Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1890 — THE HOOSIER STATE. [ARTICLE]

THE HOOSIER STATE.

Summary of important happenings THE PAST WEEK. The Corn Crop of Southern Indiana— Diphtheria at Xenia—l’atents tor Indiana Inventors—Suicides— Accidents— Criminal Record—Deaths. Old Mystery Explained by the Revelation of a Murder. In September, 1803, John Isenhart, a thrifty farmer living south of Portland, started from home, telling his wife that lie was going to Dr. Watson’s to pay a bill he owed him. On his way it was known that he stopped at the house of John Hindman, a man of unsavory reputation. Isenhart never reached Watson’s, and his disappearance was a great mystery. Searching parties were organized aud the best detectives were employed, but the efforts of all were futile, and it remained a mystery until recently. Soon after laenhart’s' disappearance Hindman enlisted and returned at tho close of tho war. Before his death, in 1871, he confessed to his son-in-law, James Lamiing, that lie killed Isenhart and buried him under his stable. Lanning carried the secret as long as he could, hut lately disclosed toJohn’Hearn where the body could be found. Hearn, with others, went to the [spot indicated by Laniiing, dug up the body and brought it to Portland. The skull was badly shattered, showing the effects of the fatal blow dealt by Hindman. This has created considerable excitement, as it was believed by most of tho people that Isenhart had simply deserted his family and was still alive. Minor State Items. —LaPorte is to have an electric railway. —Michigan City has a new chair factory. —At Elkhart, Jacob Michael blew his brains out. —Coal and kaolin had been discovered near Huron. —The Atlantic Hotel, at White Pigeon, was destroyed by fire. Loss, $3,000. —Adam Perkins was seriously injured by a tree falling on him near Tipton. —Mrs. Fannie McCullum, of Seymour, aged 70, wan seriously injured by a fall. —Edward Trusler, hardware merchant at Greensburg, died of blood poisoning. —Unknown persons tried to assassinate PatrlcK Ruddle, who lives near Crawfordsville. —The Knights of Maccabees will hold their annual State reunion in Lobaiton, Jan. 13, next. —The Farmers’ Alliance of Boone County will hold an institute in Lebanon, Dec. 26 and 27. —Miss Nettie Davis, of Seymour, was fatally burned, her clothing taking fire from a bonfire. —F. Blmel has commenced work on his handle factory at Portland. He will employ sixty men. —James W. Hamrick, a merchant of Danville, was seriously injured by falling from the loft of his store. —Joseph Seacock, a small boy of Benton, was shot through the neck while playing with a Flobert rifle. —Tho Johnson Circuit Court has awarded Mrs, Sarah Humphries $5,000 against Charles Dolcn, for slander. —The Methodist churches at Moore’s Hill and Plainfield have voted In favor of admitting women as lay delegates. —Thieves went to the stock pen of Henry Stone, who resides at Taylorsville, and drove away five fat hogs. —At Huron, James Terrell and John Feltner quarreled over politics, and tho former was stabbed by the latter and killed. —' Tho bondsmen of James Fitzpatrick, tho defaulting Treasurer of Terre Haute, have agreed to pay up his shortage of $14,500. —Will Hopkins, while limiting near -Summltvillc, was accidentally shot in the face by George Morris and blinded in both eyes. —Reports of a rather vague character continue to come in concerning the existence of small-pox in Dubois County, near Huiitingburg. —Seven mail pouches have been stolen during the past seven weeks between Richmond and Winchester on the G. R. & I. Railway, —The large barn of Nolan Thomas, at Spencer, was consumed by fire, together with its contents. It was the work of an incendiary. —Louis Darnell, a yard brakeman at Richmond, was struck while coupling cars, and his neck was broken, causing instant death. —Snodgrass & Murphy, Crawfordsville tailors, have failed, and Joe West has been appointed assignee. Assets, $2,500; liabilities, $3,200. —Herman Tripp, operator at Lima, while scuffling with a companion, fell across a rail. Paralysis of the stomach ensued, resulting In death. —The general store of 11. Bowman, at Putnamville, was burglarized. Five hundred dollars’worth of clothing and other merchandise was stolen. —Nettie, aged 8, the daughter of W. W. Davis, of Seymour, was dangerously burned from feet to hips by her clothing Igniting from a pile of burning leaves. —The corn crop of Southern Indiana is harvested in excellent condition, and the yield exceeds all expectations. The average runs from twenty-five bushels on uplands to sixty per acre on the best bottom lands, and the quality Is prime. —A year ago, at Brazil, Tom Williams shot dead one Thrasher, a brother-in-law. By a justice of the peace he was acquitted on the grounds of self-defence. The grand jury recently indicted him for murder, and ho was re-arrested and placed in jail.

