Shelby County Indiana History & Genealogy, Newspaper Articles

Shelby County Indiana
Newspaper Articles

Moore

See also: MOHR

The Kokomo Tribune
October 3, 1952
Page 9
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Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Parkhurst, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Hughey and John Glass of Indianapolis were dinner guests Sunday of Miss Susie Glass. Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Moore and children of Shelbyville were afternoon guests.
Contributed by Janet McColley Franklin

The Shelbyville News
Monday, April 13, 1942
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Recent Bride At Home in City
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            Mr. and Mrs. Robert Moore are at home at 615 Morris avenue following their marriage Easter Sunday at the Trinity Methodist church. Mrs. Moore, shown above, is the former Miss Bette Mae Harding, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Walter Harding, of Greenfield.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelbyville Republican
Monday, April 27, 1936
----------
S O C I E T Y    N E W S
Frances Phares, Society Editor
Telephone No. O-N-E.
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Local News Items
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          Flavia Moore was taken to the veteran's hospital in Indianapolis today for a major operation. The trip was made in the Loren H. Murphy ambulance.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelby Democrat
January 15, 1925
Page 1
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STORE DAMAGED $2,000
--------
   At 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon smoke was discovered pouring from the Charles Moore general store at Fountaintown. Mrs. Moore, wife of the owner saw the smoke and aroused the residents of the town. The basement was a mass of flames and considerable difficulty was experienced in fighting the fire.
          The Morristown fire department answered the call for help and succeeded in extinguishing the blaze with the use of chemicals. Although the flames did not reach the first floor of the building, which is a frame structure, the stock of the concern is badly damaged from smoke. The store was closed today but it will be re-opened within the next day or two.
          Defects in the wiring system are believed to have started the fire at Fountaintown. The surplus stock in the basement was lost in the flames. The damage was estimated at near $2,000 which is partly covered by insurance.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelby Republican
Thursday July 12, 1924
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ASKS DIVORCE
AND ALLOWANCE
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Mrs. Azalia Moore, of Meridian Street,
Says Husband Failed To Provide
-----------------------
WILL NOT LIVE WITH HER
------------
          Mrs. Azalia Moore, 925 Meridian street, has filed a complaint for a divorce in the Shelby Circuit Court, against Frank M. Moore. She asks for the custody of their children and for an allowance of $20 a week. Herbert C. Jones is the attorney for the plaintiff.
          Mr. and Mrs. Moore were married August 22, 1914, and separated January 15, 1924. Three children were born to them and one died. Mrs. Moore says that she had to pay a part of the funeral expense for the child out of her savings. She states that although her husband made as much as $50 a week, he failed to provide for his family and that he did not pay his bills. The wife charges that her husband remained out late at night and some nights was out all night, and refused to explain where he had been. Mrs. Moore says that they lived in Indianapolis about seven years and that when they separated she came here to make her home. She states that her husband has told her that he would not live with her again.
Contributed by Barb Huff

The Shelby Democrat
Thursday, April 22, 1915
Page 3 column 4
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... was tired of him and wanted to be single again so she could run around and have a good time like she did prior to their marriage, that she had said she was going to leave him and that she had declared she wanted a man who had more brains and ambition than to work in a d---- old furniture factory. Frederick N. Moore, a factory laborer living at 529 Montgomery street, filed wuit in circuit court this afternoon for a divorce from Alice G. Moore. The plaintiff is represented by Meiks & Hack.
Mr. Moore also charges that his wife had declared his sisters are indecent and that his mother is two-faced and that Mrs. Moore had siad she hated all of them.
Further than this Moore adds allegations that his wife cursed him and swore at him on numerous occassions, that she refused to cook his meals, would not mend or wash his clothers, and would sometimes fail to make up the beds for three days at a time.
The couple were married January 12, 1914. They separated March 21, 1915. Moore is twenty-five years old and his wife is twenty-two. They have no children. Mrs. Moore has recently been employed as the pianist at the Broadway theater.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelbyville Republican
Thursday Afternoon, February 13, 1913
Page 1, column 1
---------
SHELBY COUNTY TO
BE REPRESENTED
AT THE INAUGURAL.
----------
Shelby county will be represented at President Woodrow Wilson's inauguration, March 4th. F. A. Moore and Forrest E. Keeling, of Waldron, and Miss Marie Jones and Ray E. Compton, of this city, have each won prizes in the circulation contest of the Indiaanpolis[sic] Star and will go to Washington as guests of the Star during the inaugral week. Miss Anna Michelson, of this city, may also be among the winners, as there are two more days of the contest. There are now thirty-seven winners and the number will probably run to between fifty and sixty.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelbyville Republican
Tuesday, March 7, 1911
Page 1
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MR. AND MRS. DAVID MOORE
ENTERTAINED
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        The home of Mr. and Mrs. David Moore, of near Boggstown, was the scene of a most delightful gathering Sunday, the occasion being the celebration of the birthday of Mrs. Moore. Friends and neighbors came with baskets well filled and a pleasant time was had by all. Those present were Charles Gray and family, Mr. Mann and family, George Voris and family, John Shadley and family, Will Wilson and family, Miss Ada Curry, Mr. Dallas Updegraff and Mrs. Sue Shadley. Mrs. Moore's birthday was a few days previous, but the celebration was postponed until Sunday that the men might be able to attend.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Daily Democrat
Tuesday October 17, 1905
------------
          Ella Moore has filed suit for divorce from her husband, Henry C. Moore.
Contributed by Barb Huff

