Columbia Township (part 6 of 6)

In the summer of 1892 the body of William Flicks, an old soldier who had recently received his pension, was found lying in an old lumber shed near the Vandalia depol with a heavy piece of timber across his neck and a bloody scalp wound. A coroner's inquest was held, traces of blood were traced to a low resort and many other evidences of a foul murder were established to such an extent that suspicion of a man was almost convincing. The case was in the charge of F. J. Heller as prosecutor and W. S. Gaudy as justice of the peace. That the perpetrator of this horrible crime went unpunished has always been a problem unsolved by the public.

On the morning of April 13, 1905, the people of Churubusco were aroused from their slumbers by. a terrific report of the explosion in the large safe in the Exchange Bank.

When the surprised citizens made their appearance upon the streets they found themselves held up in real western style by two sentinels passing back and forth in front of the bank, firing occasionally into the air and sometimes at a citizen who failed to obey their command. O. Gaudy and wife, living near the bank, were made the special object of their firing, Mrs. Gandy receiving a flesh wound on the neck while standing in front of her house.

It required but a few minutes to complete the business by the two men who were in the bank and join their pals on the street and hurriedly left with a buggy and horse stolen from G. R. Hemmick's bam.

After the robbers took their leave and it became safe to approach the building it was found that the safe was blown to pieces, the fixtures and furniture broken up and the building badly damaged. The robbers in their hurry overlooked the greater portion of the contents of the safe but secured over $4,700, which, with the loss by the explosion, amounted to over $6,000.

The commercial and industrial enterprises of Churubusco are principally represented in dry goods, groceries, boots, shoes and clothing by Leslie & George Arthur, E. Geiger, Leopold Isay and S. F. & F. C. Ort ; drug' stores, J. F. Criswell & Son and Miss Mary Eikenberry & Co. ; groceries, Bert Brubaker, Frazier & Stamets, J. H. Grisamer, Jacob Kichler, grocery and bakery ; harness, O. Deerdorff; meat markets, S. Emerick & Madden, G. B. Slagle & Son and Charles H. Long ; millinery, Mrs. Mabel Frazier, Mrs. Amanda Hemmick and Mrs. Eliza Walters; jewelers, G. R. Hemmick and W. E. Summers; hardware, J. W. Burwell & Son and J. W. Smith ; furniture and undertaking, F. M. Sonday; wells, pumps and supplies, Elvin, Tompson & Stroh : plumbing, Patrick Fullam ; lumber and staves manufacture, Valorous Brown ; lumber, cement and lime, James B. Grawcock ; blacksmiths, Homer Cutter, George W. Sefton and Frank Witham & Charles Harter and Harris Ketchem ; livery and feed barns, Bair & McCurdy, Lou Long. Carmi E. (Tom) Richey; saloons, A. Anderson, Dan Lung, Joe Throp and William H. Wolf; hotel, W. W. Madden and C. W. Stites ; restaurants, Dan Lung, Mrs. Del Harter, John Deck; butter, eggs and poultiy, Beyer Bros., butter, eggs and poultry. Clyde Jones, manager; barber shops. Arthur Benward and Emery Geiger.

Under dispensation the Ancient Free and Accepted Masonic Lodge met on the nth of March, 1875, and on May 25, 1875. the first meeting under charter with the following officers: Ed. A. Mossman, W. M. ; Andrew Anderson, S. W. ; G. W. Fair. J. W. ; John R. Ross, secretary; S. F. Barr, treasurer; I. N. Whellenbarger, S. D. ; Henry M. Wyatt. J. D. ; Samuel Hosack, tyler, and George W. Slagle and Charles Erickson, Stewarts. William Carr, special D. G. M., on July 29, 1876, instituted the lodge as Churubusco Lodge, No. 515, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, with fourteen members.

Oliver P. Koontz instituted Lodge No. 462, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, on August 18, 1875, which a few years afterwards was discontinued.

Churubusco Tent, No. 113, Knights of the Maccabees of the World, was instituted April 12, 1895, with Francis M. Richards sir knight commander; William A. Devault, sir knight record keeper.

The present officers are Lawrence A. Boggs, sir knight commander, and William A. Devault, sir knight record keeper. The lodge is now the owner of its equipments.

