Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 10, Number 193, Decatur, Adams County, 13 August 1912 — Page 1

Volume X. Number 193.

MURDERS TWO AND SUICIDES Joe Lautzenhizer, Former Blue Creek I Boy Commits Awful Act

IN CHICAGO HOUSE Mrs. Burwell, Former Bluff- | ton Wowan, Was One of Young Man’s Victims. AFFAIR IS MYSTERY Mind Was Affected by Reading Shakespeare's Old Tragedy, Macbeth. ■ ■ X ■' Joseph B. Lautzenheiser, a native I »of Blue Creek township, in this county, where no was born and reared, Monday evening murdered Mrs. Mary Burwell, with whom he roomed in Chicago, and put four bullets into the body, of Thomas Argubright, killing him instantly, and then turned the revolver on himself, firing a bullet into his mouth. The shot entered his brain and wnen the door was broken tn a few minutes later, all three were dead. The horrible crime is believed to have been the restilt of a deranged ■'■’' n. as the murderer's father is said tt> have been of unsound mind prior to j his death fifteen years ago. Lautzen-' heiser is the son of Louis Lautzen-. heiser, -some years ago a well known farmer of Blue Creek township. His mother, it is said, still resides on the old home farm, with a brother of Joe, named Elbridge. Another brother, Jesse, is a barber and lives in Chicago. Mrs. Burwell, formerly lived in Bluffton, lautzenheiser, who was in business with Willis Sprague at the time, roomed with her, and they seemed to think a great deal of each other. l Mrs. Burwell was divorced from Peter Ro well nine years ago, the former husband now living in Logansport, Tnd. She was the sister of Mrs. Bergan of Bluffton and had two brothers, Morris and Ross Comsett, at Pennville. The Bluffton relatives today 1 sent Fred Mcßride, a Bluffton undertaker, to Chicago to talte charge of the woman's body. The remains will be taken to Pennville where the funeral will be held. Mrs. Burwell was not rich, as intimated in the Chicago J stories. She was worth about $2,000 when she went to Chicago five years ago. Lautzenheiser went to the city •■at the same time and has since livil with her. The story is best told by following stories from Chicago papers: I The 'stc: of Macbeth indirectly ’ caused a double murder and a suicide Monday. The slayer had read the murder scene in the Shakespeare play, underlining every word, until it is thought | his mind became unbalanced and the shooting followed. The Dead. Burwell, Mrs. Mary, 47 years old, part owner, with her mother, of the building at 23'47 West Madison street, where the tragedy occurred’ bullets entered her head above the right ear and the right shoulder. Argubright, Thomas, 47 years old, of West Madison street, motorman: shot twice in left side of the head, the nose and twice in the lett hand. Lautzenheiser, J. B. 28 years old, pro*rl»‘o” of a barber shop a* 3948 West Lak* street, a nephew of Mrs. Burwe! . shot himself in the mouth It.was about 3:30 p. m. when Mrs. Burwell was heard to scream. Five shots were fired rapidly. There was a pads* and five more shots followed Roomer Hears Shots Mariau Crance, a roomer in the homo, heard the shooting and ran t’P to the third floor to call Mrs. Stevens. Together they entered the flat and found the three bodies in the parlor. M-s. B' rwell was lying on the floor. , The motorman was leaning back in a rocking chair.blood streaming from the two Bounds in tils bead. Lautzenheis- £ er was found face downward near the body of the woman, with the revolvet in his hand. InHhe meantime, Joseph McMillen, 1 Janitor, notified the Warren avenue | police Crance was taken to the station' by Captain Smith He will be HR held until the inquest this morning

