USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana: A Detailed History of the. > Part 77
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KILLED BY A HORSE.
James Bright, a young man about twenty-four years of age, residing at Elwood, was, on Monday, the 12th of Octo- ber, 1884, killed at a point a few miles west of that place on the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. He was approaching the crossing, when a train came along, and he got out of his buggy to hold the horse, when it took fright and reared, striking him on the head with its hoof, and then in some manner losing control of his feet, the animal fell upon him. His skull was crushed, and the injuries he received caused instant death.
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Mr. Bright was an exemplary young man, and the tragical occurrence was very much lamented. The remains were buried on the following Wednesday.
ACCIDENTAL DEATH.
On Wednesday, the 28th of February, 1885, John East -. born, a young man residing two miles north of Elwood, was the victim of a fatal accident. He was engaged in chopping down a tree, which fell upon him. One of the limbs struck him on the right side of the head, producing a fracture of the skull, from which he died. No one was with him at the time and little was known of the occurrence. Coroner Wm. A. Hunt was notified, and he held an inquest, being assisted by Dr. Daniel Sigler, who made a post-mortem examination, which resulted in a verdict of accidental death in accordance with the above facts. Mr. Eastborn was an industrious, hard- working boy, and the main support of a widowed mother, whom he left in needy circumstances.
SUICIDE OF A YOUNG LADY.
In the month of March, 1887, a very sad suicide took place at the residence of John Griffee, a farmer living five miles west of Elwood, whereby his sixteen-year-old daughter took her own life by swallowing a dose of " Rough on Rats." She had gone to Rigdon to purchase a box of this compound, and on returning home ate a part of it, and then told her mother what she had done. A physician was summoned, but not until the poison had taken such effect that she was beyond the reach of medical aid. She was a handsome and intelligent girl. Her parents and friends were very much grieved over the sad occurrence.
AN OLD CITIZEN KILLS HIMSELF ACCIDENTALLY.
Anderson Brannock was an old and highly-respected citi- zen who lived in Pipe Creek township for many years. On the 4th of April, 1882, while carelessly handling a pistol, it was discharged, killing him instantly. He was in his house hunting for a button to sew on his pants and while examining a box in which there were several articles he espied an old revolver that had been lying there for some time. He made a light remark that it had been there long enough and ought to be disposed of in some way, as it was considered worthless. While handling the weapon it was discharged,
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the bullet taking effect in his abdomen. His wife and a ser- vant girl were in the house at the time. They heard the dis- charge of the pistol and ran to his relief. The alarm was given to the neighbors and physicians were sent for, but the wound was of such a nature that no relief could be of any service to him, and he died the same evening.
Michael Ryan, Coroner of Madison county, was sum- moned, and on the 15th of April held an inquest and returned a verdict of accidental death in accordance with the above facts.
SUICIDE OF WILLIAM SILVY.
William Silvy, a farmer residing near Dundee in Pipe Creek township, committed suicide by hanging himself on the 22nd of September, 1885. He tied a rope around the rafters in an outhouse near his residence and without ceremony swung himself into eternity. He had been troubled with rheumatism for many years and the disease had crippled him to such an extent that he had to require the constant use of crutches. It was through despondency on account of his bad health that caused him to take his life. He was a prosperous farmer in that part of the county before the disease fastened itself upon him and had accumulated considerable wealth, much of which he spent in the way of doctor bills and medi- cine. Dr. William A. Hunt, Coroner of the county, was called and investigated the case and rendered a verdict of death by suicide.
KILLED BY A L. E. & W. RAILWAY TRAIN.
On Wednesday, the 25th of December, 1889, John Kemp, residing one-half mile west of Elwood, was run over by a Lake Erie and Western Railroad train and instantly killed. He had been to Elwood and had started home down the track ; he was in an inebriated condition, and it seems that he did not notice the approaching train, and when near a crossing he was struck by the locomotive, and his body, just above the hips, was cut almost in twain. He was an unmarried man, about 30 years old, and resided with a brother, who took charge of his remains, after the inquest by the Coroner. They were interred in the neighborhood.
RUN OVER BY A PAN HANDLE TRAIN.
Robert Montgomery, of Pipe Creek township, was run over by a train on the Pan Handle Railroad, near Elwood, on
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him a large and lucrative law practice, which he retains to this day
A BOILER EXPLOSION.
