Obituary
Austin Fletcher Ball
May 5, 1858-June 6, 1884
The subject of this sketch who was murdered at Louisville, Kentucky, in a "raft shanty", on the night of June 5, 1884, was born at East Hickory, Forest County, Pennsylvania, was aged 25 years, 11 monthes and 5 days, at the time of his death. He was the son of Nelson Green and Martha I. Hunter, Sr.. the announcement of his sad fate will be remembered by the citizens of Hickory, the sadness and sorrow depicted on each countenance, the citizens mingling in small groups discussing the sad news, between hope and fear, while heart-broken parents who hoped against hope, only added a gloom to the already sorrowing community. The inroads of society had murderously invaded; one of its brightest ornaments had been stricken down, not by peaceful slumber of death, but by the murderous hand of the slayer, robbing society of an upright member, the Sabbath school of an efficient teacher, and a church pew forever vacated. To say he was an exemplary young man, worthy of imitation, would be a mild phrase. All who knew him knew but his sterling qualities to admire morally, conscienciously, and religiously. He stood as a tower above young men of his age and aquaintance. The Reverand Small in his funeral sermon, with one hand raised toward the canopy of heaven and the other pointing to the casket, with tearful eyes, begged in vain for that the vast congregation to "point him out another young man in the community who was better prepared to die than Austin Ball". From his diary of 1884, we quote the following lines.
We all within our graves shall be
In a hundred years to come.
No living soul for us shall weep,
In a hundred years to come.
But other men our soil shall till,
And other men our streets shall fill,
In a hundred years to come.
Then other birds shall sing as gay.
In the bright sunshine as today,
One hundred years to come.
Let nothing keep us back from Christ,
Nothing without or within.
But spread before his mercy seat,
All our sorrow and sin.
Plunged into temptation,
I am saved! I am saved! I am saved!
The subject experienced religion at East Hickory about nine years ago. he was in full mambership in the Free Methodist Church until May 1883. when it was alleged that a charge be made against him for working on the Sabbath, "cooking for ungodly men", while on a raft along the Ohio River. Thinking the offense so trivial, and at that it pointed toward persecution, he quietly withdrew his name from church record, living a very consistent life outside the pale of the churches, until, his demise.
THE MURDERER OF AUSTIN BALL CAPTURED
The Louisville Courier Journal of the 18th, gives the following particulars of the capture of one of the murderers of Austin Ball.
The peculiar and unexplained death of Ball, who was found dead on a lumber raft at the foot of Cambell Street a week ago, has attracted a great deal of attention in that locality, and the more the matter was discussed the more evident it became he was a victim of a foul tragedy. The testimony of Connell, the fisherman, before the coroner's jury put to rest all doubts as to whether there had been anyone besides Ball on the raft, but as he did not pay particular attention to those he saw there was but little prospect of finding the men he saw. And the again the mere fact, if established, that these men did leave the raft Tuesday morning, 12 hours before the dead body was found would not be satisfactory evidence that they committed the crime, and after the Coronor's jury returned their verdict it was supposed that the matter would attract no further attention. There was one man, however, who began to lay his plans to ferret out the perpetrators of the crime as soon as he found that the affair was shrouded with mystery. That man was Officer Kochenroth, who was on duty on the point the night before the dead body was found.
