the murder of Abraham Leslie at Marmont Depot  

1886 - Aug 2 THE MAXINKUCKEE FIGHT

A Vandadlia Conductor Gives Another Account of the Affair

Editor Pharos:—The article In the Journal this morning and furnished by Dr. Armstrong is calc ulated to throw all the blame on thu railroad men. Now as to the facts. Last Saturday Geo. Harris was standing on the lake bank, both. hands in his pantsc pockets, when this man McGuire ran up and hit him on the head with a large stone, cutting an ugly gash, This, mind you, without any provocation. Harris turned and ran ihrough the crowd of ladies and and little children to get away from having trouble with McGuire and Abraham Leslie, both of Mexico, in pursuit shouting at every step to shoot or kill the s— of a -, meaning Geo. Harris McGaira trying to p ull a gun out of hi.s pocket; arid Leslie with a gun in nis harnd. This can all be proven by J. H. Koonz, of Marmont, who was ab eye-witness of the whole affair.

The brskemas, Harris, then went to his conducor, Mr. Taylor, and reported how he had been treated without any cause. Taylor went to the band boy and asked them if they did not owe his brakeman some apology. The only answer was to langh in his face.

Now Mr. Editor, four hours after this Mr. Taylor was walking- along; the track by himself, saying nothing to amuone. McGuire and Leslie, two band boys , saw him and made the remark: 'There goes that dam old fool," and started towards him, McG ulre stooping and picking; up a stone in each hand. Brakeman Bowman, who was sitting in a coach, saw all of this, aad thinking his conductor was going to be killed, jumped out of the coach, ran up and knocked McG ulre dswn and jumped on him to hold him and keep him from old man Taylor. Another band man ran up and' icked Bowmnn in the head. George Harris, seeing this man Leslie jump on Conductor Taylor, ran up and knocked him down.

At this time McGuire had got around and was making up behind Harris to hit him. Conductor Taylor saw this and stepped up and laid him out, This was all Conductor Taylor had with the disgracef ul scene. Now as for the railroad men being f ull of whisky or beer. I brand it as a lie, and defy any man to prove that brakeman Rowman, Harris or any man in Conductor Taylor's crew took a drink of whisky on tke grounds that day.

Mr. Bowman has been in tbe employe of the Vandalia company, a long time, and is a quiet, sober young man and wo ulg be the last man in the world to ins ult anyone. Mr. Taylor has worked for the Vandalia company twenty-five years, and this is his first trouble. What better do you want?

On the other hand these two men from Mexico are two drunken rowdies — drank or sober — who hunt for just hunt rows, which was proven on tbe witness stand by their own crowd. They were a short time ago both expelled from the band for bad and disgracef ul conduct. Put tje two crowds in a bag , shake them up and see if the Vandalia boys don't come out on topm just as gentlemen should - E. W. Dean, Conductor Vandalia Railroad - 2 Aug 1887 Logansport Pharos Tribune

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The remains ot Abraham Laslie, who was Killed in a fight at Maxinkuckee last Saturday, partic ulars ot which will be found In another column, ere sent to Mexico from this city at seven o'clock this morning for interment. Leslie was about 25 years of age, a blacksmith by trade, and unmarried.

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George Harries Arrested

A dispatch was received by a gentleman in this city from Frankfort yesterday stating that George Harris, tbe voung main who is charged with the murder of Abraham Leslie, of Mexico, at Maxlnkuckee list July, was in Frankfoit and contemplated coming to Logansport on the first train.

This was gond news t tbe officers who have been keeping a sharp lookout for Harris for several weeks, and when the 8:40 p. m. Vsndalla train halted at the depot last evening, Deputy Sheriff Palmer, Detective Morgan and Policemen Surface and Hoffman were there to escort the young man to jail.

Harris was not on the train, however, and the officers returned to the city feeling somewhat dlscouraged on a count of their failure to capture him. While the officers were engaged in discussing the mater one of them spoke up and said that he had noticed that the train corning into the city stopped near the Eel river round house. This convinced the other officers that the train had checked in up speed to give Harris a chance to jump off and go to the residence of his father on the Westside without running the risk of golng to the depot.

The officers therefore concluded to visit the Harris residence. Detective Morgan and Policeman Surface were sent there I and dare enough they found young Harris in bed. He wcs arrested and to jaii where he still remains.

He will taken to Plymouth next Monday for trial. A reward of fifty dollars was offered for his arrest, which will probably go to Detective Morgan and Policeman Surface.

A Pharos reporter had a talk with Harris in the jail this afternoon. He statid that he has been in Logansport several times since Leslie was murdered and had came to the city last night to give himself up, as he had become tired of tramping over the country. He thinks tiiat he will hare no trouble im proving that he was not the man who kiiled Leslie. Harris is about 21 years of age, and for several years has been a brakeman on the Vandalia road. he says that the Vandalia employes will stand by him in his present 11 sep 1887 Logansport Pharos Tribune

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A Murder Case.