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The woman had evidently been at wmk on some iace when the crazed man entered. She is believed to have been talking to Argubright, who was sitting in the rocking chair. CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE ERIE HAD OFF DAY Number of Accidents Reported Along the Road on Sunday. SEVERAL ARE KILLED ' ) At Spencerville. 0., When Fast Train Struck Automobile Load of People. Some exciteme-.'. prevailed here last evening when word reached the city that a man had been killed at Wren, Ohio, and was thought to be from this city. A call to the Erie relieved all anxiety, when the information was given out that the accident had occurred at Spencerville. By a series of wrecks on the Erie Sunday afternoon and night, traffic was delayed to a great extent and no freight trains were run eastbound from 4:30 Sunday afternoon until 7 o’clock Monday morning. The first accident affecting traffic occurred at Servia Sunday afternoon, in the derailment of several cars, as a freight train was leaving a siding. It resulted in blocking the main track until the wreck crew from Huntington arrived and cleared the track. The second and more serious wreck occurred near Bass Lake Junction about 10 o’clock Sunday night. The tender of the fast express train No. 13, left the rails, tearing up the track for some distance and the trucks were damaged so badly the tank could not be moved. This necessitated the calling of the wrecking crew from Huntington, the exact cause not being known. The main track was tied up and eastbound passenger train No. S, due here at 3:45 a. m., did not pass through Decatur until 9:45 Monday morning. All freight trains on the Chicago division were practically at a standstill during the time the wrecking crew was engaged in cleaning up the wreckage. This is the first wreck of any consequence, resulting in the tying up of traffic on the Erie for any length of tim o , since the trouble encountered during the severe weather of last winter. Enough Drake of Mendon, Ohio, and Mrs. Mary Coleman, a relative, were instantly killed, and Mrs. Drake was probably fatally injured Sunday when tho automobile in which they were riding was struck by an Erie fast pas senger train near Spencerville, Ohio. The automobile stalled on the Erie tracks just before the train was due and the engineer was unable to stop in time to prevent striking the machine. —o ADVERTISING CAR HERE. Gentry Brothers’ Advertising Car No. 1 in City Today. Genry Bros.' advertising car No. 1 arrived in the city this morninj over the G. R. & I- and sidetracked on the switch near Jefferson street. Billboards were filled and circulars scattered, and newspaper advertising placed, and Decatur will have an opportunity of witnessing one of the best and biggest shows of its kind on the road. Several other cars will also follow, previous to August 20th, and one of the largest crowds visiting Decatur for some months will on hand. BASE BALL MEET. All members of the Shamrock, base ball dub are requested to meet this evening at 7:15 o'clock at the Herald office, when business of special importance will be up, requiring the attention of all. Be sure that you are t on hand.

Decatur, Indiana. Tuesday Evening, August 13, 1912.

5. R. 0. WAS OUT The Guy Players Had Such a Crowd That People Had to be Turned Away. TO FULL CAPACITY Was the Tent Crowded— Fully Fifteen Hundred Were in Attendance. 3he Guy Stock company played to standing room only Monday night and there would not have even been standing room had not the doors been closed early in the evening and many others denied admission. Perhaps the largest crowd of people ever attending a repertoire show in this city was in attendance Monday night, when the huge tent accommodating over one thousand people, was crowded to its utmost capacity and many were forced to stand up. It has conservatively estimated that at least twelve hundred people were at the show. The play, “A Man of Honor," was well and favorably received by the large audience and drew forth many evidences of pleasure from the greast crowd. One of the Mercer brothers, playing ‘•Jim,” furnished the fun for the evening and incidentally did som* fine work in the portrayal of the character. The other players gave him fine support and ail in all the play was one of the best presented to the local theater goers for a long while. Tonight the bill will be “Lena Rivers," a dramatization of Mary J. Holmes’ famous novel of the same name and it carries a story dear to the heart. The doors will be open at promptly 7:30 and following the band concert, in which the Guy players will combine with the city band for the evening. The show will commence promptly at 8:30. The regular prices will prevail tonight, but it can be safely said that the big tent will be comfortably filled as Decatur people have learned to appreciate the Guy company's shows, knowing they will get exactly what is advertised.

ROME CITY ITEMS Notes of Interest About Decatur People Teasing Finny Tribe. MANY ARE THERE New Parties Left Sunday to Occupy Cottages of Their Friends. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Fisher and two sons, who visited at Kendallville, came to Rome City for a several days’ visit with Mr. Fishers niece, Mrs. Duby, at her summer cottage. Jacob Magley is home from Rome City, where lie spent Sunday with his family. through an oversight the names of the Misses Tillie ami Lollie Meibers were omitted from the account of the Hensley launch party at Rome City. B. J. Meibers went to Rome City Sunday for a week’s stay. Miss Tillie Meibers returned home Sunday evening after a three weeks’ stay, but Miss Lollie remained for another week. Mrs. Henry Gunsett and daughters, Ida and Lida, went to Rome City for a visit, while Mr. Gunsett is in Indianapolis. Milt Hower and family have gone to Rome City for an outing. Robert Quinn and, Robert Merryman are visiting in Rome City. Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Hale were Joined Saturday by their daughter, Mrs. B. E. Parker, and children, of Richmond, who will be their guests at the Hale cottage at Rome City two weeks.

