| Notes |
- Death of F. H. Rabine
On Saturday, August 19, 1876, John H. Light shot and killed F. H. Rabine. They were both engaged in the pottery business at Calhoun, Mr. Rabine for something over three years and Light about one. They had, it seems, become jealous of each other and from ill words came threats of bodily harm. This was probably the result of being in the same business, and the tragedy seemed to have been brought on by the tell-tale peculiarity of a Calhounite, who it seems, reported to Rabine, that Light, who had just finished burning a kiln of ware, remarked to this third party that Rabine, or some of Rabine's hands, had put something in his slack or glazing, which had seriously damaged the ware, in fact he claimed that out of $200 he would only realize $20 worth of good ware. This accusation was borne to the ears of Rabine, who became highly incensed. This was the prelude to the fatal difficulty. On Saturday, as above stated, both parties met on the platform at the railroad depot, just as the western bound passenger train arrived. Rabine, armed with a good sized club, which he carried concealed by his side, accosted Light, demanding to know if he, Light, had accused him of putting something in his slack. Light replied that he had said that either he, Rabine, or some of his hands had done so. A few words passed when Rabine dealt Light a heavy blow on the nose with his club felling him and repeated the blow twice after Light was down. The first blow broke Light's nose and stunned him, as soon as he recovered sufficiently to understand things he tried to rise to his feet and draw a revolver, as he did so Rabine started to run when Light fired two shots in quick succession at the fleeing man both shots taking effect in his back near the spine. Rabine, after being shot, jumped from the platform, ran a few steps and fell. He dropped his club and regaining his feet ran home, a distance of about 250 yards. Arriving at the house he sat down in the door way and said to his wife: "John Light has shot and killed me." These were his last and only words, and he fell over dead, not living two minutes after reaching his doorstep.
Mrs. Rabine became frantic at once, and soon the neighbors were aroused. Light went home, but was soon told that he had killed Rabine. He expressed no regret, but stated he was willing to stand his trial. Such, says the Clinton Democrat, was the substance of the matter as related by eye witnesses.
An inquest was held over the body on Sunday morning. Light was arrested, but waiving examination before a justice, he gave bail in the sum of $2,000 to appear the next day at the circuit court, then in session at Clinton. Judge Wright empanneled a special grand jury, and an indictment was found of manslaughter in the second degree.
John H. Light, still a resident of Calhoun, was of medium height, light hair, blue eyes, and rather prepossessing in appearance and thirty-five years of age. He was born in Batavia, Clearmont County, Ohio. He had a wife, but no children.
Rabine, the man killed, was a German, and came to Calhoun from Huntingdale, and to the latter place from Knob Noster. He had followed the business in both places successfully, and had removed to Calhoun to get on a line of railway, and to enlarge his facilities and increase the manufacture of his wares. He left a wife and three children.
The pistol used was an Allan's patent seven-shooter, No. 22 cartridge.
The trial came off on the 29th of August, ten days after the fight, and the following constituted the jury: E.S. Morgan, foreman; S.W. Billingsley, D.E.A. Price, John Hopton, Richard Marshall, George Kellums, Robert Gilbert, J.H. Cannon, William Ellis, Daniel Golden, G.W. Hancock and E.O. Price.
The verdict was: "We, the jury, find the defendant not guilty." He was immediately discharged by command of Judge Wright.
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1840 - 1876 (36 years)
