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Balanced Scales
A newspaper account of the lynching of William Scales. It appeared on the front page of the newspaper, with illustrations.
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Mrs. Anna Ryle Passes Away "Mrs. Anna Belle Ryle, colored, of 52 Sycamore street, passed away at Mercy hospital on Tuesday morning at the age of 80 years and four days. Mrs. Ryle was for many years a resident of Oxford where she was well known among the colored residents of that village. She made her home with her son, James Ryle, of Hamilton, who is the only surviving relative. In her youth, Mrs. Ryle was a slave. Funeral services will be held at the Michael J. Colligan funeral parlors, 425 Walnut street on Friday at 1:30 p.m. Internment will be in the Oxford cemetery."
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Burial of Woodford Ryle "H.D. Cormier, burial of Woodfod Ryal, $23."
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Licensed to Wed "Licensed to Wed. John H. Smith and Fannie Gaines, of Oxford (colored)."
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Three Hurt Slightly Butcher Knife Used in Lane Street Row "Three men were cut and stabbed in a series of altercations here during the week-end. One arrest was made, another victim refused to name his assailant and the third told police who cut him but refused to sign a warrant. Arthur J. Towsey, age 55, 1269 Lane street, faces a charge of cutting Henry Smith, residing in the rear of 1280 Lane street and a charge of breach of peace made by his father, George Towsey. The father said Towsey got drunk and armed himself with a butcher knife and a 22 calibre rifle. Smith is said to have been cut when he attempted to take the knife away from Towsey."
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Colored Men Furnish Bonds After Arrest "Arthur J. Towsey, age 59, colored, 1269 Lae street, was released under personal bond at police headquarters early Sunday morning, following his arrest on a charge of breach of peace Harvey Smith, age 49, colored, 1269 Lane street, arrested Sunday at 1:15 a.m. on a charge of breach of peace, was released from custody on a bond signed by George Towser, colored, 1269 Lane street."
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Exoneration for Towsey A detailing of the exoneration of Arthur Towsey in the connection with some robberies which occurred in Tippicanoe City, Ohio and Indianapolis: "Arthur Towsey, colored, South avenus, was exonerated of having any connection with robberies said to have been committed in Tippicanoe City, Ohio and Indianapolis by John Covey, alleged parole violator, now in the Ohio State Penitentiary, after two Indianapolis Detectives had interviewed Towsey on Thursday. Covey is reported to have told the two detectives at columbus that some of the loot from at least one of the robberies was in the possession of Towsey. Detectives Chas. Morton said today that the detectives left Hamilton convinced that Towsey knew nothing about the robbery. Morton said that covey has told similar stories about other Hamilton people who, when quizzed, were able to convince detectives that they had none of the loot in their possession."
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Divorce Notice of William Towsey and Daisy Towsey A listing of court cases to include the notice of "William Towsey vs. Daisy Towsey."
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Obituary of Mrs. Mattie Towsey The obituary of Mrs. Mattie Towsey.
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Mrs. Mattie Towsey "Mrs. Mattie Towsey who has been very ill at her home on Lane street, is improving slowly."
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Andrew Jackson's Wife Judged Insane "Judge Berry, of Hamilton, was here Saturday holding an inquest of lunacy on the wife of Andrew Jackson, colored. The woman will be taken to the asylum at Dayton."
