William L Kendall
Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 June 1891, page 4
MYSTERIOUS DEATH
The finding of a well preserved body in the river yesterday
afternoon solved one mystery and at the same time opened up another one. The
remains were those of wm L Kendall a well known business man of Newport Ky. who
had been missing several days.
Gilbert Walker, a colored fisherman, was coiling his hooks yesterday about four miles below North Bend when he saw the lifeless form of a man floating near the bank. With the aid of a skill and pole he was able to bring the body to shore. He then notified the acting Coroner of Miami township, Squire W B Welsh, who viewed the remains and succeeded in establishing the identity almost beyond a doubt of the dead man.
The body looked to be that of a man of 35 or 40, five feet six inches in height and attired in a neat fitting dark coat and vest, with striped trousers, plaited shirt and cotton underwear. The hair and mustache were sandy in color. Among the articles found in the pockets were a polka dotted handkerchief, pocket comb, gutta percha nose glasses, a pearl handled knife, a purse containing $2.62 and an account book on the inside of which was inscribed:
"Wm L Kendall, with the Challenge and Packing Company, Fourth and Saratoga streets, Newport Ky.
Letters were also found addressed to "Wm Kendall" one of which had been written by a cousin of the deceased living at Wallace Ind. Coroner Walsh deferred the closing of inquest until next Saturday and meantime ordered the body buried at Berea, two miles northwest of Cleaves.
The pocket book and letters correctly identified their silent wearer. Wm Kendall, who had been engaged as the Newport agent of the Challenge Preserving Company for several months, was last seen in Cincinnati late Saturday afternoon. On that day he called on his cousin, Newt Kendall, the proprietor of a well known saloon on Vine street and spent several hours at the resort, leaving shortly before dark for the Newport ferryboat.
Nothing more was seen of him until his bloated remains were taken from the river twenty miles below. There is no thought of suicide among his friends as his domestic relations were of the pleasantest and he was doing well in business. His death can be attributed only to accident or crime. Whether he fell off the ferryboat or whether his death plunge was the work of an enemy may never be known.
Mr. Kendall lived on Saratoga street and had an office nor far from his residence. He leaves a wife and two small children. The family came to Newport from Neville, Ohio, four months ago. The wife and little ones were notified of the husband and father's sad end last midnight. It was not a great surprise as Mr. Kendall's absence since Saturday had prepared them for the worst. They believed him dead.