Terre Haute Evening Gazette, Volume 6, Number 226, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 7 March 1876 — Page 1

VOL. 6.—NO. 226.

WASHINGTON.

Pierrcpont Says its All Lie.

HE HAD NO INTERVIEWS WITH HABCOCKS COUNSEL AND HE EXTENDED NO AID WHAT­

EVER TO THE PERSECUTED SECRETARY.

Colonel Fred Grant is Ordered Duty on the Plains.

to

Washington, March f. COLONEL GRANT

leaves Washington to-night in obedience to orders ofLieutenant General Sheridan, that he report without delay in Chicago, service on the plains.

U. S, OK ANT, JR.,

occupies the desk at the executive office, heretofore occupied by General Porter and Babcock, aud within the past few weeks by Col. Grant and Mr. Sniffen, assistant private Secretary occupies the desk vacated by Luckey, who has entered upon his duties at the Interior Department.

Judge Black to day appeared before the House Committee appointed to investigate the WASHINGTON BEAL ESTATE 1JOOL, and stated, as counsel for Hallett Kelborne, that he would on Wednesday, present a brief quoting and authorities to show that the committee had no right to show call for a production of Kelborne's books showing his general real estate transactions.

ATTORNEY GENERAL PIERRE PONT has addressed a letter to Hon. Scott Lord, chairman of sub-committee of the commitee on judiciary, saying his fair and considered the question of the third int. gives him the opportunity to fully explain certain charges contained in the newspaper publications, copies of which have been enclosed to him. The attorney general says that in relation to the whiskey cases in St. Louis, Chicago and Milwaukee, thesecretay of the treasury and himself were in frequent con sultation, and they never differed in this policy, nor in what they deemed the best mode of carrying out the pol icy. in Oct. last while the solicitor of the treasury was in St. Louis they agreed upon and the secretary dispatched a communication to the solicitor in the way of instructions, in which he said, among'other things, that unless important eflds are to pe gained in either case he would make 7io terms with any individual party. Attorney general says that the policy indicated in this order was not communicated by him in any circular letter to the district attorneys ol ihese cities, but it was intended to be carried out alike in St. Louis, Chicago and Milwaukee. Nothing occurred to lead the attorney general or secretary of the treasury or tha solicitor, so far as the attorney general knew or believed to change this policy in any degree, but about the middle of January and subsoquent thereto various newspaper slips, private letters and personal statements come to the president and in a lesser degree to the attorneo general that bargains were being made or about to be maue with criminals whose testimony was not in the slightest degree needed, by which a large number of criminals were to be let off from any kind

punishment in a manner likely to bring scandal upon the administration of justice and quiet, at variance with policy expressed by the secretary and approved by the attorney general and these statements were in a large measure affirmed to the president, and subsequently to the attorney general by one of the oldest an most trusted supervisors in the service, who claimed to speak from personal knowledge upon the subject, and especially in relation to enmmais in Chicago. It was also stated to the attorney general, that bargains of ev-

munications with the attorney gener ai from whom they received their appointment, and conduct the attorney 8®®e£iqw^eat-

r:Pa?wSwithP"cyteSeT'

dicated and he brought it to the at­

tention

of attorney general, and fi­

nally suggested that in view of the r^eated statement, it won Id be well for the attorney general to let district attorney receive some caution uyon this subject, and tnrrefore a letter by the attorney general to the district attorney Hazleton, and is the onecoppied in the offiicial records ot the department with note that the same was sent to the district attorney Pierrpoint, at Chicago and St. Louis of this letter attorney general said he renosed in the officers good judgement to refrain from every thing that could by any structed as favonteism towards those fbohad defrauded the goverajent and he remarked that it was president's reiterated desire that

