USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana: A Detailed History of the. > Part 83
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BURNING OF WOODWARD'S MILL.
On Tuesday morning, the 16th day of August, 1886, the large flouring mill owned by Woodward Brothers, of Lapel, was discovered to be on fire, and before assistance of any kind could be rendered was entirely burned to the ground. The fire was discovered by Mrs. Margaret Woodward, wife of William Woodward, who alarmed her husband and he sprang to the window in time to see one of the incendiaries calmly standing by watching the result of his work.
Upon examination a one-gallon stone jug was found near the mill, which contained about a quart of coal oil that had been left after the remainder had been used to pour on the building betore applying the match. The loss on the mill and its contents was estimated to be $15,000, covered by $3,000 insurance. There were nearly five thousand bushels of wheat in store, one car load of bran and five hundred bushels of flour; in the cribs were about one thousand bushels of corn that belonged to the owners of the mill.
Soon after the fire the Woodwards commenced a system- atic effort to ferret out and convict the parties guilty of the crime. They employed a detective by the name of Thomas McMillan, of Indianapolis, who called to his assistance a man by the name of Lloyd, and also one by the name of P. A. Randall. After the detectives had examined the premises
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thoroughly they started on their trail. The first place they visited was Pendleton. Here they learned that John Cottrell, who was under suspicion, was stopping there in the house of a friend. Cottrell was found, placed under arrest, brought to Anderson and lodged in jail. Suspicion also pointed to Thomas Ford, son of James Ford, and to George Ford, his nephew. James Ford was a very prominent farmer in that neighborhood. A warrant was sworn out for the arrest of Thomas Ford and Detective Randall went to the residence of James Ford, on the Anderson and Fishersburg turnpike, and arrested Thomas Ford. In the meantime a warrant had also been sworn out for the arrest of George Ford and it was put in the hands of another officer, and his arrest was effected. Thomas ford was released on $1,000 bail the next day; his father, James Ford, went security for his appearance at the preliminary trial. George was released on the evening of the following day. James Ford and William Ford became his sureties to appear before 'Squire E. M. Jackson the next day in a preliminary examination.
Young Cottrell was taken before 'Squire Jackson Tues- day morning and a court of inquiry was held, which resulted in binding him over to the Madison Circuit Court.
At the preliminary trial of George and Thomas Ford much interest was manifested in the proceedings, there being a large number of witnesses present from all over the western section of the county. The defense offered no testimony, and there was no argument made in the case. 'Squire Jackson rendered a decision of guilty, and, in accordance with the tes- timony and with the law in such cases, bound them over to the Circuit Court at the October term in the sum of $2,500. Thomas Ford gave bail, while George, failing to give the necessary security, was returned to jail. A change of venue was taken to Hamilton county, and at the December term, 1886, of the Hamilton Circuit Court, these cases came up for trial and held the attention of the court for one week. They were hotly contested on both sides. Judge Winburn R. Pierse, Hon. Charles L. Henry and Hon. D. C. Chipman appeared for the defense, while Colonel M. S. Robinson and J. F. Neal, the Prosecuting Attorney, conducted the State's side of the case. After a hard legal fought battle it was given to the jury, and after a few hours deliberation they found a verdict of guilty against the prisoner, George Ford. His sen- tence was fixed at nine years in the State's prison, and he
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was fined $1,000. One incident of the trial was that young Cottrell swore that he had burned the mill himself, turning State's witness and testifying against the Fords. This testi- mony created considerable doubt in the minds of the people as to the guilt of the Fords, and many doubted their connec- tion in any way with the crime.
James Ford was an old and respected citizen of the coun- ty, and he spent almost his entire fortune in the defense of this case. He had the sympathy of a large portion of the com- munity. The Woodwards, who owned the mill, were also residents of the county. They are yet living at Lapel and are engaged in business there. Their uprightness and honesty has never been brought into question.
