Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1893-09-28
VOL. VIII

matter was settled
A big farm house, short distance
north of Ely in Linn county, and oc-
cupied by julius Kohl and family,
burned to the ground at an early hour
in the morning. The family was
awakened by the crying of their boy,
and found themselves surrounded by
flames. SO that they had scarcely left
the bed when it took fire. Kohl had
two hundred dollars in greenbaclls III
the house, which he was afraid to en-
trust to the banks for safe keeping,
which was consumed by the flames.
sad accident happened about eight
miles southwest of Cedar Falls, near
Freidvile, on Henry Behrens' farm
Henry Behrens, ST., while being let
down into well with a rope lost his
hold, falling to the bottom, about fifty
feet Mrs. Behrcns went for her son,
Henry Behrens, j., who was out in
the field and who came at once to his
fathers assistance While he was be-
ing let down into the we'll he also lost
his hold and fell to the bottom. The
neighbors being notified they succeeded
in bringing Mr.. BeLrcns and his son to
the surface. but not until both father
and son were dead. They are thought
to have died from breathing foul air
and gas. as the we'll had been aban
doned for some time.
John Weight, a Rock Island railway
passenger en- route from Nebraska
eastward, fell from the depot plat form
i at Council Bluffs while attempting to
board the flyer just as it was pulling
out. A police officer saw him fall aud
sprang TO him and caught hun by the
shoulders, but before he could pull him
out the trucks passed over both legs,
and he became wedgcd in between the
platform and moving train and 1t was
impossible to pull him out until several
coaches had passed over the remnants
Of legs. HIS limbs were horribly
mangled. lie was taken to the hos
pltal but has not rallied suiii cient to
permit amputation, and there is no
hope for his recovery. The passengers
and others who saw him before the ac-
cidcnt say he was intoxicated.
Fire broke out in Mellchs grocery
store in the Triangle block at Perry at
an early morning hour The fire de.
partment responded promptly, but
failed to get at the fire, and it got be-
yond their control. They had several
streams playing constantly on the
flames for seven hours, before the
flames were subdued. The fire was
the largest IN the clty's history, and
was the hardest fire TO fight the city
has ever contended with. AT one time
several firemen were on the roof when
an explosion occurred, wrecking the
roof and hurting the firemen III all
directions They disappeared and
flames seemed TO leap up all around
them. Women tainted AT the sight aud
all witnesses were horror stricken.
Fortunately all were rescued without
injury. The total loss footsup to $780,
900, with an insurance of $2l, 900 on
buildings aud stocks.
! Walker W. Walker, one of the lead
ing railway engineers and builders of
the west, died recently IN Chicago
i where he had been temporarily resid-
ing for some time past. In 1855 he was
engaged as engineer in the construction
of the Chicago & Northwestern, and
was the chief engineer and leading
spirit in the construction of the Sioux
City & Pacific and the Elkhorn Valley
railway. He acted In the same capacity
on the Illinois Central when that line
was built from Iowa Falls to Sioux
City. He took an active part in the
construction and equipment of the
Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern
railway. and was later engaged in rail
road construction IN Missouri and
Arizona. Mr.. Walker was 60 years of
age, and is survived by his wife and
two daughters, Mrs johnson Brigham,
of Cedar Rapids, and Mrs A. W. Lee
of Ot'umwa. The remains were brought
to Cedar Rapids for interment.
The celebrated Eaton murder trial,
which has occupied the past two weeks
of Judge Babb's court at Ottumwa has
come to an end. The ease was given
to the jury at 800 in the afternoon and
at 800 the next morning brought it in a
verdict of not guilty. The crime tor
which Eaton was tried was the killing
of one Elmer Brown on the night of
July g. Eaton and Brown worked for
the McGovic Lumber Company and
were bosom friends. They were to-
gether almos' nightly. On the even
ing of the Sd of July they were out
drinking together, and were seen go
ing in the direction of Browns house,
about midnight. Brown was found
dead near his home, under tree,
about noon next day, and from the
appearance of the body had evidently
been dead some time. I'll, coroner's
jury developed the fact that he had
been murdered, and Harry Eaton was
arrested in his home at bloomfield the
night after the murder, whittier he had
gore the night Of the third. Suspicion
pointed strongly TO the guilt of Eaton,
and public sentiment around Ottumwa
is pretty strong against the verdict OF
acquittaL
William Fraser, drayman, ar
rested at Cedar Rapids for intoxication,
attempted to commit suicide by hang
ing with his suspenders in the city pris-
on One of the prisoners cut him
down.
Latnervilie and vicinity in Dubuqe
county was visited by a severe wind
storm. Its path was eight miles long
and half mile wide. Trees were lev
eled, a number of barns blown down,
houses unroofed and hay stacks carried
up in the air. In East Dubuque the
house was partly demolished. No SER
ious injuries are reported.
While at work on the public road
southwest of Whittemore two men be-