Transcribed from:  The American Antiquarian By Stephen Denison Peet

   Discovery of an Ancient Burying Ground.—The Cincinnati
Commercial, for October 11th, contains a communication
from Eaton, Ohio, which describes the discovery of an
ancient burial place. The skeletons, about fifty in number,
were taken out of a gravel-pit, near Lewisburg, Ohio,
and seem to have been those of seven women and children,
mingled indiscriminately. The writer, in speaking of their
position says: "There is a very curious fact in regard to
the burial of these bodies, as a great many seem to have been
buried face downward, and in some cases they were found in
a sitting posture. In one place several skulls, were found in
a circular position, and in the center of this ring was found
a single skull, all of which were baked in a tremendous hot
fire, as the clay in which they were burned, so to speak, had
been heated to such an extent that the ground for many feet
deep was almost calcareous. Many suppose that the skull in
the center of the ring was that of a distinguished chief, and
that their curious way of burial was a curious whim of their
religious rites, while others think they were Mound-builders
and not Indians, as the remainder of a number of skulls were
buried in trenches which radiate from this circular assemblage
of skulls. In many places it appears that these bodies were
not buried in the bare ground, for in many cases they have a
bed of charcoal under and above them, a good preserver;.
the bones would have disappeared long since had they been
buried otherwise. Many of these skeletons were found not
more than from three to four feet under ground.
   Lewisburg is a small place, situated in a beautiful locality
in the northeastern part of this county, on the west bank of
Seven-mile, one of the principal branches of the Miami river.
Joseph Singer, one of the first settlers of Ohio, built a
small cabin within one hundred yards of this ancient burying
ground, in the year 1798, and cleared off and improved the
same farm now owned by his son. When he first settled 
on this farm it was used very often by the Miami tribe of
Indians as a camping ground, there being several excellent
springs nearby. There has been no one buried at this place
so far as the present generation can reach.

Transcribed from:  The Daily Inter Ocean   Dec. 19, 1890

TWO MURDERERS HANGED

Elmer Sharkey and Henry Popp Expiate their

Crimes

Columbus, Ohio, Dec. 13 — Elmer Sharkey and Henry Popp were executed by hanging in the annex of the Ohio Penitentiary shortly midnight. Sharkey was the first to go, and, contrary to expectation, he did not weaken. He stepped on the scaffold at 12:05, and sixteen minutes later was pronounced dead. His neck was not broken and death resulted from strangulation.

He made no confession nor statement from the gallows, simply saying: "I will answer to God for what I have done and forgive all.” Eight minutes after Sharkey was pronounced dead his body hid been removed and the scaffold prepared for Popp, who stepped out from the death cell at 12:29. In less than one minute his arms and legs had been pinioned, the cap and rope adjusted, and the lever pulled which launched him into eternity. His neck was broken by the fall and he died without a struggle. Elmer Sharkey killed his mother, a widow, near Eaton, Preble County, Jan. 12, 1889, crushing her skull with a maul while she was sleeping. He feigned a burglar had committed the crime, but suspicion was so strong that he was arrested at the funeral or his mother and after a few days confessed the crime. The motive was to get possession of the farm and remove the objections of his mother to his marriage with a girl of the neighborhood.  Sharkey had two trials, at both of which he was convicted.  He claimed more recently that the confession was forced from him through threats of lynching.  Commutation of sentence was urged on the ground of insanity in the family.  He claimed to have no remembrance of committing the crime.  Sharkey’s age was 23.

Transcribed from: The Topeka Weekly Capital   Date: 1891-01-08

John T. Miller Arrested for Making Bogus Money

Cincinnati, January 1 - John T. Miller, living near Pittsburg, Preble county, Ohio, was placed in the county jail last night by a United States secret service detective, charged with making counterfeit gold coin. His arrest was made by means of a confession of one of his agents. Last week at Urbana, Ohio, an elderly Grand Army man hired a buggy and drove out to a farm house and, bought a turkey, paying for it with a new five dollar gold piece and receiving change therefor. He went to other places and bought turkeys, paying each time with gold coin. The woman who first sold her turkey went to a store for goods, and was told the money was counterfeit. This led to the arrest of the man when he returned with his buggy. He gave the name of Robert Alexander, but it was soon, discovered that he was an ex-convict and his name was Patterson. He consented to tell his story to save himself from punishment and said Miller supplied him with the coin.

He gave a letter to the detective asking Miller to sell the detective a supply. The ruse worked. Miller offered to make some, but he had none on hand. When a case was made out he was arrested though he fought bravely. The premises were searched and dies and preparations for electroplating were found. Miller used babbit metal and coated it first with copper and then with gold. The coin was about two-thirds the proper weight and easily detected. Miller refused to say after he was arrested.

Transcribed from The New York Times June 1, 1894

  CHILDREN KILLED BY A STALLION

Eaton, Ohio, May 31 – Two small children of county commissioner P. B. Fisher wandered into a barn near their home, near here, last evening and were trampled to death by a vicious stallion, which had escaped from his enclosed stall.