A very disastrous and fatal boiler explosion occurred at Elwood on the 16th of November, 1894, by which the power house of the electric light and street railway plant was blown to atoms, caused by the bursting of one of the large boilers in the engine house. Thomas Clark, the night engineer, was in the building at the time and was so seriously injured that he died two hours after the occurrence. Frank McDaniel, the only other person in the building at the time, escaped with slight injuries. Part of the boiler was blown a distance of two squares away. The building was entirely demolished, being blown down to the foundation walls. A number of street cars that were in the building were badly broken and damaged in such a manner as to be almost a total loss. The damage to the property amounted to nearly $20,000. Nearly the entire population of Elwood was soon gathered at the scene of the disaster, and all that men could do to alleviate the sufferings of the wounded was done. James M. Over- shiner, Ollie Frazier, J. H. DeHority, Henry C. Calloway and many others of the leading business men and financiers of Elwood were stockholders in the enterprise and immediately set about to secure temporary quarters for the operation of the plant, and in a very short time the street railway and the electric plant were in full operation. The building was im- mediately rebuilt, and, phoenix-like, this enterprise grew from its ashes and is now one of the best of its kind in Madison county, and is a monument to the financial nerve and energy of the founders.
This plant was again destroyed by a natural gas explosion and again rebuilt.
GAS EXPLOSION.
On the morning of February 12th, 1895, the smoke and debris of Calvin Hendrick's house in Anderson, wrecked by a natural gas explosion, had hardly been cleared away when the news of another terrible catastrophe of the same nature, at Elwood, was received. The handsome new building known as the Heck block was wrecked and destroyed by a gas explo- sion on that day and other property in the same neighborhood badly shaken up, windows knocked out and doors blown off their hinges, making altogether a sorry picture. This block.
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was used as a city :building. . The explosion took place at 8 o'clock. There were three men injured and several thousand dollars' worth of property destroyed. It was a two-story building with business rooms on the first floor, the second be- ing occupied by the city offices. The gas had accumulated under the floor of the room occupied by the. Elwood Trust Company.
A Mr. Telbs and Mr. Graham and an employee of the name of Miller were in the room at the time of the accident. Miller's right leg was broken in three places and he was otherwise seriously injured. . The other two men were only slightly bruised.
The explosion wrecked the adjoining room occupied as a grocery, the glass plate .was knocked out and other serious damage sustained. Fire broke out immediately but was quick- ly extinguished by the fire department, which was soon upon the scene of the disaster.
The loss upon the building at the time was estimated to be $2,000 and the damage to the stock of goods amounted to much more, but was covered by insurance:
The cause of the explosion was supposed to have been a leak in the street main, running in front of the building, the gas having followed the service pipe into the cellar of the house and was ignited from a light in the room, or from the stove.
Mr. Heck immediately rebuilt the structure, which is much more handsome and commodious than the former one.
KILLED BY A TRAIN ..
On the night of July 21, 1881, Joseph Halpin, of Pipe Creek township, was run over and instantly killed by the north-bound passenger train that passes Anderson at midnight for Chicago. He had been away that day and late at night started home, which was near the place where be met his death. He had sat down on the railroad to rest and had fallen asleep, from the effects of too much alcohol, in which he had been freely indulging, when the train came thundering along at a high rate of speed and knocked him into eternity. . The engineer said he saw some black object on the rail, but not in time to stop. The night was very dark and it was hard to distinguish an object on the track at any distance. The acci- dent occurred about two miles south of Elwood. . Haipin was mangled past all recognition. The Coroner held an inquest'
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as a matter of form and returned a verdict in accordance with the facts. Joseph Halpin was a man well liked by his fellow- men, and had but one fault, that was his love for ardent spir- its. At the time of his sudden taking off he was well advanced in years, and had for a long while lived in the neigh- borhood where it happened.
SHOOTING OF CARROL PARSONS.
On Sunday, May 16, 1886, an old feud which existed between Carrol Parsons and William Wright, of Elwood, culmi- nated in a " shooting match," in which Parsons was shot by Mr. Wright. Young Parsons was apparently the aggressor. On the evening above named Parsons met Wright on the street, but Mr. Wright was not inclined to enter into a fight or quar- rel. However, he was followed and threatened, and he was then compelled to shoot in self-defense. The affair took place in front of Jenner's restaurant. The ball entered Parsons' head under the right eye and came out immediately in front of the left ear. He was carried home, and Dr. Sigler was summoned and dressed the wound.
