The Strange Death of William Jennings Wells 5: Reader on PT.4

Since the original 4 parter was posted elsewhere, in 2005, many folks have read this series, and I especially want to thank those who have left comments, and sent me e-mails.

It just confirms what I've learned since going online with my research in 2001: Genealogists are a curious, encouraging, and helpful species of the Human Family. ;-D

Coming in late? READ PART 1.

I now want to share with you the response I got, from a reader named Sharrie, regarding   Pt. 4 - Questions:

QUESTION 1: Why is the death of a simple farmer given such front page treatment and followed over several days?

ANSWER: Somewhere in your blog I remembered reading that they wanted to do away with the UNION at the  Brick Works (?). If so, what better way to discourage other workers than to have what could happen on the front page of the paper.

QUESTION 2: Why are the addresses of the 2 witnesses SPECIFICALLY reported, BUT those of the victim and perpetrator only given VAGUELY?

and

QUESTION 8: Were the witnesses REALLY bystanders happening on a scene by accident, or in cahoots somehow with Orville???

ANSWER: My guess, those two were just an involved as the others - why did they leave him beside the road if he was alive and not take him to a local doctor or hospital?

QUESTION 3: Why did Orville Faught return home by a longer route, instead of just turning around and returning the shorter distance home?

ANSWER: If he wasn't in the area he couldn't be shown as being near the scene of the accident.

QUESTION 1: Why is the death of a simple farmer given such front page treatment and followed over several days?

ANSWER: Somewhere in your blog I remembered reading that they wanted to do away with the UNION at the  Brick Works (?). If so, what better way to discourage other workers than to have what could happen on the front page of the paper.

QUESTION 2: Why are the addresses of the 2 witnesses SPECIFICALLY reported, BUT those of the victim and perpetrator only given VAGUELY?

and

QUESTION 8: Were the witnesses REALLY bystanders happening on a scene by accident, or in cahoots somehow with Orville???

ANSWER: My guess, those two were just an involved as the others - why did they leave him beside the road if he was alive and not take him to a local doctor or hospital?

QUESTION 3: Why did Orville Faught return home by a longer route, instead of just turning around and returning the shorter distance home?

ANSWER: If he wasn't in the area he couldn't be shown as being near the scene of the accident.

QUESTION 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?

ANSWER: "Snapped off"  may not be what was meant by actually coming off the truck.  "Snapped off" could also mean TURNED OFF or not always staying on.

QUESTION 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?

And.

QUESTION 6: Considering the damage, either way, how could he honestly say he didn't know he hit someone?

ANSWER: He could just have easily say  "I hit what I thought was a dog".  He knew what he hit, perhaps unintentionally, but fear can do a lot.

QUESTION 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?

ANSWER: See above.

QUESTION 9: Who were the 3 unidentified folks in the photo?

ANSWER: People who lived in the area, considered "nobody' by the local Important Personages", fellow workers of Mr Wells ?????

QUESTION 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?

ANSWER: Did Medley own the Brick works?  If this was a planned harrassment or "accident" you can bet he was right in the middle.

QUESTION 11: Was Granddad just a victim of an incident of harassment gone terribly wrong? If so, why?

ANSWER: I feel they thought if he could be harrassed and quit the union they accomplished what they thought they needed to do.  The fact that they managed to get your grandmother to sign off on prosecution makes me think it was an "incident of harrassment" gone wrong and for whatever reason they wanted everything out of the public eye.  If she had decided to pursue the matter who knows what else may have happened depending on the desparation of the parties involved.

QUESTION 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?

ANSWER: Out of sight, out of mind - if others belonged to the union it appears they never tried to harrass or injure any of them.

QUESTION 13: Why is Orville's occupation never mentioned?

ANSWER: What occupation would you give a 'UNION BUSTER' ???

QUESTION 14: Why is Orville’s bond paid  by L. N. CECIL? And who IS he, anywho?

ANSWER: Check your census record  or city directories for L N Cecil and see what his occupation is ???

QUESTION 15: Why did the witnesses call the Coroner instead of waiting for the Sheriff to get there and do it?

ANSWER: That's HIS job after all. In small communities not unusual to call the coroner in case of death.

QUESTION 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?

ANSWER: And how long did it take to get their stories straight before calling local authories ??

QUESTION 19: Why does the time of death on the Death Certificate differ from the time of the incident as mentioned in the newspaper story?

ANSWER: Take with a grain of salt all the times mentioned.  How long did he actually lay on the side of the road from the time of impact til everyone arrived - NO WAY OF KNOWING - so all of the times would be conjecture based on who was told what and when.

QUESTION 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?

ANSWER: If you didn't know what a truck was, you would know what an auto was. ;-D

QUESTION 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?

ANSWER: I am assuming the number "210" was written in - would be some type of coding for contributory cause and current sheriff's office may or may not know.

Over the years others have tossed in their 2 cents on this series, and in Pt. 6 I'll share those thoughts.

QUESTION 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?

ANSWER: "Snapped off"  may not be what was meant by actually coming off the truck.  "Snapped off" could also mean TURNED OFF or not always staying on.

QUESTION 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?

And.

QUESTION 6: Considering the damage, either way, how could he honestly say he didn't know he hit someone?

ANSWER: He could just have easily say  "I hit what I thought was a dog".  He knew what he hit, perhaps unintentionally, but fear can do a lot.

QUESTION 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?

ANSWER: See above.

QUESTION 9: Who were the 3 unidentified folks in the photo?

ANSWER: People who lived in the area, considered "nobody' by the local Important Personages", fellow workers of Mr Wells ?????

QUESTION 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?

ANSWER: Did Medley own the Brick works?  If this was a planned harrassment or "accident" you can bet he was right in the middle.

QUESTION 11: Was Granddad just a victim of an incident of harassment gone terribly wrong? If so, why?

ANSWER: I feel they thought if he could be harrassed and quit the union they accomplished what they thought they needed to do.  The fact that they managed to get your grandmother to sign off on prosecution makes me think it was an "incident of harrassment" gone wrong and for whatever reason they wanted everything out of the public eye.  If she had decided to pursue the matter who knows what else may have happened depending on the desparation of the parties involved.

QUESTION 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?

ANSWER: Out of sight, out of mind - if others belonged to the union it appears they never tried to harrass or injure any of them.

QUESTION 13: Why is Orville's occupation never mentioned?

ANSWER: What occupation would you give a 'UNION BUSTER' ???

QUESTION 14: Why is Orville’s bond paid  by L. N. CECIL? And who IS he, anywho?

ANSWER: Check your census record  or city directories for L N Cecil and see what his occupation is ???

QUESTION 15: Why did the witnesses call the Coroner instead of waiting for the Sheriff to get there and do it?

ANSWER: That's HIS job after all. In small communities not unusual to call the coroner in case of death.

QUESTION 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?

ANSWER: And how long did it take to get their stories straight before calling local authories ??

QUESTION 19: Why does the time of death on the Death Certificate differ from the time of the incident as mentioned in the newspaper story?

ANSWER: Take with a grain of salt all the times mentioned.  How long did he actually lay on the side of the road from the time of impact til everyone arrived - NO WAY OF KNOWING - so all of the times would be conjecture based on who was told what and when.

QUESTION 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?

ANSWER: If you didn't know what a truck was, you would know what an auto was. ;-D

QUESTION 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?

ANSWER: I am assuming the number "210" was written in - would be some type of coding for contributory cause and current sheriff's office may or may not know.

Over the years others have tossed in their 2 cents on this series, and in Pt. 6 I'll share those thoughts.