NO GUILTY MAN SHOULD ESCAPE

A lew days latter thePresident be ing still further pressed about the matter sent for the Attorney General to le'arn whether he had taken any action. As the letters are strictly confidential, and intended solely for the eye of the District Attorney, and for the sole

purpose

of advising them

of complaints which were being made and to caution them against any appearance of improper managetftent, the attorney general w*a areatly surprised at

the publication

5f the letter, and quite amazed that it should be wrested from its original purpose and used for ends never lmagiued by the writer. The AltorneyGeneral set himself to work to discover how the letter found its way into print,

and

finally came to toe

conclusion

that it must

have gotout

.. through copy rent to the Preei-

dent, and he received information which convinced him that it was so, aad the fact tbat it was imperfectly reported in the western papers led him to believe that it had been read and perhaps imperfectly remembered. On speaking to the president on the subject he had no knowledge whatever of the letter. The attorney general says: I waited for an opportunity and bad now ascertained that Gen. Babcock or some one for him who had access to the president's papers, obtained a copy ol the letter without any knowledge on the part of the president, aud that the same was used in a manner now known to all but under whose advice the attorney general does not know. It is quite certain he says, that if any onfe of the defrauders of the revenue imagined they were to reap advantage from the publication of the letter, or from the very false construction they tried to force upon it they had been, or would be signally mistaken.

The attorney general says that sine'- the acquital of Babcock, be had seen it stated in oue of the western papers that evidence bearing on the guilt of Babcock was communicated to his council by the attorney general. he wished to state in most emphatic language, and without any possible reservation, that there is not and never was the slightest truth in the statement. He

NEVER MADE A COMMUNICATION, either written or verblal, to any one of Babcock's counsel upon the subjeet. As to Storrs who is the counsel especially mentioned, the attorney general says he has no recollection that he ever saw him in his life he was certain that he never wrote to him. He might have seen him and have been introduced to him at some one of tne crowded receptions of the president this is possible very many persons are introduced to him at these receptions whose names are often indistinctly heard, and ^therefore not remembered, He certainly never saw Storrs at his house, at the department, or at any other house or place he never conversed with him upon the subject of Gen. Babcock's trial, or upon any other subject.

Judge Porter is the other counsel mentioned, He is an eminent lawyer of New York, an old acquaintance of the attorney, and a much valued friend, and besides he is a gentleman of delicacy and sense. He once, and only once, called to paj hia respects, and stated merely that he was here to prepare himself in the Babcock trial and dropped the sub« ject utterly, never resuming it or referring to it again during his call, They never by note, word, or sign had any other communication what* ever on the subject.

FOKTY-FOURTH

CON-

CtBESS.

FINANOE IN THE SENATE.

Slioarman Pours Hot Shot III" to the Ears of the Greenback Qans?.

BOUG PROPOSES "LET US DOWN EASY YOU KNOW."

A Stnpld Day in tlio House.

SENATE.

YESTEKDAY AFTERNOON SESSION. Washington, March 0. Jones, of Florida.su bmitted a resolution instructing the Commissioner ot Agriculture to furnish the Senate,from such data as is now in the possession of hia department, the following intorma-

11

without consultation, with the die trict attorney, and without any

co°i"

What are the geograpnical limits and area within the United States, the soil and climate ot which'i9 adapted to the cultivation and growth of the stalk and fiber of sea island or long staple cotton, on which said cotton matures a perfect growth. Also the geographical limits and ar?a in each of the several States tbe soil and climate of which is adapted to tbe cultivation and growth of said cotton matures to a perfect growth of fibre and stalk. Agreed to.

Maxey, of Texas, submitted a resolution instructing tbe Secretary of the interior to famish for the information of the Senate, it not incompatible with the public interest, a statement showing the annual expenditures of the Indian bureau since its organization to the present time. Also the number of Indians provided for at the expense of the Government each year since the organization of said bureau: Agreed to.

Anthony introduced a bill to provide lor the sale ot extra copies of public documents, and for the distribution of regular official editions thereof. Referred.

Boutweil called up his motion to reconsider the vote by which the House bill to provide for the purchase of material and for the continuation of work on tbe building for the Custom house, and Postoffice at St. Loui9, which was passed, and it was agreed to. He then submitted two amendments authorizing the architect to use in his discretion such a portion of the appropriation as is needed tor the performance of those contracts authorized by the bill which are absolutely necessary for the proper preservation and progress of said building, and providing that tbe contracts authorized to be made by tbe bill shall not exceed in tbe aggregate §75,000, which were agreed to, and tbe bill, &s amended passed.

Mr. Hamlin submitted a resolution requiring the postmaster general to furnish tne Senate with any information he may have touching on the submission of straw bids, or probable worthless or lraudulent bids for carrying tbe mails of the United States in which advertisements for mail proposal appeared on the 1st of October, 1875 and that said bills and ail the evidences in his possession he forwarded before.awards shall be made on said bids. Agreed to.

