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HOW DID ABBOTT BIT?(Continued from Page 1.)check cashed there. He had seen Ab-1 ■tbott’s mother, Mrs. Abner Airead, where he had made his home.Craig Not Located.An effort was made this morning to find Craig but up to noon he had not been located. His friends say that he was working out along the traction line. This report was denied by some.Investigation Demanded.The afTair created no little excitement in Roanoke and not a few demanded that the circumstances connected with the death of Abbott be thoroughly investigated. The theory of foul play has been considered by a number in Roanoke. When approached by a Herald man this morning Wilson declined to discuss the matter, stating t{|gt he would first be seen by the proper officials.Dr. S. Koontz visited the place of the tragedy early this morqing and after having made an examination of the wounds thought the fatal injuries had been inflicted by a sharp piece of glass striking Abbott in the neck. He is of the opinion that a portion still remained in the wound yet today. Dr. Koontz found the stones in the creek bed with hair still adhering to them. Not a drop of blood was discovered on-the bridge. Abbott’s hat still lay in the creek bed, with several cuts in the crown, as if made with some sharp instrument.The Fatal Wound.The wound thought to have been fatal was about an inch long on the right side of the neck and deep. It was not made by a knife. The jugular vein had been pierced. There were also large cuts and abrasions on top of the head and forehead. The back of the head was badly bruised as if struck by a rather blunt instrument.Relatives of Abbott.The dead man is the son of Dr. Harris Abbott, a respected resident of Blue Grass. A brother is Rev. Nel-Son Abbott, pastor of the Christian church at Mt. Etna. Fifteen years ago Edward Abbott married Miss Daisy Colclesser of near Roanoke, biit they were divorced a year later. Abbott was not known as a very industrious man about Roanoke, but had worked occasionally as a well-driller. He drank freely and .engaged in frequent noisy brawls in the vicinity of Roanoke. According to the ' story told by Watchman Oliver, Ab-! bott had been the source of considerable trouble in recent weeks and he had taken him home numerous times when intoxicated to avoid trouble.Wilson, who has declined to talk, is a man of family, having a wife and one child. He remained about Roanoke today. Craig is a single man.Both are section men in the employ*of the Wabash Valley.The action of Prosecutor Jackman will depend largely upon the verdict of Coroner Morgan, who had not concluded his investigations at 3:30. Further Information.P. B. Settlemyer was in the city from Roanoke this afternoon. He1jilives next door to the Aired home and♦was called over as soon as Abbott’s| body was brought home and remained j the rest of the night. He says that the Carpenters, the three men named, Isaac Wright and others had been | raising a disturbance in Roanoke from 9:30 until midnight and that Watchman Oliver had given notice i that the streets should be cleared. He believes the death is* due to an accident and says that Wilson remained about during the night. Craig is nolonger employed on the traction line 1 and Settlemyer suggests that possiblyhe went to the home of his parents two miles east of Roanoke. Coroner | Morgan reached Roanoke at 1:30 this afternoon, having been obliged to make a trip to the northern part of the county before going to Roanoke. Funeral Arrangement#. Undertaker M. B. Stultg of this city, who was called to Roanoke this morning to take charge of the body, has completed arrangements for the funeral. It will be held from the M. E. church at Roanoke Thursday morning at eight. Rev. C. M. Hobbs of Roanoke will officiate. Interment will be! at Mt. Etna, where Abbott was bornIIthirty-six years ago April 21.• From the daily of Wednesday: j “Yes, I was drinking during the evening, and when Craig and I pulled Abbott out of the creek it was my very distinct impression that he was drunk. This was a part of the statement of Elmer Wilson, at the close of his testimony at the coroner’s inquest ’ in the case of Ed. Abbott, deceased, at Roanoke yesterday. And this In the face of the fact that Roanoke is legally a “dry town!”The man Wilson, one of the three admitted to have bctm in the bridge over Cow creek when Abbott took his fatal plunge over the rati Monday night, told his story to the coroner in a straightforward way yesterday* afternoon.Ha said that he had gone to the resort of George Dailey after he quit work Monday evening a*4 had his paybott there. The latter was engaged in playing a game of pool with some one unknown to Wlilson. Abbott was beaten and Wilson saw him settle for the game and later saw him playing