The Ouachita Telegraph - James Cannon Charged with the Killing of Frank M. McLeroy Date: May 2000 Submitted by: Lora Peppers ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** The Ouachita Telegraph Friday, September 25, 1874 Page 2, Column 2 DEATH OF FRANK M. McLEROY. Found Dead on the Highway — Mysterious Circumstances. On the evening of the 19th, the dead body of F.M. McLeroy was found on the road from Monroe to Winnsboro, about 9 miles from this place. Mr. McLeroy left Monroe in the forenoon, having been on a visit to Jackson parish, and was returning to Boeuf river where he was engaged in planting. He was on horseback. Some three and a half miles from Monroe, he was met by Mr. C.N. Noble, (paper is smudged) the Coroner's inquest, that McLeroy was at himself, but complained on being unwell. Further along the road, McLeroy overtook a wagon driven by S.Q. Clevenger, a farmer of Richland parish who had been to Monroe. With Clevenger was a man named James Cannon, a ditcher, but not in Clevenger's employ at the time. Cannon had been asked by McLeroy to do some ditching previously. McLeroy, Clevenger before the Inquest swears, asked them to stop, and asked Cannon why he ahd not done the ditching. Cannon replied that his shoulder had been dislocated. Clevenger swears that Cannon then asked McLeroy to take a drink, and McLeroy said, No, I have quit drinking; but told Cannon I have some good whisky, and handed Cannon a bottle with an ordinary drink in it. Cannon took a drink, Clevenger refusing to drink. McLeroy then asked Cannon to ride his horse a piece. McLeroy dismounted and got into the wagon, Cannon getting on the horse. Clevenger swears that after proceeding some half or three-quarters of a mile, McLeroy asked Cannon to get off the horse. Cannon dismounted. The two began talking, McLeroy standing beside his horse; but the conversation lengthening, he, (Clevenger,) drove on, calling to Cannon to come on, Cannon replying that he would be along directly. Clevenger left them talking, he swears, and did not see them afterwards. Mr. Clevenger swears that McLeroy did not appear intoxicated; that he moved steadily, and did not seem under the influence of liquor. Cannon, he swears, had been drinking, but was not drunk. Mr. Clevenger is a planter in Richland, and seems to be a very sober reliable man. His little son was in the wagon with him. He had been to Monroe, accompanied by Cannon, to sell some cotton, and was returning home with Cannon. This is the last positive testimony concerning F.M. McLeroy alive — and few men have lived who were more inoffensive or good-natured. He was wholly free from harm; peaceable to a fault; suffering imposition for the sake of preventing trouble. The next intelligence of Mr. McLeroy was that he was lying dead in the road. His body was found in a bruised condition, neck broken, or dislocated, his coat, vest and hat off, each in different places, and his collar torn from his neck. His saddle-bags were at the root of a tree near by the contents, including a loaded repeater, undisturbed. His horse was found next morning (Sunday) grazing not a great distance off, the bridle looped over a fragment of a twig broken off near the bridle. A heavy club lay near the body, but there were no signs of blood upon it. This club had been recently broken, and seemed to have been broken by pressure from a shoe. Soon after the body was found by neighbors who were in search, (having heard of the fact that there was a dead body on the road, from a colored man,) James Cannon came up to near where the body lay. [Clevenger left the two together Saturday evening about 5 o'clock; this occurred next morning.] Cannon, in answer to inquiries said he was lost — did not know where he was. What, asked Mr. M.T. Williams, mean those spots of blood on your shirt. [There were bloody spots on his sleeve, breast and shoulder.] Cannon replied that he did not know what they meant. Pointing to the dead body, Williams asked Cannon what that meant. Cannon replied that he did not know. Cannon was taken in charge by two of the party and brought to Monroe, and is now in jail. The jury of inquest, Col. Hall, J.P., acting Coroner, with Benj. McLeran, J.H. Mitchell, J.L. Bond, M.R. Vinson and Wm. Lewis as jurors, after an examination lasting two days, returned the following verdict: "That the said Frank M. McLeroy came to his death by reason and in consequence of injuries mortal in their nature, inflicted by means of some blunt instrument, limb or club in the hands of James Cannon now in the custody of the sheriff of the parish of Ouachita, upon the head, neck, face and right and left sides of the body of the said Frank M. McLeroy, deceased." Without expressing an opinion, upon the correctness of the verdict so far as Cannon is concerned, who is now held for commitment, we are bound to say, that Mr. McLeroy, from all the circumstances and his known character and condition, met death by foul means. At four o'clock he was last seen by Clevenger; before dark he was found dead. His coat was found in one place, is hat and saddle-bags in another and his shirt collar in another. Dr. Key testifies that there were wounds on (newspaper is smudged) His horse was found not very far off with part of a small limb still tied to the reins. It is therefore impossible for the deceased to have been killed by a fall from his horse. His known peaceable nature and feeble health at the time are inconsistent with the hypothesis that he assaulted any one. Frank McLeroy always avoided strife, and never, within our acquaintance with the man, extending over twenty years had a difficulty, or even a quarrel, with any one. That he came to his death by violence and foul means, we cannot doubt. Who the guilty party is, is not susceptible of positive proof, but the fact that Cannon was last seen with the deceased, that there was blood on Cannon's shirt, vest and pants, that he was found near by next morning in a bewildered state, unable to account for himself, with other circumstances somewhat less grave in their bearing; together with the absence of any evidence to show that McLeroy had been with any one else, are matters presumptive against the innocence of Mr. Cannon, and on account of which, we suppose, he has been held for trial. The deceased was well known to us from his early manhood. He was about forty years of age, of most worthy parentage and a man of refined feelings. He was an unselfish friend, of uncommon kindness of nature, a dutiful son, an industrious, patriotic citizen and a good soldier in the Lost Cause. He had no enemies — made many friends, without losing one. It is a mysterious dispensation of Providence that such a man should have met death in a manner shocking to the sensibilities of all who are apprised of his brutal taking off. His remains were interred in the cemetery near Trenton. The Ouachita Telegraph Friday, October 2, 1874 Page 2, Column 1 Killing of Frank M. McLeroy James Cannon, charged with the killing of F.M. McLeroy, has been on trial before Judge Baker, sitting as a committing magistrate, since last Friday. The testimony adduced is voluminous, and mainly circumstantial. The prisoner made a voluntary statement, saying he had no recollection of what transpired from the time he was left with McLeroy in the afternoon until sunrise the morning following. The argument conducted by W.R. Hardy for the State, and C.H. Morrison for the defense, has been characterized by research, earnestness and ability on both sides; while, the attention of the Court has been patiently given to an investigation of this very important case. The argument, lasting nearly ten hours, closed yesterday. Judge Baker is expected to give his decision to-day. We have taken full notes of the case for future reference. The Ouachita Telegraph Friday, January 8, 1875 Page 3, Column 1 In the case of the killing of Frank M. McLeroy, the Grand Jury refused to find a true bill against Jas. Cannon charged with the killing, and the accused was discharged. # # #