Porter County, Indiana - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 13 of those read), 1912

Chapter with an unread heading (no. 13 of those read)

JERRY SIMPSON ONCE A RESIDENT OF inmTER COUNTY "lUCKY" BALDWIN - A SNII'ING EXPEDITION - _V TIUIA'ING PREACHER - STORMS - FIRES - RAILROAD. WRECKS - THE EXECi-riuN OF STAVES - OTHER NOTED MURDER

When the actual settlcmctit- of Porter coiuit.y began in 18.33 there were still quite a number of Pottawatomie Indians living within the confines of the .county. Altbougli these Indians were generally friendly in their relations with the whites, the two races sometimes came dangerously near a conflict. Among the early settlers of Westchester township was Jacob Beck, who came to Porter county in 1835. He was fond of hunting, and on one of his visits to ^lichigan City purchased a new rifle. On his M'ay home lie pas.sef! by an Indian village or encampment and 'a "big brave" asked to look at the new gun. As soon as he received it in his bands he hurried into bis wigwam. Knowing be would hide the rifle if given a few mir.ulos time, Beck jumped from his horse and started in pursuit. lie was a jiowei'ful man physically and had no trfuililc in wresting the rifle from the hands of tbe savage, but other Indians immediately appeared, and Beck realized that bis safety lay in getting away from there as' sooii as iiossible. Vaulting into his saddle, Ii> attempted to start his horse, when the Indian from whom the gnu had been taken grabbed hold of the reins and compelled the horse to stasid still. Without stopping to eonsidor what the consequences might he. Beck brought the heavy gun barrel down upon llie Indian's head with suiiicient force to "lay him out." Before the others could rally to tlic support of their i'allen comrade Beck w-as under full gallop, and was KDon out of immediate danger. Feeling certain that he would be pursued, upon reaching his home he told his wife; wliat he had done, and tliat night they slept in tiie woods near their home, expectijig vwvy minute to hear the war-whoop or see the flames of their burning cabin, tired by the torch of the savages. The next morning Colonel John Whistler went to the Indian village ajid by some persuasion, and probalily a few threats, induced tlie inhabitants to drop the matter. Beck was not further molested.

On another occasion Beck was lying down in his cabin, taking a nap, when a big Indian came and asked for something to eat. Not satisfied with Mrs. Beck's statement that she had nothing for him, he entered the house and began searching for food. Beck was ai'Oiised by the noise and lost no time in kicking the Indian out. The savage then counted upon his lingers to indicate that in a little while he would come bacj^ with ten men and wreak vengeance upon the pale face who had humiliated him. The door of the cabin was barricaded and other defensive preparations made to recieve the Indians in case they should a])pe<'i)\ In a short time thej' came, and it so liiippened that Beck knew the leader. A parley ensued, in which it was decided to settle tlie dispute by a wrestling jnatch. Beck allowed nine of the Indians to throw him; tlic tenth was the one he had ejected from his cabin but a short time before, and he refused to wrestle with the man whom lie liad kicked out, saying that he did not oljject to wrestling with men, but lie would not wrestle witli a dog. This turned the laugh on tlie defeated Indian and lluy went away in good spii'its.

or more inhabitants. These Indians amio.Mid ihe white settlers in the neigh horliootl by pelly thievery, but they nev^-.v committed an.y serious depredations. In this village lived two Indians named Wap-muk (or Wak-niiiek) and Clia-uin-a-win, wlio were not the best of friei:ds. On one occasion, after these two had iin})i})ed sulilieicnt "fire water," each imagined himself Id be Ihe other's superioi-. A fight ensued ii^ which Wap-muek was victorious, bcciiiisc his opponent was too dniii!: 'o put up a good fight. Fearing that he would be called upon to figh1 a second time when Cha-nin-a-win was sober, and being uncertain as to the result of such a conflict, Wap-niuk took time by the forelock one day by siiooting off the top of Cha-nin-a-win 's head as he lay asleep under a trie. Some of the while men living in the %i(:inity were inclined to have Wiip-muk arrested and tried l)y the white man's law. According to Iiiiji;iu customs, the life of the murderer was subject to forfeit, but a c.': promise was finally effected, b.y which AA'aji-nuik was made to give to liie squaw of the vicliin a certnin inimber of ponies and a quantity of valuable furs. As C'ha-nin-a-win was will known to l)e a drunken, Indian, the price fixed upon liis life was placed sufficiently low (hat his slayer could pay it without serious inconvenience. The happy ending of the whole affair was celebrate d liy a banquet, to which G. "\V. !>artholomew was invited, and at which Ihe "piece de resistance" was a fat dog. It is not known whether or not Mr. Bailliulomcw accepts: the invitation.

About 1886 or 1837, Simeon Bryant, who rottled near I^n n - Grove in 183."), liiid as a servant a young woman named Catheriin- Sjidoris. One day. >rliile the family was alisent from limine, the house visited by a J)art.^ of Indians. While they were tli<M-e Miss Sardoris i. lurned, and as she came aroiind the cornci- of the hoiise was startled !' discover an Indian ])ointin,ir his gun at her. As a iiiutter of fact, liu- Indian knew nolliiiig of tlu! girl's i)rescnce and was merelj' aiming his gun at some imapinary foe oi' game ani-nal. The girl did not Icnov. 'i' ., however, and lied for tlie woods neai' hy. The Indians called to hi-r io stop, intending to explain (hat they did not wish \n harm her. but Hi ir cries only added to liei- speed and slic kept on until she found the friendly shelter of the timber. "When Air. IJryant and his family returned, the Indians told them what had happened. A searching party was organized, but the girl was not found until the next day, having pa.ssed the night in the woods under the impression that all the members of the Bryant family had been slain.

There were a number of such incidents occurred during the few yeai-s the Indians I'emained in the county after the coming of the first settlers, but the greatest annoyance on account of the Pottawatomics came through their begging propensities. They would come to a settlers cabin and ask for food. If it was given them, the housewife might prepare for a second visit, for it was sure to come. As the Indians became better acquainted they would look around and select some little trinket, perhaps of little value, and ask that it be given to them. The next request would be for something more valuable, their begging being conducted with diplomacy and always in an ascending ratio. The settlers soon found out that the best waj' to get along with them was to refuse all requests and send them about their business. Though the Indians pretended to be offended at such treatment, they rarely, if ever, showed their resentment by hostile actions, probably realizing that the arm of "Uncle Sam" was long enough to protect his childi-en upon the frontier.

Mention has been made in a former chapter of Reason Bell, Jr., who was the first white child born in Porter countj'. His birth occurred on January 11, 1834. At the age of fifteen years he lost one of his feet through an accident, and at the age of eighteen became deputy county auditor. "When the Republican party was oi'ganized, although not yet twenty-one years of age, he took a leading part in the management of that party's aifaii-s. In 1857, at the age of twenty-three, he was elected county auditor and sen'ed for eight years. In 1870 he was ag'ain elected auditor and held the oiYice for eight years, making sixteen yeaj-s in all. He also served as justice of tlie peace in Center townsliip. lie died on July 15, 1899. Ilis father died in 1867 and his motiier in 1881.