—Tho residence of John Klssh, at | Spraytown, was burned with contents, j tire originating from a defective flue, | Loss. $1,200; insurance, $450. —Mrs. Charles Wykoff, at Mt. .Finn, j gave birth to a pound and a quarter ini faut. After two weeks the child weighs ‘ a pound and a Half, and seems quito healthy. j —Elijah Mallott, a dairyman, of i Petersburg, in a tit of jealousy, shot his wife, inflicting only a flesh wound. He then committed suicide by shooting himself through the breast. —The Wabash Board of Trade is disj cussing the advisability of bringing suit for breach of contract against the Pittsburgh capitalists who did not establish the Indiana steel-works'there, —The La Gro Cement Company, with a capital of $5,000, has been organized. It Is the purpose of tho corporation to develop tho limestone and cement industry in the vicinity of that village. —Diphtheria, in a very malignant form, is raging in Shoals and Ironton. Helen, youngest daughter of N. 11. Motsinger, cashier of the Farmers’ and Merchants’ Bank, died of the dread disease. There are other serious cases, —At Xenia diphtheria rages to such an alarming extent that the public schools are closed, church services suspended, and public gatherings prohibited for ton days. Stringent sanitary methods are also being employed. —Marion Robertson, a well-known farmer, was fatally shot near Bloomington, by the premature discharge of a gun, wliilo hunting. Olio hand was shot off, and the load lodged In Ills face, one of his eyes falling out. He will die. —Messrs. Thompson &. Sharp brought in a gas well for the Greenfield Iron and Nail Company In the north part of their addition. Of all the wells that have been drilled In Hancock County this Is said to be the best. It is a wonderful gusher. —Henry O’Neil, living about two miles north of Caiman, was found doad In his field, having fallen out of his wagon. The old gentleman was crippled, having lost one foot In a threshing-machine gearing some thirty odd years ago. Ho was 70 years of age. f —Reports from winter wheat throughout the State are encouraging. The early sown wheat looks well, and that sown more recently Is In medium condition. The acreage this year Is considerably increased over last year. Its average condition is estimated at 93 per cent. —Waldo E. Hills, who Is under Indictment at Fort Wayne for alleged criminal practices in defrauding fanners on lightning rod contracts, and whose third trial for this offence was called recently, has fled, and his bond has been declared forfeited by the court. On his former trial Hills was sentenced to two years’in the penitentiary. —Morris F. Edwards* one of tho oldest and most highly respected citizens of Knightstown, died suddenly at his home. He was 84 years old, and had for many years been one of the most prominent members of the First M. E, Church and one of the most Influential citizens. He has held many positions of honor and trust. * —ln the suit of Nicholas Mcrl against the Citizen’s Street Railway Company, of Indianapolis, tried in the Hendricks Circuit Court on a charge of venue from Marlon County, the jury returned a verdict for $4,000 for Mori. This is the case where Mori’s legs were crushed by being caught between the platform of the transfer car and the platform of a passing open car. —Dr. Williamson, practicing physician at Lebanon for the past thirty-fivo years, aiuj 80 years of age, was run over by a btiggy while returning homo from Church. Three of his ribs were broken and he was hurt internally. It Is thought the accident will prove fatal. A warrant was issued for the arest of John Cooney, who was driving the buggy. —Prompted by reported information to the effect that the .State law cf 1881,‘Imposing a fine of from $lO to SIOO for each offense In killing quail and pheasant for markets outside the State, is being violated, State Fish Commissioner Dennis has cited the law to the express companies, who are carrying such game in large quantities to Chicago and Cincinnati, and warned them to desist. —Another factory has been added to the long list of manufactories for Anderson—a new keg factory that will employ fifty men and turn out two thousand nail-kegs per day. This is the tenth factory now in course of construction in that city, including two wire-nail factories, a nut and bolt factory, a carriage hardware factory, a cathedral-glass factory, a window-glass factory,|a brick and tile machine factory, a pulp and paper factory, a box factory and a keg factory. —The large breeding barn of Joseph Kleiper, near Cambridge, was consumed by fire entailing a loss of about. S7OO on the building, with only a small Insurance in a New York company. One valuable stallion and eight brood mares likewise perished. Sundown, the stallion, was owned by John T. ManloVe, of Milton, and had a great trotting record. He won a race at tho fall meeting in which there were three competitors, and was undoubtedly the finest two-year-old In the State. Ho was valued at SI,OOO. The total loss is $4,000. —H. R. Tinsley, of Crawfordsville, has been busily engaged for some time in collecting old-fashioned farming implements, until now he has a large number of these bygone articles. His latest addition to the collection is a flail which was used once for threshing grain. —The business men and farmers about Martinsville have subscribed the requisite amount of stock for tho purpose of starting a creamery plant there in the early spring. Work-will be commenced on the erection of it la a few days.