MYSTERY CLOUDS DEATH

MCCULLEY

Posted By: Judy Landauer (email)
Date: 8/20/2004 at 18:44:50

This newspaper article was found in an old shoe box with other old papers. There is no year to date it, and the name of the newspaper is not found. It could be from a Tama Co, IA paper. My mother's parents lived in Winterset, IA in the year 1907, so this man could be from a family that they knew. From the contents of the article, it could be from the 1920's or '30's.

MYSTERY CLOUDS DEATH

Wintersett Man Found Dead Near Burlington, Believed to Have Sold His Life Insurance Then Killed Himself--Case Has Some Strange Features.

Burlington, Aug 27.-- A deep mystery has developed in connection with the death recently of Boyd McCULLEY, a printer of Winterset, whose body was found in Front Creek north of Burlington.

Just prior to his death, it develops, McCulley had $1,800 which he claimed to have secured on the sale of his life insurance. He came to Burington and spent his money freely on automobile rides, cleaning up the pile in less than a week. Early in the evening before he was found dead he counted out $120 in the local Y.M.C.A. rooms. Two hours after the was begging for money enough to take him to Morning Sun. There is suspicion that McCulley sold his life insurance under promise to commit suicide and carried out his pledge after having a good time. The remains were shipped to Wapello yesterday, and immediately afterward an unknown man telephoned the Burlington undertaker inquiring about the body and saying he must have a chance to inspect it. No one can trace this mysterious man. One of McCulley's exploits was to rush into a Burlington automobile garage at midnight and demand a machine to take him to Morning Sun. On arrival there he coolly told the driver to take him back to Burlington again as he had no business there. The trip cost him $27.