(RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) 1150 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. "COMMITTED" TO JAIL.—The entire crowd of intensely interested "eels," the writer included, followed the marshal and his "prisoner" to the office of Mayor Nash. The mayor gravely read the warrant to the "prisoner," charging him, under the name of " John Doe," "Richard Roe" or some other equally accurate cognomen, with having forged the name of some other equally mythical personage to a bank check. To this charge the "culprit" put in an emphatic plea of "not guilty," and waived an examination, whereupon His Honor required him to enter into bonds in the sum of $1,000, for his appearance before the Court of Common Pleas, and in default of bail filled out a mittimus in due form committing him to jail. Saying that he would be all right as soon as he could get word to his brother, a wealthy merchant at Canal Dover, he started with Marshal Wright and myself for the jail—the handcuffs, of course, being removed on leaving the mayor's office and getting beyond the observation of the keen-sighted and highly interested "eels." THE PUMPING PROCESS.—At that time every cell in the jail was occupied, and it would never do to put a "criminal" of that grade in so insecure a place as the "Debtor's Room" on the upper floor. So it was arranged to have the new man bunk in with Foster, as being the previous Latest comer. Of course, the reader understands by this time that the supposititious forger is our detective friend, Robeson. Foster at once "took" to him, confiding to the stranger everything he knew about either himself or his friends, while in turn the stranger told Foster everything he knew, and probably several things that he didn't know. A number of other prisoners also sought the confidence of the new, but jolly and wide-awake, "prisoner," and made certain revelations to him which were afterwards of great value to the officers, Robeson possessing one of the most retentive memories, as to names, places and dates, of any person that I ever knew. He remained in the jail, living upon regular jail rations, and submitting to prison regulations and accomodations, for two days, until, by a preconcerted signal, he intimated to me that he had thoroughly mastered the situation, when I handed in to him what purported to be a letter from his brother, enclosing a certificate of deposit for $1,000 for him to deposit with the clerk of the Court, in lieu of bail, for his appearance for trial. A COMPLETE SUCCESS.—On reaching my office, in the court house, Robeson gave to myself and Deputy Townsend a full history of his 'experience while in "durance vile." Foster told him that he had a brother at Franklin Mills, who with certain confederates, were carrying on quite an extensive store-cracking business, and who then had in their possession large quantities of different kinds of merchandise. To this brother Foster gave Robeson, under his prison cognomen, a letter of introduction, together with minute directions for the fabrication of a saw, with which to work himself out of jail, in case an indictment should be found against him. Having a matter of business to look after in the neighborhood of Ravenna, I dispatched Deputy Townsend thither, with that well-remembered span of gray horses I then owned, taking Robeson with him to within a short distance of the village of Franklin Mills, with the understanding that he would pick him up at the same point on his return to Akron the next morning. Though BURGLARS HANDSOMELY NABBED - 1151 quite dark when he walked into the village, Robeson had no difficulty in finding the Foster domicile, so minute had been the directions given him by his late room-mate in the Summit county bastile. On presenting his credentials, Robeson was received with open arms, as it were, by the brother and his family, including a brother-in-law confederate. During the evening they not only opened up to Robeson in regard to their crooked operations, but absolutely made arrangements to transfer to him, for a stipulated cash equivalent, a large quantity of boots and shoes, to be delivered at the hotel in Clinton, in the south part of Summit county, at a given time. HE FAILS TO " MATERIALIZE." —The day agreed upon duly arrived, and so did the " Commercial Travelers," with several large trunks full of boots and shoes. These were taken into the parlor of the hotel, while their team was taken to the barn by the ever-attentive hostler. But for some (to them) unaccountable reason their expected "cash customer " failed to put in appearance. Not so, however, with Marshal Wright and Deputy Sheriff Townsend. Having approached the village, on an indirect and somewhat obscure road, they had taken the precaution to leave the gray team a short distance Out of town and had managed to reach the hotel unobserved. As they entered the sitting room, though utter strangers to the Franklinites, those gentlemen instinctively scented danger and hastily retreated from the room —one breaking for the rear and the other for the front door of the hall. Wright overhauled the one just as he was passing through the back door, while Townsend froze to other as he was climbing over the railing to the front platform. They both struggled desperately, but the officers were too much for them. They were securely ironed and, with their plunder, taken to Ravenna and delivered to the authorities of Portage county. Of this arrest, the BEACON of February 16, 1859, (A. H. Lewis, Esq., editor), said : "On Thursday last, Deputy Sheriff Townsend and Marshal J. J. Wright, arrested at Clinton, in this county, two men named Foster and Clark, charged with robbing with robbing the store of Coffin & Co., in Ravenna, some weeks ago. The prisoners, and some $400 worth of boots and shoes,which were recognized as belonging to Enos & Martin, of the former place, were taken to Ravenna, and as they waived an examination, Justice Conant held them in $1,000 each for appearance at the next term, for that burglary. In default they were committed to jail. Our detectives are as keen at scenting scoundrels as terriers after a rat ; and they r6-rely fail, if any game is within their bailiwick." TRIAL—CONVICTION—SENTENCE.—The two men thus handsomely nabbed, were respectively named, William H. Foster and Charles Clark, and at the February term of the Court of Common Pleas of Portage county, for 1859, they were jointly indicted for both burglary and larceny, and for receiving and concealing stolen goods the property of the boot and shoe firm of Enos & Martin. The proof as to their having actually entered the store, and personally stolen and carried away the goods, being a little obscure, while the fact of their having the goods in their possession was abundantly evident, they were convicted upon the latter charge, only, and sentenced to the Penitentiary for three years each. The reading of this article, if they are still living, and it should perchance fall under their observation, will probably give them their first inkling as to why their anticipated purchaser failed to 1152 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. come to time, and how it happened that the Summit county officers appeared upon the scene just in the nick of time to "gobble them up" witli the evidence of their guilt so conspicuously palpable. THE ORIGINAL FOSTER GOES Scow FREE.