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 42
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SUPERINTENDENT OF THE INFIRMARY ASSAULTED.
John W. Kinyoun, who for so many years served as super- intendent of the County Infirmary, had a thrilling experience with an inmate of that institution on the 20th of April, 1886. James M. Willetts, a deaf and dumb inmate, whom he had punished for some misconduct, made a most vicious assault upon him. Willetts was armed with a table knife ground to
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a sharp point, with which he struck Kinyoun a blow in the right breast, inflicting a gash that bled profusely, and making an ugly wound. About four inches of the blade of the knife was broken off, and was afterwards removed by a physician who dressed the wound. Dr. Spann, who attended the wounded man, was of the opinion for some time that the wound would prove fatal. Kinyoun was affected to such an extent that for several hours he had severe internal hemorr- hages, but, being a vigorous man, he overcame his affliction and is yet living. Willetts was a man about thirty-two years of age, and had been an inmate of the institution at different times ever since 1860, and was sent there from Pipe Creek township when but a lad of six years of age. After this cut- ting affray he disappeared from the poor farm. and his where- abouts was never known.
BURNING OF A BARN.
William B. Bronnenberg, son of County Commissioner Henry Bronnenberg, had his barn consumed by fire on the 5th of October, 1887. About 11 o'clock at night the barn was discovered to be on fire, and was soon in ruins. The barn had just been rebuilt and overhauled, the carpenters having fin- ished their work the day before the fire.
A number of persons attracted to the place saw a man running away from the building in the direction of the woods, but he could not be recognized, and no one ever knew who the guilty party was.
Mr. Bronnenberg, the owner of the barn, is one of the most prosperous young farmers of Madison county. He rebuilt his barn immediately, and is still a resident of that township. He is quite an inoffensive man and has no known enemies, and why the torch should have been applied to his property is a thing unaccountable to himself and his friends.
KILLED BY A TRAIN.
On Saturday night. the 9th of March, 1876, James Wes- ley Dagget, of Yorktown, was run over by a Bee Line train and his body was ground to atoms, near the village of Ches- terfield. On the night mentioned the citizens of the village were on the streets discussing the results of the primary elec- tion, when the news came that a man had been run over by the cars and killed at the dirt road crossing of the Middletown and Bee Line Railway, half a mile west of the village. The
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Coroner was notified and soon eight of the section men, under John Fitzgerald, left Anderson in a hand-car to go to the scene of the accident. On arriving at the crossing they dis- covered the dead body. From the crossing running east for a distance of a quarter of a mile, they found the scattered frag- ments of a human body and particles of his clothing along the track. They also found upon the deceased a number of letters fully identifying him as James Wesley Dagget, of Yorktown. The remains were gathered up as best they could be and placed, together with the shreds of clothing, in a box and con- veyed to the passenger depot in Anderson. On Sunday morn- ing the Coroner empaneled a jury and held an inquest over the remains. Facts were developed at the inquest that Dagget had been in Anderson on Saturday and that he was intoxi- cated. Samuel Pence had sold for him on the streets a rifle gun for the sum of $2.50. It is supposed that with the pro- ceeds he purchased the liquor and became drunk, and either sat down on the rails and went to sleep or had fallen, and being unable to rise, was struck by the train. His remains were taken to Yorktown by his friends on the Sunday even- ing following the accident, where they were interred in the village cemetery.
AN INCENDIARY FIRE.
The venerable Frederick Bronnenberg, whose familiar face is every day seen upon the streets of Anderson, for many years resided on his magnificent farm in the edge of Union township, near the Mounds, upon which was located a large barn. On the 24th of June, 1864, this barn was destroyed by fire, it being the work of an incendiary, whose identity was never established. At that time politics, was at fever heat. Mr. Bronnenberg, being an ardent Republican and very free in expressing his political convictions on all occasions, had many enemies in the opposite party. For years he has loudly proclaimed that the destruction of his barn was due to his political opponents, but cooler heads in the community dis- credit such an idea. While there was no doubt existing in the minds of many at that time that the fire was the work of a miscreant, there was no one who would believe that there was a Democrat in that locality mean enough to resort to such means to get even with a political enemy. All efforts to bring the guilty parties to justice failed. The citizens of the com- munity, regardless of their party feeling, Jent all assistance in
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helping Mr. Bronnenberg find out who the guilty parties were, but they were unsuccessful, and the wretches escaped without punishment.
