Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 November 1887 — Page 1

THE RENSSELAER REPUBLICAN.

VOL, XX.

THE REPUBLICAN.

BUSINESS LOCALS.

We won't be undersold. Laßue Bros. Remember, Mrs. Osborne is closing out her stock at cost. You will find everything usually kept in a first class grocery, fresh and nice, at Laßues.’ Chamber sets, Tea sets and Dinner sets, of the latest pattern at Laßue Bros.’ Yarn, Saxony, Zephyr, Germantown and crewel, as cheap as the cheapest, at Hemphill & Honan’s. The best selection of fall and winter millnery ever brought to the town, at Hemphill & Honan’s. Fathers, Mothers! A word with you; When in need of A Boot or For honest goods, nice and new Try Hemphill & Honan. The place to see the most complete line of men’s, women’s and childrens’ underwear is at Ellis & Murray’s. . Ministers and school children; it will pay you to come to Hemp hill <Ss Honan to buy your Boots Shoes, and Milinery. .Eger Bros, have the agency for thO celebrated Owens Stove, the best wood heating stove made. Call a "nd see it. For hardware go to Eger Bros. They have a full and complete stock, at prices that defy competition. i The making to order of picture frames, book-cases and window curtain hangings, a specialty, at i Wright’s furniture stone. The Rochester Shoes-for Ladies Misses and children will sooin arrive, and Miss Rachel Leopold will be pleased to show them to ■you. -7: ■■ •, ■■ ■■ ' - The sparkling effect of a delicate stimulant upon the jaded system is never more apparent than it is when drinking a cup of Mr. G. G. Starr's pure Jewel Tea. CALL anyhow, at Leopold’s and see what- his prices are, on first-class goods. lyemember, he conducts his business' without any .expense. Many persons who have been having their clothes made to order are suited and fit, out o f our elegant stock of clothing. Ellis & Murray.

If yon are going to buy a new sto/e ibis fall don’t fail to call on Eger' Bros, and look through their stock \ ■>£ wood and coal stoves and get the/? prices. My California canned fruits will be on s ale now in a few days. Please call a.nd get prices. Crop of 1887. J. C. Allman. A bran-new st ock of fine clothipg at Leopold’s,, and at prices that beat the lorwest and ever those who their goods away, for the benefit of their customers. Don’t faf? to call and see tb e finest assortment of all kinds of new styles <>f Dress Goods, just received, nni 1 at prices that beat al] competitic n. At A. Leopold’s neiv corner block aitd so! d by Miss Ray Lt opold.

[?]aif Price to Clo[?]e.

Boys calf cc ngress sh oes, size 11,12 and 13, 8,1.23. : Misses front lac e, BDZe 12 13- SI.2J. Size .la od 81.35. ... Ihe above sh< ? are eqW. in quality to any in to *vn. L • jdd Hopkins.

A Sp ecial Announcemcnt

The undfersigfted \ take this 'method of saying tcv the p eople of .Rensselaer and yaarounc 'tag coontoy, that they have pw/elta sed th e large and well selected dru£ ' store ‘.stock of Emmet Kaumd, anc ' are n< »win charge of the ftwe,- at the oh I lo- 1 cation. They propose todo a general drug business and to hrn idle full and choice liaes of all go ?ds usually carried in connection w/th the drug trade. Such as v rail paps <r, in a large and beautift 1 supply*,] toilet and ncy article s, books, stationery, paints and oils, toys;, j school supplies, &e and all at prices that will meet all comp®ti- ! tion. i

The careful, prompt and aecrurate compounding of prescripts s is a specialty. Call and see what we have aal t learn what we can do.

LONG & EGER.

RENSSELAER. JASPER COUNTY,* IND., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER3,IBB7.

Locals and Personals.

