USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana: A Detailed History of the. > Part 51
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
shaken state of public confidence, the bank had to succumb to the inevitable.
At the time of the failure the bank had on hand as a part of its assets Venezuelan bonds to the amount of $100,000, which Colonel Stilwell had acquired while he was minister to that government.
The payment of these securities was afterwards contested by the authorities of Venezuela, and a large amount of them was declared null and void by a commission appointed jointly by the United States and Venezuela, which had the effect to greatly diminish the cash resources of the bank.
When the bank failed Thomas Mccullough, of Oxford, was made receiver, but only served a short time, when he resigned and Walter S. Johnson, of Washington, D. C., was put in charge and wound up its business.
When the receiver took charge a statement of the condi- tion of the bank was given out, which showed the following resources and liabilities :
Cash- Bills receivable, accounts and other items $164,563 Due to depositors, individuals and corporations. 137,717
Leaving assets over liabilities 25,846
Included in the assets were the Venezuelan bonds, which, being to a large extent invalid, reduced the available resources far below the liabilities, whereby the depositors were forced to sustain considerable of a loss. The bonds are yet in the hands of the Comptroller of the Currency at Washington, and should they eventually be paid the First National Bank would pay out in full. There has been paid to the depositors forty cents on the dollar. Among the large depositors was Weems Heagey, Treasurer of Madison county, who had in the vaults of the bank at the time of its suspension $21,000. The failure had the effect to tie up a large amount of money and caused much distress and a closeness of financial affairs, until the peo- ple had time to rally from its consequences.
At the time of the failure Colonel T. N. Stilwell was President, and A. B. Kline was Cashier.
This is the only bank failure that has ever occurred in Madison county.
Colonel Stilwell was a politician as well as a banker, and held several political offices during his residence in this county. He was elected to the Legislature in 1856, and in 1864 he defeated the Hon. James McDowell, of Marion, for
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
Congress, serving one term, during which time he received the appointment as Minister to Venezuela. He also assisted in the organization of the 34th Indiana Regiment of Volun- teers, and was made Quartermaster of that regiment. It was organized at Anderson and went into camp in 1861 on what is now known as the George Forrey farm, north of White river, then known as "Camp Stilwell." He'only remained with this regiment a short time, when he was called home by Governor Morton and put in charge of the organization of the 180th and 131st Regiments at Kokomo, Indiana. He was commissioned as Colonel, but did not go to the front, as his private affairs would not admit of his absence, and upon his resignation of his commission in the army he at once took personal control of the bank and remained at the head of its affairs until the calamity overtook it that we have related. Colonel Stilwell was a man full of life and of a progressive nature, and used the means at his hands to improve Anderson and Madison county wherever he could in any way advance their interests. He built the Stilwell House, now known as the " Hotel Doxey," which was not only the pride of its founder, but of every citizen of Anderson. He was also the chief promoter of the Anderson, Lebanon & St. Louis Rail- road, now known as the C. & S. E., he being the " power be- hind the throne " in bringing about its organization, and saw it completed as far as Noblesville before his death.
Much litigation grew out of the failure relative to the se- tate of Allen Makepeace, one of the stockholders of the bank, which, as will be seen further on, resulted in a mortal combat between the litigants.
THE TRAGEDY.
It is not the purpose of the writers to tear open afresh old wounds, but we bring before the public the particulars of this sad tragedy only for the purpose of placing it where it belongs as a part of the history of events that have transpired in Mad- ison county. No better friend of the writers of these pages ever lived within the borders of Madison county than was Colonel Stilwell. This is also true of the central figure on the other side, Mr. John E. Corwin. Many favors have been extended to us by both of these men, which will be gratefully remembered while memory holds its seat and as long as we are possessed of a proper sense of gratitude. While it is our intention, only as a matter of history, to make a record of this
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
sad event, we think the end can be best subserved by stating, without comment, the actual state of facts as they existed at the time.
The most authentic account given of the affair was pub- lished in the Herald on the 16th of January, 1874, following the tragedy, and for weeks thereafter it gave the full particu- lars of the shooting, the testimony taken before the coroner, and at the preliminary investigation before Asa Pratt, Justice of the Peace.
