Marshall County, Indiana - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 21 of those read), 1881

Chapter with an unread heading (no. 21 of those read)

it will Jeave on the mind of the reader pleasant recollections, for he is sure that such will not be the case, but for the purpose of perpetuating the truth of history. It is hoped the reader will take warning, and avoid the causes by which so many of our people reached an untimely end. Prior to 151), no records were kept of those who met death by violence, and since that time, mavy who were either killed or found dead, were quietly laid away withont the formality of an inquest. So that it will be readily seen that where personal recollections are the only data to go by, always more or less imperfect, many omissions must necessarily he made.

The first murder in the history of the county occurred about the With of February, L844, near Yellow River, west of Wolf Creck Mills. A dispute between Samuel Shirley and John S. Piper. During the altereation, Shirley drew his knife and fatally stabbed Piper in the abdomen. Piper writhed in agony a short time and expired. Shirley was arrested and placed in the old wooden jail. in Plymouth, from which he shortly afterward escaped, and has not been seen nor heard from since, The neighborhood in which the murder took place, sparsely settled as it was at that time, was in a perfect furor of excitement, from which it did not recover for several years. Both parties claimed the affections of a girl residing in the neighborhood, and jealonsy on the part of the slayer is supposed to have been the inciting canse of the fracas. Abont this time, a man by the name of Albert Furry, who had come into the neighborhood a stranger, a year or two prior was missed under somewhat pecnliar cireumstances. The conntry was searched for several miles around, but no trace of him could be found. Some years afterward a human skeleton was found underneath a pile of shavings made from shingles, in the neighborhood, which was supposed to be the remains of Furry. Beyond this, nothing more was ever heard from him, :

Joseph Gritith, a resident of Plymouth, and Postmaster at the time, in company with others, was out hunting in the woods east of Plymouth, one Saturday afternoon in September, 1845. In stepping over a log, his gun accidentally discharged the contents in his abdomen, from which death resulted probably instantaneously. He was not found until Sunday morning. When found, his faithful hunting dog was there keeping watch over his remains, having remained with him all night.

Robert C. Bliven, proprietor of the Wolf Creek Mills, while working on the dam during a freshet, on the 28th day of February, 1850, fell into the water, was carried over the dam and drowned.

George Edwards, of Plymouth, baggage-master on the L, P. & C.K. R., was killed September 14, 1858, in a railroad accident that ocenrred about two miles northwest of Plymouth. The car wheels rnn over both legs, mangling them in a horrid manner, Amputation became necessary, but he died when re-action set in. John Danthard, fireman, in attempting to jump from the engine, was instantly killed.

Hattie Lawson, a promising girl of a dozen years, accidentally set fire to her dress at the house of D. McDonald, in Plymouth, and was so badly burned that she died April 6, 1563.

Mrs. George Grettard, residing a short distance west of Bourbon, was almost instantly killed by the falling of a tree during a severe thunder and wind storm April 2, 1S62.

A German by the name of Snyder was found about the 5th of March, 1857, three miles east of Plymouth, near the Pomeroy farm, lying dead. It was supposed he drank the contents of a bottle part full of liquor found by his side, beeame intoxicated, laid or fell down on the cold ground during a snow storm, went to sleep, and froze to death. William Guy, of this county, was run over and instantly killed by the ears, at La Porte, November 23, 1855,

Barbara C. Dale, Bourbon Township. The jury found that "she came to her death by sundry blows inflicted on the back part of the head with an ax and elub, by the hands of some person or persons unknown," September 7, 1867. For particulars see chapter on Bonrbon Township.

Jesse Wileox, North Township, near Linkville; death by a blow on the side of the head, struck by a ueighbor in self-defense, December Ll, 1S71.

Unknown man, Tippecanoe Township, found in a dying condition in a deserted house in a cornfield; died soon after; supposed to have been murdered, September 30), 1873.

Dr. W. A. Flanders, Center Township: stepped off sidewalk on North Michigan street, breaking blood vessel, from which he died at Parker House, Plymouth, May 2, 1575,

William Wilburn, while attending camp-meeting near Wolf Creek, in running, fell over a log and sustained injuries from which he died August 19, 1858.

George York, of Union Township, was thrown from his wagon while on his way home, a short distance southwest of Plymouth, and received injuries from which he died April 2, 1873,

Moses King, near Maxenkuckee Lake, in 1573, went into a well to fix a pump out of repair. He was called by his wife but did not answer. His son, Melvin King, went down also, and not coming up, an examination revealed the fact that father and son had died from the effects of "damps."

Isaac Jones, William Hughes, Thomas H. Wirt, W. W. Johnson were killed September 30, 1876, by the explosion of a threshing machine boiler on the farm of William Johnson, a few miles from Argos. Seven others were more or less wounded.

