USA > Indiana > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Indiana > Part 41
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published in what was known as the Union block in the Finch building, east of the courthouse square. Mr. Holt secured more pleasant quarters in Vaw- ter's building, over what was then known as Brown & Yager's book store, where it was printed for several years.
D. W. Barnett became editor and proprietor of The Franklin Republican in 1886, and continued to edit the paper as a Republican weekly until Jan- uary 1, 1889, when the paper became the property of Robert A. Brown. Mr. Brown was a Johnson county boy, an alumnus of Franklin College and had had much experience in newspaper work, coming to this city from the news- paper business in Logansport.
The next owner of The Franklin Republican was Lewis Elbie De Pue, who became owner of the paper in February, 1895. Mr. De Pue was also a Johnson county boy, a son of William De Pue, a prominent farmer of Nineveh township. He had been connected with the paper for two or three years prior thereto and was a hustling, able young man, but death called him within a few months and on November 18 of the same year the paper was sold by his administrator to Albion Smith and Harry J. Martin.
Mr. Smith shortly thereafter parted with his interest to Will Martin and The Republican was edited and published by Martin & Martin until October, 1902. At that time William R. Voris and C. E. Fisher became proprietors, the former being still connected with the paper. Mr. Fisher retired in Oc- tober, 1907, and became identified with The Pacific Monthly at Portland, Ore- gon. He is now an associate editor of The Sunset Magazine of San Fran- cisco. The political complexion of the paper, as indicated by its name, is Re- publican.
A copy of the Franklin Jeffersonian of date October 22, 1864, is before me. Its headlines show its publication from an office in the third story of Deitch's building. Its motto is "Let justice be done, though the heavens fall," its subscription price two dollars per year. Among its local advertisers are W. H. Manwaring and E. R. Moore, boots and shoes; Franklin Brewery, Peter Noll, proprietor; John Beall, stove store; Scholfield & Co., hardware; J. T. Vawter, druggist; Gill, Holmes & Tresslar, dry goods; C. Frame, jeweler : C. Burns, jeweler; G. S. Mangun, tombstones: High & Gibson, har- ness shop: Isaac Bumgarner, undertaker ; Armstrong, Magill & Co., clothing; Solon C. Bramwell, general store; Knobe & Hamilton, Samuel Mains, P. E. Branham, grocers ; Henry Service and Jacob Crider, shoemakers : John Nichol- son, photographer.
Its leading editorial discusses the result of the county election and its
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vitriolic language was characteristic of the times. As a fair sample of war- time "patriotic" literature it is worth copying :
"THE ELECTION FRAUD." -
"The election on Tuesday of last week resulted in the defeat and de- moralization of the copperhead party in Johnson county. The leaders of that party were laying quietly on their oars, little dreaming of defeat, but think- ing all the while that the only thing they would have to do would be, after the election, to walk up and take possession of the offices. The Union men were wide awake and by a thorough canvass carried the day. When the result was announced, it is not easy to imagine the consternation it created among the leading copperheads. Frantic with rage, they flew about our city and through the country crying fraud-that the ballot box had been stuffed. and many other falsehoods.
"The success of the Union ticket in Johnson county is too hard for the greedy copperheads who thirst for office to bear, and we must make a degree of allowance for the falsehoods they are telling as the reasons why they were defeated. They have so long held possession of the offices that it is now very cruel for the honest voters to declare by ballot that they will make a change and give the offices to men who are in favor of crushing out the rebellion.
"But to the facts. The copperheads say that the ballot box in Franklin township was stuffed. Now the board of election in this township was com- posed of three Union men and two opposition. At noon the box was locked, the key and ballot entrances securely sealed, placed in a bank vault and the keys given to the judges. When the polls were opened in the afternoon, the box was taken out of the bank just as it was put in. In the evening, the box was again locked and sealed, and, the bank being closed, was taken to the resi- dence of the inspector and safely guarded by a man of each party until after supper, when the board continued their work until all the ballots were counted and the result announced.
"So. if the box was stuffed. of course the opposition members had a hand in it, and the copperhead leaders dare not charge the board with criminality. Then, all their charges about the ballot box being stuffed amount to nothing.
