Hallowe'en Wild Night in Marietta and Lawlessness Results in Many Arrests

 The Marietta Daily Times, November 1, 1929

Marietta police declare that Thursday night was the wildest they have experienced in many years. Dozens of calls were answered in nearly every section of the city. Numerous arrests were made and a busy session of court was held by the mayor on Friday morning.

Destruction of property was reported in many parts of the city. The boys and young men celebrated Hallowe'en and they failed by a wide margin to confine their energy to harmless things.

One of the favorite diversions seemed to be the breaking of electric lights. Porch lights were knocked out at many points and even the street lamps suffered. The usual trick in the case of a street light was to untie the rope and let the light crash to the street. Lem Hess, city electrical superintendent, estimates the damage in his department at $75.

One of the worst outbreaks occurred on Phillips Street, where five boys bombarded the Carl Wunderlich automobile with pumpkins. The car, a new one, was damaged considerably. From that stunt the boys turned their attention to the home of W. M. Jones, where they smeared up the porch and plastered the front lawn with chicken feathers.

Jones chased the boys down the street, firing a 38-calibre revolver at them. The police brought the boys and Jones to headquarters. Earl Steed and Raymond Stegner were placed in jail while their three companions, Lewis Klein, Denver McCain, and William Becker, were ordered in on Friday. Jones also was ordered to come before the mayor. On Friday morning the case was certified to probate court.

Another outbreak occurred on lower Putnam Street where Hugh Smith and Roy Barnes engaged in a fight. They were under the influence of liquor, according to the police, and the battle was a vicious one. Both were arrested. Barnes' wife later secured his release by posting a bond of $100. The pair pleaded guilty on Friday to fighting charges and each was fined $15 and costs. Barnes paid both fines. Smith, it developed Friday morning, had sustained a broken shoulder in the fight.

Lat Thursday evening Mrs. Nellie Baker called for the police. She reported that Hugh Perry had attacked and beaten her in front of the post office property. Perry was arrested. He was fined $5 and costs on Friday and paid.

Elmer Lang, arrested in the city park, demonstrated to the world that he has one faithful friend - his dog. When Lang went behind the bars his dog raised such a commotion that he too was allowed to enter the jail and he slept on one of the iron cots along with Lang. The latter was fined $5 and costs on Friday.

 

A Live Man Dug Out of Marietta Mound

 The Marietta Register, April 23, 1886

Such was the startling statement made in all the dwellings and on the streets of the little town of Marietta sixty-five years ago. Some believed it, many doubted it, but all were anxious to know the fact. The unbelieving were referred to as truthful a man as lived on Fifth Street; he said "it was true that he had aided in the work."

To make my story short, Father G., who was the grave-yard sexton, had a flock of sheep which were allowed to roam among the tombs, watched by his three sons. Weary of the monotony of looking after the flock by night, the boys with shovel and hoe determined they would to their minds unsolve the mystery of the great mound.

When darkness had spread over the earth, they began their work on the top of the elevation and almost noiselessly put down a hole six feet deep. The elder was below, arranging for further work, when in a moment the sides began to give way and before he could be rescued the dirt fastened him. 

Quick haste was made by one of the frightened boys with the news to his father. Armed with bottle of spirits and a good raw-hide, the old fellow climbed the fence and up the sides of the mound to its summit. With great industry, but more noise, the earth was pitched away and the youngster was relieved from his prison confinement only to feel the rod as soon as he recovered, for thus violating the sacred place and making a town talk at the expense of the family. In the Mound Annual can all this be found, and much more.

Some people say that 1,000 years ago this country was more densely populated than now. I have not time now to give my views on this subject, but I must tell you about one of their burying places. On the top of the hill back of the old Platt place, northeast from the Court House about one mile, from the beginning there has been a heap of earth rising above the surface of the ground about seven feet, thirty-five feet long and at the broadest place about fifteen feet wide. Some have supposed it natural, others have supposed it the work of the Mound Builders.

With the support of the owner of the land, Mr. Adam Brown, on the 20th day of this month (that is Tuesday of this week), Capt. Sayre and myself, with excellent assistants, began the work of discovery. After going down with a hole six feet square for four and one-half feet, we came to a flat rock six feet long and three feet wide and five inches thick, evidently brought from a distance and placed with a purpose where it was. Underneath this we knew was the treasure, perhaps something that would tell us when and by whom all these works were made.

The long stone was with difficulty and great care removed. Underneath it - Oh what a find. We were not sold. You will not be sold if you pay your quarter and see all the interesting things we unearthed, exhibited as they will be on Thursday and Friday evenings of this week at the Presbyterian Fair in the Clarke house on 4th Street.

W.

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The Marietta Register, April 30, 1886:

That Mound Story

Mr. Editor: In the Register of April 23d someone over the signature of "W." tells a great cock and bull story about a live man being dug out of Marietta Mound. He commenced by saying, "such was the startling statement made in all the dwellings and on the streets of the little town of Marietta sixty-five years ago. Some believed it, many doubted it, but all were anxious to know the fact. The unbelieving were referred to as truthful a man as lived on Fifth Street. He said, "it was true that he had aided in the work." To make my story short, Father G., who was the graveyard sexton, had a flock of sheep which were allowed to roam among the tombs, watched over by his three sons . . .

