WICKER, Elmer - Putnam

When Dr. Jerome M. King entered upon his six years’ service as coroner of Putnam county, January 1, 1901. he was to have to serve officially in connection with more violent deaths, probably, than any other coroner of this county before or after his time. Murders, suicides, drownings, tragic deaths under the wheels of trains or in wrecks on railroads, followed one after the other, in addition to sudden deaths from heart attacks, and similar causes. One of the alleged murders was that of a newborn baby, found with a cord tight around its neck, another baby suffocated from being put to sleep in a feather bed, and so on. The fourth case in which Dr, King was called officially was in the death of Henry Clay Lewis, 47 years old, “found dead from ruptured heart caused by over-exertion.” who was found by the fence along the Vandalia right of way at the rear of the. residence of K. W. Lewis, late in the afternoon February 23, 1901. Tucker Woodson Taylor, 46 years old. the evening of May 11 provided the next case, when he was found in his home in Greencastle dying from a pistol shot. Henry A. Rice was found dead from a gunshot wound in a freight car at Roachdale, June 13. 1901.

B. F. Barwick, merchant, died from crushed skull when he fell from a cherry tree at his home, corner College avenue and Franklin. Greencastle, May 22. Elza Clifton Hartsaw, 21, died when he fell from a ladder while putting up telephone wires near Cloverdale, July 3. John Elvin Girton. 23. was drowned in Big Walnut west of Reelsville, Sunday morning, July 28. H. E. Blaydes, 48. died from an overdose of chloral hydrate, at Portland Mills. Jesse Engle was killed by a Big Four train 2 miles west of Greencastle. Will L. Brown. 18, died from a bullet discharged from a Winchester .32 rifle, October 7, 1901. Fred Fisher, 21, was run over and killed by a Monon freight train while attempting to board it, Dec. 6, 1901. Elmer Wicker, 33, was killed in a Monon wreck 2 miles south of Bainbridge, Jan. 12, 1902, when a ‘‘lone engine” crashed into the rear of a coal train. Andrew David Naughle, 18, was accidentally killed by shot from a gun held by Harvey Coverdill, March 15, 1902.  James Harvey Rodgers. 69, Cloverdale, was killed by gunshot, There appear to have been two collisions there within short time of one another. October 3, 1902, George A. Cole, foreman on the Vandalia, was killed. October 15, Fred  H. Hennson, 35 years old, mail clerk, was killed in a head-on collision of passenger trains on the Reelsville curve. Patrick H. Daily, commonly known as ‘‘Pat,” was one of the engineers involved and he was a witness in the coroner's inquest. George G. Kelbley, age 22, was killed in the same wreck. He was beating his way. Thomas Norton, 59, was killed August 20, 1903, when he was struck by the engine of a passenger train No. 14 at Reelsville while walking on the right of way. William Walters Short, 34, was killed by a Big Four train at Delmar. Henry Townsend. 35, was struck and killed by a C. H. & D. passenger train 2 miles west of Roachdale, June 16, 1904. William H. Canaan, 45, July 30. | 1904, was caught In the wreckage of I a rear end collision of two freight train on the C. H. & D. Merritt Blaydes, 22, September 1, 1904, was struck by a C. H. & D passenger train