Dr. Sam Ritchey is sick abed. H arry Zimmerman has got t’ae job of night operator at Dyer. Mrs. J. C. Porter is recovering very slowly from the typhoid fewer. Remember that next MOnda y is the last day for paying taxes with-! out the 10 per cent penalty. Geo. B. Conwell, ah old resident of this place, has just taken a wife at Greensburg, Kansas. Pay your taxes before M omfay night or 10 per cent penalty must be added: The Fowler gas well was down 900 feet last week, in soft rock and . making slow progress. Try Laßue Bros.’ roasted Java coffee. They guarantee every pound of it. A. B. McCoy, of Jordan tp., has gone to Howard Co., to pass the winter. Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Dwiggins I left last Tuesday, for Silao, Mexico, where they will spend the winter. Miss Olive Alter is visiting relations and friends at Indianapolis. She will also visit at Cincinnati before she returns. J. A. Henkle and family, late of Barkley tp., took their departure for Kansas, last Thursday. Their post-office town will be Bucklin, Ford county. The second charge of forgery against Sam Young, formerly of the Delphi Journal, was tried last week, and like the other, resulted in acquittal. Bevs. Rinehart and Wright, I Dunkurd ministers will begin a.' series of meetings, tomorrow evening, in the Free Will Baptist church. These meetings will continue a week or more. Miss Olof Krarer is a lady of culture and refinement, hawing been educated in a mission school in Iceland- She deserves the patronage of all good people. 1 You will receive double the woi.‘th of your money, if- you go to hear her. The Delphi papers, Journal an d Times, worked up the Green ly.nchfng in great shape, but thei? big picture of Green hanging Trom a tree was an overdoing of the business. Such horrible scenes should, be left to the Police- Gazette, to depict. /

The first historic fall was chat of Adam, then cam a the fall o f Carthage and the eubsequer £ s a p o f the Ivoman Pmpipe, la,ter on we read of the f all of the Dutch Republic, but the fall w nich is of paramount iWipodance to-day is the fill of pr ices on t) ,e stock of cloaks at A\ illCy and Si gler’s. Charles o f Berkley tp,, “cussed” Geo-. Anderson in a manner derogate f y to the peace and dignity of the State of Indiana and being, arraigned before liis honor, S z q U i r e Morgan, of Vliis place, bjjgt Sunday, lie pleed. guilty and w-js fined sl. and costs. The latte\- Bwe iied the whriie bill to the respectable sum of Brother-in-law William Walker, in jail at Delphi, charged with being an aocomplice of Amer Green’s in the murder of liuella Mabbitt, was reh£®eU Thursday morning, a i being entered. He ■tosnt at once to the home of his WP father, in Newton county, not (to the home of theMabbitts, whc;e ills wife, who has recently become a mother, is stopping. ./

Delphi has a n by a rumor diat -Mrs. W fto be 'ddihtadstaktrik of i her soai Amer's estate, ’and then biipg -suit for SIO,<K)O damages against Carroll county and the jlynchipg .party, so far ns their names could bj ascertained. Messrs. McConnell & Dykemah, i thje attorneys rt'/aifed [ with being the origincJs&s ul this j scheme, -deny that Chere is any such intention entertained.

! Monday mor. ling Judge Ward Alf red Thompson and ‘ j ~T own 08 -Jt'Xy Comminsion/Qrs ...or the ensuing year. No i can’s jinamo-can be put in the jury box, "’ho that ‘it be done, nor any one who has s Srved as a j uror i taring.a year. The commies ioners aroTHHjtracted to put 175 uai oes of good men in tl m box, for n ext year and to select the men us equally as possil >l e from the three districts in ti de county, "

M. G. Stackhouse has bought, and is now in charge of, the Sparling restaurant, near the depot; We are now prepared to sell thick goods at thin prices. Willey & Sigler. The price of real-estate did not perceptibly decline in Oak Grove township when Nelling was hung. —Oxford Tribune. Don’t fail to see the new overcoats at Ellis & Murray’s. You will find something to suit you in quality and price. The auditor of Newton county, J. Z. Johnson, has purchased property in Murphy, N. C., and proposes to remove t there next year. We bought our canned goods before the advance, and will give customears the benefit of it. Call •and learn prices. Laßue Bros. “Life in the Frozen North.” —A rare opportunity to hear from the lips of a native a minute description of life in that mysterious region of perpetual ice and snow. C. P. Wright and T. J. McCoy got home from their hunting tri p to Minnesota Thursday evening. They struck a blizzard and got no shooting, at all. .7 Dressmaking and all kinds of sewing do,ne to order. Please give us a caH. Shop opposite J. AV. i McEwan’s residence. 9-4 t. Mrs. Padgitt -A Haley.

