Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 10, Number 8, Decatur, Adams County, 9 January 1912 — Page 1

Volume X. Number 8.

BIG BLAZE IN NEW YORK Seven Persons Known Dead in Total Fire Destruction of Equitable Life ASSURANCE BUILDING Loss Estimation is Now Placed Between Fifteen and Thirty Millions. (United Press Service.) New York, N. Y., Jac. 9 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —Eire, which started at 5:50 this morning totally destroyed the immense eight and twelve story h'lildings of the Equitable Life Assurance society, 120 Broadway .causing a a loss estimated at between fifteen and thirty million dollars. Seven persons are known to be dead. The loss on the Equitable building alone will be $7,000,000. The loss on valuable papers and documents will not be definitely knfiwn for many hours, but it is believed will reach three million more. The known dead are three porters, who jumped from a third story window of the building, each being crushed to death. The fourth man who prepared to jump with them fell back into the flames and perished. The body of Conrad Seigart, a special policeman, was found on the first floor frightfully crushed. At 8:57 Fire Chief Kenlon Bounded an alarm that brought to th* fire for the first time in the history of New York every piece of fire-flght-iug apparatus from every borough in the city, and at 9:30 it was believed 'that the blaze was under control, and was being confined to the block already destroyed. The fire was first discovered in the engine room of the basement, and the huge air shaft caused it to spread almost instantaneous. During the frightful heat of the catastrophe the firemen emerged from the building and told the fire chief that Preseident William Gruzelin, of the Mercantile Deposit company, and two companions had been driven by the heat from the sixth floor and had retreated into an empty fireproof vault in the basement of the building and took rescue there. Although tons of debris were about the vault, streams of water were, kept pouring on the vault and later firemen volunteered with axes and crow-bars and tried to chop out the men. They were finally rescued. o New York, N. Y., Jan. 9 —(Special to Daily Democrat)—Fire Chief Kenlon this afternoon ordered rescuing parties J into the wavering walls of the Equita-: hie building to search for bodies. At. 'that time the chief was informed there p were eighteen firemen and employees B,iof the building missing. The chief • stated that unconfirmed reports stated r that the death roll may reach twenty- . Ve New York, N. Y., Jan. 9—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Fire Batallion Chief; K William Walsh is missing and is be-! K lieved to have lost his life in the Hg flames. Wall street, cut off by the fire m line, was paralyzed and practically no, J business was transacted. Two men ■ are now believed to have lost their E lives on the first floor, instead of one, k as at first reported. - .! DIE IN CHAIR. [yiev. C. V. T. Richeson Sentenced to Death During Week of May 19th. (United Press Service.) ■’* ® oston > Mass., Jan. 9—(Special to Daily Democrat) —The Rev. C. V. T.' Richeson, former pastor of the fashionable Emmanuel Baptist church, Cambridge, Mass., confessed slayer of Miss Avis Linnell, his former sweetheart, -today appeared in court and changed | his plea of not guilty to a plea of gull ty. He was sentenced to die during the week of May 19th. The only way ; now In which the life of the minister can be saved Is by the interference of Governor Foss, who is known to be opposed to capital punishment. — — All the members of the Star of Bethlehem are requested to meet at! the home of Mrs. Joe Hower Thurs-, day evening of this week. Business of Interest to every member of the order 1 will be transacted.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

