USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > The pictorial history of Fort Wayne, Indiana : a review of two centuries of occupation of the region about the head of the Maumee River, Vol. I > Part 49
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NOTE ON CHAPTER XXXV.
(1) Minor city officials elected in 1855 were: Clerk, R. N. Godfrey; treasurer, Clement A. Rekers; marshal, Patrick McGee; street commissioner, John Greer; engineer, Samuel McElfat- rick; attorney, W. W. Carson; assessor, William D. Henderson; fire chief, James B. Teller (resigned, succeeded by Henry Baker); councilmen, F. P. Randall, O. E. Bostick, John M. Miller, Henry Baker, Pliny Hoagland, A. Gamble, John Arnold, Cyrus W. Allen, A. M. Webb and Charles Fink; board of health, Dr. Jonathan Bricker, J. D. Werden and Frank J. Frank. A temperance ticket with Isaac Jenkinson as the candidate for mayor polled a good vote. County officers elected were: Auditor, R. Stark- weather: treasurer, Ochmig Bird; sheriff, Richard McMullan (succeeded by William Fleming); recorder, Platt J. Wise; surveyor, William A. Jack- son; coroner, John Johnson: commis- sioners, Henry Dickerson, F. D. Lasselle and William T. Daly; state representa- tive, Dr. Charles E. Sturgis; president judge of the circuit court to 1858, James L. Worden; prosecuting at- torney. S. J. Stoughton. of Auburn.
Upon the re-election of William Stewart mayor in 1856. the following minor officials were chosen: Clerk, A. C. Probasco; treasurer, Clement A. Rekers (succeeded by Thomas Mee- gan); engineer, Charles Forbes; fire chief, B. Saunders (succeeded by L. T. Bourie) ; marshal, Patrick McGee; seal- er of weights and measures, S. C. Free- man; street commissioner, J. Harden- dorff; assessor, Henry Christ; council- men, Thomas Stevens, J. Ormiston, Henry Baker, Michael Hedekin, H. Nier- John B. Bourie.
1
LOUIS T. BOURIE.
For many years Louis T. Bourie served the city of Fort Wayne in various offi- cial positions. With the organization of the city fire department, he was cho- sen to be the chief engineer, his service extending from 1856 to 1858. Again, from 1862 to 1864, he had charge of the department. During 1861 and 1862 he served as city clerk. He was born in 1828 in the old council house which was then owned by his father, Capt.
439
EXECUTION OF MADDEN AND KEEFER
1855 1856
man, J. D. Werden, William T. Pratt, William Mckinley, A. M. Webb and Conrad Baker; board of health, Dr. Wehmer, John Cochrane and Thomas Tigar; board of school trustees, Frank- lin P. Randall, Pliny Hoagland, John M. Miller and Dr. Charles E. Sturgis.
County officers elected were: Auditor, R. Starkweather; clerk, I. D. G. Nel- son; treasurer, Alexander Wiley; sher- iff, William Fleming; recorder, Platt J.
Wise; surveyor, William A. Jackson; coroner. John Johnson; judge of the cir- cuit court. James L. Worden; judge of the court of common pleas, James W. Borden; prosecutor of the circuit court, S. J. Stoughton, of Auburn; prosecutor of the court of common pleas, William B. Spencer.
John Colerick was elected attorney for the twentieth judicial district.
CHAPTER XXXVI-1857-1859.
"Regulators" and Criminals-Railroad Shops-Linden- wood Cemetery.
Desperadoes terrorize Northern Indiana-"Regulators" capture and hang Gregory McDougall "with order and decorum"-The haunt of the crim- inals-The Kekionga Guards-The Perry Regulators, the New Haven Vigilants, the Adams Township Rangers and the St. Joe Detectives- Samuel S. Morss, mayor-Charles Case, congressman-Bishop Luers and the Fort Wayne diocese-"Planking" downtown streets-Beginning of the Pennsylvania railroad shops-Toll gate receipts-Lindenwood ceme- tery-Franklin P. Randall, "war" mayor-The first city directory-The city seal.
A N ORGANIZED gang of desperadoes who terrorized the en- tire northern portion of Indiana during the forties and fifties, became so bold in the commission of their crimes that the legislature of 1856 responded to the appeal of the law- abiding citizens to organize themselves into bands commonly known as "regulators." The law empowered them to capture criminals, give them a fair trial, and, if advisable, to inflict the punishment of death.
