St. Joseph County, Indiana - Chapter 16, 1880

Dark Deeds

Since the day that Cain slew his brother Abel, murder has been rife in the land, and it can hardly be expected that a county the size of St. Josepli could have an existence of fifty years without having its soil stained with the blood of a human being. Made up of representatives of nearly every nation, having inherited the prejudices and imbibed the liatred so common among different nationalities, and spurred on by the demon drink, it is a wonder the record is not darker and crime has not prevailed to a greater extent.

Thirty-eiglit years had passed from the time Pierre Navarre made here his home before the murderous hand was raised. The first case was that of indicted October 7, 1858, for the murder of Charles Kelley, at Mishawaka. Kelley and several companions from South Eend went to Mishawaka, and while intoxicated got into a difficulty, which resulted in his being stabbed in the heart by Eager. Ou trial the evidence seemed conclusive that the murder was done in self-defense, and the accused was acquitted. W. G. George and John. F. Miller appeared for the defense. The same defendant was afterward convicted of manslaughter in Allen county and sentenced to eight years in the penitentiary.

Alexander Wilson

On Friday, Aug. 3, 1860, Alexander Wilson murdered, in cold blood, Samuel Pierson, near the residence of Mr. Lamadee, in Greene township. Thev were both residents of that township. Some years prior to this sad occurrence, AVilsoti married tlie daugliter of Mr. Pierson, but owing to liis almost habitual brutal treatment she had left him, and in the spring of 1S60 she obtained a divorce from him. Wilson had since that time made repeated threats to kill both her and her father and other members of the family. On the day of the mi;rder, with her father, she went to the residence of Mr. Lamadee in a wagon, Wil^<in following with a shot-gun. As Mr. Pierson got out of the wagon and was hitching his horses, Wilson came up and struck him rejieatedly with the barrel of his rifle, breaking his arm, breaking and smashing his skull horribly, and knocking him senseless beneath his horse's feet. Before the alarm could be raised and assistance secured, Wilson made hi escape into the woods. Mr. Pierson, all the time senseless and witliout motion, lingered until the next day, when he expired. Wilson was always considered a bad man and a reckless and dangerous character, and so excited and incensed were the citizens that if he had been caught at the time he would have been lynched. A reward of $200 was offered for his capture by the Sheriff of the count}', and he was afterward arrested and returned to Indiana for trial. A change of venue being taken to La Porte county, he was there tried, convicted and sentenced to six years' imprisonment in the penitentiary at Michigan City. He was. however, pardoned by the Governor long before the expiration of his term. Wilson was defended by W. G. George and A. Anderson.

Thomas Bouchee

At the October term, 1865, of the Circuit Court, Thomas Boucher was indicted by the Grand Jury, for the murder of Alexander Laudemun. Thomas Boucher was a Vii-ginian by birth, and at the time of the affair was a resident of Chicago, but temporarily working at Notre Dame. The killing occurred in the fourth ward of South Bend, and was claimed to have been accidental. He was brought to trial at the April term, 1S66, of the Circuit Court, found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to two years in the penitentiary. He was ably defended by W. G. George and A. Anderson. After the expiration of one year he was liberated by the Governor.

Orange G. Stage

This man was charged with the murder of Charles Tibbetts in a saloon, where the opera douse now stands, in the city of South Bend. The weapon used in taking life was a large dirk knife. Stage was indicted at the October term, 1870, of the Circuit Court. A change of venue was taken to Marshall county, where he was placed on trial, being defended by W. G. George, C. H. Peeves and James Davis. The plea of the defense was that Tibbetts was killed by Stage in sell-defense. The reputation of Tibbetts as a dangerous and quarrelsome man materially aided this defense, and Stage was acquitted.

