Barta, Joe d. 1903

BARTA

Posted By: Janice Young (email)
Date: 1/28/2004 at 00:43:31

Joe Barta

The Newton News, Thursday, August 20, 1903

Page 4, Column 3

About a dozen men were brought here from Des Moines yesterday to work on the new railroad. One of them was sick, or claimed to be, and did not go to work. There are those who claim that he had been drinking for several days and had been in jail in Des Moines the night before he came here. Since coming here he was drinking Hostetter’s bitters.

This forenoon he went into the sleeping house at the camp in McColloms’ grove and when the men came in at noon they found that he was dead, lying face downward in one of the bunks.

The authorities were notified and he was brought over to the city and an inquest held. The only means of identification was that on a small telescope which he carried was the name “Joe Barta,” and the same name was on a scrap of paper in his pocket on which he had evidently been keeping his time. August 13 was evidently the last day he worked.

He had plenty of tobacco, good working clothes, a ten-dollar bill, shaving outfit, etc. The cause of his death is not known.

The Newton News, Friday, August 21, 1903

Page 4, Column 3

Coroner Robinson wired the mayor of Vail, Iowa, yesterday and got the following reply: “Hold body of Joe Barta until I can notify relatives. Maurice O’Connor, Mayor.”

The second message was signed by the mayor and was as follows: “Embalm Barta’s body. Will advise further when relatives come.”

Evidently the relatives finally got there for today come the final message: “Bury the corpse right there. John Steplik.”

So Jasper County will spend about $50 for Joe Barta, who dropped in here the day before he died, after spending more than enough for his funeral in carousal in Des Moines.

The Newton News, Saturday, August 22, 1903

Page 1, Column 5

Frank Barta of Vail, Iowa, came in last night and identified the remains of his brother, Joe Barta. Joe lived at Eli, Iowa. The remains were buried today, the brother not waiting for that service.