Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 5, Number 111, Decatur, Adams County, 6 May 1907 — Page 1

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT.

Volume V. Number in

BURGLAR SUSPECT Captured by Sheriff Meyer Saturday being held in jail here Officers Capture a Stranger Near Markle, Believed to be One of the Tocsin Burglars. Sheriff Meyers received a telephone message from Robert Case at Magley Saturday afternoon, stating that a suspicious looking stranger had been hanging around there for several days. The same man had also been seen at Craigville and Curryville, where he tried to sell some stock which he failed to produce. The sheriff at once got on the trail and found the man In a woods a mile south of Magley, arrested him and brought him to jail. He gave his name as John Irvin and said he lived at Willis, Massachusetts. When searched a quantity of cigars, a number of postage stamps and a roll of twenty-five pennies were found. He is believed to be the man who robbed a store at Tocsin Thursday night as the articles found on him were identical with those stolen at that time. He w-as arraigned before Mayor Coffee on a charge of vagrancy, and plead not guilty. It is believed he will be held ten days on that charge, thus giving the officers an opportunity to secure evidence against him on the burglary charge. He is fifty-four years old and his actions are just a little queer at times. His prosecution on the felony charge would occur in Wells county. Drayman Frank Teeple delivered the fifty-foot smoke stack to the packing house and with the aid of his employers, put the same on a twenty-five foot base and fastened it in place. The job was a risky one and the packing people had some trouble in securing a man to take this kind of a contract. Mr. Teeple, however, accepted the same and set the stack without much trouble. ARELESSCHILDREN Shown by the School Enumeration WABASH TOWNSHIP LOST FORTY Gains Made in Geneva and Decatur and Three Townships—Several Large Families. The school enumeration for the entire county for the year 1907 was filed with county superintendent Oplinger and shows a loss over last year of 118. A strange fact is that all surrounding counties as well as Adams, have lost in the number of school children, though in each the population has increased, showing some grounds for Roosevelt's cry of race suicide. The exact figures for this and last year’s enumeration follows. Township. 1906. 1907. Blue Creek 392 French 449 401 Hartford 433 Jefferson 434 Kirkland 369 Monroe 343 Preble 400 397 Root 393 382 St. Marys 388 Union 393 4 2° Washington 493 414 The school enumeration for the enWabash 658 618 Berne 3,3 Geneva 343 Decatur 1,308 1,318 Total 7.® 44 7,526 Net loss. 118. From the above table it can be noticed that the loss was general, occurring everywhere excepting Jefferson, St. Marys, Union. Geneva and Decatur. Wabash had the largest loss, forty, while Kirkland was second with thirty-three. The reports, however, show a num(Continued on page 3.)

TO MARRY THURSDAY EVENING Announcement of Grandstaff-Scheifer-stein Nuptials. At the home of Mr. and Mrs. T. N. Grandstaff, at Monmouth, next Thursday evening, at four o'clock, will occur the marriage of their daughter, Miss Dora C., to Mr. George Scheiferstein, a well known young man of Root township. Rev. Roelmier, of Concord church, will perform the ceremony. Only the immediate relatives having been invited. A wedding dinner will be served at six o’clock. The happy young couple will reside in this city, where the groom expects to follow his avocation, that of painter. The bride is a clever and accomplished young lady, having taught music for a number of years, and having also served as teacher of the Monmouth schools for several terms past. MEET THIS MONTH Indiana Postmasters Have Meeting at Indianapolis TO INVESTIGATE WATCH TRUST Over One Hundred Applications Under Service Pension Law—Will Open Whiskey Case. Washington, May 6.—First Assistant Postamster-General Hitchcock has asked Field Superintendent S. B. Rathbone, of Indianapolis, to attend the Indiana meeting of postmasters at Indianapolis on May 15 and 16 and represent his department of the postoffice department. Mr. Hitchcock is encouraging the organization of postmasters all over the country for the good of the service, but says politics must be kept out of such organizations. Mr. Hitchcock has also requested Mr. Rathbone to perform a similar mission later on at a meeting of the postmasters of the sixth congressional district of the state at Connersville. Washington, May 6.—The department of justice has decided to make a thorough investigation of the watch trust. The department’s investigators were much impressed by the evidence against the trust submitted yesterday afternoon by Charles A. Keene, the independent watch dealer, of New York. Most of the evidence submitted by the dealer had been carefully prepared by him and was backed up by affidavits. Washington, May 6.—Some one was badly fooled in estimating the effect of the adoption of the service pension law which was enacted by congress at the recent session. The law is less than ninety days old, yet the applications for pensions under it already exceed by nearly 100,000 the total estimated beneficiaries. The rush of the aged veterans who want to take advantage of the new law has swept the force of the pension office off its feet. So far 325,000 applications have been received, and they are piling in with little evidence of a let up. The clerks have barely had time to receive and file them without attempting to pass on their merits. The clerical force has been pushed to the utmost to handle this new business, and it has been necessary to establish several additional bureaus. Washington, May 6.—Representatives of the Massachusetts Liquor Dealers’ Association who called on the president say he promised them to reopen the celebrated whiskey case arising under the pure food law in which Attorney-General Bonaparte recently gave a decision in favor of the makers of straight whiskey and against the blenders. The Massachusetts delegation, which represented the blenders throughout the country in its call on the president filed with the chief executive a brief in support of the request that the case be re- ' opened. They represent that the makers of whiskey who suffer by reason lof the recent decision were not heard before the decision was rendered and they declare that if they are permitted to be heard they can convince the administration that the decision is wrong. A number of people from the south end of the county were in our city today paying their taxes, this being the last day without any trimmings being added.

