Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 6, Number 175, Decatur, Adams County, 23 July 1908 — Page 1

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT.

Volume VI. Number 175.

IN DEATH’S SHADOW William Straub Was Caught Between Bumpers of Two Freight Cars THIS MORNING He is Suffering Intense Pain But May Recover— An Appalling Accident William, the twenty year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Straub, is lying at his home in a very serious condition as a result of being crushed between th e bumpers of two freight cars on the Chicago and Erie railroad this morning at eleven o’clock. The young man, in the employ of Frank Teeple, had been shoveling coal into a wagon near the Erie freight house. He alighted from th e car, and not knowing that she engine of the local was on the switch, he stepped between the bumpers of two cars which were standing a few feet ajar. In an instant the engine backed and the young man was caught between the cars. His was a perilous position, and had not one of his friends hurried to the engine and notified the engineer to advance so that his body could be extricated, he would have expired in a very few moments. When the cars were separated the youth fell prostrate to the ground, groaning woefully. He was taken to the Melchi barber shop nearby and a physician hastily summoned, who bandaged the body sufficiently to remove him to his home. How the boy has lived this long after being crushed between the bumpers of two freight cars is more than mind can fathom, but while his stomach and abdomen are seriously deranged and he is suffering other internal Injuries, there is slight hope for his recovery. At no time since the accident has the injured boy been unconscious, and this is a remarkable fact, fin aonslderation )of (the seriousness of the case. No one is able to explain why he had been standing between the cars, but presumably he was seeking a shady place for a short rest when the crash came. The sympathy of the people goes out to the young man. who was working hard to help support his mother. HE IS A DESERTER Samuel Johnson of Poe is a Deserter from U. S. Navy BOHNKE AFTER HIM Government Will Pay S2O and All Expenses for His Return Marshal Bohnke received word yesterday morning from United States navy officials at Portsmouth, New Hamphshire, requesting him to place under arrest, Samuel Johnson, son of Mrs. Mary W. Gilbert, of Poe, Ind., upon the charge of desertion from the navy. The marshal drove to the hom e of Johnson’s mother, yesterday afternoon, and was informed that the boy had gone to Ingersoll, Ind., for a visit with his sister. Bohnke left this morning for that place to arrest the deserter. The notice received by the official states that Johnson w r as a common seaman on board the Eagle boat. He was granted a furlough which expired several weeks ago. and he did not report for duty. S2O reward is offered by the government for his return to the boat together with ail the accruing expenses for car fare, board, etc. Johnson was in this city last week looking up old friends The young man enlisted for four years and has served one year of his time. According to a statement from his mother, he became tired of the navy and wants to remain on dry land. In all Probability Marshal Bohnke will capture his man today and in that event he will leave with him at once for New Hampshire and turn him over to government officials.

THEY MUST CUT THE WEEDS I Public Drainage Laws Demand That Weeds Be Cut. Farmers whose lands are cut by ditches, dug by the county are warned that the banks of these must be kept free from weeds as specified by law. Many instances are known where no attempt has been made to clear away these weeds and in a short time action on the part of officials is liable to follow-. From the new drainage law the following is quoted for the benefit of those who have not as yet complied with the same. “That land owners through whose lands such ditch shall run shall be required to keep all noxious weeds and grass removed from the bank of such ditch so running through his, her or their land, between the first day of June 1 and the first day of August of each year.” o SHE GOT DIVORCE Mrs. William H. Laughrey Was Granted Divorce in Superior Court AT FORT WAYNE Judge Yaple Granted the Decree—They Had Troubles in Decatur Mr. and Mrs. William H. Laughrey who for many years resided in this city, the former going to Fort Wayne but a few months ago, are having an inning in the superior court at Fort Wayne, Mrs. Laughrey asking for a divorce from her husband. The following from the Sentinel tells of their troubles in the Summit City: Judge Carl Paple had his time taken up in the superior court during the forenoon and in addition to granting a decree to Etta Laughrey, who sued William H. Laughrey. he heard arguments in the action of Lottie against' Joseph Manier and took the matter under advisement. The trouble in the Laughrey family was a sixteen-year-old stepdaughter, who was accused in the proceedings of being quarrelsome and bringing about a disagreement between her | father and stepmother. While in this city the Laughreys have had much domestic trouble. The | past three years of their wedded life | has been most miserable ones, each party accusing the other of misconduct on various occasions. It is hoped that the court decision will put an end to their troubles. — H. A. BARNHART THE NOMINEE Democrats of the Thirteenth District I Hold Convention. / Plymouth, Ind., July 23-(Special to the Daily Democrat)—The Democrats are taking Plymouth today, the > ' attraction being the congressional I , convention for the thirteenth district. It was one of the best conventions ‘ ever held in the district, the crowd being large and enthusiasm being • high. There was considerable talk of t Shively early in the day, * ,ut tlle at " mosphere finally cleared and Editor * Henry A. Barnhart was nominated by , acclamation. Th e nominee is one ot 1 the best known and most popular 1 - Democrats in the district and it is r thought he will give -C. W. Miller, the . Republican nominee a run for his r ? money. — • Mike McGriff, of Geneva, was a ! business caller in our city and has j gone to Fort Wayne for a short stay. I Word from C. H. Getting, who is at the Lutheran hospital in Fort t Wayne, having recently undergone an r operation for append!cits, states that o he is getting along fin e and will soon be entirely recovered.

