USA > Ohio > Hancock County > History of Hancock county, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 7
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On my visit to the Eberleys, in Wood County, of which I have before spoken, Mr. Eberly, a pioneer of the county, related to me the circumstances of the murder. Mr. Eber- ly's statement was substantially as follows :
"Sum-un-du-wat, daughter and her husband were mur- dered near Napoleon, in Henry County, by John Anderson and James Lyons, who lived near Portage, in Wood County. Anderson lived with me at the time. Sum-un-du-wat and party had been in our neighborhood for some days, and Anderson had tried to buy or trade for a favorite dog of the Indians, but without success. He made the declaration that he would have the dog before another week passed. He and Lyons followed the party to near Napoleon, where by the direction of one John Ellsworth, who resided about six miles west of Portage, they committed the bloody mur- der. They got all the money of which Sum-un-du-wat was possessed, which Snake-bone and other Chiefs, declared was about six hundred dollars; also, seven ponies, a lot of furs and dogs. They returned to the house of Lyons, a little
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History of Hancock County.
west of Portage, where they concealed the ponies and all of the dogs, except the favorite one, which Anderson ap- propriated as his own, and although the dog was seen in his company, no one suspected that he had obtained it other than by fair means.
" In the excitement after the murder, one of the ponies escaped from the boys, and wandered to the camp of Snake- bone and his party. On being followed it returned to the place where the murdered Indians lay. The alarm was given, and Snake-bone and his party followed the trail to Portage, where they found and arrested Anderson and Lyons.
" The former was at church in the village. The Indians surrounded the building and captured him as he came out. The prisoners were conducted to Napoleon, where a prelim- inary examination was had, and the parties were commited to jail, but afterwards made their escape, and were never punished. At the trial, Anderson turned States evidence, and related the story of the murder. He stated that they stayed with the party three days before they met with a favorable opportunity to commit the hellish deed. When the Indians arrested Lyons, they found all the dogs belong- ing to them, under the floor of Lyon's house. The boys said that Ellsworth induced them to commit the murder, and after it was done, advised them to let him have the money until the excitement should pass over, and then they would divide. But the old scoundrel took the money and fled the country.
" Sum-un-du-wat was about sixty years of age. Snake- bone, in his endeavors to find the murders, wat three days and nights on the trail, and such were his exertions, that he broke down from their effects, and died shortly after."
Murder of Sum-un-du-wat. 105
It was thus that another crime was committed towards a people, who were as often a friend as an enemy. It was but another exhibition of that devilish disposition, possessed by some, to cruelly treat the weak and unprotected, to shield themselves behind a general feeling of hostility towards a people, and commit acts of persecution and murder even, on individuals, who are entitled to, and deserve the greatest consideration at their hands. No one could truthfully point to a single act of cruelty or hostility by Sum-un-du-wat to- wards any white man, on the contrary, he had been the friend of the whites, and had rendered them many valuable services.
8
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History of Hancock County.
CHAPTER XVI.
OUR ASSOCIATES IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF OHIO, IN SENA- TORIAL AND REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS.
T HE reader will remember that from the organization of the county in 1820. preliminary only, until the time of its separate and independent organization in 1828, we were attached to, and for all municipal purposes were a part of Wood County. This being the fact, then in the name of Wood County, in the following list of Senators and Repre- sentatives up to 1828, will be included Hancock County.
The following table shows with what counties we have been connected, both in the election of State Senators and Representatives to the General Assembly of Ohio.
In 1821, the Senatorial District of which we were a part was composed of the counties of Champaign, Clark, Logan and Wood. Senator, James Cooley.
Representative District-The counties of Logan and Wood. Representative, John Shelby.
In 1823, Senatorial District-The counties of Logan, Clark and Wood. Senator, George Fethian.
Representative District-The counties of Logan and Wood. Representative. John Shelby.
In 1824, Senatorial District-The counties of Logan, Hardin and Wood. Senator, Robert Young.