UNEARTHLING OF A MONSTROUS SKELETON.
In the month of August. 1890, while a man of the name of Frank Martin was engaged in making an excavation for a cellar on the farm of Edwin Gustin, three miles south of Ches- terfield, he unearthed the bones of what was supposed to be the skeleton of an Indian of gigantic size. The bones were in a good state of preservation, and judging from their size, it is estimated that the Indian, when alive and erect, must at least have been seven feet in height. The teeth were very much worn. There had been several skeletons found previously near the same place, at different ti.nes. The earth at that place appeared to be full of bones of those who had once inhabited this county, and the locality was, perhaps, at one time the seat of an Indian village, but it must have been long ago, as no history is given of it within the recollection of the oldest inhabitant. No account is given either of any ceme- tery or burying place for Indians ever having been established there.
KILLED BY A BEE LINE TRAIN.
On the 21st of August, 1890. Moses Decker and Lyman Preston went to sleep on the Bee Line railroad track, near the brick yards at Chesterfield, and were instantly killed by a passenger train. The engineer saw by his headlight the two men lying on the track, but the speed of his engine was too great to check in time to prevent it from running over them. The train was an hour behind time and was running at a fear- ful rate of speed. The men were both in a drunken condition. The train stopped at Chesterfield, which is only about sixty rods from the place where the accident happened. No one knew of the casualty except the engineer, and he said nothing about it. At Yorktown, the next station, he passed a west- bound train, and there he informed the engineer of that train. that he had killed a couple of men near Chesterfield. The Coroner was immediately notified, and after holding an inquest returned a verdict in accordance with the above facts. The bodies were found by Peter Bushaw, a farm hand in the employ of Thomas Bronnenberg, who while passing along stumbled over the corpse of Lyman Preston. A few feet further along he discovered the body of Moses Decker, whose 62
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head was severed from his body and whose legs had been cut off at the knees. Preston's head was mashed to a pulp, and his features were unrecognizable. Young Preston was about twenty-one years of age and unmarried. He had relatives living at Chesterfield who took charge of his remains. Decker was about thirty-five years old and had no relatives living in this part of the country, and had been brought to Middletown when a lad, with a company of waifs from New York City. He was a quiet, peaceable fellow, but was very fond of intox- icating liquors. This was the fourth occurrence of this char- acter at this fatal spot.
DISCOVERY OF A SKELETON.
While some workmen were digging a gas trench, near Chesterfield, on the 24th of August. Isso, they unearthed at. skeleton that had been buried two feet under ground. It was in a sitting position with the head severed from the body. The arms occupied a space of two feet wide by three feet long. the lower limbs having been bent forward and the body curved to one side. The Coroner of the county was summoned, and on examination he pronounced the skeleton to be the body of a white female. The skeleton was remarkably well preserved. the skull indicating that the person was of more than ordinary intelligence. It was in a secluded spot, but none of the neighbors remembered anything about the mysterious disap- pearance of any woman. It was the supposition that a foul murder had been committed at some distant point from here and that the remains had been brought to this locality for burial. But who the principals in this dark tragedy were will probably never be known. It is an old proverb that "murder will out," but the saying in this case will probably never prove true.
A SUDDEN DEATH.
The first death to occur at the Spiritualit- camp grounds at Chesterfield, came suddenly to Professor F. M. Davis, on the Ist of August, 1896. Ile was a medium in attendance at the meeting. his home being in Iron Valley. New York, where his family was notified of his decease. He was found dead in his bed in a cottage on the ground-, . nd Coroner Sells, with an ambulance, took charge of the remains. A letter was found on his person addressed to Mary Brown, at Iron Valley. New York, and $200 in money was found in his clothing.
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He was a composer of music, and was a man of more than ordinary intelligence.
