The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-09-05
INDIANA ANDILLINOIS NEWS
Final Settlement of a Huge DefalcatiOn
in a County Treasurer's Office.
Discovery of Charred Human Remains-Hid-
den Treasure Found-Druggist's Fatal Mis-
take-Run Over by a HarrOw-Man Shot.


Good Management of a DefauIter's Estate,
Whereby Madison County Gets $4,000.
Special to the Indianapolis journal
ANDERSON, Sept. Ain August, 1855,
George Ross went out of the treasurer's
Office of this county defaulter to the
amount of s7O,OOO He had held the Office
for four years, and was exceedingly pOpu-
lar as an official, not only with his own
party, Democratic, but with the people at
large. The money was swallowed up in
stock and grain speculations. So careful
was he in his operations of doubtful COM
mercial character, and so prompt in meet
ing all demands against his Office, that the
fact of his gambling was known to but
few persons. and the enormous deficit in
the county revenues was not even sus-
pected until the hour for transfer of the
Office to his successor had arrived.
Mr. Ross had great deal of personal
property and q large amount of real estate,
all of which he promptly surrendered to
his bondsmen, including life policy of
$4,000 A trustee for the property was ap-
pointed, and the work of converting it into
cash was begun. By the following January
SIS, 600 had been realized, leaving S45, 900
IL,
judgment against the ex-treasurer and his
bondsmen. This Judgment was to be paid
in three equal annual installments. with
per cent interest. The trustee met the
first and second installments from the pro-
due last January. was extended until
such time as the remaining assets
could be converted into cash. Yes
terday the trustee appeared before
showed that he had in his hands the sum of
| S7.13S, being the balance of the estate of
| ex-Treasurer Ross, and that he was ready
| to pay the same upon the Judgment. This
| left the sum of S7,911 to be paid by the
believed to be solvent. The county board
| directed that the sureties have twenty days
| in which to iquidate the balance of the
| Judgment, after which execution will be
issued for whatever portion remains I'M
This will be the first complete settlement
| of defalcatiOn, of which there have been
several in this county. the Democratic rule
only partial payment George Ross died of
| consumption within year after his failure.
Murderer Admitted to Bail.
/ Special 70 the Indianapolis Journal
CoRYDoN. Sept. 4.-The case against
| Charles f. Spencer for the murder of Jacob
C. Holmes has been transferred to the
| Crawford Circuit Court. on charge of
venue, and the defendant admitted to bond
| in q nominal sum. Spencer was indicted
by the grand jury for murder in the first de-
gree, and the action of the court in releas-
ing him on bond is severely crlti-
cised. Holmes was an inOf-
fensive German blacksmith who came
to this county from West Virginia and
opened q shop at DePauw, q station on the
Airline railroad. He was Republican
and q member of the G. A. R., and while
he insisted on expressing his opinions he
| was not offensive. Spencer met him at De-
PAW during the last campaign and pro-
| vOked quarrel with him, for the sole pur-
| pose, as is generally believed, of getting an
| opportunity to kill him. Holmes avoided
met him on the street. and delfber-
| ately shot him to death without
provOcation. These are the points the
| State will endeavor to establish. and the
Holmes first struck him with his fist The
| States evidence will show that there was
| conspiracy to kill Holmes, and that
Spencer was simply a tool in the hands of a
| few men at DePauw, who wanted to get
| Holmes out of the way. 1t will be further
shown that these men assisted Spencer in
provoking the quarrel with Holmes, and
| helped Spencer to get away after the deed
| was committed. Spencer bears a bad repu-
tation, having been engaged in many shoot
ing and cutting ARRAYS.
Reunion of the Bond Family.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
GREENS FORK, Sept. 4.-The annual re-
union of the Bond family occurred yester-
day in the grove just south of town, near
William Bonds residence. The Bonds set
tied in this county between the years 1906
and 1872. Among these early immigrants
to Indiana Territory were Jesse Bond, Ed
ward Bond, Joshua and Joseph Bond all
brothers, and their sister Anna Bunker,
Elizabeth, widow of Samuel Bond, with
early immigrants to Indiana from North
Carolina. The descendants of these fam.
lilies are numerous, and are scattered in al
most every State in the Union AT
the reunion to-day a dinner was
served to to nearly nearly two hundred rela.
by Oliver S. Bond, of Toledo. o.; Amos
Bond, of Marion, Ind; Isaac Bond, of Peru,
Ind; Levi Bond, of Webster, and others,
Among those present from distance were:
New Castle:- William Nicolson. Mrs. j. II.
| Hewitt and Lydia Mendenhall, of Henry
county; Isaac V. Bond. of LaPOrte; Isaac
Bond. of Peru, and Samuel b. Garrett and
/ WIG, Oh DdltNlltc. w DOnu, at whose
house the meeting was held, was born in
1905, and is supposed to be the Oldest man
now living who was born in Wayne county
The next reunion will be held at the same
place on the first Tuesday in September
| 1890.
CHASTITY Discovery I'm Putnam County.
| Special to the Indianapolis Journal
GREENCAsTLE. Sept. 4.-The discovery OF
the charred remains of a human being in
Jefferson township, on yesterday, is the
sensation of the hour in this locality. Cor
Oner Smythe was summoned to the scene o.
the supposed crime, about six miles south
east of the city, and within two miles OF
the village of Mount Meridian. 1t is one
of the most secluded spots to be found II
the county, and If a crime was COMMITTEES
there, of which there can be no doubt nj
more favorable surroundings for its con
cealment could have been selected. Th.
remains are those of middle-aged man
/ ond the cunpaaitinn 10 thar ba -.