Oue of UiL iuost ccccutiic cliaiaci is that "vpi- lived iu Pofi"'- county was Joseph ivj-irks - 'oetier known as 'Tncli^ Joe." He ^\;s born in England, September 11, 1820, anci eaiuc to America as a youag man in 184:9. Soon after liis ai-rival in tliis coundy he located iu Valparaiso and built Ti louse on the eorjiur of Franklin and Cliicaj/v streets, in which he di- d. He estalJj.shed jirst fouii,li-y in Valparai^- making iron kettles, iilow.s, stoves, etc. lie also dealt in second-haiui irnitiu'c, glass and tinware, bought scrap iron, rags, etc. Uncle Joe was twice married. His second wife was a half-breed Indian who was born about the time of the Pontiac war. He was fond of children and c /( Christmas distributed among his juvenih' triends a barrel of cauil.', Although not a believer in the tenets of tlie ('hx'istia)i religion, he wi^ ,: constant attendant at church, and did not liesitate to criticize the : .rmons to which he listened, sometimes speiiking right out at the iime. Rev. Robert Beer told the writer of one instance of Uncle Jw- '-riticism. One Sunday evening j\Ir. Beer ('luched uj)on the subjc^ -4' eternal punishment in his sermon. The iii \t morning he met Uncb- Joe at the postolifice. "Robert," said Mailc,>, "I did not like your : niou last night. ' '

"Well, then, what must I thiuk of your Heavenly Fatii who consigns his children to a fire that is n -ver queiiclicd and keep.-: nem there through all eternity?"

At one time Uncle Joe had abiuit a hundred pigeon ound his premises. They kept the place so littered up that the neiijbl" is started the circulation of a petition to tlu city council to )nake the r, ner clean up his place. Among those who sigjied Ihc piiidim was Elms Axe, who for ycais li.-.l been one of Uncle J'^e s most intimate friends, but wlieu the latter learned that ]\Ir. Ax(> had signed the ])etition the friendship was bvdken off, never to be renewed. Joseph ;\Iarks died on July 26, 1905. His M'ife had died some tirae before, ami iu the meantime he had been taken care of by John Kuehl and his mother. He left a sister in Canada and sevei-al nieces. The s'.le of the old JIarks residence is now occupied liy the Pioneer Flats.

Elias Axe, mentioned above, was born in Berkely county, Virginia, Pebruaiy 14, 1819. After the de;!th of his father, his mother removed to Wayne county, Ohio, and in 1836 Elias came to Porter county, Indiana. In 1344 I\Ir Axe was elected county treasurer. He was one of the charter members of the Christian clmrch and was active in promoting the general welfare of the eoramiiinty. He died at Valparaiso on April 21, 1894.

Among the early settlers oi' I'liiier county was John N. Skinner, who was a leading merchant oi' \ iil])araiso and one of the active supporters of the Valparaiso Male and Female College. He was also interested in the building of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad and later the Grand Trunk. In 1858 he was the Democratic candidate for state senator ; was elected mayor of Valparaiso in 1872, and was nominated by his party for '.'ongress in 1880, Init was defeated. He died in the .spring of 1882.

Samuel S. Skinner, another early settler, was boi'u in Cattaraugus county. New York, July 16, 1824. When twelve j'ears old he came to Porter county with his parents and upon reaching manhood became active and prominent in publie riVaivs. He was one of the organizers of the old First National Paul. ;;iid was president of tli at institution from 180!-' b' 1875. The first 1, ::/k building in Valparaiso was erected by him for his \x.se as a raerchani. lie represented Porter county in the legislature for two yeare and was for six years a member of the city conneil. His death oecurnd on August 7, 1903.

iicnt in the LiLiiut-bs auJ public affairs of llu- louutj', were Tlieopbiln^ CriiuipticliCr, ,Vrfi!lus A''. Ba-'taoloiiiew, Ttiouas- A- E. Caini)boll, G. Z, Salyer, Jeremiah [iauiell, Joh:i Hansford, Tlioiiuis T. ilaulsby, Nelson Biunard, Henry IlagemaD, Thomas Gr. Lyt]e and John D. Wilson.

Theophilus Orumpaeker was born in IMonlgomery county, Virginia. January IS, 1822. lie eaiiic with bis parentis, Oweti and Hannah Cruinpacker, to Porter eouuty in ISlii. The family later removed to Ijajxirle eoinity, where the father died in 1848. After living for a while in Illinois, Theophilus Crumpacker returned to Porter county and followed farming in Wasliington township until 1888, when he became a residiut of Valparaiso. His death occurred at his home in that city on November 27, 1908. One of his sons, Edgar D., is the i)i-esent Congressman fi'oni tlie Tenth distriet, and another son, Grant, is one of the prominent members of the Porter county bar.

'Artillus V. Bartholomew, merchant, was born in Licking county, Ohio, November 26, 1818. He came with h's parents to Poi'ter county in 1834 and about a year later they located ou a farm in Center township. In 1814 he married Miss Elizabeth Stejdiens, and in 1862 removed to the city of Valparaiso, Avhere he engaged in merchandising. For more than twentj' yeai's he occupied the same building and built up a trade of something like tr7r),0()0 a year. He was a member of the Presbyterian cliureb, one of the organizers oC the Republican jjarty in the count}', served one term iu the state legislature, was at one time county eominissioner, and was recognized as cjie of the public spirited citizens. He died in August, J 896.

Thomas A. E. Campbell, who settled in iiu: county in 1834, was at that time aljout twenty-four years of age- Alter teaching school foi" a short time h'- was appointed i>ostmaster .u \ alparaiso, and u])oii retiring from that ]>osition t ngaged in mercM,: ih- pursuits. Mr. Campbell was one of the ])romoters oJ' the Pittsljuryli, J<\)rt Wayne & Chicago railroad; was a charter member of the Masonic lodge at Valparaiso; served as (l('])ut\- county ele)']< and county 1 fasurer, and at the time of his death. .May 14, 1878, \vas engaged in farunug.

llucl Starr, son of Noah and Alflcda (Fuller) SUirr, was born in Out ula county, New York, December 22, 1804. In 1830 he went to Kahniiazoo, Michigan, where he married I'hebe E. Eldred, and in 1831 caiiK to Porter county, locating in Washington township. Ho was a m;iii of great energy and sound business ability, and thi'ough these traits of character he prospered until he was considered one of the wealthy men of the county at the time of his death, \vhich occurred on April 19, 1875. He served one term as county commissioner and was active in everything pertaining to the general welfare of the county and its people.

G. Z. Salyer, one of the first carpenters in A'^alparaiso, was born in Tompkins county, New York, April 16, 1809, and died in Valparaiso on September 20, 1865. He married Miss Xenia Read at White Pigeon, Michigan, in May, 1833, and in 1835 settled in Porter count^^, where he bought eighty acres of land and a small grocery store. He assisted in building some of the first residences and business blocks in Valparaiso, and was four years a justice of the peace.

