Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 April 1900 — Sent To the Reform School. [ARTICLE]

Sent To the Reform School.

’ Considerable excitement was Occasioned here Sunday morning when it was learned that Squire Burnham’s “stenographer,” Hazel Colvert, had been arrested for the larceny of the Squire’s pocketbook containing some $9, buying goods' on the Squire’s credit, etc., and had been lodged in jail. Matie Owen and Oscar Martin were also arrested as accomplices before, after and during the alleged outiage upon the peace and dignity of both the gray-haireji Squire and the State of Indiana. The Colvert girl is an adopted daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Colvert of this city, and is about 15 years of age. She has been a little wild, it is said. She had been “stenographer” for Squire Burnham for some two or three .months. In addition to swiping the Squire’s pocketbook she is said to have procured some $15.50 worth of supplies at Leopold's store Saturday night, when the Squire only told her she could get a four dollar dress. The Owen girl and Martin, it was said, had assisted in “storing the goods” after they were purchased, and that it was the intention of the trio to take the Sunday morning train for Chicago, where they were to reside. The parties lay in jail all day Sunday and Monday morning were arraigned before Judge Thompson, who sentenced the Colvert girl to be imprisoned in the reform school until she reaches the age of 18. The evidence against the Owen girl and Martin was hardly sufficient to -make a case, and after considerable legal quibbling they were discharged. A great many people are of the opinion that a little more justice should be meted out in the matter.

-■ - 'J’he Appellate Court on Wednesday reversed the judgment of the Jasper Circuit Court in the case of August Rosenbaum vs. State of Indiana. In July, 1897. Rosenbaum was indicted for selling liquor on Sunday, convicted and fined $lO and costs. The evidence showed that the sale, if it was made at all, was made by the bartender employed by Rosenbaum in the absence of the latter and contrary to his express orders. The r Appellate Court held that the conviction was unwarranted by the facts found. This is the second case “Rosey” has wqp in the higher courts within the past year.

The Democrat wishes to secure good, regular correspondents at Remington, Surrey,Fair Oaks, DeMotte and Kniman; also from the central part of Jordan and Milroy townships. We want the news from those localities every week. Other sections of the county are now represented. We prefer some school teacher or other person of fair education for this work, and believe they will find it entertaining and instuctive to them. Will not some of oar readers at these points assist us in securing correspondents and thereby make The Democrat doubly interesting to them by giving a nice breezy lot of local items from their immediate locality each week?

Judge Rabb, of the Benton circuit court, gave the truancy law a hard jolt last week in Benton county. The case was that of the State of Indiana against Wm. Sayres for failure to send his b< y to school as the law directs. Judge Rabb held the indictment bad on the ground that the law could not be enforced. It provides that any child over six and not over fourteen years old must go to school in his school corporation. He also ruled that a pupil may go to another school, to a private or parochial school anytime during the year, provided he goes as many months, weeks or days as are taught in this school corporation. In a term of six months the child need not attend at all during the school year provided he attends school for six months during the calendar year, thus making it impossible to enforce the law.