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Surnames: Rawles, Newell
Classification: Obituary
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Lafayette(Indiana) Daily Courier 3 August 1885
Over a Balustrade To a terrible death below
Mrs. Matlida Rawles starts to close a window this morning, makes a misstep and falls down
stairs--a crushed skull and a broken neck caused instant death.
At an early hour this morning, a tragedy occurred over on the West Side, which removed
one of the most estimable of Tippecanoe county's estimable ladies. The family of John
Rawles, residing near the Hebron Church, just at the edge of the Grand Prarie, is,
perhaps, one of the best known in the county. His wife, Mrs. Matilda Rawles, a lady 68
years of age, enjoyed the respect and esteem of the entire community, which will be
shocked to learn of her terrible death.
Mrs. Rawles was aroused from her sleep by the wind and rain, and thinking the latter was
being blown into an open window down stairs it is presumed she left her husband's side
without rousing him, and started down half asleep to close the window. At the head of the
stairs she made a mis-step, and pitched forward over the balustrade. Her frightened
scream and the sickening sound of her body striking the floor beneath aroused the family,
and they rushed from their rooms to find the wife and mother already dead in the hall
beneath. The back of skull was crushed and her neck broken--death must have been
instantaneous.
Dr. Spaulding, of the West side, was summonsed, the family desiring to know whether death
was the result of the fall or of some one of those sudden and fatal malidies so frequently
resulting in death of recent years. The doctor's opinion was that she was entirely
sound and well and that her death was occasioned as stated above.
Deceased was born in Brown county, Ohio, moved to Madison, Indiana, in 1830, and later to
Warren county. A few years afterward she removed with her husband to this county, where
they have resided ever since. The couple celebrated their golden wedding November 27,
1884, and were apparently destined to enjoy together many more happy anniversaries of a
happy event. The funeral will take place Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at Hebron
church, the Rev Mr. Kendall officiating.
Lafayette (Indiana) Weekly Journal 7 August 1885
A Horrible Death.
Mrs. John Rawles, an estimable old lady aged 78, residing near the Hebron Church, met
with a terrible death about 4 o'clock yesterday morning. She arose from her bed and
started to descend the stairs She made a misstep and fell over the stair railing
backwards. She struck upon her head, the fall making a noise that awakened her son.
When he found her life was extinct, her skull bing crushed and her neck broken. The
desceased was highly respected and her tragic death has cast a gloom over her friends and
relatives. She was making preparations to visit her son in Missouri this week. The
funeral will take place tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock from the family residence.
Interment at Hebron cemetery.