"But, again, the copperheads charge that there was illegal voting. Well, - this we know to be a fact, but this illegal voting was done on the copperhead side, and if they wish to make a test of illegal voting, they will have their hands full.
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"'The copperheads were expecting to carry Johnson county by a major- ity of five to six hundred. They were defeated and they attempt to make the people believe that they were defeated by fraud. But all their false clamor will avail them nothing. The vote on Tuesday of last week shows that the people are sick and tired of this copperhead party and fully understand its de- signs and the purposes of its leaders. The day for copperhead Democracy in Johnson county is past, for it has been condemned by a fair and honest ver-
dict 0 of the people." 1
The incidents referred to in the editorial above quoted led to a contest of the el cection upon the part of the candidates for sheriff, treasurer, coroner and count=> commissioner from the second district. On November 17, 1864, John W. E 3 Liggins, Democrat, contests the election of Squire O. W. Garrett, Re- publican, for the sheriff's office; William S. Ragsdale, Democrat, contests the election of Melvin Wheat, Republican, for treasurer; Lemuel Tilson, Demo- crat. Contests the election of Jefferson D. Jones, Republican, for coroner, and Peter Shuck, Democrat, contests the election of Abraham Good, Republican, for commissioner. The board of commissioners finds for the contestors in each Case, and appeals were taken to the Johnson circuit court. On change of venue , the action was tried before the Hon. Silas C. Colgrove, special judge, who I ikewise found for the contestor, William S. Ragsdale, in the only case which came to trial. This was apparently a test case, for the record shows . a findi ing for the other contestors without trial.
Judge Colgrove's opinion and finding in the Ragsdale-Wheat case is re- cordel in full in the order book, and makes interesting reading. He finds that there is no evidence to charge any of the election officers with fraud, but that they were guilty of negligence, which enabled some outsider to stuff the ballot box. He finds that the ballot box was at the noon recess of the board left in the vault of the Second National Bank: that while the vault was locked, it was easy to gain access to the same; that the ballot box bore evidence of having been tampered with when the board reconvened at one p. m., the seal over the aperture showing evidence of resealing; that the board did not separate in the evening, but carefully guarded the same, until the count began; that upon the first count, nine hundred ninety-seven ballots were found in the box, while the poll books showed that only nine hundred eighty-two voters hac voted in the township: that the box was deposited in the same vault that night, and that upon a recount the next morning twenty of the ballots had disappeared: the court then, upon the evidence heard, admissions of parties made, and agreements as to facts, finds that fifty-one illegal votes were cast
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in the precinct by minors and non-residents for the contestee, and that the count ought to show seventy-six votes for the contestor which had been re- moved from the box, and upon the whole evidence, finds for the contestor, and declares him to have been legally elected treasurer of the county.
The episode attracted very wide interest, and the October election of 1864 was for many a day a weapon for thrust and parry between the con- tending parties. It is now quite generally known that the ballot box was corrupted by a then prominent abolitionist, who by prearrangement concealed himself in the vault of the bank, and attempted to help out his party by "stuf- fing" the box and removing genuine ballots.
The use of the columns of the local papers as a vehicle of personal abuse and vilification was not confined to the war times, but was kept up well toward the close of the past century. And while the files preserved now bring a smile to the face as one reads the editorials of "Farmer Aikens," "Granny Short" and "Ananias Bob," by which affectionate nicknames the editors of the Peo- ple's Paper, the Democrat and the Republican were wont to refer to each other, we congratulate ourselves that we are not now obliged to depend upon such cheap and petty means of furthering partisan interests. The spirit of a community is well reflected in the columns of the local newspaper, and the old time rancor has well nigh disappeared from the political field. Neighbors and friends no longer think it necessary or proper to engage in slander, ma- licious libel and personal abuse, and the muckraker has moved to the broader field of metropolitan journalism.
The Stor of Hope was established in Franklin in the year 1853 by W. T. Hatch, who remained the proprietor until 1855. It was then sold to E. W. Jeffreys, who published it as a Republican newspaper under the name of The Republican until 1857. when it was acquired by George Allison and merged into The Jeffersonian.
