USA > Illinois > Ogle County > The history of Ogle County, Illinois, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics history of the Northwest, history of Illinois etc > Part 60
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About eleven years ago, the firm of Rice, Smart & Rowe opened a store in the old building that stood just south of Ellenwood's corner before the fire. They sold out to W. K. Williams & Co., who continued until within a few years.
Perry Brothers, from Aurora, began business in 1871. Mr. George Loomis soon became a partner, but was replaced by Mr. Isaac Shinkel, and the firm is at present Perry & Todd.
The Malleable Iron Works were erected here in 1876, by Lane, Barber & Co., at the eastern edge of town, where much work has been done, though it is temporarily suspended.
At present writing, March, 1878, the Bain Opera House Block is just being completed. It is a three-story brick edifice, with slate roof and all the modern improvements. It is situated at the southeast corner of the crossing of Washington and Brice streets, and when finished will be the finest building in Rochelle, and an elegant resort for all amusement seekers.
Besides the business houses mentioned, there are the new drug store of Hartong & Butterfield; R. H. Atwater, restaurant ; E. Gardner, auctioneer ; John Jones, billiard hall, etc .; E. Taylor, meat market ; M. Cohen, clothing; F. C. Ward, news depot ; Lorenzo Hoadley, meat market; Beagle Bros., meat market ; Mrs. E. A. Hinckley, millinery ; May & Monroe, farm machinery ; A. H. Fields, butter and eggs; Anton Meyer, bakery ; John Rae, fruit and confectionery ; E. Hilb, clothing : E. L. Thomas, jewelry ; E. H. Reynolds, music store; James O. McConanghy, real estate agent ; William E. Wade, pump factory ; Milne & Loomis, lumber and coal ; George Addy, butter and eggs ; Budlong & Miller, brewery ; Joseph Parker, books, stationery and gro- ceries ; S. J. Parker & Bro., harness ; Miles J. Braiden, lumber ; Wightman & Lee, dentistry ; A. B. Elmer, dentistry ; Peck & Brink, wagoners; Z. C. Raymond, cooper ; E. B. Blackman, wagoner; A. F. DeCamp, tailor; E. McGinness, tailor ; W. H. Way, painter ; S. D. Reynolds, patentee of piano mover and road dresser ; John G. Carson, photographer; W. J. Hope, tailor ;
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
William Patterson, painter ; E. F. Brownell, flour and feed ; Mrs. Marshall, millinery ; John C. Phelps, general merchant ; II. G. Fuller, dining rooms ; Michael Flinn, saloon and billiard hall ; M. Farry, saloon ; John Moss, barber ; William Scott, barber ; Rudolph Heideklang, saloon ; Kofer & Goodmunson, cobblers ; Hakes & Self, blacksmiths, and others.
One of the earliest representatives of the legal profession in Lane was Henry M. Miller. A man named Mott was also here at an early day, and Abe Adams sometimes expounded the law when he had no carpenter work.
In the early days, an old lady named Peggy Burns, of considerable local celebrity, lived in an old shanty south of the railroad. She gained support, chiefly, by stealing wood and selling whisky. Her hovel was finally burned and the incendiaries were arrested and fined fifteen dollars cach.
Dr. D. W. C. Vaile began the practice of medicine here soon after the advent of the railroad and was among the first here in that profession. Dr. Henry Reed came about 1857, and Dr. Pratt a year later. The latter died here, as did also Dr. S. B. Reed, who came soon after.
Dr. W. W. Gould, of the homeopathic school, came about eighteen years ago. Dr. D. Lichy and Dr. J. F. Marsh came more recently.
Among the first town lots fenced and improved for residence purposes was the old place of Mr. A. Harlow. A. S. Hoadley built a house the same year, 1854, on the corner opposite the Brackett House, east. The Elmore House, built by Isaac Ross ; the house just below the Chicago & Iowa, south of Brack- ett's, built by J. R. Hotaling ; J. M. May's house, built by J. B. Barber ; and the Stiles House, which was removed to make room for Wade's pump factory, were all built the same Summer as the two above. During the next year, 1855, a house was erected by J. M. McConaughy, now occupied by his widow ; an- other by Thomas Padgett, now occupied by Mr. J. Storm ; the old Bird house, west of Ellenwood & Scranton's ; the Capt. Humbertstone house, now occupied by Mrs. Moulton ; and the little brick house near the Chicago & Iowa Railroad, owned by Patrick Kelly. From that time residences began to multiply so rap- idly that it is impossible to make any record of them.
