Jasper County Courthouse - Rensselaer, IN
Posted by: 
rogueblack
N 40° 56.153 W 087° 09.069
16T E 487275 N 4531650
Jasper County Courthouse has survived bitter villainy and fire.
Waymark Code: WM3G00
Location: Indiana, United States
Date Posted: 03/31/2008
Views: 25
Cicero Tatman, an unethical lawyer, stole money from his partner, General Robert Milroy, while Milroy was away at war. When Milroy returned and discovered what had happened, he demanded that Tatman hand over the papers that proved his corruption and stand accountable for his actions.
Shortly after Tatman complied with Milroy's demands, on January 18, 1865, the courthouse burned beyond recognition.
While no proof of the arsen was ever discovered, General Milroy wrote in his diaries, “Finding that [Tatman] was collecting money of clients and keeping—stealing and swindling I ordered him to turn over my papers, books, etc…He reluctantly and slowly did so but burned the courthouse and my papers to avoid detection of his villainy.”
Contractors repaired the building with state-of-the-art fireproof vaults and business went on as usual until 1895, when the County Commissioners hired architects to evaluate the condition of the courthouse. Architects Alfred Grindle and Charles Weatherhogg declared the building a brick away from being condemned and were hired to rebuild the new fireproof courthouse.
Type of Structure: Public building
Other: County Court House
Construction Date: 01/01/1857
Fire Date: 01/18/1865
Structure status: Still standing building
Cause of Fire:
villainy
Documentation of the fire: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
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