Iowa
Old Press
The Red Oak Sun
Red Oak, Montgomery Co., Iowa
Friday, 2 November 1917
J. W. Noell A. Suicide.
Villisca Photographer, Who was a Principal Witness in Famous
Slander Suit, and Constant Worker for
Solution of Villisca Murder Mystery, Found Fatally shot on Depot
Platform at Albia.
LEFT HOME WEDNESDAY MORNING - AN INQUEST WILL BE HELD.
J. W. Noell, Villisca photographer, who was an important witness
in the famous slander suit of F. F. Jones vs. J. N. Wilkerson,
and who has been one of the most ardent workers for a solution of
the Villisca murder mystery, died at a hospital in Albia
yesterday (Thursday) morning about 10 o'clock from a bullet wound
to his head. The best information obtainable up to the time The
Sun went to press indicated that his death was due to a
self-inflicted wound. The coroner of Monroe county had ordered
that an inquest to determine the cause of death be held, but the
date had not been fixed up to 4 o'clock yesterday evening.
Mr. Noell left his home in Villisca about 11 o'clock Wednesday
morning telling his wife he was gong to see John Montgomery at
the latter's home in the county. He did not return, and it was
Thursday morning when she received word that he was in Albia
fatally wounded. Mrs. A. H. Noell and Mrs. J. M. Noell, mother
and wife, went to Albia on train No.6, but arrived there after he
had passed away. He did not regain consciousness.
Although the time for securing information was short, and
officials at Albia did not talk freely, The Sun has been able to
gain the following facts by keeping in telephone communication
with the Villisca and Albia newspapers and in interview with the
dead man's father, and his close friends.
Mr. Noell left home, as stated above and hired an automobile to
which he went to visit John Montgomery. After a short stay there
he was driven to Nodaway, where he took train No. 4. He was seen
on the train with Jack Conway at Creston. He must have gone to
Albia on either No. 2 or No. 12 Wednesday night.
About 7 o'clock yesterday (Thursday) morning, Homer Mason, an
Albia drayman, found Mr. Noell lying on the west end of the
platform at the freight depot, close to the building. He had a
bullet wound in his head, a revolver lay on the platform nearby,
and some papers and a pocketbook were picked up about 15 feet
away. Some money and a watch in Mr. Noell's pocket were not
disturbed. He was unconscious and remained so until his death at
the hospital at 10 o'clock. The revolver bullet had passed
through his head and bedded itself in the wall of the freight
depot.
After the inquest the body will be taken to Hamilton, Iowa, for
burial. A. H. Noell, father of the dead man, was in Red Oak
yesterday, and left last night for Albia. He said that J. W.
Noell had telephoned to Red Oak Wednesday morning, saying he was
coming here that afternoon.
J. W. Noell, was born in Oskaloosa, Dec. 23, 1889, and had been a
photographer in Villisca since July 1913. He is survived by his
wife, who was formerly Miss May Sullivan, and by his parents.
Deceased was well known in Red Oak, having been here much of the
time during the various legal battles growing out of the murder
investigation.
WAS A WITNESS
At the recent slander suit Noell was on of the principal
witnesses. His testimony fortified a narrative of overhearing a
conversation between whom he believed to be F. F. Jones, Albert
Jones, Bert McCaull and another man. He told of hearing their
conversation in the Jones implement shed and said they talked of
"downing this thing," of hiding Mansfield, getting Van
Law to handle Vina Tompkins, and other matters which he thought
had a bearing on the case.
----
Complimented the County.
B. B. Clark of Red Oak, chairman of the Montgomery county Liberty
Loan committee, received a letter from the state chairman, Watkin
W. Kneath, complimenting the county on its splendid work in the
purchase of bonds. Iowa's total, according to the letter, is
something over $85,000,000.00.
Here's a Kelly Axe.
One day this week a man connected with The Sun bought his son a
"Boy Scout axe." Imagine his surprise when he noticed
that the axe head bore the inscription, "Kelly Axe." It
was made by the Kelly Manufacturing Co., at Charleston, W. Va.,
and was not named the "Kelly Axe" because of any
Villisca murder trials which have been tried or are about to be
tried in this county.
Becomes City Editor.
Reid Zimmerman, former Red Oak young man, who recently covered
the Jones-Wilkerson slander suit and the Kelly trial for the
Council Bluff, Nonpareil, becomes city editor of that
newspaper next Monday. Red Oak
friends compliment him on his success.
"Alice in Wonderland," gives patrons less
blood-and-thunder scenes and more of the sweeter thinks of life.
Beardsley Theater, four shows, Monday, Nov. 5. - adv.
Lost to Council Bluffs
Red Oak high school lost last Saturday's football game, Council
Bluffs winning by a score or 35 to 0.
--
Ewing Bros. will hold their annual sale of Poland China boars at
the Shields Feed Pavilion on Nov. 14 - adv.
[transcribed by C.D., November 2004]