Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 October 1889 — Page 3

INDIANA HAPPENINGS.

events and incidents that have LATELI OCCUBKEU. An Intereatimc Summary of the More Important Doing* <>f Oor Neighbor*—Wedding* and Death*—Crime, Casualties and General News Notes. Sad Story of Human Neglect. A sad story comes from the northeastern portion of the city of Madison. For a number of years the old Point House, on the old Telegraph Hill road, has been occupied by a number of colored people and an old white woman called “White Dove,” or “Granny Scales.” The place became so notorious from the frequent outbursts of blasphemy and disturbances of various kinds that it was determined to rid the community of the nuisance. A short time since proceedings of ejectment were instituted, and the occupants were ousted, since which time they have been encamped on the hillside near by, and during the late cold spell they have had nothing to protect them from the rain but the shelter a few small trees afforded. Among them is a colored man known as “Nigger Bill,” who is in a pitiable plight. For a week he has lain upon the cold ground, with no covering save the canopy of the heavens. He has had no medicine, has had not a single morsel to eat, not even a drink of water to quench his thirst during the five days he has lain out there upon the bare hillside. When asked if they were doing anything for him the occupants of the air-castle replied that he was tin a fit and could eat or drink nothing. What keeps him alive is a mystery. Nothing is being done excepting that his tender-hearted associates turn him over to keep the sunbeams from his face.

Eleventh Cavalry Reunion. The sixth annual reunion of the Eleventh Indiana Cavalry which was held at Pendleton,was the most successful the association has ever held. One of the pleasing incidents of the reunion was the presentation of a gold watch and chain by Maj. J. C. Hannum, of Delphi, in behalf of his comrades, to E. W. Collis, of this place, who has been their efficient secretary for the past five years, and ivas again unanimously elected to serve for the coming year. The following officers were elected to serve until their next meeting: President,Maj. E. Shewalter.of Portland;First Vice President, R. H. Crowder, of Sullivan; Second Vice President, Capt. Sanford Sewell, of Greencastle; Secretary, E. W. Collis, of Pendleton; Treasurer, D. M. Burns, of Lebanon. After a spirited but good-natured discussion, they decided to hold their next reunion at Portland in September, 1890. Patents Issued to Indiana Inventors. Indiana inventors have been granted patents as follows: Jacob, Alljip,. Seymour, carpet tacking and stretching machine; Peter Anderson, assignor to H.G. Olds, Fort Wayne, fifth wheel for vehicles; Elon E. Cass, Noblesville, bed bottom; Frank P. Cox, Terre Haute, arc lamp; William R. Cunningham, assignor to Wallace Manufacturing Company, Frankfort, machine for cutting brick or other clay products; Josiah 0. Keller and D. D. Weisell, Fort Wayne, dental vulcanizer; Winfield W. Mullen and F. M. Mullen, Bunker Hill, grain drill; John J. Stedman, La Porte, dental plate.

Minor State Items. —Counterfeits of the $2 silver certificate are afloat at Lafayette. —Patrick Allwell fell into a hot-water vat, at the Lafayette paper-mill, and was parboiled. —George E. Gephard, a Panhandle brakeman, residing at Sweetzer, was killed by the cars at Ridgeville. —The second futile attempt was made, a few night ago, to blowup Sam Smith’s saloon with dynamite, at Ossian. Henry Winker, of Williamsport,had his skull crushed by a young colt kicking him, on the Covington fair ground. —A meeting has been called at Seymour, Oct. 10, to form a non-partisan press association for Southern Indiana. —ln a factory at Anderson Alonzo Brown, a young employe, was caught by a revolving shaft and seriously injured.

—A successful movement has been inaugurated for the formation of a Presbyterian church at Hazelrigg, Boone County. —At Knightstown, Jerry Newell, an old soldier, was found dead in his bed. Death was caused by the effects of whisky. —Charles H. Holman, a “trusty” at the Prison North, from Elkhart County, with but three months yet to serve, has made his escope. —NathanHutson, a well-to-do farmer, while working on a ditch, near Bennett’s, w as terribly crushed by a cave-in, dying almost instantly. —Frank Thomas was caught by a revolving shaft in the Montmorenci elevator. Several ribs were broken, and he was otherwise injured. —The Commissioners of St. Joe County will be petitioned to appropriate SIO,OOO for the erection of a Soldiers’ Monument at South Bend. —Warden Patten, of the Prison South, has advertised for bids to lease 150 convicts now employed in the manufacture of boots and shoes in that institution. Since the lease of the Jefferson Boot and Shoe Company expired the State has been using the convicts to manufacture boots and shoes.