BAND CONCERT. Tonight the regular band concert will be held, presumably on 1 the corner of Madison and Monroe streets. A feature of the evening's entertainment will be tho combination of the Guy players' band and the City band This will make a band of at least 1 twenty-six pieces and the music will be excellent, accordingly. The Guy 1 players are musicians in every sense of the word and by combining with the City band in giving a concert they show a spirit of friendliness of which the public may well be pleased Tonight on the up-town streets we will be given the privilege of listening to a large band. All popular airs, and it begins at 7:15 and lasts one hour. Come out and boost. A MISSION FEAST Annual Event of the Blakey Church Will be Held in Union Township. ON NEXT SUNDAY Two Services—Sermons by Revs. Jaus and Kohlmeier —Public is Invited. I Next Sunday at the Otto Blakey grove in Union township, will occur the annual mission feast, an important and always well attended event in the church circles of northeastern Adams county. This year will be no exception and the public is invited io attend and participate in this mission sermons. At the morning service the sermon will be delivered by the Rev. Jaus of Bingen and the afternoon service will be by the Rev. 1 Kohlmeier of New Haven. Special music for the occasion will be furnished by both the men's choir and the mission choir and this part of the program will be worth hearing. Collections will be taken at each service, the money to be used for mission work. Refreshments will be served on the grounds and the public will be well taken care of in the beautiful grove, You are invited to bring your dinner and enjoy the picnic feast as well as the beautiful and sacred serv-! ice.

AMBITIOUS BOY AND BIG DOLLAR Frank Gentry Tells of His Firt Experience at Tented Show. In every stage of life big things are dependent upon little things. This applies to the world of the canvas shows as much»as to any other. Frank Gentry of Gentry Bros.' All New Feature shows, which will visit this city next Tuesday, was, in childhood, like all other boys. He had ambition to be a show man and an experience he had with one of his brothers imbued him with the idea that when he owned a show, or an interest in one, it would not allow any short change men, grafters, or other disorderly characters to follow it. ‘I was ten years old,” said Mr. Gentry,” when the first show of any size came to my town. My father gave me the price of two tickets and a great big silver dollar. With my brother 1 went to the show. Like all boys I was enthralled by the magnitude and mystery of the big attraction. “About the middle of the performance a man cable arpund selling pea nuts, lemonade, candy, and such stuff, our boyish palates coveted the luxuries. I dug up the dollar and handed it to the man. I took about teij cents’ worth of stuff and my brother did likewise. However, the showman did not know how to figure. H put the dollar in his pocket and 1 got no change. “I had always wanted to own a circus. In after years my brothers and myself started a show along lines that were new. We appealed to the public, gave them value received. In the score or more of years that we have been in business not a patron has been short changed, nor the confidence of a youngster betrayed. “And do you know," he continued, “we attribute more of our success to that fact than to any other one feature of our shows?” Gentry Brothers' shows /have always made a specialty of catering to ladies and children. The children that they delight daily range in age from three to ninety- threeyears. For this day only admission is reduced to 25 and 35 cents.

LONG AUTO TRIP Jeff Block, General Counsel i for Cotton Belt Railroad, Visited Here. I WITH HIS FAMILY Entertained by Judge Merryman and French Quinn —Enroute to the East. Mr. Jeff Block, general counsel for the Cotton Belt and Iron Mountain railroad, with his wife and son, Maurice, on a motor trip from their home in Paragould, Ark., to Buffalo and Niagara Fails, arrived at Decatur Monday noon and left this morning on their way east, where Mr. Block will '■ look after business interests and the ' family will mingle pleasures therewith. While here they were entertained at dinner by Judge and Mrs. J. T. Merryman and Mr. and Mrs. French Quinn. Afterwards the party motored through the country south of this city and Mr. Block was delighted with the beautiful lands, big’erops and particularly with our roads, which he declared are unexcelled in all the length and breadth of this country. • He declared that if there was any reaI son why the people of Adams county should not be happy, it was not apparent to a motorist, and he was assured by Messrs. Quinn and Merryman that the people here realize they live in the very Eden of America. The visit was an enjoyable break in the trip for the Block family and was thoroughly enjoyed by their Decatur ■, friends. I - — PRESIDENT HERE. Mr. Bert Yocum, the president of i the Ixifayette Life Insurance company, was in the city Monday visiting with L. C. Heim, the local agent for this city, in the interests of that comI pany. Mr. Helm has been unusually < successful as an agent for high-class insurance, and has but recently opened up an office of his own, giving his whole time to the work. He represents almost any kind of insurance and only the best of companies.

ATTEND MEETINGS Session of International Sunday School Workers Opens at Syracuse. REV. RILLING THERE 1 Also Several Other Decatur People Ardent Workers in This Line. The annual meeting of the International Snnday school workers opened Monday evening Oakwood park, Syracuse, Ind., and the attendance for | the opening session was one of the largest noted in years. The meetings will be in order for one week, and from the start the program promises to be one of the most interesting, and | Sunday school workers from all parts of the state will take part in it. Oak- ' wood park, where the meeting is held ' each year, is a most appropriate place ! for the assemb'.age, and already large numbers have gathered for the week. . Rev. Rilling of the Evangelical church left this morning to attend the week’s session, commencing Monday j evening, and will take part in the up- | lifting work of the hundreds of Chris- . tian workers there. Misses Vernia Smith and Ethel Fuhrman, who left I the forepart of last week, on a vacation, are also there this week, and will j likewise take part in the week’s program. HOLD ANNUAL MEETING. /he annual meeting of the Ward Fence company is being held this aftI ernoon at the offices of the company and the usual bulk of business to come up at this time is being attended to. | o Rev. J. H. Rilling has gone to Oakwood Park, Syracuse, Ind., to attend -a meeting of Christian workers being held there this week.

