Hi Ruth, I believe most of the genealogy materials are in storage while the library in Morrilton is having an elevator added to the building. The following newspaper article may answer some of your questions. There are no Morrilton papers surviving for 1915, though something of this magnitude might have appeared in the Arkansas Gazette, the Little Rock paper. I do not have access to the Ark. Gazette index for 1915, though someone in Pulaski Co. might. This is from a book. I scanned the article. Siftings From The Morrilton Democrat Newspaper, 1931 compiled by Cathy Barnes Part Two, April 23, 1931, Page 2 [date of newspaper] Sam Bell Granted Indefinite Leave. Notorious Conway County Slayer Was Serving Four Life Sentences in State Penitentiary. Governor Parnell recently extended indefinitely a six months furlough granted last December to Sam Bell, former resident of Conway Co. and principal in one of the most sensational multiple murder cases in the state's history. The record of his case shows that on the night of April 26. 1915, Bell shot and killed his former wife's father. her brother and sister and her sister's husband. Bell had separated from his wife. formerly Miss May Fryer. After repeated attempts to effect a reconciliation with her, Bell appeared at the home of his brother-in-law, E. T. Bearden where he shot and killed Mr. and Mrs. Eard Bearden. Mrs. Bearden being a sister of Mrs. Bell. A few minutes later he shot and killed Mr. Fryer. The shots attracted Amos Fryer. a son of the elder Fryer. and he too fell a victim to Bell's shotgun after he had fired once at Bell. The killing occurred near Solgohachia. eight miles north of Morrilton. Bell surrendered to officers at Morrilton and was transferred to the Pulaski Co. jail for safekeeping and a subsequent Grand Jury returned four first degree murder indictments and on May 23. 1915, a jury found Bell guilty of the slaying of Eard Bearden. It was one of the first juries to take advantage of a recently enacted law whereby a jury could recommend life imprisonment for first degree murder. Formerly only a death verdict was possible. Bell attracted considerable attention and gained much notoriety through his stolid silence. He refused to discuss his cases with his appointed attorneys. and apparently was unconscious of the procedure of the court The late Circuit Judge Marcellus L. Davis of Dardanelle sentenced him to life imprisonment and then a week later presided over Bell's trial on an indictment for killing Mr. Bearden. The jury reported several times that it was hopelessly deadlocked. but Judge Davis declined to discharge it. After three days Bell was found guilty once more, this time the verdict carrying the death penalty At that time Arkansas laws required that sentences must be carried out consecutively, so all attempts to electrocute Bell were thwarted. He was serving a life sentence with a death penalty hanging over him. On November 4, 1919. Bell escaped and when found. April 21, 1922, was engaged in a dairy business near Dallas, Tex. He had married the niece of a Dallas Patrolman and had been successful in his business. but was returned to the Arkansas penitentiary. Several years later Bell was returned to a court at Morrilton where he plead guilty to the remaining two indictments and was given two additional life sentences. At the same time the death penalty was commuted to life imprisonment. which left Bell serving four life terms. ============================ Hope this helps, Cathy ----- Original Message ----- From: Ruth Camp <ladyruth@thewoolworths.com> To: <ARCONWAY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 1999 9:42 PM Subject: [ARCONWAY-L] Can you help me with this? > Hello, > > I have been following the Conway List for several months. I was at Solgohachia, Arkansas, in Conway county about three weeks ago doing some grave hunting. Something that I had on paper but had never really noticed came up while I was in the "Solgohachia Friendship Cemetery." > > I noticed that several people in the same family all died on the same day, April 25, 1915. Below is a list of the ones who died that day: > > Richard Thomas Fryer > Barbara Abagail "Abbie" Fryer > Erdie Bearden, Abbie's husband > John Amos Fryer > > An aunt, by marriage, was with me and she said that she thought that Sam Bell, who was the son-in-law of Richard Thomas Fryer had killed these family members. > > If someone in that area is going to the library in the near future, would you please look this up and see if you can find out what happened? Since I live in Memphis, Tennessee, it will be some time beofre I get another opportunity to go myself. > > Thanks in advance for your help. > > Ruth Camp > ladyruth@thewoolworths.com > > > ==== ARCONWAY Mailing List ==== > RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative > http://www.rootsweb.com/ > > ============================== > Share your family tree with loved ones through a FREE private website at > MyFamily.com! > Get started today at http://www.myfamily.com/banner.asp?ID=RWText1 > >