Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 10, Number 169, Decatur, Adams County, 16 July 1912 — Page 1

Volume X. Number 169.

TEMPORARY INSANITY Given as the Cause of Suicide of Will B. Hale—His Accounts Straight. FUNERAL SERVICES Will be in Charge of Scottish Rite Masons—The Coroner's Inquest. Geneva. Ind.. July, 16 —(Special to Daily Democrat) -impressed by overwork, severe headaches and the terrific heat, the mind of Will B Hale, popular assistant cashier of the Bank of Geneva, suddenly gave away, and In a fit of temporary insanity, he com | mited the terrible act of suicide by hanging himself in his bam Monday | noon. This is the concensus of opinion of the people of this vicinity and oth- j ers who have investigated the sad affair, backed by every Indication ’ Coroner J. C. Grandstaff of Preble ar-•'v-'d at 5. ’0 o’clock Monday evening* gk and held the inquest, fully investigat-I & ing the affair. He stated that his verdict would be ‘’Suicide by hanging, 1 while temporarily deranged," and this ' I expresses it. Mr. Hale had worked during Sunday and was rather nervous Monday morning, due to the hot weather, a severe headache and the fact that he was trying to take care of a busy morning at the bank and assist the examiners who had arrived. Suddenly be became ill, turned white and said he needed fresh air. Leaving his hat in the bank, he walked bareheaded to his home and committed the act which ended his life. That his mind gave away is not doubted as a careful examination has disclosed that there was absolutely no reason for him to end his life, and there is no disgrace connected with the sad affair. His books at the bank were in excellent shape. The bank examiners, Messrs. Thomas yand Cravens, assisted by E. X. Ehinger of the Old Adams County bank at Decatur, conducted a thorough examination Monday evening and anounced officially that there was no shortage of any kind. Mr. Will Arnold, head of the state banking department, auditor of state’s office, arrived this morning and gave his o. k. to that report. Mr. Hale’s home life was ideal. He was devoted to his wife and family, and there was nothing connected therewith that would cause the act. The bank opened as usual this morning, ■ Mr. Hale’s place being taken by B. T. Terveer of Decatur. It is declared that Will Hale was the most popular man in Geneva, and not a person in this locality that dues not avow his friendship. The act has shocked the community and the sincere sympathy of everyone is extended to the heart-broken wife and ■ children and the aged father, whose pride Will was It is said that for some months, Will has been suffering from severe headaches, and that he had been taking strong powders to secure relief. Dr. Grandstaff expressed a belief that this may have had much to do with his breakdown. Mr. Hale was very prominent in lodge circles, local and state. He was a thirty-second degree Mason, and K, held the position of grand patron us the state for the Eastern Star lodge. The funeral services will be held I Wednesday morning at 10 o’clock Sg on the lawn at the home on West Line ' street, the weather permitting. It Will be a Scottish Rite funeral In charge of William Geake of Fort Wayne, first Mason in the state. The funeral sermon will be given by Rev. Dunbar of the Methodist church, O ' I ALEXANDER BOLDS' FUNERAL. The funeral of Alexander Bolds of west of Geneva, whose death occurred yesterday noon, will be held Wednesday afternoon at two o’clock a< the Hartford church, five miles west of Geneva. . o i BAND concert tonight ■ I The Decatur band will give its regular weekly street concert this evening, eomor Monroe and Second streets. Come out and hear it.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