John Schulkoski

Frank Treanofski, Martin Sass, Max Strafe, Joseph Pinkowiski and John Schulkoski were out hunting on the 27th of November, 1873, and returned about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and at the invitation of one Kitkoski, went to his house to get some wliiskj', but when they arrived there they found there was none in the house, so they made up a purse of a dollar and sent for some alcohol, which they diluted with water. Under the influence of their potations they became merry and went to dancing, which they kept up until about 10 o'clock, when they commenced quarreling. Kitkoski attempted to put Treanofski out of his house, in which he was assisted by Schulkoski, who in the melee drew a knife and attempted to stab Treanofski, cutting through his vest and shirt, but not wounding him. They finally succeeded in getting them out of the door, but they did not immediately go away; they stood on the porch while Sass was putting on his gloves. While in the act of doing so Schulkoski shot at them out of the window, the load passing in front of Treanofski's face and striking Sass in the left side of the face, destroying the left eye and carrying away nearly all the lower part of the nose, and killing him instantly. Schulkoski was arrested, and on the 26th of December was arraigned for trail. Conviction followed and he was sentenced to 21 years in the penitentiary.

Jonathan Hickman

On Tuesday morning, July 16, 1874, the people living about three miles north of Mew Carlisle were surprised to find tlie log cabin in which a Polander by the name of Thomas Cihanski, better known by the nickname of ''Tommy Polander," lived with his wife, to be burned to the ground. On closer investigation they were horrified to find the "emains of two human beings in the ashes, which proved to be those of the Polander and his wife. The eight was a most horrible one. The legs and arms were almost wholb' consumed, the bodies with their shi-iveled intestines and the open skulls, showing the brains within baked to a cake, being the only parts which were not charred to cinders. At first it was thought thev had been burned to death, but closer examination showed a foul double murder had been committed. The remains of the man were still recognizable, and on inspection it was revealed that the back part of his skull had been crushed in. The body of the woman was so badly charred, that whatever marks of violence may have been on her person were undiscoverable. Locks of ha^'r and clotted blood were found on the grass near the ruins of the house, seeming to indicate tliat a terrible strnggle had taken place between her and her murderer outside of the house. A blood}- nightcap was also picked up nearby.

The remains of both parties were found close to where they were known to sleep, showing that tlie woman's body must liave been carried in and thrown on or near the bed, to convey the impression that both came to their deaths while sluinberin?, by accidental burning of the house. The house was built of logs in a partial clearing made by Cihanski, on land belonging to James Swank.

The report that there was a considerable sum of money in the house, supposed to have been the motive of the killing, was positively confirmed by the evidence brought out at the inquest, the brother-in-law testifying that Cihanski had about $600 in a belt which he carried around his waist. He had been repeatedly urged to put this in a bank, but would not.

Sherifi Turnock, who was present at the inquest, had his suspicions aroused by the actions of two young men, James Bennett and Jonathan Hickman. They were arrested, but no evidence being found against them, they were discharged. The Sheriff kept track of them, however, and becoming more aiid more convinced of their being implicated, organized a party, and going to the residence of their parents, a few days after the murder, arrested them and confined I hem in the county jail, where they remained until the December term of the Circuit Court, when they were placed on trial. Judge Stanfield presiding.

After hearing the evidence of a number of witnesses, James Bennett, one of the parties indicted, was placed on the stand and turned State's evidence, narrating every particular of the horrible deed. Upon his evidence as well as by circumstantial evidence by other witnesses, Hickman was found guilty and sentenced to the penitentiary for life.

