Bedford Weekly [or Daily] Mail
November 15, 1901
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Charley Lamb's motion for a re-hearing was overruled Wednesday afternoon by Judge Houghton at Washington after argument by the attorney on both sides. The court then had the prisoner brought before him and sentence was passed. Lamb was convicted of manslaughter after two trials for the killing of Walter Correll during a fight at Odon last spring. He will be taken to Jeffersonville this week to serve an indeterminate term of from two to twenty-one years in the reformatory.

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Chief of Police Adams, Police Captain Cannon, Deputy Sheriff Morris and Merchant Policeman Frank Richards have been summoned to testify for the defense in the case of the State of Indiana against Nelson Fritz that is to be called in the Lawrence circuit court at Bedford, November 25. Fritz was arrested on the Paoli Pike a short distance north of this city a few weeks ago by Capt. Adams and Deputy Sheriff Morris as he was making his way back to Kentucky after visiting his children at Greenville, ten miles north of here. He is charged with having killed John Feister near Bedford last June. – New Albany Cor. Courier-Journal.

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ESTATE OF GEORGE CANNER

Medora, Indiana, November 9, 1901

Bedford Mail – George Canner, the old soldier who died here last Monday is thought to have a half-brother in this country somewhere. In thinking over the matter, it occurs to me that there is a John Canner living west of Bedford a few miles who may be the brother in question.

George Canner was a German, 64 years of age, a Civil War veteran, and leaves an estate worth from $2,000 to $4,000 including a farm of 177 acres of land. Canner was getting a pension of $24 per month and has a bank account of several hundred dollars. The John Canner living near Bedford is a German, also, and may be the relative in question. John Allman has charge of Canner's land. He says Canner has often spoken of having a half-brother, but no other relatives in this country. His half-brother, if he can be found, will probably fall heir to the estate.

John Canner had no family, was never married and dropped dead suddenly of heart failure last Monday. He had walked five miles to this place to have his pension voucher filled out.

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Will A. Day left on the United States training ship, Mohican, Wednesday, November 6th for a cruise to Magdalena Bay, South America, thence to Australia, the Philippine Islands; then cruise along the coast of China and Japan after which they will return to San Francisco. They will be gone ten months.

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MARRIED-At the residence of Joseph Hanna, corner of Q and 2nd streets, November 7th at eight o'clock PM, Edgar Johnson and Miss Florence Hanna, Rev. A. M. Irvine officiating.

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IKERD-McKNIGHT

Married at the home of the bride's father, Mr. James McKnight, Mr. Virgil Ikerd to Miss Lettie McKnight. The marriage took place at three o'clock in the afternoon, Nov. 6th, Rev. William Russel of Bedford, performing the ceremony. The bride wore a beautiful light blue cloth costume with white silk and applique trimmings and carried an arm bouquet of Bride roses. The groom wore the usual black. Many relatives and friends were present who wish them a long and happy future. After the ceremony the bride and groom with a number of their friends went to the home of the groom's father, Mr. Felix Ikerd where a bountiful supper awaited them. They will make their future home in Bedford. Following is the list of presents...

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DEATH OF MRS. DAVID BUNDY

Mrs. David Bundy died at six o'clock Monday AM of consumption. The funeral took place Tuesday afternoon at 1 o'clock from the residence on East 17th Street. Burial at Ikerd Graveyard.

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Mrs. Jane Knight has been here from Bedford the past week on a visit to Mrs. T. P. Carter and son, George, and Dr. T. B. Ritter and family and other relatives and friends. Aunt Jane is 83 years of age and is enjoying quite good health for one of her age. She was married on the Carter farm south of town 63 years ago. – Orleans Progress Examiner.

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NOTE: This sounds like the work of whitecappers.

On last Friday morning a bunch of switches of extraordinary size was found at the residence of Isaiah Foster near Buddha with a slip of paper attached which read as follows, "Mr. Foster, you must shut your mouth and keep in of nights or these will be applied." On the other side of the paper it read, "Don't lay this onto -------, it was me. Jug Town, Ill"

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DANGEROUS FIRE

Several Stables in West Bedford Burned Wednesday Afternoon

Children playing with matches started a fire in Bart Short's barn on West 17th Street between P and Q Wednesday PM about 2 o'clock. This stable, the stable of John Short, and the stable at the H. H. Roseman property occupied by Andy Lantz, were totally destroyed together with other outbuildings. Bart Short had his barn full of oats, and John Short had a lot of hay. The stables at J. A. Zaring's and W. G. Sproull's on the north wide of the alley were badly scorched. There is insurance on several of the stables and barns. The loss on all with contents may amount to $1,200.

A strong gale from the northwest was blowing, sending a cloud of smoke and sparks in a southeasterly direction endangering all property for several blocks, shingle roofs being dry as tinder. The home of Marion Taylor, two blocks distant, caught in the comb of the roof, and all the household goods were carried out, but by pulling off shingles and pouring on water with buckets, the blaze was put out without much damage. Afterward, a blaze was discovered on the roof of Judge Crookes' home, one on Al Lucas's woodshed and one on the summer kitchen at Jesse C. Mitchell's. The latter being three full blocks from the burning stables. All were promptly extinguished.