The only incentive that could probably be assigned as the cause of this incendiary fire was a rivalry in business. There were two mills in the village, one of which was owned by the Woodwards, and the other by James Ford. And as a result, the mills were both desirous of doing a large business and became active competitors. Nothing, however, occurred to arouse any suspicion, nor had there been any such feeling between the proprietors of the two mills. The Woodwards continued to do business and had the confidence and respect of their patrons, and had secured some customers from the other mill. This fact is said to have caused some ill-feeling on the part of Thomas Ford, but this did not come to light until after the burning of the mill.
At the March term, in the Hamilton Circuit Court, at Noblesville, Thomas Ford was convicted as an accessory to the crime and sentenced to four years in the State's prison, he having taken a change of venue from this county. Hon. David W. Wood was the Prosecuting Attorney who conducted the case for the State, and gained for himself quite a reputa- tion as a lawyer. He was ably assisted by Colonel M. S. Robinson.
Young Cottrell having been promised immunity in con- sideration of " turning State's evidence," was not tried or con- victed for his connection with the crime.
Cottrell testified that at a meeting between him and the Fords, a conspiracy was formed whereby he was to fire the mill; that he was merely a tool of the Fords.
P. A. Randall, who acted as a detective and did some very fine work in this case, is yet a resident of Lapel, and was formerly a grain merchant of Anderson. He has almost
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a national reputation from the fact that he publicly denied the statement made by General Abel D. Straight that he (Straight) was the moving spirit in the escape of the prisoners from Libby prison during the war. He wrote many newspaper articles on this question that were copied and commented on from Maine to Mexico.
THE KILLING OF YOUNG HERSHBERGER.
A most distressing accident occurred on the Bee Line Railway about four miles south of Anderson, at the crossing of the railroad and the Pendleton and Anderson State pike, whereby a boy by the name of Hershberger, son of J. W. Hershberger, of Stony Creek township, was instantly killed, on the 1st of October, 1887, particulars of which are about as lows : The young man was, in company with his father, employed in hauling heading to a factory in Anderson, and they were on their way home when the accident occurred. The father was driving the foremost team and was somewhat in advance of his son, and had succeeded in passing the cross- ing in safety, but the son, however, owing to the growing dark- ness and the woodland that fringed the track at that point, was not aware of his peril until the team was on the track and the engine was within a few feet of him. Before he could think, the team was struck by the pilot of the locomotive and scat- tered on either side of the track. One of the horses was instantly killed. The wagon was shattered into fragments, and the other horse was stripped of his harness, though unhurt. The train was stopped as soon as possible, and the passengers got off to render such assistance as they could. A search for the body of the driver was instituted along the track, but no sight of it could be had for some time. At last one of the passengers found the boy lying upon the pilot of the engine, dead. The position in which the body was found was an easy and natural one. But for a small pool of blood on the iron, he might have been thought to have been asleep. The lad was evidently struck on the head, thrown onto the pilot, and met instant death. His remains were brought to Anderson on the fatal train and sent to Pendleton on the next train. This was a great blow to the father, who suffered great dis- tress, but bore up under it like a philosopher.
Mr. J. W. Hershberger is yet living in Madison county, and is now one of the most prosperous and highly respected men in Stony Creek township.
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SHOOTING A BURGLAR.
Mr. C. C. Bodenhorn has been for many years operating a country store at the village of Fishersburg, and in a quiet way has gained for himself a snug competency, and has become one of the leading merchants in that locality.
On the 11th day of May, 1885, a bloody tragedy took place in his store that will be remembered by the participants therein, as well as by the people in the immediate vicinity.
In the month of September prior to this occurrence, Mr. Bodenhorn's store was broken into, the safe blown open and rifled, several hundred dollars in money and notes taken, and a considerable amount of clothing was stolen from the stock. After that time, Mr. Bodenhorn employed a night watchman, a young man by the name of William Stanford, who, in com- pany with the clerk, James A. McCarty, slept in the store.