John Sullivan

On Saturday evening, March 18, 1876, a little after six o'clock, John Sullivan appeared at the county jail and asked to be locked in, stating as his reason that he had stabbed William Quinlan in front of a saloon on South street, opposite the Lake Shore depot. It would appear from evidence given in the case, Quinlan and a man named Harrington had been having some trouble about a woman. Harrington had cast some aspersions upon the character of a woman in whom Quinlan was interested, and the latter, when intoxicated, went to a house where Harrington was 8to])ping and demanded satisfaction. It is said that Harrington and others took advantage of Quinlan's partial helpless condition and gave him a severe beating. Out of this grew the diflficulty which ended in the death of a human being. The parties met in the saloon of Thomas Krick, near the Lake Shore depot, and after partaking of a quantity of villainous whisky, the old difficulty was renewed and they proposed to tight it out. Some feeble protest was made against the tight, but the general voice of the crowd was in favor of it, tisticuffs being recognized as the only true way of settling misunderstandings, particularly if it happened to be an old grudge. Ivrick objected to tighting in the saloon, and as the crowd wanted more elbow room, all moved outside, Quinlan and Harrington clinching and falling as they cleared the door. They then had two or three rounds, breathing a moment between each, when Sullivan, a cousin of Harrinaton, who had been standing with an open knife in his hand, gave Quinlan a slash in the bowels, driving the blade in its full length. Quinlan did not at tirst realize that he was cut, but continued fighting. The blood streamed from the wound, however, and he soon got faint. He leaned for support against a building, and with an exclamation that he was stabbed, staggered a few steps and fell. He was taken into the saloon and physicians summoned. Soon after he was removed to the residence of his parents, where about six o'clock the next morning he died.

On AVednesday, May 31, Sullivan was arraigned for trial, the evidence being substantially as narrated. After hearing the evidence and the counsels for the prosecution and defense, the jury retired, and in a few minutes returned with a verdict of eleven years in the penitentiary.

Murder Of Ephraim Dice

On Friday night, Aug. 20, 18S0, Benjamin and Ephraim Dice, had some trouble with Charles Perkins and Maennerchor Wall, in South Bend. The parties met again on Monday afternoon following at J. K. Seltzer's saloon. No. 117 Michigan street, where the trouble was renewed. Ephraim and Ben Dice were sitting in the saloon when Perkins and Pfaftenbach entered. Perkins and Ben Dice renewed their quarrel and engaged in a sort of a wrestling fight, which Pfatfenbach interrupted by striking Dice. The latter then turned his attention to Pfaftenbach and knocked him down, when he gave up whipped. A short time afterward the two brothers met the other crowd in front of Hughes' saloon, where talk of a fiirht was entered into, Pfaftenbach making a demonstration toward Ben Dice. The Dic'e boys saw that they were greatly outnumbered and didn't care to tight. Meantime George Keck, who like most of the others was partially under the influence of liquor, anxious to get at Ben Dice, and tiuMliy did break away from a couple of his friends who were liokliiig him and struck Ben Dice. Ben was knocked down and partly stunned by two or three blows rained in upon him as he fell, and did not fully recover consciousness until informed that liis brother was killed. When Ephraim Dice saw his brother beset by so many he naturally went to his aid, and thus through his brother's troubles came to his own death. He was immediately' engaged by two or three of the crowd and quickly knocked down with what is supposed to have been a pair of metal knuckles on a slung-shot. He fell head foremost against a box and then rolled down upon the sidewalk, from whence he was kicked into the gutter. As he struck in the gutter his hands went up like the last grasp of a man for receding life. The next moment he partially raised himself on his elbow and was picked up and carried into Snyder's drug store, close by, where within ten minutes he breathed his last, without having uttered a word or recognized a friend. A large crowd immediately gathered, and when tiie injured man was pronounced dead, people began to look around for his assailants, but during the excitement of the moment they had taken to their heels and made their escape. The police were scattered over the city, but were soon summoned, and as soon as they could get any information began to work, resulting in the arrest" of Michael Lynch, Charles Ivelley, Martin Pfaffenbach, Charles Perkins, Daniel Casey, Patrick Touhey, Geo. Briner, and a number of young men who witnessed the fight.

On being pronounced dead by the attending physicians, Drs. Partridge and Myers, the remains of the unfortunate young man were removed to Liphart's undertaking rooms on the opposite side of the street, where Coroner Miller viewed them, and assisted by Dr. Flory, mude a, posf-7norf em examination, which resulted in the discovery that in addition to a bruise and cut over the left eye, presenting the appearance of having been made with a hard, blunt instrument, his neck was dislocated close to the base of the skull. The physicians satisfied themselves of this fact by making an incision in the back of the neck, by which means the dislocation could be plainly felt. The dislocation was caused, the doctors say, by the fall into the gutter, but it might have resulted from one of several kicks that forced him from the sidewalk.