On Monday night previous to the finding he was on his boat, and watching some parties who were slipping about the river front, he saw four men go on the raft which Ball had charge of, and he took a good look at them. About 4 o'clock on the next day he was in the vicinity again, and hearing some noise on the raft he went down to the water's edge just below to listen and learn what was going on. While he was watching four men left the raft, and he recpgnized them as the same four who visited the place early in the night. He saw nothing to cause him to suppose that anything irregular was going on, but he took a good look at the mysterious visitors and discovered that they were all colored, and that one of them was a roustabout on the Kentucky River packet whom he had seen frequently in that vicinity. He supposed they were visiting an aquaintance, and he paid but little more attention to them. He was off duty when the body was found, and did not learn of the suspicious circumstances connected with the affair till the next day, and it was not until the inquest was held that the fact that Ball had any valuables bacame known. Various other small details that were brought out enabled Kochenroth to put his observations into such a shape as to establish the fact that a murder had been committed, and that the men he saw approach and leave the raft had something to do with it. He knew that the Kentucky River roustabout named Tom Sanders, and he began searching for him. He learned that he had stopped on Poplar Street, between Shelby and Cambell, during the stay of the steamer Fannie Freese when down last trip; and further that Sanders had left the boat for the Kentucky River on Tuesday morning. the officer coducted his investigation very cautiously, and found the syeamer Fannie Freeze would return to the city on Monday, and he watched for her coming. When she arrived he went to look for Sanders, and found him, and on searching him found a watch and chain which answered the description of that worn by Austin Ball. He looked up Sanders at Clay Street Station as a suspected felon, and at a late hour last nighthad strong hopes of catching his three comrades. The officer is positive that he has the right man, and that a strong chain of circumstantial evidence can be established without trouble.
Austin Fletcher Ball
May 5, 1858-June 6, 1884
The subject of this sketch who was murdered at Louisville, Kentucky, in a "raft shanty", on the night of June 5, 1884, was born at East Hickory, Forest County, Pennsylvania, was aged 25 years, 11 monthes and 5 days, at the time of his death. He was the son of Nelson Green and Martha I. Hunter, Sr.. the announcement of his sad fate will be remembered by the citizens of Hickory, the sadness and sorrow depicted on each countenance, the citizens mingling in small groups discussing the sad news, between hope and fear, while heart-broken parents who hoped against hope, only added a gloom to the already sorrowing community. The inroads of society had murderously invaded; one of its brightest ornaments had been stricken down, not by peaceful slumber of death, but by the murderous hand of the slayer, robbing society of an upright member, the Sabbath school of an efficient teacher, and a church pew forever vacated. To say he was an exemplary young man, worthy of imitation, would be a mild phrase. All who knew him knew but his sterling qualities to admire morally, conscienciously, and religiously. He stood as a tower above young men of his age and aquaintance. The Reverand Small in his funeral sermon, with one hand raised toward the canopy of heaven and the other pointing to the casket, with tearful eyes, begged in vain for that the vast congregation to "point him out another young man in the community who was better prepared to die than Austin Ball". From his diary of 1884, we quote the following lines.
We all within our graves shall be
In a hundred years to come.
No living soul for us shall weep,
In a hundred years to come.
But other men our soil shall till,
And other men our streets shall fill,
In a hundred years to come.
Then other birds shall sing as gay.
In the bright sunshine as today,
One hundred years to come.
Let nothing keep us back from Christ,
Nothing without or within.
But spread before his mercy seat,
All our sorrow and sin.
Plunged into temptation,
I am saved! I am saved! I am saved!
The subject experienced religion at East Hickory about nine years ago. he was in full mambership in the Free Methodist Church until May 1883. when it was alleged that a charge be made against him for working on the Sabbath, "cooking for ungodly men", while on a raft along the Ohio River. Thinking the offense so trivial, and at that it pointed toward persecution, he quietly withdrew his name from church record, living a very consistent life outside the pale of the churches, until, his demise.
THE MURDERER OF AUSTIN BALL CAPTURED
The Louisville Courier Journal of the 18th, gives the following particulars of the capture of one of the murderers of Austin Ball.
The peculiar and unexplained death of Ball, who was found dead on a lumber raft at the foot of Cambell Street a week ago, has attracted a great deal of attention in that locality, and the more the matter was discussed the more evident it became he was a victim of a foul tragedy. The testimony of Connell, the fisherman, before the coroner's jury put to rest all doubts as to whether there had been anyone besides Ball on the raft, but as he did not pay particular attention to those he saw there was but little prospect of finding the men he saw. And the again the mere fact, if established, that these men did leave the raft Tuesday morning, 12 hours before the dead body was found would not be satisfactory evidence that they committed the crime, and after the Coronor's jury returned their verdict it was supposed that the matter would attract no further attention. There was one man, however, who began to lay his plans to ferret out the perpetrators of the crime as soon as he found that the affair was shrouded with mystery. That man was Officer Kochenroth, who was on duty on the point the night before the dead body was found.
