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Richland Co., Ohio |
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Neighborhood News |
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e NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS f The Richland Star (Bellville) -- 27 November 1879 |
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Source: The Richland Star: 27 November 1879, Vol. III, No. 9 (source document held by Bellville / Jefferson Township Historical Museum) |
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MARY AGNES BIXLER -- FURTHER INQUIRY
INTO THE CAUSE OF THE CHILD'S DEATH -- Our report of last week
reached until Wednesday noon. The first following that is the
testimony of Emma Wesley. She saw the child lying on a settee
on some rags on Thursday; child acted as though it had spasms.
Mrs. Wm. F. Charles, re-called, said that Mrs. B. whipped, kicked
and cuffed the child at times, ever since they lived there.
Dr. T.T. Austin, re-called, gave up hopes of child's recovery on
Friday. Mrs. James Cornwell, re-called, testified that Mrs. B.
told her the child did not take much medicine; said the child
vomited very dark-red matter Friday morning. Ida Charles,
nothing important. Miss Emma Charles, witnessed no ill
treatment. Miss Emma Eggerman, saw nothing wrong. Mrs.
Martin Sharp, saw room built to keep child in; stated that
Mrs. B. said it saved her many a whipping, and she had to leave it
in there at night to keep peace in the family; no fire in the
room or no way to get heat into the room, nothing but an outside
door; child did not ask for any food during her visits.
Miss Anna Adams, thought it strange the child's head was not combed
and she was determined to come it; Arnold Lanehart told her to
put her hands on the child's head, which she did and found two
places dinged in the skull and one larger than a silver dollar.
Found the child's hair so badly tangled she could hardly comb it.
Mrs. A. Carpenter, gave testimony that Mrs. B. threw the child and
kicked it the rest of the way, from the porch into the house.
Said she many times heard the blows and heard the child cry while
sitting in her house. <<illegible>> two years this summer.
Back <<illegible>> of child were black when laid on. Arnold
Lanehart, smoothed the child's hair back and found it had a peculiar
head. Made this remark to Mrs. Myers. She thought it was
natural. Miss Adams also felt the child's head. Neither
of the parents visited his place of business to obtain a shroud
before the child's death. A lady was there Saturday evening
for that purpose. No shroud picked out at that time.
Mrs. George Eckler, said Mrs. B. whipped the child with a board
during a visit, and when it cried again she flew at it with both
fists and threatened to throw it in the wood house. Said Mr.
B. whipped it also on this occasion, and put it in the wood-house.
She lay there on the bare ground till Mrs. B. returned, who had gone
down town in the meantime. Found welts on her body. Said
Mr. B. had whipped her many a time till he brought blood and then
smothered her cries. She saw them feed her potatoes, gravy,
peas and beans together. Thought the scars and bruises were
mostly caused by the child's parents. Miss Luella Charles,
said the child eat [sic.] at the same table with the parents, and
she thinks got the same food. Mrs. Lydia Hinkley [sic.], saw
the parents slapping and knocking the child on the head;
kicking and throwing it around. Dr. T.T. Austin, re-called,
was questioned as to the condition of the child's mind before and
during its sickness. He said I don't think it knew more than a
horse does, right from wrong, nor understood any command from its
parents. Daniel Wesley, offered no testimony. J. Walton
Brown, said that Mayor Hathaway had spoken to him over a year ago of
Bixler's neighbors making complaint of ill treatment of the child by
Mr. Bixler, and that they could frequently hear the child screaming
as if beaten. George Eckler, testified that he plastered the
room the child was confined in. It is five feet nine inches by
nine feet seven inches, and had two doorways. One frame is
furnished with a door, the other is nailed up with boards.
When the door is shut all the light or ventilation must come through
the cracks between the boards on the other frame. The child's
bunk is about four feet long and from fourteen to sixteen inches
wide. He asked Mr. B. what he put there for her to sleep on,
he replied g--d d--m it nothing. Never saw the child in the
room during cold weather. Didn't think the child was naturally
an idiot. Benton Charles, unimportant testimony. Asa
Lydy, saw them whip the child frequently, but never saw them use the
stick. This testimony was all in by Thursday noon. At
one o'clock court met, and at this point in the proceedings the
Justice believed and determined that in the furtherance of justice,
and the purpose of a still further examination into the causes of
the child's death, that the body be exhumed. This was done,
and the body brought to the township house, and a post-mortem
examination held in one of the small rooms by Drs. Lewis, McMahon,
Lee and Austin, which occupied the time until evening. At
seven o'clock the room was full of anxious listeners to hear the
doctor's testimony. Dr. J.C. Lee gave as the immediate cause
of the child's death, constipation and acute inflammation of the
bowels, also discovered, hepatization of the right lung, of long
standing. (Hepatization means a state of the lungs when so
gorged with effused matter as to close the air cells against the
passage of air.) T.T. Austin, M.D., same as above, in
addiction was asked whether there were any defects or bruises found
upon the skull or other part of the body; answer, I examined
the body carefully and found none. Dr. W.T. McMahon told
substantially the same as Dr. Lee and Austin. Also testified
that the heart, liver and kidneys were in a normal condition, and
the stomach sound, except a little streak of inflammation.
