The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-25


murderer.
About O'Clock this afternoon the horse of
DR.. Livengood came into the city from the
east without saddle or bride, and shows
marks of very hard riding. The supposition
is that the horse was abandoned by the MUIR
derer near one Of the l., B. & w. stations
east of here, and that the murderer caught
the first train for the east or west. Three
shots were heard by people living near by
the scene of the murder a little after 2
O'Clock this morning, but as pistol shots are
of common occurrence in that place at all
hours of the day or night nothing was
thought of the shots this morning
An Interesting Incident in the History OF
the Sons of Malta
Lafayette Courier.
The death of General James B. Steedman,
of Toledo, whose funeral occurred yesterday,
brings vividly to mind the effete order of the
Sons of Malta, once so popular here posi-
bly, tire most gigantic sell and the hugest
joke ever perpetrated. 1t was from the fer
tile brain of this fun-loving hero that this
gorgeously comical order sprang. In 1859,
we believe 1T was General Steedman came to
Lafayette accompanied by the Toledo band
and twenty-five or thirty gentlemen, who in
sttuted the order here. j. 1t is per-
haps not generally known, but the dissolution
OF the Sons of Malta throughout the United
States was the result of an unfortunate and fa-
tai accident here. George Harding, an employe
OF the wholesale grocery establishment of
reynolds, Earl Hatcher, a brave and
brawny Scotchman, desired to become a
member of the order, and the order was only
too glad to take him in" A night was set
apart for his initiation and as he was par
tlcularly powerful man, the gathering of the
clans was unusually large. The initiation
proceeded amid uproarious fun up to the
elevated railway and plunge into the seeth-
ing waters of the lake-a wet blanket in the
hands OF a dozen strong men, in which the
aspirant was tossed about until they became
exhausted Harding was an intensely earnest
man, and took the initiation to be a serious
affair, being told by the grand
conductor that from the elevated
railway he would be plunged into
lake, he had contracted his muscles and
nerved himself for the battle with the
waves. When he struck the blanket the
shock was too great for his nerves. He was
taken to his home paralytic. He lived a
year, suffering intensely, and died in great
agony The order paid out over 50 900 in
his behalf. All that medical skill could do,
was done, but to no purpose. He was a
noble man and bore his sufferings like a hero
harshly of those who innocently caused it
all. His sufferings and heath were the
death knell to the Sons of Malta, not only
in Lafayette but throughout America The
Lafayette branch has been quoted by Steed-
man to the day of his death, as embracing
more unadulterated fun than any otheE
branch he ever established.
Ida Kents Improbab Story of Eer Dis
appearance.
Michigan City Special.
Ida Kent, whose strange disappearance
has been mentioned, has been found, and
was returned to her parents by Policeman
Gallus. In an interview she gave the follow
ing account of her disappearance:
Last Friday noon was eating my dinner
in the school-rOom, when a young man
called ME out and said that my folks wanted
me to come home for the purpose of going
down town with them. l took my books
and dinner-basket and started toward home
with the man. In passing Mr.. Monke's
house they called me in, where | remained
until after dinner. | then went to Mr..
Schroeder's, where l remained until P. NJ,
and then started for home again. l soon
my father was at the Chicago
house in company with another man, and
that they wanted to see me. | proceeded
with HIM to near the Chicago House, where
we met two strange men. One of the men
pulled handkerchief out of his pocket and
placed it over my nose. 1t smelled very
funny, and made ME feel dizzy. | was then
placed in wagon, covered with buffalo
robe, and driven to the woods 1t was dark
when we stopped, and they took me out of
wagon and tied me to tree. They took my
earrings, breastpin and fifty nts in money,
but they did not take any improper liberties
with me. They said that they had always
wanted me. and proposed to keep me, but
would return and kill my father and mother
They left me, swearing they would kill me if
I ever told what they had done. A farmer
soon came along, who released me and took
ME to his farm near Charleston. On Satur-
day walked to Porter, and was taken care
of by Mr.. Simons's family until Mr.. Gallus
arrived and brought me home"