The World

Churubusco Hive, No. 113, organized 19, 1900, by Sarah Eliot, with forty-six charter members, with Ettie R. Diller. post commander; Emma Pressler, lady commander; Myrtle Douglass, lieutenant commander; Caroline Rich, record keeper; Sarah A. Smith, finance keeper; Almira J. Smith, chaplain ; Madge Slagle, sergeant ; Mildred R. Weaver, mistress of arms; Effie K. Diller, sentinel; Ada Hull.

picket. The present officers of this lodge are Amanda Hemmick, lady commander; Katie Ort, record keeper; finance keeper, Emma Pressler ; chaplain, Katie Geiger, with nine members.

Oliver P. Koontz instituted Lodge No. 462, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, on August 18, 1875, which a few years afterwards was discontinued.

Churubusco Tent, No. 113. Knights of the Maccabees of the World, was instituted April 12, 1895, with Francis M. Richards sir knight commander; William A. Devault, sir knight record keeper. The present officers are Lawrence A. Boggs, sir knight commander, and William A. Devault, sir knight record keeper.

Zion Temple, No. 177, of Pythian Sisters was organized October 5. 1898. with twenty-nine charter members under the following- officers : Most excellent chief, Mina Nicky; excellent senior, Carrie Leiter; excellent junior, Mary Devault ; manager of temple, Jennie Rhodes ; mistress of records and correspondence, Nettie Keichler : mistress of finance, Katy Ort ; protector of temple. Allie Wyatt ; guard of outer temple. Nora Smith ; past chief. Rose Grisamer. Present membership, sixty-one, with the following officers : Past chief, Rose Grisamer ; most excellent chief, Etta Ort ; excellent senior, Margerite Coulter; excellent junior. Allie Reed ; manager of temple, Nettie Keichler; mistress of records and correspondence. Annie Geiger: mistress of finance. Maggie Loudy ; protector of special deputy, assisted by the Columbia City Lodge, organized a lodge of Eastern Stars with thirteen charter members, with the following officers: Sarah Morrison, W. M. ; Leopold Isay, W. P. : Katie Geiger, associate matron ; W. A. Geiger, treasurer; Mrs. J. A. Pressler. conductress; Eva Johns, associate conductress; Myrtle Kent, Adah: Maggie Loudy, Ruth; Tilly Isay, Esther; Amanda Hemmick. Martha ; ' Rachael Arthur, Electa; Ellen B. Baker, warden: Charles Erickson. tyler.

Present officers of the Order of the Eastern Star: Worthy matron, Tillie Isay; worthy patron, V. A. Compton ; assistant matron, Emma Pressler; secretary, Hettie Gandy; treasurer, Viola Welsimer: conductress. Edna Cline ; associate conductress, Ocie Hall: chaplain, Jennie Orndorf; marshall. Emma Stites ; organist. Ottie Smith; Adah. Veru Potter; Ruth, Jessie Sordlet ; Esther, Georgie Geiseking; Martha, Mary Devault ; Electa. Julia Krider: warden, Susan Long.

Modern Woodmen

Chapter 8026, Churubusco Camp of Modern Woodmen of America, was organized April 2j, 1900. by Deputy W. W. Renley, with thirteen charter members with the following officers: Consul, E. J. Smith; adviser, S. E. Brig'gs ; banker, J. L. Long: clerk. J. W. Leiter; escort. H. A. Cutter; watchman, Jess Greenwalt; sentry, Elijah Kissinger ; managers - C. I. Bechthol, Ed Miller, F. E. Long. The present membership is fifty-six and the following named officers: Consul, Albert Jackson; adviser. Log-an Killworth; banker, O. B. Clase; clerk, William H. Hawk; escort, Arlo Hawk ; watchman, Harry Scarlet ; sentry, Edward Ramsey ; physician, Jesse Briggs : managers, E. C. Jackson. Charles Harter. E. Bridegan. Through the efforts of William A. Devault the, present postmaster. Rural Free Delivery route No. 1 was established on November 1, 1900. with Alfred Geiger carrier; No. 2 route on February 1. 1904. Walter T. Raypole carrier and Harvey Raypole substitute: No. 3 route. February 1, 1004, Edward T. Vorhees carrier and Lewis D. Strong substitute: No. 4. established October 1, 0104. Chancy Bear carrier and Alfred Bear substitute. The present salary is $720.