The next newspaper to be published in Franklin was The Franklin Her- ald, founded in. 1859 by a number of influential Democratic politicians, with Henry J. Sharp as editor. Sharp was soon succeeded by M. R. Slater, a writer of average ability and a shrewd politician, and it was at once recog- nized as the party organ of the Democratic party in Johnson county. The office was burned in 1861 and its Democratic friends provided a new outfit and continued Slater in charge as editor and publisher. Slater was a fire eater and the Herald made many enemies during the early years of the war. The office was mobbed in 1863 by a detachment of Pennsylvania troops, acting on the information from some enemy of the editor that the paper was being pub-
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lished in the interests of the South. The newspaper was entirely ruined, all the presses were destroyed and all the office material was scattered in the streets. For some time thereafter no effort was made to revive the paper, but in 1867 Charles Patterson revived the office and established a paper under the name of The Johnson County Press. During a part of this time John M. Farley was the editor, but Mr. Slater again took editorial control in 1870, changing its name to The Democratic Herald. In the year 1876 many of the local Democratic politicians, who were not pleased with the editorial policy of Mr. Slater, started an opposition paper under the name of The Democrat. This paper was edited by W. S. Bliss, who in 1878 also acquired The Demo- cratic Herald and both papers were issued under the name of The Herald- Democrat.
In June, 1879, Luther Short, then a practicing attorney, was solicited by the Democrats holding control of The Herald-Democrat to become its edi- tor, and he, with the aid of G. E. Finney, an old newspaper man of Columbus, took charge of the paper and adopted the simple name, The Democrat. In 1886 Mr. Short purchased the entire interests in the paper and became sole editor and proprietor. Mr. Short continued editor and proprietor of The Democrat until January 1, 1892, at which time he transferred the same to Albert N. Crecraft, who still retains the management and ownership of the paper.
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When Mr. Slater was ousted from his connection with the Democratic organ he started another paper, under the name of The Jacksonian. It was ably edited, although, like most newspapers of that day, was made the organ of all the petty animosities of the contending factions of the party with which Mr. Slater was connected. Slater procured an appointment to a government position in Arizona in 1886 and his connection with the newspaper life of the county then ceased.
Many attempts had been made to establish a daily newspaper in Frank- lin, but all met with disaster financially and were short lived. While W. S. Bliss was editor of The Herald-Democrat he issued a small folio under the name of The Daily Herald for about three months; then James B. Wilson, an employe in the office of Mr. Bliss, became editor of the Daily, but was soon compelled to suspend publication. A little later Frederick C. Williams re- vived the paper and published it for four or five years, but he was likewise unsuccessful.
In November, 1880, The Daily Argos, a small, four-column folio, was (27)
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established by N. B. Milleson and George L. Higgins, but it, like its prede- cessors, had a short career.
In the same year The Daily News was published by Frank Mcclellan and James Moody, from the Democratic office, but only a few months were neces- sary to prove the want of a demand at that time for a local daily newspaper.
The Daily Gasette, under the editorship of Bert Fesler and George Bundy, was also published from the Democratic office, for a short time.
The Franklin Daily Star, established in July, 1885, by W. W. Aikens and Mr. Needham, is the only local daily newspaper which ever secured a perma- nent foothold in the city of Franklin. The Star, which was first issued from Franklin College, was a small three-column folio, very humble in appearance and with very limited circulation. Mr. Needham only remained with the paper for a few months, when Mr. Aikens became sole proprietor and has re- mained in entire charge of the paper to the present time. At the end of a year the venture had proven so successful that Mr. Aikens removed from the college to quarters on Jefferson street and within three years had built up a circulation of seven hundred and had begun to interest the Franklin business men in advertising. In 1905 Mr. Aikens erected his own building on North Main street and the Star office is today one of the best managed and best equipped printing offices in any county seat in the state.
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In January, 1890, Mr. Aikens established, in connection with his daily paper, the People's Paper, an eight-page weekly. It was at once successful and became the medium of the new party known as the People's party, in the early nineties. When the Bull Moose campaign was started in the last cam- paign, the People's Paper passed under the control of Omar I. Demaree and Ray Sellers, and has since that time been issued under the auspices of the Roosevelt Republicans of the county.
