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 9
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While this was going on a couple of sneak thieves, con- federates of Tilden, had slipped in, with cork soles on their shoes, and crawled around the counter and got behind the cashier's department, where the safe was standing with the door open. A large sum of money was exposed, which they
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grabbed from the vault and made their way out with their booty.
When Mr. Tilden entered the door he had a confederate who stood on the front steps for the purpose of detaining any one that might come in while the robbery was going on. Richard Thornburg, a farmer living a few miles from the city, was just entering the bank to transact some business, when the confederate, who stood on the outside, stopped him and made some inquiry as to where some person lived, or some other unimportant matter, and detained him until the sneak thieves had passed out of the bank and Mr. Tilden had also made his escape.
About this time Norval Crim, the son of William Crim, the president of the bank, arrived to relieve Mr. Cain while he went to his noon'meal. Just as Crim entered the bank some customer came in with a large check. which required more money than was usually kept on the counter to pay it. After looking at the check he turned to the safe to take out a package, when, to his astonishment, the packages were gone. He immediately accosted Mr. Cain and asked him what had become of the currency. Mr. Cain was astounded to find that the packages had disappeared, and it immediately dawned upon him that he had been robbed, and at once suspected Tilden of being the guilty party, or at least an accomplice in the affair.
Tilden and his confederates immediately on leaving the bank started for the Pan-Handle train going north at 1 :20 P. M. The alarm was given and pursuit was made. The officers boarding the train placed Tilden under arrest and also three others who were under suspicion as being his accom- plices. The parties arrested with Tilden gave their names as J. C. Curtis, of Cleveland, John Ryan, of Fort Wayne, J. Ash and J. T. Bradley, of Pittsfield. All of these parties had boarded the train with Tilden. When the train arrived at El- wood Ryan endeavored to make his escape and jumped from the train and ran through a stave yard. He was seen holding his coat on entering the yard, but on leaving he had left it behind. This action on the part of Ryan led the officers to believe that he had hidden the money somewhere among the staves, and search was made by parties at Elwood, assisted by the officers, but nothing was found until the next day when Mr. Frank M. Hunter, Postmaster at Elwood, found $1,790, and another party found a small sum, the amount of which the writer does
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not remember. The money had been secreted in the stave piles by the flying thief, who was afterward captured.
Ryan and the other participants were returned to Ander- son on the evening train, but waived preliminary examination until Monday morning. They were placed in the Madison county jail. James Hazlett was then Mayor of the city and the case was brought before him for trial, but the parties took a change of venue from His Honor and their cases were sent to William Roach, Esquire, where the preliminary trial took place on the Tuesday and Wednesday following. AAsh and Curtis were both released, but the others, Ryan, Bradley and Tilden were held on bail, which they failed to give and were sent back to jail. Hon. Howell D. Thompson and Calvin D. Thompson, Esquire, were employed to defend them. Hon. James W. Sansberry and Hon. Charles L. Henry and .A. S. McAllister appeared for the State. Friends of the parties came to the front and put up cash bail for them, which they afterward forfeited and never came to trial. It is said, how- ever, that there were some arrangements with the managers of the bank and the friends of these parties that the greater portion of the money was restored to the bank. How much was taken and how much the bank received in return is known only by those who were intimately connected with the affair. The amount was variously estimated at from $5,000 to $12,000. It will never be known to outside parties what was the true state of affairs in this relation.
It is said that Ryan was afterwards killed in an encoun- ter of some kind when he was in the act of committing an um- lawful deed. Tilden, after being released, was on one or two occasions seen by parties who recognized him at Indianapolis. Hle was undoubtedly the smoothest rogue who ever planted his foot in Madison county. During the preliminary trial which was held in the court house, Mr. Tilden sat each day with a kid glove on one hand, in which he help the glove for the other. Ilis faultless linen shirt front and the sparkling diamonds that he wore, with his boots shining as brightly as they could be made, were all scenes in his part of the play, and anyone entering the court room during the proceedings whom he had met at any time during his stay in town he sa- luted with a bow and greeted with a smile. He was so polite and kind to the officers, to the prosecuting attorney and the lawyers on the other side that he almost won their favors be- fore the trial ended.