The Shelby Democrat
Thursday, September 7, 1905
-----------------
NOTICE OF APPLICATION.
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          The subscriber hereby gives notice to the citizens and voters of Hanover township, and especially the citizens and voters of Morristown, in said township, in Shelby county and State of Indiana, that he will apply in the Board of Commissioners of said county of Shelby at their October Term 1905, for a license to sell, barter and give away spirituous, vinous, malt and other intoxicating liquors in less quantities that five gallons at a time, with the privilege of allowing the same to be drank on the premises. My place of business wherein said liquors are to be sold and drank is located in the front room, fronting Main street, 33 feet and 6 inches by 19 feet, with one door, north to hallway 10 feet and 8 inches by 6 feet, with one door east from hallway to stock room 16 feet and 8 inches by 13 feet, no other rooms on ground floor, all on the ground floor of a one story brick building fronting Main street in said town of Morristown, situate on a part of lot No. 16 in Nancy and Owen Davis addition to the town of Morristown, in Shelby county, Indiana, commencing at the southeast corner of said lot, running thence westerly on the south line thereof twenty (20) feet; thence northerly at right angles with said line to the north line of said lot, thence easterly on the north line of said lot to the northeast corner of said lot; thence southerly on the east line of said lot to the place of beginning. I also give notice that I will apply to said board for the privilege of selling lunch in connection with said business.
GEORGE MOORE.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelby Democrat
Thursday, January 15, 1903
------------
SECRETLY MARRIED
----------
On August 24, 1902, James C. Curtis and Miss Bertha Alice Moore, both of Waldron, quietly stole away going to Cincinnati and from there they crossed over to Covington, Kentucky, and were married. They returned to their homes in Waldron, which by the way are opposite each other on the same street, and so closley have they kept the secret that no one in Waldron knew of it until they on Thursday, made the announcement to their friends. When asked the motive they had for keeping the fact of their marriage a secret, Mr. Curtis the groom stated this morning that they had often heard it said that marriages like "murder will out," and that they concluded to try it and see if they could not keep the public from finding out in this case. Mr. Curtis said the deputy clerk at Covington, Kentucky is a warm friend of his and that it was through him that he secured the marriage license, and that the ceremony was performed at the deputy clerk's residence, in Covington, Kentucky, where an elegant wedding dinner was served for the occasion. The groom says he is going to Indianapolis next week to enter law school for a two years course, and that they thought it best to make known their marriage before he went away.
The bride is a very handsome young lady, and was reared by Mr. and Mrs. Elkanah Lewis, of Waldron. She being taken by them when she was only two weeks old, on account of the death of her mother. Her father is Dr. William Moore, now a resident and prominent practitioner of Tindall, South Dakota, his wife the mother of the bride died at Geneva, where they resided at the time. She was a daughter of William Kelley, late of Noble township, and as above stated, the little child now the handsome bride of James E. Curtis, was given to Mr. and Mrs. Lewis to raise, after which its father Dr. Moore went West. The groom is a son of Marion Curtis, deceased, and his mother was a daughter of Jord Anderson, late of Liberty township. His grandfather is Hon. J. J. Curtis, of Liberty township, who is extensively known in Shelby county and resides just north of Waldron.
Submitted by Barb Huff

The Shelby Democrat
Thursday, February 28, 1901
-------o-------
          Farmers in need of drain tile will save money by calling on F. A. Moore, agricultural implement dealer at Waldron. He has the best and cheapest and guarantees satisfaction in quality and prices.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelbyville Daily Democrat
Friday, September 29, 1899
----------
        For Sale: -- A nice cottage residence at No. 18 McKenzie st., Maplewood. Rents well. Will sell right. H. C. Moore, Central Union telephone office.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelbyville Daily Democrat
Friday, September 22, 1899
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        Deputy Marshal Moore remains confined to his home. "Doug," has been having more than his share of trouble and his friends hope it may end soon.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelbyville Republican
Tuesday, November 8, 1898
Page 4, column 1
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G. A. R. HEADSTONES
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Consignment of Grave Marks Ready
For Friends of Deceased Soldiers
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Captain Wilkes reports the following list of headstones for ex-soldiers is at the Big Four railroad freight office and their friends are requested to call and get them:
Anderson Moore, John Yager, William Baker, Lewis Linville and John Dewester, all buried in Bennett graveyard.
David Linville and James W. Zike in Little Blue graveyard.
Aaron F. Vanpelt, David Black and Peter Smucker in Forest Hill.
Allison Kinsley and Samuel Wray in City Cemetery.
J. M. Rice at Marion.
J. H. McFall and Allen McFall at Concord.
Samuel Munson at Smithland.
Henry Phillips at Parrish graveyard.
Uriah Davis at Boggstown.
Robert E. McCain at Middletown.
Daniel Talbert at Patterson's.
William Thurston at Mt. Pleasant.
Andrew J. Pitcher at Norristown.
Contributed by Barb Huff

The Daily Democrat
Shelbyville, Ind.
Monday, September 4, 1898
page 1
--------------------
INDIANA NOTES.
-------
Newsy Items From Various Parts of the State.
-------
The Moore family, which numbers nearly 162, will hold its fifth annual reunion near Farmland Saturday, August 19.
          Monday, Isaac Hunt, employed to watch the farm of Joseph Moore, in Harrison township, Union county, shot a man named Grimes, whose home is in Richmond, inflicting probably fatal wounds. Grimes was picking blackberries, and refused to leave when ordered off the farm, whereupon Hunt used his shotgun.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelby Republican
February 2, 1893
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James S. Moore, formerly of Flat Rock, has invented a can-filler for use in fruit canning establishments, that works automaticaly and is guaranteed to fill 30,000 in ten hours. Factor men who have seen all kinds say it is the finest inventon[sic] of the kind in existence. We congratulate Bro. Moore and hope that for him there is millions in it.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Daily Democrat
Shelbyville, Ind.
June 6, 1892
page 4
---------------------
A marriage license has been issued to William G. Moore and Sarah D. Adams.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelbyville Daily Democrat
December 24, 1891
Page 4 Column 3
==========
LOCAL NEWS.
==========
Mr. Alvin Moore, of Sullivan, a former well-known resident of Washington township, this county, accompanied by his family, is visiting friends in their hold home. Mr. Moore is still engaged in the lumber business, and is doing well.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelbyville Daily Democrat
Friday, February 21, 1890
Page 4, column 2
------------
James P. Moore and Missouri Smith were married by Squire Ellis in about ten seconds at his office yesterday afternoon, in the presence of a select audience. James is fifty-three and Missouri is twenty-three. James remarked to one of the spectators that he had tried to hire Missouri to work for him, but she wouldn't consent, and then he concluded it would be cheaper for him to marry her. Missouri heard the remark, and at once declared that he needn't think that she was "going to do all the work, so there, now!"   James subsided.
Contributed by Barb Huff

