Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 7, Number 40, Decatur, Adams County, 16 February 1909 — Page 1

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT.

Volume VII. Number 40.

HE IS NOT GUILTY A Quick Verdict in the Johnloz Perjury Case IT’S MOLLIE FRAVEL She is Being Tried—Judge Engle Here—Faylor Costs Paid The jury was not long in getting a verdict in the case of State vs. Johnloz for perjury. The evidence was all completed early last evening, and a part of the arguments made, they being completed this morning, after which the jury charged and sent out to get a verdict. They reported soon after through their foreman, Fred Koldewey, and the verdict read “We, the jury, find the defendant not guilty.” Prosecutor Heller made a seme fight, but it was a hard one, owing to the charge made, that of 3* rjury. Johnloz was accused of perjuring his testimony in regard to saloon violations in the Keller saloon which is located in this township, but is easy of access to Monroe, where it in reality does business. Immediately following the verdict In the Johnloz case, the Mollie Fravel perjury case was called, and with only a few challenges of the jury they were accepted, and the taking of evidence was begun. Prosecutor Hellei Is representing the state and L. C. DeVoss the defendant, whose reputation is somewhat checkered, but whose appearance yet would indicate that she might in a pinch be redeemed. The court room was comfortably filled, many of them being witnesses and others were there just in order to be there and hear something not taught in the regular lessons. The •case will fiot likely take longer than some time tomorrow morning to complete.

Judge J. S. Engle, of Winchester, was here this morning and assumed jurisdiction in the Monroe street macadam road case. The remonstrators ■and objectors filed a motion to dismiss the proceedings, and the petitioners filed a motion to strike out the motion of the remonstrators and objectors. Issues Jn the case will be heard on March 12, and at that time the judge will make such rulings that will give an idea of whether the case has any standing or not. Clerk Haefllng received from the Wells county officers the costs in the Faylor case, the check covering the same was written for the amount of •costs in this court only, $1,092.68. As it will require a great deal of work to distribute this money to those to whom it belongs, it will be a week before Clerk Haefling will be ready So pay it out. A motion was filed for a continuance in the case of State vs. Noah Yoder. The motion was granted, and the case set for Friday, February 19. The defendant defaulted in the case ■of James F. McGinnett vs. Harry McGinnett. A finding was made for the plaintiff and judgment being given for $367.40.

Jesse C. Sutton filed a new case. It ■being entitled Harry C. Andrews vs. Cecil, Celia and F. M. Andrews, guardian. It is a suit in partition, and the summons is returnable February 26. William B. Weldy as guardian for Helen M. Baker, filed an account current, which was allowed. Martin J. Martin filed a bond in the sum of $2,500 and has taken out letters of administration in the estate of Elizabeth C. Maritn. 'O - —— CARRIED OUT ON THE ICE. Buffalo, Feb. 15.—A score of fishermen and their dogs were carried out into Lake Erie this morning when the ice field was set in motion by a shift of wind. AU were rescued except Joseph Gatusky. The man and his dog are missing tonight and are no doubt lost, as the ice was not more than five inches thick and was so rotten that it must have broken upon reaching the open sea.

HOPES TO BE PARDONED. Daniel Swartz Was Sent up from Bluffton a Year Ago. Daniel Swartz, the former Oklahoma suburb resident who was sentenced to the state prison at Michigan City last March upon a finding of guilty of the charge of child desertion, has written to Deputy Sheriff Pierce that he I will be paroled, he thinks without | doubt, at the first session of the board of pardons after the erpiration of his minimum sentence of one year. As he was sentenced in March by Special Judge Waltz his case will not be taken up by board of pardons until their session the succeeding month in April. Swartz writes that he is still working in the prison blacksmith shop and that he has a perfect record as a prisoner, not a single black mark having been registered against him. —Bluffton News.