At the preliminary investigation, the ablest counsel in the State of Indiana was employed upon both sides of the case. The prosecution was conducted by Amzi W. Thomas, who was then deputy prosecuting attorney of the judicial dis- trict composed of Madison and Hamilton counties. He was assisted by Jonathan W. Gordon, of Indianapolis, acknowl- edged in those days to be the best criminal lawyer that the State of Indiana had ever produced ; Col. Milton S. Robinson, the Hon. John W. Lovett and the Hon. S. F. Cary, of Cincin- nati, Ohio.
The defence was represented by the Hon. Benjamin Har- rison, now ex-president of the United States, the Hon. James W. Sansberry and John A. Harrison, of Anderson.
From the account of the tragedy published in the Ander- son Herald, we quote as follows : "The usual quiet of our city was suddenly disturbed on Wednesday afternoon by the occurrence of one of the most tragic events that has ever taken place in our local annals. At the hour of 5 o'clock, P. M. Colonel Thomas N. Stilwell entered the office of Mr. John E. Corwin in the room lately occupied by the Citizens' Bank on the north side of the square, and drew his revolver on Mr. Corwin. The latter was occupied at his desk inside the counter, and on discovering the Colonel's motion, sprang over the counter and advanced toward his antagonist, whose right arm he seized and threw down when Stilwell's pistol was dis- charged. The ball struck Corwin in the left groin, but fortu- nately was checked in its course by striking a key and a silver dollar in his pocket. Corwin then seized Stilwell by the shoulder or coat collar, pushed him around and fired two shots, both of which took effect in the left side of the head, killing him instantly.
"But few words passed between the men. Colonel Stil- well said something about settling up old business, as he en- tered the room, and that it was time that it was settled, and
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
. Mr. Corwin, after crossing the counter, told Stilwell to put up his revolver. Mr. Lafe Burr, of Anderson, and Mr. Geo. L. Rittenhouse, a commercial traveler, were in the room, and were excited spectators of the deadly encounter. The weapon which Colonel Stilwell had in his hand was a double-barrelled Derringer, and he also carried a single-barrelled pistol in his pocket.
" The report of the homicide spread with great rapidity throughout the city, and in a few minutes a large and excited crowd had gathered in the building and on the streets.
" Corwin walked out of his office and across the street to the court house, and placed himself in the custody of Albert J. Ross, then Sheriff of the county, who permitted him to re- main at his residence during the night under guard.
"As to the causes which led to this unhappy event, we may mention that a bitter and relentless feud had existed between - the parties, they having quarreled at different times publicly and thus developing a feeling of deep animosity against each other. The difficulty had its origin in regard to some money which the late Allen Makepeace, Mr. Corwin's father-in-law, claimed to have deposited in the First National Bank, but which Stilwell denied ever having received. Mr. Corwin, as administrator of the Makepeace estate, had instituted suits for the recovery of the alleged deposit which were still pending in the court. After the unfortunate complication of affairs which compelled the suspension of the First National Bank in November preceding the tragedy, President Stilwell, being of a proud and sensitive nature, believed, from evidence real or fancied, that Mr. Corwin rejoiced in his humiliation. This, coupled with a terrible mental strain to which he had been sub- jected on account of his financial embarrassment, tended, as we believe, to precipitate a state of mind closely bordering upon insanity. We do not think Colonel Stilwell was responsible for his acts on the day on which he attempted the life of Mr. Corwin, and on which his own was ushered into eternity.
"A feeling of profound grief and gloom pervaded the city over this terrible drama. While the liveliest and most earnest sympathy was expressed in behalf of the bereaved family. pub- lic opinion so far as it found expression was generous towards Mr. Corwin, regarding his action as having been done in self- defence."
We have written this account plainly as we understand the facts without any attempt at embellishment or sensational-
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
ism. We have sought to give the circumstances simply as they were.
The funeral of Colonel Stilwell took place from his resi- dence on Main street at 11 o'clock on the 16th of January, being one of the largest ever held in Madison county. The Colonel had enjoyed not only a local and state, but also a na- tional reputation. Prominent men from the adjoining, and also from distant states, came to pay their respects by attending his last sad rites. He was a man who was well beloved by the plain 'country people. Almost the entire population of Anderson, and a large assemblage of the people from the coun- ty attended the funeral. His remains laid in state in front of the spacious grounds surrounding his residence from early in the morning on the day of the funeral until the cortege had taken its march to the city of the dead for interment.
