Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 June 1894 — ON HOOSIER SOIL. [ARTICLE]

ON HOOSIER SOIL.

Evansville, Michigan City and Laporte Struggling with the Commonwealers. Kelley’s Commonwealers arrived at Evansville, Thursday. 1,106 strong, having chartered the Grace Morris and three barges at Owen’s Landing. They got din • ner at Henderson. Ky., which was the only meal they had that day. The contract for the boat expired at Evansville, and the authorities refused to let the army come into the city. They camped in a cornfield a mile from the city limits. The citizens were asked to charter a boat and send them on their way, but refused. Speed’s army, a branch of Kelley’s, 175 of them being seceders, have captured several trains on the L. & N„ which were abandoned by the railroad crews. This branch was only sixty miies from Evansville, Thursday. Michigan City has been entertaining a detachment of the Commonweal army under the command of G»n. Cochrane and Joseph Ribokowski. They demanded food and the city authorities furnished them with a dray load of bread and 10C’ pounds of bologna. They were not satisfied with this and made a demand for coffee and sugar, which were refused. Picket lines have been established and the officers of the city will not let one in or out until they make up their minds to depart. • i The gang of sixty Commonwealers who reached Laporte, Wednesday bven|ing, were held in the suburbs all night. Four of the number were allowed to canvass the city for food, In whfoh they were fairly successful. Thursday morning the outfit was marched to the Lake Shore depot and started eastward on a stock train. The other part of the army, 150 in number, and composed entirely of Foies and Italians, are a lawless gang and it is said that only two of the entire number can speak English. They came within two miles of Laporte, when they headed for Michigan City.