Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 May 1886 — Page 3

DEATH’S DREAD SWOOP.

A Hurricane, with Bain and Hail, Results in Devastation at Kansas City. Twelve Children Killed in a Falling School Building and Many Others Injured. Several Structures Wrecked, the Total Loss of Life Beaching Twenty — Fearful Scenes. A cyclone struck Kansas City shortly before noon on Tuesday, the 11th inst., carrying away the upper floors of the courthouse, the Lathrop School, an overall factory on Second street, and a span at the north end of the Missouri River Bridge. Among the score or more persons who lost their lives were Deputy Sheriff Dougherty, Frank Smith, and twelve children of the Lathrop School. None of the prisoners in the jail were injured. The pecuniary losses are estimated at $200,000, a portion of which is covered by storm insurance. From the dispatches to the daily press we glean the following particulars of the disaster: About 10:30 ominous storm clouds began gathering over the city. They first appeared in the northeast, and, surging westward, turned suddenly in their course, and. descending rapidly, broke upon the city in terrific bursts of wind and rain that swept all lighter objects before them. The darkness was almost likfe night, and people fled to the nearest shelter to await with blanched faces the fury of the tempest. The clouds seemed to graze the roofs of the highest buildings, and poured out their torrents of water in apparently solid masses for a time. The storm struck the city in full force about 11:23, and raged for half an hour. -The streets were running rivers of water, carrying boxes and signs, and other similar freight, blown from the buildings or swept by the flood. A number of buildings were overturned, and in numerous instances drivers abandoned their horses to their fate and sought refuge in stores and houses. Some hail accompanied the storm, but the fall was not great, otherwise the loss to property would have been enormous from water streaming in at broken windows. As it was, windows in quite a large number of buildings were blown in and goods and furniture were water-soaked. All this, however, proved entirely insignificant when the full extent of the disaster wrought by the storm became known. The Lathrop school building occupied a prominent site at the corner of Eighth and May streets. It consisted of a main building, to which an art wing had been added. The building was surmounted by a tower, which for some time had been considered unsafe. It had been twice condemned, once within a few weeks, but no action had been taken in the matter. The building was crowded with children, many of whom went nearly frantic with grief over the appalling darkness and the stillness which preceded the tempest. The wind swept midway across Broadway from the west, and seemed to concentrate its force in a desent upon the tower, which yielded with a crash, and, carrying down the heavy bell, plung'd through the intervening floors to the basement. The main building is a mass of ruins within shattered walls, which will stand: The wing was comparatively uninjured, and the scholars in it were not hurt. In the main building, however, the effect was awful. The falling floors precipitated the terrified children to the basement, where masses of bricks and beams crushed them to the ground and buried them from view. Persons near, hearing the crash, made their way as best they could against the beating ■storm to the scene. The gale quickly subsided, and the work of rescuing was undertaken by eager hands. Owing to the prevailing excitement, the first work was not very effective, but the fire department and police soon arrived, and tin organized search was commenced. The dead and wounded were taken out as quickly as possible and carried to the natatorium adjoining. which was turned into a hospital. Here the parents and iriends of the little ones soon gathered, each searching for his own, and uttering heartrending cries as they recognized in the maimed and bleeding forms those whom they loved. Among the first taken out were several dead and one or two mangled almost beyond recognition, their clothing tom and their bodies covered with dust nnd mortar, the deathly pallor of the skin showing in painful contrast against grime and blood stains. Many heroic scenes were enacted during the rescue, and the wounded children seemed often to have greater control of themselves than their elders. One little girl, half buried in the debris, over whom the rescuers were busy, begged them to leave her and help a boy beside her, because, she said, he was only five years old. The scenes in the natatorium as the little ones were brought in and laid upon improvised cots, the dead placed together upon one side, were pitiful beyond expression. A dozen dead were taken out during the day and their bodies sent to the houses of sorrowing families At 110 West Third street stood a three-story brick building in the middle of the block, the "third floor of which was used as an overalls factory, conducted by Haar Bros.; the first and second floors by the Graham Paper Company. In the factory were about twenty-five employes, ■chiefly girls. When the storm broke out they started for the cellar. The building fell with a crash, being razed entirely to the earth, and most of the affrighted girls were caught in the ruins. Seven have been taken out dead, a number of others are wounded, and some are still missing. A force of laborers is busy there tonight by the flickering lantern lights, upturning confused masses of bricks and timbers. The County Court House stands at Second and Main streets, on the hill, exposed to winds from the north and west. The building was erected nearly twenty years ago for hotel purposes, but when completed was purchased by the county for 8200,000 and converted into a court house. The building has always been considered rather unsafe, and the roof has frequently suffered injury from high winds. The storm struck the northwest corner, blowing in the roof and the greater portion of the wall of the third and fourth stories. The south wall, at the east end, was blown into the street ana Deputy Sheriff Dougherty was caught and killed. All others succeeded in getting out of the building alive. The jail is located in the basement of the building, and that portion escaped injury. . The prisoners were wildly alarmed, but became quiet when the ■ crash had passed and they found themselves unhurt. Judge Stover had been holding court •on the third floor and had adjourned just before the storm descended. A portion of the roof in falling struck the chair the Judge had just vo■cated. Across the street, on the northwest corner of Second and Main streets, stood a two-story brick building erected in 1860 by the Santa Ee Stage Company, one of the oldest buildings in the city, from which the stages formerly were started across the plains in the stage-coaching days. The building has of late years been occupied by the United States Engineers. Adjoining that on the west was a three-story brick -coffee and spice mill, owned by Smith & Moffatt. This building was demolished, and, falling over upon the adjoining one. wrecked it also completely. Frank Smith, the senior partner of the firm, was taken bleeding from the ruins and died in a short time. Mr. Moffatt was badly hurt, and three employes were taken out badly bruised, The debris is being removed to-night in search for any who may yet be buried beneath. The second span from the north end of the bridge across the Missouri, opposite the city, was blown into the river, the piers being left apparently uninjured. A great number of telegraph wires were carried down with the broken span. Workmen are busy to-night raising wires froni the wreck, and it is hoped that communication in that direction will be restored by to-morrow morning. The bridge is owned by the Hannibal and St. Joseph Company, and is used by that road, the Wabash, the Rock Island, and Kansas City, St. Joseph and Council Bluffs.

