Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 October 1904 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

si.oo Per Year.

A MATTER OF HEALTH POWDER Absolutely Pure HAS MO SUBSTITUTE

LOCAL AND PERSONAL. Brief Items of interest to City and Country Readers. Corn 47 (new 38); oats 27. Everything new at Jessen’s. M E. P. Honan was in Wheatfield on business Monday. Mrs. E. H. Shields is visiting relatives in Wells county. *Ad Robinson of lola, Kan., is visiting relatives and friends here. Vl John H. Jessen and Lute Hemphill are taking in the world’s fair this week. Mrs. T. A. Crockett, southeast of town, is visiting relatives in Hoopeston and Danville, 111. George Kessinger purchased a quarter section of land near Wilsonville, Neb., on his recent trip west. E. J. Murray left last Friday for Portland, Oregon, to join her husband, who is now located there. Isaac Saidlai brought us in a basket of the largest and finest apples we have seen this year. Many thanks. N £jVlisß Maude Daugherty left Tuesday for Otto, Wyoming, to visit for a couple of months with the family of Paris Daugherty. Miss Lola Iliff, who has been visiting here for several months returned home with her. •

NJThe school football game Here Saturday between Lafayette and Rensselaer resulted in a score of 34 to 0 in favor of Rensselaer. \i.Guerney Jessen is now located ih his new quartefs in the opera house block with a fine new lino of jewelry, etc. Give him a call when in want of anything in his line. The last Sunday excursion of the season will be run by the Monon, Sunday, on same schedule as usual, passing Rensselaer at 8:47 a. m. Only $1 for the round trip. Werner Miller returned Friday night from a two-, months visit with his brother and sister in California. The country was much improved since 1882, when he previously visited* them. The ladies of the Presbyterian church will hold their annual Rummage Sale at the former Michael Eger carpenter shop, on Van Rensselaer street, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 28 and 29. rs. S. C. Robinson and baby aro making her parents, Mr. and Mrs Wm. Wasbburti, a several weeks visit. Dr. Robinson has moved from Williamsport, Pa., and is now located at Auburn,, this state. A few more of those large lithograph pictures of Parker and Davis are left at The Democrat office, also at Democratic Headquarters, and can be had free of charge by calling and making your wants known. Candace Brown, who has been a valued employe of The Democrat for the past two years, has resigned her position and expects to remain at home the coming winter, unless —well, unless she changes her mind. ■\“Tbe interior of the First National Bank has been re-papered and painted, the bottom of the side walls covered with burlap, and it all presents a picture of neatness and cleanliness, making one of the handsomest banking rooms in this section of the state.

BRYAN HERE NEXT WEDNESDAY. i ' ■»— William J. "Bryan tuill speaK. in "Rensselaer at 4- p. m., Wednesday . Oct. 26. at Public Square. Hon. H. H. Smith of South "Dakpta built also be present and tuill speedy at 1:30. Half Rates and Special Tjain* on the Railroads. The Monon will run a special train from its Michigan City Branch stopping at Lee and McCoysburg, and arriving at Rensselaer at 12 o’clock noon, and the evening train on the Michigan City line will wait at Monon for the Milk Train, to take passengers north; Train on Gifford road leaving Kersey at io a. m., connects with special Michigan City branch train at McCoysburg at 11:40 a. m., and returning will wait for the Milk Train at McCoysburg; Monon train No. 5, arriving at Rensselaer at 10:55, will stop at Parr for passengers; north bound evening train will stop at Parr, Fair Oaks, Roselawn, Shelby and Lowell. One Fare For Round Trip. There Will Also Be Speaking at Night.