MORE PERPLEXING Weather Conditions Do Not Improve With Passing of Time SUFFERED $2,000 LOSS Entailed by Telephone Company—Dr. Parrish is a Loser

The weather conditions have, during the course of the past twelve hours, become more perplexing and the city and telephone linemen are encountering more difficulties than was anticipated. More wires have fallen to the ground with result that a large number of patrons are without telephone or lighting service. Connections for electric light service were made in some sections of the city yesterday, while In other parts the citizens would have been in total darkness were it not for the flickering blaze of kerosene lamps which were rescued from the debris in the garrett. That the storm we have just had is the most destructive experienced in years is a fact allowing of no denial. The damage done to beautiful shade and fruit trees alone is almost unfathomable while this is the lesser of a large number of calamities which have befallen the citizenship of Decatur and vicinity. Trees which have been conspicuous for their beauty for a decade or more have been rendered all but limbless by the storm which in its deadly sweep has carried destruction to all objects not impervious to the severest of the weather’s elements. The Citizens’ Telephone company will suffer a loss of at least $2,000 as a result of the storm and unless a cessation of the falling and freezing weather is effected even a greater loss will be entailed. The city, too, will suffer, but it is thought that the loss will not reach an exhorbitant amount. Some difficulty is being experienced in the operation of cars on the Fort Wayne & Springfield interurban. The continued snow falling covers the track as rapidly as it can be removed by a force of workmen and thus the service is greatly impaired, notwithstanding the efforts of those who have been engaged to keep the snow off. Pedestrians have a difficult task walking to and fro, first on account of the projecting limbs of trees which have bent under their weight until they almost reach the ground and secondly, as a consequence of the soggy snow- underfoot. Snow and sleet fell during the greater portion of last night and continued this morning. Prospects for immediate relief are not encouraging and it is probable that before the storm is over there will be more loss of property in the way of damage. Dr. M. F. Parrish, of Monroe, who owns the telephone system in and around that enterprising little town, has sustained a loss of SI,OOO as a result of the storm and linemen are now busy making repairs.

HOTEL IN FLORIDA BURNED. Daytona. Fla., Feb. 15.—The Hotel Claredon, at Sea Breeze, one of the largest hotels on the east coast, and ter. cottages adjoining were destroyed by fire today. The 215 guests, who were asleep at the time, were saved without injury and many were able to gather up most of their belongings.

CAMPAIGN OPENS Myron A. Waterman Spoke at the Court Room Last Evening GAVE HIS SIDE Quoted Many Statistics Upon the Business Side of the Issue The first public meeting held in the city by the temperance forces was conducted in the court room last evening, where more than two hundred people, men, women and children, ccngregated to hear Mr. Waterman, the Kansas City banker, who is touring the country in behalf of the temperance cause. The address was scheduled for 7:30 o’clock, but inasmuch as Mr. Waterman had not arrived at that time the Rev. Spetnagle gave a talk with regard to the organization in the county. It was in the midst of this talk that Mr. Waterman arrived at the court room and he was immediately introduced to the audience. The Kansas City banker centralized his talk on the evils of the liquor traffic and the benefits of its elimination from a community, using as an example his home town, which he stated, has undergone unprecedented progress since the saloons have gone out. He quoted statistics which showed a great increase in the building operations of Kansas City subsequent to the abolition of the saloons and comparing Kansas City, Kansas, with Kansas City, Mo., which are divided only by an imaginary line, he revealed astonishing facts to his hearers. Probably the most interesting portion of his discourse was the relation of his experience as a banker in the temperance fight, which caused the saloons to cease operation at Kansas City. Mr. Waterman said that as soon as the movement was inaugurated he came out squarely and openly against the saloons, and that he delivered speeches in various parts of the city in behalf of the temperance cause. The nine directors of the bank hearing of his activity, immediately called a meeting and informed him that he must cease taking a part in the campaign as it would mean the downfall of the bank, stating that it would not be so bad if he was the only one to suffer but they insisted that the stockholders should not suffer as a consequence of his actions. Using his exact words the banker replied “If I cannot do as I think I ought to do as a father, if I cannot do as I think I ought to do as a citizen without this bank going under, I say let her go, and I will have a clear conscience if not a full purse.” The speaker then explained that he was not a Republican, a Democrat, a Socialist, but he was an American citizen and he claimed that the campaign should be conduct e<i against the saloons by the citizens as citizens. Referring to the tax question which has risen so conspicuously in this fight ho explained why taxes would be lower instead of higher in the absence of saloons. He said that in Kansas City the administration had saved $25,000 per annum in the criminal courts, an exorbitant amount which formerly paid for maintenance of prisoners and he produced evidence that the state, county and city tax of Kansas City was $1.35. The speaker evoked much applause from the audience during his address.

