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 26
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About two miles north of the scene of this disaster an- other house was blown down, in which James Cusack. Clark- son Snyder and a small boy were badly hurt.
Mr. Wise immediately rebuilt his house and moved into it, where he dwelt until his death, which took place a few years thereafter.
It seems that fate has been against this place, as, on the 14th of June, 1880, another storin passed over almost directly
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the same route, and again leveled this structure to the ground. Although the storm was a dreadful one, no lives were lost. Mrs. Wise and her family miraculously escaped being killed or receiving any personal injuries. The house at this time is occupied by Susan Wise, a widow, and her family.
Being a woman of fine business attainments and a good manager, she had saved the means left her at the decease of her husband and wasable to rebuild immediately after the dis- aster. As rebuilt, it may be seen by the passer-by, who can yet distinguish the cracks in the brick walls that were made at the time of the first storm. Part of the walls were left standing and were of sufficient strength to permit of an addi- tion thereto.
This is known in the neighborhood as the " fated house." Just why fate should be against this particular locality is hard to tell. It is situated in one of the most beautiful spots in Mad- ison county, on the south bank of White river, overlooking a beautiful valley of fertile fields and meadows on either side.
This storm is alluded to elsewhere in this volume.
STABBING AFFRAY AT PERKINSVILLE.
On the 15th of September, 1873, a serious stabbing affray .occurred in the village of Perkinsville, in Jackson township, the facts of which are about as follows : Thomas J. Thurman had a lawsuit in which Columbus Wall was a witness against him. After the termination of the suit, Thurman sought a quarrel with Wall about his testimony in the case, which ended in blows. Wall struck at Thurman, but the blow was warded off. Thurman then caught Wall, whom he tried to stab with a large pocket knife. Fortunately, the point of the blade struck a rib, along which it passed, making a gash about six inches in length.
A bystander by the name of Isham Benefiel, at this junc- ture, in order to save the life of Wall, caught Thurman and held him until other parties wrested the knife from his hands. Wall, being freed from his antagonist, picked up 'a stone, which he threw at Thurman, missing him, and striking Bene- fiel in the face, cutting an ugly gash in his cheek and over his eye.
Both of the combatants were arrested by the Constable of the township and taken before 'Squire James M. Garret- son, where Wall plead guilty as to his part in the transaction. Thurman's crime being of a more serious nature-that of as-
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sault and battery with intent to kill-was bound over to the Circuit Court. in the sum of two hundred dollars, which he gave and was released from custody, to answer the charge in the Circuit Court.
DEATH OF A BAND TEACHER.
In the year 1874 a tidal wave swept over the country whereby the temperance people of the United States, in one solid phalanx, made warfare against the liquor traffic. Indi- ana was no exception to the rule, and in Madison county the excitement was carried to almost a fighting point. Women camped on the streets of Anderson, and prayed and sang in front of the saloons for months at a time. They sat in little booths in front of the places where liquor was retailed and registered the names of each individual who went within and partook of drinks there offered. for sale. The movement be- came so widespread that it entered largely into the politics of the city, and was the cause of the defeat of the nominees of the Democratic party in the city election of that year, the Democracy having taken open issue against the crusade. Other towns and villages in the county had a similar experi- ence, but not on so large a scale. In the town of Perkins- ville considerable excitement prevailed and had about quieted down when a man of the name of John J. Sims dropped into that usually quiet precinct with the intention of opening up a saloon for the retailing of ardent spirits. This was the first licensed saloon ever opened in that place. Prior to this event liquors in that vicinity had been sold by the druggists.
