Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 7, Number 106, Decatur, Adams County, 4 May 1909 — Page 1

Volume VII. Number 106.

ESCAPED UNINJURED Mrs. L. C. Hughes and Clark Coverdale and Family in Fierce Cyclone AT MARION, ALABAMA Storm Did Much Damage, But They All Escaped Without Serious Injury L. C. Hughes has received a message from his wife, who has been at Marion, Alabama, visiting her daughter, Mrs. N. C. Coverdale and family for several weeks. The message tells of a terrible experience through which they passed a few days ago, when a terrific storm struck that town. The cyclone, for such it was, struck the little city during the evening and the town was almost totally destroyed. Many houses, business rooms »nd practically all the barns and other smalted buildings were blown down, while scarcely a building of any kind in the town escaped without some damage. Five people were killed outright, and many more were more or less seriously injured. Luckily Mrs. Hughes and Clark Coverdale and family all escaped without injury, due to the fact that they retained their presence of mind. It was a never-to-be-forgotten experience, and one through which none of them will care to ever go again, but they are thank f ul that all are well and unhurt. Mrs. Hughes has not recovered from the nervous shock, but will be all right within a few days.

THE NEW BOILERS Foundations Are in and the Material is Arriving Each Day Now A WRONG IMPRESSION Many People Think That the City Has Bought Boilers Each Year The material for the new boilers to be installed at the city plant is arriving each day and within a month the first one will be ready for use. The foundation has been built, and the brick stub for the stack was finished at noon today. The boiler should arrive within a few days. There seems to be an impression among many of the people here that the city plan* has worn out many boilers within the past few years, but this is not the truth. The boilers in use now were put |n » number of years ago. the big one, in 1901, and the two tubular boilers seven years ago. The facts are that the plant has never had sufficient boiler power with which to operate cheaply and safely. They have always been necessarily overloaded, and running this way twentyfour hours a day, the boilers cannot be expected to last forever. From what can be learned if you will take the time to investigate personally it will be found that the men in charge of the plant do everything they can to save the machinery and they deserve praise more often than the criticism they so frequently receive. The new boilers should furnish sufficient power to operate the plant for many years to come. o—- — MASONS MEET THIS EVENING At a special meeting of the Masonic lodge this evening, the third degree will be conferred on one of the candidates. The Fort Wayne boys have heard of the manner in which the work is given here and several of them are coming to the meeting tonight to witness same. Barney Kalver informs us also that the event will wind up with one of his famous “bankrupts” and it is desired that * good attendance be there.

DECATUR DAIIA DEMOCRAT.

LOCK SYSTEM IS THE BEST Congressional Party Have Returned from Panama. New York, May 4. —Further indorsement of the lock type of canal and assurances of the stability of the Gatun dam were verified by members of the congressional party which returned on the steamer Panama after an unofficial inspection of the canal zone. Michael F. Conroy of New York was emphatic in his appreciation of the educational value of the trip just concluded. “Many of us,’’ he said, “left New- York with the idea that the sea level system of canal construction should have been adopted. But after personally inspecting the great work and familiarizing ourselves with the conditions on the isthmus all of us I feel safe to say return convinced that the lock system Is the better of the tw r o.”

BOARD OF REVIEW Judge Merryman Made His Appointments for this Duty this Morning SERVE THIRTY DAYS Will Begin Duty of Equalizing Valuations First Week in June Judge Merryman this morning api pointed Messrs Elias Crist of this city and Thomas Drew of Geneva, as members of the county board of review, j These two men with County Auditor H. A. Michaud, County Treasurer La'chot, and County Assessor Gentis will the board. They will meet at the auditor’s office on the first Monday in June or thereabouts and for thirty days will be busy going over the appraisements as returned by the * various assessors. They will equalize the valuations, adding where they deem necessary and taking away where it is shown the same are too high. During a part of the session as usual, certain days will be set apart for the people from the various townships to appear before the board, in case they wish to make any objections to the valuation placed upon their property. Mr. Drew and Mr. Crist have both had considerable experience in public work and their services should prove entirely satisfactory at this duty.

HE WILL PLEAD GUILTY Frank Brown Will Get His Without a Trial. According to a statement made by Prosecutor Secrest, Frank Brown, charged with being one of the principals in the murder of Pete Poffenberger, will be permitted to plead guilty to the charge of assault and battery and will then be permitted to serve whatever sentence the judge may give him and go free. It was thought several months ago that Brown would probably be released as soon as the Clum trial was over, he merely being held, it was supposed then, as a witness. On account of the vigor with which Clum was prosecuted and the announcement that Brown would also come in for his share, as a reshlt the second announcement from the prosecuting attorney's office that there would be no prosecution on the murder charge comes as a surprise. The case of Brown will come up next Monday morning. The penalty for assault and battery cannot be more than a jail sentence and it is barely possible that Brown will have his freedom next week for the first time in a year. —Bluffton Banner. o WILL LECTURE HERE TONIGHT Prof. M. G. Beattie, o' Sitka, Alaska, at Presbyterian Church. At eight o’clock this evening, Prof. M. C. Beattie, superintendent of the Sitka Training schools at Sitka, Alaska, will lecture at the Presbyterian church in this city. He comes with the reputation of being a most excellent speaker and those who attend will surely be well repaid. The professor will only remain here a short time, as it is necessary that he hasten back to the northern lands. All who can should hear him this evening by all means.

a Trial.