another game. Wilson played a game of “freeze out” and had several drinks of “hop ale” or “hop tea,” which are only other names for an inferior brew of beer.Recognized Abbott’s Voice.About eleven thirty, according to Wilson’s statement, he and his friend Frank Craig left the* Dailey joint and walked west to the bridge*' over Cow creek, where Wilson expected to leave Craig and return to his home, Craig going on to his boarding house or to his home in the country. The two had reached the west end of the bridge when they heard some one call behind them and Wilson swore he recognized Abbott’s voice. He said it was too dark to see Abbott, but he believes the latter had come onto the bridge after he and Craig had nearly crossed over.Almost immediately Wilson heard a splash in the water above the bridge and heard Abbott exclaim, “Oh! oh!” Wilson says that he and Craig went down and pulled Abbott out and carried him up on the hank, nearly to the edge of the road, where they left him to sober up, as they supposed. Wilson says that he then went home. His wife got up and let him into the house, and he said to her, “I saved Ed. Abbott’s life tonight.” She~ inquired how, and he explained that Ed. was drunk and had fallen from the bridge into the creek, and that he and Frank Craig had pulled him out. Going into the kitchen to remove his wet shoes and socks, Wilson says he turned up the light and discovered that his hand and sleeve were covered with blood and he said to his wife that Abbott must be pretty badly injured. He suggested -that they go back and see to him. They secured a lantern and went back to the place where Abbott had been laid on the ground, calling the night watchman Jo go with them. When the three reached Abbott they found him dead. Dr. Wilking was summoned and when he arrived found that he could render no service. He immediately notified Coroner Morgan at Huntington, by telephone, and the body was ordered removed to the home of Abner Aired, the stepfather of the deceased.While Wilson’s story lacks corroboration, it made a good impression. Efforts are being made to locate the man Craig, whose story is needed to complete the testimony.Question a# to Fall.There seems to be little doubt that young Abbott met his death by falling upon rocks and a broken beer bottle in the bed of the creek. The rocks cut several ugly scalp wounds, and the broken bottle penetrated the neck, severing at least two arteries and possibly the jugular vein. There is some question, however, as to how he came to fall. He may have been intoxicated, and losing his balance have fallen over of off the rail along tte bridge. He may have been pushed or knocked off, but there is absolutely no evidence, thus far obtainable, of any motive for murder.There is evidence, though, that some one is morally responsible for the man’s death. The fact that there are at least two places in. Roanoke where men can secure a beverage which makes them drunk and disorderly, is an arraignment of the administration of law and order in that community. Such incidents as those of Monday night will continue so long as the citizens and officials of the town refuse or neglect to co-operate in the rigid enforcement of law. Today’s Official Visit.This morning Coroner F. B. Morgan, Prosecutor C. F. Jackman and Sheriff Mahoney went to Roanoke to complete if possible their investigation in the Abbott case. As Prosecutor Jackman stated: “We learnedsome things which we consider Important and some things we desired to learn we did not find out. Craig has not yet been located and we wish to hear his story of the affair before the coroner can render his verdict and the officers can determine theircourse in the affair.”Coroner’s Statement...Coroner Morgan said this morning, “The Herald gave a clear and decisive story of the facts* of the Abbott tragedy as far asNcould be ascertain- j ed Tuesday. As to my verdict, I am j in no position to make a definite j statement, as the testimony of Craig ; Is necessary. However, I am satis- j fled that Abbott’s death was due to his fall off lt;the bridge, and the infliction of fatal injuries by his neck coming in contact with some only half sharp instrument, such as a broken bottle. On examination of the wounds on Abbott’s neck and head, grass was found embedded in the wound in the neck and small gravel was found in the wound on the top of his head. The grass was evidently pushed into the wound by the Instrument that inflicted it The gravel found was similar to that In the creek bed where the accident took place. Also, oleee to where the broken, beer bottle
Newspaper Details
Huntington Weekly Herald
Huntington, Indiana, US
Fri, Aug 24, 1906
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Steve W.
USA 05 Apr 2018
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