A few years since, M. J. Braiden erected an elegant residence, costing $10,000, which was burned within a year after its completion. Costly mansions have also been erected by Dr. Vaile, Angns Bain, M. D. Hathaway and others. Rochelle has many residences that take high rank in the completeness and gen- eral elegance of their architectural design.
On the establishment of a post office at Hickory Grove, Hiram Spaulding was appointed Postmaster, and the office was located south of the river and called "Story." It was then moved a mile north at what is now called Col. May's Corners, and kept by Alba O. Hall. D. B. Stiles next managed the mails and had an office in his store. On the election of Buchanan, in 1856, J. B. Barber received the appointment and held the office until in 1861, when C. B. Boyce became Postmaster. He was followed, in 1869, by Major Hotaling, the present incumbent.
The first Station Agent for the old Galena & Chicago Union Road was Willard P. Flagg. Two or three others intervened between him and D. D. Cul- ver, who held the position for a number of years, when he resigned and gave place to James C. Overhiser, who was followed by the present Agent, W. H. Pratt.
Religious .- The Presbyterian Church was the first erected, and the first pastor was Rev. S. N. Evans. Mr. Evans, while walking on the open com- mon near the present school house, in a thunder shower, on the 30th of Sep-
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
tember, 1858, was struck by a bolt of lightning and killed instantly. Rev. Mr. McCrea succeeded to the pastorate, and after him came that ever popular man and minister, Rev. S. II. Weller. Mr. Weller having accepted a call from the Presbyterian Church at Mendota, about eight years ago, the church here was without any regular pastor till early in 1872, when Rev. T. M. Wilson accepted their call. He was followed by Rev. Israel Brundage. The new Presbyterian Church was commenced in the Spring of 1874, and completed the following year. It is believed to be the finest church edifice in Ogle County, and cost $16,000.
The Methodist house was not erected till a year or two after the first Pres- byterian Church, and their meetings were held in the basement for a long time after they had commenced building, as the upper part was not completed. The pastorate of the Methodist society embraces a more extensive list, and we can recall the names of the Revs. Nate, Hanna, Brookins, Plum, Paige, Cochrane, Walker, Youngs, Fassett, Strout and Cramb. Rev. A. W. Paige was a man of superior ability ; and the ringing, off-hand speeches he occasionally made at war meetings and other political gatherings will be recalled by many. The present pastor is Rev. O. F. Matteson, who was preceded by Rev. G. R. Vanhorne, now of Dixon.
The Baptist Church was erected in 1868, Rev. Mr. Youngs being the first pastor, and Rev. S. Monroe Hubbard and James Carnes his next successors. They have no regular pastor at present.
A Catholic Church was commenced quite a long time ago, but has been completed only a few years. The Catholic Priest at present is Rev. Father Edward and the church is in a very prosperous condition.
When the Presbyterian denomination began the erection of their new church, the Universalist Society purchased the old one and moved it on to a lot donated by Messrs. Rae, Gardner and Hilb. The Universalist Society was organized by D. N. Calkins, M. D. Hathaway, I. N. Perry, A. S. Hoadley and others, about 1870, and until 1874, meetings were held in Shockley's Hall. D. M. Reed, of Rockford, then preached here at regular intervals, since then there has been only occasional preaching.
