LAKE COUNTY INDIANA CRIME NEWSPAPER DATA - presented by Indiana Genealogy Trails

Civilization in Indiana

26 Sep 1860, The Deseret News
The Crown Point, Ia., Register, of August 16th, says that on the Monday previous the citizens of Hobart township were startled with the sounds of guns, pistols, &c, and the cry of murder. The sounds came from the vicinity known as the Mummery neighborhood. A family, by the name of Mummery, consisting of the old man, three boys, a son-in-law and several daughters, have been living at variance for a year or two, have had hard words and frequently threatened each other's lives.
The quarrel commenced about the old man's property - one son and the son-in-law on one side, and the other sons on the other. The two have often threatened to put an end to the old man, if they ever caught him alone.
On Monday, the old man was told by the daughter that a hawk was flying about the house, and that he could shoot it. He took down a heavy double-barrelled gun. He did not see the hawk, but looked about until he got a short distance from the house, when he came across his son and his son-in-law, who said, "Here is the old man, let's kill him," and at once made after him with an axe. He turned and fired one barrel at his son, hitting him in the breast with some fifty large shot, killing him instantly. He snapped the other barrel at the son-in-law, but it did not go off. He took a double-barrel pistol from his pocket, and fired one barrel, taking off one of his ears. He then fired the other barrel and shot him through the body.
The son-in-law lived until Tuesday, and gave in his testimony before the coroner's jury, and died in 20 minutes thereafter. Public opinion seems to favor the old man, and the general opinion seems to be that he did no more than was necessary to save his own life. The old man is about 60 years old, the son he killed about 30 or over. The son-in-law, and leader in the difficulty, was an old man, probably older than his father-in-law.
About the same time, a man named Horton was killed by his own son, in Clay county, in a quarrel about a pistol which the father desired to take from the son, to prevent his killing somebody with it. The parricide was lodged in jail; and in the same jail were three of his brothers, one of them confined for theft, and the other two for obstructing legal process. Four brothers in jail at the same time for different offenses, is a spectacle not often witnessed. [26 Sep 1860, The Deseret News - submitted by K. Torp]

Dancers Poisoned. An Awful Deed Committed by some Indiana Fiend
CROWN POINT, Aug. 14 [1895] - Excitement is at fever heat at Horsford Park, on the Elgin, Joliet & Western railroad, seven miles north of this city. Sheriff Hayes received a telegram stating that an attempt was made to poison the whole village, and the sheriff, with several deputies left at once for the scene. The 50 inhabitants of that village attended a dance Monday night and, as a result, Charles Williams, Miss Reisig and two girls from Chicago are not expected to live. During the evening some person placed arsenic or strychinine in large quantities in the water pail. The dancers drank freely and about 20 were poisoned before it was discovered. They all commenced vomiting. Most of them are better this morning except four, who will probably die. The water was examined by a physician who pronounced the poison arsenic. [15 Aug 1895; Idaho Daily Statesman - submitted by K. Torp]

Crown Point, IN.
As the result of the investigation by the Lake County grand jury sheriff Hayes today arrested Justice of the Peace S.O. Van Winkle, charged with soliciting and accepting a bribe from Mrs. Charles Lavine, of Hammond. He was given a preliminary hearing and bound over to the Circuit Court under $500 bonds, Van Winkle has been a Justice of the Peace for 20 years and is a trustee of the First Methodist Church. The arrest has thoroughly stirred up the citizens of Lake County, and several more arrests full as sensational will follow soon. [7 Oct 1897 - Transcribed for G.T. by Bonnie Clark]

*NEW* Chicago, IN. Sept. 21, 1898. Thomas Sharlau, alias Kelly, said to be one of the 3 men who robbed the bank at Shipshewana, Lagrange, Indiana, of nearly $15,000, about a year ago, was arrested here today after and exciting chase. He will be taken to Indiana for trial at once. The robbery of the bank was one of the most daring that ever occurred in Indiana. Nitroglycerin was used by the robbers, and the force of the explosion was so great that part of the walls of the bank building were blown out. [Indiana Journal - submitted by Barb Ziegenmeyer]

