MOJEFFER-L Archives

Archiver > MOJEFFER > 2004-04 > 1082565297


From:
Subject: Jefferson Democrat - Transcription Part II - October 26, 1893
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2004 12:34:57 EDT


Jefferson Democrat
October 26, 1893
Transcription Part II

Forty-five days in jail, is the sentence passed upon a fellow who gives his
name as Frank MITCHELL, who was convicted of stealing a watch from Horace AMES
of DeSoto. Esq. LaBEAUME furnished the passport and Constable MOTHERSHEAD was
the guide. He landed here Monday evening.

Strayed - From Victoria, 1 Texas pony, 4 years old; bay; branded with "2C" on
left hip; new shoes on all around. I will pay for information. Matt
VINYARD, Victoria, MO.

E.B. MAUPIN is making a good start as real estate agent, having two sales
about completed. His plan is to avoid misrepresentations, so that his customers
will had(?) things as good as if not better than represented; and if they are
not suited they will not be disgusted or badly disappointed.

There are three stray hogs at A.K. BOYD's, Victoria. The owner is requested
to call, pay expenses and get his property. They are black and white spotted
shotes, sows; weigh about 80 pounds; one is marked crop off right ear and
under half crop and slit in left; the other two, underbit in each ear.

D.S. SMITH, formerly a prominent citizen of this county, is here this week
visiting relatives and acquaintances. He has been to the World's Fair, and
talks of making it another visit before he returns to his home in Dakota. He
looks very much like he did before he left here, only a little thinner.

Our neighbors, George H. WITTRAM and wife, have been called to 'pass under
the rod,' their little babe having been taken from them last Friday, after a
lingering and painful illness of a month and a half. Lilly Marie was born June
13th, 1893, and died October 20th, aged four months and seven days. It is sad
blow to the stricken parents, and they have the sincere sympathy of everybody.
The interment took place on Saturday in the Hillsboro cemetery.

Rev. George STEEL preached the funeral of Mr. WITTRAM's baby last Saturday,
and it was one of the best discourses we ever heard. He has the faculty of
presenting new thoughts, clothed in elegant language, and he gives his audience
something to think about. This sermon and the one delivered at Mr. MARSDEN's
funeral ought to be in print. There is more meat in them than can be found in
the large majority of the printed sermons we have ever seen.

Constable OGLE of Festus brought the sheriff another boarder last Saturday.
The aforesaid is a young man of eighteen, named Chris MILLER. He attempted to
shoot Louis VIMOND of Crystal City, but was disarmed by Mr. VIMOND after
making his first ineffectual shot. He was fined by the Squire $50 for carrying
the pistol, and of course a young man who can afford to carry a pistol cannot
afford money to pay a fine, and hence he is boarding with the sheriff. He is
also held in default of a $300 bond for assault on VIMOND.

The Square Deal Clothing and Shoe House has moved one door north of their old
stand. Everybody is invited to give us a call.....

(Unfortunately, the print is too light on the below article. It is
incomplete; only one name could be included.-Kay)
Owen RILEY returned Tuesday from Horine station, where he had been working,
and informed us of a bad accident that occurred near there that morning. Two
men from St. Louis came down the night before to have some sport hunting. They
started out after breakfast with their guns, full of expectations of
pleasure. Just before the train arrived on which Mr. RILEY came ....


DEATH of George COUCH
On Tuesday night of last week George COUCH was found lying on the Lansdowne
platform at DeSoto, with a gash in his head and his skull fractured. It
appears that two tramps were the first to discover him and they had the next train
flagged and informed the crew. When the train got to the main depot the
conductor informed Dr. HIGGINBOTHAM and he and Dr. JONES' proceeded at once to the
unfortunate man's assistance. They found him unconscious, and he only lived a
short time after being removed to the residence of Mr. WATKIN's nearby. Mr.
COUCH has been in the employ of the railroad company for some years, and on the
day before his death was acting as car inspector. He lived near Lansdowne
station, and the first theory was that after his work was over he had gotten on
a train and ridden up home and had fallen in attempting to alight while the
train was in motion. It was soon remembered, though, that no train was going in
that direction at that time of night. The question then was, had he been
struck by a southern bound train, or had he been murdered by some person? He was
known to be a steady, sober man and it hardly looked reasonable that he would
remain on the track till knocked off, and the fact that he was not robbed
made the theory of murder look unreasonable, for he had no enemies, and the only
object of murdering him would have been for purposes of robbery. The tramps
gave a straight forward account of their connection with the case, and as far
as could be known they had acted only in the capacity of good Samaritans; the
dead man's money and watch were in his pockets and the meat and bread he was
carrying home for his family were lying by his side. The coroner kept the
inquest open four days, trying every means to solve the mystery, but it is not yet
solved satisfactorily. The most likely theory seems to be that he was struck
by a southbound train, or that in hastily getting out of the way he fell,
striking his head on the edge of the platform and receiving the deathly wound.
Milton MOSS passed by the spot that night just after the train had gone along,
and his horse frightened at something, and it is presumed that it was at the
wounded man. Mr. COUCH was raised on Dry Creek, this county. We have known him
all his life and can testify to his good character, and lament his untimely
death. We learn from the DeSoto papers that his wife was confined to her bed at
the time, with a babe only three days old, and we can imagine how terrible
the shock must have been to her. He was a member of the A.O.U.W. and so his
family will have the benefit of his $2000 insurance.



This thread: