Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 297, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1910 — “FARMER” HOPKINS ON A RAMPAGE AT HIS HOME. [ARTICLE]

“FARMER” HOPKINS ON A RAMPAGE AT HIS HOME.

Well Known Barkley Township Man Arrested on Complaint of Children Wednesday Night. Samuel H. Hopkins, well known by the soubriquet of “Farmer” Hopkins, of Barkley township, was brought to Rensselaer at about midnight Wednesday night and placed in jail. A charge of assault and battery was brought against him, the complainant being his son James, who is 16 years of age. He is supported in the action by his elder brother Ben and by their three little sisters, ranging in age from 9 to 14 years. According to their story their father came to Rensselaer Wednesday and returned home drunk. Before the boys returned from their work about ehe farm the father had raked the ashes over the coals in the heating stove and gone to bed, although it was scarcely dark. When the boys came in, Jim started up the fire in order to keep the house warm, and his father objected to this. He ordered Jim to stop and began to curse and abuse him, which, the five children say, he does whenever he is drinking. According to the tale they tell he struck Jim with his flst about the head three times and taking out his pocketknife he opened the blade and threatened to kill him. His father ordered the boys from the house and as Jim went out of the door the old man took after him and struck at him with his knife, cutting a small place between two fingers of his hand.

He then locked the three little girls upstairs and nailed the doors of the house shut. Another son, George, who has not been staying at home much of the time, was home and he and the brothers went to a neighbors and called to Rensselaer for. a constable. W. S. Parks and City Marshal Mustard went out, taking with them a warrant for “Farmer.” The Hopkins boys were awaiting them and they forced one of the doors and then a door to the bedroom occupied by Hopkins. He was lying on the bed with his pants on and as soon as he saw the officers he sprang up and in an instant had out his pocket knife and had it opened. He swore and declared he would kill them if they tried to take him.

Mr. Parks drew his revolver and ordered him to put up his knife and he dropped the knife, but when the officers tried to take him he again grabbed the knife and did not release it until Parks knocked him down with his club. Mustard was also active, and finally when “Farmer” was subdued, there was blood and whiskers about all over the bedroom. They got a set of handcuffs over one hand, but then “Farmer” set his elbows back and refused to have his arms pried together. But when Mustard got one hand in his whiskers and another in his hair and started to twist, “Farmer” relaxed his vice-like position and the cuffs were adjusted. He kept making threats and made them about all the way to town and tried hard to keep from being locked up in the jail. The charge against him was assault and battery, and another could be made of resisting officers, but this would add only temporary relief to what seems to be a very threatening affaiV for the children. According to the children and neighbors, Hopkins is a very violent man when drunk, and the children say he has been coming to Rensselaer three times a week and getting whiskey each time. He is at his worst when drinking but is abusive and unreasonable at all times. The boys say they have worked hard at the farm and that he scarcely provides them with any money and that he complains about providing the things needed for the home. He strikes them and they say he has chased them from the house with a shotgun and threatened time and time again to kill them. They charge that he has spent for himself practically all the income frbm their labor on the farm and that while they have worked diligently he has wasted the money In drinking and running around. Prosecutor Longwell came over from Brook and took the case in hand for the boys, and it was decided that about the best thing to be done was to place their father under bond to keep the peace, and it was decided to make this bond in the sum of SSOO. The children are doubtful whether this will be sufficient to cause him to stop his abuse of them and they dread to see him again come home and resume his dictatorship of the house and farm.

He was fined $lO and costs, amo luting to $22.50 on the assault and battery charge and begged to be given two weeks for the surety of the peace proceedings, but Justice Irwin would not hear to this and the time was set. for 3:30 o’clock this afternoon. He has a farm of 160 acres and is regarded as a good farmer, but he acts like a wild man when in his cups and uses violent language. He has owned an automobile for some time and recently when driving near his home, the machine was run off the river bank and turned upside down, dumping himself and his three daughters out and badly damaging the machine. The escape of all from death was remarkable. His sons say that he was drunk at that time.