Wells - Roy
Source: Lafayette Journal-Courier 5 Nov 1955 p 7
Crawfordsville – Roy Wells, 65, of 605 E. Jefferson St, Crawfordsville died in his home at 2:10 a.m. Saturday. Born near Bowers in Montgomery County, he was first married to Zola Coltrain in 1912 near Darlington. She died in 1931. He married Mrs. Marie R. Lynch in 1932. He attended Bowers grade school and Thorntown HS and farmed southeast of Darlington until his retirement 19 years ago when he moved to Crawfordsville. Mr. Wells was a member of the choir and the official board of the First Methodist Church, Crawfordsville, a member of the Montgomery County Realtors association and Indiana State Realtors, a member and past master of Darlington Masonic Lodge No 186, a member and post worthy patron of Darlington OES Chapter No 297, and member of Scottish Rite valley of Indianapolis. Surviving with the widow are a son, Lloyd L. Wells, Darlington; three daughters: Mrs. Charles Hays, Crawfordsville; Mrs. Morris Ramsey, Marion and Mrs. Arthur miller, Dover and a stepdaughter Mrs. Max Branstetter, Darlington. - kbz
See also the Wells Murder Case - such a sad thing for this young man to have lived through
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 23 June 1899
The Wells murder case is over and the defendant has been declared not guilty. The arguments of counsel Wednesday afternoon were exceptionally able and commanded the close attention of all present. It was after 6 o’clock Wednesday when Judge West charged the jury, his instructions being favorable to the defendant, though perfectly fair to all parties. Before balloting the jury went to supper and it was after 7 o’clock when the first ballot was taken. It resulted seven to five for acquittal—those voting for acquittal holding that the deed had been done while Wells was insane. Those voting for conviction were: Messrs. Reynolds, Gilkey, Smith, Castor and Conard. After a few ballots Conard and Castor came over to the majority but the other three gentlemen stood steadfast for conviction. The case was gone over and those who awaited a verdict in the court room could hear fervid eloquence as it floated out from the jury room. It seems as though all the jurors were trying to talk at once and the knowing ones predicted that no verdict would be reached that night if at all. Predictions of a hung jury were freely made and at 10 o’clock Judge West went home. Thursday morning at breakfast time no verdict had been reached, but soon after breakfast those who were for conviction began to weaken and at a quarter past eight the bailiff, Taylor Thompson, was summoned to the jury room. The court and attorneys were quickly called and the prisoner was brought up from the jail. He was quite pale but manifested no interest whatever in the proceedings beyond staring fixedly at the court. The jurors filed in looking tired and weary and Foreman McClure handed up the following verdict:
“We the jury find that the defendant committed the act charged in the indictment, killing William Wells and Lee Wells by drowning them in a well at the time and in the manner charged, but owing alone to the fact that we find that he was insane at the time of its commission, we find him not guilty.
W. W. McClure, Foreman.”
When the verdict was read Wells never so much as batted an eye. A representative of The Journal at once stepped to him and asked what he thought of the verdict. He replied, “I was not guilty because I did not know what I was doing.” He seemed to think almost that he had been convicted and looked much depressed. When asked if he understood that he had been acquitted, he replied after a lengthy pause, “Yes, I believe so.” Tears began to course down his cheeks and he was the picture of utter misery. Interrogated as to his intentions he said: “They will have to do something with me as I’m not able to take care of myself.” Prosecutor Reeves suggested that it would be very nice for him to go home for a week or so, but Wells did not fall in with this proposal. He said nothing, but sadly shook his head. When asked if he did not believe it would be best for him to go to the asylum he said that he thought it would as he ought not to be at large. He stated that he had at present no desire to kill his children but feared that the feeling might recur at any time.
The man did not answer readily and statements were drawn from him only with difficulty. He sat for a few minutes in the court room and then painfully shambled away after his keeper, coughing violently as he passed down the corridor.
Immediately after the verdict Judge West made an order of court for a lunacy commission to sit forthwith. The jury’s verdict stood as an affidavit in the case and the commission was composed of Justices Hanna and Stillwell and Dr. Taylor, Dr. Barcus attending physician.
There were none of the relatives present on Thursday when the verdict was rendered. Wednesday Rev. Mr. Mills and wife left for home and before going, Mr. Mills made the following statement for the public: “This has been a most trying case for all the relatives of this unfortunate man. His parents and sisters have especially been peculiarly and tryingly placed. They saw this insane and sick man deserted by his wife and her family and were obliged to come to his rescue. Mrs. Wells had employed attorneys to prosecute her unfortunate husband and his sisters, their husbands, and his parents were obliged to take his part.”
Notes: The evidence in this case will be found on page three of this issue.
Wells was asked on Thursday at the jail if he now wished to die, and replied that he did not.
It is said that fifty ballots or more were taken in the jury room. The next to the last ballot stood 11 to 1. The one is said to have been Reynolds, of Brown’s Valley.
Wesley Price, an own cousin of Wells, went violently insane a few years ago while working for M. B. Waugh and had to be tied up. He died in a very few days.
On the way back to the jail after the verdict Wells told Deputy Barton that he expected to be hung or sent up for life, as he did not believe the jury or anyone else could look at the matter as he did.
