1890-02-03
An Elopement

Chattanooga, February 2,-News reaches the city of a romantic elopement, with an unhappy ending, in Polk County, Tennessee, yesterday. A young farmer named Stancel stole the twelve year-old daughter of a planter named McCash. The eloping pair went to Cleveland and were married last night by Squire Harry Parke. This morning they took the track and walked as far as Red Clay, GA., twelve miles. They were just beginning to feel safe from pursuit, when the irate father of the girl put in appearance, having come by rail from Cleveland where he had traced the fugitives. An animated triangular quarrel took place, but might triumphed and the old man took the girl under his arm and went back home, the disconsolate  groom following at a safe distance. He had bought tickets to Dalton GA., and was to have taken the train his father-in-law went down on.

1894-09-29
Benton Court House Burned

Wednesday night about 11:30 o'clock fire was discovered in the upper story of the court house at Benton, Polk County.

A few of the records of the county court was saved and  a few of the chancery court records, but not one of those in the registrar's office were touched, which fact is very calamitous as there being so few of them, if taken in time, they could have been saved, thereby preserving the most important records of the county.

Fully thirty minutes elapsed from the time a portion of the crowd arrived until the gable ends of the structure fell in. Most of the records  could have been preserved had this fact been known, for the crowd, looked for the walls to collapse much sooner than they did.

The fire was thought by some to be incendiary, but this is only conjecture, and the cause for the fire will, perhaps never be known.

The night was still, but little air was stirring. This was fortunate, for had the wind been high, nothing could have saved the buildings around the square.

This unfortunate affair is a great calamity to the people of Polk County, more so on account of the destruction of the records that that of the court house.

1896-08-06
Armed Guards

Horatie, Ark. Aug. 5,- About thirty negroes who went into Polk County to work on the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf railway last week were run out by citizens in the county today. Today another carload of negroes  arrived were en-route to Polk County and was met by armed guards under authority of the sheriffs of several counties, who will escort the negroes to the Polk County line where the sheriff of that county will give protection to the laborers. Trouble is expected before they reach Polk County. The citizens say they have no negroes there, nor will they permit them to come and work on the railroad. The contractors are equally as determined to use the negro labor as it is the best they can do.

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