Suspect in North Salem bank theft is captured (1930)

Source: Indianapolis Star – issue of Friday, December 12, 1930 – page 9, column 4:

NORTH SALEM THEFT SUSPECT IS CAUGHT
[Special to The Indianapolis Star]
PETERSBURG, Ind., Dec. 11 – Hugo Lynch, alias Hughes, 25 years old, of New Castle, the last of four men charged with the robbery of a bank at North Salem, was arrested here early this morning by Sheriff Hal Nelson of Pike County and Chief of Police William Weathers of this city. This morning Sheriff Nelson received a notice from the state bureau of criminal identification and investigation at Indianapolis telling him to look for Lynch at Velpen, twenty-two miles east of here at the home of Lynch’s grandfather, Allen Tussey. Sheriff Nelson and Chief Weathers entered the house without knocking and surprised Lynch as he was dressing. He was unarmed.

Lynch blamed one of the men already arrested for informing on him and was very bitter.

Officers from Indianapolis will take Lynch in custody to be returned to North Salem where he will be tried for the robbery.

The North Salem bank was robbed of $2,300 October 10. The gang’s headquarters were said to be at the home of Mrs. Lonnie Lovelace here. She was released of charges. At the trial in Danville Mrs. Lovelace sought permission to be married to James Lynch, but permission was denied because she was not a resident of Hendricks County.

Gilbert BRYANT commits suicide in jail (1954)

source: The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, September 9, 1954 - page 1, columns 3-4:

BRYANT'S FIFTH SUICIDE TRY IS SUCCESSFUL; RITES MONDAY
A fifth attempt at suicide was finally successful, Friday about noon for Gilbert Bryant, age 70, who died in the Hendricks County Jail after slashing his throat with a razor blade.

Bryant was being held in the jail pending a Grand Jury investigation of the alleged shooting of his ex-wife, Mrs. Pauline Shorter, on July 17.

He had asked for a razor Friday morning so he could shave. Three other prisoners were in the bullpen at the time, but Bryant slipped back to his cell, took the blade from the razor and slashed his throat.

His first attempt at suicide was immediately following the murder and after his former wife's home exploded. The second attempt came shortly afterward on the way to the hospital in the Weaver ambulance. The next day he made a third attempt to take his life by jumping from a window at the Long Hospital, but was caught. The fourth try came when he succeeded in jumping from a window and received a fractured pelvis.

He was removed to the local jail on August 3 to await the calling of the Grand Jury this week.

Funeral services were conducted Monday afternoon from the Baker Funeral Home. Surviving is a brother, Hester Rudd of Bloomingdale. Burial was in the South Cemetery.

Pardon for Joseph GATES denied (1924)

source: Danville Gazette (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, October 9, 1924 - page 8, column 3:

PARDON DENIED
Joseph Gates of Plainfield, who is in the Pendleton Reformatory for issuing checks without having funds to meet, was denied a pardon by Governor Branch last week. Nine pardons were issued and 35 appeals denied.

Teacher Edward BRINEGAR charged with assaulting a student (1949)

source: Danville Gazette (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, April 7, 1949 - page 1, columns 1-2:

According to an April 1949 article, Edward Brinegar, who taught 5th and 6th grades at the Amo school, was charged with assault and battery in Hendricks County Circuit Court. The charge, which was brought on behalf of Ray O'Dell, Sr., stemmed from a March 18 incident with O'Dell's son, 12-year-old Ray A. O'Dell, Jr. Brinegar's lengthy statement (published in the article) referred to the paddling he had done of his student for violating school rules. He waived arraignment and pleaded not guilty.

NOTE: According to Hendricks County Circuit Court Order Book 98 (1 April 1949 - 6 March 1950), the State of Indiana vs. Edward Brinegar was case #8920. On May 16, 1949, the prosecutor asked to dismiss the case, and the court granted the motion.

John A. LINGEMAN sentenced to Indiana State Penal Farm (1950)

source: The Republican (Danville, Indiana) - issue of Thursday, September 14, 1950 - page 8, column 3:

TO VISIT FARM
William M. Lingeman, age 36, of Brownsburg, and his brother, John A. Lingeman, age 44, were arrested Sunday, both on charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct. William was fined $25 and costs on each count, and John was sentenced to 60 days at the Indiana State Farm on the first count and 30 days on the second count, the days to run concurrently.