HAS DISAPPEARED I James M. Crum Has Left for Parts Unknown FORGED NOTES A Complete Chain of Evidence Against Him Bluffton, Ind., July 22. —Matt Crum, for several years employed as a section hand for the Clover Leaf railroad at Craigville, has been missing from his home since last Monday and it is reported that his flight was to avoid arrest for forgery. During the past few months h e has disposed of about SBOO worth of notes for cash, the securities on the same —David Crum and Adam Pease —being false. The losers cn the notes are the Decatur banks which cashed them, and they will make a determined attempt to bring the man to justice. The above is true in part. Up to date the Old Adams County bank holds the sack for two notes, whose total value is $133. They were given them March 3 and 31, 1905. Mat Crum or rightly James M. Crum representing himself as Henry Smith, to whom th e notes were drawn, they being signed by David Crum and Adam Pease, two well known and well to do Adams county farmers. On Jun e 17, 1908, James M. Crum presented at the bank an order for $23.45 given him by the Clover Leaf, and it was at this time that the bank positively recognized the Henry Smith who negotiated the two notes in 1905. In th e meantime the bank, through Attorney A. P. Beatty has run to cover complete and positive evidence, and Mat Crum is up against the testimony that will convict him of forgery. Crum has worked this game freely and as aresult several citizens of Craigville and in the German settlement near there are minus coin of the realm in small amounts. His absence now is not alarming those who want to see him placed where he cannot work the game. But his work is really smooth,and does credit to the short fingered profesh, but like all those who fail to trod in the straight and narrow way, he has come to grief. o IN DEPOSITORIES The States Money Now Earning Interest for the State IN TWENTY BANKS Over Sixteen Thousand Dollars Earned in Six Months The state board of finance met at the office of Governor Hanly Friday to go through the formal business of extending the tme for which certain money of the stat e was deposited in public depositories. About $200,000 of the state funds was placed on deposit for six months. This money was deposited in twenty banks, and it will remain in these banks for tie next half year. No changes in depositories will be made before January. Members of the board reviewed briefly past proceedings and all were well pleased with the operation of the depository law so far. The interest on state funds for the next six months of the operation of the law amounted to $16,422.53. “The state is receiving interest on its funds at the rate of nearly $33,000 a year.” said Governor Hanly, “This is undoubtedly worth while from a money point of viewalone. This is almost enough to pay the expenses of the executive and treasury department of the stale. This is a long step from the system in vogue three years ago. Instead of the public funds being used by officers for speculation and hazard in uncertain ventures, they are paid daily into the state treasury and daily deposited in the public depositories. There is no better vindication of the position of the executive on this matter.”

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday Evening, July 23, 1908.

THEY WILL PLAY HERE. i independent Club at Bluffton Will Be Here Sunday. L. I. Scott’s local independents will ‘ play a game at Decatur Sunday afternoon. The entire team will go over in Sam Keller’s picnic wagon and in addition a crowd of fans enough to fill several rigs have signified their intention of accompanying the team, j Th e round trip in the Keller rigs will be fifty cents and any one wishing to be accommodated should leave word ' at the barn Saturday evening. The Decatur team was defeated by the locals in a game at Decatur two weeks ago and will make a strong effort to win this time. Scott will pitch for the locals or at least open th e game. He may be assisted by Schauppe, a Geneva comer who will probably be tried 1 out in the box for a few innings.— , Bluffton News. a fine Concert Decatur City Band Held Social at Park Regardless of Threatening Weather MANY ATTENDED Beautiful Selections Were Rendered—Will Hold Another Soon The social held at Maple Grove Park last night by the Decatur city band was well attended regardless of the threatening weather and all who attended were amply repaid for their trouble, by the excellent music which was rendered. The band boys played several very pleasing selections before leaving for the park and a large number of people gathered about to cher them for their efficiency. Hundreds of people had planned to go to the park to boost the boys of the band, but the weather man interferred to the extent that many people remained at home for fear it would rain. Rather than to disappoint the people who had gone, the boys decided to give the entertainment. Th e first selection rendered was "Cheer Up” after which a beautiful selection from “The Time, the Place and the Girl” was cleverly executed. This was followed by ’’Love’s Devction,” “Darkey’s Holiday” and several other pieces. It has been decided to give another event of this kind, it to be held in the city some Saturday evening in the near future, the date having not been fixed as yet. o — A CONFEDERATE VETERAN DEAD Union Veterans Were Prominent at the Funeral Services. Bluffton, Ind.. July 23.—There was a most unusual circumstance in the funeral in this city of Ellie H. Johnson. a Confederate veteran of the civil war who served three and one-half years in the First. North Carolina infantry in the southern army of the Potomac. During his twenty-one years residence in Bluffton he formed many friends among the veterans of this city who fought, in the Union army during the great conflict, and at his funeral yesterday members of the Lew Dailey Post, G. A. R.. of this city, took part in the services. Although the G, A. R. veterans did not attend as a post, six of its members acted as pallbearers, and the officiating minister, Rev. J. F. Warner, s a son of a G. A. R. veteran. It was the first funeral ever held in Wells county where a Confederate veteran was buried by members of the G. A. R., and only goes to show the more strongly that all enmity has died out between the soldiers of the blue and the gray who were opposed in the sixties. o HOW THEY DO IT IN MARION The man who tries to peddle medicine from the street corners, or sell it from house to house in the city- of Marion, without paying a license fee of $25 per day, will be in for a lot of trouble if the ordinance read and referred last evening at the meeting of the Marion city council is adopted. Beside providing for the collection of a fee of $25 for each day during which medicine is sold by people not residents of Marion, the proposed ordinance provides as a .penalty for Its violation a fine of not less than $25 nor more than SIOO, each day to constitute a separate offense.

