By BARBARA BARBIERI
Crime author Stephen Terrell unveiled his just off the press book “The Madness of John Terrell” at a recent “meet the author” evening at the Wells County Public Library.
The book tells the tale of the murder of Leo Melvin Wolfe by his father-in-law John Terrell over the treatment of Terrell’s 19-year-old daughter Lucy Terrell Wolfe and her baby daughter on July 12, 1903.
At the time Wells County was experiencing an oil boom and John Terrell’s wealth included at least six producing oil wells in southern Wells County. His daughter Lucy became pregnant by oil field worker Leo Melvin Wolfe and was forced into a marriage with him.
He treated both her and the baby badly and she returned to live with her family. Wolfe continued to harass Lucy and her family and one day as he rode past the Terrell home (which is still on State Road 1 south)John followed him and shot him.
He continued to follow him to a doctor’s office in Petroleum where he entered the doctor’s office and shot Wolfe in the head.
Stephen Terrell’s book tells all about the trial that took place in the Wells County Courthouse with John Terrell incarcerated in the Wells County jail, which was located on West Washington St. where the Wells County Public Library is now.
While John was jailed he watched the building of the Bluffton Opera House directly across the street from the jail (now a parking lot), as he was the architect.
It took three weeks for jurors (no women) hearing 150 witnesses to deliberate for 16 hours to declare John Terrell guilty and give him life imprisonment. As experts had testified that he was insane he was sent to the East Haven Asylum (now Richmond) after the trial.
Because of an incorrect date in the trial recordings and a decision by the United States Supreme Court he was released in 1908 after his family paid a $15,000 bond. He returned to Wells County and lived out his life here and in Randolph county.
Lucy remarried to a Johnson and continued to live in Wells County. All three — John Terrell, Lucy and Wolfe are buried in area cemeteries.
Author Terrell showed photos along with his talk and offered the book for sale to those interested.
On Thursday, Nov. 21, at 6 p.m. author Stephen Terrell will be back in Wells county for a presentation at the Wells County Courthouse as he and Wells county Circuit Court Judge Kenton Kiracofe compare how the trial might have gone down in a present day courtroom.
barb@news-banner.com
