Iowa Old Press

The New Era
Humeston, Wayne co., Iowa
February 11, 1891

Sad Accident Near Derby.
About three o'clock last Saturday afternoon Fountain F. Rash was ran into by a special freight train on the C.B.&Q. at a road crossing one and one half miles east of Derby. The team was torn to pieces, wagon and harness scattered for a hundred yards along the track, and Mr. Rash died in about half an hour after the accident happened. His head was crushed in, the flesh torn off on both sides as he came down head foremost between the strips in the cattle guard, his left shoulder curshed, and arm broken. His left leg was broken in two places and internally he was also badly mangled. The section men brought him to the station at once on the hard car, where he soon died surrounded by a great crowd of sympathizing friends. He was almost fifty years of age, has a family consisting of a wife and nine children, the three oldest being married. He served through the war in the 3d Kentucky Infantry Vols., and received his pension only about a year ago. An inquest was held on Monday, by County Coroner T.P. Stanton. All the train crew which were on the train that killed him being here as witnesses. The jury found that it was entirely unavoidable and no blame whatever is attached to the R.R. company for the shocking accident. The funeral was held Monday at the M.E. church where services held by Rev. Heckathorn and Miss Jennie Land, after which the body was laid to rest in the Tedrick cemetery two miles southeast of town.

Iowa News Items.
-Diptheria is raging in its most virulent form near Adair. Fred Fett has lost five children in ten days, and other deaths have occurred.
-Ida Grove is moving for electric light.
-The wife of B.J. Beese, of Kirkville, has disappeared and can not be found.
-W.W. Parker, formerly of Dubuque and Waterloo, has just died at Denver.
-Mrs. Elizabeth Turner, of Wisconsin, was killed by the cars at Dubuque, Saturday.
-James Dane, aged 92, and a resident of Iowa for thirty years, is dead at Waterloo.
-A home for the aged poor people has been opened at Waverly. It is supported by private benevolence.
-Frank Davis was sentenced to nineteen yeras' imprisonment on the 5th at Clinton for stabbing Spencer Dewey.
-Ex-county Attorney C.H. Moore of Fort Dodge has decided to remove to Chicago, and go into partnership with a law firm there.
-The case of Bossingham vs the Denver Insurance company, after four days' trial at Humboldt, resulted in a verdict for the defendant.
-The state executive council held a meeting and the appointment of E.H. Carter to the vacant place on the state board of health was confirmed.
-Gen. B.A. Beeson has resigned his commission as commandant of the First regiment I.N.G., after thirteen years constant service in that position.
-Henry Boswell, the Emmet county cattle thief, lately arrested at Council Bluffs, has been convicted and sentenced to three and one-half years in the penitentiary.
-Rev. John H. Boggs died recently at Boone. He was in his 87th year and lived in Boone twenty-nine years. He was formerly a local Methodist minister.
-Dennis O'Brien of Dubuque county, died of gastric neuralgia. Mr. O'Brien has always been prominent in politics and has served the courts in the state legislature several terms.
-"Uncle John" Safely, of Red Oak Grove, Cedar county, is dead. He was a native of Scotland and a man of sterling character. His age was 84 and he came to Iowa in 1836.
-Chad Radasch, son of one of the most wealthy residents of Keokuk, and member of Company A, Iowa National Guard, fatally shot himself. Trouble with his family was the cause.
-C. Perry Byam, in trouble in Chicago on account of alleged swindling real estate transactions, was formerly a resident of Fort Dodge, where his father used to be connected with the land office.
-Mrs. O. Briggs, of Boone, is said to have a straight and provable claim to an interest in the big English estate of Robert Edwards, of whim she is the granddaughter. Her case is in the hands of lawyers.
-Alonzo Jackson, while engaged in felling trees near Jefferson, was crushed by a falling tree. His injuries are of a most serious character, consisting of a broken leg, several broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder.
-The three highwaymen, Williams, Watkins and Willard, who recently robbed and attempted to murder Jake Handershiedt, the driver of a beer wagon, in Dubuque, were sentenced to the penitentiary for the term of ten years.
-There was discovered in the public archives at Burlington the other day the "expression of sentiment" of the Des Moines county bar on the death of Daniel Webster. The document is dated October 30, 1852, and is in the handwriting of Governor Grimes.
-Ex-treasurer W.J. Johnson's accounts with Poweshiek county had been reported in bad condition by the board of supervisors. An expert was employed who found errors enough in Johnson's favor to make the county indebted to him $971.72. It cost the county $500 to discover it.
-Cora Smith has been sentenced to the penitentiary for four months for burglary at Leon. Her accomplice in crime was another young woman, Martha Smith, her cousin, who has not yet been tried. They broke into the house of a farmer and stole some provisions and other property.
-A reconciliation has taken place between J.J. Crinnell and his wife. About a year ago Grinnell killed George Cornell for undue intimacy with his wife. Mrs. Grinnell recently met her husband at Elkader, and the result is that they are together again as man and wife. Both have gone to Oakland, Cal., where they will reside.
-Elmer Warren, the supposed murderer of James O'Neil, who is in jail at Tama, is said to be insane, and there is a possibility after all that he is not the man. He confessed that he was to Detective Percell, but some of the things he states are positively wrong, leading some to believe that he is not the man, but only a weakminded tramp.
-The two-story frame residence of Alfred Harris, four miles north of Des Moines, was destroyed by fire with all its contents, causing a loss of $2,500 of which about $1,800 was covered by insurance. The family escaped in their night clothes. Mr. Harris, who is 74 years old, sustained a severe sprain in the ankle in escaping through a second-story window.
-Mrs. L.A. Bute, of Stanhope, Hamilton county, Iowa, would like to know where he son, George M. Bute, is. He was last heard from in Hanford or Theaver counties, California, about three years ago. He is heavy set, light complexion, light brown hair, has light blue eyes and is about 30 years old. Occupation was that of mining or any common work.