Jeremiah Hamell, a native of Ohio, came to Valparaiso in 1836 and was one of the pioneer merchants of that city. Some idea of the character of the of the mercantile establishments of that day may be gained from the following little story told on ]\[r. Ilamell. A lady from the southern ])art of the county called at the store and i^urchased a few ai-- ticles, when, with the customary politeness of the ruerchant, Mr. Hamell asked: "Is there anything else?". The young woman, who was fond of a joke, looked around the room for a few minutes and i-eplied: "]\Ir. Ilamell, I believe I'll just take your stock home with me in my saddlebags, select what I need and return the balance." Though the stock at that time might have been small, the aims and ambitions of the proprietor were large and he pursued his chosen calling, sure of ultiniate success. Mr. Ilamell was a fine public speaker and was freqiiently called upon to take part in political campaigns. In 1837 he represented Porter and Lake counties in the lower house of the state legislature.

farming in Wacshiugton township, was born at Somerset, England, January 8, 1^13. At the age of fifteen years he came to America and from that tiino to his settleiiKmt in Porter county was employed in various occupations in New Jersey, New Oi'leans, Cuba and Chicago. As a farmer he was successful and in his day was regarded as one of the intiuential citizens of the county, lu later years he was in the employ of the Grand Tnmk railway, and at one time he owned over 900 acres of tine farming land.

Thomas T. Maulsby, who died in Valparaiso, October 16, 1910, was neither a captain of industry nor" a public character, but he represented a high type of American citizenship. He was bom in Wayne county, Indiana in 1829 and came with his parents to Porter county when he was but four j'ears old. About 1849 he engaged in the clothing business, from which he retired after some twenty-five years, and then for about twenty years he was "mine host" of the Merchants' Hotel on Indiana, avenue. He then went to Chicago, where he remained but a short time, when he retui-ned to Valparaiso and was in the employ of William Bruus, the tailor. He died in his room over Dudley's restaurant and was survived by a son and three daughters.

Nelson Barnard, farmer and legislator, was born in AVayne county, Ohio, October 6, 1829, and came to Porter county in 1835 with his parents, who settled in Jackson township. He was one of the founders of the Republican party in the county, and served two terms in the lower house of the state legislature. A fe^x weeks before his death he fell and fractured his hip. Gangrene resulted and he died on Marcli G, 1904.

Henry Hageman, for many years a prominent figure in the northern part of the county, was a native of Union countj', In(li:ina. He came to Porter county when about twenty years of age and settled in Westchester township. He was one of the leading Republicajis in that end of the county, served as township trustee and assessor, and was the founder of the town of Hageman - now Porter. Mr. Hageman died on August 22, 1899, aged eighty-three years.

In 1840 he came to i'orter county, his purcnis settling near Bnono OroYc. and in 1853 he located in Valparaiso, where he einliMrked in tl,. ,!n.(f business. He was eaplain of Company C, One IUiikIi. .1 .ukI 'I'ImtIv. eighth Indiana infantry, in the Civil war; served as sliorilV ol' tin- iciinty for four years, and was tlirec times elected mayor of V!il))aniis(>, i'n\>- tain Lytic dropped dead in Frank Faky's store on ,Janii;n\ 4, JK'.is,

John D. Wilson, who iu his day was no doubt the loadini.'; cnDini, inland builder of Valparaiso, was born in Lu/.erne county, renn.sylviiniii, October 2, 1829, one of eight childroi born to William aiul Harh(-I (rim K i Wilson, both natives of New Jersey and of German di'scml. U<' vwh and in 1853 came to Indiana, whicli Avas llirn a coniiiaralivlN ti^ .- state. After three years in Lake county he came to \'al|iaraisii. uli he found employment as a carpenter. For liflcen years lie w.is in lie employ of the Pittsburg, J<'ort Wayiu^ & Chicago J\ailrii:ul ( 'iiiii|i.in\ as a bridge buikler, and t\vo years of that time made liis linnic m Warsaw, Indiana. In iSTli he purchased the ])laning mill on Ivi .i Main sti'cet and began business as a conti'actor. Many of the lie^^t biii-i ness buildings and residences in the city were erected by hini. lie nlti built the court-house, the Presbyterian church, and a number of pul-l^e edifices. In 1855, while living in Lake countj', he married ,Miss .N'ani'v I'. Brown, who bore him sis. children - Edmund L., Rachel, John II., I'.nnn.i J., William and Prank S. Mr. Wil.son was a Kniglit Teniphir .Mason );iid a public spirited citizen. He died at his home in Valparaiso .XovemlM r 13, 1895.

A score or more of tlie oflier j.tioneers might be mentioni'd as beiie.' equally prominent with tho.s-,:: above, but the foregoing will give the reader some knowledge of the character of the men who iiided in Hie development of Porter conviiy. They were sturdy, e(nirageon.v, induMn ous and honest men who overcame the obstacles and endured ilie li^ndships of pioneer life that tliey might provide comfortable liome.-; for lliem selves in their declining years and leave to their po.steril.s a lieiKagc on impaired by selfishness or wi-ong doing

Tn the Baixiurd cemetery, in Jackson townsliip, is the ffvave of Charles Osborne, who died on Detemuer 28, 185t>, at the age of seventy-five years. Few people know, as they read the inscription upon the modest tombstone, that Mi-. Osborne was a Quaker and one of the very earliest advocates of the abolition of chattel slavery. It is said 1 hat he was the author oi the first pamuhlet demanding in no uncertain terms 1 cnaancipation of the slaves in the United states. He visited North ("aiolina and Tennessee at an earlj- date and organized in those states a number of emancipation societies. He also made several trips to Europe, on one of which he mot William E. Gladstone, then a youth, but who afterward ^.chiin^ed a world-wide reputation as tlie "Grand Old Man." IMr. Osborne was well acquainted with Daniel Webster, Ilcury Clay and otler notables of that period, but he passed from tlie stage of action before Garrison, Phillips, and other champions of emancipation came on. It is an honor to Porter county that this nan's mortal remains sleep beneath her soil.

It may not be generally known that Jerry Simpsoji, the "sockless statesman " of Kansas, and " Lucky " Baldwin, the Colorado millionaire, both were at one time in their lives citizens of Porter county. Joseph Simpson, Jerry's father, settled about three miles east of Chesterton in 1866. Jerry li\ed there with his father for awhile and in 1870 married Miss Jane Cape, of Jackson Center. He was at that time a sailor on the Great Cakes and the marriage was solenuiized at Buffalo, New York. Some j'cars later he went to Kansas and in 1890 was nominated for Congress by the Fanner's Alliance. Jerry was something of a. politician, and in one of the Joint debates with his opponent said: "My friend here (pointing to his opponent) wears silk socks, while I am not able (o afford even cotton," and pulling up his trousers a little way exposed his bai-e ankles. T!io sally was applauded, Simp.son was elected, and became known all over Uie United States as the "sockless statesman." Baldwin ran a saloon on South Washington street, not far from the Valparaiso National Bank, before going to Colorado. When gold av.'is struck in the Cri])ple creek district, he was fortunate enough to locate a claim that made him weallhv and gave him the sobriquet of "Lucky" Baldwin.

In July, 1851, Aaron Rogers, a m.ni with niimerons peculiarities, came to A'alparaiso and opened a jewelry stoi'c, which lie called the " Mammoth Cave." It was not long until he bueame known as ''Cave" Rogers. He was at that time about twenty-four years of ago, and the young men of the town, noticing his eccentric ways, decided to jilay a tiick on him. Taylor Hogan and one of the Skinner boys went to him and told him of large numbers of snipe in the vicinity of Round lake, on the Chesterton road about two miles north of town. They proposed to get up a sniping party and invited him to join. "Cave" was willing an(i at the appointed time in the evening met about twenty young fellows bent on eatcliing snipe. A large sack had been provided and upon arriving at the place where one of the boys had seen "an acre and a hall' of snipe" that morning the final prepai'ations were made. Rogei's was selected to hold the bag in the ditch while the otliers would drive the snipe into it, but he pleaded ignorance of the method and promised to hold it the second time. Another young man then volunteered to "hold the bag," Rogers joining the drivers on the first at1em2)t. But "Cave" was of Irish extraction and was not as green a.s he looked. In the darkness he easily managed to separate himself from the othere and made a bee line for town, where he took up a position to overhear their comments when they returned. After that he was immune againts the pranks of the young men. In later years he engaged in building houses for rent and in loaning money, becoming well off before he died.

