RANDOLPH, Aileen - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Covington, Aug 2- Release on bond pending action of the Fountain County grand jury was expected today for six companions of Miss Aileen Randolph, 21, Cayuga bookkeeper, who was killed by a truck on State Rd 41, July 29. The defendants, all charged with involuntary manslaughter are Miss Randolph’s employer, William Adams, 45; his wife, 38; Clyde Pratt, 45; his wife, 43; Clarence Clark, 42 and Otis Allee, 30 all of Cayuga. Mrs. Adams had been charged previously with involuntary manslaughter but until new charges were preferred last night the others were held on vagrancy charges.  All pleaded not guilty in circuit court last night. The warrants were signed by Clarke Randolph, father of Aileen. The girl was lying in the road when a truck driven by Frank Katz, Vincennes ran over her. Katz was freed from blame.  She and her companions had engaged in an all-day drinking party. Coroner Frank Shelby reported. They had stopped beside the road to drink some beer, when the tragedy occurred. All were intoxicated, the coroner said. The warrants were sworn out after state police claimed to have found evidence that Miss Randolph was struck during a fight which developed during the party. The blow knocked her on to the road, state police contended.

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Source: Daily Clintonian Fri 27 Aug 1948 p 3

Otis Allee, 44 years old of Cayuga, charged with petit larcency was fined $1 and costs and sentenced to serve 6 months on the Indiana State Farm when he appeared before Judge Frank Fisher in Vermillion Circuit Court Wednesday. The sentence was suspended and Allee was place on probation in the care of his sister, Mrs. JM Ewbank and ordered to report to the court regularly. He pleaded guilty Aug 18 to entering a tavern in Cayuga and stealing liquor valued at $10 and the case was continued to Aug 25 for further action.

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Source: Lafayette Journal Courier 19 Sept 1935 Thu p 1

Williamsport, Sept 19 – Otis Allee, star witness for the state in the second degree murder trial of Mrs. Hazel Adams of Cayuga, charged with the slaying of Miss Aileen Randolph of Lodi July 19, 1934 was the only witness this morning as the trial opened for the fourth day with Judge John J. Hall presiding. At 10:40 o’clock Allee became ill while on the witness stand and court was recessed until 1:30 o’clock. On direct-examination, conducted by J. Edward Barce, assistant state attorney general, Allee testified to events leading up to the alleged fight between the defendant and the slain girl, asserting that Mrs. Adams cursed Miss Randolph repeatedly for being “too friendly” with her husband, William “Babe” Adams, co-defendant. Mrs. Adams was intoxicated at the time, he believed. A half mile south of Steam Corner on US Highway 41, near Sterling, Mrs. Adams, who was driving the car, stopped and ordered everyone out. She continued her abusive language against Miss Randolph and then grasping a beer bottle, hit her over the head with it, the witness declared, and Miss Randolph fell senseless on the pavement.  At this point, Allee said he climbed over the right-of-way fence, “to get away from it all,” and then heard someone cry that a truck had run over Aileen.  He returned, he said and picked the dying girl up in his arms and laid her head on his lap. He testified that he heard Adams ask the defendant why she had “done it,” and the latter answered, “I don’t know.”  Claude Philpott, defense counsel, cross-examined Allee who stuck to his story.  Allee admitted, however, that he had talked with investigators of the attorney general’s office before the trials. Just before recess, Phillip Lutz, attorney general, appeared and joined the state’s attorneys at their table. Taking of evidence started yesterday afternoon after a jury had been secured, and Mrs. Park Randolph, mother of the dead girl was the first witness called by the state to testify. Mrs. Randolph testified her daughter had been employed as a stenographer at a loan office conducted by Babe Adams, husband of the defendants, and also identified a list of 13 exhibits presented by the state. These exhibits, consisting mostly of the blood-stained articles of apparel worn by Miss Randolph on the night of her death, were passed among the jury for examination. Few objections were raised by the defense as the various exhibits were introduced and marked for identification.  At 2:15 p.m. the state turned the witness over to Claude Philpott, defense attorney for cross-examination.  He dismissed Mrs. Randolph from the stand shortly afterward and the state called Park Randolph, her husband. Randolph, a retired farmer living in Cayuga, said he met Babe Adams at the scene of the tragedy after he had been notified of his daughter’s death. He testified that Adams, at that time, told him he did not know how the girl was killed. After a short recess, Carl Staatz, Terre Haute truck driver who was in charge of the vehicle which ran over Miss Randolph as she lay on the highway was called. Staatz told the jury he had been unable to see the body lying on the road until he was almost upon it, because of a knoll in the road and also because of the fact he was blinded by the lights of an automobile parked near the body. He said he served his truck but felt a jar as the wheels passed over the girl’s head. Staatz testified he stopped and returned to where he had seen the body on the road, but said it had been moved when he got there and was lying to one side, off the pavement.  Staatz also declared the automobile which had blinded him promptly left, ostensibly to seek medical aid. Theodore White of Veedersburg, Staatz’ companion, corroborated the driver’s testimony in every detail.  Neither was shaken by severe cross-examination.

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Source: Richmond, Ind Palladium-Item Thu 2 Aug 1934 p 5

Covington, Ind Aug 2 – Five persons today faced charges of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of Miss Aileen Randolph, 22 years old of Lodi, Ind.  Clyde Pratt, 45 years old, his wife, 43; Clarence Clark, 42; Otis Allee, 30 and William Adams, 45 all of Cayuga were rearrested and lodged in Fountain County Jail last night on warrants signed by Parke Randolph, father of the girl. They first had been arrested Tuesday and charged with vagrancy. Mrs. Hazel Adams, 38 was arrested Wednesday on a charge of involuntary manslaughter rin connection with the girl’s death but was released under $5,000 bond.

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Source: Lafayette Journal Courier 16 April 1935 Tues p 1

Williamsport, April 16 – The state continued today to introduce clothing and identify the death scene in the warren Circuit Court trial of Mrs. Hazel Adams of Cayuga,  charged with second degree murder for the death last year of Miss Aileen Randolph of Lodi. Howard Elaston, Cayuga Funeral director testified as to the condition of the Randolph girl’s body. He said there were several punctures, through which embalming fluid escaped. Roy Newgent of the state police, testified about the death scene surroundings. Arthur Fitts of Warren and Lewis Samuel s of Fountain told of coming along the highway after the tragedy had occurred. They saw the girl’s body they said and a can of beer at the roadside.  Quinter Bryant of Yeddo testified about visiting the scene the next morning and of picking up part of a bracelet which he identified and was introduced as a state’s exhibit. The dead girl’s clothing previous shown was formally introduced as exhibits. Otis Allee of Cayuga testified yesterday afternoon that he had witnessed a fight between Miss Randolph and Mrs. Adams shortly before the girl was killed. The alleged dispute took place at Steam Corner on Road 41, four miles south of Veedersburg. Allee said he saw Mrs. Adams strike the victim.  He said he then left the scene at once and did not see either woman again until learning of the tragedy some time later. Allee stuck to his testimony despite severe cross-examination by defense counsel. He admitted he had been a member of the drinking party earlier in the evening.

-- kbz