Semi-weekly independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-22
REPORT Is UNTRUE
A FAIRY TALE ABOUT AUGUSTUS
SWEET.


For several days ugly rumors have
been in circulation regarding Il SelSa-
tional death-bed confessio of Au-
gustus Sweet, who died at Sligo Feb
ruary Bird. The INDEPENDENT has
been fully conversant with the nu-
merous reports, but desisted from giving
them credence until u more authentic
report could be secured. To fully eX-
plain the story circulated, we quote the
following from our worthy contem-
porary, the Democrat:
sweet, who conducted a small gen
eral store at Sligo, this county. had a
son., against whom, for some un-
known reason. he cherished an unnat-
ural hatred. Frequent quarrels led
To the father al one time kicking the
boy SO severely at the knee as tO break
the bone and aust a white swelling,
leaving the boy a cripple. Sometime
after some rings were stolen from the
harness of Chas. Harrington, a neigh
Dor OF sweet, and the theft vas
charged to young Sweet. lie was
threatened with arrest and disap-
peared, since which time he has not
been seen. Neighbors at the time
thought it strange that the boy, who
was but twelve years old and a cripple,
should run away on such a trivial
charge. Rumor now states that SWEEP
upon his death bed, confessed to wit
neSseS that he had murdered his son
In "a tit of passion, and had buried the
body a short distance behind the barn,
and could not die without making the
confession. After the funeral several
of the nelghbOrS investigated the mat
ter, and found the bones of a human
being in the exact place and position
described by sweet in his confession.
They were recognized as belonging to
the boy by their size, and the broken
knee-cap.
TIE INDEPENDENT, desiring to give
the matter a thorough investigation
and gain the facts. sem "a reporter to
the former home Ot Mr.. Sweet and
heard the simple truth from the widow.
reporter found Mrs. sweet Just
from a sick bed. and felt some timidity
III approaching the subject in mind.
The interview resulted about as fol-
lows:
The boy, over whose disappearance
So much talk had been raised. and
who was about II years old, was work
ing at "A neighbor's, about a mile from
home, and at that time had been
a cripple for some five years. One day
the man for whom her boy had been
working came owe and reported that
Johnnie had left his place and wanted
to know if he had come home. The
mother informed him that he had not.
She said that vas six years ago, and
with tears in her eyes she told her lis
tener that he had not been heard from
but once since and that was at South
Bend a few years ago. She also empha-
the statement that her boy did not
see his father before he went away six
years ago
When told about the story that was
she seemed very much
shocked and said she had never heard a
word Of the report until today. In
speaking of a probable confession she
informed the reporter that Mr.. Sweet
had been unconscious for over a week
before his death and was in the same
condition when he died.
Regarding the cause of the boy being
a cripple, and the reports regarding the
cruel treatment the family had met at
the hands Of her husband, her lips were
and no murmur or complaint
escaped them.
We are glad to be able to refute the
horrible charge, and thus forever set at
the grave suspicion that Mr.. Sweet
went before his Maker with the life
blood of his W flesh upon his hands.