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Towsey Tells of His Slavery Days: Believes he was once mortgaged to the father of Wilson This article tells the life story of George Towsey and details his life and the life of his family under enslavement: "George Towsey, 78, colored, Long street and South avenue was sitting with his attorney in municipal court Wednesday afternoon awaiting the hearing of a civil suit in which he is suing Tiofi Golobaski for $6 commission allegedy due from a real-estate transaction. [Towsey], who has lived in Hamilton and vicinity for fifty years is widely known and is cordially greeted whenever an acquaintance chances to meet him. Towsey does not show his seven decades and more of age and is often mistaken for a man of lesser years. Towsey had quite a bit of experience in his younger days spent in slavery and retains vivid impression of incidents while still subject to a southern master. The old gentleman, liberated in accordance with the memorable proclamation of Abraham Lincoln is an eager conversationalist and especially relishes an opportunity to tell a listener of life in the old South. 'I was in slavery up till the end of the war,' Towsey commenced his short sketch of his life. Continuing he said, ' For a time my mother and I were together, were slaves for the same master; the rest of the family and my father were scatered about. During the great war I was under several masters in Boone county, Kentucky. First one would buy me and then would have to sell me because he could not afford to keep me.' Among other things Towsey said that at one time the mortgage on his mother and himself was held by a certain Joseph R. Wilson, whom [Towsey] believes to be the father of former President Woodrow Wilson. 'Yes sir, i'm older than President Wilson,' Towsey replied when asked for comparative age with the former chief executive. After the war Towsey said that the family was united for a time, but he came north. Towsey has lived in Hamilton for fifty years. He also has resided in Oxford two years and College Corner, one year."
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A Sacred Relic! Dollar Bought Dad's Freedom "A Dollar Bill issued in 1811 which he used to buy his father out of slavery was being displayed in the office of Harry Emerick, clerk of the municipal court, Friday morning by George Towsey, 80, colored, of 1269 Lane street. Towsey was born in slavery on a southern plantation. He came in posession of the same dollar bill which he used in buying his father out of slavery and the currency is his most cherished possession."
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Born in Slavery An article describing a lawsuit brought forth by George Towsey: "The filing of a partition suit recently in common pleas court by George Towsey, 1269 Lane street, Hamilton, revealed that the plaintiff had been born in slavery and that Thomas Wilson, father of the late President Woodrow Wilson, had at one time held a chattel mortgage on him. In addition, Towsey cited the fact that the two defendants in the suit, his nephew, Alfred Parker, and niece, Amanda Bedenbaugh, Oxford, also were descendants of slaves. According to the suit, his father, John Towsey, married Louise Jefferson in Kentucky while both were slaves. From that union, came the plaintiff and Judy Towsey, another of the defendants."
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Driver Says Excavation Was Not Properly Guarded An article describing a road accident involving George Towsey (a.k.a. Tousey): "A valuable horse, owned by Rosier and Sampson, proprietors of a local cab line, was crushed to death in a trench in North D Street last night. The animal was hitched to a cab, which was driven by Geo[rge] Towsey, colored, of 1269 Lane Street. Towesey's passenger was William F. Mason of North D Street, who was on his way home. Recently the Garver Brothers Co., becan to make excavations in the street for house connections It was into one of these trenches that the horse fell. The excavations extended from the curb line to the center of the street. Towsey declares that the end of the trench in the center of the street bore a red light, but that the end towards the gutter was unguarded. He says he did not know that the excavations had been made in the street and from the positon of the light he believed the roadway towards the gutter was passable."
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Fire Destroys Garage Building An article describing a fire and resulting damages: "A garage in the rear of the northeast corner of Front and Wood streets, owned by George Towsey, was destroyed by fire of undetermined origin, at 7:10 o'clock Friday night. Traffic was tied up more than 30 miutes when hundreds of automobiles crowded near the intersection. Damage estimated at less than $25 was caused to the roof of the residence of Henry Pater, 1388 East Avenue, at 6 o'clock Friday afternoon. Sparks from a chimney started the blaze. An automobile belonging to Irvine, Landrum, 679 Clinton avenue, was damaged by fire, starting from a short circuited wire, at 2:50 o'clock Friday afternoon."
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Souvenirs Reflections on George Tousey's role in the construction of the courthouse. Text of the article is as follows: "Fond memories came into the mind of George Towsey, age 82, colored, 1269 Lane Street, when he visited the courthouse recently. The reason: he was employed in the construction of the building just 40 years ago. He displayed his prized 'pocket-piece,' a $1 bill of the Bank of Tekamah, Ky., which was issued in 1811, he said. Printing on the bill which Towsey declared was once termed 'wildcat money' has become dim with the fading of the ink and the wear to which it has been subjected. 'At home I have two whisky bottles once owned by Daniel Boone,' Towsey said."
