Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 January 1895 — INDIANA STATE NEWS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA STATE NEWS.

Vermillion county needs a new jail. Richmond has a new morning daily—the Independent-Telegram. Frankfort has four telephone companies now bidding for patronage. ■ Geo, M. Morrison, the portrait painter of New Albany, is mysteriously missing The Phoenix Telephone Company, of Indianayolis, has secured a franchise at Wabash. Owen Monger, of Anderson has been bound over to court on a charge of selling pork tainted with cholera. George Griffith, the veteran hotel man, of Anderson, was stricken with paralysis, Dec. 31, and died tho next day. The executive council of the Federation of Labor, Wednesday, voted financial assistance to Eugene Debs and decided to remove the beadquarters of the Federation to Indianapolis within two weeks. A serious gas explosion occurred in Milo Zee’s barber shop at Elwood, Saturday night. Six persons were seriously injured. The building was wrecked and the furniture and fixtures —demolished. Loss, $4,000. Hon. Cljatles L. i Henry has secured a franchise for an electric street railway in Peudleton. It is understood that this is but a part of the proposed line from Indianapolis to Marion which, Mr. Henry announces, will be in operation by September.

Bishop D. B. Knickerbacker, of the Episcopal Diocese of Indiana, died at Indianapolis. Dec. 31, of pneumonia and heart disease. Bishop Knickerbacker was of distinguished ancestry, coming from the old Knickerbocker line in Schaghticoke, New York. Hon. W. J. Bryan, of Nebraska, addressed the “Pan-American Congress.” a literary organization of Shelbyville, New Years’evening, in behalf of free silver coinage. Mr. Bryan was afterward tendered a reception, and a banquet was given in his honor at the Ray House, at which one hundred plates were spread. The elegant Catholic church at Lagro, one of the finest in Wabash county, was badly damaged by fire, New Year’s morntug just as mass was being celebrated. The flames originated from a defective Kuo, which had been abandoned, and in which Father Kelley, a new priest, started a roaring fire. No estimate of the loss has been made. While standing on a stump William Roberts, of Courtland, attempted to shoot at some game, when his gun exploded and >io breech pin struck him in the face, penetrating his skull almost to the depth of an inch. Dr. M. Gerrish, of Seymour, who rendered surgical assistance, says the chances are altogether against his recovery. A warrant was sworn out, Jan. 3, for the arrest of ex-City Treasurer Schwartzkopf, of JValparaso, on the charge of embezzling city funds to the amount of $13,560 while serving two years as city treasurer. So far he has eluded the|ofllcers and it is believed he has left town. His bondsmen caused' telegrams to be sent tar til surrounding towns and cities. There is a bread war at Terre Haute. For several weeks the bakers have been spiling bread at ten loaves fpr twenty-five cents. This meant a price of two cents a loaf to the grocer. The trust people say they did not begin the war and in fact advised against it, but now that it is on they will continue it to the end so that the bakers will never again force a war. William S. Cramer, a prominent farmer near Martinsville, took some buckwheat to the mil) a few days ago and had it ground for home use. There was known to be some jimson weed with it, but it was thought that-it would not hurt the flour. The family partook heartily of cakes made from it, and all were badly poisoned tuid came near dying. Mr. Cramer is yet confined to his bed. Clerk Hess, of the Supreme and Appellate Courts, will pay dopket fees, lie says, direct to the State Treasurer. Ho underFtands that he is acting under a new law. When A. M. Sweeney was Clerk, ex-At-lorney General Smith collected the docket fees from Sweeney, and turned them over to the treasury. The fees thus collected fame under the law giving t'he Attorney General 12 per cent. Tho citizens of Plymouth shipped a full far load of merchandise to the Nebraska iufferbrs, the destination being Lexington, Dawson county. The ear contained several hundred suits of clothes, three tons l’s flour and oatmeal, many bushels of vegetables and a large amount of old k othlngand provisions. The business men >f the city also raised several hundred dolors in money, which will also be sent to the same address.