On one corner stood the store of John S. Hougham, where drugs. notions and liquors, for medicinal purposes, were sold, and it is said that in his back room beer could be ob- tained. He was succeeded by a man of the name of Lee, and a Mr. Ward, now deceased, who kept the store for a consid- erable length of time. On the opposite corner Mr. A. J. Ap- plegate conducted a general assortment store, where groceries, drugs, dry goods and liquors were sold. These gentlemen were the dealers in ardent spirits when the temperance wave struck the town. About this time the Perkinsville band, memorable in the annals of the village history, was at the zenith of its glory. A young man of the name of Frank Brewer, talented as a musician, a large, good-looking fellow. came to town and took charge of the band as its teacher. However, like a large portion of common humanity, he had a
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weakness for liquor. He boarded with William H. Wise, who was a member of the band, and who lived south of the river and east of the cemetery. On Sunday night, the 24th of January. 1875, it was very cold and the river had been frozen for weeks. Mr. Brewer had been in town that night and had been drinking with some of the band boys, and left them apparently not worse for the liquor he had taken. He crossed on the ice in the river and started for his boarding house which, however, he did not reach, and in the morning was found dead in the grave yard. Above the river evidences of a desperate attempt to go across and up the hill in the cem- etery were displayed by the footprints in the broken snow. It was a solemn and tragic scene on that quiet cold morning to behold the upturned face looking towards the sky, and his head resting beside a gravestone. Mr. Brewer was last seen alive by his friend, Mr. Elliott Lee, on the evening before his departure for his boarding house. Great excitement prevailed throughout the neighborhood over the finding of his remains. The band boys took possession of his body, buried it in the village cemetery, and afterward erected over his grave a hand- some tombstone, the inscription thereon being as follows : "Frank Brewer, died January 25, 1875, aged 35 years. A member of the Perkinsville band."
No sooner was the news circulated in town that Brewer's body had been found in the cemetery than the church bells commenced to ring. It was whispered around that a man had died in the graveyard and that he had been drunk. The peo- ple became wild ; they soon congregated at the churches and a quasi organization was effected by the appointment of a committee whose duty it should be to call upon the liquor dealers and notify them to cease their ungodly trattic. Fanat- icism ran high and men who usually displayed ordinary com- mon sense in business matters were entirely beside themselves. James Webb was appointed Marshal, and ordered the people to keep away from the saloons and off the streets. The com- mittee first notified Sims, who'was smart enough to see the drift of things, and without in any way crossing them in their desires proposed to sell his liquors to the committee and go out of the business.
Then the committee went to the store of A. J. Apple- gate, who did not readily consent to give up a profitable trade, but finally succumbed to the inevitable. After this the liquor trade was for a time centered in the hands of one J. M. Gar-
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
retson, a leading temperance worker who sold liquors only for medical purposes. During the excitement some one entered his cellar and bored holes in the barrels and let his liquors out during the night.
A great deal of bitter feeling prevailed about the village during these times. The matter was referred to the Ander- son newspapers and many articles pro and con were written upon the subject. Enemies of Mr. A. J. Applegate charged that he had sold the liquor to Brewer. Mr. Applegate had some very warm friends, who wrote to the papers in his behalf, severely criticising the temperance people. It was even denied that Brewer came to his death from any cause con- nected with the purchase of drink or alcoholic stimulants. Medical authorities were cited on the manner of Brewer's death, and at the Coroner's inquest, held by David B. Simms, Coroner of Madison county, it was revealed that a powder had been found in the pocket of the deceased. One physician testified, on being questioned by Attorney Ryan, of Anderson, that the powder was morphine, and that he could tell it at sight. Another swore that he could not tell whether it was quinine or morphine, but there was no evidence at all adduced that Brewer had taken any of the powder. And thus the mystery surrounding his death failed to be unraveled by even expert medical witnesses.
The temperance meetings were continued for some time, and many hundreds signed the pledge. Inflammatory speeches were made, and the horrors of intemperance were depicted. The meetings to a great extent furnished a kind of recreation during the long winter evenings, and offered the people a place to go. As spring came on the people resumed their usual avocations, and the spasm was over, but as already stated the temperance agitation in Perkinsville had its political effect, as well as in the larger cities. In fact, it caused men who had never wavered in their political principles, not only to vote against the party with which they had always acted. but to fight it to the bitter end.
The Democrats in this section of the county were large gainers, because those who had been engaged in the liquor traffic were of the Republican persuasion.
This fight had the effect of making A. J. Applegate, who had been an unflinching Republican, a stanch Democrat. This gentleman has not only acted with that party ever since, but he has been one of the trusted men in the councils of that
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organization. And thus ended one of the biggest sensations that ever occurred in the quiet little town of Perkinsville.
