USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical sketches and reminiscences of Madison county, Indiana : a detailed history of the early events of the pioneer settlement of the county, and many of the happenings of recent years, as well as a complete history of each township, to which is added numerous incidents of a pleasant nature, in the way of reminiscences, and laughable occurrences > Part 16
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AN OLD BURGLARY.
On the 1st of June, 1852, the house of Andrew Bray, Esq., of Adams township, was entered by thieves, ransacked
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and plundered of its contents. Considerable valuable prop- erty and money were obtained.
Mr. Bray was one of the well-to-do farmers of that lo- cality and always had more or less cash about the house, there being no banks in Madison county in which to deposit it.
No one was ever apprehended for the crime, although suspicion pointed strongly to two well-known characters, but no evidence of a positive kind could be adduced against them.
An occurrence of this kind at that time caused much excitement in the neighborhood, and was for a long while a cause for gossip.
Mr. Bray enjoyed the distinction of being the richest man in Adams township, and he knew it as well as his neigh- bors. It is said when any one in the locality would sell a farm, Andrew would swell up and walk up and down his posses- sions, and interrogate himself, "why don't some one buy Andrew Bray?" " No one able."
He was the first to build a brick residence in the south part of the county. At that time it was considered simply palatial.
KILLED BY LIGHTNING.
John Markle, a young farmer living one mile north of Markleville, while cutting logs in the woods, near White Chapel, about one and a-half miles from his home, was over- taken by a storm on the 7th of August, 1890, and he and one of his horses were instantly killed by lightning. Mr. Markle and a boy had gone into the woods with the intention of load- ing logs and hauling them home, from which place he intended to remove them to the saw-mill the next morning. The boy was terribly shaken up, but suffered no serious injury, and after returning to his senses spread the news in the neighbor- hood of Markle's sad fate. The dead man was taken home to his young wife, to whom he had been married but a short time, and whom he had left shortly before in the best of spirits. It was a terrible blow to her, and she was completely overcome by her grief. Young Markle was only about twenty-two years of age. He was sober and industrious, and was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him.
SUICIDE OF MRS. MAGGIE SHOVER.
On the 26th of November, 1882, the citizens of Adams township were thrown into a state of excitement and con- sternation by the rumor that Mrs. Maggie Shover, wife of
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Henry Shover, had committed suicide. Mr. Shover was a wealthy and highly respected farmer of that township. Upon investigation, it was learned that Mrs. Shover had gone into the cellar, and finding a rope, had thrown it over a joist, and by this means had strangled herself to death.
She had been married in July previous to Mr. Shover, who was then a widower and the father of three children.
It is said that domestic trouble was the cause of her un- timely end, as she and her husband did not live together hap- pily. A Coroner's inquest was promptly held and a verdict returned in accordance with the above facts.
Henry Shover, her husband, is yet a resident of Madison county, and a brother of James Shover, who is well known in Anderson.
DROWNING OF WILLIAM RECTOR.
William Rector was an epileptic who for many years lived in Adams township, and who on the 9th day of July, 1889, was drowned in Fall creek while in the act of bathing. in company with his brother-in-law. He had been in the water for some time and after coming out for the purpose of chang- ing his clothing he went in again. He made a jump and im- mediately sank to the bottom. He evidently strangled or had been seized with an epileptic fit. His brother-in-law became frightened to such an extent that but little attempt was made to rescue the drowning man. Rector's body was not recov- ered until a day or two later, when an inquest was held by the Coroner of Madison county, who returned a verdict of acci- dental death by drowning. His remains were interred in the neighborhood of his home on the following Wednesday.
SUICIDE OF OREN VAN WINKLE.