On the night above referred to, a party of three men made a descent upon the store. They effected an entrance by taking out the west front window of the building, removing both sash and glass. The store consisted of two apartments connected by a wide doorway. The west room was filled mostly with clothing, boots and shoes, the east room with dry goods and groceries. Stanford and McCarty slept on a cot in the east room, and were both armed, one with a shot gun and the other with two revolvers. The burglars after effecting an entrance bad stacked up nearly two hundred dollars worth of clothing, and carried it to the front part of the store, and piled it up. ready to take away. There was but one man at work on the: inside of the store, the other two stood guard on the out- side. After the clothing had been carried into the room, the burglars started into the east room, and stopping at the doorway they struck a match, by the light of which they distinguished Stanford and McCarty, who were aroused by his light. The burglars immediately opened fire upon them. One ball passed through the sleeve of Stanford's coat, and burned his arm, another buried itself in the walls of the building. McCarty immediately responded with two shots, but neither of them took effect. About this time Stanford, who had secured his shot gun, took deliberate aim and fired. with the result that about seventy-five number three shot took effect in the burglar's head and face. After receiving the injury he walked to the center of the store room and fell. He soon recovered his footing, and then in a dazed condition walked to 61
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the rear of the store, climbing over on the inside of a counter that stood there, and then walked back the full length of the room to the front of the store, where he was dragged through the door by his confederates. They helped him across the street north to an alley, about two hundred feet from the store, where he was deserted and probably left for dead. He lay in this condition until near daybreak, when he was discovered by some passers-by. The condition of the ground indicated that there had been a fierce struggle during the night. The wounded burglar was carried into Searle's drug store near by, and Dr. George N. Hilligoss, who was then a resident physi- cian of the village, dressed his wounds.
Sheriff Thomas Moore and Marshal Coburn were notified
- of the affair by telephone, and immediately left for Fishers- burg.
The burglar was placed in care of the officers and taken to Anderson, where he was placed in the hospital cell of the county jail. Dr. Charles Diven, county physician, was called to make an examination, and found that his forehead had been filled with shot, some of which had penetrated to the top of the skull. The sight of both of his eyes was permanently destroyed. It was thought that the wounded man could not possibly recover ; his left arm was paralyzed, and hung limp at his side. No clue could be obtained for a time as to his name, or whence he came. The only thing found upon his person in the shape of writing was a song that had been writ- ten upon a piece of foolscap paper in lead pencil, on the back. of which was the name of Walter Ellston. . He, however, sub- sequently revealed his real name, and gave it as John Kath- man, and requested that his mother, who resided in Cincin- nati, be notified of his condition.
On the Sunday following the occurrence, Mrs. Kathman, the mother of the wounded man, came to Anderson to visit her son, in obedience to the summons of the Sheriff of Madison county, who had notified her of the happening. The meeting between the mother and her wounded boy was affecting in the extreme. After Mrs. Kathman had recovered her strength sufficiently she related her story. She attributed her son's recklessness largely to the fact that her husband, an ill-natured and vicious man, would not allow him to remain at home with. any satisfaction, and thus compelled him to abandon the paternal roof. She seemed to know but little of her son's.
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whereabouts or his doings after he had left home about two years before this occurrence.
In another interview young Kathman related to his mother in the presence of . the officers a brief history of his wander- ings and some of the thrilling incidents in connection there- with, in which he stated that after he had left his home in Cincinnati he started out to peddle trinkets with a partner by the name of Shive, near the city. They made considerable money, frequently as much as five dollars a day. One day when they were at a place called " Devil's Gulch," a woods about three miles from Cincinnati, they had a dispute over the division of some money, when he (Kathman) drew a revolver and shot his companion twice in the head, killing him instantly. He said he left his body where it fell, and three days afterwards it was found. No one had seen the murder committed, and no one had suspected him. After this he went to Louisville, Ky., and engaged to work on a farm. He subsequently stole $300 from his employer. He was shortly after that placed under arrest on suspicion, and was placed in the House of Refuge.
An affidavit was filed before the Mayor of Anderson, charging Kathman with burglary, but was withdrawn, with the consent of the Prosecuting Attorney, D. W. Wood, based upon a certificate of Drs. C. E. Diven and B. F. Spann, who stated it as their opinion that the prisoner could not recover from the effects of his wounds. Upon this Sheriff Moore gave his consent to have the young man removed to his home, for which they started on the following Monday night.
Rev. Father Weichman visited the wounded man and his mother at the county jail, and gave them such consolation as was in his power.