A SUDDEN DEATH.
Wesley T. McDowell was a young man of about twenty- five years of age, who was left an orphan when quite young. and had to make his way through the world by his own labor. When he was quite a young lad he went to live in the fam- ily of James Forkner, and worked on the farm in summer time, and in the winter months attended school. After he had grown to manhood he had an ambition to become a tele- graph operator, which he since commenced to learn in an office in Anderson, in the year 1871. Ile had to work out on the farm a part of the time to earn enough with which to pay his way. He, in due course of time. finished his chosen profession. but had no one to push him to the front, so he was not successful in getting employment, and he went back to the farm. In the meantime his old friend and benefactor, James Forkner, had died, and he took up his home with Alfred Forkner, a son, and lived with him until the 17th of July, 1876, when on that day while he was alone in the field he was suddenly stricken down with death. No one ever knew what was the cause of his sudden taking off, but it was the sup- position of the Coroner, who held the inquest, that it was sun- stroke. Wesley was a favorite with those who knew him, and his death was the cause of much grief among his friends. He was a quiet. inoffensive young man, and strictly honest in all his dealings.
AN AWFUL CRIME.
On the 20th day of December, 1854, one of the most foul murders in the history of the county took place at Chesterfield, in Union township. Two Irishmen, who were companions traveling together on what was then called the Bellefontaine Railway, got into an argument, which resulted in one of them, David Alexander, losing his life, by having His throat cut by his fellow traveler, Alexander Hays, near Chesterfield, after which he threw Alexander from the rear of the train for dead. The murdered man did not die immediately, but managed to crawl into a mill close by and remained there until morning. When the men who worked at the mill came in the morning. they met a horrible sight. The man's clothing was saturated with blood from head to foot, and a ghats wound was in
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his throat from which his life blood was slowly oozing out in their view.
He could not talk audibly, but managed to tell enough about the occurrence to inform those who found him, that he had been assaulted on the train the night before, and that his name was David Alexander ; that he had a brother in Galena, Illinois ; that he had recently landed in Philadelphia from Ire- land, and was on his way to visit his brother at Galena. What led to this atrocious crime has never been fully explained, but it was reported at the time that it arose over a dispute about their religion. It was said that Alexander was an "Orange- man," and Ilays was a Catholic. The feeling in those days being very bitter between those two sects, it did not take much to work up bad blood between them.
The community in which this occurrence took place was terribly wrought up. and when Hays was apprehended it took cool work and the exercise of the best judgment of the neigh- borhood to keep him from being lynched.
He was captured by Simon Landry, William Scott, and Henry Bronnenberg. Landry was for hanging him to the first limb without the form of a trial. It is said he procured a rope, and being a very resolute man it was difficult to keep him from swinging Hays up.
This dreadful murder took place so long ago that the facts are hard to ascertain for the reason that there are so many dif- ferent versions of the affair, given by the few who yet live in the community where it happened.
We have in our possession a copy of the Anderson Gazette of the 28th of December, 1851, which gives a meagre account of the crime, which we reproduce as follows :
He said : " A stranger-a countryman-came on the cars at Union City who soon made his acquaintance and impor- tuned him to drink. The conversation was disagreeable, and he tried to avoid it and changed his seat. Soon the stranger was at his side, and before reaching Chesterfield he became suspicious that he was not safe in the cars. As soon as they stopped at the depot he told the conductor he believed there was a man on board who purposed to kill him and thought he would get off. The conductor replied there was no danger- 'Go back into the car and I will take care of you.' He then passed out onto the platform of the rear car, where he was violently shoved to the earth by his unwelcome acquaintance. his throat instantly cut. and the perpetrator jumped back upon
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the moving train. He minutely described the dress and per- son of the miscreant, who, without provocation, had shed his blood. The foregoing was committed to writing. Early the next dây the unfortunate man expressed a desire that, if pos- sible, he should be kept unburied until the arrival of his brother from Galena, for whom he had previously telegraphed, and died with a calm serenity that bespoke a conscience at peace and a hope that brightened in prospect of immortality.