Oren Van Winkle, a young man of AAdams township, committed suicide on Sunday, the 27th day of April. 1885, by shooting himself. He was a farm hand employed by Isaac Jones, of that neighborhood. For a year or more he had been paying attention to a most estimable young lady of his imme- diate vicinity, who received his attentions as a friend, but not as a lover. It seems that young Van Winkle was very much devoted to her and became deeply enamored of her. A few days before this occurrence, in a conversation with the young lady, he made known his love, and, it is supposed, asked her hand in marriage, to which she had not given her assent. Her refusal had such as effect upon him as to canse him to become
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temporarily deranged. Several days prior to his death he wrote a letter to his sweetheart, in which he told her how dearly he loved her and if she would not marry him he did not care to live any longer. The weapon used was a small 22-calibre pistol. Shortly before committing the deed he laid down upon a lounge and then placing the muzzle of the pistol against his head pulled the trigger. The ball penetrated his brain and death was instantaneous. He was a very quiet young man and was only eighteen years of age. His mother, two sisters and a brother lived near Elwood. He was a consin of John Quincy Van Winkle, who is the present Superintend- ent of the Big Four Railway system. His funeral took place from the residence of Charles Van Winkle, near Mechanics- burg, on the following Tuesday.
A PECULIAR INQUEST.
William Creason was for many years a resident of Adams township and was considered a very peculiar and inoffen- sive man, of a harmless disposition. Ile knew enough to go about his business, was industrious, temperate and observ- ant of his obligations. He was about forty years of age and had been married, but his wife had secured a divorce from him.
In the month of August, 1881, he mysteriously disap- peared from the neighborhood and his whereabouts were un- known to his relatives, who manifested a great deal of anxiety, but could find no clue of him. On Sunday, the 21st of August, a man of the name of Socrates Campbell was riding through the edge of a swamp about two miles southwest of Markleville when he was startled by coming suddenly upon what appeared to be a human skeleton partly hidden from view by the thick growth of bushes. A hasty inspection enabled him to identify the clothing as belonging to William Creason. Mr. Campbell rapidly rode to a neighbor and in- formed him of the discovery. Coroner Michael Ryan was notified. The remains were permitted to lie in the position in which they were found until his arrival late at night, when an inquest was held. The verdict of the Coroner was that the deceased came to his death by a pistol shot fired by his own hand with suicidal intent.
The cause assigned for this act by Mr. Creason's friends was that his wife, after having been divorced from him for some time, had given evidence of wanting to return to live with him, but a few days prior to his disappearance, at a meet-
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ing between the two, the wife had changed her mind and refused to again become his wife. Over this announcement he brooded so much that his mind became deranged, and he took this means of putting himself out of the way.
In holding the inquest Coroner Ryan, while making an examination of the head, and for the purpose of ascertaining. the location of the ball, chopped the skull open with an ax. This action on the part of the Coroner subjected him to a good deal of unfavorable comment for a long time afterward.
A SAD CASE OF SUICIDE.
On the 18th of June, 1872, Decatur McCallister, a son of John McCallister, a prominent citizen of Adams township, committed suicide by shooting himself. He was one of the leading young men of that neighborhood, well educated, and refined. He had a pleasant home and his relations with his brothers, sisters and parents were most happy. No cause could be assigned for the rash deed other than that he had been suf- fering from some trifling ailment, although nothing serious was thought of it by his friends. He had been to Anderson on the day of his death and returned home in the evening,. when he started in company with his father to the barn to feed a lot of hogs that they were fattening. He complained of not feeling well and stopped before reaching the barn saying that he believed he would return to the house. On reaching the- house he sat down on the veranda, drew a pistol from his pocket, said to his sister, who was standing near by, "Good bye, Mary," and putting the pistol to his forehead, fired. The bullet entered his head, he fell over and expired within a few minutes. He was about 21 years of age and was of remarka- bly good habits, and paid close attention to business. It was difficult to account for his strange conduct.
His father and mother were deeply affected, and it is said that John McCallister. the father of this young man, never really recovered from the shock, and was never the same genial, lively companion with friends and neighbors that he was before the sad occurrence. The father was a prominent Democrat, and at one time held the office of County Commissioner, and was on several occasions a candidate for the Sheriff's office of Madison county.
FOUND DEAD.
On the 5th of June, 1874, Henry Rector, an old and re- spected farmer of Adams township, was found dead in a fence
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corner in his field where he had been plowing. Mr. Rector was a bachelor, and had resided on his farm for many years. He was an upright, straightforward man, and had but one fault - that of too free indulgence in alcohol, to the use of which his death was attributed. It was a very warm day, and having been exposed to the burning rays of the sun, this. with the alcoholic poison which he had imbibed, was believed to be the cause of his sudden demise.
