NEWSPAPERS: CLAY CENTER ECONOMIST (Clay County, Kansas): 1927 compiler Sandra Lake Lassen < slassen@infoave.net> Contributed Feb 5, 1997 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: The copyright holder of this material has given USGenWeb Archives exclusive rights of electronic distribution for this file. In keeping with the USGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS ARTICLE: CLAY CENTER ECONOMIST (Clay County, Kansas) MAY 18, 1927 Transcribed by Sandra Lake Lassen, preserving original spelling and punctuation JUDGE F.L. NEWTON KILLED AT HIS DESK ------- HIS FRIEND, TURNED MANIAC, SHOOTS WITHOUT WARNING ------ FRED O. PETTEY A SUICIDE ------- LONG BROODING OVER TROUBLES BRINGS DOUBLE TRAGEDY ------- Both Were Well Known Men - The Newton Funeral Thursday - Pettey Buried This Afternoon ------- The most terrible tragedy that has been enacted in Clay county for many years occurred Tuesday morning a few minutes after 8 o'clock, when Fred O. Pettey walked barefooted into the office of Justice of the Peace Frank L. Newton, on the second floor of the Jones building, and without slightest warning sent two charges from a double barreled shotgun into Mr. Newton's head as he sat at his desk looking over his morning's mail. Mr. Newton never knew what struck him. J.W. Howe, whose office adjourns that of Mr. Newton and who had been busy, as Mr. Newton had been, with his mail, realizing what had happened, found himself facing a maniac armed. As he stepped to the door that separate his office and Mr. Newton's Mr. Petty pointed the gun at Howe and Howe dodged to the south side of the door. Pettey then fired the second shot at Mr. Newton. Howe attempted to get out by passing through his own door, but met Petty in the hall. Petty's gun was empty and he informed Howe that he did not intend to kill him. Pettey went upstairs to his own room and Howe went back through Newton's office and downstairs to get help. Pettey then returned to the hall window in the second floor facing the street and called to those who might hear that they were good people and he would not harm them. Then putting his hand in his pocket as if for more shells, he returned to the room above. A couple of minutes later a third shot was heard. In a very short time there was a seething crowd at the street entrance to the building, but there was a rather natural reluctance to ascend. This was soon overcome, however, and awful sights were disclosed. Mr. Newton's body was found leaning over his desk as has already been told, and Mr. Pettey had sent a charge of shot into his own head. The bodies were taken to the Rose undertaking rooms. Coroner Robert Algie and County Attorney C. Vincent Jones, both of whom had been early on the scene, proceeded to empannel a coroner's jury and an inquest was held at the court house. The jurors were Rev. F.E. Bray, H.H. Allen, S.E. Pugh, Walter S. Vincent, Guy Branfort and A. Petermeyer. Their verdict was in accordance with the facts here given. Mr. Pettey had been for some months estranged from his family and had been brooding over the conditions, and only a couple of days before his friends had grown anxious as to his mental state, but indications seemed to be that he was recovering his balance. It is probably that when the frenzy of insanity seized him the first man he met was his enemy and that man happened to be Mr. Newton. They had never had words, had always been the best of friends. Mr. Newton had been for years one of the leading real estate and insurance men of Clay Center, prominent in affairs, and particularly high in the Knights of Pythias lodge. He leaves a son, J.W. Newton, manager of a big business concern in Columbia, Mo. and a daughter, Mrs. C.A. Balman, of Wichita. Mrs. Balman had just been on a visit to Clay Center and Mr. Newton had taken her home only last Saturday. All the young people are here today, as is also Mr. Newton's brother Will of California. Mr. Newton's funeral will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Methodist church in Clay Center and interment will be at the Odd Fellows cemetery at Clifton where the family lot is located. The Knights will conduct the services at the cemetery. Mr. Pettey leaves a wife and two sons and a daughter. He came of one of Clay county's best families, son of James Pettey who died not many months ago, and had only a few days ago returned from a visit witha sister at Ellsworth. His funeral was held this afternoon at 3 o'clock, services at Greenwood cemetery being conducted by Rev. F. Ernest Bray of the Baptist church. --------------------------- Note from compiler Sandra Lake Lassen 1499 Lakeside Drive West Jefferson, NC 28694 internet: slassen@infoave.net I would be happy to exchange information with members of the Clay Co. Newton, Priest or Pettey families. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: The copyright holder of this material has given USGenWeb Archives exclusive rights of electronic distribution for this file. In keeping with the USGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. -----------------------------------------------------------------------