The fire department had all its available hose out, several streams being at work, but found it hard to subdue the fire at once owing to the strong wind and the abundance of combustible material. Only their promptness prevented the destruction of several residences.

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FT. RITNER

Mrs. Elizabeth Dowling was here visiting her brother, Elisha Lee, Tuesday night.

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NOTE: According to my research, Mrs. Elisha Lee's maiden name was Hester Ann Guthrie.

FT. RITNER

Mrs. Elisha Lee died Friday after a serious illness of three months in which she suffered untold pain, but she passed away peacefully when the time came. The funeral took place at Pinhook, Sunday, at eleven o'clock, conducted by Elder W. B. Chrisler after which she was laid to rest in the Pinhook Graveyard in the presence of a large number of friends.

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IN MEMORY OF MRS. MARY E. BYERS

Mary E. Byers was born in Daviess County, Indiana, November 16, 1863. She was the youngest of eight children of Benjamin P. and Desty Herron Phipps, all of whom except the mother have preceded her to that other land.

She was married September 16th, 1883, to George L. Byers. To this union were added six children who, with their father, survive her. They are Ethel, Alice, Everett, Paul, Thelma and nine-month-old Gladys, to whom the mother gave her devoted attention a half hour before the spirit left her.

The greater part of her life was spent in and near Bedford. While the family was residing in Ft. Wayne early in 1890, Mrs. Byers united with the Wayne St. Methodist Episcopal Church and was a regular and devout attendant upon its services. As the cares and duties of wife and mother became greater, she was often deprived of attendance at divine worship but retained her faith in the loving Jesus and sent her little ones to Sunday school and trained them in right paths.

It is noteworthy that her life was pure and good as a girl; that she was a loving, obedient daughter; that her virtues as a wife and mother were legion and that she was the central spirit of a loving, devoted and beautiful home life. Her devotion to her own and her happy, unselfish spirit in all the paths of her life can be cherished by her friends and especially by her bereft family as an example worth of emulation.

The home which is now so stricken was very happy under her as the guiding spirit and the chair she has left vacant, while a sorrow, cannot be else than a reminder of the devotion of the wife and mother and the gentleness and sweetness of her Christian character. Her loved ones can recall nothing but happiness while she was among them. Her children were her constant care; their guidance by precept and example was uppermost in her mind. No labor or self-denial was too great. The great wondrous, uplifting mother's love which we cannot explain or describe was bountifully bestowed and beautifully received.

She departed this life early in the morning of Friday, November 1, 1901, and her spirit rests with Him who gave it.

George L. Byers and Children

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MITCHELL TOUGH KILLED

Willis Holler Knocked Out in Shube Burton's Saloon Tuesday Night

Willis Holler, a Mitchell bad man who had served two or three terms in the penitentiary, got his quietus Tuesday night. Our information is that Holler was on a dib [sic] drunk and obstreperous. He was in Shube Burton's saloon about midnight and soon afterward was taken home unconscious, dying about four o'clock next morning. One report is that Holler was struck on the head with a billiard cue or a billy by the proprietor of the saloon, but some doubt was raised on that point next afternoon. It is been claimed that he died from too much whisky, perhaps on the theory that Mitchell whiskey is more potent than a club. Prosecutor Zaring and Coroner Voyles were investigating Wednesday afternoon.

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MYSTERY ABOUT HOLLER

Supposed to Have Died from Skull Fracture Received Tuesday Forenoon

Coroner Voyles held an inquest Wednesday at Mitchell on the body of Willis Holler who died at his home there at four o'clock that morning under suspicious circumstances. Dr. Byrne made a post mortem examination in the presence of the coroner. There was no outside wound whatever visible on Holler except a small bump on the back part of the head, the scalp being uninjured; but when the skull was laid bare, a fracture or crack was found running around a space on one side of the head about four by four and a half inches. The doctor who made the post mortem has not reported to the coroner, and until he does, the coroner will not make a verdict, but there is but little doubt that the fracture caused Holler's death and that Dr. Byrne and Coroner Voyles will so find.

As to how the fracture was received is a difficult matter to determine. Holler was drunk Tuesday forenoon about eight o'clock and creating a disturbance in Shube Burton's saloon, was shoved out the door. He fell on his hands and knees on the walk but soon got up and re-entered the place, falling immediately afterward with his head out the door but his body inside. Whether he fell from the effects of a blow could not be learned by the coroner. After he had laid in the doorway for some time, he was pulled inside and the door closed, and later he was taken to the back room of the saloon where he remained till the fore part of Tuesday night when he was taken home by five or six men who were examined by the coroner but did not throw much light on the matter. The fact that Holler was exceedingly drunk and liable to fall in such a way as to injure himself, and that there was no external wound on the head, leaves room for doubt as to whether he was struck by anyone.

Typed and donated by Randi Richardson.