Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 5, Number 252, Decatur, Adams County, 18 October 1907 — Page 1

DECATUR DAIRY DEMOCRAT.

Volume V. Number 252

COURUWOSENEWS Verdict Returned in the Mule Case /ERDICT of twenty dollars. Case Filed, Heard and Decided— An Appeal Bond Filed—Various Other Items. The jury in the case of Kalver & [urst vs. William L. Gunder, a suit , recover >2OO paid for a mule, laimed to be worthless, returned a erdlct at 7:30 o’clock this morning, [ter having been out seventeen ours. The verdict gave the plaintiffs 20, and seems to have been a comromise, as the first ballot is said to ave stood six to six. There seems > be some controversy as to who ill have to pay the costs. A new ial wIH probably be asked for. Hooper & Lenhart filed a new case ititled The Kuebler & Moltz Comtny vs. Elmer Johnson, suit on acunt. D .E. Smith appeared for the Cendant, and judgment was reared by agreement for >507.95. Martin F. Martz vs. May H. Martz, vorce. Appearance by Fruchte & tterer for the defendant. John Watkins vs. Clara Watkins, rorce. Application for an allowance is made by the defendant. fohn W. Poling vs. Peter Holthouse, errogatories were filed by the plaint, and the defendant ruled to aner same. leorge A. Bohrer Co. vs. Harry rdua et al suit on bond. An ap--11 bond was filed by the plaintiff the Appellate Court. Jhrist Hoffstetter vs. National SupCo. Lease asked and granted intiff to file a supplemental comint. l junk dealer license has been isd to Alfred Parks, giving him perision to buy from house to house Adams county. His place of busis is at Willshire.

LLION DOLLARS e Com Crop has an Enormous Value :eeds wheat and cotton. w ■■■ — is the Most Important Product Raised by the American Farmer. orn is the only agricultural crop the United States that annually :hes the enormous value of |l,000,000. Its value exceeds the ir two principal products of wheat cotton combined. It assumes the ling importance in the agriculturmd financial world on account of stock-feeding properties. It is the amount crop in live stock indusand general husbandry. A liberal i> sends farmers to market for

ikers and feeders to finish for the :k. Commercially considered the ■keting of the corn crop in live :k and unmanufactured is more nly distributed than wheat and cot- , and more potentially Influences financial! situation of the country, a crop it is less extensively stored n wheat or oats, as it will keep on cob in good condition indefinitely, s corn cop comprises in its raw conion and its flushed pnpducts of s stock a large percentage of the ight traffic of the railroads. It is imated that 681,000,000 bushels of t shipped to market out of last 'son’s crop was handled by the railfs, for which they received I 8,000,At forty cents per bushel the crop netted the fanners f1,152,~6oo——enough to pay the public M,

FORMER DECATUR GIRL TO WED. Will Become the Bride of Dr. Bell, of Indianapolis. Invitations have been received by a number of Decatur people from Marion, Indiana, announcing the wedding of Miss Anna Merriman to Dr. Bell, of Indianapolis, the event to take place at the Merriman homestead at two o'clock, the M. E. minister officiating. Miss Merriman is well known in this city, having for a number of years made this city her home, and her friends here are innumerable. Dr. Bell is one of the leading physicians of Indianapolis, and it is there that the young couple wilt make their future home. Several Decatur people will go from this city and be in attendance at this event. , A MERRY EVENING Enjoyed by the Guests of Miss Huffman

THE MEIBERS-SNELEN PARTY Was an Enjoyable Affair—Home-Com-ing Day at Presbyterian Church Next Sunday. With her home beautifully decorated with autumn leaves and crysanthemums and here and there a twinkling light peeping through the foliage that was Elaborately distributed through the various rooms, Mrs. J. B. Meibers and Mrs. O. N. Snellen charmingly entertained sixty of their friends at arf afternoon party yesterday. The day was ideal, and almost every person that was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to this brilliant event responded by their presence. After the arrival of the guests, they were seated at the different tables to indulge in that interesting pastime progressive pedro. The contest was most interesting, and when the last game was over the first prizes were awarded to Mrs. Ben Knapke and Mrs. Martin Mylott. The second prizes were captprdd by (fem Voglewede and Mrs. Joe Tonnelier. An elegant two-course luncheon was served to the merry party, and all experienced a good time. During the time the guests were doing justice to the luncheon, Mrs. J. Q. Neptune furnished excellent music, much to the delight of all. The out-of-town guests were: Mrs. Stine and Mrs, Moorehead, of WiKshire, Ohio, and Mrs. Charles Myers, of Angola.

