Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1916-05-20
MURDER AND FATAL ACCIDENT.
Man Found Murdered at Saxon Thurs
day. Railroad Accident Same Day
Causes Two Deaths.


was killed instantly and another ia
tally injured furnished an extreme
sensation at Saxon Wednesday and
stirred the community to the ut,
most.
About IL O'Clock in the forenoon
the body of Irving Newman wa,
found near the fence skirting the
Northwestern railroad track short
distance west of the Saxon station
with his skull fractured and indica-
tions of foul play, and at 1890 in
the afternoon when the Northwest
ern train No. I22, Ashland to Es-
CANADA, was pulling into the station
Hector McMezin was killed and his
companion, John Beltrand, received
injuries which later proved fatal by
being struck while attempting to
drive across the track ahead of the
train.
The circumstances surrounding
the death of young Newman indi-
cate murder with robbery as the
motive and would parallel a crime
of the utmost atrocity. The muir
derers left no clue and have not as
yet been apprehended.
Newman, who was about 90 years
of age, made his home with his
mother at Thomaston, Mich, and
was employed by the South Shore
railroad as a car repairer. He and
companion, Jack Fountain, al
so employed as car repairer, went
to Saxon on Tuesday to spend
the day. They remained there all
day and it was learned that they in
tended to return home in the even
ing on South Shore freight which
goes through Saxon at about s
O clock in the evening. They were
last seen together shortly after s
O'Clock in Frank Vaniea's saloon,
and it is known that Fountain
boarded the freight train and re-
turned to Thomaston. The last
seen of Newman was at O'Clock
in the evening when the agent saw
him on the station platform. New
mans body was found the next day
a short distance west of the station
lying near the fence on the north
side of the railroad track. His coat
was missing, one shoe was off and
his hands were in his pockets. His
watch and ring were missing as
was also whatever money he may
have had on his person. There
were no signs of a struggle having
taken place near where the body
was found and it is thought that
Newman was murdered and robbed
and that his body was then placed
in the location in which it was
found. A bad wound on the right
side of the head above the ear in
dicated that he had been struck
with something that caused his
death. The body was brought to
Hurley and that evening Drs.
Urquhart and Gronfeldt performed
an autopsy at Charbonneau's un-
dertaking rooms. The autopsy
showed no other injuries outside of
those about the head, and that ne
was struck terrific blow was ap-
parent from the nature of the frac.
ture of the skull. A wound at the
left side of the jaw showed that he
may have been struck there first
and then quieted with the blow On
the head.
Sheriff NJ, J. Connors, and Dis
trict Attorney VIM. Lennon went
to Saxon Wednesday and conduct
ed an investigation but were un-
able to find anything which would
throw light as to the identity of the
perpetrators of the deed. Coroner
Charbonneau accompanied them
and took charge of the remains and
Monday afternoon at 1;30 the in
quest will be held at the court house.
Newman was brother Of Mrs. Joe
Fournier, of Saxon, and had made
frequent visits there.
The railroad accident was wit
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