The parties arrested were taken before Justice Harbaugh, and after an examination lasting two days, Charles Kelley and Andrew Plaft'enbach were held to bail in the sum of $2,000 each. The others arrested at the time were discharged.

A few days after the examination, Pfaftenbach was taken before Judge Noyes, on a writ of habeas corpus, for examination, with the intent of having bail reduced. After hearing the testimony, the Judge remanded him to jail without bail.

St. Joseph Eiver 4Nd Its Victims

As one looks upon the St. Joseph river, with its clear, sparkling water hastening on toward the lake, it is with no dark, foreboding thoughts, but with heart-felt thanks to the Giver of all good and perfect gifts for placing at our feet another evidence of his wisdom and his power. Here in this beautiful stream is seen a power, which, if controlled by man, may be the means of giving life to many by converting the golden grain into an article of food; mills and manufactories may flourish upon its banks; vessels may ride upon its water; but no thoughts of death obtrude upon the mind; the grim monster that waits upon all surely cannot be lurking here; and yet the pen of the historian is compelled to write of many sad endings of life in these pure waters. Here is witnessed a youth, playing in the water, with no thought of death before him; peace and joy reign in his lieart; but as he playfully splashes the water upon his companion he gets beyond his depth, goes down, and a life is lost! A beautiful maiden, fair as the sunshine, outwardly giving no evidence of a clouded life, plunges into the river and is rescued a corpse. Here is one whose mind has been deranged by misfortunes that crowded thick and fast upon him; a small ray of light pierces his mind; he realizes that he is a burden to those he loves; he goes down to the river bank in the dark hours of the night, lays down in the water, where he imagines all trouble will end; his body is found and laid away to rest. "None but an all- wise God can know the thoughts of those who have met death by their own hands. The veil of charity must be thrown over all by those who are living.

Four Yodno People Drowned

On Tuesday evening, June 2, 1868, at about half-past six o'clock, Eugene Seixas and Charles Walterhouse, accompanied by Miss Adele Seixas and Miss Molly C. Miller, started boat-riding, with the intention of going a short distance up tlie river from South Bend. Launching the boat near the headgates of the west race, very close to which runs the elbow of the dam, it is supposed that before the young men got hold of the oars or were conscious of the danger, the boat was drawn into the swift current and carried over the falls. Two men on the bank of the river saw the boat go, and stated that it went over sidewa3's, all the parties being in it until it capsized just on the edge of the dam. There was nobody near enough to render them any assistance, the workmen having all left the shops, consequently all were lost. The body of Miss Miller was found the same evening, fifteen minutes after the accident happened, near the bridge. That of Charles Waterhouse M'as found the next morning at six o'clock; the body of Eugene Seixas about nine o'clock, and Adele about noon, near a large sycamore tree beyond the foot of the east race, and a quarter of a mile from where the disaster occurred. The young folks were well known in the city of South Bend, and their terrible death east a gloom over the entire community.

