Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 5, Number 233, Decatur, Adams County, 26 September 1907 — Page 1

DECATUR DAIRY DEMOCRAT.

Volume V. Number 233

hayor refuses To Sign New Tax Levy Adopted Recently COUNCIL WILL TAKE ACTION New Levy Reduces Tax Levy Seventeen Cents and the Council Will Likely Carry it Over Veto. The matter that is now worrying the members of the common council is the attitude that the mayor has assumed toward the tax levy recently passed bv the council, which the mayor refused to sign, saying that he would veto the matter. The levy as it now stands is a reduction of seventeen cents over that of last year, the reduction coming under the head of "To pay judgments,” which was reduced from twenty cents to three cents. The mayor according to the statute was granted ten days in which to file his veto and this being the last day, he filed the same with the clerk giving as his reasons for the veto that he could not conscientiously or legally sign the ordinance while it called for the three per cent to pay judgments, as there were no judgments pending against the city and legally they had no right to make a levy for debt that never existed or would exist, hence has refusal to sign the same. From what we are able to learn about the matter the levy was made to pay the George McKean bill that has been pending for some time in court and on which an agreement was reached last spring, and the basis fixed for a settlement. although no judgment has as yet been entered of record by the attorneys in the case. In the eyes of the council this indebtedness is the same as a judgment. The mayor has always been opposed to the McKean bill, and has been an interested party to the fight ever since it has been, pending and now says that the tax levy of three per cent should not be passed to pay this claim as it is not in judgment, neither is it an honest or legal debt of the city. The only remedy now left for the council to do is to pass the ordinance over the mayor's veto, before the first Monday In October and unless they do the tax levy made for last year will itand for the coming year and the rate will not be reduced in the least. Seventeen cents reduction in the tax levy it this time is no mean item and every fair minded citizen is desirous of seeing the new levy made and put into effect as soon as possible. The fight upon this question is being watched with considerable interest. o HE PAID ONE FINE Billy Fronefield Plead Guilty to Charge FOR ASSAULT ON ZIMMERMAN His Peace Bond Suit is Scheduled for Tomorrow after Which he Says he Expects to Leave Here. In the three suits that were instituted against William Fronefield. for assault and battery the other for requiring Mr. Fronefield to furnish a peace bond, the former two have been settled. The defendant plead guilty to the charge of assault and battery on , the person of Isaac Zimmerman and was promptly fined th® usual dose of one dollar and costs amounting to 18.75. The other assault and battery case was dismissed by request of Mrs. Fronefield, the prosecuting witness, and the defendant paid the costs in Squire Stone’s court. The case wherein Mrs. Fronefield demands that her husband be placed under a peace bond is still pending and will no doubt be tried before Squire Stone some time tomorrow. Mr. Fronefield is disposing of his hay and stock and states that after he has sold his belongings he will leave this county and never return to renew relations with his wife unless her children refrain from tnixing Into their affairs. The peace bond trial will conclude another chapter of the troubles of this family and it is hoped that it will be ths last one.

WAS TIRED OF THIS LIFE. Hartford Township Girl Tried Carbolic Acid Route but Failed. Miss Sybil Hall, who lives with her grandmother in Hartford township, attempted suicide by the carbolic acid route on Tuesday of last week. The carbolic acid was taken with suicadal intention, and though she took of it the second time in quick succession, it had been diluted with water and the summoning of a physician saved the girl’s life. Dr. McCain, from Linn Grove, was summoned and at first the girl refused to partake of medicine, but was almost compelled to do so. The girl Is aged about seventeen, and it is thought she will not suffer greatly from her rash act. The acid had been procured for medicinal purposes by her grandmother. Meloncholy is the only heason assigned for the girl wishing to end her life. —Geneva Herald.

