Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 December 1902 — INDIANA INCIDENTS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA INCIDENTS.

RECORD OF EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK. Bank Robbers Balked by Citizens — Literary Honors for Michigan City Miss—Bin Irrigation Syatcin Started --Unwilling Witness Kills Ilimsetf. Four masked men attempted to rob the White River Bank ut I.oogootee. They first robbed a lymhvnre store of six revolvers and us many guns, together with ammunition. Then they went to a restaurant, where two night clerks were on duty, und held them up. One of (lie clerks, John Catterson, who resisted, was stabbed. The clerks were overpowered and carried to the rear of the budding. 'I he four robbers then wen! to the hank. Two remained on guard and two began work on the safe. They were preparing to use explosives oil llie safe when the approach of citizens caused them to flee. Residents had been aroused by one of the clerks, who freed himself and used* a telephone. Girl Wins Literary llonors. Miss Hilda B. Morris, aged 14 years, daughter of 11. li. Morris of Michigan City, has won unusual literary honors fur (•lie of tier age. She lias carried off prizes in a number of contests of "a local character, besides winning medals and money from a number of eastern magazines. Last June she received a silver badge for a poem entitled “When School Is Done," which appeared in St, Nicholas, and a gold medal was awarded for an operetta entitled "When Fields Are Green.” SJie lias a story in the December number of St. Nicholas, for which she received a prize in gold. Payment lias also been received for another effort, which is to appear in Pearson's Magazine. Start Big Irrigating Ditch. Tin* movement which is under way ill the northwestern counties of Indiana, Jm-liiding I.aporte, Starke. Porter, Lake and Jasper, to erect what will probably ho the largest artificial -waterway of its kind east of the Mississippi river, is making progress. When completed it will reclaim hundreds of thousands-of acres of Kankakee marsh lands which are now regarded as worthless. A contract lias been let for the first fourteen miles in I.aporte and Starke counties for $120.<BHI. The ditch will lie eighty feet wide and sixteen feet deep. It is the plan of the other counties to continue tiegreat ditch to the Illinois line, a distance of sixty miles. The total cost will lie about $1,000,000. Rather I>ic than Testify. Rather than pass through a second day on the witness stand in the SIO,OOO damage suit brought by Mrs. William Bowman against the Lake Shore Railroad. Benjamin (Tarver, a prosperous business man of Bremen, drank an ounce of carbolic acid diluted in water and then walkid into the court house of St. Joseph County, dying in the presence of Judge Anderson, tlie jury and the attorneys in the ease. Says lie Is a Hunk Robber. George Bretii. aged 20 years, was arrested at Michigan City for annoying Mrs. Mollie Selniltz and made confession of liis connection with several hank robberies, particularly the attempted looting of the Smith Bank at Westviile and the murder of Wesley Reynolds. Tho authorities put no confidence in the story, believing Broth is looking for notoriety. Killed in a Gambling Den. Walter Gossntatt, aged 20. was killed by Tint 'N'ooiun, a gambler, by a blow oti the head with an iron cuspidor. Gossmau went to a gambling room over a saloon in the west end of Terre Haute, and in a quarrel with Noolan, who was drunk, the latter threw the cuspidor. As soon as Gossman fell to the floor Noolan made his escape. Brief State Happenings. Harry I.ay, the 8-year-old son of Mayor .1. H. I.ay of Marion, died as the result of vaccination. Congressman -lames A. 11 emeu way lias announced himself a candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor. Samuel Bowman of Noblesville, 18 years old, attempted to kill himself by drinking alcohol and carbolic acid, lie will recover. Itev. 11. 11. Fotenhauer of Hamburg, Minn., a widely known Lutheran pastor, lots Welt chosen president of Concordia College at Fort Wayne. The boiler of the I.ees sawmill at Omega exploded, killing Eltno Samuels, the engineer. One of Jacob I*ar's legs was broken and lie was badly scalded. l'oisoucd candy was sent to Miss Matilda Baker at'Micliignn City, and after eating it site was taken violently sick. She was resuscitated after twelve hours of suffering. The Standard Oil Company lias purchased a large tract of land southwest of Marion, on which they will erect cite of the largest refineries in the world. The work will In-gin early in the spring. The I'nnhnndle Railroad, finding the casting work incident to its business overcrowding (he Columbus shops, lots decided to put it in the hands of private induatries. The work lias been apportioned in-tween foundries at Steubenville, Oltio, and Logan sport. A bird dug. Carlo, In-longing in Jefferson County, was taken on June 15 to lowa, 700 miles away. In two weeks it disappeared from its new home, nothing being heard of it until it recent morning when it suddenly reappeared at its old home, having found its way overland alone. Corouer Rowell at La|mrte announced that his fuidiug in the cahc of the mysterious dentil of Peter H. Gun ness would la- that he came to Ills death through an accident. lied'u-d of n fractured skull. The widow, who was Belle Sorensen of Chicago until last fall, said a sausage grinder had fallen on him. Reports received from the Knst say the Indiana bituminous coal combine is off. The Rock Island crowd of financiers had been considering tho organization of the combine for some weeks. Twice tho cofhhine was almost completed, hut flurries on the stock market interfered. Holdup men, heavily armed, have lx*cn working boldly in Crnwfordsville. Mr*. Ray Corbin was stopped by two men and her pocketbook and money taken. A few hours later the tnen appeared na the college campus and held up Charles Bwearengen, a student, at the point of their r*TolT*ra.