Samuel H. McLeary – Major, United States Army

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18 July 1924: Indianapolis, Indiana:

Alleged Slayer Leads Police to Place Where Artillery Officer Was  Buried.

 Samuel H. McLeary, the Army Officer, whose body was found near here today, after his disappearance, while motoring alone from Norfolk, Virginia, to Fort Moultrle; came to his death from gunshot wounds inflicted by Mortimer N. King, and other parties unknown, according to findings returned by a coroner's jury late today.

King today led the police to the place where he and his companions in the murder had buried McLeary's body. The body was found almost eleven miles south of here. It was hidden under a pile of brush and had been partially eaten by birds until it was nearly undentiflable.

July Harold, 22 years old, employed by a construction company at Lockhart, South Carolina, was sought by officers here to- day as the accomplice of Mortimer H. King in the slaying of Major Samuel H. McLeary on a road hear here.

King, who is alleged to have confessed yesterday that he and his companion, whose name has been withheld by the  authorities, killed Major McLeary on July 2, after he had given them a lift in his car, led the searching party to the spot where the body was found today. It lay In a densely wooded region about 150 feet from the highway near Columbia, Ohio, which the slain army officer was motoring when he was killed.

King, who is said to have a record as a deserter from both army and the marine corps, was taken to Columbia and placed in jail immediately after he had led the searching party to the final scene of the crime. The spot was where King is said to have confessed he and his companion killed the Major.

Police said the officer was shot twice, the second bullet ending his life. They pointed out that due to the remoteness only the shoes and a few scraps of clothing, so stained and soiled as to most unrecognizable, were found with the body. Miss Bonnie McLeary, a sister of the dead officer came here today but did not visit the scene of the crime.

MCLEARY, SAMUEL H
MAJ COAST ART CORPS

  • DATE OF DEATH: 07/02/1924
  • BURIED AT: SECTION S C L  SITE 2259
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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