Before the introduction of stamped money all sums were reckoned by the pound weight, and not by the number of pieces.

RAIN’S RAVAGES.

A Flood in Shawnee Creek Causes a Terrible Disaster at Xenia, Ohio. A Total Loss of Life Estimated at Nearly Thirty—Much Destruction of Property. A cloud-burst at Xenia, Ohio, on the night of Wednesday, the 13th inst., speedily filled all streams in the vicinity, and the water, laden with logs, rushing into a railway culvert, quickly formed a dam of huge dimensions, which was burst by the pressure of the water. The flood, when released, swept through the town, carrying off everything in its path. In some instances whole families were drowned. The number drowned or missing is placed at twenty-sevGn, while the loss to property will reach SIOO,OOO. A Xenia dispatch gives the following details of the terrible affair: It seemed as if a waterspout had burst over the place, the streets and alleys running full like rivers, and with a powerful current, carrying everything before it. The point of danger that threatened to engulf the city and afterward did prove to be the source of wholesale drowning of the people and destruction of prop-' erty was Archer Creek, a small stream that runs through the town and into a culvert under the Pan Handle Railway depot. This stream became so greatly swollen on account of the heavy rain that the culver* was taxed to its utmost to give the wate; vent, and driftwood began coming down the swollen stream and was caught at the culvert until a great dam was formed. A number of citizens, perceiving the danger that threatened them, went out in the storm and worked earnestly to dislodge the timber and drift, but the force of the current was such that they became jammed in so tightly that it was impossible to dislodge them. The water backed up and soon overflowed its barriers and formed a mighty reservoir. In a short time the embankment gave way under the pressure, and the huge volume of water that stretched out like a sea broke over with a sullen roar and ran like a mill-race thrpugh the streets of the city, tearing down trees and washing away houses, in its mad flight of destruction. The cries of the people in the flooded district were awful to hear. Many acts of heroism in saving the drowning are reported. Bonfires were lighted and the people worked all night. Twenty bodies were recovered and there are still a number missing. Whole families perished in the flood ed districts. There was greait damage tc property all round in the country, and thf extent of damage cannot now be even approximated. The people residing in quarters not covered by the flood made up rescuing parties and by the hundreds ran to the scene oi desolation and death. The storm in the meantime raged with unparalleled fury, anc persons out on missions of mercy en deavoring to save the unfortunate were al most carried oft their, feet by the wile sweep of the rain and wind. The work of finding the bodies was prosecuted all night. The Mayor’s office was turned into a morgue, and twenty-twe bodies were conveyed there. The scenes were heartrending. The loss of houses is placed at sixtyeight, and it is believed the death-list wil’ reach thirty. Appeals for aid have been sent out by the authorities, and donations are asked for in behalf of the stricken people. The great majority of those thrown out of their homes were poor people, and aid is earnestly asked in their behalf.