Windom presented resolutions of the Minnesota Legislature in favor of the construction by the Government of a doable track freight railway from some eastern city to the Missouri river, with a branch extending into Minnesota railroaoB.

Harvey,

tions of the Kansas Legislature, relating to the lands of the Kansas & Pacific railroad company, and the right to tax the same, memoralizing Congress in behalf of certain settlers of public »lands and also asking amendments to the existing timber culture act.

The following is the remainder of Hermans speech, part ol" which appeared in the GAZETTE of yesterday.

Already do we see advocated in high places, organizations, all forms of repudiation, which, if adopted, would reduce our nation to the credit of a robber chief, worse than the credit of

AN ALOERINE J'IKATE

who, at least, wouid not plunder his own countrymen. It the public credi

OWIl COUUbryUQtJU*

I

tuo puunu UOur

tor had 110 safety, what chance would JUDGE TAFT TO SUCCEED nEUCXAF

national banks, oreations of our own and subject to our will, have in Congress? It has already been proposed to confiscate their bonds, premium and all, as a made of paying their notes with greenbacks. What expedient so easy if we would make money cheap and abundant, or if so extreme a measure could be arrested, what is to prevent a permanent dethronment of gold as a measure of value and substitution of an inter-convertible currency bond, bearing 3.G5 per cent, interest as a standard of value,and when it becomes too expensive to print the notes to pay interest and reduce the note, why not pay J3.65 per cent, when it is easier to pay 3. It is but an act of congress, and when the process of repudiation goes so far that your notes will not buy bread, why then declare against all interest, and then after passing through the valley of humiliation return again to barter, honor and gold. Agaiu, speaking of the need of confidence, Sherman said, it is credit that gives life and competition to trade, and credit is destroyed by every scheme that impairs, delays, or even clouds an obligation. An irredeemable and fluctuating currency always reduces the rate of (interest on money, while a stable currency or an improving currency always reduces the rate of interest. With a depreciated currency great domestic productions are cut off from foreign markets, for it is impossible that with such a currency we can compete on equal terms with rival nations, whose industry rests upon a specie standard let us rest our industries on that standard and soon we could compete in the markets of the world in all the articles produced from iron, wood, leather and cotton, the raw basis of whicfi are pur natural productions, and it must be remembered all countries with which we compete are specie paying countries. A depreciated and flunctuating currency is a premium and bounty to the broker and money changer, and

he gambles

and

speculates with all advantages

favor. Mr.

in. hia

Sherman

held that the de­

gree of contraction and its effects were greatly exagerated. The only contraction of currency provided by the act is in substitution of one kind of currency for another, thus, in place, of fractional currency, is issued silver currency, and where national bank notes are is-sued there is returned 80 per cent, of the amount in United States notes.

Various objections to resumption having been considered, Sherman closed by saying that I will choorfully vote for a moderate tax on tea and coffee, because this will increase our revenue without adding to the cost of the articles, and be the means of enabling us to repeal other taxes that are both a burden and an inconvenience, and will also strengthen the Treasury, that I will vote for a voluntary conversion ot a limited amount of United States notes into bonds, as each ot those measures will tend to prepare us for a specie standard, but each of these masures and others that may be proper are not, in my judgement, indispensible to full and complete the eqecution of the la\* of 1S75 on or before the 1st day of January, 1S78.

SENATE.

MORNING SESSION.

Washington, March, 7.—Mr. Ingalls presented a petition of tbe citizens of Franklin county, Kansas, asking the passageof a law to admit, free of dutyfmacninery used for the manufacture of raw silk. Referred.

Mr. Gordon submitted the following: Resolved, That the committee on finance be instructed to ascertain if possible, what amendments to our revenue laws are necessary to secure economy, and certainty in the collection of internal revenue, and prevent the recurrence of official frauds in that branch of public service. He said he would not ask the present consideration of the resolution, but desired to have it lay on the table until Thursday next, when he would ofTer some amendments to it and ask the indulgence of the Senate to submit.

