Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1896 — RECORD OF THE WEEK [ARTICLE]

RECORD OF THE WEEK

INDIANA INCIDENTS TERSELY TOLD. Jas. Walden of Sprague Confesses to a Murder Committed Years Ago, and Then Dies—Grief Over the Tragedy, Also Killed His Victim’s Sweetheart. Says He Killed Sprague. On a pleasant May evening, about eighteen years ago, Paul Sprague, an estimable young man of Woodville, fell a victim to a shot from some assassin as he sat at his window in his home. No crime hasever been committed 'whrah-wagmore der of young Spragne, who often pointed with pride to the fact that he was without ah enemy, and was eVer ready to befriend the most miserable wretch and help the poor ahd needy. The revelation is at last here, ,and to the great surprise and astonishment of the entire Community, James Walden, a highly 'respectia Citizen, confessed in his last moments that he had committed the crime and had lived in almost perpetual .torment since’he fired the fatal shot,-—Saturday morning yv ft lden sent for Constable Frosty st atiug that _ he wished to make a statement regardlng the commission of a certain crime. 'After a drive of-about nine miles the cottage where Wald&n lived was reached, and, when ushered into his presence he broke tjown and wept with child-like simplicity. He told the following story in broken sentences, being vgry low with tionj “Boys, I will not be with you long and I want to confess to the murder of Paul Sprague, which occurred eighteen years ago, for which I have thus far escaped from the clutches of the law here, bat expect to soon answer to a higher tribunal. I would not have killed Sprague had it not been that I was intensely jealous of him. He was' to have been married to Miss May Collins the day after his death, and f was desperately in Miss Collins. 1 could not bear to see her made the wife of another. It was not known that" I waß in love with the young woman, as I had not even spoken to her on the subject, but was waiting for an opportunity when I might do so. The chance did not present itself, and on the day of the' murder I learned for the first .time that Miss Collins Was soon to wed. I at oncp became enraged and, after procuring a revolver, I went borne and waited until night, when I went to the home of Sprafcue and secreted myself until I caught a glimpse of him at the window, and without a moment’s warning I fired and then rah hastily to my home. I remained in the town about two months and then went to Ohio, where I have lived until about a year ago, when I returned to this place.” Walden attempted to say something else, but failed, having fallen into a stupor. He grew weaker until he died- While Walden had held himself aloof from society and lived by himself, yet he was never suspected of committing the murder. Miss Collins was heart-broken over the murder of her lover and after an illness of two months died. All Over the State. Suit for $54,000 has been brought by the First National Bank of Mount Vernon -against the bondsmen of the absconding assistant cashier, Albert Wade. The safe of Strom & Black at Anderson was robbed Sunday night of S2OO in money and. $1,200 in checks, besides drafts and papers. No signs of violence are apparent and the thieves evidently had the keys and the safe cpmbination. Henry Kline, of Inwood, was taken to Long Cliff hospital. He is 35 years of age. He was formerly a telegraph operator at Inwood, but for the last three or four years has been very ill. He has been in deep sleep, only opening his eyes at meal times. He lies in a stupor or trance, but is conscious of what is going on. John Fike, about 33 years old, was discovered hrir precarious.condition in a barn at Millersburg Saturday suffering from the effects of a bullet wound in the head. He cannot swallow and will die. Fike claims he was shot in the woods near the villnge Tuesday and had been wandering around since that time in a dazed condition. - Judge Truesdell, of Laporte, has sentenced Mary Carvason, alias Clara Shear, to three years’ confinement In the State reformatory for women and girls. Miss Carvason, who is but 19 years old, is said to be a member of a prominent family. She pleaded guilty to grand larceny. The grand jury returned three indictments against her, one charging her with horse stealing. Gov. Matthews suspended the sentence of Thompsou Arnold, of the bank at South Whitley, convicted Of defrauding the depositors, until sack.time as the chief executive had opportunity to examine tbe evidence. Under the law the minimum punishment for offenseA Of which Arnold ..yyas convicted is two years’ imprisonment, but he was sentenced for.one year. Thereupon the defense appealed to the Supreme Court, because the punishment was not conformable' with the law, 6111“ the higher court refused to interfere. As a last resort, the Governor was called upon. Frank Shields killed John 'Wade at Edinburgh, ten miles south of Franklin. Wednesday afternoon. Shields had been making the rounds of the saloons and had been engaged in several fights. At about noon he was ejected from the saloon of Wade Brothers, after a fight with John and Mack Wade. Shields went to his home and procured a single barreled shotgun. Coming down town he went to the SVade saloon. John Wade was standing in front and he was warned to look oat for Shields. He stepped into the alley and was just looking around the corner when he received the foil charge of shot full in the face. Death was instantaneous. Shields was captured and at once placed in jail. Wade was a well-known racing man. He was 50 years of age and leaves a wife and three children. Charles Kinsey, a traveling man, while asleep walked off a limited mail train which was going at the rate of forty miles an hour, near Anderson. Strange to say, he did not meet instant death, but he was very seriously injured.

Ex-jL»eputy Prosecutor Dosa, of Anderson, who brought proceedings against Prosecutor Scanlan, charging him with juggling fees in order to cut him out of his share, got a verdict for $223. It is said that actions will be brought against both Scanlan and Doss for bribery, and that the bar will hold a council to decide upon a propositon to disbar them. Because her parents Would not let her marry the man of her choice Louise Dean, aged 17, of Wabash, swallowed a teaspoonful of poison. Prompt use of a stomach pump may save her life. At Brazil, Wednesday evening, a pug dog belonging to Joseph Britton exhibited symptoms of hydrophobia, frothing at the mouth and snapping at everything it came in contact with. Harry Batey and Qoldia Mitchell were playing in Britton’s yard. The dog bit both of them. Hie little girl was bitten through the eye and arm and the boy was bitten on the hand- The parents of the children are greatly alarmed. The do* was subsequently killed bjr a policeman. /. Vs