Midnight confession ends Keith's murder case in Indiana
Joseph Keith died at the northern Indiana prison at 12:24 a.m. Friday for the Nora Kifer murder near Elberfeld on April 3, 1900. He confessed, sang of going home, and faced execution bravely after prayer with his wife, son, and spiritual adviser. The condemned man admitted fear and self defense as motives and asked God to bless his wife and son.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Kifer
Elberfeld
Keith
Tie
R. H. Sanders
Steith
Reid
Barnard
Lewis
Sanders
Horn
Harry E. Morrison
Laporte
Durbin
Keiths Confession Reaches Warden Before Midnight
A man named Keith delivers a handwritten confession to Warden Reid addressed to his wife Jennie Keith. He speaks of grief and struggle within their troubled marriage, mentioning a divisive influence and calling his wife the light of their life amid sorrow.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
James
D. Reid
Keith's Crime: Circumstantial Evidence in Indictment
Joseph D. Keith, once a Warrick county figure, was convicted in a sensational Indiana case largely on circumstantial evidence. Nora Kifer, a farm girl, accused him after demanding money and threats to reveal their intimacy. A note summoned Nora to the canal bridge, where she disappeared and was found dead, with Keith linked by a chain of circumstantial facts.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Joseph D. Keith
Indiana
Keith
Nora Kifer
Warrick County
Elberfeld
Jesse
Canal Bridge
Nora
Peter “Hughes - ” Seith
Sal
Robbery bands scour Hammond and Tipton for cash
Two groups of masked, armed men abducted a farmer and his wife near Hammond Indiana and later tortured them to learn the hideout for money. In a separate incident near Tipton Indiana three robbers tortured David Honagre and his wife, stripping and binding them before fleeing. both men are in critical condition.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Johnson
Tipton
Ind
David Honagre
Here
Honagre
Noted Creek Murderer Keith Sentenced to Hang in 19th Century Case
The case details Nora Kifer's disappearance and Keith's arrest after her body was found in a creek. Bloodied pins, a rock tied to the neck, and a well burial supported the prosecution theory. Keith was convicted January 22 and sentenced to hang. appeal delayed the execution to November 15.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Keith
Canal Bridge
Nora Kifer
Strong Keith
Pigeon Creek
Supreme Court
Speculators Bet On Oats Market As Short Crop Hurts
Brokers track James A Patten's May delivery line amid an unsettled oats market. Government says US oat production this year totals 660 million bushels, 149 million below 1900, fueling belief there will be a shortage and high prices.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
James A. Patten
United States
Man hallucinates over New York woman in Indianapolis
E. E. Baker a music teacher calls police claiming Helen Gould of New York follows him for 12 years. Baker, living as a boarder at Demia Knapp’s Oak Street home, eats unusual meals and had planned lessons with Knapp who later extended to Battle Creek, Michigan. Knapp’s family notes Baker a recluse with peculiar eating, but otherwise a gentleman. Baker’s motives and identity linked to his financial state and loss of a potential pupil.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
B. Baker
Helen Gould
New York
Indianapolis
Demia
Knapp
Oak-st
Miss Knapp
Minnesota
Battle Creek
Mich
Aker
Baker
Mine Explosion Claims Six In West Virginia Mine
Bluefield West Virginia Nov 15 a mine explosion at the Baby mine killed six men named John Barnehart Lewis Woolwine M B Koontz Will Montgomery Stephen Utuca and an unidentified Hun. Rescue attempts earlier that day saved three injured workers who later died. Fire forced further entry and the death toll remained uncertain.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bluefield
W. Va
Baby Mine
Fisi
John Barnehart
Lewis Woolwine
M. B. Koontz
Will Montgomery
Stephen Utucca
Weather forecast for Indianapolis area upcoming weekend
Forecast for Indianapolis and vicinity calls for fair weather Friday night and Saturday with colder conditions. Temperatures rise from 28 at 7 am to 29 at noon and 2 pm. Also notes fair and cooler in Indiana and Illinois, with snow in northeastern Ohio and northern Michigan and northwest winds across the region.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Indiana
Ilinois
Ohio
Michigan
Kentucky
Attorneys Seek Oral Argument in Rinkard Hanging Case
Attorneys for Marion man John Rinkard asked the state supreme court for an oral argument on his pending hanging sentence and filed a reply brief. The defense centers on an insanity theory regarding the killing of his wife. Rinkard and Keith, the man hanged, were kept together in the Michigan City prison until the supreme court affirmed Keith’s sentence.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
John Rinkard
Marion
Supreme Court
Rinkard
Keith
Michigan City
James J Hill Elected President of Northern Securities
James J Hill, announced Friday, has been elected president of the Northern Securities Company, the new railroad combine formed in Jersey City with a capital of 400000. He was the leading figure in the Northwestern railroad war and now heads the controversial merged venture.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York
James J. Hill
Northern
New Railroad Combine
Jersey
Northwestern
Roosevelt to attend annual West Point Annapolis football game
Miss Alice Roosevelt and the president will attend the naval academy contest on Franklin Field. The event marks the first presidential presence at the annual gridiron clash between West Point and Annapolis teams.