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While many criticised Cashier Cain, it is safe to say that there is not one man out of a thousand placed as he was who would not have done as he did.
The writer has been behind the counter of a bank for many years and is ready to confess that he would in all proba bility have done as Mr. Cain did under similar circumstances
A MYSTERIOUS BURGLARY.
W. S. Shirk, who is well known to almost every one in Anderson, and who kept a jewelry store on the north side, was the victim of two daring robberies within a period of two years. The first time, in the month of November. 1888, some unknown persons entered his store through the back door while the proprietor was at supper, and got away with about $2,000 worth of jewelry, and diamonds, and made good their escape. The trays in which the valuables were kept were all emptied and the show cases left bare, a greeting that met Mr. Shirk's view when he returned from his meal that made him heart-sick. Ile could scarcely be- lieve his own eyes when he beheld the empty cases.
Mr. Shirk had just begun to recover from the effects of this robbery in a financial way, when he was again, on the night of March 14, 1890, visited with a similar occurrence, only on a larger scale.
Mr. and Mrs. Shirk were boarders at the Hotel Doxey, and had gone to their rooms leaving the store closed, and the safes securely locked. A young man of the name of C. Il. Williams was a clerk in the store, and had gone out to call on a lady friend, returning at about 12 o'clock to retire for the night, he having his sleeping apartments in the store. U'non entering the room he was astonished to see the safe door open, and upon examination he ascertained that a robbery had been committed. He at once repaired to the hotel and aroused Mr. Shirk, who hastened to the store, where he was soon con- vinced that he had again been the victim of burglars. The alarm was immediately given to the police and all effort to find a clue was made without success. The entire stock was taken and a large loss was sustained. Detectives were put to work on the case and the whole country was scoured in order to find some evidence of guilt or some trace of the robbers. Suspicion pointed towards the clerk, and the detectives de- cided to cause his arrest, which was accordingly done, but on
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an investigation he was exonerated from all blame and fully acquitted of the offense.
This was without doubt one of the slickest pieces of thievery ever perpetrated. There was no one in the wide world who had the combination to the safe except Mr. Shirk, and how it was opened is to this day a mystery.
There was but one theory advanced by experts, and that was that some one had gotten possession of the letters on which the combination was set, at some time when Mr. Shirk had inadvertently laid them down, and quietly bided the time until an opportunity offered itself to perfect the job.
The clerk was not allowed to have the combination and was in no way familiar with the inside workings of the safe.
Some people were of the opinion that Shirk was the guilty party of his own robbery, but there was absolutely no foundation or reason for this conclusion. as he was in no one's debt, and could in no wise profit by such a transaction, and besides, he was the personification of honor and would not be guilty of such a crime.
Mr. Shirk was one of the finest workmen in his line in the United States, being a practical watch maker. He left Anderson not long after this occurrence, and moved to Florida on account of his wife's health, where he at this time resides.
Mr. Shirk learned his trade with John Awalt, in Ander- son, and for many years was in his employ.
He was born and reared at Newcastle. Ind. This was a severe blow to him financially, and was the cause of his having to give up business for himself, and is now working as a jour- neyman at his trade.
A DRUGGIST "HELD UP."
