McCLURE, Wallace (Deputy murdered) - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Kokomo, Ind Feb 10 – All quarries here are covered with ice 10” thick Sheriff John Spearman reported today after a return from an exploring trip which exploded the tip contained in an anonymous letter that the two missing Lafayette Ind deputy sheriffs were slain and their bodies hidden in the Kokomo quarries.  “I think the letter was just a hoax,” Sheriff Spearman said. The letter “Johwritten apparently at Frankfort, Ind and mailed at Marion, Ind reached Sheriff CM Johnston of Tippecanoe County at Lafayette early today.  It stated in printed character, written partly in red and partly in black ink: “U will find the bodies of the two missing deputies in a stone quarry at Kokomo.  U will never find us.”  The letter referred to deputy sheriffs John P. Grove and Wallace (Bill) McClure who dropped mysteriously from sight last Tuesday morning after they left Lafayette in an automobile to take two “hard boiled” prisoners, Samuel Baxter and John Burns to the Pendleton reformatory.  A party of 7 of us, four officers, two reporters and one photographer, drove to the Capitol quarry, two miles west of here first, “Sheriff Spearman said.  “We found th is quarry completely frozen over and no sign of any disturbance anywhere. Then we drove to the Defenbaugh quarry about a miles and a quarter southeast of this city along Home Avenue. This quarry, too was frozen over. The ice appeared to be at least 10” thick.  My guess is that they will find the missing deputy sheriffs in the woods somewhere between Lafayette Ind and Danville, Ill.  This letter business was just someone’s joke.”  Sheriff Spearman said the letter was received at Lafayette before 6 o’clock this morning and was taken by the postmaster immediately to Sheriff Johnston. The latter than got in touch with Sheriff Spearman at once.

Note: this is part of a lengthier article

Source: Lafayette Journal and Courier Fri Feb 17, 1928 p 17

The bodies of Grove and McClure were brought to the city from Williamsport, late last night. Ted Grove, a son, EL Miller, a brother-in-law, Sheriff CM Johnston, Lt. Ralph Fisher of the state police and Prosecutor Lawrence Davison went to Williamsport after the bodies were taken there Thursday. The examination of the bodies was not begun until Prosecutor Davison arrived.  John P. Grove was the regular deputy sheriff, having succeeded William A. Campbell who died Dec 8, 1927 from injuries received when he was struck by an automobile a few days before.  McClure was an extra deputy, serving in cases of emergency. John P. Grove, was born in March 1871, near Knoxville, Tenn.  He lived there for a number of years and came to Lafayette in the late 90s.  His first employment was on the Hatke farm east of Lafayette. He next engaged in the grocery business at 16th & Kossuth streets and operated it for a number of year.  Disposing of the grocery he sold automobiles for a short time and then with Thomas L. Haywood and Charles Wiseman opened the Vernon clothing store. His next employment was as a deputy sheriff and he was making his first trip to the state reformatory when he met death.  Surviving Mr. Grove is his widow, Sarah Biser Grove to whom he was married in 1902.  He is also survived by a son, Don Grove of Sweetwater, Tenn by a former marriage; Ted Grove, of Aurora, Ill, a son, Mrs. WM Hamilton of VanBuren O a daughter and Edward and Robert Grove residing at home.  His stepmother, Mrs. Lucy Grove of Seymour, Tenn also survives together with the following sisters: Mrs. Nora Zachary of Flagpond, Tenn; Mrs. Mary Biser of Selma, Ala and Mrs. Ada Rogers of Seymour, Tenn.  He was a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge.

Mr. McClure was the son of John and Martin Ellen McClure and was born May 17, 1870 near Elizabethtown, Ky.  He had resided in Lafayette for nearly 50 years. During that time he was employed as a laborer and worked at various places. He also served as a policeman at Columbian Park under the Ross administration for a short time. Since then he has served as an extra deputy sheriff.  His wife died 26 years ago and since that time he made his home with his sister, Mrs. Harry Erickson who resides at 631 S 16th Street.  Besides his sister a brother, Smith McClure of Lafayette survives.

Source: Attica-Fountain-and-Warren-Democrat Nov 2, 1893 p 3

Joshua Anderson, one of the oldest and most highly esteemed residents of the vicinity of Walnut Grove died Monday night.  He leaves a wife and five children to mourn his loss.  Mr. Anderson was aged about 80 years, old age being the cause of his demise.  The funeral services occurred yesterday and the remains were interred in Brisco cemetery near Walnut Grove.

Source: Decatur Daily Democrat 5 Sept 1931

Lafayette, Sept 5 – A detailed account of the murder of deputies John Grove and Wallace McClure was obtained from Samuel Baxter, 23, police announced. The confession was given as Baxter lay in a hospital recovering from gunshot wounds suffered as he attempted to avert arrest in Albuquerque, NM.  The deputies were slain Feb 7, 1928 en route to the reformatory with Baxter and John Burns. Both had been convicted on a charge of robbing a West Point restaurant. Burns was soon captured, confessed and was sentenced to life imprisonment in state prison at Michigan City.  According to Baxter’s confession he and Burns were riding in the back seat of the automobile Baxter using a wrench he found there, struck the officers on the head after which Burns took McClure’s gun and shot both deputies, Baxter said.  As McClure tried to battle with them, Burns shot again, Baxter said adding that Burns fired one more shot when McClure began to regain consciousness.  He told police of hiding the bodies near Veedersburg where they were not found for 10 days. Baxter was married recently and is the father of a seven-month old child.