Barker - Amanda (Miss)
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal 7-7-1888
A few weeks ago a woman named Amanda Barker, claiming to
hail from Covington arrived at Lafayette in company with a man named Rhodes.
She was taken very ill with typhoid fever and was removed to the Home of the
Friendless. She was taken from there by Rhodes to a private house where her
death occurred under very suspicious circumstances. A postmortem revealed the
fact that an attempt at abortion had been made and was probably the immediate
cause of death. The woman laid her misfortune at the door of a wealthy resident
of Fountain County who was married a few weeks ago and who had give her $100 to
get out of the county, sending Rhodes with her. Since her death, however,
Rhoades tells another story. The following is from the Call: Rhodes says that
he is a resident of Covington and brought the woman here at her own request and
insists that he is not the responsible party but that one Price of
Crawfordsville is responsible. Rhodes says the father of the girl resides at
Crawfordsville and that he brought her here at her own request and for
humanity’s sake. There is a mystery connected with the affair which remains to
be solved. The coroner and prosecutor have the matter in charge.
Source: Crawfordsville Review, January 11,
1890
The trial of Joseph Rhodes, a prominent citizen of Covington, on the charge of abortion, which has been continued from the time to time in Tippecanoe circuit court, occurred at Lafayette last week. Rhodes was charged with abortion, causing death of Amanda Barker, a young lady who, it is alleged, he had seduced. The abortion took place in Lafayette and she died there. Rhodes was vigorously prosecuted by the State's attorney and he made a determined defence. The jury went out Saturday evening last and returned a sealed verdict Sunday morning at 10 o'clock. It found Rhodes guilty as charged, sentenced him to three years in prison north and imposed a fine of $50. People were quite generally surprised as they expected a verdict of acquittal. They also find fault with the jury in finding Rhodes guilty and then imposing such a slight punishment.
The trial of Joseph Rhodes, a prominent citizen of Covington, on the charge of abortion, which has been continued from the time to time in Tippecanoe circuit court, occurred at Lafayette last week. Rhodes was charged with abortion, causing death of Amanda Barker, a young lady who, it is alleged, he had seduced. The abortion took place in Lafayette and she died there. Rhodes was vigorously prosecuted by the State's attorney and he made a determined defence. The jury went out Saturday evening last and returned a sealed verdict Sunday morning at 10 o'clock. It found Rhodes guilty as charged, sentenced him to three years in prison north and imposed a fine of $50. People were quite generally surprised as they expected a verdict of acquittal. They also find fault with the jury in finding Rhodes guilty and then imposing such a slight punishment.
Source: Indiana State Sentinel July 4, 1888 – Note: He went on June 5, 1890 and was released May
18, 1891, not even a year later ☹
Lafayette July 1- JM Rhodes who accompanied Miss Amanda
Barker here from Covington was arraigned yesterday charged with procuring
abortion which caused her death last Wednesday. Evidence against him was so
strong that he was bound over in the sum of $1,000.