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DISTRESSING DROWNING I iOf Miss Elia Dayton, at Elizabeth, Yesterday, Under Mysterious Circumstance!.EITHER ICCIDEir, SUICIDE OR BORDER.Tbe smsll town of Elizabeth Id Harrison 1 county wae furnished wltb auch a sensation yesterdey morning tbe like of wblch wee 1 never their bed fortune to have before.Miss Kile Dayton, e very pretty end ac- ( compllshed young lady aged ebout 21 ?eara, wm drowned In tbe cittern In the kitchen of tbe residence of Dr. E. VV. Mel- . ton of tbet piece, under very myaterlouacircumstances.Misti D. bed been employed In tbe femily of Dr. Helton for ebout seven weeke just pest ee e servent to do bouse work, tibe wss la tbe bebit of preparing breekfeet before celling Mre. M.t end Thursday morning sbe bed noerly completed tbs morning meel. There wee no ooe up eboat tbe bouse except * Mies D. end Lid Melton, e eon ot Dr. M.f ( aged not ^ulte 21 yeere, who bed been court* lug bsr for some tlrns. Mr. end Mre. M. It seems got up without being celled end upon finding breekfeet Incomplete began to Id ^ quire for Ellat bat ibo could not be mo or beard of any where about tbe premUei. Dr. *M.’a eon, Leu suggested to look in the cistern and upon examination, there she wm discovered, tibe bad drowned and sank to tbo bottom of ebout six feet of water. tibe wee tskeu from tbe cistern, tbe coroner called and,a poet mortom examination made. Tbe re were suspicions that she bad poisoned herself, and that she was probably mreinU and bad been foully dealt with to bide ber sbarne.Tbe examination proved that neither of the suppositions bad any foundation infact.In the testimony before tbe coroner It was ntated that tbe opening of tbe cistern was U hy 20 Inches in size and that tbe lid covered a portiou of tbU space at tbe time tbe examination was made there for tbe body, leaving a apace of 14 by 10 inches end that tbe lid was lying loose In tbe top. Tbe babtt was to lower bntter In a bucket to the cistern. Tbe bucket bad bsen removed and a slice of butter taken from tbe roll and placed upon the table that morning. Lan Melton ststed be bed been to the cistern that morning to get water to mix horse feed, and it aeeius strange that he alone would think of looking there for tbe body and yet not suspect enytblug of tbe kind when there a few momenta befors.Miss D. was a large broad-sbonlded you eg lady and would weigh about 150 pounds. Ilow bhc could accidently or purpoaely get Into tbe clstcrn through an opening 14 by 16 inches In six? without disturbing tbe lid which lay loosely on the lop Is somethlog to be wondered at. It uccms tbat tbe myster* ious matter should be probed to the bottom, and If foul play has been perpetrated the guitty party should be made to sulfarscverly.About seven weeks ago Lin Melton came to thla city and persuaded Miss D.to go with him and get married. They left tbe residence of Mr. Mitchell, Melton stating tbat they would go to Cory don, tud be married at bis brother's bouse.It turns out that be has no brother there and that they did not go to Corydon at alt, but went directly to Dr. Melton’s at Elizabeth.There arc various rumors snd surmises concerning this unfortunate and mysterious affair, which will not be made public at present.Mias D. was well and favorably known In this city and county, bhe is a native of tbla county, and was the daughter of Elisha Dayton, and the granddaughter of Caleb C. Dayton, both of ifbom, together wltb the mother of deceaaed have been dead for sev* ersl years. Deceased wee taken cherge of when quito young and reared by Mr. Robert \V. tthort, formerly a citizen of thla county, now a resident of ilarrieon county.
Newspaper Details
New Albany Daily Ledger Standard
New Albany, Indiana, US
Fri, Jul 26, 1878
Page 4
Full Page
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Anonymous
USA 05 Dec 2019
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