Newkirk - John - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

The movements of the two men, Robards (*Roberts) and Davis, from the time they left Armstrong’s barn until John Newkirk was shot, can now be followed almost to a minute. They went direct to their homes, procured guns and returned to seek the marshal with the expressed intention of killing him on sight. Robards (Roberts)  waited outside of his own house, crouched down in the shadow of the fence, until joined by Davis, who had gone to his own house to get his weapon. They went on a run back towards Armstrong’s barn where the marshal was supposed to have gone to arrest them for the assault on young Burton. There was no one around the barn by this time and both men returned on their route down to the railroad tracks, concealed themselves in the shade of the cars until the marshal appeared on his way to Robard’s house to look for him, then they cautiously advanced from out the shadow and fired. This is no surprise. It can all be proven by sworn testimony.

Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 29 May 1896

Parke County had another tragedy last week in which another officer lost his life in the performance of his duty. The victim was John Newkirk, late of this county, a son of Jack and Messia Newkirk, of the Smartsburg neighborhood.

Last Thursday they received a telegram announcing his death at Judson, where he lived and was town marshal. Mrs. Newkirk and a son went there last Friday. Newkirk was slain by Barney Roberts, a cousin of the notorious Charley Roberts. Barney Roberts resided here and at New Market until recently and was a log hauler. The details of last week’s murder are meager, but so far as known, Roberts and a number of companions had been drinking and creating a disturbance in Judson, seven miles from Rockville and got into an altercation about 8 o’clock with a young man whom Roberts assaulted. The young man hunted up the Marshal, demanding the arrest of the rowdies. Newkirk arrested a man named Armstrong. In the meantime, Roberts procured a shotgun and meeting Newkirk on the street, fired at him, the charge taking effect in the region of the hart. Newkirk fell lifeless in his tracks. Excitement was very high in Judson. There being no other officer there, messages were sent to Rockville for Sheriff Newlin. A posse was organized and started for Judson. After shooting Newkirk, Roberts fled. He was found several hours afterward in Little Raccoon Creek nearly drowned. In attempting to ford it he and his horse and buggy caught in the current and were carried several hundred yards down stream. They were rescued by a farmer named Britton, who heard Roberts’ cries and who brought him to town. Newkirk was a married man, well thought of.