Death of Bert Thorp
1909
RECORD WRITTEN BY : TINA EASLEY
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ar/county/greene/
RESEARCHED FROM THE DAILY SOLIPHONE
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THE SERIES OF ARTICLES BELOW LEAD UP TO THE DEATH THOUGHT TO BE FOUL PLAY OF BERT THORP
THE DAILY SOLIPHONE - THURSDAY , OCTOBER 21, 1909 NO. 323
A FATAL ACCIDENT SUNDAY EVENING
BERT THORP FELL INTO THE BASEMENT OF BERTIG'S BUILDING SUSTAINED FRACTURE OF THE SKULL
SURGICAL OPERATION PERFORMED THIS MORNING
YOUNG MAN WAS ENROUTE TO TOWM FROM THE BAPTIST CHURCH WHEN HE MET WITH THE ACCIDENT LAID IN BASEMENT ALL NIGHT PICKED UP MONDAY MORNING IN UNCONSCIOUS CONDITION.
BERT THORP , AGE THIRTY-FOUR YEARS AND A SON OF MRS. TINSLEY OF NORTH FOURTH STREET. IS CONFINED TO HIS WARD AT THE SANITARIUM LINGERING BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH , SUFFERING FROM A SERIOUS FRACTURE AT THE BASE OF HIS SKULL WHICH HE SUSTAINED FROM A FALL INTO THE BASEMENT OF BERTIG'S BUILDING LAST SUNDAY EVENING AT 8 O'CLOCK .THIS MORNING HE WAS MOVED FROM HIS HOME TO THE SANITARIUM AND ABOUT 10 O'CLOCK UNDERWENT SURGERY UNDER THE DIRECTION OF HIS PHYSICIANS , DRS. HALEY AND OWENS , BUT THERE ARE SMALL CHANCES FRO HIS RECOVERY . THE INJURY SUSTAINED IS AT THE BASE OF THE PATIENT'S SKULL AND IS OF SUCH A NATURE THAT THE OPERATION WILL NOT LIKELY RESULT FAVORABLY , THE FRACTURE BEING SO DEEP AND LOCATED IN A DANGEROUS SECTION OF THE SKULL.
JUST IN WHAT MANNER THE YOUNG MAN MET WIT THE ACCIDENT CANNOT BE SURE AS HIS CONDITION HAS BEEN SUCH SINCE THE INJURY WAS SUSTAINED HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DISCUSS IT INTELLIGENTLY. HE WAS ABLE TO SAY A FEW WORDS . MONDAY MORNING SHORTLY AFTER HE WAS PICKED UP BY WORKMEN OF BERTIG'S BUILDING SAYING THAT HE HAD JUST LEFT THE BAPTIST CHURCH TO WHICH PLACE HE HAD ESCORTED A YOUNG LADY TO GO TO TOWN FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE SERVICES BEGAN.
(PART MISSING )
HE WAS AROUSED BY THOSE WHO RESCUED HIM FRO THE PLACE . HE WAS CARRIED TO HIS HOME AND NOT TILL YESTERDAY WAS IT THOUGHT THAT HIS CONDITION WAS OF AN ALARMING NATURE. THE PLACE WHERE HE FELL INTO THE BASEMENT IS LOCATED ABOUT TWENTY FEET EAST OF DR. SCOTT'S BUILDING ON WEST COURT , THROUGH AN OPENING THAT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN UNCOVERED. THE BASEMENT IS ABOUT FIFTEEN FEET DEEP.
THE INJURED YOUNG MAN HAS BEEN A RESIDENT OF PARAGOULD ABOUT A COUPLE OF YEARS MOVING TO THIS CITY WITH HIS MOTHER FROM BOYDSVILLE , CLAY COUNTY . HE BEARS A GOOD REPUTATION AND THE MISFORTUNE WITH WHICH HE HAS MET IS SERIOUSLY REGRETTED. HIS CONDITION HAS BEEN REPORTED AS BEING VERY UNFAVORABLE AND THE CHANCES FOR HIS RECOVERY ARE CONSIDERED DOUBTFUL.
