Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 August 1900 — RECORD OF THE WEEK [ARTICLE]

RECORD OF THE WEEK

INDIANA INCIDENTS TERSELY Decrease of Activity in Oil FieldsBlow with Fist Kills an Old Man —Train Taken by Tramps Fatal Powder Explosion in Brazil. The Indiana oil field report for July shows a marked decrease in the number of new wells being drilled. One reason given is that producers are beginning preparations for winter and another is the price of junk and other material used about a well is at least 50 per cent higherthanthe priceof oil justifies. There is a falling off of 44 per cent in drilling wells and 59 per cent in new derricks building, or, therefore, 103 less new wells in progress for the beginning of August than there was for July 1. This means that about 200 laborers are out of work. The decrease in new work is divided equally among all districts. Old Man Killed by a Blow. Rariden Meek, aged 77, a well known and highly respected citizen of Wayne County, met a violent death and George Jenkins and William Gates, residents of Richmond, and both married men, are now locked up in the local jail as a result. It seems that Gates and Jenkins were out in search of blackberries and while thus engaged went on to the land owned by Meek. The old man saw them and went out to order them off. A dispute followed and one ot the men struck Meek, his death following almost lyTramp* Flag a Train. A gang of tramps flagged a Chicago and Southeastern freight train at Lapel and when it stopped boarded the train and took possession. In a tight which ensued Conductor Lambert was badly beaten. A brakeman jumped from the train andwent to Lapel, where he telegraphed the Anderson police.. The tramps, to ayoi<i arrest, however, compelled the engineer to let them off near the city limits and escaped to the woods. Boys Play with Powder. In Brazil four boys, ranging in age from 15 to 19 years, were fearfully burned by an explosion of a keg of powder with which they, were playing.. The-in-jnred were John Mattri, John Scabber, Roily Forrester and James Ambrose. Mattri died of ins injuries nnd Scabber and Ambrose are hot expected to live, as they are burned so badly that flesh falls from portions of their bodies. State News in Brief. Epidemic of dysentery at Muncie. I’ink eye prevalent about Milford. Anderson has a “Jack, the hugger.” Smallpox in thirteen Indiana counties. Mrs. D. A. Julian, Muncie, died of measles. Fine crop of oats around Hagerstown 1 iiined by rain. Hereafter Muncie merchants will have to close on Sunday.

A Kokomo canning factory has canned 1.900,000 quarts of peas. Mrs. A. E. Grove, Laporte, met an old lover and became insane. Two Marion women, infatuated with the same man. fought in a store. Residence of Ollie Frazier. Elwood, wrecked by natural gas explosion. Rev. Daniel Shively. Peru, a Dunkard minister of national reputation, is dead. Richard Boggs, 23, Patriot, eaught in belt in a planing mill ami instantly killed. D. M. Snyder, Peru, found his parents in Laporte, after twenty-five years' separation. Mrs. Mary B. Wilson. 81. Shelbyville, is dead. She was thi- mother of thirteen children. Andrew Carnegie has given a $3,000 pipe organ to St. Paul’s M. E. Church, laifnyette. Emmett Brown, aged 19, a prominent young man of Waterloo, was instantly killed by a Lake Shore fast train. After robbing the postotfiee at Young America, the thief hid $127 worth of stamps under a porch, while he entered a store, where he was frightened away. The stamps were found. In Evansville Louis Awenius. 27 years old. went home the other night and before retiring said to bis sister: "I have had three fights to-night anil don’t feel well.” At noon the next day his sister went to call him ami found him dead. Doctors say death resulted from blows on the body. John Franks, a Noble township farmer. was swindled out of $2,500. Two men. who registered as W. 11. Harris of Indiana and W. (’. Brown of Hamilton, Ohio, visited Franks for the ostensible purpose of buying his farm, telling him ho must produce $2,500 to prftve his responsibility. Franks put his money into a satchel. The men were to put $3,000 in another. They switched satchels and Franks got a bundle of paper. The lust few nights n stranger has been going to the home of the widow Lemasters, south of Shelbyville, nnd after knocking on the weather boarding with a club disappearing. Indignant residents have gathered each night nt the Lemasters home nnd watched with shotguns for the intruder, who defiantly continues his visits without harm. One night the neighbors encircled the house with wire on which was a bell that would ring on the mysterious visitor running ngainst it. This proved futile, as the man removed the bell, bombarded the house and disappeared. A few nights later Mrs. Lemnsters heard a noise in the rear yard nnd opening n door suddenly wns confronted by a mnn, who run behind a tree. The woman called to the men on watch on the inside, and ns she did so the intruder hurled a stone at her, knocking her senseless. Mary Miller. 2, Goshen, fell into a kettle of boiling .starch nnd was terribly burned. A number of Muncie people have been converted to the creed of the Chicago apostle, Dowie. Terre Haute thinks it bus n female house breaker. She was seen nt the open window of a house nt 3 a. in. No pupils will be allowed to enter the Frankfort schools until evidence of a successful vaccination is presented. Jeffersonville government depot received orders to make 150,000 flannel blouse* and JOO pain ot drawers.