On the 13th of August, 1880, about the hour of 12 o'clock at night, when all honest people had sought their peaceful couches and all was serene and quiet, Frank Murphy, a desperate night prowler of the light Irgered fraternity, made his way into the sleeping apartments of Charles A. Hen- derson. the well-known Anderson druggist, by climbing over the veranda from the ground below. He very deliberately went to Mr. Henderson's bed, where be and his wife were sleeping, and took Mr. Henderson's trowsers from under his head and rifled their pockets. This aroused the sleeping vic- tim, who at once made an attempt to get up and give the alarm, but he was promptly stopped by his midnight visitor,
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who held a Smith & Wesson's revolver to his face and com- manded him to keep still at the risk of his life. Mr. Hen- derson thought discretion the better part of valor, so he meekly obeyed the command. There was a light in the room, and Mr. Henderson took a good look at the intruder. He satisfied himself that if he should ever meet him again he would know him. The impression made on Henderson's mind was so vivid that he has never lost the full outlines of that man's face. The next day after this occurrence Mr. Hender- son met the robber on the street, and at once recognized him. He quietly gave the alarm to the city marshal, and he started in pursuit of the criminal. The rogue must have suspected that Henderson knew him, for he at once took a straight line for the Bee Line railroad, where a freight train was standing, about to start east. While the marshal was getting his forces ready a friend of Mr. Henderson hurried to the depot and quietly informed the conductor of what was going on, and he held the train until the officers arrived. and in a few minutes Murphy was a prisoner. The Circuit Court was in session at the time, and an indictment was procured against the pris- oner and a hasty trial had, and he was soon on his way to Michigan City to serve time for his crime. He made threats that he would come back when he had served his tiine and kill Henderson ; but he got over this, as he did come back, but never molested Mr. Henderson in any way.
CHAPTER LXUI.
A NUMBER OF DISASTROUS FIRES IN ANDERSON AND - VICINITY REMEMBERED.
AN OLD LANDMARK DESTROYED.
The older inhabitants of Madison county will remember the old Jackson flouring mill that stood on the banks of White river at the ford near the farm of Samuel Myers east of the city. The mere mention of the name of this mill calls to
ANDREW JACKSON.
the minds of the old-timers the times when they "toted " their grists to mill long before there were any turnpikes in Madison county, and when they would have to travel a dis- tance of eight or ten miles, and the trip would often consume two days or more. When they got to the mill they would have to wait for the grinding of their grain and then return home with the grist the next day. This mill was built by David Williams in 1832, and did good work from that time until its destruction. It was an old-fashioned water power, and
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was the first to be built in this section of the country. It en- joyed the patronage of almost the entire county at one time, and it is said that often persons would have to wait and stand in line a day at a time in order to get their grist ground. An- drew Jackson purchased and operated it for a long time, and in the year 1857 sold it to his son David B. Jackson, who ran it until the day of its destruction. The cause of the conflagra- tion seems to have been as follows: A young man working about the mill had put a fire in the stove in the morning and in building it dropped a piece of coal into a decaying place in one of the floor sills. At noon that day the fire was discov- ered in the foundation timbers. One of the millers was at- tracted to it and saw the smouldering coals which he put out as he thought, and no further attention was paid to it. At 11 o'clock that night the family was aroused by the cry of fire by the neighbors. Upon looking out the building was found to be in a sheet of flames. Nothing could be done to ex- tinguish the fire, and the structure was destroyed. And thus was wiped out one of the old landmarks of Madison county. The dam above the mill remained for several years, but was finally torn away. No sign now remains to mark the spot where the mill once stood except the rippling of the water over the few straggling stones left where the dam once stood.
BURNING OF THE EAGLE CHAIR FACTORY.
At the corner of Eleventh and Meridian streets in Ander- son, once stood one of the largest of Anderson's industries. It was known as the Eagle Chair factory, and employed a large force of hands. Its products went through the length and breadth of the land. It was established in 1868 by Hollo- way & Jackson, who began the manufacture of bent wood for chairs. The business was carried on by them until 1871, when a stock company was organized composed of Elisha B. Hollo- way, Enoch M. Jackson, David W. Swank, Minor Barrett, Isaac D. Bosworth, and others for the manufacture of chairs and other articles of furniture. The most approved style of machinery was purchased, and the factory was equipped in first-class style. From 50 to 75 people were employed, and a very extensive business was transacted.
After the concern had run for two years under the man- agement of the above named gentlemen, several of the stock- holders disposed of their interests to Alfred Walker who event- ually became the sole proprietor.