A few 3'ears before the war a preacher named Lovereign came from Canada and opened a school in Valparaiso. He was a good teacher and his sermons were always listened to with interest. After he had been in town awhile, people began to miss things, but no suspicion pointed to the preacher until a young woman who bad been employed by Mi-s. Lovereign went to a store to exchange a pair of shoes, which she said Mrs. Lovereign had given her in pajonent of her wages, but they did not fit. The merchant recognized the shoes as having come from a case that had been stolen from the railroad depot a short time before. T. A. ITogan undertook to play the part of detective and traced the theft to the preacher.

Tt. was llieu discovero'l tiial he had stolen about t" 'iitj' bushels of wheat from Skinuei's wai-'hinise aud carried the sackt to his residence more than half a mile away. Upon .searching his pre.uises Heavy articles oi' hai'dware, for whi(h he could have no earthly use, and vax'ious other pieces of missing property were found. He wai tried before Judge Talcott, M'ho sentenced him to two years in the state "y prison at IMichigan City. After serving his .sentence he disappeared.

Porter county is loiHtcd in a belt where storms are of frequent occurrence. It would be inijiussible to chronicle every sloi'ui that has occurred within the county, but tlie writer has been able to gather records ol' some of the most severe '>nes that have passed over the county during tlie laibt thirty years. On i\fii\' 10, 1882, an electrical slonu played havoc soul'.i of Valparaiso. A foui i .. year old boy named Oli'i Hartlett was struck by the lightning while plowing on Scott Fle)ning"s farm near Gates' Coi-ners, but was not kilbd. Several buildings wcr,- struck and considerable damage done to ihe growing crops. Youul; Hartlett was the son of a widow wlio had residrti in the county but a few weeks.

The (.-iMidal and soutliei'u parts of the county suffered cunsiderable loss from au electrical storm, accompanied by a high wind, o i tlie last day of July, 1888. A. V. Bartholomew's brick farm house was stx-uck by lightning; Caleb Counter's barn, five miles southwest of Valpi raiso was destroyed; Nelson Swcncr's house near the Grand Trunk railw.iy station at Valparaiso was damaged, the lire alarm instruments were juit out of service, wires were blown down, and near Boone (irove there \\-s a heavy fall of hail that did great damage to the growing crops.

On August 12, 1896, the entire county was visited by a storm of great severity wliich lasted for three hours. The rainfall was unu.suilly heav>, several houses in the city of Valparaiso were struck by liglituing, telephone and electric light wires were damaged to such an extent that several days clasped before the service could be restored to its normal vonditiou. A few farm buildings in different parts of the county were blown down by the wind.

Lightning struck the college auditorium in the great storm of June 5, 1899, and the wind removed about one-third of the roof from the building, caiLsing a loss of $1,500. At the electric light works tliree large smokestacks were blown down, telegraph and telephone wires were again severely injured, several buildings and a large number of shade trees in Valparaiso were blown down by the wind, as were I wo of the .windows in the tower of the court-house. On the 18th of the same month there was a destructive hail storm in the northwestern jiart of the county. It is said that every pane of glass in tlie windows from Crisman to Babcoek was broken by tlie liail ; pigs, chickens and other small animals and fowls were killed by the liail-stones and crops wei'i' literally beaten into the ground. Wind and lightning also did considerable damage.

A storm passed eastward across the central portion of the ounty on July 9, 1903. AVest of Valparaiso the barn of Andrew Gustafson and one belonging to a man named Pierce were destroyed. \Va.shingio.j lownship was the greatest sufferer, the Bryarly school liouse having Ik ii struck by lightnint;' and burned to the ground, sevei-al liarns were by

Al! northwestern Indiima felt tlie force of the ^''eat storm of Blareh 25, 11)05. The wind disabled miles of telegraph and teleplione lines; bridges and culverts were washed aAvay by the flood; the dam at Deep IJiver was wasJied out; trees were uprooted, and several buildings were either struck by lightuing or blown from their foundations. No lives were lost in Porter county, but Lake county was less fortunate. Six people weie hurt at llaminond, and at Indiana Harboi- four men were killed and about twenty injured, some so severely that they afterward died. At East Chicago the plant of the Republic Steel and Iron Company was damaged and several houses blown down.

On ]\lay 11, 1905, A'alparaiiso and vicinity suffered much damage by an -electrical storm, wliicli was accompanied by a strong wind and a fall of rain that amounted almost to a cloud burst. Columbus Pierce's residence, at the cornel* of Jeft'erson and Greenwich streets, was twice struck by lightning. Barns belonging to T. Clifford, near Wheeler, and Mrs. Gordon, in Wa.shington township, were destroyed by wind and lightning, as was the residence of Jonas Smith south of Valparaiso. Cellars wei-e flooded and acres of wheat were destroyed by the heavy rainfall, the straw (Joeing just at that stage of growth where it was easily broken.

A regular "Kansas blizzard" struck Porter county on February 18, 1908. About twelve inches of snow fell in a few houi-s, and the high wind blew it into drifts tbatwere almost insurmountable. The roof of Eglin's feed store on "West I\Iain street in Valparaiso was broken in by the weight of the snow, the damage amounting to $1,000, and other buildings were damaged to a less extent. AVlien the rural mail carriers started out on the morning of the 19th they found the roads so full of snow drifts that they turned back, traffic on the railroads was impeded, and it was several days before ti'avel resumed its customary propoi'tions.

At 6 :45 p. m. on the las1 day of April, 1909, a wind storm struck Porter county at AVheeler and pas.sed almost due eastward across the county. Several small buildings on farms near Wheeler were red\iced to ruins.

The highways were obstructed hy liranohes blo""i from trecji. At PUnt lake Preund's dancing pavilion was ^^'recke^l. Two miles south of Valparaiso W. B. Stouer's barn was bloAvn down. The wind was followed by a heavy fall of rain, with severe liglitning and thunder, but I he only damage was done by the wind.

An electrical storm passed ovei- a part of tlie county on July 22, 1900. Daniel Kraft's barn in Portage township w;js struck by lightning and burned. Two of his sons who clianced to be in the barn at the time were render^ d unconscious for a\\hile by the force of the bolt. Near Coburg the barn of I. H. Forbes was struck by lightning, set on fire and totally^ consumed, and tliere were a few instances of minor damages reported.

Joseph Smith's house on College Hill, at Valparaiso, was struck by lightning in the electrical storm of August 12, 1909, and Jolm Morrison's barn north ot the city \vas also struck, though neither building was burned. Considerable damage ^v!ls done by this storm through the flooding of cellars, washing gutters in the highways, etc.

