Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 5, Number 251, Decatur, Adams County, 17 October 1907 — Page 1

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT.

Volume V. Number 251

HE WAS HELD UP William Briener Had an Exciting Experience Last Evening. DIDN’T LOSE A CENT. Armed With a Spade, He Made a Stranger Take to His Heels. William Breiner, the venerable farmer, who resides east of this city, had a very thrilling experience last evening with a hold-up man, which he is not apt to forget for some time. Early yesterday morning William and his brother, Reuben Breiner, drove to Newville, where they spent the day, returning to this city about seven o'clock in the evening. Mr. Breiner got out of the rig at his brother’s home near the St. Mary’s river on Monroe street, and picking up a spade he had left earlier in the day, he started to his home east of this city. Everything went well until he reached Bell View farm, and was just rounding the little jog in the road on the south side, when he stepped into a man, who commanded him to halt. This Mr. Brenier did without much ttrging and the man said, “How much money have you got” To this Brenier said, “Oh, not very much.” The thief then said, “Give me all the money you have or I will kill you,” and at the same time advanced in a threatening manner. Mr. Brenier by this time had recovered his nerve, and in a determined manner raised the spade and said: “No, you can’t rob me.” Just at this time a horse could be heard coming down the pike, and the theif, not desiring to take any chances ran south past the Steele farm. Mr. Brenier at once repaired home and immediately infomed the police. The night was very dark, and Mr. Brenier is unable to give much of a clew, although he describes the man as being of medium size and wearing a long light overcoat. He says that this was his first experience at being held up, and does not care to have it repeated.

COURT HOUSENEWS The Mule Crse Went to Jury this Afternoon A MAARIAGE LICENSE ISSUED. Case Against Mike Everett for Stabbing Julius Haugh. A marriage license issued today ■was for Vesta Olhart Bokaw, twentythree, of Root township, and Daisy Lewton, twenty-three, olso of Root. In the Henry J. Teeple et al petition for a drain, a finding was rendered that all parties were served with notice twenty days prior to the date, and the petition was ordered docketed. John Coffee vs. Christina D. Niblick, claim $449.37, default of plaintiff. Case dismissed at plaintiff’s cost. Prosecutor Heller has filed an affidavit and information against Michael Everett, in circuit court, charging him wth assaulting Julius Haugh, with intent to kill, thus taking the matter out of the justice court. The bond was fixed at SSOO, which the defendant gave and was released from jail. Patrick J. Bobo vs. Eli Meyer and Ed Green, habeas corpus, answer filed by each defendant. The case of Isadore Kalver and W 11liam Hurst vs. William L. Gunder. the mule case, in which $250 is demanded, went to the jury about noon today after two hours argument by the attorneys. The September session of court will close next week. After a two weeks vacation the November term convenes, and the grand jury. Judge Erwin will serve one week of the new term, when Judge Merryman begins •duty.

