In the small town of Wardell, Missouri, a tragic and violent event unfolded on a Saturday night in early May of 1903, forever marking the community. Constable W. J. Mooneyhon, a male lawman, found himself at the center of a volatile situation involving a religious sect known as the 'sanctified.' This group professed to live by the 'laws of Grace,' disregarding man-made statutes. A preacher from this sect, D. M. Malone, had recently developed a relationship with a married woman, Mrs.
Mary Frill, and she had been residing with him. This arrangement led to outrage among the local residents.
The escalating tensions prompted neighbors to swear out warrants for Malone and Mrs. Frill. Constable Mooneyhon was tasked with serving these warrants. His initial attempt was met with armed resistance from Malone, forcing the constable to retreat. Undeterred, Mooneyhon returned with reinforcements on that fateful Saturday and successfully arrested both Malone and Mrs. Frill. Due to the late hour, the constable made the decision to hold his prisoners at his own home overnight, with the intention of transporting them to the nearby town of Caruthersville the following day.
That night, at approximately 11 o'clock, a knock came at Constable Mooneyhon's door. When he responded, he was immediately shot and killed by a member of a waiting mob. The angry crowd then stormed into the house, seized the preacher, D. M. Malone, and dragged him into the hall where they also shot him to death. Miraculously, neither Mrs. Mooneyhon nor Mrs. Frill, who both witnessed the horrific events, were physically harmed by the mob. In the aftermath of the brutal killings, it was reported that while the sheriff had several clues, there was significant doubt that any arrests would be made in connection with the double homicide.
