Thursday, June 26, 2008

Lyle Breyfogle; shot to death

Young Man Shot at Vienna, Defending Name Girlfriend
Condition said to be serious at hospital here---Assailant is Held at Clark
Lyle Breyfogle, a returned soldier was shot by Fred Portwood and dangerously wounded on the streets of Vienna last night. Rushed to the Luther hospital in Watertown and operation has been performed in an effort to save his life, but attending physicians stated the wound is one that may prove fatal. the bullet from a .32 calibre revolver entered just below his heart, tore a large hole in his stomach and lodged there, surgeons said.
Portwood, caught in the hotel at Vienna a few minutes after the shooting, is being held in the county jail at Clark while States Attorney Logan Berry of Clark county, awaits developments in Breyfogle's condition before preferring charges.
MURDER CHARGE TO FOLLOW DEATH OF LYLE BREYFOGLE
Victim of Shooting at Vienna Dies in Hospital in Watertown
Fred Portwood, the young man arrested in Vienna Friday night following the shooting of Lyle Breyfogle in a street argument, will be charged with murder in the first degree. Breyfogle, who was rushed to the Luther Hospital in Watertown for an operation in an effort to save his life, died of theound early Sunday morning.
States Attn Logan Berry stated this morning that he would bring the charge of murder against Portwood today. Over the long distance telephone this afternoon, however, he stated that he intended to go to Vienna to secure further information before starting proceedings. He said he would drive to Vienna this afternoon and intended to file the murder charge tomorrow.
States Attny Berry said there have been no new developments in the case since the death of Breyfogle yesterday, upon whose recovery or death hinged the action the prosecution intended to take. He said it still appears that the shooting was the result of Breyfogle's threat to attack Portwood on account of remarks the latter made about a girl. The states attorney said Breyfogle and the girl, Miss Mary Flemming, a daughter of one of the prominent and most respected families of Vienna, were engaged to be married.
It is understood that Portwood intends to fight the charge of murder. Although he readily admitted the shooting following his arrest at Vienna, he will claim that he was forced to do in in self defense in his attempt to free himself of conviction of murder.
Breyfogle, who is a returned solider, lost strength rapidly following the operation, which failed to remove the .32 calibre bullet which had wounded him. Entering just below his heart, the bullet tore a large wound in his stomach.
His brother, M. C. Breyfogle, was with him until death. He had no statement to make, however, saying that he knew nothing about the shooting as he was not near the scene when it occurred.
The body of Mr. Breyfogle will be shipped on the Minneapolis and St. Louise eastbound passenger to the boy's home in Manchester IA this evening. It will be accompanied by the brother and Mrs. Minnie Whitman of this city, an aunt. He leaves a cousin, Mrs. Harry Hoff in this city, and is survived by his parents and a sister at Manchester. An uncle, William Ball, resides at Bryant.
Mrs. Whitman said he has been working in the harvest fields near Vienna following his discharge from the service and states that he was engaged to marry the girl, Miss Mary Flemming, whose name he was attempting to defend when he was shot.
No dates available on this clipping, found in old scrapbook...Clark County SD newspaper

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