From the Files of the Kosciusko County Historical Society

This is a retrospective article that runs a few times a month on InkFreeNews.

Oct. 13, 1967 – More than 125 volunteer firemen waged a four-hour-long battle last night to bring under control a blaze that razed the three-story, half-block-long Moose Lodge building, destroyed four street-floor businesses and for a time threatened other large sections of the downtown area. Accumulated losses, including destruction of the 93-year-old building and all contents, was estimated at between $500,000 and $750,000.

Oct. 15, 1962 – An estimated 2,500 persons inspected the facilities of the beautiful new $1.8 million Warsaw Community High School building on East Smith Street Sunday afternoon during an open house that followed a dedication program in the gymnasium.

Oct. 11, 1954 – Warsaw, Kosciusko County and surrounding towns today were attempting to recover from the heaviest rainfall in history, a record 6.16 inches over Saturday and Sunday, that caused thousands of dollars of damage, flooded countless basements, blocked roads and highways and left water standing on valuable farmland around cottages and homes.

Oct. 12, 1939 – One of the most cold-blooded and fiendish crimes in the history of Warsaw occurred Oct. 12, 1939, in the “neck-tie” slaying of Florence Potter, 65, whose badly beaten body was found face down on the floor of her home on the corner of Indiana and East Winona Avenue.

For this murder, Frank E. Potts, 23, of Catawba, S.C., was found guilty of first-degree murder and given a life sentence.

Mrs. Potter, widow of Dr. J.C. Potter, of Milford, lived alone. Her battered body, with crushed face and clothing partly-torn off, was found by neighbors Oct. 13, the day after her brutal murder. Her kitchen was blood-splattered, indicating that she had been killed following a desperate struggle. A necktie had been tied around her neck and there was evidence that she had been struck with a shovel or rock, both found blood-stained nearby.

A posse of about 100 vigilantes and county, state and city officials searched the vicinity of Goose Lake, where it was thought the murderer might be hiding, but found no trace of the slayer. Frank Potts was taken into custody early in November on a vagrancy charge at Atchison, Kan., and was identified as the killer through fingerprints.

– Compiled by InkFreeNews reporter Lasca Randels