" On Monday following a person was observed to pass the depot where the murderous deed occurred. Some indi- viduals, after the person had passed by, remarked upon the similarity of his appearance to that described by the dying man. Suspicion increased-he was followed and brought back. On comparing this description with his person and apparel the correspondence was so similar it was judged proper to detain him until the cars on which were the brake- man and conductor alluded to should again pass. The even- ing following a legal examination took place before Samuel Gustin, Esq., and the man who gave his name as Alexander Ilays was fully committed to stand trial in the Circuit Court on a charge of murder."
Hays was convicted of murder and was sentenced to the State's prison for life.
Alexander's remains were removed by his brother to Galena for burial.
DIED UNDER THE SURGEON'S HANDS.
In the month of June, 1876, John Lemon, a highly- respected and influential farmer of Union township, ran a. thorn into his foot, breaking it off and leaving a portion imbedded in the member. After suffering for several days, he came to the office of Dr. Horace E. Jones to have it removed, and he requested the Doctor to administer chloro- form before undertaking the operation, which the Doctor declined to do, from the fact that he might not be a proper subject. Lemon insisted, and finally Dr. Jones informed him that if he would have Dr. Spann or some other reputable physician called in and that if, upon examination, they thought he could stand the treatment, he would administer the chloroform and perform the operation.
Mr. Lemon returned home, but the next morning came back again and made the same demand. Dr. Jones then sent for Dr. Spann, who responded to his caff, and, after
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an examination of Lemon, endeavored to dissuade him, but without effect. Then they proceeded with the operation. 1le was placed on a table. and had taken but a few inhalations, perhaps eight or ten, of the chloroform previously poured on a muslin rag, allowing time and free ventilation, according to modern methods, when Lemon rose up, struggling with the physicians for a while, as if trying to get off the table, and then fell back in a spasm dead.
The doctors immediately resorted to all the usual methods of resuscitation in cases of chloroform asphyxia, but failed to get any response.
An inquest was held by the Coroner of the county, and Drs. S. W. Edwins. B. F. Spann, V. V. Adamson, C. S. Burr and N. L. Wickersham all testified that Dr. Jones had used the necessary precautions in administering the anasthetic. and that he was wholly blameless in the matter.
John Lemon was one of Madison county's solid farmers, and was highly respected in the community in which he lived. He was strictly honest, and always prided himself upon pay- ing his obligation the day it matured, and not the day after. He left an interesting family, who yet survive him, and who live in the neighborhood in which the deceased resided at the time of his death.
Dr. 11. E. Jones was then a young physician, just begin- ning what has since terminated in a large and lucrative prac- tice, being now recognized as one the best physicians in Mad- ison county.
A SUICIDE.
Suicides were of less frequency fifty years ago than at the present time, and when an unfortunate took his or her own life it caused great excitement in the community in which it happened. and was long talked of and remembered by the people. One of these sad occurrences took place in Union township.
On the 16th of March, 1853, Isaac Shimer, a man about fifty years old, hung himself on a dogwood tree on the " Shi- mer Hill," which is about three and a half miles east of Ander- son and a little west of the Mounds. The tree stood about 200 yards north of the road. Mr. Shimer was living on his farm in Randolph county, near the present site of Parker, and was visiting his brother, Harry Shimer. No cause other than ill health was given for his self-destruction. He left a family, some of whom yet live in this county.
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A SHOOTING AFFRAY.
At Chesterfield, on the 25th of November, 1876, Moses Crutchfield was shot in the arm by Charles Clatterbaugh. but not seriously wounded. The shooting was the result of a grudge of long standing between the Crutchfield and Clatter- baugh families, both being desirous of running the town, and a jealousy existed between them that culminated as above related. Crutchfield was the aggressor, and at a trial before Mayor Dyson. of Anderson, the verdict was self-defense, and and Clatterbaugh was acquitted.
A TERRIBLE MURDER.
On the 29th of February, 1572, one of the most horrible murders that ever took place in Madison county, occurred in Union township near the Delaware county line, at the resi- dence of Josiah Remsberg, in which Willis Williamson killed his daughter, Melissa J. Williamson, by cutting her throat and otherwise stabbing her with a knife, from the effects of which she died almost instantly.