STORM-DAMAGE ELSEWHERE.

Wreck and Ruin in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. The storm which did such fearful work at Xenia was far-reaching, extending throughout Northern and Central Illinois, Central Indiana, and Central Ohio. The winds blew' a hurricane and the rain fell in torrents, flooding streams, and* washing away bridges, culverts, and farm fences. At Dayton. Ohio, the raiqfall measured four and a half inches in three hours. If is roughly estimated that the damage tc property in Ohio alone will reach $500,000. Many of the railroads were seriously crippled by washouts. Indiana suffered severely’ from this phenomenal meteorological disturbance. At Kempton many houses were partially wrecked, one man killed, and several wounded. At Wilkinson the storm blew down all the buildings in town except three. Samuel White was killed, and his wife was fatally injured. A boy named Shaffer was also killed, and about twenty persons seriously hurt, several of whom will die. At Lafayette the Court House and the Roman Catholic and German Methodist Churches were badly damaged, two large carpenter shops burned to the ground by the lightning, and numbers of smaller buildings demolished. At Attica the buildings of the Attica Milling Company, the Revere House, t&e Hess and Harvey Carriage Factory, the depot, and nearly a hundred dwellings and smaller business houses were destroyed. Over 700 people are homeless, four were killed outright and two more fatally injured, while a large number are seriously hurt. The aggregate losses at Attica will be in the neighborhood of $200,000. Seventy buildings were hit hard, being half demolished or entirely annihilated. One of the many losses at Attica will be of valuable shade trees, the district swept over being almost entirely devastated in this respect. At Williamsport several houses were wrecked, two persons killed, and a number badly injured. At Logansport property was damaged to the amount of SIO,OOO. In the vicinity of Richmond houses and barns were wrecked, whole woods ruined, some stock killed, and one barn destroyed by lightning. Reports from Tipton, Taylor's, Monon, and intermediate points show great loss of property, live stock, nnd crops. Many persons are reported injured from all points, and it seems miraculous that the loss of life was so small. The Wabash River inundated the crops along its valley and ruined them. In Illinois the storm was not so violent, though much damage was inflicted in certain sections. Near East Lynn, Rossville, and Potomac a number of houses were demolished and five persons killed. The country was deluged by the tremendous rainfall. The damage by the storm in Jo Daviess County will exceed $20,000. Buildings were unroofed, glass broken, and fences leveled. Several houses were wrecked in the vicinity of Jacksonville, and two or three people seriously injured.

HOWLING HURRICANES.

