Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1911 — “HUNYAKS” IN TOWN [ARTICLE]

“HUNYAKS” IN TOWN

Wednesday and It’s Thought Were Looking for Purtelle. Wednesday afternoon three Hunkies were seen in) Rensselaer. and it is said there were others in the outskirts of town. It is supposed they were laying for Purtelle, and from reports coming from the vicinity of Thayer it is believed he will be roughly dealt with if the men get hold of him. Marshal Mustard saw the three men down by the garbage dump Wednesday afternoon, when he rode out with Chet Zea with a load of garbage. The men, evidently seeing the officer’s star and fearing he was looking for them, left that vicinity and came up town and went directly north to the railroad. They were cmite rough looking customers, at least their dress so indicated, and in passing through town they kept looking about as if hunting for some one. Whether Purtelle saw them or not we did not learn, but if he did he discreetly kept shady. The marshal said he thought there were others of the Hunkies over about the northeast part of /town, and it is said some of them were seen in the vicinity of the depot when the evening trains ca'hie in, they evidently thinking Purtelle would be leaving town on one of these trains. Nothing was seen of' them Thursday and it is presumed they grew weary of their quest and went back to the scene of their labors to lay in wait for the .promotor, if it was he they were looking for. So far as we are able to learn they communicated with no one while here.

Parties from Rensselaer who were up at Shelby and Water Valley the first of the week say that they were told there that the gang of “Hunkies” Purtelle has had working on his railroad grade in that vicinity, have been looking for the dead-beat promotor for several days and have had their pockets filled with rocks, and had clubs and knives up their sleeves. The reason they wanted to see him was to ir press upon him that they had been promised money for their work, and no “mon” had been seen. Purtelle has been fighting shy of the irate Hunkies and came to ‘ Rensselaer Tuesday forenoon, remaining here all that day, all of Wednesday, and until Thursday morning, when Bruce White took him, Attorney Dunlap and Warren Robinson up to Roselawn to try and have an attachment on the tents, shovels, etc., in use on the little grade that has been constructed up there, which had been seized by the leader of the Hunkies for money due them for labor, released. The case was expected to be tried at Lake Village, but when Purtelle and party got there they found the justice had gone over to Roselawn to hear the case, and when they got back he had rendered judgment and dismissed court. Attorney Dunlap, in a powerful oratirial effort, convinced the Court that he should re-open the • case, and then the poor devils who had sweat and labored for Purtelle were „ unable to prove that the property belonged to him or his N. W. I. T. Co., and the defense claimed it had never hired the Hunkies; that they were hired by a Chicago labor agency and must look to that agency for their pay. And the property was released. During the. proceedings, it is said, Purtelle sat with his hand on a revolver all the time, never removing it from his grasp, while the mutterings of the poor ignorant men was deep and ugly. There were 23 of the Hunkies there. Indeed it would seem that it is about time the State of Indiana gets busy and stopg the career of man Purtelle, He seems to be worse even than he has ever been painted, and he should be brought up with, a short turn. Four Italians who were working in Purtelle’s gang at Thayer, have secured work on the section here, we "Understand. The rest of the gang is stranded at Thayer, it is said.