He was alone in the field at the time, with no one to wit- ness his last moments. Some neighbor passing along found his remains. Word was sent to Anderson, and it was not long before the Coroner was upon the ground and held an in- quest. A verdict of death from over-heat and from the excess- ive use of stimulants was returned.
Mr. Rector will be remembered by the older residents of the neighborhood in which he died, as being one of their most thrifty and useful citizens. He always kept his farm very neat and clean.
Hle was a familiar figure on the streets of Anderson, as hardly a Saturday passed on which he was not in the city. He was a very free-hearted, jolly, good-natured fellow, and was fond of mingling with people, which was largely the cause of his drinking habits. If he chanced to be inf a place where liquor was obtainable he never waited to be asked to drink, but invariably called up the " house." He was well- liked by people who congregate in such places. and his arrival was always anxiously looked for.
AN ACCIDENTAL KILLING.
Frank Main, a young man in Adams township, met with a fatal accident on Monday, the 9th of December, 1889, while out hunting with Joseph MeCleary. They had started up a rabbit which took refuge behind a log. Main ran to the log and standing the butt end of the gun at the end of it, stooped over to look after the rabbit, and in doing so accidentally dis- charged the weapon which was heavily loaded. The entire charge struck him in the side just above the right hip, passing upward and lodging in the region of the heart from the effects of which he died about 5 o'clock on the same evening. The deceased was an excellent young man and his death cast a gloom over the home of his childhood, he being well beloved by all the neighbors in the community. Ile had been at one time a resident of Anderson, having purchased a lot in Hazel-
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wood, and it is said that he was engaged to an estimable young lady of Ovid to whom he would soon have been mar- ried had his life been spared. The parents of the young man now reside in Anderson.
ROBBERY AT MARKLEVILLE.
Mr. S. F. Hardy, of Markleville, is one of the oldest mer- chants in Madison county, having kept a store at that place and been postmaster of the village for many years at different periods. On Monday night, the 8th of December, 1884, burg- lars effected an entrance to his store and took away with them goods and merchandise to the value of $300. Mr. Hardy was at that time postinaster and kept the office in his store, but the thieves did not disturb the mail or take any of the stamps. There was never any clue obtained as to the guilty parties although Mr. Hardy offered a liberal reward for their arrest and conviction. Markleville was at that time without any railroad or telegraph office and therefore the escape of the criminals was a very easy matter. Suspicion rested on certain parties known to Mr. Hardy, but no arrests were made for want of positive evidence.
KILLED BY DYNAMITE.
Many years ago there was a dam built across Fall Creek on what is now the farm of John Forney, for the purpose of damming the water sufficiently to run a little mill that at one time stood on the stream. Roman Gilmore came into posses- sion of the land adjoining on which the dam was located, and spent considerable money in trying to prevent the water from flooding the portion of his land adjoining the stream. It was a source of much aggravation to him, and he finally made up his mind to get rid of it. On the 21st of July, 1890, he accomplished his desire to a certain extent by blowing up the dam with dynamite. A camp of railroad builders was located near the Gilmore farm. At the camp a large quantity of dyna- mite was stored for the purpose of blasting. Gilmore had talked considerably to the railroad laborers and spoken to them in regard to his trouble. Some of the parties suggested to him that the way to rid himself of the nuisance would be to blow it up with dynamite. Following the suggestion Mr. Gilmore, with his two sons, Hugh and Michael, procured a quantity of the explosive from some source, and about half past 10 o'clock in the night repaired to the place and placed a
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couple of charges under the dam. One of the cartridges was placed in a piece of gas pipe and the other, containing about seven pounds, was put at another point. Both charges were fired, but only the one in the gas pipe exploded. Hugh Gil- more was standing about eight feet from the charge, and when it was fired failed to hear the warning given. When the explosion took place a piece of the burst gas pipe was driven with fearful force through his body, terribly lacerating it. The terror stricken father and his other son, as soon as they had sufficiently recovered from the effects of the explosion, were horrified upon returning to the scene to see Ilugh writh- ing in mortal agony upon the ground. The wounded boy was taken home and Dr. Lundy Fussell, of Markleville, was sum- moned. The young man lived but a few hours after he reached his home, as no medical aid could be of any benefit to him. The father of the boy, as well as all the neighbors, was very much affected by the affair. The Gilmores were a prominent family in the community, and they had the sympathy of all who knew them. Forney, the owner of the dam, felt greatly outraged over the matter, and for a time threatened Gilmore with prosecution, but on account of the fatal result in Gil- more's family his heart was softened and no proceedings were ever begun against him. This affair caused a profound sen- sation throughout the county at the time. Roman Gilmore is still a resident of Adams township near the spot where the explosion took place.