AN INSTANT DEATH Perl Runyon Caught in Gas Engine Wheel BROTHER OFMRS.HOWARD DAVIS Accident Occurred Near Albany—Lad Was Only Sixteen Years Old — Funeral Held Today. Pirl Runyan, aged sixteen, a brother of Mrs. Howard Davis of this city,was instantly killed Tuesday evening, being caught in the big fly wheel of a gas engine, which he was operating on an oil lease near Albany, Delaware county. He was alone at the power house and the details of his death will never be known. He was a son of Mr, and Mrs. Joseph Runyan, well known Linn Grove residents, who died several years ago. Since his parents' death, Pirl had lived with his uncle, Samuel Brown, at Petroleum. Brown was employed as a pumper in the oil field and his young brother-in-law, Pirl, was with him on the lease much of the time. He had worked near Petroleum ana Keystone, but about two weeks ago he and his wife and brother-in-law went to Albany, where he had secured work. Tuesday Mr. aud Mrs. Brown went to Albany and left Pirl alone on the leases, as they had done on previous occasions when living at Petroleum. When they returned in the evening to the lease, located about two miles from Albany, they found Pirl's dead body in the power house. The funeral was held at Petroleum today and the body taken to Linn Grove, where he was laid to rest beside his parents. He leaves seven sisters to mourn: Mrs. Davis, of this city, Mrs. Cady Montgomery and Miss Blanch Runyan, of Bluffton; Mrs. John Kimball and Mrs. Samuel Brown of Petroleum; Mrs. Arthur Laisure of Fiat, and Mrs. Manley Brown, of Berne; also five half brothers Smith and Alonzo, of Linn Grove; Sylvester of Petroleum; William, of Deerfield. Ohio; and “Doc’s Runyan, of Geneva. o CLEVELAND REAL ESTATE DEAL Less Than an Inch of Land Caused the Controversy. A hair-splitting real estate deal was closed up in Cleveland a few days ago. A real estate firm of that city contracted to sell a banking company there 120 feet frontage for a banking house. Affler the contract was made the banking firm found another location that suited them better and tried to sue contract. They had the frontage measured and it proved to be three one-hundredths of one inch less than the contract called for. Hence they refused to take the lot. To save the deal Jacob Rosenstock, who lives in Warsaw, Ind., was asked by the Cleveland real estate firm to sell them three one-hun-dredths of an inch of . ground off of a 95 foot lot he happened to own abutting the proposed bank site in Cleveland. He made them a deed for the hair line of land at a nominal price and the banking house was stuck to take the lot as per contract as the 120 feet frontage was transferred to them as per contract

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday Evening, September 26, 1907.

MRS. KOENIG DEAD Allen County Lady Choked to Death WHILE EATING HER DINNER Formerly Lived in This County and Had a Number of Relatives and Friends Here. Mrs. Louisa Koenig, seventy-one years of age, of Adams township, chocked to death about 2 o’clock yes-

terday afternoon while eating her dinner in bed. The aged woman has been somewhat feeble and spent considerable of her time in bed. At the noon hour yesterday a member of the household took her dinner to her and then left the room. A short time after a member of the family returned to Mrs. Koenig’s room for the dishes and to her horro r found the aged woman sitting bolt upright in bed, dead. From the appearance of the dishes on the tray Mrs. Koenig had apparently finished eating her soup and had just taken a bite of meat when she choked. Members of the family heard no noise from the room and it was not known that anything had happened until the discovery was made that she was dead. Coroner J. E. Stults was summoned and found that Mrs. Koenig’s death had been caused by a piece of meat which lodged in her throat, producing strangulation. Mrs. Koenig, who was the widow of Fred Koenig, was bom in Germany and came to America on April 20, 1860, settling in Adams county. A short time later with her husband she came to Allen county and located on the farm upon which she lived up to the time of her death. She is survived by these children: William Koenig and Mrs. William Klopproth, Racine, Wis.; Mrs. William Gearhart. Mrs. William Kramer, Charles Koenig, Mrs. Fred Buhr, Mrs. C. Reiter and Henry Koenig, Fort Wayne, and Fred Koenig, Adams township. There is also a brother, Fred Schroeder, of Fort Wayne; a sister. Mrs. Catherine Pruesse, of Racine, Wis., and twentyseven grandchildren. Mrs. Koenig was a great aunt of Charles Koenig, who was accidentally shot and killed by a companion several days ago on the Roebuck farm, and who was buried Tuesday.—Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. 0 Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Schwartz, of Marion, Indiana, arrived in the city today to spend two weeks w’ith relatives. o ANNUAL MEETING Missionary Society to Meet at Indianapolis FOR THREE DAYS’ SESSION Decatur Representatives Will be in Attendance —Noted People to Address the Various Meetings.

