Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 7, Number 89, Decatur, Adams County, 14 April 1909 — Page 1

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT.

Volume VII. Number 89.

NEW BOILERS PURCHASED McNauel Company of Toledo Landed the Contract Last Night WERE NINE BIDDERS Atas Company Wanted to Enforce Contract Made in 1907 Nine different concerns, manufacturers and jobbers of water tube boilers, wanted the contract for the two 400-ton boilers let by the city last evening. When the hour came for opening the bids. Clerk Wemhoff had nine envelopes in his possession, each containing an offer, but of that number three failed to enclose the i certified check as required in the | notice and consequently their bids were not considered. The contract ■ finally went to the McNauel company, of Toledo. Ohio. The blds were as follows: Bass Foundry, Fort Wayne, $9,160: John O’Brien Works, St. Louis, | $7,900, no check enclosed: E. Keller : company, Williamsport, Pa., $7,748, no check: McNauel Company, Toledo, Ohio, $8,560; Heine Safety Boiler Co., i Chicago, $10,588; Geary Boiler Co., Oil ■City, Pa., $9,736; Babcock & Wilcox, ■Chicago, $9,852; National Mills Co., Fort Wayne, $8,485, no check; Atlas Engine Works. Indianapolis, $4,100 for one. From the above it will be noticed that the lowest bid was that of the Keller company, who failed to enclose the SSOO check and the bid was therefore not considered. The hid of the Atlas company was for one boiler only, they claiming that they already had a contract with the city for one boiler for $5,200. This would make the two boilers cost $9,300 and the council could not see it that way. The Atlas representative made various threats, but failed to alarm any one very much. In September, 1908, a contract was let to that firm for one boiler, but Mayor Coffee refused to sign the same and stated that he "would not sign an order to pay for same so the deal was dropped. The contract last night therefore, went to the lowest and best bidder, the MeNauel company, who also offered to furnish the Kelley shaking grates for SIBO and the additional 35 feet of stack for $4.00 per foot. They agreed to have the first boiler here within thirty days and set up in forty-five days and the second boiler in sixty days. The finance committee were authorized and empowered to contract for the same and did so today. E ery member of the council was present excepting Mr. Martin, who is (quite sick. Mayor France presided.

g. HAVE BEEN USING THE MAILS KAnonymous Letters Received by Several Bluffton People. I Bluffton. Ind., April 14—The postal ■department has started an investigag’tion here in an effort to locate the ■party or parties who are guilty of Wtnaillng numerous anonymous letters ■fcrough the Bluffton office. There has ■been frequent complaint, and while Hfcome of the letters have been in the Elat ure of jokes others have been of a character seeking to> stir up domes- ? tic troubles in prominent families. •There have also been a number of Beaming letters mailed represented as Bjoming from the civic league, while B members of that organization strenBgfcously deny any knowledge of such an affair and say that they would |||ot think of mailing such literature. here was a serious fignt narrowly : last night when a prominent. ..•■man received a letter and took to! >: task a prominent anti-saloon worker sEtad civic league member as the send-| er. He discovered later that he was to error and sought the civic league Bpember to make an apology. I o ■Jacob Martin who has been quite s Mck for a week or more past, is reported some better today. Pl Mrs. Samantha Dorwin who has ■■been quite sick for several days, is e-tane better today and will likely en- ' tlrely recover within the week.

TO BUILD A COURT HOUSE Boone County Council Make an Appropriation. Lebanon, Ind., April 14. —By a unanimous vote of the county council an appropriation of $50,000 for the preliminaries to the erection of a new $250,000 court house was made. In making the appropriation the members of the council urged the count?’ commissioners to proceed with haste in selecting a design and letting the contracts. The balance of the appropriation will be made when the contract is let. The building of the court house will not cause any increase in the taxes. There is now a surplus of $173,000 in the treasury. With the payment of all expenses and the collection of taxes that will be due soon another surplus of $50,000 will be in be treasury Dec. 31, 1909. Bonds will be issued for the remainder’ of the cost of the building. An advisory committee was chosen by the council composed of four leading citizens which will sit in conjunction with the county commissioners, who will have charge of the plans.