The facts in the case are as follows : Mr. Williamson, the murderer, lived about two miles north-east of Yorktown, in Delaware county. His oldest daughter, Melissa, was engaged to be married to a young man of the name of George Landry, of good reputation and a neighbor of Williamson. Williamson, from some cause, objected to her marriage with Landry, and endeavored to induce her to give up her determi- nation, and threatening her if she did not. The daughter being stern in her intention to marry Landry. became tired of her father's threats, and finally, on the 25th of February, left her home and went to her unele's, Josiah Remsberg, near Ches- terfield. where arrangements were made for her marriage with Landry, who on that evening went to AAnderson to procure a marriage license, but not having the written consent of the girl's father, and not having a disinterested person who could make the necessary affidavit as to her age, the license was refused by the Clerk of the Court, and Landry returned to Remsberg's residence the next morning to get some person to make the affidavit. On reaching Remsberg's place, instead of finding his expected bride in life and health. he was horri- fied to behold her corpse. Her life had been taken by the hand of her father. On the day previous to this event Williamson had been to Munc'e and had purchased a knife with which he committed the crime. From Muncie William-
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son went to Remsberg's in the evening, where he remained all night. During the evening he made supreme efforts to induce his daughter not to marry Landry, but she was firm in her purpose. Williamson became angry and boisterous. Rems- berg told him he must desist in his course or leave the house. The next morning Williamson and Remsberg arose at the same time, and after building a fire Remsberg left the house and went to feeding his stock, while Mrs. Remsberg was pre- paring breakfast.
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MELISSA J. WILLIAMSON.
Williamson went to the room where his daughter was sleeping and seated himself on the side of ber bed, resumed conversation with her about the marriage. He asked her if she was still determined to marry Landry. " Yes, " said she, " if I have to wade in blood to my knees." .At this William- son drew a knife from his pocket and stabbed her twice, once in the arm and once in the throat, severing the jugular vein and wind-pipe, from the effects of which she died.
Williamson then ran out into the yard and shot himself twice, once in the throat and once in the center of the fore-
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head. The wounds he inflicted upon himself were not at first believed to be fatal. The bullet had entered his forehead, glanced, and was extracted from the top of his head, having passed between the skin and the skull. The Coroner of Mad- ison county was called and an inquest over Miss Williamson's remains was held, and a verdict of murder returned against the father in accordance with the facts above mentioned.
David K. Carver was Sheriff of Madison county, and Stephen Metcalf, the present editor of the Anderson Herald, was his deputy. Williamson was arrested and placed in cus- tody by Sheriff Carver, and was attended at the jail by physi- cians until, a few days after the murder, he died from the effects of his wounds.
It seems that Williamson had no serious objections to the character of Mr. Landry and really had no cause for the mur- der, but the daughter was dearly beloved by him and he could not bear the idea of her marrying and leaving home. This was the only reason that he assigned for the rash act. Miss Williamson was a young lady of more than ordinary beauty, and of good attainments for one having the limited oppor- tunities of education given by the country schools. She was well liked by the people in her neighborhood.
Young Landry was a hard-working, frugal and honest young man. He was a brother of Mrs. Thomas J. Fleming. of Anderson, Mr. Fleming being at that time Clerk of Madi- son Circuit Court. AAfter the murder Landry moved away from the county and became a resident of Missouri, where he now lives. He was subsequently married and raised a respect- able family.
CHARLES M'LAUGHLIN KILLI.D.
On the 9th day of March, 1878, Charles Mclaughlin, a sober and industrious laborer of Middletown, who was very deaf, was walking upon the Pan Handle railroad track near where the little station of Sly Fork once stood, was run down by an engine, to which was attached a heavy freght train. being instantly killed. He left a wife and quite a large family of small children who were dependent upon him for support.
The engineer, William Schultz, testified before the Cor- oner that he saw the deceased on the track while his train was going at the rate of thirteen miles an hour. The engineer stated that he had just stepped out on the engine to extinguish
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