Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 6, Number 310, Decatur, Adams County, 30 December 1908 — Page 1

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT.

Volume VI. Number 310.

TO TALL TIMBER I James Harmon and Asa Blount Have Mysteriousy i Disappeared , 1 BLOUNT CAPTURED' 1 His Wife is Here Destitute s and Appealing for Aid— I It is Pitiful The troubles of the Blounts and , Harmons are still in their infancy, i as indicated by recent developments 1 which resulted in the disappearance ■ of both men from their homes, the ' former, however, is accounted for, his lodgment in the Lima jail being reported. The irecent episode of Asa Blount of Portland, and James Harman, of Rivarre, is still fresh in the mluds of our readers, but there is another chapter, even v more sensational, to be added, which is equally as pSthetic. Minus his smelling member as a consequence of an encounter with Mr Harmon, of Rivarre, Blount returned to Portland, where it was whispered a girl was preparing to file paternity charges against hirr.. The seriousness of the proposed charge stimulated his navigating qualities, and but a little time elapsed until he divorced hityself from his heme town, that he may escape the himiliation and a possible jail sentence. The authorities had but little difficulty in ascertaining the whereabouts of the man, and a telephone message to I.ima signaled his arrest and confinement in the jail, where he now languishes awaiting a disposition of his case. While he is pacing between the cold and corpulent walls of the prison his wife and ba.be age in Decatur without food or shelter, iabsolut|<ly destitute ,of the necessaries of life, and in a state of pitiful melancholy. How a man can thus abandon ones who should be near and dear to him is more than human mind can fathom, but Blount for many months has criminally neglected his family. Mrs. Blount appealed for aid today and sought advice from a Decatur attorney as to what procedure she should pursue to relieve the trying situation she has been subjected to. z As queer as it may seem James Harmon, of Rivarre, a participant In the Altercation in which Blount lost his nose, h's mysteriously disappeared from his home. Mrs. Williard McConnehey, his housekeeper arose Sunday morning to find that her employer had made his get away, leaving no traces as to his whereabouts. It is a well known fact that Harmon has anticipated his arrest upon the charge of biting off the nose of Blount (a penitentiary offense) but he has so vigorously protested innocence that no one fostered the idea that he would leave his old haunts. On seveiai occasions, Harmon appeared In the office of his attorney here and ciied like achild, stating that he was afraid of being airrested. However, nothing whatever has been done by the authorities and no intimation has been evident of an action, although Harmon’s mysterious disappearance may signal a prosecution which otherwise may not have been anticipated.

TO GIVE FIFTY THOUSAND American Red Cross to Aid in Earthquake Relief. (Special to Daily Democrat.) Washington, D. C., December 30.At a meeting of the American Red Cross directors today, it was decided to send fifty thousand dollars to the Italian Red Cross for relief fund to aid them in giving relief to the many sufferers from the terrific ea:thquake, from which more than one hundred 'thousand lives were lost. The American society reports the re ceipt of ten thousand dollars from JPierpont Morgan as his contribution.

