Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1904 — INDIANA INCIDENTS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA INCIDENTS.

RECORD OF EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK. - A C. M, Todd Convicted of Killing Hie Bride—Storm Damage—at Washington —Confession Clears Up Murder Mystery. Cyrus M. Todd, 19 years old, who was charged with the murder of his bride of but a few months Dee. 31 last, has been found guilty at Lebanon of manslaughter, the penalty feyg which is an indeterminate sentence or from two to twonty-o:%‘ years in" tlie penitentiary. At the reading of the verdict ypung Todd was nervous, bilt was apparently much relieved that the sentence was so light. The jurors themselves say they were inclined to be lenient with Todd on account of his youth. The charge against Todd was that ho Ordered tils wife with a shotgun. His defense was that his wife picked up the gun from where he had laid it, on the bed, and by the muzzle dragged it toward her across, the bed. The trigger caught in the covers, he said, and the gun was discharged, the shot entering her left breast, causing instant death.

Windstorm at Washington. A terrific wind storm did great damnge in Washington. The west wall of Nealand & Ivridge’s three-story building was blown in, resulting in heavy loss in the carpet and clothing departments. Tlie west wall of the Odd Fellows’ hall was blown in. The Hyatt Hotel, tlie largest hostelry in Washington, was partially unroofed. A stone blown from tlie Wilson building crashed through the roof and second floor of W. L. Jackson’s drug store and did much damage. Many frees and chimneys were blown down in all sections of tlie city. Policeman Shot in Thich. James Lamar, a policeman,, was shot at Grandview and badly wounded. Two boys, Walter and Charles Craig, were arrested on a trivial charge by Lamar and were placed in jail, but escaped in the night. The next day as Lamar passed the Craig house he was shot. The Craig family was arrested and held in default of SSOO bond to await trial. Lamar was shot in the thigh. The Craigs are local characters of ’Grandview aud have been in trouble before.

Clears Murder Mystery. The mystery of the Runyan murder in South Bend was cleared, by the confession of Charles Krienke. He said that Jarhes E. Costello was the murderer. “We went to the drug store,’’ he said, “to get some money. My heart failed me and I left Costello, refusing to go into the store. When Runyan resisted there was a fight. Runyan got the best of Costello and when he threw him over the platform in the window Costello shot him.” Bad Winter for Quail. The fanners of the Elwood neighborhood report that quail will be scarce next season, owing to the fact that they are finding large coveys frozen to death. Farmers also report that rabbits that have withstood the cold weather are so weak that they can hardly run. Large numbers of rabbits are being found frozen under rails and stumps, and many have been dug out of their holes that were evidently starved to death.

State Items of Intereot, Lots of measles in Terre Haute. Osgood has secured a trousers factory. A company will he organized at Waldron to drill for oil. Thomas Alltop, 87, first settler in what Is now Nashville, is dead. Wheat is selling in Indiana towns for from $1 to $1.05 a bushel. First M. E. Church, Shelbyville, has a chorus choir of about fifty voices. Farmers met at Camden and decided to build an elevator and start a bank. The pews in St. Simon’s Church, Washington', rented for $2,355 this year. Ten of the eleven townships of Ripley County have voted in favor of free pike roads. Crawfordsville merchants are bound by an agreement not to use trading stamps.

Darlington schools were closed because seven eases of scarlet fever were reported. Congregation of First Baptist Church, Franklin, may build a new $4,000 parsonage. The Carnegie public library at New Albany was opened. The building cost $40,000. Frank Finley, a farmer near Vincennes, was accidentally killed while hunting ducks. Thomas Watkins will build a SIO,OOO brick residence on his place near Linden this spring. Blackford County farmers have a lnrge quantity of wheat on hand to sell nt the high prices. Farmers around Camden want a system of free gravel roads established in k Jackson township. The fear of n strike is causing an unsettled feeling iu business .circles iu some of the Indiana mining towns. Mrs. Michael Strycker, near Goshen, slipped on nn icy walk and fell, sustaining injuries from which she died. Harry S. Shaffer, editor of the Clark's Hill News, is dead. lie was widely known ns an anti-saloon worker.

James J. Smiley, the oldest member of the Putnam County bar, fell from his chair nt Greencnstle, from uu attack of apoplexy, and (lied. Cyrus 11. McCready, former cashier of the First National Bank of Seymour, charged with embezzling $12,000, is in jail in default of $5,000 bonds. Spencer Saxton, an oil well contractor, was instantly killed and Edward Wood, a well shooter, and S. Culvertson, a driller, were seriously iujured by the premature explosion of two Charges of nitroglycerine which were being lowered into on oil well near Marion. . When Mrs. Willinm Minnick, Lawrenceburg, refused to give breakfast to' a tramp Wednesday, the man entered the house and followed the frightened womau into an inner room. Mrs. Minnick secured a revolver and firsd, wounding ths man In the arm. Hs fled and the police arg looking tor him.