OBIT: Robert LUTHER, 1897, Blair County, PA

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RESULT OF A WICKED FIGHT.
Robert Luther Is Dying of the Lockjaw.

Altoona, Pa., Aug. 18. - Saturday, August 7, David and George Peight
and two other brothers named Robert and Charles Luther engaged in a
wicked fight in the village of Collinsville, a suburb of Altoona.
George Peight hit Robert Luther on the head with a stone inflicting a
severe wound, and Charles Luther attacked David Peight with a scythe,
cutting him on the head and face.

Although George Peight's injuries were supposed to be the more
serious, he is recovering, but Robert Luther is dying tonight of lock-
jaw, the result of the wound on the head.  His assailant has been
arrested.

Scranton Tribune, Scranton, Pa., Thursday, August 19, 1897

ROBERT LUTHER DEAD
Sad Result of a Recent Quarrel in the Vicinity of Collinsville,
DEATH WAS CAUSED BY LOCKJAW
The Coroner's Jury Finds This Was Caused by His Being Struck on the
Head With a Stone On August 7.
GEORGE PEIGHT HIS ASSAILANT

Robert Luther, who was hit on the head with a stone in the quarrel
between the Luthers and the Peights at Mudtown Saturday, August 7,
died at his home in Collinsville last Saturday morning at 7.30
o'clock.  Both the victim and George Peight, who is alleged to have
thrown the stones that caused death, are the sons of well-to-do,
quiet, orderly citizens.  It seems, however, that a rivalry has
existed between the young men of the two families as to their physical
prowess.  Heretofore there have been no arrests for assault and
battery in Collinsville because the disputes have mostly been settled
with bare knuckles and no serious consequences resulted.

At the time above mentioned, however, the young men had all been
drinking and as a result there was scarcely any fair fighting.  David
Peight and Charles Luther wrestled together and the latter threw
Peight.  This was not conducive to better temper or kinder feeling and
starting from the woods where the beer drinking had taken place the
young men all went towards their homes, it being the dinner hour.

The quarrel was not yet finished and in the fight near the home of the
Luthers, as several witnesses testified at the hearing before Alderman
Ramey on Friday, George Peight struck Robert Luther on the head twice
with stones, inflicting the injuries that caused his death.  In the
meantime David Peight and Charles Luther had a fight in an alley near
by.  It was alleged at the time that Charles cut Peight across the
face with a sickle which he carried in his hand, but witnesses at the
hearing before mentioned stated that Charles had thrown the sickle
away and the two men fought only with their fists.  Luther threw
Peight down when they grappled and then struck him several times in in
the face.

The facts in these cases have already been mentioned in the TRIBUNE
and also the statement of the suits and countersuits brought by one
family against the other.

As a result of the death of Robert Luther both the Paight boys have
been rearrested and the charge against them not admitting of bail they
were locked up.

On Saturday afternoon Dr. William M. Findley examined the skull of the
dead man and found that the bones of the head had been crushed in
about three-fourths of an inch.  A piece of the bone was sticking in
the brain, which was covered with clotted blood.  It is wonderful that
the man lived as long as he did after the injury.

Coroner McCartney viewed the remains and empanneled a jury consisting
of W. T. Howard, foreman; Levi Clabaugh, Joseph Stevens, W. H.
Stephens, J. M. Brumbaugh and John H. Dowling.  The inquest was held
at the undertaking rooms of Joseph Stevens at 3 p. m. Saturday.  After
due deliberation the following verdict was agreed upon: "The death of
Robert Luther was caused by tetanus, which resulted from the effect of
a fracture of the skull on the left side of the head, caused by two
stones thrown by the hand of one George Peight."

Robert Luther was born in Collinsville May 24, 1869, and resided all
his life in that village.  He was the son of Joseph (deceased) and
Elizabeth Luther.  Besides his mother he is survived by two brothers,
William and Charles, and three sisters, Mrs. Rebecca Klink, Mrs. Sarah
Ward and Mrs. Annie Shindler.

After days of intense suffering late Saturday night reason and
understanding seemed to come to him, and he realized that he faced
death.  At the last he was solicitous for the welfare of his mother
who had so tenderly cared for him during all the agony which he had
suffered.

For over twelve years the deceased bad been an engineer in the yard.
He was a man of strong build and splendid constitution.  Like his
brother Charles he was the physical superior of the man with whom he
quarreled.

An attempt will be made by H. C. Madden, attorney for the Peights, to
get a rule to show cause why the defendants shall not be allowed to
give bail.  The prosecution of the case has been conducted so far by
Attorney R. A. Henderson.

Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Monday, August 23, 1897, page 5