The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-08-16
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HORRIBLE MURDER IN NEWPORT


About nine'ocock on the morning OF
the Sth inst. Willie Carney, Eddie Coyne
and Barney Coyne, none Of whom were
thirteen years Of age, started from their
homes on the commons south OF Newport
for ramble and in search of boyish ad-
venture. Coyne's parents had formerly
resided about a mile and half south
east of the city,o the Water-Works road,
and about half-past one in the afternoon
they brought up in that vicinity, in the
watermelon patch on Lewis Thornton's
farm, Barney did not go into the patch,
but remained outside the fence while his
little brother end Willie Carney went in
to it to hook few melons with which to
regale themselves. Mr. Thornton's resi-
dence is not more than four hundred feet
from the watermelon patch, and the
movements of the boys we're observed
by his hired hand, Henry Green, tall,
strapping, big fellow of nineteen or twen-
ty, who went into the house and took
down a double-barreled shotgun and
started out in the direction of the melon
patch. Mrs. Thornton spoke to him as
he was going out of the door, and told
him not to shoot at any body, or at least
she says she gave him that advice, but he
disregarded her counsel, and couple
of minutes later she heard the report of
the weapon, and she ran out to see If any
one was hurt. AS she ran over to the
melon patch she met Green coming back
with the gun in his hand, and on getting
over the fence she found the lad Barney
Coyne stone.dead with terrible hole in
the back of head where the charge had
entered it. Green put the gun back in
the house, and then started for town, ac-
companied by Mr.. Thornton's son, a boy
of twelve. He did not stop to change his
clothes, but came in just as he was-in
check shirt, jean pants and big-rimmed
straw hat, paiuted red on the top. lie
was in so great a hurry that he did not
put on his shoes, but trudged along bare
footed. Arrived in he bent his steps
to Costigan's saloon, at the corner of Cent
raj avenue and Madison street, where he
expected to meet his employer, Mr..
Thornton, and get some money from him.
He did not find him, but shortly after he
met a farmer who had heard of the shoot
ing, and he told Green that the police
were after him. He then left young
Thornton and started off in the direction
of the railroad bridge, and 1t is thought
that he come right over to this city.
Meanwhile the body of the murdered
boy was permitted to lie where he had
been killed until his brother and Willie
Carney came into Newport and told Bar
news father of the tragedy. The poor
man who ekes out precarious living for
himself and family by shovelinR coal out
of barges in the Licking, procured a wag-
on and went out and got the remains and
broughtthem to his humble home. There
DR.. Davis examined the body, and found
that twenty-three heavy buck-shot had
penetrated the skull, causing instantane-
GUS death. A reporter of the Enquirer
went over to Newport last night, and there
met Lieutenant Cottingham, Of the New
port Police, who had just returned from
a hunt after the murderer. From him
our representative learned the above
statement of the murder. Several days
ago il is said that Green took down the
same gun and tried to fire it of,but could
not do 80. "Luce" Thornton told him to
put the gun away and not fool with it or
itmight 20 off. Green replied,"I wouldn't
be afraid to giveyou that gun and let you
trv to fire it off at me at ten feet" Thorn
ton thought differently and replied: Put
it away; the next time you take it down
you will be sure to kill some one with It,"
He also cautioned his wife against the
gun. This is the Thorntons' story. Green
was formerly a circus man, and does not
bear the best of characters. Our repre-
sentative had talk with Willie Carney,
and he SAYS that Barney had not been in
the melon patch at all, but had charge of
two of the melons which he had taken.
When the boys saw Green coming they
lltook to their heels except Barney, who
crouched down behind bush or ailittle
knoll Of land. Green advanced on him
until he was within eight or ten feet OF
the trembling child, and then shot him
down like dog. His story is corrobora.
ted by the testimony of Eddie Coyne and
by that ofa young girl who saw the whole
affair. 1t appears to have been coward
ly, brutal and contemplate murder, with
out the slightest excuse or provocation,
and the good people of Newport owe it to
themselves to hunt down the misCreant
who thus so foully took the life of this
young child for he was hardly more than
a child, and bring him to speedy and con-
dign punishment. Up to three o'clock
this morning no trace Of Green Lad been
found. ,,
Lewis Thornton, on whose place the
murder occurred, himself killed a young
man named Tuttle at picnic near Tay-
lor's Bottoms during the war.