Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-06-27
ANOTHER VICTIM OF THE "RUM
FIEND.o
Isaac Kay Killed by Peter Etlinger-.
A Sad Affair.


A Sad Affair.
Last Friday, as every one knows,
was show day. 1t was cold and rainy =;
a large number Of people were in
town, the saloons were we'll patron
lied and not a few went home in q
state Of intoxication.
Among those who came to Plym-
outh that day were Peter Etlinger,
Isaac Kay and A. w. Lake. Kay and
Lake were farmers, residing about
twelve miles southwest of this city,
and came to town together. Peter
Etlinger, a man about sixty five years
Of age, was working about six miles
southwest of Plymouth, and was an
old friend Of both. While in the city
both Lake and Kay became intoxica-
ted, and started for their homes be-
tween eight and nine o'clock p. m.
Etlinger riding with them in the wag-'
on, and being, it is said, comparative
ly sober. After they had gone about
five miles, the staple, by which the
ring Is fastened to the neck-yoke,
pulled out, letting the wagon tongue
drop down and it ran into the sand,
OF course stopping the wagon and
team Immediately. Etlinger got out,
and finding what was the matter,
asked for strap or something to tie
the ring to the neck-yoke, in order
that they might..proceed. Lake told
him to cut off a halter-strap and tie it
up. Kay, being too drunk to under
stand the situation, ordered Lake to
drive on, and tried to force him TO do
so. Lake got out OF the wagon and
Kay managed to get out also. 1t
seems that they had some sort Of
alteration, but exactly what took
place none Of them are able to tell.
Kay, however, got to Etlinger who
had by this time partially succeeded
in repairing the damage, and struck
or pushed him down. Etlinger got
up, when Kay caught hold Of him
again, and Etlinger, in the attempt to
shake him of, swung him around so
that, as he says, the knife which he
had been using to cut the halter
strap, and which he still had in his
left hand, came in contact with Kay's
abdomen, inflicting a wound about an
inch and a half in length. Etlinger
realized that the knife had struck
Kay, and asked him il he was hurt,
but Kay said that he was not. In 6
few moments, however, he found that
he was, and the men, having made an
examination Of the wound and not
knowing what to do, got him in
the wagon and drove to w. ]. Hands,
where they asked permission to stop,
but he, not understanding the condi-
ton OF the man, and seeing that they
were intoxicated, refused to allow
them to come in. They then drove
on to the residence of Francis Bon
near, near the Wolf Greek church
and about two miles from where the
wound had been inflicted. Mr.. Kay
was taken from the wagon and car
ried into the house, when it was
found that the bowels to consider
able extent were protruding from the
wound. A messenger was sent to
Argos for a physician. but they were
unable to get him. Some time In the
morning the services Of Dr. Chapman
were obtained, but he was unable to
replace the bowels, which had now
protruded from the wound In large
quantity, DR.. Borton, Of Plymouth,
was summoned, and arrived about 2
o'clock p. m. Saturday. At this time
portion OF the mesentery and near
ly all OF the small intestines had pro-
truded from the wound. He pro-
ceeded. with the help of the physician
in attendance, to relax the bowels
with warm water. enlarged the stric-
ture. replaced the protruding parts
and compressed and bandaged the
wound; but It was now too late to
save his life, and at one o'clock Sun
day morning the unfortunate man
was dead. The Coroner came, jury
was impaneled, and. after hearing the
evidence, brought In q verdict OF
death from a wound inflicted acct
dentally by knife In the hands of
Peter Etlinger.
We understand there Is some dis
satisfaction on the part of some of
the relatives of the deceased, they not
believing that Kay fell against the
knife, but that the stabbing was done
Intentionally. Kay was about forty
two years old, and leaves a wife and
several children. The physicians do
not think that the wound would have
proved fatal, or even serious, il the
parties had been in a condition to
have exercised common judgment in
regard to 1t, and kept the man quiet
until a physician could have been
procured.
No one can ever hope to be Of
much use to himself or his fellow
men, while suffering with "scrofula"