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On the 6th of May, 1880, the sound of the whistle of this busy hive of industry announced to the sleeping citizens, that the place was on fire. The people at once hastened to the scene, as was usual in those days, with buckets and other ap- pliances for extinguishing fires, but with little effect, in this instance, as the building was filled with dry, combustible mate- rial, and it was but a little while until all the interior of the structure together with its contents was devoured by the rag- ing flames, leaving nothing to tell where this thriving factory had once stood. The residence of M. A. Bosworth which occupied the site where the home of E. E. Newton at present stands, was also ignited by the flames, and burned to the ground. The large three-story brick building in which John- son, Cates & Canaday are now conducting a furniture busi- ness which was then run as a planing mill, sash and blind factory by Bosworth & Bro., also took fire at several times, but was, by heroic work on the part of the men, saved from destruction. The old church building occupying the ground immediately north was also on fire, but was saved from destruction by the courage of a man of the name of James Stilly, who, at great peril to himself, crawled up the steep roof, to a height of about fifty feet, and threw his coat over where it had ignited, and thus put out the incipient flames. This daring act of Stilly's was applauded by loud shouts of approval from the people below. Hereceived their thanks and was properly rewarded for his brave act by Mr. John W. Pence, the owner of the building.
The ground on which the Eagle Chair Factory stood sub- sequently passed into the hands of Hester & Sons who con- verted it into a barrel, stave and heading factory, which they operated for a considerable time.
The fire was supposed to have been the work of an incen- diary, and two persons who were seen loitering about the rail- road depots were placed under arrest, one of whom gave his name as William Wilson of Ogle, Illinois. The name of the other individual has passed out of the recollection of the writer. Wilson was a Norwegian by birth, and claimed to be a printer by trade. He gave a good account of his where- abouts at the time of the fire, and also stated what his business in the city was. There being no positive evidence against him, he was released from custody.
The building and its contents were insured to the amount of $4,500, but this sum was insufficient to cover the loss.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
BURNING OF ROTH'S JEWELRY STORE.
On the night of December 26, 1885, about half past 12 o'clock, an alarm of fire was given when it was discovered that the extensive jewelry store, owned by William Roth, which occupied the building where Daniels' drug store is now situated, on the corner of Ninth and Main streets, was on fire. All efforts to stay the devouring flames were unsuccessful and in a short time the building with its contents was destroyed. The hook and ladder company did good service, and the wind being favorable, this was the only building destroyed on that side of the square. The roofs of the adjoining buildings were covered with men who were kept constantly dashing water on the flames and thus allayed the fears of many who felt that the entire square would be burned.
The fire was of mysterious origin and it was thought by many to have been the work of an incendiary, but there was no proof of the fact. Among the heavy losers were : William Roth on his stock of jewelry ; Captain A. I. Makepeace, and Jesse L. Henry, who owned the building ; Mrs. Wentworth, who had a millinery store in the adjoining building, also lost quite heavily.
THE MERIDIAN GLASS FACTORY BURNED.
On Saturday night September 19, 1896, at about the hour of 10 o'clock, the alarm of fire was given, and in a few moments it was heralded throughout the city that the Meridian street plant of the Pennsylvania Glass Company was on fire. The department was soon on hand, but there was so much combustible material in the building that such a thing as sub- duing the flames was impossible, and the structure and contents were destroyed, entailing a loss of $10,000. The company carried on the plant and stock, nearly the same amount of in- surance, so the loss was mainly on the insurance companies, aside from the time lost in replacing the buildings, and equip- ing them ready for use.
The establishment was originally the property of the American Glass Company, which came to Anderson in 1889, from Martin's Ferry, Ohio. This company failed in business in 1891, and the factory was sold to the Pennsylvania Glass Company, which has operated it since. It is one of the best factories in the county, having given employment to a large number of men, and runs the year round. It is a cooperative company, nearly all of the operatives being stockholders.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
The officers at the time of the fire were Thos. J. McMahan, president ; John L. Forkner, vice-president ; John Schies, sec- retary and treasurer, and Flery Toms, manager.
