Daily Democrat, Volume 2, Number 21, Decatur, Adams County, 4 February 1904 — Page 1

VOLUME II

CORONER SCHENK FILES VERDICT

Drastic Drugs Killed Malissie Smitley Sensational Evidence at the Inquest

NO ARREST MADE VET Luther Collins Accused by Witnesses tying Girl Tells Her Sad Story Implicating Her Sister's Husband. Coroner C. H. Schenk has filed his verdict and inquest proceedings in the death of Malissie Smitley, whose sad death occurred Monday. The veridet reads as follows: “L C. H. Schenk, coroner if Adams county, having examined the body of Malissie Smitley and heard the testimony of the witnes--es which said testimony is hereunto attached do hereby find that ■aid deceased came to her death at the home of her parents in Jeffersjn township on the first day of February 1904 from the effects of -"me drastic purgative drug taken or administered for the purpose ot producing abortion. The said de eased being a female of the age of nineteen years, seven months and fourteen days. Bhe was five feet, -even inches in height, black hair, hrown eyes, dark complexion. Signed, C. H. Schenk, Coroner. To this regular form is attached the evidence of sever! witnesses: DR. K. 8. WILSON. thirst asked to prescribe for Maliissio Smitley January 3ft, found her suffering from terrible drug effects, loft medicine and directions for giving same with her nurse, Mr. Clark: was called liack by telephone about 9:30 p. tn. same day, reached there at 11:40, found her purging and prostrated, the nurse telling me that there had been something given her by Mr. Collins. 1 told patient ami friends that she was poisoned and would die within thirty.six hours. Bhe refused to allaw me to make examinaton. Saw her next afternoon condition worse, made examinaton. found her preg nant about three months. She admitted it, and snid that she had

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taken something to procure abortion. I asked her who done it and she said “LUTE.” I asked her who Lute was and she said “LUTE COLLINS.” Saw her no more alive, refused to sign death certificate th us forcing them to call the coroner. The nurse told me when I was there that at one time Mr. Collins went into the room, raised the girl up in upright position and gave her something contrary to my orders. Mr. Collins said it was pop Other statements were made to me but I don't want to divulge them unless compelled to do so. ” W. A. CLARK. Nursed Malissie, she was sick two days, first noticed her illness Friday evening. On Sunday she told me her condition and that Luther was responsible Collins came to her room Saturday night and gave patient what he said was pop. She was very sick Sunday and died at two o’clock Monday morning. MRS. VIRGINIA SMITLEY. Mother of deceased girl, Malissie had been at home most of winter, I did not know that she was pregnant, took sick Friday, complained of camps, does not know of deceased taking any medicine before. MRS. BERTHA FORE JAN. Sister of deceased girl, she was sick three days. She told me of her condition and said Luther Collins was responsible. She did not tell me she had taken any medicine. Following this evidence is a post mortem statement of Drs. R S. Wilson and E. Franz, giving her exact conditionand sayingthatdeath in their opinion was caused by a drug given her for abortion. Sheirff Butler and Prosecutor Moran returned from Berne last evening. No one has yet filed an affidavit and until this is done no arrest can be made until an indictment is returned by the grand jury. It is believed that some one will file the papers within a day or two. CLAIMS INNOCENCE. Luther < 'ollins. the accused man, and who is the husband of the demised girls sister stoutly proclaims Ins innocence and says he cun prove same. He telephoned the officers here from I'hatanoogu this morning saying ho was not guilty ami that whenever he was wanted he would come to Decatur and give himself up, without a requisition or any other unnecessary trouble.

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 4, 1904.