Mysterious Disappearance Of Henry F. Porter

the montli of January, 18YS, be resigned his position for the purpose of accepting a position in Philadelphia: so he stated. A farewell supper was given him on the night of the 31st of January, on which occasion he was presented with a line gold watch hy the Studebaker Brothers, valued at $300. Mr. Porter was a very talented man, and a writer of merit. He was at one time connected with the Carriage Journal, and a regular contributor to other trade journals. On the evening of the 5th of February, Mr. Porter suddenly disappeared from the city. Fears were entertained that he had committed suicide by drowning in the St. Joseph river, but the facts in the case were not fully known until the evening of March 8, when his body was accidentally discovered by a party of fishermen. The}' were drifting down stream with a torch-light in the bow of their boat, engaged in spearing fish, and had reached a point about a mile and a half below the city of South Bend, when a white object on the surface of the water, near the shore, attracted their attention. They immediatel}- turned the boat into shore, and on reaching the object, discovered it to be the lifeless body of a human being, resting on its face, with the back protruding white and ghastly from the water, and the arms disposed close to the sides. Believing they had no authority to remove the body, the men secured it in the position it occupied when discovered, by thrusting their spears into the river bottom in such a way that the current could not carry it down stream and necessitate further search for it. The alarm was given the next morning, and the body taken from the water. Its condition was terrible to contemplate. It was stark naked with the exception of a stocking on the right foot, and a shoe and stocking with apiece of his red flannel drawers clinging about the left ankle and foot. The face was considerably disfigured, though but little swelled, and the thin hair of his head was full of the sweepings of the river and looked much darker than its natural color on that account. The body was not bloated in the least. The naked condition of the body was a general surprise, and created a new mystery in the premises, as when he disappeared he wore a full suit of clothes and an extra heavy overcoat. The whereabouts of these articles was a question. Whether they were taken off by the drowned man, or whether torn off by the hidden powers of the river will remain a secret until all mysteries are exposed. But the remains were fully identified as being those of the missing Henry F. Porter. They were placed in a metallic casket and forwarded to Philadelphia for interment.

Henky Sueeman

On Sunday afternoon, June S, 1879, W. K. McCracken, of South Bend, was rowing up the river in a small boat, and when about half way between that place and Mishawaka he discovered an object in the water which at first sight resembled a valise, but upon closer examination proved to be the skirts of a coat floating over the shoulders of a man's body. The body was lying upon its face and was lodged upon a snag. Mr. McCracken immediately turned his boat about and floated down stream a short distance where he found three men fishing. To them he disclosed his startling discovery, and the entire party repaired to the spot wliere the body was still held by the obstructions in the water. The men hauled it on the shore with some difficulty. The face was black, the limbs stiff, and it had the appearance of being in the water for sometime. The coroner was notified and an inquest held over the remains, which were recognized as those of Henry Sherman, of Mishawaka. Mr. Sherman had been of unsound mind for about four years, and to end his troubles threwhimself into the St. Joseph river, and added one more to its long list of victims.

Found A Watery Gkave

Joseph S. Kenyon and Ellet W. St. John went in swimming in the river near South Bend, Sunday, Aug. 3, 1879, and their two sons, Johnny Kenyon, aged 13, and Henry St. John, aged 12, went in with them. The two men, after bathing awhile swam across the river, leaving the two boys to bathe where they then were. At this point the water was quite shallow some distance from the shore, then it deepened suddenly at a clayey bank. Henry St. John was the only one of the boys who could swim. While the fathers were across the river, the two boys were playing in the water, walking backward and splashing the water over each other. Suddenly Johnny slipped on the clayey bottom and into the water over his head. Henry, who was with him, made an attempt to save him, but was so much smaller that when he grappled Johnny both went down. John Marble was on the bank watching the swimmers, and although lame, he plunged in when he saw the danger, with his clothes on. He reached Henry first and started him toward the shore and he got safely on the bank. He then turned his attention to Johnny, but the moment he seized him, Johnny grabbed him by the tliroat with vice-like grip and choked Mr. Marble so that he was nearly drowning himself, and was obliged to throw him ofl;' and catch him by another part of his body. When he attempted to do tliis Johnny was out of reach, and Mr. Marble was himself so exhausted he could scarcely get to shore. The alarm was then raised, and the two tatliers swam across as rapidly as they could and began the search for Johnny's body. As soon as they found it every effort was made to resuscitate the boy, but in vain, although they did not cease trying for over an hour.

A sister of the deceased, Miss Kate Fleck, then came to keep house for Mr. Schaefle-, and attend to the motherless one, receiving as compensation the sum of $2 per week. On Wednesday, July 5, she demanded an increase of wages to $2.50 per week. Mr. Schaeffer told her he could not alford it, and if she was not satisfied with what he was paying her, he would have to hire some one else. The following morning Schaefter 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 Kate 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 the dead body of Kate was seen going over the dam, the arms nearly encircling the head, and the hands above as if fighting the water - the position in which the arms of most people drowned are found. The river was high and the current swift, and the body floated rapidly down stream after emerging from the seething waters under the dam. It kept the middle of the river and passed the iron bridge before a boat could be secured to follow it. Two men finally brought the body to the shore about 20 rods below the Singer factory.