The Shelby Democrat
Thursday December 22, 1898
Page 1 column 9
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          Walter Moore, through his attorneys, Tindall & Tindall, Saturday brought suit for divorce from Nettie Pearl Moore, alleging cruel and inhuman treatment as cause of action. The parties were united in marriage in this city on October 16, last, and the plaintiff, who is a very pretty young lady, is now with her parents in Waldron.
Contributed by Barb Huff

The Shelbyville Daily Democrat
Monday, May 16, 1887
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Jim Phillipi and Billy Moore thought they had a great scheme this morning. It was to clean old straw hats by bleaching them with sulphur. To demonstrate the thing they got a dime's worth of sulphur, set fire to it and held their straw hats over it until they were completely ruined.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelbyville Daily Democrat
Tuesday, January 19, 1886
--------
           Will Moore, of Howard county, formerly of this city, and an old schoolmate of the "boys" here, is in town to-day. Will has lots of friends here who are glad to see him.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The following is a series of articles regarding a brother's care of his ill sister. To get the full story (as reported by both newspapers), you will need to check the SMITH newspaper page, the SMITH obituary page and the SMITH family record page. It was not uncommon for the Republican and the Democrat to have vastly different views on the same subject -- especially a person's character.

The Daily Republican
Thursday June 25, 1885
Page 1 column 4
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The Democrat scribbler, who appears in the attitude of a swift witness in the case, must regard the people of Shelbyville as fools if he thinks they will believe his statements that Billy Moore offered anybody $5 a month to take care of his sister, the late Mrs. [Rebecca] Smith. It is a boldface lie on its very face. The people here know "Pious" Billy entirely too well to believe any such stuff. Why, she could have been kept at the best boarding house in Shelbyville for the half of $50. There are hundreds of people in this town and hundreds more in the country that would have kept Mrs. Smith in best style for $50 a month or half of it. The Democrat had better give it to us a little easier. When you tell a lie to shield an old fraud, tell one of reasonable proportions that some person may be found fool enough to believe. We can prove beyond a doubt that "Pious" Billy refused to pay two dollars a month towards the maintenance of his sister.

-----------------------------------------

"Pious Billy" Abroad
(From the Indianapolis Journal)
Shelbyville folks are moved to great indignation, a citizen known as "Pious Billy" and worth nearly $30,000, having allowed a sister to die in the poor house.

(From the Columbus Republican)
The Shelbyville Republican comes to the front with a story of the meanest man who ever put himself on record. Yesterday his sister died at the poor house of that county, and the driver of the hearse was the only human being that accompanied her remains to the grave.

(From the Columbus Herald)
The Shelbyville Republican goes rough shod for some rich man there, whom it names "Pious" Billy Moore, for allowing a poor sister to be taken to the poor house, and upon her death permitting her remains to be buried unattended and alone, save by the undertaker of the poor. If "Billie" has any feelings-of which, however, there seems to be some doubt-we should think he would squirm under the paper's cutting denunciation.

The Daily Republican
Thursday June 25, 1885
Page 2 column 2
------
"PIOUS" BILLY MOORE AGAIN
An Alleged Defense of That Meek and Lowly Christian
------
The Democrat yesterday, printed what purports to be a vindication of William Moore from the charges of cruel neglect of his late sister, Mrs. Emanuel Smith. This alleged defense is republished in full as follows: (Insert of Reprint of the Democrat Article Wednesday June 24th)