Wright surrendered himself to Marshal Bucy, who imme- diately took him in custody to await the result of Parsons' injury. He was admitted to bail in the sum of $1,000 and released from custody. The young man finally recovered.
W. A. Sprong, the attorney, was an eye-witness to the shooting and did much to quiet the parties and to prevent further bloodshed. Wright appeared for trial, and on a hear- ing was acquitted.
FIRE AT THE PLATE GLASS WORKS.
On the night of June 25, 1891, the large Plate Glass Works at Elwood caught fire and came near being destroyed. At one time the flames looked very threatening to the people of Elwood, and the means of combatting them being very lim- ited, the city authorities telegraphed to Logansport, Kokomo and Anderson for help. The Anderson department responded promptly. The switch engine was placed at their disposal, and two flat cars and two box cars were secured. The hose- wagon, horses, ladders and truck were soon loaded. About five hundred people collected at the depot to see them off, and one hundred and fifty, including the police, newspaper report- ers and others, boarded the train. The trip to Elwood was accomplished in a very short time. The fire was still burning
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when the Anderson department arrived, but it was practically under control. Logansport had sent her fire engine, and Ko- komo two hose carts, but none of the apparatus was needed. The damage to the plant was estimated to be about $60,000. The portions of the building destroyed were the casting hall and the furnace room, the former building being probably three hundred feet long. The plant was only partially insured. After the Anderson department had gallantly assisted in subduing the flames they were invited to a restaurant, where at midnight a banquet was served. Mr. George Hogle, for- merly of Anderson, acted as host. Mr. George Tate, one of the principal owners of the glass factory, became paymaster for the bill. The Elwood people were very grateful to their sister cities, who had nobly responded to their call for aid, and treated them in royal style. The destroyed portions of the glass factory were immediately rebuilt upon a larger and more substantial scale. The plant is now one of the largest in the United States, being one of Elwood's principal industries.
BURNING OF A STORE.
On the 1st of February, 1890, the town of Elwood was thrown into a state of excitement by a destructive fire, that culminated in the arrest of Abraham and Simon Sklute, two Hungarian Jews, in whose store the fire originated. A short time after the fire had been subdued, a mob gathered around the boarding house occupied by Miss Piper, where the Jews were stopping, and threatened to lynch them. The excite- ment was finally subdued by the counsel and advice of cooler heads. It was openly alleged by some in the crowd that the Sklutes had played the part of incendiaries for the purpose of burning their stock of goods and thereby reaping the benefit to be derived from collecting the insurance. The feeling be- came so strong against them that they were taken before 'Squire Ward L. Roach, and charged with arson. They stood a preliminary trial, the result of which was that their case was sent to the Circuit Court and their bond was fixed at $800 each. This they failed to give and were taken to Ander- son by Deputy Sheriff Moore and lodged in jail. The Jews claimed that they knew nothing of the fire until they were awakened by some one about 4 o'clock ; that they had left the store about half past 9 o'clock the evening before and had not been there afterwards. The only evidence given against them was by an old man, who testified that he saw two men who
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resembled the suspected parties go to the store about 1 o'clock in the morning, which allegation they declared to be false in every part, so far as they were concerned. Simon Sklute was the owner of the stock, and the other was in his employ. George M. Ballard was employed by the defendants to take. charge of their case in the Circuit Court, and on the 28th of February, before an impartial jury, they were acquitted of the accusation. This fire caused considerable excitement at Elwood at the time and, even although the defendants were acquit- ted, many citizens could not be led to believe that they were not guilty.
· A MYSTERIOUS MURDER.
One of the most foul and dastardly murders ever com- mitted in Madison county was done at Elwood on the 8th of July, 1894, in which William Foust was killed. The murder was, for some time afterwards, a complete mystery, baffling the skill of officers and detectives, who immediately set to work to ferret out the crime. Sheriff John Starr, of Madison county, and his deputy, Zachariah Dean, of Elwood, put in much of their time on the case, but a considerable period elapsed before any light was thrown on the subject that would tend toward the capture and conviction of the guilty party. Sheriff Starr took into his confidence Amos Coburn. the Chief of Police of Anderson, and Madison Moore, ex-Deputy Sheriff of Madison county, now a detective for the Pan Handle Rail- way system. On the 6th of February, 1895, Captain Coburn, Sheriff Starr, his son, James Starr, and Detective Moore went to Elwood and were successful to a certain extent in ferreting out the guilty ones and obtained evidence that pointed to the perpetrators of the deed.