WIFE DESERTED HIM. Says Otis Holmes of Curryville, While He Was in Decatur. Otis Holmes of Curryville, formerly of this city, was in Bluffton Sunday, hunting for a trace of his wife, whom he says packed up her worldly belongings and deserted the home he provided with his mother, while he was absent at Decatur. He was unable to gain any trace of her here but was informed by one of her relatives that she had gone to Danville, 111., to reside with her grandmother. Mr. and Mrs. Holmes resided in the Beeler flats and he worked here as a driver for the U. S. Express company. He i is quoted as stating that he will not ! attempt a reconciliation. His wife formerly was Miss Marsh. —Bluffton News. THE HIGH WATERS Made Dr, Grandstaff's Trip to Geneva Monday by Automobile A DIFFICULT ONE I Waded Water Knee Deep-4o Attach Automobile to Hay Wagon in Waters. Coroner J. C. Grandstaff of Preble, who was called to Geneva Monday afternoon to hold an inquest over the late William B, Haie. './ho Monday noon committed suicide, had great difficulty in making the trip to and from Geneva on account of the high waters from the recent rain storm. Dr. Grandstaff left Preble at ten minutes to four in his automobile, and when he reached Monroe the rain came up and continued from then on to Geneva. A mile south of Berne Dr. Gdandstaff met great difficulty in the high waters, coming to a place where it covered the road to an unknown but supposedly gseat depth. Dr. Grandstaff was fortunate enough to come up at that place with a hay wagon and also a buggy. Drivers of both thought that the doctor would have no trouble in running his automobile through, so he tried. He went but a short distance until the water began to come up about the engine and Dr. Grandstaff saw at once that he would be stalled unless he had help. Fortunately both of the drivers of the vehiclss had little ropes with them and with these the auto was hitched to the hay wagon, which pulled it through. Dr. Grandstaff was forced to take off his shoes and stockings and get out in the water which came up to his knees in order to fasten the auto to the wagon, but he finally got through all right, reaching Geneva about 5 o'clock. He decided to make the return trip byway of Linn Grove, hut was advised that the roads that way were impassable and that he should try the Newville route. This he did and fortunately got through, the roads being covered at its greatest depth, with about six inches of water by that route. Dr. Grandstaff states that the waters in the south part of the county were certainly poured forth in copious quantity the last few days. o CONDUCTOR’S NARROW ESCAPE. Mike Rowan, a well known Clover Leaf conductor, residing in Frankfort, and well known in this city and others along his route, had a narrow escape from death last Friday while at his work on a freight train. Conductor Rowan was standing on top of his train near Kokomo, when the car on which he was standing passed under a telephone wire which overhangs the track, but which had fallen low. The wire struck him under the chinlacerating his neck and throwing him ' heavily to the roof of the car. He was taken to Frankfort on train No. 3, where he was given surgical attention. How Mr. Rowan escaped death is a miracle, according to railroad, men, who say that it was a most fortunate thing that he fell on the car I roof, as a fall to the ground doubtless 1 would have killled him, even had he escaped the wheels. o 1 The Evangelical Ladies’ Aid society will give an ice cream social on the church lawn Thursday evening to which the public is invited.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday Evening, July 16, 1912.

SUBMITS TO KNIFE Mrs. Ben Schrank Underwent Serious Operation at ' Home This Morning. SEVERAL AILMENTS Tom Johnson Falls Off House and Receives Injury to His Back. Mrs. Ben Schrank, who has been in poor health for the past five years. | and more so for the last two, this morning underwent an operation of a double nature, and was considered most serious by the physicians and I those caring for hei. During the last two weeks her condition has been such that immediate attention be came necessary. Dr. McOscar ot Ft. Wayne, assisted by Drs. Clark performed the ordeal, and the iwtient, although quite weak, withstood the operation quite well and rallied nicely from the anaesthetic. The appendix was removed, and other ailments attended to, and her condition at the present looks favorable. Two nurses are in attendance. Tom Johnson, residing on the Ben Butler farm, four miles northwest of the city, met with a very painful accident late Monday eveniag while he was working on the roof of his home, when his foot slipped and he fell a distance of eighteen feet. He alighted on his feet, but the jar was so great that his back was injured and a physician had to be sent for at once to relieve him of his great pain. Just how serious the injury is physicians are unable to state, but can be better ascertained in a few days. c NEW TELEPHONE SWITCHBOARD. Service is Now Given With the New System. The new switchboard for the Citizens’ Telephone company has been completely installed and the operators are now at their places on the new board. This necessitates learning the new order of things and while the service may be somewhat slower while the learning process is in ordor, this will soon pass away and with the increased facility, and the more conveniences connected with the new switchboard, the public will be given much better service with the new, than with the old system. forlthreF days — ' Old Settlers of Adams, Jay and Wells County Will Gather at Linn Grove. LIST OF SPEAKERS Include a Number of Prominent Men—Five Bands— Big Program Arranged. Nelson Bricker was in the city this morning advertising the Fourth Annual Old Settlers’ Meeting for Adams, Jay aud Wells counties, which will be held in the Sphleger grove near Linn Grove Friday, Saturday and Sunday, next. The occasion is to be one of the big events for this section this year, and it is expected that the crowds will be record-breakers. Among the prominent speakers for the progrem are Mayor Shank of Indianapolis, Hon. E. G. Hoffman of Ft. Wayne, Hon, George B Lindsey of Marion, Hon. J. Frank Mann of Muncie, Hon. S. J. Vining, speaker of the house of representatives of Ohio; Hon. J. C. Moran of Decatur; Hons. Abe Simmons, J. B. Merriman and W. H. Eichhorn of Bluffton, and Judge James Moran of Portland. There will be various contests and races, five bands of music, a balloon ascension and parachute drop each day and other interesting events. Everybody invited. Quite a number from this city are planning to attend the reunion during the three days. ■ -o - —» Charles Nyffler is home from Geneva, where he visited yesterday.

