OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

 

PUTNAM COUNTY,
OHIO

NEWSPAPER EXCERPTS

Source: Daily Inter Ocean - Illinois
Dated: Dec. 22, 1891
     FIRE at Leipsic, Ohio, Monday, did $25,000 damage.
Source: Morning Star - Illinois
Dated: Feb. 5, 1899
BURGLARS SHOOT WATCHMAN.
Use Dynamite to Blow Open Safe of Postoffice in Ohio.
     Leipsic, Ohio, Feb. 4. - Early this morning three burglars gained an entrance to the postoffice here and dynamited the safe.  The night watchman, Peter Bowman, discovered the cracksmen just after the explosion and opened fire on them.  The burglars returned the fire, but eventually made their escape.  Bowman was shot twice through the leg.  It is understood the cracksmen got about $200 in money and $600 in stamps.  The authorities are hot on their trail.
Source: Jackson Citizen - Michigan
Dated: Oct. 4, 1901
Was A Tough - Though A Member Of An Influential Cleveland Family - Armada Safe Robber Killed.
Killed in a Duel With Citizens - He Served a Term at Columbus, Ohio, Prison.
     Detroit, Mich., Oct. 3 - Advices from Toledo give a possible clue to the identity of the gang, the result of whose burglarious visit to the postoffice at Armada, Mich., early Saturday morning, one of its members was killed.
     John Graham, the dead burglar, was a resident of Cleveland, where he was also known as Thomas Burns, and had but recently been released from prison at Columbus, where he been sent on his recapture shortly after his escape from the Lucas county jail, May 7, 1899, with four companions.  He was caught in company with Henry Duplantey, alias William White, alias Bay City Whitey, also a member of the escaping quintet.  The latter was shot and killed while trying to escape, after having robbed the house of a priest in St. Paul de la Croix.
     George Jones, leader of the gang, was captured by a reporter of the old Grand Rapids Morning Commercial, having been held up by the reporter in the dead of night, and in a lonely stretch of country in Ada township, Kent county, this state.  Jones was sentenced to a long term in the pen.  William Johnson, alias Miller, alias "Indianapolis Billy," was recaptured at Flint, and Graham brought back to Toledo and given a two-year term in the Columbus penitentiary.
     Fred Williams, alias Joe Dunn, was recaptured at the entrance to the tunnel at Sarnia, Ont.  He was given a penitentiary sentence.  The fellows who made their escape were United States prisoners, and were being held for blowing open the postoffice safe at Leipsic, Ohio.  Graham came of a good family in Cleveland.  The only request he made while under arrest at Toledo was that his real name be suppressed, so that his family could never know of his downfall.  He remarked to the then deputy sheriff, John A. O'Dwyer:  "I never want them to know that I've been in such business.  It would break their hearts."
     Citizens of Armada caught the gang in the Armada postoffice, where the safe was blown open.  A running battle took place, in which Graham was mortally wounded.  His three companions carried him to a handcar, which was abandoned near Richmond.  Graham's body has been sent to the university of Michigan pickling vat.
Source: Morning Herald - Kentucky
Dated: Mar. 15, 1902
KILLED BY HEADACHE POWDER
     GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Mar. 14. - Sheriff Chapman has received word from Toledo that a young woman named Brown, at Miller City, Ohio, died under almost the same circumstances as Mrs. Klump, at Lowells.  She was driving in Leipsic, Ohio, when what purported to be a simple headache powder was thrown in the carriage.  She took the powder a few days later and died with all symptoms of strychnine poisoning.
Source: Daily Register Gazette - Illinois
Dated: June 3, 1912
BYRON NEWS:
     On account of serious eye trouble, Mr. Daily has gone to his home in Leipsic, Ohio.  It is feared he will go entirely blind.
Source: Hobart Republican - Oklahoma
Dated: Nov. 21, 1912
MRS. FOCKLER DEAD.
     Mrs. J. N. Fockler, who with her husband came to Hobart on August 5, 1901?, the day before the opening, and who has resided here ever since, died at the family home on Jefferson street, Wednesday night at 11:30, after an illness of about three months.
     Short services will be held from the home at 1:45 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 22, after which the remains will be sent to Mrs. Fockler's old home at Leipsic, Ohio, for interment.
     These services will be conducted by Rev. Willingham, and will be followed by a more extended funeral upon the arrival of the body at Leipsic.