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Says Driver Was Drunk An article detailing a drunk driving incident involving George Towsey (a.k.a. Tousey). The text from the article is as follows: "In the $2500 damage suit of George Towsey, a driver, against Fred Koerber and J. Fred Koerber, growing out of an accident, the Koerbers have filed an answer in which they deny the equipment Towsey used was permitted to become old and dangerous but say that day he was injured, he was dunk and was unable to take care of himself, let alone the horse that he was driving. They further state that the partnership has been dissolved and J. Fred Koerber is the sole owner of the business. Koerber asks his dismissal. Biekley and Biekley, attorneys. "
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John Towsey Incident A short feature detailing an altercation between John Towsey and Clement Heicoff after which both were arrested and fined $1 each.
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Obituary of Rufus Brown
The obituary of Rufus Brown which details that he died in the Butler County infirmary of tuberculosis.
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Lynching of Simeon Garnett An article detailing the lynching of Simeon Garnett by a local mob.
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One Hundred Dollar Reward for Jack The text of the article, "Ranaway from the subscriber, living near Burlington, Boone county, Kentucky, a negro man named JACK, about five feet nine inches high, and about 50 yeas of age: he is a well made active fellow, at a copper colour, has a scar under one of his eyes; but under which, is not recollected: but it has so contracted the lower eye lid as to turn the inside a little out, which gives it somewhat the appearance of a sore eye. By the above reward for apprehending and delivering said slave to me, or securing him in Burlington jail, so that I get him again. He was seen in Cincinnati, on the 5th in [sic] standard may be there at this time.
MOSES SCOTT, administrator of the estate of BEN MOSBY, dec'd."
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Emancipation Day Services Held An excerpt from the article, "Several hundred colored persons of the city met in celebration New Year's Day by an Emancipation Day program at the Second Baptist church, Wednesday morning at 11 'o clock. Rev. E. J. Liggins, of the Payne A.M.E. church, led in the services. Members of the congregation who were born in slavery and who remembered clearly the conditions existing before the Civil War, spoke, telling of their deep gratitude for liberty and equal rights. Those who spoke were Zack Chambers who is 76 years of age, Rev. J.L. Francis born in Richmond, Kentucky, in 1862, pastor of the Second Baptist church; Mrs. Margaret Craif, born in Cynthiana, Kentucky, and Mrs. Fannie Bryant, born in Francisville, Boone County, Kentucky. Miss Mildred Conway played for the services [...]"
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Bard Rites to be Conducted Sunday Text of the obituary, "Funeral services will be held Sunday for Aunt Emma Bard, 90, Wauseon's last person who came up from slavery in the south. She died yesterday in her home of old age and heart trouble. Mrs. Bard was born of slave parents on a tobacco plantation in Boone county, Kentucky, in 1850 and served as a house girl in her owner's home until freed by the Civil War. Desiring education for her children in 1884, she came north and settled in Wauseon with her husband, Frank, who died 12 years ago."
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Flagrant Outrages
An excerpt from the "Cincinnati Correspondence: Letters to the Editor of the Bugle" section published on the third page of the May 25th, 1850 edition, “[…] a white boy drove eight colored people, belonging to a widow in Boone County, Ky., in her own wagon to Covington, and on Saturday morning crossed to this city at Fifth St. ferry. The wagon was covered up with blankets and white cloth in such a way as to conceal the ‘negroes,’ and have the appearance of a market wagon. They all escaped except the white boy, who was taken, but professes entire innocence and ignorance of the whole design, being merely induced by the colored people to drive them over. In these exchanges Kentucky has been the loser, having captured one and lost eight.”