BOY AT MEYERS' HOME. Relatives in this city have received announcement of the birth of a baby boy last Thursday to Mr. and Mrs. Ed Meyers of Fort Wayne. Both of the parents are former Decatur people, the father being the well known attorney. The mother was Miss Rose Egan of this city, a teacher in the city schools. LIGHT ETERNAL Mr. Rice is Trying to Open the Season Here With His Best Company. LAST OF AUGUST One of Best Shows on the Stage Today May Come Here for K. of C. M. E. Rice, owner and manager cf the Majestic theater, Fort Wayne, was here this morning attending to business affairs. He is also the owner of “The Light Eternal” company, one of the greatest shows on the road today. They have during the past three years played ail the cities us the country, their engagements in several of the larger ones continuing for as much as eight weeks. Mr. Rice has proposed to the K. of C. lodge of this city to bring the play ’to this city and stage it at the Bosse opera house on either the 27th or 28th of August. Perhaps a hundred Decatur people have already seen this wonderful play at Fort Wayne and all will agree that Decatur will be most fortunate if they can secure (Continued on Page 2) THE CHIEF KILLED Herman Rosenthal, Leader of New York Gamblers, Murdered Today. HIS SLAYER ESCAPED Nineteen Members of Democratic National Committee Visits Governor. (United Press Service.) Indianapolis, Ind., July 16—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Nineteen members of the democratic national committee today called on Thomas Riley Marshall, the democratic vice presidential nominee. They came here from Chicago after a meeting of the committee held yesterday. After meeting the governor the committee motored to the city. National Chairman McCombs was unable to come to Indianapolis owing to rush of business at Chicago, but it was said that he will probably pay his respects to ’tie vice presidential nominee on his way back to New York. New York, N. Y„ July 16 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —Herman Rosenthal, chief gambler and the storm center of this city, was, early this morning shot to death in front of the Metropole, in Time square, an.l furnished the police with the most sensational “gang" murders in the history of New York. The murderer came to the scene and escaped in a high towered automobile. Louis Libbey, aged thirty-five, alleged by the police to have been the chauffeuer of the car, was arrested. Libbey’s car answers the description of that, used by the murderer and the license numbet 1 was the same as given by a number of people who saw the shooting. New York, N. Y„ July 16—(Special to Daily Democrat)—That Nathan Swartz confessed to his father that he was the slayer of little Julia Connors, aged twelve years, was admitted by the father, Daniel Swartz, in the grand jury ante room today. He said his son told him he was responsible for the child’s death, the Sunday morning on which the body was found. “I told him that the best thing he could do was to go out and kill himself and save the family from further disgrace.”