—Two more great gas wells have deen struck near Winchester, one by the electric light company, of that city, and the other by a company of ten citizens. —Mrs. Eosina Shiefflen, of Jeffersonville. awoke the other, night, to find a negro burglar in her room, and promptly threw him out of a second-story window.

—The grand jury of Miami County has condemned the jail under the courthouse at Pern as unhealthy, and recommends the construction of a separate building. —Vincent H. Williams, aged 60, a veteran of the late war, was found dead in bed in his room at the Central Hotel, New Albany. Heart disease is the supposed cause. Prof. John E. Coleman, formerly of this State, died in Arkansas on the 16th inst., and the address of his relatives is wanted. Address J. B. McDonald, Altus, Ark. —Albert Lamaster, of Sellersburg, broke in upon a religious meeting at Speed’s Switch, and proceeded to run things. He was arrested and fined sl7 before Justice Haas. —The other night a burglar was trying to gain an entrance to the residence of Mrs. J. L. Boer, at Peru, when the woman discovered him. She shot through the door and put him to flight. —Frederick Koch, a young man apparently about twenty years of age, was killed at Princeton on the railroad. He attempted to board a through freight which was going at a rapid rate. - The 2-year-old daughter of John Mooney, of Fort Wayne, swallowed the contents of a bottle of liniment, containing choroform and laudanum, and died from effects of the poison. —Dr. J. G. Caldwell, of Jeffersonville, has in his possession the log book of the steamer Gen. Clark for he* third trip from Louisville to New Orleans, during the winter of 1820 and 1821.

—The farmers of Fall Creek Township, Madison County, are signing articles of agreement to forever refuse to lease their lands for gas privilege to any company or syndicate who will have the gas piped out of the Township. —The election ordered to incorporate Lindon, in Montgomery County, did not take place at the time appointed. It seems that the “cow question” was the cause of the postponement. Some people were afraid that the cows would be shut up at once. —At Winchester, Rev. William Smith, of Saratoga, a prominent divine of the United Brethren Church, and who was arrested on a charge of attempted criminal assault, a few weeks ago, was tried and sentenced to two years in the Northern Penitentiary. —A colored couple entered the office of a justice of the peace, at Jeffersonville, and asked how much it would cost to be made one. When informed that the fee was $2 they left, saying that that they had been told they could get married for 10 cents in Indiana. —lke Decker, a conductor on the Clover Leaf, was killed at the Silverwood coal mine while attempting to board his train. Stumbling in the attempt, he fell, and both arms and one leg were cut off, causing his death in a few minutes. He leaves a family in Charleston, 111. —James Bain, whose home at North Knightsville was destroyed by fire, tells of other losses besides the house and furniture. He slept with S6O under his pillow, and his wife with SIOO under her pillow, and, being paper money, was consumed by the flames. His wife barely escaped with her life in her night clothes.

—W. T. Dannis, Fish Commissioner, has made arrangements with Trustee Henry, of Union Township, Montgomery County, for the building of two fish ladders, one at Sperry’s dam, near Crawfordsville, and one at Yount’s dam, at Yountsville. The two ladders will cost about S7O. A fish-ladder will also be placed at Deer’s dam in Brown Township. —Joseph Mathis, of New Albany, is reported in a very critical condition from inflammation of the brain, brought on in a very peculiar manner. Mr. Mathis, who is employed in the Portland branch of the great DePauw glass-works, was struck on the eye one week ago by an unknown man, as he was returning home form work. Since that time he has been suffering intehse pain, and the injury has finally resulted in inflammation of the brain. —While boring for gas at the citizens’ gas well at Jasper the casing suddenly sank seven feet, with a rumbling noise. There were 950 feet of six-inch casing in the well at the time the strange and unprecedented accident happened. The driller ascribes the sinking of the casing to a probability that the drill struck into a subterranean cavern at the depth of 950 feet. Another remarkable occurrence was the appearance of a cloud of smoke at the mouth of the well immediately after the accident. —The crew of a Monou freight train discovered a hat on one of the cars when the train reached the junction near Greencastle. Two of the brakemen went back upon the track as far as Putnamville, and there discovered the mangled remains of a stockman, named W. W. Dunn, who had been struck by the overhead bridge at tnat point. He is one of many victims whose lives have been sacrificed by this death-trap. His body was shipped to his home in Michigan.

MIGHT EXPLAIN AGAIN.