SERVICE THURSDAY For Mrs. William Tritch at the Methodist Episcopal Church DIED YESTERDAY Was Well Known Having Lived Here Greater Part of Her Life The funbral services for Mrs. William Tritch, of Patterson street, will be held tomorrow, Thursday morning, leaving the house at 9:30 and the services to be held at the Methodist church at ten o'clock in charge of Rev. C. B. Wilcox and Rev. I.lmler. Interment will be made at the Alpha cemetery, four miles north of the city. Mrs. Tritch was age sixty-three years, three months and fourteen days. She had resided here for many years and was beloved by the many who knew her. She was a loving wife and mother, a kind neighbor and a Christian lady who did unto others as she would have them do unto her. She is survived by the husband, one son, Jonas Tritch and a brother, Mr. Jesse Warner of Root township. A daughter, Mrs. Eva Draper, died two years ago. the twenty-fourth of this month. Mrs. Tritch was stricken with paralysis about ten days ago, the stroke affecting but one side of her body. Yeserday it was noticed, that the other side had also become helpless, and it is presumed that a second stroke caused her turn for the worse, which resulted in her death at 1:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon. DO NOT WANT AN ELECTION. The Madison County Law and Order League Organized. Anderson, Ind., April 14. —The local option campaign in Madison county was started in real earnest last night when a crowd that filled the circuit court room to overflowing assembled at the call of citizens opposed to the election, and organized the Madison County Law and Order league. The meeting was presided over by William Morches, manager of the Arcade file w’orks in this city. A set of resolutions was drafted and read by Horace C. Stilwell, in which the proposition of submitting the liquor queston to a vote of the people at this time was deplored, and calling upon all citizens to use their vote and their best endeavors to retain the licensed saloon in preference io the regime of the "blind tiger.” The organization pledged its efforts to enforce the strict letter of the law if the licensed I saloon should be permitted to remain, and an appeal was made to all classes of citizens in the county to rally to the support of the league in its endeavor to secure a safe, sane and just condition of affairs in this county. The Anti-Saloon league was denounced as jeopardizing the business interests of the community by foisting an election upon the community at this time.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday Evening, April 14, 1909.

SET FOR TRIAL Charles Wolfe Case to Be Heard Wednesday. April 28th OTHER COURT NEWS R. S. Peterson to Hear Johnson Divorce Case— Real Estate Transfers R. S. Peerson has assumed jurisdiction in the case of Hattie Johnson vs. Edward Johnson, suit for divorce and alimony. Catherine Allison et al vs. Jane R. Stockwell et al, suit to quiet title, deed repored and confirmed. Criminal cases have been set for trial as follows: State vs. Curtis Johnson, burglary. Monday, April 26; Samuel Bailor, receiving stolen property, Tuesday, April 27; Warren Reed, receiving stolen property, Tuesday, April 27; Luther Lehman, forgery, Monday. April 26; Charles Wolfe, assault with intent to kill, Wednesday, April 28. Inventories have been filed by Ira Steele, executor of the Samuel Steele estate and James M. Archbold, administrator of the Mary J. Meitz-Beg-lin estate. Real estate transfers: Jesse C. Sutton, to H. M. DeVoss, lot 886, Decatur, $1,650; Frank X. Miller to Verena Miller, five acres in Washington tp., $1.00; Charles H. Lehman to C. C. Burry, lot 426 Barne, $300; Netty Backesto to John C. Brown, pt. lot 15 Berne, $1,200; Bert Cully et al to Buel G. Nye, 72 acres in Blue Creek tp., $2,575; P. G. Hooper to Edwin Fledderjohann lot 48 Decatur. $1.00; John Kleinhenz to Peter Holthouse et al, lots 28 and 74, Decatur, $6,000. o WORK HAS BEGUN First Car Load of Pipe is on Hand for New Gas Line . GAS HOLDERS READY Will Be Erected at Decatur and Bluffton at Once That the Indiana Lighting company intend to furnish gas to this city for fuel and lights is shown by the manner in which they are pushing the project. The following is from the Fort Wayne Sentinel of last evening: The first car load of pipe for the big gas line through w-hich artificial gas is to be supplied from Fort Wayne to Bluffton and Decatur has reached Fort Wayne, and today workmen for the Indiana Lighting company began the work of distributing the pipe southward. The new main is to be of 4inch pipe. Leaving Fort Wayne the line will be laid on Hale avenue from the end of the bridge to Brooklyn avenue, and thence south on Brooklyn avenue to the Fort Wayne and Bluffton road. At Kingsland the stem to Decatur will branch off the Bluffton line. The Kerr Murray works in this city has practically completed the construction of two 100,000 feet gas holders to be erected at Bluffton and Decatur. Manager Mulholland will place a big force of men on the work of laying the pipe as soon as the weather will permit, and expects to be serving gas io both Bluffiuti and Decatur by July 1. o J. M. Purvis, who has been visiting relatives and friends in the country, returned home today. We are in receipt of a copy of the Knight Errant, published at Yorktown, Indiana. It’s a bright little weekly, and its editor is K. K. Bottenberg, the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs, Charles Bottenberg, who formerly lived here. The lad is but sixteen years old, but his paper would lead you to think that he is a veteran in the newspaper business.