Dr. Gustavus A. Durr, of Marmont, Union Township, died December 17, 187, from injuries received by being thrown from his buggy, near Plymouth.

Death Of Pierce

About 1875, a man by the name of Pierce stole some horses, or at least it was alleged he stole them, some where in this county, and escaped with them to Wisconsin, He was finally overhauled, and in arresting him, the ofticer shot him several times producing severe wounds. He was captured and brought to Plymouth and placed in jail, where he received medical treatment, but after lingering along for several months, finally died. Before he died he gave his body to the attending physician for the purpose of dissection, The Sheriff did not recognize the validity of the bargain, and buried him in the Potter's Field. The same night, however, he was resurrected and placed in an upper room in a building on Michigan street, in which there was One of the lights of glass had been broken sometime previous, und the day after the body had been placed in the room, a tinner went up on the roof torepair it. Accidentally, he let his hammer fall into the room. He succeeded in getting a key, with which he opened the door. When he entered he was startled to seo a human body in a complete state of nudity, lying stretched out ona long table. Of course he was badly frightened and ran away as fast as his legs could carry him. He told everybody he met, and the excitement about town was intense. No one seemed to recognize the dead.man, and no one Inew what to do. However, it was conjectured by some, and known to a few, that it was the remains of Pierce. The Township Trustee took him to the graveyard that afternoon and again put him under the ground. Here, so far as the general public know, his remains yot lie, food for worms. But it is known toa few that such is not the fact. The same night, after his second burial, he was taken up and carried to the room where he was so accidentally and unexpectedly discovered. For the space of about three weeks, a hole in a window curtain, to one of the outside windows of the room, indicated by the light emitted, that the sons of Escnlapins were eutting and slashing on the remains of the unfortunate Pierce to their hearts' content. A portion of the remains, after the work of dissection was completed, was distributed among the surgeons, and a large number of the bones deposited in a barrel and headed up, in each end of which holes were bored. The barrel was then placed under the water-fall at the mill dam, being secured with ropes to keep it from getting away tntil the flesh was entirely washed off, and the hones whitened by the constant flow of water. Before this operation was completed, the barrel became loosened from the ropes, and the last remains of this unfortunate man went rolling and tumbling down the river. Some time afterward the barrel was found lodged against some driftwood near the brewery, but as no one claimed them, they were buried, and thus ends this strange, eventful story. KATE FLECK.

Katie Fleck, daughter of Mr. Fleck, living near Plymouth, lost her life by drowning in the St. Joseph River, near South Bend, in July, 1876. Abont the Ist of April, 1876, the wife of a Mr. Shaffer, of South Bend, sister of Katie's, died, infant child about four months old. Katie then went to keep house for Mr. Shaffer and attend to the motherless child, receiving as compensation $2 per week. On July 5, she demanded higher wages, which was refused. The following morning Shaffer arose at an early hour, went down to his shop, and returned to the house at his usual breakfast hour. Instead of finding the meal prepared, he found a note from Katie, as follows: "Charley - Hunt me and your baby on the other side of the railroad bridge, in the river." Search was at once instituted, but no trace could be found of the bodies, and it was thought the letter was an idle threat, a mere blind, and that she had gone elsewhere, probably to her father's house, near Plymouth. On Friday evening following, the dead body of Katie was seen going over the dam. The river was high and the current swift, and the body floated rapidly down stream after emerging from the seething waters under the dam. Two men finally overtook the body and brought it to shore. Two days afterward, the body of the child was seen floating in the river, and it was also brought to shore.

Merlin

A young man by the name of Merlin, while bathing in the mill-dam near Plymouth one Sunday afternoon in 1874, lost his hold on the boat, went to the bottom, and was drowned. After a search of an hour or two, he was fished out with a spear. He was lying on the bottom of the dam, face downward, and seemed to have died without a struggle.

DEATHS FROM NATURAL CAusEs, 1850. The year 1850 takes its place in the history of the county as the " sickly season." More deaths occurred within that year than during any year before or since, on the basis of population. From the census report made by George Pomeroy, of Plymouth (since deceased), for the year ending June 1, 1850, the following table of deaths, with the ages, sex, nativity, month, occupation, disease and number of days ill, is hereto appended: aa Bau es = eee tg Number polls, first apportionment, 1886......... 126 The following appears under the head of remarks: This Srauitice iit Sabb Gast cab alec limncrceneotavcren an very fatal disease, known here as the typhoid fever, has prevailed to an alarming extent in the center of the county, and spread from the county seat (Plymouth) in all directions, reaching sometimes to the extreme parts of the county, although the disease was mostly confined within a few miles of Plymouth. The flux and scarlet fever has been prevalent mostly in the northeast parts of the county."