Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 66, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 November 1914 — COURT HOUSE NEWS IN BRIEF [ARTICLE]

COURT HOUSE NEWS IN BRIEF

Interesting Paragraphs From the Various Departments OF JASPER COUNTY -CAPITOL The Legal News Epitomized—Together With Other Notes Gathered From The Several County Offices. Attorneys William Darroch of Kentland, and Dan Fraser and William Isham of Fowler, were looking after cases in court here yesterday. Several of the township schools will close this afternoon until Monday-, for tire Thanksgiving vacation, while others will only close for tomorrow.

There was quite a ‘killing” of old bachelors in Jasper county last week, no less than three, ranging in age from 37 to 51, falling victims to Dan Cupid. John F. Pettet was down from Walker tp., yesterday and reports that Fred Karch, township trustee of Walker, has practically recovered from his recent stroke of paralysis. A. J. Law was over from Morocco Friday as a character witness in the two state cases against Eugene Kirk, brought here from Newton county. There was apparently not ery much in the cases as the court instructed the jury to bring in a verdict for the defendant after the state had introduced its evidence. New suits filed: No. 8320. Soloman E. Rees vs. Docy M. Rees; action for divorce. The oomplaint alleges that the parties were married June G, 1900, and separated in 1913. Cruel and inhuman treatment, failure to perform the ordinary household duties as wife and mother, frequeting houses of ill fame and associating with'people of bad repute, is charged. Plaintiff asks for the care and custody of the two children. Plaintiff resides in Barkley tp., he alleges. No. 8322. The State Bank of Rensselaer vs. # Abner C. Pancoast and Benjamin B. Miller; suit on note. Demand S4OO. No. 8321. Mary L. Douglas vs. lames and Alice Poshand; suit on note. Demand $328.86. No. 8323. Julia Schneidt vs. Hattie Schneidt, et al; suit to annual divorce.

The Democrat has frequently re I erred to the matter of allowing rocks and other debris to be thrown in the river where it passes through Rensselaer, and the allowing of small dams to be constructed across the river by boys, and perhaps by fishermen, who set their traps therein for catching “minnies.” The dredging out of the river cost the taxpayers affected, including Rensselaer, an immense sum of money, and it seems to us that it is a crime not to put a stop to this practice of filling up the channel. We will venture to say that this channel, where it passes through Rensselaer, has been filled up at least a foot, since the ditch was first dug, by the practice of boys throwing loose rocks from the banks into same. Only last week, when the river had frozen over in places, hundreds of pieceA of stone, weighing from perhaps 7 to 30 pounds, were thrown in on the ice, either as a pastime by young boys or to test the strength of the ice for skating. This is a matter that should -interest out city authorities and every taxpayer in Rensselaer and Jasper county. We need every inch of space in this channel during high water, and it seems as though there should be some means . of putting a stop to this unseemly practice and the building of obstructions to the free flow of water. If the judge of the circuit court or the county commismopjers have any authority in this matter—and certainly some one pas such authority—they should use it to force the city officers to action. It seems to us that the city ought to be compelled to remove all these loose rock and other debris that it 'has allowed to be dumped In the river since same was dredged out,

and to do it at its own expense, too.