Karl W. Fischer collection
Collection — Folder: S0463
Identifier: S0463
Scope and Contents
This collection includes a typed carbon copy of an essay written by Karl W. Fischer on August 1, 1946, regarding the murder of Thurza Oyler Hinshaw in 1895 and subsequent trial of her husband, Rev. William E. Hinshaw. There is a newspaper clipping from New York Sunday News dated September 1, 1946.
Dates
- 1946
Creator
- Fischer, Karl Wood, 1903-1960 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Karl Wood Fischer was born January 26, 1903, to William and Ida Fischer in Indiana, one of two children. He was a student at Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana, and received a bachelor's degree in 1925 and master's degree in Journalism in 1931 from Indiana University. Fischer taught journalism at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia and at Baker University in Baldwin, Kansas. He was a former assistant national historian of the Beta Theta Pi and wrote several books about it.
Fischer worked at the Indianapolis News, beginning in 1929, and served as a makeup editor for about 20 years. He was a correspondent for the New York News as of August and September, 1946. Fischer died in Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 29, 1960, and is buried in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Indianapolis.
Sources:
Ancestry.com. "Karl Fischer." 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 15, 2014. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
"Karl W. Fischer." Obituary. Indianapolis Star August 30, 1960.
Findagrave.com. "Karl Wood Fischer." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed February 8, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/115772927/karl-wood-fischer.
"Fischer, Karl Wood. "(1981) In Indiana Authors and Their Books, 1967-1980, 129. Crawfordsville, IN: Wabash College, 1981.
Fischer worked at the Indianapolis News, beginning in 1929, and served as a makeup editor for about 20 years. He was a correspondent for the New York News as of August and September, 1946. Fischer died in Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 29, 1960, and is buried in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Indianapolis.
Sources:
Ancestry.com. "Karl Fischer." 1920 United States Federal Census. Accessed December 15, 2014. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
"Karl W. Fischer." Obituary. Indianapolis Star August 30, 1960.
Findagrave.com. "Karl Wood Fischer." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed February 8, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/115772927/karl-wood-fischer.
"Fischer, Karl Wood. "(1981) In Indiana Authors and Their Books, 1967-1980, 129. Crawfordsville, IN: Wabash College, 1981.
Historical Note
Thurza Hinshaw, the wife of Reverend William E. Hinshaw, was shot in the head in the early morning of January 10, 1895, in her home in Belleville, Indiana. Her husband, bearing two gunshot wounds and several shallow cuts, told the neighbors who heard the shots that he had fought off three assailants who had broken into his home, likely with the intention to rob him. At first, the story was believed, but Thurza's father, John Oyler of Winchester, hired Detective Harry C. Webster to investigate. The detective examined the crime scene and interviewed witness, and came to the conclusion that Hinshaw had shot his wife and then attempted to cover up the crime by superficially injuring himself and staging the scene, likely because he was involved with another woman. Webster's findings led to Rev. Hinshaw's indictment for his wife's murder on May 24, 1895 by a Hendricks County grand jury. The case and trial proved sensational across the Midwest and was closely documented by the newspapers. Hinshaw was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. Many people did not believe he was guilty, including James O. Parker, a Danville attorney and banker who sought to identify the alleged burglars. He pointed the finger at three criminals already imprisoned in Indiana, but Hinshaw remained in prison for eight more years.
On January 10, 1905, Governor Winfield T. Durbin granted Hinshaw parole on the conidtion of proper conduct. Upon his release, Hinshaw returned to Winchester, Indiana, as well as Belleville. In Winchester, he met Mrs. Anna Freeman, wife of the sheriff of Wabash County. They purportedly had an affair and when rumors of it reached Governor Frank Hanly, he ordered Hinshaw to be returned to prison on November 10, 1906. Finally, on March 30, 1918, Governor James P. Goodrich of Winchester granted Hinshaw parole once more. The former convict promptly purchased a farm in Kansas and then married Anna Freeman, then a widow. He periodically had to report to the parole authorities at Indiana State Prison until Goodrich ordered that Hinshaw was relieved of further parole reporting on December 29, 1920.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
"Evidence Is All In." Indianapolis Journal, September 26, 1895. Accessed March 31, 2025. Newspapers.com.
"Governor Paroles William E. Hinshaw." Fort Wayne News and Sentinel (IN), March 30, 1918. Accessed March 31, 2025. Newspapers.com.
"Hinshaw Is Innocent." Franklin Democrat (IN), August 27, 1897. Accessed March 31, 2025. Newspapers.com.
"Hinshaw Murder." Anderson Daily Bulletin (IN), July 27, 1897. Accessed March 31, 2025. Newspapers.com.
"Murder of Mrs. Hinshaw." Indianapolis News, May 29, 1895. Accessed March 31, 2025. http://newspapers.in.library.gov.
"W. E. Hinshaw Is Released." Monon News (IN), January 13, 1905. Accessed March 31, 2025. Newspapers.com.
On January 10, 1905, Governor Winfield T. Durbin granted Hinshaw parole on the conidtion of proper conduct. Upon his release, Hinshaw returned to Winchester, Indiana, as well as Belleville. In Winchester, he met Mrs. Anna Freeman, wife of the sheriff of Wabash County. They purportedly had an affair and when rumors of it reached Governor Frank Hanly, he ordered Hinshaw to be returned to prison on November 10, 1906. Finally, on March 30, 1918, Governor James P. Goodrich of Winchester granted Hinshaw parole once more. The former convict promptly purchased a farm in Kansas and then married Anna Freeman, then a widow. He periodically had to report to the parole authorities at Indiana State Prison until Goodrich ordered that Hinshaw was relieved of further parole reporting on December 29, 1920.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
"Evidence Is All In." Indianapolis Journal, September 26, 1895. Accessed March 31, 2025. Newspapers.com.
"Governor Paroles William E. Hinshaw." Fort Wayne News and Sentinel (IN), March 30, 1918. Accessed March 31, 2025. Newspapers.com.
"Hinshaw Is Innocent." Franklin Democrat (IN), August 27, 1897. Accessed March 31, 2025. Newspapers.com.
"Hinshaw Murder." Anderson Daily Bulletin (IN), July 27, 1897. Accessed March 31, 2025. Newspapers.com.
"Murder of Mrs. Hinshaw." Indianapolis News, May 29, 1895. Accessed March 31, 2025. http://newspapers.in.library.gov.
"W. E. Hinshaw Is Released." Monon News (IN), January 13, 1905. Accessed March 31, 2025. Newspapers.com.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Karl Fischer on 1946/09/27.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2014/12/15 by Edythe Huffman. EAD finding aid created 2014/12/15 by Edythe Huffman. EAD finding aid revised 2025/03/31 by Brittany Kropf.
Creator
- Fischer, Karl Wood, 1903-1960 (Person)
- Title
- Karl W. Fischer collection
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