The preliminary trial of Mr. Corwin was begun at Wes- terfield's hall before Squire Pratt, as before stated, and a large and interested crowd of people, many from the country, were in constant attendance throughout the proceedings. The ut- most decorum prevailed, and the testimony was listened to with the closest attention. Occasionally Major Gordon would break the profound solemnity of the occasion by some sally of wit or remark of pleasantry, and thus kept himself on excellent terms with the audience. General Harrison confined himself very closely to the business before him. This gentleman mainly conducted the examination of witnesses. The aim of both sides was so far as possible to get the facts in relation to the unfortunate affair from the best recollection of the witnesses examined. The Squire discharged his duties in such a manner as to secure the approval of all parties. His decisions upon points of law were prompt and were gracefully acquiesced in by the distinguished attorneys in the case. Reporters from the Cincinnati Commercial, Gazette. Cincinnati Enquirer, Indianapolis Journal and Indianapolis Sentinel were present and took notes in shorthand of all that was said and done by the witnesses and attorneys in the case.
In relation to the deposits that the late Allen Makepeace claimed to have made with the First National Bank of Ander- son, the following receipt was introduced in evidence, to wit : " The First National Bank of Anderson received of Allen Makepeace for safe keeping $14,000 in 7 3-10 United States bonds, said bonds to be returned to said Makepeace at any time called for. Interest on said bonds due August 15th and
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
February 15th. (Signed.) J. G. Stillwel, T. N. Stilwell, Anderson, Indiana, December 28, 1865."
It would seem, from the reading of this receipt, that the bonds were not actually deposited with the bank as money, but that they were merely left with J. G. and T. N. Stilwell for safe keeping. In a suit afterwards brought by the Allen Makepeace estate a verdict was given against the estate of Colonel Stilwell for the full amount of the bonds so depos- ited ($14.000).
It will be unnecessary in these pages to go into the full details of all the doings and sayings at the preliminary bear- ing, or to make any comment on the affair at length. It was decided by the Justice of the Peace, Asa Pratt, before whom the case was tried, after all the evidence that could be offered was heard, that Colonel Thomas N. Stilwell met his death at the hands of his antagonist, John E. Corwin, while acting in defense of his own life, and Mr. Corwin was accordingly acquitted.
This affair cast a gloom over the city of Anderson that was not effaced for many years, and it is never mentioned or referred to by anyone but with regret and the deepest sorrow.
Mr. Corwin remained in this city for several years after the occurrence and organized the Madison County Bank, of which he became president. It was afterwards merged into the Madison County National Bank, of which he was also elected president, and did a thriving business until the year 1884, when he sold his business to Major C. T. Doxey and Daniel F. Mustard, and removed to Middletown, N. Y., where he at this writing is residing.
CHAPTER LIX.
A NUMBER OF AMUSING INCIDENTS.
LEE M. TREES IN THE ROLE OF "SQUIRE."
In the year of 1880 the young fellows of Anderson town- ship, by way of a joke, voted for Lee M. Trees, the " Merchant Prince " of Anderson, for Justice of the Peace, and Morris M. Williams, commonly known as "Bundy" Williams, for con- stable. When the votes were counted it transpired that they had each received enough to elect them, to the surprise of themselves and friends. They thought to further the fun, so they both qualified and entered upon the duties of their offices
Soon after 'Squire Trees had filed his official bond, and been " qualified " he was called upon by a young and buxom couple from the country with a request to join them in holy wedlock. The " 'Squire " very graciously ushered them into his elegantly furnished rooms over his store, and for a few moments excused himself. He went out and found his chief of staff, Mr. " Bundy" Williams, high constable, and fifteen or twenty of the " boys" and returned to his apartments where the groom and blushing bride were in waiting.