Next Sunday is home-coming of the Presbyterian ministers and it is expected that several of the ministers that have filled the pulpit of the Presbyterian church in this city will be present to make the occasion long to be remembered. Letters have been received from Revs. E. A. Allen and Alexander, stating that they will be here, and others are looked for. Miss Emma Hoffman was hostess at a little social gathering at her home last night in honor of Ray Gerould of Pennsylvania. Music and dancing were indulged in and the merry party of young folks had a most delightful time. Those present were: Misses Lucille Hale, Pansy Bell, Frances Merryman, Marip Beery and Mrs. Charles Loch and Messrs. Jesse Sellemeyer, Jesse Helm, Con Burke and Ray Gerould. All expressed themselves as having had an elegant time, and more such occasions would be welcomed by them.

The Elks have completed arangements for a social session at their hall tonight. All members are urgently requested to be present to assist in making the occasion enjoyable. Refreshments will be served. The knights and esquires of the Holy Grail will meet in conclave Friday evening at their rooms in the M. E. church. Initiation will be given in both degrees. After the initiation an oyster supper will be served by Sir Knights Patterson, Case and Wilcox. This will be one of the biggest meet-, ings of the year. All visiting knights and esquires are invited to be present. W. G. Spencer was the victim of a pleasant surprise party last night, when a number of his friends called at bis store and told him that they want, I (Caniiaued on page 2.)

MANY PROTESTING Fourth Class Postmasters Against Weighing Mails WHAT OF THE DESERTED FARM. The Government Discussing the Question—Johnson for Vice-President. Washington, October 18. —Many fourth-class postmasters throughout the country are registering vigorous protests with Postmaster-General Meyer against the recent order of the department requiring the daily weighing of all incoming and outgoing mails. During the last week an unusually heavy number of resignations have been received. One postmaster in a sparsely settled Western state wrote that as his pay from the government for handling the mails at his postoffice amounted to about >1.95 a year, he did not think he was justified in undertaking the additional labor and mental effort of weighing on an average a letter a week. He returned his commission with thanks.

Washington, October 18. —What is the remedy for the deserted farm? Secretary Wilson and leading officials of the Department of Agriculture are taking a great interest in this question, which is becoming more and more acute in New York state, in New England and other parts of the East. It is even becoming a grave problem as far west as Ohio, where the abandoned farm is becoming more numerous and where farm values are lowering and the agricultural population is becoming smaller, while the population of the towns and cities is rapidly increasing.

Washington, October 18. —John N. Baldwin, of Omaha, general counsel of the Union Pacific railroad, who is here on business before the interstate commerce commission, says he knows it to be Wm. J. Bryan’s desire that John A. Johnson, of Minnesota, shall be nominated for Vice-President of the Democrats. Mr. Baldwin says Bryan believes that with Johnson on the ticket with him the Democrats can carry Minnesota and possibly Wisconsin. Johnson, he believes, has been consulted about taking second place on the ticket, and is understood to look with favor upon the suggestion.

ASKS FOR DIVORCE

Ex-Clerk Johnson Files a Suit A RATHER SENSATIONAL CASE. Says His Wife Has Abandoned Him, Run Him in Debt and Threatened Him.

A rather sensational divorca ease was filled this morning in circuit court, which, owing to the prominence of the parties will no doubt create considerable interest before its completion. The plaintiff is ex-Coun-ty Clerk Elmer Johnson, and the defendant Mary E. Johnson, his wife. P. G. Hooper and David E. Smith appear as attorneys for the plaintiff. The complaint recites that Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were married twentyfive years ago in Mercer county, Ohio. Elmer accuses his wife of refusing to live or cohabit with him as his wife since October 1, 1905, when she left his farm and removed to Decatur. He says he has done his part as a husband shoufld, but that for twelve years his wife has annoyed him, abusing, vilifying and hectoring him; that since moving to town she has contracted many debts on his credit, at one time buying 8800 worth of dry goods and at another time a piano. One paragraph of the complaint reads as follows: "That at various times within the last ten years the defendant has threatened this plaintiff with bodily harm, shook her fist at him, and close to his face, told him that he should be hung and if the rope had ever done it|> duty jfalntiff would have been hung long ago.” A pl**n and simple divorce is asked.