G. W. Ingram orders The Republican sent to him at Irvingtoai, as he has left the State University at Bloomington and entered Butler University, at Irvington., | The trial at Rochester, lajsi week, ’of Michael McGuire for the killing of Patrick Kain resulted in a disagreement of the jury. McGuire was released on §2,000 bail. Don’t fei’i to hear the little Esquimaux indy, nt the Opera House to-morr-ow evening. Admission 25 cents t children 15 cents. Tickets for f/ale at W. H. H. Graham’s law office.

Married.--At the residence of the bride’s y parents, Mr. and Mrs. JohnMt'rion, of Gillam, on Sunday evening, Oct. 30, by Bev. T. E. A\ebb, Mr. Wm. M. Prewett, of Fr ancesville, and Miss Abbie F.. Mason. We ask the people to call at our mill with their wheat, Corn and rye. Wq will guarantee entire satisfaction and will ask you to come but once if every thing is not as we say. B ’F. Ferguson. Mrs. Gattie A. Clark, county Free, will prosecute AV. C. T. U. work by holding mefjtihg next Saturday night'at'Lee,/Sunday morning and evening at Osborne school house and Monday night at Zard and also oh any night of next week i'n'thkt vicinity to which she raay *be called. If I*was asked to descrbe it, said a prominent citizen the other day, I should say that it was. the most perfect collection of new, bright and seasonable goods I have ever seen in this town and it has certainly been selected with a view to meet the requirements of this community. Willey and Sigler deserve a good fall trade for their enterprise. The Ambia News has turned it’s toes up tq cue autumn; leaves, and dropped quietly bKck into the glimmering ■past., Several Weeks ago the,elisor Very pointedly directed attention of the dear people 'to thq/fiile, stern fact, that ttie I grand hailing sign of distress floatI'ed sadly at l|alf-mast ftbpi the halyards of lasty'eary unihentlonables, yet the warning signal vVas unheeded, and the craft Inis finally stranded upon the glittering shoal, already strewn with the wrecks of those gohe before —Fowler NutMxel.

tie surprising ignorance of our people regarding the names of the streets of the town, was shown in many’instances during the progress of the Rutherford trial. Not half the grown people in town know the names of the streets they live on. we will venture to say, let alone knowing the names of other streets. This ignorance is to be much regretted, and we believe that the Town Board ought to cause a large number of plain sign boards prepared, giving the names of the streets, in places where they would be plainly seen. The expense would be little and the convenience great.

NOT GUILTY.

The Slayer of John Steele Goes ClearIncidents.and Evidence in the r Greatest Trial Ever iield lu ■■ Jasper County —X— Jlle trial of Hannah Rutherford for the killing of John B. Steele, on the evening of Sept. 14, 1887, by shooting him through the brain with a revolver, is ended. Twelve good men and true have heard the case and say she is not guilty as charged in the indictment—lt was, undoubtedly, the greatest trial ever held in the county, and the one watched with the most absorbing interest by the people generally. In view of this great interest The Republican has no apologies to offer for having devoted so much attention to the. case, to the unavoidable exclusion of nearly all other matters of local news. On the contrary we believe that ohr many patrons and friends will appreciate and commend our great enterprise and labor in giving them so full an account of the trial. But while we feel that our account is remarkably full And complete, in vieVv of the limited facilities at the disposal of the average country' newspaper, we must at the same time regret that what we have been able to tell is so small a portion of the whole case. The trial was a great drama in real life, with many actors, acts and scenes, requiring four days for its performance, and to repeat it all would require a half dozen issues and more, of a paper like this. The abstracts of the evidence we

give are very full. Correct, we believe and impartial, we know. In it we have “nothing extenuated nor aught set down in malice.” We can not give the questions which drew the evidence out, the laws, decisions and instructions bearing on th© 'case, nor the eloquent and exhaustive arguments of the able counsel ranged on either side. Late on Wednesday evening of last week there arose a pretty general feeling among our | people that the formidable array of legal talent, on the side of the defense, consisting of three such eminent attorneys as Messrs. Chilcote, Haminond and Thompson, made advisable a strengthening of the counsel for the State, and as a result Col. R. P. DeHart, of Lafayette, was called by telegraph and M. H. Walker, of Fowler, was sent for by team. The former entered the case as a hired counsel, the latter was appointed by the court.

