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Introduction | Alexander McLeod

Alexander McLeod

The only things we know of Alexander McLeod are that he was from Canada and that he worked as a tin peddler in partnership with Andy Kimmel. Their work was apparently based in Fort Wayne.

Day describes McLeod in unflattering terms:

Alexander McLeod was of Scottish extraction, and was born in Canada, at or near the town of Chelsea, where his parents now reside. He was a young man about 21 years of age, of rather prepossessing appearance, and was possessed of an intelligence and decision of character which under different auspices would have made him a useful man; but which, directed in the channel it was, made him a reckless dare-devil, capable of planning executing the most daring and execrable acts of crime. He had regular features, florid complexion, blue eyes and brown, curly hair.

Such a description, of course, fits with Day's goal of justifying the lynchings. Outsiders and peddlers, McLeod and Andy Kimmel made easy and natural targets for the crowd's suspicion. Added to that the fact that McLeod had been seen at Liberty Chapel the day of the murder, and it makes sense that he would be hauled in as a suspect. Andy Kimmel's testimony against his partner is either the dutiful work of a good citizen or the base cowardice of a scared young man, trying to turn attention away from himself. It is interesting that attention fixed on McLeod and not on Andy, who testified against him. Andy's alibi, after all, is not a whole lot stronger than McLeod's. In fact, other than being at home with the Kimmels all morning, he has no alibi at all.