The action of the current in forcing the body against obstacles had bruised the face and head somewhat, and torn and displaced the clothing so that below the waist the bod}' was bai-e. The face was discolored slightly from being so long in the water, but otherwise the body presented a very natural appearance.

On the Sunday following, the dead body of the baby was seen floating down the river, and was taken from the water by Theodore Chaudoni. The body was bloated and badly discolored. The legs were spread out and bent at the knees, with the knees drawn up toward the shoulders. Around the waist was tied a scarf, the ends of which had been made into a loop, which evidently Kate had put around her neck to keep the child by her that their bodies might be found together. Certain discolored marks around Katy's neck were thus accounted for.

Mtsteeious Disappearance Of J. C. Marvin

On the 2o:h day of March. 1S70, J. C. Marvin, engineer in the lower shops of Studebaker Brothers' Manufacturing Company, disappeared. On the evening of the day mentioned, he parted with some of his associates on the street, telling them he must go to his room. He boarded at iG7 Michigan street. Keaching there, he got out his old letters, and spent an hour or two looking over them, after which he burned them. Ue then placed his watch and keys upon the table and left the house. About ten o'clock he called at Eupp's drug store for chloroform, as he had often been in the habit of doing, using it to relieve neuralgic pains from which he at times suffered so severely as to render him temporarily insane. After applying the chloroform, he conversed with the clerk a short time, and then started, as the clerk supposed, for his boarding house. This was the last seen of him by any of his acquaintances.

Not making his appearance next day, and his manner of leaving hie boarding house exciting considerable surprise, search was made for him He had been in the liabit of visiting at a house near the bank of the river, in the north part of the city, and on examining the bank there, foot-prints, supposed to be his, were diecovered near the water's edge. On Sunday, March 27, a large force turned out and dragged the river, but no traces of the missing man were found.

On Tuesday, the 29th, a gentleman from Niles, while driving across the river at Bertrand, discovered the dead body of a man floating in the river. Giving the alarm a boat was procured and the body secured, but not until it had floated some distance below the town. The body was dressed in a full suit of clothes, and had on, in addition, an overcoat. The right arm was fastened to the man's side by a rope passed around tiie wrist two or three times, and then tied around the waist. A letter was found in one of the pockets addressed to J. C. Marvin, and believing it to be the body of the missing engineer, a messenger was dispatched to South Bend, and from the description he gave of the clothing, no doubt whatever remained of its being any other than the body of Marvin. Sheriff" Glover, Mr. Rupp and Mr. Marks went to Bertrand and brought the body to South Bend, where it was recognized by his associates. An inquest was held, the Coroner's jury holding that he came to his death by drowning in the St. Joseph river, and that the drowning was the result of his own act for the purpose of self-destruction.

Before the war, Mr. Marvin was a banker in New York. At the breaking out of the Eebellion, he enlisted and served in a three months' regiment, and afterward went to Iowa, where he assisted in raising a company and was made Captain. He received several promotions and was a Brevet Brigadier-General at the close of the war.

