In 1894 when the Chicago Great Western Railway Company built the railway line from McIntire to Osage, it was extended southwest from Osage to the river and ended at a point one-half mile east of Spring Park. Here the construction was discontinued because of the lack of money and insufficient reason for this extension. Rails had been laid to the end of the grade which was blocked by a huge tree that had not been removed because that was the end of the line. Some trains had been run over this extension to the river to haul limestone and lumber. Then the rails were taken up and the unused roadbed, which remains to this day, became a pathway leading from Osage to Spring Park.
This route was used by a great many people wishing to walk to the park. In 1900, Price V. Evans was the principal of the Osage schools. On a Friday, Mr. Evans did not appear at his office at any time during the day. He was not at his rooming place, neither had his bed been slept in the night before. This prompted a search for him, and late that day his body was found propped up against the big tree at the end of the spur of the Great Western to the river. Search was made in this direction because it was well known that he often walked to Spring Park by way of the old railroad right-of-way.
Mr. Evans was dead. A bullet had pierced his brain and another had gone through his heart. There was no evidence of a struggle and a revolver was found underneath his body. Because of the lack of evidence of foul play, Coroner Gable rendered a verdict of suicide. Mr. Evans had just recently come from Hampton, Iowa, and had no enemies or suspicious involvements in Osage.
However, there was some doubt as to the veracity of this verdict. We quote from a letter written by W. D. Evans, a brother who lived in Hampton;
We have had a postmortem examination and there can be no doubt, whatever, that my brother was murdered. Each of the head wounds was fatal, and would have made him unconscious immediately. The direction taken by the ball that went through his heart was such that it could not have been self inflicted.
Now from the fact that there were no visible effects of the powder about the wounds, it would seem more than probable that the revolver when discharged was more than 20 inches away, the distance required to avoid powder burns. Authorities also concluded that it would have been impossible for anyone contemplating suicide to have discharged a second shot because either of the shots received would have caused instantaneous death. Correspondents for the metropolitan publications announced that it was murder and not suicide.
Relatives and authorities concluded that if it was murder, it must have been committed by someone who had followed him to that secluded spot. During his short sojourn in Osage, he had made but few acquaintances, outside of those with whom he came in contact in his school relations, and he had made no enemies. Because of the lack of a motive, no evidence or clues, the case was not solved and his death will always remain a mystery.
Reproduced with the approval of the Mitchell County Historical Society; from THE STORY OF MITCHELL COUNTY 1851-1973.
Transcribed in July 2002 by: Neal Du Shane
Contact information:
AN UNSOLVED MURDER 071802 MCHS.doc