BURNING OF A BARN.
Mrs. Laura Moore, a widow living in Jackson township near Perkinsville, had her barn and all of its contents de- stroyed by fire on the night of April 29, 1876.
The building contained six hundred bushels of corn, three horses and a number of farming implements, all of which were destroyed. The fire was supposed to be of incendi. ary origin, but why anybody should apply the torch to the property of a helpless widow was more than anyone could imagine.
The guilty parties were never apprehended.
WILLIAM HOUGHAM KILLED BY JAMES DALLAS COOK.
On the 9th of July, 1881, an unprovoked murder was committed in Jackson township on the person of William Hougham, a respectable and well-to-do young man about twenty-five years of age. The perpetrator of the crime was James Dallas Cook, one of the leaders of the notorious gang of young desperadoes that had disgraced that township, known as the " Peanutters." The particulars of this revolting crime were about as follows : It seems that at a party given on the evening of the day mentioned at the residence of John Roller in Perkinsville, several of the " Peanutters " had put in their appearance, as was their custom on such occasions, without being invited. They were kindly treated by the host and all the guests present, who stood in fear of them. They were in- vited into the house and were treated to ice-cream. Not con- tented with what had been given them they repeatedly de- manded more. but were told that there was none left, and that it was impossible to comply with their request. Young Hougham, who was present as a guest. being apprehensive of trouble went so far as to invite them out on the back porch to convince them that the refreshments had been consumed. Shortly after Hougham came back into the house a stone was thrown through the_window, which struck him on the head near the temple, producing a fracture of the skull, from the effects of which he died the following Sunday morning.
On the death of Hougham a warrant was sworn out and placed in the hands of Constable Young. for the arrest of Cook. The Constable knowing his character and fearing to
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make the arrest alone, summoned a posse of twelve to help him catch the offender. Cook resisted the officer and his men, who fired several shots, none of which took effect. He was finally arrested and taken to Anderson, and lodged in jail, and was held to await the action of the Coroner. On the Monday morning following, the Coroner proceeded to Perkinsville to hold an inquest on the body of young Hougham. He took with him Dr. Geo. F. Chittenden to make a post mortem ex- amination. This was done and revealed the fact that Hough- am's skull had been fractured in front and that a pus cavity had formed just under the fracture, from the effects of which he died. Witnesses who were examined by the Coroner sub- stantiated the fact that Cook was the one who threw the stone and a verdict was rendered against him in accordance with these facts.
James Dallas Cook was a young man about nineteen years of age, rather slender in build and of sandy complexion. He stoutly denied the terrible charge laid at his door and pro- tested with great vehemence his innocence. He was an orphan. alone in the world and had not even a sister, but had a half-sister, who resided with his step-father at Yorktown, in Delaware county. Public sentiment in Jackson township was strongly against Cook. He had been in other scrapes of a serious nature ; among other things it was charged that he had struck John Albright, of that township, with a stone about a year previous to this occurrence, from the effects of which he never fully recovered. Cook waived examination before Mayor Dunham, preferring not to go into an investi- gation of the affair, and was remanded to jail to await the ac- tion of the Grand Jury.
Sheriff Randle Biddle guarded the jail very closely for some time during Cook's confinement, from the fact that ru- mors had reached his cars that the incensed citizens of Jack- son township contemplated a hanging without judge or jury, but the sober judgment of the people prevailed and this was averted.
Cook was indicted and placed upon trial at the following October term, being defended by Hon. W. R. Myers and D. W. Wood. The prosecution was conducted by Thomas B. Orr, who was then Prosecuting Attorney for the counties of Hamilton and Madison, assisted by the late Colonel Milton S. Robinson. Both sides were ably represented, it being a bat- tle of giants at the bar, which has seldom been repeated in
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the courts of this county. Cook was convicted of murder and sentenced to the State prison for seven years.
KILLING OF LEWIS HAYES.