George Harris, the Vaandalia brakeman who was arrested for having assisted in the killing of Abraham Leslie at Marmont last July, and who was taken to Plymouth several weeks ago for trial, will be brought back to Logansport.

His case will coma up before Judge Winfield at the next term of the Circuit conrt on a change of venue from Marshal county. The parents of Harris reside in this city on the Westside, and it is said that they are well pleased with the prospects of their son having his trial In Logansport, believing that the feeling against him is not so strong here as in Plymouth.

Conductor Taylor would probably have fared better had his trial taken place at some point outside of Marshal county - 24 Dec 1886 Logansport Pharos Tribune

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George Harris, the young man who is charged with having assisted in killing Leslie at Marmont last summer, is again filling his position as brakeman on the Vandalia road. President McKeen furnished the bond to secure his release from jail. - Jan 13 1887 Logansport Pharos Tribune

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George Harris, the Vandalia bnikeman, who was arrested on the charge of having Assisted in the murder of Abraham Leslie at Marmont last summer, will have'his trial at the April term of the Circuit court. Herrell, the Miami county murderer, will also learn his fate. - Apr 1, 1887 Logansport Pharos Tribune

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The trial of George Harris, the Vandalia brakeman who is charged with assisting in the murder of Abraham Leslie at Marmont last August, will probahly be called up in the Circuit court to-morrow. A number of Terre Haute citizens have been subpoened to appear as witnesses - Apr 25 1887 Logansport Pharos Tribune

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Who Killed Leslie

The case of the State against George Harris, the Vandalia freight brakemnan, who is held on the charge of having aided in the murder of Abraham Leslie at Marmont last August, is now on trial in the Circuit court.

Leslie lived at Mexico a small village in Miami county, and was a young man and unmarried. He was a member of the Mexico band and had gone to Maxinkuckee to furnish music for an excursion party. While at the lake he and several of his friends from Mexico became engaged in a fight over a rival matter with three or four Vandalia trainmen.

Leslie and his companions were slightly under the influence of liquor which made them very disagreeable and quarrelsome. No less than a dozen men took part in the fight. It was a reg ular old fashioned knock-down, in which clubs and stones were freely used.

After the smoke of the battle had disappeared Leslie was found lying dead on the depot platform, his neck having been broken by a blow from one of his enemies.

Several other persons who participated in the fight received a severe pounding but, escaped being seriously injured. Harris was shortly afterwards arrested, it being the opinion of many persons that he struck the blow that caused the death of Leslie.

About half the pop ulation of Mexico attended the trial to-day, and a large number of witnesses were examined. It is thought that tomorrow will also be consumed in listening to the evidence in the case.

It is the most important trial that has been called up at the present term of court. The following gentlemen compose the jury: Harrison Barnrtt, Hugh O'Neal, Jas. P. Martin, R. H. Markley, Jno. W. Grable, Jno. O'Leary, Juo. A. Cantley, J. G. Seybold, Isaac Lorange, Chas. L. Hillhouse. John Murphy and Conrad Spitznogle. Apr 27 1887 Logansport Pharos Tribune

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Assa ulted by a Tough

As a well-known young man of Logansport was returning from the Westside about, ten o'clock last night he was ins ulted and then struck in the face when near the Third street covered bridge by a young and insignificant little tough who answers to the name of Geo. Harris.

The gentleman on whom Harris made the cowardly attack was accompanied by his sister and several gentleman friends. The party of young folks had been to a wedding reception and were on their way to their homes.

Harris had swallowed just enough bad whisky during-the evening to make him quarrelsome. He felt as though he owned the whole town and had a perfect right to ins ult everybody who was so unfortunate as to meet him in his perab ulations.

The gentleman whom Harris struck was attending strictly to his own business and not the slighest excuse could be offered for the thumping he received. He had a warrant placed in the hands of an officer this morning for the arrest of Harris and the young tough's trial will take place before a justice this evening or to-morrow morning.

A large number of Pharos readers are pretty well acquainted with Harris but for the benefit of those persons who do not know the young man we will just state that he is a brakeman on the Vandalia road, and when in the city resides with his parents on the Westside. He was arrested several months ago on the charge of having assisted in the murder of Abraham Leslie at Marmont last summer. His trial took place in the Circuit court last month, but the evidence submitted was not strong enough to convict and he was therefore acquitted. It was a narrow escape for Harris and should have taught him a good lesson, but being a blood-thirsty individual of the late Jesse James order he is mean and depraved, and when he dies he will probably go straight to the devil with his boots on and a rope around his neck. There are no better men in this wide world than President McKeen and Superintendent Hill, of the Vandalia road, but they make a mistake by giving George Harris employment. The young hoodlum is liable to tear up the track from Terre Haute to South Bend some dark night and sell the rails to some junk dealer for old iron. Another bad break like the one he made last evening will res ult in the young railroader being placed where the dogs won't bite him during the coming summer months May 27 1887 1887 Logansport Pharos Tribune