The Murder of "Uncle Right"

Dateline Madison Indiana, 11 May 1869

 

 

Finding the Body of R.R. Rea-A Foul Murder has been Commited.

 

    The body found at Mann's Landing, below Hanover, yesterday, proved to be that of R.R. Rea. It was identified by several persons beyond a peradventure. Mr. Rea disappeared on the 8th of March last, over two months ago, and notwithstanding all the efforts made at the time, no clue could be found to his disappearance until yesterday. It was suspected at the time that he had benn foulu dealt with, but everybody was loth to believe that any one could bear malice against "Uncle Right" sufficient to imbrue his hands with murder: but the marks on the old man's head prove the suspicions to have been only too true.

The skull on both sides of his head was found to be broken in with some instrument like the leaden ball on the head of a raitan cane. But most likely the murderous instrument used by the perpatrator wa a slungshot. When found, every particle of clothing was off the body with the exception of one sock.

The body was very natural and not discolored in the least, showing that it could not long have been exposed to air, and no other part of the body showed signs of violence. How his clothing got off his body is an unexplained mystery, unless they were taken off by the miscreant who commited the murder to prevent identification of the body in case it was ever caught, and thereby conceal the murderer.

The last seen of "Uncle Right" was about 9 o'clock on Monday night, March 8th, in company with an entire stranger, to all who seen them pass out of the house, with whom he had been talking about going up to Switzerland county to buy hogs.

We cannot but think that he was murdered for the money he was supposed to posses, as no one who knew him could have been so hard hearted as to send his own soul to pardition, by murdering him for any petty or imaginary wrong.

His body was decently incased in a coffin and brought up to the city yesterday evening, and deposited in the vault at Springdale Cemerary to await the arrival of his son R.R. Rea Jr., who is on board the steamer Richmond; and has been telegraphed for.