The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-09-27
THE NEWS in IOWA,

against 30,311 in 1890, an increase Of
1875 per cent.
Mr.. and Mrs. James Van Derveer,
inmates of the Iowa Soldiers Home in
Marshalltown are the parents of a
baby boy, the first ever born within
the walls of the institution. n
1t is now announced, as the most
recent development in the army post
situation at Des Moines, that five
sites will be recommended to the rep
resentatives of the government to
choose from. The choice will prob
ably not be made before March, 1901.
I The state board of control has let
the contract for the pipe organ do
mated by ex-Gov. William Larrabee
to the Soldiers Orphans Home to M.
L. Moller of Hagerstown, Nd The
organ will be built in the new chapel
by December IS. The price is So, 800.
Claude ID. Castle, who, after years
service in the Philippines at garrison
duty, died on the hospital ship Relief
in Japan, was buried at Waucoma a
few days ago. The cause of his death
was dysentery A large number were
out to pay last tribute of respect to
the SOldler BOY.
The Atwaters mentioned in the
press reports from China as being
murdered were Oskaloosa people and
well known there. The father, Ernest
Atwater, was son of the late Pres
ident Atwater of Penn college. The
news has just been confirmed in Os-
kaloosa by letters. The father, mother
and two daughters We're murdered
near Foo Chow on August Is.
Charles Downing of Omaha, who
has been in Charlton for several days
visiting his wife, committed suicide
by shooting at the home of his mother
in-law, Mrs. George Jewett. Downing
was former Charlton boy, but moved
his family to Omaha some time ago,
where he secured work on the rail
road. He married Carrie Taylor of
Charlton, but it did not prove happy
union. He was only % years old.
Prof. William L. Harrington, ven
triloquist with one of the shows at
Ottumwa during carnival week, drop
ped dead of heart failure. He was
seated at the breakfast table in the
rear of the tent of one of the carni-
val attractions. The deceased was
As years old, and was resident of
Chicago, where he has sister resid-
ing at present. Professor Harrington
had been in the show business a quar-
ter of a century.
Ottumwa has accepted Andrew Car
negie's proposition of $4,000 for 81
free public library. The election on
the issue gave majority of almost
500 i'll favor of the measure, 252 of
Which were cast by male voters. The
women were also permitted to vote
and this increased the total majority
to almost 500. The measure lost last
June when the judge of the district
court held that women were not en-
titled to vote. The vote in June gave
majority of 81 against the measure
An alteration took place on the
street in front of the Farmers and
Merchants bank in Newton, between
DIR. NJ. r. Hammer of that place and
Oscar Wheatcraft of Buena Vista
township, Jasper county. Hammer
stabbed Wheatcraft several times,
twice in the abdomen, which, it is
feared, will prove fatal. Trouble has
been existing between the parties for
some time. AS yet it cannot be learn
ed as to which was the aggressor.
Wheatcraft is spoken of as being a,
quiet, inoffensiye person.
Maid, wife, widow, and mot yet 16,
years old, was the story of the short
but eventful life of Florence Tripp OF
Sioux City until few days ago. Now
she has added another interesting
chapter by marrying the brother Of
her first husband. The little girls
two marriages have occurred within
nine months time. She was welded
to Gideon Trip last spring; few
months later he died, but his widow
soon fell in love with her brother-in-
law and few days ago she married
him.
Letter Carrier Frank C. Robinson
of Ottumwa was found hanging in the
water closet of the Linseed Oil Mill at
that place dead. He had taken the
strap from the mail pouch, buckled it
around his neck and taken second
one, passed it through the loop, buck
led it over the rafter and jumped. off
the seat. His valuables were found
on his person, including gold watch
and some small change. He was
man of the best of habits, and when
seen a few hours before he did the
deed seemed to be in his usual health
and spirits.
A dispatch from Marshalltown SAYS:
To brood for seven years over the
tragic death of a loved daughter and
at last become neural bly, insane and
forced to spend his last days in mad
house is the sad fate of Henry Weise,
German farmer, who for many years
has resided near Reinbeck, in lama
county. Thus is written another
chapter in the history of one Of the
most mysterious and brutal murders
ever committed in Iowa. To be sure
an arrest was made. A Mrs. Ben
nett, who resided about mile from
the scene of the murder, was sus-
pected for certain reasons. During
her first trial one of the jurors broke
down and a new trial had to be had.
This resulted in Mrs. Benefits acquit-
tai. Since then suspicion seems to
have pointed it's finger at no one and
the crime has gone unpublished. The
remains of poor Anna Wiese were laid
to rest in the village cemetery and
sorrowing friends erected plain but
enduring monument at the grave
which bears the simple story Of the
tragedy. Some day, perhaps, the veil
that has hidden the perpetrator of
this crime for so many years may be
lifted. s
A serious accident occurred at
Tower CG on the Northwestern rail-
way between LaMoille and State Cen
ter. A derrick at work on the new
track at that point jumped the track