|
By: Jim Fitzpatrick |
|
Email: jim@nunica.com |
|
Local Farmer in Polkton Township writes for the Coopersville Observer. |
|
Along Brandy Creek By Jim Fitzpatrick
The Coopersville Observer July 7, 2008- - No. 96 |
|
Martin and Minnie Golden owned the general store and post office in Dennison, three miles west of Coopersville near the junction of Cleveland and State Road. A board walk led to their home a few yards to the east. The store is long gone but the house is still there; on a small wedge of land between State Road and the old Grand Trunk Railroad right of way. Uncle Martin had been a school teacher at several of the local one room schools in the area. When he and Minnie married they decided to go into business for themselves. The store went well for them going on three years. Minnie was kept busy with their new four week old baby girl. On a warm spring evening in late April all that came to an abrupt end.
Martin locked up the store for the night and moved on down the boardwalk as he did each evening at closing time. He looked forward to the supper that Minnie would have on the table for the two of them when he entered the house. She had been busy the entire afternoon caring for baby Ethyl along with preparing the evening meal. Without warning two gunshots broke the silence of the evening twilight. Ed and Sport McCarthy heard them too; as they chatted in their front yard across the road. Then they heard and saw a man in a long overcoat and slouch hat run past them in the near darkness. The dark figure disappeared into the night as he ran up and onto the rails leading west.
Great Uncle Martin was “shot by a robber”. Those are the words printed on his death certificate as the cause of death; one hundred and one years ago. A year and a month, after the murder of Martin C. Golden; a man known as “Alcohol Bill” was arrested in a barn where a lot of “hobo like” characters often hung out. That was up near Mooreland, in Muskegon County. Bill went to jail for a time, went up before a judge and jury on two separate occasions. The first time around the jury couldn't agree on a verdict. During the second trial he was found guilty as charged. However, the judge said no and set the verdict aside. Forty six year old “Alcohol Bill” was acquitted. He lived on for a lot of years to come and was finally laid to rest in an unmarked grave up in the Ravenna village cemetery.
Aunt Minnie, however, was convinced that Bill was the man for sure. She and baby Ethyl moved to her parent’s house in Coopersville. Minnie spent her final years in Grand Rapids with Ethyl and her family. Who really did kill Uncle Martin anyway? Chances are pretty good that no one will ever know! |
