USA > Indiana > White County > A standard history of White County Indiana : an authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and county, Vol. I > Part 44
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56
However, three of the saloonkeepers who had been put out of busi- ness conceived the idea of a social club, which they proceeded to organ- ize and incorporate under the name of "The Monticello Club." Their articles of incorporation stated that "The objects of the corporation shall be for the social enjoyment and pleasure of its members in social games, tests of skill, music, reading, refreshments and harmless amuse- ments." These articles were drawn up September 28, 1906, but in spite of the suggestiveness of this declaration of principles-or possibly be- cause of it-the membership failed to assume alarming proportions, and after a brief career the "club rooms" were vacated and the incorpora- tors removed to greener pastures.
On March 4, 1907, two saloons run by John H. Randall and John Vaughn closed their doors; on March 5th the Forbis Hotel bar, con- ducted by Elmer E. Malone, closed down; and eleven days later, March 16, 1907, the saloon conducted by Stuart Fox in the old Fox &
390
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
Karp building east of the courthouse, closed its doors after being used for saloon purposes continuously for a little more than thirty years, and for practically the first time in the town's history Monticello was without a saloon.
While Monticello had been thus struggling with the saloon question other towns in the county had not been idle, and in a short time saloons had been remonstrated out of every town in the county. Blanket re- monstrances against saloons held good for only two years, however, and . at the end of that time, if no new remonstrance had been filed in the county auditor's office an applicant could again be granted liquor license. This kept both elements constantly on the watch seeking advantage, necessitated canvassing for new remonstrances every two years, and thus kept up the bitter feeling between the supporters and the oppo- nents of saloons in every community. Because of these unpleasant features, in a measure, Mr. J. P. Simons, then editor of the White County Democrat, wrote a resolution which he presented to the Indiana Demo- cratic Editorial Association at its midwinter meeting in Indianapolis, February 7, 1908, which read as follows :
"With a firm belief in the righteousness of the democratic principle of the rule of the majority as expressed in a free and untrammeled ballot, we would add to the present laws regulating the liquor traffic a local option law giving to the people of each community an opportunity to express their sentiments regarding the sale of liquor in their midst, freed from the turmoil, annoyances and business disturbances in many instances attending the operations of the present remonstrance law."
This was probably the first resolution favoring a local option law on the liquor question ever presented in Indiana. It was adopted by the Democratic Editorial Association just as written by the Monticello edi- tor, and the substance of it was incorporated in the democratic state platform a few weeks later in a declaration for local option with the township as the voting unit; and later it was incorporated in the repub lican state platform, with the county as the voting unit. This led to the calling of a special session of the Indiana Legislature in September and the passage of a county option law, whereby a majority of the legal voters of a county could exclude saloons from all the towns and town- ships of the county.
Under this law there was filed with the commissioners in April, 1909, a petition signed by 2,006 names, a little over 40 per cent of the total voting population of the county, asking for a county election on : the question of saloons or no saloons in White County. The election was ordered to be held April 26. The saloon forces instituted proceed- ings to enjoin the holding of the election and secured a temporary re- straining order, but on a hearing before Circuit Judge James P. Wason, three days before the day set for the election, the injunction was re- fused and the restraining order dissolved.
At this time there were but two saloons in the county. These had" but recently opened up at Wolcott, not because the people wanted them but because of a defect discovered in the remonstrance on file from
391
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
that place. At the election, held on Monday, April 26, 1909, the "drys" won by a majority of 1,435, the vote being 1,137 "wet" and 2,572 "dry." Every precinct in the county gave a dry majority except pre- cinct No. 1 in Honey Creek, which gave a "wet" majority of nine. The result was an emphatic expression of the people on the saloon question and was a great surprise to the saloon forces. This was especially true in Union Township, where, in the face of the report that the people of Monticello were dissatisfied with conditions and were anxious for the return of the "business bringers," the dry majority was 244. Com- menting on this the Democrat said :
"That Monticello's prosperity does not depend upon the saloon is now patent to all. There are no vacant business rooms in the town, no residences to be had for love or money and there is an urgent call for the construction of a number of new houses for rent within the next year. The notion that saloons and booze are necessary adjuncts to a live, prosperous town or city is utterly fallacious. Let's talk of some- thing else."
