Johnny Otto, Obituary/Death NoticePorter County obituaries and death notices . . . .
Johnny Otto
HORRIBLE STORY OF TORTURE INFLICTED ON LITTLE JOHNNY OTTO.
After Suffering Great Agony He Dies. -- Coroner Coats Has The Body Exhumed and Brought to Chesterton for Post-mortem Examination.
Little Johnny Otto 10 years old is dead.
In the above line there is a horrible story connected, and according to the statements of Section boss Kimmel, made last night, the little fellow came to his death from hellish torture at the hands of George and Randolph Woods. Learning of the case, a Tribune reporter braved the storm of Wednesday night of this week, and went to Suman station. Going directly to Section boss Charles Kimmel, of the B. & O. we found that Gentleman and the boy's father talking over this outrage, and had decided to go to Valparaiso the following morning to make complaint. Mr. Kimmel told the following story.
Andrew Otto, who is here, is the boy's father and came to this country ten years ago. He works under me on the B. & O. and lives 1 1/2 miles from the station. His little boy Johnny, who was killed, has been sickly for the past year with liver complaint. Several weeks ago his mother had him treated by Dr. Rubin, and after two weeks under him, the boy got almost well. Five weeks ago last Sunday Johnny went from home to my house in Suman to play with my boys, and was feeling good. The children were playing in George Messers store, when George and Randolph Woods, aged 18 and 14 years respectively came there. For years these boys have been abusing my children, and it had got so bad that I had take my children out of school to have them from being killed.
George, the old one, siezed young Otto, and with an oath threw him on the floor, and began a series of torture too horrible to even print. The poor sickly little fellow was kicked, out-raged, caused to stand on his head by being held up by the heels, his privates injured, and tortured by all the schemes this devil could invent for nearly an hour. Little Charley Kimmel tried to get away to tell his father, but Woods said if he did not shut up he would be served the same way and so fearful did the Woods boys make their threats of punishment that the children did not tell for some days. When asked to give the names of witnesses to this awful crime, Mr. Kimmel gave the following:
John Stell, aged 14; Lee Massey, aged 45; Fred Messer, storekeeper; Art Greer, aged 14; Charley Otto, aged 12; Charles and Fred Kimbell.
The injured boy began bleeding at the nose and mouth right away from hemmorage. He came to Kimmel's house, and did not tell what had happened to him. He started home with his brother, but could hardly drag himself there. He went to bed, and got worse right along. The mother went to Chesterton and got some medicine, but did not tell the doctor of the injuries the boy had received, as it seems she had not been told, so fearful was the child of the Woods boys. On the 17th of March his case became critical. Great lumps swelled from his side where he had been kicked. He would cough up great clots of blood, and was growing weak from loss of blood. Dr. Rubin was sent for. Then the hemmorage was bad. Again on the 21st Rubin went to see the boy, but told the family there was no hope. This was 11 o'clock, and at 6 in the evening he died.
During his sickness the school children went to see the little fellow, and when towards the last they asked him what was the matter, he would say The Woods boys did it, they killed me.
The funeral was held Friday, March 23, and the remains buried in the Carter cemetery.
In view of the above facts Coroner Coates was notified, and arrived at Suman Thursday morning. After hearing the testimony of Kimmel, Otto and others he ordered the remains of the child exhumed, and had Undertaker Lundberg take them to Chesterton, where a postmortem examination will be held Friday, March 30. If this examination corroborates the statements made by Kimmel and Otto, and it is ascertained that death was caused by injuries received, the case will be turned over to the state for prosecution.
Newspaper: The Tribune
Date of Publication: March 30, 1894
Volume Number: 10
Issue Number: 51
Page: 1
Column(s): 3
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