On the morning of July 8th, 1894, some children discov- ered the body of a man lying near the Pan Handle railway tracks, a short distance from the Diamond Plate Glass Works in the northern part of the city of Elwood. The fact that the body had been found was immediately reported and a mes- senger sent to Coroner Armington, who repaired to Elwood to hold an inquest and investigate the matter. The remains were seen and identified as those of William Foust, a farmer living north of Elwood, who, at the time of the investigation held by the Coroner, was supposed to have been run over by a train and killed. During the examination of the body Dr. Armington discovered a small wound just below the left collar bone, and he at once decided that the man had been murdered 57
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and placed where the body was found, as it was cold and stiff when taken in charge. After an examination into all the facts that he could obtain, Dr. Armington returned a verdict set- ting forth that the deceased had come to his death from a pistol shot wound made by some person unknown to him.
The fact that the Coroner had placed the responsibility of Foust's death upon some unknown person caused no end of speculation concerning the tragic affair, and for weeks the murder was the principal topic of conversation in Elwood and vicinity. The mystery surrounding it had a fascination that could not be dispelled, especially in the mind of Mr. Dean, the Deputy Sheriff of the county, who resided in Elwood. He was impressed with the idea that the murder was com- mitted near the place where the body was found, and he began a process of reasoning which finally brought about the appre- hension of the criminals.
Living near the place where the body was found was a Mrs. Margaret Bolton, a widow, and her two sons, Clifford and Ephraim, aged nine and twelve years. Mrs. Bolton did not bear the best reputation and Dean was aware that she had sometimes persons of shady character about her premises, and also the fact that George Hires, William Cox and others had been seen in the vicinity of her home at different times under circumstances that left no doubt as to the knowledge on their part of her character. He put this fact along with that inde- scribable feeling that comes over a man when following a pur- pose, and he felt confident that Foust had been murdered in Mrs. Bolton's house. How to ascertain the actual facts now became the burden of his mind. Some time after the murder Mrs. Bolton and her two sons were admitted to the county infirmary, where she remained but a short time, and subse- quently left that institution and went to Kokomo, leaving her two sons at the poor farm.
Dean was aware of this fact and on a visit to the city of Anderson on business connected with his duties as Deputy Sheriff, requested James Starr, the son of the Sheriff, to drive him to the poor farm, stating that he wanted to procure if possible, by an interview with the Bolton boys, any evidence that they might possess in relation to the murder. Sheriff Starr willingly consented.
Dean and James Starr accordingly visited the infirmary and the boys revealed the story of the crime. Ephraim, the older of the boys, did the talking. He said that on the night
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of July 7, George Hires and William Cox came to their house and that later on Ephraim and George Crull came in. The men were drunk and indulged in loud talking. He said that he and his brother were not alarmed for the reason that men often came to the house at night. A little before dawn of the next morning he got up and went to the pump in the back yard to get a drink of water. As he passed the kitchen door he saw several men seated at the table playing cards and Will- iam Cox in another room with his mother. As he came back to the house he met his brother Clifford at the door, who also saw the men and became very angry and threw a stool at them. A little later William Foust came in the room, where the men were seated, and upset some whisky that was on the table, and Hires and Foust got into a quarrel. Hires jumped up and pointed a revolver at Foust, calling him foul names, and informed him that he was not wanted there, at the same time firing his pistol. Foust sank into his chair and almost immediately died ; their mother came in at this time and she and her two boys ran into another room, locking the door. After everything had become quiet they came out, but the men were gone, as well as the body of Foust.
This story of the boy was afterwards reiterated in sub- stance before the Grand Jury in an investigation of the case, and an indictment found and warrants were issued for the arrest of George Hires, William Cox, Ephraim Crull and George Crull, for murder.
