This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: jingleboy1 Surnames: Classification: obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.missouri.counties.jackson/6678.1.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: This is the obit as printed from the Kansas City,Star July 5,1893.Page 2, Murder Follows A Taunt. Phillip Martin,an Ex-Bell Boy at the Mid-land,Plunges a Knife Into Eli Stillwell. A taunting word from a drunken white laborer,a swift stroke from a negro's knife and another murder was done last night.Eli Stillwell a teamster whose home was at 1727 Vine street,was the victim,and Phillip Martin,a young negro until lately a bell boy at the Mid-land hotel,was arrested this morning charged with the crime,after some skillful detective work on the part of William Edwards,a colored policeman. Stillwell and Charles Stewart,his brother-in-law,were celebrating last night and when they started to walk home were drunk.On Eighteenth street near Harrison street Stillwell and Frank Lyle,a negro,collided.Lyle,who is under arrest,says that Stillwell remarked:"Be careful where you go friend." Martin,the negro who was with Lyle said:"It'll be better for you to move on now."With that Lyle says Stillwel replied:"I'll kill the black rascal."and raised his fist to strike.Then the murder was done.Lyle says that Martin struck Stillwell a blow and struck at Stewart,and when the corner was reached he showed a blood stained knife in his hand saying:"I fixed him that time."The knife blade penetrated Stillwell's chest just above the heart,making a surface cut only three-quarters of an inch long,but very deep.Stillwell fell and was taken to a saloon,where Police Surgeon Iuen found him and took him to his home.He died at 1 o'clock this morning.He left a wife and one child.Detectives were put at work on the case,but up to 10 o'clock this morning had no clue to the identity of the negroes.Then Policeman Edwards, who had been quietly working on the case,arrested Lyle,who readily admitted seeing the assault and accused Martin of striking the blow.Martin was found asleep in his roo! m,707 East Nineteenth street.At first he de-nied being with Lyle,but finally admitted that they were together and then accused Lyle of the murder.Lyle is of good reputation and Martin is of a vicious nature.When Martin's house was searched the blood stained knife was found.Coroner Langsdale will hold an inquest to-morrow.By a post mortem examination to-day Coroner Langdale found that the knife had passed between the third and fourth ribs and cut a hole a half inch long in the arch of the aorta.The clotted blood,Dr Langsdale says,ob-structed the flow,or the victim would have died in a few minutes. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.