DR. HURTY SPEAKS Comes Forward With Ten Suggestions to be Followed During the WARM WEATHER Will Prove of Great Benefit in Preventing Illness Due to the Heat. Dr. John N. Hurty, secretary of the state board of health, has offered ten suggestions to be followed during warm weather, which he says, will prove of great benefit in preventing illness due to the heat. The suggestions follow: 1. Don’t eat beef, veal or fresh pork. Os meats, choose fowl, fish and perhaps occasional} bacon and ham. 2. Never eat heartily of such vegetables as beans and peas. :i. Eat cereals, fruits, vegetables and eggs. Eat ice cream and ices in moderate quantities. 4. Never drink strong coffee or tea Drink milk. 5. Be very careful never to pour down ice water or iced drinks. The chill they cause the stomach may paralyze the pneumogastric nerve and stop the heart. 6. Bathe at least once daily. Cold baths are not good; take them tepid or even hot. A reaction always foltows cold baths and in warm weather it is well to avoid this. 7. Dress in cool, thin clothing. Try to keep the body cool 8. Keep mind and temper calm. Never get mad in hot weather. If you must indulge in this weakness, choose cold weather. 9. Dont rush about. Take a reasonable amount of time. 10. Never depend on physicians for a cure for recovery from sunstroke or heartstroke. Depend entirely on prevention. A cure, as wine, is very much of a mockery. The prac tice of prevention Is wise and is attended with happiness and the kind of life that does not know pain and aches. “Persons would not have to suffer from heat if they would but observe a few rules, which will prevent the ill ' results, which will usually accompany our hot weather period,” said Dr. Hurty. “Many times it is a person's • own fault when he feels ill because of the warm weather or when he suffers, uncomfortable effects from it. These evils can be prevented.” — o — GOES TO GENEVA L 1 Bernard Terveer Accepts I Place as Assistant Cashier of Geneva Bank. k BEGAN WORK TODAY ) Succeeds Will B. Hale Is Well Qualified to Take Care of the Duties. i ' Bernard T. Terveer of this city went ! ■ to Geneva this morning, where he heI gan his duties as assistant cashier of : the Bank of Geneva, succeeding Will B. Hale, whose tragic death occurred Monday. The bank officials telephoni . ed Mr. Terveer Monday evening, offor- ■ ing him the place, and after consider- ■ ing a short time, he decided to ac- ; cept. He is well qualified for the place, having served for a number of i years as assistant in the Old Adams ! County bank in this city, retiring about a year ago on account of poor health. Since that time he has re1 cuperated and for several months has i been employed in assisting the ext pert accountants who are doing some - special work at the court house. He - is one of the popular young men of i this city, splendidly qualified for the » new position and we predict that he - will more than make good He under- - stands every detail of bank work, is s clean and trustworthy and the Bank t of Geneva was fortunate to secure his 1 services. He began work this morni ing and will continue permanently If present plans are carried out.

WILL REWARD MISS RICHESON. Girl Who Saved Clover Leaf from Wreck Will be Remunerated. It is probable that the Clover Leaf Railroad company will see to it that substantial recognition is made of the heroism of Miss Ruth Richeson, a young girl who resides near West Middleton, who last Wednesday morning prevented a wreck which doubtless would have cost the lives of an entire train crew and the destruction of thousands of dollars’ worth of property. She ran half a mile in the pouring rain to give warning that a heavy rain had washed out a culvert, and an eastbound freight train was flagged and a bad wreck prevented, an account of which was published exclusively in the Decatur Democrat upon information given by the train crew which passed through this city several hours after the occurrence. A HEAVY LOSS At Summer Resorts of This Neighborhood Will be Suffered by Abolition of SUNDAY EXCURSIONS Railroads May Not Suffer, But Hotel Keepers Can Tell Difference. The stopping of the Sunday excursions has proved to be a cause for heavy loss at the summer resorts in the neighborhood of Ft. Wayne. Ho-tel-keepers especially have suffered under the no-excursion rule. The Sunday trains on the G. R. & I. to Rome City and the Lake Shore I trains to the northern Indiana Lake region are still popular and well filled but where three were hauled last year, only one is being carried on the Sunday trains of this year. It is true that the railroad companies may not have incurred a great j loss by reason of the abolition of the Sunday excursion, but the owners of property at the summer resorts are feeling the results of the smaller num > ber of Sunday excursionists. A noticeable decrease in number of cottages rented for the summer and for shorter periods has been experienced at all the lakes, and a consequent de- . crease in value of the property is evident. Hotel-keepers especially have been the sufferers. Values of hotel property have decreased and the number of guests each Sunday has been very 1 small. One hotel-keeper at Lake Wawasee made the statement that he would be delighted to get one-half of , last year’s value out of the sale of I his establishment o A SMASHING EPISODE. John Baker, who some months ago completed a prison term for his al- ’ leged complicity in the murder of Marshal Columbus Croy at Woodburn, and who about a year ago was wed ded. made things quite interesting for ' his household Sunday night, a» is gathered from reports of neighbors. Said to have become angered because his wife purchased four loaves of bread in anticipation of Sunday visitors, Baker is reported to have procured a hatchet, with which he proceeded to test the strength of the iron in the cook stove. Having succeeded well in demolishing the stove, I he completely destroyed, it is said, the I clothes of his wife, when the latter, frightened at the antics of her enraged husband, refused to go upstairs at his bidding. As no one who knew -of the facts was inclined to file an as- . fidavit, Baker was not arrested. —Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. 0 r UNMERCIFUL ABUSE. 5 r A well known man on First street, r is said to unmercifully abuse his - little two-year-old babe, by beating it s with boards or anything that he may - lay his hands upon conveniently, and 3 the neighbors are aroused to such an , extent that proceedings may be begun f against him unless he ceases his ■ cruelty. > 0 The ladies of the Concord Lutheran aid society invites the public to attend their ice cream and cake social to be held Wednesday evening at the C. D. Kunkel home near Monmouth. Many from this city will go out on the interurban.