The men all resided in Tipton county, and just how to successfully carry out the intention of the officers was a mat- ter of no little concern to the Sheriff. As before stated in this article, he called to his assistance Detective Mat Moore and Captain Coburn. They planned that Coburn should go to Kokomo, where Mrs. Bolton was then living, and place her under arrest, and as soon as she was placed in custody to pro- ceed to the homes of the other parties in the case and place them under arrest also.
Captain Coburn performed his part of the plan without delay, and in a very satisfactory manner. Immediately after Coburn's return with the Bolton woman in charge, it was sug- gested that the Sheriff, with a number of deputies and a detail of police, should go to Elwood on an engine used in the Pan Handle yards. Detective Moore made satisfactory arrange- ments with the Pan Handle Railroad Company, and at 6 o'clock a. m. the engine pulled out of the yards at Anderson
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for Elwood. On board were the Sheriff, John Starr, his dep- uties, James Starr and Warren Copper, Captain Amos Co- burn, Detective Mat Moore and Patrolmen Mark Robbins and Alonzo Pence, of the Anderson police force. The trip to El- wood was made in a few minutes. After arriving there the officers got off the engine, went to the home of ex-Sheriff Thomas Moore, and secured his services in the case. The posse then divided into three squads, each one of which went in search of its particular man. Hires was arrested at his home in Tipton county, about four miles northwest of El- wood. Ephraim Crull was arrested at a country literary enter- tainment, three miles west of Elwood. Cox, who worked at the chimney flue glass factory, was arrested just as he was returning from his daily work. George Crull beheld the offi- cers coming and succeeded in getting away, but not before he had been stopped by Captain Coburn and questioned as to his name and where he was going. He gave satisfactory answers and was permitted to go on. He had been gone but a short time when it was discovered that he was the party named in the warrant. But it was useless for the officers to try to overtake him, and they were therefore compelled to return to Anderson without him.
None of the men made any resistance, but each one declared not only his innocence of the crime, but his ability to establish that fact before a jury.
In a conversation with Mrs. Bolton by the officers she' made statements that established, beyond a doubt, the guilt of the arrested parties.
Great credit was due to Deputy Sheriff Dean for his skill in unraveling the mystery and bringing about the arrest of the criminals.
At the March term of the Madison Circuit Court, 1895, George Hires, the central figure in the case, was placed upon trial before the Hon. Alfred Ellison, Judge. The Judge, realizing the enormity of the crime, spared no pains in every way consistent with his position to bring the guilty party to justice. He therefore appointed W. H. Kittinger and Edward Reardon to assist Prosecutor D. W. Scanlan on behalf of the State. The defense was represented by Greenlee & Call, of Elwood, and George M. Ballard, of Anderson. The trial lasted for many days, and large crowds of witnesses from Elwood and the surrounding country were in attendance.
The prosecution was handled in an able manner by Pros-
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ecutor Scanlan and his associates, and nothing was left undone by the defense to prevent a conviction of their client. On the 6th of April the jury returned a verdict convicting Hires, and placed upon him a punishment of thirteen years in the peni- .tentiary at hard labor.
.On the 17th of April following the trial the community and the court officials were startled by the report that Mrs. Bolton had made a confession to Sheriff Starr in the Madison county jail that she was the guilty party, and that Hires was innocent of the crime, and that it was she who fired the fatal shot which caused the death of Foust. The news spread at once throughout the city and county and caused great excite- ment and endless comment. But little credence was given the story, as it was thought that Mrs. Bolton, realizing the enfeebled condition of her health, she being then a great sufferer, had concluded that she had but a short time to live, and that no conviction could be obtained against her before her death ; that she desired to obtain the release of Hires from prison, and of his ultimate acquittal, and therefore made this confession. The news was at once conveyed by Sheriff Starr to .Judge Ellison, who immediately went to the jail, where he had an interview with Mrs. Bolton, in which she reiterated her confession to Sheriff Starr. The Judge, however, gave but little credit to her words, and afterwards visited Mrs. Bolton at St. John's Hospital, where she had been taken for treat- ment, and in company with Dr. Callens, a professional hypno- tist, held an interview with her. The hypnotist immediately placed her under mesmeric influence, and she again reiterated her story as told to the Judge and the Sheriff on the previous occasions. The Judge did not attach much importance to her story, and no effort was made on the part of the prosecution to obtain a release from imprisonment of Hires.
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