USA > Indiana > Vermillion County > History of Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana : with historical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 11
USA > Indiana > Parke County > History of Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana : with historical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 11
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
ODD FELLOWSHIP.
The oldest Odd Fellows lodge in Parke county is the one instituted at Rockville, November 9, 1849, known as Howard Lodge No. 71, by Taylor W. Webster, district deputy grand master, of Ladoga, assisted by Joshua Ridge. Samuel Noel, William Kromer, Samuel Stover, James Houston and William Detrick. It was named in honor of John Howard, the eminent philanthropist of England. The charter members were F. W. Dinwiddie, Joseph Phillips, Charles W. Stryker, Samuel A. Fisher and William McClure. The charter bears the date of January 10, 1850, and among other eminent names affixed to it was that of Hon. Schuyler Colfax, a past grand in the order. This lodge was organized in the Masonic hall at the court house. The first real Odd Fellows hall was a two-story building, which stood many years and was finally used as a blacksmith shop. The lodge started out with six work- ing members, and struggled with but few additions for a few years, when it took a start and grew rapidly until the war between the states broke out, when many of the members enlisted in the Union cause. At the close of that deadly struggle the lodge again took on new life and prospered. After 1876 the lodge built a three-story building on the north side of the public square, at a cost of five thousand dollars, and on the third floor of which structure was built their lodge room, a spacious, well-furnished hall.
Rockville Encampment No. 95, Patriarchs Militant, was instituted No- vember 9, 1849. Its charter bears the names of W. C. Lumpton, grand pat- riarch, and E. H. Barry, grand scribe. The twenty-fifth anniversary of the . chartering of this lodge was commemorated by a grand banquet, November 9. 1874. Over nine hundred were furnished a sumptuous dinner, gotten up
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by the ladies of the old National Hall. Hon. Schuyler Colfax delivered the address in an able and truly eloquent manner.
Reserve Lodge No. 102, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was in- stituted November 10, 1851, at Montezuma, the charter members being Samuel A. Fisher, John W. Wade, James Jacobs, George H. Ribble, Samuel D. Hill and George W. Thompson.
Annapolis Lodge No. 431 was chartered, or rather organized, January 7, 1874, with the following as charter members and first officers : J. D. Con- nely, noble grand; R. W. H. McKey, vice-grand; Wyatt Morgan, treasurer; John J. Garrigus, secretary ; Miles Ratcliffe, warden; William and Samuel Brooks.
Parke Lodge No. 498 was instituted August 26, 1874, by John T. San- ders, of Indianapolis. The charter bears the date of November 18, 1875. The first officers and members were: John J. Garrigus, noble grand; R. H. W. McKey, vice-grand; W. R. Cooper, secretary ; Wyatt Morgan, treasurer ; John P. Lungren, Miles Ratcliffe, Samuel Brooks and William Brooks. It was written of this lodge in 1880: "It is one of the brightest lodges in the county, the spirit of friendship obtaining universally among the membership."
Union Lodge No. 198, Daughters of Rebekah, also met within the lodge room of the last named lodge and in 1879 was the only lodge of its kind in Parke county. It was formed in August, 1879, by the following members : Dr. McKey, W. R. Cooper, Jennie Cooper, WV. P. Floyd, Elizabeth Floyd, Thomas Clark, Anjennetta Clark, Miles Ratcliffe, E. J. Ratcliffe, S. Harlan, Mary Harlan. J. C. Hershbrunner. L. W. Banton and Angelina Banton.
PRESENT ODD FELLOWS LODGES.
The following is a list of the Odd Fellows lodges within Parke county in existence in 1912:
Reserve Lodge No. 102, Montezuma, has a membership of seventy-six, and owns a fine hall, erected in 1900 at a cost of six thousand dollars, which is all paid for. The present officers are: Charles Machletd, noble grand; Perry Jarrod, vice-grand; John G. Lowry, secretary ; Roy Aikman, treasurer : John Machledt, Oliver Whitson and William Whitson, trustees.