In addition to the papers above named, other local sheets have appeared from time to time, but none of them could be dignified with the name of "newspaper." Some of them have been mere advertising sheets, issued to boost the Franklin fair or other local enterprise; some have been made the vehicle of church propaganda, under the auspices of church societies and Christian Endeavor organizations. Others still have been issued to carry on controversies between partisans of the different religious faiths or of political creeds. When Dr. David Monfort and the Rev. A. R. Hinckley were the leading pastors of the town, they engaged in a wordy controversy on the sub- ject of Christian baptism and each published several pamphlets, which had a wide circulation in the county in the early forties. During the war Dr. Pinckney published several pamphlets on the causes of the rebellion and about
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the same time another pamphlet, containing a funeral discourse, preached upon the occasion of the death of a colored man, attracted much attention and aroused much bitter debate.
The Edinburg Courier was established in that town in 1875, under the editorship of Harvey Allison, who in 1877 became associated with E. M. Hardy in its publication. A year later Mr. Hardy became the sole owner and conducted the paper quite successfully until July 1, 1889, at which time he sold the paper to his former associate, Mr. Allison, and Mr. Allison published the Courier with varying success until his death in 1912.
The Evening Call, a five-column, four-page daily paper, was started in Edinburg in April, 1891, by W. J. Spruce, former proprietor of The Green- wood Graphic. It was not successful and six months later passed under the editorial control of Ray Mutz and was printed as a four-column folio from the office of the Courier. Later the Call passed into the control of the Allisons, and the daily and weekly both took the name of The Courier.
Upon the death of Harvey C. Allison in 1912, the paper was acquired by D. K. Stewart, W. L. Neible and W. T. Thompson. Mr. Stewart, who is manager and editor, is making The Courier a very attractive and readable newspaper, and is helping to make Edinburg a prosperous and progressive town_
The first newspaper published in the town of Greenwood was The Graphic, established by Sumner Rose in 1888. W. J. Spruce became owner of the paper in 1889, and two years later sold it to Frank McAlpin and Harry Scudder. McAlpin soon parted with his interest to his partner, who con- tinueci to publish it until February 17, 1893, when I. B. Muchmore became editor and proprietor. Publication was discontinued in the autumn of that year and the plant was removed to Ingalls. Some evidence is before the writer that W. W. Hayward edited the paper between the dates of the ownership of Spruce and Scudder given above.
The Greenwood Era dates from March 18, 1892, when Frank Mcclellan, an old Franklin printer, and Mark L. Bass began its publication. It received a hearty welcome, and drove its predecessor from the field. But at best, the territory which a local paper can reach from Greenwood is very limited, the Indianapolis dailies having in recent years come into almost every household. The Era has, therefore, had a very irregular success, and since the date last named has been owned and edited by Douglas Dobbins, A. L. Hemphill, E. A. McKee, Goldsberry & Galespy. John A. Swan, and the present editor, George A. Moorman, the latter being editor and proprietor since April 2, 1906.
Under the present management, the Era has become a successful and at- tractive paper, and is well supported by the community.
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CHAPTER XIV.
JOHNSON COUNTY AND THE CIVIL WAR. .
Johnson county played an honorable part in defense of the Union and sent from within its borders more than two thousand men to defend the flag. The part they played has been fully recorded in Judge Banta's History of Johnson County ( 1888), and to the present writer little has been left to say of the general military affairs of the county.
The present generation has come to feel a very impersonal interest in the great Civil war. The grandchildren of the veterans of 1861 look upon the events of that war with the unconcern with which they read the school history accounts of the war of the Revolution. To stimulate interest in the life stories of the men who so gallantly went to the field of battle, we have sought and found a story which ought to make an appeal to every patriotic impulse.
Samuel Watson Van Nuys, son of John H. Van Nuys, of the Hopewell neighborhood, a junior in the Hopewell Academy at the outbreak of the Civil war, volunteered in Capt. T. A. Jeffery's Company F, Seventh Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. His diaries and letters written from the front have been preserved and, by permission of the family, they are here first given publication. The account begins with his service in the hospitals of Washington, D. C., and closes with his death on the field of battle on Septem- ber 29, 1864. He rests in an honored grave in our own Greenlawn cemetery, and his memory is still cherished by many of the same company who are still among the living.
