The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-25
STATE NEWS AND GOSSIP.
A Triangular Fight at Elkhart, in
Which One Man Is Killed.
Contract for Building Courthouse
Awarded-Attsclx of Tramps on IA Con-
ductOr-Illinois Items,
INDIANA.
A Triangular Fight in Which One Man
Loses His Life.


Special to the Indianapolis Journal
ELKHART, April 24-This city to-day was
the scene of sad tragedy, resulting in the
murder of good citizen, This forenoon, about
9 o'clock, Noah BIRD, an employee at Cooks
paper mill, got into an alteration with
Charles Sparklin, another employee, and the
lie having passed they clinched, and Bird
getting the best of Sparklin, the latters
brother came to his assistance; but Bird was
too much for both of them, and they were
getting decidedly the worst of it, when Will
liam Veitch, a brother-in-law of the Spark
Inns, appeared on the scene, and seeing the
state of affairs picked up a piece of
two-inch plank and struck Bird on
the side of the head. knocking him sense
less. The wounded man was Immediately
taken home and physician summoned, but
he died from the effects of the blow at 4
P. NJ, without having regained his senses.
Veitch was arrested and waived examina-
ton, and was bound over to court. The
coroner's inquest will be held tonight. Mr..
Bird was an honored member of the G. A. R.
of this city, was about forty years of age,
and leaves a wife and seven children in mod
crate circumstances. His murderer is a man
about thirty years of age, having wife but
no children. He has always borne good
reputation previous to this affair. 1t has
caused general feeling of gloom throughout
the city, as both the murdered and murderer
were highly respected.
Mastodon Remains in Howard County.
Kokomo Gazette.
On the farm of Samuel Grim in Jackson
township, this county, may be seen some
thing in the way of a mastodon that will
astonish anyone who may be SO fortunate as
to see it. Sometime last month while Mr..
Grim was ditching, he came upon something
which astonished him very much and which,
upon close examination, was found to be
very large lower jaw bone, which had be-
come petrifed. The dimensions are as fol-
| low: Length of left side of jaw bone, three
feet; circumference, measuring around the
teeth, which are fast IN the bone
and petrified as hard az stone,
two feet. The weight of this
piece is twenty-five pounds, while the whole
jaw will weigh fifty pounds. One of the
teeth, when first taken out of the ground,
weighed five pounds. Beside this jaw was
also found something resembling horn but
was so brittle it could not be taken out whole
but upon digging the full length of it, and
then measuring the space it occupied, it was
found to be six feet in length. Mr.. Grim
managed to preserve enough of it, however,
to enable him to measure its circumference,
which was fifteen inches. One of the teeth of
this great mastodon, weighing one pound
and ten ounces (belng one of the smaller
ones), may be seen at the Gazette office,
Conductor Badly Hurt by Tramps.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
ELKHART, April PA desperate attempt
to murder Passenger Conductor c. Harris, of
this city, by tramps, took place early this
morning at South Bend, just as he was start
ing his train from that city. Noticing about
dozen tramps on the baggage car, he pulled
the bell rope, and jumping off walked for
ward when he was Immediately set upon by
the whole gang. The first one he knocked
down, but the rest coming at him with clubs,
struck him on the leg breaking it and bring
ing him TO the ground. They would in all
probability have finished him then. but be-
coming frightened at the approach of the
train men, broke and ram and escaped. Mr..
Harris is one of the oldest and best-known
conductors on the Lake Shore road. No
arrests were made.
Contracts Awarded-D Well Suits.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, April 24-The contract for
building the new Jail and sheriff's resi-
dence for this county waa awarded yesterday
to Joseph G. Miller, of this city, at $25, 800.
There were four other bids, the highest be-
ing $4,000.
James E. Franklin, of Indianapolis, is in
conference with several score of farmers
here, to-day, who have purchased the Green
patent driven well. Many OF them will pay
the royalty; others will contest the matter in
the courts by clubbing together and employ
ing ex-Mayor ]. w. Ogdon as their attorney.
Death of Judge Scbermerhorn.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
DELPHI, April M.-Ex-Judge B. f. Scher-
merhorn, for years an ornament to the Del
phi bench and bar, and major of the Forty
sixth Indiana volunteers, died very sudden
ly here, to-day.
Minor Notes
Jerry Thomas, pioneer of Sullivan county,
died on Sunday from injuries received by falling
down flight of stairs.
Henry Condiff. twenty three years old, was
thrown from horse, near Alfordsville, on sat
urday night, and fatally injured.
While Perry Mcbride and family, OF Center
township, Rush county, were away from home,
on Sunday, burglars broke into their house and
secured 5000 in hard-earned money.
John Lancaster, man of sixty-five years, at
tempted to commit suicide at Fort Wayne, on
Monday, by cutting II horrible cash in his throat
with duh case-knife, punctnring the wind
pipe.
Harrison Jackson, a man from Cincinnati,
crippled In the feet and drunk, attempted suicide
at Jeffersonville, on Sunday night by Jumping
into the river at the ferry landing. He was