Several Town? in Illinois and Indiana Partially Wrecked by Cyclones—Loss of Life and Property. A terrible hurricane accompanied by lightning and sheets of rain struck the town of Odell, 111., eighty-one miles south of Chicago, on the afternoon of Wednesday, the 12th inst., causing loss of life and great destruction of property. The northbound Chicago and Alton train encountered the storm some miles southwest of Odell, but did not experience its full force until that place was reached. As the train pulled into the station a shower of boards struck the engine and tender, a large shed on the right of the track having been demolished and its wreck sent whirling over the prairie. On the left of the station a livery stable with an adjoining shed full of horses, carriages, and farmers’ teams was totally wrecked. The large brick store of S. S. Cole was laid in ruins and four children buried beneath it—the daughters of John Miller. As the store went down, broken bricks, fragments of mortar, and pieces of timbers were whirled through the air and dashed against the sides of the cars, breaking the windows and creating a wild degree of terror among the passengers. As soon as the tempest lulled sufficiently many of the passengers jumped from the train and made a hasty exploration of the ruins. Efforts were made to clear the debris from the Cole building, and the children were rescued. Three were seriously hurt, but will survive, and the others miraculously escaped injury. The searchers then proceeded with their work, assisted by the calmer of the citizens, but for the most part the residents seemed crazed by the calamity and stood about the streets gazing at the wreck of their property and wailing in a distressing manner. Altogether about seven persons sustained serious injuries, of whom those likely to die are: Lottie Zwifle, a ten-year-old girl, who was carried over 200 feet in the air and fell on the railroad track, smashing her skull. George and Charles Hoke, liverymen. S. S. Cole, hardware merchant. The view presented to the eyes of the passengers as they looked about the town was startling. Every portion of the village showed traces of the wide-spread wreck wrought by the storm. It demolished one brick block, wrecked three warehouses, unroofed the hotel, the Masonic Hall, and four store buildings, and tore to pieces the upper story of the Angell block, in which the Odell Rank and the Odd-Fellows’ Hall were located. Hardly a storeroom in town escaped injury, and many dwelling-houses were demolished. The loss will exceed s's(),000. Houses, barns and sheds were twisted from their foundations and completely destroyed. Trees a foot in diameter were twisted entirely to pieces. The storm did not last more than five minutes. Ten minutes before it appeared the air seemed to get green. Two clouds appeared to advance, one from the southeast, the other from the southwest, and met over the town, forming a monstrous whirlwind, which swept everything in its track. P. W. Kenyon’s lumber yard, a few yards away from the station, was taken up bodily by the wind and scattered for rods around, but the flying boards broke the force of the wind to some extent and protected the train from injury. At Dwight floods of rain bad fallen, preceded by hailstones of remarkable size, some weighing from five to six ounces. The storm moved in an easterly direction, passing into Indiana.

California’s New Senator.

Mr. George Hearst, appointed by Gov. Stoneman, of California, to succeed the late Senator Miller, has had an eventful history. He went to California across the plains in 1850, and commenced as a common laborer in the mines. Finally he made some money and formed a partnership with Haggin Tevis, and the firm has amassed a large fortune in jumping and buying mining claims. They now own one of the largest and most profitable mines in Butte City, Montana, and also mines in Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Mexico, Idaho, and California. Mr. Hearst is considered the most expert prospector on the Pacific coast, and his judgment in regard to a mine has never yet been at fault. He is a tall, well-formed man about 55 years old. He was a candidate for Governor of California in 1882, but Gen. Stoneman secured the nomination

and was elected. At the time of Senator Stanford’s election in 1885 Mr. Hearst received the complimentary votes of the Democrats. He is a very wealthy man, and among his real estate owns 40,000 acres of the finest lands in the State, situated in San Luis Obispo. He is the sole owner of the San Francisco Examiner. Senator Hearst made his maiden speech in the Senate a few days ago, when he asked that a petition introduced by him might “be placed on record.” This sally was greeted with subdued laughter, for the Senator merely w’anted the petition printed in the Record. This incident recalled to old stagers the first speech made in the Senate by Mr. Tabor, who was also a Western member. The yeas and nays were being called when Mr. Tabor said: “Mr. President, I am paired off with the Senator from Hampton, Mr. South Carolina.” He was only in the Senate for a month, and that was the only speech Mr. Tabor made until he presented the credentials of his successor.