SECRETARY WIXDOM’S misleading STATEMENT. The Secretary’* Presentation of Figures to Show that the National Debt Him Not Increased Ingenious hut Contrary to the Fact. [Washington special.] Secretary Windom’s explanation of the last monthly debt statement is very ingenious, but a close examination will reveal the fact that the explanation does not explain, and is a mere hocus pocus with the figures purposely designed to deceive. By the Secretary’s jugglery he makes it appear that instead of an increase in the public debt there has been an actual reduction of nearly $21,000,000 during July and August. To substantiate his statement he points to the fact that the total amount of the public debt on June 30, 1889, including bonds of all kinds, was $896,388,987, and on the Ist day of August it was only $875,478,807, showing a reduction of $20,910,180 during those two months. At first blush that would seem to be a very frank and conclusive statement. But the Secretary goes on to the extent of half a column of argument to show that his figures are correct, and instances numerous things w'hich may or may not have any bearing on the question. The fact is. he has told half the truth and concealed the other half, and it is exactly this other half in which the people are interested. The figures quoted above from his disingenuous explanation refer solely to the interest-bearing bonded debt, and nobody ever made the ridiculous claim that the bonded debt had increased. In using them he has absolutely ignored the fact that during those same two months there were receipts and expenditures which, when taken into consideration, alter very considerably the favorable conclusion he wishes to impress upon the people. Further down in the same statements from which Mr. Windom extracts his figures are the following items: Statement of June 30—Net cash in the Treasury 871,434,042 Statement of Ang. 31 —Net cash in the Treasury 43,489,906 The subtraction of the latter set of figures from the former shows that the net cash in the Treasury during July an-d August has been reduced by $27,994,133. In other words, while Mr. Windom was buying $20,900,129 worth of bonds and reduced the debt to that extent, at the same time his other expenditures, paid out of public moneys available for the reduction of the public debt, ran up to $27,994,133. The reduction of which the Secretary boasts was thus overcome and made an increase to the extent Gs $7,094,004. There is no way in which this fact can be controverted. It may be lied about and figures which are necessary to the proper appreciation of the situation may be suppressed, but the books of the Treasury Department show that the public debt was increased and not decreased since the beginning of the fiscal year, and the reason for this is that the expenditures have been greater than the receipts during the last two months of Bepublican government. What Mr. Windom has done, and he should not have claimed credit for doing anything more, is to reduce the annual interest charges on the public debt by SBOO,OOO. Why the Secretary of the Treasury should desire to mislead and throw dust in the eyes of the public by means of his “explanation” is difficult to say, unless the approaching fall elections furnish the excuse.

The United States Government Ad Interim.

A tax-payer who has sat in impartial judgment on the political institutions of America for the last six years is fitted to ask why and for what purpose the Federal Government exists. He has seen an opportunity of economy rejected, and an extra expenditure of a hundred millions a year accepted. He has looked into the workings of the Federal Government, and he has seen no operation more noble or useful than the payment of salaries and pensions. At Washington he beholds a group of buildings to entertain salary-earners, but what those earners do save to collect the taxes they receive, he is not able to learn. From the lowest official to the highest—from the bureau comptroller to the President—may be seen a solemn arbitration of but it is always the size of a pension, the amount of a claim, or the recipiency of an office that is to be determined upon. If the salary-earners, soldiers, and pensioners number 525,000 souls, we shall find that they receive nearly $400,000,000, a higher average of yearly stipend than is allotted to any similar class of people on earth. If a private employer should put 525,000 persons in his pay we should expect to see such works as might stand like the pyramids. But what have the taxpayers received ? What has been the result of the stupendous disbursements at Washington? Corruption, aristocracy, swagger, contempt of toil. What must be the effect on a nation thus affected? Bankruptcy and final disorder. While this scene is filled with the kingly presence of comptrollers, judges, cabineteers and lords of the treasury, all discussing the division of a nation’s spoil, the peoj>le are taught to avert their eyes from the spectacle of home rule, where some great State, by means of its ruling delegates, debates the dearest and closest interests of the people—where their w alk of life is prescribed and the smallest details of their happiness are held to be

worthy of public scrutiny. All this is to be ignored. It is the corrupt aggregation at Washington that is the true oracle. The sacred ceremony of spending money for nothing is to command the silent adoration of the devotees of liberty. Shame upon such a debauchery of freedom as these latter days are seeing. ShameL upon 525,000 citizens, if as a body, they may say they menace the ease and content of a nation as the hosts of Pharaoh threatened the children of Israel. Shame upoh a fabric of government which once was the model of the world in economy, fraternity, equality, and now for profligacy, dishonesty and voracity, equals the Sublime Porte, and astounds all Caucausian Chaucellors! What is the United States Governernment ad interim? A taxing machine. For what purpose does it use the taxes? To reward the taxers. Has it other functions now in use? Yes, it increases the taxes. For what purpose ? To better reward the taxers. —Chicago Herald.

