WARD, Thomas - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

NEW RICHMOND, Feb. 10—This morning Thomas Ward was found by a railroad crew wandering in a corn field west of town and all but frozen to death. His feet were terribly lacerated and his face frightfully cut and bruised. He had no clothes on except his shirt and drawers and was almost as stiff as a board when picked up. He had crawled through a large but shallow pond and upon the thin ice which he had broken through were tracks of blood while his course from the pond to the spot where he was found could be literally traced by a trail of blood. He had last been seen yesterday evening and the supposition is that he is crazy. It appears that he imagined he was retiring for the night as his other clothes were found in the field. His condition is most critical and it is probable that he will not, live through the day. He is 60 years old and well known over the county. -s

Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal, 28 February 1891

The Condition of Thomas Ward, of New Richmond Beggars Description. Thomas Ward, of New Richmond, who was frozen Wednesday night while wandering naked through the open fields is in a simply frightful condition. His body is horribly cut and lacerated and naked as he was he crawled through several tight barbed wire fences in his wanderings and ghastly wounds were inflicted. The fences where he crawled through are coated with blood and the ground soaked with it where he passed along. Pieces of flesh are found on the ground and ice covered pond where the blood on his bare foot freezing tore out chunks of flesh and he walked on. The wounds in his face, hands and foot were filled with dirt and small pebbles and his shirt saturated with frozen blood stuck to his person taking pieces of skin with it when removed. His recovery is despaired of but as there is a bare possibility of saving his life, both foot and one hand were to be amputated today. Ward has been feeble minded for some time and is now almost penniless although he was worth $25,000 several years ago and was one of the most prosperous farmers in the county.

Litigation, chiefly with his father a man over 80 years old, is to what his ruin may be chiefly ascribed.

The last time Ward was in the city was less than two weeks ago when he came to inform the grand jury that Bell Campbell, of New Richmond, had been making some bad break. He waited outside the door while numerous witnesses were examined and finally went away without informing.

Dr. Black, of New Richmond, was in the city and stated that the body of Tom Ward was the most frightful spectacle he ever saw. The doctor thinks there is a chance of Tom's recovery as he says an insane man can endure three times as much as a sane one, the mental disease really acting as an anesthetic. If Ward does recover he will be a helpless cripple for life.

Thomas Ward, Jr., died Wednesday morning at an early hour at New Richmond after several days of the most intense suffering. Ever since he was so terribly frozen last week his death has been hourly expected although the doctors had thought that perhaps his life might be saved. His body after death was a sickening sight and the fact that he was insane is all that kept him alive so long. A sane person would have died within three hours after his rescue if taken up in the plight Ward was found in. The funeral of Thomas Ward, Jr., occurred at New Richmond Thursday. - thanks to Kim H

Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal 26 Feb 1891 p2

Thomas Ward, Jr. died yesterday morning at an early hour at New Richmond after several days of the most intense suffering. Ever since he was so terribly frozen last week his death has been hourly expected although the doctors had thought that perhaps his life might be saved. His body after death was a sickening sight and the fact that he was insane is all that kept him alive so long. A sane person would have died withint three hours after his rescue if taken up in the plight Ward was found in. The funeral of Thomas ward, Jr., occurred at New Richmond today. - kbz

Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Monday, 23 Feb. 1891

Dr. Black, of New Richmond, was in the city today and stated that the body of Tom Ward was the most frightful spectacle he ever saw. The doctor thinks there is a chance of Tom’s recovery as he says an insane man can endure three times as much as a sane one, the mental disease really acting as an anesthetic. If Ward does recover he will be a helpless cripple for life. -s

Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Thursday, 19 Feb. 1891

New Richmond, Feb. 19—This morning Thomas Ward was found by a railroad crew wandering in a corn field west of town and all but frozen to death. His feet were terribly lacerated and his face frightfully cut and bruised. He had no clothes on except his shirt and drawers and was almost as stiff as a board when picked up. He had crawled through a large but shallow pond and upon the thin ice which he had broken through were tracks of blood while his course from the pond to the spot where he was found could be literally traced by a trail of blood. He had last been seen yesterday evening and the supposition is that he is crazy. It appears that he imagined he was retiring for the night as his other clothes were found in the field. His condition is most critical and it is probably that he will not live through the day. He is 60 years old and well known over the county. -s

Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Saturday, 21 Feb. 1891

Thomas Ward, of New Richmond, who was frozen Wednesday night while wandering naked through the open fields, is in a simply frightful condition. His body is horribly cut and lacerated and naked as he was, he crawled through several tight barbed wire fences in his wanderings and ghastly wounds were inflicted. The fences where he crawled through are coated with blood and the ground soaked with it where he passed along. Pieces of flesh are found on the ground and ice covered pond where the blood on his bare feet freezing tore out chunks of flesh and he walked on. The wounds in his face, hands, and feet were filled with dirt and small pebbles and his shirt saturated with frozen blood stuck to his person taking pieces of skin with it when removed. His recovery is despaired of but as there is a bare possibility of saving his life, both feet and one hand were to be amputated today. Ward has been feeble minded for some time and is now almost penniless although he was worth $25,000 several years ago and was one of the most prosperous farmers in the county. Litigation, chiefly with his father, a man over 80 years old, is to what his ruin may be chiefly ascribed. The last time Ward was in the city was less than two weeks ago when he came to inform the grand jury that Bell Campbell, of New Richmond, had been making some bad break. He waited outside the door while numerous witnesses were examined and finally went away without informing. - kz

Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Tuesday 17 Nov 1891

Who killed Tom Ward Jr., will likely never be known if he was killed by a lick on the head as the doctors say he was. -s