Shelby  County  Indiana
Newspaper  Articles

Runshe

The  Daily  Evening  Democrat
November 9, 1881
Page 1
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FOOLISH  FLORA
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Her Sin Found Her Out.
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She Listened to the Voice of the
Tempter.
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Who Beguiled Her of That Preceless Jew-
el, Her Virtue,
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And Then Left Her and Her Child to the
Cold Charity of the World
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The Unfortunate Girl Succeeds in Concealing
Her Condition From Her Parents
Until Yesterday Morning, The
Child Being Born in the Afternoon.
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          We are called upon to-day to record another case of woman's trust betrayed with the usual result, which made its appearance at the house of  Jacob Runshe,  on East Broadway about three o'clock yesterday afternoon, the in the shape of a bouncing girl born to his daughter  Flora,  a rather good-looking brunette of about twenty-two years of age.  So well had the ruined girl kept the secret of her shame that even her parents were unaware of her condition until yesterday morning, at which time she revealed the astounding fact that she was about to become a mother without having become a wife.  The news was a terrible blow to her parents, who have always been industrious hard-working people, and maintained a good character, and the disgrace brought upon them by their daughter, was almost more than they could bear.  But it was no time for reproaches, as the unfortunate girl was even then commencing to feel premonitions that called for the tenderest care, and checking her tears as far as she was able, the almost heartbroken mother began to make proparations for the vent, which would soon publish to the community the fact of her daughter's disgrace.  About two o'clock a physician was sent for and about an hour later the census was increased one.
          When the fact became known to several of the unfortunate girl's friends they immediately decided that the father of the child was a certain gay young railroader who formerly laid over here between his runs over the road, and as he had been known to keep company with the girl at the place where she was working last spring, the supposition that he was the father of her child seemed a plausible one, but the girl denies that he is the guilty party, and lays the paternity of her babe to another man, whose name she gave, but which we suppress for obvious reasons.  It is probably that suit will be commenced against the young man interested in this case as soon as the girl is able to give her depositions.  The parents of the unfortunate girl, as said above, have always maintained a good character, and feel the disgrace brought upon them very keenly.  Last July Mrs. Runshe's father,  John Snepp,  died at his home in Jackson township, leaving a large estate to be divided among five children, who would receive, after taking out the widow's share, about $4,000 each.  To this they looked for their support in their old age, and the comfortable feeling they enjoyed in thinking that they had some provision for the time when they would be unable to help themselves, is now embittered by the disgrace brought on them by one of their own children.  It is to be hoped that this case will serve as a warning to others who who[sic] are travelling the same road and who will bring upon themselves and their families the disgrace consequent upon the birth to them of an illigitimate[sic] child if they do not mend their ways.  To such we would say remember the old proverb which says that "if you play with fire you are apt to be burned."
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelbyville  Daily  Democrat
Saturday, January 23, 1886
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LOCAL  NEWS.
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          Hon. Jacob Mutz,  as Executor of the last will of  Maria Runshe  deceased, has filed his final report.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

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