Representative District-The counties of Logan, Hardin and Wood. Representative, John Shelby.
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Senators and Representatives.
In 1825, Senatorial District-The counties of Miami, Shelby, Allen, Logan, Hardin and Wood. Senator, Robert Young.
Representative District-The counties of Logan, Hardin and Wood. Representative, John Shelby.
In 1826, Senatorial District-The counties of Miami, Shelby, Logan and Wood. Senator, Daniel M. Workman.
Representative District-The counties of Logan, Hardin and Wood. Representative, John Shelby.
In 1827, Senatorial District-The counties of Miami, Logan, Shelby and Wood. Senator, Daniel M. Workman.
Representative District-The counties of Logan and Wood. Representative, John Shelby,
In 1828, Senatorial District-The counties of Sandusky, Seneca, Wood and Hancock. Senator, David Campbell.
Representative District-The counties of Sandusky, Seneca, Wood and Hancock. Representative, Samuel M. Lockwood.
In 1829, Senatorial District-The counties of Sandusky, Seneca, Wood and Hancock. Senator, David Campbell.
Representative District-The counties of Sandusky, Seneca, Wood and Hancock. Representative, Samuel M. Lockwood.
In 1830, Senatorial District-The counties of Sandusky, Seneca, Wood and Hancock. Senator, David Campbell.
Representative District-The counties of Sandusky, Seneca, Wood and Hancock. Representative, Josiah Hedges.
In 1831, Senatorial District-The counties of Huron, Sandusky, Seneca, Wood and Hancock. Senator, S. M. Lockwood.
Representative District-The counties of Sandusky,
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History of Hancock County.
Seneca, Wood and Hancock. Representative, Henry J. Harmon.
In 1832, Senatorial District-The counties of Huron, Sandusky, Seneca, Wood and Hancock. Senator, Daniel J. Tilden.
Representative District-The counties of Seneca, San- dusky, Wood and Hancock. Representative, James L. Everett.
In 1833, Senatorial District-The counties of Huron, Sandusky, Seneca, Wood and Hancock. Senator, Daniel Tilden.
Representative District-The counties of Seneca, San- dusky, Wood and Hancock. Representative, James L. Everett.
In 1834, Senatorial District-The counties of Logan, Hardin, Hancock, Union and Madison. Senator, Samuel Newell.
Representative District-The counties of Sandusky, Seneca, Crawford and Hancock. Representative, James Hubbard.
In 1835, Senatorial District-The counties of Madison, Union, Logan, Hardin and Hancock. Senator, Samuel Newell.
Representative District-The counties of Seneca, San- dusky, Wood and Hancock. Representative, James Hub- bard.
In 1836, Senatorial District-The counties of Madison, Union, Logan, Hardin and Hancock. Senator, Samuel Newell.
Representative District-The counties of Sandusky, Seneca, Wood and Hancock. Representative, W. B. Craig- hill.
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Senators and Representatives.
In 1837, Senatorial District-The counties of Hancock, Lucas, Wood and Henry. Senator, John E. Hunt.
Representative District-The counties of Hancock, Sen- eca and Wood. Representative, W. B. Craighill.
In 1838, Senatorial District-The counties of Lucas, Wood, Henry, Hancock, Van Wert, Allen, Shelby and Hardin. Senator, Curtis Bates.
Representative District-Sandusky, Seneca and Han- cock. Representative, Samuel Treat.
In 1839, Senatorial District-The counties of Lucas, Wood, Henry, Hancock, Van Wert, Allen, Shelby and Hardin. Senator, Curtis Bates.
Representative District-Seneca, Sandusky and Han- cock. Representative, John Welsh.
In 1840, Senatorial District-The counties of Hancock, Wood, Lucas, Henry, Williams, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Allen, Hardin and Shelby. Senator, John E. Hunt.
Representative District-Hancock, Sandusky Seneca, Wood and Ottowa. Representatives, Moses McAnnelly and Amos E. Wood.
