Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 October 1897 — RECORD OF THE WEEK [ARTICLE]

RECORD OF THE WEEK

INDIANA INCIDENTS TERSELY TOLD. Mancie Saloon Men Jubilant—Killed Himself While Angry with His Fath-er-Mad Deed of a Flatroclc ManPrisoner Moved to Escape a Mob. Liquor Men Victorious. For the first time since the crusade was begun on Muncie saloon men by the committee of one hundred prosecuting them, for operating saloons in the residence parts of the city, the defendants are victorious. In the former trials a dozen or more were found guilty, and some driven out of business. In the trials of John P. Weisse, William Webster and John Shea the Mayor found for the defendants. With these findings, over two-thirds of the score or more cases will not stand, and saloon men are jubilant. Killed His W ife and Himself. Wesley Nading of Flatrock shot and instantly killed his young wife and then made an unsuccessful attempt on his own life. For years he operated a general store in Flatrock and .was well-to-do. Several years ago his mind became unbalanced and he was given treatment in a private sanitarium, returning home about eighteen months ago apparently fully recovered. On Tuesday he ate breakfast at the usual time and in his usual spirits went down to his office. He returned home about 8 o’clock and found his wife scrubbing the back porch. Without a word he drew a revolver and fired a bullet into her back. She sprang up screaming and started to run, when he fired again. The second bullet entered her head just back of the right ear and she fell off the porch dead. Nading then placed the muzzle of the revolver against his left breast and fired. The bullet passed entirely through his body just above the heart. Suicided in a Rage. Clarence Parker of New Castle, aged 20 years, committed suicide at his home in the eastern part of Henry County. The boy’s father had mounted a horse belonging to his son and rode to a neighbor’s. When the son came in a short time afterward he became angry because his father had taken his horse and took down his double barreled shotgun. He then went to the orchard, cursing his father as he went, and a few minutes later he emptied one load of shot into his left breast, dying instantly. The Reformatory Crowded. The sessions of the courts over the State are causing an influx of convicts to the reformatory at Jeffersonville, and Superintendent Hert is wondering how he is going to accommodate all the new men. The cell houses are inadequate to furnish proper sleeping apartments if the rush Continues. The number will shortly reach one thousand. Fyfe Henderson Sentenced. Fyfe Henderson, who raised a check on J. S. Stewart & Co., St. Louis, from $12.35 to $212.35 and left for Canada, where he was captured, was found guilty by a jury at Vincennes and sentenced to the reformatory at Jeffersonville.

All Over the State. The last crop bulletin of the season announces that the Indiana corn crop will fall below that of last year. William McMath, Thomas Dill, John Cavitt, Jr., and George King, all of Rushville, expect to. start for the Klondike in the spring. Thieves have carried away almost all the foundation of the Mcßride school house at Jeffersonville, and it is in such a condition as to be unsafe. Henry Louden, a farmer living near Melbern, committed suicide by taking poison. His body was found in the barn by his 7-year-old son. No cause is given. Nearly 400 members of the Porter-Lake County Veterans’ Association attended the fourteenth annual reunion at Valparaiso of the association, which numbers about 700 members. Edwin F. Carter of Evansville, a young theological student, has been missing for a week. He left for Alexandria, Va., and reached Cincinnati. A telegram was received from him saying he would immediately start for Alexandria. After this all trace of him has been lost. Prof. Harrison Staley of Sandbom made an unsuccessful attempt at suicide by swallowing morphine. Three weeks ago Prof. Staley was arrested and committed for assault with intent to kill Mrs. W. M. Wilcox. After lying in jail at Vincennes for ten days he gave bond and was released, and he returned home to arrange for the trial. Mrs. Charles Carter of Chesterfield and “Del” Crane, a traveling man for a Michigan lumber firm, have eloped on a bicycle built for two. Years ago, before she became Mrs. Carter, they were lovers. When last seen they were pedaling over a hill ten miles north of Anderson.

The State Auditor has completed the footings of the assessment of all classes of property in Indiana this year. There are 22,435,182 acres of land assessed at $453,487,733, as against 22,401,(513 acres assessed at $453,125,559 last year. The average valuation an acre is $20.21, as against $20.22 last year. The improvements on the land are assessed at $83,898,561, as against $82,798,721 last year. The lots of the State are valued at $150,218,220, as against $150,101,305 last year, and the improvements on the lots are assessed at $162,892,389, as against $156,282,730 last year. The personal property is valued at $278,324,983. as against $277,983,995 last year. The total value of lands, lots, improvements and personal property is $1,128,621,886, as against sl,120,302,020 last year. The State Board of Tax Commissioners assessed the property of railroads, telegraph and telephone companies, sleeping ear companies and express companies at $160,369,827, making a total value of property for the purposes of taxation $1,289,191,713. The valuation is the highest in the history of the State. Many farmers in the vicinity of Hagerstown, who p.antcd their wheat at the usual seeding time, find that there was sufficient moisture to cause the germ to sprout, but not enough to sustain the life of the plant, and in consequence the wheat will have to be planted over. John M. Sellers, aged 76, was found dead in bed at Darlington by neighbors, who were attracted by the odor frogi the house. The body was swollen to twice its size. There was a red hot gas stove burning in the room. Mr. Sellers lived alone and had not been seen for several daya-