     The body will be accompanied upon this last journey by Mr. Fockler and Mrs. Fockler's mother.
     Mr. Fockler expects to be gone about thirty days before his return to Hobart.
Source: Elkhart Daily Review - Indiana
Dated: July 9, 1914
LEG BROKEN IN FALL DOWN BASEMENT STAIRS
Woman From Ohio Who is Here Visiting a Daughter Meets With Accident While Attending Dance.
     Ella Wood of Leipsic, Ohio aged about 45, who is here visiting a daughter at 526½ South Main Street, sustained the fracture of vboth bones of her right leg just above the ankle in a fall down the basement stairs while attending a dance at the home of Frank Wengets, 1309 Harrison street, last night.  She was taken to the General Hospital.
     Sergt. Wooley and Officer Williams had arrived at the house just prior to the accident, having been summoned by neighbors who complained that too much noise was being made at the place.
Source: Jackson Citizen Patriot - Michigan
Dated: May 27, 1917
R. H. Thompson of Leipsic, Ohio, Has Leased the Place - Other Clinton Nows.
     Clinton, May 26. - The Clintonian hotel, which has the reputation of being among the best in southern Michigan, has again changed hands.  Miss Eleonor Mohr, who has been a very courteous manager for several years, has retired and R. H. Thompson and family of Leipsic, Ohio, have leased the building for some time.  All the employes of Miss Mohr leave this week for their various homes.  After a short time Miss Mohr will leave for an extended visit at her home at West Unity, Ohio.  During her stay in Clinton she has won many friends who regret her leaving the town.
Source: Elkhart Daily Review - Indiana
Dated: Feb. 18, 1918
JENNIE M. HOSTETLER.
     Jennie M. Hostetler, wife of John D. Hostetler, died at their home, 817 Wolf avenue, at 5:30 yesterday morning.  She had been afflicted with heart trouble and asthma for several years, and on Friday night suffered a severe attack.  However, she rested well Saturday night, and until she woke at 5 o'clock.  Soon after she was again stricken, and died within a short time, despite the efforts of a physician who had been hurriedly summoned.
     Mrs. Hostetler was born February 24, 1864, at Montpelier, Ohio, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Swaney, also now deceased.  Her marriage took place March 27, 1905, at Mishawaka, and Mrs. and Mrs. Hostetler located in Elkhart eight years ago.  She was a member of the Church of Christ (Disciples) and of the Royal Neighbors of America.
     The burial will take place at New Carlisle, the former home of Mr. Hostetler.  The body will be taken to that place on an early train Wednesday.  The funeral service will be held at the Elkhart home at 7 o'clock tomorrow evening, conducted by Rev. F. C. Lake.
     Surviving Mrs. Hostetler besides her husband is a brother, John Swaney of West Leipsic, Ohio.  At the time of her fatal attack her husband was assisted in calling the doctor by Mr. Hostetler's brother, who happened to be visiting in the home.
     Members of the Royal Neighbors are requested to meet at the home of Mrs. Emma Holdeman, 701 Blaine avenue, 6:45 tomorrow evening, to attend the funeral services of Mrs. Hostetler.
Source:  New Orleans States - New Orleans, La.
Dated: Mar. 10, 1918
12 DIE, 53 HURT WHEN THEATER IS CRUSHED
Clyclone Cuts Path Quarter-Mile Wide and 20 Mile Long Through Ohio; Much Loss of Life and Property Is Reported.
     WINCHESTER, Ky., Mar. 9 - Twelve persons were killed, ten of them children, 23 persons so severely injured it was found necessary to remove them to the Clark county hospital, and about 30 others were less seriously hurt here tonight, when the walls of a burned building adjoining a moving picture theater collapsed, crush in the theater roof.
     Six of the 23 injured taken to the Clark county hospital were thought to be fatally hurt.  The majority of these, as well as those not so seriously injured, were children, several hundred of whom were crowded into the theater when the crash came.
     The wall that collapsed was also used as the wall of the theater, but projected considerably above the theater's roof.  The wall's collapse at the same time removed the support from under the roof on that side and it crashed down into the theater.
     The first result of the crash was panic, in which the hundreds of children and a smaller number of grown persons struggled to reach the entrance.  Within a short time hundreds of persons had been organized into volunteer rescue squads and soon cleared away the wreckage.
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TORNADO SWEEPS OHIO
2 Known Dead and Much Property Is Destroyed.
     COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 3. - Two persons are reported to be killed, many injured and thousands of dollars of property damage was done by a tornado which cut a swath through northwestern Ohio.
     A dispatch from Lima says that reports reaching there say the storm's victims number 10.
     The center of the cyclone seems to have been in Van Wert county, although serious damage has been reported between Lima and Findlay.
     Continental, Ohio, is reported to have been almost wiped out by the high wind, and the towns of Van Wert, Defiance, Middlepoint, Convey and Lima are reported to have suffered heavily.  Jantoria, Bluffton, Ottawa and other towns between Lima and Findlay are reported to have been hit hard.
     Telephone and telegraph lines are down and railroad and interurban traffic has suffered, while indications are that the loss of life will not be known before tomorrow.
     The heart of the storm apparently was in Van Wert county, where the two deaths occurred.  The tornado, a quarter of a mile wide and more than 20 miles long, struck Harrison, Union, Hoaglin and Washington townships in that county.
     Several houses were demolished.  The known dead are:
     Mrs. James Geyer, of Harrison township, Van Wert county, died at a hospital in Van Wert from injuries received when her home was demolished.
     Rey Ley, aged 12, killed at Middlepoint, Van Wert county.
     Several injured persons have been taken to hospitals in Van Wert county.
     Conditions west of Van Wert, between Van Wert and Fort Wayne, Indiana, are said to be critical.  Farmers are reported to have started out to hunt victims in the ruins of houses which were blown down.
     It is reported that the towns of Holgate and Halmer, Ohio, west of Leipsic, have been practically destroyed by a tornado.  Appeals for immediate help have gone out to adjacent cities.
Source: Dallas Morning News - Texas
Dated July 11, 1936
Mother of Dallas Man Dies at Leipsic, Ohio
     Funeral services for Mrs. Viola Ann Smith, 79, of Leipsic, Ohio, mother of George Smith, 1606 Alaska, who died at Leipsic, Wednesday, will be held there Saturday.  Mr. Smith left by airplane for the Ohio town Thursday night.
     Mrs. Smith also is survived by another son, Dr. Clyde L. Smith of Fremont, Ohio.
Source: Dallas Morning News
Dated: Mar. 11, 1950
Dispute in Order of Eagles Results in Nine Indictments
     OTTAWA, Ohio, Mar. 10 (AP)
- A dispute within the Fraternal Order of Eagles erupted Friday into grand jury indictments against three national lodge officers.
     Three grand aerie officials and an Ohio state Eagles officer was named in nine separate indictments - with charges ranging from blackmail to publicizing a lottery.
     The secret indictments were returned Thursday.  Prosecutor J. Harry Leopold said they were based on efforts to compel the Ottawa lodge to do these things:
     1. Do business with an insurance company and a supply company affiliated with the grand aerie, and
     2. Engage in the fund-raising campaign which the prosecutor described as a lottery.
     The men named in the indictments were Matthew L. Brown of Springfield, Ohio, administrative director of the grand aerie; James Kellner of Springfield, secretary of the Ohio Eagles; Joseph Gunderman of St. Marys, Ohio, deputy grand worthy president and Ohio deputy auditor, and Barnett H. Goldstein of Portland, Ore., grand aerie Legal adviser.
     Goldstein said the indictments "were manifestly secured to satisfy the spite and venom of the prosecuting attorney."  He said they were not justified "in law or in fact."
     To this Leopold, once past worthy president of the Ottawa Eagles Lodge, returned no comment.
     Leopold and two other Ottawa officers recently were expelled by the grand aerie.  They were accused of failure to co-operate.  The Ottawa lodge later withdrew from FOE and formed "Freedom Eagles No. 1."
     Prosecutor Leopold said the lottery charges were based on written and oral instructions to Ottawa, Columbus Grove and Leipsic, Ohio lodges about details of an "Ohio state fund-raising campaign."
     Leopold said profits were to go a third each to grand aerie organizations department, to the state aerie and to the local aerie.
     The nature of the lottery was not described in the indictments.
     Leopold said the blackmail charge against Gunderman was based on oral and written statements of Richard Recker, who said Gunderman threatened him with removal as secretary if he did not follow orders about doing business with certain firms and about participating in bingo and the fund-raising campaign.
 
 
 

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