The village of Perkinsville was greatly excited on the 21st day of July, 1882, by a tragedy which occurred at that place, which resulted in the killing of Lewis Hayes by a man of the name of Clint Wilson. Hayes was a member of what was known in that neighborhood as the "Peanut Gang," a crowd of boys and young men in Jackson township who had organized themselves as a body of embryo desperadoes. While they were not so desperate in their character, or did very many bad deeds, they were, nevertheless, a menace to the locality. They were in the habit of visiting schoolhouses at singing and spelling bees and church meetings, and generally kicked up a row of some kind. The neighborhood was afraid of them.
On the day above spoken of these young men had been drinking in Perkinsville and Wilson, while in the act of pass- ing Hayes, who was accompanied by a young lady, gave him a push, which exasperated Hayes, who immediately drew a weapon and was about to assail Wilson, when the latter drew his revolver and shot Hayes in the heart. He fell dead in his tracks, and never showed any signs of life after the ball en- tered his body. The alarm was at once given in the neigh- borhood and the Coroner of the county sent for. An inquest was held over the remains and Wilson was placed under arrest for murder. The occurrence took place in Hamilton county, just on the line of Madison county.
Wilson was indicted for manslaughter and was placed on trial and acquitted on the grounds of self-defence. The late Colonel M. S. Robinson defended him.
BURNING OF WILLIAM PERRY'S HOUSE.
William Perry, farmer, of Jackson township, met with a very serious loss on Monday night, the 28th of September, 1885, when his residence and household goods were destroyed by fire. There was no one at home at the time, except Mrs. Perry, who was quite aged and infirm. She was badly burned in attempting to save a portion of the household goods.
There was a granary in the adjoining building, which contained 500 bushels of wheat, and this was also destroyed. The loss to Mr. Perry was in the neighborhood of $2,000, with
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no insurance. It fell very heavily upon him. as all he had was but a small farm, upon which he lived, and some personal property. Besides, he was well advanced in years.
The fire is supposed to have originated from a defective flue.
FIRE AT PERKINSVILLE.
The residence of M. A. Willetts, at Perkinsville, was consumed by fire on Sunday night, the 16th day of May, 1886, together with all its contents, with the exception of a few minor articles which were taken out by the neighbors. Even the family wearing apparel was destroyed, with the exception of what the members had on their backs. The occupants of the home were all absent at church at the time the fire occur- red. It was thought to have originated from a stove pipe that ran through a closet. The building was insured to the amount of $400, which did not cover the loss. Mr. Willetts was also loser of forty or fifty dollars in money which he had in the house at the time.
SUICIDE OF MISS EDITH FOLAND.
Miss Edith Foland, a young lady living with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Foland, in Jackson township, committed suicide on the 15th of October, 1888. For some time she had been keeping company with the son of a neighboring farmer, a Mr. John Neese, to whom it is said she had been engaged to be married. Unfortunately the young man was attacked with sickness which undermined his health, and caused him to break off the engagement, which fell so heavily on the young lady that in a fit of despondency she sought relief in death. She took a powerful dose of poison and in a few mo- ments thereafter she was a corpse. IIer parents were very much distressed over the matter, and she was very much missed in the community in which she had lived. Her funeral oc- curred at Perkinsville on Tuesday following her death, a large concourse of people being in attendance. Young Neese was present on the occasion of her funeral and was very much af- fected by the sad scene.
KILLED BY A HORSE.
On the 29th of June, 1889, the family of Henry Kemp were horrified to find that he had been kicked to death in his barn, by one of his farm horses. No one was present to tell how it was done. Ilis lifeless body was found by some of the family
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and after the excitement of the moment was over the neigh- bors were called in, and the Coroner, Dr. C. L. Armington, was sent for, who held an inquest, returning a verdict in ac- cordance with the facts.
Mr. Kemp was one of Madison county's oldest and most highly respected citizens. He was a large farmer, and had accumulated quite a large fortune. He was the father of Daniel W. Kemp, the farmer and stock raiser of Jackson township, who yet survives him. The death of Mr. Kemp was severely felt in the community, as he was a leader among the farmers in his neighborhood. He was a Christian gentle- man, and a staunch member of the Republican party, and al- ways took an active part in politics, especially in local affairs. He was respected by his political opponents for his open avowal of his principals, and his manly way of warfare. He was seventy-five years of age when the occurrence took place. Mrs. Kemp, his wife, died at the old homestead in December, 1896.
