Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 December 1900 — INDIANA INCIDENTS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA INCIDENTS.

RECORD OF EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK. Strange, Barren Spot in Steuben County— Parent Proeecntea Hi* Son —Convicted Mij&Jerer Faint* at Ve dt.t— Woman HtHMed by Flaming Mixture. Steuben County claims the distinction of beiug the only county in the State having a spot of land upon which vegetation absolutely refuses, to grow, while the surrounding soil is apparently the same and very productive. This place is located about a mile south of the Michigan line and near Clear lake, and is the subject of a strange tale told by many old settlers. In a grove at the head of the lake is a circle of earth about fifteen feet in diametoT, on which no vegetation will* grow. The cause assigned by tradition for this is that this grpve was the torture ground of the BaWtleese Indians and that it was in this circle that the was set up. It is believed that the ashes of so many murdered human beings has rendered the place accursed and hence this dearth of vegetation.

Son Forges Father’* Name. John Keddington was convicted at Anderson of forging certificates of deposit belonging to his father, Patrick Reddington, and was sentenced to the penitentiary for tw-o years. The father filed the affidavit against him. Young Reddington has been a school teacher at Elwood ~ob4 food remit!)noil. His father is a well-to-do farmer. It developed that the young man had forged his father’s name before and the latter had always paid to save the son. Eor the last offense he was very vigorous in the pros- . ecution. Faint* at Jnry’s Verdict. William Gates, indicted for manslaughter for the killing of James Rairden Macks, was adjudged guilty by the jury at Richmond He was given an indeterminate sentence of from two to twentyone years in t*he penitentiary. The verdict was not expected by Gates, who fainted away when it was announced.

Church Corner-Stone Laid. Bishop O’Donoghue of Indianapolis conducted the ceremonies attending the laying of a corner stone of the new St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Richmond. The edifice will cost $55,000 and will replace the church destroyed by fire last August. Woman Fatally Rnrned. Mrs. A. Byron Darby, wife of State Senator-elect Darby, was fatally burned at Waterloo while preparing a liniment on top of a stove. The liniment ignited and was thrown over Mrs. Darby, setting fire to her clothing, terribly burning her face and head.

State New* in Brief. Herman Gilder, Monroeville, died of smallpox. Ivendallville may have municipal elec trie lighting. Bunker Hill’s only saloon failed to get its license renewed. Lake Wawasee will be stocked with 500,000 black bass minnows. Charles Major, author, was given a public reception in Shelbyville. Dr. E. W. Fisk, well-known Presbyterian minister, died at Greeucastle. There is a movement on foot to consolidate all the schools of Scott township. Anderson American straw-board plant will hereafter use coal instead of gas. The F. G. Banker brick factory, Greenfield, was destroyed by fire. Loss $5,000. '

One of the Terre Haute rolling mills has resumed operations, after eight mouths’ idleness. ‘ A IG-year-old boy, Michigan City, adjudged Insane, occupies his time copying railroad time tables. Miss Maggie Mienert, aged 22, committed suicide at JJvausville by taking an overdose of carbolic acid. She was ‘jilted by her lover. ' Samuel Jones, 18, near Frankfort, was trampled to death while trying to stop a stampede of wild western cattle, frightened by a corn shredder. Emery Lacy, prosperous young Hancock County farmer, who was to have been married recently to Miss Ora Walker, did not show up for the ceremony. Mrs. Margaret King, 109, died at Greensburg. She was born near White Oaks, Ohio, and came to Indiana in 1802. She was the mother of thirteen children. Safe blowers entered the office of the Thornburgh Milling Company at Martinsville and by use of nitroglycerin blew the door off the safe. An amount of money was taken.

At a recent Council meeting the mo police board, which undertook to enforce the Sunday closing laws strictly, was abolished and the Mayor and marshal hereafter will direct police affairs. Loren Seagraves and Harvey Lennon went rabbit hunting near Young America and Lennon was fatally shot by his companion, who mistook him for a rabbit. Seagraves discharged both barrels into Lennon’s body. A divorce reform been started by the Muneie M injijMßLAssoThe State Vill fijflfcffeieted. If are soccessral In their plant#* revolution in tie divorce laws of Inaoßka will take place. Four boys—Walter Snyder, aged 14; Roy Allison. 0; Ollie Geiger. 12, nml Gerhold Yost, 10—were given a public whipping at Evansville. The boys broke into a'freigbt car and stole $1 worth of apples which they enjoyed as a picnic. They were arresfbd and given the choice of taking a public whipping or going to jail for thirty days. They chose the former. Nathan Hoffmaster, soldier of Marion, died in China. Union Traction Company will famish electric lights to the towns along its line. Mrs. Athea Kinney. South Bend milliner, will get SOO,OOO from her grand' father’s estate, Purdue will make a collection of American locomotives. Several have been contributed by railroads. Finest Elk's home in Indiana was dedicated at Anderson. It’s the property of Lodge No. 209 and coat $17,000.