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, Evening, May 6, 1907.

WERE PERTINENT 1 • The Question Asked the Clover Leaf BY THE STATE TAX BOARD Verldct that a Company that Can Pay Absent President a Big Salary Shouldn’t Ask Tax Reduction. The fact that Theodore P. Shonts drew a big salary as president of the Clover Leaf railroad at the same time he was accepting government money for supervising the construction of the Panama Canal militated against the chances of the railroad’s securing a reduction of its assessment when W. D. Tucker, the auditor, appeared before the state board of tax commissioners. The members of the board Indulged in some very pertinent questions with W. D. Tucker, Tax Agent for the Clover Leaf system, who asks for a reduction in its assessment. Before he finished his argument John McCardle, a new member of the board, asked for information as to the amount of President Shout’s salary. Tucker refused to answer. McCardle then declared that it was very inconsistent for the Clover Leaf to ask for a reduction in its taxes when it w’as paying Shonts a large salary during the time he was chairman of the Panama Canal Commission. Parks M. Martin, Democratic member of the board, cross-examined Tucker vry closely, as to the reasons for the statements that the railroads are suffering because of adverse legislation, both state and national. He finally asked him if the railroads had not contributed to the success of the state and national administrations which have enacted the legislation in question, and Tucker admitted that they had. Tucker blamed the two-cent-fare law in Ohio and the competition with traction companies for a large share of the loss of receipts by his company. The opinion seemed to prevail among the members of the board that a road rich enough to pay an absentee president a big salary should be able to pay its taxes. o NEARLY A CENTURY E. L. White will Have to Wait for His Land INTERESTING CASE IS DECIDED Decrees that Spokane Man is Well Established in His Ninety-Nine Year Lease. . Spkoane, Wash., May 6. —Decreeing i that Charles L. McDonald is established in his 99 years' lease of a piece of government land, once owned by Timothy, a former chiefton of the Nez , Perce ti.oe, who saved the lives of , General Steptoe, U. S. A. and his troops nearly 50 years ago, south of Spokane, the supreme court of Washington has just rendered a decision that in 1993 Edward L. White can have a half share. Both parties to the lease claimed title, one under the lease from Timothy and his squaw, the other under deeds from heirs of the couple. Timothy declared his in- ' tention of becoming an American citizen in 1871 and subsequently contented, he has severed his tribal relations. He filed a homestead on the land in ' 1878 and secured a patent in 1884. ' This by mistake, contained a provision 1 that the land could not be sold for 20 years. Timothy and his wife gave a 99-year lease of the land at $lO rental a year in 1884. In 1890 Timothy died, aged 89 years, and his wife died, aged 92, in 1889. The supreme court says that even if there should have been a five-year alienation clause, the lessee remained in possession after that time for years without objection and that the heirs cannot ' now set aside the 99-year lease. -— o—• ~ " Word from Mr. and Mrs. Jacob R. Schafer, who have been spending the winter at Dallas, Texas, with Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Brittson. says they are ready to return to Indiana with the announcement of warm weather.