INDICTED ALSO AT CLEVELAND James H. Boyle and Wife Indicted for Blackmail. Cleveland, Ohio, April 14. —James H. Boyle and wife, under arrest at Mercer, Pa., on the charge of kidnaping Willie Whitla, of Sharon, Pa.,were again indicted by the Cuyahoga county grand jury today on the charge of child stealing and harboring a stolen child. Following the arrest of the Boyles here March 22, the day after the Whitla boy was returned to his father, the grand jury indicted the couple on he charge of blackmail. This step was taken as a precaution against the possible failure ‘of the Pennsylvnaia authorities to obtain a conviction on the kidnaping charge. It was that Mrs. Boyle especially might be able to evade the charge there. Later developments have shown there may be real grounds upon which to base the fear and the local authorities decided further to protect themselves against a miscarriage of justice by having the additional indictment found. o IS NOT DOWNWARD Revision of the Tariff is Not Revision Downward HAVE PATIENCE Senator Beveridge to Make No Recommendations During Tariff Session Washington, April 14. —The more the Aldrich tariff bill is studied by senators of the progressive stamp, the less satisfactory it appear from the standpoint of thq, needs of the "ultimate consumer.” Representative Crumpacker's charge that it is not a revision downward is borne out by senators who analyzed the measure carefully. The senator from Rhode Island is credited with a great deal of political tact in framing a bill that ! s calculated to answer the most violent critics of congress, without conferring any substantial benefits on the consuming public. In the opinion of senators " ho have studied the bill carefully, Senator Aldrich will not be able to “get away’> with any such tariff revision as he proposes. The progressive senators hold that the Aldrich bill is no improvement over the Dingley law, which it resembles closely. Senator Aldrich, who is now, as ever, the spokesman of the special interests, displayed his usual adroitness in yielding to popular demand against an increase of the tariff on' gloves and hosiery and against any tariff on tea or coffee. Washington, April 14. —Indiana applicants for federal offices would do well to possess their souls in patience. Senator Beveridge will not give consideration to such matters, except in cases of emergency where action is absolutely necessary, until after the adjournment of the special session of congress. The senator believes that the proper adjustment of the tariff is of more importance than the distribution of offices, and he is asking applicants and their friends to be patient until after congress adjourns. Washington, April 14.—Secretary of State Knox says the state department does not Intend to recall James F. Statesman, of Peru, Ind., as minister to Bolivia. Mr. Stutesman was appointed to this post last summer. Secretary Knox, in writing to Senator Beveridge, says that no action whatever hag been taken looking to Mr. Stutesman’s recall. J. C. Sutton has purchased the H. M. DeVoss property on Sixth street, trading thereon his propery in the south part of the city. Mr. Sutton will secure possession of his new property next week and will move there. An old umbrella mender, w’ho has been coming here f nr years, and who always has a jag equivalent to the amount of business transacted, was taken before Squire Stone this morning, where he was found guilty of intoxication, fined five dollars and costs in default of which he went to jail for fifteen days.