OLD ADAGE IS DENIED. Dr. Hurty Doesn’t Believe in One at Any Rate. According to Dr. J. N. Hurty, secretary of the state board of health, there is no need of worrying about the death rate for the ensuing year because of the sort of weather Christmas. The cl<i time saying that a “green Christmas means a fat graveyard, and a white Christmas a lean one,” doesn’t mean anything to a physician. “It’s al! bosh, as are many of those old sayings,” declared Dr. Hurty. “I neve- noticed, and I don’t think any one e’st ever did, that the assertion is true in the least. It’s another of those striking sayings which grasp one’s attention merely because they . are striking, and endure because they are ur.usual. Some one may have noticed that some time an unusual high death rate followed a Christmas without snow, and happened to think to say that which has now in many households, especially in the country home, become a half-accepted truth.” SECOND MUSICALE By Pupils of Sisters of St. Agnes Was Cleverly Executed A LARGE AUDIENCE Was Present Regardless of the Inclement Weather —36 Diplomas The second annual musicale under the direction of the Sisters of St. Agnes was given at the Bosse opera house last evening and despite the inclement weather, a large audience gathered to hear the rendition of one of the best musical programs ever given in the city. The pupils were so cleverly trained that each instrumental selection was played on three pianos by three or more persons simultaneously and the time was perfect. During the course of the program three beautiful quartettes were rendered by Miss Clara Terveer, Mrs. J. Q. Neptune, Dr. J. Q. Neptune and Messrs. H. J. Yager and L. A. Holthouse, which greatly enthused he audience as did the remainder of the program which was rendered as follows: * 1. Christmas Bells March Piano Solo 2. Evening Chimes Duet 2. Military March Trio 4. Friendship, Love and Song.... Vocal Quartette u. Congenial Hearts Duet C. The Dying Poet Duet 7. Shooting Stars Trio 5. Silver Trumpets Quartette 9. Charge of The Hussars Duet and Trio 10. Jolly Brothers Duet 11 Come and Join the Merry Dance Vocal Quartette 12. Ventre Terre Speed Galop Quartette 13. Race for Life Galop Duet 14. Midnight Fire Alarm Vocal Quartette DIPLOMA PARTS. 4th and 3d' Grades. 1. Morning Prayer, by J. Wiegand Piano Solo 3d and 2nd Grades. Music on the Water ..Piano Solo 2nd Grade. ?. Little Postillion Piano Solo 4. Light Cavalry March... .Quartette Distribution of Diplomas by Rev. Father W’ilken. Each participant in the musical did exceptionally well. Rev. Father Wil? ken distributed thirty-seven diplomas at the close of the musical numbers. S. S. OFFICERS ELECTED. At a recent meeting of the Sunday school board of the M. E. church the following officers were elected: Superintendent, Jno. W. Vail; asst, supt., Lee Walters; 2nd asst, supt., Nellie Blackburn; secy. A. Kucerheinricli; asst, secy., Frank Mills; treas.. J. D. Hale; iibratiau, J. N. Parrish; asst, librarian. Joe McFarland; pianist, Florine Edwards, asst, pianist, Josephine Krick; chorister, Mrs. Jno. W. Vail; asst, chorister. Ella Rice.

SUBSIDY ELECTION Will Probably Be Petitioned for in this County Next Week ASKS FOR $30,000 Feme Wants the Bluffton to Celina Road and is Working Hard It now looks that Adams county will soon have another subsidy election in the near future. It is known that for several months there has been a fierce conflict on in a quiet way for an east and west traction line through this county. The line is to start from Bluffton and run east through Adams county to Celina, O. Both Berne and Geneva want the line. A few weeks ago an election was held in Wabash and Hartford townships and $24,000 was voted the road which was to be known as the Bluffton, Geneva ar.d Celina. Now a petition is being circulated and receiving a goodly number of signatures for an election •n French, Monroe and Blue Creek townships, for a subsidy of $30,000, the money to be used to aid in the building of the line. It is said this petition will be presented to the countv commissioners at the January session next week and if successful, a . petition will be filed in Wells county asking for SIO,OOO each in Harrison township and the city of Bluffton. Its a pretty fight between the two Adams county districts, each of which is rich in fertile lands and a traction line through either would prove a ten- . time winner. VICKSBURG MISS. — . The Dedication of the Indi- ! ana Monuments a Success A LARGE CROWD ♦ I The Program Was Carried Out and a Good Time Had Vicksburg, Miss., Dec. 30. —Gen. ' George F. Mctrinnis, of Indianapolis, surrendered unconditionally today ali most on the exact spot where forty- , five years ago he commanded a bri- ; gade during the final days of the long '■ siege which resulted in the capture of ' Vicksburg by Gen. Grant’s army. It was in the midst of the ceremonies , accompanying the dedication of the ; Indiana monuments in the National Park, just outside this city, that the general was taken unawares by a daughter of the confederacy. Mrs. Edwin Favor Noel,wife of Mississippi's governor, armed only with a bouquet of bright carnations, advanced to Gen. McGinnis’ position on the special guests' stand, and in a brief address presented the flowers in the name of Mississippi to the general as a representative of the living veterans of the Vicksburg campaign. The dead had been appropriately honored, she said, and it was her wish to pay homage ' to the heroes yet alive. This incident was the feature of the dedication The program was carried out as announced! The governors of Indiana and Mississippi had extolled the virtues of the northern and southern armies, each excutive expressing gratification in the universal patriotism of a united nation. There had been sengs of the north and songs of the south. The granite monuments marking the location of the twenty-eight Indiana commands in the Vicksburg siege had been transferred formally fro m the state of Indiana to the nation and had been accepted.