WAS A HOT FINISH Yesterday Was a Busy Day at the County Treasurer’s Office WELL PAID UP The Treasurer’s Office Closed After Ten O’Clock Last Night The finish of the spring installment of taxes was made at ten minutes past ten o’clock last night, as at that time business abruptly stopped. The collections this spring seem to be better paid than at any former time, and white receipts were handed out in exchange for the currency to many taxpayers, who have been in the habit of taking their receipt on a yellow color, and that color denotes delinquency. It is the judgment of many that this comes from the accommodation at the treasurer’s office in keeping open from early in the morning unt’l late in the evening. The system put into vogue by Treasurer Lachot has worked wonders in revolutionizing the business of this office, and it has aided much in getting the money for taxes when said taxes are due. The collections yesterday were enormous, and especially is this true when it takes into account the number of people who paid. There was no particularly large amount from any one person, but the total for the day counted up in the large figures, and cleared the duplicates of the amounts due at this time. It is a safe bet that there is less delinquency after the payment of this installment than ever before, and as we have said many times, much of this credit is due to the excellent methods that have been put into full force and effect by the county treasurer.

YOU MUST CLEAN UP Marshal Butler Serves Osficial Notice on All the Business Men FROM HEALTH BOARD If Order is Not Complied With, the Work Will Be Done by the Board Marshal Butler had a big job on his hands last evening, and it required several hours for him to complete it. Working under instructions from the board of health he was required to serve official notice on every business man in the city, notifying him that he must, within the next forty-eight hours, clean up said business house, properly and according to law. The notice requires that each room be thoroughly rid of rubbish and dirt, that the cellars and back yards be overhauled and that the sidewalk grates be fumigated with carbolic acid. It is time to clean up and this notice further states that if the order isn’t complied with in the- time stated that the work will then be done by the board at the expense of the property owner. The first of May has been recognized all over the country as the time for such work, and it is proper that it be done here. It’s no use to get out of humor about this because it is 'required only for the safety of yourself and your employes. Get busy and do it at once, and thus save time and trouble and expense. O', - - — ANOTHER BANK STATEMENT The Monroe State Bank Makes an Excellent Statement of Affairs. The report of the Monroe State bank appears in this issue, and the showing they make is one that is in keeping with the progress that is being made by the business and monied people of Monroe. Their deposits amount to $49,437.66 and their total resources and liabilities $80,349.57, which is a showing the management of the Monroe State bank should more than be proud of. The institution is getting along fine, and has the people of that town with them, and that is I the secret of their success.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday Evening, May $ 1909.

TAFT AT THE STAR TONIGHT The President’s Trip to the Panama Canal Will Be the Attraction. The Star theater has the greatest film ever shown in Decatur for this evening and every man, woman and child who wishes to better inform himself should witness this show. It is President Taft’s visit to the Panama canal. It will be remembered that the president visited the canal in-February just before taking his office and these pictures were taken by Selig, the greatest outdoor picture man in the world. They show the president, also the big canal, giving a vivid impression of the machinery used, the men at work and you W’lll think you are right at the scene. It’s only five cents, at the Star, where you see all the good shows. Don’t miss it tonight.

STAND PAT PLAN They Want to Force the Senate Schedules Through Congress WALKER IS DEAD Former Indianian Died in W ashington—Shively to Speak Washington, May 4. —The increasing demand from the business interests of the country that the tariff agitation be settled quickly is to be used by the standpat Republicans in congress as a club to force the downward revisionists to accept the program that has been laid out by Senator Aldrich and his associates. The standpatters are quietly inviting commercial interests to bombard congress with a demand that the discussion be concluded and the bill passed and sent to the president. The upward revisionists want anything but discussion. They fear the program of the ten or fifteen western senators to pick flaws in the bill. If they can be prepared to say daily to the objectors: “Witness this demand that we stop this talk and pass the bill,” they can, they believe, check the fight that has been organized against the bill. Senator Aldrich let it be known today that “in the interest of business” he proposed from this time on to press for a vote on the bill.