John BATES released from Indiana State Prison in Michigan City (1861)

source: Second annual report of the Board of Control of the Northern Indiana State Prison for the year 1861 (Indianapolis: Berry R. Sulgrove, 1862).

John Bates was 18 years old on September 27, 1858 when he was sentenced in Hendricks County to a 3 year-term in Indiana State Prison for grand larceny. He was initially sent to the Indiana State Prison in Jeffersonville; in 1861, when a second state prison was opened in Michigan City, he was transferred there. He served all but 21 days of his sentence, being discharged from Michigan City on September 6, 1861.

List of Indiana Boys' School inmates paroled 1880-1882 added

An index of the inmates at the Indiana Boys' School that were paroled from 1880 to 1882 has been added to the Hendricks County GenWeb site. This index was compiled from the school's 1882 annual report.

The Indiana Boys' School was a state correctional institution established in Plainfield in 1867 to reform male juvenile offenders through education and job training. The records of the institution are held by the Indiana State Archives - see their database of inmates from 1867 through 1937.

Plainfield library digitizes Indiana Boys' School newspapers

As part of a grant from the Indiana State Library, the Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library has begun digitizing its microfilm collection of newspapers from the Indiana Boys' School from the 1930's. The newspaper, called the Indiana Boys' School Herald, was produced by the boys themselves, and included news about the boys as well as the employees (many of whom were Hendricks County residents). The digital images and transcriptions of the articles are hosted at Indiana Memory, the Indiana State Library's repository for digital collections from across the state.

The Indiana Boys' School was a state correctional institution established in Plainfield in 1867 to reform male juvenile offenders through education and job training. The records of the institution are held by the Indiana State Archives - see their database of inmates from 1867 through 1937.

Fannie ADAMS granted divorce (1950)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 99 (March 1950 - April 1951), in July 1950 Fannie M. Adams was granted a divorce from Glenn F. Adams (case #18518), with Glenn unable to appear in court because he was in Indiana State Prison. Fannie was given custody of their children, Kenneth Wayne Adams (age 14) and Crystal Lenor Adams (age 12), with Glenn ordered to pay $7 a week in child support within 30 days after being released from prison.

9-year-old Johnny McCLOUD found guilty of delinquency (1930)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 80 (November 1930 - November 1931), in December 1930 Johnny McCloud (age 9), son of Allen McCloud, was found guilty of several acts of delinquency and was sentenced to 3 years at White's Manual Labor Institute in Wabash, Indiana.

Leo MADDOX sentenced to Indiana Boys' School (1930)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 79 (December 1929 - November 1930), in October 1930 Leo Maddox (age 15) pled guilty to delinquency and was sentenced to the Indiana Boys' School in Plainfield until he turned 21.

William RUSHTON sentenced to Indiana Reformatory at Pendleton (1929)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 78 (December 1928 - November 1929), in February 1929 21-year-old William Rushton (case #6028) pled guilty to vehicle taking and was sentenced to a term of 1 to 10 years at the Indiana Reformatory in Pendleton and also lost the right to vote for 3 years.

9-year-old Norman Ernest McCLOUD guilty of Petit Larceny (1921)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 70 (November 1920 - October 1921), in January 1921 9-year-old Norman Ernest McCLOUD was found guilty of petit larceny (case #5257). His sentence was suspended but because of "not good" behavior, he was put in the custody of the Board of Children's Guardians of Hendricks County. The Board told the court they were unable to place him in an institution "where he can be properly educated and disciplined," so the court had him committed to White's Manual Labor Institute in Wabash, Indiana until he turned 21.

Guilford Township Criminal Case Index 1901-1910 Added

An index of a criminal docket book 1901-1910 for a Guilford Township Justice of the Peace has been added to the Hendricks County GenWeb site. Indiana law gave justices of the peace the jurisdiction to settle certain court cases in their respective townships, including misdemeanor criminal cases.