The Herald said: "White County proved true to her name, and every precinct in the county but one recorded a verdict against the licensed saloon. In one respect White County differs from all others where elections have been held. Instead of the county seat township being the citadel of the 'wets' it gave the banner 'dry' majority of all the townships in the county."
The Legislature of 1911 repealed the county unit option law and enacted in its stead a law called the Proctor Law, making the city and the township the option unit. It also provided that all places voted "dry" under the county option law should become open to the return of saloons at the end of two years from the time the county option elec- tion was held. Thus, in order to prevent the return of saloons, it be- came necessary to hold elections under the Proctor law in the several units in White County prior to the meeting of the commissioners in May, 1911.
A conference was held at Reynolds on March 17, 1911, attended by representatives from all the townships where it was feared the saloons might undertake to again open up. At this conference it was decided to hold option elections in the townships of Princeton, Monon, Honey Creek, Big Creek and Prairie, and in the City of Monticello. Petitions were accordingly prepared and presented to the commissioners on April 3rd, and the elections all fixed for the same day-April 27th.
Again the battle was on, and the saloon and anti-saloon forces lined up for what they hoped would be the final struggle. All the papers of the county were again arrayed on the "dry" side; the two party papers in Monticello being especially aggressive. As in the previous fights, party lines were disregarded entirely, leading members of all parties being found on both sides. It was noticeable, however, that the repub- licans, who were opposed to saloons, while in nowise compromising with the saloon element, were somewhat inclined to the let the "dry" demo- crats assume: the burden of the campaign work. This was perhaps but
392
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
natural, as these new option elections were made necessary because the democratic Legislature of 1911 had substituted the Proctor law for the county option law passed by a republican Legislature in 1908, and in doing so had undone all that had been accomplished under the county option law.
This attitude of the republicans was rather forcibly indicated in a mass meeting held in the Presbyterian Church on Sunday evening be- fore the election. Of this meeting the Herald gave the following re. port :
"The Presbyterian church was packed to the doors Sunday night at a union meeting of all the churches held for the purpose of quickening the anti-saloon sentiment preparatory to Thursday's option election. It was not a ministerial meeting, for all the speakers were laymen; it was not a church meeting, for some of the speakers were not members of any church; it was not a republican meeting, for all the speakers were democrats, the republicans being content to listen and join in the applause. It was a citizens meeting composed of members of all churches and no church, both sexes and all parties. The speakers were George Marvin, Wesley Taylor, Dr. McCann, Chas. C. Spencer and E. B. Sellers. All the speakers expressed their preference for a 'dry' Monti- cello and declared their purpose to help keep it so. Each presented the subject from his own viewpoint and in a manner that called forth generous applause."
All eyes were focused on Monticello, which had assumed a city gov ernment since the election of two years before and was now an option unit within itself. Mr. J. P. Simons, editor of the Democrat, was selected as chairman of the "dry" forces and an active organization was soon effected. In his issue of April 14 Editor Simons said :
"It is pretty generally known that the Democrat is opposed to saloons and to saloon influence, and this paper will hardly be accused of being afraid to express itself clearly and positively on this point; yet notwithstanding these positive views as to the evil influence of saloons and saloon surroundings in a community, the editor of this paper is not a 'temperance crank,' is not a prohibitionist and does not even belong to the Anti-saloon League.
"We have no desire to interfere with any man's personal privilege to eat what he pleases or to drink what he pleases so long as he doesn't injure or annoy anyone else. Our own notion about drinking, based upon some years of personal experience, is that every man is better off not to use liquors as a beverage; and that any man can do his best work and attend to his business best when he hasn't a drop in him-when his head is perfectly clear. Every man who has ever drank knows this to be true. Therefore our advice to everyone would be don't drink. You feel better and are better off without it. Especially don't acquire the habit so that it requires a constant struggle to keep from drinking too much. The man who keeps his thinking apparatus free from the effects of booze has the battle of life half won.
