Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1896 — RECORD OF THE WEEK [ARTICLE]

RECORD OF THE WEEK

INDIANA INCIDENTS TERSELY TOLDr . Kokomo Has a Tremendous Gas Ex- - plosion—Widespread Ruin the Benoit—Joseph Mix Rapidly Sinking) Because of Son’s Alleged Disgrace* Terrible Explosion of Gas. - —The-most destructive natural gas explosion that ever occurred in the Indiana gas belt took place in Kokomo at noon Friday, the station of the Kokomo Natural Gas and Oil Company, consisting of four iron and brick buildings, located in she central part of the city, being demolished and many houses in the immediate neighborhood being shattered and almost wrecked. Fire bnrst forth from the ruins just after the explosion and the plant and machinery were entirely consumed. So violent was the shock of the explosion that windows three squares away were broken to flinders and men and horses, going along the street were knocked down and seriously injured. Joseph Lindley, superintendent of the plant, was in the office When the explosion occurred and was hurled through one of the and fell forty feet away. Two horses in the works were raised high in the air and were crushed to death in the fall and their bodies burned. No lives were lost; though KGVPra 1 AmnliYVAB n’Ai*n alicrKHtr hupf" T 1 ha ov-fv*«w Vv CIC flllgullJ 11 tll t. JL lit? company furnished fuel gas for domestic consumption, and •'hundreds of families were thus cut off without fuel supply. Among the buildings that suffered most from the Shock of the explosion were the jail and the court house, both of which had the windows torn out and bricks and stones displaced. Noted Seer of White River Dying. Joseph Mix, of Anderson, the old seer of White River, known as such all over CJhio and lndiana, is reported dying. He was declared of unsound mind some lime ago and his money, or rather that part could be found, was put into the hands of a gtsardi.an. He is 70 years of age and has gained his title from the fact that he had a strange insight into the future. He could, it is.said, locate missing, stolen or lost articles, could tell who the thieves were and do many equally strange things. He practiced his art in Indiana, for forty years and during his last years people came from the Eastern and Western States to have him locate lost children. In this manner he amassed s fortune and it is thought that he buried most of it. When his estate was turned over to the guardians but” $4,000 could be found. It Is thought that he is worth many times this amount. His aberration was due to a peculiar circumstance. His son Joe married and later sold his wife and threw in her bed clothing to Joe Badgley. a neighbor, for $25 on easy payments. The bed clothes were thrown in to fill out the bargain and the money was jpaid and he delivered the wife. The sals would probably have held good but for the State stepping in and taking a hand. Tho pews was sent out through a press association and the similarity in names caused ‘many to think that it was him. It turned his mind and he has been failing ever since.

All Over the State. Frank Brown, a prominent Terre Ha qte citizen, and treasurer for the local lodges of Red Men, has been missing for several days. His accounts are said to be correct, * and it is feared that he has been driven to suicide by continued ill health. At Portland, Ida Tullis brought suit against Valentine Flauding, Jr., for $5,000 damages, alleging breach of promise. She asserts that on two occasions they had arranged to be married, but that both times Valentine failed to appear. T. L. Coons, a druggist of Edinburg, committed suicide by swallowing prussic acid. After swallowing the poison he claimed that it was taken by mistake. The deceased was married five years ago, and leaves a wife and child. Quite recently he dissipated to excess. £ - j oncSi commander of Williams Host. G. A. R- of Mnncie, has decided to la? a candidate for department commaudor at the coming State enemupntent at South Bend. Dr. Jones entered the war ns drummer boy in Colorado at the age of 12 years. William Smelz, a farmer, residing north of Mishawaka, was bitchiDg up a team, .when a calf ran out of the barn and kicked him in the face, severely injuring him. At tb&aojwjii time one of thcuhorses kicked him in the side near the lower ribs. in a precarious condition. At Elkhart, fire completely destroyed the residence and contents belonging to Jacob Geiscr. Loss, $2,500; insured in the Concordia, of New York, for SI,OOO. Geiser had $3,000 in gold and SI,OOO in greenbacks hidden away in the cellar, which was found safe in the debris. WilKam Kemper and John Lipkie, of Otis, engaged in a friendly contest for boxing supremacy in a saloon. A ring was formed by bystanders and the men, stripped to the waist, sailed Into each other. After a few passes Kemper struck Lipkie in the abdomen. The injured man (ell unconscious and remained so\ until Thursday, when he expired. The coroner has not rendered his verdict, but It is believed the affray will require grand jury Investigation. Kemper was a passenger conductor on the Monon for a number of years, and was also a rorme* township official. . ' ® The village of Bristol, in the upper edge of Elkhart County, is excited over the developments following the finding of a counterfeiters’ plant in subterranean apartments on an island in the St. Joe river. The outfit included tools, molds, dies, milling machines, etc., besides a pilo of bogus gold and silver coin in all stages of development. Among the spoils was an old poeketbook, identified as belonging to Jonathan Crumpacker, who was assassinated near Bristol a year ago, ns well as papers and other documents taken at the time of. the robber/ of the Bristol •postoffiee nenrly two years ngo. The wife of William M. Hampton, of Indianapolis, was prostrated by fright by the presence of a burglar in her sleeping room, and she died of exhaustion. The Ministerial Association of Terro Houtehn* askedthe potter? board that thw Bunday closing law be enforced, board is In favor of a liberal Interpretation of the law. At Qreensburg, Mrs. Bryant Beeson** death resulted from a peculiar accident. A few days ago she was gaffed in th* hand by a rooster. Bone rheumatism set In and blood poison resulted, cautioff Mr th three lays latep 4 a- * - > •