Death In The Eivee

About six o'clock Tuesday morning, Dec. 13, 1870, two employes of the Union Cabinet Manufactory, while going to their work, were hailed near the Peninsular railway bridge by a man in his shirt sleeves and bare-headed, standing on the bridge, who requested them to take his coat and hat to Bartiett & Orvis' grocery, and he pointed to those articles, which were hanging on Mr. Huey's fence, just across the street from the bridge. The man acted ratlier strancelv, and having suspicion that he was bent on self-destr notion, they started toward him with the intention of preventing liiin jumping in the river, but he motioned them back, saying he was bound to go down, and almost before they could realize it he leaped from the bridge into the river and immediately sunk. He struck the water at full length, and as the distance from the top of the bridge to the surface of the water is between 40 and oO feet, the severe shock must have stunned him into insensibility. The men then took the clothes down and left them at the grocery store of Russ & Co., the only place then open, and gave the alarm. Shortly after a clerk of Bartlett & Orvis recognized the clothes as belonging to E. A. Orvis, the junior member of the firm. ]\ o cause conld be assigned for the rash act by friends of the deceased except that he had become temporarily insane. He had for some time been suffering from dyspepsia, and arose that morning about half past four o'clock and told his brother Willard, with whom he slept, that he was going out and would return shortly, and that was the last any of his friends saw of him. He had but latelj' come to South Bend from Baraboo, "Wisconsin. The body of the unfortunate man was found on Thursday afternoon following his self-destruction.

Drowning Of Jacob Bauer

About half past two o'clock, Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 20, 1872, Jacob Bauer was drowned in the river a few rods above the Peninsular railroad bridge. The drowned man, who was employed on the race, assisting in the construction of the water works, had been laboring in the forenoon as usual, but feeling ratlier poorly at noon concluded to rest the remainder of the da3^ Shortly after dinner John Miller and John Wanderlich invited him to join them in a ride on the river, to which he unfortunately consented. Near the spot where the casualty took place, Bauer arose to change his position in the boat, his balance was lost, and in a moment the craft was bottom upward, and the three men were struggling in the water, Miller, who could swim a little, reaching the shore by his own exertions. Wanderlich climbed upon the overturned boat; but Bauer, unable to swim, with not so much as a straw to meet his random dying clutches, again and again coming to the surface, finally sank almost within reach of the shore, in less than seven feet of water. His body was recovered soon after, a Coroner's inquest held and a verdict rendered in accordance with the foregoing

Strange Disappearance

Johanna Sharinghausen, who had lived with the family of A. G. Gushing in the capacity of housemaid about three years, very unaccountably disappeared some time during the night of Aug. 15, 1872. She retired to her room at the customary hour, after making some trifling inquiries of Mrs. Gushing regarding culinary matters. Her last words were comments on the beauty oF the evening. Her absence was first noted about six o'clock the next morning. It is presumed she made her exit tlirough the kitchen window, as that avenue was the only one in the house unfastened. Her mother and sisters were immediately notified of her absence, but they were utterly at a loss to account for her strange act. Tiie presumption was strong that she must have been attacked with insanity, as nothing in reason could have actuated her to take such a course. She attended church and prayer-meeting with great regularity, and was exemplary in all her walks of life. The river, near both banks, was dragged between South Bend and Niles, and the west race also was searched. On Wednesday afternoon following her disappearance, some tinners who were at work at St. Mary's, discovered a body floating in the river near the bank. It was secured, and although distorted almost beyond the semblance of humanity, it was recognized as the body of the poor unfortunate girl.

On Monday afternoon, June 8, 1874, John Schuman, a young German, attempted to cross the river by walking on the apron of the dam. When about mid way, where a small stream of water pours over the dam, by some means he lost his foothold on the slippery planks ot the apron, and was immediately whirled into the boiling, seething, eddying waters below. He immediately sank out of sight and did not rise to the surface again. His disappearance was noticed by some persons, and in a few minutes several parties, good swimmers, commenced diving to recover his body. They continued theirdiving at intervals for two days, their efforts being rewarded on Wednesday afternoon by discovering the body at a depth'of twenty- two feet, fast by the arm to some logs. They could not release the body from its imprisonment that evening, and, when preparing to make another eff'ort the next morning, it had by some means become detached from its hold, and was floating on the surface. The necessary steps were immediately taken to rescue it, and by the time a boat went out, the body had floated further down the stream and was picked up opposite the Eagle Works. A legal inquest was held and a verdict rendered in accordance with the foregoing facts.

