GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA

News Items

Oct. 15, 1878, Evansville, Ind. Wm. Durham, an old and respected citizen of Evansville, was drowned while fishing in the Ohio River opposite this city. His body was recovered this afternoon. [Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, (Milwaukee, WI) Wednesday, Oct. 16, 1878; pg. 4;]

10 December, 1890. The damage suit of Michael LAFFERTY against the Ohio & Mississippi Railway Company will reach the jury at Princeton to-day. The plaintiff was formerly passenger conductor in the employ of the defendant company, and was accused of selling unpunched tickets to scalpers.... Mr. Lafferty is now a freight conductor on the Evansville & Terre Haute line. Contributed by Barb Z, citing Indiana General News Items from the Indianapolis News

Princeton, IN. Feb. 1, 1898. E.E. Sharp & Co. of this city, and Griffin & Sharp, of Fort branch, both closed their doors to business tonight. E.E. Sharp & Co. dealers in dry goods and shoes, here, have liabilities amounting to $10,000, with assets about $9,000. L.C. Embree, of this city was made assignee. Griffin & Sharp conducted general stores in the towns of Fort Branch and King’s Station, this county, and their total liabilities will reach $15,000 and assets $13,000. J.A. West was appointed receiver for Griffin & Sharp.

Princeton, IN. Feb. 5, 1898. John Ivy, an old soldier of the 58th Indiana, was found dead in his cabin, near Francisco, this county, this morning. Ivy was here yesterday to sign a pension voucher, and was apparently in good health. How his death resulted is a mystery, and the coroner is investigation. his body lay across the bed, and his face bore an expression which gave evidence that he died in great agony.

Princeton, IN. Feb. 27, 1898. Henry Land and John Hudspeth, 2 desperate criminals who escaped from the Gibson county jail here a month ago, and afterwards being captured in Missouri and on their way back in charge of Sheriff Murphy, made their escape again by jumping from the train at Sedalia, MO. Their second break to liberty has ruined Sheriff Murphy politically. He was a candidate for re-nomination on the Democratic ticket, but his bad breaks have turned the tide against him. There was great excitement here last night when news came that the men had been able to escape from the sheriff. Five hundred people were at the depot yesterday to see the fugitives.

Princeton, IN. June 26, 1898. A destructive wind and rainstorm swept over southern Indiana this morning. Several towns report great damage to crops on surrounding farms. Newly harvested wheat was scattered over the fields, incurring heavy loss. The tracks of the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad were washed out at Stacer Station and Inglefield, south of here, and trains are not running.

Princeton, IN. Sept. 6, 1898. Failure to observe the approach of the west-bound express on the Louisville, Evansville & St. Louis Railroad caused John McBride, Clarence Ewing and William Deane to lose their lives at Parker station, west of this city, this afternoon. Six men in a wagon attempted to cross the tracks, when the train came rushing upon them. Dean, Ewing and McBride jumped from the wagon to the track and were struck by the engine. Their bodies were carried along by the locomotive and horribly mangled. Coroner Norman found it impossible to recover all of Ewing’s body. McBride had both legs cut off, and lived but a short time. The men were loggers, employed in the Wabash “bottoms” and were unmarried.

Hazelton, IN. Dec. 11, 1898, a man whose name is thought to be Thomas H. Seeds of Chicago, from a memorandum book found in his clothes, was found dead today in an Airline box car. Coroner Starr returned a verdict of death from exposure. The man had been dead for several days.

Jan. 24, 1899, PRINCETON, Ind. - Dr. Claude M. McDonald, of this city, a steward in the Second Division hospital, Second Army Corps, died at Greenville. S. C, last night of heart disease. He was for some time connected with the Prison South at Jeffersonville. He enlisted in the One-hundred-and-fifty-ninth Indiana Volunteers last spring. While at Camp Alger he was appointed hospital steward and took charge of the measles ward. He was sent South from Camp Alger. He was a prominent Mason. The Indiana State Journal, (Indianapolis, IN) Wed., Feb. 1, 1899 - (Submitted by Candi Horton)

Jan 24, 1899, PRINCETON, Ind. - Mrs. Rebecca A. Rosenbarger was found guilty of poisoning her son with intent to kill and sentenced to seven years in the Woman's Prison, Indianapolis. Judge Welborn gave his verdict this afternoon after the completion of the oral argument. The court discussed the phases of the case at some length, stating that the defendant's own testimony incriminated her. Mrs. Rosenbarger gave the poison to her son several months ago. She was living with a doctor's family and had access to his medicines. She told the boy it would cure the pimples on his face. After his life was saved she induced the boy to make a confession saying he had attempted suicide. The evidence showed the woman to be a cold-blooded would-be murderess. The Indiana State Journal, (Indianapolis, IN) Wed., Feb. 1, 1899 - (Submitted by Candi Horton)

Woman Sentenced for Life
April 17, 1899, PRINCETON, Ind. - Emma Saxton was this evening found guilty of murder in the second degree and was sentenced for life to the State Prison for Women. The jury was out one hour. The crime for which she was convicted was the murder of her new born infant on April 3, last. She is twenty-eight years of age and the mother of five children. The Weekly Indiana State Journal, (Indianapolis, IN) Wednesday, April 19, 1899 (Contributed by Candi Horton)

Page Updated 20 October 2009