Howard Lodge No. 71, Rockville, two hundred and seventy-six members.
Bloomingdale Lodge No. 431 has fifty-five mmebers.
Parke Lodge No. 498 has twenty members.
Tangier Lodge No. 632 has seventeen members.
Rosedale Lodge No. 698 has one hundred and thirty-eight members.
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Prosperity Lodge has one hundred and eleven members.
Mecca Lodge No. 755 has one hundred and three members.
Bridgeton Lodge No. 815 has forty-two members.
This makes a grand total in the county of nine hundred and seventeen.
REBEKAH DEGREE LODGES.
At Marshall, Union Lodge has seven members.
At Bloomingdale, Pearl Lodge No. 226 has thirty-five members.
At Rockville, Shining Light Lodge has one hundred and eighty-four.
At Rosedale, Mary Lodge No. 431 has one hundred and two.
At Montezuma, Wabash Lodge No. 498 has seventy-two. At Bridgeton, Mayview Lodge No. 689 has seventy-five.
This makes a grand total in the county of four hundred and seventy-five.
The only encampments of the fraternity in Parke county are those at Rockville and Rosedale, both flourishing in the autumn of 1912.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
This, one of the more modern civic societies, has a good following in Parke county. The first lodge of this order, Silliman Lodge No. 66, was in- stituted September 8, 1875, by District Deputy Grand Chancellor Albert Dickey, of Crawfordsville, assisted by the members of DeBayard Lodge No. 39, of the same place. The charter was granted January 25, 1876, by C. T. Tuly, grand chancellor of the grand lodge of Indiana, and the charter mem- bers were as follows: William R. Fry, M. J. Cochran, William P. Strain, Z. Byers, W. N. McCampbell, O. J. Innis, T. H. Holmes, J. Wise, J. S. Hun- nell, William H. Gillum, George B. Chapman, J. B. Connelly, J. E. Woodard, J. D. Carlisle, William Rembolz, R. Christian, Charles H. Bigwood, David A. Roach, E. A. Matson, S. C. Puett, William D. Sill, F. M. Hall, S. D. Puett, A. J. East and John B. Dowd. In 1880 this lodge had a membership of one hundred and seven, and was reported in an excellent condition, finan- cially and fraternally. Meetings were held every Wednesday night in Castle Hall, in the third floor of Shackleford's block, on the north side of the square at Rockville. Now the hall is in the Whipple block; number of members, one hundred and seventy.
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PRESENT LODGES OF THE ORDER.
In 1912 the following points sustained Knights of Pythias lodges : Rock- ville, Silliman Lodge No. 66, with one hundred and seventy members ; Rose- dale Lodge No. 224, with one hundred and eighteen members; Mecca Lodge No. 488, with one hundred and four members; Montezuma Lodge No. 264, with eighty-seven members; Tangier, Philemon Lodge No. 399, with forty- seven members ; Bloomingdale, Penn Lodge No. 87, with thirty-six members; Marshall Lodge No. 133, with twenty-eight members; Bellemore Lodge No. 649. with sixty-one members: Acme Lodge No. 98, at Silverwood, with membership of fifty-three: Bridgeton Lodge No. 435, with a membership of one hundred and forty-eight; Caseyville Lodge No. 465, at Diamond, with a membership of ninety-two.
The Rockville lodge is the mother of all the others in Parke county. Its officers, according to the last obtainable report, that of the grand lodge of 1912, gives the officers as follows: C. E. Burnett, chancellor commander ; Frank Shaw, vice-commander ; Fred Burnett, prelate ; Early M. Dowd, keeper of records and seal; John H. Spencer, master of finance; A. T. Brockway, master of exchequer ; Sherman Call, inner guard; S. J. Skelton, outer guard.
