Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 September 1906 — WHO IS HAZEL BELL? [ARTICLE]

WHO IS HAZEL BELL?

Did She Own These Clothes and Tresses Found Under a a Bridge? GREAT MYSTERY; OR A JOKE? What Woman Was It That “Turned. Man”?—Terre Haute's New Mayor Is on Deck. Indianapolis, Sept. 6. —A Pogues run mystery that threatens to baffle the police has been called to their attention. In discussing the mystery the oldest lynx-eyed sleuths in the service wore puzzled expressions on their faces. “Who is Hazel Bell?” Much depends on learning the Identity of Hazel before even the first links in a chain of evidence are completed. This is how it all started: Patrolman Fletcher sauntered along East Market street in. the vicinity of Pine street,, when several youngsters ran to him and in an excited manner told him that a woman’s clothes and hair were under the Pogues run bridge which crosses Market street, near Pine. Full Suit of Woman's Duds. Fletcher lost no time In getting into the bed of the run and under the bridge. Here he found several tresses of hair, dark brown in color, and about every garment that goes to make up a woman’s complete attire. There were petticoats, stockings, a shirtwaist,overskirt. etc. The only other articles found were a pair of scissors, a spool of thread and a box of tooth soap. The children who directed the patrolman stood at a distance and breathlessly watched Fletcher when he began his sleuth work. The tresses of hair were of fine texture. The ragged edges seemed to Indicate that they had been hacked off in chunks with the scissors. Sleutb Obtains a Clew. Fletcher made a minute examination of the garments and one of them furnished a slight clew that startled the patrolmen. He held up the garment for closer inspection. On the waistband, worked with thread, was the name “Hazel Bell.” Fletcher became more puzzled. “Who is Hazel Bell?” lie asked himself. The name did not appear to be worked on the garment by the manufacturer. Instead, it appeared to be the handiwork of some woman. None of the other garments was marked. There were no shoes nor hat to be found. A white petticoat had considerable lace on it. Same Woman Turned Man. This is how our sleuth settles the matter: He said he would bet a dollar to a doughnut that some woman “turned man.’’ “She just about went under the bridge and, after shaking her own duds, put on a man’s clothing. She then used the scissors to trim her locks off.” was the way he summed up the matter. NEW TERKE HAUTE MAYOR Believes in Enforcing the Laws in a Modified Sort ot Manner. Terre Haute. Ind., Sept. 6.—Jamee Lyons, the newly-elected Democratic mayor, read a statement to the city council outlining bis policy and asking the Republican council to Join him in dropping politics in their offlcal relatoiis. As he succeeds Mayor Bidaman, removed for failure to enforce the saloon and gambling laws, special interest was centered in his attitude on that subject. He is emphatic and explicit for the prevention of gambling, but says no word about saloons. The only possible reference is that he believes "in honest and fair enforcement of all laws,but believes they should be enforced in a practical manner to secure the greatest good to the greatest number.” This is taken to mean that the closing laws will not be strictly enforced. Wants One Year of a Century. Newburg, Ind., Sept. 6.—Mrs. Mary Clark, a venerated resident of this town, who has just celebrated the ninety-ninth anniversary of her birth, is one of the three surviving widows of the war of 1812. Her husband, who fought in the second war with England, died In the early ’so’s. Mrs. Clark is In fairly good health, and uptil recently was able to do her own housework. She reads the Bible and the newspapers. Curious Case of Death. Princeton, Ind., Sept. 6.—As a result of a nightmare Mrs. Mary Dilback, wife of D. L. Dllbeck, a brickmason of Fort Branch, is dead. Her screams were heard by her children who ran to her assistance. The woman appeared to be sleeping yet laboring under some great excitement. Every effort was made to arouse her but to no avail. Before a physician could arrive she was dead. The physician said that her death was due to heart failure. Everybody Is Pearl-Hunting. Petersburg, Ind., Sept. C. Jody Bush, Garrett Kay and Ed Boliue spent Labor Day In mussel-shell hunting near Carbon, and they found four pearls, two of which they sold for S9OO. Tuesday afternoon, when the mines shut down, 150 men began hunting pearls, and yesterday farmers quit their work and engaged in the sametask. . ,