Bastardy Case News Excerpts, Fort Wayne, Indiana

1876

Allen County, Indiana, Bastardy cases as found in the Fort Wayne News, 1876

• 11 Jan 1876 Benedict Lauer, who was yesterday brought before Squire Graham on a charge of bastardy by affidavit filed by Miss Bresser, placed under $100 bond, in default of which he was sent to jail.

• 2 Mar 1876 Clara Ranney today filed an affidavit before Squire Hoagland charging Thomas Jefferson Leonard with bastardy. Leonard was put under $500 and the trial was set for 2 o'clock.
• 3 Mar 1876 The case of Thomas Service charged with bastardy will come up in the circuit court on Saturday.
• 3 Mar 1876 The case of Thomas Leonard charged with bastardy by Clara Ranney, which was continued before Squire Hoagland yesterday until this morning at 10 o'clock, has again been postponed until tomorrow at 10 am.
• 4 Mar 1876 Clara Ranney vs. Thos. J. Leonard is still in progress.
• 24 Mar 1876 The case of Benedict Lauer charged with bastardy will now be dismissed as he has married the girl.

• 1 Apr 1876 Peter Russell was married last December. He was very happy, but did not notice the dark cloud that was preparing to burst over his head. Yesterday Miss Lucinda Snurr filed an affidavit before Squire Tansey, charging Peter with bastardy. The warrant was given to constable Fitzgerald who made the arrest and brought him to the Squire's office, subsequently Peter was permitted to go and affect a compromise with Miss Snurr, the constable accompanying him. They got as far as Grand street, where the constable suddenly found that Peter was missing. And he is missing yet.

• 24 Oct 1876 Mary Raibel has filed an affidavit before Squire Tansey charging one William Miller with bastardy.
• 13 Oct 1876 Lina McGaffin has filed an affidavit against a man named Brookshire before Squire Ryan on a charge of bastardy. Both are colored.

• 4 Nov 1876 This morning Mary Shuster filed an affidavit against Walter Dunham on the charge of bastardy. Dunham went to jail.
• 6 Nov 1876 Mary Shuster got herself into a peck of trouble when she fell in love with Walter Dunham. On Saturday she had Walter arrested on a charge of bastardy and when Walter came up into Squire Tansey's office, he signified his willingness to marry Mary, and Mary in turn seemed to like the idea. So after a good deal of quibbling they were married. And now comes John Shuster and files an affidavit against Mary, charging her with bigamy, John claiming that he is Mary's lawful husband. The papers are on file in Squire Ryan's office. At noon today a release was procured in the case of Mary Shuster, who was sent to the county jail this morning by the Mayor. She was taken before Squire Ryan to answer to the charge of bigamy.
• 24 Nov 1876 The bastardy cases of P. O'Neil and Alice Myers has been continued before Squire Tansey until the 26th inst.