WILL LEAVE FOR WASHINGTON Another Indiana Congressman Going to the Capital. Hon. Martin A. Morrison, of this city, congressman-elect from the ninth district, will leave the city on Thursday for Washington, D. C„ to begin his duties. Mr. Morrison will be sworn in when the house organizes on March 4th for the special session. Mr. Morrison will be at Washington when the battleship fleet returns from its cruise around the world and will see the ships on the grand review. He will also be there at the inauguration of Taft and Sherman. ..He has not as yet decided where he will make his headquarters. It is not known how long the special session will continue. —Frankfort Crescent.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday Evening, February 16, 1909.

OUR WIRES ARE CROSSED Neither Telegraph or Telephone Lines Are Working Today. Decatur is entirely shut off from the outside world today, and neither telegraph or telephone communication is possible. Yesterday the only telephone line was to Bluffton, but even this is impossible today. We have been trying all day to reach Chicago, to which place we had trailed an Important piece of news, but to no avail. Our legislative wire is dcwn also, and as a result the paper is short several important occurrences, which we otherwise would have enrolled in our news columns today. Everybody has their troubles except the newspaper publisher. TRIP TO PANAMA Many Indiana Members Will Go There During Special Session TO COME BACK Representative Rainey Intends to Again Go After the President Washington, Feb. 16.—A trip to Panama, to be made on a government boat, is one of the plans for killing time while the tariff bill is making its slow grind through congress at the specal session. About half of the members of the Indiana delegation are arranging to participate in the Panama trip. This trip will not be entirely a “junket.” Tne recent developments have indicated that the Panama canal is likely to be more than ever a subject for the careful attention of congress and there are even grave doubts as to whether the type of the canal may not have to be changed from the lock system to the sea-level plan first proposed. Therefore, it is taken for granted that the time spent by congressmen in studying the canal problem at first hand will not be entirely wasted.

Washington, February 16. —Representative Rainey, of Illinois, has announced that he proposes to “come back” with concrete facts at the president, the president-elect and all persons who have tried to discredit his speeches in congress concerning the Panama canal. Mr. Rainey desires it to be stated and understood that he is not an enemy of the canal, but of canal spoliation and canal graft. The last reply to Mr. Rainey was the statement given out at the state department, In which Mr. Rainey was landed squarely in the Ananias Club by President Roosevelt. Washington, Feb. 16.—1 t was only by the vigilant and active work, of Representative Watson, “whip” of the house, that enough votes were obtained yesterday to pass the bill rducing the salary of secretary of state from $12,000 to SB,OOO a year, after a special rule had been brought in for its consideration. The bill would not have passed at aii if it had not been for the report circulated among the Republicans that Mr : Knox wanted it done. This report was brought by Mr. Watson, who was in consultation during the day with the Pennsylvania senator. o At the meeting of the Elks lodge this week the members expect to hear a definite report from the building committee in regard to the proposition for a new home. The members believe that they could purchase a god building and after remodeling it would have one of the best homes in this part of the state. They will also hear a report from the committee which was appointed to investigate the giving of a show, to be put on by local people. —Bluffton Banner.

