Judge John P Newman
Kentucky Post, Friday, 1 January 1904, page 1
John P Newman, for years Mayor of Bellevue, for two years State Senator from Campbell County, for six years Commonwealth Attorney, and at the last November election elected Circuit Judge as the Democratic standard bearer, passed away at 3:45 am on New Year's Eve at his home, 308 Eighth Avenue, Dayton, surrounded by all the members of his family. Pulmonary hemorrhage was the immediate cause of death.
Newman retired early Thursday night and sank into a profound slumber, from which he was aroused at 3 am by a coughing spell followed by a hemorrhage. The family sent calls to Dr. Rachford and Dr. Shaler Berry, who had been in attendance but before Dr. Berry arrived the Judge elect expired. He did not even have a time to say a few words of farewell to his grief stricken family.
The dead leader was born in Massachusetts in 1851 and had lived in Campbell County since 1873. He studied law at the Cincinnati Law School from which he graduated. He always took an active interest in politics being a man naturally popular with the voters and his career presented an unbroken series of successes from the time he was elected Mayor of Bellevue to his election last November. Judge Newman was prominent in the order of the Elks and was the first Exalted Ruler of Newport Lodge No 273. He attended many Grand Lodge sessions of that order and was recognized as a leader and proposed many interesting features in these sessions. The Newport Lodge will take action on his death at a special meeting Saturday night. He was also a prominent Mason and a member of the lodge in Dayton Ky.
Col. George Washington, who was Chairman of the State constitutional convention, when informed by the Post that his friend was dead, expressed great sorrow and said. "All that is necessary is to officially inform the Governor of the death of Judge Newman. There will be a vacancy on next Monday which the Governor will have to fill. Newman had received his commission and had qualified and on Monday would have been entitled to take his seat.
Newman leaves a widow and one daughter, Miss Stella Newman, 16. The funeral will take place Sunday.
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Kentucky Post, Saturday, 2 January 1904, page 1
The death of Circuit Judge elect John P Newman at his home in Dayton early Friday morning cast a profound gloom in many political circles in Newport and Campbell County New Years Day and in all circles, regardless of politics, the deepest sympathy was manifested for the stricken wife and daughter. Newman took umbrage at reports in the Post setting forth his serious condition and in an interview accorded a Post man said:
"Please cut out these reports. They are started by political enemies of mine, who fool your men so as to secure publications that will alarm by friends. I am all right. I just have a heavy cold and am remaining in the house, so as to make my recovery sure. I will go on the bench Jan 4."
The funeral will take place Sunday afternoon at 1 pm from the Presbyterian Church, Rev J N Ervin officiating. Interment will be in Spring Grove Cemetery. The pallbearers will be selected from the members of the bar and of the fraternal orders to which the deceased belonged.
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Cincinnati Enquirer, Sunday, 3 January 1904, page 6
The death of Circuit Judge John P Newman cast a profound gloom
over Campbell County people and especially the residents of Newport, Bellevue
and Dayton.
Yesterday afternoon, in response to the request of hundreds of his friends, the dead jurist's widow decided to allow the body to lie in state in the Circuit Court room this morning from 9 o'clock until the noon hours. The remains, incased in a beautiful black broadcloth casket, will be brought to Newport by Funeral Director Costigan, so that all may get a chance to pay a last tribute of respect to the man they loved.
Last night the casket was hidden from sight by a wealth of beautiful flowers and today there will be hundreds more taken to the home in Dayton. Mrs. Newman has determined to have the body laid to rest at Evergreen instead of Spring Grove Cemetery, as was at first intended.
At the conclusion of the regular business of the Campbell County Court yesterday, the Bar Association went into session to take suitable action on Judge Newman's death. Attorney T P Carothers acted as chairman and Circuit Clerk Reuscher as Secretary. it was decided that the members of the bar will meet at the Courthouse today at 12:15 pm to go to Dayton and attend the services. Upon the motion of Mr. Yougblut the Circuit Court rostrum will be draped in mourning for 30 days. The following honorary pallbearers were names: County Attorney Charles Youngblut; Matt Herold, George Washington, A T Root, John Schroll, James C Wright, Thomas Healey and Prosecuting Attorney W A Burkamp, Clerk Reuscher was directed to invite the members of the Kenton County Bar Association to attend the funeral. The chair appointed the following committees; On Arrangements, H C Dumont, M R Lockhart and Lucius Desha; on Floral Pieces, Ramsey Washington, Charles Youngblut and Harry Gunkel.
Colonel A S Berry and Attorney T B Michie have been selected as pallbearers representing the family; Joseph Knecht and George Bishop, representing Newport Lodge of Elks and C A Bird and T A Casey, representing the Masons. Newport Lodge of Elks at a special meeting held last night, made the following arrangements for the funeral:
At 11 am the Elks will hold services in the Circuit Court room. At 2 pm the members of the lodge will meet at their hall and march to the Bellevue corporation line, where they will meet the remains as the funeral cortege comes from Dayton and will escort the body through Newport to the head of Monmouth street.
The guard of honor will consist of Messrs. W H Newell, John Waterhouse, H Rentz, W J Davis, W S Heckel, George Lieberth, H M Benton, H Janssen, Ben Wewer, James Gilson, C L Raison, John Thornton, George Bishop and E C Rentz. The honorary pallbearers will be Joseph Knecht and George Lieberth. The Committee on Resolutions consists of C L Raison, H M Benton and W S Heckel. The pallbearers will meet at the Courthouse at noon.
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Kentucky Post, Monday, 4 January 1904, page 5
The services over the remains of Judge John P Newman Sunday morning and afternoon in Newport were very impressive. The remains were lying in state in the Circuit Courtroom during the morning until 2:30 when they were taken to the Presbyterian Church in Dayton. The Newport Lodge of Elks had charge of the remains in the morning and a guard of honor was posted in the courthouse, while a guard of police in full uniform was stationed throughout the place. Thousands of people viewed the remains in the courthouse.
At 11 am the Elks held their services assisted by Bellevue Lodge and members from Covington and Cincinnati. The pallbearers were A S Berry and Thomas B Michie of the Campbell County Bar Association; George Bishop and E C Remme, of Newport Lodge of Elks and Charles A Bird and T A Casey of Henry Barnes Lodge F and A M of Dayton Ky.
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Kentucky Post, Thursday, 5 May 1904, page 5
The remains of the lamented Judge John P Newman will be taken from the vault and buried in the family lot at Evergreen Cemetery Thursday at 3 pm. A number of Elks and friends arranged to be present. The body of Judge John P Newman, of the Circuit Court, of Bellevue, was Thursday consigned to the grave from the Evergreen Cemetery vault. Judge Berry and many members of the Campbell County Bar, besides a large delegation from Newport Lodge, BPO Elks, were present.