—The original Foster arrested by Wright and Burlison upon the fair grounds, for passing counterfeit money, was not indicted by the grand jury of this county, no other spurious money having been found about his person or belongings, and the evidence being not at all conclusive that he was aware that the bill passed by him was other than genuine; but if he ever "caught on" to the little game that was played on him by " weuns" and our friend Robeson, it probably taught him not to "talk too much with his mouth "even to a supposed kindred spirit, occupying jointly with himself a felon's cell. " LISHE " WAIT AND GEORGE SAPP.—Among Northampton's "celebrities," from 1850 to 1860, was "Lishe" Wait, who was not only extremely fond of whisky, but also possessed of an inordinate desire to finger other people's belongings. Though often in "durance vile" on serious charges "Lishe" was generally sharp enough to escape conviction, or at least get off' with very light penalties. Far less sharp, but equally inclined to whisky-guzzling and crookedness, was George Sapp; one of their alleged joint operations being the burglarizing of the house of Thomas J. French, and stealing therefrom the sum of $500 in money, on the night of August 27, 1854. For this crime they were indicted and tried, but though morally certain of their guilt the evidence was too obscure to warrant the jury in legally so finding and they were accordingly discharged. This narrow escape did not cure their drinking or thieving propensities, and both were often in limbo on minor charges, Sapp being in jail on a thirty day's sentence for stealing a quantity of wheat from one of his neighbors at the time our detective was there, as above related. Though Robeson sought to confine his "pumping" operations to Foster, among the most pertinacious to pour his "tale of woe" and his schemes of vengeance into the detective's ear, was the aforesaid George Sapp. GEORGE SAPP'S GRIEVANCES.—George had been unjustly dealt with; Lishe Wait had euchred him out of his share of the "Tommy" French swag; he had been several times unjustly imprisoned or sentenced for longer terms than his light offenses warranted, and he was bound to have revenge; when he got out of jail there would be a few bon-fires; several barns had already been touched off and several more would be; Akron had been pretty well scorched and would soon be lighted up again; the barrel factory made a hot blaze and he knew who touched it off, etc. THE BARREL FACTORY FIRE.—For many years the millers of Akron had wholly depended upon the local coopers of the several adjacent townships for their supply of barrels, flour in those early days not being so largely sold in sacks as at the present time. This mode of supply not being reliable, and perhaps too expensive, a number of interested parties organized the Akron Barrel Company sometime along in the middle of the fifties, and erected a factory on the site lately occupied by the Miller Chain Works and Match Factory, and commenced the manufacture of barrels by machinery. COUNTY TREASURY ROBBER NABBED - 1153 This scheme was regarded by local coopers as inimical to their interests; but it was not believed that the frequent threats of demolition which from time to time found whispered utterance, would ever materialize. On the morning of October 7, 1858, however, the second day of the Fair of that year (the Fair grounds then being directly opposite on the east side of Main street), the barrel factory was burned under circumstances which rendered it almost certain that the fire was of incendiary origin; the company immediately offering a reward of $1,000 for the detection and conviction of the incendiary. Sapp's pointed allusion to the matter, in his confidential communications to Robeson, was strongly presumptive, to the local officers, that a clue to the perpetrators thereof might be reached through him. Accordingly, after the expiration of his sentence, the services of our whilom " forger," Robeson, were called into requisition. Sapp was visited in his native haunts, but though he talked freely in regard to his prospective crookedness, he was quite reticent about what he knew (if anything), in regard to the burning of the barrel' works, further than that a certain young man, whose name he declined to disclose, had been hired to set the fire, and that he had since gone west. " BIGGER GAME" IN PROSPECT.--But one important scheme was developed by the interview, which was no less than the project of robbing the county treasury by himself and two "other fellers"— well-known crooks—whom he named, which project was only awaiting the " dark of the moon" to be carried into execution. This declaration was deemed of sufficient importance, by the local officers, to be followed up. The treasurer's office then occupied only one-third of the space it now does, the sheriff's office being then upon the east, and the grand jury room upon the west; there being no vault in the treasurer's office then as now, the public funds being confided to the keeping of one of the old-fashioned boiler-plate safes; the only fastening to the single window of the room being a nail over the lower sash. In anticipation of the con templated raid, a night watch was organized, consisting of the writer, Marshal J. J. Wright, Deputy Sheriff A. R. Townsend, Constables David A. Scott and James Burlison, Auditor Charles B. Bernard, and Deputy Clerk Alden Gage, who were to take turns in watching, the sheriff's office being the rendeivous, and well-supplied with buffalo robes, blankets, etc., to make us comfortable during the long cold.wintry nights, no fire or lights in the room being permissible, while the most profound silence was deemed absolutely necessary. WATCHING AND WAITING.—Thus for several nights the vigil was kept up, but neither George Sapp, nor any "other feller" put in an appearance. But while still continuing our vigilance, it was thought best to have our detective "accidentally" run across George again, to ascertain the occasion of the hitch. George said they were on hand at the time designated, but became apprehensive that the court house was being watched, as one night, about 11 o'clock, they thought they saw a flash of light in one of the rooms as though a match had been struck, which had actually been done by one of the watchers to ascertain the time of night. "But," continued George, "they're not watching now, and as soon as the nights get dark again, we will do the business sure." 78 1154 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. ARSON AS WELL AS ROBBERY.