Gregory McDougal, a notorious leader of a band of horse thieves, robbers and murderers, was caught in 1857, and was shortly afterward tried and hanged. The Fort Wayne "regulators" at- tended the execution, which took place near Diamond lake, in Noble county, January 26, 1858. "Their proceedings," says the Sentinel of January 30, 1858, "are all conducted with order and decorum. * *
* MeDougal was escorted by a procession of 1,000 armed, mounted men. The condemned man expressed an earnest wish for the success of the present movement against the banditti."
The widow and children of McDougal remained long as resi- dents of Noble county. From mysterious sources, they were supplied with the necessities of life. Probably the "regulators," whose organization was based on principles of justice, knew well the man- ner of the supply of the family's needs.
The region of numerous lakes in the northeastern part of the state was well adapted to the work of the desperadoes, who were able to defy the regularly-established authorities, and to secrete their plunder. Hundreds of horses were stolen by them and sold.
Former Senator George V. Kell tells of a stable belonging to the thieves located in what at that time was a great wood, and only about one-half mile southeast of the New York Central railway station at Huntertown, in Allen county.
The legislature placed the membership of the organization of the "regulators" at not less than ten or more than one hundred men.
THE KEKIONGA GUARDS.
A strong Fort Wayne body, called the Kekionga Guards, formed in 1858, was composed of the following men, many of whom later 440
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"REGULATORS"-LINDENWOOD CEMETERY
1857 1859
attained to renown in the state and nation: Jesse L. Williams, Hugh McCulloch, Hugh B. Reed, Samuel E. Morss, B. W. Oakley, Franklin P. Randall, R. W. Townley, Pliny Hoagland, T. P. Ander- son, F. D. Lasselle, F. Nirdlinger, O. D. Hurd, C. D. Bond, B. H. Tower, Samuel Edsall, W. H. Jones, A. M. Webb, Dr. B. S. Wood- worth, S. S. Morss, Samuel Lillie, Samuel Lillie, Jr., Joseph Stratton, George Messerschmidt, George Humphrey, Dr. Isaac Knapp, S. B. Bond, Charles Orff, James Humphrey, R. W. Taylor, O. P. Morgan, Dr. W. H. Brooks, C. W. Allen, John Brown, A. D. Reid, John G. Maier, William H. Link, John M. Miller, Henry Baker, Jacob Fry, George L. Little, S. C. Freeman, D. Cheesman, E. Bostick, M. H. Taylor, W. Wall, D. N. Bash, W. T. Abbott, William Harter, Ben- jamin Moss, W. Beach and I. L. Cutter.
Other Allen county organizations were the Perry Rangers, the Lafayette Rangers, the New Haven Vigilants, the Adams Township Rangers, the St. Joe Detectives and the Springfield Detectives.
SAMUEL S. MORSS, MAYOR.
The warm contention over the maintenance of the public schools was carried into the municipal campaign of 1857, and Samuel S. Morss1 was chosen mayor on a "free" schools platform, winning over his opponent, L. Wolke, by a vote of 763 to 518.
"Less illegal voting was done than at any election held here for years," observed the Times.
In 1858, the voters re-elected Samuel S. Morss as mayor of the city, together with the following lesser officers: Marshal, Patrick McGee; clerk, J. C. Davis; treasurer, W. H. Link (resigned) ; attor- ney, John Glenn; civil engineer, Samuel McElfatrick; assessor, Jo- seph Price; marketmaster, William Stewart; street commissioner, Charles Becker; fire chief, L. T. Bourie ; assistant fire chiefs, George Humphrey and George Nelson; councilmen, H. N. Putnam, John S. Irwin, E. Vordermark, John M. Miller, William T. Pratt, Jacob Foellinger, Charles D. Bond, Orrin D. Hurd, A. M. Webb and Chris- tian Becker. The board of education was composed of William Rockhill, Thomas Tigar, George A. Irvin, Samuel Edsall and James Humphrey; Mr. Irvin was the superintendent of the schools.