It has been reported with some authority that after being taken to his home he recovered sufficiently to be able to travel about, and that he is yet living, for the accuracy of which statement the writers do not vouch.
C. C. Bodenhorn is yet a merchant in Fishersburg. The whereabouts of the two young men who were in the store at the time of this event is unknown.
A GAS EXPLOSION.
On the 3d of January, 1895, an explosion of natural gas took place in the extensive tile works of D. B. Davis, situated in, Stony Creek township, whereby the kilns were destroyed
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
and Davis narrowly escaped losing his life. It seems that the fire had been turned out in the kilns and that the gas was escaping through some broken joint or valve unknown to Mr. Davis, who was in the factory at work. Being used to the odor of the fluid, which escaped about the place, he went about his work not noticing the danger he was in. After a sufficient amount of gas had accumulated in the furnace it came in contact with a lighted burner and in an instant the whole structure was blown to pieces. Mr. Davis was hurled a considerable distance through the flying debris and was badly burned about the head and face, but fortunately received no fatal injuries.
The explosion was heard for quite a distance in the neigh- borhood, and large crowds of people from the surrounding country hastened to the scene expecting to find Mr. Davis killed. This unfortunate affair worked quite a hardship on Davis financially. But, like the brave man that he is, he immediately went to work, rebuilt his kilns, and is still at this writing doing a large and lucrative business, being one of the most successful tile makers in this section of the country.
NATURAL GAS ACCIDENT.
On Saturday, July 6, 1890, while an engineer by the name of Whetzel was running a traction engine over an exposed gas pipe, that supplied the heading factory at Fishers- burg, the pipe snapped in two and the escaping gas ignited from the flames in the furnace of the engine and enveloped it as well as the engineer, Whetzel, and Eddie Bodenhorn, a fourteen-year-old son of Christian Bodenhorn, a merchant at Fishersburg. Young Bodenhorn was riding on the platform of the engine at the time, and escaped with a few severe, but not dangerous burns. Whetzel was burned in a most shock- ing manner, and it was thought for a while that he could not possibly recover. Several others who assisted in the rescue of the unfortunates from their perilous position were more or less burned.
BOY SHOT AT LAPEL.
Two boys, sons of James and William Woodward, about thirteen years of age, were playing together near the residence of their parents on the 5th day of February, 1890, when the son of James Woodward picked up a revolver that was laying on the table, and playfully pointed it at his little cousin, who was sitting in a chair. As he extended the revolver it was
-
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accidentally discharged, shooting the boy and inflicting a dan- gerous wound. Both families were very much distressed over the unhappy occurrence, and much excitement was caused in the neighborhood.
SUICIDE OF JOHN M. ANDERSON.
John M. Anderson, a farmer of Stony Creek township, committed suicide on the 81st day of April, 1894, by hanging himself to a beam in his barn by the means of a plow line tied about his neck. Soon after his death his wife discovered his body and gave the alarm. The neighbors immediately gath- ered in; Samuel Huntsinger and Cole Garrett were the first to respond, and cut his body down. There was no seeming cause for the act, as Mr. Anderson's home relations were said be pleasant, and he was fairly well to do in the world; he was looked upon as being a kind and generous man, a good neigh- bor, and an upright citizen, being well liked by those with whom he associated.
WILLIAM HUNTZINGER ROBBED.
William Huntzinger, an unpretentious farmer, who for many years lived in Stony Creek township, about eight miles south-west of Anderson, was the victim of a daring robbery on the 27th of March, 1889. About eight o'clock at night his residence was entered, the door being opened by two men who had large clubs in their hands. As it happened, no one was at home except Mr. Huntzinger and his wife. One of the men stood guard with a bludgeon held over Mr. Huntzinger's head, while the other made a rapid search of the house. They suc- ceeded in finding $100 in money and a silver watch, with which they departed. No clew was ever obtained as to their identity. Mr. Huntzinger was quite an old man and infirm, and the nervous shock resulting from this affair came near causing his death. He did not recover his sensibilities until some time after the robbers had departed with their booty, and he was too feeble to go after them and have them arrested.
SHOOTING OF JOHN J. JOHNSON BY COLEMAN HAWKINS.