Decatur, Indiana, Friday Evening, October 18, 1907

GUIDE OF PRESIDENT’S PARTY. Bluffton people may be interested to know that Ben Lillie, who is the chief guide with Roosevelt’s party in Texas, had guided a citizen of this city in many exciting bear hunts in the swamps of Louisiana. The local nimrod is Harve Thornburg, who hunted big game in the Creole state twice, When Mr. Thornburg first met “Old Ben,” as the famous guide is known throughout the wild district of Louisiana and the Lone Star state, he saw a little wrinkled man, dressed in the garb of a typical woodsman and looking like an incarnation of Daniel Boone. If local reputation is to be beflieved, he has killed more bear than any man in Louisiana during his varied career of sixty odd years.—Bluffton Banner.

ARE GETTING READY Are Rehearsing for “My Unde From Japan” THE SHOW IS SURE TO PLEASE. The Musical Program Will Be One of the Best Ever Heard in This City. The work of rehearsing the firemen’s local talent benefit show, “My Uncle from Japan,” makes the Bosse Opera House a busy place of evenings now, and the cast of chorus is progressing finely, and by Wednesday, October 23d, the date set for the performance, will no doubt surprise the most ardent admirers. “My Uncle from Japan” is a musical frolic in three acts written for laughing purposes only, as the following synopsis shows: Act I — Place, Timothy Tolman’s country home on the Hudson near New York —Tinjp, a breezy morning in September—The captain’s fancy takes a flight and trouble begins. Act ll—Place the same —Time, next morning—How one yarn begets another —The greatest liar unhung—Now the trouble increases, and the captain prepares for war. Act 111 —Place, the same —Time, evening of same day—More misery—A general muddle —"Dance or you’ll die —Cornered at last, the captain owns up all serene. The monster chorus, becomingly gowned as the Maid of Japan, the Tennis Girls, the Tourist, Yankee Doodle Girls, London Society Ladies, etc., will assist in rendering the musical part, which can not fail to please all music lovers. The program follows: 1. Chorus —Maids of Japan. 2. “Anybody Want a 810nde”.... .Miss Francis Bryson. 3. "I Knew a Girl Like Y0u”.... Tennis Quartette and Tennis Girls. 4. “Traveling, Traveling” Mr. Johnson and the Tourists. 5. “I’m Married Now” Miss Holthouse. 6. “The Yankee Doodle Girl

Company and Chorus. 7. “I’ve Never Been Over There" Mr. Helm and London Society Ladies. 8. “There’ll Be No Show Tonight” Mr. Carroll. 9. “No Wedding Bells for Me”.. Mr. Johnson. 10. “I’ll Be There With Bells On” Company and Chorus. 11. “Heidelberg” Mr. Wemhoff and •horus. 12. “He Goes to Church on Sunday" Mr. Hilt. 13. "I’ve Said My Last Farewell” Mr. Carroll. 14. Finale Company. The ladies of the chorus are the Misses Edna Ehinger, Vera Ehlnger, Stella Bremmerekamp, Louisa Brake, Bertha Kohne, Lillian Harris. Grace McKean, Marie Boknecht, Ada Murray, Lucile Cusick, Bertha Kinney and Inez Snellen. The tickets are twenty-five cents, and the reserved seat sale opens on date of show at the Holthouse Drug Co. Store, and ' you will certainly get your money’s worth at “My Uncle from Japan.”

NORTH PLEASANT VALLEY. Rev. Hollingsworth will preach next Sunday and Sunday night at North Pleasant Valley. Unless arrangements are made for him to serve another year this will close his work, as next Sunday will close the present year. Yours truly, ,T. H. HOLLINGSWORTH. Lynn. Indiana.