Whisky Did It

Three Germans, working in the shops of the Studebaker Brothers' Manufacturing Company, having been paid off" a few days previously, took a "holiday on Thursday, June 11, 1874, and celebrated the event by imbibing large quantities of whisky during the forenoon. About twelve o'clock they found themselves on the river bank, a short distance above the Jeff'erson street bridge, in South Bend. The subject of swimming was discussed, and one of the party, Albert Neunian, declared his ability to swim across the river at that point. To make good his word, he plunged into the river with coat and boots on, and was making fine progress as far as the middle of the stream, where he struck the rapid current. This was too much for him, loaded down with clothing and alcohol as he was, and he commenced being carried down the stream, losing every moment more completel}' the control of his actions. He managed to grasp a piece of timber connected with the ice-breaker of one of the piers of the bridge, and here for a few moments he made a determined effort to support himself His perilous position was observed from the shore, and he was called to hold on to the support until a boat could be brought to the rescue, but, being too weak, or losing control of his sense of self-preservation, long before assistance could reach him, he sank under the waters. His body was recovered in fifteen minutes after sinking, and although every means were taken to resuscitate him, 3'et they were unavailing; the spirit had left the mortal tenement and was then in the presence of its Maker.

Another Victim

James H. Fleming, an employe of the Register office, in company with Samuel Carney, of South Bend, on Saturday, June 20, 187i, visited Lumley Lewis, Superintendent of the county poorhouse and farm, with whose family he was acquainted. About seven o'clock the party went to the river, about midway between South Bend and Mishawaka, - Lewis, Fleming and a boy named VauAmburg, for the purpose of bathing, and Carney, of looking on. After being in the water some minutes, Lewis and Fleming swam out to a sand bar, about midway of the stream. Lewis warned his friend that if he was not a good swimmer he had better not follow him, but return to the shore by the way he came, as the water was mucli deeper and the passage more dangerous. Lewis began the passage, Fleming following, saying " I am coming, Jim." In a few moments Lewis noticed a peculiar sound iu the direction of Fleming, and looking back, saw him showing signs of strangulation, and struggling in the water, evidently unable to support himself on its surface. He immediately returned, and before reaching the spot saw his friend sink. He saw him rising again some distance down stream and he dived toward the spot, but the drowning man had already been carried out of his reach by the current. He swam to the shore, and hastening along the bank opposite where he saw the bubbles rise, he plunged in again and swam to the spot, but Fleming never came to the surface again, being taken with sudden cramps, as is supposed, which deprived him of all power to help himself

Very much exhausted by his exertions in the water, and darkness rapidly coming on, Lewis was unable to make any further search for the missing body. Intelligence of the sad affair was at once sent to South Bend, and the next morning the proprietor of the i?e^«<er,

Mr. Lewis, Mr. Carney, Thomas Cottrell, John Beurva, "William Gantz and Charles Brickel commenced the search. After nearly two hours diving and watching the river bottom, just as the search at that point was about being given up, and Cottrell was dressing, Gantz, rowing over the spot where the last signs oi'the sinking body had appeared on the water, discovered the body lying prone on the sand within a few feet of where it sank. Cottrell dived down and brought him to the surface, nearly meeting with an accident, which would have been unfortunate, had he not been a good swimmer, for as he came to the surface with the body in his arras, mistaking the depth of the water, he undertook to touch bottom, and, weighed down with the additional load, he sank under the water. With the assistance of Beurva in the boat, who cauglit Fleming by the hair, Cottrell came to the surface again, still maintaining his hold, and brought him to the shore. A coroner's inquest was held and a verdict rendered in accordance with the facts as given. The body of the unfortunate] man was sent to his parents at Gettysbuig, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Fleming's age was 26 years. lie was born in Baltimore, Maryland, where he spent the earlier years of his life. For nearly two years he served his country' in the Seventeenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, participating in a number of engagements and receiving an honorable discharge at the end of the war. Some years before coming to South Bend he connected himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and on arriving here, he was received by the First Church, of that denomination, in full membership. He was also a member in good standing of a Baltimore lodge of Odd Fellows, the Grand Army of the Republic, of Gettysburg, and Good Templars, of South Bend.