Miscellaneous Items

A Mysterious Bullet
Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, March 12, 1887

Norwich, Chenango Co., NY:  Wednesday afternoon, there was a crash in the store of Phelps & Fitch [Dry Goods Merchants], that blanched the cheeks and painfully startled the marrows in the bones of every employer of the "Bee-Hive."  At the time Mr. Phelps the senior proprietor sat at the desk in the cash den near the back end of the store.  Simultaneously with the crash, a bullet dropped at his feet.  In the upper glass of the rear door was found a hole just the bigness of the bullet.  Where the bullet came from is a mystery   Mr. Phelps cannot believe that it was an attempt at assassination.  He is not aware of having any enemy who would resort to such desperate methods to get rid of him.  The window pane will be repaired.  In the future if any one desires to break glass for the "Bee-Hive," the proprietors would suggest some more civilized way.  A hammer would do the business just as well as a bullet.  The latter is too suggestive of the western slope way of doing things.

The Theft of the One-Eyed Gray Horse
Chenango Union, May 12, 1887

A stranger stopped at Daniel Fisher's Wednesday night and asked the privilege of staying.  His rig consisted of a gray horse blind in one eye, and a top buggy nearly new.  Next morning he intimated that he wanted to sell his outfit.  Fisher sent him to Tilly Case.  Coming to town, the stranger sought out Mr. Case and offered to sell the rig at a price much below its real value.  Mr. Case agreed to take it, but insisted first that the stranger show up his title to the property.  This the stranger, who said he came from Stephen's Point, Penn., went off to do, but instead of telegraphing to friends, returned to Fisher's and told him he was going to Utica.  When he left he went up the Whaupaunaucau road, which leadeth to Utica in a very indirect manner.  The whole preceding excited the suspicion that somebody, somewhere has lost a one-eyed gray horse and a top buggy nearly new--Telegraph, 7th.

 

A postal card received at this office, Saturday, contains an advertisement, offering $75 reward for the return of a horse and wagon, the horse stolen from J.W. Axtell, at China, town of Deposit [Delaware Co., NY], on the night of Tuesday, May 3d.  The horse is described as a gelding dapple gray horse, weight from 1,000 to 1050, blocky built, sound in limbs, good feet; right eye has been knocked out with a stone, leaving a large indentation.  Also, a top buggy from Albert Daniels, at China, newly painted, running gear dark wine colored, striped with red or yellow; no cushion or side curtains; half leather top; left thill broke under leather where side strap goes on; the inside of one spoke on right hind wheel has not been painted.  Supposed to have been taken by a man about five feet tall, weighing one hundred and seventy-five pounds; sandy hair and whiskers; talks very low and slow.  Address J.M. Wilson, Deposit, N.Y.  This is undoubtedly the rig that Tilly Case came near buying.  Had he but known, he could have made $75 easily.

 

Later--The carriage has been recovered by its owner.  The stranger traded it with a North Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] man, for another carriage and $12 in money.  Of course the latter loses both his carriage and money.

Herman Goodman Held for Death of Anna Husch

Bainbridge News & Republican, Oct. 14, 1943

Herman Goodman, 28-year-old Parksville [Sullivan Co., NY] farm hand, was held in the jail at Monticello Monday on a first degree manslaughter charge arising from the death of Miss Anna Husch, 18, of Livingston Manor [Sullivan Co., NY], who, police say, leaped from Goodman's speeding car when she became frightened at his advances.  Miss Husch died at Maimonides Hospital, Liberty, Saturday, six hours after she had jumped from Goodman's car on Route 17 near Livingston Manor.  Goodman was arrested Sunday at his home.  At first he made a denial of  any knowledge of the case, but later signed a statement in which he declared that Miss Husch had jumped from his car when she became frightened at his advances.  She died without regaining consciousness.

 

The girl lived on the Livingston Manor - White Sulphur Springs road and was returning to her home from Livingston Manor, where she worked as a maid, when Goodman stopped to offer her a ride.  The girl, police said, had been engaged to a service man for a short time, and ordinarily made a practice of refusing proffered rides.  Her brother and Goodman, however, delivered mile to the same creamery and she apparently recognized him.

 

She accepted his offer, rode for only two-tenths of a mile and then leaped from the vehicle, striking her head on the highway.  Other motorists failed to get the license number of the car but were able to provide an accurate description of the vehicle as it sped away.

 

Officers went to the Goodman home, found the motor of the car still warm.  They roused Goodman out of bed.   He first told them the car had not been used since 8 o'clock Saturday morning, but later admitted having driven two men into Livingston manor before noon.  He denied having seen the girl, but later admitted having made advances to her soon after she got in his car.