The Daily Register - Mt. Vernon, IL - February 18, 1904

Ben Hur Box Social

The Ben Hur box social at the Red Men's hall Wednesday night was an unusually interesting affair, and the crowd was good considering the unpleasant condition of the weather. A program had been arranged and was successfully carried out. The contests proved an interesting feature of the evening.

For the ugliest man present, Frank SNYDER received 350 votes, Chas. WIGGINTON 300, which made Mr. SNYDER an easy victor. For the handsomest young, Miss Blanche GOODNER was awarded the cake. For the best looking married lady present, Mrs. Joe MARSHALL received 800 votes, and Mrs. B. F. EAGLER 750. Mrs. MARSHALL was declared the winner in the contest. Each candidate received a cake as a prize.

The Daily Register - Mt. Vernon, IL - February 18, 1904

FINDS UNKNOWN RELATIVES - Elder J. S. ROSE Locates them at Mt. Vernon, Ind.

Elder J. S. ROSE has returned from a visit to Mt. Vernon, Ind., where he went in search of relatives whom he heard were located there. He found an Aunt, Mrs. Cynthia A. GRANT, who was before unknown to him, and through this aunt an unknown uncle was found.

Mrs. GRANT had in her possession the family Bible which belonged to the grandfather of Elder ROSE, and in this Bible was found entries of 24 births of the 29 children born to his grandfather. Three children were born before a record was started. and two died in infancy. The first entry was made October 31st, 1797.

Elder ROSE's grandfather's name was Thos. ROSE, and was a native of Georgia. All of the children of Thos. ROSE were born in Kentucky. Mr. ROSE moved to Kentucky during the dark days, and was captured by the Indians and compelled to live with them for a long time.

The Daily Register - Mt. Vernon, IL - Saturday, March 19, 1904

Sebern Kirk Shoots Arthur Odell

About 1 o'clock Friday afternoon Sebern KIRK was standing in from of the post office at Ina, talking to a friend, and Arthur ODELL came up to the men telling KIRK's friend that a man down the street wanted to see him, whereupon he walked away leaving KIRK and ODELL alone. ODELL started a conversation with KIRK saying "I never will speak to you again for the way you treated me last Sunday", and with the remark added some very harsh words and to emphasize his feelings he drew a knife and stabbed KIRK in the back. KIRK in return drew a revolver and fired three shots, two taking effect, one passing through ODELL's hand and the other enter his back penetrating a kidney. There was some difficulty between the men last Sunday and KIRK has avoided ODELL, not wanting to have further trouble with him.

The reports that have come to the REGISTER pertaining to the affair put ODELL in a bad light and make it appear that KIRK did the shooting in self defense. KIRK was in this city Saturday morning, but his victim is so seriously wounded that he not able to get away from his home. KIRK is a peaceable man and does not look for trouble, while ODELL has a reputation of being a dangerous man.

The Daily Register - June 7, 1904 - Mt. Vernon, IL

A BUNCH OF RELICS - Miss Laura Satterfield Has an Interesting Collection

Miss Laura SATTERFIELD of this city has a collection of relics of bygone days that is most interesting, among which is the sword carried by her father, J. S. SATTERFIELD, who was a sergeant in the Black Hawk War, and also a diary of his travels during the war.

In Miss SATTERFIELD collection are two very old books, " An Extract of the Rev. John WESLEY's Journal from his Embarking for Georgia to his Return to London" is the name of one, and the date in this book is January 21, 1796. The other book is a compendium of information, and almost every subject is treated, this book was printed in 1770.

Two bread bakers, one more than 100 years old, and the other which was used by her parents, are interesting parts of the collection. The bakers are peculiar looking cooking utensils, but they were in their day, very useful.

Part of the relics were owned by Uncle Neddie MAXEY, who raised Miss SATTERFIELD's father, and passed them down to him. The most unique piece in the lot is an agreement with Edward MAXEY, who was employed as a school teacher: the school article as it was called, is here given.

Articles of agreement between Edward MAXEY of the one part, and the under subscribers of the other part all of the County of Jefferson and State of Illinois, witnesseth, That the said MAXEY binds himself to teach a school of reading, writing and arithmetic at the cabin built by Allen WILKERSON, of the space of four months and a half, To begin the first day of May next and to attend the same five days in each week, or make up any time he may lose and to learn each scholar sent to him according to his best skill and their several capacities. And we the said employers do bind ourselves to put said house in repair and to furnish the scholars with suitable books, And to pay said MAXEY at the close of the school for each scholar one dollar in cash and two dollars in corn, cotton, pork or young cattle, to be delivered at his MAXEY's house.

