Thomas J. McIntyre

Some background: Thomas J. McIntyre was born in 1846 to Daniel McIntyre and Sarah McVay. He married Emma Steele on November 17, 1867, and was the father of a young girl  when he was murdered by Charlie Waltzer on April 19, 1874. The following is taken from the local newspaper...

Madison Courier, Madison, Indiana, April 20, 1874

" HOMICIDE. DEATH OF THOS. J. M'INTYRE.      Humphrey's Bowling Alley, on West Street, was the scene of an unfortunate occurence Saturday night, an affair that commenced in frolic and terminated in death.  It seems the bowling alley is a resort for boys and young men after the saloons are closed in the evenings. saturday night the crowd generally comes in an intoxicated condition and keep up their carouse until a late hour. Between 9 and 10 o'clock last Saturday night, as many as fifty young men are said to have been present, some rolling ten pins, others looking on, talking & etc. A group surrounded Col. Parm, who was drunk as usual, and amused themselves by blacking his face with soot. While so engaged the door opened and Tom McIntyre entered.  McIntyre at once sat down in Parm's lap and rubbed soot  also on his face. Then thrusting his hand into the stove after more soot, he stepped towards Charlie Waltzer. The latter said " Don't do that, I'll hurt you." McIntyre, disregarding the words, drew his fingers across Waltzer's face, or slapped him on the cheek saying, " How are you, Charlie?". Waltzer instantaneously struck him twice with a pocket-knife he held in his hand. There was but one cut, that about two inches below and back of the left ear. The wounded man fell to the floor, and Waltzer, following the advice of those present, ran off, lest McIntyre should get up and whip him. The blood spirted out of the cut for a few moments, about as thick as a knitting needle, and then ceased bleeding externally. Dr. Wm. A. Collins was sent for and attended the call at once. he found McIntyre lying on the floor pale and weak. External hemorrhage had ceased, though there was evidence of considerable internal hemorrhage, and the neck was swollen somewhat. McIntyre was then carried to his home on Second street below Plu, Dr. A. B. Chalresworth attending him through the night. Sunday morning about 11 o'clock Drs. Collins and Charlesworth called to see the patient together. He was found rational and talked hopefully of recovery. Soon he complained of weakness and suddenly became unconscious and breathed his last within twenty or thirty minutes. The verdict of the Coroner's jury was in these words: " We the jury find that Thomas J. McIntyre came to his death by violence, from a wound inflicted with a knife in the hands of Charles Waltzer. "  THE PARTIES      Thos. J. McIntyre was ayoung married man, of fine muscular build, and has for the last few years been employed by McKim & Son as a coal cart driver. He leaves a wife and little daughter three or four years of age to mourn his untimely death. Charles Waltzer is a painter by trade, is very much undersized, being some 25 years of age and weighing but 80 pounds; is subject to fits, and to all appearances, is not very sound in mind. After the fatal blow was struck he ran to the Broadway Hotel, where he boarded, and secreted himself under a bed. Here he was found by Officer Judge when the arrest was made. Waltzer narrated the particulars of the cutting to a reporter of the Courier this morning in jail. It differs but little from the account above, which is made up from the testimony given before the Coroner's request. Waltzer says that he had been cleaning his finger nails with his knife, but does not know whether he had anything in his hand or not when he struck at McIntyre. All about him he says were drunk, one of the party having a bottle of whisky under his coat. In this connection we will state that no liquor is sold on the premises where the homicide occured. The accused's conduct has been quite remarkable since his confinement in jail. Early this morning he made an attempt to thrash Constable Judge for arresting him. Then, at another time, when his Attorney advised him to waive a preliminary examination, he declared he'd kill himself if he had to stay in jail. Following out this sanguinary determination, he butted his head against the solid wall until his counsel became alarmed and urged the Deputy Sheriff to confine him in a cell. That worthy offical remarked that he would soon get tired of such amusement and gave him in charge of Ferguson for safety. Waltzer, through his attorney, has waived an examination. He was therefore committed to jail  to await the action of the Grand Jury. "