Joseph Hook, of New Albany, formerly I Monon engineer, took poison, Jan. 1. •’ho timely arrival of a physician saved his life. Nearly twenty years ago Hook hilled a man at Bloomington, Ind. The I gilt arose over a chew of tobacco. Hook Was tried, but after a hard fight his attorneys secured hiij acquittal on the [•round of self defense. He lost his position on the Monon, and finally became so Respondent that he decided to end his life. Peter F. Conway, tbe Greenwood saloon keeper, has given up. At a conference between the liquor dealer and James T. Polk et al, a proposition was made that if Conway would leave Greenwood and abandon his saloon business at that place ill suits now pending against him would be dismissed at plaintiff's cost. As these :auscs arc quite numerous and promised to be very expensive to Mr. Conway, whatever might be the final results, ho ieclded to accept the proposition, and will it once quit tbe saloon business at that place. New Years Day was celebrated at Greenwood by an industrial parade and other everclsos of a carnival character. The procession was a mile long. In the lead was a band of laborers with spades, followed by a street car, all indicative of the high hopes of the laboring classes since the electrle line is assured. Following these were the Industries of this beautiful iuburb. such as wagons loaded with mer:handise. mechanics plying their trade, machinery at work and the gentry in full livery. Perhaps the most extensive display was that of the Polk Canning factory. Fifteen old citizens of Columbus participated in a “fiddling” contest, New Year's Eve, in aid of charity, the programme being limited to the tunes of half a century igo, when “The Arkansaw Traveler,” “Old Dan Tucker,” “Rye Straw,” and ilmllar melodies were all the rage at the

country “hoe-downs,” Ex-Attorney-Gen-eral Hord presided, and Ex-Mayor W. W. Stader was master of ceremonies. T'he theater was crowded and a snug sum was realized for the object in view, The. judges gave each contestani a red ribbon and $2.50. ' | Sunday morning, at an early hour, Mrs. Michael O’Connell and five children were burned to death in their home in the town of El Paso, Wis. Mr. O’Connell was the only member who slept down stairs, and he barely escaped from the building in his night clothes. As he rushed out his wife appeared at an upper window and dropped the youngest child in his arms, and, returning into the room for the others, she was undoubtedly suffocated, for; she never returned. Another child jumped from a window and was saved. Mr. McConnell was, perhaps, fatally injured in his attempts to save his family. Frank Moyer, of Plymouth, Tuesday night, began work on the night force at the Indiana Novelty Works, and within two hours he had two fingers of his right hand cutoff. He went up town, perspiring profusely, to have the mutilated fingers amputated, which physicians care-1 fully did, after placing him under the influence of chloroform. As soon as he regained consciousness it was noticed by those attending him that he was not acting right. Another doctor was called and an examination disclosed that his lungs were rapidly being congested. He died in the physician’s office. The deceased leaves a wife and two children. Previous to the recent election Captain George Brown was a candidate for Trustee of Clay township. Dearborn county, and Major Mulford and he entered Upon a novel wager. If Brown was elected Mulford agreed to pay 12X cents per pound for dressed lamb. If Brown was beaten, then Brown was to furnish the dressed lamb at 5 cents per pound, the meat ro be served for a Christmas dinner . Brown lost and he purchased a little lamb which tha owner did not wish to raise, the lamb being but three days old, and delivered it to Mr. Mulford in satisfaction of the wager. Several friends went along to laugh at the expense of Mulford; but the latter seized the lamb and hurled it al Brown' and refused to pay the amount agreed upon, amounting to thirteen cents. Brown refused to provide anything else, and Mulford brought suit to enforce contract. The case was tried by jury al Dillsboro, and no agreement reached. The costs already foot up S6O, and a new trial has been ordered. Both principals are determined, and the litigation will be long and costly. . ; ’ . -■, ;