''jsC. P. Wright has a new automobile, A warranted mainspring SI.OO at Jessen’s. Cloak and suit opening at Rowles & Parker’s Tuesday, Oct. 25. Dr. Berkley shipped his household goods to Chicago, Tuesday. Frank Haskell and Miss Carrie Gwin visited in Frankfort Sunday. Henry Eiglesbach is building a fine new barn on his farm south of town. "/ Mr. and Airs. Wallace Robinson of Lamar, Colo., are visiting relatives here. All the new styles at Rowles & Parker’s cloak and suit opening next Tuesday, Oct. 25. % Mrs. C. P. Wright and sons Zern and Don spent Sunday with the former’s parents, Mr. and Airs. E. B. Voudersmith, at Remington. six months old daughter of Air. and Airs. Harriott of Aix, died Tuesday and was buried in Prater cemetery Wednesday. and Airs. Jay Williams and daughter Airs. Charles Porter of Delphi, and Mrs. John Makeever visited in Chicago the first of the week. and Mrs. Frank Foltz, Air. and Mrs. Oscar Hauter and two sons and T. AI. Callahan of Newland are among those from this county tnkiug in the world's fair this week.

Mrs. Raymond Wright of Pueblo, Colo., who has been spending the summer with her parents Air. and Airs. J. N. Sample, returned home Tuesday, accompained by her sister. Miss Anna Sample. Call at Democratic Headquarters, upstairs in the room formerly occupied by the Halleck telephone exchange, and get a Parker and Davis lithograph, campaign, button, literature, etc A. Simpson has charge of the room and will be pleased to wait on you. Writing us from Alidland, Texas, to change the address of his Democrat from DeAiotte to that place, W. N. Pence says that he is on a ranch of 300,000 acres, and has plenty of fresh air, as we will see. “We have no political arguments here”, he says, “as all are Democrats.” Geo. E. Hershman of Walker township, a graduate from the Valparaiso law school and a most estimable young man, haß formed a partnership with Ferguson & Ferguson of this city, in the law and real estate business, and the firm will now be known as Ferguson, Hershman & Ferguson.

F. Arnold has sold his 120 acre farm in Barkley township, to A. Eib of Hanging Grove township, who takes possession Feb. 1. Consideration $77 per acre. Mr. Arnold leaves this week for Midland, Texas, where he will work for Nelson Morris, on the latter’s big ranch of which W. N. Pence, late of the Nelson Morris ranch in this county, is foreman. Hon. W. J. Bryan will come here next Wednesday by special train from Monticello, where he speaks at 2 p.* m. He will leave Monticello at 3:30 p. m. arriving here at 4 o’clock. He will speak here at the public square and it is expected that his address will be from an hoar to an hoar and a half in duration. He goes from here to Hammond, where he will speak at 8 p. m.

Rensselaer, Jasper County, Indiana, Saturday, October 22, 1904.

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Lakin, Homer Lakin, Frank Lakin and Frank Shindelar of Union tp., left Tuesday on a prospecting trip through Oklahoma and Indian Territory. We understand that Air. and Mrs. Dan Lakin expect to locate at or near Tulsa, I. T. The Kentland Enterprise says that it* is believed that at least sixteen indictments have been returned against F. D. Gilman, the absconding Goodland banker, and that a strong effort will be made to capture him. It is thought he has been given a tip and has left Chicago. The fifth annual meeting of the Northwest Indiana Conference, Woman’s Home Aiissionary Society, will be held at the Al E. church in this city next Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 25-26. A cordial invitation is extended to the public to come out to the meetings. The Democrat thinks that a stop should be made to the disfigurement of the coping and sidewalks about the public square in printing announcements of football games or any other attractions. We hope this matter will be looked after by the proper authorities and action taken that will put a stop to any more signs or announcements being painted thereon. JOHN RAMP BADLY HURT. *\Jobn Ramp, the 19-year-old son of Air. and Mrs. Charles Ramp, met with a very serious accident Alonday evening while pitching hay from a mow at their home on South Division street. After pitching down the hay, he threw down the fork and jumped down himself, thinking the fork had fallen over to one side. Instead of this, however, the fork stood erect, and he alighted on the handle. The fork handle penetrated the rectum some eight or ten itfches, and he was most seriously hurt. He managed to remove the fork handle and made his way to the house. A doctor was at once summoned and everything possible is being done for him. A Chicago specialist was here Thursday and with Drs. English and Kresler performed an operation for the relief of the unfortunate lad. The operation is said to have been successful, so far as sewing up the rents in the intestines are concerned, and the boy stood the operation well. Alf the stitches hold, the specialist thinks he will get along all right now, but he is in a very serious condition.