Schools .- The first school in Flagg was held in Jefferson Grove in an old log cabin near Jeptha Noe's. The first teacher was Miss Mary Rathbun, and the total attendance was less than a dozen, of which we give the complete list: IIarris Rathbun, Dolly Rathbun (now Mrs. R. H. Beers), David Rathbun, Sally Rathbun, Stacy Rathbun, Mandy Wright (now Mrs. Daniel Grimes), R. Z. Noe, Julia Ann Cochrane (late Mrs. A. S. Hoadley), Oscar M. Lake and Mary Noe. Their schools, like all others in early days, was supported by pri- vate and voluntary subscriptions made by parents whose children attended, and not by fund raised for that purpose by general taxation. There was no school at Hickory Grove till several years after this at Jefferson, and the first one taught within the present limits of Rochelle was in a little log cabin near the old Bartholomew building by the river. Miss Maranda Weeks (now Mrs. Con- stant N. Reynolds) was the first teacher, and among the few attendants at this seat of learning and others in the early times were Oscar M. Lake, Simeon Reynolds, Maria Bartholomew (late Mrs. Isaac Ross), Joseph Hawthorne (now of Oregon, but then living at Bartholomew's), Tupper Reynolds, Martha Rey- nolds, " Dolph" Steele, "Joe " Grimes, Alanson McComb (the murderer of Laura Harvey, and hung for the crime at Ottumwa, Iowa), Perry Fulton; George Fulton, Lovice Fulton (now Mrs. C. C. Bennett), "Bink." Marr, Simeon Chester (nephew of the old gentleman of same name), "Billy " Steele, Joe
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
Stecle and others. After Mr. Cochrane had moved down from Jefferson Grove to Mr. Flagg's, the idea of tearing down a portion of his old log cabin and changing it into a school house was suggested, and Mr. Flagg and Constant Reynolds proceeded to carry this idea into effect ; the logs were soon on the ground selected for the proposed edificc. The whole eastern part of the present site of Rochelle was at that time an unfenced prairie, as we have stated, and they began the erection of their new school house on an open space where Colditz & Williams are now located. The work progressed rapidly and it was soon completed, but it did not answer the anticipations of its builders, and they became so disgusted with it that they tore it down and dragged the logs over to Mr. Flagg's, where they were transformed into an out-building of some kind. This ended the first attempt to erect a house expressly for school purposes. The school in the Bartholomew cabin was continued until Mr. Elagg donated other logs, and all the men in the neighborhood joined together in the erection of a new building, just west of the solitary oak in an open plat of ground, on the opposite side of the road from Mr. Flagg's old house. Here the school was held until 1854, and among the different teachers in this and the Batholomew cabin, besides the one mentioned, were Miss Julia Ann Cochrane (late Mrs. Hoadley), Miss Huldy Rosencrantz, Miss Amanda Sillsby, a Mr. Christy (an eccentric genius, claiming some knowledge of law), Miss Letty Thompson, Miss Ruth Youngs, and Mr. Oscar A. Hall. In 1854, the year after the completion of the railroad, it became necessary to have a larger and better house, and the building just south of the Presbyterian Church, used for a mill some years ago, was erected. The first teacher in this building was Mr. " Mat." Andrews. Miss Mary J. Miller (who became Mrs. O. M. Lake) and Miss Alma Saylor succeeded him ; and Miles Ten Eyck, with Mrs. Baldwin as assistant, was the last.
In the Summer of 1858, another school house was erected on the present school grounds, and, because of some disagreement and division, school was held during the Winter of 1858-9 in both the old and new buildings, the former taught by Mr. Ten Eyck and the latter by a Mr. Moffatt. A reconciliation was effected before the next term, and the old building was turned over to Jarvis & Miller, the contractors for the new house, who changed it to a grist-mill. The next teacher in this new building, after Mr. Moffat, was Mr. Merrill, who was assisted by Mrs. Baldwin ; but the attendance increased very rapidly, and at the time of the destruction of this building by the fire of April 7, 1869, six teachers were employed, besides the Principal. John W. Lowell succeeded Mr. Merrill, but left for the war in 1861, where he received an officer's commission.
His successors in the school, down to the time of the fire, were : Mr. Baker, a thorough scholar and a severe, yet successful, disciplinarian ; Mr. W. L. S. Bayley ; W. H. V. Raymond, afterward Superintendent of the Cairo city schools ; J. Thompson Long ; Prof. McClintock ; O. W. Garrison, for a short time ; W. B. Howe, in charge for several terms ; Prof. A. J. Blanchard, who conducted the school for four years, and is now at Sycamore. Among the assistant instructors were Misses Ruth, Jane and Lydia Youngs, and Mr. E. Brown, afterward Principal of the Rockford schools. While the present edifice was being erected, in 1869, the schools were conducted by Prof. Blanchard in rooms down town, leased for the purpose. The Professor was a hard worker. While there, he gave a long series of dramatic entertainments, and with the proceeds bought a piano, a large number of pictures, and other furniture for the school rooms, and paid for the fence surrounding the building. This school edifice is a brick structure of three stories, besides a good basement, contains
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
ten good-sized rooms and a large hall for public exercises, is furnished in the most complete manner throughout, and surrounded with beautiful grounds and shade trees. Its total cost was nearly forty thousand dollars. It was built in accordance with designs furnished by Mr. G. P. Randall, the Chicago architect. The instructors, in 1872, were Prof. P. R. Walker, Principal, assisted by Misses Carrie E. Kershaw, S. E. Robinson, M. J. Levington, M. M. Caldwell, Libbie Bird, Ada E. Scranton and Clara Vaile. . Those at present are : Prin- cipal, P. R. Walker ; assistants, Misses E. Smith, Sarah Robinson, Josephine Waite, Fannie Cunningham, Stonehouse, Stratford, Steele, Belle Young and Clara Vaile. They will graduate a class of more than twenty this year. There is now an enrollment of 521.