STOOD ON ICE DECK While He Sawed Away Its Support— Fell in River. A workman for the Comer Ice company, putting up ice from the Bowers stone quarry, had an icy plunge into the water and a narrow escape. He i was sawing off a block of ice and in ! spite of advice given by more experi- ■ j enced workmen, he stood on the block of ice while he sawed away, lessening | the margin that bound it to the larger | sheet. When the support grew more , fragile, the ice block fell and plunged I into the water, carrying its passenger 1 with it. Only a few blocks of ice had i been cut away, and the water hole was j a small one. Had he not. as he tell, . caught himself by spreading bis arms to the surrounding ice, he might very ! easily have sunk into the twenty or i thirty feet of water and been drawn i under the ice to a horrible death. THE YEAR’S WORK 1 1 T In the Adams Circuit Court ! According to Statistical Reports Which ‘IS JUST COMPLETED J Marriages Number 184 and Divorces Nine—The i Court Cases. ►I i Ex-County Clerk James P. Haefling , has completed the annual report of j the circuit court for the past year, the , report to be sent to Thomas W. Brol- . ley, the chief state statistician. It . shows that the number of civil cases [ filed in 1911 was 178; number disI posed of, 157; number venued to othI I er counties, 14; number venued from , other counties, 12; number children’s • cases in juvenile court, 7; number of i 1 letters of administration issued, 42; . number of guardianships issued. 25; number of dec r ees of foreclosures entered, 6; number of sheriff's sales, 6; ( number adjudged of unsound mind. 7; number marriage licenses, 184. , To offset the marriages, there were ,I 9 divorces granted—s to the wife, all , of which were for the husband’s cruel . | treatment, and 4 to the husband. Two were for abandonment, one for adultery and one for drunkenness. , Three people declared their intention to become citizens of the United States —-one from England, one Torn ' Germany and one from another foreign country. There were 80 criminal cases filed, 35 dismissed and 27 disposed of. None were venued to or from other counties. There were 8 felony convictions, and 7 convicted for felonies were rei leased on probation. There were 14 convictions for misdemeanors, and 2 released on probation. There were 3 cases for violations of liquor laws, and 3 convictions for such. There were eight males arrested for felonies —s charged with assault and battery with intent; 2 for forgery, 1 for grand I larceny and one for petit larceny, and ' one for other felony. All are natives. Clerk’s fees collected $446.30 Hunters’ licenses issued .... 86 Number Insane cases 5 Number days court in session.. 231 The juvenile report shows 2 male land 4 female dependents; 1 neglected child, these being given attention. — ' ‘O- —— WANT HIS FACTORY. Many Cities Try to induce George Reep to Start Factory. k — George Roop, who has recently invented a sanitary grain and produce ' retainer, and patented the same, being highly complimented upon having the best device of its kind in the United States, has received daily, many offers from the large cities offering inducements for him to start a factory for Its manufacture in their cities Monday he received six, and more than a I score prior to that. One from Pittsburg, Pa., asked him to locate there, and he has two offers from St. Louis, Mo., besides many other large western cities. All offer good advantages to him. He has, however, decided to manufacture them here, and will do ' so as soon as the tools which are or- ' dered arrive. They are expected daily. - Chris Bucher has been engaged to do I the manufacturing, and a large plant. • it 1b thought, will soon be established.

TO MAKE DATES Girls of Fort Wayne Use ’ Postoffice as Sort of Matrimonial Exchange. I > I ■ UNDER FALSE NAMES i Are Letters Received There i —Decatur Has no Such Trouble. ; « The Fort Wayne general delivery , postofflee clerks are worked to death receiving inquiries from and handing out letters to young girls of that city I who call at the general delivery winI I dow for their mail, in which dates f.r meeting their ‘ gentlemen friends” are I made. In many of the instances the i girls give ficticious names, and have , • letters addressed to them under sev-1 era! different names. They call at the general delivery window and get their , letters,, thus hoping to carry out their j clandestine acquaintance without the • knowledge of their parents. In many . cases the girls still wear short dresses. I Such is the account published in onej of the Fort Wayne papers. The Decatur postofflee officials stated that no, [ such conditions prevailed her."-, or 1 it must be that Decatur young ladies are | much better, or have not yet gotten on “to the ways of their city" neighbors. The general delivery window here is used to a great extent, but only i for legitimate purposes, and chiefllv by ’ those who are employed in the busi- > . ness part of the city and dislike to I wait until their return homo for their -mail. SPECIAL MEETINGS AT MONROE. The Rev. G. H. Crafts, pastor of the Methodist church at Monroe, an- ’ nounces special meetings at the church in that town, to which the public is cordially invited. FATHERVERY LOW k ' Mrs. Thomas Gallogly Call- ’ ed to Portland Owing to Serious Condition l OF GEO. RAMSEYER L Mrs. H. S. Michaud Also k Goes to Berne in Response to Sick Message. i > I A message late Monday afternoon, stating that her father, George Ram- ■ seyer. of Portland, was very seriously ' ill and not expected to live, Mrs. Thomas Gallogly left this morning for ! his bedside He is well advanced in ' years, being seventy-five years old ■ and he is believed to have taken down with a severe attack of lagrippe, 1 which along with the other infirmities 1 ’ makes his chances less hopeful. Mrs. H. S. Michaud has gone to 1 Berne, where she was called owing to the serious illness of Mrs. Henry 1 Michaud of that place, who has been ailing for some time. Nothing definite was stated concerning the nature of the sickness, but it is believed to be from infirmities brought on through old age, and with the severe cold weather, which greatly adds to her weakness, makes tilings of a more sc rlous nature. That the elderly ■ lady may enjoy a speedy recovery ■ is the hope of the many relatives and I friends here. CARTOONIST WOODMAN I Will Give Last Number of the Lecture Course. _____ i , The fifth and last number of the , high school lecture course, set for i Thursday evening, February Ist, promi ises to be the most unique of all. It > will be given by Ned Woodman, the i humorist, cartoonist and rhymist. He ■ gives chart drawings, making his . sektehes rapidly before his audience, i with humorous comments, original end witty, interesting monologues 4nd ! impersonations.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday Evening, January 9, 1912.