Lewisburg News.
-Uncle Levi Caldwell is a little better. It seems sickness can't take hold of a person very strong before Dr. Bamford nips it in the bud.
-James Caldwell's baby, Chas. Baltimore and I. Sapp's child are reported better. Fred Bruer is also improving.
-Uncle J. McGuire contemplates building a new house for his hired help.
-Joe Bay sold his farm to Newton and Elsworth, sons of Uncle Sam Elder. Look out for a double wedding.
-Johnny McVey also bought another 40 acres. Another wedding in sight.
-John Bruer, brother of Fred and Henry, from Missouri visited in Clay.
-Mrs. Dent is reported sick, also Mamie Bateman. We hope they will be able to be around in a little while.

Small Bites.
-W.L. Andrews, of Van Wert, was a Humeston visitor Monday.
-Fresh bread, pies, cakes and warm meals, at Benefiel's Restaurant.
-Mrs. R.A. Harkness, of Fairfield, is visiting relatives and friends in Humeston.
-For sale two thoroughbred bull calves. Mrs. Anna Zook, three and one-half miles south east of Garden Grove.
-Elmore Markley is moving into Mr. Frasier's residence property in the north part of town.
-John Ryan has sold his farm nother of town to N.H. Hart.
-James Lynch is now day clerk at the Depot Hotel. Jimmie will make an excellent clerk and be popular with the traveling public.
-James Stiles, of Clio, this county, was accidently shot in the stomach, one day last week. He was handling a gun that accidently discharged.
-J.T. Silvers, of the Advance Hydrant factory, returned last week from a month's visit with relatives and friends in Decatur and Ringgold counties.
-We learn that Aaron VanCleve has sold his farm in Clay township to J.M. Nelson for $4,000, and that he will have a public sale on the 21st of this month, after which he will move to Illinois. Mr. VanCleave will be greatly missed from this county, for he is a first-class citizen.
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Our readers will remember the case State of Iowa vs Henry Moore tried some two years ago, in which Moore was convicted and sentenced to a term in the penitentiary. At the close of the trial a strong argument was made for a new hearing but refused. The case was then taken to the Supreme court by Mr. Moore's attorneys and Mr. Moore himself relased on bond pending the decision of said court, which came last week in a reversal of the decision, and said case will either have to come up for a new trial which is very doubtful or Mr. Moore will be a free man. -- Corydon Times.
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The following is a list of the Petit Jury for the next term of the District Court to be held in Corydon, Iowa, commencing Monday, March 9th 1891:
Sam C. Stroud, Jackson township; J.C. Tubbs, Corydon; W.E. Neilly, Jackson; P.A. Richardson, Corydon; G.M. Ringler, Jackson; Henry Lewis, Union; J.H. Matkin, Walnut; W.S. Scott, Union; D.L. Miller, Washington; W.T. Grimes, Warren; H.B. Scholty, Warren; Wm. Byers, Warren; A.J. Davis, Warren; D.B. Porter, Clinton; G.W. Ellis, Clinton; S.D. Consdon, Union; B.F. Parsons, Union; B.T. Coie, Jefferson; W.H. McClurg, Walnut; Geo. Gardner, Grand River; J.E. Rockhold, Grand River; J.W. Riggle, Richman; A.K. Robertson, Wright; Ed. Cross, Jr., Benton.

[transcribed by S.F., January 2008]

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New Era
Humeston, Wayne Co, Iowa
February 18, 1891

The Indianola Herald claims Warren county has the honor of having the oldest citizen of the state in Father Gallagher, the father of Mrs. John Lees of Jefferson township, Warren county, who, according to his own and his daughter's figuring, has attained the remarkable age of 108 years. He is a native of Ireland and a stone mason by trade. His age if verified by the fact of his aiding in the construction of a stone bridge in Ireland built in 1800, he being at that time eighteen years of age. He retains good use of his faculties.

Probably it is not generally known how a name can be really changed, except by a woman's by matrimony. A vague idea that it can be done by the act of legislature would be in most minds. In Appanoose county, Alderdt Arjine Wassenaer found his name a burden after carrying it thirty-three years and ascertained how to change it. He publishes in the Iowegian an order of court which is to be effective after four publications making it plain William Shepard. It is an article containing legal verbage, about as long as "original notices" describes his personal appearance, age, etc., and must give him much satisfaction, viewed in the light of a grand release.

Iowa, with 8,364 miles, is the third state in the union in point of railroad mileage. Illinois is first with 9,000 miles. Kansas has more railroad than all New England. Pennsylvania follows Iowa with 8,234 miles and Texas comes up next with 8,210 miles. New York has 7,595 miles, nearly 800 miles less than the Hawkeye state.

[transcribed by C.J.L., April 2005]

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