Probably the most severe storm ever expei'ienccd by the people of Porter county was the cyclone on Saturday night, November 11, 1911. It struck the county near Lake Eliza, in the northern part of Porter township and traveled in a northeasterly direction, crossing the eastern boundary of th^ county near Coburg. AViudmills, out buildings and barns on several farms west of Valiuiraiso were wrecked, the principal sufferers being Calvin Skinklc, AV. 0. McGinley, Edward Murphy and George Gast, the last named losing two. barns. On P. AV. Clifford's farm, occupied by J. I. Weddle, two large barns were totally destroyed. Parther north J. A. Wohlenberg's barn was blown down and Gus Mitchner's house, occupied hy Henry Prenliss and family, was dcDwlished. Mrs. Prentiss, with her little child, went to Wohleiiljerg's for shelter, and her husband was found wandering about in a dazed condition a mile and a half north of his ruined home. He could not explain how he happened to be in that locality and somi; l!.;\i' insisted that he was l)lown there by the terrific wind. The school house at Jacksun Center was left a mass

Hs2 Histouy Of I'Orter County

Several destructive frcs have 0(;cured in tho county in recent years. About three o'clock (in the iuomi)ig of jMay 27, 1S85, tire was discovei'ed in the x-ear of a row of frame buildintrs on the north side of Main street east of Franklin. A wjiart breeze was blowing, and in two hours every building in that block vas a mass of smoking ruins. Tlie destnictio}i ineluded the skating rink, owned by Salisbury & Sloan, the Tremont House, Dolson's stal)les, in which several vahiahle horses \vere burned, Williams & Felton's liviTy barn and the two adjoining buildings, 'Wilkinsou & Foster's implement house, and a number of smaller shops. It was fortunate that a high wind was not blowing, as in that cas- the loss would unquestionably have been much greater. As it was it rau into thousands of dollars.

The house of John Haiidet, a (Tonuan, near "Siit:;ir loaf," soiitii uf Valparaiso, was discoveied on fire about four o'clock on the morning of July 36, 1890. This was one of the saddest events that ever ocourred in the county. Mr. Hamlet was away from home, workin;-;; on the new school house at Chesterton, and the fire started at an hour when his wife and four children were ash^ep. The fire was fii-st noticed liy some of the neighbors and before assistance could be rendered Mrs. II. unlet and her chilih-en were cremated. The remains of the five -were interred in one coffin.

Vineyard Hall, one of the largest dormitories at the Valpiraiso University, was discovered to be on fire shortly before midnight, January 22, 1897, and before the tire department could reach tlie scene the Jlames were beyond control. There were some sixty or more students occui)ying the building and several of them had narrow escapes. ]\Iisses IMinier and Warner were foimd insensible in their rooms and were rescued witli diiificulty. All of the inmates suffered more or less loss. The building belonged to a Mrs. Anderson, of Laporte, and was valued at $10,000. It was almost a total less.

On Sunday evening, April 6, 1902, Chesterton suffered a loss of several thousand dollars bj' a fire which destroyed a number of the best business buildings in the town. It broke out between the Krieger building and the postoflice about ten o'clock, and swept down Calumet avenue. A high wind M'as blowing and sparks were carried a distau; e of five or six blocks, taxing to the utmost the fire-fighting facilities oC the town. The postofBce, Ameling's saloon. Quick's hardware store, "Wilson's boot and shoe stoi'e, Harrigan's hotel, Williams & Son's livery stable, and several smaller concern were wiped out before the fire eould he brought under control. There was no alley in the rear of the buildings, whicli restricted the efforts to extinguish the flames. The fire was thought to have been of incendiary origin. The total loss was about $20,000.

C. J. Kern's store in the Salver block on Main street, Yalpai'aiso, caught fire at noon on January 16, 1903. A stock of $12,00(i was practically iniiued and the building damage to the extent of some $2,000. Fortunately the fire department was able to prevent the fire from spreading to the adjacent buildings.

In January, 190-1, the postoffire at Ainsworth wa.s bui'm^l in a somewhat peculiar manner. Frank Coyle, the postmaster, who lived in the building with liis family and kept a small stock of groceries, arose c.n'Iy, buiU a fire in the stove aihl went to the pumping km a shoi't distance away. The other members of the family were sound asleep and before tli'^.v awoke the stove beeauie overlicafi^d and set fire to tlic lioiise. Mrs. Coyle and her Toisr daugliters had a narrow escape. The loss was about $2,000.

On Jnnnary 22, lHOi, the Grand Trunk railway station at Valparaiso was burned - the second time within live years. Tlie fire started between the eeiling and the roof from a defective flue. The building' had been erected but a few years before at a cost of $3,500. The Grand Trunk also sulfered by fire in the burning of tlie elevator at \'ali)arai.so on March 23, 190-1. It was operated by Way, ITigley & Company, and at the time of the fire contained about 1,000 bushels of gi'ain, mostly oats. The total loss was about $6,000.

Shoi'tly after clcveji o'clock on the night of October 2, 1907, the buildings occupied by the Valparaiso Can-iage Company on AVest Main street were discovered to be on fire. The building, which was owned by -Frank A. Turner, was completely destroyed and the adjoining buildings were damaged. The total loss was about $11,000.

On April 8, ]90S, the old Central Hotel at Chesterton was burned. It was an old landujark, having been first erected at City West, which in 1840 was regarded as rival to Chicago. It was later removed to Chesterton and ronodeled. Originally a frame building, after its removal it was veneered with brick, which fact rendered it difficult to gel^at the fire. The loss was about $10,000, including the damages done to the buildings on either side of the hotel.

In the last quarter of a century a few railroad wrecks have happened in Porter county, which fonned tragic thougii interesting events in her history. On October 11, 1887, a tail end collision occurred on the Chicago & Erie line at a water tank about half way between Boone Grove and Kouts. The fast freight, eastboiuid and loaded with dressed meats, took the side t).irk at Booac Grove fu allow a jiassenger train going in the same directioji to pass. The en^^ine of the passenger train was disabled at Ilurlburt and ojily one side ^vas in use when the freight was passed at Boone Grove, where the ci-ew of the freight trai7i «ere told of the disabled engine and instructed to follow slowly. Owing to tliu defective loeoiiiolivo, the ciigireor of the passseager train was unaljlc to stop at the right place at the water taiil<, and the engine had to be "pinched off," tliat is moved \\ilii lars made for the purpose hy placing Iheni under the wheels on the track and prying the engine forward. While this was going on, the condiicter ordered a red light to be displayed in the rear of the train, hiii on account of the fog it was not seen by the engineer of the freight iniin in time to avert the collision. He had barely time to reverse his engine and jump with his fireTnan for safety, when the freight engine crashed with terrific force into the rear coach of the passenger, killing eleven people and injuring a score or more, some of them seriously. Cojiductor Parks of the i^assenger train was indicted I13' the grand juiy I'm- not sending a flagman to the rear and placing torpedoes on the track, but Judge Field quashed the indictment. '" '

The year 1905 witnessed al least four disastrous wrecks in the county. On Sundaj', February 12, a Baltimore & Ohio train ran into a Michigan Central wrecking train at tJie Willow creek crossing of the two roads and six persons were injured. The wrecking train was on the way to Ivanhoe, where a loconioli\e was oflf the track. The same day a train on the Pere Marciuette line got stuck in the snow drifts east of Porter and was forced to use tlie Michigan Central tracks from Porter to New Buffalo. On Saturday, February 18th, two freight trains collided at McCool on the Baltiinnj;.- & Ohio. One of the trains was left standing on the main track whih the engine Avas engaged in doing so)iie switching, and the other train ran iiivo'it, sma.shiug the caboose and three cars next to it. The engineer and flreman of the running train were the only ones injured. Five iiersons were injured in a head-on collosion at Suman, on the Baltimore & Djiic, on Friday, December 1st, when a passenger and freight met on 11;i 'H've at that point.