Coleman Hawkins was for many years a resident of Stony Creek township, in the vicinity of Johnson's Crossing, on the Midland Railway. He was one of the wealthiest and most highly respected citizens in that neighborhood. Near by his residence was a neighbor by the name of John J. Johnson,
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with whom the best of relations had always existed. This lasted up to the year 1888, when a very bitter feeling was aroused between them over the construction of a large ditch running through the neighborhood.
Mr. Johnson was postmaster of the village, and on the evening of the 5th of December, 1883, took a mail pouch to the station to place on the train. He met Mr. Hawkins on the platform at the depot. When the train had left, Hawkins, arising and stepping alongside of Mr. Johnson, asked him " what he had to say about the ditch matter, if there was not some way by which its construction could be stopped and a compromise effected." Johnson answered that he had told Mr. Hawkins on a former occasion what he was willing to do and that that was the end of it. At this remark Hawkins drew a revolver and Johnson told him to put it up, that he did not want any trouble with him. Johnson then walked away, when Hawkins fired upon him, the shot taking effect in the back just left of the spinal column and below the shoulder blade. Johnson ran into the stationhouse and closed the door after him. As he shut the door another pistol shot was fired, the ball just passing the door. Hawkins then rushed to the window, about six feet from the door, broke out a pane of glass, and fired four or five additional shots, two of which took effect in Mr. Johnson's body, one on the left side of the face and the other in the forearm. One shot passed through the stove pipe in the room and another through the ceiling. Johnson now opened the door and ran out past Hawkins into a field that led to his residence. Hawkins, having emptied the chambers of the revolver, drew a second one and resumed pursuit of his victim. He fired four additional shots, one of which lodged in Johnson's right shoulder. Four bullet holes were found in his coat in different places where his body had escaped injury. Johnson ran until his strength was fast fail- ing, when he turned upon his pursuer and clinched him, forc- ing him to the earth. At this moment Miss Rosa Johnson, a daughter, having heard the firing at the station, ran in that direction and came up to the two men as they locked arms in a hard struggle. She took hold of the pistol and wrenched it from the hands of Hawkins. John Hawkins, a resident of the neighborhood, was also attracted to the scene and separated the men. Upon getting up Hawkins remarked that if John- son would let him go he would let go of him.
Hawkins then returned to the railroad track and walked
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west a few rods and entered a field, which he traversed in a southerly direction, towards a barn on his farm. His wife also had heard the shooting, and, fearing something was wrong with her husband, as she had seen him going in that direction but a few moments before, started out to look for him. She saw him going towards the barn from across the field and started thither, in company with her son Rufus. Before they reached the barn the husband and father had entered a shed, hiding himself from their view. Just about this time the sharp report of a pistol was heard. Hastening to the spot they found Hawkins sitting upright against the side of the shed, with a splash of blood on his left cheek, just below the eye; in his hands he grasped the revolver with which he had committed the awful deed. He was unconscious when his wife and son arrived, and died within a few minutes.
Mr. John J. Johnson, his intended victim, lived for many years after this occurrence, having to all outward appear- ances fully recovered from the effects of the shooting, although he carried in his person four 32-calibre leaden balls up to the day of his death, which occurred at his home near the scene of the tragedy only a few years since.
As stated above, the cause of this act was due to what often happens in such cases where a bitter feeling arises over the construction of a ditch. Johnson's farm lay above that of Hawkins', and the natural drainage of the former was upon the latter. For three or four years Johnson had tried to pre- vail upon his neighbor to give him an outlet, so that he might drain his land. For some reason Hawkins steadily refused to . grant the request, notwithstanding Johnson had been com. pelled to pay an assessment for the construction of the ditch through the property of Hawkins, and which could be of no value to him at all unless he was allowed to drain into it. Johnson, after all his persuasive powers had failed, had resorted to the courts to force an outlet through the land of Hawkins, which so wounded the latter's feelings that he com- mitted this awful deed. The prominence of the parties and their good reputation in the community placed them above the suspicion of anything of this kind. It caused great excite- ment in the neighborhood and grief among the friends of both families.
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