THE JURY. The work of empannelling the jurv began a little before poon, Thursday, and to the surprise of everybody, the full panel wa'stcompleted before court adjoiirned that evening, The names and residences of the twelve, gd6d men who. tried the case are: John Martindale, of tp., Win. McElfresh, Barkley, T. H. McCdllough,'Gillam, James Sheetz, Car•pentor, C. G. Austin, Carpenter, David Culp, Hanging Grove, Fleming Phillips, Hanging Grove, John Tillett, Gil'liim, Harvey AV. Wood, Marion. Jay E. Lamson, jordan, AV. L. Rich, Carpenter, John Bilker, Newton. All are fdrinef-s, ail, or nearly all, well proVsAd with this world’s goods, and all men of prominence and high Vepute in their several neighborhoods. The five first mentioned bf longed to the regular panel of th e October term, the other seven were selected from among the special venire of fifty, drawn for tl ie occasion.

The short hand reporter for this ci ise was Bert P. Davidson, of La- , fj iyette, a most skjllful man in his line. . . At the beginning of the ease I ’riday morning about all the wite esses in the case, a mighty tjhrong, were gotten before the| oourt and sWoru, in a body, l theh instructed by the court not to <j&lk about the case, or the evidence they should give and; on application of the defense, were ordered to keep outside the court room during the trial, but within call when needed. This order keeping the witnesses all outside was a great hardship to the near friends of both the defendant and the deceased, who came long distances to be present at the trial, and, in their cases, as unimportant witnesses,

seemingly unnecessary. Large printed placards, bearing the words: "No Witnesses Allowed to Enter” were posted at both the lower and upper doors of the court room. This order was strictly enforced in most cases but was relaxed in the case of two or thj.ee witnesses after they had given, their testimony, includi»g"“*Mr. Hess, brother of the defendant and father of the deceased. M rs. Rhetta Steele, widow of the deceased,- was present during the whole-trial and accompanied by her sister-in-law, Miss Steele. The defendant, Mrs. Rutherford, had no female companion except her little girl, Minnie, a remarkably pretty child, of seven years. The opening statement for the prosecution was made a little before noon, Friday, by Prosecutor Marshall, who briefly outlined what the State expected to prove. It may be properly stated here that at the beginning of the case the Court made a rule, on application ot the defense, that not more than five witnesses should testify on a side, on any one point. * The first witness called was Corbner Philip Blue. He testified as to the identity of a revolver which had been in his possession since the inquest. The weapon was handed him by W< B. Austin, of Counsel for the defense, on the second day after the shooting; with the statement that it was the one found by him (Austin) on the night of the shooting, in Mrs. Rutherford’s house, on a cupboard or bureau. G. E. Marshall—Testified as to having been shown a revolver late on the night of the shooting, by W; ’B- Austin, who said he had just got it in the defendant’s house. Examined revolver at time and found one barrel had evidently been fired, very recently, showing fresh powder marks and dent in end of cartridge. It was a cylinder revolver, 5 or 6 shooter, and seemed about a 32 calibre size. Could not say positively whether pistol shown in court was same weapon or not.

F. P. Bitters—A physician of Rensselaer, called to attend Steele, short time after shooting. Found him on vacant lot, near Mr. Shead’s house, a short distance from defendant’s residence. Body was warm, but life extinct. Examined body and found bullet hole in back of head,, and swelled out place in front of forehead, where skull was bulged outward. AVitness supposed bullett passed directly through brain, from hole in in back of the head, to swelled place in forehead. Death must have been almost instantaneous. I Witness thought hole might have been made by 42 calibre ball, but upon reflection, said it might have been not larger than a 32. Examined wound very closely and could find no singed hair nor powder marks near the wound.

AV. AV. Hartsell—Physician, of Bensselaer, made post mortem examination of body of John B. Steele, on night of killing, Testified as to course of bullett, through head, from back to front. Also examined wound very closely, but found no powder marks or burnt hairs.

FRIbAY AFTERNOON. AV. B. Austin.—ldentified revolver as same he had given coroner. Found on top of Cupboard or safe, in defendant’s house; About 8:30 on night of shooting. AVent there alone. No one directed him where to find gun. Described house : 4 rooms, 2 had beds in. Did not fintl any other gun. Went to house to shut doors and put out light. AV as sent by defendant, Airs. Rutherford. She told him nothing about the gun. .