—So the watch was kept up, but no longer from the sheriff's office. At that time the jail coal-house stood flush with the street, about where the driveway now is between the jail and the large brick building upon the north. From the interior of this building, Marshal Wright and Deputy Sheriff Townsend kept watch for several nights after the moon began to darken, while Constable Burlison occupied another point of observation near by. About 11 o'clock on the night of January 29, 1859, while the attention of the people of the town was drawn towards a burning school house at the corner of Middlebury and Spicer streets (believed to be a part of the robbery game), the sharp eye of Marshal Wright caught sight of a man stealthily creeping across the court house yard, diagonally from the northeast corner. Reaching the court house, he hastily passed entirely around the building (this was before the wings were added), and then, turning upon his heel, ran around the other way, stopping at the treasury window. Presently, the officers saw him disappear through the window, when, leaving their covert, they closed in upon him, observing, as they did so, another man rapidly running down the hill upon the west side of the grounds. CAUGHT IN HIS OWN TRAP.—Summoning the burglar to come forth, and receiving no response, Marshal Wright, with revolver in hand, boldly entered the office, through the open window, and groping around got hold of his man, whom he at once shoved through the window into the hands of Deputy Townsend, by whom he was immediately invested with the proper "jewels," and forthwith placed in jail. Procuring a light, it was found that Sapp had pried the window open with the broad blade of an old-fashioned mattock, with which primitive implement it was evidently the intention of the burglars to work their way into the safe in question; scientific safe-cracking not being as well understood then as it is now, thOngh some extensive jobs were even then successfully accomplished with as simple means as the clumsy mattock in question. TRIAL—CONVICTION—SENTENCE.—At the March term of the court, 1859, Sapp was duly indicted, tried and convicted of burglary, but in consideration of his rather weak intellect, and the failure of his enterprise, as well as the probability of his being simply the tool of sharper heads, Judge Carpenter gave him the shortest sentence known to the law for the crime of burglary—one year's imprisonment in the penitentiary. As to his alleged accomplices nothing was developed further than his statement to the detective, and the shadowy glimpse of the second party as he was fleeing down the hill on the night of the burglary; though the fact that the principal one, on Sapp's arrest, immediately absented himself from the county, and has never returned, would seem to corroborate Sapp's statement in that regard. SAPP'S SUBSEQUENT LIFE.—Having served out his term, Sapp returned to his old home in Northampton, but a few years later floated off West, where, at last accounts, he was living with a brother-in-law, in the State of Indiana, a poor demented wreck, occasionally returning to Summit county, where, under the real or simulated hallucination of ownership, he attempts to assume SOME OTHER NEAT OPERATIONS - 1155 control of his "farm"—several thousand acres, extending from lot 18 to the river, north of Cuyahoga Falls. LARGE GANG OF COUNTERFEITERS BROKEN UP. —Clues obtained by the detective in question, and others, being followed up by the officers named, and their Ravenna coadjutors, resulted in the breaking up of an extensive gang of counterfeiters in Portage, Columbiana, Mahoning and Cuyahoga counties. In these raids some $15,000 or $20,000 of spurious money—paper and coin—and a full wagon load of apparatus and material, consisting in part of a bank note press, rolling mill, machine for stamping coin, dies, coin in the rough, finished coin, engravers' tools, crucibles, galvanic batteries, paper, ink, acids, chemicals, and a lot of dentists' tools and daguerreotype apparatus, under cover of which the bogus business was carried on. Several quite important parties were captured, who, with the evidences of their guilt, were turned over to the authorities of the several counties interested, and of the United States authorities at Cleveland. But as these operations were outside of Summit county, it is not necessary to follow them here, and are only alluded to in this connection to show how extensively the counterfeiting virus ramified the social fabric a third of a century ago, and as demonstrative of the zeal and skill exhibited by the public and private officers and detectives of Akron and Summit county, in the detection and punishment of crime, during the same period. THE SHERIFF HIMSELF VICTIMIZED. During the writer's first incumbency of the sheriff's office, from 1856 to 1861, among other official civil transactions was the closing, on attachment, of quite an extensive dry goods store at Cuyahoga Falls. Delaying the appraisement for a few days, to give the parties an opportunity to amicably adjust matters with their creditors, if possible, it was found, on proceeding with the inventory, under the direction of the chief clerk of the firm, that about one thousand dollars' worth of choice goods had meantime been abstracted from the stock. Efforts were immediately made to trace the robbers, among other things a copy of the private cost mark of the firm being sent to Chief of Police Michael Gallagher, of Cleveland. This was on Friday. On Saturday morning I took Marshal J. J. Wright with me to Cuyahoga Falls, to aid in the investigation. We soon struck a supposed clue, by which it was deemed important to intercept a box and several packages of goods which had been shipped to parties in Detroit a few days previously. There was then no telegraph office in either Akron or Cuyahoga Falls, and at about 11 o'clock A. M. I started, by team, for Hudson, for the purpose indicated. When about half way between Cuyahoga Falls and Hudson, on the diagonal road, I met a young man in a buggy driving as rapidly as myself, who, recognizing me as we passed, shouted that he had a message for me. On tearing open the envelope, I found it to be a telegram from Chief Gallagher, saying: " I've got the thieves and the goods stolen from Cuyahoga Falls. Come quick." Finding, on inquiry, that a Cleveland bound train was due in Hudson in about twenty minutes, I let that little grey team of mine go, pulling up at the Hudson depot just as the train was pulling in. 1156 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. Giving my ponies to a boy to take to a livery stable, I boarded the train for Cleveland. On reaching police headquarters, I found two large satchels full of the Cuyahoga Falls goods, with a portion of the cost marks still attached, and on going to the jail I found two most villainous looking fellows who had been captured with said goods in their possession. It appeared that they had boarded a Detroit steamer, and had endeavored to exchange a portion of the plunder for transportation to Detroit, but exhibited such awkwardness in handling, and such ignorance in regard to the value of the goods, as to excite the suspicion of the clerk of the boat, who put the police upon their track. Being found shortly afterwards in a river saloon, endeavoring to sell their plunder, they were taken into custody, and on arriving at the police station, Gallagher needed but a glance at the contents of the satchels to indicate the source whence they came, and wired me as stated. Borrowing the necessary "jewels" from the Cleveland officers, I chained the two "commercial travelers" together and brought them and their plunder home with me. The goods captured amounted in