Tanner and the “Surplus.”

During the last Presidential campaign one of the most serious arguments in favor of a revision of the “war tariff” was the menace which the resulting accumulation of idle money in the treasury offered to the commercial and industrial interests of the country. Reoublican organs urged in reply that this surplus should be used for the reduction of the national debt. They pointed to the honesty and economv of previous administrations which had shown millions of dollars’ decrease of the debt month after month, and advanced this record as reason against reduct ion of the war tariff on the one hand and for the election of Mr. Harrison on the other.

The public-debt statement for some months past—under the administration secured by this and similar arguments —shows an increase instead of a reduction. For the last month it shows an increase of over $6,000,000. But we are gravely told, in explanation, “that the debt statement, as it is made and as it appears from the bookkeeping of the treasury, is based on an artificial system—is misleading and fallacious. * * * The amount of cash on hand is sometimes more and sometimes less. In case of large payments it is rapidly reduced, as it was last month by the amount withdrawn for pensions.” Well, the same system of bookkeeping is in vogue now as during the last administration. Here aro the figures for July and August:

UNDER CLEVELAND. July, 1885 .Decrease $8,662,790 August, 1885. ..Decrease 2,879,052 July, 1860 Decrease 0,040,103 August, 1886... Decrease 1,910,090 July, 1887 Decrease 4,844,890 August, 1887... Decrease 4,809,475 July, 1888 Decrease 4,137,299 August, 1888... Decrease 7,324,675 UNDER HARRISON. July, 1882 Increase 1,317,312 August, 1889.. .Increase 6,076.692 With the same system of book-keep-ing under Cleveland as under Harrison there was a decrease of about $10,000,000 in the months of July and August of each year from 1885 to 1888 and an increase of over $7,000,000 in 1889. In default of other explanation we may congratulate ourselves that Tanner has “resigned.” He has “reduced the surplus” with a vengeance.—Chicago Daily News.

One Hundred Thousand.

The Republican embezzlement is the redeemed promise of the Chicago platform. But the President is not the more fortunate on thai account. If he ask why he is the subject of so much criticism, the Herald can give him the philosophy of his situation. He is the President of too few voters. One hundred thousand more voters are anxious to knpw about the great Treasury embezzlement than are desirous to hush it up. One hundred thousand more voters are angrv to think Tanner broke into the surplus than are glad he got there. One hundred thousand more voters believe a tax to be a curse than believe it to be a blessing. One hundred thousand more voters believe Blaine to be a quack than believe he is a sincere statesman. One hundred thousand more voters believe the Federal expenses should be reduced to $200,000,000 than believe the taxes should be increased to $500,000,000. One hundred thousand more voters believe Dudley should be in jail, than believe Dudley should sit high in favor at Washington. One hundred thousand more voters believe the fat of the manufacturers elected Harrison, than believe that the intelligence and patriotism of the nation were polled when Cleveland was driven from office. One hundred thousand more voters believe it was a national error to give office to Wanamaker, Blaine, Tanner, Grant, Lincoln, and Porter, than believe the nation was well served in those appointments. And so on. As Harrison is a devout Republican, so any essentially Republican act, such as the pensioning of deserters, evokes the denunciation of one hundred thousand more voters than can be mustered to frame apologies or explanations. This philosophical dilemma of President Harrison is notable. There is nothing of good in his office save the salary. Unhappy the statesman whose party policy is the over taxation of his fellow-countrymen. Unwholesome is his day of power; gloomy will be the hours of his retirement. —Chicago Herald. Most revolutions nowadays are caused by the most modern printing presses.,

A HORRIBLE COLLISION.