A PECULIAR CASE. Ihe occurrence has some strange incidents attached to it and proves that some one has seemed determined to wreck the life of Malissie Smitley. This is the third time within three years that she had been pregnant and she charged her brother-in-law on her death bed and at other times, as the cause of her ruin. She leaves a child two years old and had previously suffered a miscarriage. Still Luther Collins proclaims his innocense and there are some who think that he may be the victim of some other mans perfidy. WAS ACQUITTED Clyde Webb Arrested at Fort Wayne Charged With Stealing a Suit of Clothes But Evidence Was Insufficient. Marshal Cordua arrived today from Fort Wayne with Clyde Webb whom he had caused to be arrested there yesterday on the charge of stealing suit of clothes from Mr Hale a young man who is employed as time keeper for A. Tubman on the interurban railway. The police at Fort Wayne arrested the young man who denied the charge flatly, stating however that In- hadstopjx d | tight here some time ago and was fined on charge of assault and hitI tery preferred by the comlatants whom he seperated, and further i said that some jx-ople in Decatur I had it in for him, and that this trouble may l>e accounted for in that way. The police at once telephon ed Marshal Cordua who left this I morning. He was taken before Squire Smith and pleaded not guilty and was discharged. He will re turn to Fort Wanye this evening. IS BETTER Senator Hannah's Illness Not Dangerous Dr. Brewer, of New York, Savs He Will Be Well in a Few Days. S«uil»l IZ>T»I.< Dallj Democrat Washington, D. (’..Feb., I—Sena tor Marcus Hanna who has Ix'on quite sick for several days is some what better today. Dr. George Brewer of New York who was tele graphed for by Mrs. Hanna arrived today and at one<« held a eonsnltu tion with the three at tending physicins. A bulltein was then issued sying: ‘'Tin- Senator is not in great danger and will probably be well in a ft w days.”

FAILED TO CONTRACT Geneva Will Have to Wait for Electric Lights. The council meeting last Tuesday night developed nothing new except that the franchise recently granted for installing an electric light plant was not accepted by the parties to whom it was granted. The gentlemen did not even put in an appearance before that Honorable body to give reasons for remaining silent on this important matter; so it is presumed that the affair is dropped for the present. At least the Board is now considering putting in a sewerage system and expect to take definite action soon. —Geneva Herald. OUT IN STORM Dr. Earl Coverdale lias Trying Experience Thrown From Sleigh and Forced to Take Shelter at Home of Charles Bohnke Dr. Earl G. Coverdale had a terrible experience Tuesday nisht during the blizzard. He left the city on Tuesday afternoon at one thirty to answer a few calls north east of the city, about twelve miles driving to William M Fuellings and William Christianer’s. He prescribed for the sick there and about five or six o’clock proceeded to wend his way to the city again. He was making very slow progress, driving right in the teeth of the gale, and his horse was becoming leg weary very fast, and the doctor was also in a very weary condition. While thus driving along the horse stumbled and threw the doctor out of his sleigh drugging him at least fifty feet. He at last regained bis feet and after attending to the horse as he could* he left it stand and started to look for help and at lust, almost exhausted, he staggered up to the door of < 'haales Bohnke and made his wants known. Charles welcomed him, went out and got his horse and fed and sheltered both until morning, when the doctor again started home ar riving here at 9 o’clock Wednesday morning. During this time how ever, Earl’s father became worried and telephoned to Mr J Fuelling who stated that he had started for home, but said he would start a hunt for him, which he did, tracing him to Bohnke’s while Clark : Coverdale and Dr. Canada started on the same purpose from here. Earl says it was an awful experience and one which he has no desire to pass through again, and he can hardly get over praising Mr. Bohnke for the kindness and srevice he rendered him. A NEW FIRM Atz & Steele Will Go After a Share of the Business. Jacob Atz. tht> well known harness and buggy dealer who ha« been in business on North Second street for several years has sold a hulf interest to Charles Steele, the new firm being known ! as Atz <X- Steele. Both are thorough business men and will take an earnest effort fii secure their share of the business of this community. They will increase thier stock of buggies, carriages and harness and will also put in stock a complete line of farming impliinents. They will handle the highest grade of goods and will appreciate a share of anyone’s patronage.