TRINITY QUARTERLY MEETING. The first quarterly meeting of Trinity M. E. church will occur Oct. 23. The communion service will be held in the morning hour and the Presiding Elder, Dr. D. M. Wood, will preach in the evening. Quarterly conference will be held on Monday morning at 8 o'clock. Jessen, the Jeweler, opera house block, s TO fIY FRIEfIDS AND PATRONS. You are cordially invited to be present at my store on Tuesday. Oct. 25,1904, and see in operation the Twentieth Century Laurel Heater which burns all grades of soft coal and slack without black smoke or soot. Kindly call and allow us to explain how to save one-half your fuel bill. Don’t forget the date. Your Friend, J. T. Zabing.

WRECK NEARLY COMPLETE.

The McCoys had a professional house wrecker here from Lafayette Tuesday, and he made an examination of the wrecked house and pronounced it totally ruined and 6aid it would have to be torn down. The first and second floors were torn to pieces and most of the furniture thereon was utterly ruined, but the third floor and contents, including Tom’s billiard table, was not badly injured. A hole fifteen to twenty inches deep and two feet across was made in the cement floor of the basement by the dynamite. Officers have been watching the premises nights since the blowing up of the house' as well as the property of A. McCoy, to prevent further depreda- 1 tion, and it is reported that old man McCoy is figuratively sleeping on bis arms. A rumor that the McCoy’s would seek to recoyed damages from the city for the the wrecked mansion is probably without foundat'on, as it is difficult to see wherein the city is to blame.

View from the northeast, showing the force of the explosion.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. I hereby certify that at no time during my term of office as Supervisor in Kankakee Township did Frank W. Fisher refuse to work out his road or property tax. and the report circulated that lie did refuse and 1 worked out said tax and then lie (Fisher) refused to pay me for the work, is false, malicious and misleading. Signed. Henry Hunsicker. Attest G. W. Swisher. Town Clerk Oct. 10. 1904. • State of Indiana. I ' ss County of Jasper, \ George W. Frazier, being first duly sworn, upon his oath, says that on or about the 15th day of April, 1904. Frank W. Fisher circulated a subscription paper for the purpose of raising funds for the family of this affiant; that said Fisher turned over to this affiant the sum of $35 75, the sum collected by said Fisher; that said Fisher turned over said subscription paper to this affiant on Sunday, July 26. 1904, without solicitation on the part of this affiant, together with all monies collected up to said date, and further. Affiiant saith not. George W. Frazier. Subscribed and sworn to before me, this Oct. 17th, 1904. Edward P. Honan, Notary, public. Com. expires July 9, 1907. I wish to say to the taxpayers of Kankakee Township that if elected trustee of said township, that all township business will, so far as possible, be transacted at Dunnville, and will set apart one day of each week for that purpose, and will be true to the promise made at our township convention as to township work, schools' and the purchasing of school snpplies. Yours to Command, Frank W. Fisher. Jessen makes a specialty of •Rogers’ 1837 goods.

TOM McCOY’S HOUSE BLOWN UP.

Handsome Residence of the Ex-Banker Compltely Wrecked With Dynamite Sunday Night.

HOUSE WAS UNOCCUPIED AT TIME. * Bloodhounds Fail to Locate ihe Culprit, and He May Never Be Apprehended. y ifVThe fine residence of T. J. McCby was completely wrecked Sunday night at ten o’clock by an explosion from within that was of terrific force and is generally believed to have been caused from a big charge of dynamite placed in the basement with felonious intent. The explosion blew out the whole east side of the house, bulged out the west side thereof,