Price, Two Cents.

HORSE CAME BACK Horse and Rig Belonging to Chris Klopfenstein Taken from Hitch Rack EARLY LAST NIGHT Found Abandoned West of City—Beet Workers Probably Rode It Home. When Chris Klopfenstein, residing seven miles south of the city, on the road leading past the county infirmary, went to get his horse and rig, Monday evening about 7 o’clock to drive home, he found the outfit, which he had left hitched south of the Everett & Hite grocery, gone. He immediately went to the jail, where Sheriff Durkin was notified, as it was thought beyond doubt, that the horse and rig had been stolen. Whi! Mr. Klopfenstein was still at the jail, a telephone message came to Mr. Durkin that a?r ß e :... I rig answering thi desc.iption of that of Mr. Klopfenstein’s, nad been taken up by George Wcif on the Eli Engle farm, west of the city, near the Washington church, ar.d that tbe could be gotten there. It seems that the residents of that vicinity had noticed two men driving the outfit past during the evening, and about fifteen or twenty minutes later the same horse and rigwith the lines tied up, and without the drivers, was seen coming back over the road which it had just traversed, evidently having been abandoned and turned loose by the drivers. Becoming suspicious that all was not well, the horse was held there while the sheriff was notified. Sheriff Durkin I and others immediately went to the scene of the affair, and pursuit was made over the way that the two men drivers were supposed to have taken. They were supposed to be two foreigners, engaged in working in the beet fields of Adams county, and this sus- ! picion further strengthened when the ocers arrived at the home of William Reppert. Mr. Reppert has five foreigners working on his place and two of these had been gone during the evening. One had come home but a few minutes before the arrival of the officers and was found in bed partially dressed. The other had been passed by the officers on their way, talking to a man, and he arrived at the Reppert home a little after the officers arrived at the home of Win. had been found in the rig and the two men, toward whom suspicion pointed, were undoubtedly cigarette smokers. As neither could talk Eng lish, to explain their actions or former whereabouts, but as all indications pointed to their having appropriated the horse and rig to their own use, the two men were brought back to the jail by the sheriff. It is said the two men had been seen in this city about 6 o’clock Monday evening, and they undoubtedly did not care to walk home, so appropriated the horse and rig. The charge of grand larceny was preferred against the two men this afternoon, the cases being filed in Mayor Teeple’s court. At time of going to press the men were being given a preliminary hearing. o MRS. C. RUHL DEAD. Wife of German Reformed Minister Passes Away. ‘ Mrs. Christena Ruhl, wife of the Rev. Philip Ruhl, former pastor of the Reformed church in Fort Wayne, and i now in charge of the Reformed church at Auburn, and well known here, died Saturday evening at the family residence. Death was due to asthma and heart trouble. Although her health had been impaired for forty years, Mrs. Ruhl’s death had not been expected and her condition did not become alarming until a short time ago. Mrs Ruhl was sixty-eight years of age and was born in Mahoning county, Ohio, in 1843, and for many years had resided in Fort Wayne. She was united in marriage to the Rev. Mr. Ruhl in 1866. Surviving her is the husband and one son, Calvin H. Ruhl, of Fort Wayne. Friends viewed the body this afternoon and evening from 2 until 8 o’clock. Funeral services will be held privately Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the residence. Interment will be private. ■ o Myrtle Evans left thia afternoon I for Buffalo, N. Y.