WAS A COMPLETE SUCCESS. Annual Affair Was Equal to the Reputation Established in Past Years. The annual New England Dinner which was given at the Methodist church today was a marked success in every respect. Many people partook of the festivities of this occasion, and all were well pleased with the excellent dinner which was served. Anything one could wish for was within their reach, and the ladies in whose charge the affair was conducted saw that not a person left the dining room without being filled to the collar. Not only was this dinner a success socially, but financially as well, and another such event would be welcomed at any time. dowTbroadway Decatur Traction Line to be Transferred IN CITY OF FORT WAYNE. Messrs. W. H. and Edwin Fledderjohann Agree With Officials. The question of entrance of interurban cars as a factor in the Calhoun street track elevation scheme was discussed at a meeting of municipal and Interurban railway afficials, held in the office of City Attorney Colerick last evening. As a result it is probable that the cars of the Fort Wayne & Springfield Traction Company will be diverted from Calhoun street to Broadway, thus doing away with the necessity of a clearance greater than fourteen feet at the Calhoun street crossing. The officials of the interurban line received the proposal amicably, and it was agreed that City Attorney Colerick should draw up a new contract embodying the change in route. This will be submitted to the directors of the Fort Wayne & Springfield Company next week, and from the spirit displayed by the Messrs. Fledderjohann there is no reason to doubt its acceptance and approval. President W. H. Fledderjohann’and Vice-President Edwin Fledderjohann were in the city on their way, to Atlantic City to attend the national convention of interurban railroad men, and the meeting was hurriedly arranged. The height of the interurban cars, requiring a clearance of fifteen and one-half or sixteen feet, was the principal obstacle in the way of elevating the tracks, as the steam roads objected to such an elevation as would then be necessary, because of the damage it would do to their tracks, yards and shipping facilities, while the City officials objected on account of the increased cost that would be entailed. The Fort Wayne & Springfield is the only interurban company uhing Calhoun street, and the Wabash Valley officials stated that fourteen feet would be ample for the passage of city cars. Consequently the plan of bringing the interurban cars from the south down byway of Broadway, leaving Calhoun to Creighton avenue, was suggested as away out of the difficulty and broached to the Messers. Fledderjohann last night. While realizing that the new plan would entail a longer distance and added expense, the Messrs. Fledderjohann believed it provided a better way out of the difficulty than altering their cars, and offered no objection. They asked that a new contract be drawn and submitted to them upon their return from the East next Saturday. They promised to lay it before the board of directors immediately, and assured the city officials that* it would be taken up immediately. Aside from removing one of the difficult problems in the settlement of track elevation problem, the change in the route will take the interurban cars off Calhoun street. The members of the board of public works believe it was a mistake in the first place to throw the main thoroughfare open to interurban cars, as it is at all times overcrowded with traffic and should be reserved for local railway service and ordinary business.

There were present at the meeting Mayor Hosey, the members of the board of public works. Mr. Lennon, Mr. Schwartz and Mr. Brositis. President Schwier, Mr. Kinder and Mr. Welch, of the council, City Attorney Colerick and the Messrs. Fledderjohann.—Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette.

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday Evening, October 17, 1907.

HUNTING AN HEIR Information Wanted as to Sam Torrly A FORMER DECATUR RESIDENT. < He or His Heirs Have an Estate at Bay City—Toledo Man Writes Here. William Butler handed us a letter this morning written by R. Hosbury, of Toledo, Ohio, in which he desires some Information concerning a certain family that resided in Decatur a number of years ago, and, being unable to enlighten the parties from his own knowledge, he desired that we publish the letter so that anyone that formerly knew this family might be able to assist him in getting Mr. Hosbury the information desired. The letter Is as follows: Do me the kindness of making some inquiry of what became of Samuel Torrly, a one-anned man that lived in Decatur twenty-five years ago. Your father, Jesse Butler, may know something of him, as he was a brother of my father-in-law’s second wife, and she had two daughters that are heirs to the W. H. Woodmancy estate, now held in Bay City, Mich., and if we do not' find them soon the property will go to the state of Michigan. She separated from Woodmancy, took the two girls with her, and married a man named Keplinger. Please make a special effort for me in this direction, as the two heirs are half sisters to my wife, and she is very anxious to find them and get the matter settled. The girls’ names were Nellie and Flora Woodmancy, but I presume they took the name Keplinger when their mother married again. Your assistance in this direction will be greatly appreciated by your friend and long-time acquaintance, twelve years of which I spent on the Clover Leaf Railroad when you were at Pleasant Mills. I wonder if the man Keplinger that used to live at Willshire Is the man. R. HOSBURY. Anyone that can throw any light on this subject will please inform Mr. Butler, as the same would be greatly appreciated.

TRIED TO ESCAPE Gothard Brown Made Effort to Break Jail WAS DISCOVERED IN TIME. Mrs. Myers Heard Him at Work, and He Was Given Other Apartments. Gothard Brown, the desperado who has been lodged in the county jail to await trial for burglarizing the people in the Amish settlement near Berne, made a desperate effort to escape from the county Bastlle a few days ago, while Sheriff Meyer was in North Dakota on business. The prisoner took a bolt from one of the beds, and with the use of the handle from the pump he succeeded in removing a number of rivets from the Iron lining inside the brick wall. Brown worked in the daytime at this, and while he would pound, a fellow prisoner sang so loudly that the occupants of the residence part would' not detect what he was doing. In his anxiety to free himself, Brown workedat the wall one night, and Mrs. Myets was awakened by the noise. She went downstairs and saw Brown leav- i ing the bathroom in a hurry. Her sue- ' picions were aroused, and she notified Deputy Sheriff Butler of what i she had heard. An examination disclosed the fact that the noted bur- 1 glar was trying to liberate himself. . so he was locked in another apart- . ment, where he is secure. Had Mrs. < Myers not heard the noise of the ( pounding, the prisoners may have t made their escape, and hereafter such prisoners as Brown will be kept in < closer confinement. 1

Bert Hunsicker and family returned to their home at Marion, Michigan, this morning, after a four weeks visit there with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. David Hunsicker, and other relatives.