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THE DAILY SOLIPHONE - FRIDAY , OCTOBER 22, 1909 - VOL.XI
BERT THROP DIES FROM HIS INJURIES
THE YOUNG MAN WHO FELL INTO THE BASEMENT OF THE BERTIG BUILDING NEVER REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS
MYSTERY SURROUNDS DEPLORABLE ACCIDENT
SUPERINTENDENT ABIES SAYS IT WAS PHYSICAL IMPOSSIBLE FOR THORP TO HAVE FALLEN FROM PAVEMENT . HE WAS FOUND IN A ELEVATOR SHAFT . HIS HEAD MUST HAVE STRUCK A TIMBER.
BERT THROP , THE YOUNG MAN WHO FELL INTO THE BASEMENT OF BERTIG'S BROS' NEW BUILDING SUNDAY NIGHT DIED AT 9:30 AT THE SANITARIUM THIS MORNING , HAVEING NEVER FULLY REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS , SINCE HE WAS FOUND IN THE BASEMENT BY WORKERS MONDAY MORNING .
THE STORY OF THE ACCIDENT AS GIVEN IN THE SOLIPHONE YESTERDAY WAS THE FIRST INTIMATION THE PUBLIC GENERALLY HAD OF THE TRAGEDY. IT WAS KNOWN AMONG THE WORKMAN AND SEVERAL OTHERS THAT A MAN HAD BEEN PULLED OUT OF THE BASEMENT MONDAY MORNING AND THAT HE HAD BEEN SENT TO HIS HOME. BUT KNOW ONE KNEW HIS CONDITION WAS SO SERIOUS . AFTER THE PUBLICATION OF THE STORY YESTERDAY THE MATTER WAS FREELY DISCUSSED ON THE STREETS AND MANY VISITED THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT AND EXAMINED THE SURROUNDINGS WITH A VIEW TO DETERMINING JUST HOW THE YOUNG MAN FELL. THE EXACT TRUTH OF THE SITUATION WILL PROBALLY NEVER BE KNOWN , AS THERE WAS NO WITNESSES WITH THORP WHEN HE FELL AND HE WAS NEVER ABLE TO GIVE AN INTELLIGIBLE ACCOUNT OF THE ACCIDENT BEYOND MAKING THE SIMPLE STATEMENT THAT HE WAS WALKING ALONG AND FELL INTO THE BASEMENT.
MESSRS AD AND SAUL BERTIG , JOE BERTIG AND MR. ABLES THE SUPERINTENDENT OF CONSTRUCTION WORK ON THE NEW BUILDING HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE ACCIDENT UNTIL THE SOLIPHONE APPEARED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON . A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PAPER TALKED WITH THEM THIS MORNING AND WENT OVER THE SCENE OF THE TRAGEDY EVEN GOING INTO THE BASEMENT AND SPECULATING ON THE POSSIBLE FALL OF THE YOUNG MAN . MR. ABLES SAYS IT WAS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THORP TO HAVE FALLEN INTO THE EXCAVATION THAT EXTENDS INTO THE SIDEWALK WAS COVERED AS IT HAS BEEN EVERY SINCE IT WAS MADE.
IN ADDITION TO THIS SCAFFOLDING WAS STILL UP AND THIS EXTENDED OUT TWO AND HALF FEET OVER THE PAVEMENT. A CROSS PIECE HAD BEEN NAILED ACROSS THIS END OF OF THE SCAFFOLDING TO PREVENT PEDESTRIANS FROM WALKING ON THE INSIDE OF THE SCAFFOLDING . EVEN IF THE YOUNG MAN HAD WALKED ON THE INSIDE THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY FOR HIM TO HAVE FALLEN INTO THE BASEMENT , SAID MR. ABLES , AS THERE IS NO HOLE LARGE ENOUGH FOR A MAN'S BODY TO FALL THROUGH.
THE NATURE OF THE WOUND ON THE BACK OF THORP'S HEAD INDICATES THAT HE STRUCK SOMETHING IN HIS FALL THAT FRACTURED HIS SKULL. GRANTING THAT HE SLIPPED THROUGH A HOLE IN THE COVERING ON THE PAVEMENT THE FALL WOULD HAVE BEEN ONLY A FEW FEET AND THERE IS NO OBSTRUCTION ON WHICH HIS HEAD COULD HAVE STRUCK. THE SCAFFOLDING WAS NOT REMOVED UNTIL YESTERDAY MORNING.
