Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 308, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 December 1913 — HOLIDAY FIGHT RESULTS FATALLY [ARTICLE]

HOLIDAY FIGHT RESULTS FATALLY

Cleave Cook, Farm Hand, Dies in Lafayette Hospital—Riley Mullendore is in. Jail.

Lafayette, Ind., Dec. 26.—As a result of a Christmas night fight at the home of Mrs. Jacob Mullendore, three and one-half miles southwest of Delphi, Cleve Cook, 28 years old, a farm hand, died this afternoon in a hospital here, and Riley Mullendore, 27 -years old, his assailant, is a prisoner in the Tippecanoe county jail. Mullendore was placed finder arrest this morning by the sheriff. When the sheriff arrived on the scene the Mullendore family was sitting up and Cook, who was -unconscious, was lying in a pool of blood on the floor of his bedroom. There had been no stove in the room and he had been lying in the position in-which fie was found by the sheriff since 10:30 o’clock last night with nothing on but fiis night clothes. Cook never regained consciousness and -Sheriff Fisher and State Attorney'Hennegar went to Delphi tonight to ascertain just how Cook was. attacked.

Mullendore has little to say regarding the fight, but tonight informed Coroner Hannill that he regretted that he had fatally injured Cook. He was greatly worried'-evCF the affair and had been crying. He stated that several days ago Cook came to the poolroom in which he has been employed at Logansport and told him he was going to beatup Faris Mullendore, a brother of the accused iqan. Mullendore told him that he had better not try it. Cook then, according to Mullendore, drew a knife and threatened him. The Logansport pollice were called an d. Cook- was taken from the place. Cook later returned to the farjn and resumed his work. He had been at Mullendore’s since last March. Riley Mullendore says that he feared that Cook would attack his brother, Feris, and that he followed Cook from Logansport, thinking there would be trouble at home. When the trouble occurred at the Mullendore home he used a revolver as a club and pounded him so hard that he fractured his skull. One shot was accidentally discharged from the magazine after Cook was rendered unconscious. When arrested Mullendore said that Cook had been too familiar with his mother and that the fight grew out of a family affair. Cook was born at Pilot Knob, Tenn., and came to Delphi six years ago. He was married eight years ago to Maud Brown, of Tennesee, who survives.