140 years ago

november 25, 1881

The trial of Charles J. Guiteau for the murder of President Garfield began in the Criminal Court at Washington, on the 14th. The work of obtaining a jury then proceeded and occupied until noon of the 16th when a twelfth juror was accepted and the whole were sworn in.

A prominent young society lady of Seneca recently administered a severe cowhiding to a young gentleman who she believed had made remarks derogatory to her character. He bore the infliction meekly, but it was afterward developed that he was entirely innocent of the charge.

The prospects are that there will be more miles of railroad constructed in Kansas, the coming year, than in any twelve months of the State’s history, and Marion county, we feel confident, will get some thirty miles of new road.

Commissioners met on Tuesday and listened to the claims of the various iron cell manufacturers who are anxious to furnish this county with jail facilities. Upon mature consideration the contract was awarded to P.J. Pawley & Bro. of St. Louis.

They are to put in two cells each six and a half feet wide, eight feet long, seven feet high, with corridor four and a half feet wide, thirteen feet long, and seven feet high. These cells are said to be among the best made.

The iron bars are most securely riveted together, and the edges being hard and the center soft, they can neither be broken nor filed.

The cells, corridor, hammocks, water tanks, sinks, ventilating pipes, force pump, etc. are all to be put in for twenty-five hundred dollars.

As many as eight prisoners can be incarcerated in the jail at one time.

The cells are to be placed in the second story of the old part of the Court House building.