PUTNAM INDIANA
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES



Indianapolis, Ind., April 5, 1825

Horrid Outrage
    The following intelligence was communicated to us by a gentleman of Putnam county, who is well acquainted with the facts. On Monday the 28th ult. Thomas James, a citizen of Putnam county, Indiana, while engaged in the performance of his ordinary avocations, a short distance from his residence, was shot by James Robertson, one of his neighbors, who it appears harboured for some time personal enmity against Mr. James and some other persons in the neighborhood.
    It seems that Robertson after having determined in what manner to avenge himself, transferred his real property, consisting of three eighty acre lots, to two small boys. This property was handsomely situated, and on it he might have lived in happiness – but he had determined on murdering James, and two other men and a woman in the neighborhood. After having examined the respective residences of each, with the determination of murdering the whole, he crept up privately on Mr. James and shot him; the ball passed thro’ his arm above the elbow joint and entered his body at the lower ribs – the ball lodged in his body. Mr. James ran and shouted with all his power, which alarmed the perpetrator so that he did not attempt to pursue his intention any further; but returned home immediately and told his wife that she must go out on the farm, and prepare it for a crop, for he did not intend working any more himself, and after forcing her and family out, he charged his gun, and tyed a small cord to a pin that held in the chinking of the wall of the house, and to the trigger of the gun, and placed the muzzle against his breast then drew the gun towards his bosom and by that means set it off, and put an end to his existence in a few minutes. His wife hearing the shot returned to the house and saw her miserable husband in the last agonies of death, who it appears had lost sight of all social (?) or his obligation; and became the arbiter of his own fate, to evade the justice of the law. Mr. James, who received the wounds is yet living, and if his intestines are not cut with the ball, he may possibly survive it. -- Gazette

Greencastle, Indiana March 21, 1899
There is no county in Indiana that needs a court house worse than Putnam. The brick shanty that fills the public square at Greencastle is just now receiving that attention of Putnam county people, and the attention of the Putnam County people, and the question of a new building is agitating the county center to circumference. Owing to its central location and seat of one if the largest educatoinal institutions of the State the Greencastle courthouse has become famous over the county for its unsightliness and general appearance of dilapidation, and the people of the county are at last tired of having the finger of scorn pointed at thesm. The low rate of interest and general good times are combining to bring the idea before the people that now is the time to build, and the men of all parties are coming to the front with arguments in favor of a new courthouse.

Greencastle, IN. Feb.26,1898.
The Republican precinct committeemen of Putman county met this morning and unanimously selected Maj. John G. Dunbar chairman of the county central committee. The name of Hon. Silas A. Hays, of this city, will be presented by the Putnam Republicans as a candidate for Congress at the congressional convention.

Greencastle, IN. Aug. 10,1897. 
John H. Hendrix, age 90, died at his home in Putnamville Sunday night. Mr. Hendrix was one of the pioneers of IN. moving to Putnam County in 1831, where he resided up to his death. He leaves 6 children as follows: Mrs. Fannie j. Cooper, of Putnamville, Mrs. Mollies Waldron, of Terre Haute, Mrs. Martha Parks, of Hutchinson, Kansas. George W. Hendrix of Tangier, James W. Hendrix, and Mrs. W.N. Showers, of Bloomington.

Greencastle City, IN. Sept. 6, 1898.
In the Putnam Circuit Court today Nelson B. Hughes was given an indeterminate sentence of from 1 to 14 yrs in the Indiana Reformatory. Hughes snatched a watch from a young woman at the Bainbridge fair, but was caught and held until the police arrived. Hughes had formerly followed Wallace’s show. His home is in Edinburg, IN.

Jeffersonville, IN, Sept. 10,1898.
The statement in an Indianapolis paper that an ex-convict had appeared in Indianapolis dressed in rags, and accused the Reformatory authorities of sending him out in that condition, is regarded as ridiculous here. Every day men can be seen leaving the institution, dressed much better than when they arrived. Snyder, who made the charge, is thought by people here to have disposed of his clothes before reaching Indianapolis.

Sept. 29,1899
Jeffersonville IN.
The jury in the case of the state against George Green, charged with murdering his wife, returned a verdict late this evening. Green was sentenced to the penitentiary for life.  The crime occurred several months ago at Cementville. Mrs. Green having been called to her door and shot by a man who stood in the dark.

Dec. 6, 1899.
Jeffersonville IN.
The Ohio and Indiana natural and Illuminating Gas Company, with a capital of $8,000,000, filed papers of incorporation here today. The company is empowered to manufacture and sell artificial and natural gas, electricity and other agents for furnishing heat, light , fuel and power. The incorporators are H.F. Mead, Jersey City, J.H. Southard and M.B. Crawford, New York.

Dec. 8,1899
Jeffersonville, IN. County Treasurer M.E. Pangburn and Expert Accountants Kenilworth and Johnson tomorrow will submit a report to the county Commissioners of the discrepancy in the accounts of Treasurer Pangburn. The experts have been busy for several weeks in an effort to find errors, which will show credits for the Treasurer. The actual discrepancy will, according to the report, be $4,653,20. on this Mr. Pangburn will ask the commissioners to credit him with $1,425.40, alleged to be due on account of clerical errors alleged to have been made in settling with Auditor Heaton. He also will ask for a credit of $684.66, due on tax receipts held out at different times for various property holders, who did not wish to be published as delinquents, but who never paid their taxes. This is charged against the treasurer, but he never received the money. He also claims that he was overcharged to the amount of $740.74 on different funds. It is no known what action the commissioners will take, but Mr. Pangburn has the money ready to make good any shortage that may be apparent.

Oct.11,1899
Jeffersonville, IN.
. An attempt was made early this morning to dynamite the cement mills at Haussdale, 10 miles north of here, belonging to the New Albany Cement Company. The night watchman discovered the guilty parties who, hearing him approach made their escape. Thee pieces of dynamite, which they had stolen from the storehouse, in which the explosives are kept, were found, and a partly burned fuse. Detectives have been placed on the case.



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