The jury states that if there had been a law which would have allowed them to have found the defendant insane and at the same time to have sent him up for life, they would not have been out fifteen minutes.
Wells is not the first of his race to go wrong through insanity. Years ago his great uncle, Isaac Wyant, known in Illinois as “Devil Ike”, committed a horrible murder and was tried for it. He was defended by Abraham Lincoln and was acquitted on the defense of insanity. There was no doubt of his insanity but he soon regained his release from the asylum and came to Indiana, settling in Clinton County. There his queerness attracted attention and he was finally killed by another relative, who hid his body under a brush heap, where it was found a long time after. The homicidal mania seems to have been conspicuous among the antecedents of the unfortunate Wells.
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal
Friday, 23 June 1899
The Wells murder case
is over and the defendant has been declared not guilty. The arguments of
counsel Wednesday afternoon were exceptionally able and commanded the close
attention of all present. It was after 6 o’clock Wednesday when Judge West
charged the jury, his instructions being favorable to the defendant, though
perfectly fair to all parties. Before balloting the jury went to supper and it
was after 7 o’clock when the first ballot was taken. It resulted seven to five
for acquittal—those voting for acquittal holding that the deed had been done
while Wells was insane. Those voting for conviction were: Messrs. Reynolds,
Gilkey, Smith, Castor and Conard. After a few ballots Conard and Castor came
over to the majority but the other three gentlemen stood steadfast for
conviction. The case was gone over and those who awaited a verdict in the court
room could hear fervid eloquence as it floated out from the jury room. It seems
as though all the jurors were trying to talk at once and the knowing ones
predicted that no verdict would be reached that night if at all. Predictions of
a hung jury were freely made and at 10 o’clock Judge West went home. Thursday
morning at breakfast time no verdict had been reached, but soon after breakfast
those who were for conviction began to weaken and at a quarter past eight the
bailiff, Taylor Thompson, was summoned to the jury room. The court and
attorneys were quickly called and the prisoner was brought up from the jail. He
was quite pale but manifested no interest whatever in the proceedings beyond
staring fixedly at the court. The jurors filed in looking tired and weary and
Foreman McClure handed up the following verdict:
“We the jury find that the defendant committed the act
charged in the indictment, killing William Wells and Lee Wells by drowning them
in a well at the time and in the manner charged, but owing alone to the fact
that we find that he was insane at the time of its commission, we find him not
guilty.
W. W.
McClure, Foreman.”
When the verdict was read Wells never so much as batted an
eye. A representative of The Journal
at once stepped to him and asked what he thought of the verdict. He replied, “I
was not guilty because I did not know what I was doing.” He seemed to think
almost that he had been convicted and looked much depressed. When asked if he
understood that he had been acquitted, he replied after a lengthy pause, “Yes,
I believe so.” Tears began to course down his cheeks and he was the picture of
utter misery. Interrogated as to his intentions he said: “They will have to do
something with me as I’m not able to take care of myself.” Prosecutor Reeves
suggested that it would be very nice for him to go home for a week or so, but
Wells did not fall in with this proposal. He said nothing, but sadly shook his
head. When asked if he did not believe it would be best for him to go to the
asylum he said that he thought it would as he ought not to be at large. He
stated that he had at present no desire to kill his children but feared that
the feeling might recur at any time.
The man did not answer readily and statements were drawn from
him only with difficulty. He sat for a few minutes in the court room and then
painfully shambled away after his keeper, coughing violently as he passed down
the corridor.
Immediately after the verdict Judge West made an order of
court for a lunacy commission to sit forthwith. The jury’s verdict stood as an
affidavit in the case and the commission was composed of Justices Hanna and
Stillwell and Dr. Taylor, Dr. Barcus attending physician.
There were none of the relatives present on Thursday when the
verdict was rendered. Wednesday Rev. Mr. Mills and wife left for home and
before going, Mr. Mills made the following statement for the public: “This has
been a most trying case for all the relatives of this unfortunate man. His
parents and sisters have especially been peculiarly and tryingly placed. They
saw this insane and sick man deserted by his wife and her family and were
obliged to come to his rescue. Mrs. Wells had employed attorneys to prosecute
her unfortunate husband and his sisters, their husbands, and his parents were
obliged to take his part.”
Notes: The evidence in this case will be found on page three
of this issue.
Wells was asked on Thursday at the jail if he now wished to
die, and replied that he did not.
It is said that fifty ballots or more were taken in the jury
room. The next to the last ballot stood 11 to 1. The one is said to have been
Reynolds, of Brown’s Valley.
Wesley Price, an own cousin of Wells, went violently insane a
few years ago while working for M. B. Waugh and had to be tied up. He died in a
very few days.
On the way back to the jail after the verdict Wells told
Deputy Barton that he expected to be hung or sent up for life, as he did not
believe the jury or anyone else could look at the matter as he did.
The jury states that if there had been a law which would have
allowed them to have found the defendant insane and at the same time to have
sent him up for life, they would not have been out fifteen minutes.
Wells is not the first of his race to go wrong through insanity.
Years ago his great uncle, Isaac Wyant,
known in Illinois Indiana , settling in Clinton County