AUTO BUMPED INTO A FREIGHT Dr. Wilcox’s Car was Demolished Yesterday. A dispatch sent out from Lagrange yesterday told of the wreck of an auto car belonging to Dr. Wilcox of the M. E. church of this city as follows: Lagrange, Ind., May s.—Some time ago Dr. Wilcox, of Decatur, sent his automobile up to the Lagrange machine works to be overhauled. Today Carl Garmire took it out for a try and had with him Clyde Reyher. Running down east Spring street this afternoon the machine wouldn’t stop and as a result it smashed into G. R. & I. freight train No. 80 north bound. Garmine stayed with his machine and was pitched to one side with bruises, but the auto is beyofid the repair state. The train kept right on about its business. COURTHOUSENEWS Guardian Asked for by Joseph Snyder PERSON OF UNSOUND MIND Jacob Drake Appointed Administrator for Taylor Estate—Marriage License Issued. Jacob R. Graber has filed a suit in circuit court asking for the appointment of a guardian for Joseph Snyder, a person of unsound mind, who has personal property and real estate valued at S3OO. Merryman & Sutton are the attorneys. Abraham D. Galentine vs. W. S. Hughes, suit on contract, demand $500; answer to interrogatories by defendant filed. Jacob Drake was granted letters as administrator of the estate of Simon Taylor and filed bond for SI,BOO, signed by John E. Taylor, which was duly approved by the court. Peter N. Moser, guardian for Henry Snyder and three other heirs, filed an inventory which was approved. A marriage license was issued to L. C. Reiff, aged forty-two, of Bluffton, and Mary Lehman, aged thirtyfour, of Berne. Each has been married once before. The bride is a school teacher and the groom a carpenter. —. o BRICK STREETS ARE PREFERRED Especially Where Travel is Excessively Heavy. “Brick pavements for thoroughfares where travel is excessively heavy; improved macadam for streets in the residence district; asphalt and bitulithic tabooed.” This is the gist of opinion reached by the board of public works of Muncie after an investigation of street pavements in a number of Indiana cities. It is not far from the conclusion given out by some of the members of the Kokomo board of public works after a similar investigation. That bitulithic pavement for the streets is not a great success and that practically all cities of northern Indiana are adopting brick as the best material for streets where the traffic is heavy, were two things which were brought to the attention of the city officers, headed by Mayor Buthrie.who made a junketing trip to Bluffton, Ft. Wayne and Huntington, says the Muncie Times. Bluffton was the first city visited by the party and they found the brick and macadam streets there were in better shape and giving better satisfaction than either asphalt or bitulithic. The latter, which has been used three years, is already going down, and a new asphalt street, laid only last fall, is cracking now. At Ft. Wayne the asphalt companies, it is said, have a strangle hold on the city, and, on account of the fact, that they have a large plant there, keep the asphalt streets in fine condition. The asphalt people annually take hundreds of city officials to Ft. Wayne to inspect the streets there. The brick streets in Ft. Wayne are not so well cared for. nor are they in as good condition as at Bluffton. o Mrs. W. E. Smith is on the sick list suffering from dropsy and kidney I trouble. It is said that her condition is serious.