In 1841, Senatorial District-The counties of Seneca, Sandusky, Wood, Ottawa and Hancock. Senator, John Goodin.
Representative District-Seneca, Wood, Hancock and Ottowa. Representatives, Amos E. Wood and George W. Baird ..
In 1843, Senatorial District-The counties of Seneca, Sandusky, Wood, Ottawa and Hancock. Senator, Moses McAnnelly.
Representative District-Seneca, Sandusky, Hancock, Wood and Ottawa. Representatives, Wm. B. Craighill and Samuel Waggoner.
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History of Hancock County.
In 1844, Senatorial District-The counties of Sandusky, Seneca, Hancock and Crawford. Senator, Amos E. Wood.
Representative District-Wood, Lucas, Hancock and Ottowa. Representative, Elijah Huntington.
In 1845, Senatorial District-The counties of Lucas, Wood, Hancock and Ottawa. Senator, Charles W. O'Neal.
Representative District-Hancock, Wood, Lucas and Ottowa. Representative, Lyman Parker.
In 1846, Senatorial District-The counties of Hancock, Lucas, Wood and Ottowa, Senator, Jesse Wheeler.
Representative District-Wood, Lucas, Hancock and Ottowa. Representative, John McMahan.
In 1817, Senatorial District-The counties of Hancock, Lucas, Wood and Ottowa. Senator, Jesse Wheeler.
Representative District -- Wood, Lucas, Hancock and Ottowa. Representative, Emory D. Potter.
In 1848, Senatorial District-The counties of Lucas, Henry, Wood, Hancock, Sandusky and Ottowa. Senator, James Myers.
Representative District -- Hancock and Wyandotte. Rep- resentative, M. C. Whiteley.
In 1849, Senatorial District-The counties of Seneca, Hancock and Wyandotte. Senator, Joel W. Wilson.
Representative District -- Hancock and Wyandotte. Rep- resentative, M. C. Whiteley.
In 1850, Senatorial District-The counties of Seneca, Hancock and Wyandotte. Senator, Michael Brackley.
Representative District -- Hancock and Wyandotte. Rep- resentative, Henry Bishop.
In 1852, Senatorial District -- The counties of Hancock, Wood, Lucas, Putnam, Fulton and Henry. Senator, Wil- liam Mungen.
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Senators and Representatives.
Representative District -- Hancock. Representative, Hen- ry Bishop.
In 1854, Senatorial District -- The counties of Hancock, Wood, Lucas, Fulton, Henry and Putnam. Senator, Sam- uel H. Steedman.
Representative District -- Hancock. Representative, John F. Perkey.
In 1856, Senatorial District-The counties of Hancock, Wood, Lucas, Fulton, Henry and Putnam. Senator, W. S. Lunt.
Representative District -- Hancock. Representative, Par- lee Carlin.
In 1858, Senatorial District-The counties of Hancock, Wood, Lucas, Fulton, Henry and Putnam. Senator, Josiah N. Wescott.
Representative District -- Hancock. Representative, John Wescott.
In 1860, Senatorial District-The counties of Hancock. Wood, Lucas, Putnam, Fulton and Henry. Senator, George Laskey.
Representative District -- Hancock. Representative, John Wescott.
In 1862, Senatorial District-The counties of Hancock, Wood, Lucas, Fulton, Henry and Putnam. Senator, Charles M. Godfrey.
Representative District -- Hancock. Representative, Wm. Gribben.
In 1864, Senatorial District-The counties of Lucas, Wood, Hancock, Fulton, Henry and Putnam. Senator, James C. Hall.
Representative District -- Hancock. Representative, Par- lee Carlin.
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History of Hancock County.
In 1866, Senatorial District-The counties of Putnam, Lucas, Hancock, Fulton, Henry and Wood. Senators, Par- lee Carlin and James C. Hall.
Representative District -- Hancock. Representative, Isaac Cusae.
In 1868, Senatorial District-The counties of Wood, Lucas, Hancock, Fulton, Henry and Putnam. Senators, James C. Hall and Abel M. Cory.
