Moberly Monitor Index Front page Friday December 17, 1937 Man's Body Found in Cornfield Shotgun wound in chest to John Calvin Brooks, Near Thomas Hill Relatives fear he met foul play. Death occured before ice storm: Corner inquest held today. A coroner's inquest is being held at Thomas Hill this afternoon to investigate the death of John Calvin Brooks, whos body, with a shotgun wound through the chest, was found yesterday afternoon in a cornfield on the Grover Leathers farm, two mile northeast of Thomas Hill. Brooks who was about 75 years old, had been dead for several days. Dr. E. W. Shrader said today. Death at first was attributed to a hunting accident, but when relatives asserted Mr. Brooks was in the habit of carrying large sums of money, and only $2.40 in change was found in his clothing, an inquest was decided upon. The body was found about 2 O'clock yesterday afternoon by William Cotton, a negro employed on the Leathers farm. Cottom was hauling some wood when in driving through the cornfield, his team of mules became frightened and started to run away. After stopping the team, Cotton went back to investigate and found the body. COVERED WITH ICE the scene was about a quarter of a mile from the Leathers home. The body was on its back and the face was covered with about a half inch of ice, indicating it had been there throughout the recent ice storm. A shotgun shot wound about 3 inches long vertically and 2 inches wide was found in the chest. A 12-gauge double-barrel shotgun, with one shell discharged and one not fired and found laying across his legs between the knees and ankles. Dr. Shrader was summoned to the scene and the investigation which followed brought statements from the relatives that Brooks usually carried lagre sums of money in a billfold. A search of his clothing failed to reveal this billfold, and disclosed only $2.40 in change, a watch and a note book. It also was asserted by some who veiwed the body that the man could not have held the shotgun far enough away from his body to inflict such a wound, and that had he inflicted the wound himself, the gun could not have fallen in the position in which it was found. George McCart, a son-in-law, signed a sworn statement to the effect he belived there had been foul play and Dr. Schrader then called an inquest. Members of the jury will be George M. Deweese, Clifford Cook, Lloyd Ray Minks, Grover and Robert D. Leathers and Everett Alexander, all living near Clifton Hill. LAST SEEN ON MONDAY Mr. Brooks lived alone in a small house near Thomas Hill. A son lived in another small house a short distance away. Brooks was last seen Monday morning, when Les Lea of clifton Hill reported seeing him walking along a road near Thomas Hill. Surviving Mr. Brooks are ten children, they include six daughters Mrs. George McCart, of Prairie Hill, Mrs. Ezra Brooks,(this is a mistake Ezra is actually John Calvin's son) Flora Besta, N.M., Mrs. Meddie Neeson, Lewiston, Mo., Mrs Everett Reed, Atlanta, Mo., Mrs. Edith Wright, Higbee, Mo. and Mrs. Mollie Morris, Granite City, Ill., four sons Abner, Venice, Ill., George Thomas and Frank of Clifton Hill and Alfred Earl of Atlanta. Thiry-one granchildren and five great grandchildren also survive. The body was taken to Patten Funeral Home, where funeral services will be concucted at 11 O'clock tomorrow morning by the Rev. J.H. Lynn. Burial will be at Harrisburg, where Mr. Brooks lived years ago. He had spent most of his life in the Darksville and Thomas Hill neighborhood.
John Calvin and Samantha have a daughter buried in the cemetery by their son Cleatus, she was a baby named Node. Information came from Hazel Grant, John and Samantha's granddaughter.