BALTIMORE. JUNE 25 (United Press Service.) I Washington, D. C., Jan. 9 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —Baltimore, Md.. was this afternoon selected as the place to hold the democratic national convention this year. Washington, D. C-, Jan. 9 —(Special ■to Daily Democrat* —June 25th today 1 was chosen by the democratic nation al committee as the date for the holding of the national democratic conven I tion of 1912. The place will be select ’ ed later this afternoon. i o ! C. B. L. OF I. DANCE. Aarrangements are at present being made by the members of the C. B. L. of I. for a dance to be given on Thurs day evening of this week, when all are invited to attend. A good time is' assured and those in charge will see that a complete entertainment wil’ be had for the many attending BERNE MAN DEAD Funeral of John Saurer, a Veteran of That Town, i Will be Held TOMORROW MORNING Death Occurred Yesterday After Lingering Illness—--84 Years Old. - — k The funeral of John Saurer, aged eighty-four years, one of the civil war | veterans of Heine, whose death occurred Monday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Fred Schafer, at Berne, will be held Wednesday morning at 10 o’clock at Berne. His death followed a lingering illness. Mr. Saurer was born in Switzerland, but came to this country in 1847. He was a veteran of the civil war and had made his home in the German community, west oi Berne, since the cluse of that con flict. The following children survive: Albert Saurer, Berne; Calvin Saurer, Richmond; Mrs. Peter Baumgartner and Mrs. Fred Schafer, Adams county. Also the following brothers and sisters: Gottlieb Saurer, Bluffton; Mrs, Anna Dreiblebiss, Fort. Wayne, and Mrs. Mary Martz, Kendallville. ———-o REGULAR MEETING TONIGHT. The regular meeting of F. & A. M. Lodge, No. 571. will be held this evening and It Is very Important that every member be present who can possibly do so. The annual dues should .be paid at this time. funeraTmonday Last Earthly Respects Paid James Miller, a Union Township Veteran. I DIED LAST SATURDAY i From Sudden Heart Attack —Was Seventy-eight | i Years of Age. The last earthly respects were paid Monday afternon at Clark’s Chapel, near the Ohio-Indiana state line, to James Miller, a prominent Union township farmer, whose death occurred unexpectedly some time last Friday night, being found dead in bed Saturday morning at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Emanuel Hart, with . whom he lived, near Monroeville. Mr. Miller was long a resident of this county, but was a native of Pennsylvania. He was seventy-eight years, 'five months and one day of age. Sur--1 viving are the following children: Charles Miller of Union township; El-! mer Miller of Van Wert, Ohio; Will i Miller of St. Mary's township; Ed, liv- ! ing a mile west of Pleasant Mills; Mrs. J. J. Good, Mrs. H. A. Hill and Mrs. A. Springer, all of Marion, Ohio, and Mrs. Samuel Hart of Union township. One daughter died about twelve years ago. Mr. Miller was the last of his parents' family. The Rev. D. O Wise of this city officiated at the services. I