There are but few unoccupied houses in Decatur at present, and from indications there will be few if any hereafter. It would indeed be profitable for men with- capital to construct new homes in Decatur next summer. There will be a demand for them.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday Evening, December 30, 1908.

MAY GO TO OKLAHOMA SOON Rev. McCarty is Slated for Lawton Church. Rev. W. E. McCarty, one of the oldest ministers of the Methodist Episcopal church, who has been solving supernumary relations for the past two years in the North Indiana Methodist conference has received a telegram Bishop Qnayle of Oklahoma City, informing hjm of his appointment to a work in Lawton, Oklahoma, a city of 15,000. Rev. McCarty when Seen a representative of the ’CommercialReview, said he was thinking favorably of accepting the appointment and as soon as he can arrange matters will leave for his new work. This work ws reserved for Rev. McCarty through district superintendent Wad e of Fort Wayne. Rev. McCarty is to be congratulated on receiving this appointment and his departure from Portland to his new work will be followed by the best wishes of his many personal friends. — Portland Commercial-Review.

IN CIRCUIT COURT Action Taken in Telephone Company’s and Gallmeyer Cases CASES DISMISSED The Scott vs. Graham Case Goes to Wells County I •' for Trial Attorney A. P. Beatty has entered appearance for the defendants in the case of James M. Rice et al vs. Chicago & Erie Railroad Co., a $2,000 damage suit. Sarah J. Straub vs. Daniel A. Straub ’ divorce, rule to answer. Citizens’ Telephone Co. vs. Fort Wayne & Springfield Railway Co., SB,OOO damages. Judge . Macy assumes jurisdiction. Motion filed by defendants to require plaintiff to separate his complaint into paragraphs, overruled; motiop by defendants to strike out parts of each paragraph of complaint overruled. Motion filed by defendants to require plaintiff to make each paragraph of complaint more specific. Lulu Johnson vs. Pleasant Johnson, divorce, default of defendant, answer filed by prosecuting attorney. Continetal Insurance Co. vs. Isaac L Summers et al. note $l5O, rule to answer made absolute within five days. Fulton Hardware Co. vs. M. O. Kranor et al, to foreclose mortgage, dismissed and costs paid. The cause of David E. Scott vs. L. A. Graham, tor an accounting, demand $2,025. was sent to the Wells circuit court on change of venue. Conrad Gallmeyer ”S. Edward Gallmeyer, demurrer of plaintiff to second paragraph of joint answer of Wilhelm and Dora Gallmeyer filed and overruled. Reply and answer fried. William Geake vs. Fred Hoffman, suit On account, dismissed and costs paid. A. P. Beatty filed a new case en- , titled John S. Bowers vs. Fred Hoff- , man, complaint on note, demand $350. - A marriage license has been issued i to Palma A. Baker, 22, a farmer from 1 Georgetown. Indiana, and Sarah Anna i Scheery, 24, daughter of Daniel Scherry of Preble. They were married at i three o'clock this afternoon at the clerk’s office. Square jj. H. Stone officiating, and the court house force ] being the witnesses. I —1 o 1 It’s an exceedingly good time to < pay your bills and start the new year ] with a clean and good credit. The business men are getting ready to ] do their collecting work and if you ’ owe you should not be offended if < you receive a statement, in fact the j man who doesn’t receive from one to i a hundred statements at this time ot 1 year, either does not do much busi- j ness or is most fortunate in being t so situated that he can pay ,as he i goes. The latter variety are scarce. <

BONDS ARRIVED Bonds for the L. O. Bears Road Are Sold NOT MADE GOOD Wheat and Sisk Have Failed to Sign Contracts——County Council The bonds for he L. O. Bears No. 1 macadam Toad which have been hanging flr e for some time have been sold, the transfer of the money for the bonds taking place this morning. The road is one interesting many in the southern part of the county and will now be built during the early pairt of the coming year. W’heat & Sisk, the Jay county contractors, who knocked the persimmon for five macadam road contracts at the December session of the commissic ners court, have as yet failed to sign their contracts. The board made the contractors agree to take the bonds, thus assuring thd building of the roads, land to this agreement Wheat & Sisk assented. They were to be here yesterday and make good( their part of the contract, but up tc this time they have failed to appear. Auditor Lewton has issued a call for the county council to meet at ten o’clock on Tuesday, January 5. The business of the council at that time is to reappropriate all funds to the general fund and then the money left over can be used to pay any indebtedness of the county.