It appeal's that the Baltimore i^ Ohio has been particularly unfortunate in the matter of wrecks in reei ut years. On Monday, November 12, 1906, one of the worst wrecks that ever happened in llie county was caused by a head-on collision between two trains on this line near the Woodvillp station. \ii fastboiuid i'roight had c r.s to wait at rai)cock for the westhnniiJ passeugfr. It so happpnr-^ ^'uit the Baltimore & Oliio had that night a large number of emigranis from southeastern Europe, bound for dhicago and the northwest, and the passenger train was run in two sectitms. The first section passed the freight at Bnhcoek all right, and the engineer of the latter, not seeing any signal to indicate a second scetion, pulled out and started easiward. About 2ni) yards west of the station at Woodville the second section was met, the two engines coming together with sufficient force to reduce both of them to scrap iron. Forty-one persons were killed and a large number injured. Coroner Carson iiivcstigated the matter and oidered tire arrest of the engineer of section one of the passenger, and the eiigineer, conductor and head brakeman of the freight. Wlien the passuiger engineer was brought to trial in Api-il, 1907, he testified that wi-nn stopping at McCool he discovered for the first tinie that his signal liyl; Is - -indicating that another section was following - were out. His evi;lence was corroborated by tliat of his fireman and he was acquitted. The other cases were then dismissed..

Early in the fall of 1908, smoke from the forest fires in Wisconsin and Michigan settled over northei'u Indiana, and this condition was assigned as the cause of a wreck at Chesterton early on the morning of Monday, September 14th. On Sunday, the day before, an excursion was run from Indianapolis to Chicago over the Lake Eiie & Western and tlie Lake Sliore & Michigan Southern roads. Retui-niug, the excursion train left Chicago a little before midnight, and at Chesterton was waiting for a i'reight train to get fi-om the iiiaiii line to the side track, when tlie rear eoaeh was struck I)y a siiburl)au train. One woman was killed and twen1>-th)'ce per^'iis were injured Fortunately ,.. the suburban train M'as not running fast when the collisieu came. The crew of that train stated that they were unable to see the lights on the i,i;-> rear coach of the excursion tr;iin on account, of llie dense smoke which overhung the traek.

and law-abidiug people, several iiiuvde' liceii ''ommiUed upon her soil. The first notable lioinicido wa; lie killiiii;: of .rolm Peltou by Francis Staves in 1838. The two inei li iJ been woi-kiiig together in a sa-ivniill in Laporte county and sto])i i i;. at a ])l,u e of rather unsavory reputation kept by a man named I'l; liner. Peltdu was one of those who spent more than his income, aini in tirdei- to avoid the payment of the debts he had contracted dcei>' - i lo lake Jloiare Greeley's advice several years before it was uttered and "go West." Staves volunteered to act as his guide for a part ol' (lie way, proliably all the more willingly because he knew that Peltm had something over $100 about his person. A day or two later Slaves i-ctnnied 1o his usual haunts, and no suspicion was aroused nntii laler. whvu an Indian boy found a bundle of clothing tied up in a hau'llirreliirf, not far from Jesse Jlorgan's in Westchester townshiji. i'allin.t: tlic aftentiou of his father to his discovery, the elder Indian began a search and found the body of a man concealed under some brush al llic root of an upturned tree. Some of the white settlei-s were notified ami ilic body was identified as that of John Pelton. Suspieion poitilnl to Slaves as the last man that had been seen with the decea-'wd lie was watched and it soon developed that he was rather flush willi moiuy i'or those days. Pelton had been shot from behind and ; i'ter falling from his horse had been beaten over the head with a d'lb. 'J'his slirlc showed the mark of a nick in the blade of the knife wiUi wliieli it had been cut, and this mark corresponded exactly witt: a luiife found in Staves' pocket when he was searched. He also told conflicting stories as to the place where he had parted from Pelton. Sfa\es was tj'ied, convicted and sentenced to be hanged. The executicn tonk place dn the lot just across the Street from the south end of tlic hi-li scboul Imikling, and was witnessed by a throng of people. In Ndvciiibci-, 1i)()l, William E. Brown, formerly auditor of Porter count,\, in wiltine (<, t)),. Soidh Bend Tribune, said: "Among the old siMlcr-' in thai |jact of Porter county, the guilt or innocence of Stave-: has alvays been a mooted question. In fact in the early sixties a ni.ni in Dc-, ^loines. Iowa, was

About the close of the Civil wax-, Chauncey F. Page, a jeweler who had been in llie employ of Aaron Rogers, went to Crown Point and engaged in business for himself. He married Emiiia Goss, stepdaughter of Benjamin Long, but the union was not a happy one, and before a year Mrs. I'ago returned to the Long home at Pearce's mills, about five miles west of Valparaiso. On the night of January 15, 1867, Page learned that Mr. Long was away from home and took advantage of the opportunity to visit the house Upon being denied admission he broke in the door with an axe and fired two shots at Mrs. Long, both of which took effect, killing her instantly. He then went to his wife's bedroom, and notwithstanding her piteous entreaties, shot her through the head, iliss Frederieka Ludolph, a daughter of Martin L. Ludolph, was spending the night Avith JMrs. Lojig and her daughter. Page next turned his attention to her. After shooting her twice he beat her over the head with a chair and left her for dead. Alarm was given and a pursuit organized in which Sheriff S. L. Bartholomew, M. L. McClelland, T. A. E. Campbell, T. A. Hogan, A. H. Goodwin, A. J. Buel and A. A. Starr joined. Page wa.s captuied in Chicago and brought back to Valparaiso for trial. Although Aliss Ludolph was severely wounded she was able to appear at the trial as the principal witness for the state. I1 is said that Page almost fainted when he saw her enter the court room. The murderer was given a life sentence in the penitentiary at Michigan Cit}', where he committed suicide in his cell.

A sensational case occurred in the fall of 1887, though the uuirder in this instance Avas committed in St. Louis, Missouri, by a preacher of Chesterton - William T. A. West. It seems that West became enamored of a young girl named Su.sJe Beck, wlio had been employed as a domestic in his family and persuaded her to elope with him. At St. Louis he found employment as an electro ])]ater and Miss Beck passed as his wife. One morning she was found dead in lied at the hotel where they had been boarding. A letter supposed lo have been wriilnu by her stated tliat t,hc Lad lakm arscnii wi'li suicidal intent, ail'! another letter written by West said Ids l)ody wci^'d lie found in til.' i-iver. The St. Louis poHee took the liia' Ihis was merely a scl- lie to defi'aud tlie midertakor, and ue e'foit v.is lade to appreliend the minister, lie came back to Chesterton, v\' re, his congregation had built him a eond'ortable parsonage, l-if his piipidarity had waned and he fled, presumably to Canada, alancidiuny; bis invalid wife and five small children. Ten years later J. C ~\\ illiams proprietor of the Grand Central Hotel at Seguin, Texas, was arrested as West, but i)arties from Chesterton failed to identify him is siuli and he w-as released. West was never brought to justice.