"Then why should any man vote to return the saloon to Monticello,
393
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
and make it easy for young men to acquire the habit or for older men to cultivate the habit already acquired ? Based upon some thirty years' more or less intimate acquaintance with saloons and their fruits, both inside and out, the Democrat asserts, what every man and every woman who knows anything about them knows to be true-that the great ma- jority of saloons are schools for vice and crime; and that from cellar to garret, inside and outside, they are law defiers and lawbreakers twen- ty-four hours out of the day, seven days in the week; and their influ- ence on those who frequent them and on the community in which they are located is wholly bad."
That the farmers of the surrounding country were deeply interested in the outcome was shown by the following petition :
"To the Voters of the City of Monticello generally, and to the Trades people especially :-
"We, the undersigned citizens of Union township outside the city limits of Monticello, and in the country tributary thereto, not being per- mitted by law to vote in the coming local option election, but being deeply interested in the outcome thereof, having in mind and earnestly wishing for the best interests of our home city, the place where we do our trading, do most respectfully and earnestly petition you to continue the present policy of prohibiting the licensed saloon with all its attend- ant evils."
This was signed by eighty-eight of the prominent farmers around Monticello and was published with all the names attached in the Herald of April 20th, and in the Democrat of April 21st.
The election on April 27th in the units voting resulted as follows : Monticello, dry, 336; wet, 238.
Big Creek Township, dry, 160; wet, 55.
Cass Township, dry, 98; wet, 31.
Honey Creek Township, dry, 133; wet, 153.
Monon Township, dry, 299; wet, 130.
Prairie Township, dry, 336; wet, 238.
Princeton Township, dry, 245; wet, 180.
As Honey Creek Township was the only unit to vote "wet," the people of Reynolds and vicinity concluded that they did not care to be the source of irrigation for such a wide stretch of dry territory, and met the emergency by a remonstrance, signed by a majority of the voters. This settled the saloon question in White County until October, 1915, when, on petition of 150 residents of Monon representing the "wet" element, another election was ordered in that township. The election was held October 29, 1915, and resulted in an overwhelming defeat of the saloon side, the vote being 151 "wet" and 435 "dry;" the votes of the saloon side being seven less than the number signing the petition for the election. In precinct No. 4 only three "wet" votes were cast. It does not now seem probable that saloons will ever again be permitted in White County.
The last public destruction of liquor in Monticello took place in the spring of 1909, when Sheriff Ben Price, Jr., carried out into the street
394
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
and destroyed a large stock of liquors which had been captured by Sheriff H. E. McCully in a raid on an alleged illegal establishment in Monon, conducted by Sam A. Rose, one of Monticello's former saloon- keepers. The sheriff was assisted in the destruction by several persons, among them being Postmaster William F. Bunnell, Rev. C. J. Armen- trout, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, and others. The occasion caused various facetious comments from the crowd assembled, and Mon- ticello's local bard, Attorney Will S. Bushnell, immortalized the event in his inimitable manner, as follows:
Lo, in the crowd on yonder corner There is a smiling, prohi scorner, For every Bacchanalian mourner To witness the last obsequies.
For Sheriff Price at last will fully Pour out and drain into the gully The liquors seized by Ham McCully At Monon once upon a time.
That is to say, he will preside With easy grace and modest pride, And keenly watch lest someone hide A flask or two unlawfully.
The while our jolly P. M. Bunnell Will ply the hammer, corkscrew, funnel, And send the stuff off down the runnell To mingle with the sewerage.
See Trig and Goodwin, Armentrout, Babb, Bushnell, Lear, all crowd about, With lots of others; hear them shout, "Oh, what a shame!" in harmony.
And what a fragrance fills our noses; Oh, how estatic! Holy Moses ! Small wonder ! for the stuff is Rose's, The gay and festive Samuel's.
CHAPTER XXXII
"MOVING PICTURES"
This chapter is composed of a series of miscellaneous articles, includ- ing reminiscences, incidents and a variety of subjects difficult to class- ify. But it often happens, as in this instance, that matters which do not materially fall under any distinct class are therefore the more unique and readable. The editor submits this chapter with pleasure, because he believes it will be much enjoyed by both old, young and the middle-aged, as there is something in it to suit all palates.