Reliable persons, who talked to Mrs. Smith before she went to the Poor House and while she was there, inform us that she denied all the foregoing averments. She cried bitterly because she had to go to the Poor House. She wept and moaned most of the time while there at her bitter lot and repeatedly said that her brother, though worth his thousands, would do nothing for her. The statement that Mr. Moore did not know she was at the Poor House until about three months ago, is a very unreasonable one on its face and can easily be disproved. What? Tell us that he, who pretends to have had such solicitude for his sister, actually allowed her to remain at the Poor Farm for nearly a year before he found out? If he took such care of her welfare how comes it that he did not ask as to her whereabouts during all these months? The fact that he did not do this of itself sufficient to prove gross neglect. But we can prove that he did know that she was an inmate of the Poor House nearly a year ago. The editor of the Republican was informed of the fact as far back as last September. He was then told that the trustees of Brandywine and Marion townships, and other parties, had tried to get Moore to do something to prevent his sister from being taken to the Poor Farm. These men, who had no motive to falsify the facts, told us then that Moore, though repeatedly requested, refused to do anything for his sister. We were urged then to make a public exposure of the matter and were given reference to numerous parties who could give us the facts. Careful not to do injustice to any one we said nothing in the paper at the time, desiring to fully investigate the matter for ourselves. If Mr. Moore will deny over his own signature that he knew his sister was at the Poor Farm as late as last fall, we will undertake to prove incontrovertibly that he did know all about it.
Last Thursday information was brought to us that Mrs. Smith was dying at the Poor House and was not expected to live through the night. On Friday we published an item to the effect that she was dying. At the request of Superintendent Barnes a gentleman of this city, conveyed to William Moore the information to his sister's condition. This gentleman informs us that he received the news with the utmost indifference. He did not thank the messenger, nor did he make any remarks showing the slightest interest. It is true that Moore went to the Farm one day last week and, in order to see how much credit he deserves for that visit, we will describe his conduct while there as told to us by disinterested and most reputable witnesses. "Pious" Billy Moore, after reaching the Poor House, went to the room where his sister lay dying. He walked about half-way into the room and gazed at the sick woman for a moment, then turned on his heels and left without saying a word. He went down stairs to the Superintendent's room and asked Mr. Barnes curtly what he wanted with him. Mr. Barnes told him that he had sent him word of his sister's condition, supposing he would want to know, but had no other business with him. He asked Moore if he wished to do anything for her or give him any instructions, and "Pious Billy" replied in the negative. To a question from Mr. Barnes as to what he should do when Mrs. Smith died, Moore said "why, bury her." He gave no instructions to have her buried at his expense and did not authorize any one to do anything more for his sister than was usually done for any dead pauper. In other words he showed absolute indifference. After returning to Shelbyville, Moore hastened off to Illinois or some other point in the West, although he knew his sister could live only a few more hours. We do not know exactly when he left. The Democrat says it was on Friday. Our information is different, but let it go at that. The fact remains that he posted off, well knowing his sister would be dead and buried before he returned, and he made no arrangements whatever for her funeral.
The Democrat says that Mrs. [Sophia Wilson Berry] Moore was too ill to attend the funeral but "directed the same, and paid all expenses, & c." Now let's see about this. We do not know how ill Mrs. Moore was on Monday, the day of the funeral, but we do know that only a short time afterwards, to-wit on Wednesday morning, she was well enough to stand on the street a long time talking to the editor of the Democrat arranging with him to publish something to relieve the family of the odium incurred by the articles in the Republican. If Mrs. Moore was too ill to attend the funeral herself, why did she not arrange for somebody else to go and show at least a little outward respect for her husband's dead sister? She has children and other relatives, who are also blood relations to the dead woman. Why were not some of these requested to go? Rather than allow the hearse to be dragged through the streets without a single attendant, to the scandal of the whole town, one would suppose that the relatives would have hired somebody to go along if they could induce them in no other way. As for paying the funeral expenses, Mr. Barnes went to the Funeral Director Wilson on Monday morning, after Mrs. Smith's death, and directed him to make an ordinary pauper's coffin for her remains, the relatives not having made any other arrangements for the same. While talking on the subject, Mr. Wilson happened to ask Mr. Barnes who the dead woman was, Mr. Barnes said it was Billy Moore's sister. Mr. Wilson then said: "Surely the relatives will not want her buried in a common pauper's outfit." Mr. Barnes told him if he did so to act on his own responsibility as he (Barnes) did not propose to run after them any more. Accordingly Mr. Wilson went to Moore's house, but was informed that he was gone to Illinois. He spoke to Mrs. Moore on the subject that he brought him, saying that her sister-in-law was dead and that it would never do to allow her to be buried in a common pauper's coffin. The persuasion of Mr. Wilson induced Mrs. Moore to authorize the procurement of a better coffin. Mrs. Moore expressed an intention of going to the Farm in a carriage and accompanying the remains to the grave. This was not done and none of the relatives showed up on the occasion either at the house or at the grave. There were no funeral services, no prayers, none of the usual rites Christianity performed over the remains of the sister of a man who boasts of his extra piety and is in the habit of praying too loud and long to his Maker, claiming to be a devout follower of Jesus who taught charity and forgiveness as the noblest of virtues. It is plain to all, that but for the visit with importunities of Mr. Wilson, the woman would have been buried in the ordinary pine coffin of a pauper; that the relatives had made no other arrangements and intended to make none; that the body was utterly neglected by them when life was extinct, just as their sister had been when alive; that she remained in the Poor House for a year or more without a visit from any of them, and that they now pretend that they did not even know she was there.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Daily Republican
Thursday June 25, 1885
Page 4 column 2
------
The Republican has no desire to do injustice of "Pious" Billy Moore. It could have no possible motive for so doing. The editor knows none of the Moore's nor did he ever see the dead woman who was allowed to perish at the almshouse and be buried like a dog without a single attendant. None of the parties are anything to us individually any more than other perfect strangers. The notice taken to the recent disgusting occurrence was simply for the purpose of pointing a moral and paying obligation every honest newspaper owes to the public to expose wrong-doing and denounce the perpetrators. The columns of this paper are open to the Moore's or any of their friends to make explanation or apology if they have any evidence to avert the public scorn now universally felt for the treatment received by poor old Mrs. Smith. The statements, however, should be made responsibly over the signature of the party most concerned. The article in the Democrat yesterday, to which we reply elsewhere in this issue appeared editorially. It does not state who furnished the alleged information as is wholly worthless as a vindication of Mr. Moore until evidence is produced to substantiate its statements. It is self-contradictory on its face and when read carefully is an aggravation of the case instead of a satisfactory defense. It reads like a paid advertisement for which nobody is responsible. Let Mr. Moore come to the front over his own signature so that we may have a responsible issue joined.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Daily Republican
Friday June 26, 1885
Page 1 column 3
------
The Democrat will have to revive its defense of "Pious" Billy. Best thing you can do for your friend is to plead guilty to each and every count in the indictments and throw yourself upon the mercy of the court.

-----------------------------------------
The Democrat, in its reckless effort to whitewash "Pious" Billy, lugged in the name of Ben Fields, of Brandywine township, saying that Moore had offered Fields $50 a month to take care of his sister. Mr. Fields pronounces this a lie out of the whole cloth. He kept Mrs. Smith at his house for seven years without any compensation although she was no relative of his and had no claim upon him than that of common humanity. Mr. Fields says "Pious" Billy positively refused to pay anything for his sister's keeping. Yet the Democrat brazenly announces that Moore was running around begging people to accept $600 a year as the price of taking care of her. The alleged "defense" in the Democrat was about as cheeky as an array of baldheaded falsehoods as was ever got together to whitewash an utterly indefensible case.

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Page 1 column 4
------
The Columbus Republican thus administers to certain Shelbyville people what we are constrained to pronounce as a very just rebuke: "In all their travels the female club that are playing at the fair grounds this afternoon say that the toughest crowds that they have met was at Shelbyville. They were treated so badly that the game was closed at the end of the seventh inning. What a town, where they treat ladies in such a manner, and bury people without any one going to the burial but the corpse and the driver of death dead cart."