value to perhaps $50, while as near as could be calculated at least $1,000 worth had been stolen. The application of the " pump" failed to elicit any definite information in regard to the missing goods, though it was found, from them and other sources, that the fellows had, for several weeks, without any visible occupation, been making their headquarters with a brother of one of them living on the outskirts of the village. The next day (Sunday) this house and vicinity were most thorougly searched by myself, Deputy Sheriff A. R. Townsend, Marshal J. J. Wright, and Constables James Burlison and David A. Scott. The only clue found to the missing goods was several cost mark tags, in a cavity found on the top of a buckwheat straw-stack, where they had evidently first been concealed until they could be removed to safer quarters. The house in question stood on a sidehill, being a story and 'a half in front, with a basement kitchen in the rear, and a small cellar opening out of it under the front part of the house. In this cellar I noticed quite a quantity of loose, gravelly dirt, in a sort of bin, across one end of the cellar, creating an impression on my mind that the goods in question might be concealed in the cavity below, whence said dirt had come, the proprietor of the house, in reply to our questions, saying that in excavating for the basement kitchen it had been saved to make the mortar for plastering the kitchen, adding that though he knew it was not very good plastering sand the plasterer thought it would do, for a rough job like that. Apparently accepting his statement as true, we left the premises without discovering any further traces of our goods. But that dirt continued to agitate the minds of both Wright and myself, and the next day we repaired again to that cellar, armed with the proper implements, determined to ascertain what there was underneath the dirt. Shoveling the dirt out of the bin, we found the cellar bottom perfectly hard and sound. Assuring ourselves that no excavation had been made there, in which the goods could have been concealed, we shoveled the dirt back into the bin, and began exploring the other parts of the cellar. The space UNEARTHING THE BURIED PLUNDER - 1157 being a little cramped for two to work to advantage, I left Wright to continue the digging there while I went on a prospecting tour elsewhere. There was a small pantry underneath the stairs leading from the basement kitchen to the room above, and it seemed to me that, on removing the flour barrel and sundry other articles from the pantry, the floor could be raised up like a trap door. This supposition, however, was found to be incorrect, but on feeling around, in the darkness, I fished out of a little cubby-hole in the lower angle of the stairs, about a bushel of packages of spices, sauces, etc., which the marshal recognized as part of quite a quantity of goods stolen a week or two previously from the grocery store of Adam Schaaf at Bettes' Corners, and also a quantity of carpenters' tools recently stolen from the pattern shop of the Akron Stove Company. Loading this find into his buggy, Wright proceeded to Akron, and arrested the owner of the house in question, who was working there during the day, and lodged him in jail. The next day, being unable to go myself, Constable Burlison accompanied Wright to the scene of operations, with instructions to dig until they found those goods, if they had to tear up the kitchen floor, or, if necessary, dig over the entire lot. Commencing where Wright had left off the evening before, they had not been long at work, before, close to the partition between the cellar and the kitchen, they struck into soft earth, and presently, a foot or so below the surface, came upon a large tool chest and a smaller box, which, on being elevated to the surface and opened, were found to be filled with the burglarized goods in question. On taking an inventory, the total of the goods thus found, at cost prices, was found to be about $800, the chief clerk of the firm, from his familiarity with the stock, insisting that about $200 worth of the stock was still missing, though the most diligent search of myself and others failed to discover them. A SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD BOY IMPLICATED. Further investigation implicated the sixteen-year-old son of one of the most repectable families of the neighborhood, and in whose straw-stack the cost-tags above spoken of were found, and he, too, was taken into custody. On being interrogated by Prosecuting Attorney Henry McKinney, he made a clean breast of it, relating how he had been inveigled into the schemes of the burglars and had assisted them in removing the goods from the store to the straw-stack, whence, on a subsequent night, they were transferred to the place where found, but that no part of the plunder, or the avails thereof, had as yet come to him. The outcome of the affair was that the two parties arrested in Cleveland were convicted of the crime of burglary and grand larceny, and sentenced to the penitentiary for ten years each; the owner of the house where the goods were found, having been shown by the evidence to have known thereof, though taking no part in the burglary itself, was convicted of concealing stolen property and sent to Columbus for one year, while the boy, by reason of information imparted to the authorities, and important testimony given for the State, was discharged without prosecution. 1158 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. THE "MISSING LINK" FINALLY FOUND. At that time there was living at Cuyahoga Falls an "American Gentleman of African descent" by the name of Robert Hurst, for short called " Bob," who was reputed to be the possessor of a full complement of extremely " light fingers," and who had many times been arrested and punished for petty pilfering. About a year after the occurrence of the events above narrated, a raid was made by the local officers on " Bob's" domicile, in the loft of which, ingeniously concealed, was found nearly a thousand dollar's worth of almost every conceivable kind of property—shirts, sheets, calico dresses, clothing, hats, caps, boots, shoes, crockery, hardware, dry goods, etc., and among the rest, in perfect good order, the remainder of the goods stolen from the store in my custody as narrated, and invoicing just about $200. The only thing that we could get out of " Bob," in regard to them, was that the two ten year convicts above written of had given the goods to him to keep for them, and it has ever since remained an open question whether "Bob" had a hand in the main robbery, or whether he had independently raided the store in question on his own hook. Owing to this uncertainty, "Bob" was indicted for, and convicted of, receiving and concealing stolen property, only, and sent to the penitentiary for one year. A few years later "Bob" immigrated to Akron, where he mainly resided until his recent death, and though seemingly diligent in the pursuit of a legitimate " profession"—that of hodcarrier—his theiving proclivities probably clung to him to the end, a raid by Akron officers, on his premises a few years ago, unearthing a quantity of miscellaneous goods and chattels, nearly