On Monday night previous to the finding he was on his boat, and watching some parties who were slipping about the river front, he saw four men go on the raft which Ball had charge of, and he took a good look at them. About 4 o'clock on the next day he was in the vicinity again, and hearing some noise on the raft he went down to the water's edge just below to listen and learn what was going on. While he was watching four men left the raft, and he recpgnized them as the same four who visited the place early in the night. He saw nothing to cause him to suppose that anything irregular was going on, but he took a good look at the mysterious visitors and discovered that they were all colored, and that one of them was a roustabout on the Kentucky River packet whom he had seen frequently in that vicinity. He supposed they were visiting an aquaintance, and he paid but little more attention to them. He was off duty when the body was found, and did not learn of the suspicious circumstances connected with the affair till the next day, and it was not until the inquest was held that the fact that Ball had any valuables bacame known. Various other small details that were brought out enabled Kochenroth to put his observations into such a shape as to establish the fact that a murder had been committed, and that the men he saw approach and leave the raft had something to do with it. He knew that the Kentucky River roustabout named Tom Sanders, and he began searching for him. He learned that he had stopped on Poplar Street, between Shelby and Cambell, during the stay of the steamer Fannie Freese when down last trip; and further that Sanders had left the boat for the Kentucky River on Tuesday morning. the officer coducted his investigation very cautiously, and found the syeamer Fannie Freeze would return to the city on Monday, and he watched for her coming. When she arrived he went to look for Sanders, and found him, and on searching him found a watch and chain which answered the description of that worn by Austin Ball. He looked up Sanders at Clay Street Station as a suspected felon, and at a late hour last nighthad strong hopes of catching his three comrades. The officer is positive that he has the right man, and that a strong chain of circumstantial evidence can be established without trouble.
Obituary
Austin Fletcher Ball
May 5, 1858-June 6, 1884
The subject of this sketch who was murdered at Louisville, Kentucky, in a "raft shanty", on the night of June 5, 1884, was born at East Hickory, Forest County, Pennsylvania, was aged 25 years, 11 monthes and 5 days, at the time of his death. He was the son of Nelson Green and Martha I. Hunter, Sr.. the announcement of his sad fate will be remembered by the citizens of Hickory, the sadness and sorrow depicted on each countenance, the citizens mingling in small groups discussing the sad news, between hope and fear, while heart-broken parents who hoped against hope, only added a gloom to the already sorrowing community. The inroads of society had murderously invaded; one of its brightest ornaments had been stricken down, not by peaceful slumber of death, but by the murderous hand of the slayer, robbing society of an upright member, the Sabbath school of an efficient teacher, and a church pew forever vacated. To say he was an exemplary young man, worthy of imitation, would be a mild phrase. All who knew him knew but his sterling qualities to admire morally, conscienciously, and religiously. He stood as a tower above young men of his age and aquaintance. The Reverand Small in his funeral sermon, with one hand raised toward the canopy of heaven and the other pointing to the casket, with tearful eyes, begged in vain for that the vast congregation to "point him out another young man in the community who was better prepared to die than Austin Ball". From his diary of 1884, we quote the following lines.
We all within our graves shall be
In a hundred years to come.
No living soul for us shall weep,
In a hundred years to come.
But other men our soil shall till,
And other men our streets shall fill,
In a hundred years to come.
Then other birds shall sing as gay.
In the bright sunshine as today,
One hundred years to come.
Let nothing keep us back from Christ,
Nothing without or within.
But spread before his mercy seat,
All our sorrow and sin.
Plunged into temptation,
I am saved! I am saved! I am saved!