LODGES.
Hickory Grove Lodge, No. 230, I. O. O. F., was instituted on the 21st day of May, 1857, with J. B. Barber as Noble Grand, and John F. Nettleton as Vice Grand. Their meetings were held in Republican IIall till December, 1858, when they removed to their own hall, over Clark & Dana's drug store. This hall was destroyed by the fire of December 27, 1860, and rebuilt again the next year, when they again established themselves in it. Their hall was swept away again in the conflagration of 1870, and their meetings have since been held in Masonic Hall. At the time of the last fire, they had their lodge room fitted up in magnificent style, and their losses were estimated at $700. Though twice burned ont, and losing all their lodge property each time, the Order is still in a very flourishing condition. The present officers are: J. N. Willis, N. G .; A. J. Bird, V. G .; Charles Jaque, R. S .; John Rice, P. S .; M. T. Ellinwood. Treas. Regular meetings on Thursday evenings.
Horicon Lodge, No. 244, A. F. & A. M .- The Masonic brethren were not far behind, and on the 3d of June, 1857. and less than two weeks after the establishment of the Odd Fellows, Horicon Lodge, No. 244, was organized under dispensation from Grand Lodge. Their charter was obtained on the 7th of October, 1857, D. A. Baxter, HI. H. Frisbie and H. Burlingim being charter members. The Grand Lodge appointed D. A. Baxter, Worshipful Master ;
H. H. Frisbie, Senior Warden ; H. Burlingim, Junior Warden. Upon organ- ization, A. Chamberlin was elected Senior Deacon ; W. G. Copeland, Junior Deacon : Thos. A. Hill. Tyler. Present officers : D. A. Baxter, W. M. ; H. R. May, S. W. ; G. W. Turkington, J. W. ; C. H. Rathbun, Sec. ; E. Hilb, Treas. ; Frank Ladd, S. D .; A. Hilb, J. D .: Chas. Reed, S. S .; J. A. Brundage, J. S. ; B. E. Mellwain, Tiler. Masonic Hall, over the corner brick. is very handsomely furnished, and the Lodge is of course prospering. Stated communications on the evenings of the first and third Tuesdays of each month.
Rochelle Chapter, No. 158, R. A. M., was organized in 1873, and received its dispensation from the Grand Chapter on January 6 of that year. The present officers are: H. H. Glenn, M. E. H. P .; Angus Bain, E. K .: James Smith, E. S. ; Frank Barker, Secy. ; M. J. Braiden, Treas .; R. W. Sackett, C. II. ; C. H. Rathbun, P. S. ; F. B. Coon, R. A. C. ; Merritt, Miller, G. M. 3d Veil ; E. Hilb, G. M. 2d Veil ; F. H. Ladd. G. M. Ist Veil; D. A. Baxter and A. J. Elder, Stewards ; A. Hilb, Tyler.
Union Lodge, No. 1.28, I. O. G. T., was organized in 1863. Their meet- ings were at first held in Odd Fellows', afterward in Masonie Hall, from whence they moved to their own hall. Before the fire of December 10, 1870, they leased the hall situated over the place of the Reform Reading Room, and fitted it up with a great deal of richness and elegance, and their loss in the fire was
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
quite extensive. On being burned out, they returned to their old quarters over Mallery's. Lodges Nos. 230 and 307 were organized after this Lodge ceased to act. The latter continued until the organization of the Reform Red Ribbon Club. This association was the result of a temperance movement in Rochelle for which Mr. Reynolds lectured two or three evenings, and a membership of 250 was obtained. Five hundred dollars was raised by subscription to pay the room rent of their free reading room, which is a pleasant room in Hathaway's Building. In the baek part is a smoking and coffee room, which is carried on by Wm. Bailey, who also has charge of the reading room. The present officers of the society are: Charles Rathbun, President ; E. Taylor, George Baldwin and John R. Steele, Vice Presidents ; Charles Shawley, Secretary ; Isaac Shinkel, Financial Secretary ; F. N. Perry, Treasurer.
