1
 
                                      FILED PURSUANT TO RULE NO. 424(B)(3)
                                      REG. NO. 333-47261
 
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT NO. 8
(TO THE PROSPECTUS DATED MAY 14, 1998)
 
                        10,000,000 PREFERRED SECURITIES
 
NEWELL LOGO                 NEWELL FINANCIAL TRUST I
            5 1/4% CONVERTIBLE QUARTERLY INCOME PREFERRED SECURITIES
                      (CONVERTIBLE QUIPS(SM)* SECURITIES)
              (LIQUIDATION PREFERENCE $50 PER PREFERRED SECURITY)
   GUARANTEED TO THE EXTENT SET FORTH IN THE PROSPECTUS REFERENCED HEREIN BY,
                     AND CONVERTIBLE INTO COMMON STOCK OF,
 
                                   NEWELL CO.
                            ------------------------
 
     This Prospectus Supplement No. 8 supplements and amends the Prospectus
dated May 14, 1998, as it has previously been supplemented by Prospectus
Supplements dated June 5, 1998, June 25, 1998, July 13, 1998, July 23, 1998,
August 12, 1998, September 8, 1998, and October 8, 1998. The initial May 14,
1998 Prospectus and all eight Prospectus Supplements constitute the current
Prospectus.
 
     The Prospectus relates to: (1) the 5 1/4% Convertible Quarterly Income
Preferred Securities (The Preferred Securities represent preferred undivided
beneficial ownership interests in the assets of Newell Financial Trust I.); and
(2) the shares of common stock of Newell Co. that may be issued on conversion of
the Preferred Securities.
 
     The Selling Holder Table in the Prospectus is amended so that the following
line items read as follows:
 


                                                                                          SHARES OF COMPANY
                                                                       NUMBER OF             COMMON STOCK
                                                                  PREFERRED SECURITIES      ISSUABLE UPON
                                                                       OWNED AND            CONVERSION OF
                        NAME OF SELLING HOLDER                       OFFERED HEREBY      PREFERRED SECURITIES
                        ----------------------                    --------------------   --------------------
                                                                                
      Total.....................................................       9,732,874              9,601,406
Additionally, the following new line items are hereby added to the Selling Holder Table:
197.  CPR USA, Inc. ............................................           7,500                  7,398
198.  Libertyview Fund L.L.C. ..................................           1,500                  1,479
199.  Libertyview Plus Fund.....................................           6,000                  5,919
200.  National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh...........          14,000                 13,811
201.  One Group Income Equity Fund..............................          70,000                 69,055
202.  Prudential Securities Inc. ...............................          27,200                 26,832

 
     SEE "RISK FACTORS" BEGINNING ON PAGE 6 OF THE PROSPECTUS FOR A DISCUSSION
OF CERTAIN FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN CONNECTION WITH AN INVESTMENT IN THE
OFFERED SECURITIES.
                            ------------------------
 
     THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION AND STATE SECURITIES REGULATORS HAVE
NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES, OR DETERMINED IF THIS PROSPECTUS
SUPPLEMENT OR THE ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
                            ------------------------
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* QUIPS is a servicemark of Goldman, Sachs & Co.
                            ------------------------
 
          The date of this Prospectus Supplement is November 6, 1998.