They say that time heals, which may or may not be true; but it surely does facilitate forgetfulness. Today, 120 years after the fact, the only reminder in Russell of a tragedy that transfixed Lucas County during August of 1898 is the fact that the headstones of three family members buried on the Newell family lot have the same year of death. The credit for the photo used here goes to Doris Christensen, who photographed the stone for Find A Grave.
Details of the deaths of William M. Newell, his wife, Josie (Mary Josephine), and their 9-year-old daughter, Madge, were published under the headline, "Frightful Tragedy at Russell," on the front page of The Chariton Patriot of Aug. 25, 1898:
W.M. Newell Kills His Wife and Daughter
and Ends His Own Life
Tuesday morning the startling news was telephoned from Russell that William M. Newell, a clothing merchant and well known citizen of our neighboring town, after murdering his wife and nine-year-old daughter had committed suicide. The awful work was done with a revolver, which lay on the bed beside him when the bodies were found. Newell was known to be an early riser, but that morning his neighbors did not see him moving around the house as usual; no particular attention was paid thereto until R.T. Houston, Patrick Ford and Jerry Cadigan, who were about starting for Chariton, and while down town, noted with some surprise that Newell's store was not yet open, it then being fully eight o'clock and perhaps twenty minutes after.
As they were starting to Chariton they concluded to drive past Newell's residence, which was in the west part of town, and ascertain if anything was the matter. Driving up to the house, and as no one was seen, or responded to a call, Ford and Houston both got out of the buggy and went to the house. The screen door only was closed, and not being fastened, they opened it and stepping inside their hearts nearly stood still as the evidence of a fatal and awful tragedy lay there before them. In the first room lay Newell and his wife, on the bed, and twenty feet away in another bed, the little daughter, all dead.
The alarm was at one given, and the peaceful community soon learned that, while they slept, an appalling tragedy had been enacted in their midst. Dr. J.H. Stanton, coroner, was notified and went at once to Russell. Arriving there he proceeded to hold an inquest, having selected Newton Howell, D.H. Rowland and J.F. Sprague as the jury.
Newell lay on the bed with a bullet hole in the base of the brain and a revolver with four empty chambers lying near his right hand. His wife lay on her right side with her right hand under the side of her face and head, as is frequent with many people when they sleep. The cruel bullet had entered the back of her head near the center at the base of the brain. Death must have been instantaneous. She appeared never to have moved and the peaceful expression of one in a sound sleep was still on her face as she lay there so quiet in death. In another room the body of the nine-year-old daughter lay also where she slept with two bullet holes in her right side. The wounds were about two inches apart, one of them between the fifth and sixth rib. The revolver had been held so close to her body that her clothing had been set on fire, which had evidently been put out by some one. She seemed to have died without a struggle.
VERDICT OF THE CORONER'S JURY
"Inquisition holden at Russell, Ia., Lucas county, the 23rd day of August A.D. 1898, before John H. Stanton, coroner of said county, upon the body of Mrs. Josie Newell and Miss Madge Newell there lying dead, by the jurors whose names are hereto subscribed. The said jurors upon their oaths do say that they came to their death by a shot from a revolver in the hand of William M. Newell. In witnesseth whereof the said jurors hereunto set their hands this day of the year aforesaid."
The jury also found that William M. Newell "came to his death by a shot in the head by a revolver in his own hand. (Signed) Newton Howell, D.H. Rowland, J.F. Sprague; Attest: John H. Stanton, Coroner, Lucas County."
It appears from all the testimony and surrounding circumstances that Newell first shot his wife as she lay in a sound sleep; he then went into the next room and killed the little daughter, and having satisfied himself that his terrible work had been accomplished, lay down beside his dead wife and completed his desperate purpose by deliberately shooting himself. He seemed to have executed his shocking deed with an intelligence and deliberation which rendered his work of death quick and sure. There was no evidence of a struggle anywhere. The deed must have been done between three and four o'clock Tuesday morning. Jerry Cadagan, a neighbor, heard the shots as did Mr Sprague. Mrs. Youtsey thought she heard a scream.
THE PROBABLE CAUSE
There is absolutely no clue to any cause other than brooding over his financial embarrassments. A Patriot reporter talked with his brother, Samuel Newell, a well known businessman of Albia, who said he could form no idea of the cause which drove him to the cruel deed. His business was not in bad condition by any means. The stock of clothing would invoice over two thousand dollars, which together with good book accounts would bring the assets up to $2,500. Against this there was an indebtedness of about $800, a part of which only had fallen due. He had given a chattel mortgage on his stock to a wholesale clothing house in Keokuk and as that covered not only the debt due but the whole claim, held by them, and this being telegraphed to the Commercial Agencies, all his creditors became alarmed and sought at once to secure their several claims. In his troubled state of mind he could see no avenue of escape, from financial ruin which he imagined impending, and so suddenly driven violently insane he sought release for himself and family in death.
His domestic relations were of the best; his wife being a kind and loving woman, and his home pleasant and happy. The only surviving member is a son, Frederick, aged twenty-one years, who was in Omaha visiting the Exposition when the dreadful news from home was telegraphed him. He came in time for the funeral, which occurred Wednesday. The obsequies were in charge of the I.O.O.F., of which Mr. Newell was a prominent member. The funeral was largely attended, as the family were widely known and highly respected.
W. M. Newell was born in Warren county, Indiana, and came with his parents to Monroe county, Iowa, in the early fifties. He was in business at Melrose for a long time. Selling out there he came to Russell with his family some four years ago. He was a good neighbor, benevolent and helpful in every way, especially so in sickness or distress among any of his neighbors, and was kind and indulgent in his family. The real cause of his terrible deed is only known to Him who searcheth all hearts.
He was 50 years old, his wife 41, and the daughter 9 years of age. It is a dreadful event and the people of Russell will long remember it as the most shocking occurrence in the history of their beautiful town. In the years to come they will never pass by that pleasant looking cottage home without thinking of the dark deed of blood committed therein.
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Life returned to normal in Russell during the months that followed. The Patriot reported on Nov. 3 that the Calvin C. Force family had moved into the former Newell home, by then vacated. Later that month, The Patriot reported that George B. Van Arsdale, of Chariton, had purchased the stock of the Newell clothing store and was continuing to operate the business, at least for the time being.
He was serving as rear brakeman on a passenger train running between Aberdeen and Mobridge, South Dakota, one night during early January of 1913 when he somehow lost his footing and fell alongside the tracks, where he was found the next morning. He died that day at the hospital in Mobridge, age 37.
His remains were brought back to Russell by his Albia uncles and cousins and buried beside those of his parents and sister.
Note: I've removed a mistaken reference in The Patriot report to burial in the Methodist Cemetery at Melrose. Although a Newell son, who died young, is buried there, William, Josie, Madge and Fred Newell are buried in Russell. William M. Newell's parents, William Tell Newell (1803-1851) and Paulina Faine Newell (1814-1890) are buried in Greenville Pioneer Cemetery, Washington Township.
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