Frelinger called up tbe Senate bill for the protection of agriculture againsi injured insects which author' izes the Secretary of the Interior,, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute and the commissioners of agri« culture to appoint commissioners having the requisite scientific and practical knowledge to investigate and gather informatiou relative to the Kocky mountain, loenst, and other worms, a long debate ensued after the resolutions.

HOUSE.

YESTERDAY AFTERNOON SESSION. Washington, March 6,1876. A long and dreary debate resulting in nothing was had over the Hawaiian treaty.

Knott, chairman of the judiciary committee offe-ed a resolution for the appointment of a select committee to inquire whether any officer or employer of the government has in any way advised the defendants in the recent whisky conspiracy trials in St. Louis or turnished any of the facts, papers ar other evidence on which the government relied and whether attempt was made by au officer of the government other than the dis trict attorney and bis assisstant to interfere with or advise the council in any way to control or conduct said prosecution, or in any of them with power to send for persons and papers, fcc., Agreed to without objection.

Adjourned.

HOUSE.

MORNING SESSION.

Washing^"* March. 1S7C.

A number of unimportant bills were presented, among them one to repeal oesumpfip®

subjecting to state taxation the Pa-

of Kansas presented resolu- cific Railroad company'sland,

TERRE HAUTE. INL.: TUESDAY EVENING. MARCH 7. 1S76.

BELKNAP.

HEIS UNDER ARREST XTOHIS KWUSE.

BROTHER ORVILLE GRANT TRADER IN POSTS.

Washington, Maieh. 7.—Judge Taft of Ohio is nominated for secretary of war.

Washington, March G.—Secretary Belknap remains in his own house, which he has not left since the tender of his resignation, aud is to all purposes a prisoner, tbe entrances back and trout being gaurded by policemen.

The following is the resolution which Page unsuccessfully tried to obtain the floor to offer in the House to-day:

Whereas, This house has good reasons to beiieve that the provisions of sections 940 and 45 of the revised statues has been violated, and that the evidence of violation thereof, is now in possession of the House committee on expenditures in the War Department, therefore be it

Resolved, That the said committee be, and is hearby instructed toreport to this house at its earliest convenience, whether any or all of the parties believed to be guilty of violation thereof, are now in custody, or what steps have beeu taken by the committeee to secure the detention or present escape of any or all of said parties, either as witness or for the purpose of prosecution, or whether any official notice, was given to the proper Jaw officers of the government and if so, whether such notice was giAen in time to prevent the escape of such parties from the jurisdiction of the United States, and whether any of such parties have so escaped and whether there has been any negligence on the part of any one having knowledge of thei facts.

The following telegram was sent to General Sheridan to-day: War Department, 1

Adjutant General's Office. To Lieutenant 6eDM»lflha,:W?ncom maodlug Chicago:

The president directs you to notify Evans, post trader at Fort Sill, that his appointment is revoked. He will be permitted to remain and sell goods prices fixed by a council of ad» ministration until the appointment of his successor. The president desires you to direct the council of administration to meet and to recommend to the secretary of war, through military channels, the suitable person for trader. Letter by mail.

E. D. TOWNSEND. Adj'ntGen,!. St. Louis, March 6.—The Republican sajs editorially, speaking of the report that the president has ordered the prosecution of Marsh, Tomlinson and all others connected with the posttradership bribery business, that there are persons* in St Louis vv ho three days ago were ready to give evidence against Belknap but now refuse to do so for fear they will be prosecuted for buying the tradership which the secretary sold.

BROTHER ORVUil-E BROUGHT IN. St. Louis, March G. A young man named J. A. Brown was arrested here Saturday night on advices from Washington to bold him as a witness untill called for by the committee of investigation of the war department. He was put in the calaboose under a misconstruction of the order from Washington, but was released yesterday and will hold himself ready to answer a summons from the committee. It appears that Brown was clerk a few years ago for Evans & Smith, subsequently Evans & Co., at the Cheyenne agency, in Indian territory, and knows a good deal about the relations of Evans &Co. with Marsh and Belknap.

He says that Evans & Smith paid 5,000 annally, for the Cheyenne agen cy, anc Evans &Co. $10,000 for Fort Sill. He coroborates the statement of Dtc. Terry previouslp reported, regarding Orville Grant's connection with Belknap, and says that Evans & Smith obtaided the Cheyenne agen cy from Grant that Grant represented Belknap in tue disposion of sutlerships, and when he could not get his bis price for tbem, he would stock them with goods and run tha business himself.