County officials elected and appointed in 1858 were: Clerk, I. D. G. Nelson; sheriff, William Fleming; auditor, Francis L. Furste; treasurer, Alexander Wiley; recorder, Platt J. Wise; sur- veyor, William Mclaughlin; coroner, W. H. McDonald (succeeded by J. P. Waters) ; commissioners, Francis D. Lasselle, Henry Dicker- son (succeeded by J. Shaffer) and Theron M. Andrews; superintend- ent of county infirmary, John B. Reinecke.
In 1858 Joseph Brackenridge was elected judge of the court of common pleas, with John Colerick, prosecuting attorney. James L. Worden resigned the judgeship of the circuit court, and Reuben J. Dawson was appointed to fill the vacancy, with S. J. Stoughton, of Auburn, as prosecutor. At the fall election Edwin R. Wilson, of Bluffton, was elected judge of the circuit court. James L. Defrees, of Goshen, who was serving as prosecutor, died during his term of office, and John Colerick was appointed to the place. At the fall election Moses Jenkinson was elected to the office of prosecuting attorney, but the governor refused to recognize his commission, on
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THE PICTORIAL HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE
the ground that Colerick's appointment was for the entire unexpired portion of the term of Mr. Defrees.
The resignation of Judge Worden was occasioned by his ap- pointment by Governor Willard to a place on the bench of the Indiana supreme court made vacant by the resignation of Judge Stuart, of Logansport. In 1859 he was elected to the office and at the expiration of his six-year term he returned to Fort Wayne and was elected mayor of the city.
Allen Hamilton was elected state senator, and Nelson McLain and Schuyler Wheeler state representatives, in 1858.
The following county officers were elected: Auditor, Francis L. Furst; treasurer, Samuel Edsall ; sheriff, Joseph A. Strout; re- corder, Platt J. Wise ; surveyor, William McLaughlin ; coroner, John P. Waters; commissioners, John Shaffer, Michael Crow and T. M. Andrews.
Joseph Brackenridge was elected judge of the court of common pleas ; Augustus A. Chapin, of Kendallville (later of Fort Wayne), was chosen prosecuting attorney of the circuit court, succeeded by John Colerick ; D. T. Smith was chosen prosecuting attorney of the court of common pleas.
Moses Jenkinson and Conrad Trier were elected state repre- sentatives, in 1859.
CHARLES CASE, CONGRESSMAN.
Charles Case won in the race for congress, in 1857, by a majority of 749 over James L. Worden. Mr. Case had been appointed to serve
JUDGE JAMES A. FAY.
Judge Fay was the first judge of the criminal court of Allen county, appointed by Governor Baker. He was born in 1813 at Northampton, N. Y., and came west with an engineering party. He taught school at Centerville, Ind., and later, after studying law with John Newman, he became a partner of Caleb B. Smith. In 1858 he came to Fort Wayne, which was his home until his death in 1876. He was a leader in his profession and a man universally ad- mired.
WILLIAM T. ABBOTT.
Mr. Abbott served as auditor of Allen county for a term beginning in 1874. He was a native of Farmington, Me., born in 1828, and came to Fort Wayne in 1858, his first employment being with George W. Ewing. After conducting a dry goods store for some time he en- tered into partnership with Wade Shoaff. In his later years he was engaged in the real estate business. His death oc- curred in 1901. The portrait is from a photograph loaned by the late Mrs. Cyn- thia A. Hill.
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"REGULATORS"-LINDENWOOD CEMETERY
1857 1859
an unexpired term, on account of the death of Samuel Brenton. Mr. Case was returned to congress in 1858, by a vote of 2,321, while his opponent, Reuben J. Dawson, received 958 votes. He was a Fort Wayne attorney; later he served in the civil war, and rose to the position of colonel of the 129th Indiana infantry. His death occurred in Washington, D. C.
TWO SCHOOL BOARDS.
The fight to maintain the schools was carried into the year 1858, which was a critical period in the history of the institution. The people at the regular election had chosen William Rockhill, Samuel Edsall and Thomas Tigar to serve as the board of trustees. The council, ignoring the result of the election, named James Humphrey in the place of Mr. Edsall. The ensuing quarrel between factions interested in the establishment of the schools added to the troubles of those who had the welfare of the institution at heart.