THE YOUNG MAN WAS FOUND EARLY MONDAY MORNING BY J.L. BAKER A WORKMAN. HE SAYS HE WAS SITTING TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING WHEN HE HEARD A MAN'S VOICE . AT FIRST HE THOUGHT IT WAS UPSTAIRS , BUT LATER LOCATED IT AT THE REAR OF THE BUILDING . HE WENT TO THE REAR AND FOUND THORP LEANING AGAINST THE REAR WALL THAT JOINS DR. SCOTT'S OFFICE . HE LOCATES THORP IN THE OPENING MADE FOR THE ELAVATOR AND ABOUT TEN FEET FROM THE PAVEMENT. HE ASKED THORP WHAT HE WAS DOING IN THERE AND THORP REPLIED THAT HE WASN'T DOING ANYTHING .
BAKER TOLD HIM TO TIE A ROPE AROUND HIS BODY AND HE WOULD PULL HIM OUT. THORP DID SO. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE BEFORE HE WAS FINALLY PULLED OUT AND THEN ONLY AFTER OTHER WORKMEN HAD ARRIVED TO HELP. WHEN QUESTIONED BY BAKER , THORP SAID HE AND AND ANOTHER MAN WENT INTO THE BASEMENT THE NIGHT BEFORE AND THAT THE OTHER MAN LEFT HIM IN THERE. HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG HE HAD BEEN THERE OR ANYTHING THAT HAD HAPPENED.
HIS DOCTORS DRS. HALEY & OWENS SAY THORP HAS BEEN IN NO CONDITION AT ANY TIME SINCE THE ACCIDENT TO GIVE A ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED. HIS WOUND WAS OF SUCH A NATURE AS TO BECLOUD THE BRAIN. AFTER THORP WAS REMOVED TO THE HOME OF HIS PARENTS ON NRTH FOURTH STREET MONDAY HE SEEMED TO RECOVER HIS SENSES FIR A SHORT TIME AND TOLD THE FAMILY THAT HE WAS WALKING ALONG AND FELL IN A HOLE. BARING THIS ONE STATEMENT HE WAS NEVER ABLE TO THROW ANY LIGHT ON THE MATTER. PARTIES WHO AR FAMILIAR WITH THE LAY OF THE GROUND THINK THORP MUST HAVE TURNED INTO THE BERTIG BUILDING JUST AFTER HE PASSED DR. SCOTT'S OFFICE . AN IT WAS DARK AND HE WAS UNACQUAINTED WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE BUILDING HE WALKED OFF INTO THE EXCAVATION HIS HEAD STRIKING ONE OF THE HEAVY TIMBERS BELOW, AND THERE HE LAY ALL NIGHT JUST ABOUT WHERE HE WAS FOUND THE NEXT MORNING.
THORN LEFT HOME SUNDAY EVENING ABOUT 7 O'CLOCK AND ESCORTED MISS SADIE TIMM TO THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH . HE LEFT HER AT THE DOOR WITH REMARK THAT HE WAS GOING UPTOWN AND WOULD BE BACK IN A FEW MINUTES BEFORE SERVICES BEGAN . THAT WAS THE LAST SEEN OF HIM UNTIL HE WAS FOUND MONDAY , MORNING.
THE MESSRS BERTIG AND SUPERINTENDENT ABLES ALL REGRET THE ACCIDENT BEYOND EXPRESSIONS . BUT THEY CAN'T SEE WHERE THEY ARE AT ALL TO BLAME. THEY CLAIM THAT TO HAVE FALLEN INTO THE BASEMENT THE YOUNG MAN HAD TO LEAVE THE PAVEMENT AND ENTER THE BUILDING.
AFTER THORP BREATHED HIS LAST BREATH THIS MORNING HIS BODY WAS REMOVED TO THE FAMILY HOME ON NORTH FOURTH WHERE IT WILL REMAIN UNTIL HIS FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE. HE HAS A SISTER , MRS. R.A. LINGLE , RESIDING IN JONESBORO , ILLS. WHO IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE TONIGHT . HE ALSO HAS A BROTHER RESIDING AT THE PLACE AND HE IS LOOKED FOR TONIGHT WITH HIS SISTER. IN ADDITION TO THESE THORP LEAVES A MOTHER , STEPFATHER MR. TINSLEY , AND THREE SISTERS RESIDING HERE. THORP WAS RAISED AT BOYDSVILLE , CLAY COUNTY , ARKANSAS AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE MT. TABOR BAPTIST CHURCH NEAR PIGGOTT . HE WAS A QUIET , HARD WORKING YOUNG MAN AND WAS THE SOLE HELP OF HIS STEPFATHER IN HIS FARM WORK. HIS DEATH ASIDE FROM THE GLOOM AND SADNESS IT THROWS OVER THE FAMILY IS A HARD BLOW IN THAT IT REMOVES THE MAIN SUPPORT OF THE FAMILY.