On August 16, 1895, Alonzo Powers shot ai;d killed William Tratebas in Trudell's blacksmith shop at Cliestej-ton. Tlie two young men - Tratebas was but nineteen years old and !'<)\>(rs was twentyfour - had been on unfriendly terms for some time anrl liad quarreled several times. Tratebas was in the shop when Powers came in and started a controversy that ended in blows being passid. TrudeU separated them, when Powers drew a revolver and fired two shots, both of which struck bis victim near tlie heart killing him almost instantly. Powers weiit home, but was soon arrested and the Ml'ricers had hard was in the office of Justice Sievers, guarded by a posse He, was slipped out the back way and driven rapidly to Valparaiso, the mob following for some distance. On October 24th Powers ^vas convJcted of murder in the first degree and sentenced to the penitentiaiy for life. Some of the jury men wanted to inflict the death penalty.

Ill the .summer of 1898 William Sloan, a t.iiiM i in I'otmc township was annoyed by some pei'sons carrying away !'n::r,!s from a bridge he had built over a small sti-eam on a road leading lo liis I'ariu. On Sunday night, July 24, 1898, lie armed himself wiil: a slml jnni and stood guard over the bridge. About nine o'ch'cl-. .Mh.-j-l Sccly came along, and according to Sloan's statement, took one oC llu- bonj-ds from the floor of the bridge and i!;irted to take it away. Slofi»i fired and the entire charge struck Seeley iu the legs, wounding hiiu so severely that for a time it was thought the amputation of both limbs would be necessary. Two hours after the shooting, Sheriff Green was notified. In company with Deputy Billings drove to Sloan's and placed liim under arrest. He was kept in jail until Seely's recovery was assured, and on October 19, 1898, was fined fifty dollars and costs.

Just a year from the day of Sloan's trial, Carl Baum, of Morgan township, sliot at William Johnson four times, three of the shots taking effect, but not in any vital part. Baum was arrested and confined in jail to await results. Prosecutor Sutton and his deputy, Frank P. Jones went out the next day and took Johnson's statement. Johnson recovered and Baum got off with a light jail sentence. Subsequently he made another attempt upon Johnson's life and was sent to the penitentiary.

About five o'clock on the morning of April 24, 1903, Truman Beam, the son of a farmer in Morgan township, entered his father's room and informed him that Martha Lawrence, their housekeeper was dead. It seems that the younger members of the family were absent from home. Truman and his father occupied rooms on the gi-ound floor, and Miss Laurence slept uj) stairs. The son said that he called her, and not receiving an^' reply, went to her room to awaken her. He found her dressed, with the exception of her shoes and stockings, lying upon the bed dead, though her body was j'et warm. The elder Beam, vrho could not bear very well, and for this reason did not hear his son call the girl, summoned the neighbors and marks of violence were noticed. Truman was arrested on circumstantial evidence, and af1ev two trials, in both of which the jurj^ disagreed, he was dismissed. In the trial it developed that the girl vras a victim of epilepsy, and many believe that death came during one of her fits, the marks of violence having heen inflicted by hei*self during her struggles.

Valparaiso, ceiebraicd the event L'y taking n few clri^ilcs. Not long afti iward, Frank Carcslo, an Italian, quarreled with. Guy Ilinklc over liCiiJ^g a hand ear from the track. The foreman separated them, but they soon got togelher again and resumed the quarrel. Again they were separated, but about half an hour before noon C\iresto, who had managed to get hold of a. pistol, shut and killed Iliukle. The Italian fled, pursued by a crowd of jicuple who had hastily assembled upon hearing the shot. _ He was found eowering in a ditch near the Nickel Plate tracks by officer Arnold. By this time the crowd was furious over the cold blooded murder. Cries of "Lynch him!" "Give him,the rope!" etc., were heaj'd on all sides, but the oflicers succeeded in landing him in jail- In .iamiary, 1907, Caresto was tried for manslaughter and given an indeter)iiinate sentence of from two to twenty-one years in the penitentiary. Under this form of sentence, the pardoning board has power to release a convict at any time after the mininnim time named in the sentence has been served.

In August, 1910, Alvin Johnson went to board with Jacob AValter, who kept a hotel at Kouts. It was not long until the new boarder began to show nmrked attention to Mrs. Walter, and was ordered by her husband to leave the premises. The matter was finally adjusted so that Jqhnson remained at the hotel, and again he began paying court to the landlu'ly. A little after five o'clock on the morning of December 16, 1910, Walter fired both barrels of his sliotgun at Jolmson, the full charge taking effect. Johnson lived but a .short time after the shooting. Walter was tried for murder in January 1911, but established the theory of self defense and was acquitted.

A short time hifore Christmas, 1910. Edward Davidson came to Valparaiso to visit iiis sister, j\lrs. Dudi(\\, whose hu.sliand ran a restaurant on North AA'^ashiugton street. Davidson, -who was about twenty-one yeai's of age, found emiiloj'ment in the restaurant and .soon formed the acquaintance of sev(.'ral youn^; men ahoii!, town. On the morning of DeeriaiiiT 20, his body was found nrar the tj-icks ol' the Pittsburgh, Fort AVayne & Cliicago railway, and indication of foul play were observed. In liiy verdict Co)-oucr Carson decided tliat "(lie deceased caui". to his death by violence inllieted upon the head which fractured and crushed the skull, by divers persons, among whom from the evidence submitted were Michael Curtiu and others." Michael Curtin, Robert Fleming and Roy Sowurds were ai-rested, tried at Ci'own Point and acquitted. Later Curtin tiled a suit for $15,000 damages against the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad Company, on the grounds that the watchman of that company at the Napoleon street crossing, where Davidson's body was found, had testified falsely against liim before the grand jury. This case never came to triab The three j'oung men left Valparaiso, but later came back, when they were threatened with lynching and departed hurriedly never to return to Porter county.

One of the most mysterious murders ever committed within the county was tliat of Wayne Hale, who was lured from his home near tlic Wheeler bridge on the night of August 29, 1905, and killed. An Italian who had boarded with Hale, and with whom he had quaiTeled, was suspected, but he could not be found. Mrs. Hale was arrested on the charge of being acces.sory before the fact, but after being taken into custody was released on bail. Sufficient evidence could not be obtained to sustain the charge against her, and on April 11, 1906, she was discharged. Subsequently a suit of clothes was found, which it was thought might throw some light upon the murder. In one of the pockets was found a memorandum book bearing the name of a Chicago man. He was arrested and did not deny the o\\Tiership of the book, but claimed that he had lost it, and that he knew the man who had found it. He claimed to know that three men were implicated in, the murder of Hale, two of them were hired to do the deed, but no arrests were ever made.