At Montezuma, Lodge No. 264 was organized June 2, 1891, and now has a membership of eighty. The present elective members are: J. L. White, chancellor commander; A. Scribbling, vice-commander; William Skeeter, prelate ; William Burgess, master of wampum; A. L. Jerome, keeper of records and seal; John G. Lowry, master of exchequer ; John C. Hamilton, master of finance ; John Morgan, master of arms; William Norris, outer guard; A. M. Kay, inner guard: Frank Wilson, N. S. Wheeler, John L. White, trustees. The order owns a hall valued at two thousand five hundred dollars. A few of this lodge belong to the Uniform Rank degree.
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC.
The Grand Army of the Republic, the great Civil war and Union soldier fraternity, was early in the field in Parke county, and at one time there were numerous posts organized in the county, but with the death of so many of the loyal "boys in blue," of late years, many posts have been compelled to surrender their charter. There are still a few posts in this county, including the first organized, that at Rockville, and a few more. The total member- ship is now quite small. The sight of the once numerous copper buttons and
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post badges of the country is year by year growing sadly less, and ere long one will look upon these badges of honor as our grandfathers used to the relics of the old Revolutionary soldiers.
The names and numbers of the posts in this county in the fall of 1912 were as follows, with the names of the commanders: Steele Post No. 9, Rockville, with fifty membership; D. H. Strange, commander. Floyd Post No. 10, at Annapolis; J. R. Tucker, commander. Scott Post No. 305, at Portland Mills; Irvin Thomas, commander. Hobson Post No. 29, at Mar- shall; Stephen Beeson, commander. Altoona Post No. 407, at Waterman ; George W. Knaver, commander. Kelly Post No. 572, Bridgeton; J. H. Kerr, commander.
CHAPTER IX.
THE NEWSPAPERS OF PARKE COUNTY.
The art and profession of newspaper-making first got a foothold in Parke county in 1829, as appears from the earliest files of which the author has any access or knowledge. This was in the establishment of the Wabash Herald, started in 1829. It was in the early months of 1828, when this county had a population of less than two hundred souls, that its populace began to agitate the question of securing a local paper, having become tired of de- pending upon those printed at Terre Haute. So by the circulation of a sub- scription paper the Herald was founded, and its editor was a Mr. Clarke, from Ohio. It was a mild-tempered Jackson political organ, but paid more attention to local news than to shaping political opinion. John Marts pur- chased the office soon after, and he entered into a "starvation career." That was a day of red-hot campaigns and no neutral paper had any showing in the minds of the determined and positive first settlers in these parts. Marts sold to William T. Noel, who at once changed the name to that of the Rock- ville Intelligencer and converted it into a radical Whig organ. Noel set out to build up the Whig party in Parke county and really did accomplish much in this direction. Later he sold to Comingore, who was followed by Mr. Snyder, and in turn he was succeeded by Col. Henry Slavens, who changed its name to the Olive Branch, which, however, was anything but a peaceful organ, but on the contrary, was always in "deep mud and hot water." This caused the few issues of a paper known as the Whig Rifle, but the original paper was counted the real party organ of the Whigs for many years. It finally became so personal that the Democratic leaders started a paper to further their end in the county. It only ran for a short time and the oldest present inhabitant knows not its name or date of its publication, simply the tradition handed down that such a paper once existed here, for no copies can be found to tell the birth and death of the paper.