A TRIPLE DROWNING.
On the 19th day of July, 1889, while a number of young men and boys were in the river bathing near the village of Hamilton, about four miles west of Anderson, at a spot known as the McClintock ford, Philip Hosier, aged twelve years, and a boy named Todd, the son of Samuel Todd, about nine years of age, were drowned. As the river was somewhat swollen from recent rains, the older boys refused to let the small ones go in with them for fear of an accident. The lads, however, went farther down the river, and taking off their clothing waded in. They struck a swift current, which carried them beyond their depth, and before the larger boys could help them they were drowned. Everything that could be done to rescue the drowning lads was done, and one of the older boys came near losing his life in the effort to save them. The drowning boys were soon swept out of sight. The neighbor- hood was immediately aroused, and everybody turned out and patroled the shores in the hope of finding the bodies, but with- out success. The search was continued the next day and night, and on Sunday morning hundreds of people flocked to the river to render what assistance they could. The bodies were finally recovered at a considerable distance below where they had entered the stream, on the opposite side, and taken to the respective homes of their sorrowing relatives.
Stephen Bilby, a farmer, who was one of the most tire-
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less workers in the attempt to rescue the bodies of the boys, also lost his life. He had been in the water almost constantly from early in the morning, and about noon, when some twenty or thirty feet from the shore, lost his hold of a rope that had been stretched across the river and was swept away in the swift current. He made frantic efforts to regain his hold of the rope, but the persons holding it seemed to be paralyzed by the scene, and, instead of dropping the rope down to him, pulled it away. He was considered a good swimmer and struggled hard to reach the shore, but the current was too much for him and he was dragged under and drowned. His body was found two miles below, where it had lodged against the bank. He left a wife and four children. His funeral took place from the family residence on the Tuesday follow- ing his death, and was conducted by the Red Men, of which order he was an active member.
SWAP CANDIDATES.
The old adage that " politics makes strange bedfellows," was verified in the campaign of 1882 in Madison county. In Jackson township the Democracy placed on their ticket for the office of assessor, Frank Shively. The Republicans met in convention in a few days thereafter, and placed in nomination for the same office Andrew J. Foland, and so the political fight set in. It was but a short time until, from some cause, the Republicans became lukewarm toward their candidate and doubted his sincerity, and strange to say, the Democrats thought their man was not just the "clear grit," and things got into a bad muddle. Finally, the party managers of both sides got together and concluded to trade candidates. The terms were agreed on, and the candidates both assented, the names were changed on the tickets and the " band played on." The fight was a bitter one and never let up till the last vote was in, and the polls closed. At the counting of the ballots, it was discovered that the Democrats had won the victory. Mr. Foland, the successful candidate, took the office and made a good assessor, and has remained a Democrat good and true ever since. Mr. Shively has likewise been true to his Republican associates, and has been a good citizen of his town- ship.
MRS. MARIA B. WOODWORTH.
- Mrs. Maria B. Woodworth, the great evangelist, who has visited nearly every city in the union and caused great ex-
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citement in religious circles, made her advent in Madison coun- ty in the month of June, 1886, when she pitched her tents in the beautiful grove along the river banks, near the village of Perkinsville, where she carried on her camp meeting for sev- eral weeks with great success. At that time she and her hus- band were living together. he doing the business for the firm, and she did the preaching. He had nothing to do with her large tent in which she held these religious services. He took charge of the eating stands and establishments for the sale of merchandise and luxuries that was dispensed to the hungry multitude. The first Sunday of the meeting a " grand open- ing " took place, after which services were conducted in her unique and singular style. She seemed to have a wonderful influence over people who were not very strong mentally and who were naturally inclined to be very zealous in their relig- ious beliefs. She did not preach but a short time until several of her congregation were laid out in trances, as stiff as boards. This kind of procedure was carried on to such an extent that the whole western part of Madison county was worked up into a state of religious excitement. Many converts were added to her already large congregation.
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