The Daily Republican
Saturday June 27, 1885
Page 1 column 4
------
(Democrat of Friday)
Wm. A. Moore is well-known in this community as a Christian gentleman and a Democrat. No wonder he is antagonized by persons of loose morals and bad politics.
He is antagonized by everybody, so far as close inquiry can ascertain, except the scribbler who wrote the above squib for the Democrat. We will give you in brief the exact facts of the case, which we dare you to contradict, and then if you choose to continue to call him a "Christian gentleman and a Democrat" no one will care and it will simply be making yourself as contemptible as the creature you try in vain to defend. A representative of the Republican had a talk yesterday with Mr. Elzy Ensminger, the trustee of Brandywine township, where Mrs. Smith resided before taken to the Poor House. The alleged defense published in Wednesday's Democrat was shown to Mr. Ensminger and he pronounces it a tissue of lies from beginning to end. Mr. Ensminger has personal knowledge of all the facts in the case and he is a Democrat, not a man of "loose morals" or "bad politics" and "antagonizes" William A. Moore, perhaps the Democrat will give some weight to his statement. Mr. Ensminger says he took Mrs. Smith to the Poor House a year ago this month of June. Before he did this he consulted William A. Moore and begged him to do something for his sister. Mr. Ensminger proposed to Moore that if he would pay for his sister's board he (Ensminger) would see that she had clothing and all other necessaries. He says Moore positively refused to render any kind of aid. He said that he would do nothing whatever for Mrs. Smith and did not propose to pay out any money on her account. Moore was informed then that his sister would be taken to the Poor House unless something was done for her and he knew all about the transactions from beginning to end. Mr. Ensminger told him and others told him, so the statement that he only knew three months ago of his sister's being at the Poor Farm is a stupid lie whoever tells it or prints it. It was only after all efforts to get aid from Moore had failed that Mr. Ensminger took the poor woman to the county asylum. She has been living for several years with James M. Fields of Brandywine township. Fields was not her son-in-law, but had married the widow of Mrs. Smith's deceased son Milton. He is a poor man and was really unable to keep Mrs. Smith but did so as long as he could. He says William A. Moore never paid him a cent for keeping his sister and never offered to do so. On the contrary he steadily refused to contribute anything towards her support. Mrs. Smith had three sons, all of whom are dead.   One of them at least was in the army and made a good soldier. These are the exact facts and if after reading them the Democrat chooses to still soulify itself by publishing such squibs as that at the head of this article it is perfectly welcome to do so as far as we are concerned. We will only remark that if a man has to let his sister stay in the Poor House for a year then be buried like a dog in order to be considered a "Christian gentleman and a Democrat" in the eyes of the person who wrote the squib in yesterday's Democrat, he must have a very queer idea of what it takes to constitute either a "Christian gentleman" or a Democrat.
Contributed by Barb Huff

The Shelby Democrat
Thursday October 4, 1883
Page 2 column 2
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BURNED ALIVE
----------
Flora Garrett and Maggie Wells
-------------
Inmates of the House of Ill-Fame Known as Mrs. Henry�s
Retired to Rest at a Late Hour Saturday Night and Met Their Death
------------------
About Half past Five O�clock Monday Morning
by Being Burned Alive in Their Rooms
From Which They Could Not Escape
---------------
The Fire the Work of an Unknown Fiend
Who Fired the House In the Rear and Cut Off Their Escape
By the Stairway Which Led from the Kitchen to the Room
Occupied By Them In The Second Story,
the Stairs Being Burned Before They Knew It
--------------------
Their Charred Remains Recovered from the Ruins
and a Post-Mortem Held, Which Revealed
a Long Cut on The Left Breast of One of the Girls
----------------------------
This Added to the Finding of a Large Knife
Near Where Their Bodies Were Recovered,
Given Rise to the Suspicion
----------
That The House Was Set On Fire
for the Purpose of Obliterating All Traces of a
Darker and More Dreadful Crime � Full Particulars of the Awful Affair
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(From Daily Democrat of Monday, October 1)
          The feeble tones of the old cracked tea-kettle, which the penuriousness of the City Council has made do duty as a fire bell, disturbed the slumbers of a few light sleepers in the immediate vicinity of the engine house about half past five o�clock yesterday morning, but gave no warnings of the large majority of our citizens of the awful tragedy which it was heralding, and thousands knew not until hours later that two human souls had been violently separated from their earthly tenements and borne to judgment on fiery wings of flame, while all that was mortal to them was represented by two shapeless, horrible, charred and smoking masses of flesh and calcined bones, which were rescued only by the hardest work from their glowing bed of burning coals. The names of these poor unfortunate were FLORA GARRETT AND MAGGIE WELLS. Flora is said to have been about twenty years of age, and her home is in the immediate vicinity of St. Paul. She came here last Wednesday and entered the house formerly presided over by Mrs. Henry, where she met her death. Maggie Wells was about eighteen years of age, but was one of the toughest of the tough, and came here from Columbus, where her relatives live, a week ago last Tuesday and entering the same house which was then, and until this morning, in charge of Ida Moore, alias Kitty Wells. Kitty, as she is known, came here from Indianapolis about eight months ago, and as said above, took charge of the "castle" about two weeks ago. The house is situated at the extreme south end of Vine street, close to the J.M. & I. Railroad. It was a two story frame, with two rooms down stairs and the same number above, both pair being connected with each other by a door. In the rear was a one story addition divided by a partition, the north room, which extended out even with the front, part having been used as a kitchen, and the south room which projected several feet beyond the balance of the structure was used as a woodhouse.

THE STAIRWAY
          Led up from the kitchen to the back room up stairs which had no windows in it, and which was rendered still more of a trap by the door which opened into the front room where there was a window, being fastened by a hasp and padlock This room had been reserved by Mrs. Henry, the former proprietress, and contained a lot of her goods, and in her absence she kept it locked as above stated. About eight o�clock Sunday morning the Democrat man found Kitty Wells at the residence of Lou Mahurder, on the northeast corner of Vine and Franklin streets, and from her learned the following which she afterwards testified to without material change, before Justice George M. Wright, acting Coroner.

