BASTION, Oris Edison - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Crawfordsville – An employee of the Lafayette Alcoa plant was killed here Sunday night by a shotgun blast fired by his stepson-in-law, also an Alcoa worker as the aftermath of several arguments, police reported.  The shooting victim was Oris Edison Bastion, 53 of 606 Covington, Crawfordsville who had been employed since May 1943, as a tractor driver in the garage at the Alcoa plant.  Held without charge was Ermal B. Manion, 25 of 1005 East Tuttle, Crawfordsville who had worked for Alcoa in the Lafayette die shop since July 1952.  Police said Manion had confessed the slaying and had charge that “Bastion beat him up” prior to the shooting.  In a signed statement, Manion quoted himself as saying, “Ed,.I’ll kill you for this,” police said.  Manion, police said had argued with his wife, Bessie Sunday afternoon and she had left their home with their three children and had gone to the home of Bastion, her stepfather.  Later she returned with the children to her home and she and Manion engaged in another argument.  Mrs. Manion then telephone her father who hurried to the Manion home and administered a beating to Manion, police were advised.  Bastion’s wife, Elsie who accompanied her husband threw stones at him, Manion said and he hooted, “Ho, ho, you missed me.” Manion’s wife and their three children accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Bastion back to the Bastion home.  Subsequently, Manion telephoned police and declared that he wished to sign an affidavit for the arrest of Bastion on a charge of assault and battery. Police advised him that he could find such a charge, but that it would be necessary for him to wait until Monday morning to do so. Then, according to police, Manion seized a 16-guage single—barrel shotgun, went to the Bastion home at about 9:30 p.m. and asked for Bastion to come to the door.  When Bastion appeared, Manion fired the weapon on through the glass of a storm door, the charge striking the victim in the upper abdomen.  Bastion died almost instantly.  Police, summoned to the scene found Bastion’s body just inside the door. They were advised by Mrs. Bastion’s body just inside the door.  They were advised by Mrs. Bastion that Manion had done the shooting.  Manion surrendered without resistance when police found him at 10:20 p.m. at the home of his father, Hobart C. Manion, 807 Wabash, Crawfordsville.  Prosecutor John R. Berry said a Montgomery County grand jury probably would be called into session Monday afternoon to consider returning an indictment against Manion.  A first-degree murder indictment would be requested, Berry said.  Bastion was the father of two children, both of them adults.  His body was taken to a local funeral home.   ~~~Transcribed and Typed by kbz

Crawfordsville – Oris Edison Bastion, 52 died at 9:30 p.m. Sunday in his home as a result of a shotgun blast fired by his stepson-in-law, Ermal B. Manion of Crawfordsville.  A native of New Richmond, Bastion lived most of his life in the Crawfordsville area and was employed in the Alcoa Plant at Lafayette for 14 years.  Mr. Bastion married Elsie Rector in 1942 and was a member of the Fist Baptist Church and Eagles Lodge.  He was an Army veteran of World War II.  Surviving with the widow are two sons, Robert of Crawfordsville and Carl of Indianapolis; two stepdaughters, Mrs. Bessie Manion and Mrs. Joan Manion, both of Crawfordsville; a stepson, Leroy Banister who is serving with the Navy; four brothers, Virgil of Marion, Oh; Argo of Tulsa, Oka; Milford of Denver, Colo and Lee of San Bernardino, Calif and two sisters, Mrs. Betty Johnson, Santa Barbara Calif and Mrs. Mary Smith, Hutchhison, Kansas.   ~~~Transcribed and Typed by kbz