OBIT: Oscar James DEAN, 1918, Huntingdon, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm __________________________________________ HUNTINGDON MAN FOULLY MURDERED Oscar James Dean, Waylaid While on Visit to Philadelphia - Assailants Rob Him and Let Him to Die ASSASSINS ESCAPE PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Dec. 29.- (Special to the Altoona Times) - His head badly battered, and his knuckles bleeding, from a fight with two footpads, one white and the other a negro, a man whom the police believe to be Oscar James Dean, of Huntingdon, staggered into the twelfth and Pine streets police station, about two o'clock this afternoon, and told Sergeant Toland that he had been heldup and robbed of a new watch and his money. "It was about four squares away; we battled for some time," said the man, and fell unconscious. He was hurried to the Renna hospital, and died two hours later without recovering consciousness. From papers and a railroad pass in the pocket of his clothes, the police believe that he was a carpenter for the Pennsylvania railroad and came to this city with his wife on a shopping trip. Among the papers was a receipt, which showed that he had purchased at watch here yesterday. He wore a pair of slippers and the police think that he had stepped from a nearby hotel to make a purchase of some sort when he was set upon by the man who killed him. They are searching for his wife whom they believe is still in this city, ignorant of her husband's death. Dean's skull was fractured by a blow from a blunt instrument, his knuckles bruised and bleeding, --?-- that he had fought hard before being overcome by his assailants. Oscar James Dean is a brother of Ellsworth Dean, of 205 Third avenue, this city, who had not heard of the death of his brother in Philadelphia until called on the telephone by The Times, late last night. LEFT HOME SATURDAY According to information gleaned by the sheriff of Huntingdon county and the railroad police of Huntingdon, Mr. Dean had gone to Philadelphia on Saturday evening on No. 24, which leaves Huntingdon at 4.29 o'clock, and reaches Philadelphia at 9.35 o'clock. The railroad officers in Philadelphia stated that he had a pass to Atlantic city, and that he had gone by himself, his wife and daughter, remaining at their home on Warm Springs avenue, Huntingdon. He was to have returned to his home on Sunday evening. He was employed by the Pennsylvania railroad company as a carpenter, in what is known as a floating gang, and he had been working in this city for the past five months, going back and forward to his home in Huntingdon, morning and evening. WIFE SURVIVES He is survived by his wife and one daughter in Huntingdon, and by the following brothers and sisters: Whitmer Dean of Pittsburgh, Ellsworth Dean, this city; Mrs. Jennie McGarvey of Shirleysburg; Mrs. Annie Seaman, of Wilmore, Mrs. Elmira Anderson, of Williamsburg, Mrs. Agnes Parks, of Grafton, Mrs. Emma Meader, of this city and Miss Eunice Dean, also of this city. He was aged 47 years and had resided in Huntingdon practically all his wife, where he is well known and held in high esteem by a large number of friends and acquaintances. The body will be brought to Huntingdon for interment, but no arrangements have been made for the funeral, as nothing definite could be done last night, owing to the mystery surrounding the murder. Altoona Times, Altoona, Pa., Monday Morning, December 30, 1918 1910 Huntingdon Ward 3, Huntingdon County census - O. J. Dean, 29 Ettie Dean, 30 Edith Dean, 14 Elmer Ruder, 26 1920 Huntingdon Ward 3, Huntingdon County census - Etta Dean, 50, widow Joseph C Davis, 31 Edith Davis, 23 Joseph C. Davis, 1/12