THE MONTICELLO PUBLIC LIBRARY
The following verses by Miss Nora G. Gardner are self-explanatory :
Where the early settler lingered, Sometimes pitched his tent and stayed, Now the bluff is domed and steepled With the city he has made.
But the white man, in his wisdom, Has left much to nature's care ;
Fair has Mother Nature made it, So we built our temple there.
From the tiny porch, high swinging, View the temple's hall of art, Whose wild beauty and whose grandeur Fill with rapture every heart.
And the work within the temple, It is simple, it is clear ; All have caught the donor's meaning, How it should his name endear.
GREAT RAILROAD DISASTER, JULY 17, 1878
At the noon hour of the above date the west span of the Pennsylvania Railroad bridge at Monticello fell with a crash that could be heard for miles, carrying with the wreck twenty-five cars. All of the cars were wrecked except the caboose, and the engine and tender were included in the debris. It took 100 men nearly a week to clear away the wreckage. The engineer was killed and the fireman had one of the most remarkable escapes recorded in railroad history.
The story of the casualty is told by the Monticello Herald in its issue
395
396
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
of Thursday, July 25, 1878, the following items, taken from its files, covering the substantial points: "The number of cars that went down was 25, 18 of which were loaded with grain, one with furniture and the remainder with empty flats.
"The engineer's body was recovered only Thursday morning, after an all night's search. The marks on it indicated that the unfortunate man must have been killed in the fall, though the disfiguration was not near as great as in the case of the watchman. After the coroner's inquest the corpse was taken to Logansport, where deceased resided, and thence to Chicago, where it was interred. It was Beam's intention to quit the road and go onto a farm and he was making his last trip for that purpose. He left a wife and two children.
"It required the force of 100 men and two engines to remove the debris so that the bridge builders could commence operations, and it took them three days to do it.
"The watch of Louis Beam, the engineer killed in the accident, was found in the wreck hanging on its accustomed nail in the cab. The watch was not only ticking, but indicated the correct time of day and was entirely uninjured.
"The little daughter of conductor Riddell had been promised a ride on the engine after the train reached Monticello, but fortunately she forgot all about it and remained in the caboose.
"The escape of Ed Laing of this place, the fireman on the ill-fated engine, is almost unparalleled in the history of railroad accidents. Stand- ing on the same engine with Beam and Durfee, who were both killed, he went down in the crash a distance of 75 feet, with no opportunity to jump, and was found alive and but slightly injured beneath the wreck. He frankly says he doesn't know how he was saved.
"At the coroner's inquest Thursday several railroad experts were examined as to the cause of its giving way.
"The first witness called was J. Zecker, road master and superin- tendent of bridges on west half of third division, who testified as fol- lows: 'Have been superintendent for ten months, west span has been built six years. The bridge is the Howe truss, built of pine, three breat rods, and considered the safest and best length from 65 to 68 feet high. * * My opinion is that the car went off the track by some * cause, either by rail spreading or brake beam coming down. If a car is loaded it is liable to brake at any span. There are marks on the ties to show that a car or cars were off the track. There was no safety track on the inside, but a guard rail on the outside. Safety tracks on inside are not considered any better. Last examined the bridge on the 8th or 9th of July, 1878. Local going west on 17th inst. stopped on west end of span that went down. Gave orders for trains to go slowly over the bridge on the 17th and prior to that date.'
"C. Riddell, conductor train No. 13, received orders from J. V. Vinson, agent, on 17th to run all trains slow.
"J. Becker of Pittsburgh, Pa., civil and chief engineer of the P. C. & St. L. Bg. Co., said: 'I wrote the specifications and made the contract
397
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
for the building of the three western spans of the bridge over the Tip- pecanoe river and superintended its construction and its erection. The contract was made July, 1871, and the bridge was constructed imme- diately afterwards, the western span being the last one erected. The bridge was built by J. K. Miller & Co. of Steubenville, Ohio, of Allegheny white pine, with oaken keys and clamps, and of a superior quality of iron, furnished by a Pittsburg firm whose material we have frequently tested and always found of a very superior character. The timber for the bridge, like the timber of every other bridge that I ever built, and I have built several hundreds of them, was rather green, at least it was what might be called not seasoned.
