Herman Barnes

BARNES, WILEY, SHACKELFORD, BEAM, BARTHOL, WALLACE

Posted By: Shirley (email)
Date: 9/13/2008 at 18:24:23

On Monday July 30th some parties living near Rolfe were threshing, and at the noon hour had to go some distance to water their horses. One man somewhat behind in unhitching his team from the horse power rode on one horse and allowed the other to follow. This man passed the other teams on the way and reached the watering place first. His horse following overtook those which had started first and in a spirit of fun one of the men caught the horse and tied it to the fence. Mr Shackelford was wrathy and wanted to know who had tied his horse. Mr Barnes steps up to him and said I am the man who did it.

During the afternoon there was considerable joking about the matter, which was participated in by a man named Wiley. On the morrow Mr. Barnes seeing the joke was going to far,went to Shackelford and apologized for the act of tying his horse, and said in substance that if Joe Wiley had not wanted to embroil them in a fight that it would haved ended as it began.

Shuckelford and Barnes were reconciled, but Mr Wiley, hearing that Barnes had charged him with urging on the contention, swore Barnes would either take this statement back or take a licking. A few words as to the truth struck Barnes on the nose drawing blood. Barnes had in his hands a heavy wrench and a tooth straightener and raised the wrench above his head as if to strike Wiley, who cried out. Throw that wrench down. and stepped out.

Wiley struck him repeatedly knocked hm down and literally beat his face to a jelly, and then kicked him in the side. Barnes manged to cry out faintly, enough and Wiley desised. Barnes lay some time in a stupor and Dr Beam of Rolfe, was sent for, who dressed the wounds which were visible and expressed fears of internal injury.

Willey was arrested for assault and battery, taken before M. Whitman Esq. before whom he had been tried and fined a few weeks before for the assult and battery of a harmless Norwegian.

A change of venue was taken to Honorable Roberts Struthers J.P. who after hearing the evidence and plea of counsel, imposed a fine of $10 and costs. Barnes was at this trial as a witness the day he was beaten but was taken home and never rallied from the shock. He was delirious most of the time until his death Sunday morning at 8.

The post mortem was made by Dr. Beam of Rolfe, Barthol of Pocahontas, and Wallace of Plover, and the coroner's inquest is being held at this time.

The medical testimony will be to the effect that Barnes died from concussion of the brain caused by blows on the head and vertebral column, and altogether likely the coroner's jury will hold Wiley to answer the charge of murder in the second degree.

Herman Barnes, the victim of Joseph Wileys brutal attack, was not a quarrelsome man, but of a mirthful dispositon. He came to Rolfe from near Attica, Wisconsin, in the spring of 1893 and lived on a rented farm a half mile west of town. He leaves a wife and a year old babe.

Those who knew him boy and man, in his Wisconsin home speak highly of his manly qualties.

Joe Wiley came from Polk County Iowa, about three years ago and rented a farm. He was known as a great talker with a somewhat aggresive way but not considered dangerous. Last winter he ordered his daughter away from the altar at a revival meeting, later tried to get a position as saloon keeper in Rolfe that he might educate his family. Rolfe doesn't take to the saloon kindly and Mr. Wiley rented the farm another year.

In the spring his neighbor bothered him and he knocked him down and then threw him through a barbed wire fence, for which he paid $15 and costs.

Wiley is now in the hands of the sheriff and the people are deeply indigant, not only at him but at those who permitted a man to be killed in such a brutal manner for such a trifiling cause,

Several who were at the machine spoke in favor of parting them but one of Wileys associates for bade it. It is rumored that Wiley was under the influence of liquor at the time. Since this unfortunate affair it has leaked out that Joe Willeys temper in inherited.

He claims he is a democrat because a republican killed his father in an election fight, but politics has nothing to do in this case.

source - Fonda Newspaper - 8 Aug 1894