People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 September 1893 — INDIANA STATE NEWS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA STATE NEWS.

Feed Bell, of Rushville, and Jack Carroll, of Elwood, held for robbery, had dug through the twenty-two-inch wall at the jail, and were just getting ready to skip when Sheriff Vandyke caught them. Mrs. Phillip Sedan was killed in a runaway at Franklin. Fire at Rushville destroyed a dozen buildings. Loss, $50,000; small insurance. The .Etna Powder works at Miller’s station, near Valparaiso, blew up. The works were completely demolished, and half the windows in stores and residences were broken. The mill had been closed for several weeks, and at the time only two night watchmen were present Both were injured fatally. Loss about $15,000. A post office has been established at Hensler, Posey county, and Ernest IL Hensler appointed postmaster. More than a hundred head of cattle were burned to death in a prairie fire near Valparaiso. Sparks from passing trains have fired fields near Pern. Farmers plowed around their houses and barns, thus saving them. Two footpads held up and relieved John Washington of his watch and $23 in money at Lawrenceburg the other night Mrs. David Dai.man, wife of a prominent farmer, near Fert Wayne, committed suicide by taking arsenic. After taking the dose she walked to the field where her husband and hands were threshing and told them what she had done, and said that she did not want to die alone; that she loved him, but that her troubles were more than she could bear. She leaves a large family. Jesse Denlinger, one of the victims burned by the natural gas explosion at Morristown, near Shelbyville, died. Dr. L. E. Russell, of Springfield, 0., who was called to Muncie to diagnose several of the alleged cases of smallpox, went to the home of Mr. Murray, where five cases had existed, all of which had been pronounced smallpox. After a thorough examination he unhesitatingly said that neither of the persons had smallpox. After going through the entire infected district he found but two cases of smallpox, the others being victims of chickenpox Charles Warren and John Hampton, near Crawfordsville, have sued the Monon for a quantity of hay and fences burned up. Warren wants $250 and Hampton SSOO. The state board of tax commissioners, the other day, completed the assessment of the railroad property of the state. Although some ndw property was added to the list, the valuation this year falls about three-quarters of a million dollars short of a year ago, when the valuation in round numbers was fixed at one hundred and sixty-one millions. The preliminary hearing in the case of Emmanuel Rothchild, at Bedford, suspected of arson in burning his store for the insurance, came up before ’Squire Younger. He was bound over to await action of the grand jury, and bond fixed at SI,OOO, which was promptly furnished.

Immense fires in the woods, a few miles north of Laporte, destroyed a barn belonging to F. E. Miller, and other property. The Big Four has been sued for $lO,000 for the killing of John Lennon at the depot wreck, Lafayette. Lightning struck and set fire to a large barn of Wm. Hicks, at Valparaiso, burning five horses, two cows," farm implements and his entire hay and wheat crop. Loss about $3,500. Insured in the Ohio Farmers’. Ex-Gov. Chase and others addressed 1,500 old settlers at their annual meeting at Liberty, Jefferson county. The board of state tax commissioners the other day fixed the assessment of the express, telegraph, telephone and sleeping-car companies, by which about $7,000,000 is added to the tax duplicate. Exclusive of real estate structures, machinery, fixtures and appliances subject to local taxation within the state, a recapitulation of aggregates shows; Express companies, $1,225,890.75; telegraph and telephone companies, 82,976,925.25; sleeping car companies, 84,* 761,215. This is the first assessment since the supplementary tax law passed by the last legislature. The bill passed the senate on the last day of the session, the governor waiving his right to two days for inspection. Herein lies a technical ground for a question of legality, which the companies will take advantage of in contesting payment. Wm. Foster, a brick mason, was run over and terribly mangled on the L., E. & St L. railway in Princeton early the other morning. There was a destructive fire at Birdseye, fifteen miles from Huntington, the other night. Thirty-eight buildings were burned, including all the business houses, and seventeen families made homeless. Total loss, $60,000; insurance, $25,000. Benj. Hartzog, a prominent farmer of the northern part of Hamilton county, has made an assignment. J. T. Driver is assignee. The boiler in the electric light and water works power house at Franklin exploded. A sill weighing a ton was blown over 100 yards. The building then took fire and burned, with its contents. Loss, SIO,OOO. John Dennis, fireman, was badly hurt and may die. Martin Dennis was badly hurt, but will recover. The fifth annual meeting of the old settlers, of Randolph and Jay counties, was held at Ridgeville a few days ago. Years ago Claiborn Williams, one of the wealthiest farmers in Bartholomew county, died, leaving his eight children near twenty thousand dollars each. Harry became a drunkard and gambler. The other night) he hitched up a team at midnight, loaded in fifty-seven bushels of wheat and drove it to market and sold it He was arrested and jailed at Columbus in default of bail, even his own folks refusing to go on bis bond. Wm. Row, shot several days ago at Brasil by John McKey, hi dead*

“■What makes the weather so uncertain 1” •aid the man with his coat buttoned up to his chin. “I guess the thermometer must have taken a drop too much,” replied hla friend, with a shiver.—Washington Star.