He kept thorough posted regarding the business at various posts and no trader could deceive him by misrep'resentations. He always knew therefore the exact value of each post and made settlers come to his terws. Brown says he knows several per' sons who could give valuaple ^information regarding posttradership and would willingly do so but for fear of being prosecuted themselves.

GEORGE L. ROBINSON CALLED. Baltimore, March 7.—Captain Chas, Robinson has received a commumication from H. Blauninj, chairman of the House Committee on Military Affairs requesting him to appear before that committee to make a complete statement of the matters within hia knowledge. Bearing upon the investigation Captain Robinson states that he is very anxious to appear before the committee, and will do so immediately should his counsel consent, which he Bavs is most probable, as it will give him an opportunity to show that the charees made against him are false. He acknowledges having written a letter to Secretary Belknap, charging J. S Evans & Co. with maliciously slandering the Seceetary, by saying he accented bribes from them, end offering his services to prosecute tbem. Captain Robinson says hi8 design in writing the letter was to influence Belknap to retain bim in the army. His trial is

pending

at this time. ,,

CHANDLER ANDI BELKNAP. Washington, March 7.—Secretary Chandler sayB the story of an inter­

view

aod

another

between bim and Gen. Belknap and wife Thursday morning, and tbe nnmorted full confession, is all made no pistrict

Attorney Oyer has tele-

trraDhed to Attorney Gen. Pierrepont, that neither himself nor Gen, Hender­

J-f

son are in any way responsible for the publications relative to the Babcock trial. THE HOUSE COMMITTEE BEFORE THE

CRIMINAL COURT.

Washingtog, March, 7.—Representatives Clymer, Blackburn and Robbins, of North Carolina, members of the committee on expenditures in the War Department appeard this morning before the Criminal Court, and stated that they denied the authority of the court to interrogate them as to the testimony of any witness before the committee of Congress, besides they are constantly engaged in their duties as members of the commfttee which would make it inconvenient for them t@ be present.

A

All Sorts of News Concerning Disgraced Secretary.

the

They did not wish to plead their privileges, but to enter their protest, not only here, but on the records of Congress for tho conntry District Attorney. Wells said that he thought that he could remove the difficulty presented in the first place he said he had no motive or desire to ask any member of the committee anything as to any matter testified to by any witness before the copnmittee, and in the second place, while appreciating duties and engagements of distinguished gentlemen, he thought the grand jury would fix such time as would subject the gentlemen to the least inconvenience.

The Congressmen said in reply that they were required to go before thu Grand Jury and testify in relation to any matter it would be impossible for tbem, as members of the commiUoe, to give due attention to the axamination of the matters with which they were especially instructed. Judge McArthur remarked that it would not be competent for them to testify as to what a witness said before the committee because that would be only hearsay evidence. He would consider the subject, and confer with the District Attorney, so that when the gentlemen were wanted they could be so informed. The genthemen then left the court.

WITNESSES IN BELKNAP CASE. Washington, Mch-7. District At« torney to'day sent one witness before the Grand Jury who wore considering the charges against I5T:lknap aud will send others.

THE E IN ALE.

The Snlt of the State of Indiana TH. The Yandalia Railroad Company Which has Dragged its Slow

Length Along since 186S Comes to a Termination.

FOR XHKKUAD ON THE MATTER.

The Snlt lias Cost the Road $15,01)0.

The GAZETTE of last evening contained tue following paragraph, the first news published, by the way, in reference to the decision in the great suit:

The case of the State of Indiana against the Vandalia Railway, on the school fund matter has beed decided in favor of the defendant. This suit has been pending now for some seven years, and involves an amount over $2j500,000.00.

Farther inquiry was made into this matter this morning from Col. R, W. Thompson, the attorney for the road, and from whom a complete history ot the matter was derived. The suit iB based on section 22 and 23 of tbe road's charter, which are as follows:

Sec., 22. Tbe corporation may eharge and receive such toils and freights for the transportation of persons, commodities and carriages on said road, or any part thereof, as shall be for the interest of said company,and to change, lower or raise at pleasure provided that tbe rates established from time to time, shall be posted in some conspicuous place or places on said road.