Couldn't say what caused the diseases that terminated in the child's
death. J.B. Lews, M.D., in addition to hepatization of the
right lung, found tuberculoses deposits therein. The remainder
of his testimony was in harmony with that of the others. The
testimony was not all in, and the Justice pronounced the following
verdict: After having heard the evidence and examined the
body, I find that the deceased came to her death by the
visitation of God, in a natural way, and not by means of any
violence. We have given of each one's testimony only what
was now, and that, only in substance. Insufficient clothing,
poor condition of child's room, its bed being of rags, scratches on
its face, and general ill treatment, were each testified to by
several witnesses. The investigation began Tuesday evening and
lasted until Thursday evening, and was closely watched thoroughly by
a great many. LEXINGTON LINGO. Last Saturday night two young men of Bellville, who are known as Henry Donel and John Weirick, came to Lexington on the 4 p.m. train. By too frequently visiting the saloon in the east part of town, they became intoxicated and very unruly. At a still hour of the night, the citizens were awakened by the shrieks and screams of females, who had been driven out of doors by the boys. Mrs. Fleck's house was the one attacked. Their main object appeared to be to gain an interview with Mrs. Fleck's daughter. The daughter having refused them admittance, they forced an entrance through the doorway by violent means. Marshal Lantz was notified of their doings, and he succeeded in arresting them while attempting to make their escape. After occupying two hours in hearing both sides, the court imposed a fine on each of the gentleman (?) of one dollar and costs. Weirick fortunately had the where with to settle his bill, and was released. Donel, still enraged with liquor, made use of obscene language in the presence of the court, and the crowd assembled for which the court imposed an additional fine of five dollars, and he not being prepared to meet the same, was remanded to the county jail, there to remain until justice be meted out to him according to the law. Anthony Myers has been allowed admission to the Insane Asylum, and will be taken there in a few days. He is now confined in our county jail. -- Mansfield Liberal. A fire occurred in the Aultman & Taylor office, at Mansfield, last week, which was extinguished with considerable difficulty. Loss, principally by water, $300. Insured. Malignant diphtheria prevails to a considerable extent in Mansfield especially in the northern and eastern portions. Five deaths have occurred from this cause during the past week, and from fifteen to twenty cases are reported by physicians. In one instance a Mr. Houtenoier lost his two only children in twenty-four hours. Bellville. Wes. White is back from Albion, Ind. The Misses Dyer, of Mt. Vernon, visited relatives here Sunday. Henry McCluer and wife, and her mother, returned from Washington, Friday. Mr. & Mrs. Henry C. Wright honey-mooned a few days at Wheeling, W. Va. Peter Beck, of the firm Album & Beck, Mansfield, made Wm. Batterson a short visit last Sunday. Mike Mayfield and Charley Fritz, both of Mansfield, were in town Sunday, the guests of H. Beckwith. Washington Weirick of Michigan, visited his mother during her illness, and returned home the 18th. of this month. Monday night, sheets were stolen from Mrs. Gregg's line. The party is known and would better return the same. Samuel Dyer took the train Monday for Emporia, Kans., which he will make his permanent home. He has a paying situation as a butcher. Samuel Wright left Saturday to take up school at Centerburg, on Monday. Samuel has done well for Richland, and he'll do the same for Knox. Miss Flora E. Day, a charming young lady from near Lexington, accompanied by her brother, George, visited friends at this place the first of the week. Mrs. Dr. Stoffer returned to her home at Danville, last Monday, accompanied by her husband. She had been visiting her parents Mr. & Mrs. S. Boals, west of town. Chas. W. Seymour arrived here last week after an absence of more than six months. During his absence, he took on considerable flesh, and an exquisite "pair of burnsides" both of which add to his personal beauty. He is traveling for the Buffalo Scale Company. L. Schafer's house is nearly completed. The kitchen is nicely finished and wainscoted. The sitting room is finely papered, and the ceiling ornamented with a very elegant piece of fresco work. This is one of D. Stump's best hits. Mr. S. believes in having home attractive and pleasant. Marriage licenses have been granted to the following parties: Silas Baker & Sarah Zeiders; Geo. W. Hersh & Mary E. Huston; John C. Ackerman & B. Rosa Adams; George Crain & Jennie A. Garber; Henry C. Wright & Adah Williams; T.W. Kayler & Nettie McElhany; Martin A. Ferguson & Ida M. Doyle. John Stone has purchased the dray, and will carry on the business. Joseph Thrailkill called to see his brother at this place the first of the week. Palm and Hamilton are away making music for the Knox County folks. Frank Gibson has opened a tailor shop on Yankee Street, one door north of the law office. Miss Nettie Endly, a gay young belle of Mansfield, has been visiting Miss Emma Weaver. James Weirick, of Williams County, attended the funeral of his mother. He arrived Nov. 7th. Miss Amanda Frederick expects to leave for