Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1904 — RECORD OF THE WEEK [ARTICLE]

RECORD OF THE WEEK

INDIANA INCIDENTS TERSELY TOLD. Slater Accuse* Brother of Fraud at Funeral of Father—Constable's Aid Convicted of Manslaughter—'Thieves Rob Coal Cars and Bell to Poor. • According to reports from Poplar Grove there was a sensational scene at the funeral of Jacob Harness, an octogenarian, who died a few days ago. Daceased was once wealthy, but gave hit property to his children. At the open grave it is alleged that Mrs. Easter Barker, a daughter, turned on her brother, Solomon Harness, and bitterly accused the brother of getting their father drunk and forcing him to deed all bis property to Solomon and George Harness, then taking him to the poorhouse. Friends tried to quiet the woman, bnt she refused to be silenced and continued her tirade until exhausted. It is claimed that Jacob Harness had property amounting to $60,000 which he turned over to the sons. The Harness brothers frequently have been threatened with whitecapping for neglect of their father, and for months there has been great excitement in the neighborhood.

Constable’s Aid Guilty. In Shelbyville the jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against Ola B. Powers, which means a sentence of from two to twenty-one years. Oet. 10 Powers procured a warrant for William Wells and returned to assist the constable in making the arrest. Wells went to Fairland on an interurbnn car and when met by the constable and Powers started to run. Powers shot twice and Wells was killed. Towers is 23 years old and has a wife and two children. Wells was barely of age and owed Powers a bar bill. claimed that Wells had obtained drink under false pretenses. Patterson Pleaded Guilty. Andrew Patterson, who shot two employes of a mining company’s store at Fontanet, and who was caught at North Vernon, pleaded guilty In Terre Haute. Judge Piety withheld sentence to await the result of the w ounds of the two men. Patterson said he w-as drunk and when one of the men kicked him while he was in the store, he used a shotgun. The second man, named Hein, he said, was struck by some of the shot fired at Parrott.

Coal Thieve* Were Busy.

Lafayette authorities haVe ascertained by investigating coal stealing cases that quite an industry has sprung up in the vicinity of the railroad yards. Because they told pathetic stories of suffering and poverty ninny of the coal thieves arrested have been uMowed to go unpunished, but it develops that in many cases the coal is stolen from the railroads by persons who sell it to the poor, who would not stoop to theft themselves.

Fine for Dnclclns Teacher.

Ira and Floyd Deckard, Peart and Katherine Parks and Gertrude and Jessie McClellan, the six school children who “ducked” Miss Erline Sinclair in a pond near the Parks school in Cass township Dec. 8, pleaded guilty to rioting and were fined $5 and costs each.

Mar Part Yonnar Eloper*. On New Year's dny Everett Cleis, aged 19 years, of South Bend, and Maine Lucille Murray of Goshen eloped to Cassopolis, Mich., where they were married. Cleis’ parents were strongly opposed to the union and will take legal action to annul the marriage.

Brief Btete Happenings. The large canning factory which was to be located in Tipton may not materialize. Mrs. Daniel Gordon of Greenfield is asking the court to grant her a divorce because she wants to disinherit her husband. She claims there is no ill feeling between them. James Tillett, a woodworker of Knoxville, Tenn., is under nrrest in Lafayette for shooting Mark Flannery iu Chicago. Tillett claims Flannery was intoxicated and attacked him and that he shot in self-defense. James Yemor, proprietor of a large dairy farm seven miles from Lafayette, will build a spur of railroad track from the Monon Railroad to his farm in a few months. The track will be used only for the transportation of his own products. Realizing that death was a question of only a few hours, George P. Moorehead of South Bend sent for his bride-to-be, Miss Mary Nicar Tutt, and, propped up by piUows, became the husband of the young woman. A few miuutes later Mr. Moorehead willed his bride his fortune of $50,000. Two hours after the ceremony the groom was dead. C. L. Fisher of Indianapolis was awakened at midnight by burglars pounding on her door and demanding admission. She jumped from a second-story window in her night robes and. ran barefooted several blocks. She met two policemen, who hurried back to the house and were met by a fusillade of shots from the revolvers of four men. There was a running fight and two of the burglars were wounded, but all escaped. Hamilton, Ohio, police are asked to locate Llewelyn 11. Vinnedgo, a member of one of Butler County’s leading families, who has disappeared from Anderson, where he is alleged to be short $5,000 in his accounts with the Amerjcan Wire Nail Company, of which he was chief clerk. He is said to have cashed the company’s check for $5,000 Dec. 31, representing to the bank that he wanted it for the pay roll. Vinnedge was a deacon of the Presbyterian Church and vice president of the Y. M. C. A. It is charged that he led a duJtl life and lost heavily in gambling. Ilis relatives are ignorant of his whereabouts. A S6OO diamond brooch lost by Mrs. Dave Ryder ip Terre Haute was returned by Miss Fern Howell of Paris, 111., who found it at the Grand Opera House door and held it until advertised tor. Ryder pressed SIOO reward on her. Mrs. John Anderson of Michigan City, despondent because of illness, set fire to her clothing with snicidal intent, and ran streaming from the house enveloped lin flames. Her husband, awakened by her cries, pursued her, but did not succeed In extinguishing.the flames nuril his wife had been frightfully burned. The 1 physicians offer no hope for her recovery.