The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-03-30
The Arrest OF John w. Wheeler,
Formerly of
CovingtOn, Kentucky, Where an lndict
ment is Standing Against Him
For Having Ravished Alice Clan
don, OF Lafayette, Indiana.
How Wheeler Was Arrested-His At
tempt to Adbuct Her Sister Mag
gle From the Reformatory.
From the sentinel of Friday. !


harhinger of the approaching spring cast
feeling of Joy over great portion of the Ma
ton that the time is not far distant when
the roses will be in bloom, and the cheerful
chirp of the btrds in the wild wood will fill
the air with melodies, and all nature will
feel jubilant.
The sunshine of happiness perhaps shone
more brilliant within the bosom OF one who
had for wears been tempesttossed and buff
flied the mad waves of misfortune and adj
yersitv To see one of her children, who
was at one time monument OF promise
and purity dragged from the throne OF vlr-
tue and made the victim OF debauchery 1.-THE
hands of an uncle, one who should have
protected and cared for her as would pa
rent.
Yesterday was day of Providential bless
ing bestowed upon one who vas indeed de-
serving. We refer TO Mrs. Glandon, wild
owed lady of Lafayette, who is now appar-
emily past the meridian of life, but her de-
meanor marked her as having been lady
of remarkable force of charac-
ter and out of the Storm
works which misfortunes have made
upon her face there are the unmistakable
traces of education and high breeding, and
enough left to make one sure that some
time in life her beauty was of no mean
order She was reared and nurtured in
Kentucky. and in her girlhood days she was
reigning belle of Covington
and Newport of her native
State. She had for her neighbors some of the
first families of the Commonwealth. and
Kentucky's great Governor and United
States Senator, Hon. John W. Stevenson.
was her neighbOr, and his children were her
playmates.
The story, in brief, though it should be
more full portrayed, is in substance, as fol-
lows:
IL. I0fN iaI
while at that time they were living IN La
fayette OF the members of the family
there were two daughters, Alice and Maggie,
aged respectively seven and five years.
Alice, who was the elder OF the two,
was. by the request of John w. Wheeler,
who is an uncle of the girls,
taken to Coyington, KY, to live with
Wheeler and bis wife, they having no
children Mrs Glandon being a sister OF
Wheelers wife, the former felt safe in in
trusting to Mr.. and Mrs. Wheeler the care
and custody other oldest daughter. She was
taken TO COvington, and lived with the
Wheelers as one of the family.
THE CRIME
At the time of her going to the Wheelers
as above stated, she was seven years of age.
At the age of twelve Wheeler (her unclel
forced heI to surrender her virtue, having
rayished her and under fear of death the
girl was made hide her shame
girl become enciente, and in the course OF
nature was delivered of a child. The girl
gave rs the author of her shame that of her
Uncle Wheeler Suit for bastardy was in
stituted by the girls mother, and judgment
obtained against Wheeler for $4,000. The
girl being under the age of eighteen, SUIT
for seduction was also instituted, wherein
Judgment for $4,000 was also obtained
The Judgment for bastardy soon failed to be
of value occasiOned by the death of the
child.
RAPED.
The fact that the girl had been made the
victim of her uncle's hellish design by
force remained a hidden secret until
on the trials for bastardy and seduction, the
evidence was sufficiently strong that at the
next session of the Grand Jury that body
found an indictment against Wheeler fol
rape.
wHEELER's FLIGHT.
During the time between the trials and
the converting of the Grand Jury, Wheeler
who was then, as is now reported
as being the possessor of property valued at
$35, 1000, and perhaps more, converted his
property (which was then mostly in real
estate) into cash and Government bonds
and il is said, was a wanderer in the
Dominion of the Queen, taking up his resi-
dence in Montreal, Canada. About 8
year ago he returned to the State:
and purchased a farm in Jenning:
County near North Vernon. this State
After the trials above mentioned. the mother
took the daughter to her home in Lafayette
where she now is an object of pity and
almost ready to be conveyed beyond the
dark river.
Itappears from the mothers statement that
Wheeler not being satisfied with having
been the author of che ruin of one member
of the family, sought to ruin the only re
manning daughter Maggie.
HEYoUNGER DAUGHTER,
Maggie, was by her mother made an inmate
of the RefOrmatory Institution last NOvem.
Der, not because she had been guilty of any
crime, but was made an inmate there to re
ceiye the moral instruction that is taught
there. 1t may be we'll to remark that Mrs
GlandOn's purse is scant and there was
method in her wanting herdaughter to have
home at the Reformatory.
THE ARREST.
Since the finding of the Indictment for
rape Wheeler has avoided the Kentucky au-
thOrities but has kept an eye on the Clan
don family.
A few days ago the daughter Maggie wrote
letter to her mother that her uncle was
coming to the Reformatory to get her out.
. Mrs. Glandon could not think what uncle il
was, but suppOsing that it might be the
work of some one who was plotting the ruin
OF the girl, Mrs Glandon came to this city
to see who il was that was that was so deep
ly interested in her daughter.
Upon her arrival here she took a street
car TO go to the Reformatory. AS she was
nearing the end of the line she discovered
the uncle, Wheeler, and her daughter in a
car passing in the opposite direction. She
got off of the car she was on and attempted
torun and catch up with the car. This she
could not do; so she hailed a delivery
wagon, and had the driver urge the horse
TO its full speed until the car was oyertak-
en-. When she had overtaken the car
she had the driver stop it, and she entered
the car, where she found the parties. Mrs.
Glandon had a gentleman who was in the
car to attract the attention of Officer Lowe
who was soon discovered and had him enter
the car, and, at the request OF Mrs.
Glandon, Wheeler was placed under arrest
She was unable to assign the reason why she
desired the arrest until she reached the Cen
trail Station, when the matter, as
stated above, related TO Chief
Williamson. who Immediately telegraphed
to Covington, that Wheeler had been
arrested. The authorities at Covington tele-
graphed and told him that they would come
on the first train for him, Wheeler acknow-
lodges the charge and is willing to
return to Covington without a
requisition from the Governor.
Wheeler secured the release of the girl from
the RefOrmatOry upon his own affidavit