It was not far from 1842 when Matthew Simpson bought the Whig paper, the Olive Branch, and conducted the same many years, after a very creditable fashion for those early days, when all matter had to be set up by hand and when pure rag paper obtained, instead of the rotten, almost
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worthless, present-day print paper. The paper was run off on a hand-press and its circulation was none the largest, but the price was from two to three dollars per annum, cash in advance (sometimes), and when not so paid the rate was much higher, and the rule generally lived up to. Then there were no "patent insides," or cheap plates, with love story attachments, to the pub- lication, sent by express at so much per inch or pound. Editorials were then' all original, no borrowed type or plates. Even the "patent medicine" notices all had to be set up at home, yet they told of as many cure-alls as those of today, and cured as many ( ?) then as now. One specialty was the full-text of long-winded speeches made in Congress, covering page upon page of fine type, and often continued to other issues of the paper. Also the long editor- ials explaining the position taken by the Congressmen, etc. The foreign news had to come by sailing vessel and steamer for years, until, in the fifties, when the submarine cable brought European news, which, after its long route from New York and Philadelphia, finally found its way here by stage or canal boat, when it was headed "Latest News from Europe." Then, as even now, there were baskets full of poetry set up annually, that was simply abominable. Finally, the name of the paper was changed to that of the Parke County Whig, and so continued until 1854, when the son, Rufus Simpson, took con- trol and named it the True Republican, which with the flight of years be- came the Rockville Republican. In 1880 this was published by Keeny & Brown, which in reality is the legal offspring and descendant of the original Whig organ of this county.
In the meantime, the Democrats had several times tried to sustain a newspaper, for political reasons, but had failed until in 1856, when E. Cox established the Democrat, which was short lived. Again in 1864, a traveling printer started another Democrat, but neither stood fire long enough to be counted in the chapter of journalism here. After many years, the Monte- suma Era became the leading Democratic organ of Parke county, and flour- ished quite well; it was still conducted in 1881 and was noted for being a good family newspaper with Democratic politics.
Shortly after the close of the Civil war, Dr. John S. Dare, who gained some celebrity as a prose and verse writer, and who was from North Caro- lina, established the Parke County News, an independent paper, leaning to- ward the Greenback doctrine. It did not pay and was sold to George W. Collings, who called his paper the Patriot, a Democratic organ. He sold to J. B. Cheadle, who founded the Rockville Tribune, an independent Republi- can paper, which, in March, 1879, passed into the hands of J. H. Beadle, who
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conducted the same until he sold an interest to Isaac Strouse, who in a year or so purchased the remainder of the property, and has continued its publica- tion for more than thirty years, making it a stanch Democratic organ.
The Parke County Signal files show that it was established August 14, 1880, at Rockville, and run for a number of years, when it was merged with other publications and quit as a separate paper. It was radically Demo- cratic, and had scathing editorials, in which the Republican party was fre- quently "roasted" and which caused many heated newspaper discussions and animated retorts, between the editors of the various party organs.
There have been many other papers published in the county at an early day, but none of great prominence, down to a quarter of a century ago.
PRESENT NEWSPAPERS.
In 1912 the newspapers of the county are as follows :
The Tribune, at Rockville, published by Isaac Strouse, who has been con- nected with the paper for thirty-odd years, and is now one of the leading Democratic organs in this section of Indiana.
The Republican, at Rockville, is published and owned by A. A. Har- grave, who has conducted a clean, newsy, and straight Republican organ here since April 4, 1888, when he purchased it from the company represented by Brown Brothers. This paper is the continuation of the early-day Parke County Whig, and later the True Republican. Earlier still its predecessor was the Olive Branch, published first in about 1842, by Matthew Simpson, but it had been launched by the Whig element with William T. Noel as editor, who called the paper the Rockville Intelligencer. In taking the Re- publican, in April, 1888, Mr. Hargrave made this brief, modest announce- ment, and he has, during all these years, lived up to what he there stated:
"In assuming the control of the Republican two objects are in view, one to make a living out of the business part of the establishment, the other to give the people, and especially the Republicans of Parke county, a first-class Re- publican newspaper. For these two objects I will work with might and main. The hearty co-operation of all is solicited. Without this confidence and help of my readers and patrons this paper must fail. But after all, the paper must show for itself. It is hoped no old friend of the paper will be lost and that many new ones will be gained.
"Respectfully, "ARTHUR A. HARGRAVE."
