Night Watchman Charles Washington Newsom

Charles Washington Newsom

At approximately 2:00 a.m., Night Watchman Charles W. Newsom was called to the kitchen of the Owl Cafe. Upon arrival in the kitchen, Newsom was stabbed in the neck and shot four times. Newsom died at the scene of the shooting.

Newsom was killed because he had arrested Roger Kesterson a few days earlier on some minor charge and this was the reason he was killed. Carl Norvell was charged and sentenced to 25 years in prison for stabbing Newsom in the neck and almost severing Newsom's head. He was pardoned December 14, 1933. Kern Norvell, a brother of Carl Norvell, shot Newsom four times. Kern Norvell committed suicide before he could be arrested. Roger Kesterson was tried in Mt. Vernon, in Franklin County on a change of venue and was found not guilty.

Charles W. Newsom was survived by his wife Ida and nine children. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Pittsburg, Camp County, Texas.