Transcribed from the Wheeling Register, 1895-04-10

SAYS HE LIED ABOUT HER

A Woman at Camden, Ohio, Takes Vengeance on a Policeman – A Severe Penalty

Columbus, O., At Camden, O., last night, Mrs. Walter Beasley threw a handful of red pepper in the in the eyes of William Foster, a Polesman, (policeman) and then drew a horse whip from her cloak and lashed him unmercifully.  “You have lied about me,” she cried, as she pulled the whip.  Her husband stood by with a revolver, threatening to shoot Foster if he resisted.  Foster was badly punished.

Transcribed from the Dallas Morning News, 1901-11-25

Insane Man Causes Damage

            Eaton, Ohio, Nov. 24. – Between midnight and Sunday morning $5,000 worth of plate glass windows in the business district of this town were broken by William Rossman, who had recently been discharged from the asylum for insane at Dayton as cured.

Transcribed from the Wilkes-Barre Times, 1904-08-24

FATHER KILLED BY A SON WHILE DEFENDING MOTHER

            Eaton, Ohio, Aug. 24. – Harry Miller, 17 year, shot and instantly killed his father, John W. Miller, aged 50 years at their home, eight miles northeast of here last evening.  The tragedy resulted from a quarrel between the elder Miller and his wife, Miller and his wife had been living apart for some weeks.  He returned home under the influence of liquor, it is stated and demanded his wife go away with him and leave the children behind.  She demurred.  Then he drew a revolver and threatened to kill her if she did not accompany him.  It is stated he also threatened to kill any of the children should they interfere with his plans.  Fearing the father would carry out his threat, Harry the eldest of the children procured a shotgun and stepped into the yard, where the father was with a revolver in his hand flourishing it menacingly in his wife’s face.  The boy discharged two loads of shot in the face of his father, tearing away the greater portion of his head.  The boy says he shot in self defence as the father pointed the revolver at him as he came out of the house with the shotgun.  After the shooting young Miller gave himself up to Sheriff Huffman.

Transcribed from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1906-01-15

SUICIDES IN CROWD

Ohio Man Kills Himself in Los Angeles Depot

            Los Angeles, Cal., Jan. 15. – Albert Wilson, 30 years of age, whose relatives reside at College Corner, Ohio, shot himself in the forehead in the presence of hundreds of people at Arcade Station yesterday and died in the receiving hospital two hours later.  The shot was fired with suicidal intent and evidently in a moment of mental aberration.

Transcribed from: Duluth News Tribune     1906-05-09

Crushes Skull of His Brother

Ohio Man Aged 65 Years Then Takes Poison with Fatal Effect

RICHMOND, Ind., May 8—A trag­edy was enacted some time last night seven miles northeast of Richmond In Preble county, Ohio. Isaac Mackey 65 years old, crushed the skull of his brother, David Mackey, 75 years old, with a hatchet, and then took poison in an effort to end his own life. The assailant died at 7 o'clock this evening: and his victim is not expected to survive the night. The men were found lying on the floor of the home shared by them today.

Transcribed from:  The Duluth News Tribune    1906-12-11

Worry over Duties Cause of Suicide

RICHMOND. Ind. Dec 10.—W. S. Clayton, county commissioner elect of Preble county, Ohio, killed himself to­day by hanging at his home 15 miles east of this place. Worry over the responsibility attached to his official duties is said to have been the cause of his suicide.

Transcribed from the Duluth News Tribune 10-27-1907

From The New York Herald:

            An extraordinary and fully authenticated medical case has developed at Gratis, a village in Preble County, 10 miles from Hamilton.  It is reported by Dr. R. C. Lawrence and substantiated by several Hamilton doctors.

            A woman 55 years old in the village developed a horn on her forehead.  It grew to a length of two inches and was attached to the skull.  Some two years ago she struck a door and broke one inch from the bony growth.  It again developed more rapidly than before, and attained a length of five inches.  It was about one inch in diameter at the base and tapered to a point.

            Dr. Lawrence recently sawed off the entire horn, which in every way resembles a ram’s horn.  He confirms the statement in all details, and has exhibited the growth to many Hamilton, Ohio, physicians, who pronounce it a genuine horn.  The woman’s general health is not affected.

Transcribed from the Belleville News Democrat, 1908-02-13

Many Ill With Typhoid

            Dayton, O., Feb. 13. – Three persons are dead and twenty dangerously ill in the vicinity of West Manchester, Ohio, with typhoid fever, an epidemic of which was caused by impure water from an old well.  The whole neighborhood has been poisoned and other deaths may follow.

Hamilton Evening News     April 17, 1908                                                                               Mrs. Mary Doty, an old resident of Camden , met with a serious accident in the department store of Waite Bros.  While standing at the counter she became dizzy and before anyone could assist her, she sank to the floor, badly fracturing her hip as she fell.  After she had partially recovered, she was carried home where her daughter and sister-in-law are taking care of her.  On account of Mrs. Doty’s extreme age, there is little hope of her ever recovering the use of her limb.