CALLED TO REWARD Mrs. Mites Has Answered the Call of Death Angel 76 YEARS OF AGE Was Identified With Early History of Decatur Calmly and peacefully as sinking into deep slumber, conscious of her surroundings, but oblivious of the grief which would be caused as a consequence of her demise, the spirit of Mrs. Mites returned to whence it came last evening, the outgoing other life being recorded at the hour of six. Although of a ripe old age, the good deeds qf the (deceased cannot be reckoned by the number of years she has lived, and they have been many. The abrupt ending of her earthly career of seventy-six years’ duration will signal profound sorrow among her many acquaintances in whom she has found loyal friendship in the walk of life. Mrs. Mites has lived an eventful life. She was identified with the early history of Decatur, prominently, having charge of the tavern in which she breathed her last, during the civil war, when her beloved husband shouldered a musket and wetn to the front to fight for the liberty of his countrymen. It was in the early sixties that Mr. and Mrs. Mites engaged in the hotel business in the hostelry which has been known as the Indiana House for more than fifty years. Many a weary traveler, during this time, has found consolation in the hospitalities of the Mites’ whose kindnesses had no bounds. About thirty years ago Mr. MJtes died, and since then the decedent has conducted the hotel as before. Old age did not cause her to retire to inactivity, but a complication of diseases which found inception a few weeks ago forced the aged woman t> take to her bed from which she was doomed never to rise. During the past few days her condition has been critical and even the most optimistic abandoned hopes for her recovery. She did not resent the coming of the death angel, but willingly and peacefully passed into eternity to sleep the sleep of the just. The poignancy of the grief caused the friends of the departed woman is fathomless, and her memory will live in the minds of Decatur people as long as they shall live. The funeral services will be held from the house Thursday afternoon at one o’clock, the Rev. Septnagle officiating and interment will be made at the Decatur cemetery.

ANOTHER SOLUTION OF LAW Senator Powers Has Solved the Problem for the Senate. Indianapolis, February 16. —Senator Powers, Democrat, of Angola, suggested a new solution of the local option problem in a bill he Introduced in the senate yesterday. The bill is for the amendment of the county option law, and provides that if a majority of the people in a ward or township in a county election vote “wet,” then liquor licenses shall be issued in such ward' or township. The bill was referred to the committee on publi cmorals, which also has the Proctor-Tomlinson house bill to substitute town and ward option, and to limit saloons to town and city corporations, or to the police districts of these corporations. Senator Mattingly, chairman of the morals committee, said yesterday afternoon that he did not know when the committee would meet. Senator Proctor of Elkhart, who joined with Tomlinson in fathering the bill now pending, said yesterday, that he would ask the members of the committee to hold a meeting as early as was convenient, ana declared tha tis the reporting of the bill was delayed too long, he would ask the senate to call upon the committee for a report. The Republican leaders in the senate yesterday were somewhat reticent in the discussion of their plans as to the amendment of the bill, .but it is practically certain that the first test on the report of the county unit lawwill come on the vote on an amendment to strike out the section re-j pealing the law. I

HAVE SOLVED THE QUESTION Indiana Muck Can Be Made into Good Soil. Lafayette, Ind., Feb. 16.—That the chemical department of the Purdue university experiment station has practically solved the question of reclaiming muck soil in Indiana is made evident by results obtained in Newton county, where experiments have been carried on for the last four years. After four years work it has ben clearly demonstrated that only by use of potach can muck soil be made fertile, and it has been estimated that if this method be applied to all the muck soil in Indiana it will result in a gain of more than $3,000,000 annually, or enough to pay for all that the state is spending on the entire experiment station more than one hundred fold. o THEY WILL REFUSE Muncie Mayor and Council Asked to Recommend Two Democrats HOW IT WORKS Metropolitan Police Boards to be Named on Recommendation Muncie, Ind., February 16. —Governor Marshall has written a letter to the mayor and common council of Muncie asking them to name a new board of police commissioners, this board to be composed of two Democrats and one Republican or one Prohibitionist, and the mayor and council will refuse to make this recommendation. That is the gist of the police situation in Muncie. It means, therefore, that Governor Marshall will probably take matters into his own hands on being officially notified cf the refusal of the mayor and council to act, and will make the appointments himself on recommendation of local Democrats. Resolutions have been drawn up to be presented at a special meeting of the council, in which the reason of the city authorities for refusing to make these recommendations will be set forth It will be set out that the governor, under the present state law, has the appointing of police commissioners and is, therefore, responsible for these appointments. The mayor and council say in the resolutions that they do not wish to assume the responsibility for these appointments when they do not possess the ultimate appointive authority, it is understood. But back of this it is believed that the mayor and council are not entirely pleased with the governor’s insisting that two members of the board be Democrats. The city administration is Republican. Before the recent election Mr. Marshall made the statement that if elected governor he would endeavor to bring about the repeal of the metropolitan police law and the passage of a law vesting the appointment of police commissioners in the mayors and councils of cities now governed by the metropolitan law, but, failing in this, he would name the candidates for commissioners recommended by the mayor and council of any city.

