The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-11-30
Mitch sells the celebrated No, : 5-cent Gig
DEATH AT MARSEILLES.
Foul Play or Suicide!

On Thursday night Of last week Eugene But
toph, IA iourneyman matchmaker, employed in
the shop of Mr. Smith, at Marseillcs, in this
county, received fatal injuries at the hand OF
some person persons, or in some mysterious
manner which resulted in his death on the Sun.
day morning following. Coroner Reynolds on
that day. Nov. 24th, held an inquest on the body,
and the testimony elected the following
Eugene Buttolph was aged about % years had
worked for Smith some time, repairing watches;
was steady, temperate person and kept good
hours On Thursday evening, the 2lst, he came
to IIoags butcher shop, about 10 o'clock and
met his chum, Harry Coleman, and talked with
him a few moments. Before he left the shop he
took Harry by the hand and shook it, saying
Harry, | will soon be no more; I will be Il
corpse; I'll mend watches no more" He di.ap.
peared, Harry going to the Beckwith House to
bed. Buttolph boarded at W. 7. Smiths. The
western bound freight, No. I, passed down 1T, as
BroadbaCk the swtchman, testified, % minutes
to one O'Clock Friday morning, and that the en-.
gineer thereof told him that man was lying
close to the track, on the north side, near the
coal shaft. Broadback went up there and found
Buttoph. He thought Buttolph was asleep and
tried to arouse him. He seemed stupid, but not
asleep His feet were upon the north rail and
his head directly from it. Broadback went tc
Smiths, Buttolph's boarding house, got Smith
up, and they carried Buttolph in and sent for q
doctor.
Smith swore there was pool of cotted blood
near where Buttolph's feet were, but none near
his head, cash in the top of which had bled
profusey A couple of rods below him along the
same side of the track Buttolph's hat, and
between il and him was a small pile of silver
two quarters, Il dime and cents. In the wound
ed mans pocket was a Mexican silver dollar
Young Smith, his employer, thinks that was
about all the money Buttolph had that day.
DR.. Montgomery and Others testify that the
mans wounds consisted of cash in the top Of
the head, right arm broken between the elbow
and shoulder, and some other bruises.
The wounded man fingered till Sunday morn.
ing, when lie died. From the nature of his
wounds, notwithstanding his hints Of suicide OF
sudden death that neutrality-suspicious. the direct
effect of maudlin drunkenness, as he had been
drinking that afternoon and evening,--he could
not have inflicted these hurts upon himself. L
for robbery, his little sum of money would moi
have been left as it was. The train that wen
down could not have hurt him, rs his feet were
lying across one track unframed three minute
after the train passed. He had lucid interval
Of few hours on Friday night when he told hi
watcher James Coleman, that lit was a put w
Job about his getting hurt-would tell him som,
other time" but he never was able to fulfill hi
promise.
The jury rendered verdict in accordance viii
the above facts.
1t might be mentioned that at about II O clocl
that night lIoag's butcher shop was burglarizet
and some meat stolen; but the two incidents neeC
not be connected