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THE DAILY SOLIPHONE - SATURDAY , OCTOBER 23, 1909 - VOL XI
FOUL PLAY HINTED IN THORP TRAGEDY
YOUNG LADY SAYS WHEN THORP LEFT WITH AN UNKNOWN MAN
BLOW ON HEAD WAS DIRECT ONE
EVIDENCE THAT HAS DEVELOPED THE PAST TWENTY-FOUR HOURS LEADS MANY TO BELIEVE THAT BERRY THORP , THE YOUNG MAN FOUND MONDAY , IN THE BASEMENT OF THE BERTIG BUILDING WAS THE VICTIM OF FOUL PLAY. IT HAS MEEN A MYSTERY ALL ALONG HOW HIS SKULL COULD HAVE BEEN FRACTURED BY A FALL INTO THE BASEMENT.
THERE IS THE REMOTEST CHANCE THAT THE BACK OF HIS HEAD COULD HAVE STRUCK A TIMBER , BUT THE NATURE OF THE WOUND INDICATES THAT IT WAS INFLICTED BY A DIRECT BLOW.
MISS SADIE TIMM , THE YOUNG LADY WHOM THORP ESCORTED TO THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH SUNDAY NIGHT WAS IN TOWN LAST NIGHT AND CAME DOWN TO THE BERTIG BUILDING WHERE THORP WAS FOUND . SHE SAYS THAT WHEN SHE AND THORP REACHED THE ENTRANCE TO THE CHURCH SUNDAY NIGHT SOME PARTY , STANDING ON THE PAVEMENT ACCOSTED THORP AND SAID HE WANTED TO SPEAK TO HIM. THORP EXCUSED HIMSELF FROM THE YOUNG LADY AND HELD A WHISPERED CONVERSATION WITH THE PARTY. THEN HE TOLD MISS TIMM TO GO ON TO CHURCH , THAT HE HAD TO GO DOWNTOWN AND DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT HE WOULD RETURN BEFORE SERVICES WERE OVER. MISS TIMM CLAIMS NOT TO KNOW THE PARTY WHO APPROACHED THORP. SHE SAYS THE TWO MEN STARTED OFF TOWARD THE BERTIG BUILDING AND SHE WENT ON INTO THE CHURCH.
PARTIES IN CHURCH WHO SAT NEAR MISS TIMM STAT THAT SHE WAS VERY NERVOUS AND SEVERAL TIMES LEFT HER SEAT AND WENT OUT INTO THE VESTIBULE AND THAT HER ACTIONS DISTURBED THEM IN THEIR WORSHIP.
MISS TIMM'S STATEMENT IN REFERENCE TO THE THIRD PARTY , TOGETHER WITH THORP'S STATEMENT EARLY MONDAY MORNING WHEN HE WAS FOUND TO THE EFFECT THAT HE WENT DOWN INTO THE BASEMENT WITH ANOTHER MAN , INDICATE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING MORE TO THIS TRAGEDY THAT HAS YET TO COME TO LIGHT.
IT ALSO DEVELOPS THAT MISS TIMM HAS BEEN MARRIED TO A MAN NAMED MEREDITH . THE COUPLE PARTED SOME TIME AGO AND WOMAN GOES BY HER MAIDEN NAME.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RUMORS AFLOAT TENDING TO ESTABLISH A THEORY THAT THORP WAS FOULLY DEALT WITH BY THE MAN WHO ACCOSTED HIM AT THE BAPTIST CHURCH. FEW OF THEM COULD BE RUN DOWN TODAY BUT ENOUGH IS KNOWN TO MAKE KNOWING ONES SCOUT THE IDEA THAT THE YOUNG MAN CAME TO HIS DEATH BY A FALL INTO THE BASEMENT.
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