FAVORED NODUTY * Congressman Adair Tells About Duty on Hides DUTY ON SHOES Free Hides Gave the Manufacturers an Undue Advantage A Washington dispatch sets forth an interview with Congressman Adair in which he clearly, concisely and logically explains why he voted for a tariff on hides. He says: “The boot and shoe manufacturers appeared before the ways and means committee and said that if they were given free hides they would be willing to have the duty taken off of boots and shoes. I was in favor of putting hides on the free list and either greatly reducing the duty on boots and shoes or taking it clear off. However, the Payne bill continued the duty on boots and shoes but took I it entirely off of hides. Had the duty on boots and shoes been reduced or removed, I would have favored taking all he duty off the hides, but I thought it was unfair to the farmers of the country to remove all the duty from hides and continue the duty on manufactured leather products, which would enable the manufacturer to charge the same old price for his products. I thought that to leave the duty on the manufactured product and take it all off hides was a discrimination against the farmer who produces a large part of the wealth of the country and whose interests as well as the interests of the manufacturer must be safeguarded. I received hundreds of letters from my district and some petitions insisting on a duty on hides if the tariff on boots and shoes was to be retained.” seasonto open First Ball Game Will Be Played Here Next Saturday AGAINST VAN WERT High School Boys Will Put on an Interesting Contest The base ball season will open in Decatur next Saturday and the boys have caught the fever in great shape. On that day the Decatur high school boys will meet the Van Wert high school team for the first contest of the season. It will be a battle royal and every inning wilt be a scrappy one. The local lads are preparing for the game and expect to take the scalps of their Buckeye friends with ease. The llnup in the batting order is Smith, second base; Frisinger, third base; Beery, catcher; DeVoss, shortstop; Miller, left field; Shoemaker, center field; Gast, first base; Babcock, right field; Nelson and Hoffman substitutes. The game will be called at 2:30 at Steele park and a good crowd is assured if the weather is right. The local boys are out selling tickets for the day to cover the expenses. The team will play a return engagement at Van Wert in the near future. ANOTHER GOOD PLAY. McNavin-Cash stock company presented the “Way of the Wicked’’ at the opera house last night before a large and enthusiastic audience. The play was given in a very acceptable manner, being thoroughly enjoyed by every one present. The specialties were new and refined, well rendered and pleasing. Tonight the sensational comedy drama "The Gambler’s Wife” will be given. It is one of the best of the company’s offerings and said to be an excellent one. Ladies will be admitted free again tonight with each paid 30-cent ticket. The company is one of the best in the country playing at popular prices—--10-20-30 cents.

HELPING FRANK OUT AGAIN Attorneys Employed to Get Cotton Out of Jail. George Cotton, Elkhart, father of Frank Cotton, the Bluffton young man, who has been unable to keep out of trouble, no sooner getting out of jail until he gets back in again, was in the city yesterday afternoon in consultation with a firm of attorneys here, who he will get to go to Huntington to try and get his son out of the last difficulty which he got into. The young man is being held there, charged with forging his father’s name to a check. Although the father made good the amount at the bank, the Huntington officials do not appear to be satisfied. They have stated that Cotton has been getting off too easy at other places and that they intend seeing that he goes the route to the reformatory.—Bluffton Banner. NEWSFROMGENEVA Many Are Sick in That Vicinity—Margaretta Fristoe No Better MANY BUY AUTOS Ten Cars Sold There Recently—Last Saloon Closes May 4th Geneva, Ind., April 14. —(Special to Daily Democrat) —Little Margaretta Fristoe who has been ill for several days with symptoms of pneumonia, is still very sick, her condition today being reported as no better. Her parents are greatly concerned over her serious condition. A. A. Mason, one of the landmarks of this locality, is very seriously sick and his many friends have gravest fears for his recovery. There is an unusual amount of sickness in this town and township at present, grippe, cold, pneumonia and lung affection being the principal causes. L. G. Botkins, who recentl went out of the saloon business in this place, has purchased an interest in the Ellenberger meat shop and has taken charge of same as the manager. The last saloon in Geneva will close its doors on the evening of May 4th. This place is owned by Burkett & Pitts, who have provided for a future livilhood by purchasing a saloon on Calhoun street in Fort Wayne, where they will be located after the date mentioned. Geneva has caught the automobile fever, and have caught it right. In fact it looks now as though nearly everyone here will soon be riding in this modern kind of vehicle. During the past three weeks, ten cars of various makes have been sold and delivered here and there are as many mor figuring on new machines. Guess that is going some for a town of this size.

