THE CLOVERDALE MURDERER

The Indianapolis Sentinel

December of 1874 (The murder occurred November 29, 1874)

Martin, the murderer of his wife pleads guilty and is sentenced to 
state prison for life-- he takes tea at Indianapolis and will
breakfast at Jeffersonville.

Readers of the Sentinel will remember the shock their nerves sustained upon
reading in its telegraphic columns but a few weeks since of an unprovoked
wife murder at Cloverdale. George Martin, tiring of his young wife, shot 
her dead as she sat in the chair of a neighbor with their child in her arms.
Then he fled to the village and feigned insanity. He narrowly escaped lynching
and was lodged in jail at Greencastle. On preliminary examination he plead 
not guilty though there was a plain case against him. He was remanded to jail
and there remained in solitary confinement until yesterday when after 
consulting with counsel, he concluded he would confess the crime by pleading
guilty and then throw himself upon the clemency of the court.
He therefore asked leave to withdraw his former plea and substitute the plea
of guilty which was granted by the court. Judge Turman on the bench.

This morning the prisoner was brought into court and received his sentence. 
It was that he be confined in the state prison south, at hard labor for the 
period of his natural life. This afternoon, the sheriff of Putnam County,
accompanied by his prisoner came to Indianapolis over the Vandalia line, and
after taking tea at the Union Depot, left for Jeffersonville over the 
Indianapolis and Louisville Line. Martin may well congratulate himself that
he was not hanged- for his offense was a most heinous one against the law of
state and the higher law. If he has any conscience, however, he will surely
suffer the torments of the damned during life.

Submitted by Kathy Bargerhuff