Sec. 23. That when the aggregate amount ot dividends declared shall amount to the full sum invested, and ten per centum per annum thereon, the Legislature may so regulate tbe tolls and the freigbts that not more than nfteen per centnm per annum shall be devided on the capital employed, and I he surplus profits if any after paying the expenses and reserving such proportions as may be necessary for future contingencies, shall be paid over to the Treasurer of State,! for the use of common schools, but the corporation shall not be compelled by law to reduce the tolls and (freights so that a dividend at fifteen per centum per annum cannot be made and it shall be tbe duty of tbe corporations to furnish the Legislature, if required with a correct statement of the amount of expenditures and the amount of profits, after deducting all expenses, which statements sball be made under the oath of the officer whose duty it shall be to make the same.

THE HISTORY.

In 1868 a resolution was presented to she State Legislature, moving tbat an investigation of the business of the Vandalia Railroad be made, in order to determine whether the company was, under the above sections, indebted to the school fund of the State. A committee was promptly appointed, which came here on its mission at once. Col. Thompson tendered them the books of the company in order that they might see for themselves

They gave up an investigation of the books as a hopeless undertaking and instead, propounded three questions intimately touching upen the matter which were promptly answeaed under oath. The matter then dropped until the next session, when it again came up.

The answer to the three original questions bad, by this time, been mislaid and others were propounded and answered and the matter again dropped.

An unfortunate difficulty then arose in 1870 between some gentlemen, and one who had been falsely charged with having been bribed by the company, sought to bring suit to vindicate himself. The case was taken up afterwards by Judge Claypool, of Greencastle, and Mr. Harrison of Martinsville, and has been carried on by them ever since. It's failure will render their years of labor unfruitful as they workediwholly for fees payable in case of success.

No one knew how large the amount involved was, but in the original complaint, which is a very voluminous document, $1,000,000, only, is claimed. Suit was first brought in quo waraanto to forfeit the charter, on the ground that the company had failed to pay over certain Bums due to the school fund. The case was tried before Judge Franklin.in the Putman county circuit court. Upon a demurrer to tbe complaint, Judge F. decided againBt the company. A change of venne was then taken and the case brouget before judge Melott of the Owen County Circuit court who decided in the com­

pany's favor. This decis on, however, was not final and the case was again brought for trial belore Judge Hester, in the same court and he also decided tor tbe company. These decisions were all upon questions of law. Thd case was then tried by the jury before Judge Hester. The jury hung. At this point the legislature passed a joint resolution authorizing the case to be earned on under the direction of the Governor and Lieutenent Governor, by the Attorney "General. An agreement was then made between the parties representing the State and the company, that the State should bring suit in the Superior Court of Marion county for whatever school fund was supposed to be due. It was also claimed the State had improperly paid the company for transportation of treops during the war, and the complainants sought to recover the money. Thejcompany demurred to the complaint upon the grounds tbat there could be no recovery for school fund until the tolls had been regulated under the 23d section by the legislature, which had never been done, and that the money had never been paid by the State for the transportation ot it's troops that the troops transported were those ot tbe U. S., and that although the account for the transportation was kept by the State and paid, that the money was paid back to the State by the United States.

This final hearing was brought before the three Supreme Judges, Perkins, Newkom and Blair, in banc court (meaning all the judges together) and the attorneys for the defense were R. W. Thompson Gen. Harrison,Prof. McNutt,of Bloomington and Mr. Cobb, of Yincennes.

The prosecution was represented by Attorney-General Buskirk, Judge Denny, Mr. Harrison, of Martinsville, and Judge Claypool. This last decision will settle the matter unless it goes before the

Supreme

Court of the United States

Whiie the troublesome suit has cost the State nothing, it has been a continual annoyance to the road, and has cost the company about $15,000 in witnesses and attornies' fees. The authorities are much elevated over their victory.

THE TRAGEDY AT MTDDLEBURY. Yisit of a Gazetter to tlie

Spot.

INTERVIEW WITH THE ONLY EYE WITNESS OF THE AFFRAY. The Flight and Pursuit of Tom

Watts.

STRANGE CONDUCT OF A COXSTABLE.

Revolver vs. Shot Guns.

