News of Lawless Citizens, Allen Co., Indiana

1879

Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel (FWWS)

• 08 Jan 1879 Eugene Sovine wants to get out of the penitentiary and his friends are circulating a petition in his behalf. (FWWS)

• 26 Feb 1879 State vs. William Crance, life imprisonment for murder. (Trial transcript.) (FWWS)

  When Crance gets to the penitentiary, Allen County will be represented in that institution by six life prisoners as follows:

  Buell Webster, convicted in 1863 of the murder of the Boitet family in Jefferson Township. Strong efforts have been made to secure his pardon but without avail. Webster's crime was the most diabolical one and he would have been executed but for the efforts of two of the most intelligent men on the jury-Alfred P. Edgerton and Jesse L. Williams. He has now been in prison sixteen years and will doubtless end his days there.

  Louis Hibbler was sent up for life in January 1873 for the murder of his wife in the 7th ward of the city in September 1872.

  Joseph Wall alias Joseph Lucas, a colored man, was sent up in the spring of 1876 for the murder of Albana Cronkheit, in White's fourth addition during the preceding winter. On his first trial he was sentenced to death but the Supreme Court reversed the case whereupon he pleaded guilty and got a life sentence.

  Perry Tracey went up two years ago for the murder of James O'Brien.

  Walter Dunham was sent up at the same time for the same offense. Evidence has now come to light which shows that they were guilty of other murders.

  Charles Krout is serving a twenty-one years' sentence for manslaughter which will practically amount to a life term. He went up in February 1877.

• 26 Feb 1879 Charles Krout who is serving a 21-year term in the northern prison for manslaughter is dying with consumption. (FWWS)

• 02 Apr 1879 Christ. Read and Martin Wixson were taken to the penitentiary on Tuesday. (FWWS)
• 02 Apr 1879 Nathan Wyatt, sentenced to the penitentiary, one year each for two cases of larceny. (FWWS)
• 23 Apr 1879 William Butler was sentenced to one year in the penitentiary for receiving stolen property. (FWWS)

• 04 Jun 1879 Joseph Breckenridge sentenced in Indianapolis to two years in the penitentiary for embezzling letters from the Fort Wayne post office while employed there. He's trying to get the sentence suspended since he made restitution. (FWWS)
• 18 Jun 1879 Duplein was sentenced to two years in the penitentiary for attempted murder of his wife. (FWWS)
• 25 Jun 1879 Sheriff Munson took Charles Snyder to the northern penitentiary Monday. He was sentenced to one year for petit larceny. (FWWS)
• 25 Jun 1879 The Indianapolis Sentinel says that James Cummins of Fort Wayne has pleaded guilty in the United States court to counterfeiting and sentence will be pronounced July 2. (FWWS)

• 02 Jul 1879 Sam Ward, colored, expects to be pardoned out of the penitentiary very soon. (FWWS)
• 09 Jul 1879 John Sanders of this city, pleaded guilty to passing counterfeit money and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment at Indianapolis. He was taken to the southern prison at Jeffersonville. (FWWS)
• 16 Jul 1879 Jack Swayne and Rose Overly were indicted for the murder of Sheehy. (FWWS)
• 23 Jul 1879 Bob Harvey can have his choice of going to the penitentiary for forgery or the same place for assault and battery with intent to kill. (FWWS)
• 23 Jul 1879 Emmanuel Fox who just served two years in the penitentiary arrived home yesterday and immediately got into trouble and placed in jail. (FWWS)
• 30 Jul 1879 Henry Brown was sentenced to three years in the penitentiary for horse stealing. Hank Brown stole a horse and buggy Saturday night, was arrested Sunday and on Wednesday was sentenced. Quick work. This will be Brown's third term in the penitentiary. (FWWS)
• 30 Jul 1879 Robert Dills sentenced to one year in the penitentiary for petit larceny.
  Morgan, the robber, was sentenced to five years at the state prison.
  George Morgan, Henry Brown and Robert Dills left for Michigan City for 5, 3, and 1 years respectively. (FWWS)

• 06 Aug 1879 Tim Casey who was sent to the northern prison for eight years is in very bad health and will probably not live to complete his term. (FWWS)

• 17 Sep 1879 William Brown and William Miller were taken to the northern prison where they will remain one year each. (FWWS)

• 08 Oct 1879 Deputy Sheriff Cooper left for Michigan City Friday having in charge Hibble and Smith for the institution at that place. (FWWS)
• 15 Oct 1879 Tom Casey, the confidence man, is dying at the northern penitentiary. J. Q. Smith, with some aliases, was sentenced to two years in the penitentiary and fined $5. (FWWS)
• 22 Oct 1879 Downey, two years in the penitentiary. August Houseal, one year in the penitentiary for larceny. John Hugh Smith, two years in the penitentiary for grand larceny. (FWWS)

• 24 Dec 1879 George Graham, two years in the state prison for forgery. Henry Lash sentenced to one year in the penitentiary for petit larceny. J. F. Granger sentenced to two years in the penitentiary for burglary. (FWWS)