THE KING ESTATE An Administrator Agreed on by Near Relatives A COMPLICATION Estate Will Likely Go to Mother of Mrs. King Wabash, Ind., July 23. —Wellman King, banker and business man, father of Charles Sherman King, who was killed with all of his family in the automobile wreck at Columbia City, left yesterday for Fort Wayne, where, by agreement, he will qualify as administrator of the estate of Mr. King and of his wife and possibly of the daughters. An odd complication has arisen. All of the family was killed practically at the same time. But those first on the scene state that Mrs. King breathed a few moments after their arrival, as did the daughter, Mis s Josephine King. As a result of this it h held that Mr. King died first. This leaves the estate either to Mrs. King or to Josephine King, the daughter. In the former case all the property will go to Mrs. Anna Zeigler, mother of Mrs. King, who made her home with them. Should it be proved that the daughter survived her mother, indications are that the estate will be divided. It is thought, however, that the estate will go to Mrs. Zeigler, it being now decided practically that Mrs. King will be held to have died last. The life insurance would go to Mrs. King, for the estate was to go to her. It was decided that no will would be searched for until after Mr. King is named as administrator of the estates. There will be no litigation. Mr. King’s parents are quite wealthy and his only brother, Harry S. King, of this city, is also wealthy. On the other hand, Mrs. Zeigler is not wealthy. Mr. King at the time of his death, was receiving an income of about $20,000 a year. He had insurance of from $20,000 to $25,000. Considerable money is left, as his estate is largely personal. The fact that all of the family died at practically the same time would mean litigation (Continued on page 4.) EVENING TRAINS Will Be Operated to Portland During Great Northern Indiana Fair IS ARRANGED FOR A. J. Smith Held Conference With Railroad Officials Yesterday A, J. Smith, a member of the board of managers of the Great Northern Indiana Fair association was at Fort Wayne yesterday where he conferred with the officials of the G. R. & I. railroad company in regard to operating trains to Portland on the evenings of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during the fair. In former years, people from the south part of the county and Portland found it inconvenient to attend the Great Northern in that no train was operated n the evening so they could return to their homes, but the G. R. & I. officials have kindly consented to relieve this situation by operating trains as proposed by Mr. Smith. This fact alone assures a much larger attendance to this year’s fair and every other indication points to the biggest success in the fair line ever held in Adams county. The fair grounds was a busy place during the past few days. The various merchants who will have displays have been arranging their booths to make ready for the great event and we will say here that the displays will be larger and better this year than ever. It is high time that every Adams county resident get in the harness and boost until time for the doings as it means much to us all.

