Spring 1905

Two articles on Elnora from the Democrat. Note that many names may not be quite correct, this is copied from a rather imperfect microfilm print.

A BIG FIRE
------------
Twenty Buildings Burned at Elnora
------------
Fire, supposed to have been of incendiary origin, broke out in Arch Yazel's drug store
------------
Special to The Democrat
Elnora, Ind., April 10--Fire broke out in Arch Yazel's drug store this morning shortly after midnight and more than a block of cheap frame business houses were burned to the ground, the burned district extending from Yazel's drug store to the old depot.
Cries of fire brought out almost the entire population of the town, and everything that was possible to do was done to check the spreading fire. Several Several times buildings on the opposite side of the street caught fire, but each time the blaze was extinguished before it had gained much headway.
There is little doubt but that the fire was of incendiary origin. Yazel, by his repeated efforts to establish saloons in this little city, has made many enemies and it may be that some of them thought to deal him a heavy blow by applying the torch.
In all twenty frame buildings were destroyed. The average value of these buildings is $600. The total loss in both buildings and contents amounts to about $15,000, very little of with is covered by insurance. The following are the losses.
Arch Yazel, three store rooms, one occupied by drug store, the others filled with plunder.
Monte Rogers, two store rooms--household goods in one, a blacksmith shop in the other.
Jas R. Irwin, store room.
J. A. Crazy's building, occupied by W.A. Ross and Son's grocery
J.F. Danner and Son's building occupied by Reign sisters' military store.
Peter Haag's insurance office.
John Hindman's two rooms--one occupied by drug store owned by Arch Yazel, the other occupied by Clarence Moore's candy store and restaurant.
George Holstein's building occupied by Corton and Whisman's bakery.
Joseph A. McCrary's restaurant and dwelling house.
Haok & Simon's ice house and store room occupied by family.
Fred Twelle's poultry house and ice house.
Arch Yazel's ice house.
Thomas English's barber shop.
It is quite likely that the grand jury will inquire into the cause of the conflagration.

---------------------------------------------

BLACK AVENGERS
-----------
They Cause Much Alarm in Elnora
-----------
Citizens Are Terrorized By Band of Masked Youth--They Commit Many Depredations
-----------
Extraordinary interest has been aroused in Elnora within the last few days over the doings of "The Black Avengers," an organizations the depredations of which originated with a number of anonymous letters received a short time ago by Edward Hovey., threatening the poisoning of his wife and the destruction of his property. Little by little the doings of the organization became more malicious and now there is legitimate reason to believe that is has some connection with the recent fire which visited Elnora.
The acts of the organization first took the form of minor assaults in which country boys were the principal victims. Often lads were caught at night by masked men and badly treated. Later this developed into a malicious destruction of property which for a time was regarded merely as pranks of boys in the town.
But when the anonymous letters began to circulate the people of Elnora put the matter in the hands of the authorities, complaining to Edward T. Laughlin, the prosecuting attorney. A number of young men were summoned and were questioned by the recent grand jury. They all however denied knowledge of the depredations and of the letters. No indictments were returned against them. The federal government is not so lenient in the case of the anonymous letters and a through investigation is in progress.