STONE, Willie - Putnam

On last Thursday night the usual quiet of the village of Putnamville was disturbed and a feeling of gloom caused throughout the place by the sudden and unexpected death of William Stone of her most estimable young men. The particular of the unfortunate affair which resulted in young Stone’s death, as near as we have been able to obtain them are as follows: it seems that between 8 and 9 o’clock of the night, Billy Haymaker, Willie Haymaker, Scott Crawley, Joseph Leonard and Willie Stone, the deceased all about 16 or 17 years of age were engaged in playing some kind of a game in which they would snatch each others hats and run and hide.  Just before the tragedy occurred Scott Crawley and Billy Haymaker had taken Stone’s hat and ran up the street toward the Presbyterian Church. The other boys ran after them and hearing a noise in the church lot, they supposed that Haymaker and Crawley were hid over there so one of them picked up a stone and threw against the church to scare them out. But it happened that three fellows named Joseph Cooper, James Farrow and Warren Ballinger were sitting over in the church yard at the time and when the stone was thrown against the church, they jumped up and started after the boys who ran down toward Main Street follows by a shower of stones. Leonard and Haymaker were in the front and Stone behind.  Haymaker ran into Holloway’s store and Leonard in Bishop’s Drug store.  Stone started to follow Leonard into the drug store but stopped and leaned against the doorcase.  Leonard turned and asked him if he got his hat.  He answered no, gave a grown and fell over on the floor, striking the right side of his face on an empty tobacco box as he fell.  On picking him up, his neck was found to be broken and he died almost instantly. The next morning Coroner Frank was sent for who went down and held an inquest over the body.  The examination elicited the facts above stated and in addition, Dr. Layman testified that he was called to see Stone about 9 o’clock found him dying; found a wound on side of his head which was sufficient to produce faintness but not to cause death.  Cooper and Farrow testified that Cooper gathered up a hand full of grave and threw at the boys as they ran.  Cooper said he told Crawley, “a fellow could not take a drink without being molested.”  One or two parties testified that Cooper said he pitched a stone at the boys as they ran.  The wound on the side of Stone’s head seemed to have been made by some sharp edged instrument and was quite deep though the skull was not broken. The next morning a sharp stone weighing about 4 ounces was found near the place where Stone is supposed to have been hit and on examination four human hairs the same color as Stone’s hair were found sticking to the sharp edge of it.  To render it more probably that it is the rock with which the deceased was struck drops of paint are visible on it, similar to the paint on those lying around the church which has been recently painted.  Young Stone is a son of Mrs. Nancy Stone widow of John Stone was about 16 years of age and was quite a favorite among his associates, being considered one of the best boys in the village.  He was buried Friday evening and his funeral was quite largely attended.  Cooper, Farrow and Ballinger are all married men aged from 22-25 years. Ballinger does not live with his wife and on the Saturday before the trouble, he attempted to procure a license to marry another girl, but never having been divorced he did not obtain the license.  It is not certain what they were doing in the church yard but it is probably they were either arranging to pass the night in a drunk spree or else Ballinger was expecting to meet the girl he wanted to marry and Cooper and Farrow were either watching or assisting him.  Two fellows name Crawford and Mullis for whom Cooper was inquiring the night before were found lying by a log just outside of town Friday morning dead drunk.  During the day affidavit was filed against them before the magistrate and they were place under bonds of $1,000 each.  Ballinger has also been placed under bonds to appear as a witness at the next term of Circuit Court.  There has been talk of exhuming the body of Stone in order to hold a post mortem examination but we believe the matter has been dropped.  There is considerable dissatisfaction with the amount of bail required of the accused parties and an effort will probably be made to get it increased.  The following is the finding part of the Coroner’s Jury: after having heard the evidence and examined the body we do find that the deceased came to his death by a lick struck on the left side of the head with a rock which caused him to fall and break his neck, said rock being thrown by the hands of Joseph K. Cooper and James Farrow.  Given under our hands, etc. JL Ayres, DA McClure, John W. Williams, John Jackson, John Haymaker, Johnson Crawley.

Source: Greencastle Banner 8 July 1875 p 3

“Putnamville News” – The death of Willie Stone on last Thursday evening created quite a sensation and is deeply felt by the entire community. The cause and circumstances which led to this awful occurrence were duly investigated by a competent jury of inquest under the direction of the Coroner. We omit particulars as the verdict of the jury has been rendered and will be placed before the public and the ease taken up to court for adjudication.  We may be pardoned however for saying that his is another case where the innocent is made to suffer for the guilty where whisky has been the unmistakable cause of another awful tragedy.  Phoenix

Putnamville, Ind July 5, 1875

On last Sabbath in the Presbyterian Sabbath School of which Willie Stone who was killed the Thursday night previous was a worth member the following resolutions were unanimously adopted:

Resolved first that in the sudden and mysterious visitation of the ruthless hand of death in removing from his home and his place in the Sabbath School, Willie Stone, we recognize the hand of an allwise Providence and solemnly submit to His will.  Resolved Second – that by his death the community loses a worthy citizen, his widowed mother a devoted son and the Sabbath School a faithful scholar – always kind, obliging, civil and obedient to parent and teacher.

Resolved Third – that we accept this occurrence as an admonition to us to the more faithful discharge of our Christian duties and in this way endeavor to turn the sad affair to good account.  Resolve Fourth – that we verily believe that was no unlawful or unjustifiable act on Willie’s part that so suddenly terminated his existence.  Resolved fifth – that we tender our heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family and friends, humbly trusting that God will sanctify this visitation of His Providence to their spiritual good.  Resolved Sixth – that a copy of these resolutions be sent to the family of the deceased and to one or more of the county papers for publication. RH Bowen, Supt – Frank William, Sec.