IDA MOORE�S TESTIMONY
          "My real name is Ida Moore, and I lived in the property known as the Henry Property. Two other �ladies� lived in the house with me; Flora Garrett and Maggie Wells. Last night Nelson Purdham and Fred Tormehlen came down, and some time after that, I think about twelve o�clock, a party of four came in, consisting of George Lawrence, Clint Farley, Charlie Wilson and Fred Flohr. I don�t know certain whether any of them were intoxicated or not, but Fred Flohr had a bottle of whiskey, which was passed around among them. No disturbance occurred while they were there, and soon after they left we retired. Nelson Purdham and myself occupied the front room downstairs, and Fred Tormehlen the room just back. The two girls, Flora and Maggie went upstairs, their beds being in the back room. About five or half past five o�clock in the morning I was awakened by the screams of the girls upstairs, and I got up and started to go to them, going through the room where Tormehlen had gone to bed, but I did not see him then. Going on to the east side of the room I opened the door which led into the kitchen and then I saw the whole rear end of the house was on fire. I shut the door and ran back into the front room and out onto the street, and then I saw Tormehlen trying to get some of the things out of the house. I did not hear the girls after I had got out but a minute or two.

THE ABOVE
          In all probability, is a very bare as well as very brief outline of what occurred in the notorious den, now swept out of existence, Saturday night. Tormehlen, in his testimony given before the Coroner, added something to it, although it is hardly more intelligible than was his speech while on the witness stand. He, in answer to questions put to him by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Albert F. Wray, undertook to give a detailed account of himself and his doings Saturday night from the time that he started out after supper until he awoke from his drunken slumber at an early hour yesterday morning. His testimony is principally a record of his peregrinations from one saloon to another, interspersed with divers drinks and sundry games of pool, and finally his meeting, by appointment, with Nelson Purdham and their visit to the maison de joie of their mutual friend Kitty Wells. Tangled up with this interesting (?) record of how he got full and then went to a bawdy house is a lot of disjointed, unintelligible stuff, which may, however, prove of the very greatest importance of how he met a man whose name he thinks was John Moore, who resides in Indianapolis, and who is said to be the husband of Ida Moore, known in this connection as Kitty Wells, and who came down here on the noon train on Saturday and met him at the depot that night where, Tormehlen says, he questioned him as to how many police were on duty in Shelbyville; where Hardebeck�s saloon was, and other important questions. Tormehlen seemed to have a very poor opinion of Moore, and said last he might have got a lot of stuff and piled it under the shanty occupied by his Kittinesh wife and set fire to it, and, in fact, remarked the same to his friend Purdham, when they left the ruins of the Henry mansion Sunday morning. Tormehlen�s testimony as to what occurred in the house before they all retired differed from that given by Kitty Wells in this, that when the girls started to go through the room occupied by him on their way upstairs to bed, he tried to induce one of them to remain with him, but they refused, and he then,

"Just In Fun"
grabbed a necklace from Flora Garrett and put it around his neck. This, he says, made her mad, but he kept the necklace anyhow, and they then left him and went on upstairs to bed. The next thing he knew, as he testified, he woke up almost in the fire, and barely made his escape. Purdham was not examined, but yesterday evening, after being released from custody in the sum of $100, in default of which amount his partner, Tormehlen, went to jail, he declared that considerable more trouble than testified to by Tormehlen took place between the latter and the owner of the necklace, and to use his own words, "there was a h�l of a racket in there." As to whether the "racket" was limited to words or proceeded to blows has not yet been made clear, and may prove to be another very important point in this dreadful matter. Later in the evening Purdham�s bondsman, whom he had promised security gave him up for his failure to do so, and he was locked up.

THE DEATH TRAP
          Kitty Wells testified that she was awakened by the screams of the girls upstairs, and that she tried to get to them but could not, and that she did not hear them but a minute after she got our of the house. This is the very brief account she gave of the horror, and she gave it in the same tone of voice and with as little apparent feeling as she would have displayed in detailing the most trivial matter. How little her idea of her short and unfeeling account gives of the agonizing hopes and fears, and prayers and tears of the two poor unfortunates who died like rats in a trap in the most dreadful mental as well as physical agony! Retiring without a thought of the awful fate, which awaited them, they awoke only to find the grim monster Death staring them in the face in his most hideous proportions. How their hearts must have sunk when they opened their door and found instead of a way to escape a gulf of fire!

ESCAPE FROM THE WINDOWS!
          Impossible! There were none in the room. But the door which led to the front room, that would enable them to escape by giving them access to the windows from which they could easily escape. Alas! That avenue was also closed, and the heavy fastenings which served so well to guard the contents of that room proved too strong for their puny strength, though doubled by desperation, and then Death appeared to them in all his terror, and their dreadful screams, not for help then, but screams of horror at the awful shape which confronted and claimed them as his prey, rang but above the roar and crackle of the devouring flames, piercing the ears and hearts of those who heard as the despairing cry of a lost soul.

THUS THEY MET THEIR DEATH
          And we can only hope that the God into whose presence they were hurried unshriven, will prove merciful.
          Only a few small articles were gotten out of the house, which burned like tender, and not until every particle of combustible material had been consumed and nothing left but a glowing bed of coals thinly covered with ashes, were the bodies recovered, and the sight they presented was a dreadful one.   They were lying several feet apart and presented but the slightest semblance of humanity. All that was left of them was that portion of the body from the shoulders down to the knees, the other portions being completely incinerated. The body of one was burned until it resembled a piece of charcoal which presented a faint outline of the human form, while the other, though on the surface as black as coal, was not so completely charred as the first. Both were placed in a box and removed to the undertaking establishment of D. B. Wilson & Son.

