-LeOn-
And Faul Is Ordered Held.

SIOue IN Ine lnNebIlBdtlOn VI tne bldy-
ing OF John Boiler by Leonard Faul
held Monday morning. Coroner Thos.
F. Higgins inquest developed into an
examining trial and a grand jury in
vestigation as we'll. County Judge H.
p. Purnell sat with Coroner Higgins
through the investigation and the
members Of the grand jury occupied
seats in the court room while County
Attorney w. H. Rees and District
Prosecutor B. s. Grannis did the pros
ecuting. So far as Is known, this Is
the first time in the history Of Mason
county that such an investigation was
held.
In the process Of the examination
several complications arose and the
case took on quite different appear
ance from that formed on first reports
Of the Staying.
In the first place, It developed that
Boiler was knocked unconscious first
by Orville Owens, who struck him in
the head with a shot gun and that he
was carried from the house and while
lying on the ground unconscious from
the first blow delivered by Owens. was
struck four times with piece of iron
buggy axle by Leonard Faul.
The question arose as to whether
Owens lick with the gun or Faul's
four licks with the buggy axle caused
Boilers death and at the request oi
District Prosecutor Grannis, DR.. Love-
Samuel and DR.. c. Mcclure examined
the wounds on the dead mans head al
the morgue. Their report was that the
lick struck with the gun stock could
not have produced death but that the
deep gashes caused by the sharp cor
ners OF the piece OF buggy axle WELD
cd by Faul caused the mans death.
After hearing all the testimony the
Coroner's jury retired and returned
this verdict:
I'VE, the Jury summoned by the
Coroner of Mason county. find that
John Boiler came to his death by either
being struck in the head with a stock
OF q shotgun in the hands Of Orville
Owens. or by being struck in the head
with an iron buggy axle in the hands
OF Leonard Faul about 2:30: O'Clock
December 9Th, 1922, in Mason county
Kentucky" r. B. Willocks, foreman
]. II. Moran, James Frost, Jr., c. r
Moore. II. D. Mcnamara and Dan Con.
lon.
In Judge Purnell's court a warrant
had been issued against Leonard Fau'
charging him with manslaughter and
Judge Purnell held the defendant fol
further grand jury action fixing his
bail at one thousand dollars which
was given.
All the witnesses were recognized
for their appearance before the grant
jury Monday afternoon for further
questioning.
The evidence Of Orville Owens II
the most damaging of all the evidence
given in the investigation and causet
officials to seek further Information
upon the Staying.
The evidence at the hearing was as
follows:
Sheriff C. NJ. Deyore was the frs
witness called. He testified that Leon
ard Faul called at his office at abou
o'clock Saturday afternoon and sur
rendered himself saying that he hat
just killed a man in the county. The
sheriff told OF informing the Coroner
and Of going to the Faul home where
they found the body Of Boiler lying ir
the yard.
John Poe, son Of Mrs. Sam Poe, upor
whose farm Boiler lived. testified thai
he was at his mothers home at about
8 o'clock Saturday afternoon when his
little brother, Willie, returned from
Fauls home bringing a message from
Faul. John Poe said that he was stand.
ing outside the Poe home when Boiler
came out of the house. He said he saw
revolver in Boilers pocket and heard
him remark: "I'll build a six foot one
for him and It will be sin foot under
ground" He said Boiler went over the
field toward Faul's house and appear
ed to be mad. He went to Faul's home
In about ten minutes, he said, and
found Boiler in the yard dead
Mrs. Sam Poe testified that Boiler
had cropped on her farm for two years
and had boarded at her homo. She said
that on Saturday afternoon Boiler saw
some OF Faul's pigs In his corn fodder
and asker her little boy. Willie, Ia
drive tho pigs out OF the corn. Boiler
then told the lad 10 go over 10 Fauls
home and tell him that he should pen
up his pigs or he would pen them up
for him. The lad then. according 10
Mrs. Poe. returned homo and told
Doler that Faul had said for him 10
build q pen big enough for the pigs,
for turkeys ana for him TOO. She said
this made Boiler angry and said 10 the
q