DYNAMITERS MAKE BOAST Men Claiming This Their Former Home

WHO ARE THEY? Brag of Their Acts Which Brand Them as Outlaws Sheriff Butler Receives an Inquiry From an Official in Far West. Sheriff Butler has received the following letter which is self explanatory: Malaga. Chelan County, Wash., Jan. 27, 1904. To the Sheriff of Adams County, Ind. Dear Sir:— I wish to inquire through you about the reputation of a family

HOW HE RETURNED Rev. Hinshaw Re-Entered Prison Smiling Received Cordially bv Officials and Prisoners Who Have Learned to Love Him. * With a smiling eontenance and cheerful salutation Rev. William E. Hinshaw Saturday night ended his 60 days of unattended liberty under parole, when at 9:15, the noon train on which he traveled from Indiana|K>iis being delayed, he opened the prison door and briskly walked up to the clerk’s ■ window to report his return, says i the Michigan City News. Chief Clerk W. A. Garner and rhe attend ants present gave him a cordial reception and congratulated him on his appearance of excellent i health. Because of the uncertainty [of the belated train neithet Warden D. Reid nor Chaplain fl. L. Henderson was in the office to greet the returned prisoner, though the former called on him a short time later and chatted with him very pleas antly for a few minutes. From the reception hall Rev. Hinshaw was passed into the iron cage where, after a warm hand shake with each >f the half dozen guards on duty there, he was changed from a free man to a convict and sent to his old cell. It was all very simple and exceedingly pathetic. The two months of unhindered free doni were very- sweet to him, he said, and it was u heavy cross to leave his aged mother at a time when her life is npjiurcntly with in u few davs of its close: hut he bravely bore the long afternoon’s J journey alone and made his way 1 from the station to the prison unattended, and the confidence repos I <»d in him by the parole lioard was | in no wise vioalted.

NUMBER 21

by the name of Gulic. I havw never seen their name written They came here in the spring of" 1902. The father came sometime in February of that year. There were father, mother, two sons and five daughters, and four sons-in law. The father is a short strong, small man, and a devout, seven day advent church man outwardly. The two sons, Samuel and Eley act the ou-law; and boast of their ex - ploit in Indiana. One of their select acts was the dynamiting a railroad station. Traveled nights in carriages in pairs, and fooled, the officers of the law by crossing the State line to avoid arrest, etc., etc. Some of their acts here, are evi dence that they tell the truth. If there is anything they are wanted for in your bailwick we will aid you as far as our knowledge of facts arc concerned, with pleasure, and ant willing to invest a few dollars to know their history. Their post office address was Decatur. Hoping to hear from yon, I remain Yours Truly Elias Marble. Sheriff Butler knows nothing of the family and we have been unable to ascertain any facts to corrobo - rate their stories. Any informa - tion should be forwarded to Mr. Butler. IS SLOW WORK Yel Drillers in Adams County Field Keep at It. Last week was the worst yet exfierienced in the oil fields of Indi - ana and Ohio. Thousands of wells are shut in, owing te the high waters and ice. The extreme weather of the lust few days has . been very much against the oil industry in this section of the state, yet the cold weather record for new work continues to hold a place in advance of any previous year since the first days of the field The second well on the A. Ralston farm at New Corydon was shot and will start at 7 barrels. One of the nicsst little clusters of new rigs in the whole field is situated in territory two miles south of Linn Grove, where three wildcat wells are being drilled on adjoining leases—the Fred Gerber, Noah Beberstine and Fred Dubach farms. With th., opening of spring the work in In dutna will naturally be greater than in northwestern Ohio, owing to the large scope of undeveloped ter ritory.—Berne News. STILL IN RING “Immortal J. N.” Addresses Ohio Statesmen. The immortal J. N. delivered a speixih in the house of Represents fives at. < ’olnmbus. yesterday. The eccentric old man, nnkept, ragged us a vagabond, strolled into the house after the session and was applanded. < lerk Duly led the old fellow to the siwaker’s desk, and. assuming an oratorical pose ho launched into a fiery discussion of th(> civil war and the doings of the the nation's heroes. With th” : weight of nearly eighty years upon him, broken in health from ex pesnre, his long white hair flowing about his shoulders, hut. with eyes dark unit piercing, and wildly, gestulating, J N." went out lialbling about another speech, the page boys catching his coat tails and hooting at Ins heels.