POWDERLY’S WISE WORDS.

They Are Found in His Latest Circulai to the Knights of Labor. fie Thinks the Order Has Lost Ground in Public Estimation—The Reasons Therefor. The following secret circular has been received by the Knights of Labor of Chicago, nnd will be read in the various assemblies during the coming week: Noble Order of the Knights op Labor of America, Philadelphia, Pa.. May 3.— To the Order Everywhere, Greeting: The response to the secret circular issued March 13 has been so generous and the indorsement of the sentiments contained in it has been so unanimous that I feel encouraged and strengthened in the work. Nearly 4,000 assemblies have pledged themselves to act on the advice contained in thecircular of April 13. I feel that it only requires the coming to the front of the real men of our order to set us right before the world. We have been losing ground, so far as public opinion is concerned, for some time. One of the causes is that we have allowed things to be done under the name of the Knights of Labor for which the organization was in no way responsible. I ask of our members to keep a jealous eye upon the doings of the labor men who never labor, and when they charge anything to our order iu your locality set the seal of your condemnation upon it at once by denying it. If a paper criticises the Knights of Labor or its officers do not boycott it, and if you have any such boycott on remove them. A journal not long since made some uncomplimentary allusions to the General Master Workman of the Knights of Labor, and at the next meeting of the nearest assembly a motion was cast to boycott the paper; not that aloue, but every person who advertised in the columns of the paper. I wrote to the assembly asking that they remove the boycott and it was done. We murtbear in mind that our General Master Workman is only a man, and is not above criticism. We demand for ourselves the "right of free speech.” We cannot consistently deny it to others. We must tolerate fair, open criticism. If a reply is neocessory make it in a gentlemanly, dignified manner. If we are criticised or abused by a blackguard sheet treat it as you would the blackguard himself—in silence. That our aims and objects are good is no reason why our members should be regarded as beings of superior build or material. We are no more the salt of the earth than the millions of unknown toilers who do the work of the world. In our dealings with laborers and capitalists we must deal justly and fairly by them. If we would have equity done to us wo in turn must do equity to others. This is the aim of the Knights of Labor, and must not be lost sight <4 in the future. Let me direct your attention to a tew little abuses: I find that whenever a strike occurs appeals for aid are scattered broadcast among the assemblies. Do not pay one cent for such purposes in the future unless the appeal comes from your own District Assembly or the General Assembly. If boycott notices are sent to you, burn them. I have in my possession over 400 boycott notices which were sent to assemblies with a request that they bo acted on. Let me mention some of them: A member is editing a paper. He fears a rival, and proceeds to get into an altercation with him, boycotts him, and then asks of the order to carry it out. A certain paper Is influential in one or the other of the political parties. Members of the opposing party conceive the idea of getting rid of the paper, and they invoke the aid of the Knights of Labor, first taking the precaution to have the paper in question say something uncomplimentary of the Knights of Labor. In fact, our order has been used as a tail for a hundred different kites, and in future it must soar aloft, free from all of them. I hate the word boycott. I was boycotted years ago, nnd I could not get work at my trade for months. It is a bad practice ; it has been handed to us by the capitalists. I have no use for it onlv when everything else fails. Appeals for aid, circulars, petitions, advertisements of every kind are scattered everywhere through the order. I copy a letter which comes to me on the subject: “A large part of our time has been spent iu reading boycott notices and appeals for aid, keeping us until 12 o’clock. We were led to believe the Knights of Labor to be an educational institution, but this kind of education is not productive of good. We have no time for instruction. What do you advise us to do?” I advised them to either burn or table these matters, and now ask of the Secretary of each assembly to do the same. If your Journal were not boycotted by..our members it could be made the medium of communication between the general officers and the order, but the Journal is not read in one-quarter of the assemblies. Some assemblies Bond out documents addressed tc “Secretary of the Assembly No. .’’ In many places the secretaries have been discharged because of this practice. No member has the right to address another in that way, and if it is ever practiced again the offender will be punished. In future the General Executive Board must not be interfered with in the performance of its duty. If you have confidence in them, sustain them and obey them; if not, ask for their resignations. We have had some trouble from drinking members and from men who talk about buying guns and dynamite. If the men who possess money enough to buy guns and dynamite would invest it in the purchase of some well-selected work on labor they would put the money to good use. They will never need the gun or dynamite in this country. It Is my opinion that the man who does not study the politic's of the nation nnd the wants of our people would make but little use of a rifle. The man who cannot vote' intelligently and who will not watch the man he votes for after he is elected cannot be depended upon to use either gun or dynamite. If the head, the brain of man, cannot work out the problem now confronting us, his hand alone will never solve it. If I kill nay enemy I silence him, it is true, but I do not convince him. I would make a convert rather than a corpse of my enemy. Men who own capital are not our enemies. If that theory held good the workman of to-day would be the enemy of his fellow-toiler on the morrow, for after all it is how to acquire capital and how to use it properly that we are endeavoring to learn. No! The man of capital is not necessarily the enemy of the laborer; on the contrary tney must be brought closer together. I am we.l aware that some extremists will say Lain advocating a weak plan, and will say that bloodshed and destruction of property alone will solve the problem. If a man speaks such sentiments in an assembly read for him the charge which the Master Workman repeats tc the newly initiated who joins cur "army of peace.” If he repeats his nonsense put him out. "In the hands of men entirely great the pen is mightier than the sword.” To that I odd: “In the hands of men entirely mouth the gun Is harmless as his word.” To our drinking member I extend the hand of kindness. I hate the uses to which rum has been put, but it is my duty to reach down and lift up the man whe has fallen a victim to the use of liquor. If there is such a man within sound of the Secretary’s voice when this is read, I ask him to stand erect on the floor of this assembly, raise his hand to heaven, and repeat with me these words • | |“I am a Knight of Labor. I believe that every man should be free from the curse of slavery, whether the slavery appears in the shape of a monopoly, usury,' or intemperance. The firmest link in the chain of oppression is the one I forge when I drown, manhood nnd reason by drink. No man can rob me of the brain my God has given mo unless lam a party to the theft. If I drink to drown grief I bring grief to wife, child, and sorrowing friends. I add not one iota to the sum of human happiness when I invito oblivion over tho rim of n glass. If one moment’s forge'fuln< sb cr inattention to duty while drunk brings defeat to the least of labor’s plans a lifetime oi attention to duty alone can repoirthe loss. I promise never again to put myself in such a position.” If every member of the Knights of Labor would only pass a resolution to boycott strong drink so fur as he iseoncerned for five years, and would pledge his word to study the labor question from its different standpoints, we would then have an invincible host arrayed on the side of justice. We have, through some unfortunate misunderstanding, incurred the enmity of several trades-unions. Wdiile I can find no excuse for the unmanly attack made upon us bv some of these people at a time when we stood face to face with a most perplexing question, neither can I see any good reason why there should be any cause for a quarrel.