tore np the foundation, blew out !doors and windows and wrecked the big porch. While the outer view presents a picture of desolation and ruin, the scene within is a great deal worse, the whole interior being torn and wrenched in a frightful manner. The damage is simply beyond repair, arid tlw* whole edifice must be torn dovrnV The house was unoccupied at the time of the explosion. Tom and his wife have been staying at Lafayette nearly all the time since the closing of the McCoy bank, only' returning occasionally to answer a warrant of the court or to greet the few admirers that yet remain here. Both Tom and Mrs. McCoy were here Saturday, but the former returned to Lafayette Saturday evening. The latter was at the home of A. McCoy, next door and within the same yard, when the explosion occurred, and it is asserted that the striking of the match that is supposed to have ignited the fuse that set off the explosive was heard by the two Mrs. McCoy and a lady friend who was visiting them, they not having yet retired for the night. At first they thought the explosion was at A. McCoy’s, andvvbeti Mrs. Tom ran out and excitedly asked what it all was, etc., a neighbor who had arrived on the scene with others attracted by the noise, told her her house was blown up. “Well,” said she, “I just expected they would do something.” “They” is inferred to have meant some of those who lost their money in the busted bank. The explosion was heard in all parts of the city, yet many people who had gone to bed and to sleep were not awakened, and it was not until Monday morning that it become generally known. Throngs of people then hutried to the scene and most of the pieces of the expensive heavy plate glass from the windows that had fallen in crackled bits on the sidewalk and street were eagerly picked up as souvenirs. Several amateur photographers hurried to the scene, anxious

Vol. VII. No. 29

to get a “shot” at the ruins, but Airs. Tom refused to allow them to picture it even from the street, possibly because the aforesaid street is called McCoy avenue and she may have thought that it belonged to them as a part of their holdings. One more persistent photographer than the rest, however, informed the lady'that he was going to take a picture, either with or without her consent, and did so. After the ice was once broken others “shot” at the ruins, and many pictures were taken. The cut published herein gives a good idea of the havoc wrought by the explosion, and shows the northeast view, probably the very best view that was taken. While the west side of the house is bulged out and a part of the foundation shattered, yet a picture from that side does not show very great damage, the worst being on the front and east side, as shown in our picture. Hundreds of people viewed the wreck all day long, and while the more cool headed ones condemned the act, yet it cannot be denied that there were many who expressed a wholly different opinion, and not a word of sympathy for the AlcCoys was heard on any hand. This condition has been brought about by the action of the McCoys themselves in their determination to hang on to every dollar's worth of property the law will give them, and if the house was blown up with dynamite it was probably the ill-advised act of some poor, half insane victim of the wrecked bank who had got so wrought up over his loss that he concluded he would spoil a few thousands for them by wrecking their property, which was in Airs. T. J. AlcCoy’s name, and therefore not included in the AlcCoys’ assets. The furniture and bric-a-brac which had been packed and was still in the house awaiting shipment to Lafayette, was badly damaged, the tine cut glass, etc., being broken to powder, almost, it is asserted. The dynamite seems to have been placed in about the center of the cement floor in the basement, and a fuse, (the remains of which have since been found) was run out of a side window, the fuse probably being twenty feet in length. When the explosion took place the two lower floors were blown up and the furniture, piano, etc., got a severe shaking up. and was about ruined. The report published in the city papers that the roof fell in after the explosion and r that windows were shattered in all parts of the city is wholly untrue. VThe roof is apparently little injured. and we have not heard of any damage whatever to any other property. The only clue, so far as known to the public, of the perpetrator of the lawless act, was some footprints <n the earth on the tennis court, in the rear of the house. These were quite far apart, and would indicate, that the maker of the “prints” was in a hurry to get away. Officers guarded the property and took care that no one was allowed about the yard and tennis court Monday, and on the 3:30 p. m., train the Chalmers blood hounds were brought in and placed on the “trail.” They seemed to get the “scent” at once and started off tugging at the ropes with which they were held in check, in a southeasterly direction across the field, over to the Alonnett. Phillips and Robinson residences and thence on to the river, where they appeared to have considerable trouble in following further. They finally did cross the stream and went along to the gravel road at the south end of Van Rensselaer street, where they got completely muddled agaiu and were taken back to the house to get a fresh scent. "The second effort was without avail, however, anti Tuesday morning the dogs were taken back home. Nothing new has since developed and it is scarcely likely that the culprit will ever be apprehended. The wrecked house was probably worth $3,000 to $4,000.

Don.t fail to attend Rowlee & Parker’s cloak and suit opening next Tuesday, Oct. 25.