The 25th annual meeting of the Woman’s Synodical Societies of Home and Foreign Missions, of Indiana, will be held at Indianapolis in the Second Presbyterian church, Pennsylvania and Vermont streets, October 15, 16 and 17, 1907. Conference of Presbyterial and Synodical officers. October 15 at 3 p. m. Tuesday evening and Wednesday, Home Missions and Freedmen. Mrs. Gildersleeve, secretary of the Woman's Board of Home Missions, and Rev. Mr. Losa, of Pittsburg, will address these sessions Wednesday evening and Thursday. Foreign Missions, Rev. J. C. R. Ewing, of India, will address the sessions of Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon. Speakers from other fields are also expected. Number of delegates not limited. The missionary society of this city will be represented there by a large number of delegates of the society of the Presbyterian church. o -—— Mrs. L. H. Purdy went to Berne this afternoon to visit with her father, Mr. Tucker, whe la critically ill.

THE BEST THEY COULD GET. William Jennings Bryan ttells a good story at his own expense of a time when he was not as well known as he is now: A widely admired campaign speaker in Nebraska, who has been billed to make the principal address at a political gathering at Lincoln, was obliged at the last moment, on account of Illness, to send word that he could not keep the appointment. It chanced’ that Mr. Bryan was selected to fill his place. Naturally Mr. Bryan felt some nervousness, knowing that he was to act as substitute for an older and much better known speaker, and his apprehension was not lessened when he heard himself thus announced by the chairman:

“Feller citizens, this here’s the substitute for our gallant an’ admired leader, unfortunately sick. I don’t know what this gent can do, but time was short an' we had to take what we could git.” o_ WAS GREAT EVENT K. of C. Banquet at Fort Wayne Last Night CLOSING A WEEK'S CELEBRATION Golden Jubilee of the Diocese Ends With Banquet—Toasts by Prominent Catholics.

About sixty Decatur Knights of Columbus went to Fort Wayne last evening and attended a brilliant banquet given by the K. of C. lodge of that city as a fitting close to the diocesan celebration in honor ot the fiftieth anniversary of the church in this district. The event was attended by many of the leading Catholics of the middle west, and was one of the most delightful affairs of the kind ever given in Indiana. The menu card itself served as a souvenir of the occasion, having on the frontispiece the picture of Bishop Alerding. The card was issued in the form of a booklet and is especially appropriate to the spirit of the golden jubliee so auspiciously celebrated this week.

One hundred pretty and uniformly dressed young ladies volunteered their services at the tables and much credit is due them for the splendid service. The young ladies wore the colors emblematic of the papacy, and the order, yellow and white, and purple their only decorations being white carnations, aud a small spray of fern. Mr. Dan Clemens, of the German case, was the caterer to the eight hundred covers on the occasion. Young’s orchestra furnished the music during the discussion of the banquet and interspersed the responses. Dr. H. O. Bruggemau served as toastmaster, Hon. William P. Breen gave the address of welcome and responses were made by Mr. George E. Clarke, of South Bend. Jerome J. Crowley, of Chicago. Bishop Alerding and Patrick H. O’Connell, of Chicago. o HAZED FIRST COLORED STUDENT Bound Hand and Foot for Twelve Hours With Lunch Out of Reach. |

Bedford. Ind., Sept. 26.—For twelve long hours James Wayne, a high school fresman, lay in the office of the school superintendent, bound hand and foot and suffering the pangs of hunger. A few set away from him, but just out of reach, was a tempting lunch. Wayne was found by the superintendent when he went to his office the next morning. Wayne is the first and only colored pupil of the Bedford high school. He entered his freshman year a few days ago and it had been rumored that he was scheduled for a hazing. The hazing came Monday night when Wayne was seized by a crowd of sopohmores. First he was paraded about the main streets and was made to dance and perform several other ludicrous “stunts.” Following this hrs captors gained entrance to the high school building through the basement. They made way to tlhe superintendent’s office, and. after binding their victim hand and foot, placed him on a cot so he could not move. They then placed the lunch a short distance from him and, after turning on the light so he could see the feast distinctlr, they left him for the night.

