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From the Logan County Paper:
Monday, August 25, 1902
James Pendleton, aka John Cox and Corda S. Morris, Mayor of Gentry, MO admitted to circulating a story telling of his death and burial at a rural cemetery west of Orlando. The death was staged to escape charges of bigamy. Pendleton, who had a wife and 5 children in Gentry went to Emporia KS and married Miss Grace Obley using the name Corda S. Morris.
Pendleton then went to Orlando and using the name John Cox, said that his friend Morris had died in a wagon accident. He proceeded to purchase a coffin and had it buried. Friends of "Morris" in Kansas believed that he had been murdered and requested that the coffin be exhumed.
From the Logan County Paper:
Friday, August 29, 1902
The coffin of "Morris" was dug up by the insurance company and found to only contain ice.
It is said that Deputy Sheriff, John Mahoney commented that he had made an investigation into the burial at the request of the attorney for Logan County, William K. Patterson, and found only an empty coffin and box in the grave.
The undertaker at Orlando, a Mr. Kinneman, took charge of the coffin, and there are stories that it still had pieces of ice in it.
Will Collins later purchased the lot where the "Ice Coffin" was buried.
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