THE FIRST TEST ) Wabash and Lawrence Counties Decisively Favor the Dry ' LARGE MAJORITIES ► Wabash Carried by 897 anc Lawrence by 1,508 Two counties in Indiana —Wabash and Lawrence —for the first time there has been a test on the question in the state.voted yesterday for county option and against the saloon. The majority in Wabash county was 897, while that in Lawrence county swelled to a grand total of 1,508. Last night there was rejoicing on the part of the temperance forces not only in the counties affected, but also throughout the entire state. Parades were the order in both Wabash and Bedford. In both counties the cast yesterday was a heavy one. In the city of Wabash Sunday school children paraded the streets during the voting and, headed by members of the W. C. T. U., visited the polling places. The elation on the part of the temperance element in Lawrence county is particularly enthusiastic because the fight between the anti-saloon people and the adverse element has been going on for the last two years. Lawrence county’s majority was 1,508. There , was about a two-thirds vote cast, and . twenty-nine out of thirty-four pre- ; units voted dry. Seventeen saloons in j Bedford ana four in Oolitic will close ( their doors by or before April next |

EVANSVILLE REPUBLICAN WINS Evansville, Ind., Dec. 30. —Edgar Durre, Republican candidate, carried the special election for state senator today ever Jesse Bertelson, Democratic nominee, by 1,118 majority. Fifty per cent of the vote was polled. Durre is a strong Beveridge supporter. Durre carried precincts which Taft and Watson lost in the election on November 3 last. Durre’s platform included his promise to vote for the repeal of the county unit local option law, 60-cent gas for Evansville, the .Introduction of a law to create a school teachers’ pension fund and support of reform insurance and commercial commission measure.

REV. SEAMONS TO RETIRE He Has Been in the Pastorate for Thirty-Nine Years. At the close of this conference year, which, will be in the spring, Rev. E. L. Semans, pastor of the M E. church of this city, will retire from the ministry. after thirty-nine long years of active service. Rev. Semans has been pastor of the local church for the last two years, and during that time he has made many devoted friends who regret that he has decided to quit the ministry. They fully appreciate, however, Mr. Seman’s long service as a pastor, during which time he has been a hard and faithful worker. He has bean active in all the departments of the church. The friends that Rev. Semans has made during fils two years' stay in this city are not confined to the membership of the Methodist church, by any means. In all the churches of tc city he has many admirers. —Winchester Herald. o— POLICE NOTIFIED Young Lady Visiting at Ossian Thought She Had Been Robbed OF HER DIAMONDS Valued at Four Hundred Dollars Jewels Found in the Bed Springs

What was reported this morning as a “mysterious diamond robbery" al ' the little town of Ossian, ten miles I north of Bluffton, proved when finally the mystery was solved, to be a good joke on Miss Cora Hood, a sister of Miss Alda Hood, a Bluffton school " teacher, and her guest. Miss Etta Houk, of Noblesville, Ind. When Miss Hcod and her guest retired at 10:30 last night Miss Houk, as was her custom, placed her four valuable rings, a large solitaire diamond, two small- , er diamonds, and a large ruby ring. ’ worth over S4OO, in a handkerchief, in which she securely tied them and then placed rings and handkerchief in the pocket of the gown in which she retired for the night. When she awoke this morning she and Miss Hood were caused the greatest of alarm from the feet that the four rings and handkerchief had strangely disappeared. Diligent search was made of the bed and 1 the room, but this first search failed to ’ reveal anything of the missing jewel- ! ry and further mystery was added for [ the time being from the fact that, although the ladies concluded a thief had Ijeen in the house they could not account for the fact that he had not taken either of their purses or bothered jewelry or other valuables in open sight on a dresser. The window of the room was raised about a foot as they had left It and the theory auopted was that they had been chloroformed by a thief who was choicy and had an eye for diamonds only. The rear door was unlocked also and the two ladies and the sister and mother of Miss Hood were not positive whether they had left it unlocked or the "thief” had done it. Being unable to explain the mystery dr get any clew to the rinses, the ladies telephoned to Sheriff Lipkey of this city to the Fort Wayne police and to all jewelers to be on the lookout for the jewelry and the thieves. Sheriff Lffckey went to Ossian on the 9:45 car to help in the investigation and arrived just about the time that the rings were recovered. In another and , more careful search the ladies found the four rings all safely wrapped in the handkerchief, still in the bed. During the night they had slipped , flrom Miss Houk’s pocket, and worked j down into the bed springs, where they j were found. —Bluffton News. ( DISTRIBUTION OF LEEDS ESTATE j 1 New York, Dec. 29. —The state tax j appraisers' report filed today at Mi- j nola., L. 1., shows Mrs. Nannie Stewart ( Leeds, widow of Wm. B. Leeds and his j second wife, receives $5,593,533 of the i estate proper and a villa at Newport ( and other holdings to bring the total \ to about. $7,000,000. Wm. B. Leeds Jr. p sen of his second wif?, receives sl,- 0 611,059, while Rudolph Gaar Leeds of Richmond. Ind., son by his first wife receives one million outright. Leeds g died in Paris in June. tl