Transcribed from: Grand Forks Daily Herald    1909-03-21

Rooster Lays Eggs

Eaton. Ohio, March 20 — Preble county's latest freak is a fowl owned by Frank Dine, a farmer living north­west of Eaton. It is to all appear­ances a rooster of the Black Minorca species. In the last three weeks this rooster has laid 21 eggs. The eggs have been exhibited over the commun­ity there being no two of them the same size or shape,

One looks like a miniature tenpin, another is the shape of a half- moon, one like a stuffed sausage, and still another looks like a greatly enlarged capsule.

The fowl is apparently healthy and the occurrence has produced a good deal of merriment, no one believing the story until the goods were produced. None of the eggs contains a yolk

Transcribed from the Philadelphia Inquirer, 1909-09-05

Slayer of Woman Must Die

            Eaton, Ohio, Sept. 4. – Harry Rife, slayer of Lida Gilmore, was today sentenced by Judge Fisher to be electrocuted on January 19, 1910.  The jury deliberated on the case fourteen hours.  Mrs. Lida Gilmore, a widow, was the public librarian of Eaton.  She was highly respected.  Rife, it is supposed, was enamored of Mrs. Gilmore.  

Hamilton Evening News   December 4, 1913

            James F. Stout and J. Ed Ryan, given an indeterminate term in the Mansfield reformatory for confession to a burglary charge, were taken to that institution Tuesday by Sheriff Wertz and Special Deputy R. H. Marshall, of Camden .  The lads robbed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Loan, an aged couple residing near Campbellstown.

Transcribed from:  Miami Herald Record    July 21, 1914

ARRESTED HAAG FOR PLOWING BALL GROUND

Merely a dream—is the war between the National Baseball League and the Federals as compared with local baseball vs. Adam Haag. Haag almost put this popular pastime out of existence at Midway park between here and Somerville, where visiting teams and the Somerville aggregation have been putting up some splendid exhibitions of the sport.

The story goes that Haag rented the farm on which the grounds are located, from Charles Bruce, the owner, and it is said in the rental the ball grounds were reserved.  Haag later concluded he should receive same compensation and was passed a ten spot by J. R. Teague,    one of the financiers of the ball club. Things are said to have went along merrily again for awhile—Haag hauling the sports from Somerville to the grounds in an open farm wagon—running a hack in other words. After a while, those interested in the game and tired of these accommodations and other conveyances were used. This is said to have angered Haag and two weeks ago he attempted to   plow up the grounds. However, they were again put in shape, and a week ago he is alleged to have completed the job which was discovered too late to cancel the game scheduled with the Cincinnati Manhattans, causing consider­able expense to those backing the Somerville team and great disappointment to the lovers of the game.

Haag was arrested on Wednesday evening of last week on a warrant sworn out by Andy Neanover arid his hearing was set for the following evening by Mayor Marsh, who re­leased him on his own recognition, awaiting a hearing. The hearing was again postponed until Friday evening, when he was arraigned before Mayor Marsh on a charge of destruction of property.  Through his attorney, P. A. Saylor, he waived examination and was bound over to the grand jury in the sum of $500.

Haag's actions were apparently unpopular and he was unable to secure local bond. He was removed to the countv jail at Eaton.

F. G. Shuey, of Camden, and Isaac Baker, of Somerville, were attorneys for J. R. Teague. Andy Neanover and John Bacon, owners of the Somerville ball team,—Preble Co. News, Camden, Ohio.

Transcribed from the Philadelphia Inquirer, 1916-08-14

King Retains Roque Title

            Chicago. August 13. – Charles C. King, of Chicago, retained his title of the Western Roque Association by defeating J. D. Kramer, of West Alexandria, Ohio last night in the closing contests of the association at Lincoln Park courts.  F. E. Parmalee, of Chicago, finished first in the second division group and M. T. Reeves, of Columbus, Ind., took the honors in the third division.

Transcribed from Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1920-07-07

COX’S FATHER SAYS HE’S HAPPIEST MAN IN UNITED STATES

            CAMDEN, Ohio, July 7 – The residents of this little town are bursting with pride.  They claim for themselves some of the honor attendant upon the residence here of Gilbert Cox, father of the Democratic Presidential nominee, Governor James M. Cox of Ohio.

            Cox, who is 87 years old, was sitting on the porch of his modest home yesterday afternoon when a representative of the Associated Press called.

            “I am the happiest and proudest man in the United States today.  I hope and know that Jim will be as good a President as he has been a son,” said Cox.  Word came as members of the Cox household were at breakfast yesterday morning.  “I don’t know what to say,” confessed the father.  “I only know I am very happy and proud and Jim will be a good President.”

            Asked if he would go to Washington to witness the inauguration if his son be elected, Cox said, “I don’t know.  I’d like to go one better than Dr. Harding, who said he would drive his shay in the parade, but I’m getting along in years now.”