TENTHCONVENTION W. R. C. of Eighth Dist. Met Yesterday MEETINGS WERE OF INTEREST. Mrs. Estella Huffman of Hartford City Chosen President—That City Also Gets Next Year’s Meeting. The Woman’s Relief Corps of the Eighth Indiana District met at Bluffton yesterday for their tenth annual convention. About two hundred delegates and visitors were present. The meeting was a very successful one in every way. Officers for the ensuing year were chosen as follows: President, Mrs. Estella Huffman, Hartford City; senior vice, Mrs. Emma Sturgis, Bluffton; treasurer, Mrs. Minnie Porter, Montpelier. The secretary is appointive. The next district meeting will be held at Hartford City. The district is composed of ten local corps from as many cities, and every one is represented by a good-sized delegation. The largest individual delegation came from the Fort Wayne corps, which, although fourth in membership, led in the number of visitors at the meeting, with its party of thir-ty-two. Reports show that the district numbers a total of 540 members, divided between the corps of Bluffton,

Marion, Jonesboro, Fairmount, Hartford City, Montpelier, Portland, Geneva, Decatur and Fort Wayne. The largest corps in the district is the Jacob Stahl corps, of Hartford City, with 102 members. Montpelier is second, with ninety-seven, Fort Wayne third, with seventy-eight, and Bluffton fourth, with seventy-five members. There were a number of noflable visitors present* including the department president, Mrs. Meribah Walker, of Clinton; senior vicepresident, Mrs. Amanda Edsel, of Fort Wayne; and past department officers Mrs. Etta Houck, of Carmel, and Mrs. Dr. Alta Bohran, of Rome City. There were also present all of the district officers, including President, Mrs. Lydia Seegar, of Marion; secretary, Mrs. Harriett Buchanan, of Marion, and treasurer, Mrs. Estelle Huffman, of Hartford City.

A STAIN OF SHAME Rests Upon Children of Fred Augsburger SAYS THE BERNE WITNESS. A Direct Editorial upon Those Who Sent Their Father tc the Poor House to Die. The death of Fred Augsburger at the county infirmary a few days ago

furnished the foundation for a scathing editorial in today’s Berne Witness, which should rather make the rich children of the deceased man take notice. It reads: The death of the aged Fred Augsburger at the poor house last Monday is an indelible stain of shame on his children, one son and one daughter living in this vicinity, and one son in Ohio, all of these being well-to-do people and amply able to take care of their helpless father in his last days. For children to keep their parent as long as he is able to be of some use to them, and then to cast him off upon the charity of the public, would be too heathenish for any offspring laying claim to even the thinnest varnish of civilization, but the fact that at least two of his sons are well-to-do members of a church that makes it a special point to take care of its own poor, is unspeakable beyond comprehension. There is no doubt whatever but that Grandpa Augsburger was as well, if not better, taken care of in our excellent ’county infirmary than his children could have done, and it is certainly no disgrace for any deserving poor person to be an inmate there, but it is certainly a disgrace upon his well-fixed children to leave their helpless parent to such charity.

BAKERS CONCLUDE SESSION. Huntington, Ind., ctober 17. —Upon the decision of the county commissioners on the validity of four out of six powers-of-attorney depends the legality of the Jackson township blanket remonstrance. Six signatures on the remonstrance are in question. If four of them are held to be legal it will give the remonstrants a total of 251, the required majority. The commissioners have postponed action till tomorrow. The W. C. T. U. workers in Warren have won their first skirmish with the saloon men, John Crabb, a saloonkeeper, having been convicted of selling intoxicants to John Little when Little was already intoxicated. The organization is backing a movement warning saloonkeepers not to sell intoxicants to habitual drunkards. —o — HE MAY WITHDRAW

Indianapolis Star Gives Out a Little Dope JUDGE ERWIN TO MAKE RACE. A Staff Correspondent Writes an Interesting Column on the Political Situation. Indianapolis and Muncie Stars today publish a two-column plate of Judge Richard K. Erwin, of this city, and a column article concerning his candidacy for the governorship, written, by a staff correspondent. In part the article says: Judge Richard K. Erwin, of Decatur, and Congressman John A. M. Adair, of Portland, are trying to reach an understanding as to which one of them shall be the Eighth district’s candidate for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. One or the other of them is expected to have something to say to the public within a few days. If it is Judge Erwin, the chances are that he will announce himself a candidate for the gubernatorial nomination. Congressman Adair is already in the race, so if he says anything it will very likely take the form of a withdrawal.

Judge Erwin and Congressman Adair are old-time political friends and have been fighting Republicans from the same breastworks in the Eighth for nearly twenty-five years. Their relations are so cordial that they would not be found as opponents in a contest of such importance as a nomination for governor. A story came from Indianapolis today and furnished gossip at Democratic state headquarters to the effect that it will be Judge Erwin who will get into the gubernatorial race, with Adair withdrawing in his favor. The fact that Adair, within the past few days has expressed his confidence in his ability to be re-elected to Congress from the Eighth, tends to substantiate the story.

