Jeffersonville (IN) Weekly Journal
February 19, 1897
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THE PASSING OF A NOTORIOUS FAMILY

Killing of Marion Tow Recalls a Remarkable Story of Crime

The murder at Shoals yesterday adds another chapter to the history of a remarkably unfortunate family. Marion Tow, with his two brothers, Henry and Albert, was one of the notorious Tow-Bass factions of Mitchell who terrorized the country a few years ago and which resulted in the brutal murder of Henry Tow, a prominent distiller and politician, and crippling for life Bud Tow.

After Henry's tragic death, the two brothers, Marion and Bud, fearing further violence, decided to leave Mitchell and moved to Shoals where the shooting of yesterday occurred. The family has drained the cup of sorrow. The Tow boys' father, Leander Tow, died of cancer, one side of his face being entirely gone before death relieved him; Henry had his entire lower jaw shot away by Curt Bass, his son-in-law, and later he was foully murdered with fourteen bullets in his body. The youngest boy was shot in the leg several times leaving him a cripple and yesterday Marion Tow received the contents of both barrels of a shotgun in the hands of John Walker, with whom he had a dispute, meeting death in a manner similar to his brother, Henry. Walker claims Tow first shot him with a revolver.

L. B. Moore is now serving a term of seven years in the Prison South for killing Henry Tow. He was marshal of Mitchell when the murder was committed. His defense was that Tow was detected by him in robbing a store. It was proved that he had planned to murder the man.

Curt Bass, who tried to assassinate Henry Tow by shooting away his jaw, was released from prison last April. Moore's term of seven years will end if fifteen months.

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TALLEST INDIANA MAN DEAD

Frank Kingle of Guthrie, ten miles north of Bedford, died at two o'clock this morning. He was nearly 65 years old, unmarried and quite wealthy. He is supposed to have been the tallest man in the state of Indiana. It required a 7-foot casket to bury him. The remains will be buried in a rolled steel coffin.

Typed and donated by Randi Richardson.