Revenge- Plotting Tree

February 18th, 1881 (Forgive us, we are a little bit behind in the old news, so this is really OLD news)

The editor described the night before as so mild and moonlit that even the frost couldn't resist joining the party. But rain then followed bringing gloom. In the morning for sake of variety, the county was having rain and sunshine at the same time.

The wicked Wabash was still on the rampage. The classic old stream became more and more frightful each minute of the day. Hundreds of people on the Vincennes side of the river went down to the drawbridge in the rain to look at the water. (Not a lot else to do apparently).  Large quantities of ice, weighing several tons, some cakes over 2 feet thick, were passing all day long. A gorge during the forenoon, about the breakwater, seemed to threaten the bridge.

Criminal Court only collected $1,674.15 for the year 1880. Sheriff Ryan took his prisoner Silas Rich, convicted of rape, to the Chester prison. He got five years after the jury had deliberated 8 ½ hours. (Maybe the jury was just tired and wanted to go home for supper.)   Universal opinion was that he deserved more than he received. 39 witnesses claimed their fees in the Rich case amounting to $182.35. (That's a lot of people to pay for saying “Yep that's him. He did it.”)

Letter from the Grand Jurors February 11, 1881: We, the Grand Jurors, have visited our county jail, if it may be called such, and find it in a very bad condition, damp, unhealthy, unsafe, and not properly heated. We consider it a disgrace to Lawrence County. To confine prisoners there is shameful.  We would recommend our county board take immediate steps toward building a new jail or making the present one comfortable.  Signed William T Buchanan, Foreman. The editor earnestly hoped the report, when laid before the Board of Supervisors at their meeting, would be taken into serious consideration. The jail had been condemned time and time again as unfit and a disgrace to the wealthy old county of Lawrence.

The Cleveland Iron Bridge Company was putting in an iron bridge over Indian Creek south of town. Benjamin F Stinger received his $1500 arrears of pension and would draw $12.00 per month hereafter. AH Higby of Russellville succeeded in getting his back pension granted amounting to $1885. The Russellville mail was delayed a day or two on account of high water.

Dutch George dished out beef to the hungry in the room once occupied by Beck Meadows. Beck had gone and left, and the fur sellers were not happy; the newspaper missed Beck about $12.50. The Summer Press was for sale.  Milton Lewis and family have moved to Emporia, Kansas. Jim Dixon was promoted; he was the new head of the stable.  (Hopefully the horses sent him a congratulatory neigh.)

A cow belonging to Michael O'Rourke of Lawrenceville gave birth to a heifer calf with five feet. BL Cunningham, agent of Aetna life Insurance Company, sold life insurance policies totaling $16,000 since the week previous. (I don’t think one had anything to do with the other…)

Joseph D Tolles was home for a few days having been relieved from further services as U.S. Grand Juror. He reported a very pleasant time at the state capital. The Fairfield Record newspaper announced that a girl baby had made its appearance at William Robert’s house. The Lawrenceville newspaper regretted having to report that this was indeed a mistake because ‘our’ William Roberts was a virtuous old bachelor.

John Ferbus, 50 years previously, was a collector of taxes for Vermilion County, Illinois which then included the present site of Chicago. Rather than incur the expense and trouble of a journey over the prairies from the county seat to that town, he paid Chicago's taxes out of his own pocket. This was reported by the Chicago Tribune. Pshaw! One of our old tax collectors, Leander Highsmith, beat that said the reporter.  “About 50 years ago when Chicago was in our county, he went up there in a wagon to collect and divested them of two barrels of salt and brought it home with him.”

Bird Station: FM Pinkstaff was the new postmaster. John Steffy built a new house. The IOOF lodge was organized.

The census for 1880 was reported: Lawrence County 7,057 males, 6,606 females, total 13,653; Native born 13, 383, foreign born 280; white 13,345, colored 318.

Deaths:

Charles Kentworthy of Bridgeport January 29, 1881, 19 years and one day; Lila Robinson February 7, 1881, age 7 months.   James H Childress, collector of Bond Township for the year 1879, died of winter fever February 14 at his home leaving a wife and three children. Mrs. Finley of Lukin died, aged 83. An infant child of Attorney Robinson died of measles.

David Hughes was found dead February 8 with a tree atop him in a clearing on Varn Jordan’s place where he had been chopping firewood. The tree had been lodged, and it appeared that Hughes had been sitting down on a log whetting his ax.  He made an effort to get out of the way but was caught against the log and killed instantly. He was a man about 48 years old and had been living in a little hut by himself.  An inquest was held and the remains buried at Bunker Hill graveyard. (Moral of the story: when chopping wood always look for a tree that will not plot revenge.)

Russellville had a new flour mill operated by William M Thomas. He would only grind on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  “Bring on your grists and he will satisfy you.”  Hmmm. . . sounds like our research library.  We say we are only open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, but we believe a ‘customer is a customer’, so if you want to come on Tuesday and Thursday give John King a call.  I’m not sure what ‘grists’ are but our researchers will spend a lot of time looking them up to your satisfaction.