SCBI’RBAN PASSENGERS TERRIBLY MANGLED AND SCALDED. Five Killed Outright and a Dozen Injured, Some Fatally—An Engineer’* Running Ahead of Time the Cauzo of the Fatality —Distressing Scene*. [Chicago telegram.] Through the wanton carelessnea of Engineer Seth Twombley five lives were sacrificed in a wrack on the Eock Island Eailway, near Auburn Junction, a suburban station of Chicago. The passenger train had just passed the junction station and was stopped by a train crossing on an intersecting line, when Twombley’s freight came rushing up from behiud and Bent its engine crashing into the passenger. Before it struck the passenger train Tvrombley and his fireman jumped off aud made* their esoape. All of the killed save one were from Washington Heighta. The following ia a list of those instantly killed: Mr*. Ward, Washington Height*; Mrs. Captain Broun, Washington Heights; Miss Sadie Kelly, Washington Haights; Fred Huebner, Washington Heights; James W. McKinzie, Auburn Junction. The seriously wounded are: Mrs. A. K. Steele, Washington Heights, scalded about the breast and face and internally injured, probably fatal; Ous Mulcahey, S ntyslxth and Wallace streets, soalded abou. tile face and arms and two ribs fractured, also ins iured about the abdomen ; Mrs. Clark, of Washington Heights, daughter of Mrs. Captain Brown, who was killed, scalded all over her body and badly bruised about the head ; Parker Harding aud sister, Tracy avenue, scalded and bruiseu about the head and face; Anton Shuberg, Washington Heights, terribly scalded about head and arms aud internally injured. Others Injured are: Edward Smith, Jr., Daniel Lawrence, G. Klein, John Tierney, Michael Haggerty, Mrs. Wheeler, and Dan CrCounor. o! Washington Heights. The suburban passenger train which was wrecked left the Bock Island depot at Van Buren gtreet at 5:30 o’olook, wtth Conductor C. 8. Ellis in charge and Engineer Parker at the throttle. At 6:19 o'clock the train had passed Auburn Junction station and had discharged nearly all its passengers. The passenger trai, was made up of an engine and seven coaches. Just beyond Auburn Junotion, at Eightyseventh street, the rear oar is uncoupled to be sent on to Washington Heights, while the forward cars contiuue on the branch south to Morgan Park and Blue Island. The train had Btopped to let an incoming train' from the Washington Heights branch pass and to unoouple the rear oar when freight train No. 91 crashed into the rear. The passengers in the forward cars were badly frightened, but did not realize the extent of the acoident for some time. They heard the crash and felt a slight shook, but did not take in the situation until the smoke and hissing steam attracted their attention. The greatest confusion followed, and nearly every one rushed from the truin. The locomotive had forced its way clear inside of the rear coach, and the hissing steam and the shrieks of the wounded and imprisoned passengers increased the horror. There wore between twenty-five and thirty people on board the fated car, and that any of them escaped alive is a miracle. The passengers from the other cars at once lent a helping hand, and many were saved who but for timely assistance must have succumbed to the scalding steam and choking smoke from the engine.

By some at present inexplicable reason, the freight was ten minutes ahead or time, and presumably to this is the sad accident alone due. The track is a straight one at this point, and Engineer Twom* bley must have seen the passenger ahead! some time before he struck it. He says that he reversed his engine immediately and whistled down brakes, but the velocity of the train proved too groat to be halted in time to avoid the smash-up. According to some of the spectators the freight was running at tho rate of twenty miles an hour. It was a heavily loaded train, and from the fact that the engine Crashed almost its whole length into the car without seriously injuring the sides, it must have been running at a high rate of speed. Tne bodies of the dead were in a horrible condition, and in some instances were literally cooked. Miss Kelly was so badly scalded that it was almost impossible to distinguish her features at all.

JOHNSTOWN’S DEATH LIST.

According to the Issue of the New Directory It Numbers 3,500. Johnstown (Pa.) dispatch: The new directory of Johnstown has just been published by C. B. Clarke, of Altoona. A 6 the time of the flood the whole edition, which was in book-bindery here, was lost. From the proof sheets, however, the names were obtained, and are now printed as they were before the flood, as well as a special record of those that were lost. The number of deceased is put at 8,500, and that is considered a close estimate, it being impossible to obtain the exact figures.

THE CZAR IN DANGER.

An Alleged Plot Against His Pile Result* Unsuccessfully. London dispatch: A story from St. Petersburg says that previous to th» Czar’s departure for Copenhagen chest of dynamite exploded at the Peterhoff station. The building wag badly wrecked and a railway signal man was killed. It is fully believed that the intention was to have the explosion take place when the Czar passed through the station on his way to the train, but that through some miscalculation it oc* curred before the time of His Majesty’s departure.

Profiles of the Ship Canal.

Washington dispatch: R. I. Corthell and O. Guthrie of Chicago have requested Gen. Casey to instruct Capt. Marshall, the government engineer at Chicago, to fur» nish profiles of the boring for the ship canal through the Bag route, Mud lake route, and Des Plaines route to Lemont, and also from Joliet to Marseilles. Gen. Casey told them that if this information was officially called i'or by the judges fixing the boundaries he would take it under consideration. This answer is considered as favorable. The object of this inquiry is to ascertain whether there is an exaggerated estimate of the cost of building this canal made upon the supposition that most of the bed is rock, and in order that the people who are to vote upon the question next November may have the results of the latest surveys.