The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-12-09

Was born in Cooperstown, Wis, August "a, 1858,
thus making him % years Of age. Twenty-One
years ago his parents moved to Paradise, Wayne
county and FIVE years ago moved to Wooster He
was six feet tall and weighed about $50 pounds,
auburn hair, dark eyes, smooth face, and in gen.
eral appearance was a well proportioned good
looking young man.
His fourteen months confinement had bleach
ed him considerably, giving him pale COM
plexion and haggard look. John always seemed
to be pretty good boy, working on the farm and
faithfully helping his father. He attended 3d..
Mary's Catholic School in Wooster for two years,
ceasng to go two years before the murder. This,
with his other schooling, gave him fair educa'
ton. He was q good penman, especially. After
leaving school, John worked most OF the time
with his uncle as section hand on the railroad.
Part OF the time he was employed In a paper
mill. While working as section hand he nat
urally came In contact with men Of low, vicious
habits, and In short time became addicted to
drinking and carouslng To drink he attributed
his sad ending.
JOHN ToRMIE,
The victim of Callahan's rash act, was native
Of PitSfeld, ILL.,, where his widowed mother, a
brother and two sisters still live. He was "a years
old, man Of fine physique, stone cutter by
trade, an industrious workman, and personally
esteemed by all aCquaintances, In 1878 he was
married to Miss Phoebe Martin Of Huron, Ohio
Shortly afterwards the Martin family removed 70
Wooster, where he and wife followed them about
! year before his murder.
THIS 1t will be seen that neither murderer OF
murdered were natives Of Wayne county or even
Ohio.
THE MURDER
Was committed at the Wayne county Fair
Grounds In the dusk OF the evening Of the I'd Of
October 1879, shortly after six o'clock 1t com
menced in quarrel and ended IN an atrocious and
hesrtless murder. 1t seems that John Callahan
James saddler, Anthony MCGOWAN, sr Anthony
MCGOWAN, jr., Michael Mulready and Michael
Burke, went to the fair with the intention Of
cleaning out" some party or parties from shreve
who in fight with one Of their crowd at the lat
ter place had Worsted him and they were thirst
ing for revenge. As is the usual thing with such
fellows they began drinking freely and bv eve
ming were all more or less intoxicated. Nearly
everybody had left for home when the fight Oc
CURED. But few people we're on the grouuds,and
the policemen we're clearing the place Of people
preparatory to closing, Callahan and the re
mainder of the gang" were among the last Il
leave, and In walking toward the gate they aCci
dentally met Frank Martin and John Tormie
brothers.in law, who had, during the day
exhibited ball throwing game. They accostst
each other in seemingly fair, though bOistero u
friendship, and moved on together few yards
getting in bad humOr and qusrrelling, unit
arriving opposite Mechanics Hall, when Martir
was struck over the head with a cane in thu
hands OF James saddler, and knocked bleeding
and insensible to the ground. What caused thest
blows is obscure In the testimony. Martin say
he was struck without any cause, while Saddle
says that Martin had knocked Burke down. thel
made an assault on him, when helm selfdefense
knocked Martin down,
When Martin was struck, Tormie came rushinI
up to his assistance claiming, II am as good
son Of a b. as there Is on this groundp Will
that sadder hit him with his cane over the head
Tormie then made for Burke, who ran out of tn
front gate In the meantime, other persons raj
| TO the nTsJ scene, Wnere mbEuu lay Ou III
ground; chief OF police, George smyser, and pc
liceman Wm, Taggart keeping the parties fron
committing further Outrages and trying TO NOV
them all out of the grounds. Tormie, in hi
shirt sleeves, now came back from his pursuit q
Burke, and inquired where the man was VIII
had struck him, and at the same time struO
saddler. The fight then became general. Th
policemen rushed in again to stop the striking
urging the fighting parties, and others, about
In all, on toward the gate, and got them feV
yards, to where the buggies and carriages wer
on exhibition,
A man named Lewis Bolus finally got Tormi
out Of the crowd and saying this man has &c
enough" started off with him. But the assailin
parties pressed on after, and one ran up benin
and struck Tormie over the head with cant
who turned upon his asaailant, when another {
the party struck him on the head with billy
Tormie at this ran backward a few steps, In th
front gate, half halting and putting his hand II
to his hip pocket he drew therefroma
SMALL SINGLE BARRELLED PISTOL,