A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname

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Notes for Daniel Horace STREETER

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In June of 1902 Dan Streeter killed his father-in-law, Doctor F. Barnum, with a rock to the back of the head.

From The Fennimore Times, Fennimore, Wisconsin, 5 July 1902: Lancaster News. Daniel Streeter, who plead guilty, received his sentence, one year at Waupun with hard labor and one day solitary confinement.

From The Fennimore Times, Fennimore, Wisconsin, 16 July 1902: Streeter is Bound Over. Preliminary Trial is Held in Lancaster Last Friday before Justice Wheeler, who Bound him over to the October Term of Court, Charged with Murder. Many Witnesses Were Called. Eleven Year Old Boy Testifies. Pathetic Scene in Court when the Accused Man's Son is Placed on stand. The Post Mortem Examination Made by the Physicians. The preliminary hearing of Daniel Streeter charged with killing D.F. Barnum at Mt. Ida, June 30, 1902, was held before Justice Wheeler at Lancaster last Thursday morning at 10 o'clock, but owing to the fact that Attorney Clark, for the defendant, was unable to appear, hearing was deferred until 1 p.m. of the same day.
District Attorney H. W. Brown conducted the prosecution and Attorneys Taylor and Clark acted for the defendant. Dis't. Att'y Brown read the warrant against Streeter and briefly outlined what the state would try to prove, stating that the confessions of the defendant himself to various people would condemn him. He stated that the investigation was to show whether the blow produced death or in any way contributed to or hastened the deceased's death.
Adam Wehrle was the first witness called to the stand. He stated that he had known Barnum for about fifteen years and described him as a man of about 5 feet and 8 inches in height and weighing about 200 pounds. He last saw Barnum June 30, the latter walking over to where he was mowing grass and talked with him for a quarter of an hour. Wehrle further stated that while he was plowing in the afternoon he heard someone call for water and on looking up saw Barnum and Ab. Graham in the road. He ran over and Barnum breathed audibly a few times and died. Streeter came up afterward in a buggy and Graham went to met him, and Dan got out and said "Oh, grandpa," at sight of Barnum, and also that he supposed he'd have to go to jail. Mr. Wehrle was one of the jurymen and stayed with the body. He stated the wound was a cut on the head about one-half inch long, back of left ear. The body was not moved from the road until taken to the house, and there was no excessive flow of blood from wound until raised from the ground. The witness stated he never knew Barnum to be sick much although he seemed to be childish at times.
Albert Graham, who first came to Barnum’s assistance, was the next witness called. He related how Streeter’s boy ran up and told him of the trouble, and hurriedly started toward the house. He saw Barnum and Mrs. Streeter and children in the road, and while he was coming up the former turned and fell forward in the road. Graham hurried and raised him in a sitting posture, at first thinking the old man had fainted. He called to his boy, who was fixing fence, to go and ’phone for a doctor. Adam Wehrie came up at this time. Barnum gasped two or three times and the witness thought there might have been signs of life for perhaps half an hour, although he could detect no heart beat after a few moments. He was holding Barnum when he saw Dan Streeter come up with a team, and told Wehrie to hold the old man while he went to meet Streeter. The witness said to Streeter, “I guess the old man is gone.� “That’S too bad," Dan answered. “Yes, I guess he’s dead," to which Dan replied, “Suppose I’ll have to go to prison." Graham testified that he did not examine wound closely, but saw blood on neck and arm. Streeter talked, with him awhile and said, "It’s too bad but can’t help it, it’s been done,� and wished a hundred times he could change things back. Graham stated he had known deceased for about thirty years; he had not suffered from any sickness he knew of, but had not done much physical labor for a number of years, and had odd ways at times. He had kept the old man in upright position until the doctor came, wrung his hands and told Mrs. Streeter to get some water with which he wet his face and
lips. He noticed his eyes were closed with the right eye rolled back. The wound he described as about three-fourths of an inch, and that it did not bleed profusely. He held his right arm over the wound and it did not wet through his shirt. When Streeter came up he took his hat off and put it on the old man, spoke to him several times and cried. Someone brought a parasol and Dan held it over him for quite a while, perhaps half an hour, and manifested no anger or ill feeling.
Omar J. Arnold, the next witness, said he had known Barnum for about 45 years, and described him as a broad-shouldered, heavy-bodied man about five and one-half feet high and weighing over 200 and of a muscular build. Witness was first told that Barnum had fallen in a fit, and was about to die. He started for home, when Mr. Place called him out and wanted him to assist at inquest. When he reached the road body was reclining against bank. He made no examination except as a juryman. The wound was a little above the left ear, about an inch in length, the skin being somewhat swollen, perhaps half an inch deep. He felt a sharp edge in wound, something ragged, the skull evidently being injured. The Jury then went to the house to find further evidence, the body being brought to the house. Dan was asked where he fell who said they should ask his wife and she would tell them. Streeter showed where Barnum and himself and wife had stood, Dan and wife being at the northeast corner of house when Barnum threw the rock. He also showed the relative positions when the rock was thrown at Barnum. Barnum’s hat was lying about in the position indicated and the witness noticed a hole in the inside of hat. Streeter also how the old gentleman had accused him of stealing and feeding his oats, which was untrue and had exasperated him. Mr. Arnold had conversation with him the next morning in which Dan wanted to know Arnold’s opinion on the penalty for the deed but made no explanation about what he had done. Witness testified that Barnum was in average health, but had probably had trifling sick spells during the year. He had become quite portly and had to stir around to keep that down. Streeter said when Barnum threw the rock they were perhaps a rod apart and Dan was about two rods away when he threw and stood in front of the door.