THE BROWN-CUMMINS MURDER.
In the annals of crime Adams township, though a peace- ful and law-abiding community, has furnished many bloody affairs that are within this volume, handed down as a matter of history, without comment or conclusion.
Among the most horrible of these affairs was the murder of young Cummins by Luther Brown, which is yet fresh in the minds of many people in the county who lived here prior to the age of natural gas. It darkened the homes of two neighboring families, and caused the death of a well-respected young man and ruined the life of another. The facts gleaned from papers printed at that time and memoranda made are as follows :
In the spring of 1885 a dance was given at the residence of Isaac Ayleshire.
Eli B. Cummins and Luther Brown were rivals for the
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affections of Cynthia Ayleshire, the daughter of Mr. Isaac Ayleshire, at whose house the dance was given. Both young men were about the same age-twenty-one, perhaps.
Cummins was of a stalwart build, while Brown was slen- der and small. The former had rather supplanted Brown in the affections of Miss Ayleshire, and, stung by jealousy, the latter conceived the bitterest hate for Cummins.
Young Brown belonged to the neighborhood orchestra that had been invited to play for the dance, and went with- out any other invitation. Upon his arrival at the house he and Cummins became involved in a quarrel, which ended in a fight, and Brown was worsted. Smarting under the humil- iation of the affair, and maddened by jealousy, he remained outside the house until the dance was over, and skulking in the shadow of the barn, armed with a rock, he waited for Cummins to pass by. His opportunity came. Cummins, un- conscious of the fact that Brown, with murder in his heart. born of jealousy, lay in ambush, passed by the barn, when the latter, with the ferocity of a tiger, rushed out and struck Cum- mins on the head with a stone, fracturing the skull.
In spite of this, Cummins grappled with his antagonist, and the two rolled to the ground. During the struggle, Brown, who was underneath. stabbed Cummins in the heart with a pocket knife, and death immediately ensued.
The case aroused the utmost interest, and the neighbor- hood at once took sides. The trial came off at the October term of court, 1885. It was one of the most memorable in the history of criminal cases in this county. The prosecution was conducted by D. W. Wood, and Robinson & Lovett were for the defense. The latter made a strong plea of self-defense, and, while it failed to win the jury, it stemmed the tide of popular opinion against the actused. A sentence for life was returned against young Brown. The case was taken to the Supreme Court, but the finding of the lower court was sus- tained.
After nearly six years of imprisonment in the Northern penitentiary at Michigan City, Brown obtained his liberty through the tireless efforts of friends and the interposition of the executive power, being paroled on the 4th of May, 1891.
The verdict of the jury which sentenced him to imprison- ment for life stood six long years, only to be annulled by the stroke of a pen in the hands of the Governor.
His friends had never given up hope of obtaining his par-
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don, and from the day the Supreme Court affirmed the de- cision of the lower court they had been tireless in their efforts to secure the exercise of executive clemency.
Petition after petition had been filed with Governor Gray and Governor Hovey. Hon. John W. Lovett, who was Luther Brown's attorney, together with Judge M. S. Robin- son, directed all the efforts looking to young Brown's release.
In getting up the petition to the Governor, eight of the jurors who returned the verdict sentencing him to imprison- ment for life signed the petition for his pardon. Judge Moss, of Noblesville, who occupied the bench during this trial, re- fused to sign it.
One of the main things that induced the Governor to ex- tend clemency to the prisoner was the fact that the prison officials gave the warmest recommendations touching his con- duct while in the penitentiary.