equal in value to the find at Cuyahoga Falls, as stated. HOW "BOB" FOOLED THEM ALL. Apropos of the foregoing, while " Bob" was in jail during the long vacation, awaiting trial for the offense named, he apparently went into a rapid consumptive decline. Being lean and lank in build, failing to consume his customary rations, with an apparently distressing cough, and an occasional spitting of blood, my kind-hearted and sympathetic jailer, the late John L. Robertson, transferred him from the lower to the upper jail, where he could be made more comfortable, and more readily cared for. Here, though carefully doctored and nursed, he rapidly grew worse, his face, from nearly a jet black, assuming a sallow hue, with an increasing flow of blood from between his gradually bleaching lips, and it was thought by both the jailor and the attending physician that "Bob's" days on earth were numbered. In my occasional visits to the jail, I at length became suspicious that "Bob" was shamming, and determined to keep an eye upon him. One day, on visiting him, I found him very feeble indeed, hardly able to speak above a whisper, and apparently exceedingly troubled for breath. After sympathetically expressing the hope that he would soon be better, I took my leave, closing the outer door and turning the key in the lock with a snap, but quietly reversing the bolt and leaving the door unfastened. I then walked down the stairs with a heavy tread, and removing my boots noiselessly ascended the stairs in my stocking feet, and applying my AN INGENIOUS EXPEDIENT - 1159 eye to the peep-hole in the door, I found, as I anticipated, that the invalid was skipping around the corridor, with the agility of a French dancing master. After watching his antics for a few minutes, giving him no warning of my approach, by the usual sounds of ascending the stairs and unlocking the door, noiselessly threw back the door and confronted him in the midst of a half-executed pigeon-wing. By thus simulating sickness "Bob" had hoped that either he would be sent home to die, from whence he could have skipped to parts unknown, or that his enfeebled condition would so enlist the sympathies of the court and jury as to save him from the penitentiary on the pending charge. On investigation I found that the copious discharges of blood had been produced by the puncturing of his gums with a sharp-pointed nail concealed about his mattress, while the pallor upon his face and lips was produced by the use of dry lime procured by scraping the whitewash from the walls of his room. HOW "BOB" ESCAPED A SECOND TERM. A year or two after his return from the "pen" "Bob" found himself in " durance vile," charged with a states-prison offense. As the day of trial approached, it was discovered by his keeper that he was unable to walk, having, to all appearance, entirely lost the use of his right leg. Believing that the fellow was again shamming, physicians were called in, and some very severe tests were made, such as violently pinching the leg, thrusting needles, pins, etc., into the flesh, etc., but without producing the slightest indication that there was any feeling in the leg whatever. The trial of the case had consequently to be postponed until the next term and during the vacation " Bob " was sent hOme to be taken care of by his wife. Here he was occasionally seen by the neighbors hobbling about his yard on crutches, and it was generally supposed that he would never again be able to walk or work, or even steal. Under these circumstances, the proper authorities, believing that he.would be worse than useless to the State, if con-' victed, and deeming it inadvisable to carry the case longer upon the calendar, a nolle was entered at the ensuing term' of the Court, and "Bob" left to hobble through the balance of his life, on crutches or otherwise, as best he could. Soon afterwards, however, the neighbors were surprised to see "Bob" without his crutches, cavorting around his lot as nimble as an organ-grinder's monkey, his "paralysis" having "mysteriously" left him. On inquiring of "Bob," subsequently, how he managed to stand all those pinches and punctures without wincing, he very frankly explained that he had produced the numbness in his leg by applying a ligature of black silk or linen thread to his thigh, drawing it so tightly, that it was so covered by the indentation of the skin, as to escape the notice of those who examined him, while at the same time deadening its nervous susceptibilities as indicated. 1160 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. WILLIAM CAMP,—born in Hartford, Connecticut, February 1, 1809; educated in city public schools, learning the trade of cabinet maker, which business he followed until his removal to Akron, in July, 1854; a few months later associating himself with his old playmate and first cousin, the late Charles Webster, and Mr. James B. Taplin, in the machine business, under the firm name of Webster, Taplin & Co., changed on the withdrawal of Mr. Taplin, in 1860, to Webster, Camp & Co., and in January, 1869, on the accession of Mr. Julius S. Lane, incorporated as The Webster, Camp & Lane Machine Company, which name it still bears. November 2, 1834, Mr. Camp was married, at Weathersfield, Connecticut, to Miss Lucy Butler, born in Weathersfield, September 11, 1814, who bore him one child, Lucy Frances, who died at six years of age. Mr. Camp was not only zealously devoted to the business interests of his firm and of his adopted city, but a most liberal supporter of the National government during the War. After long and severe suffering, from kidney affection, Mr. Camp died, March 30, 1869, at the age of sixty years, one month, and twenty-nine days, his remains being taken to Hartford, Connecticut, for interment. Mrs. Camp, in the enjoyment of a fair degree of health, excepting seriously impaired eye-sight, still survives and still retains her stock interest in the prosperous corporation, which her husband aided in founding, over a third of a century ago, and which still bears his name. ALFRED R. TOWNSEND,—born in Cazenovia, New York, February 14,1810; educated in common schools, learning tailor's trade, in which business he established himself in Akron in 1834, on March 24, of that year being married, in Akron, to Miss 3R. velina Blodgett, a native of Starksboro, Vermont. A few years later Mr. Townsend traveled extensively in Ohio and Kentucky as agent for Akron's pioneer map publishers, Mannings & Darby; was then for several years employed as collector for Akron's first tinware and stove manufacturer. Col. Justus Gale, after his death assisting Mrs. Gale in settling estate; then for several years ran a packet boat, between Columbus and Chillicothe, on Ohio canal ; was Akron's first village marshal and tax collector; 1856 to 1861, deputy, under Sheriff Samuel A. Lane; 1861 to 1867, director of County Infirmary; 1862 to 1873, Deputy United States Internal Revenue Assessor; 1873 to 1879, Infirmary director and clerk of board, resigning by reason of failing health. The high esteem in which Mr. and Mrs. Townsend were held was evidenced by the 'fact that on their 50th wedding anniversary they were presented with a purse of $1,086.50 in gold by their neighbors and friends. Their children were Henrietta S., married to Mr. James H. Emrich, of Sandusky, deceased; Emily G., deceased; and John A., chief telegraph operator at Dunkirk, New York, their only grandson, Charles A. Townsend, now occupying the family homestead, 512 West Market street. Captain Townsend died November 16,1887, aged 77 years, 9 months, 2 days, Mrs. Townsend dying January 22, 1888, aged 83 years, 1 month and 16 days. PERSONAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL - 1161 ELISHA NASH BANGS, — son of James and Martha (Nash) Bangs, born Apri110, 1800, at Stanstead, Lower Canada, parents having, about four months earlier, removed thither from Hampshire county, Mass.; common school education; learned carpenter's trade, at 19, removing with parents to Norwalk, Ohio, where, in 1821, he was married to Miss Abigail .Wallace, a native of Petersham, Mass.; in 1825, removed to Richfield, and engaged in farming, in 1836 removing to Akron and resuming work at his trade and at mill-wrighting. Mr. and Mrs. Bangs were the parents of two sons Henry L. and William Wallace, both deceased, and four daughters—Adeline A., now Mrs. Barnard, of Chicago; Mary M., now Mrs A. A. Tinkham, of Akron; Louisa H., now Mrs. Simmons, of Chicago; and Celestia E., now Mrs. P. J. Moersch, of Akron. In Politics Mr. Bangs was originally a Whig, casting his first vote for John Quincy Adams, for president, in 1824; later he became an ardent anti-slavery man, allying himself with the Republican party on its organization, in 1855; was chief fire warden of Akron many years; First ward assessor seven years; school enumerator seven years, and canal inspector four years. Firmly believing in the fatherhood of God, and the brotherhood of Man, and that religion consisted in doing right, because it was right, Mr. Bangs died November 18, 1878, at the age of 78 years, 7 months and 8 days; Mrs. Bangs dying September 24, 1880, aged 78 years. PETER J. MOERSCH,—son of Peter and Catharine (Wollmer) Moersch, was born in New York City, January 12, 1842 ; educated in public schools and at Anglo-German-Franco College, of New York, with Franz Siegel; at 18 learned printer's trade in office of Schoharie Patriot, edited by General Husic Mix; in 1859 worked in Office of New York Sun; in 1866 came with father's family to Ohio, settling in Buena Vista, Tuscarawas county; owing to failing eyesight, changed occupation, working at carriage painting, at Shanesville and in Cleveland, from there coming to Akron with Mr. Henry Gentz, in 1869, to start the Akron Germania, on which he operated as superintendent and local editor two years. November 13, 1871, was married to Miss Celestia E. Bangs, youngest daughter of the late Elisha N. Bangs, who has borne him one son—Wallace P., now a clerk in business office of Akron Daily BEACON and REPUBLICAN. Mr. Moersch was for six years, 1878-83, inclusive, clerk of Portage township; six years —1882-88—justice of the peace; assistant secretary of Summit County Agricultural Society twelve years ; publisher of Fair premium lists, and of Christmas Magazine and Almanac for many years, and is at present in charge of the advertising department of the Akron Daily BEACON and REPUBLICAN. CHAPTER LVIII. MISCELLANEOUS MENTION--PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHY OF REV. WILLIAM FROST CRISPIN-BUCHTEL COLLEGE ADDENDA-ANOTHER VICTIM OF THE FEARFUL HOLOCAUST OF DECEMBER 13, 1890—DEATH OF A WARM SUPPORTER AND TREASURER OF THE COLLEGE, MR. JOY H. PENDLETONOTHER RECENT DEATHS OF WELL-KNOWN CITIZENS-THE GREAT HOWARD STREET DISASTER OF NOVEMBER 7, 1891, WITH A FINE VIEW OF THE COLLAPSED BUILDINGS-NEW HIGH STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST, ETC. REV. WILLIAM FROST CRISPIN, —son of William and Mary E. (Van Kirk) Crispin, born November 14; 1833, near New Martinsburg, Fayette county, Ohio, being of English ancestry, the remotest known being Rear-Admiral William Crispin, of the British Navy, brother-in-law of Sir Admiral Penn, uncle of William Penn, the American ancestors being Friends ; removed with parents to Highland county, when young; early education very limited, in log school house ; at majority borrowed money at ten per cent. interest to go to Ohio Wesleyan University one term, working for father at $18 per month, to pay note ; next summer taught home school, and next winter taught in Illinois ; then chopped wood, at fifty cents per cord, to go to what is now the National Normal University, at Lebanon, Ohio, where, by self-boarding and teaching winters, he received the teacher's degree (I. J.), in 1860 ; after partly completing Senior course, in Spring of 1862 was called home by illness of father ; later teaching, in all about five years, mostly in Highland and Clinton counties. May 25, 1865, was married to Miss Drusilla D. Evans, of Greenfield, who bore him three children—Mary Frederica, Fannie Forester and Willie D., the latter dying in infancy, the mother, preceding him, dying May 16, 1872. Was again married, June 28, 1876, to Miss E. Emma Reed, of Sabina, Ohio. After first marriage engaged in drug and grocery trade, continuing until 1876. Though raised a Democrat, Mr. Crispin early espoused the anti-slavery cause, allying himself with the Republican party, on its organization ; served as census enumerator for his township in 1880, but for the past ten years has been a zealous Prohibitionist. Religiously a Universalist, besides occasionally preaching and lecturing, since 1870, traveling for denominational publishing house two years, and in the interest of Buchtel College nearly six years, and published a book on Universalism in 1888; since his ordination in 1890, has, unaided, established a Mission, resulting in the organization of a Church in Mansfield, and preached for a time in the city of Springfield, Ohio, besides officiating, since 1885, as the fortnightly (paid) correspondent of the Chicago Universalist. APROPOS of the foregoing portrait and biography of Rev. William Frost Crispin, a few words, in addition to the pretty full history of Buchtel College, given in Chapter VIII. of this work, are due to that gentleman for his arduous and self-sacrificing DEATH OF ANOTHER LADY STUDENT - 1163 labors in the interest of that beneficient institution. Notwithstanding the munificence of Hon. John R. Buchtel and others of its founders, there was a time, about 1879, '80, when the College was struggling under such an incubus of debt (about $65,000) as to very seriously embarrass its operations, if not absolutely to threaten its existence. In this emergency, by reason of his strong love for the Universalist Church, and his interest in the cause of .education, Rev. J. S. Cantwell, D. D., recommended Mr. Crispin to the board of trustees as a suitable successor to Rev. D. C. Tomlinson, as financial agent of the College. In accordance with this recommendation the Executive Board made an arrangement with Mr. Crispin, by which he entered upon the work of canvassing the southern half of Ohio, and Summit county, Rev. W. P. Burnell being employed to canvass the rest of the northern half of the State. In this work Mr. Crispin was so successful that he was soon regularly employed as financial agent at a stated salary and expenses