October 1, 1930

C. A. WHITTAKER

MAY NOT SURVIVE

Victim Is Patient In Local

Hospital Suffering From

Severe Wounds; Found Near

Railroad Tracks

    No hope was held out at Memorial Hospital yesterday for C.A Whittaker, 22, of Duhring, who was brought to the hospital suffering from head injuries believed to have been inflicted by someone who robbed Whittaker, either Monday night or Tuesday morning. Whittaker was found lying face down beside the railroad tracks near his home early Tuesday morning. Sheriff Otis. Bowling and Leslie E Gadd County officer, went to Duhring yesterday afternoon to investigate circumstances that lead to belief that Whittaker was knocked in the head and robbed.

    When Whittaker, who worked at Goodwill, failed to arrive home about 10:30 or 11:00 o’clock Monday night, his family became alarmed. Tuesday morning they started looking for him, and soon found him alongside the railroad tracks a short distance from the Duhring crossing. He was taken to the Memorial Hospital by Oscar Cole of the Mercer Funeral Home, Matoaka. At the hospital it was found that a hole about two inches in diameter had been driven into Whittaker’s head, and that his brains were oozing out. An operation was performed to remove the bone from the brain. Whittaker was virtually lifeless when found, and remained in that condition. According to physicians the condition of the wound indicated that a blunt instrument had been used.

    It is said that Whittaker was paid on Monday, and that only one dollar was found in his pockets in search of his person. Whittaker is the son of Mr. And Mrs. Kenton Whittaker

October 2, 1930

CAUSE OF WOUNDS

BAFFLE OFFICERS

Victim Found Near Railroad Tracks In Unconscious Condition; Funeral Will Be Held At Duhring Today

    With no clues discovered by county officials following an investigation Tuesday afternoon the manner in which C. A. Whittaker 19 years old, was fatally hurt early Tuesday morning at Duhring will probably never be learned.

    Whittaker died at the memorial hospital Tuesday night. He never regained consciousness. Funeral service will be held at Duhring this afternoon with interment in Scott cemetery near Duhring.

    Whittaker was found lying with his back against a rail on the railroad about two hundred yards from the home of his father, Kenton Whittaker. There was a big hole in the back of his head and the back of his head was lacerated. There were bruises on his back near the shoulders. Sheriff J. Otis Bowling and Leslie E. Gadd, county officer, learned Whittaker had been to the store of his uncle, Chester Mullens, at Duhring, about twelve o’clock Monday night and had purchased a carton of cigarettes. That was the last time he was seen before he was found almost dead Tuesday morning.

    The officers learned that he drew $8 at the Goodwill mine on Monday. One dollar was found on his person, and the cigarettes were found near the body. The spot where he was found had been recently worked over by a section gang, and only the footprints made by Whittaker were seen. This spot was about fifty feet from a pile of railroad ties where footprints were lost on hard ground.

    It is possible that Whittaker was riding a freight train from Duhring to his home, officers say. According to his family he usually did that, but always hopped off in front of his home. A freight train was in the vicinity early Tuesday morning according to Leslie Gadd. One theory advanced is that Whittaker hopped or fell off the train and struck a corner of the tie, and walked to the spot where he fell. There was no blood on the ties, but little blood was lost from the wound in the head. He was wearing a cap. A curved piece of conduit pipe was found in the grass by officers, and also a shovel. There were no indications that either of the two had been used as a weapon.

    The youth had no enemies, his family told the officers, and if his death was the result of foul play, no motive other than robbery could be assigned to murder, it is said. Hoboes travel on the road in that vicinity it is said, and it is thought by some that a hobo might attacked Whittaker.

    Leslie Gadd said yesterday that there was not the slightest clue to be found to support the foul play theory, and that he could not believe from what he had learned that it was murder.