Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1887 — WESTERN. [ARTICLE]

WESTERN.

Dispatches from the West report that great suffering and considerable loss of life have been entailed by the flood in the Upper Missouri River. A Rismarck special says: Report! from remote districts intensity the stories of suffering and loss of life. A man was seen riding down the river on a cake of ice, frantically calling for help, but it was impossible to assist him. Twelve families near Livonia, after being on the roofs of their housos for twenty-four hours, walked two miles to the shore on a thin crust of ice that had formed during their imprisonment. Fort Lincoln officers here believe that the people on tne lowlands opposite the post perished in the flood. It is believed at Bowdle, above Bismarck, that several Indians have been drowned The family of Garrett Barry barely escaped with their lives, and lost cattle and household effects. The steamer Gen. Tompkins iB in the ice, a total wreck. A Coroner’s jury exonerated every one connected with the Bessemer (Mich.) boarding-house, by the burning of which twelve human lives were sacrificed. Frank Miller, the manager, was the only one of the persons who escaped from the building that was examined. He explained the arrangements of rooms, stoves, lamps, etc. A fire was kept in the front sitting-room until after midnight, when he retired. Two boarders had just come in and were preparing to retire. Both of them wero drunk. One of them was a newcomer, who perished. Mr. Miller had no notion how the fire originated, but thought that it started in the front part of the building, as his room in the back of the building was the last to be entered by the flames. Ho thought that those who perished must have been suffocated in their beds. They could have escaped through the windows. A Bowdle (D. T.) dispatch says: “Last reports from Legrace and Laßeau say that great damage has been done by the high waters of the Missouri River. At Leßoau people from the bottoms wero compelled to flee to the high bluffs. Barthel Olson was on the roof of his building all night, and was roscued next day. Jacob McCarthy, Mr. Kirkland, and three others wero drowned on the bottoms south of Legrace. Wilkins & Skinners ranch near Legrace is under several feet of water. ” Jackson Marion, for the murder of John Cameron, fifteen years ago, was haugod last week at Beatrice, Neb. Near Leetonia, Ohio, a freight train dashed into the rear of the Chicago express, which had been stopped for the purpose of repairing the air-brake hose. The sleeper and one c:ach were wrecked, the engineer of the express killed, and seven persons wounded, two of whom may not recover. The court-house and jail at Yorkville, Kendall County, Illinois, was destroyed by fire. The public records were saved and the prisoners safely removed. At New York Mills, Minn., Mrs. Joseph Mattson murdered her litilo girl, 1 year old, by severing the jugular vein with a pair of sharp shears. Then she committed suicide in the same manner. .Thomas H. Harding was hanged at Dillon, Mont Ter., for the murder of William Ferguson, a young stage-driver, committed while Ferguson was driving his stage from Melrose to Glendale on May 2!t, 1886. The Grand Jury at Chicago on Saturday returned indictment* against the following persons for malfeasance in office and conspiracy to defraud, the county: Daniel J. Wren, County Commissioner; Adam Ochs, ex-County Commissioner, Chairman of the board in 1884-’BS; John E. Yan Pelt, exCounty Commissioner; Harry Varnell, Warden of the Insane Asylum; William J. McGangle, Warden of the County Hospital; Charles Frey. Warden of the Infirmary; Elisha A. Robinson, grocer, furnisher of county supplies. The parties were arrested and pave bail. Mr. John McGovern has been called to Omaha to conduct the editorial columns of the Evening Bee in that city. He has been identified for many years with the newspapers of Chicago, having held and filled with fine ability responsible positions on tho daily press, but it was perhaps as editor of the Current and as the autflor of several popular books that he became best known to the literary world The Chicago Daily News says: “We doubt not that Mr. McGovern will be cordially welcomed by his professional brethren in Omaha—he certainly carries with him to his

new field of labor the best wishes of the many Chicagoans who recognize his personal worth no less than his intellectual attainments and abilities.” The steamer Chesapeake, valued at was burned at New Ma Irid, Mo. The horse Oliver K., which was to have trotted Harry Wiikes for $10,005, April 2, strained a tendon at Los Angeles, and the race is off. Oliver K. pays a forfeit of $2,5(i0. The Hon. Samuel H. Treat, Judge of the United S.afea District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, died last week at Springfidd, IIL, aged 75. He had for some years suffered with Bright’s disease, and his death was the result of complications growing out of that disease. He had been confined to liis room but a few days. Judge Treat was born in Otsego County, New York, in 1«1 2, and was admitted to the bar in that State. In IS Hhe came to Illinois, and settled in Springfield. He lormei a law partnership witu ooorge Forquer, a half-brother of Thomas Ford, who became Governor of the State in 1-iiA. Mr. Forquer had been Attorney General of Illinois during the term of Governor Edwards, and was subsequently Kegister of the Land Office at Springfield. The death of Mr. Forquer left judge Treat in sole jKissession of a good law practice. In 1539 a new State Judicial Circuit was formed and Stephen T. Logan was put on the bench. Alter serving abou: three mouths he resigned, and Judge Treat was appointed by Gov. Carlin to fill the vacancy. Ha was afterward elected to the same bench, serving till 18 il, when lu was transferred to the Supreme bench of the State, serving continuously until March 3, 1855, when, the old United States District of Illinois having been divided inti tho Northern and Southern Districts, he was appointed Judge of the Southern District by President Pierce.