Lee ordered the waiting couple to arise to their feet and join hands. Constable " Bundy " Williams " gave the bride away " and the ceremony proceeded when in a very impressive manner, Lee said :
" Do you each solemnly swear in the presence of God and these witnesses assembled, that you will support the constitu- tion of the State of Indiana ; that you will love, cherish and honor each other through sickness as well as in health ; that you will neither of you depart from the paths of virtue and rectitude, but will cling to each other as the ivy clings to the trunk of an old tree, so help you God."
To this they both nodded and replied " we will."
"I then, by the power vested in me by the State of Indiana, in the name of God and the holy Saint John now declare you husband and wife."
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
" Boys, let us take a light drink."
The decanter was set out and the 'Squire, Constable, bride and groom partook first of the claret, then it was passed to the bystanders. Thus ended 'Squire Trees' first marriage ceremony.
He and Constable Williams only held their offices a short time and resigned, other business being too pressing for them to attend to the duties imposed upon them."
THEY'LL HAVE IT IN THE HORSE.FLY.
Almost every farmer in Madison county will remember Robert Shinn, who kept a place where Louis Blest's " White House " now stands. Robert's place was headquarters for farmers to lunch, and to get all the political news. Robert and his good, old wife, recently deceased, kept posted on the politics of the day, and many politicians and candidates have been made and unmade in the Shinn grocery. Robert was a liberal fellow in all things, and had a heart as large as a tub. When the crusade against the saloons was raging in 1874, the ladies sat in little booths upon the streets, taking the names of all who entered the saloons, one of which was in front of Robert's place. Some one passed down that way and saw Robert complacently sitting beside the ladies who were watch- ing his door, fanning himself with a large palm leaf hat. When he was asked, " Well, Robert, what do you think of the proceedings?" he answered with a big laugh, " Oh, I think they are a set of d-n fannyticks."
In 1866, W. E. Cook and Tom O'Neil, who were con- nected with the Anderson Standard, published a "fly-by night" paper called the Fire Fly. It was gotten out in the night when every one was supposed to be asleep. It "roasted " every one without respect to person, and nothing escaped it. Robert Shinn was, one sleety morning, strolling down the street, when, without a moment's warning, out went his feet on the ice, landing Robert on his back. He was as thick as he was long, and in his scramble to get up, he rolled until he got over against the court house fence before he could regain his footing. Climbing up against the fence, he began to brush the offal of the public square from his clothing, and, limping up to the corner, with a look of dispair, said : " I . sposhe' they'll have it in that danged ' horse-fly ' to-night."
Robert Shinn died several years ago in Anderson, at a ripe old age ; while he was a saloon keeper, he was universally
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liked by all who knew him and was an honest man. He paid his debts to the last farthing, and believed in doing to others as he would have them do unto him.
TWO LARGE BLACK COONS.
Lafe J. Burr, one of Anderson's old-time citizens, holds the title of president of the "coon club." It is an organiza- tion that meets on the street corners and talks a great deal about coon hunting, but really does.but little hunting. It is composed of Lafe Burr, James H. Snell, George Hughel, Thomas J. Stephens, Jack Brunt, John P. Davis and several others whose names do not now come to mind.
Some friend of Mr. Burr's one day, in a moment of hilarity, went to the Bulletin office and put in a two-line advertisement and signed Lafe's name to it, wanting two large black "coons."
In a few days an old farmer drove up in front of Mr. Burr's gate with a farm wagon and stopped. He called Mr. Burr out of the house, and, after passing the time of day, said :
"Well, Lafe, here's your coons."
"What coons? "
"Why, the coons you advertised for in the Bulletin."
"I haven't advertised for any."
This aroused the old man's ire. "I reckon you did; I 'seed' it in the Bulletin, and I can read writin' and printin' as well as you can, and it's in the paper."
Lafe still insisted that there was a mistake somewhere in the matter. The old man began to warm up. "Look here, Mr. Burr, I've knowed you a long while, and respected you as an honorable man. Me and my boys quit our work and went to a great deal of trouble to catch these coons for you, and you don't want to play none of your foolishness on me. You can either take them and pay me for them or there will be trouble and our friendship is at an end."
"Well," said Mr. Burr, "I don't want to lose you as a friend, but I assure you this is a practical joke some one has put up on me; but I'll take the coons. What are they worth?"