Silver Lake, Ind., the last of the week, on a visit to relatives. A young brick-maker has found a permanent situation at D. Wesley's. He arrived Monday evening a week. Mrs. T.M. Beer, of Ashland, visited Mrs. W.W. Anderson, her sister, several days, returning Tuesday morning. Rev. W.T. Lewis will accompany his mother to the old home in Jackson, starting next Monday morning. They will tarry at Columbus a day or two to rest on the way. The mother has improved very much since she came to our town, and will return again in the early spring. DIED -- Rev. William A.G. Emerson, at the residence of a son-in-law, in Ashland, O., Tuesday, Nov. 11th., 1879, of acute pneumonia, aged 63 years and five months. During his successful ministerial career and from 1859 to 1861, he preached at Newville, Independence and Bellville. From boyhood he was a member of the M.E. Church, but was <<illegible>> to unite with the Lutheran Church in 1845, of which his father was a minister. Certificates to teach were granted to the following named persons at the meeting of the School Examiners, Nov. 8th., 1879: For 24 months -- Silas M. Douglass, Lucas; Jos. G. Scott, Laura Jackson, Lewis C. Mengert, W.H. Reinhart, Mansfield. For 18 months -- Emma Irwin, Anna Hedrick, Ida Barr, and Franklin J. McGuire, Mansfield; Francis F. Douglass, Shiloh. For 12 months -- S. Perry Wolfe, Robt. McQuillen, Mansfield; Luther E. Darling, Perrysville; Edwin J. Mitchell, Fredericktown; John Maglott, Hastings; Wm. M. McCully, Crestline; Martin M. Hunter, Rives, P.O. For 6 months -- John Hurst, Francis Cole, Susie Carroll, Rebecca Ritchie, Mansfield; Pierce J. Wigton, Perrysville; Etna Stimples, Bellville. Zac. Swank returned from his visit in Penn., last Tuesday. Miss F. Sampsel was married to F.C. Semple, Esq., on last Monday evening, Nov. 17th., by Rev. H.D. Carlton. -- Ashland (Ohio) Times. DEATH OF PETER WEIRICK'S WIFE -- Died at her residence near Darlington, Perry Township, Richland County, Ohio, Friday morning, Nov. 21st., 1879, at 11 o'clock, Deborah Weirick, wife of Peter Weirick, aged 84 years, 6 months and 5 days. She was the oldest of twelve children and the daughter of James and Catharine Huntsman, and was born in Pennsylvania, May 16th., 1795, and came with her parents to Ohio in a very early day and settled in Perry Township. She was married to Peter Weirick, July 25th., 1817, by Esquire Amariah Watson, and is the mother of sixteen children, twelve sons and four daughters. The sons all grew to manhood except Jeremiah, who died at the age of sixteen years, and three of the daughters grew to womanhood. Three of the children now reside in this part of the country, and the remaining eight, who are yet living, reside in the western part of this State and other parts of the West. Out of the eleven children, only four were present to follow their mother to her place of rest. Funeral services were held at the Perry Church, by Rev. Lander, of Bellville, Saturday, at 2 o'clock p.m. The last 43 years of Mrs. Weirick's life having been spent in the vicinity of Hagerstown, and having lead a worthy life, she leaves a large circle of friends. Her husband, Peter Weirick, was born in Pennsylvania, July 25th., 1794, and came with his parents to Richland County and settled near Hanawalt's Mill in 1810. After marriage he resided several years in Jefferson Township, and in 1836 moved on the farm where he now lives. Independence. Dr. Dysert has arrived safely at Jacksonville, Florida, but unimproved in health. He will go about three hundred miles further north. Frank Gurney is doing a great deal of plastering in town. Jno. Stoffer, who is now in Iowa, talks of moving back to his native country. Jim Daugherty has adorned the front of his lot, on Grant Street, with a near fence. Levi Mengert will teach the Sultry School this winter. Miranda Palm takes charge of the Germany school this winter. Elmer Plank is just recovering from a healing in his throat. Lester Traxler raised his new sawmill building last Tuesday. S.H. Harden is doing the painting of Wm. Kanaga's new house. Rob. Phipps is home again, but this time with a smashed hand, done while in the act of coupling cars. Mrs. Bell McClay is dangerously ill. Dr. Sampsell of Bellville is visiting her. David Baker bought the Wohlford Hotel stand at Sheriff's Sale for $934.0, and M.Z. Switzer bought the White property where he now lives for $500. While Philip Lambert was digging a well for Ed. Switzer and James Traxler, a plank accidentally fell, striking Philip on the shoulder, bruising and frightening him so that he gave up the job. Levi, son of F. Rickard, is reported having typhoid fever. This makes the third case in the family. Newville. The school commenced in this place last Monday morning, with Miss Mary Robinson and Charlie Mowrie, as teachers. Mr. Graham and wife, of Fredericksburg, were visiting at Alonzo Gleason's last week. A singing school will be organized at Oak Hall, Thursday night of this week, with Eli Hess, teacher. A commendable act: The boys of Worthington Chapel threw their mites together last Saturday and purchased a nice hat for Rev. Orr, which was presented to him by Charlie Kerr, just after services Saturday evening. |
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Transcribed by Amy E. Armstrong, Sunday, September 02, 2007
[ref. Zeiters, Mowry]
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Sunday, September 02, 2007