rr ke Two Cents

A TARIFF SESSION Much 1 ariff Discussion Expected at That Time MANY MEETINGS I Congressman Chaney Wants V7 abash River Improved Washington, December 30.—Insur- ; gents against the rules of the house Ou representatives, and especially those insurgents who ar e intent upon ; a real revision of the Dingley tariff schedules in the coming Payne tariff bill, may prolong the special tariff session indefinitely. A count of noses has revealej to the leaders of the lewer house that a majority cannot be relied on to pass a rule through that body limiting debate on the Payne bill, and the Indications now point ' tc a long debate. One of the chief reasons for the atitnde of the Republicans in the house who will not stand for parliamentary proceedings under which the Dingley law was passed in the Fifty-fifth congress in 1897. That biil was passed by the house with only ' three days of general debate and five days of debate under the five-minute rule. Most of the time was consum- , ed by the ways and means committee itnder a rule giving a special privilege to amend its own bill. As a result ot the parliamentary tactics, only onefifth of the Dingley bill was ever read t.v the house of representatives, and there was practically no opportunity for amendment by the membership of the house. Some of the most influential members of the present house are expressing privately the opinion that no such rule can usher in the Payne bill, and they declare tsey will join with the Democrats to prevent the adoption of any such rule. Speaker Cannon is on record as saying that he expects the coming session to last a long time. Washington, Dec. 30—The work of preparing the revised tariff bill was resumed today by the subcommittee of the house ways and means committe. Two meetings were held today and there is every liklihood that the tariff framing committee, which consists of the Republican members of the full committee, will continue to hold daily meetings until the time comes to report the bill to congress at the special session in March, Hundreds of letters and briefs are being received by the committee daily and the suggestions offered and changes requested are varied. Judge E. H. Gary has returned the printed copy of his testimony with the corrections h-j desires made in the final report of the hearings. He does not change the substance of his testimony but has made several corrections in the figures which he gave while on the stand before the committee. Washington. Dec. 30.-Congressman Chaney will introduce on Jan. 4, the day congress reconvenes a bill appro printing half a million dollars for the improvement of the Wabash river between Terre Haute and Vincennes The introduction of this bill will mark the beginning of an active campaign before congress in behalf of the pro posed Wabash river improvement in which commercial bodies, business men and farmers of western Indiana are very much Interested.

PUBLIC MISADDRESSES MAIL Annual Report of Chicago Postoffice Shows Large Figures. Chicago. Dec. 29.-Out of every 146 pieces of matter mailed the P u misaddresses one. At leas’ ia the case in Chicago, as shown by th annual report of Postmaster Campbell, made public today. During we last year the local office "®”_ 9 lod the colossal total of 2,06-. - • pieces of mail, including an income $14,948,008. Salaries and iKt expenses were $5,268,590. T e ■ division sent to the dead le cr. 1.556.723 pieces, of which 88 . • pcstal cards, mostly of Ftheorn variety. increase handled was $196,944.1 . of 15 per cent over the previous year. Xent "e'ven X good business at pres the big holiday rush-