CHRISTIAN LOVE Series of Sermons at the Baptist Church MENU-ATE CLUB AT DINNER Many Dinners and Society Events— Maccabees Will Not Meet Tonight—Other News. By Perle Burdg. Yesterday morning Mr. Bergman, the pastor of the Baptist church, commenced his series of sermons on Christian love, which are based on the thirteenth chapter of I. Corinthians. Mr. Bergman showed his ability in handling such a great subject and these sermons will continue for some time, and there is no doubt that each one will be filled with more beautiful and nobler thoughts than the previous one. The congregation was large and appreciative one. During yesterday afternoon Mr. E. E. Bergman organized a Baptist Boys’ Brigade, which is carried on a military style and their aim is to promote a high standard of Christian boyhood, which will prove successful if they are to continue as planned. The Gleaners—" What hast thou gleaned today?” is the motto of seventeen young girls who have organized a club for the object of a happy Christian life, a help to the Sabbath school and to all with whom they may come in contact. This club is the young girls’ class of the Presbyterian church, and Mrs. James Fristoe as teacher, has done everything in her power for the benefit of her pupils, and each girl has proven that they have appreciated Mrs. Fristoe’s great efforts. The club colors are very pretty; they are old rose and pea green. This club met for the first time since organization, at the home of Miss Lulu Atz, on north Second street, Saturday afternoon from 2 to 4 o’clock. The president of the club, who is the hostess of each meeting, had prepared a short program consisting of the following: Vocal solo, “Little Gray Eyes,” by Miss Ruth Patterson; piano duet, by the Misses Noami Dugan and Francis Cole; instrumental duet, by the Misses Lulu Atz and Stella Perkins, and then the business period. Immediately following this the hostess assisted by Miss Kate Bremercamp, served a “Dutch lunch." The club reported that in the near future they will give an entertainment for the benefit of the Presbyterian Sunday school. The members are: Misses Lulu Atz, Francis Cole, Noami Dugan, Irita Erwin. Goldia Biggs, Maggie Frank, Edith Long, Francis Lamar, Ruth Miller, Francis Miller, Stella Perkins, Ruth Patterson, Lucy Mclntosh, Kate Bremercamp, Ruth Hammell, Nora David, Edith Green. The next meeting will be held on the 18th at the home of Miss Kate Bremercamp. There will be no meeting of the Maccabees tonight. The meeting has been postponed until a later date. A very prettily appointed six o’clock dinner given at the home of Miss Marie Berry, by the young ladies of the Menu-Ate Club took place Saturday evening. During the evening Miss Emma Hoffman was enrolled as a member. At eight o’clock the hostess entertained the club and their young men friends. Mr. and Mrs. Ben Rice gave a delicious dinner last evening in compliment of Mr. and Mrs. David Rice. The guests were their children and grandchildren. Another elaborate six o'clock dinner of last evening was the one given in honor of the P. F. F. Club at the beautiful country home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Dirksons which is situated five miles north of the city. The three daughters, Misses Ida, Emma and Lena, were the charming hostesses of the evening. The club left on the three o’clock car and returned on the nine. The guests from the city were: Misses Electa Glancy, Pearl Purdy. Bessie Baumgartner, Anna Amsbaugh, Lelah Lahot. The program which the Juniors of the United Brethren church rendered with the aslstance of several others was perfectly successful in every way. It commenced promptly at 7:30 o'clock at the church last evening. The spirit which was manifested in the evenings program prove what devoted church I members and Christians each one was.

ARRESTED ON SERIOUS CHARGE Huntington Man and Daughter Both Believed Guilty. Huntington, Ind., May 5. —Acting upon the recommendation of Coroner Morgan, A. D. Mosher was arrested by the sheriff for murder. His daughter, Nora Mosher, will also be arrested as soon as her condition will permit. The girl, who is divorced from her husband, gave birth to a child last week and the body of the infant was found in a shallow grave on the premises. The coroner exhumed it and found its skull fractured. His verdict is that the child was born alive and died by violence and he rcommended the arrest of both Mosher and his daughter, the mother of the child. The family lives in Warren township. The details of the case are most revolting. A TargP class Thirty-Two Took Communion Sunday AT THE ST. MARYS CHURCH Seventeen Boys and Fifteen Giris Took Part in the Services at High Mass. Sunday was communion day at the St. Marys Catholic church and thirtytwo children, appropriately dressed, took their first communion at high mass. Those included in the class included seventeen boys and fifteen girls as follows: Joseph Hess, Norbert Schneider, Lawrence Bosse, Arthur Kleinhenz, Herbert Fullenkamp, Florian Starost, Walter Corbett, Francis Schmitt, Eugene Kintz, Vincent Coffee, Anthony Herrmann, Felix Holthouse, Joseph Haimann, Lawrence Omlor, Herman Ehinger, Herman Geimer and Clemens Kortenbrer; and Misses Anna Meyer. Carrie Gallogly, Agnes Nesswald, Agnes Weber, Agnes Rumschlag, Bertha Keller, Marie Gass, Margaret Gerard, Minnie Bogner, Mary Metzger, Agnes Miller, Mary Harting, Leona Tonellier, Agnes Ulman, Anna Kohne. VIEWERSNAMED Many Road Petitions in Commissioner’s Court CONSIDERABLE BUSINESS DONE Six Bidders Take a Try Out for Winchester Road Contract —Busy Session. • Macadam road pettiions were presented to the commissioners. Surveyor Baumgartner was appointed enginer and David Steele and William Huffman were appointed viewers on the Roudebush-Hain road. Root and Preble extensions one and two. C. C. Beer and William Adler were appointed viewers on the Washington extension five; W. V. Buckmaster and C. E. Bollinger on the Geneva-Ceylon & Wabash township three; Michael Miller and Andrew Miller viewers for Root township five and Edward Foreman and Dye Ferguson appointed viewers. Henry Ehlerding was appointed superintendent for the Root and Preble township extension one, and Harlo Mann for the Root and Preble two. French township extension four, Monroe township six were continued. Nicholas Rich extension to the Oak Grove and Pleasant Valley extensions were continued. The petitions of Noah A. Pusey for appointment of justice of the peace in Hartford township, was continued. Six bids were opened for construction of the Winchester macadam road. The bidding was close, C. H. Getting, $4,044.50; Michael Miller, $4,029.00; Julius Haugk, $3,850.00; L. O. Bears, $4,100.00; Fred Hoffman, $4,240.00; Samuel Doak, $4,190.00. Julius Haugk was low bidder and was given the (Continued on page 3.)

