August 27, 2016

Woman Found Shot in the Road, Rockcastle, 1888

Previously:

Click here for a list of my other Pulaski/Rockcastle/Laurel County KY articles

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[June 5, 1888] -


MURDERED IN THE ROAD.

A Woman Found Dead With a Bullet In Her Brain Near Mt. Vernon.

Mt. Vernon, Ky., June 4. -- (Special.) -- At 11 o'clock this morning Mrs. Ann Decker was found in the road four miles southwest of this place dead, with a bullet hole in her brain. Her body, when found, was nearly a mile from her home, and from the surroundings it appeared that she had been carried some distance after being murdered. At the Coroner's inquest this afternoon her eighteen-year-old daughter testified that her mother retired last night at 8 o'clock with one of the younger children, in a different room from the other occupants of the house, there being six children in the family. This morning nothing was thought strange of the absence of the mother, as she had been in a habit of going over to a neighbor's at an early hour to work, and at times not returning until toward nightfall. When the body was found she had on different clothing from that which she had on when she retired last night.

The ball that did the fatal work was of forty-five caliber. It entered just above the left ear, and came out above the right, tearing off a large portion of the right side of the head. Frank Decker, the husband, left Mrs. Decker some three years since, owing to a charge of lewdness being brought against her, and has never returned. There is no suspicion as to who did the shooting. [1]







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[June 5, 1888] -

Woman Found With a Bullet in Her Brain.

(Special Dispatch to the Interior Journal.)

MT. VERNON, June 4th, 4 P. M. -- This morning Ann Decker, a woman who has been charged with keeping a house of ill-repute, was found in the road not far from her house, four miles southwest of this place, dead, with a bullet through her brain. An inquest is being held. No suspicion yet as to who did the shooting.

JAS. MARET. [2]




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[June 8, 1888] -

But little further information can be obtained in the Decker tragedy, which occurred Sunday night. At the coroner's inquest an 18-year-old daughter testified that her mother had retired at 8 o'clock and nothing was thought of her absence next morning, as she had been in the habit of going to neighboring houses at early hours to do a day's work, returning before nightfall. She further testified that when the body was found her mother had on a different dress to the one she wore the day previous. The ball that did the deadly work proved to be a 45 calibre. It entered just above the left ear and came out over the right one, tearing away a large portion of the skull. No clue or trace whatever has been found to indicate who the murderer can be and the whole matter is a mystery and still deepens. Mrs. Decker leaves six children. Frank Decker, her husband, has been in Tennessee for the last three years, he and Mrs. D. having separated on account of some charges of immoral conduct on her part. [3]








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[June 15, 1888] -

James Brewer, who is in jail on account of concealed weapons, is strongly suspicioned being the party who fired the fatal shot that killed Mrs. Decker two weeks since. It is said that strong circumstantial evidence has been gathered against him. [4]




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[1] "Murdered in the Road." The Courier Journal, Louisville, KY. June 5, 1888. Page 4. Newspapers.com.

[2] "Woman Found With a Bullet in Her Brain." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. June 5, 1888. Page 3. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1888-06-05/ed-1/seq-3/

[3] Excerpt from "Mt. Vernon, Rockcastle County." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. June 8, 1888. Page 1. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1888-06-08/ed-1/seq-1/

[4] Excerpt from "Mt. Vernon, Rockcastle County." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. June 15, 1888. Page 2. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1888-06-15/ed-1/seq-2/

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