The subject experienced religion at East Hickory about nine years ago. he was in full mambership in the Free Methodist Church until May 1883. when it was alleged that a charge be made against him for working on the Sabbath, "cooking for ungodly men", while on a raft along the Ohio River. Thinking the offense so trivial, and at that it pointed toward persecution, he quietly withdrew his name from church record, living a very consistent life outside the pale of the churches, until, his demise.
THE MURDERER OF AUSTIN BALL CAPTURED
The Louisville Courier Journal of the 18th, gives the following particulars of the capture of one of the murderers of Austin Ball.
The peculiar and unexplained death of Ball, who was found dead on a lumber raft at the foot of Cambell Street a week ago, has attracted a great deal of attention in that locality, and the more the matter was discussed the more evident it became he was a victim of a foul tragedy. The testimony of Connell, the fisherman, before the coroner's jury put to rest all doubts as to whether there had been anyone besides Ball on the raft, but as he did not pay particular attention to those he saw there was but little prospect of finding the men he saw. And the again the mere fact, if established, that these men did leave the raft Tuesday morning, 12 hours before the dead body was found would not be satisfactory evidence that they committed the crime, and after the Coronor's jury returned their verdict it was supposed that the matter would attract no further attention. There was one man, however, who began to lay his plans to ferret out the perpetrators of the crime as soon as he found that the affair was shrouded with mystery. That man was Officer Kochenroth, who was on duty on the point the night before the dead body was found.
On Monday night previous to the finding he was on his boat, and watching some parties who were slipping about the river front, he saw four men go on the raft which Ball had charge of, and he took a good look at them. About 4 o'clock on the next day he was in the vicinity again, and hearing some noise on the raft he went down to the water's edge just below to listen and learn what was going on. While he was watching four men left the raft, and he recpgnized them as the same four who visited the place early in the night. He saw nothing to cause him to suppose that anything irregular was going on, but he took a good look at the mysterious visitors and discovered that they were all colored, and that one of them was a roustabout on the Kentucky River packet whom he had seen frequently in that vicinity. He supposed they were visiting an aquaintance, and he paid but little more attention to them. He was off duty when the body was found, and did not learn of the suspicious circumstances connected with the affair till the next day, and it was not until the inquest was held that the fact that Ball had any valuables bacame known. Various other small details that were brought out enabled Kochenroth to put his observations into such a shape as to establish the fact that a murder had been committed, and that the men he saw approach and leave the raft had something to do with it. He knew that the Kentucky River roustabout named Tom Sanders, and he began searching for him. He learned that he had stopped on Poplar Street, between Shelby and Cambell, during the stay of the steamer Fannie Freese when down last trip; and further that Sanders had left the boat for the Kentucky River on Tuesday morning. the officer coducted his investigation very cautiously, and found the syeamer Fannie Freeze would return to the city on Monday, and he watched for her coming. When she arrived he went to look for Sanders, and found him, and on searching him found a watch and chain which answered the description of that worn by Austin Ball. He looked up Sanders at Clay Street Station as a suspected felon, and at a late hour last nighthad strong hopes of catching his three comrades. The officer is positive that he has the right man, and that a strong chain of circumstantial evidence can be established without trouble.
Austin Fletcher Ball
May 5, 1858-June 6, 1884
The subject of this sketch who was murdered at Louisville, Kentucky, in a "raft shanty", on the night of June 5, 1884, was born at East Hickory, Forest County, Pennsylvania, was aged 25 years, 11 monthes and 5 days, at the time of his death. He was the son of Nelson Green and Martha I. Hunter, Sr.. the announcement of his sad fate will be remembered by the citizens of Hickory, the sadness and sorrow depicted on each countenance, the citizens mingling in small groups discussing the sad news, between hope and fear, while heart-broken parents who hoped against hope, only added a gloom to the already sorrowing community. The inroads of society had murderously invaded; one of its brightest ornaments had been stricken down, not by peaceful slumber of death, but by the murderous hand of the slayer, robbing society of an upright member, the Sabbath school of an efficient teacher, and a church pew forever vacated. To say he was an exemplary young man, worthy of imitation, would be a mild phrase. All who knew him knew but his sterling qualities to admire morally, conscienciously, and religiously. He stood as a tower above young men of his age and aquaintance. The Reverand Small in his funeral sermon, with one hand raised toward the canopy of heaven and the other pointing to the casket, with tearful eyes, begged in vain for that the vast congregation to "point him out another young man in the community who was better prepared to die than Austin Ball". From his diary of 1884, we quote the following lines.
