20 QUESTIONS regarding the death of William Jennings Wells - 7/8/1937 (READ PART 1.)
The only, DOCUMENTED AT THE TIME, detailed report of the incident and its aftermath that I have found, SO FAR, is from the Newspaper coverage of THE OWENSBORO MESSENGER, and THE OWENSBORO INQUIRER, and it DOES raise many questions.
So let's play 20 QUESTIONS!
Well, actually many more than that. :-D
1. Why is the death of a simple farmer given such front page treatment and
followed over several days?2. Why are the addresses of the 2 witnesses SPECIFICALLY reported, BUT those
of the victim and perpetrator only given VAGUELY?3. Why did Orville Faught return home by a longer route, instead of just turning
around and returning the shorter distance home?4. Orville said the headlight snapped off. The sheriff said there was a dent
in the fender and the light was damaged. They can't both be right, can they?5. If the light snapped off Orville MUST have stopped briefly to retrieve it
and put it back. If so how could he miss seeing a body?6. Considering the damage, either way, how could he honestly say he didn't
know he hit someone?7. Witnesses claim the truck almost stopped, then started ahead again. This
indicates an impact of some sort. Yet Orville claims he didn't know he hit
something. It's obvious that, at the least, the headlight DID NOT snap off
as he claimed, because he didn't stop long enough to get out of the truck to
retrieve it, and the Sheriff said it was damaged NOT missing. Why the
contradictions?8. Were the witnesses REALLY bystanders happening on a scene by accident, or
in cahoots somehow with Orville?9. Who were the 3 unidentified folks in the photo?
10. Why was Business Man George Medley there and identified in the picture?
Was he just at the Kentucky Inn, maybe a passerby, or was he called, or even maybe
aware of what could have been a planned encounter with Granddad?11. Was Granddad just a victim of an incident of harassment gone terribly
wrong? If so, why?
12. Why, after covering this story for days, is there no newspaper mention
of the case ever being dismissed or even tried, with or without a verdict?13. Why is Orville's occupation never mentioned?
14. Why is Orville’s bond paid by L. N. CECIL? And who IS he, anywho?
15. Why did the witnesses call the Coroner instead of waiting for the
Sheriff to get there and do it? That's HIS job after all.16. For that matter, was it the witnesses when they called for an ambulance,
someone at the Inn, or the Coroner who called the Sheriff?17. Is it me or was it rather convenient that " THEY and THEM" at the Inn knew
exactly who owned the truck?18. Who exactly were "THEY and THEM", anywho?
19. Why does the time of death on the Death Certificate differ from the time
of the incident as mentioned in the newspaper story?20. The incident is said to have occurred at ABOUT 8:45 PM. The Death
Certificate SPECIFICALLY states that " DEATH OCCURRED at 8 PM due to a
crushed skull. Accidentally struck by truck. Auto."They can't both be right, can they? And Why is "AUTO" mentioned on the death
certificate in ADDITION to truck?21. Also on the death certificate, by the way, is a section for CONTRIBUTORY
CAUSES. It is blank except for the number 210. What does it mean?
***AFTERWARD***
So there ya have it: The story as I know it in April 2008.
If you have any other questions, I didn't think of, please leave a comment.
If you have any knowledge of the Kentucky Inn, or any of the other businesses in this story, that I might find useful, please leave a comment, or contact me by e-mail.
If you have suggestions on how I can proceed in trying to locate further public, or other, information/records that may still exist somewhere, leave a comment, or contact me by e-mail.
If you are related to any of the players in this saga, and may be able to shed some light on the story, please contact me by e-mail.
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