City Life: Missionary Union Holds Semiannual Meeting
Social union notes its semiannual meeting held Thursday with discussion of plans and community activities. Members, including local leaders, gathered to share updates and organize forthcoming events.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Feunion
Strangling Murders Deepest Indiana Mystery
Evansville authorities face four day stalemate as Mrs. Georgia Bailey and Nora Renner are found strangled. Burglarized rooms yielded letters and an album but no robbing motive. Suspects include a young man with an alibi, while rumors link another man to Renner. No services held for Renner. burial in St Joseph’s cemetery.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Evansville
Ind
Georgia Bailey
Nora Renner
Renner
Kifer
Bailey
Len Renner
Lena Rentier
St. Joseph’s Cemetery
Body found in college steps identified as father's
Two Oaklandon men named Sergeant and Rinkard reported a body they identified as Sergeant's father, buried at Oaklandon two weeks earlier. They obtained a search warrant and removed the body from Central Medical College, claiming it was stolen by ghouls. College officials say the body appeared on the back steps with unclear manner of placement.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sergeant
Rinkard
Oaklandon
Central Medical College
Chandler to surrender bicycles from decoration day race suit
Archie A. Chandler agrees to surrender two bicycles awarded as first and time prizes after a suit from Jim S. Stout’s court moved to the superior court. Chandler had led the race but was accused of cheating. his attorney says the surrender is not an admission of cheating but a lack of funds to continue the appeal.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Archie A. Chandler
Jim Sse Stout
Chandler
Stout
Men Bound Over In Murder Case At Norfolk Court
In Norfolk court Friday morning a rough file of testimony tied Robert Smith and William Green to the murder of Mac Burnham last Wednesday at 326 Chesapeake. Smith is bound over to the grand jury on murder with a $2,000 bond. Green on $250 bond. A state witness is present.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Tony
Nolice Court
Mac ‘Burnham
Chesapeake
Robert ‘Smith
William Green
Ssmith
Fhurder
Green
Utah Quakes Do Major Damage Across State
Salt Lake City reports half a million dollars in damage from a series of earthquakes that struck Utah from Wednesday night into Thursday forenoon. Richfield, Sevier County, Monroe, Joseph, Kimberley and Moab saw collapsed walls, wrecked homes, and opened chasms with several hot springs altered. no fatalities reported.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Salt Lake
Utah
Salt Lake City
Richfield
Sevier County
Mormon Tabernacle
Monroe
Orson Bagley
Joseph
Annie Laurie
Gold Mountain
Kimberley
Moab
Irvington Pavement Contract Upheld By Court
The New Jersey Supreme Court affirming a lower ruling held the 18s Barrett law based contract for brick pavement on Washington street valid. Owners abutting the project must pay. the guaranty clause was deemed essential and inseparable from the contract, not a repair obligation, and the judgment is affirmed.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Irvington
Washington St
Supreme Court
Hadley
Board of Trustees
Barrett
Stepmother Liable For Brutal Punishment Of 13-Year-Old Daughter
Lena Treschman of Tippecanoe county must pay 2675 dollars after her stepdaughter Edith, aged 13, was struck against a brick wall causing brain injury and possible blindness. The appellate court, in Judge Robinson's opinion, rules against the notion that a stepparent lacks liability and affirms the trial verdict. The decision states stepfathers and stepmothers stand in loco parentis in a limited sense but cannot shield abuse from legal consequence.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lena Treschman
Tippecanoe County
Edith Treschman
Robinson
City seeks funds for engineers, repairs and bridges
Council faces a demand for seven thousand six hundred dollars in a special appropriation and two thousand five hundred dollars moved from the sprinkling fund to the street sweeping fund. Breunig says the money is needed for the city engineer's salary, public buildings repairs, and street and bridge work.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Breunig
Saved by a Dog in Fire at Misouri Street
The Dalton family home at 721 Misouri Street awoke near 2 a.m. Friday to a fire rearward of the house. A large mastiff dog in the front yard barked and scratched, waking John Dalton and enabling him to rouse his family and escape. The house and furniture loss is estimated at 1,200 dollars.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
John Dalton
Park board to build toboggan slide shelter house
Indianapolis youngsters will be tickled by the Sun's report that the park board decided on Friday to erect a shelter-house at the toboggan slide in Military Park. Nothing like this had been done there before.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Indianapolis
Park Board
Three Turnkeys Board Reassign Police Officials
The Board of Safety voted Friday morning to assign three desk sergeants and three turnkeys at police headquarters. Sergts Lowe Long Corrigan Crane Bray and Shafer were reassigned as turnkeys and desk sergeants. White promoted to sergeant. Three 1899 entente retrials Ira Leet C W Rockafellow and William Cox reinstated. Schwab ten battle duty placed outside. J V R Allen republican reinstated on fire department to fill future vacancy.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Board of Safety
Lowe
Long
A. C. Shafer
J. J. Corrigan
L. Crane
Ed Bray
W. ©. White
Ira Leet
C. W. Rockafellow
William Cox
Sergt. Schwab
J. V. R. Allen
Inspectors Cut To Ten In City Repairs Plan
Mayor Bookwalter indicates city inspector numbers will drop from seventeen to ten as budget cuts hit the street repair force. Most crews have been discharged, leaving only one man on the gang and sparking local discontent over job losses and delayed maintenance.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bookwalter
Ier
Also Mentioned on This Page
Joe Keith
Joseph Keith
Northern Indiana
Peter Hedge
Perj Red
Jennie Keith
Jesse Keith
Jesus
Warden Reid
Chicago
Hammond
Michael Johnson
Miles
Calumet
Charles. E. Coots
Fire Department
E. E. Baker
West Virginia
Morgan’s
New ‘Trust
Pigskin Kickers
Froosevelt
the Sun
City Life
Clara L. Shank Et al
William C. Smith
Smith
Breunig Ovens
John
Dalton
Power
Biotel
Femuit
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