“A story of the killing of an 18 year old Kentucky girl, Mary Messer, by her uncle Henry Messer, while insane, was brought to this city early thursday morning by John Messer, a cousin of the girl reported dead.”
“The crime, according to the story, was supposed to have been committed shortly before noon Tuesday at Brown’s Ridge, a wild section of country some half dozen miles back of Firebrick, Kentucky.”
“Messer, the informant, was then working some miles away in the vicinity of Vanceburg. He claims that the girl’s brother was working there also and that they got word of the killing when the brother was summoned home.”
“Messer was unable to give any details of the alleged crime other than that the crazed man attempted to kill his brother Jim Messer, and the whole of his family. What weapons he had used Messer was unable to state. The informant is a typical native of Kentucky, slow going and had not given the affair much concern, although he was surprised that no word of the supposed crime had not been received here.”
“Harvey Messer, the alleged murderer, created somewhat of a sensation two years ago when he appeared haggard and unkempt at the home of Marshal Baker in South Portsmouth and gave himself up saying that he had killed this same brother. The officer lodged him in jail at Greenup, and an investigation showed that he had made an attempt to do the man harm, but had been unsuccessful. He was plainly unbalanced mentally, but after incarceration of several weeks his condition improved and he was released.”
“A brother, Preston Messer, worked in Portsmouth until recently, with the street cleaning force, but is now employed at Columbus.”1
