Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 96, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1911 — INDIANA STATE NEWS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA STATE NEWS.

EVANSVILLE—In a terrific ninety foot drop of a brick-hoisting elevator at the new 9tock house of the Fulton avenue brewery, Charles McGahen, 57 years old, a brick mason, sustained a broken back, from which he died two hours later, and Robert Lynch, 27 years old, colored, a hod carrier, received a fractured skull and internal Injuries that caused death. The men were starting to ride to the ground floor and the elevator caught a few feet from the top, while the wire cable slackened. When the platform dropped over its obstruction a moment later it snapped the cable. McGahen’s arms and one leg were broken. The momentum of the fall carried Lynch through the inch thick platform of the elevator into the basement.

RUSHVILLE—Mrs. Albert Sprague, widow of Albert Sprague, the man for the killing of whom Ben Noble la standing trial, was placed on the witness stand by the state as the first witness, after the attorneys for both sides had given the opening argument. Mrs. Sprague told of being awakened by the report of the gun and finding her husband dead, and of running into the hall of the house, screaming that Albert had been killed. She testified that she found Noble in the hall and. that he immediately ran to a neighbor’s home to notify them. Mrs. Sprague has been unable to talk above a whisper since the night of the murder and it was necessary for the Court reporter to interpret her testimony. CONNERSVILLE The trial of William Schills, of Brookville, for the alleged murder of his father, Leo Schills, at that city on the night of Jan. 26, by striking him on the head with a burning lamp, which exploded. was begun in this city. The defendant is accompanied In the courtroom by his mother, whose sympathies are seemingly with the son. The witnesses introduced were Mrs. Effle Hoagland and William Meyers, who were calling on the family shortly before the events leading up to the death, the Rev. Father Andrew Schaff, who testified to having been called at the request of the deceased to administer extreme unction, and the physicians who held the autopsy.

ANDERSON Harry T. Johnson, who has been brought back here from Cadillac, Mich., to answer charges of having deserted his wife and two small children, leaving them in destitute circumstances, will face the much more serious charge of bigamy In the circuit court. When Deputy Sheriff Vinson reached Cadillac, it is alleged that he found Johnson living with a woman to whom he had be£n married last January. This woman informed the officer that her maiden name was Ella Leysher and that she is 17 years old. She said Johnson had never informed her of having a wife and family in Indiana and before their marriage posed as a single man from Big Rapids, Mich. MUNCIE —An airing of the affairs of the local police department is expected shortly as the result of a charge filed against Patrolman Fred Jaynes by Chief of Police Otto Williamson, who accused his subordinate officer of disobedience of orders. The specific charge is that Jaynes allowed Harry Darbyshire, alleged “blind tiger” operator, to escape when the officers raided his place Saturday night. Jaynes refused to resign and he has asked for a trial; which will be held before the board of police commissioners Monday. Jaynes declares that there is a political frameup to get him off the force. Darbyshire was later arrested in Indianapolis and returned to Muncie. LAFAYETTE Union painters and paper hangers quit work here, the bosses having refused to grant a demand for a wage increase The painters want 37% cents an hour, and want an eight-hour day. Many of the bosses say they will establish an open shop April 1 and hire nonunion men. This is the national headquarters of the Painters’ Union and an effort is being made to adjust the dis ferences.

SCOTTSBRUG Staggering Into his home, Edward Lamaster, 40 years old, a farmer living seven miles east of this place, told his mother that be bad just taken poison. He died within a few minutes, and in one of his pockets was found a two-ounce vial which had contained carbolic acid. It is believed Lamaster killed himself because be had been in ill health for some time. He was unmarried.

NEWCASTLE —A large force of men employed to remove the mains of the Richmond Gas c> mpany, running between Chesterfield and Richmond, were stopped here by injunction proceedings. The mains run through fields, and farmer* asserting that the terms of the expired leases make the mains their property, procured the it junettons.

ALEXANDRIA -Steven Donahoo has been appointed chief of police by Mayor Edwards. Donahoo fills the position made vacant by the death of Chief of Police Ellis, fatally shot while attempting to arrest James Walker, the hold-up man, who murdered Patrolman Virgil Klrkman cp« week ago last Saturday night. BEDFORD— At the town of Oolitic, four miles north of Bedford, fire destroyed the general store and residence of Lincoln Byers, also the residence and millinery store of Mrs. Clara Smallwood. The loss Is about $13,000 with $4,500 insurance. The cause of the fire was a defective flue in the Byers residence. .