Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1897 — INDIANA INCIDENTS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA INCIDENTS.

RECORD OF EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK. Coal Miners Crushed by Falling Hock -Scipio Youth Kills His FatherHow Edwards Come to His Death— Indianapolis Man Dies in Church. Two Coal Miners Killed. An accident occurred in a mine of the Brazil Block Coal Company, at Perth, in which August Vanso and Dominick Ulick, two miners, were killed while at work. The men were buried under over ten tons of falling slate, and their bodies were crushed to a shapeless mass. Duel to Death. William Edwards, formerly of Sheboygan, Wis., was found at the Halfway house, near South Bend, July 22 in a dying condition from the effects of a bullet wound in his chest. He died a week later after conflicting stories as to his fatal wound. It is now claimed that Edwards died from a wound received in a duel with a fellow freight robber with whom he had quarreled. Bank Failures Nearly Caused Riots. Riots were started in Leavenworth, Marengo and English by the failure of the banks in each city. The mobs that gathered in front of the bank buildings were made up of merchants and farmers who discovered that they had been robbed. It is understood there is not enough money in sight to pay rent. All three banks were under the control of R. H. Willett.

Suicide in a Church. With words of gospel song ringing in his ears, Charles M. Spencer drew a revolver in the Methodist Episcopal Church at Westville and without a word of warning sent a bullet crashing through his brain. Not a word escaped his lips, nnd the only motive assigned for the deed is despondency resulting from financial troubles. Dies Suddenly in Church. J. M. Tilford, 88 years old, died in his pew in the Irvington Christian Church in Indianapolis. The preacher had just announced the opening hymn, when the old man was seen to fall forward. He was at one time the owner of the Indianapolis Journal, and was formerly prominent in State affairs. Boy Kills His Father. Charles Keifer, aged 19, shot and instantly killed his father, aged 55, at Scipio. The son was cleaning a shotgun, when a quarrel ensued, caused by the father accusing the son of stealing some wood. This so enraged the son he raised the gun and fired. He gave himself up. All Over the State. The oil well drilled at Andrews proved to be a first-class salt water hole. Joseph E. Reynolds, aged 18 years, was instantly killed while hunting rabbits near Muncie. Frank Garrard, aged 50 years, was crushed to death at Brazil while working in a coal slope. Jacob Voris of Crawfordsville was acquitted at Shelbyville of the charge of passing a forged instrument. The Oakland City election on the question of levying a tax for water works was carried by a majority of fifteen. At Columbus, Mrs. Margaret Jones took a dose of carbolic acid through a mistake for gentian and died almost Instantly. Jonathan W. Crumpacker has been appointed associate justice of the Supreme Court of New’ Mexico by President McKinley. While playing around a brush heap fird at Shelbyville, the clothing of Cardia Scripter was ignited and the child wm burned to a crisp. The stock barn of D. W. Maish at Frankfort was fired by an incendiary. Five head of horses, four cows and other property were destroyed. Near Elwood, Francis Dillinger, a farmer, while going through a dark woods was fired upon from both sides of the road. Three bullets passed close to his head.

In a letter which he makes public Robert Fitzsimmons tenders his resignation of membership in the Marion lodge of Elks, into which order he was initiated recently. The German Baptists of Whitley, Kosciusko and Huntington counties, Indiana, are organizing and will send out a company of more than 100 families in a short time to form a colony in Pawnee County, Kansas. Dairymen of Madison County are making preparations to enlarge their business. They will erect a milk condensing plant at Anderson and prepare the product for the markets. Postmaster Small of Anderson has filed application with the postal authorities asking for free rural delivery for Madison County. It is a great success in adjacent counties. At Indianapolis, Cecil Robinson, 14 years old, shot and instantly killed his 17-year-old sister, Mattie. He pointed a revolver in the face of his sister, not knowing that it was loaded. Four hundred representatives of the 10,996 members of the grand encampment Odd Fellows of Indiana were present at the annual convention at Indianapolis. During the last year the encampment spent $16,300 for the relief of patriarchs. During fifty years $376,540 has been expended in relief. The following officers were elected: Grand patriarch, J. R. McCoy, Peru; grand high priest, J. F. Marin, Decattfr; grand senior warden, J. M. Muzum, Elwood; grand junior warden, H. C. Seearce'y, Mooresville; grand scribe, W. H. Leedy, Indianapolis; grand treasurer, A. C. Daily, Indianapolis; grand trustee, G. M. Bell, Dunkirk; grand representative to sovereign grand lodge, J. E. Bodine, Indianapolis. Thomas McLain of Muncie, aged 28, was standing on a stump loading his shotgun when the gun fell and was discharged, the load tearing a hole through his abdomen. He is dead. Farmers north of Anderson and south of Elwood have reported strange noises, resembling explosions, which seem tn occur under the ground, and sometimes shake things up generally. Marion Leatherman, a farmer seven miles north of Indianapolis, was assaulted with a hatchet by a party of hunters, and will probably die of his wounds. His head was chopped and beaten' terribly.