STALEY, Francis E - Putnam

The Greencastle Star gives the particulars of the horrible Jefferson Township murder. The murdered man, Francis E. Stanley, was born and had lived all his life in that neighborhood as a recluse. He scarcely ever left his large and very fine farm; was never known to enter a church and had at one time been considered insane. He last fall voted for the first time in 20 years. For the last 20 years he did all his own work and did his own cooking. One of the partition walls of the house is entirely covered with scriptural quotations and arithmetical calculations. In his house there were neither beds nor tables, his couch being an exceedingly clumsy reclining chair made of sheepskin and slats.  Staley also seemed to have a strange passion for whetstones, no less than 240 stones of different varieties being found in his home. The murdered man was eating supper when killed and was evidently shot from behind. About $150 were all the deceased had which the murderer could secure. There is no clue as to who the assassin is. - kbz