Sad swan song when flapper floozy falls flat
On Oct. 15 and 16, 2022, nearly 200 passengers boarded the Nickel Plate Express at Hobbs Station in Noblesville. When they disembarked in Atlanta, Ind., the year was 1922. They were in store for an evening of food and entertainment at Earthly Endearments where music was in the air and murder was on the menu.
According to Det. Howard Forthright, famous musician, singer and professional “entertainer” Gloria Call was apparently poisoned during dessert by her past paramour, nerdy newsman Franklin Fontano.
Call was performing with The Stompers band at a 1920s club owned by Eugene Williams.
Call had been seen by numerous guests having conversations that ranged from intimate to strained to heated with Fontano both on the train and at Earthly Endearments. Fontano, who provided Call with numerous drinks during her set, claims he was only giving her club soda in an attempt to slow her conspicuous consumption of gigglewater that started on the rolling juice joint that train became during its time-ripping rail ride into the past.
A cast of characters – many of whom bore remarkable resemblances to actors seen at various venues across the county – had a great deal to say to the diners-turned-detectives.
This shot of Caden White and Gloria Call is the last photo of Call prior to her poisoning. Since she was resurrected upon the party’s return to 2022, perhaps White should get this one autographed.
Clues were collected. Facts were filtered from fictions. Successful sleuthing was richly rewarded.
Fortunately, by the time the Nickel Plate Express returned passengers to Noblesville at the end of the night, everyone was back in good ole 2022 and Call was alive and well once more. She and the other characters on the Murder Express were even kind enough to pose for a sepia-toned page 1 photo for The Hamilton County Reporter.
If you did not ride the rails of murder over the weekend, have no fear! This event was so popular that Nickel Plate Express Executive Director Emily Reynolds and Reporter Publisher Stu Clampitt have already gone on record saying their next killer collaboration will come in February. Keep reading The Reporter and checking NickelPlateExpress.com to find out when tickets go on sale for Valentine’s Murder Express. It promises to be a bloody good time!
To learn more about Earthly Endearments, 155 W. Main St., Atlanta, go to EarthlyEndearments.com.
Photos provided by Daniel Grose
Photos provided by Earthly Endearments
Reporter photos by Franklin Fontano
Congratulations murder mystery train, very well done, kinda takes ya back to the days of the speak easys in Chicago with Elliott Ness and Al Capone ? ?