There are several other societies in Rochelle in a flourishing condition, among them the Patriotic Order Sons of America, Fire and Hose Company, The Rochelle Anti-Horse Thief Association, and others.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
The Township of Flagg was named, and its first town meeting took place at Flag Centre, on the 2d day of April, 1850. At this first meeting, Sterling Blackman was Moderator; John Chubback, Clerk, and the following officers were elected; Supervisor, Ira Overacker; Town Clerk, Hiram Leonard; Assessor, A. D. Clark ; Collector, Enos Smith ; Poor Master, George Steele ; Constables, S. D. Reynolds, J. M. Jewell : Justices of the Peace, Sterling Blackman, J. P. Randall ; Commissioners of Highways, C. D. Biggers, Dr. E. Squires, John Fisher ; Overseers of Highways, Garret Ackerson, Enoel Fossbinder, Mills Stewart, Thomas Fisher, Cornelius Dusenberry. The town meetings and gen- eral elections were held at Flagg Center till as late as 1859.
At the Spring election the year previous, they put the question to vote as usual and for the first time the old settlers at the Center found them- selves outnumbered and were forced to surrender the town meetings to the growing railroad town, and they were held at Lane thereafter. The first meet- ing here was held at the school house, but for a number of years after they met at 'Squire Hamaker's office, a little wooden building on the site of Turkington's bloek on Cherry street.
The list below gives all the Supervisors, Town Clerks, Assessors, Collect- ors and Justices of the Peace elected since 1850, the first year the township was organized.
Supervisors .- Ira Overacker, 1850, '54, '55; Sterling Blackman, 1851; Peter Mills, 1852, '53 ; Henry Burlingim, 1856-'58; Willard P. Flagg, 1859, '60, '63, '64; Joseph Parker, 1861, '62, '65,-'68 ; Dennard Shockley, 1869; Caleb B. Boyce, 1870-'74 ; Miles J. Braiden, 1875-'77.
Town Clerks .- Hiram Leonard, 1850, '56; Alanson D. Clark, 1851 ; J. H. McLain, 1852, '53; Langford Green, 1854; John R. Hotaling, 1855 ; Aaron Cass, 1857, '58; Geo. E. Turkington, 1859, '75, '76; Geo. W. Clark, 1860, '61; Jay L. Putnam, 1862; Alfred S. Hoadley, 1863, '65, '66, '68'-72, '74, '77 ; Willard F. Hoadley, 1864; Elbridge L. Otis, 1867 ; Joseph Parker, 1873.
Assessors .- Alanson D. Clark, 1850 ; Constant N. Reynolds, 1851-'53, '55, '56; Chester Wells, 1854; S. L. Bailey, 1857, '58; Samuel Hamaker, 1859, '60; J. Storm, 1861; James Rae, 1862; Judson E. Carpenter, 1863; David B. Stiles, 1864, '67-'69, '72-'76; William Segner. 1865; Cornelius Dusen- berry, 1866; Angus Bain, 1870, '77; George II. Parks, 1871.
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
Collectors .- Enos Smith, 1850; J. M. Jewell, 1851; Brinckley Pierce, 1852, '53 ; Jesse McLain, 1854; S. D. Reynolds, 1855; Osear M. Lake, 1856 -58, '64, '65; Joseph Jones, 1859; William McIlvaine, 1860; Samuel Hamaker, 1861; Willard F. Hoadley, 1862; William Halsey, 1863 ; Jacob Fisler, 1866 ; William Bailey, 1867 ; Jeremiah B. Barber, 1868; James F. Miller, 1869; William H. Claytor, 1870; Joseph Parker, 1871; Delos A. Baxter, 1872; John Delaney, 1873; D. A. Elmore, 1874; Michael Wheeler, 1875; C. C. Bennett, 1876; Wm. J. Smart, 1877 (deceased, A. J. Bird appointed to fill vacancy.)