Representative District -- Hancock. Representative, Isaac Cusae.
In 1870, Senatorial District-The counties of Fulton, Lucas, Wood, Hancock, Henry and Putnam. Senator, Abel M. Cory.
Representative District-Hancock. Representative, A. B. Shafer.
In 1872, Senatorial District-The counties of Putnam, Henry, Fulton, Lucas, Wood and Hancock. Senators, D. W. H. Howard and Hanks P. Gage.
Representative District -- Hancock. Representative, Chas. Oesterlin.
In 1874, Senatorial District-The counties of Henry, Putnam, Hancock, Wood, Lucas and Fulton. Senators, E. D. Potter and W. A. Tressler.
Representative District -- Hancock. Representative, Wm. M. Mckinley.
In 1876, Senatorial District-The counties of Hancock, Wood, Lucas, Fulton, Henry and Putnam. Senators, Charles J. Swan and T. P. Brown.
Representative District -- Hancock. Representative, Alex. Phillips.
In 1878, Senatorial District-The counties of Lucas,
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Senators and Representatives.
Hancock, Wood, Putnam, Fulton and Henry. Senators, David Joy and James B. Steadman.
Representative District-Hancock. Representative, Henry Sheets.
In 1880, Senatorial District-The counties of Henry, Lucas, Fulton, Wood, Putnam and Hancock. Senator, W. A. Wilkins.
Representative District-Hancock. Representative, W. H. Wheeler.
I am indebted to Hon. W. H. Wheeler for nearly all of this chapter.
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History of Hancock County.
CHAPTER XVII.
MATTERS OF INTEREST, IN BRIEF PARAGRAPHS.
A T a session of the Court of Common Pleas, in and for the County of Wood-Hancock being then a part of said county-the court being held at Maumee, in 1820, "Wilson Vance was appointed Surveyor of Wood County."
At a session of the same court, held in May, 1822, "Wil- son Vance was licensed to keep a tavern in Findley for one year. The court fixed the price at five dollars per annum."
At the October term, 1824, of said court, the following entry was made on the court records : "The Commission- ers appointed to establish the seat of Justice in the County of Hancock, in the State of Ohio, report that they have se- lected the town of Findley, in said County of Hancock, as the most suitable site for the seat of Justice of said coun- ty, as per their report on file in the office of the Clerk of this Court."
This Commission was appointed under the provisions of the Act of the General Assembly, as follows :
" Resolved, By the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, that John Owens, of the County of Champaign, Alexander Long, of the County of Logan, Forest Meeker, of the County of Delaware, be and they are hereby ap- pointed Commisioners, to locate and fix the seat of Justice, in and for the County of Hancock, February 2d, 1824."
I find this record under the date of January, 1825: "Fin-
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First Marriages.
ley, January 11th, 1825. This is to certify, that on the second day of September, in the year 1824, Samuel Kepler, of Williams County, and Rachel McKinnis, of Hancock County, were legally joined in marriage by me. a Justice of the Peace, in and for the County of Hancock, and Township of Finley. Given under my hand,
WILSON VANCE, J. P."
This was, undoubtedly, the first marriage in the county. At all events, it is the first of record in both Hancock and Wood Counties. Mrs. Kepler, who was one of the parties in interest, is still living. Many of her relations are resi- dents of this county.
It might be of interest in this connection to give the dates of some others of these old-time weddings-matters of quite as much importance at that day-simple as were the ceremonies, and plain as were the accompaniments, as are the gorgeous displays made on such occasions at the present day. But to the record :
May 4th, 1826, Jacob Moreland and Sarah Poe, by Robert McKinnis, J: P.
September 14th, 1826, Asa M. Lake and Charlotte Greer, by Joshua Hedges, J. P.
March 12th, 1827, William Moreland and Julia Cham- berlain, by Joshua Hedges, J. P.
August 24th, 1827, Sampson Dildine and Sarah High- land, by Joshua Hedges, J. P.
