The Fulton Express
November 12, 1896
“Fraudulent Hand of the Dun Maylock Exposed in Shocking Turn of Events”
From the archives. Contributor: Spence Hutchins, Curator of the Fulton Hills Historical Society
By Arthur Price
In an extraordinary series of events that have left Fulton Hills stunned, the dreaded bloody handprint of the Dun Maylock has proven not only to instill terror but also to unmask deception. Recent incidents involving the group’s infamous calling card have taken a shocking turn, revealing a cunning scheme by an opportunistic criminal—one who ultimately paid the price for his charade.
Over the past month, three East Fulton families fled their homes in terror after finding the unmistakable bloodied handprint smeared across their doors. As history has taught us, this mark smeared across the liminal space of a home’s front door has always heralded not just doom for those targeted by the shadowy cult, but death within a fortnight. Yet, despite the ominous warnings, each family miraculously survived, fleeing before tragedy struck. In their absence, their homes were systematically looted and, ultimately, set ablaze.
The community trembled at the thought that the Dun Maylock’s reign of terror had taken a cruel new turn – until the fourth handprint appeared. This time, alongside the chilling mark was a single word: “FRAUD.”
When neighbors investigated the home of the latest, South Fulton victim, Michem Martin, they discovered the property eerily silent. Inside, the body of a local man was found collapsed on the floor, his face frozen in an expression of abject horror. Doctors could find no wounds or injuries, leading to the grim conclusion that he had died of fright.
What followed was even more astonishing. Hidden within the man’s home were numerous items stolen from the previous three houses—jewelry, coin purses, and sentimental keepsakes that had vanished during the robberies. Authorities quickly pieced together the truth: this man had exploited an entire county’s fear of the Dun Maylock to cover his crimes.
His gruesome demise—and the word scrawled upon the door—suggests that he may have unwittingly invited the very terror he sought to mimic. Did the true Dun Maylock discover his ruse and pass judgment? Or was the weight of his guilt and fear simply too great to bear?
The revelation has cast an unsettling light on the limits of human greed and the depths of fear instilled by the Dun Maylock. While the robber’s death and the recovery of stolen goods have provided some resolution, it has also forced us to cast our suspicions on even our neighbors. If one was capable of commandeering the symbol for such vile purposes, are not others?
As this story unfolds, one thing is clear: the bloody handprint remains a symbol not just of violence but of power—a mark capable of unraveling even the most audacious deceptions.