Bastardy Case News Excerpts, Fort Wayne, Indiana

1885

Allen County Bastardy cases as found in Fort Wayne Daily Gazette unless otherwise noted.

• 7 Jan 1885 The bastardy case of Schoppmann vs. Hitzemann was settled by an offer of money compromise and accepted.
• 11 Jan 1885 Last night Dr. J. M. Dinnen was to a house on South Calhoun Street where he delivered a very pretty young but unmarried female of a bouncing boy. The girl, who is of respectable antecedents, claims that a young railroad blood running on the G. R. & I., led her astray. A bastardy suit may follow. The youth flies high and moves in "sassiety."

• 26 Feb 1885 Alvis Miller furnished $500 bail. A Miss Josephine Somers is the complainant.

• 8 Mar 1885 Jennie Dixon, a quadroon, recently had a railroad man arrested for bastardy but the suit was compromised.
• 10 Mar 1885 An Aged Lothario. According to Justice Ryan's Decision, A Maysville Farmer, Aged Fifty-five Years, Charged With the Paternity of Elizabeth Shaffer's Unborn Child. John Thimbly of Maysville was arrested by Constable Kelly on charge of bastardy preferred by Elizabeth Schaffer (sic). The defendant was taken to Justice Ryan's court and the evidence against him was sufficient for the magistrate to hold him. The bail was fixed at $100 and Thimbly's brother became security for his appearance. Thimbly is a farmer near Maysville and aged fifty-five years. It seems according to the testimony of Mrs. Low Clark, the landlady of the Oliver house, that Mr. Thimbly came to the hotel about six months ago and stated that he was a widower and would like to meet a congenial lady who would share his fate. He was then introduced to Miss Shaffer and it is alleged accomplished her undoing. Thimbly, the defendant, declined to testify. The woman in the case, it is said, came from Toledo and has been living in the city for some time. She is about twenty-five years of age and rather good looking. Mr. Dawson will appear for the young woman, who claims to have been wronged and the farmer's attorneys will make a big light. Thimbley's friends were on deck in large numbers.
• 24 Mar 1885 Nathaniel W. Beaber on complaint of Julia Kistler was arrested for bastardy yesterday. Both are prominent young people in Perry Township.
• 26 Mar 1885 H. L. Hamel placed $450 worth of government bonds yesterday with the county clerk and is at liberty. The charge against him was bastardy.

• 22 Apr 1885 Yesterday afternoon the case of Henry Lewis Hamel came up. He is about 50 years old and carried a belt containing $30,000 in government bonds. He was accused of bastardy and Elizabeth Herberer, 32, of Peoria, Ill. is the relatrix.
• 30 Apr 1885 Judge O'Rourke has fixed the following cases for trial in circuit court: May 4 state ex rel. Summers against Miller, a bastardy suit; May 7 state ex rel. /Shaffer against Thimberly, bastardy.

• 5 May 1885 The Somers vs. Miller bastardy case on trial in circuit court is very, very funny.
• 16 May 1885 Yesterday George Hartman was arrested on complaint of Miss Mary Snyder who charges him with bastardy.

• 29 Aug 1885 Wilhelmina Long, a plump and pretty belle, of classic Bloomingdale, now mourns man's perfidy. William Krohn, a gallant young beau, of the north side wooed Wilhelmina, but his love-making was not according to Hoyle. Yesterday he was brought before Justice Scarlett on a charge of bastardy. His victim is anxious to marry and William may decide to do the proper thing.

• 11 Sep 1885 Louis Yobst yesterday compromised his bastardy suit by paying the plaintiff, Mary Raeff, the sum of $229 in coin of the realm.

• 1 Oct 1885 In the case of the state ex rel. Julia Kister vs. Nathaniel W. Beaber, a judgment was given for the defendant on a special plea and abatement. Julia filed suit against Beaber for bastardy but her child being stillborn, the case was settled as above mentioned.
• 21 Oct 1885 The bastardy case of Priscilla Martin vs. Samuel West is on trial in circuit court before a jury. Priscilla appears in court dandling her baby but Samuel looks coldly upon it and has already denied it thrice . Mr. West is well heeled and old enough to know better.
• 21 Oct 1885 Another bastardy case is reported and the couple married; the newspapers are asked to suppress the names.
• 22 Oct 1885 The jury in the bastardy case of Priscilla Martin against Samuel West failed to agree and was discharged.

• 2 Dec 1885 A Slippery Seducer. Whenever the social circles of Monroeville are not agitated over a fight or quarrel between its most prominent citizens, they are kept at a fever heat by a breach of promise or bastardy suit. This time it is the latter. Several days ago Miss Grossley, daughter of one of the most prominent farmers of Monroe township, appeared before Justice Sheehan and on oath alleged that she had just cause to believe that she was soon to become a mother, and charged the paternity of her unborn child upon a young man named Oliver Yonce living in the vicinity of her home. A warrant was issued for Younce and he was soon in the clutches of the law. But the young man was sharp and wily, and while appearing very crest fallen and meek was busily engaged in evolving a plan of escape. When brought to Monroeville he asked the constable to allow him to be shaved stating that he wished to enter court looking respectable. The innocent lamb of the law granted Yonce's request. While sitting in the shop waiting for the knight of the razor to perform his task the constable's attention was attracted to the opposite side of the street and his curiosity getting the better of his judgment he stepped outside. This was a golden opportunity for Yonce. Hastily arising from the barber chair, he skipped out the back way and escaped. Yesterday the matter was called to the attention of the Deputy Prosecutor Bittinger, who will attempt to bring the unprincipled seducer to a proper sense of his responsibility.