DAWSON'S FORT WAYNE WEEKLY TIMES, Fort Wayne, Indiana
September 3, 1859 pg. 1
MARRIED--At the residence of G.R. HARTMAN, this morning, September 1st in
this city by Rev. V.M. Beamer, RESIN V. JONES of Lafayette, to MISS
CHRISTIANA JONES of this place.
October 1, 1859 pg. 1
The Lafayette Courier of Tuesday evening gives the following account of an
attempt at a most abominable outrage in that city a few days before:
An outrage upon the person of a respectable lady of this city was
perpetrated on Sunday night, under circumstances of peculiar atrocity. The
lady in question is a MRS. STEVENS, residing on Missouri St., opposite the
late residence of JUDGE BARBEE. Her husband was formerly connected with the
City Hotel, in this city, and for some months past has been prostrated by
sickness, and for the support of his family has been dependent upon private
charity. On Friday night he died. The same charitable hand which had
provided for his family and soothed his dying pillow, were no less
meritoriously employed in the management of his interment. Arrangements
were made for a decent burial, the funeral to take place on Sabbath morning.
On Saturday night a number of watchers were required to sit up with the
corpse. Several ladies and three or four young gentlemen volunteered their
services. Among the latter was one THOMAS WICKENS alias English Tom, a
young man about twenty-three years of age. About ten o'clock at night he
went out under the pretext of getting some candles, and climbing over a back
shed he raised the window of an upper chamber to which MRS. STEVENS, worn
out with long nights of weary watching, and reduced almost to a skeleton,
had retired for the night. He stealthily entered the room, and then and
there, in the same house with the corpse of her husband, this brutal wretch
attempted an outrage upon her person! The affrighted woman fled for
protection to the room where the other watchers were assembled, and the
villain, defeated in his hellish purpose, sought safety in flight. He saved
himself from a coat of tar and feathers by leaving town on Sunday night.
(Note: I checked the 1858/1859 city directory and found a W.T. Stephens,
clerk City Hotel, no address given. He was listed in the 1860/1861
directory. I also did not find a woman with the name of Stevens/Stephens
listed in the 1860/61 directory. Missouri Street is now known as Sixth
Street.)
October 5, 1859 pg. 1
On Friday night last a very great attempt was made by incendiaries, to burn
the city of Lafayette, Ind., which consisted of firing the city in five
different places within twenty minutes. The damage, however, was prevented
by timely discoveries.
October 12, 1859 pg. 1
ROBERT PATTON who escaped some weeks since from Lafayette, Ind., with a
young woman of that county, and leaving his wife and business affairs
neglected, was lately found at Mackinaw, Mich., and his boy taken from him
and restored to his mother at Lafayette. The parting with his son was to
him a bitter moment. P. was working at the carpenter's trade. The way of
the wicked is hard - and in the case of PATTON let the world see what should
be avoided.
January 4, 1860 pg. 1
MARRIED--On the 28th ult., at the residence of Rev. J.H. HULL, in Lafayette,
Ind., his daughter SARAH E. to SIMON T. BAILEY, by Rev. Geo. Guild.
April 18, 1860 pg. 3
HON. DAN MACE had a bout of fisticuffs in Lafayette with COL. JOHN BALL.
Nobody hurt.