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The Montezuma Enterprise, now owned and conducted by C. S. Over- man, who has recently located there, is an independent newspaper, calculated to upbuild the vicinity in which it circulates, on both sides of the Wabash, in both Vermillion and Parke counties, especially the latter. It succeeds the old Record, published by A. B. Powell. The present rate of subscription is one dollar and twenty-five cents and the Enterprise is filled with choice, crisp locals, and also carries a paying list of home advertisements, showing the patrons appreciate the manner in which the paper is being conducted by Mr. Overman.
The Bloomingdale World was established in 1880 by W. H. Bright, and is now a six-column quarto, subscription rate one dollar and twenty-five cents per year. This newspaper has always given more in return for what has been paid in subscription and other patronage to the office than most papers have done, being always clean, newsy and progressive.
The town of Rosedale has had numerous newspapers, some of long and some of shorter duration. In searching out the list the writer finds the Clipper from 1896 to 1898; the Southern Parke Press, that printed its last issue Sep- tember 28, 1888, C. E. Hardick, editor and publisher; Wentworth & Went- worth published the Rosedale Tribune from 1902 on for almost four years. The present Tribune is edited and owned by H. Clay Owen; its size is an eight-page six-column paper, and is progressive in politics.
The News is a publication at Marshall.
CHAPTER X.
IMPORTANT CRIMINAL CASES.
While the recital of crimes long ago committed may not appeal to every reader as befitting a work of the historic kind presented in this volume, yet there were certain crimes-especially before the Civil war-that tend to throw light on the class of people in these parts and really are narratives of no little interest to possibly a respectable majority of the readers, hence will here be inserted.
At least three of these crimes were committed in Liberty township. At an early day William Slocum, while hunting in the woods, came upon a wild cat dragging something from a brush heap. He killed the cat and found in its claws a dead infant, apparently of recent birth. A girl named Smith, living near by, was suspected; but when an inquiry was begun she arose from the bed, dressed in man's clothes, walked to the Wabash, hailed a passing steamer and departed, and that was the last Liberty township ever heard of the un- wedded mother.
Luke Mead, of Liberty township, was an elderly man, with a young wife of whom he was passionately jealous. He was also talkative and quar- relsome when in liquor. His jealousy was directed chiefly toward Lewis Thomas, and one day the two had a violent quarrel in the town of Lodi, now Waterman. Soon after they started home by different routes, and Mead was never again seen alive, a few days afterward being found in the beech woods dead. His body was greatly swollen ; by his side lay a broken whisky bottle, and under his thigh a dead rattle snake! On his person were scratches which the witnesses thought could not have been made by the snake, and on his throat dark marks which might have been made by the fingers of a very strong man. Lewis Thomas attended the inquest with other neighbors, and was there arrested and taken before a justice. While the latter hesitated whether the proof was sufficient to commit, Gen. T. A. Howard passed down the road, returning from court at Covington, and Thomas at once employed him as counsel. He pressed the trial and evidence was judged insufficient to hold. No further action was taken, but the community held the accused guilty and withdrew all fellowship from him. His residence then became intolerable,
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and he went to California in 1849, where he died in 1850, in apparent peace and without any reference to the tragedy. If guilty, his case did not turn out in accordance with the popular notion in such cases.
Another remarkable disproof of the popular idea "that murder will out" is found in the case of Washington Hoagland. In 1855 he was residing with his brother Rowan in an old farm house, set far back from the road, a gloomy looking place, seemingly fitted by nature as the locality of mysterious crime. Two lewd girls had made the house their home for a few days, with a consent of Rowan Hoagland, and Washington had raised a disturbance about it. One night he was called into the yard, a scuffle occurred and next morning he was found there dead, in his hand a pistol, and on his throat the marks of strangu- lation. When he was lifted from the ground the pistol fell from his hand, which the people thought a proof that he did not die holding it. He was a strangely quiet man, almost simple-minded, and without an enemy. Strict examination of the brother and the girls developed no proof, though the latter were generally believed to have guilty knowledge of the murder. No one was arrested, proof being lacking, and the suspected soon after took final leave of the county. The experience of this township tends to prove that murder escapes detection as often, in proportion, as any other crime.