After being released and returning to Anderson he was utterly dumbfounded. Anderson had struck gas in the in- terim and it was altogether as much changed in its appear- ance as he had been in his personal appearance by his confine- ment. It was not the same town ; all landmarks had vanished and gone. And never was man more completely bewildered in the midst of scenes that were once familiar to him than he. Even the points of the compass had passed from his memory and he could not tell north from south.
The changes, however, in the objects around him were not any greater than the transformation in himself. He had aged in the fleeting six years of his confinement wonderfully.
The trial of this case lasted for several days and was at- tended by the entire community where the killing occurred, as well as by many of the citizens of Anderson.
The effort of Colonel M. S. Robinson, made in behalf of young Brown, was undoubtedly the effort of his life. His masterly argument still rings in the ears of all those who heard it, although his tongue is now still in death.
Hon. David W. Wood, the young and eloquent prosecu- tor, excelled all his former efforts in the prosecution of the case for the State. His effort was worthy of one older in years and the practice of law.
After serving nearly five years in the State prison young Brown was paroled by Governor Hovey and is yet living at this writing, and is said to be a peaceable and law-abiding citizen.
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SHOOTING OF THORNTON RECTOR.
John Adams was a quiet, inoffensive farmer who for many years lived in Anderson township, about three and a half miles southeast of Anderson. He was occasionally in the habit on coming to the city of getting more to drink than was good for him.
On the 19th of December, 1872, Adams with a number of friends was returning from the city, when a difficulty arose between the son of Mr. Adams and Thornton Rector. After several blows had been exchanged between the parties, Rector got up against a fence and took out a knife and warned his antagonists to stand back, telling them that if they interfered with him any further they would be hurt. John Adams, the father of the young man engaged in the fight with Rector, stepped up, and drew a revolver and pointing it at Rector, fired, the bullet taking effect in his lip, passing through his mouth and knocking out several of his teeth. After the shot was fired, Rector came back to Anderson and had his wounds dressed, and Mr. Adams went on his way home. The weapon used was a small Smith & Wesson seven-shooter, which ac- counts for the fact that so little damage was done to the re- cipient of the shot. No arrest was made for several days until the convening of the grand jury when Adams was indieted and placed under arrest by the Sheriff of the county for assault and battery with intent to kill. He immediately gave bail and was released to appear at the next term of court for trial.
At the convening of the court, Adams attended from day to day during the proceedings; the evidence had all been ad- duced, the arguments of the counsel were made, charge deliv- ered to the jury by the Hon. Hervey Craven, Judge of the court, and the jury had retired for deliberation. The jury were out but a short time when they returned to the court room with their verdict to be read in open court. The verdict was about to be handed to the judge for publication when it was noticed by one of the attorneys for the defense that Adams,. the prisoner, was absent. The sheriff called him in the Court House yard and made a diligent search in the immediate neigh- borhood, but no traces of him could be found. After the re- tirement of the jury Adams had become alarmed and had quietly got away from the scene. The question was immediately raised by the defense that it would be improper and contrary to law to publish the verdict of the jury in the absence of the
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accused and therefore moved to suppress the same. After some arguments pro. and con., the Judge sustained the motion and the jury was discharged. This was a complication that had never risen in the courts of the county and gave rise to a legal battle on the points involved. The cause was taken to the supreme court for determination of the questions raised by the defense. In the meantime A. J. Ross, sheriff of the county, had re-arrested Adams and placed him in custody again. Judge Craven admitted him to bail by his giving a bond for his appearance. At the succeeding term of the court Adams was again placed upon trial and was finally acquitted.
DEATH OF HARRY IRISII.
Harry Irish was born and reared in Pendleton and was a well respected and fine young business man who embarked in the drug business at Wilkinson, in Hancock county. At this place, it is sad to relate, he died on Sunday, the 27th day of February, 1887. He was alone at the time when he took the fatal drug, consisting of twenty drops of belladonna. During the temporary absence of his wife, about noon time, he went into the drug store, which occupied a part of the same build -. ing as his residence, and procured a phial containing a drachm of belladonna, swallowed about one-third of its contents, first taking the precaution to return to his bed, he having been sick
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