In the summer of 1858, with Samuel Hanna as president of the day, the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago railroad carried two train loads of Fort Wayne people to Warsaw for a great "free" school demonstration. Stirring addresses were made by Charles Case, Samuel Hanna, Superintendent George A. Irvin and William Rock- hill. "Without wishing to make an invidious distinction," says the Sentinel, "we feel it a duty especially to commend the address made by Master Charles McCulloch, one of the students of our free school, which, for facts and argument it contained, the beauty and excellence of its language and the ease and grace of its delivery, would have been creditable to the ablest and most experienced pub- lic speaker on the grounds." A committee composed of Dr. C. E. Sturgis, L. C. Jacoby, Rev. R. D. Robinson, Samuel Hanna, D. L. Beaver and Peter P. Bailey, solicited a sufficient amount of money from private citizens to allow the reopening of the schools in the following September. However, the appeal to the people of Fort Wayne for voluntary financial aid to keep the schools open in the following year proved ineffective, and, from May, 1859, to January, 1860, the Clay and Jefferson buildings were closed. An indebted- ness of $16,486.84 was a troublesome problem for the trustees, Thomas Tigar, Oliver P. Morgan, Dr. Charles E. Sturgis, R. E. Fleming and Samuel Edsall, who served during the period.
In 1861 the supreme court declared the school law unconstitu- tional, and the schools again were closed for a time. A new and improved law was passed, but the general conditions were such as to discourage the efforts of the friends of the institution. Not until 1865, when the law was materially changed, did the light finally dawn upon the free school system.
E. S. GREEN, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
In June, 1863, Rev. George A. Irvin, superintendent of the schools, resigned his place to become a chaplain in the army. He was succeeded by E. S. Green. The fall term opened with a total enrollment of 698 pupils. Following is a list of the teachers: High school-George N. Glover, Mrs. E. S. Green. Jefferson school- Miss Amelia Pettit, Miss Carrie B. Sharp, Isaac Mahurin, Mrs. Susan Hoffman, Miss Mahurin, Miss Martha Beecher, Miss Laura Kimball,
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THE PICTORIAL HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE
Miss Frank Sinclair, Miss Emily McCracken. Clay school-Allen W. Pierce, William McQuiston, Miss Fletcher, Miss Phelps, Miss Lucy Bird, Miss Catherine Geiry. The school board, in 1863, was composed of Samuel Edsall (succeeded by Emanuel Bostick), A. Martin (succeeded by Virgil M. Kimball), Christian Orff, Dr. C. E. Sturgis and Ochmig Bird.
THE FIRST HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES.
In April, 1865, the city council elected Oliver P. Morgan, Ed- ward Slocum and John S. Irwin trustees of the schools. In the following June, the first class of graduates left the institution, marking a joyous period in the history of the schools. The class was composed of four young ladies, Emma L. Baldwin, who later served as a teacher, now deceased; Margaret S. Cochrane, for thirty-six years principal of the Washington school; Marian E. Humphrey, later Mrs. Brenton, also a teacher, and Abbie J. Sharp, who became Mrs. Frank Morton, of San Francisco, California.
JAMES H. SMART, SUPERINTENDENT.
Upon the resignation of E. S. Green as superintendent of the schools, the board elected as his successor Dr. James H. Smart, of
1858. NEW YEAR SOIREE 1858. Compliments of the Managers For Friday Evening, January 1st, 1958 AT THE
Rockhill House.
MANAGERS.
Wm. T. Abbon,
D. N. Bash,
E. M. Talbott.
W. G. Ewing, jr.,
V. M. Kimball,
Moses Drake, jr ..
M. H. Taylor,
C. D. Bond,
3 M. W, Huxford,
M. W. Hubbell.
Geo. Nelson,
w. W. Wall,
E. L. Chittenden. C. L. Bill,
John H, Bass,
3 W. C. Shoaff,
Thomas Hedekin.
{ Jibn Graham,
W. T. Fratt.
F. J. Drake,
H. C. STEY,
Maj, S, Edsall.
3 E. F. Colerick,
J. D. Bond,
S, Carey Evans
W. H. Brooks,
Chas. Hanna.
Floor Manager --- W. C. SHOAFF, D. N. BASH, GEO. NELSON.
Fort ElIanne, Der. 28, 1857.