Justices of the Peace .- Sterling Blackman, James P. Randall, 1850-'53; James P. Randall, Alfred S. Hoadley, 1854-57 ; Samuel Hamaker, Samuel L. Bailey, 1858-'61 : Gerritt H. Pierce, John Collier, 1862-'65 ; Alfred S. Hoadley, William Scott, 1866-'69 ; Alfred S. Hoadley, James F. Miller, 1870, '71 ; Calvin C. March, 1872; Alfred S. Hoadley, Calvin C. Mareh, 1873-'77; Other officers at present are: Constables .- C. H. Dawson and George Youker. Commissioners of Highways .- D. H. Tunison, Wm. Slaughter and George Ambrose.
At the town meeting in 1866, an appropriation of $3,000 for building of a Town Hall was passed, but as strong opposition to the measure was afterward developed, nothing more was done in the matter than to purchase the Bird property, west of Ellinwood & Scranton's, which now belongs to the town.
The village of Lane was incorporated by act of the General Assembly on the 22d of February, 1861. The legislative power was vested in a Board of Trustees, consisting of five members, who elected their own President. The first Board consisted of Enoch Hinckley, David C. May, Horace Coon, David B. Stiles and Joseph Parker. Mr. Hinckley was President of the Board, and John R. Howlett Clerk. During the session of the Assembly in the Winter of '65-6, a bill was passed amending the charter in several important respects, and changing the name to Rochelle. In obedience to a petition, the Board of Trustees called an election on the 10th of April, 1872, to vote on the question as to whether the town should become incorporated as the "City of Rochelle." It having been decided in the affirmative, another election was held on the 28th of October, 1872, when the first city officers were elected. II. O. Rogers was the first city Mayor. The present officers are: Mayor, George W. Clark ; City Clerk, R. W. Sackett: Treasurer, J. T. Miller; Aldermen, Wm. Stocking, J. Miller, M. T. Ellinwood, S. J. Parker, M. J. Braiden and W. H. Holcomb, the latter of whom has recently resigned.
INCENDIARISM.
The Lynching of Thomas D. Burke .- Rochelle has been visited by three very destructive conflagrations, besides a number of smaller fires. The first and second followed close upon each other, one occurring on the 27th of December, 1860, and the other on the 7th of the next Junc. By the first fire, nearly all the business buildings on the west side of Washington street were swept away, and a few months after, the row of grain warehouses and elevators, extending from the lot south of the corner brick to the stone house, met the same fate. These events happened in the midst of exciting times. The war had just begun, and while many went forth to meet the armed enemy in the South, the citizens found themselves assailed at home by a secret, lurking incendiary. A man in thorough sympathy with the South had been leading an eccentric life here for some time, and the general suspicion fastened upon him as the guilty party. The measures taken to ferret out the criminal, the evidence secured, and tragic
CMS Hathaway ROCHELLE
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.
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
termination of the affair were all narrated in an extra issue of the Lane Leader, dated June 20, 1861. We submit it to the reader in full as the most complete account of the affair we can give :
On the 7th inst., the day on which the late fire occurred, a meeting of citizens was held at Republican Hall, for the purpose of taking action in relation to the discovery of the perpetrators, as all felt convinced that the fire had been set by the hand of an incendiary. The result of that meeting was the selection of a committee to ferret out, if possible, the author of the fire and bring him to punishment. A special meeting of the Board of Trustees was held the next Tuesday, and the action of the citizens' meeting was indorsed as far as the selection of the committee was con- cerned. The services of a detective, from Bradley's force, Chicago, were secured, and he com- menced the job on Tuesday morning of last week. By pretending to be a Southerner, a bitter Secessionist, an agent of Jeff. Davis, and even a robber, he obtained Burke's confidence, the result of which was the owning up by the latter of not only being the originator of both of the recent fires, and designing to burn the town up entirely, but of all kinds of deviltry heretofore committed by him in the course of his life. Matters progressed well until it was feared that Burke might be put on his guard, and leave town, when it was decided to arrest him, which was accordingly done about 3 o'clock Wednesday morning-Sheriff Hughes making the arrest. At 9 o'clock an examination was commenced before Justices Hamaker and Hoadley, and the following evidence was taken. The first witness called upon the stand was the detective who had ingra- tiated himself into the confidence of Burke. His name is David W. Vandewacker, and his testi- mony was as follows :
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