ARRANGING NEW DRUG STORE. The Holt house Company Manager at Willshire is Busy. Wm. Zimmerman, manager of the Holthouse Drug Store in this place, returned last Thursday from a visit of almost two weeks with relatives and friends in Columbus and Xenia. He is now busily engaged in placing the new drug stock in place in their new location in the building bought by the Holthouse Drug Co. of Hurless & Brown at the northeast corner of State and Simpson streets. The building is being overhauled inside and outside, and with the addition of paint and paper will present a more comely appearance than it has ever done at any time in its history. Although badly crippled by the fire, Manager Zimmerman is rushing things along with his accustomed energy, and before the present week is out he’ll be doing business at the new stand as though nothing ever happened to him or the company for which he works. —Willshire Herald. BALES GOES FREE Court Lectured Him and Suspended Sentence HAS RETURNED TO HIS FAMILY. And is Doing Best to Support Them— Ball Player is Now at Work. Clifford Bales, the well known ball player who was arrested some time ago on charges of deserting his wife, and children, has luckily escaped paying the penalty of his actions, which, under the new statutes constitutes a felony and is punishable by imprisonment of from one to three years or by a fine of from $lO to SIOO, in addition to a jail sentence, says the Hartford City Times-Gazette. Bales was indicted by the grand jury, and when arraigned before Judge Sturgis Tuesday pleaded guilty He was given a good lecture by the court, and upon promise to do better in the future he was released under suspended sentence. Mrs. Bales filed the charges against her husband, and when the case was heard in Justice Fargo's court, she turned a deaf ear to her husband's pleas for forgiveness. Bales went to jail in default of bond, but later was released and returned to his wife and was received. Since then he has been doing his best to support his family and it is probable that the couple will live together again. o — C. E, Smith left this morning for Red Key, where he will remain for a few days on a business mission. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Schlrtneyer, of Richmond, Indiana, are the guests of F. M. Schirmeyer and family.

RED MENS SESSION NewOfficersWere Elected Last Evening DR, STOUT- IS THE PRESIDENT. Other Members of the State Council as Chosen at the Convention.

Indianapolis, October 16.—-Dr. C. M. StOute, of Middletown, was the victor in the race for the office of great junior sagamore in the final ballot taken by the Red M"en In session at oTmllnson Hall this evening. Oliver C. Norris was his closest competitor. The folio wingare thecouhCil of- braves announced' Great Sannap, J. P. Johnson, GreenfleW; great Mishinewa, John Blough, Andersort; gteat ; gUard of the wigwam, John R. Bales, Muiicie; great guard of the' fdtest. C. M. SoWers, Cambridge City; member of the board of appeals, three year term, George S. Pleasants, Vevay; standing committee on by-laws, Charles E. W‘ay, Terre Haute; Dr. C. R. Lord. Mays; L. Burr Whippy, Goshen. James F. Thomas, Winchester, was elected great trustee. A beautful gold and silver jewel was presented to Great Prophet Lewis A. Stoy, of New Albany, by the Red Men of the state.

BUSY SOCIAL LIFE Euterpean Club to Meet this Evening CARD PARTY THIS AFTERNOON. Helping Hand Society Meet Today— Elks to Hold a Social Session. The meeting of the Euterpean Club to be held at the home of Miss Carrie Craig tonight promises to be a delightful affair. Miss Fannie Hite will have an interesting paper on the life of Thomas B. McCaulay, which will without doubt prove entertaining to the ladies of this popular club.