A G'AZETTEEK boarded the outward bound train on the C. 6 T. H. 11. K., yesterday morning, and after a tedious ride of twenty-five miles by rail, and one and oue half miles by hack over tbe roughest road which ic were possible to imagine, arrived in tbe little village of Middlebury, the scene of the terrible tragedy which occurred last Friday night.

THE WATTS BROTHKBS,

George and Thomas, were the proprietors of the most prosberous store in Middlebury. They had been engaged in business about two, years and were looked upon as rising and prosperous business men They enjoyed a large patronage, and their credit was stronger than tbat of any three houses in the village. Both were unmarried the elder, George, was about tbirty-tive and the younger, Thomas, about thirty years ot age. They were natives of the region, having been reared on a farm near Poland, Clay county.

On Friday last, two WOMEN OF VERY BAD REPUTE. Mollie Doke and a Mrs. Bear, who live in the country about three miles south of the village, came to town, and were seen during tbe day in compony with various male bipeds.N

In the evening just as the doors were closed, they were seen to enter the store of Watts Bros.

About ten o'clock Mr. Watt C. Elkin, proprietor of the Central Holel, which is situated but a short distance from the store, heaad

THE REPORT OF A PISTOL,

and in about five minutes afterward he heard the sound of angry voices in front of his house he recognizee one voice as that of Tom Watts. He step-

Eearou

ed ton the veranda where he could all that was said. The parties engaged in the quarrel were George and Tom Watts, Freeman Reid and Louis Seigley. The Watts brothers charged Reed with having fired into their store, which charge was strenuously denied by Reid, the war of words grow higher and higher, nutil finally

GEORGE WATTS STRUCK REID

with a one pound weight which he carried in his hand. Reid staggered back into tbe middle of the street and fell. George Watts pounced upon him and proceeded to pummel .him. After receiving considerable drubbing, Reid escaped from George and started toward the hotel he bad taken but a few steps when a shot was fired by one of the Watts brothers.

Mr. Elkin would not say positively which of the brothers fired this shot, bnt as he afterward expressed his strong conviction that (George Watts had no pistol, the natural conclusion is that tbe shooting was done by Tom.

THE FIRE WAS RETURNED BY REID, and the two again closed and the hand to hand struggle was again renewed.

When the fighting began Tom WattB had drawn his revolver,and commanded Seigley to stand back on pain of having a bullet lodged in bis brain. Seigley fled when the first shot was fired.

Mr. Elkin says that George and Reid had been fighting bnt a few moments in their second hand to hand encounter when Reid placed the muzzle of his revolver at George's temple and fired. George fell to the ground and Reid started to run. Mr. Elkin called out to Tom Watts who stood in the middle of the Btreet that

GEORGE WAS KILLED.

Tom fired at the fleeing Reid, and, folowing him up,

felled

ground.

him to tbe

Mr.

Elkin is not very posi­

tive as to what occured after George was shot. He remembers hearing the report of a pistol, perhaps two reports, and be

remembers

seeing the straggle

in the street between Tom *nd Reid. He to tbe former that his brother was dying and that he needed help, lorn then left Beid and assisted Mr. Twvin to carry the insensible form of

w-?

PRICE 5 CENTS

George into the hotel, where he died in about live minutes. The ball froiu Reid's pistol had entered the left temple abouj one and a half inches f'01* tbo eye, causing almost immedial® death.

Reid, after being released, made all haste to his home.He passed his motm-r at tbe door, said something to ht which she did not clearly understand# and passed on up stairs. His strange and excited manner alarmed her an«l she followed him he opened the door of a passage way leading to the garret obove and was about to run up tb# stairway when she caught him by tbe arm and stopped him, demanding te know the cause of his singular behavior. He said Tom. Watts had struc him on the head with knucas, an-i stabbed him, and was now following him with a pistol, intendidg to ki/1 him, he begged his mother to him an I was about to start up the stairway when

HE FELL TO THE FLOOR.

Realizing that his life was ebbin fast away, he began an incoherent prayer to the Almighty for forgiveness. In a faw minutes he ceased speaking, and breathed very slowly for perhap a minute, wheu he again spokf: "Mother, I am innocent." Those wen his last words. The next instant th'» greif stricken mother realized that he^ boy. who, but a few hours ago had left her house so full of life and health wan lying

DEAE AT HER FEET.

