Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1914 — REVOLTING CASES BEFORE JUSTICES [ARTICLE]

REVOLTING CASES BEFORE JUSTICES

Preliminary Hearings Given to Edward Honan and Tom Tanner on Similar Charges.

The preliminary hearing of Edward M. Honan, a member of the senior class of the Rensselaer high school, on the charge of criminal assault, was given a hearing before Squire Irwin today, Saturday. The case was started shortly after 10 o’clock and had not been finished when The Republican went to press. It is not the intention of this paper to give any of the details of this case, for the very good reason that it makes mighty poor reading for the young girls who come within the influence of the papers. The pity is that such things are alleged to occur and that to get at the truth such publicity must he given to them. The paper owes conflicting duties to the public, that of giving the news and that of refusing to print things that may have an evil hearing upon those who read it. The Klinger girl, as she appeared on the witness stand, impressed the writer as of below the average in intellect, due probably to her poverty and lack of experience. One could not help but think of her with pity. She was poorly clad. She told of the many moves her family had made and said she had been working for the Honan family. since Sept. 13th with the exception of about two weeks at Christmas time. She said she had received only $2 in money during that time and that the balance of her pay was in clothes. On Dec. 13th she had found a blank check at the Honan home and had written it to herself for the sum of $3.50 and signed Mr. Honan’s name and after making some purchases at Jarrette’s Variety Store had secured about $2 in change and spent it for candy, which she had eaten. She said she did not think that she would be discovered and did not know she could be prosecuted for forgery. She said that Honan spent two hours or more in her room and that all of the time she was fighting him and screaming for help at the top of her voice. She admitted that she had got up the next morning and got breakfast and did not tell Mrs. Honan what had happened. She said that she did not think it would do any good, as she knew Mrs. Honan would not believe her. She remained at the Honan home until after dinner and them went down town, stopping at the home of Mrs. Bowser to tell her what had happened. She then went to the office of Vernon Crisler, who is a partner with J. A. Dunlap in the ownership of the farm the Klinger family reside on. Mr. Crisler secured a rig and the girl was taken to her home by Henry Nevill, where she told her mother what had happened and her mother returned with her. The case was laid before Delos Dean, deputy prosecutor, and later before Prosecutor Longwell. Physicians, who examined the girl after the alleged assault, were testifying in the case this afternoon.

Awaiting tjie adjournment of th,e case in order that Prosecutor Longwell might conduct another, was Tom Tanner, of Barkley township, who is charged with assault by Gladys Blanche (Hurley) Tanner, his adopted daughter. Gladys was 15 years old on Dec. 3rd and is small of her age. She went to school Thursday crying and told other girls that Mr. Tanner had abused her. Alex. Hurley is her half brother. She was taken to his home and it is said indignation ran high at the charges she made. Mr. Hurley and others came to Rensselaer Friday afternoon and the girl was brought in that evening and she made the affidavit on which Contable Parks and Marshal Shesler arrested Tanner at his home. He was brought to town at about 1 o'clock Friday night and Justice Bruner placed his bond at $2,000, and John Eger signed it. Tanner has borne a good reputation and stoutly proclaims his innocence. He is about 45 years of age and travels over the country buying poultry and eggs. He and his wife charge that the girl was kidnapped from them and the charge fostered up.

We unloaded our first car of “Aristos” flour for 1914 last week. We sold in 1913, 16 cars, over fourteen thousand sacks. We want to make 1914 a banner year by selling twenty thousand. Quality and price is what sells "Arlstos.”

JOHN EGER.

Gen. Simon Boliver Buckner, candidate for vice president on the gold democratic ticket with Gen. John M, Palmer, of Illinois, in 1896, died late Thursday night at his home in Lexington, Ky. He was 93 years old.