Washington, May 4. —James E. Walker, formerly well known in Democratic circles in southwestern Indiana, died here and his body was sent to Indiana yesterday for burial. At one time he was auditor of Martin county and for many years he was a merchant at Loogootee. He was in his sixty-seventh year. At the beginning of Judge Robert W. Mier’s service in congress he came to Washington to take a place in the census bureau, which he has held ever since. In this department of the government as well as in local activities Mr. Walker was highly regarded and his demise is mourned by many friends. Washington, May 4. —Senator Shively, after a two weeks’ illness, is busy again with his senatorial work. He is preparing to make a tariff speech, which will be along the line of tariff arguments he followed when a member of the house many years ago. He hopes to be able to make this speech some time this week. NEW POSTMISTRESS AT MAGLEY Mrs. Jessie E. Luttman Appointed to this Important Place. The Washington dispatches make the announcement of the appointment of Mrs. Jessie E. Luttman as postmistress at Magley, the new appointee to succeed Robert Case, who had resigned. Mrs. Luttman is the wife of Edward Luttman the Magley merchant, who recently purchased the store of Mr. Case and is now enjoying a good trade at Magley. The new appointee is capable and will fill the place with that care and thoroughness which is demanded of all the employees of Uncle Sam. — ■ o Miss Myrtle Dibble, of Willshire, returned from Geneva, where she attended commencement exercises and returned to that place to attend commencement. She is a teacher in the schools there.

LITTLE BABE DEAD Infant Son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Hite Passed Away this Morning HERE BUT FEW DAYS Arrived Friday Evening—the Parents are Distracted With Their Grief Hugh Richard, the little two-months’-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Hite, died at 12:50 o’clock this morning .and his parents and other relatives are distracted with grief. Little Hugh was born in far away Oaxaca, in old Mexico and his relatives here were anxious to know and love him. He arrived with his parents last Friday evening and every one was happy. Little did they think that his life would be spared to them but so few days. Some time ago he caught a slight cold which settled in his neck, an abcess forming, and the physician at Oaxaca advised that they take him away from that locality. He stood the trip home, even better than his parents, cooing and playing nearly all the time, and it w r as thought he would soon be well. Saturday noon, he beanie worse and it developed that blood poison had set in. Monday morning he went into spasms and death came as a relief shortly after midnight. He was aged two months and two days and was a happy, bright babe. The funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2 o’clock from the home of the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hite on Winchester street, where his death occurred. Rev. Spetnagle baptized! the infant Monday evening, and will conduct the funeral services. Interment at Maplewod cemetery.

TEST BLIND TIGER Case from New Castle Will Settle Usefulness of this Law FORCED TO PRODUCE Applications for Liquors Were the Incriminating Testimony A test of the “blind tiger” law in the supreme court is based on the case of the state of Indiana against William M. Pence, a druggist, at Newcastle. Mr. Pence refused to deliver to the grand jury the “applications” for liquor he had on file in his pharmacy, under the law which provides that the man who gets a drink of liquor in a drug store must sign a blank stating the purpose for which he desires the whisky. He must specify scientific experiment, industry, art, or some other use, the liquor not being supposed to be sold to the purchaser as a beverage. Druggist Pence was forced to produce his applications, though he swore that the documents were incriminating. Later the court overruled the demurrer of the state to Pence’s plea in abatement, and the drug store liquor seller went free. 1 The state appealed. The attorney general has just sent to the printer a brief taking up the state’s side of the argument, and declaring that the “applications” for drinks are public property, and as such were properly placed before the grand jury, which indicted Pence on a charge of illegal liquor selling. The Pence case is a test on which hinges the future of the blind tiger law. .— —o GOVERNOR MARSHALL IS ILL Indianapolis, May 4.—Governor Marshall has been kept to his room since Sunday night with a mild atack of i colitis resulting from indigestion, and in consequence of his illness the usual Tuesday night reception at the Marshall home on north Pennsylvania , street will not be hel dtonight. Sev- i ■ eral years ago Mr. Marshall had nj severe attack of colitis, and after his I dinner Sunday night he suffered al recurrent attack. Yesterday morning: Dr. O. G. Pfaff was called. <

THE DATE SET IN MADISON Local Option Election There on May 26th. Anderson, Ind., May 4. —The board of county commissioners yesterday afternoon granted the petition of the Madison County Option League for an election and set the date for 'Wednesday, May 26. The petition was presented by Attorneys Lawrence Mays and F. A. Walker. There was no question raised as to the sufficiency of the petition. Horace Stilwell, for the Law and Order League raised the question as to the time when the twenty days began to run before the date could be set. Mays contended that the time started from the date of the filing of the petition, while Stilwell held that it dated from the day on which the board of county commissioners took up the petition for consideration. GETS COMMISSION Berne High School Now Recognized by the State Board THE COMMENCEMENT The County Schools to Have a Grand Time on June 10th The good word has been received at the office of County Superintendent Opliger that the Berne high school has been commissioned, and graduates from that school can now be