In testimony whereof I the said MAXEY and his employers have hereunto set our hands this 26th day of April, 1827......... EDWARD MAXEY

Azrih BRUCE, 1
James JOHNSON, 2
John ROBERSON, 1
Jonathan WELLS, 1
Lewis JOHNSON, 1
Thos. BADGETT, 1/2
James GREEN, Jr., 2
Jas. WILBANKS, 2/3
Wm. MAXEY, 1 1/2
A. BUFFINGTON, 2
Richard BULLOCK, 1
David HOBBS, 1
James JOHNSON, 2
Harvey B. MAXEY, 1
Zadok CASEY, 1
Enoch HOLTSCLAW, 1
John WILKERSON, 1
Martin CASEY, 1
Jno. M. PACE, 2/3
Asahel BATEMAN, 1
Abraham CASEY
Elihu MAXEY, 1/2

(There is no indication what the numbers mean.)

The Daily Register - July 30, 1904 - Mt. Vernon, IL

"DISHONORED AND DISGRACED" - So Says the Mt. Vernon Times, of the County Democracy, and Gives -
THE FACTS IN MOORE'S PRAIRIE FRAUDS. List of Sixty-One Men on the Poll Books, Who Were Not at the Primary.

The Mt. Vernon Times had its inning Friday. Previous to then it had not taken sides in the WELLS-SMITH contest, but the nerve of the News the day after the nearing in commanding Mr. WELLS to lay down was more than the Times editor could stand, and without waiting for the evidence to be given before the tribunal, gives a foretaste so that the brethren may know what to expect.

The Times started out by summarizing a column editorial in the News; in substance, that Mr. WELLS should give up and "help the 'gang' to cover up the infamous fraud perpetrated in Moore's Prairie Township and 'whoop her up' for the ticket, indorsing and approving forgery, false returns, falsified certificates, the fraudulent voting of men who were not in the county or state, men who were dead and the wholesale fraudulent scheme by which the nomination was stolen from him and the Democracy of the county dishonored and disgraced."

If this is not specific enough, the Times published the following certificate of forty-three Democrats who were recorded on the poll books as voting:

Moore's Prairie, Ill., May 17th, 1904 - This county is to certify that the undersigned are Democrats and legal voters of Moore's Prairie Township, Jefferson County, Illinois, and that we did not attend or vote at the Democratic primary election held in said township on May 7th, 1904:

Dallas BUMPUS, Judd SMITH, Thomas ATCHISON, L. C. COCKRUM, Thomas E. HOPPER, W. H. CHAMBERS, J. M. PICKETT, Oscar COCKRUM, L. E. COCKRUM, L. WHEELER, Wm. JONES, Charles JONES, J. M. COCKRUM, C. L. COCKRUM, C. E. MOORE, J. H. STRINGFIELD, J. E. KNIFFEN, John MARTIN, John LOEHR, Fred CASEY, F. S. COMPTON, Otis LOVIN, T. A. TURNER, M. V. TURNER, T. R. TUCKER, Calvin TUCKER, Joseph TUCKER, W. J. GIFFORD, J. H. JONES, C. COCKRUM, L. G. COOK, C. B. MORGAN, L. GLENN, E. R. YATES, Lewis ANDERSON, T. M. THOMAS, John GLENN, F. M. KINNISON, Charles LOWERY, J. H. WINKLER, Jerry TUCKER, William WEBB, L. P. WEBB.

Besides these the Times adds eighteen other who did not vote. - A. J. LOVIN, J. W. WILLIFORD, W. A. WILLIFORD, A. ATCHISON, John SNODSMITH, Henry LEMKE, and H. SNODSMITH (this last name is that of a man who had been dead several months), James WILLIS, S. MERRILL, A. KENNEDY, J. G. COCHRAN, A. F. BOUDINOT, Tillman SHIRLEY, Wm. SHIRLEY, J. G. HOLLAND, Chas. NANCE, Geo. HOLLEY, Chas. LYNCH, Sam KINNISON, (Sam KINNISON lived in Hamilton County), and several other who did not vote.

The Times stands square-toed for an investigation without any of the stage fright which attacks the News every time an investigation is rumored. The News objects to the "airing of the dirty linen" of the Democratic party and says it is usually too large a job for any party to undertake. It is true that it is sometimes a big job but the bigger the pile of linen and the more dirt and stench that has accumulated the more need of the airing. Let the air and sunlight of investigation be turned on the dirty linen of the party in this county and see who is to blame for its becoming a stench to decent Democrats.

Say Poll Book is False

According to another editorial in the Times, Kirby SMITH charges fraud in Spring Garden Township against himself, but this Mr. SMITH in conversation with the REGISTER denies. Furthermore, he added that if there is any poll book in the contestant's possession, as he claims, it has been made up since the day of the primary. He says that he has no charges to prefer, and will abide by the central committees decision.