Great excitement prevailed in Valparaiso on September 23, 1893, when it was learned that an attempt had been made to rob the safe in the old college building - the office of the Northern Indiana Noruial school. The would-be robbers were Fiank and Claire Robinson, of Versailles, Indiana. They entered the office about three o'clock m the al'tornoon, when (he only op(>nnnn1s \wvr Aliss Kate Corboj' aud Miss Emma Joucs. To irighteii th? young women a shot was fired by one of the Robinsons. This shot was heard by J. H. Aruokl, the mail carrier in that district, who ran to tho otiice. Sor.io 500 students and a number nf other persons joined in tlic pursuit, but the robbers were well armed and for a time lield thrii- pursuers baeli. Nathan 0. Howe, a peach peddler, left his team siaiiding in the street, borrowed a Winchester rifle from one of his acquaintances, and took part in the chase. About a mile east of the city he overtook the fugutives and ordered them to surrender. They replied by firing their revolvers at Ilowe, who returned the fire, killing Frank Robinson at the first shot. Clarre was then wounded in the hand and gave himself up. Howe was the hero of the occasion. His load of peaches was taken down town, where they were sold at auction, C. J. Kern acting as auctioneer. Some of the baskets brought as high a figure as ten dollars, and the entire load netted Mr. Howe about $350. One of the i)urchasers was W. J. Lightcap, whose Avife planted the seeds from the peaches. Only one tree grew to maturity and it bore its first crop in 1898. Mr. Lightcap brought some of the fruit down town and distributed it among his friends, thus reviving interest in the exciting incident of five years before.

In 1897 a pair of clever counterfeiters were "run to earth" in Porter county. Henry A. W. Brown, a photogi-apher of more than ordinary ability, made photographs of one, two and five dollar bills, and from the negatives made plates for printing the money. His accomplice was Theodore Hanson, son of John Hanson, a farmer living about a mile and a half north of the city. Major Thomas B. Carter, chief of the Indianapolis di\'isioji of the United States secret service, and Thomas J. Porter, in charge of the (Iliicago office, learning that counterfeit bills were in circulation in Lake, I'orter and Laporte counties, placed detectives on the trail. It was a difficult case and some time passed before a cine was found that led to Brown's studio on College Ilill, in Valparaiso. Here they found plates for a ten dollar .silver certificate almost com- I)loted. Following the clue fartlier, the detectives found in a small outivuyy liLoi -I' .h!^...n.'. ..I :. - J ,,( . A \:i house ou the Ilauson farm the othci plates, a small pi'css, paper, inks, etc., for turning ont the counterfeit bills. Brown and Hanson were convicted and sentenced to serve five years in the i)euitentiary at Columbus, Ohio.

Every community that has been settled for half a century or more is likely to have certain mj^sterious events connected with its history, ajjd in this respect Porter county is no exception lo the rule. In 1872 the remains of a man were found hanging to a tree a short distance southwest of A^alparaiso. There was nothing upon the body by wliich it could be identified, and whether the man comuiitled suicide or was the victim of foul play ha.s never been detennined.

For two days in tlie fall of 1877, the waters of Lake Michigan were troubled b> a severe .storm. After the storm a man named Crawford was gathering driftwood along the shtue, near the Jiiie l)etweeu tlie townships of Pine and Westchesler, when he discovered the body of a young woman that had evidently been washed ashore. There was a bniise upon the head and a gash in the neck that indicated violence, but the coroner's ,iur>- I'cturned a verdict of death by drowning. When found the hody \vas naked except for the shoes and stockings. The shoes were of stylish make, indicating that the wearer belonged in good, society, but, although the incident was widely advertised, the body was nevey identified.

In the winter of 1806 some persons, \vhile passing through a i^iece of tiniljcr aliout two iiiilrs noilli of ^^a1paraiso, came upon a curiously constructed hut. Four trees formed the corners and between these were small poles, wrapped Avith hay and straw, set on end and l)0und togetlier with barbed wire. The roof was of heavy slieet iron. Thei-e was also a barbed wire fence around the hut, with two entrances. The one door was provided wilh two locks- - oiic on the inside and llie other on tlie outside. An account of the stranjrc luit was jiulilished in the Valparaiso Mcsscit<j( r, slating that officers from Vali)araiso went out to investigate tlie "find." Inside the Inrilding were somo long l)encho!?,

In Scptemher, V.)G'J, three skeletons - siipposc^l lo bi' 11io';o of a man, woman and rliild, juf'fring' I'V their si/,e - v.-er^' round ::far a fishing camp in the sandhills north of Porter. Around the wrisl of the larirest skeleton was a leather thouj;-, in fairly good comlilioii, wliirli led Professor iSlullz and (I'rorge P. Patteigor to believe they wvo the hones of Indians, and that at some time in the remote past there had been an Indian burying gi'ound in the vieinity.

There is hardly a city of 5,000 population oi- more iu the country but what has its haunted house. In j\Iay, ISflfi, the Valixiniino Sun published a story of Valparaiso's "ghost house" that reads like a chapter from the Arabian Xighls. Aecoj-diiig to this stoi'y. the lionse was occupied many years ago by John .Marsh, a pi-ominent lawyer and «ulower. Although Mi: Marsh had the reputation of being liberal and charitable, on one occasion he refused alms to a woman, because of her impudence. The woman, started to leave, but at the dnoi- turned and said: I curse you to the seventh generation. Misfortune will follow you and yours to the cuds of the earth." L!pou tliis Mai-sh directed his coachman, or man of all work, to conduct the woman from the premises. The coachman took hold of her arm and led her to the gate, when she turned on him Avith the fury of a tigress and saiil; "And curses on you, too. Pefore another month you will be dead."

Now comes the strangest part of the story. Mai'sh and his man laughed at the curse, but about two \veeks later the laller was kicked in the head by one of the horses and killed. ]\larsh soon aftei- lost an important case, involving the title to property iu Cincinnati, Ohio, worth several hundred thousand dollars. His daughter, vijneteen years old, died of diphtheri.i some two months after Ihe eiii'se was uttered. The woman to whom he was IjctroOied jilted him. His sevejileen year old son was expelled from college, and upon liein-- upbraided by his father committed suicide, after which Marsh lived llic life of a recluse for several years, finally dying in a lunatic asylum in Chicago. After he va- cated tlic liouuR where tlie curse had been pronmineed against liiin, no tenant would occupy it for more than a few weeks at a time, and the luiilding was finally razed to the ground. The writer was unable to find iiiiy one wlio remembers Mr. Marsh, but several old settlers recall an old house on East ilaiu street, near the city limits, about which uncanny stories were told when they were children. TJiis may have been thehouse once occupied by the unfortunate la^\yer.

Instances of heroism and self-sacriliee are comparatively rare in modern times, but on November 19, 1889, a humble citizen of Porter county did a, deed that should long pei*petuate his memory. Murray Beach was engaged in digging a well in the rear of his house, near the Grand Trunk .station, and on the date above mentioned had reached a depth of some twenty-five or thirty feet. While Mr. Beach and Lis hel])ers Vvcre at dinner the well tilled with choke damp. After dinner -Beach went down in the well to resume work, l)ut soon began to feel a dizziness and told the men to draw him out. When about ten feet from the bottom, he was overcome by the carbonic acid gas, lost his hold on the rope and fell. Seeing that he was unconscious and unable to cooperate with those above, John C. Sharp volunteered to go to his rescue. The men lowered him into the well, where he fastened Mr. Beach to the bucket and then got on himself. With the extra weight, the men above were not able to raise the bucket very fast, Mr. Sharp was overcome by the noxious gas and fell a distance of some fifteen feet. The others, afraid to enter the well, succeeded in bi-ingiug him to the surface with grappling hooks, wlien it was found thai his neek had been broken by the fall. Murray Beach's life was saved, but at the sacrifice of John Sharp's. "Greater love tlian this hath no nK)ii - tliat he will lay down liis life for his friend.''