Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 June 1878 — INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS. [ARTICLE]

INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS.

—A tramp saved a train on the Kentucky Central Railroad from destruction the other night by signaling it with his shirt that he had stripped from his back and set on fire. He nad discovered a large tree that had olown across the track, and adopted this method to prevent accident —Last week Messrs. Allen and John Campbell, of Union Countv, Miss., poisoned themselves fatally by eating the tubers of the plantcommonly called hemlock, Conium maculata, under the impression that it was ginseng. They died in violent convulsions three hours after eating the roots. —The Rev. Mr. Penticost explains the story that a “Mrs. Rogers, of Middletown, Conn., a lady known for her benevolence, has presented him with a bank book with a comfortable sum to his credit,” by sayirig that the book was a certificate of deposit of five dollars, and that the bank that issued it is insolvent.

—Chicken-thieves have become such a nuisance in Houston, Tex., that a mechanical genius has invented a sort of dummy chicken, bearing a close resemblance to the genuine article, and loaded with buckshot, powder and caps. Upon being taken from the roost the innocent-looking fowl goes off, and with it the thief. —A lovers’ quarrel came to a heartrending end in West Troy the other evening. Joseph Potter, aged nineteen, went with a companion to call upon his sweetheart. Miss Morriss, aged eighteen, and the best of feeling prevailed until a few moments before the departure of the visitors. Young Potter made a thoughtless remark which wounded the lady’s feelings, and the two young men arose with some embarrassment to take their leave. She went with them to the door, but paid no attention to the farewell greetings. The young men had not gone far before the cry, “ Good by, Joe!” came to their ears, and on turning about they caught a glimpse of a young lady running at fuU speed toward the canal. “Joe” recognized the voice, unnatural as it sounded, and ran back as fast as he could, but before he had gone far heard a splash and a shriek. He plunged into the canal to rescue his sweetheart, but he was too late. —A few weeks ago an instrument of writing, purporting to be the last will of an old citizen of Monroe County, in Missouri, was offered for probate in the proper court. It devised all the estate to <gie son, William, cutting off the widow and the other children, of whom there were several. The father had been in delicate health for some years, and the entire care and management of the estate, together with the support of the family, had devolved upon William, who had labored faithfully, and, beside supporting the family, had made valuable improvements on the farm. The testimony of the subscribing witnesses to the will showed that the testator was not of sound mind when he executed it. Strange to say, William did not want the wul probated, assigning as a reason that he wanted the family to have the property, as they needed it, and he could get along without it. On the other hand, the family wanted him to have the property, as he had fairly earned it. —Missouri Republican.