HALSTEAD- Alexander "Killed by a Mad Bull" Alexander Halstead Meets a Horrible Death His Life stamped Out in a One-sided Conflict with the infuriated Beast. Alexander Halstead, a prominent farmer living on the Pleasant and Jackson township line about six miles northwest of Angola, was killed in a desperate one-sided conflict with a maddened bull in a pasture field on his farm last Saturday noon. The deadly conflict took place about eighty rods from the house and his daughter, Mrs. Elva Kline, was an eye-witness to the tragedy from the house. After a very early breakfast, Mr. Halstead brought his son-in-law, Arthur Kline to Angola, where the latter took the early morning train ……… time to Battle Creek, Mich. ……to the farm, he went at …. To the corn field, adjoining the barnyard, without visiting the house, and spent the forenoon in cutting corn. His exact movements at the time of the tragedy can only be conjectured from indications, but they are probably accurate. It appears that as he was leaving the field for noon, he noticed that the bull, which was a fine three year old Roan Durham weighting 1500 pounds, and dehorned, had wandered away from his cattle into an adjoining field which was connected by a gateway, and selecting a stick about six feet long, he went after the animal. Usually in handling the beast, which was not known to be vicious, Mr. Halstead was accompanied by a Scotch Collie dog, of which the bull was evidently afraid. On this trip, unfortunately he was alone. Nevertheless, he succeeded in driving the bull away from the cows and was half way across the field when the animal turned and charged on him. Three boys, Alfred Burkhalter, George Aldrich and a Fails lad, were swimming in Cheeseborough lake, which adjoins the Halstead farm and they noticed Mr. Halstead when he climbed the fence to the pasture field. They also noticed him as he came over a ridge in the field friving the bull, a short distance from the scene of the conflict, but they were not in a position to see the fight. Mrs. Kline, at the house, heard the bellowing of the infuriated animal, and could see the animal’s wild charges on his victim. She screamed to her mother, who was in the barn, and Mrs. Halstead ran with her utmost speed towards the scene, accompanied by the dog. The boys likewise heard the bellowing of the bull and the sceams of the women and started for the field, reaching the fence ahead of Mrs. Halstead but did not ….enter until Mrs. Halstead had started the dog after the bull. The faithful dog, as if grasping the situation, charged fiercely on the bull, which turned and ran across the field, followed by the dog, which chased him into Grass lake on the other side of the field. When Mrs. Halstead reached her husband, he was unconscious, and probably already dead. She remained with the body while the boys ran for help, and the mangled remains were removed to the house. Dr. W.H. Lane was summoned, but his services were of no avail other than to comfort th ebereaved with the information that the victim’s sufferings had been extremely brief. The body was badly mangled and lacerated, the chest being crushed in by the stamping of the animal, and his face and back were bruised by being dragged and pushed along the ground. The condition of the ground showed that the conflict had covered a range of nearly thirty feet in diameter, the body being found that far from the stick which Mr. Halstead carried, and from the holes which the bull had pawed in the earth. The clothing had been nearly torn from the body and his personal effects were scattered from the pickets. Undertaker Lawrence Klink prepared the remains for burial. Later in the afternoon a half dozen men armed with pitchforks went to the pasture field and drove the bull to the barn and chained him in the stancion. They found the animal still in a vicious condition and very difficult to subdue. Still later in the day John Stayner, the stock buyer, purchased then animal and took him away for shipment. Mr. Halstead was one of the prosperous and progressive farmers of the county, widely known as an upright, industrious citizen, and his death cast a gloom over the community and was a shock as well to his friends throughout the county. Alexander Halstead, son of Stephen and Delilia Halstead, was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, Sept. 13, 1853. He came to Steuben county when about four years of age, and here he grew to manhood and lived all these years. He was united in marriage to Virginia Munger in 1877. She died in the year 1880. In 1884, he was united in marriage to Mary Baker. This union was blessed with two daughters. On July 5, 1909, he obeyed the Lord in baptism and became a member of the Christian church in Angola. He came to his death on September 6, 1913, at the age of 59 years, 11 months and 25 days. His departure is mourned by his wife, two daughters, Mrs. Orpha Bowerman of Branch county, Michigan, and Mrs. Elva Cline of Battle Creek, Mich., also four sisters, Mrs. Millie Jackson, of Kinderhook, Michigan; Mrs. Isabella Cline of Battle Creek, Mich; Mrs. Dorah Morgan, of Metz, Ind., and Mrs. Betsy Kellogg, of Howard City, Michigan, and also three grandchildren. Many friends and neighbors mourn with these sorrowing relatives. Funeral services were held at the home, conducted by his pastor, Elder John R. Golden, and were very largely attended by eighbors and friends, who realized that the community has sustained a great loss in the death of Mr. Halstead. Submitted by Joey Pedigo jepedigo@juno.com