"Two dollars and a half."
"All right ; here's your money. Take them and put them in C. K. Mccullough's Riverside Park, and come back and get your dinner and call it square."
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
The old man dumped the coons into the park and went home happy, and is yet a friend of Burr's.
Burr has always had a lingering suspicion in his mind that James H. Snell, the vice-president of the club, set up this job on him.
Mr. Burr, besides being an old coon hunter, is one of Anderson's respected citizens, and has been a great success in business affairs. At the November election, 1896, Mr. Burr was elected County Commissioner on the Republican ticket.
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CHAPTER LX.
INDIAN REMINISCENCES.
As has been stated in other parts of this work, the ground upon which Anderson stands was at one time an abiding place for the Indians. The tribes who are known to have dwelt in Madison county at one time were the Delawares and the Pottawattamies. The headquarters for the Delawares was for a long time at "Anderson's Town," and as such it was known from the earliest pioneer history.
"It may at present be an unknown fact, yet it is an interesting one to state that the first suit at law in Anderson was heard in a cabin or lodge which had been occupied by Chief Anderson. At the time Anderson lived here there was another chief of the name of Green, in whose honor the stream of water that meanders through the western part of the town was named ' Green's Branch.' This is all that is left to per- petuate his memory. His wigwam stood on the grounds in the immediate vicinity of the present home of the Hon. James W. Sansberry, at the west end of Tenth street.
" This chief, so it is stated by the old settlers, was the worshipper of an idol. It bore a great resemblance to a human countenance, and was carved in a large slab of wood and elevated to a distance of twelve or fifteen feet above the ground. It was known to have been used for such purposes for years before the people located here. Judge John Davis secured this idol as a relic and placed it in a room in the old court house, from which it was afterwards stolen.
"It is said that prisoners taken by this tribe in times of war were brought before this chief for trial, and were forced to run the gauntlet, and traces of the same could be very easily observed by the early settlers near Green's wigwam.
" Another chief was Killbuck, who is said to have been a Delaware. His lodge was on the north side of Killbuck creek. He is spoken of as a wise chief and one friendly to the whites. His remains occupy an unknown site in the woods north of the dam across Killbuck creek, on the Sparks farm.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
" Nanticoke was the name of a chief whose village was located on the south bank of White river, on the present farm of Robert Cather, about four miles west of Anderson.
"' White Eyes' was another chief, whose lodge stood near the present site of the poor farm. All information in regard to him is very vague, and but little is known of him or his tribe.
"The Delawares, judging from early pioneer history, were a very war-like people, and were engaged in many most
AN IDOL WORSHIPED BY CHIEF GREEN.
desperate battles with the whites during the last century. At Fort Recovery, Ohio, in an engagement which resulted so dis- astrously to the whites, under General St. Clair, the Dela- wares bore a prominent part.
" Fronting the beautiful eminence upon the north bank of White river, some eight miles west of Anderson, is an old Indian burying ground which occupies nearly an acre, and from the depressions in the ground it is surmised that one hundred or more Indians are buried there. This ground is a part of the farm of Alexander McClintock. No excavations have been made on it, and should the privilege ever be granted
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
of making an examination of the ground some valuable in- formation might be gleaned concerning the early occupants of Madison county soil.
" A peculiar looking pipe weighing about a half pound was found upon a grave in this ground sometime since which was donated to the Madison County Historical Society.
" Upon the farm of Matthias Hughel, some two miles east of Anderson, upon a high point overlooking the country for a distance of two or three miles to the south, is the site of the village of Moravian Indians, mention of which is made else- where. The evidence of the location of their lodges and wig- wams were very easily traced with the advent of the white settlers into this region. When the excavations were made for the earthwork of the Anderson Hydraulic in 1870, the workmen exhumed a great number of skeletons which were be- lieved to have belonged to the Moravian Indians.
" A tradition existed for many years among the early set- tlers that both lead and salt abounded in some of the valleys and hills in the vicinity of Anderson, and to some extent this belief prevails at the present day. The Indians appeared to obtain them easily, and upon short notice, but steadily kept the secret to themselves. If lead was found at all, it is thought its place was among the hills along White river, to the north- west of Anderson.
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