Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1892-03-31
.he department went to the scene, but
could do nothing. The family found

tual insurance company, ana was IN
surcd for $1,000 in the Etna and S7O0
in another compano The residence
was valued at $500 and the contents
at $1,000, so the loss will be consider
able.
A close call for murder happened at
Eddyville. Mr.. Crosen, a young lounger,
was standing in front of the butcher
shop making some remarks, when Mr..
Lafferty came along and cut Mr.. Crosen
from the rear. Mr.. Crosen released
himself from Lafferty's grasp and
whirled around to face his opponent.
They both squared themselves, but as
they were about to strike they were
checked by surrounding parties. In
the scuffle Mr.. Lafferty fell. As he
was in the act of getting up Crosen
struck him but was taken off the pros
trate man. Lafferty got up and ran
into the butcher shop and secured a
long butcher knife and wheeled and
met Crosen at the door of the shop
striking him a heavy blow on the side
of the head, making a fearful and
dangerous wound. Had the blow been
one inch lower it would certainly have
caused instant death. They are both
being cared for by their friends.
The state auditor is making arrange
ments to take care of the direct war
tax refund amounting to 1894, 49s. OF,
,r,hfnl, ,xrtll Ia 10
national government. The following
circular letter was sent out by the
auditor to the various county auditors
in the state: Auditors Office, State of
Iowa-Des Moines, Iowa, March 25,
1882. To the County Auditor: The
state of Iowa will in n very short time
come into possession of the direct war
tax, refund, from the general govern
ment. Two hundred thirty-four thous-
and and four hundred ninety-eight oil
100 dollars (S234, 40s.0D of the sum thus
received will at once be paid into the
the permanent school fund of the state
as directed by chapter 1874, laws of the
the Twenty-second General Assembly
and desire to Immediately place the
same with the counties needing it. If
you can use any additional school fund
in your county, to be loaned according
to law, it will be necessary for you to
notify me without delay, stating the
amount required as | apprehend this
money will be ia great demand. Coun-
ties will be favored in the order IN
which their requests are received. Re
spectfully yours, j. A. Lyons, Auditor
of State.
The Wright county grand jury is in
session and investigating the murder of
William Mills at Bows recently. But
little progress has been made. The
law closes the mouth of Mrs Palmer,
and Notwithstanding the murder was
witnessed by at least three other per-
sons the evidence does not seem to be
forthcoming. The sympathy is very
strong both at Clarion and at Bows in
favor of S. G. Palmer, who Is suspected
of being the cause of Mills death; and
the prejudice is so bitter against Mills
for breaking up at least three homes
that it may be impossible to secure q
jury in Wright county to convict the
murderer. The circumstances of the
murder are as follows: On the evening
of March 10th Mrs. Minnie Palmer and
her sister, Bessie Glow, were on their
way home when they were met by
William Mills. Mills followed Mrs.
Palmer while her sister went to Ash
poles, only a few rods distant. Mrs.
Palmer says that they had just got in
side the house and both were standing
in the middle of the room, Mills with
his back to the door, when a man
rushed in at the front door and struck
Mills across the head with club,
killing him instantly. She screamed
and ran outdoors. Ashpole met her at
the door, passed in and elected the
murderer from the room. She says
that the murderer was her husband and
that two other men Gtood in front of
the house and watched the affair but
offered no interference. Ashpole, not
withstanding the murderer was clothed
as usual, without any attempt at dis
guise, claims not to have recognized
him. Mrs. Palmer denies the charge OF
intimacy with Mills and says she had
refused to have anything to do with
him because of his bad reputation and
did not invite him to her house at that
time.
A novel way of making money has
recently come to light in Spirit Lake
which is causing no little gossip. Some
three years ago a well-to-do young
farmer in that vicinity answered an adj
vertisement in matrimonial publica-
ton, and soon had ON his hands red
hot correspondence with young lady
by the name of Melville, who lived near
Lewiston, Me. In time he proposed,
and was accepted on certain conditions.
The conditions were as follows; IL,
after seeing him, she was willing to
carry out the marriage he was to deed
her eighty acres of land and give her
$500 cash. In case she decided not to
marry him he was to give her 5000. A
contract of that kind was sent out for
him to sign, which he did. In this last
October, to be historically accurate,
Miss Melville came to Spirit Lake to
meet the young man, and was taken to
his farm, three miles from town, where
a maiden aunt was the presiding genius.
For about week the Maine female,
who is said to have been very attrac-
tive, remained the young mans guest,
and one morning, to his surprise, an
nounced that she had decided not to
marry him, and demanded the 5000.
All protest amounted to nothing, and
he had to come down with the money.
Recent investigation has brought to
light the fact that this woman makes a
good living by just such deals Prior TO
coming to Iowa she filed date in
Texas, and went direct from here TO
southern Illinois. A lawyer i'm Maine
draws up her contracts. 1t is reported
on pretty good authority that she man
ages to fill ten appointments year,
and considering the fact that her VIC
Tins, beside the $500 forfeit, pay her