SUES FOR DECREE OF DIVORCE — Mrs. Frank Adams Makes Grave I Charges Against Her Husband. Adultery with other women, cruel and inhuman treatment, habitual drunkenness and temporary abandonment are a few of the allegations made by Mrs. Cora Bell e Adams in her suit for divorce filed this morning against her husband, Frank Adams. In addition she asks for an order restraining the defendant from disposing of any of his SIO,OOO worth of property. Mrs. Adams says that she wa s married on July 18, 1903, and almost from their wedding day he has shown for her nothing of the love he had professed. He was wont, she says, to spend the greater portion of the nights drinking and carousing with women of low and degraded character and ill repute and would come home Intoxicated to abuse with blow and epithet.—Bluffton Banner. JOLLY PICNICERS M. E. Sunday School Hold Another of Their Annual Picnics AT ROBISON PARK About Six Hundred People Attended and All Expected Good Time It is estimated that six hundred people were conveyed to Fort Wayne this trorning on the special picnic ca-s and It was a crowd of merry people. At 7:30 o’clock the first special with a irailer arrived at the station and they were soon filled to their capacity with people who were eager to attend the annual event. On these cars |he base ball team was carried, which will represent the Decatur M. E. Sunday school in the game of the day. At 7 45 the second special with a trailer strived and these were as rapidly occupied as the former with many people still to accommodate. However, the interurban people arranged si it- 'C accommodate all. Those who went enjoyed an elegant time, fine dinners, ball gam eand recreation. This event, always a success, was even more so today and it can safely be said that every person present enjoyed themselves to the limit. o COURT HOUSE A DULL PLACE Not Much Business About the Temple of Justice. The only apparent business around the court house is by those officers who are struggling with their yearly budget of estimated costs of maintaining their several offices. This is a yearly custom and is filed with the auditor for the use of the commissioners at their August session. Every item of cost is estimated and these various funds are used tor the purpose of determining the rate of taxation which will be necessary to carry on the government of Adams county during next year. A warranty deed has been given by Lawrence Schell to Elizabeth Guist, lot in Geneva, consideration S4OO. WILL ENFORCE THE LAWS. George M. Eberhart, prosecuting attorney. will insist on the enforcement of the liquor laws of the state of Indiana, as interpreted by Attorney General Bingham. In other words he will hold that so-called temperance drinks are within the statute governing the sale of malt liquors and will be governed accordingly in his enforcement of the law. Such drinks being classed malt liquors, a license for their ■rale will b® required and the sale of the same without such license will be prosecuted under the “blind tiger act. —— o The Decatur Packing Co. is running full force at the present time and are very busy. A number of men are employed at this institution. It is rumored that a telegraph operator in this city was married to a west end girl a few days ago but no details can be secured in regard to same.

Price Two Cents

MITCHELL TALKS Says Democratic Platform is Better Than the Republican GREAT INFLUENCE Thinks It Will Greatly Influence Labor Vote Indianapolis, July 23.—John Mitchell, former president of the United Mine Workers and one of the vice presidential probabilities in early days of the Denver convention, was in the city. He came down from his home at Spring Valley, 111,, on private bush ness and will return to Chicago. The fact that Mitchell seemingly has become an important factor in the democratic party, while W. D. Ryan, secre-tary-treasurer of the United Mine Workers, has become a republican candidate for congress in the Springfield (III.) district, does not seem to have changed their close relationship. They were at the Hotel English for dinner and were in conference this afternoon. “What do you think, Mr. Mitchell, the republican ' and th e democratic platforms adopted at Chicago and Dnver?” he was asked. “From the standpoint of labor the democratic platform is decidedly the better of the two. Those declarations on the injunction and the anti-trust laws in the democratic platform were written by the American Federation of Labor executive board and were incorporated into the platform word for word. In addition to that the Denver platform is clear on the eight-hour day and other demands of organized labor. Mr. Gompers stated after the Chicago convention the republican, platform was not satisfactory to organized labor.” “Do you think that the Denver platform, together with Mr. Taft’s persona non grata status with the American Federation of Labor because of his judicial rulings will have much effect on the labor vote in the campagn?” “I have no doubt that the satsfactory declarations of the platform and the American Federation' of Labor’s attitude will affect the laboring class (Continued on page 4.) —- — o TO WAGE THE WAR Gompers the Labor Leader Pays His Respect to Politics TRICKY EVASION The Republican Platform on Labor Worse Than Nothing Washington, July 23.—President Gompers of the American Federation of Labor, in a 6.000 word editorial i which will appear in the next issue of the American Federationist. the 1 mouthpiece of his organization, sounds the first blast of the conflict which he intends to wage for the purpose of influencing organized labor to support the democratic presidential ticket. Much of this first installment : is history. Mr. Gompers reproduces ' the planks which he submitted to the • republican convention at Chicago and then quotes the planks which that convention adopted on the subjects involved. In commenting upon the 1 results obtained Mr. Gompers says: ■ “At a glance the plank adopted will : be seen to be a flimsy, tricky evasion • of the issue. It is an indorsement of ' the very abuse against which labor : justly protests, and would, if enacted ‘ by congress, gives statutory authority so rthe issuance of injunctions in labor disputes, an authority which i does not now exist. It is a pro-in-junction, not an anti-injunction declaration. It is worse than ‘meaningless and evasive.’ as the capitalist-corpora-tion press has designated it It would make more acute the wrongs bj which the toilers are forced to bear the unjust, judicial burden of Injunction discrimination.”