Hanford Journal Hanford, Kings Co., California Tuesday, 5 MAY 1896 *********************************** MARRIAGE -- BAILEY-MOONEY -- In Lemoore, Cal., Sunday, May 3, 1896, Charles BAILEY and Miss Hattie MOONEY, both of Lemoore. [from Local Paragraphs column] -- Mr. O.C. BROWN, who has been on an extended visit to the East, returned on Wednesday of this week, bringing with him a life partner. While at Evansville, Ind., he married Mrs. India MEZICK, the marriage ceremony being performed at that place. They will take up their residence on Mr. BROWN's home place east of town. [from Local Paragraphs column] -- Mrs. WHITE, the aged mother of Rev. James H. WHITE, recently deceased, died Friday morning after an illness of several months. She has been failing ever since the death of her son. [from Local Paragraphs column] -- On Thursday afternoon of this week Augustus SELBACH, an old pioneer and one of the oldest and respected citizens of Lemoore, passed away suddenly at his residence. Though Mr. SELBACH had been ailing for a number of years, his sudden death was a surprise to all. He gave no signs of a turn for the worse on the day of his death, appearing to be in unusually good spirit on that day. He ate a hearty dinner and shortly afterward seated himself at the table, and, procuring a book in which he was deeply interested, read aloud to his family and seemed in the best of spirits. After reading and joking with his family with his family for a short time, he complained of feeling faint, and attempted to reach his bedroom, but ere he reached the door he fell to the floor, and in a few minutes thereafter life was extinct. Drs. MOORE and FOLEY were summoned and did all in their power to save him, but of no avail. An inquest was held and it was decided that the cause of death was heart failure. ------------------------------------------------------ BLEW UP THE HEADGATES -- Lemoore 'Leader,' May 2d -- John ELY was in town today and as he tells the story of Tuesday's events, 10 or a dozen men from the Tipton country came over and demanded a run of water. An effort was made to parley with them, but they were not in the mood for talk. They said they had seen the Tule River directors last year, but it had done no good. They had said they would be satisfied with a 10 days' run, but had been allowed none. This time they were after water. The headgate at the RUMSEY place was chopped out in short order and then a forward movement was made to the headgate at Rocky Ford. This was guarded by George ROTH, W.R. HARRIS and others. The invaders announced their intention to blow out the headgate. There was a heated argument out of which grew a scrap or 2, but no harm to persons was done. When the visitors were found to be in earnest Mr. HARRIS stood upon the headgate and invited the opposing force to blow it out. This lulled matters for awhile, but when Mr. HARRIS was out of the way, having gone to dinner, 5 sticks of dynamite were placed under the works and touched off. Spectators say mud and water spurted 150 feet high. A hole was torn in the ground like a cellar to a brick block, and the headgate was a total wreck. No further damage was done, as this was evidently considered sufficient. -------------------------------------------------------- LOCAL PARAGRAPHS -- -Jack FRIANT left this morning for Truckee, where he expects to remain for the summer, at least. -Arthur and George SHARPLES, brothers of Frank SHARPLES, left Hanford last Saturday for their old home in England. They anticipate remaining there permanently. -J.M. ROBERTSON and brother, Andy, left Hanford yesterday to prospect for gold and also to look out for a place for Mrs. J.M. ROBERTSON, who is in poor health, to spend the summer. -S.L. LANDIS, the butcher, is nearly laid up with a very sore hand and a boil on his neck. He has great sympathy now for the fellow who has la grippe, although he thinks he himself is a little the worst afflicted. -Berch McQUIDDY, of this city, has secured a position on the 'T.C. Walker,' a boat which plies between San Francisco and Stockton. His father, John T. McQUIDDY, who has just returned from Stockton, secured the position for him while he was down there. -A party of 4, consisting of J.L. & E.L. CHADDOCK, W.S. HEYWOOD & W.G. FOOTE, left Hanford today by team for the oil regions of the West Side. This is their 2nd trip. ROCKEFELLER will no doubt have to surrender his title of "oil king" when they return. DEPUTY SHERIFF F.J. WALKER accompanied Mrs. WALKER to the insane asylum at Agnews, Sunday, where she will be placed under medical care and treatment. Mrs. WALKER was under treatment at Livermore for about 18 months for mental troubles and returned to Hanford about a month ago. Her trouble has come back and it was found necessary to take her away again. She goes to Agnews on a commitment from Judge JACOBS and on the recommendation of examining physicians. Mr.