THE POST MORTEM
          Here a post mortem was held by Dr. J. P. Robins and Dr. T. C. Kennedy on the body of the one which has been the least burned, and it revealed an incision several inches in length across the left breast which the examining physicians were unanimous in declaring had been caused by some sharp instrument. The wound however, was not sufficient in itself to have produced death, which undoubtedly proceeded from suffocation, as was made evident from the engorged condition of the heart and other blood vessels. The pulmonary artery was cut and showed the heart to be full of blood, which would not have been the case had the cut mentioned penetrated to any of the vital parts. But how came it there? And was it inflicted with the knife, which was found in the embers within a few feet of where the bodies lay?

THESE ARE QUESTIONS
          Which the coroner will do his best to elucidate, and it is the sentiment of all our citizens that no expense should be spared to unravel the mystery of this horror. The inquest is now being held before Justice Wright, who is acting as coroner during the sickness of the regular incumbent.

(From Daily Democrat Tuesday, October 2)
          The inquest which adjourned after the examination of two witnesses Sunday, whose testimony was given in Monday�s issue, was resumed at two o�clock yesterday, and Tom Smith, who was with Tormehlen the night the house was burned, was placed on the stand. He testified that he and Tormehlen were met at the depot Saturday afternoon by a stranger, who gave his name as Dr. Jenkins, and who came up to them at the depot and engaged them in conversation, afterwards inviting them to drink with him. Smith testified that he met the same party in the evening near the Keck House, which is in the vicinity of the house burned, and Smith says that he was standing looking at the house. After taking a drink together Jenkins exhibited to Smith a revolver and slung-shot, which he said he had laid up for Purdham. Jenkins said that some time ago he was at Kate Hoyt�s and there he met Purdham�s girl. Here the inquest was interrupted by an alarm of fire, and on recommencing Smith was not present, and Mrs. Henry, the former proprietress of the house, was put on the stand and questioned in regard to the arrangement of the house. The knife found was then shown her and she failed to identify it, on account of the handle being burned off, but she said she had a knife of that description which she kept in her bureau in her room.

TOM SMITH RECALLED
          He then asked me how many police were on duty here at night. I told him, and he said: "Oh, I haven�t anything particular against Purdham, but I�ll get even with him and Kitty Wells too." My brother then called me to come and go to supper and I left. I helped take the bodies out of the ruins; they were almost twelve feet apart.

DICK GOODRICH
          Was at the fire Sunday morning. There were about 100 persons there. The house was most gone when I got there. I helped to remove the bodies. One lying on each side of the house. One was lying in the middle of the irons of the bed, as if she had been lying on the bed and lain there until bed and all came down to the ground. (This goes against the theory that both girls were up and striving to escape during the fire, and is a strong point for the claim that one at least was murdered)

LOU RICHARDSON
          Live near the house that was burned, and was there at the fire when the back part of the house was almost gone. Saw good many there; saw Kitty Wells standing with another girl near the house; saw bodies, and both were lying with their heads to the west. About 4 o�clock I woke up and saw fire and heard somebody laugh in direction of fire, and thinking it was a bonfire, I went back to bed and didn�t get up until about five o�clock. Think they were men.

A .J. GORGAS
          Was at fire at Mrs. Henry�s Sunday morning. I got there about 5 a.m. There were forty of fifty persons there. The roof and first floors were burned; the scantling were still standing on part of the house; back part of house was all gone; was there when bodies were removed; saw Kitty Wells, and she said two girls had been burned. The bodies lay with heads to west and about three feet in from the sills of the house. Saw no straw under either body.

JOHN DEITZER
          Was at fire. Got there about 4:45 a.m. About six or eight there. Saw Purdham, Tormehlen and Kitty Wells there. Purdham and Tormehlen were putting on their clothes. Kitty was walking up and down the street. Back part of house was burned almost down. Main part of building had just caught fire. Front windows was broken out. Live about 100 yards away from house. Fire was all along east end of house. When I looked out of my house I saw a man breaking in upstairs window. That was Mr. Cunningham. Staid there until house burned clear down. Saw Tormehlen at fire and he said that some women had burned to death. I asked him how he knew and he said he was up there and that they had fainted and were laying on the floor. He didn�t say that he tried to get them out, but just said that they had fainted and he had left them lying on the floor.

THOMAS CUNNINGHAM
          Live directly opposite house that burned. Got there between four and five a.m. at fire. Saw fire from my window before I went out, and the fire was at rear end of house on south side. Saw fire in the inside of woodhouse through the cracks. Heard no screams. Met Tormehlen trying to break in window upstairs when I went out. Tormehlen said some girls were burning to death upstairs. I asked him why he didn�t get them out, and he said that they had fainted. I heard him tell John Deitzer the same thing. When I went over to the fire the north part of the rear end of the house was all burned off, while the south portion of the rear end was still standing. (The portion burned first was where the stairway was located.)

KITTY WELLS
          The bed in middle room down stairs was in southeast corner, the head standing to the west against the wall. Bed upstairs was in southwest. Had no stove pipes upstairs. There was a stove in the middle room down stairs in northeast corner. Stove in kitchen was in the northeast corner. Last had fire in the middle room last Friday. In kitchen stove had fire last time about three o�clock Saturday afternoon. There was a stand, clock, some bed clothes and two or three pillows saved. The pillows were large and stuffed with straw. Would know pillows if I should see them. Pillows produced and identified. They belonged on my bed. They were not on my bed that night. They were on the floor near the front door. (Here a pillow with blood on was shown witness, and she explained the blood by saying that she had used them when she was "sick.") I had no weapons of my own about the house.