Judge Erwin’s term on the Adams county bench will not expire until November 23, and there is much court work to dispose of between now and then that he will do very little toward making a canvass until after he has laid aside his judicial robes. When he does start, however, it is easy to predict that he will make the fur fly. He has a reputation as a hard campaigner. Last year he was on the Democratic state ticket as a nominee I for supreme judge, and he was one of I the four or five nominees who got out and bustled among the voters of the state. He is a firm believer in the personal canvass method of securing votes. His activity brought him the second highest vote received by a Democratic nominee.

SALOON FIGHT IN HUNTINGTON. Richmond, tod., October 18. —The Master Bakers’ Association of Indiana concluded its semi-annual session with a banquet in the Pythian Temple. Among the business matters discussed previous to adjournment was that concerning the proposition to have scientific baking made a special course in Purdue University. A “chair of baking,” it was pointed out, would be desirable. The cream puff question also had its share in the discussion. The use of ammonia in the manufacture of these delicacies has been held a violation of the pure food law, but the bakers maintain that whatever injurious properties ammonia may contain previous t obeing subjected to great heat, are destroyed in the baking process. The I next meeting will be held at Lafayette.

Price Two Cents

A WILD RAMPAGE Indulged in by Desperate Gotthard Brown PRISONER AT THE COUNTY JAIL. Tore His Clothing Osf —Refused to Eat —Broke Eighteen Window Panes— Confined to Cell. Gothard Brown, the disreputable character, who, as has been stated in a previous issue, made a desperate effort to deliver himself and a fellow prisoner from the county jail a few days ago ny extracting rivets from the iron lining in me county jail, has become so unruly that it is necessary to confine him in a small cell. For several nights past Brown has been making noises of every description, and succeeded in keeping the occuipants of resident apartments from sleep, and for the reason that he tried to effect an exit from a place in the wall of the bath room, where several iron rivets had been removed, he was kept in closer confinement for the past few days. This did not prove agreeable to the prisoner, and he is trying to make life miserable for Sheriff Meyer and family in every way he possibly can. Yesterday morning he took every stitch of clothing from his person, excepting his shirt, and threw the apparel outside the bars, stating that he did not care to have any of the ladies serve him his meals, and maybe now they would stay out. The sheriff ordered him to put on clothing, but he absolutely refused to do so. and at noon he was served his dinner without any meat. He asked Sheriff Meyer if he did not get any meat, to which Meyer replied that he did not deserve any. and that if he continued to act as he has been, he would get less yet. At this he hurled a plate at the sheriff and went to the closet, tore a pipe from the water connection, and with it broke out eighteen window panes. The prisoner was then placed in a small cell, where he will remain until there is a change in his conduct. Last evening his meal was taken to him and he again threw the victuals and dishes out of the cell. He kept the knife that was given him, however, and after the sheriff left, he threw it at the lamp that was placed in front of his cell, breaking it to pieces. The desperado has quieted himself greatly since last night, and it is thought that no more trouble will be experienced.

REVIVAL SERVICES Will Begin at Methodist Church Sunday DR. J. W. OBORN WILL ASSIST. Services Will Continue at Least Three Weeks —Large Chorus Choir to be Used.

’ i Special revival services will begin ■ lat the M. E. church on Sunday night ■ to last at least three weeks. The pas--1 tor, Dr. C. B. Wilcox, will be assisted by Dr. J. W. Oborn, of Warsaw, who is now helping in a successful meeting at LaGrange. New singing books will be used, and the music will be led by a large chorus choir. Dr. Oborn is a member of the North Indiana Conference, and has had great success in assisting pastors in their special meetings. Rev Wilcox has proven a tireless worker in the ministry, and with the assistance of Dr. Oborn and the good people of the Decatur congregation, the revival should prove a very successful one.

Indiana hopes to decrease the rate of mortality more within the next ten years than in the twenty previous years. Secretary Hurty says it can be done through the pure food law and sanitary regulations. The greatest enemy now to contend with is impure water, but there is a movement on foot to prevent any city or town from securing their water from any other source than from wells, and when I that is accomplished, ‘yphold fever I must stop, and when that is prevent'ed the battle is almost won.