OLD 47TH. BOYS Will Hold Annual Reunion Here ON THE NINTH OF OCTOBER President Joseph Helm Has Charge— Short History of the Regiment Which Served Four Years. The annual reunion of the 47th regiment of the Indiana Volunteer Infantry will be held in this city October 9th, and local members under the direction of Joseph Helm, president of the regimental association are arranging for the event, which promises to be a happy one. At least 100 members of the old regiment are expected to be present,, at eleven o’clock a. m. on the day mentioned, when a big dinner will be served by the W. R. C. at

the G. A. R. hall. At one o’clock they will meet with their friends at the court house, where Judge Richard K. Erwin will deliver an address of welcome, followed by misic and speeches by the comrade. In the evening a camp fire will be held at the G. A. R. hall. The 47th regiment was mustered into service at Indianapolis, October 20th, 1861, the regimental officers being Colonel James R. Slack, of Huntington; Lieut-Col. Milton Robison, Anderson; Major S. S. Mickle, Decatur. All of these officers have joined the silent army, as have all of the ten captains but two, Samuel Keller, of Bluffton and Tom Brunner, of Wabash. The company organized here was C, with Esais Daily, captain. The other captains were A, John A. McLaughlin, Indianapolis; B, L. H. Goodwin, Wabash; D, Thomas Brunner, Wabash; E, Captain Wintrode, Huntington; F, Captain Scheerer, Huntington; G, Captain Robison, Anderson; H, Captain Keller, Bluffton; I, Captain Bowersack, North Manchester; K. Captain Hill, of Tipton. The regiment took active part in the battles of Champion Hill, Black River, Port Gibson, New Madrid and the seige of Vicksburg, beside many small battles and skirmishes. Os the hundred men who went out with company C from this county, only about onehalf returned after being mustered out of service October 23, 1865. Captain Bender, of Logansport, is secretary of the regimental association. The Hon. W. S. Well, of Fort Wayne, who Is a candidate for joint senator of Allen and Adams, was in our city today greting his many friends.

FOR PACIFIC COAST Rev. Fowler Will Leave Early Next Week FAREWELL SERMON SUNDAY Will Probably do Evangelistic Work for Six Months—May Take Another Pastorate.

' Rev. Alfred Fowler, for two years pastor at the First Prebyterian church, of this city, will preach his farewell sermon Sunday and will leave Monday or Tuesday for the Pacific coast, where he expects to spend the winter and perhaps many years in his work. He has engagements enough already for evangelistic work, which will keep him busy for six months or more. He also has calls as pastor of two large churches in that country. He will probably make his headquarters at Tacoma or Seattle. He has numerous admirers in Decatur, who regret the fact that he is leaving, but their best wishes for his future will always follow him. Rev. Fowler is a man of rare ability, for beside being able to deliver a powerful sermon, he possesses a beautiful voice and his song series have been interesting and valuable. As an evangelist he has proven very successful and no doubt if he so desires can continue in that line of work for many years. His future plans however, will not be : fully determined until he reaches his weetera deetlaation.

BLUFFTON IS BOOMING AGAIN. They Want Real Houses that Rent for Five to Eight Dollars. When the new factory is started one thing is certain, many new families will move to Bluffton, and unless new houses are built for them, they will have a great deal of trouble getting located. The houses sought are those renting from five to eight dollars. — Bluffton Banner.

We would like to see the photograph of a house in Decatur that would rent for five to eight dollars. Decatur needs one hundred new houses and every one of them will rent from fifteen to twenty-five dollars a month and no questions asked. ■ o Miss Bertha Nussbaum, of Fort Wayne, who has been the guest of Fred Hoffmann and family for some time, went to Linn Grove this afternoon to make a visit before returning to her home.

COURT HOUSE NEWS Three Marriage Licenses Were Issued SHORT SESSION OF COURT Morgan Divorce Case Set for Trial— Rules to Answer—Other Items from the Minutes.

