Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 231, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1911 — ROMANTIC STORY TOLD BY MISS GRACE POOLE. [ARTICLE]

ROMANTIC STORY TOLD BY MISS GRACE POOLE.

Charmed City Reporter—Some Previously Untold History of Poole N, Trouble la Other Tears. FOwler Republican-Leader. Indianapolis- News, Bept. 28.—Tp raise money with which to conduct a legal fight to save her father from the gallows, Grace Poole, daughter of John W. Poole, the Benton county farmer accused of mnrdering Joseph Kemper, his farm employe, and burying the body to bide the crime, bravely faced an assemblage of tax payers at Wheatfleld, Ind., who sought to have her discharged from her position in the public school there because of the notoriety which the case brought to her, and pleaded with them not to condemn her for something she had no more to do with than they. The story of the girl’s tragic dilemma And Us consequences came to light yesterday in the proceedings in the circuit court at Lafayette, which resulted in Poole’s case being set for trial November 13. 0 Miss* Poole is standing by her father when all the other members of the family have deserted him. She declares, be is mentally unbalanced and not responsible for anything he may hove done, but she does not believe he murdered Kemper. The young sbman, who is twentytwo years old, was Just starting in a special course of training for at Chicago University when her father’s arrest and the sensation it produced called her home. This is her second year in the Wheatfleld schools. She has done excellent work there, it is said, and was re-engaged by the trustee for another year. When she returned two weeks ago to resume her teaching she found conditions changed.

A number of the patrons of the school insisted that she be discharged because she was the daughter of John Poole, “the murderer.” Thb girl bravely bore the attacks and the trustee promised to stand by her. She made i personal pleas to many of the people who assailed her, telling them she was entirely innocent of any offense and that it was Wrong to hold her responsible for the conduct of her father. 'She called a meeting of the school patrons and addjessed them from the platform. She explained her position and told them that if she were discharged she would have no way of raising the 1500 needed for her father’s defense. She told her hearers jghat she believed ner father innocent aiid that it would be criminal on her part not to.rtand by him and give him all the support possible. She told them of the sacrifice she was making and begged them £kot to persecute her further. The girl’s touching plea caused many ’in the audience to burst into tears and when she concluded every person present shook hands with the young woman and assured her that she would have their support It is the girl alone who is employing counsel for the* accused man, the wife and other daughter refusing to contribute any money whatever for Poole’s defense. Emory Poole, the son, who was responsible for the discovery of Kemper’s body and the arrest of Poole, is still bitter toward his father and declared yesterday he would only be. satisfied when his father went to the gallows, . • • This paper does not desire tp take anything from the charm of the daughter’s' devotion and does not Miss Poole is the owner of thirty-five acres of land and did mortgage the same for SSOO to pay for the defense of her father. There was objection to appropriating any funds to defend him, John Poole, as a poor man. While Mrs. Poole is the owner of considerable real estate, the law requires that the husband join in the deed or mortgage and there was a probability that' the plea that would be made in the murder trial would ba-insanity and there was the question of the legality of such a mortgage. This was avoided by Miss 'Poole raising the money on her land.

Some thirty years ago John Quigley given a verdict against Poole for the wages of his then minor son John. By some accident, Mr. Poole became possessed of some property in his own name fifteen years later and the amount was iggdd in court, ,■ The day that Quigley was going to his home in Oxford with the money, Poole hid beneath a bridge and when Quigley was within distance, shot Quigley in the head, and not only took the money paid as due for the jold judgment, but more money, and never returned either. After a long time Quigley recovered and obtained a verdict for 8800 damages which remains uncollected. He was returned to the asylum tor this offense. It was durfau the stay in the Insane Hospital that Mr. Poole’s mother died and he was again poessaaed of property. Poole made his escape from the hospital disguised as a nurse and made such Instruments that he was sessed of property. »