David McWherter (1867-1934)

MCWHERTER, HALE

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:13

From Nevada Evening Journal May 21, 1934 (page 1)

Particulars of Gruesome Murder Dave McWherter

Jesse McWherter of south of Nevada, returned home Sunay from Everton, Dade county, Missouri, where he had been called by the tragic death of his brother David McWherter, 55, who had been murdered in his home on a lonely farm near Everton.

Jesse McWherteer had been accompanied to Missouri by his brother Henry of near Collins and the latter remained over for the funeral which was held Sunday. The Nevada township man returned home to look after necessary business.

Before leaving Everton the brothers of the murdered man posted a reward of $100 for the arrest and conviction of the murderer.

The body of the murdered man, lying a pool of blood, was found by a neighbor Frank Cardwell, who called a doctor and officers.

The following is a graphic account of the crime is taken from a Dade county local paper:

David McWherter, about 55 years old, an old bachelor living alone about 2 1/2 miles northeast of Everton, was discovered early Monday morning by Sam Underwood, dead in a welter of gore.

His head and face a bloom horror from innumerable wounds caused by a sharp instrument with a cutting edge of about one inch.

The fiend, that committed the murder was not satisfied with death but must have hacked and stabbed the face and head after death.

Mr. McWherter, a quiet, inoffensive man, came here from Indiana about 9 or 10 years ago and had no known enemies.

He had some money, it is said and recently received about $60 as a dividend from the closed bank of Everton.

The body was robbed of one bill fold. He was known to have carried two.

His body covered the purse and his life-blood stained it when he fell.

The little room in which he was found was spattered with blood on all four walls and floor indicating that he didn't die without a struggle.

Chairs were overturned and the floors littered with all kinds of rubbish.

The house is a 4 room affair. A small bedroom and a combination kitchen, dining and living room was undisturbed. The other two rooms were used for feed and storage. In the center room, used for storage the body was found crumpled in a corner with a corn cob clenched in his fist.

He was lying on a pile of corn cobs and the blood from his wounds literally matted the corn cobs.

Nearly any wound of the inflicted would have caused unconsciousness or death which might eliminate robbery as motive. It is the work of a fiend as no normal man could have butchered another human being in so barbarous a manner.

Mr. McWherter who lived around Collins for many years, had moved to Missouri a few years ago and lived alone upon his farm near Everton, in Dade county. He leaves one sister, Mrs. J. E. Hale of Collins, and seven brothers they being Henry of Collins, Will of Collins, John of Blackfoot, Idaho, Wyatt of Franklin, N. Y., Jesse of Nevada, Elias of Alberta, Canada, and Joe of Dunlap, Iowa.

Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at Hampton church, the services being conducted by Rev. M. A. Prather. Interment were in the Hampton cemetery.