The Hendricks County Government's Archive has a digital file of this criminal docket book.

Josephine THOMAS granted divorce because of husband's robbery (1940)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 89 (9 June 1939 - 13 June 1940), in April 1940 Josephine E. Thomas was granted a divorce from Francis Leroy Thomas (case #15945). The court agreed with her complaint, which stated that Francis had been convicted of robbery and sentenced to Indiana State Prison and while out on parole, he had committed other acts of robbery and been returned to prison to serve out the remainder of his sentence. Josephine was given custody of their 5 children (Betty Thomas, born 18 March 1925; Robert Thomas, born 6 November 1926; Jo Ann Thomas, born 28 May 1928, Lola May Thomas, born 8 May 1931 and Carl D. Thomas, born 26 February 1938) and Francis was ordered to pay $5 a week in child support beginning 30 days after he was released from prison.

Inmates buried at Indiana Boys' School Cemetery in Plainfield (1870-1918)

Source: Indiana Boys' School Herald, issue of Saturday, December 7, 1940 - page 1

NOTE: This is a list of inmates who were buried in the cemetery of the Indiana Boys' School in Plainfield from 1870 through 1918. The newspaper article notes that this is only a listing of those stones that were still legible in 1940, as "time and weather has played havoc" with the stones.

Joe Allen - 1883
Peter Baker - 1885
George Bowdler - 1874
Eddie Brown - 1905
Michael Burk - 1877
Leroy Bush - 1901
Vansoite Cas - 1880
Walter Cashion - 1912
George Cook - 1891
Adolph Daker - 1900
Robert Davis - 1880
Thomas DePue - 1883
William Edmonds - 1901
Edgar Elkins - 1910
Charles Emerson - 1870
Charles Evans - 1875
William Evans - 1880
Spencer Fouce - 1899
James Gulliver - 1874
James Hall - 1901
Louis Huff - 1870
Charles Jackson - 1888
Thomas Jackson - 1901
Daniel Johnson - 1889
Robert Jones - 1899
Edward Kelly - 1883
William Lee - 1901
William Linch - 1897
John Lockridge - 1894
Charles Logan - 1896
John Logan - 1899
Charles McGill - 1901
George Miller - 1876
Clifford Moore - 1909
Joe Morice - 1901
James Parris - 1878
Herman Phillips - 1904
James Porter - 1870
Albert Powell - 1877
Julius Robertson - 1879
Walter Sexton - 1889
William Shoemaker - 1880
Caper Smith - 1870
John Stiles - 1885
George Swallow - 1876
Charles Taylor - 1884
Lewis Tinker - 1877
Ernest Warfield - 1906
Charles Wilson - 1871

George CUMMINGS paroled from Indiana State Reformatory (1917)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 65 (October 1917 - June 1918), George Cummings (inmate #9632) had been committed to the Indiana State Reformatory in Jeffersonville on July 3, 1916 and paroled on November 10, 1916. In December 1917, he was fully discharged.

Charles SPANGLER paroled from Indiana State Reformatory (1921)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 70 (November 1920 - October 1921), Charles E. Spangler (inmate #10738) had been committed to the Indiana State Reformatory in Jeffersonville on February 14, 1919 and paroled on May 6, 1920. In May 1921, he was fully discharged.

Charles MANIS paroled from Indiana State Reformatory (1921)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 70 (November 1920 - October 1921), Charles Manis (inmate #10089) had been committed to the Indiana State Reformatory in Jeffersonville on May 22, 1917 and paroled on May 6, 1920. In May 1921, he was fully discharged.

John MILES pardoned after conviction (1918)

As mentioned in Hendricks County Circuit Court Civil Order Book Volume 66 (June 1918 - February 1919), on October 8, 1917 John Miles had been convicted of petit larceny and sentenced to the Indiana State Penal Farm for 30 days, fined $10 and disenfranchised for 2 years. He was released from the penal farm on November 27, 1917 and the county prosecutor, county auditor and county treasurer (among others) petitioned the governor, James P. Goodrich, to pardon him. On September 26, 1918, the pardon was granted and Miles' full citizenship was restored, including his voting rights.