Hannum Place declared on the stand that he had been at the schoolhouse reviewing the assessment roll when he was told of the occurrence. He went over and was one of the Jurymen. He made an examination of the wound after being sworn in, finding quite a deep cut considerably above the left ear. He had conversation with Dan, asking him if he would make a statement as to how it happened. Streeter said that Barnum had thrown a rock first, he then throwing back. Dan explained the position of the principals. The witness told the court he had picked up what was supposed to be Barnum’s hat, where it lay, it being crushed somewhat and having a small hole. During a talk with Dan, the latter told him he was willing to go and would serve whatever sentence was given him. Streeter made no resistance. The witness told him that the jury had found him guilty; from the evidence, of striking the blow. Dan acknowledged throwing the rock and admitted the finding of the jury was correct. There was considerable blood on the ear, left hand and face. According to Mr. Place’s observations the wound was about an inch and half long and half an inch deep, cut to the bone, which he could feel. The head had but little hair on it.
G. N. Knox was the next witness called. He stated he had talked with Streeter after the inquest and had taken him home with him and kept him all night at his house and accompanied him to Lancaster the next day. The witness said that Streeter had told him that Barnum had accused him of stealing his oats and that the old man had thrown a rock at him and pointed out the positions when both stones where thrown. Mr. Knox asked Dan how long the old man lain there. Dan said he didn't know, but that Barnum’s hat flew off. On taking Streeter to his home, in the course of a conversation with the witness, Dan said he was sorry it had happened and added, " G__ ____ __, if I’d only have killed him Saturday, I was drunk then, I might have had some show to get out of it, as it is, will have to own up and get out easy as I can.� The witness stated that Dan was evidently under the influence of liquor at the time. The latter told Knox that Barnum was hard to get along with and had exasperated him.
A short recess was here taken after which Donald Streeter, the eleven year old son of the defendant, was called to testify to the occurrence as he had been a witness of it. After he had been sworn in, Dis't. Att’y Brown first advised him of the gravity of giving testimony under oath to which he replied manfully. It was indeed pathetic,the little boy telling between sobs, the pitiful story of the tragedy of which he was a witness. He told how his grandpa, Mr. Barnum, was sitting on the buggy tongue when his father came out to get his coat which was in the buggy, and told Barnum he’d better get out of his way. Barnum said he would. Streeter told Barnum to rent his place to Wehrle if he wanted to and he said he would. The boy’s mother was in the house making the beds and sweeping and tried to get her husband to come into the house, which he refused to do. The father walked toward the northeast corner of the house and struck at his father-in-law. Mrs. Streeter advised the latter to run. Barnum kept on going, followed by Streeter; the former picked up a rock and threw at Dan but did not hit him. Dan then picked up a rock and ran after Barnum1, although Mrs. Streeter tried to keep him back, and hit the old man on the back of the head. The boy thought the rock might have been as big as his double fists. As soon as he was hit Barnum stooped over and then started to walk on up the road. Donald was told to run over and get Ab. Graham, their neighbor. In cross-examining him the defendant’s attorney intimated that the boy bad told a different story to other people before the trial, whereupon the mother, who was in the court room, spoke up, “He has only been told to tell the truth." When shown the hat which had been picked up the boy identified it as belonging to his grandfather.
Dr. A. B. Bailey, who was called to attend the deceased, stated Barnum was dead when he arrived. There was a gash cut in scalp down to skull, about an inch, evidently made by something of a sharp nature, the cut being ragged. There was no other indication of cause of death. When asked by Attorney Brown whether in his opinion the wound either directly caused or hastened death, the doctor stated that indirectly he thought the rock did cause death, but directly it would be impossible for him to say as he was not present at the post mortem examination. Dr. Bailey said that the excitement might have affected the heart but further made no statement.
Dr. Godfrey, who with Dr. Hassell performed the post mortem examination, said that they had found the body reclining and had examined the head, and found the wound about one and one-half inch above and behind the ear, on what was called the lombard suture, and was about an inch long. They couldn’t decide without an examination whether the skull was fractured or not, so the skull cap was removed but found no fracture. They found the skull to be remarkably thick but found no clots under the side of the injury. Godfrey thought the wound might have indirectly caused death, the old man from his, appearance evidently had a weak heart, and the blow would have a depressing effect on the heart. The brain was examined, and no clots or rupture of blood vessels were found. Some of these symptoms would have been discovered if the blow had caused death directly.
Dr. Hassell, who followed on the stand and assisted at the post mortem examination, said the brain of the deceased man was in a normal condition; that they had dissected the scalp and found the skull abnormally thick, but could find no indentation on the outside or reddening within, it being simply a scalp wound. He stated that the fact that Barnum was a large heavy man with a heart in poor condition would be against him and that the shock, which is a sudden check of circulation, might produce death. Quite a suppressed ripple of amusement passed through the court room when the doctor was asked what effect such a
wound would have on a healthy man, when he dryly answered he might feel some soreness for a while and undoubtedly would experience a headache. The fact that the heart was degenerate would make him more susceptible to death.
Dis't. Att’y. Brown stated here that although the state had other witnesses present he did not deem it necessary to have them appear.
After another recess was taken, Attorney Taylor, for the defendant, argued that according the evidence the court could find no grounds to charge the defendant with murder. Justice Wheeler then bound Streeter over to the regular October term of circuit court, on the charge of murder.

From The Fennimore Times, Fennimore, Wisconsin, 29 October 1902: Daniel Streeter appeared before the court and plead guilty to manslaughter in the fourth degree

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