paid, removing his family to Akron in the Spring of 1881. By reason of the embarrassments alluded to, and other causes, the work of raising money was at this period -at a standstill, many of its friends having so nearly lost faith in its success that it was very difficult to rally them to its support. But through the tact and perseverance of Mr. Crispin, these difficulties were overcome and disaster to the institution averted —unremittingly laboring through the week, soliciting money and students, and often lecturing on education or preaching on Sunday. This strain, in the language of Mr. Crispin, was kept up for about five years without vacation—travelling in all sorts of ways and weather, often in the night and broken of rest, and frequently with the very poorest of accommodations, which, with the care in part of his wife in her severe sickness, wrecked his own health, producing nervous prostration and partial paralysis, practically "shelving" him for many years, if not for life. Besides largely aiding in the cancellation of the debt alluded to, by collections on old and new subscriptions, Mr. Crispin secured nineteen one thousand dollar scholarships, being the first to interest Mr. Henry Ainsworth, of Lodi, in the College, securing first from that gentlemen properties valued at $7,500 and later properties valued at $10,000, also interesting him in the chair of mathematics which he subsequently endowed with $30,000, his total benefactions and bequests amounting to over $70,000. Besides the securing of many other smaller sums, the College was thoroughly advertised through Mr. Crispin's lectures on Education before some twenty High Schools, and doubtless his work, in cultivating loyalty to the College among the Universalists of the State, will bear good fruit in years to come, all the money secured by him, outside of Akron, being Universalist money, given for the maintenance of a college under the auspices of the Universalist church, which could have been secured for no other purpose, Mr. Crispin's experience being that soliciting money is the most difficult, the most unpleasant and the least appreciated employment in which a person can engage, and yet a most essential part of the work of founding and maintaining a college. SAD ENDING OF ANOTHER YOUNG LIFE. In this connection, recurring to the appalling disaster in the College, on the night of December 13, 1890, by which two of the 1164 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. lady students were deprived of life, and several others severely burned, as described in Chapter VIII. of this work, it is proper to say that since that Chapter was printed, another of the injured young ladies—Miss Myrtle Louisa Barker, of Peru, Ohio, has also passed away, as a result of the injuries then received. After removal to her ho,me, the burns healed rapidly, and though still a great sufferer, she pluckily returned to the College, and, passing safely through the Spring term of 1891, was promptly in her place again on the opening of the Fall term. But though her mental powers were unimpaired, her physical and nervous system could not stand the strain, Miss Barker dying suddenly, October 9, 1891, to the general grief of not only her family friends, and of her college mates and the faculty, but of the citizens of Akron generally. The rest of the injured young ladies, so far as known, have substantially recovered from the fearful results of that unfortunate event. DEATH OF MR. JOY H. PENDLETON. Since that chapter was printed, also, one of the most devoted friends and liberal supporters of the college, Joy H. Pendleton, Esq., has passed away, his death occurring October 10, 1891, at the age of 81 years, 8 month and 9 days. Mr. Pendleton was a member of the board, of trustees, a member of the executive committee and treasurer of the college, Hon. George W. Crouse having been appointed to succeed him on the executive committee, and Albert B. Tinker as treasurer, the vacancy in the board of trustees not yet having been filled. In this connection, and as a closing word in behalf of the college, it is proper to say that the prospects for the speedy erection of the Science Building alluded to on page 165 are still bright, while the college authorities are negotiating for the purchase of several acres of land, a short distance south of the college, for athletic grounds, which, if secured and properly fitted up, will prove a source of healthful amusement to the students, and of pleasure to the citizens of Akron generally. THE HOWARD STREET DISASTER. Originally, the entire west side of Howard street, from Market street south to the present site of Rohrbacher & Allen's hardware store, was covered with one and two-story frame business and residence buildings, with the exception of the two-story brick tavern, immediately south of what is now Phoenix Hall, a part of which is still standing, the Perkins Company, heretofore written of, about 1845, erecting the three-story brick block, now occupied by Greenwood Brothers, as a clothing store. On the night of September 16, 1848, all of those wooden structures, between the Perkins block and the alley on the north, were destroyed by fire, as described on page 333, of this work, involving a total loss about $25,000. The burned buildings were replaced by plain, but substantial two and three-story brick structures, during the years 1849, '50, the present Dussell block being erected by one of Akron's early druggists, the late Leverett J. Ives, a brother-in-law of our well-known citizen. Thomas H. Goodwin, Esq. On the night of February 17, 1851, the entire square, bounded by Canal, Market and Howard streets, and the alley, was devastated, except the partial escape of the two-story building on the THE HOWARD STREET COLLAPSE - 1165 alley, belonging to the estate of the late Col. Justus Gale, on the present site of Cutter's fine brick block, the aggregate losses being from $25,000 to $30,000, the sufferers being Johnson & Pratt, auctioneers, corner Market and Canal streets (where the fire originated), P. D. Hall & Co., corner Howard and Market, general merchandise; I. P. Sanford & Co., clothing; A. Hibbard & Co. (the old " green store "), dry goods; Abbey & Rose, dry goods; and Sumner & Co., general merchandise; a large proportion of the contents of several of the stores named being removed, however, before the flames reached them. These burned frame structures were also replaced by plain, but substantial three-story brick buildings as rapidly as the mechanical facilities of that day would admit of, the block of P. D. Hall & Co., on the corner, extending back, on Market street to the corner of Canal street, and including that portion on'Howard street now occupied by the City National Bank; the building lately occupied by S. B. Lafferty, by the late Allen Hibbard, and that lately occupied by Herrick & Son, by C. Johnston & Co. (Cornelius Johnston and Daniel McNaughton), the old Gale building, on the alley, saved from the fire, about 1865 giving place to the fine brick block, still standing there, erected by Cutter & Howe (Morrill T. Cutter and the late Charles R. Howe), all of the buildings, as then erected, being shown in the upper engraving, on page 462. These several