MEMORANDA OF SAMUEL W. VAN NUYS, COMPANY F, SEVENTH INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
Sunday, June 1, 1862.
Today finds me in Washington City at Cousin Newt's. Attended church with Newt and Jennie at Dr. Gurley's Church, had an excellent sermon. In evening Newt and I visited various places in the city. Visited Jackson Square, White House, Treasury Department, Post Office and Interior Departments ; also Williard's Hotel. Bade cousins farewell late in evening and returned to the hospital.
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Monday, June 2, 1862.
Surgeons having got orders to clear the hospitals for wounded men, as- signed me to garrison duty, but by hard entreaty I prevailed on them to send me to the regiment. Wrote Newt a letter and prepared to leave in morning.
Tuesday, June 3, 1862.
Surgeon discharged me and I left for the regiment. Took a boat and ran down to Alexandria. Took the cars at Alexandria for Fort Royal. Went as far as Manassas and stopped for the night.
Wednesday, June 4, 1862.
Had a very uncomfortable night's rest. Rained all day. Ran as far as Goose Creek, found one bridge unsafe and had to lay over till next day. Officers were very uneasy during the night, as we were in a hostile part of the country, without a guard. At ten o'clock the report of a musket rang out on the still night air; in an instant all was alarm and confusion. We hastily scrambled out of the car and ran down to the engine, where we learned that the engineer had fired at two men coming towards the train, who turned and fled. We went back to the car and nothing more occurred during the night.
Thursday, June 5, 1862.
Train started about noon. Reached Front Royal at four p. m. Found the town full of troops and no place to stay. Heard that our brigade was be- yond Luray. In company with six others I started for the regiment. Went a mile out of town and stopped for the night in an old barn. :
Friday, June 6, 1862.
Started for Luray, distant 25 miles. Marched hard all day and reached town at six p. m. Slept again in an old barn.
Saturday, June 7. 1862.
Learned that our brigade was six miles beyond town, accordingly started for it. When we reached the place we learned that the brigade had sent back their baggage and were at least 18 miles ahead of us, marching toward Stanton. Were at a loss to know what to do, but finally determined to stay with second brigade for the present. Went to the 139th Illinois and got some grub. Slept in an old barn again.
Sunday, June 8, 1862.
Knocked around till late in evening. Then determined to go ahead. Met
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the major, who said they were 50 miles up the river. He told me to go back to Luray and stay with the sick. Did as I was ordered.
Monday, June 9, 1862.
Lieut. Jeffery, with a lot of sick boys, came back to Luray. Saw Dunlap and Young. Being unfit for duty, Lieutenant gave me a furlough of thirty days. Left same day for home.
Tuesday, June 10, 1862.
Reached Winchester in evening, pretty tired.
Wednesday, June 11, 1862.
Reached Martinsburg in time to take the four o'clock train for home. Stranded all night; got to Bellaire next morning.
Thursday, June 12, 1862.
Left Bellaire at five a. m. on Ohio Central R. R., got to Columbus at two p. m. Took Bellefontaine Road and reached Indianapolis at six a. m. next morning.
Friday, June 13, 1862.
Reached Franklin at eight a. m. Went to Uncle Doc's. They were much surprised to see me.
Started for home and met several old friends on the road who did not know me.
Took pa and ma by surprise while canning currants. They were very much astonished and pleased to see me.
Little Mollie failed to know me, but soon found out I was Brother Watt. Found the friends all well and everything looking perfectly right.
Saturday, June 14, 1862.
Looked around over the place some. Visited Uncle Ike and Aunt Ellen in evening with ma and Mollie.
Learned by today's paper that our boys have had a fight and are badly cut up.
Sunday, June 15, 1862.
Went to church both in morning and evening. Met many old friends. All anxious for me to visit them.
Monday, June 16, 1862.
Went to Franklin for the mail. Uncle James and Aunt Betsey came to see us in the evening.
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Tuesday, June 17, 1862.
Ma, Mollie and I visited Uncle Dory's. I found them very anxious about Sam. Heard that Uncle Dick had his leg broke in the late fight.
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