Reid was a youth, still in his teens. On examination of the body it was discovered that he had received two stabs, on either side of the spinal column, just above its base. Thh hrsb wound penetrated entirely througa the body. The second was quite aa dangerous, leaving about^ one inch, from the point of the knife in thei would.

It is probable that in both cases, tne knife passed through the kidneys. Aside from these wounds, there waa a severe contusion on the Bcalp, from tbe weight thrown by George Watts. Those who saw the body after death, aro of the opinion that the

SKULL WAS FRACTURED

by this blow, and that any of the three wounds would have caused death. The absence of any testimony from medical experts, renders the precise cause of death, a matter of conjecturo.

The news of tbe tradgedy spread rapidly over tbe little town, and a crowd was soon collected about thd hotel. At the instance of Esq. James Graber, Constable, George B. Robinson took ihe surviving Watts in charge and kept him confined in his own (Robinsons) house, until Saturday morning. A crowd of people gathered around the Justice's office in the morning expecting to hear a preliminary trial of the case. But just here

AN APPALLING DILEMMA,

23o one was willing to file the necessary complaint. Robinson, the constable, declared that Watts was stark mad, and that it would be an outrage to begin legal proceedings against him. Mr. Elkin was willing to make affadavid to the fact that there had oeen a devil of a row in iront of his house, that there bad been considerable shooting and a great deal of swearing, and that two of the actors of the tragedy were dead. But when it came to taking his solemn oath that tbe richest merchant in town was guilty of murder, as he verily belived, Mr, Elkin positively declined. Affairs were in this state when

MR. KELLER,

a traveling agent for one of the mann* facturies connected with the Northern prison at Michigan City, appeared upon the scene and declared his readiness to file the complaint. This be did and the process wss placed in the hands et Constable Robinson.

Meantime, Watts' brother-in-law, Dan Moulter, had placed a saddle and bridle on a horse, which belonged to George Watts, and, mounted upon this steed Tom Watts was rapidly placing mties of distance between him and the minions of the law, while the crowd around the justice's office were disputing adout the legal documents.

Several citizens put their purses together and offered A REWARD OF SEVERTY-FIVE DOLLARS for the capture of Watts, -and a posse consisting of Constables George Robinson and George Fair, John Y. Miller and John Baker, started in pnrsnit. Constable Robinson did not ge far., He manifested no disposition to catch the fugitives. Indeed be seemed very indignant at Mr. Keller for fling tbe cemplaint, declaring tbat he could "lick tbat drummer on (less ground tban it would take for him to skin a cat on."

The gentleman who repeated this remark of Robinson's to the

GAZETTEER

remarked with a suggestive wink, "These here Wattses had a pile of money you Bee."

All parties seem to agree that Mr. R. was guilty of very strange conduct for an officer of the law.

Two of the pursuing party followed Watts to his father's farm, near Lancaster in Owen county. One of them, Mr. Young, came up with the fugative Sunday morning, and as he was about to place his hand upon the shoulder of his prisoner, Watts turned and presented a pistol, commanding Mr. Young to take himself off, and Mr. Young, being of an accomodating disposition, took himself off. He was

ARMED WITH A SHOT GUN,

which was loaded with buck shot, while Watts had only a small reyelver, but Mr. Youilg thinking blood enough had been spillsd already, retired in good order. When last seen Watts was entering the woods near his fathers house. It is rumored that be was in Bowiiug Green on Saturday night where he had an interview with an attorney.

Mr. Eikiu picked up on THE BATTLE GROUND, two one pound weights, two butcher knives and two revolvers* The revolvers were of 22-100 bore, four empty chambers in tbe other The knives were new, having been taken out of tbe stock in tbe store one of them was found under the body of George Watts and was covered mud and dirt. The other was covered with blood, and about one inch of the point broken,off. This was probably tbe knife tbat did tbe damage.

When he was killed, George W had on his person $570 in currency, which George took charge of. Aside from this Tom had about |800 belonging to the fitm when he left town.

The bodies of the murdered men were buried without the usual formality of a coroners inqvest which seems to have been a strange oversight. JBYoung Reid was buried at Reelsville Clay county, his former bom®. Watts was buried in the Middlebury cemetery. George Watts was to nave been married in

about

two weeks to

a yonng lady who lives in Middlebary.