The party this afternoon at the home of Mrs. J. B. Meibers, given by she and Mrs. O. N. Snellen for sixty of their friends, was most entertaining from the time the guests arrived until their departure. Progressive pedro and social chat furnished the feature of the event, and all had an enjoyable time. A full account will be published in tomorrow’s issue of the party. The Helping Hand Society of the German Reformed church had a delightful session at the home of Mrs. Ernest Schlickman this afternoon. The price of admission at the Passion Play to be given at the Electric Theater under the auspices of the Presbyterian church is ten cents for two shows, twenty cents for the four shows. The social session to be given by the Elks tomorrow evening is the first of the season for this prominent social and benevolent order. Many more will occur during the winter season. Mr. and Mrs. L. G. EUingham entertained Judge O'Rourke, of Fort Wayne, and a few of his friends, at dinner last evening. The special meetings at the Presbyterian church next Sunday promise to be very interesting. Several of the former pastors here will take part in the day’s services.

STOVE PIPE FELL Upset the Coffe Pot and He Licked His Wife HE PAID HIS FINE. - I» Then Started Home Swearing to Re*

peat the Dose.

Mrs. Nelson Hays, of Thirteenth street, appeared in Mayor D. D. Coffee’s court yesterday afternoon and filed an affidavit against her husband, charging him with assault and battery. As the story goes, Mr. Hays was putting up a stove pipe at his home, when a joint fell on the table, upsetting the coffee pot and spilling hot coffee on his leg. He became angered and proceeded to avenge himself on his wife, striking her several times. Mrs. Hays warned her husband that she would file an affi-

davit against him, but this did not seem to lessen his abuse, so she reported the affair to the mayor. A warrant was placed in the hands of Marshal Bohnke for Hay’s arrest, and he was given a hearing shortly afterward. He plead guilty to the charge and promptly paid the neat little sum of nine dollars and thirty cents, after which he notified Bohnke that he may have another chance to bring him- into court, for he declared he would give his wife a good beating when he got home.

The lady who gently tapped her husband on the shoulder at the social the other night and said, "Love, it is growing late, I think we had better go home,” is the same one who after getting home shook the rolling pin under his nose and said, “You infamous old snaggle-toothed scoundrel, if you ever look at that mean, hateful, calico-faced, mackerel-eyed old thing you had your eye glued on tonight, I’ll bust your cocoanut wide open for you.”

WHY THE PAPER WAS LATE. An Unfathomable Linotype Was on Strike. No doubt many of our city subscribers expect an explanation as to the late hour of our arrival last evening. It was simply one of those delays, which comes after a period of wretched bad luck when dealing with a piece of machinery as complicated as the linotype. Our boys worked faithfully and did all in their power to get the paper out as early as possible, but fate was against us. We will resume oldtime form after a day or two, just as soon, we assure you, as possible. Don’t growl or grumble; remember we are worrying over it a geat deal more than you.

BRIGHTANDBREEZY Will be “My Uncle from Japan” at the Bosse AT OPERA HOUSE. Splendid Musical Progam Has Been Arranged—Buy a Ticket. “My Uncle from Japan,” the local talent benefit show, which will be at the opera house Wednesday, October 23d, is a delightfully bright and breezy musical comedy, and is one of the best efforts of Chas. Townsend,

and is full of action from start to finish, comic situations following one another, and there is not a dull moment in the show. The musical part of “My Uncle from Japan” has been arranged from some of the biggest of the musical successes, such as “The Prince of Pilsen," “The Mayor of Tokio,” “A Knight for a Day,” “George Washington, Jr.,” and other just such plays, and will be carried through by a large and handsomely gowned chorus, and the formations will be as nearly as possible a replica of the big city successes mentioned above. The cast will be made up of old favorites, as follows: Capt. Robert Racket, one of the National Guard, a lawyer when he has nothing else to do, and a liar all the time. Mr. Frank Wemhoff. Obadiah Dawson, his uncle from Japan, Mr. Walter Johnson. Timothy Totman, his friend, who married for money and is sorry for it, Mr. Clayson Carroll.. Mr. Dalroy, his father-in-law, and a jolly old fellow, Mr. Hugh Hite. Hobson, a waiter from the case Qloriana, who adds to the confusion, Mr. Jesse Helm. Clarissa Racket, the captain’s pretty, out for a lark and up r*, anything awful, Miss May Holthouse. Mrs. Tolman, a lady with a temper, who finds her Timothy a vexation of spirit. Miss Minnie Orvis. Katy, a mischievous maid, Miss Francis Bryson. Maid of Japan, tennis girls, tourists, Loudon society ladies, etc., by the ladies the chorus. Tickets can be secured itroifi members Os the department and the price is five cents. Seats reserved on date of show, and if ydil miss "My Uncle from Japan" you will miss the biggest mutical treat of the season.

