Iowa
Old Press
The Newell Mirror
Newell, Buena Vista co., Iowa
October 21, 1904
THE HAWKEYE STATE - NEWS OF THE WEEK CONCISELY CONDENSED
Foul Murder is Done in a Drunken Row—Charles
Middaugh Killed by Finn Whitnah at Clarinda—Jugular Vein
Completely Severed.
Sunday morning at 1 o’clock Charles Middaugh, a young farmer
living near Clarinda, was killed by Finn Whitnah, a young man
coming from a prominent family of Clarinda. The trouble started
on the public square, but they were separated by companions and
persuaded to go outside the city limits to settle the difficulty.
They left at once in a carriage, their companions with them, and
it is claimed that while the two men were being searched for
concealed weapons, Middaugh, who was the first searched, struck
at Whitnah. After both had exchanged about five blows, Middaugh
staggered back and throwing up his hands said he was killed and
fell, and before a doctor could reach him he was dead.
Whitnah had not been searched, and fighting with a small pen
knife, stabbed Middaugh five times, the last time completely
severing the jugular vein, causing instant death.
All were more or less under the influence of liquor.
Middaugh’s father is one of Page County’s wealthiest
farmers. He leaves a wife and two children. He was six feet
one-half inches tall. Whitnah is single and measures five foot,
three inches. He is in jail.
CRESTON MISHAPS - School Girl’s Leg Torn
Off—Other Accidents
A Creston special says: Sixteen year old Maud Enochs had
her left leg literally torn off below the knee in a run-away
while she was coming to school from the country. The dismembered
leg was found two rods from where the girl was released. She tied
up the wound with her belt.
While four boys were wrestling with a gun the weapon was
discharged and the contents emptied into the left lung of Gus
Fischer, aged 16. He will probably die.
Milliard Lines narrowly escaped death by a rifle being discharged
while he was pulling it out of a buggy. His right hand was
lacerated and his clothes torn and set on fire.
While driving home from Creston with a load of coal, James
Warrick, a farmer residing south of Creston, met with an accident
by having his team run away. The team became frightened at an
automobile, and ran the wagon into a ditch, throwing Mr. Warrick
out and badly bruising him. Parties following on the road a few
minutes after the accident, assisted Mr. Warrick home, and he is
recovering from the effects of his fall nicely.
Joe Wray, a laborer at Creston, had two ribs on his left side
broken while engaged in loading stock at the stock yards. His
injuries will confine him to his room for some time. It is not
thought any serious results will follow.
[transcribed by L.Z., June 2017]