INDIANA STATE NEWS.

—The pastor of the Methodist Episcopal v Lurch of Russiaville writes the following to the Hrx/tTH Christian Advocate regarding the oldest woman in Indiana: “I have been asked so many times in regard to Sister Mary Beneman, who resides near here, and who is a member of our church, I thought it best to answer through your columns. Sister Beneman was born in Sussex County, Delaware, April 27, 1769. She has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church nearly eighty years. Her maiden name was Perry, a daughter of Capt. C. R. Perry, of the Revolutionary war. Her first marriage was to William Coulter. In 1808 she with her husband and two sons moved to Ohio, and settled where Circleville now stands. Mr. Coulter died there, and some years later she married John Beneman, who lived but one year. She is tho mother of eight children, four of whom are now living. In 1853 she came to this county, where she now lives. Notwithstanding her extreme old age she spends all her wakeful hours in sewing, and can see to thren 1 her needle as readily as many persons much younger. Her Sabbaths are spent in reading the Bible, and I never visit her but she invokes God’s blessing upon me and my work. As one looks upon her a feeling almost of awe comes over him. Her face, though plowed with furrows of time, boars a strong look of intelligence and decision of character. April 27, marking tho 117th mile-post of her journey, it was thought proper to celebrate it with her. Accordingly the citizens of the place turned out in a procession of two hundred, headed by the cornet band, and marched to her residence, where they spread and partook of a sumptuous repast, after which all dispersed to their homes, feeling it a privilege to do her honor.” —The secretary of the State Board of Agriculture has prepared a table showing the estimated gross value of the products of Indiana for 1885, ns follows: Wheat, $27,210,474; corn, $34,630,174; oats, $6,307,008; barley, $82,869; rye, $250,252; buckwheat, $40,953; Irish potatoes, $2,088,549; sweet potatoes, $137,940; flax seed, $198,371; clover seed, $1,105,225; timothy seed, $57,335; clover hay, $13,030,084; timothy hay, $15,096,551; flax straw, $60,000; tobacco, $1,104,268; wood, $922,435; coal and quarries, $3,703,412; garden, $5,074,629; orchard, $3,750,320; dairy, $11,758,390; poultry, eggs and feathers, $4,973,451; honey, sorghum, maple molasses and sugar, $5,903,741; hogs, slaughtered, $19,225,170; sheep, slaughtered, $278,845; cattle, slaughtered, $8,418,270 —making the total value of the products, $160,908,713. —Details were brought to light recently of an audacious outrage on a lady living nt Lnfnyette. The lady lives with her mother, and about bedtime one night she heard voices in front of the house. She stepped out and found a colored man and a white girl seated on the front steps. She asked them to move on, and on their refusal threatened to call the police. This enraged the man and he grabbed her by the throat, choking her until she was almost unconscious. She attempted to struggle, when the girl also seized her, nnd finally drew a penknife and attempted to stab her several times,wounding her slightly. The lady finally screamed and frightened the two oft. To avoid notoriety the lady kept the affair secret. —Near Alto, Howard County, two young men started to a meeting of a literary society. While walking along the road, one of them fired several shots from a revolver. The other one asked to see the weapon, and, thinking it was empty, began snapping it in his companion’s face, when, to his surprise, it went off, the ball entering below his right eye and passing diagonally through the head, lodging back of the loft ear. The young man is in a very critical condition, and his friends fear he will die. —A loud-mouthed Anarchist has made himself odious to the people of Logansport for several months past. He has preached communism, socialism, murder, and riot, and has made a business of scattering incendiary literature about the city. A committee of citizens waited on him not long since and gave him five hours to leave town. Hejeft on the first train. —ln Brandywine Township a father and his son quarreled over a bottle of liquor which the old man had taken home. The father got full and hid the bottle, and soon forgetting where he had placed it, accused the boy of taking it. A quarrel ensued, and the son drew a knife and cut the father badly in the face and nead. —A colored man, at Jeffersonville, has been arrested upon evidence offered by his son, a boy 14 years old, that his father forced him to steal. The boy acknowledges to stealing, under direction of his father, a horse and wagon at one place, $l5O at another, and a quantity of com at another. —A German shot his wife through the heart at Mt. Vernon, recently. It is supposed bis mind is unsound. He was a soldier of the Eighty-seventh Indiana and was in Andersonville prison, where he suffered greatly from hardship and disease. —At Volga, Jefferson County, a young man aged 20, of good family and education, was arrested by a United States detective, charged with fraudulent use of the United States mail. He acknowledges his guilt. —4 man in Franklin Township, Clark County, slipped and fell headforemost into a deep well at his home, but before striking the bottom he grabbed the well-rope and broke the fall, and then climbed out. —A wind and rain storm visited Evansville recently, causing a damage to property of $300,000, and killing three persons.