November 1st, 1827, John Gardner and Susan Moreland, by William Hackney, J. P.
December 20th, 1827, Philip MeKinnis and Susan Dukes, by Joshua Hedges, J. P.
When we are told that many of these parties went miles through the forests, traveling the narrow paths-for roads
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History of Hancock County.
there were none-on horseback, bride and groom both on same horse-all alone perhaps, in search of the man of law, who was authorized to say the words, that would make them one (?) and that afterwards a home must be hewn out of the forests, and that life-even married life was real-we can easily imagine that there were no extended wedding tours, no idle honeymoons, no rounds of gaiety-except, perhaps, the country dance at the infare, as it was called. And yet they lived, and loved and prospered. They enjoyed life, always looking on the bright side.
"On the 4th day of June, 1832, Thomas F. Johnston, Auditor, resigned, and the Commissioners appointed Joseph C. Shannon to fill vacancy. Johnston, late Auditor, was allowed forty dollars for extra services."
At the session of the Commissioners held in December, 1831, they sold to Rev. Peter Monfest, lot number 105, (first lot east of Commercial House,) and lot number 148, (now owned by John L. Downing,) for forty-three dollars and twenty-five cents, payable on the first day of April 1832.
The Commissioners, at their December session, in 1834, appointed Parlee Carlin, Recorder of Hancock County, un- til the next annual election in October.
The records are silent as to the causes which made it necessary to appoint a Recorder.
The first case of contested elections, of which we have notice, in the records of the county, is the one indicated in the following notice, which seems to have been served on the Clerk of the Court :
" To the Clerk of Hancock County. You are requested to withhold the returns of the election of Union Township, wherein Wenman Wade was elected Justice of the Peace,
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First Order for Printing.
and the election is contested, and said contest is to be tried on the 13th of September, 1838.
WM. ROLLER. Associate Judge."
The Commissioners of Wood County, at their session in December, 1820, ordered that the "Road from Ft. Meigs, or the foot of the rapids of the Maumee of the Lake, to Bellefontaine, be opened."
And at their session March 4th, 1822, this order was made : "Ordered by the Board that the Township of Waynesfield, within the jurisdiction of the County of Wood, be co-extensive with the boundaries of Wood and Hancock, and to include the same."
June 6th, 1826, the Commissioners of Wood County, "Ordered that four hundred dollars of road fund be appor- tioned to Hancock County, to be expended on the Urbana road, in said county."
The first order for printing so far as the records show, was made at the December session, 1836, of the Commis- sioners, and reads thus: "Ordered that Jacob Rosenberg print sixteen hundred county orders, for sixteen dollars, in Hancock County orders, to be issued when the orders are struck."
It was also ordered at the same session, "That a war- ranty deed be made to Jacob Foster and Daniel Foster for in-lot No. 64 ; also, to William Taylor, for in-lots numbered S and 156."
It appearing that no record of land entries in the county had been kept in any of the county offices, and the County Commissioners believing such a record a necessity, we find in their proceedings, in 1839, this entry : " It was ordered that some suitable person go to each of the Land Offices in
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History of Hancock County.
this Land Office District, and procure a duplicate of all lands entered in the county up to this date, with the names of the original enterers, the date of entry, the description, quantity, township and range, was ordered to be set up to the lowest bidder at public outcry. Whereupon, the same being cried in the presence of the Commissioners, it was cried off to Jacob Rosenberg, he being the lowest bidder, for the sum of thirty-nine dollars."
We find another order for county printing, this time, June 7th, 1842, and in this, as in the former one, the Commis- sioners fix the price. It was "Ordered that the Auditor of Hancock County, have the receipts and expenditures of said county, published in the Courier, providing he can get it done at the rate of 872 cents per square, in a condensed form, if not, have it posted up as the law directs."
