Jasper County Democrat, Volume 10, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 July 1907 — IT SPARED THE CROSS [ARTICLE]

IT SPARED THE CROSS

Lightning Strikes a Steeple but Hits Below the Emblem of j Christianity. FLAMES FOLLOW THE STROKE Firemen Have Hard Work Saving the 555 Church—Wrong Corpse Sent for Burial—ltems. 4 «Z ■ ~ — r Lafayette, Ind.. July 18. Lightning struck the spire of St John’s Episcopal church at 4 a. m. and besides badly damaging the steeple and setting fire to it, Imperiled the whole church building, which Is one of the oldest and most historic structures in the city. The lightning struck immediately below the large cross at the top. of the spire and tore its way down the northwest corner, leaving a large hole from the top lx>ttom and scattering the debris for nearly a block around. Fire to the Steeple. Soon after a loud clap of thunder fire was seen shooting out of the crevice rnadeby the lightning. The flames spread rapidly toward the cross, ami when the Are department came It found the blaze was so great a distance from tin- ground that it required the coupling of three lines of hose together before it could be readied. After working one hour and a half the fire was extinguished before reaching the auditorium of the church. Three Other Lightning Strokes. Lightning struck the chimney of Mrs. Julia Talbot's house at Oakland Hill.and ran down the flue to the basement. Mrs. Talbott was sleeping a short distance from the chimney and was shocked. The large barn of Geo. W. Seeger was wrecked by lightning, and a horse inside was stunned. The home of Guy Laird, at the foot of Sycamore street, had its roof and chimney damage by lightning. Visited the Club Rooms. At the Progress club lightning entered the rooms by an electric wire and caused gas in a nearby pipe to become ignited. The janitor was near, however. and turned off the gas at the meter. - : ■ MYSTERY OF A CORPSE Purported To Be That of a Woman Who Seems To Be Alive and Well. Muncie, Ind., July 18/—The following telegram has been received by William Hurst, grandfather of Mrs. Inez Ford, who was thought to have committed suicide in Kansas City, Mo., and whose supposed body was shipped to Muncie for burial: "I am alive and well. Let papa know at once.” This telegram was signed Miss Ina Ford, although the woman is married. However, the young woman's parents believe it was their daughter who sent the message, since she always signed her name Ina instead of Inez. The Kansas City police, in a telegram received here, say they are endeavoring to find the sender of the telegram, but the establishment of the fact heyond apparent doubt that it is not Mrs. Ford’s body does not clear the mystery. One theory of the case is that the woman who committed suicide was a friend of Mrs. Ford, and. being acquainted with her family history and desiring a decent burial, let it be thought she was Mrs. Ford. The unknown woman died in the streets of Kansas City after taking carbol'c acid Before the telegram was received an examination the fact that the body was not that of Mis. Ford. ( - Another Argument Against Beer. Jasonville. Ind., July 18. John Tinsley, miner at Jackson Hill, bought n beer keg, with a view of converting it into a water tank. After receiving the keg at his home he attempted to bum out the bung with a red-hot poker, but as soon as the hot iron readied the inside of the keg there was an explosion which tore the keg to pieces, hurling the fragments in every direction Tinsley was knocked down, either by the rebound of the poker or bv a stave, and severely injured. Wouldn’t Tell Who Bought»the Beer. Anderson, Ind., July 18.—Rev. Thos. Grafton, pastor of the Central Christian church, was fined $25 for contempt of court, because he refused to divulge the names of members of his church who. he said, had purchase I beer on Sunday. He had exhibited the bottle from his pulpit as proof that the Sunday law was being broken. She Hated the Men. Lawrenceburg, Ind., July 18.—Miss Sarah Anna Daniel, aged 95 years, is dead at her country home two miles north of this city. She was the oldest old maid in this county and was said to have been an Irreconcilable manhater for many years. She led a hermit’s life. - ■ ■ » Glidden Tour Car in Trouble. Richmond, Ind., July 18. Car N®. 114, occupied by Messrs. White. Barclay and Dwinger and participating'in the Glidden tour, was delayed here by Cambridge City authorities for violating the speed limit A fine was assessed.