125 years ago

june 18, 1886

A Great Crime

This peaceful community was tremendously excited, last Sunday evening, by the news that some unknown man entered the home of Mr. Evin Hoops, one mile south of Marion and brutally maltreated his daughter, Miss Matie, a young lady nearly twenty years of age.

It seems that just before sundown the fellow appeared at the door and asked for a drink of water.

Miss Matie, who was alone in the house, started to get the water when the fellow stepped quickly inside the room, seized the affrighted and frail young girl, and presenting a pistol threatened to kill her if she made outcry.

He then bound a handkerchief tightly around her mouth so that she could not scream, or scarcely breathe, in fact, and then proceeded to rifle several trunks and hunt promiscuously for valuables. After searching in vain for money and taking nothing of value, the wretch tied Miss Matie’s hands to her lower limbs, and left her an unconscious mass of humanity, lying on the floor.

We trust the scoundrel will be caught and punished as he deserves.

Mr. P. Pheland, of Newton, came up to the hub, Tuesday. He came to build two chimneys and prepare to put in two Baltimore Heaters in Mr. L.F. Keller’s fine new house.

Despite threatening clouds which skirmished the heavens last Saturday morning, numerous vehicles, gaily trimmed and decorated, and loaded with young Americans, carrying beautiful banners, might have been seen wending their way westward to the shady banks of the Luta, whither they were going to celebrate Children’s Day.

The Presbyterian ladies will give a lawn sociable at the beautiful home of Mr. E.R. Trenner, this (Friday) evening. Everybody is invited.

Mr. C.W. Keller has a fine new safe in which to keep his abstract books. By the way, Mr. Keller has worked away, patiently and persistently, with his single hand, until he now owns valuable property in a full set of title records, and those desiring abstracts should remember him. Being a good lawyer as well as abstracter, he is especially well qualified to advise as to the sufficiency of a title document.

Uncle George Griffith brought to this office, Tuesday, a sample stalk of corn that stood ten feet two inches in height. It measured five and one-half inches in circumference at base, and three and three-quarters in circumference six feet from the ground. It is a fair sample from a five acre field, which was planted on the 9th of April. If anyone can beat that let them rise up and remark. Uncle George is also blessed with a fine wheat crop. He has already harvested his May wheat which is a good crop, and his Gold Drop is ready to cut. Competent judges believe this variety will yield forty bushels per acre.

We understand that a couple of tramps entered widow Seeley’s home on the hill, in her absence the other day, and commanded the children to keep quiet while they helped themselves to what they wanted to eat.