admitted to the Indiana university. The schools there were examined some time ago by Mr. J. N. Study, a members of the state board of education, and the word that comes to hand now bears the glad tidings that the examination made at that time was satisfactory to the authorities, and that now Berne stands on an equal footing with any school in the county. The Berne schools have had a splendid year, and are doing the work marked out in the course of instruction in a manner that entitles them to the good standing given them by the state board of education. County Superintendent Opliger is now putting on the finishing touches necessary at the end of each school year. The meeting of the county board of education yesterday brought out the fact and made it prominent that this had been an unusually successful year in all the schools of’the county, and that great progress had been made in every one of the district schools. The county commencement of the 10th of June will be a grand event in the lives of the schools of the county. A list of the graduates will soon be ready for announcement and the number who have finished the work in the common branches will indicate that Adams county believes in education. o ZIMMERMAN IS THE WINNER Republicans Nominated Their Candidates for Mayor. Richmond, Ind. May 4. —Dr. W. W. Zimmerman was nominated for mayor of Richmond at the Republican (primaries held yesterday. His vote 'was 1,523, while Edward Harris, his 'nearest opponent had 1,101 votes. J. Bennett Gordon, editor of The Evening Item, was last in the race with a vote of 1,030. Many peculiar elements entered into the campaign, the “wets’’ and many of the ministers .working hard for Gordon. Timothy I Nicholson, a Quaker leader of great . strength .helped him, but to no avail. Their chief argument was that if I Zimmerman carried the primaries the Democrats were almost sure to carry the next city election. Since Gordon has been unsuccessful, It is rumored ■ that he may bolt his party and throw ! his influence to the Democrats. The t women of the city were against ZlmI i merman, who at one time was the mayor of the city, but their influence, • jdid not seem to carry much weight. JAH the candidates were for law en-l forcement and each one made the! (statement that, if elected, Richmond , (would not be a wide-open town. Allli the saloons were closed and no bar-11 (tender was seen around the polls the., 'entire day. 1:

Price Two Cents

SOME CHEAP LAND Civil War Veterans Will Have Chance to Buy Good Land in Florida AT A LOW PRICE National Tribune Will Distribute Famous White Cloud Plantation From present indications a number of the civil war veterans residing in this city and county will spend the winters of the remaining days in a warmer climate than Indiana can afford,, and to give the veterans this privilege the National Tribune, theG. A. R. publication printed in Washington, D. C-, has made an unusually good offer to the men, of which many are seriously thinking of taking up. The Tribune has secured an option on the once famous White Cloud plantation in Osceola county, Florida, consisting of 35,000 ’tores of the finest of land located on the highest point of Florida. The settlement is termed the White Cloud colony and the city which has been started lias been named White Cloud. To every soldier of the civil war serving his enlistment the Tribune offers a full sized lot in the city and five acres of ground in the county for SIOO. This is an exceptionally low offer and is made especially for the veterans of the war, although others are expected to settle there and greatly increase the size of the city. Next fall an excursion from this part of the state will carry a number of people from this section to investigate the proposition, and It is probable that several Decatur men will join the party. Mr. M. M. Justus of Bluffton, is looking up the details.

IS FAR EROM DEAD Says Sam Railing When He Read the Account of His Death in Papers STILL AT THE HOME Writes His Guardian Here and Denies Every Word of the Allegation Sam 'Railing is, not dead. “Far from it,’’ is the way he puts It In a letter to his guardian, E. Burt Lenhart, of this city. It will be remembered that Mr. Lenhart wrote him a business letter some days ago and it was returned marked "Dead.” The Incident caused a ripple of interest here because no news of his illness or death had been received. This morning Mr. Lenhart received a letter from Sam, in which he states that he had read his obituary notice in several papers and wanted to deny the allegations. He enclosed a two-cent stamp, very kindly, for a reply and said that his address is still Soldiers’ Home, Indiana, reports tnat he would have to be addressed elsewhere, to the contrary, notwitstanding. Just how this mistake occurred is not known, but it is likely that the postmaster got hold of the wrong stamp. Sam also says that any one who wishes to write him should address his letter care of Barracks No. 9. His friends in this locality will be glad to learn that he is still moving among the living and will take back all the nice things said about him in his obituary notice, saving them for future use. o_ MAY LOCATE A GLASS FACTORY Portland, Ind., May 4—Stock Is being subscribed for a bottle glass factory to be established in this city.with a capital of $50,000. With the subscription books open but a day, $12,000 has been pledged, and more will 'be as soon as the parties can be seen. The shares have been made $25 each, the idea being to enable people of small means to aid themselves in securing employment. It is the intention to secure a competent glass man as resident manager, the plant to be managed by a board of directors.