The plant when first established manufactured fancy dec- orated ware, lamps and lamp flues, but the business from some cause did not prosper, and the company went to the wall. After the Pennsylvania Company acquired the property, it was converted into a bottle factory, and manufactured all kinds of glass specialties. The fruit jar season is a profitable time for this establishment, and it enjoys a large trade in this line. In connection with the plant was also a mould shop, where all of the moulds for this and many other factories were made. It was one of the severest losses to Anderson while the factory remained idle, and many employes. as well as merchants and business men, felt it very keenly. This factory has been re- built in a substantial manner.
DESTRUCTION OF A HANDLE FACTORY.
On the morning of September 26, 1884, a disastrous fire visited Anderson at about 2 o'clock, consuming the Handle Factory owned by Charles T. Doxey & Company, situated on Meridian street south of the Bee Line Railroad, with all its machinery and stock. The origin of the fire was a mystery but was supposed to have been the work of an incendiary. It was first discovered in the northeast corner of the building upon the second floor in the part used for storing handles, and remote from the engine room. Work had been suspended at the factory during the week previous, in order to make repairs, and no fire had been built in the boiler-room and there was no possible means of the fire originating from the furnace. Part of the walls of the building fell in and the remaining portion stood in a toppling condition until they were torn down. There was stored in the building at the time 9,000 dozen handles ready for shipment. Mr. H. E. MeCandliss, present street commissioner in Anderson, was manager of the factory and a large stockholder therein. The loss was supposed to be in the neighborhood of $15,000, covered by $9,000 insur- ance. After this disastrous fire the building was never rebuilt nor was the business resumed by the company.
BURNING OF THE " BANNER STORE."
On the morning of December 24, 1896. at the hour of 6 o'clock, the Leob-Brunt building on Meridian street, be-
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tween Ninth and Tenth, in the city of Anderson, was dis- covered to be on fire. The flames were issuing from the base- ment and in a few minutes the whole structure was enveloped in flames. The efforts of the fire department proved futile, and all attempts to save the building and its contents were with- out avail. The building was occupied by "The Banner Store," owned by Messrs. Rawlings, Haynes & Co., and by Maag & Son, shoe dealers.
The building was insured in the sum of $14,000, and the stocks were covered by $30,000. The loss was much more than the insurance on the stock of Rawlings, Haynes & Co., while Maag's stock was thought to be fully covered. This was the third time this building was destroyed by fire. The first time in 1884, when it was known as the Doxey Opera House, when it was burned without any insurance, the loss being nearly $80,000. It was again burned in 1893, when it was known as the Doxey Music Hall, being covered by insur- ance. An account of these conflagrations last named are given elsewhere.
The community displayed its sympathy without stint for the unfortunate victims of this fire, and assisted in every man- ner in trying to help them in their distress.
CHAPTER LXIII.
REMINISCENCES, AMUSING AND OTHERWISE.
SAM PENCE'S LOTTERY.
Samuel Pence, who is at this time, a familiar figure upon the streets of Anderson, gave a grand gift distribution and lottery in Anderson at Union Hall on the 2-1th of December, 1866.
Mr. Pence had for many years been engaged in the livery business. having his stables on South Main street on the ground now occupied by the Bronnenberg block. Becoming tired of the business, and wishing to dispose of his stock to the best advantage, Mr. Pence devised a lottery scheme as the best means of procuring a good price for the same. He ac- cordingly advertised largely throughout the country by means of the newspapers and hand-bills of his grand drawing and distribution of prizes.
On the night when the drawing took place a brass band was in attendance, and hundreds of people crowded into the place to witness the event. The drawing was conducted to the satisfaction of all, and but few complaints were heard. It was an honest affair. There were no blanks given out ; each and every ticket drew a prize of some kind. On this occa- sion many were present who lived eight and ten miles in the country. They waited anxiously and hoped for their number to be drawn, and when at last the affair was over the disap- pointment expressed on the countenances of some was amus- ing to behold. Many had invested as high as ten, twenty and thirty dollars drawing minor prizes, while others who had in- vested only the sum of one dollar drew some of the most valu- able prizes. Nearly all the tickets advertised were sold, and brought quite a handsome sum to Mr. Pence for his property.
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