Iowa Old Press

The Fairfield Tribune
Fairfield, Jefferson, Iowa
Thursday, Dec 18, 1879

State News

A few nights ago some person in the absence of Mr. J.P. Fall of Glenwood, entered his fine peach orchard and cut down about fifty of the young trees, bound them together and set them in the gateway leading to the cornfield.

The Tilden Manufacturing Company, whose factory is near Kellogg, have sold 24 tons of canned corn and 6 tons of evaporated pumpkin this season. The managers say they will double their capacity next year and make the enterprise a grand success.

On the evening of December 8th, a German named Weiser, at Otterville, playfully aimed a revolver supposed to be empty at his two-year old child. It was accidentally discharged, the entire load passing through the child's body killing it instantly.

Larry Murphy, a farmer, was found drowned on the 8th instant in a small stream between Sigourney and his home. He left Sigourney intoxicated and, bewildered in the darkness, wandered into the creek. The Coroner's jury rendered a verdict accordingly.

An Iowa lady, Mrs. Cornelia Miller, of Waterloo, had made a munificent gift to the Garret Biblical Institute of Iowa. It is $30,000 payable in a series of years, to endow a professional chair of Practical Theology in the institution. It will be called the "Cornelia Miller Chair of Practical Theology."

Abner Kneeland, the famous infidel writer, who has since 1840 lived within two miles of Farmington, Van Buren county, died at his home a few days ago. He edited the Boston Investigator for several years. In 1835 he was arrested for blasphemy, and after carrying the case to the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, was convicted and fined. His blasphemy was embodied in doubt as to the possibility of Christ having existed without a natural father.

Jacobs and Kline, a couple of burglars who were arrested at Davenport sometime since, but a failure made in fastening crime upon them are now Chicago prisoners under other names. The men were found occupying a room at 103 Washington street, in which was, as the Times says, as pretty a kit of cracksmen's tools as one ever set eyes upon. The gang consisted of four persons, a couple of whom were known to the Chicago police force as long suspected burglars.

On the night of December 6th, some unknown person waylaid and attempted to murder Dan McCarthy, on the principal business street of Ames. It is supposed that the villains came up behind McCarthy and knocked him down with a brick, then struck him several blows after he was down and left him dead. He was found senseless and almost lifeless, and carried to the West House. He received an ugly wound on the back of his head and a terrible gash in the face, cutting his upper lip nearly off. A brick was found supposed to have been the weapon used. No arrests. McCarthy is a prominent citizen and had started to his farm near the Agricultural College.

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