1885 Parke County Indiana Newspaper Items

These extracted items from various newspapers from Parke and surrounding counties.  Most of these have been contributed by volunteers.  If you have access to an old newspaper and would like to share something, please contact James D. VanDerMark

 Rockville Republican, March 18, 1885

•  Misses Lillie SMITH and Emma DAILY think they will attend school at No. 3 

•  George CAMPER, of Iroquois County, Illinois, was home last week to attend the funeral of his grandmother. 

Crawfordsville Star, June 25, 1885

-- Parke County Comes Up with a Killing to Swell the List of Murders - Rockville Eagle - One more victim to the hip-pocket's murderous occupant to be registered and of course all the people will want to hear how the old, old story sounds with its slight changes as to place and parties. The scene of the tragedy is the third time since the rifle-bullet of an unknown avenger sent the body of Johnny Green, the Delaware Indian, tumbling off the over hand rock into Sugar Creek, that the hand of man has been raised against his brother, in that township.  This is another killing since our published record of but little over a year ago, showing 25 men to have been killed in Parke County since its organization.  About 7 o'clock on Tuesday evening June 16, Urial Delp shot and killed Wm. Jarvis as both men were returning from Jacksonville in Fountain County.  Delp had ridden a horse to that village and Jarvis had gone in his two-horse wagon.  As they were returning, Delp got into the wagon with Jarvis and his horse was led behind.  When in front of or near the house of Frank Burkhart, Delp shot Jarvis and immediately went to the home of Joseph Banta, where he found RL Moore to whom he gave himself up.  Delp had been drinking but as some time had elapsed between the firing of the shots and the meeting with Moore, he may have been sober. he had a Smith & Wesson Revolver, 38 caliber and all the chambers were loaded. He stated his case to Mr. Moore and requested to be taken as a prisoner to Rockville. With Mr. Myers, of that vicinity, Moore brought Delp to Rockville and about 2 o'clock in the morning turned him over to the Sheriff. Delp is a farmer about 55 years old and is well known in this county.  The prisoner, although no reporter was admitted to see him has told to others as near as can be determined the following. The two men became involved in a dispute over a question of the division of a crop.  Delp's son, a minor and Jarvis had rented some of his land, and had decided not to go ahead with the farming. About the division of the crop arose the quarrel, which culminated in Jarvis ordering him out of the wagon. Delp was complying, when, as he was getting out Jarvis struck him with his fist. The blow was followed up by Jarvis, who got out of the wagon and pursued Delp, with a seat-board upraised as if to strike.  Delp drew his revolver and ordered him to stop, but no attention was paid; he then fired a shot in the air, but as his adversary still advanced he shot him in the body with second fire. He then left the scene of the tragedy.  Jarvis was taken to his home; he lived about half an hour and, it is said, told a different story but all will be told when the trial comes off. He was a man of about 42 years of age and came to this country from the South.  By trade, he was a shingle-cutter but, being a cripple, is not able to do much hard work.  A wife and four children are left by him and what is still more unfortunate, the wife is about to be confined. Under these circumstances the blow will fall with terrible weight upon her. We do not condemn or accuse. We do not know the circumstances further than here given. The taking of life under any circumstances is awful, and it seems that such terrible lessons as are daily taught should be heeded, and the cowardly practice of carrying concealed weapons broken. But it has not had any effect as far as we can see.  All we can say is, let justice be done!