&Mrs. WALKER have many friends in this and Tulare County and all will sympathize with them in the unfortunate illness of Mrs. WALKER. AN ACCIDENT, which might have resulted in loss of life, but luckily did not, occurred last Sunday at the home of Samuel REY, at Willow Grove. There are a number of very large cottonwood trees on the place. A long limb of one of these trees, becoming overweighted with foliage, broke off and fell to the ground. Mr. REY's children and those of neighbors, about a dozen in all, were playing beneath the tree at the time, but they heard the cracking of the limb and got out from under it just in time. The crash of the falling limb, which, at its largest place, was about a foot in diameter, was heard a long distance from the house. The parents of the children are congratulating themselves on the narrow escape of their offspring. H.J. LIGHT is in Hanford today. He has been attending his wife, who is ill at Lemoore. He will go over to his place at Dudley again for a few days soon. He says it is dangerous to light a match over in the Dudley neighborhood now, the oil is so near the surface. Tom HANNAH, Surveyor Seth SMITH and others have located from 25 to 30 oil claims in the gap leading from Kettleman plains to Sunflower Valley. The locators are making arrangements to have a well bored. UP TO WEDNESDAY of this week Mr. Thomas BARRETT, wife and children lived happily in their home just across the track from the depot. This happiness came to an end on that evening, when, it is said, Mr. BARRETT (who is employed by the railroad company) returned home late that evening and discovered that all was not as it should be at his home, and that the sacredness of his fireside had been invaded and his home destroyed, and that, too, by a man named John A. WILMOTT, who has been employed here for several moths past as night watchman -- a man whom BARRETT had befriended and assisted in a financial way during the past few months. The public in general were very sorry to learn of this sad wrecking of a family, as Mr. BARRETT and his wife both bore good reputations, and many are the expressions of hatred toward this man who returned evil for good to his friend and benefactor; and many are the expressions that a liberal allowance of tar and feathers should be meted out to him if he d oes not leave the town, as his absence is more desirable than his presence. ------------------------------------------------------ LEMOORE LOCALS -- [Lemoore 'Leader' of May 2d] -Johnny WALKER of Visalia is now in the employ of Charles BAILEY, our local harness dealer. -Mrs. Lou ROGERS of Indianola, Iowa, is visiting her nieces, Mrs. DOCKER and Mrs. WILSON. She had her son Fred expect to make their home in California. -John MILLS and Bud BARKER are prospecting on upper Kings river. Mr. BARKER will take his family with him and put in the summer months opening up his mine. -John HAYES, who sometime since drove a large number of cattle to the vicinity of the lake to pasture on wild grass, has returned them to Stringtown and placed them on the farm of John and Went MILLS. -Will WINGER recently purchased 10 acres of land from W. UNDERWOOD near the Stringtown school house and has built a cottage thereon and will take up his permanent residence on the land. GRANGEVILLE -- -Mr. James ROSS of Greenup County, Kentucky, arrived here last Tuesday and is the guest for a few days of friends in Grangeville, but expects to locate permanently in Fresno, where he has 2 brothers. -Mr.&Mrs. D.M. THORNE spent May-day visiting D.C. HAYWARDS and also attended the closing exercises of the Excelsior school. Mrs. Harry BERNSTEIN, who is the teacher, was justly proud of the good showing made by her scholars. -George BARTLETT was the lucky man that drew the number that won for him the bicycle that was given away by B. Schwartz & Company on the last day of April. He is proud of his prize, and justly so, for 'tis a fine wheel. -Scott SAMPSON has enclosed his house and front yard with a neat wire fence, it being absolutely necessary to keep his little daughter (who has lately learned to run) from going into the public road, it being extremely dangerous on account of much traffic to and fro. -Quite a number of the friends and neighbors of Mr.&Mrs. WILKINSON called in Thursday evening to remind them that they had been married 25 years, it consequently being their silver wedding. A very pleasant time was had celebrating the event. Several pretty presents were received by the couple, and at 11 o'clock all sat down to a sumptuous supper, after which games were indulged in until after midnight, when the guests departed, wishing their host and hostess many happy returns of the day. -Will ALEXANDER and Mr. STACEY were busy Friday stretching telephone wires from Grangeville to the head of the Last Chance ditch. Quite an improvement. ARMONA ITEMS -- -E. CALLOWAY, a brother of Mrs. John WORSWICK, arrived Saturday morning from the State University, where he has been in attendance since last September. -M.A. HARDING is confined to his room with a gathering in his head. -John CATLIN of Exeter and his son, Arty, arrived at Henry JENKINSON's Monday, to visit his father, sisters and old friends for a few days. -Mrs. Bert VINCENT is quite poorly with heart trouble. FRAZER & DALLAS -- -Mr.&Mrs. A.H. MOFFETT of Visalia returned home Monday morning, after a few days' visit with Mr. MOFFETT's parents, Mr.&Mrs. H. MOFFETT, of Frazer. -Misses Lillie and Rebecca McCORD, who have been visiting with their brothers, Jim & John McCORD, for the past 9 months, will return East the latter part of this month. The Misses GORDON will accompany them. Transcribed by Dee Sardoch To see more old newspapers, visit http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/