Mystery of Oak Hill

Crime - A Mystery of Oak Hill

 MHD Collection

 

Woman who worked on farm and who showed remarkable knowledge

of many things--finally went away.

 

Wampsville [Madison Co., NY], Dec. 16:  On Saturday last Mr. and Mrs. E.L. Moon of Cottons, a flag station on the Lehigh Valley, south of Canastota [Madison Co., NY], and more commonly known as Oak Hill, accompanied by Constable E.E. Reed of this village, armed with a search warrant, visited the rooms over Reeimer's store in Canastota, where the goods of Mr. Moon's former housekeeper, Cora Bailey, were stored and there found several articles belonging to the Moon family.  The Bailey woman left the employ of Mr. Moon last September.  Letters addressed to her at her alleged destination in Ohio received no answer, hence the constable and the aforesaid process of law.  From information given by the Moon family Cora Bailey was an unusual character.  Last Spring Mr. Moon and his son Claude E. purchased the W.W. Harp farm at Oak Hill, and moving thereon needed a housekeeper.  They advertised for one and a reply came from Whitney's Point from Cora Bailey.  She wrote she was ready to go to work at once, but wanted to know if several boxes of goods which she owned could be stored somewhere on the premises of her employer.  Mr. Moon wrote that she better come on and see how she liked the position and then send for her goods if she cared to stay.  A stipulated wage was arranged and in due time the housekeeper arrived, and with her came a truck load of boxes and trunks of all descriptions.  One was lost in transit and she promptly put in a claim against the railroad company for its recovery.  The goods were carted to the farm, where she in a way proved a marvel.  Aside from being a good housekeeper she possessed a phenomonal knowledge of about everything worth while knowing that was mentioned.  She gathered the eggs, did the baking and even went so far as to commence the breaking of a crippled colt of three or more years.  Often when something was needed about the place, as for instance, an axe helve or whiffltree, she produced it from her stores.  She claimed to have acted as cook on sailing vessels and a man employed on the place, who had been a sailor, said her knowledge of the high seas verified her statements.  She had a large collection of jewelry, which she said was insured for a large sum, and she also admitted a bank account of no mean proportions.  Among the rest of her possessions was a loaded six shooter, which she claimed to be able to use expertly.  Last September she tired of her country life, hired an auto truck and left, she said, to engage in the chicken business.  She left an address in Ohio.  Not long after her departure various articles about the house were missing.  As time wore on and other things could not be found, it was decided to search her possessions, which were found to be stored in Canastota.  Upon opening the various boxes, goods of all descriptions were found.  Many of the goods are new and the woman is suspected of being a kleptomaniac or otherwise unbalanced.  She is described as being a large woman of good appearance and apparent refinement.  Her present whereabouts are unknown.  The above is taken from the Utica Daily Press [Oneida Co. NY] and comes like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky.  Can these things be?  Yes, this is Cora, our Cora of many talents, who kept house for Mrs. Dr. Hall, but where, oh where is she?