Thursday, January 12, 2012

While Senator Newby Snored...



One simply cannot become an attorney, a state senator, and a bank president (just to name a few of his myriad accomplishments), without being just a little more clever than a thief.

Article from the Indiana State Journal - March 23, 1898

            SENATOR NEWBY SNORED

Indiana State Journal 23 Mar 1898
WHILE ROBBERS LOOTED THE HOUSE AND GOT A SQUARE MEAL


KNIGHTSTOWN, Ind., March 21. - Saturday night thieves entered Senator L. P. Newby's residence and thoroughly ransacked the back part of the house, and Sunday morning the kitchen and pantry were completely looted. Miss Floss Newby, the senator's daughter, had just arrived home from Greencastle and when she retired for the night her pocketbook containing $5 was left on the kitchen table. This was about all the valuables secured by the thieves. The intruders evidently expected big plunder. The senator had been to Indianapolis that day and he brought home with him on the evening train $4,200, $1,700 of which was in coin, the rest being in paper. The timelock at the state bank had been left open after closing hours for the reception of the money, and when the senator left the train he went straight to the bank and deposited the cash in the vaults. The robbers must have been in the house as much as an hour. They lighted a lantern and went about the rooms as if they were at home, sat at the kitchen table and ate oranges and threw the peelings upon the floor. Then they thoroughly examined several garments in a wardrobe and threw the clothing on the floor. They had a real good time while the Newby family was asleep. It is thought to have been the work of local talent.

Leonidas Perry Newby was the brother of my maternal great, great grandfather, John A. Newby. Click on the link below to read more about Senator Newby: 


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6 comments:

  1. Enjoyed, giggled, smirked. Yep, he was just a bit more clever.

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    1. Quite practical of him to put that money in the bank right away, don't you think?

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  2. Apparently the people of Knightstown found this incident to be hilarious. What a headline! That's hilarious by itself.

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  3. What a great story! I'm familiar with Greencastle, IN and its proximity to Indianapolis because my daughter is a DePauw alum.

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    1. Hubby and I were there in May in our RV. Greencastle is where we camped for 4 nights!

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