buildings, exteriorly, have since remained substantially as originally erected, except the Johnston block, which, then occupied as a clothing store by one Jonathan Long, was "Mysteriously" burned out on the night of June 28, 1872, in rebuilding which its present owners, Messrs. Israel Isbell and Henry H. Clark, added a handsome stone front, as shown in the lower engraving on the page above named. Thus matters have remained, with occasional changes of tenants for the central blocks, until Saturday, November 7, 1891, the two blocks named, belonging respectively to the estate of the late Dr. E. W. Howard and Messrs. Isbell & Clark, the former occupied by Mr. Shepherd B. Lafferty, and the latter by Herrick & Son, as above stated. Though the owners and occupants had for some time been aware that the foundation of the division wall was defective, and were planning for repairs at an early date, no fears of immediate disaster were entertained. On the day named, bright and balmy, the streets of our always busy city were unusually thronged, and its business places crowded with customers, the noon hour being an especially busy one in the dining hall of the Lafferty establishment. About. 1 o'clock, after the rush was substantially over, but while several of his customers were still at the tables, Mr. Lafferty became aware, from certain crackling sounds, and from falling plaster in the front part of the store, that danger was impending, and hurried his help and customers to the rear part of the room. A moment later, the entire front of the building, together with that occupied by Messrs. Herrick & Son, fell to the ground with a mighty crash, the front walls, composed of brick and heavy blocks of stone, covering the sidewalk and extending nearly half across the street. And, most wonderful to relate, with from twenty to twenty-five persons in the two buildings, and with the street and 1166 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. sidewalk crowded with men, women and children, no loss of human life resulted from the catastrophe, and but one serious accident—Miss Frances Miner, from Johnson's Corners, being borne down by the falling debris, and so badly injured as to require the amputation of the right leg, at the knee, a few hours later; a horse, however, belonging to John H. Stauffer, of Copley, being instantly killed by the falling walls. While the inmates and visitors in the two collapsed buildings were severely shaken up, and of course very greatly frightened, immunity from death or serious injury was largely due to the fact that the rear end of both buildings remained intact, while the inner portion of the upper floors and roofs, following the crumbling wall, left the outer portion, at quite an angle, resting against the walls of the contiguous buildings, thus preventing the serious, if not fatal, consequences to the several parties involved, that must inevitably have otherwise resulted ; one of the most miraculous escapes from instant death being that of Frank Zimmerman, a candy-maker, just returned from his dinner to his work in the front part of the third story of the Lafferty block, who was carried down with the building and, to the great surprise of the rapidly gathering and horrified spectators, was presently seen crawling out from amid the wreckage, and who, on recovering from the daze into which he was thrown, and pulling himself together, was found to have a sprained wrist and a few slight bruises, only, to remind him of the fearful peril from which he had so providentially escaped. THE CONCLUSION - 1167 where, with the uninjured portion of their stock, a considerable part of which was still in original packages in the basement, and with immediately ordered large additions, they are now (December, 1891), serving their customers as usual, while Mr. Lafferty, with similar promptness, removed his confectionery store and dining hall to 204 East Market street, his bakery, in the rear of the old stand, remaining intact, and his customers supplied with their daily bread without interruption. The owners of the collapsed buildings have not as yet fully perfected their plans for rebuilding, but it is understood that both blocks will be rebuilt in accordance with the most approved style of modern architecture at an early day. The foregoing view of the collapsed buildings, a zinc etching reproduced by the Werner Printing & Litho. Company, from a photo taken by George E. Hitchcock immediately after the catastrophe, more graphically illustrates its nature and extent, and its wonderfully fortunate outcome, than could any word painting at the command of the writer, who, though already largely in excess of his originally designed limits, while deploring the losses and injuries involved, is pleased to embody it in his book, as being among the most wonderful of the many wonderful events herein recorded of "Fifty Years and Over of Akron and Summit County." THE NEW HIGH STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST. As a fitting close to this history, and as evidence that the moral and spiritual sentiment of our people is keeping fully abreast with their industrial, commercial and financial enterprise, a cut, from the architects' drawing, is here given of the new church edifice to' be erected by the High Street Church of Christ, in 1892. See history of Society on page 201. ADDENDA, ERRATA, ETC. IN a work of such a character and magnitude as this, and covering several years in its compilation, and several months in its publication, numerous errors will unavoidably have crept in, and many changes in firms, corporations, occupations, locations, etc., will have taken place, while some of the parties, whose portraits and biographies were printed herein when they were still in actual life, may possibly have meantime passed away. While it will be impossible to advert to all the errors, of ommission or commission, that a critical perusal will disclose, in addition to the deaths of Mr. Pendleton, as given on page 1164, and of Judge James S. Carpenter, noted on page 551, after their portraits and biographies had been printed, so, also, Mr. Robert L. Ewart, of Springfield, father of Major Joseph C. Ewart, of Akron, suddenly passed away, November 19, 1891, at the age of 79 years, 8 months and 1 day, his portrait being given on page 982. In the sketch of Akron's well-known machinist, James B. Taplin, Esq., on page 170, an error appears, in that he should be credited with service as a member of Council of the Incorporated Village of Akron, for the year 1854, and with re-election in 1855, though resigning, as stated, before entering upon his second term, as is shown in the official roster, on page 262. In a portion of the edition, as printed. Mr. Ulysses Marvin, of Stow, father of Judge U. L. Marvin, of Akron, is recorded as having been born in "Lynn," Connecticut, when it should have been "Lyme," an error which his more intimate friends and acquaintances will readily be able to rectify. Rev. Frank M. Green, is also given as still a resident of Stow, though now located at Wilmington, Clinton county, Ohio, Mr. Green saying in a recent letter to the writer : "While away, 'Theologically,' I am at home.' in heart, in Summit County and Stow."