3 REPORT IS ABOUT READY. 5 I The President's Experts Wijl l Say That the Panama Canal is All Right. 5 Washington, February 16. —Col. - George W. Goethals, chairman of the t Isthmian Canal commission, and the members of the board of engineers ‘ appointed by President Roosevelt, I who went to Panama with President- > elect Taft, have reached Washlngi ton. The board of engineers, of which Frederick P. Stearns, of Boss ten, is chairman was sent to the isthJ mus by the president with the view e to report whether there had been - such a change in conditions, affecting - the construction of the canal to wars rant the abandonment of the lock a system as now- authorized, and the substitution of a sea level plan. The t board hopes to be able to have a rer port ready for the president early this ] week. The members will report un i lanfmously in favor of continuance of !: the present plan of construction. ]:

Price Two Cents

THEY ARE WORKING i Both House and Senate Were Disposed to Saw s Wood Yesterday > i SECOND READING Many Bills Sent to Engrossment for Final I Tryout Speaker Honan’s machine was well oiled and in good working order in the house yesterday afternoon and the chamber had the appearance of a real busy place until after 5 o'clock, an unusually late hour for the legislators to be at work. Fifteen bills were pushed through second reading and third reading was taken up in spite of an effort to adjourn early. Representative Talbott’s Pluto water bill was sent to engrossment without amendments when house bills were called up on second reading in the senate. Beaver's bill to permit railroads to charge 10 cents extra when fare is paid on train; Maas’s bill to require return of keys by tenant to landlord; Faulknor’s bill clearing titles of land along Michigan road, were all sent to engrossment without amendment. On a motion by Senator McCallum constitutional rules of the senate were suspended for the third time during the day and Representative Culbertson’s Hanover College bill was read the third time and placed on its passage. The bill would amend the charter of the institution so as to make the college co-educational, would increase limit of property holdings, and place the college in position to receive large donations to its endowment. By the recharter the school would be made non-sectarian. The bill passed by a vote of 34 to 0. Among the bills advanced to third reading was Kistler's senate bill to compel the treasurer of state to ac- ' cept certificates of deposit in ' school revenue settlement. The bill grew out of a quarrel between the auditor of state and treasurer. Van Natta. in the January apportion- ■ ment, when the state refused to ac- ’ cept certificates of deposits and was “ forced to the point of threatening suit before settlement w r as made. Under the provisions of the bill such * certificates may be accepted by the " state treasurer in lieu of cash or its present legal equivalent Senator Stotsenburg’s bill to enable the con- ! struction of an interurban railroad on a toll road running from New ' Albany to Corydon was another sent r to third reading . > _ ! Engrossed senate bills were advanced to third reading as follows: ' Kling, to legalize acts of notaries public whose commissions have expired; ’ Kistler, providing that the treasurer of state shall accept certificates of deposits from county treasurers in payment for common school tuition ’ fund; Stotsenburg, providing that in divorce proceedings a female plaintiff may have previous marriage name or maiden name restored without 1 special iprocedure; Stotsenburg, ito authorize the construction of interurban roads on toll roads; Harlan, providing that when there are vacancies in juries the jury commissioners shall draw names of jurors to fill the places; Grube, making Culver Military Academy a part of the military and naval forces of the state, ' so that it may receive contributions • from the federal government {amend - > ed in committee to protect the state i against requisitions for uniforms, target practice, etc., except when called into state service by law); Kling, providing for the combination of two ’ or more cemetery associations where the lands are contiguous. o TICKLES THEM IN ROME. r - » Rome. Feb. 16.—The announcement that Theodore Roosevelt and his wife will arrive at Naples the end of March on his way to East Africa, and will remain in Italy eleven days, has been received here with great satisfaction. Both the king and the pope have expressed the desire to meet him. Arrangements are being made for Mr. Roosevelt to visit the earthquake zone.