Genealogy Trails
PERRY COUNTY, INDIANA
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES







Town Libraries.
The legislature will be asked to amen the laws establishing township libraries. The best way to amen it is to wipe it off the books. The township library is a mistaken idea. The average township is so large that a library cannot be so located as to be of service to the entire township. Take Troy township for instance, We have a Troy township library. Who knows where it is? Who cares? What books are in this library? It is located in Tell City, what use is it to Cannelton or Troy, or the township at large? At one time it was stored in Cannelton,  and we don’t suppose 3 people in town knew where it was. At that time there was not a half dozen books of value in it. There were many standard sets from which half the volumes were gone, and many ponderous works 50 years out of date. Like Chambers’s Encyclopedia, it had the latest news about the Roman Wars. At that  time $10 a year was paid for taking care of the musty stuff. To be of use the library must be close at hand, in the towns and in the school districts. A very few volumes in each schoolhouse will be of more use to the pupils than hundreds at some remote point in the township.
Cannelton Enquirer. 12-07-1898


Logansport, Ind. Jan. 8
George Forgy a well-known attorney, and J. E. Sutton, editor and proprietor of the Logansport Dally Reporter, had a personal encounter in the formers office this morning; in which Forgy gave Sutton a severe thrashing  and took a pistol
away from him when Sutton attempted to draw it. The trouble grew out of an article published by Sutton, reflecting on the character of Forgy. Forgy invited Sutton to his office. and, after making; him admit the error of his article, proceeded to give him a thrashing, stating that it was the only way a man could secure, satisfaction from such a paper. More, trouble is anticipated. Forgy was the author of the letter which defeated Capt. T. H. McKee for Sergeant-at-arms of the House of representatives.
Indiana Journal January 15, 1896

New Albany Daily Ledger  12 May 1868 p2 c1: Fatal Shooting Affray at Crawfordsville. A private dispatch from Crawfordsville says that John Ross, ex-Marshal of Crawfordsville, was shot and wounded at half past ten o'clock last night by unknown persons. . . . When shot he was walking along on the sidewalk.
Contributed by Sue Carpenter

New Albany  Ledger  Standard 24 Aug 1872 p4 c1: Mr. Zeb. Leavenworth, founder of the village of that name in Crawford county, is reported seriously ill. He is one of the oldest citizens of Indiana, and one of nature's noblemen.
Contributed by Sue Carpenter

Notice of Non-Resident State of Indiana Perry County
In the Perry County Circuit Court February Tenth 1880
Matthew Smith vs. Sarah A. Smith complaint for divorce
Sarah A. Smith non resident of the State of Indiana  is hereby notified that Matthew Smith has filed a complaint againist her in the Perry Circuit Court for divorce and that the same is set to trial on the 5th day of February being the 4th day of the February Term of said Court A.D. 1880
Witness my hand at the seal of said court this 20th day of December 1879
Jno T. Patrick Clerk E.E. Drumb att'y for PPff
 Cannelton Enquirer and Reporter 1/15/1880
 Contributed by Erica Beatty

Notice of Appointment
Notice is hereby given that the undesigned has been appointed by the Clerk of the Perry Circuit Court, Administrator of the Estate of John R. Dome deceased Said estate  is probably solvent 
Hezekiah Tate
Adminstrator
December 23 1879
Unknown Paper
Contributed by Erica Beatty

Notice of Appointment
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned has been appointed by the Clerk of the Perry Circuit Court administrator of the estate of Charles Bleibel late of Perry County, deceased. Said estate is supposed to be solvent
William Beck
Administrator
Cannelton Enquirer and Reporter 1/15/1880
Contributed by Erica Beatty


Mr. Patterson, Sheriff of Perry county, brought up yesterday two brothers named Prather, convicted of horse stealing at the late term of the Circuit Court of that county, and sentenced to the State Prison It will be remembered that four brothers of the same family were convicted of the same offense at the late term of the Crawford Court. There are now six brothers in the State Prison; another died in jail and the mother and sister, under indictment, are still at large.
New Albany Daily Ledger 5-31-1859
contributed by Erica Beatty

New Albany Daily Ledger Standard, 30 Jan 1873 p4 c1:  A private letter received by a gentleman in this city, reports twenty-two cases small pox in Cannelton, and the disease on the increase. The people of that section are very alarmed.
Contributed by Sue Carpenter