INDIANA PEOPLE WERE “STUNG.” Marion, Ind., October 16. —Church members, business men, school teachers, policemen, farmers and, in fact, all classes of people in Grant County were caught for an aggregate sum of $200,000 today in the failure of the Cargill Investment Company of New York. The company operated in Grant, Madison, Wells, Huntington and Wabash counties in this state, and also in Ohio.

The swindle worked by the Cargill company is one of the prettiest that has been devised by t hehand of the "get-rich-quick” people. Conducting its business as sedately and conservatively, on the surface, as the oldest banking firm, the company sold stock on which it offered almost fabulous dividends, 50 per cent, being a common promise. The capital, so the company claimed, was bet on the races, principally on the New Orleans track, where it claimed to have sure tips from the jockeys. Os course, to the investor it looked like there was no chance to loose, and the “stock” sold like hokeypokey at the county fair. Charles T. Kile, a druggist, was the Grant county agent. He claims to have “invested” 1100 and to have made -259.95 for the (first year.

Price Two Cents

TIiIRTY-EIGHTDEAD As a Result of Explosion at Fauntanet SIX HUNDRED WOUNDED. Coroner Working on Investigation— Militia in Charge of Town. Fontanet, Ind., October 16.—Thirtyeight lives snuffed out, 600 injured, of which number fifty were seriously hurt and a property loss of approximately $750,000, is the latest estimate of the destruction wrought by the explosion at the Dupont powder mills Tuesday. From a workman employed in the glazing mills it was learned today that a “hot-box,” which was caused by too much friction on the shafting, causing parks to be transmitted to some loose powder, was in all probability the cause of the terrible catastrophe. The employe, whose name is William Sherrow, and who is dangerously hurt as the result of the explosion, said: "The explosion of yesterday, in which so many lives were lost, was caused by loose boxing on the shaft. The day before this terrible explosion happened we had to throw water on it when it became too hot. This time it got too hot and sent off the sparks that caused the explosion.” Another company of state militia arrived from Indianapolis this evening and immediately went into camp. The town is now under martial law, the two companies of state troops being in full control. Coroner Leavitt, of Vigo county, spent the entire day investigating the cause of the accident. The coroner declares that it is his opinion that not more than thirty men were at work at the time the explosion occurred. He said, too, that ia an explosion of the intensity of this one it was probable that a number of persons might be blown to atoms and their bodies never recovered. The injured at this place and Terre Haute are getting along nicely, and it is thought no more deaths will occur.

G. H. Kelly has rttureed to Portlatd after working here for some time on the county directory. “BEITTY’DRAFTED Berne Ball Player will Join Washington -I. — • - LEFT HAND TWIRLER. •'W''”"" T-, Hl- £ Made Good in the Texas League This Year and Goes in Fast Company.

Claaence BieiT dorfer > of Berne, who during the past beasbii Was with the Dallas ball team iri the Texas League, seems hA destined id go higher in baseball, and scording to press reports will be seeff next season with the Wahhington (D. C.) American League team. “Bietty," as he is known among his associates, is a lefthanded pitcher of no mean ability, and during the past season was considered the most promising pitcher in the Texas League, and many of the

f big league scouts traveled to Texas ' to see him in action. However, as nothing came of the matter after several magnates had seen his work, it was thought that he was doomed to spend another season in minor company. However, a few days ago the Washington team served notice on J. W. Gardiner, manager of the Dallas team, informing him that they had drafted Biersdorfer, and that he would be compelled to report to them next season, at the same time sending the draft money.

A interesting case has been brought into the courts of Mercer county that had its origin in the dynamite explosion at Ft. Recovery last fall, in which a number of buildings were wrecked and a couple of lives lost, enry A. Fetter is suing Joseph Meinerding for the sum of |l,Boo, to which extent he claims his property in that village was damaged by the explosion that was caused by the defendant unlawfully storing 2,000 pounds of dynamite within, the limits of Ft. Recovlery.