" 'It was framed at Steubenville, O., and shipped from that place to this for erection. The railroad is to use green timber in their bridges. No doubt perfectly seasoned timber would be preferable and if properly protected is undoubtedly more durable, but it would be almost impossible to procure seasoned timber for bridges. The bridge was painted shortly after its erection, which was probably from four to five months after the timber was sawed and planed. I think that the complete painting of green timber without permitting it to dry out, would hasten the decay, leaving the spaces between the different chord pieces and the entire lower surface of both chords unpainted for the purpose of drying out the entire moisture.
" 'I never made a report to the P. C. & St. L. R. R. Co. relative to the condition of the bridge since its erection in 1871, my duties being simply that of engineer of new construction work, the mending and repairs of all structures after their completion being placed in charge of the division superintendent. I have looked at the bridge and can not conceive any cause for its destruction unless it was done by the sudden concussion of some vital parts or by a derailed car or misplaced rails.
" 'The dimensions of the structure, I consider ample for all require- ments and the age of the bridge could not yet have impaired its efficiency. Heat may have caused it.'
"We, the coroner's jury, sworn to enquire into and ascertain the cause of the death of Louis Beam and Jerome Durfee, after viewing the bodies and having heard evidence and made inquiry do find that on the 17th of July, 1878, while local freight train No. 13 going east with engine, tender and twenty loaded cars were passing over the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Saint Louis Railroad bridge across the Tippecanoe river at Monticello, White County, Indiana, said engine, tender and cars by reason of west span of said bridge breaking were precipitated into the Tippecanoe river causing death of said Louis Beam and Jerome Durfee.
"Wm. Spencer, Foreman; Robert Clark, Henry Snyder, James H. McCollum, James A. Mcconahay and F. M. Mullendore."
THE GREAT MURDER TRIAL
The Cantwell-Dayton murder trial is and always will be an interest- ing incident in White County history. Alfred L. Cantwell and Spencer J. Dayton, two laborers, and brothers-in-law, were given a life sentence
398
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
for the murder of David Jones, who was shot in the breast and instantly killed. The shooting took place in Tippecanoe County, November 11, 1849, but the body was found in a pond within the border of White County. The defendants were indicted April 24, 1850, Joseph Phillips being foreman of the grand jury. The trial took place in the fall and on October 28, 1850, the following verdict was returned:
"We, the jury, find the defendants Alfred L. Cantwell and Spencer J. Dayton, guilty of murder in the first degree as charged in the indict- ment and affix their punishment in the State's prison at hard labor, during their natural lives. JOSHUA LINDSAY, Foreman.
OLD GEORGE A. SPENCER HOME
The oldest and most historic building in White County, five miles southwest of Monticello. Built of hewn logs about 1830, now boarded up. The large opening shown is where the fireplace and chimney stood, remains of fireplace shown in front of opening. Building 16 by 20 feet. In this building White County was organized September 5, 1834, and courts were held here for almost two years. Now owned by Elwood G. Wilson, Esq., of Logansport, Indiana, and used as a storage room.
"The jury in submitting the above verdict deem it fit to say that they are not opposed to the infliction of capital punishment on principle but believe the ends of government generally demand it for murder in the first degree. In this opinion all the members of the jury except two con- cur, but in consideration of the wrongs done Cantwell, and the youth of Dayton, they have preferred the mode. of punishment put down in the above verdict."
The wrong done Cantwell to which the jury referred was this: The evidence showed that Jones, who was killed, had arranged to elope with Cantwell's wife, and the latter, learning of this, had met Jones while he was waiting for Mrs. Cantwell, and at this meeting the shooting took place. Prior to the trial the prisoners, with Mrs. Cantwell, were for a
399
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
short time confined in the jail at Delphi, but when the trial began all were brought to Monticello and placed in the old log jail which stood on the east side of Illinois Street just north of Marion Street. One morning during the progress of the trial, and after the prisoners had been taken to the courtroom, this old jail was found to be in flames, having doubtless been set on fire by the prisoners. It was but a small loss to the county.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.