Price Two Cents

HERD IS RELEASED His Father Came Yesterday and Paid Fine NOT CONNECTED WITH ROBBERY He is Not the Man Referred to by the Kokomo Police—His Parents are Heart Broken. The young man Herd who was captured at Bluffton a few days ago, with suspicion cast upon him for being implicated in the robberies that were committed at the G. R. & I. and Clover Leaf depots, was released yesterday. The young man was given a hearing in the mayor's court here and was sentenced to ten days in jail for riding freight trains, which he was unable to pay and was remanded to jail to await the expiration of his sentence. The boy’s father heard of the affair, and accompanied by the boy’s uncle, came to this city yesterday and secured his release by paying the fine. Young Herd, his father and uncle returned to their home last night. It has developed that the answer to the telegram that was sent to Kokomo by the Bluffton officials, inquiring about Herd, was referring to a man by the name of Hurt, who, it has been learned, is a desperate character, and Herd's reputation was not brought into question. A heart broken mother anxiously awaited the return of her son last night, in whom she has implicit faith, and inasmuch as the young man has proven that he is not the man described in the telegram to Bluffton, and that he was not connected with the robberies here, the impression that has been left with the people in general, regarding this boy should be withdrawn in justice to himself and parents. 0 PROSECUTOR HAS NEW PLACE Writes a Personal Letter to the Saloon Keeper. Believing that there will be less offending among the habitual drunkards of the city if the saloonkeepers and those in their employ are made to observe to the letter the law that forbids the sale of intoxicants to persons known to be chronic inebriates, Prosecutor Cooper, of Kokomo, will, within the next two or three days, address to all the saloonkeepers in the city a letter expressly forbidding them to sell themselves or permit to be sold in their places by others intoxicating drinks to persons who are known to be in the habit of becoming intoxicated. Inclosed with the letter will be a list of names of chronic inebriates against selling to whom saloon men will be especially warned. Prosecutor Cooper says he is in earnest in this matter and that he is going to break up the practice of selling liquors to habitual drunkards if it is possible to do so. He will not only prosecute vigorously those who are reported to him as selling to such persons, but will make an effort to find out all who offend along this line, and, after finding them out, will proceed against them regardless of any excuse they may make. 0 B. W. SHOLTY IS IMPROVING. Regaining His Health—Bad Weather in Denver. T. R. Moore this morning received a letter from B. W. Sholty. who is now at Denver, Colorado, in search of health, in which he states that the weather is something frightful, as it has been snowing for several days. His condition he says is much improved, and that he is gaining in strength rapidly. He says that he is now able to make four or five miles without being fatigued in the least, while here it was an exertion for him to make the trip up town and back home. He expects to remain at Denver until the later part of May, when he will return home. The many friends of Mr. Sholty will be pleased to learn of his improvement, and trust that he will remain until permanently cured. The Ft. Wayne Shamrocks reseated the strong Garrett team again yesterday, the score being five to one. Robbins the twirling for Ft. Wayne. Railing sat on the bench where he could be easily called should the visitors become dangerous at any time.