The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-11-09
SUES LAKE STATION
TOWN OFFICIALS
Charges Persecution and Conspiracy
Was Otensibly Arrested for Carry
ing Concealed Weapons, But Deep
er Motives Is Said to Have Been
Responsible.

Fred Kappleman. of Crown Point.
formerly of East Gary, is the most
abused man in the county according to
the five paragraphs of a complaint
which was recently filed in the Lake
superior court at Hammond and which
will shortly come up for trial. Con-
spiracy is the charge which he makes
against seven of the most promising
residents of the town formerly known
as Lake Station.
The alleged prosecutors VINO will now
be prosecuted by Mr.. Kappleman are.
Sam Blaemire, city clerk of East Gary:
Thomas Stearns. township assessor: Jo-
seph Ferry, now living in Gary: Dari-
Gus Blake, a justice of the peace; syI-
vester A. Smith. town marshal. and
John Burt a well known citizen of the
place. The amount of damage caused
by the mental and physical anguish is
placed at $4,000. The defendants are
sued jointly.
Grows From Old Time Feud.
| The case was evolved directly from
the arrest of Kappleman on the charge
of carrying concealed weapons. Back
of this, however there lies the history
of a neighborhood feud which lasted
for a number of years and during
which time a number OF arrests were
made for minor offenses such as as
suit and battery. According to the
version of the affair as related by the
five prominent citizens interested in the
case, Kappleman has ben a continuous
source of trouble since he has lived at
Lake Station, and Kappleman says that
he was the most abused man that ever
breathed.
a few months ago Blaemire alleges
that Kappleman threatened to shoot
him and that he was known to haN =
carried concealed. dangerous look
ing gun. Marshal Smith was asked to
relieve him of this weapon as Blaemire
said that lie feared for his life AS
soon Smith saw Kappleman he
asked the, latter to deliver up the
weapon, but instead of doing so he
reached for his hip pocket and told
the marshal to stand back. Smith at
once placed him under arrest.
Was Detained In Jail.
At the police tsation the prisoner
was unable to furnish bond so Mr.
StearnS, whose residence was nearby.
was sent for and he was asked to
furnish the bond. AS Mr.. Stearns had
not been on friendly terms with Kap-
pleman he refused TO do this, and the
defendant was detained in Jail until the
his case came up for trial Here he
pleaded guilty and was fined, the fine
J and costs amounting to s45. This he
was unable to pay. so he arranged Ia
be taken to Crown Point, where he
lived at that time. and before he was
= put in the county Jail. secured the
money with which to pay the fine. He
= was then released.
During the trial of the case it is ex-
pected that the whole history of the
small sized feud will be related by the
p participants. Among other things
which will be brought out is the ryna-
J. hitting of Kapplemans mouse which oc-
cured some time ago and the cause oil
which is unknown. Both sides charge
however. that the others know some
thing about it.
X In the complaint filed by Bruce &
Bruce. the attorneys. there are Ave
para graphs in which the charges Of
false imprisonment, threatening K
+ hang. treat TO extort money, and two
of assault and battery are made The
FIVE men are being defended by At
s torneys Fetterer and Hall Of Gary