CARRIAGES WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE.
I Was Phesal Anderson Prosent
A BEFORE-THE-WAR SOCIAL AFFAIR.
.One of the prominent social events of the winter season of 1857-1858 was the "New Year soiree" at the Rockhill house on the 1st of January, 1858. The printed invitation, preserved by Mrs. George W. Ely, is here reproduced.
445
"REGULATORS"-LINDENWOOD CEMETERY
1857 1859
Toledo, Ohio, who entered upon his work and prosecuted it with such success that he was, after ten years of service here, elevated to high positions in the educational world, including the state superintendency of public instruction and the presidency of Purdue university.
The overcrowded condition of the schools, in 1866, is suggested by the action of the city council in granting to Miss Nora Davis the use of "the fire engine house situated south and near the Wabash railroad shops as a school room to teach small scholars in; she pledges herself to keep secure and safe from damage the engine and any other property in the building."
BISHOP LUERS AND THE DIOCESE OF FORT WAYNE.
With the division of the Catholic diocese of Vincennes, which comprised the entire state of Indiana, the north half was organized in 1857 into the diocese of Fort Wayne, which city became the episcopal see. The diocese consisted of forty-two counties. Rt. Rev. J. H. Luers (born near Munster, Germany, in 1819) became the first bishop. Arriving in Fort Wayne from Cincinnati, where he was serving as pastor of St. Joseph's church, he gave prompt atten- tion to the preparations for the erection of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, for which Rev. Julian Benoit had already matured plans. The church was erected in 1859. In this year Rev. Father Benoit was appointed the first vicar general of the diocese of Fort Wayne.
THE CATHEDRAL.
In 1859 Bishop Luers and Father Benoit began the erection of the Cathedral. The building committee was composed of Henry Baker, Michael Hedekin, Maurice Cody and Jacob Kintz. The abandoned St. Augustine's church, which was superseded by the Cathedral, was destroyed by an incendiary fire, after it had been removed to the Clinton street side of the square. A large bell, cast in France in 1814 and presented to Rev. Father Benoit, was melted in the flames; the metal was later recast into two bells, one for St. Augustine's academy and one for the brothers' school.
"PLANKING" DOWNTOWN STREETS.
Owing to its almost impassable condition in wet weather, Cal- houn street was ordered by the city council, in 1857, to be "planked" from Berry to Lewis streets; the portion bordering the courthouse square on the west already had been improved. The contract for the work was awarded to T. P. Anderson, but, owing to the dis- turbed conditions which accompanied the opening of the civil war period, the work was not finished until 1863.
"The workmen are now laying the planks," observed the Sentinel of November 3, 1863, "and, Providence permitting, this thoroughfare will soon be redeemed from the dominion of mud that has heretofore ruled supreme over it."
In 1859, under the direction of H. Venker, contractor, West Main street from Calhoun to Union street, and Harrison street from Columbia to Main street, were "planked" at a cost of $1.80 per linear foot. The street width was forty feet.
.
446
THE PICTORIAL HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE
BEGINNING OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD SHOPS AND BASS FOUNDRY.
Jones, Bass and Company, whose foundry and machine shops were located on the line of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago railroad, sold their establishment to the railroad company in 1857. This was the beginning of the immense Pennsylvania railroad shops of today.
In September, 1857, Sion S. Bass and William H. Jones formed the partnership of Jones and Bass, and established a new foundry and machine shop on the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago rail- way and the Wabash railway; in the following year, John H. Bass and Edward Force. formed a partnership and leased the plant. In 1859, this partnership was dissolved and the plant sold to the Fort Wayne Machine works, organized with a capital stock of $12,000, officered as follows: President, Samuel Hanna; secretary, W. H. Jones; treasurer, Hugh Bennigan; superintendent, Neil MeLach-
.
ALFRED P. EDGERTON.