*NEW* Crown Point, IN. - Nov. 30,1898. By the jury disagreeing in the case of James O'Leary, John Cello and "One-armed Nick" the operator, who have been on trial here for the past 3 days charged with operating poolrooms at Roby, the Chicago gamblers have won a victory. In all probability the cases will be dropped, as the State brought out all evidence possible but failed to convict. Several of the juryman say they think the case was started through the Corrigan crowd to crush out the Roby Racing Association by unfair means.
(Indiana Journal - Transcribed by Bonnie Clark for Genealogy Trails)

INDIANA JUSTICE IS SWIFT
CHICAGO, May 6 [1910] - Carl Schaller found Indiana justice was swift yesterday at Crown Point. He stole jewelry and diamonds from the house of Matthew Leinin, was arrested an hour later, entered a plea of guilty, was sentenced to 14 years in the Indiana state prison at Michigan City, and was taken to the penitentiary for supper. It was all over in six hours. [7 May 1910; The Grand Forks Daily Herald - submitted by K. Torp]

INDIANA MURDERER HANGED
Crown Point, Ind., June 9 [1905]
Judge Mahan, having refused to interfere, Ed Donahue was hanged for the murder of A.H. Northrup this morning. [10 June 1905; Morning Olympian - submitted by K. Torp]

RADICAL FINED $500
HAMMOND, IND. - FEB 20 [1920] - Michael Yelowitz was fined $500 and costs in the Crown Point criminal court today for circulating literature advocating the overthrow of the government during the steel strike at Gary. This was the first conviction under the new Indiana law against the distribution of radical literature. [21 Feb 1920; Duluth Sunday News Tribune - submitted by K. Torp]

"KIDNAPPED" OFFICER FACES BIGAMY CHARGE
Captain Charles Pike, Medical Corps, Held in Indiana to Answer Criminal Charge.
TAKEN FROM CHICAGO
Chicago, Dec. 15 [1922] -- After being "kidnapped" from his bride of a month, Captain Charles Pike, army medical corps, was held "somewhere in Indiana" today, charged with bigamy. Pike was taken into custody last night by three men who rushed him from the lobby of his apartment to a waiting automobile and spirited him across the Indiana line. Mrs. Pike notified police who immediately started search for the captain. It was not until several hours later they learned a warrant for his arrest was issued at Crown Point, Indiana. According to police, Pike was marriage by a "common law" contract in Philadelphia several years ago. Pike is said to have learned that the Philadelphia marriage was not valid in that state. Mrs. Pike's father, Attorney Louis A. Hile, opposed the marriage of his daughter to Pike. They finally eloped and were married in Crown Point. Several weeks later he was called before the public health service "investigating committee," charged with bigamy and conduct unbecoming to an officer. Police asserted that Pike's alleged first wife went to Crown Point and swore to the warrant for his arrest. It is believed he will be arraigned in Crown Point today, although his whereabouts were kept secret. [15 Dec 1922, The News-Sentinel - submitted by K. Torp]

ARMY MAN FACES CHARGE OF BIGAMY
Captain Pike, Former U. of P. Athlete Arrested on Penna. Woman's Complaint
CROWN POINT, Indiana, Dec. 15 [1922] -- Captain Charles Pike, U.S. Army Medical Corps, who was arrested in Chicago last night and brought to Crown Point jail to face bigamy charges will not be arraigned before tomorrow afternoon or night, Judge Howard Kemp announced tonight.
Attorneys for the army captain are trying to arrange bail, but so far have not been able to obtain the required surety.
Mrs. Frances Heile Pike, daughter of a Chicago attorney, who married the captain a month ago, visited him at the jail this afternoon. She declared her belief in his innocence was unshaken.
The charges against Pike were filed by a Pennsylvania girl who claims to be his wife under a common law marriage entered into at Philadelphia. Pike and Miss Heile eloped to Crown Point from Chicago, where he is assistant surgeon at the Marine Hospital, last month after Attorney Heile had forbidden them to meet again because of Pike's statement regarding his relations with the Pennsylvania woman.
Pike is a former star athlete of the University of Pennsylvania. Pike graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in 1912. He matriculated at the University after attending Swarthmore for a year, where he played football. During his student days at Penn, Pike played football, his position being at guard but he never succeeded at winning a regular berth on the Varsity. As a shot-putter he won a place on the track team and was also a member of the wrestling squad. [16 Dec 1922, The Philadelphia Inquirer - submitted by K. Torp]