NELSON PURDHAM
          Was at Hardebeck�s saloon until 11:30 p.m. Saturday night. Then left and got shaved, and after going around several places, I met Tormehlen at Mooney�s saloon between 12 and 1 o�clock, where he gave me a false beard and I put it on and changed coats and hats with him and then went down to Kitty Wells. Took off beard when I was in there a few minutes. Saw whiskers laying on bureau when I escaped from the burning house in the morning. When I went to Kitty�s there were Charles Wilson, Clint Farley, Fred Flohr and another fellow there. Flohr had a bottle with him and several of the boys drank with him, but not one of the three girls would drink. The boys named stayed there until almost 1 o�clock. Tormehlen, Flora Garrett and Maggie Wells were all in middle room down stairs, and Flora and Tormehlen had a little struggle over a necklace which was broken in the struggle. She got mad, but did not say much. She came out into the front room and stayed there until she went to bed. Heard them in the middle room talking and I went to see what they were doing. Tormehlen was trying to get one of the girls to stay down stairs with him, but neither of them would do so. Flohr and his party left a little after one o�clock. When the girls started to bed they didn�t stop in the middle room where Tormehlen was, long. I was awakened by Kitty Wells in morning. When I got out I heard the girls screaming upstairs. I didn�t notice middle room when I went out. The whole back part of the house was on fire. Just as I got out of bed Tormehlen came out into front room. He had his pants on. When he opened door I saw fire in the room he came out of, and also around the door he came through. When I got outside I put on my pants and then went back and got my cuffs, and then I went out and got dressed. Heard screams when I first went out, but did not hear any when I came out with my cuffs. Tormehlen was outside dressing. (Here whiskers were produced and identified. A large revolver was then shown witness which he identified as having had in his possession when he went to bed. Another smaller revolver was then shown witness, and also the knife before mentioned, which he said he knew nothing about. Witness here denied that he had remarked yesterday as Tormehlen went past him, "you s-n b---h, I saved you from burning up") I saw Tom Smith Saturday afternoon with stranger in saloon where I am employed. He and Tom had several beers at saloon. Saw Tormehlen at saloon about nine o�clock p.m. Saturday night. He did not stay long, and left to get some false whiskers. I saw him again between 11 and 12 o�clock and told him I would meet him at Mooney�s saloon as soon as I got shaved. Last time I saw stranger with Tom Smith was about 5 o�clock p.m. Saturday night. Tom told me Saturday noon that the stranger had me "spotted."

DR. J. P. ROBINS
          I examined bodies of girls taken out of fire on Sunday, and found two cuts on left breast of one, but the wounds were not sufficient to have produced death. One cut was seven inches long. I examined lungs and heart and found both filled with blood. There was no evidence of injuries sufficient to cause death. The cuts were superficial. The shortest cut was three inches long and was under the arm. The fact that the lungs and heart were filled with blood would argue that death resulted from suffocation. The same condition of lungs and heart could have been produced by a heavy blow which would render the sufferer unconscious. My opinion is that the two girls died from suffocation. The bodies of those were females.

EMIL KOHLER
          Got to fire between four and five a.m. Saw Purdham, Tormehlen and Mr. Cunningham and Kitty Wells there. I live near by. The dogs woke me up and I looked out and saw fire at south side of house in the rear. The flames then were but little above the ground.

          Dr. Drake was then placed upon the stand and questioned upon the character of the blood upon the pillows mentioned and the examination was concluded and Tormehlen and Purdham were discharged from custody, there being no testimony that implicated either of them in the death of the two girls.
          One thing the testimony proved beyond any shadow of doubt was the fact that the house was set on fire, several witnesses, notably Cunningham, Kohler, Deitzer and several others testifying to seeing the fire in its incipiency, and all agree that it was first seen at the southeast corner of the one story addition in the rear which was used as a wood house. But who the incendiary was is yet, and may ever be, a profound mystery, as is the question of how or by whom the cuts found on the body of one of the girls were inflicted.
          Coroner Wright will return a verdict today to the effect that Flora Garrett and Maggie Wells came to their death by suffocation, caused by the smoke and flames proceeding from the house they occupied, which was set on fire by an unknown incendiary. As to the wounds on the body of one of the girls, supposed to be Flora Garrett, the Coroner will file with his verdict the post mortem report of Dr. James P. Robins and Dr. Thomas C. Kennedy, the examining physicians, giving a description of the wounds. This will settle the case of the present, but "murder will out," and it is thought that the incendiary to whose malignity two lives were sacrificed will sooner or later be brought to light and meter out merited punishment.
Contributed by Barb Huff for Cathy Neal

The Shelby Democrat
Thursday, April 29, 1880
Page 3, column 4
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BIRTHDAY DINNER
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On Friday last Mr. James S. Moore, of Hendricks township, reached his seventy-sixth birthday. His friends thought it an excellent opportunity to give the old man a "send-off," and assembled to the number of eighty-five to partake of a birthday dinner. An unusually rich and sumptuous repast was spread, and no party that ever got together enjoyed themselves better than did those we are speaking of. Among those present were eight children and nineteen grandchildren of Mr. Moore. We are indebted to our thoughtful friends for an abundant supply of cake, brought in by Mrs. Mary E. Fleming. Mr. Moore received a number of useful presents from his friends, among which may be mentioned a suit of clothes, given to him by Augustus Smith, David Talbott and Noble Collins. We join those present in wishing Mr. Moore a long and happy life, and hope he may pass his centennial birthday with utmost happiness and free from sickness or annoyance.
Submitted by Barb Huff

The Shelby Democrat Volunteer
Thursday, January 15, 1880
Page 2, column 3
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A GENEVA SENSATION
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On last Thursday Dr. Elijah Moore, of Geneva, was surprised to learn than an affidavit for bastardy had been filed against him by Miss Sarah Jane Hendrickson of Noble township. The doctor voluntarily went before Squire William Deiwert, of Norristown and entered unto a bond to the sum of $300 for his appearance in the Circuit Court to answer Miss Hendrickson's complaint. As Dr. Moore is well known in the neighborhood and is a married man, this affair has created considerable excitement in and about Geneva. The Doctor is the son of Mr. Simeon Moore, about twenty-eight years old and enjoys a good practice as a physician. The girl in the case is the daughter of Mrs. Betsy Hendrickson, a widow who lives near Geneva. She is about twenty-eight years old.
Contributed by Barb Huff

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