WERE FIVE MORE I Conversions at Fife Revival I Monday Evening—Total Twenty-five. — DURING THE REVIVAL | I I “The Woman That Moved to I i Town” is the Subject of Tonight’s Sermon. The sei mon by Mi. Earl 11. Fife on I (“Three Ways” at the Christian church. Fourth and Monroe streets, Monday | night was remarkably plain and interI esting. The young man, of athletic ! build and an old hand at track work | aud throwing the shot and the hammer during his school days, delivered his sermon from a large chart, representing the broad way by satan and the world which leads to hell, and the straight and narrow way leading up to heaven and to God. The third was a spur leading off to hell from the upward way and was a “special route" for back-sliding church members. At the close of the sermon five more, four women and one man. responded to the invitation to accept Christ. A •umber will be baptized at the service tonight. The sermon for this evening is on “The Woman that Moved to Town,” and Evangelist Clyde Fife says that she will be introduced to the audience. Special music will be furnished by the Fife orchestra and quartet. Wednesday morning from 8:30 to 9 the Fife brothers will entertain at the high school instead of Friday as previously announced. On Friday night they will give their final and best concert and lecture on “The Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus.” Great interest is being taken in the work of the revival as Sunday Is the closing day. The men’s chorus and lady ushers will be special attractions in the meeting tonight. NO REPORT YET • I — I Clover Leaf Continues Its Two Trains a Day for Passengers. THIS TOWN LOSER — Complaints Coming from i I Business Men, Travelers and Others Along Line. So far the Clover Leaf railroad has ' made no official announcement as to 1 any change in then- time table, or the ' replacing of the morning train west and the evening train east. From | all along the line are coming kicks I and objections enough to make the ! company sit up and take notice. Trav ' I I eling men are complaining, as the 10-| cal business men, the hotels, to say I , nothing of the general traveling pub 1 , lie. Each day we receive word from ! ; our subscribers east and west along l the line, complaints because the new schedule does not permit them to gei ' I j their paper until it is two days old. I So far as most people are concerned i the Clover Leaf might as well take off | the rest of the trains. There is not a business man in this city who does not suffer. It retards your mail th< same as it does our, though you do not notice it so much. It affects your express. It injures your business be cause the farmers and people from the smaller towns cannot trade here, unless they drive in, which is practically 1 impossible at this time of the year, and with the present cold snap on The company surely will not keep up such a system of passenger service long, but each day works a hardship on our people. If you have any influence with the company, for goodness J sake, use it. DOCTORS TO MEET FRIDAY. Th« Adams County Medical society will meet at Dr. S. D. Beavers’ office Friday evening, January 12, 1912. Dr. M. T. Jay of Portland, Indiana, will read a paper on "Medical Imperfection of School Children." Program for the year will be assigned. | DR. C. C. RAYL, Sec y.

LAW MAY YET HOLD City Firemen Said to be Exempt from ; Taxes. If the fire laddies of Decatur and all over knew, wouldn’t they be happy guys? Fred J. Johnson, who is compiling the tax laws at the state house, bringing together all statutes affecting the subject in any way, has discovered that back before 1852 a measure was j passed which exempts every membe l ' of a fire department from the visit o: . the assessor. This law. so far as . Johnson can find, has never been re ■ pealed, and is theoretically effective. | This old law' is found in the first rej vision of the statutes of 1852 on page ! 298, a law which exempts from the I payment of city or corporation taxes firemen of regularly organized com panies under certain conditions. IN HIGH ESTEEM Was Dr. Walser of Anderson, Formerly of Linn Grove, Who Died ON LAST SUNDAY Was Prominent in Prosessional World and a Politician of Great Worth. ®r Walser of Anderson, a, forme resident of Linn Grove, wnere he practiced until 1889, when he left, and who passed away at his late home following a ten days’ Illness from pneumonia, was w’ell advanced in the business world, and the Anderson Bulletin of Monday paid a high tribute to the deceased politician and prominent citizen. He was but fifty-nine years of age and for the past two weeks was valiantly fighting to keep off approaching death which was dawning upon him from a severe cold, which he first contracted, and later terminating in pneumonia, which caused his death. ’ He was a councilman under the demo ! cratic administration and was always I popular in his decisions and In the ward which he represented made many friends through his excellent way of performing his official duties He was an Odd Fellow and this organization had charge of the burial thi afternoon. He was the son of R, Walser an>l, resided in Wells county during his i younger years and for several years | was a teacher in Nottingham town ship. Following a short period at this ! vocation he took up the study of medi cine under the direction of Dr. Fitz i Patrick, a former Vera Cruz practitioner. He later went to .Ann Arbor 1 college, where he completed his I course, returning to Linn Grove, i where he practiced for eight years. He! ' was well known throughout the conn ! ! ty and w ill be well reminembered by' . the older residents of the county. He is survived by his wife and three I children, a daughter in Indianapolis; I and two sons in Anderson. His aged ; father, R. Walser, of Montpelier, also I survives, with tour brothers and thre-> ’ sisters. They are E. D. Walser of j Bluffton; Warren Walser, Montpelier: L. S. Walser, Redkey; Harrison Wal--1 ser, T.ake City, Mich.; Mrs Ellen Anderson, Domestic; Mrs. Mary Risser, Paris Crossing, and Mrs Sarah Par- ■ rett, of Texas. E. H. KILBOURNE CAPTAIN. Appointive offices of the patrol o Mizpah temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Fort Wayne, were name-’ at a meeting held Monday night, a’ the Commercial club, the members o‘ the patrol and band. Among thos- 1 named is E. H. Kilbourne, son-in-la" 1 of Mr. and Mrs. U. Deininger of th: c city, who was appointed captain. Fo' ! lowing the appointments a Dutch lunch was served and a program giv en, Edgar H. Kilbourne serving at toastmaster. BASKET BALL. The Decatur Hoosiers have arranged to meet the Portland Independents I at the Porter hall tonight, the game being called at 8:15. The Hoosiers! have a progressive team, but they arc meeting tonight a team that is in every way their equal and an especially fast game is predicted. The admission will be a quarter of a dollar and with the game so exciting as this will 1 be it’s well worth iL