A marriage license has been issued to Ottis Exley, aged ninteen, of Van Wert, to Miss Oressa Woods, seventeen of this city. Another happy couple who were given authority to wed were Russell Bennett, aged twenty, a piano dealer, of Union City, and Leia Maud Myers, aged nineteen, school teacher of Preble township. A license was also granted to Arnold Simon, twenty-four, of Berne and Flora E. Myers, aged eighteen. The groom was bom in Switzerland. The court session this morning was another five minute affair, in which the records disclose the following: Franklin Spease vs. Fred Huffman and Joel Liddy, suit on account, demand $l5O, defendants ruled to answer within five days. Julius Haugk and Woods vs. Erastus Fritzinger, suit on street assessment lien, demand SI,OOO, defendant ruled to answer within five days.

Martin J. Bligh vs. Jonathan M. Andrews, suit on account, demand $73.71 and interest, default of defendant. Mary A. Morgan vs. Ovando Morgan, divorce and SSOO alimony, set for trial for Saturday, October 19th. o COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SESSION State Meeting Proved Interesting and Entertaining.

Indianapolis, Sept. 26.—The county commissioners of the state have had such a good time in their convention here this week that they voted not only to meet here again next year, but to meet here forever and forever.

And at the same closing session yesterday afternoon the commissioners showed their appreciation of the services of John McGregor, president of the state organization, by presenting him with a handsome leather chair and with another year’s term as president. Yesterday afternoon’s business session was the last of the convention and the visiting commissioners said that the present meeting, which was more generally attended than any previous one, had been the most profitable in the history of the organization as well as the most enjoyable. Following this meeting there was a banquet at the Grand hotel last night.

The date of the next meeting as recommended by a committee headed by Gates Sexton of Rush county, was fixed as Sept. 25 and 26, and the commissioners in session applauded the sentence in the committee's recommendation which named Indianapolis as the meeting place for all time to come.

Price Two Cents

OFF FOR MEXICO Secretary Root Guest of That Government GRAIN INSPECTION COMES NEXT Grain Producers Robbed of Millions Gompers Raps Taft With a Few Hard Ones.

Washington. September 26. —Secretary of State Root left for Mexico yesterday afternon over the Pennsylvania railroad. He occupies the private car attached to train No. 20, which reached Indianapolis today at 12:10. The secretary’s car was in Indianapolis twenty minutes and in St. Louis about two hours, but it is his desire that no entertainment shall be planned for him. At San Antonio he is to be the guest at a public reception. Within the last few weeks the secretary has received a large number of letters from Americans interested in Mexico inviting him to visit various sections of that country. In reply to all these he says that after crossing the Mexican border he will be the guest of the Mexican government and will be obliged to follow’ the program that government has arranged for his entertainment.

Washington, September 26. —Federal inspection of grain is likely to be the next important step in the direction of extending the central powers of the general government over business affairs. Congress will be asked to enact legislation of this sort. It is alleged that the grain producers of the country have been robbed of millions of dollars by the lack of a competent system of grain inspection. Not only have grain producers suffered, but foreign buyers have suffered also, and they have made vigorous complaint that grain bought by them as of a certain grade fell below that grade materially when it reached them. Washington, September 26. —Organized labor as represented by Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, formally opened its campaign today against Secretary Taft as a presidential aspirant. In the federation’s official organ, Gompers prints a hot five-page editorial, headed “Taft, the Injunction Standard Bearer.” His remarks are based on Taft's decision as a federal judge in Cincinnati with refernce to boycotts and his recent discussion of labor questions in his western speeches.

SPANGLER REUNION A Gay Time at St. John’s Today IT WAS THEIR FIRST REUNION The Many Who Attended Feasted and Enjoyed a Day of Pleasure Together.

The beautiful picnic grounds at St. Johns was the scene of the first reunion of the Spangler family today. The members of this family from different parts of the state were there to assist in making the occcasion a most memorable one. It has been planned by this family to have annual reunions from this time hence and arrangements for this were to have been completed at their meeting today.

This morning's nine o’clock interurban car carried the following people to the place the reunion was held: Jacob Spangler, daughter Eliza and son Rev. D. D. Spangler and family of New Paris, Ind.; Mr. and Mrs. Sylvester Spangler,Mesdames W. F. Brittson, of Dallas, Texas, and Jacob Schafer. Many others went on later cars from the city and a goodly number were present to enjoy the festivities of the day. Ample provisions were on hand to delight the fortunate ones present and all are hoping that the time for another event of this character will soon bs at hand.