The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-06-24
A DYNAMITE CANARD.
The Facts About the Liberty Court House
Collapse.

The Facts About the Liberty Court Mouse
Collapse.
THE reports sent out by an irresponsi-
Bile correspondent and published by the
Indianapolis Journal and other papers that
the new court house of Union county had
been blown up with dynamite is a SANDER
upon the taxpayers of that county" said
Mr.. Cass Connaway of Liberty at the
Grand hotel last night. There is no
evidence that the tower was ruined by
dynamite and no reputable man in Liberty
can be found to believe such silly story.
"a year ago the board of county CON-
missioners, through the influence of the
court house ring, ordered q new court
house built. The old one was good
enough; the county was in debt. A fifteen
thousand-dollar poor house had been built
only a year before, and as the county is
small and the tax was high. More than
nine-tenths of the tax payers opposed the
erection of a new court house. They
tried to restrain the commissioners from
sinking the county deeper in debt but
lost in both the lower and supreme
court, and the court house ring went
ahead and entered into q contract
with William Mckay OF Rockville
to construct the court house for SIS, 900.
Architects were appointed for which they
are toreceive 8, 900 for plans and superin-
tendency. Before the walls were up the cash
ran out and the ring lobbied bill through
the last legislature to authorize the COM
missioners TO issue $4,000 in bonds TO
finish the building. The bill passed over
the protest of Representative Rude of
our county and nine-tenths of the tax
PAYERS who demonstrated with long pc
D,,f 1,n ~ tho aolid
republican vote and enough democratic
members to pass the bill. The commits
sioners issued the bonds and the contractors
went ahead building high stone tower at
the middle of one end, the court house be-
ing built of stone with inside lining. Last
Thursday at 10 o. m. the tower crumbled
and fell ina heap. But it was not blown
up with dynamite. There were several
persons on the street near by at the time,
but they will all testify under oath that no
report was heard and no flash was seen
and no person could be found to swear
that he saw fash or heard report atthe
time the tower fell
AT night the boys of the town would
90 I'D the tower to see the headlights OF
The incoming trains. Thursday evening
Lee Roach was on top and on descending
mortar and pieces OF bricks fell upon him
anu Il lew 1nAnuICc dlbCA liz AOaChC0 HhO
street the tower fell. H c.. Ham, John
MaIIey, Lew Kessler and many other
reputable citizens who stood near at
the time say they heard no
report, but for few minutes
before the collapse they heard crushing
or smashing sounds in the building
There was no shock felt, no vibrations in
the buildings across the street felt and
not window was shattered. Instead OF
the stone being scattered by dynamite ex-
plosion the tower fell in a heap from its
own weight. The same day that the tower
fell the architect inspected the
building in order that the con-
tractor might draw his monthly
estimate from the county commissioners.
The dynamite theory was advanced to
protect the ring. and the dynamite story
was sent out to the press by well-kown
member of the ring.
"The whole front and the tower will
have to be rebuilt, but it will not be at
the expense of the Taxpayers or there
will be a regular rebellion in old Union.
This courthouse scandal has torn the
republican party of the county into frag-
ments. Last year this court house cost
the republicans the clerk, treasurer and
one commissioner, whom the democrats
elected. although the county is republican
by 400 to 500. The end is not yet"