Mr. Edgerton was born at Plattsburg, N. Y., in 1813. After his graduation from Plattsburg academy he was con- nected with newspaper work for a brief period before removing to New York city to engage in commercial pursuits. In 1837 he located as an attorney at Hicksville, Ohio, to represent the landed interests of the American Land Co., and the Messrs. Hicks. Mr. Edgerton became the owner of 40,000 acres of valuable land in northwestern Ohio. As a member of the Ohio senate in 1845, he was the democratic leader of that body, and in 1850 he was elected a rep- resentative to congress; a re-election followed in 1852. In 1853 he was chosen by the board of state fund commission- ers of Ohio as financial agent to reside in New York. In 1857 Mr. Edgerton removed to Fort Wayne, and two years later, with Judge Samuel Hanna and Pliny Hoagland, he leased the Wabash and Erie canal, which he controlled as general manager until 1868. In the latter year he was a candidate for lieu- tenant governor of Indiana, and four
years later declined to become a candi- date for governor on the ticket of the O'Connor democrats. President Cleve- land appointed Mr. Edgerton a member of the national civil service commission. In his later years Mr. Edgerton served in many important positions, including that of member of the Fort Wayne school board for an extended period.
ANDREW HOLMAN HAMILTON.
A. H. Hamilton was a son of Allen Hamilton, one of the foremost citizens in the development of the city of Fort Wayne. He was a graduate of Wabash college in 1858 and a student of Goetten- gin in Germany for two years, before he entered Harvard university, from the law department of which latter institu- tion he graduated. He located in Fort Wayne for the practice of law and con- tinued in the profession until the death of his father, when the responsibilities of the management of the family estate came upon him. During the Lincoln- Douglas campaign he entered the polit- ical arena and became a powerful fac- tor in crystallizing the democratic sen- timent of the county. He was elected to represent the Fort Wayne district in congress in 1874 and served two terms.
L
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"REGULATORS"-LINDENWOOD CEMETERY
1857 1859
lan. In 1862 John H. Bass purchased the interest of Neil Mclachlan. Subsequently, he became the sole owner, and this plant developed into the present Bass Foundry and Machine works.
THE REPUBLICAN AND THE STAATS-ZEITUNG.
On the 6th of May, 1858, Peter P. Bailey began the publication of the Fort Wayne Republican, in an office located on the west side of Calhoun street, between Main and Berry streets. "Mr. Bailey is a warm republican," observed the Sentinel, "and he 'pitches in' as earnestly as if he actually believes what he writes about disunion, pro-slavery and Lecompton juggle." The publication was not destined to live long.
Gustavus J. Neubert, in the same year, established the Staats- Zeitung, with its publication office located on the south side of Columbia street, between Calhoun and Clinton streets. In 1862 the paper came under the editorial control of John D. Sarnighausen. In 1877 it was issued as a daily.
TOLL GATE RECEIPTS.
The value of the investment in turnpikes, established by stock companies, is suggested by the report of the receipts and expendi- tures of the Fort Wayne and Bluffton Turnpike Company for 1857. The amount received from tolls at the gate near the present Allen county farm was $1,713.15; from the gate at Ossian, $662.13; from the gate near Bluffton, $258.75; total, $2,634.03. The cost of main- tenance for the year was $2,058.60, leaving a balance of $575.43. Dr. Charles E. Sturgis was the president of the company, and W. S. Edsall clerk and treasurer.
THE BEGINNING OF LINDENWOOD CEMETERY.
The year 1859 marks the culmination of the plans of a company of far-seeing citizens who had endeavored for several years to secure a suitable location for a cemetery which would serve the needs of the city for many years to come-a place which would yield to the efforts of the landscape gardener and become a permanently beauti- ful city of the dead. How well their plans matured is attested by the Lindenwood of today.
On the 5th of July, I. D. G. Nelson, Jesse L. Williams, Hugh McCulloch, Charles D. Bond, David F. Comparet, Royal W. Taylor, Allen Hamilton, Alexander M. Orbison, John E. Hill, Pliny Hoag- land, Alfred D. Brandriff and Ochmig Bird purchased a tract of 153 acres known as the Pollock plat, at a cost of $7,627.50, which developed into the present beautiful Lindenwood cemetery. The approach was an almost impassable marsh and the ground was covered with thick underbrush. In 1860, when I. D. G. Nelson was elected president and Charles D. Bond secretary and treasurer of the Fort Wayne Cemetery association, the additional amount ex- pended for improvement was $1,841.52. Solemn and impressive ceremonies on May 30, 1860-a date in future years to be designated as sacred to the memory of many who were then about to enter
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