Now, in regard to the above statement, I am prepared to say from personal knowledge, that not one word of the essential points in the same are true. The whole story was a fabrication from beginning to end, put forth as one of the wonderful events that took place in the early days of our pleasant little town. 

It so happens that I was well acquainted with "Father G." as referred to above. I am his eldest son and happened to be 15 years old at the time this event should have occurred. My father was sexton at the time and for some years after, but never dug a half dozen graves in the graveyard during his life time. Myself and grandfather, Jimmie Hill, dug nearly all the graves from 1820 to 1825. I was intimately acquainted with all concerned about the Mound Cemetery from my early boyhood days until I was a man grown, and know that there never was a hole of any kind or at any time dug in the summit of the mound in question. 

It is true that "Father G." had a large family, that I am the eldest son, that at the time of this event I had one brother who was a boy some 12 years old, the third boy spoken of was dead at the time, the fourth boy happened to be a girl. So that there could not have been more than two boys able to operate at the time. We had sheep at the time that were allowed to run at large, as did others. There was but little or no fence around the cemetery at the time, to prevent our sheep or others from feeding there, and the idea of watching our sheep at night is far fetched and untrue.

My father was a poor mechanic who raised a large family by his industry; he was an honest, industrious and truthful man. His boys wore linsey and went barefoot in the summer, but they were honorable and upright. A raw-hide was an article never used or kept in the family to my knowledge. There was no town talk about the event at the expense of the family.

What he calls "Mound Annual" I confess to be a document that I have never seen, but should like to do so. However, no odds for the Mound Annual, I know that the whole story is false as to the event, not a syllable of it is true. 

I do this in self-defense, as I happened to be a live boy at the time of the great event, and thank God that I am alive yet and in good condition, and surrounded by a few old residents that lived in that day to whom I can appeal for my truth and veracity.

William Glines

Covered Their Ears

The Marietta Daily Times, April 10, 1905

Women On An Inter Urban Car

John Romire, who makes his home at Marietta and Parkersburg, created a scene Saturday afternoon on the Inter Urban car which left here at 2:30 o'clock.

The conductor had trouble in getting his fare after the car had reached Williamstown. When the fares were collected at Central, Romire was asleep and when awakened he refused to pay, and it is alleged called the collector of fares all kinds of indecent names. 

Among the passengers were about 25 women and they held their hands over their ears to keep out the sound of the oaths uttered. The conductor took Romire by the neck and ejected him from the car.

He continued his utterances and Policeman Noland placed him under arrest. His hearing was set before a Justice of the Peace at Parkersburg this morning.

Old Warner Homestead Is Sold for $15,000

 Register-Leader, December 14, 1918

J. D. Dinsmoor, Oil Man, Buys Stately Residence Here for His Daughter

A contract for the sale of the old Warner homestead was executed Friday afternoon, whereby J. C. Dinsmoor, wealthy oil producer of Williamstown, purchased the property for his daughter, Mrs. D. B. Berlin, of North Dakota, who before her marriage was Cora Dinsmoor, and who with her family will occupy the residence, which is one of the finest in the city. Mr. and Mrs. Berlin, who have come here from North Dakota to locate, will occupy the property about the first of March, at which time it will be vacated by the Okey family, Mrs. David Okey being one of the Warner heirs from whom the property was purchased. Mr. Dinsmoor paid $15,000 for the property.

The Warner home was built and moved into by General Warner [Adoniram Judson Warner] in 1873. The property has some historical interest from the fact that during his residence there of about fifteen years, Gen. Warner was prominent in politics in the state and country. It was while living in the homestead that he served three terms in Congress and at the same time was engaged in the discussion of political and economic questions.

Many Distinguished Guests

During the occupancy of the property by General and Mrs. Warner a number of prominent men of the state and country made the house their headquarters from time to time on their visits to Marietta, sometimes as long as a week at a time. Among these distinguished guests at the Warner home was Judge Alphonso Taft of Cincinnati, father of the former President, William H. Taft, who visited with General Warner in company with his son, William P. Judge Taft was here campaigning at the time and remained for a week at the Warner home.

Another prominent visitor at the Warner home was Cyrus W. Field of New York, the promoter of the Atlantic cable, who was interested with General Warner in some coal lands and railroad lines. Judge Stanley Matthews of Cincinnati was also a frequent visitor at the Warner home. Senator Allen Thurman of Columbus was another celebrated guest. Several speakers at the Centennial in Marietta made the Warner home their headquarters during the celebration, among these being Randolph Tucker.

Gen. Warner, the original owner of the property was in the Civil War and an officer in the 10th Pennsylvania Reserves. He was severely wounded in the Battle of Antietam, also afterwards was injured in Gettysburg battle by a fall off his horse.

This deal will recall to the minds of many of the older residents the activity of General Warner. He built the Cleveland and Marietta Railroad and was responsible for the line and the success of the enterprise was due largely to his energy and activity.

The Warner homestead is a brick building and is one of the best constructed homes in Marietta. The site on which it is located contains about four acres. It is located in about the center of the population of the city.

Extensive changes were made to the Warner home on Butler StreetM by its new owners, including having the brick walls covered with stucco. When Marietta College acquired it in 1929, renowned architect J. Fredrick Larson redesigned and enlarged the structure to serve as a women's dormitory. It was named for Dorothy Webster Mills (1810-1894), who had come to Marietta from Massachusetts in 1835 as a teacher in the Marietta Female Seminary.