Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 May 1905 — INDIANA INCIDENTS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA INCIDENTS.

RECORD OF EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK. United States May Drain Kankakee Swamp—Prosecutor Is After Express Companies Jn Wabash Sen ecal la Held for Richardson Murder. The Department of Agriculture in Washington is about to look into what its experts say is one of the greatest engineering feats in drainage attempted in the United States. The feat lies in solving the problem involved in draining the great marsh lands of northern Indiana. along the Kankakee river, which, when properly accomplished, will reclaim in tile neighborhood of 400.000 acres of the finest farming land, a large part of which lias for years am - ' now is owned in a great measure by Chicago people. For several years past efforts have been made by tlie States of Indi.ma and Illinois and by private to interest the government in tlie project now at hand, work upon which will begin under a special commission this week. This marsh land, now best known to duck hunters, who invade its precincts in boats each fall, stretches almost from South Bend; Ind., to Momence, 111., and is included, in part, by the three counties of Indiana, Newton, Lake and Porter. Purdue university has been working in this field for several years, and it is in conjunction witli the university that James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture, lias finally determined- to go to work bn the s'wamp and see what can be done for it. After Express Companies. Under tlie recent decision of tlie Supreme Court requiring express companies to make deliveries of consignments to residents of cities within a prescribed radius, it is now proposed by Prosecutor Brower of Wabash county to secure 200 indictments against the American Express Company in the city of Wabash for violation of tlie Indiana law. Since the decision of the court tlie company has persistently declined to make deliveries within the corporate limits remote from the business center and the prosecutor has been carefully gathering evidence, which will be submitted to the grand jury. Held on Murder Charge. The grand jury has returned an indictment against William H. Seneeal, the aged saloonist who shot and killed Grover Richardson at the former’s saloon in Wheeling. Seneeal is charged with murder in the first degree. Richardson, together with three companions, went to the saloon about midnight and asked for some beer. Seneeal, wlio had been drinking, refused them and when the visitors insisted the saloonist drew a revolver, shooting Richardson in the stomach. He died before, medical aid could be procured. ■ ; . . Accident Restore* Sight. Antoine Loriaux. a Muncie glass worker who has been blind in one eye for more than thirty years, lost the other eye a few days ago in an accident. Immediately ppon tlie second eye being treated the sight of the first eye returned and tlie man now enjoys the sight of the other eye. The case is said to be one of the most remarkable ever brought before the notice of physicians and specialists. Miner State Matter*. James Golring of Vincennes died in an hour after an operation for appendicitis. Frank Katsork’s bid of $31,978 for a modern ward school for North Vincennes was accepted. The machinery and building of the Vincennes car and foundry works were sold for $375 to pay claims for wages. Andrew Bachinski, aged 11, of Jackson Center, while out fishing with two other lads, fell out of tlie boat in trying to land a big bass and was drowned. During the performance of a trained animal show in South Bend a constable served a warrant on the management because an ape smoked a cigarette us part of thri’show.

By the falling of an elevator from the third floor of the wholesale grocery house of Ragon Brothers, Evansville, Wesley Niemeir was fatally hurt and William Blue and John Janies may be cripples. Carl Zicheschner, a 74-year-old hermit, was found at his home near Hammond, bleeding and unconscious, with a wound in the abdomen. There is considerable mystery about the case, and conflicting stories are told. James Gentry, said to bo the last surviving playmate of Abraham Lincoln, is dead at his home in Rockport. He was born in Spencer county, Indiana, in 1810. Gentry was ten years younger than Abraham Lincoln and in his boyhood days he was closely associated with the war President. Crop conditions in this State are thus reviewed by the government's weekly report: Temperature nearly normal; showers frequent and copious; ground too wet and but little farm work done; oats not all sown; wheat, rye. clover, timothy, pastures, potatoes, gardens, and tobacco plants growing nicely: Budded peaches dead; cherries, plums, pears and seedling peaches suffered in some localities, but as a whole prospects are good for all kinds of fruits. Mrs. Jennie Rood, charged with attempting to poison her hnslMind, John Rood, by placing strychnine in pancakes, was acquitted in Marion by a jury. The defense - ; was that Rood placed the poison in the cakes to make it, appear she attempted to kill him. Members of the jury said the evidence was not sufficient to prove the charge and they gave her the benefit of the doubt. Rood is about 80 years old, a retired business man with considerable property. Mrs. Rood is 35 aml was formerly his housekeeper. The disappearance of Mrs. Charles Gibson caused a sensation in Connersville. A few weeks ago an old sweetheart of Mi*. Gibson, named Hamilton, came from Brookville, Ky., and secured board with the Gibsons. He also has disappeared. The Dallas township advisory board has been notified formally that it must order an investigation of the accounts of F. E. Fults, ex-trustee, or the Circuit Court will be appealed to. It is charged that there is a shortage in Fults’ accounts, and that he has been guilty of Irregularities.