New Albany Daily  Ledger Standard, Saturday, 2 Oct 1880 p4 c4: Perry County Crimes. A gentleman from Perry county informs the Ledger-Standard of the following: at Tell City, three of four days ago, two cabinet makers, Frederick Rank and Edward Schultz, had a difficulty, in which Rank seriously wounded Schultz in the face and neck with a knife. Rank was arrested and held in $500 to answer in the circuit court. Calvin Allen and Argus Chisholm had a difficulty near Rome and came to blows, during which Allen stabbed Chisholm four times, twice between the shoulders and twice in the back. Chisholm will probably die from his injuries.
Contributed by Sue Carpenter

New Albany Ledger Standard, 8 Nov 1877 p4 c2: Major W. S. Lamb, of Cannelton, Ind., was yesterday appointed assignee of the estate of Fred. Pilchohowki, a bankrupt of Perry county.
Contributed by Sue Carpenter

Caught in Woods
Detective Billy Hazen Finds His Man in the Wilds of Perry County, Indiana. Jason Mercer, thirty-nine years old of New Lexington, Ohio was arrested in Perry County, Indiana by Detective W.P. Hazen on Thursday and locked up at Hammond Street Station yesterday, on a warrant issued by Justice LeRoy Kelly, of Highland County, Ohio charging Mercer. who was Treasurrer of the Lodge of Chosen Friends, I.O.O.F. with having embezzled funds belonging to the Order amounting to 80771. and converting the same to his own use on or about the 6th of July last. The accused tied to Indiana, and the Governor Foster issued a requisition appointing Detective Hazen an agent of the Sate authorizing him to pursue Mercer, and convey him back to Highland County for trial.
Mercer was one of the leading citizens of New Lexington, and was engaged in the grocery business. He had been engaged for several months prior to the discovery of the embezzlement of the Lodge funds in carrying on a system of defaications, whereby he relieved his partner, Isaac McPherson, of about 2,000. Mercer was considered one of the stannchest men in the county. He frequently visited his partner's house who was his near neighbor, and succeeded in gaining the affections of McPherson's daughter only sixteen years old, and early in July last left in company with her for the West.
Then the discovery was made that Mercer had embezzled money belonging to the order of which he was Treasurer. The case was intrusted to Detective Hazen of this city by the Lodge and having ascertained that Mercer was in Perry County, Indiana, he obtained a requistion from Governor Foster for his arrest and return to this State for trial, as a fugitive from justice. Detective Hazen visited Indiana about ten days ago but failed to find Mercer at that true and he returned to the city. He soon obtained another clue and  the first of this week again visited Perry County, and after searching through the woods found Mercer in as obscure a place as could be imagined. He arrested him and brought him to this city, after hard work in reaching the railroad.
This morning, Mercer will be taken back to Highland County, to meet the individuals whose confidence he has betrayed.
8/19/1882 Cincinnati Commercial Tribune
Contributed by Erica Beatty

Gone But Not Forgotten
The Treasurer of Perry County, Indiana Vanishes Leaving a Shortage of 67,000
Evansville, Ind. July 5 Special Telegram
The city of Cannelton, Perry County, Ind. is in a high state of excitement, caused by the heavy defalcation of County Treasurer Hinton Miller, which was discovered three days ago. His predecessor. J. M. Coombs was found short in his accounts 30,000 the greater part of which he made good, and he is now serving a sentence in the penitentiary. Miller was elected his sucessor. Serving for one year in an exemplary manner, and was re-elected to a second term. He had some trouble to get the desired number of names on his bond the law requiring 100 worth at least $1,000 each. He succeeded in getting only twenty-six. As the time drew near when he had either to give the proper bond or relinquish the office it formed the principal  topic of the conversation among the people of Cannelton but none were expecting the terrible denonoment of Tuesday last.  Mr. Miller came to  this city on Thursday of last week bringing with him his young wife to who he was recently married. He came ostensibly for the purpose of selling some hogs for his firm and nothing was thought of his visit until Sunday morning. When a letter was received by the county officials dated Indianapolis Ind. and inclosing the combination and key to the county safe. An examination of his accounts immediately followed and he was found short to the extent of 67,000 and it is though a closer scrunity of his books will make his defalcation reach a much larger figure.
It is rumored that Miller receipted for $10,000 of Coomb's shortage when going into office and thus started in his term short that amount. Miller has nine children ranging in age from 9 years to others who have passed their majority. He was never considered a safe business man. He left no trace when leaving Indianapolis but it is supposed that he is now in Canada and he ahs had plenty of time to get there. The county will lose nothing as he had 101 bondsmaen who are good for the amount of his shortage
7/6/1887 Inter Ocean
Contributed by Erica Beatty





                                                                                                   
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