Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 April 1895 — HOOSIER HAPPENINGS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HOOSIER HAPPENINGS

NEWS OF THE WEEK CO..OISELY CONDENSED. What Our Neighbor* are Doing—Matter# of General and Local Interest—Marriages and Deatha—Accident# and Crimea—Personal Pointera About Indianiana. Hon. James M. Barrett. Senator James M. Barrett of Fort Wayne, is one of the young, hustling Democrats of Northern Indiana, and is a leader among the politicians of his party. He is a member of the firm of Morris, Bell, Barrett & Morris and his ability in that line is fully attested by the success which his firm has attained in the many legal battles in which they have participated. He made his first political speech at a poll raising in the Sixth Ward in 1876, in honor of Mr. Charles A. Munson, then a candidate for Sheriff, and took an active part on the stump iu every campaign since. In 1886 he was elected Senator from Allen County by a majority of 1,987, that being the largest majority of any candidate on the Democratic County ticket. At the same election tlie Hon. J. B. White, Republican candidate for Congress, and the Hon. A. A. Chapin, Republican candidate for Judge of the Superior Court, were elected over their Democratic opponents. In the session of the State Senate of 1887, was Chairman of the Committee on Prisons, and a member of the Committee on the

Judiciary and Cities and Towns. As Chairman of.-the Committee on Prisons in 1887 he made an investigation of the Southern Prison located at Jeffersonville, and made a report to the Senate of the condition, mismanagement, and corrupt practices then existing in the State prison which compelled the resignation of the warden and directors (all Democrats) and resulted in the selection of an entirely new management. Also prepared and introduced abill forthe complete reorganization of the prison system of the State by taking the appointment of directors away from the Legislature, and putting it in the hands of the Governor with power of removal. The bill, like all other bills of that session, failed to become a law by reason of the well-remembered “dead lock” of that session. A similar bill, however, was passed by tlie Democratic Legislature of 1893, and is now a law. In 1889 was made Chairman of tlie Committee on the Judiciary—the most important and hardest worked committee of the Senate, and to which are referred all important measures. To this committee was referred the several bills of that session looking to the securing of a new election law for Indiana. As Chairman lie prepared and reported a substitute bill, which was passed, and is now known as the Australian ballot law. Took an active part on the floor of the Senate in securing the passage of the .School Book Law, ami introduced and passed through the Senate a stringent bill against all trusts and combines, but which failed to pass the Lower House. He was author of the street improvement law, generally known as the ■‘Barrett law,” under which all street improvements in the cities and towns of Indiana have been made for the past six years, and which gave an impetus to street improvements in every part of tlie State, so that the principal streets of the cities may Ije said to be “lifted out of the mud.” After the close of the session of 1889, the Indianapolis Sentinel paid him the following compliment: “Among the Democratic leaders of the Fifty-sixth General Assembly none have taken higher rank or wielded greater influence than Senator Barrett of A lien County. He is a young man of extraordinary ability and untiring industry, and possesses all the qualities for bold and successful leadership. His knowledge of the various departments of the State government and of the necessities and wants of the people is broad and comprehensive. He is a dilligent student, an indefatigable worker, a ready debater, and an excellent parliamentarian, lie is well Versed in the ment, and his ideas of public duty are of tlie highest. He was one of the most conspicuous figures in the session just ended, and to him, as much as to and other member of either chamber, is due the successful issue of the fight for election reform, and the rout of the schoolbook trust. Few men better equipped for legislative duties have ever sat in an Indiana General Assembly.” Senator Barrett is Chairman of the Allen County Democratic Central Committee at the present time. His legal ability was recognized by the Commissioners of Allen County in their selection of him as County Attorney.

Minor State Item, Joseph Lee, a miner residing east of Brazil, was instantly killed by a westbound passenger on the Vandalia. While working on the iee houses near Decatur Charles Tucker was struck on the head by a piece of falling timber and almost instantly killed. Hunters in Rush County report that they have seen a wild woman in the woods about five miles from Rushville. Her body was covered with dirt. Kokomo nas secured another canning factory, making three institutions of that kind for the place " aggregating 1,600 employes in the five months’ packing season. Jacob France, living six miles south of Wabash, was taken in by lightning-rod swindlers. He made a contract with them to rod his house for $25, and was to receive a twenty-dollar discount by way of advertising the business. After the swindlers left he found he had contracted for seven points at $25 per point. The boiler of the Vincennes Novelty Works exploded, being blown through the wall of the engine room. Brick and other debris was hurled many squares. A flying brick went as far as the Catholic school yard and struck a boy named Lane on the head, inflicting a wound that may prove fatal. The loss will be $3,000. Wabash County Commissioners claim the privilege of arbitrary action in the issuance of licenses and have refused three applicants without assigning reasons except that the people don’t want saloons. Rev. J. S. Nelson, a prominent Luthrran, and pastor of a Fort Wayne charge, was given a church trial at North Manchester, on thq charge of heresy. Rev. Nelson recently* wrote a book entitled, “Baptism Forever Settled, or the Water Lino Obliterated,” in which he derides the necessity of water baptism in any form. The case was tried before sixteen ministers, all of whom voted to deprive him of all ministerial., functions pending a final de cision by the Synod, which will meet next September.

HON. JAMES M. BARRETT.