Dr. Newman, Obituary/Death NoticePorter County obituaries and death notices . . . .
Dr. Newman
Beaten to Death.
From a Hamburg, Mo., paper of Dec. 25, we copy the following account of the tragical death of a former citizen of Valparaiso, Dr. Newman, a dentist, who left about nine years ago, and whose wife is still a resident here. It will be read with sorrowful interest by all who knew the doctor:
We received information from an eye witness of a most brutal beating that took place at Watson, Mo., on Friday evening last. It appears that there has arisen a fued between a traveling dentist named Dr. Newman and a school teacher named Stiles, both now located at Watson, which terminated so tragically on the evening in question. From what we learned Newman took exceptions to some remarks made by Mr. Stiles concerning himself, on Friday evening went into Asa Booton's store in that place, and seeing Stiles there called him to the front part of the room and talked to him; the conversation grew animated, so much so that Stiles came toward the stove where quite a number were standing and sitting, Newman following. Mr. Booton tokd them he would not allow a collision in his store, if they wanted to fight they must go out. Newman at once asked Stiles to come which challenge the latter accepted by pulling his coat, as also did the former who was by this time near the door, followed by Stiles. They reached the sidewalk together or nearly so, when Newman it is reported reached to his hip pocket for a pistol, but before he could pull it Stiles gathered a piece of cord-wood piled at the door and felled Newman to the ground and never stopped beating him until he had fractured his skull, broken his jaw, his arm above the elbow, crushed his shoulder and side in, and he was left for dead. Newman never spoke after being struck and it was sheer brutality that would continue an assault until life itself was beaten out of a fellow being. We cannot say who was to blame, but should judge from what we learned that Stiles will get a chance to learn a trade at Jefferson City, or perhaps dance in mid-air. No attempt was made by anyone, not even the marshal who was present in the store, at the time, to prevent the murder, for such it is, and nothing else, but instead all seemed anxious to see Stiles "settle hime." We can see how one under certain circumstances dilberately kill another, and even in this case had Stiles drew a revolver, (when Newman was attempting to get his, as rumored he did try,) and shot him dead there would have been a certain justification perhaps in it, but to crush and break bones and leave a man to suffer ten thousand deaths, is worse than outright killing. The snow, after the apparently dead man had been removed looked as though a hog had been butchered there. Stiles went gunning on Saturday and returned in the evening, and no one attempted to arrest him. Dr. Harris was called in but he said he could afford no relief to the suffering man, who must certainly die. We have not heard whether he is alive yet or not.
Newspaper: Porter County Vidette
Date of Publication: January 9, 1879
Volume Number: 23
Issue Number: 2
Page: 3
Column(s): 4
Key to Newspaper Publication Locations:
Newspapers Published in Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana
Chesterton Tribune
The Tribune
Westchester Tribune
Newspapers Published in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana
Porter County Vidette
Practical Observer
Valparaiso Practical Observer
Vidette and Republic
Western Ranger
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Obituary/death notice transcribed by Steven R. Shook