We all within our graves shall be
In a hundred years to come.
No living soul for us shall weep,
In a hundred years to come.
But other men our soil shall till,
And other men our streets shall fill,
In a hundred years to come.
Then other birds shall sing as gay.
In the bright sunshine as today,
One hundred years to come.
Let nothing keep us back from Christ,
Nothing without or within.
But spread before his mercy seat,
All our sorrow and sin.
Plunged into temptation,
I am saved! I am saved! I am saved!
The subject experienced religion at East Hickory about nine years ago. he was in full mambership in the Free Methodist Church until May 1883. when it was alleged that a charge be made against him for working on the Sabbath, "cooking for ungodly men", while on a raft along the Ohio River. Thinking the offense so trivial, and at that it pointed toward persecution, he quietly withdrew his name from church record, living a very consistent life outside the pale of the churches, until, his demise.
THE MURDERER OF AUSTIN BALL CAPTURED
The Louisville Courier Journal of the 18th, gives the following particulars of the capture of one of the murderers of Austin Ball.
The peculiar and unexplained death of Ball, who was found dead on a lumber raft at the foot of Cambell Street a week ago, has attracted a great deal of attention in that locality, and the more the matter was discussed the more evident it became he was a victim of a foul tragedy. The testimony of Connell, the fisherman, before the coroner's jury put to rest all doubts as to whether there had been anyone besides Ball on the raft, but as he did not pay particular attention to those he saw there was but little prospect of finding the men he saw. And the again the mere fact, if established, that these men did leave the raft Tuesday morning, 12 hours before the dead body was found would not be satisfactory evidence that they committed the crime, and after the Coronor's jury returned their verdict it was supposed that the matter would attract no further attention. There was one man, however, who began to lay his plans to ferret out the perpetrators of the crime as soon as he found that the affair was shrouded with mystery. That man was Officer Kochenroth, who was on duty on the point the night before the dead body was found.
On Monday night previous to the finding he was on his boat, and watching some parties who were slipping about the river front, he saw four men go on the raft which Ball had charge of, and he took a good look at them. About 4 o'clock on the next day he was in the vicinity again, and hearing some noise on the raft he went down to the water's edge just below to listen and learn what was going on. While he was watching four men left the raft, and he recpgnized them as the same four who visited the place early in the night. He saw nothing to cause him to suppose that anything irregular was going on, but he took a good look at the mysterious visitors and discovered that they were all colored, and that one of them was a roustabout on the Kentucky River packet whom he had seen frequently in that vicinity. He supposed they were visiting an aquaintance, and he paid but little more attention to them. He was off duty when the body was found, and did not learn of the suspicious circumstances connected with the affair till the next day, and it was not until the inquest was held that the fact that Ball had any valuables bacame known. Various other small details that were brought out enabled Kochenroth to put his observations into such a shape as to establish the fact that a murder had been committed, and that the men he saw approach and leave the raft had something to do with it. He knew that the Kentucky River roustabout named Tom Sanders, and he began searching for him. He learned that he had stopped on Poplar Street, between Shelby and Cambell, during the stay of the steamer Fannie Freese when down last trip; and further that Sanders had left the boat for the Kentucky River on Tuesday morning. the officer coducted his investigation very cautiously, and found the syeamer Fannie Freeze would return to the city on Monday, and he watched for her coming. When she arrived he went to look for Sanders, and found him, and on searching him found a watch and chain which answered the description of that worn by Austin Ball. He looked up Sanders at Clay Street Station as a suspected felon, and at a late hour last nighthad strong hopes of catching his three comrades. The officer is positive that he has the right man, and that a strong chain of circumstantial evidence can be established without trouble.
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