Far more sensational and sorrowful was the case of Noah Beauchamp, the only man hanged in Parke county. Beauchamp was a man somewhat past middle life, a blacksmith of heavy person, ruddy complexion and strong passions. His temperament was impulsive, and he was, one might say, unreasonably jealous of the honor of his family. He was a consistent mem- ber of the Baptist church, thoroughly honest in his dealings and enjoyed the general respect of his neighbors. His neighbor, George Mickelberry, was a man who also enjoyed the respect of all and no difficulty ever occurred be- tween the men, until the women quarreled. Delia Decker, a young woman liv- ยท ing at Mickelberry's, had employed one of Beauchamp's daughters to do some work, and charged that Mrs. Beauchamp had stolen, or rather failed to return, a quantity of wool entrusted to her for the work. Of course this soon grew to a neighborhood scandal and, coming to Beauchamp's ears, in- flamed him to a high degree of anger. He declared he would go immediately and have "the Mickelberry family take it back." On his way he passed where they had been cutting up meat and picked up a butcher-knife which lay on a stump. He said he did this thinking there might be two or three men at Mickel- berry's and that he would be overpowered if attacked. He also told a friend -but does not state the fact in his confession-that he knelt and prayed before reaching Mickelberry's for guidance; nevertheless, he did go there
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angry and with his knife concealed. Almost choking with anger, he ad- dressed some violent language to Delia Decker, when Mrs. Mickelberry arose and left the room. Mickelberry expostulated with him mildly, but Miss Decker answered by reiterating the charge that his daughter had stolen the wool. White with passion he said : "If you was a man I'd cut you into shoe- strings." Thereupon Mickelberry laid his hand on Beauchamp and said : "You shall not talk that way in my house." And on the instant Beauchamp drew the knife and with one fearful blow buried it to the hilt in the other's breast. Mrs. Mickelberry testified that she heard the bone snap from the adjoining room. Mickelberry fell dead without a word or cry.
For one instant the homicide stood as if paralyzed. Then he dropped the fatal knife and fled. Reaching the river, he stole a canoe and crossed, then made his way by the most direct route to Texas, then the uncommon refuge for the unfortunate and the criminal. There he worked at his trade and went by his true name, possibly thinking himself perfectly safe. But a large reward was offered, his description being published far and wide, and two adventurers in Texas arrested the fugitive. It was not easy, at that day, to get a man of that sort out of Texas, as the state had need of every strong arm, against its many enemies, and the more desperate he was the more she needed him. On his way back Beauchamp made one dash for liberty, knocked down one of the men and nearly overcame the other, but was overpowered. On the steamer he hanged himself with the sheet from his bed, and was almost dead when discovered and cut down. The crime was committed in the northern part of Vigo county, but Beauchamp employed Gen. T. A. Howard as counsel, who took a change of venue to Parke, where the pro- ceedings, including the appeal to the supreme court, lasted over a year. Howard threw all his energies into this case, and felt for his client more than a common interest ; but it was in vain. He was sentenced to death and the supreme court confirmed the sentence. No trial held in Wabash valley ever excited more interest, and the conduct of Mrs. Mickelberry, in particular, on the witness stand excited the deep respect of all, and even affected some to tears. When Ned McGaughey, who prosecuted, asked: "Can you point out the murderer of your husband?" the tears gathered in her eyes, as she softly replied : "It was the old gentleman who sits there." No part of the examina- tion drew from her a single angry remark about Beauchamp, to whom she invariably alluded, as "the old gentleman." General Howard never ceased his efforts to save Beauchamp's life, till he had laid a petition for commutation before the governor, and been sadly refused.
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