We have about this time a recorded specimen of how easy, and how quickly, an officer may resign, when he makes up his mind so to do. That the officer in question was in earnest no one doubted, and his resignation was ac- cepted. "To Aquilla Gilbert, George Shaw and Andrew Rickets, Commissioners of Hancock County, Gentlemen : I hereby resign to you my office of Auditor of Hancock County, Ohio. You will therefore now consider said office vacant from this moment.
Yours with respect, W. L. HENDERSON."
As soon as the Commissioners could recover from their sudden surprise, and comprehend the full meaning of the letter, they proceeded at once not only to receive the resig- nation so suddenly thrust upon them, but also to fill the va- cancy, which they did by appointing James H. Barr until the first day of March next ensuing.
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Court House Bell.
The Commissioners, on the 3d day of March, 1846, au- thorized Frederick Henderson to procure a suitable bell for the Court House, the original cost of which should not ex- ceed two hundred and fifty dollars, and have the same placed in the cupola of the Court House.
In July, 1830, the Commissioners " Ordered the sale of cutting out the road-Bellefontaine to Perrysburg, and Find- ley to Defiance-thirty-two feet wide. All timber twenty inches in circumference to cut out, and the ground to be cleared of all timber."
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History of Hancock County.
CHAPTER XVIII.
MURDERS AND MURDER TRIALS.
A LTHOUGHI no less than six men have been indicted and tried for the crime of murder, in some form or other, in this county, yet no one has ever been convicted of or suffered the extreme penalty of the law for murder in the first degree. In other words, no one has ever been legally hanged in Hancock County. Some of the cases seemed to be of the most aggravated kind, but by some de- feet in the law, or in the judgment of the jury, no verdict was ever rendered, calling for capital punishment. The county has now been organized for more than sixty years, and but six trials have been had for murder, three of which have occured within the last eight years.
In 1846, a horse was stolen in Hardin County, and the thief was pursued through this county, several persons here joining in the chase. Amongst them was John Parish, who resided in Williamstown, in this county. Parish was a pow- erfully built man, brave as a lion, and resolute in any under- taking. At Van Buren the thief was overtaken, and so hard pressed was he, that he left his horse and took to the fields, about a mile beyond that village. Parish at once dismounted and pursued him. Overtaking him in the field, he closed in with him, finally overpowering him. He then gave the signal for the others to approach, but while doing so, the thief pulled his revolver and shot him dead, and
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Murder of Andrew Foster.
made his escape. Afterward a man who gave his name as Benjamin F. Dulin, was arrested, charged with being the murderer. After laying in jail for some months, he had a preliminary hearing before the Associate Judges of the Com- mon Pleas Court. A large number of witnesses were pres ent from Lake and Geagua Counties, in the interest of the prisoner, and he succeeded in proving an alibi and was dis- charged. It was, however, pretty generally believed that Dulin was the murderer. The prosecution was conducted by the late Abel F. Parker, who was then Prosecuting At- torney, assisted by Aaron H. Bigelow. The prisoner was defended by Judge M. C. Whiteley and Wm. M. Patterson. The real murder, if Dulin was not, was never known.
WILLIAM FOSTER.
At the November term of court, in 1856, William Foster, who lived in Jackson Township, was indicted for murder in the second degree, for the killing of his son, Andrew. The facts in the case, as related by Judge Whitely, who defend- ed Foster at the trial, were about these: Foster was of weak mind, irritable, and easily influenced by others. He had married a second time, the mother of Andrew being dead. The boy was about fifteen years old, and he and his step-mother could not agree, and all misconduct, or sup- posed misconduct of the boy, was reported to his father, who became excited, and without inquiry, would punish the boy severely. It seemed that the boy was possessed of a morbid appetite, apparently, his hunger was never appeased. He would get up in the night, even, and seek food.
On one occasion, some food, which had been prepared the night before, was found to have been taken during the night. Its loss was charged to Andrew, and his father in a rage, made an assault upon him. The boy was afterwards found 9
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History of Hancock County.
terribly bruised, and injured in loins and back. From these wounds he afterwards died, and his father was arrested, in- dicted and tried for the killing.
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