Cross Examination, by defense, —Couldn’t say how gun laid when found. It was in open view. Light was burning iu front room. House has front door and back door, and an inside door nearly on a line with those. House about 16 by 24 feet in size. Beds in house Were made up. A small shed juts out from back part of house.

Witness here related what de-; iendant said to him when he saw , her, in jail, a few minutes after I her arrest: Said she had shot a man, didn’t know who, was sorry and didn’t intend to kill him. Asked witness to telegraph for Jerry Hess, her brother, and Stephen J. Miller, her sister’s husband. Defendant seemed much distressed. Witness gave, in effect, the defendant's account of the origin of the shooting: She said she was in her front room .talking with

Chas. F. Harding, saw man at hei back door, said, Who’s .there Went to door and saw another man, told tWm to go Away and not stand around my house, it makes people talk and say Lwl things about mA. Man. jflod Pre —-—■ before and bate Jjavecofne to do so again.” He also said, “You have another man here.” I said, “Charley come and tell these men who you are and what here for.” Charley told man he oughtn’t to talk that way. Steele said, “Let her keep her damn gib shut.” She went out side of house, near window wet Steele. He cauget hold of her and she saw knife in his hand. He said, "By G~d you’ve got the( ) I’ve something in my hand I can fix you up with.” She also said Steele struck her on the shoulder. She then went into house, Steelefollowed'. She stood inside, in door. Steel partly in door, to her right, M. D. Rhoades close by, outside leaning against water barrel. Steele said he had &c., before, and could prove it. She said he couldn’t prove it,took hold him, shoved him out and shot.. Said she shot to protect herself, and didn’t intend to shoot him. Mr. Austin further testified that he had been at house in day time, since shooting. There was onestep at back door, below, and in front of this, a flat rock. Back of house is near river and ground descends towards it. Witness added that in the conversation above narrated, defendant said she knew Steele meant to do her harm. he direct examination. Was in jail talking about 15 minutes. Had several interviews since. Didn’t remember seeing defendant on steps of Hammond & Austin’s office, 7 or 8 days before shooting, and hearing her say to witness "I’ve got a reyoh er new and will fix the next one.”

Marshall D. Rhoades. —Knew John B. Steele a year or so. Saw him last alive, evening of Sept 14, 1887, at back door of defendant’s house. Saw him same day at C. R. Benjamin’s funeral. Also, about? or 8 o’clock, in Carew’s saloon. Did’not go in with him, he was already in. Played three games pool with Steele, then drank some beer. Left saloon with Steele, then walked to ‘Li bent! Corner.’ [The building on corner Washington and Front streets oecopied by J. M. Hopkins’ furniture store.] Steele said “Lets go to the Coal Oil Well.” [The flowing artesian well, near bank of river, in southwest part of town.( Went to well, Steele said, “Lets cross and go down on other side.” They crossed on rocks,, little below well, about in rear of W. C. Shead’s house. Steele now proposed to go into defendant’s house [which is on the bank of river, just opposite the well.] Witness said no use to go, but they went. Steele did not say what he wanted to go to the house for. Went through or under wire fence, and approached house from the rear. Steele w r ent up to back door, it was open, could see no light in house.

A little shed is at back of house. Steele went to door, heard talking, said “some one in there.” We went around the corner. Defendant came running after us and told Steele to go away and stay away. She said “I know who you are and want you to go and stay away.” Don’t think she called Steele by name. They started towards back door, Steele walking beside defendant and talking to her. Couldn’t tell ~how she was

dressed nor if she talked angry. She spoke sharply/ 1 Steele and defendant went to-back door together. Witness stood back. She called Harding to the door. Think for a second time. Harding camto door. Witness walked up and talked with him, at left ,of door. Harding came to door. Steele and def. were talking, she inside house, j he inside or one foot in and the other on the step. Witness don’t know what he talked with Harding

about. Steele and defendantseemed angry, he said he had had relations with her brnm man next night to prpvf ft- Next time noticed Steele he was 2 steps from door, then revolver was bred and I looked, at the woman. Harding ran out, lifted up head of deceased in his lap and said God, you’ve shot him.” She said, “If I have I am sorry for it and will give myself up.” / Witness then went into house after light, took it back, and he ' and Harding carried deceased towards town 150 feet or so. He

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