NEW AGENT FOR THE G. R. & I. Mr. Merry, of Geneva, Appointed and Begins Duties Here Tomorrow, H. L. Merry, who has served as agent for the G. R. & I. at Geneva is the new agent for the company in ’this city to succeed - Mr. Jeff Bryson who was transferred to Portland two weeks ago. Mr. Merry will begin his duties here tomorrow, being checked i out at Geneva today. The promotion |is a very deserving one from what we can learn, the new agent being in i every w’ay thoroughly competent. G. M. McFarland, of Kalamazoo, Mich., who has been attending to the duties j I here temporarily will leave tomorrowl for New York City, where he will I I enjoy a several weeks’ vacation, be-11 ■ fore returning to his duties at Kala -11 ma zoo. 1

Price Two Cents

GOOD GOVERMENT Governor Marshall Speaks at Jefferson Banquet in New York A GREAT SPEECH He Gave Expression to Many Solid Truths That is Good to Hear New York, April 13.—Thomas R. Marshall, governor of Indiana, -was the principal speaker at the Jefferson banquet of the National Democratic Club tonight. Governor Judson Harmon of Ohio, Mayor George B. McClellan of New York and Charles F. Murphy, leader of Tammany Hall, were the other speakers. Governor Marshall’s address in part was as follows: "Let no one be deceived by the belief that I have come to bear any new message from the west to the east. I am not vain enough to presume that, standing here where the pulse of the nation’s life, both political and economic, beats ever loudly and surely. I could speak in such a tongue as to either charm your cars or touch your hearts. I wish merqjy to exhort for a few brief moments —to fraternize with my brethren of the east; to proclaim the old, old gospel of Democracy content if here tonight I may set my flickering taper beside the lambent torch of Thomas Jefferson, which must ever light up the pathway, not only of destiny, but of duty, for every true republic. I do not pretend to have attained to that certainty which enables me to speak ex cathedra. I speak, therefore, with charity for all and malice toward none. I belong to the student body as yet, ready to recant when I am shown to be heterodox. I have simply watched the doctors at their work for twenty-five years. Except the man with the barns who has much substance laid by for many days and hopes, by the grace of congress, to lay by more, all others know there is something unhealthy in state and nation. Hence, a wild effort to find a remedy for the ills; hence, every day a new nostrum advertised upon the political billboards of the land. New occasions may teach new duties, and time may make ancient good uncouth, but in the domain of statecraft, not so. It may be true that the founders of our republic who sounded every shoal and depth of statecraft, who knew the strength and weakness of every political system, and who clearly foresaw the sources of growth and the causes of decay, were mere tyros beside the modern manipulator of legislation in the interests of private gain, but I have my doubts. The rise and decay of peoples disclose that there is as surely a law of national as of indiviual life. The law of the land may be to the autocrat a stumbling block, and to the opportunist, foolishness, but to al! those who believe in the divinely ap-

pointed plan of our government it is i both the source of life and the cure ! for all ills. What, then, is the law of r this land? A fairly great Englishman declared that the weakness of a re--1 public consisted in the fact that it ' must inevitably rest upon an aris- - tocracy of wealth. Ts this was. or is, - or shall be, so in America, then the r criticism is just. It is but changing i the form of a government, not its i effect upon a people, to take from one man and give into the hands of a few, power. In one sense it is the business . of a majority to rule. We know no other way to move the wheels of government. In one sense statutory enactments by constituted authority make the law of the land. In another sense, they do not. The true law of ; this land flowed from the pen of L Thomas Jefferson when he declared ! that all men were created free and equal and that they were endowed 3 with the inalienable rights of life 3 of liberty and the pursuit of happi--3 ness. These rights appertain to men j as man. They cannot be usurped by princes, legislated away by congress nor even ceded by the free consent of - the governed. Such a law os this > I makes a republic weak in Its ceded . powers, but strong in the inherent (rights of the individual citizen. Majorities may torture if they will, will /torture if they can,these ceded rights /into a deprivation of the individual rights of the man. They have done so heretofore. They will, if permitt(Oontinued on Page Two)