Price Two Cents.

COURT HOUSE NEWS - Bert Webb Placed on Trial to Answer Charge of Assault and Battery WITH THE INTENT To Commit Voluntary Manslaughter—To Jury Tomorrow Morning. Bert Webb of Geneva was placed on ! trial in the circuit court this morning [before Judge Merryman and ?. jury t> 1 answer to the grand jury indictment, 11 charging him with assault and bat--1; tery with intent to commit voluntary manslaughter. The alleged crime was committed last November 6th, at the home of Frank Steed at Geneva, w'hen George Zaggel was struck by Webb over the head with a ring from a stove lid, crushing in his skull, and making a wound about tw r o inches long and three-eights inch wide over one of Zaggel’s eyes. He was taken to the hospital at Portland for treatment, but his recovery resulted, thus resulting in a less serious charge being preferred ! against Webb. Zaggel is now said to be at his old home in Buffalo, N Y., having come to Geneva some time ago to be with his brother, William Zaggel, a junk dealer there. It is said j on the day of the alleged crime, Webb, ! Zaggel and Steed bad been playing , cards in the calaboose at Geneva, and 1 also had whiskey. A quarrel ensued, ' and afterwards Webb went to the Steed home nearby to get some matches. Mrs. Steed was at home and it is said he offended her In some way and she ordered him out of the house. Steed came home and the two men got in a quarrel, Webb striking Steed, and that Zaggel interfered and was also struck over the head. About five or six witnesses on each side will be examined. R. C. Parrish is conducting the prosecution, while L. C. DeVoss is conducting the defense, he having been appointed by court to defend Webb as a poor person. Webb has been in jail since his arrest last November, having failed to give the SI,OOO bond. The evidence will probably be finished this evening, but on account of the cold weather the case will not be given to the jury until tomorrow morning, thus not keeping the Jurors up over night. The jurors hearing the case are: L. T. Brokaw, Ed Augenbaugh, Chris Weldy, Abraham Stoneburner, Wesley Stults, Andrew Krumenacher, Ambrose Durkin, David Crum, Samuel Fogle, Sloan Meyers, Fred Thieme, Solomon Sheets | William O. Sautbine, administrator of the estate of Philip O. Sautbine, reports distribution and is discharged. Miles W. Hamrick vs. Maria Brandt et al., to abate nuisance, for damages ' and injunction. Case continued by ! agreement from January 17th, former 1 date for trial. The rental and account suit of Jos 1 eph Chrisman vs. William J. Heeter, ■; which was set for January 12th, was 1 continued by agreement. j Charles S. Ferguson vs. Lambert W. Coppock, on note Rule to answer ab- . solute in five days. . j The bond of Henry Dickerson, justice of the peace of Wabash township, ; was filed with the county clerk in the sum of $2,000, with William O Wells and Otis O. Juday as sureties I Tn spite of the very cold weather, the viewers of the A. R. Bell macad am road ventured forth to “view" said ■ Improvement today. Hooper & Lenhart are attorneys for True & Runyon in a suit against Clifford Death, on note and account; demand $250. — There were seventeen male arrests ‘ for misdemeanors—l for assault and battery. 1 for drunkenness, 1 for gambling, 3 for liquor law violation, and 11 for other violations. ATTENTION, LADIES! — I I The Pythian Sisters’ dinner which' was to have been given Wednesday at the home of Mrs Al Burdg, has been ■! postponed on account of the extreme I' cold weather, which at present pre--11 vails, but will he given later, and the 1 time announced.