AUTO HITS WHEEL. Frank Schultz while on his way home, riding a bicycle, was run into by an automobile driven by Ben Devers, breaking the rear wheel of the bicycle so that repairs had to be made at once for further use. Mr. Schultz was on the right side of the street going south on his way home. No one was really to blame for the accident, as Mr. Schultz, wishing to keep out of the way of the machine turned into the alley, running west at the Dr. Miller office, just the course to be taken by Mr. Devers. Mr. Schultz managed to keep himself out of tile way of the machine a fid no injury was caused to either of the men. Mr. Devers had the bicycle repaired. POST CARD HABIT One of the Most Popular Fads of the Day, and a Very Pleasant One. • SOUVENIR POSTALS Beat Letter Writing and is Cheaper Way to Pay Debts of Friendship. /It maj' never have occurred to you through the whole year to sit down and tell absent friends the things they really want to know about you, what you are doing, what rewards, joys and sorrows, life has brought you. But once you get off on a trip, you somehow feel that they are greatly comforted to receive post cards picturing the white house at Washington or the summit of Pike’s Peak. Better pictures of these objects will be found in their works of reference on their own book shelves. The post card habit is particularly popular, because it is such a cheap way to pay the debts of friendship. You feel that you want to keep up with the old friends. But letter writing grows more burdensome every year. Lo, at every news stand the post card stares you in the face, with its spacious claims that it squares the debts of frienship. In view of the many you receive very likely it does. Modern life runs at express train speed. There is no longer a time for those pleasant stops along the way like an oid-fashioned accommodation train. Formerly you could stop off for a little stay here and there and see how people lived in their simple lives along the way. Now in our twentieth century limiteds the only thing to be done is to throw a post card out of the window as you whiz past at sixty miles an hour, or send it back by Uncle Sam from the next station, which is the same thing. Any friendships that are fed only by such accommodations of soul, as “I’m at Atlantic City. This is how it looks How are you? So long!" can hardly remain very vital. But the philosopher must take life as it is and make the best of it. The pleasant side of the post card habit is that it gives you such a satisfactory souvenir of your journeys, be they long or brief. Formerly you had to pay 25 cents or more a piece for elaborate photographs, The post card gives you the same thing for two cents. And those that you bring home and those that you receive, plus a simple magic lantern, will keep the kidlets happy for a dozen winter evenings. 0 POLICE COURT NEWS. I William F. Graham, a typewriter repair man out of Fort Wayne, alias several other places, was arrested about 5 o’clock Monday night by Marshal Peterson, who found him in the alley close to the Steele & Weaver, store in a completely drunken condition, and also indecently exposing his person. He was lodged in jail and was this morning brought up before ’Squire Stone, who, upon his pleading guilty to the charge of plain drunk assessed a fine of five dollars and costs, making a total of $13.80. Graham could not pay so he was sent to jail for fourteen days, where he will languish idly and think of the good job he is missing by not being on time, this being his story to the court. Machinist Herbert Lankenau, who had been at Toledo, Decatur and Rome City, spending a vacation, resumed work in the Pennsylvania shops this morning —Fort Wayne News.

Price, Two Cents.

McCOMBS COMING Democratic Campaign Manager Will Attend Meeting at Indianapolis. WILL BE BIG EVENT Governor Wilson Also Likely to be There—Campaign Will be Dignified. Indianapolis, Ind., Aug. 13—(Special to Daily Democrat; —The striking harmony of views among the leaders of the democratic party the great pub- : lie questions of the day is illustrated in the speech or Governor Thomas R. I Marshall whicii came from the printer I today and which will be delivered at | the notification day ceremonies Aui gust 20th. Before going to Seagirt to attend the notification ot Woodrow Wilson of his nomination for the presidency, Governor Marshall wrote the speech which will be delivered in Indianap olis on notification day. He had not consulted Governor Wilson about the views which he, as the vice presidential candidate, should advance but merely wrote what he believed to be the correct interpretation of the plat form adopted at Baltimore. The governor laid the manuscript aside, deciding to confer with Governor Wilson before he sent his work to the printer. When Mr. Wilson delivered his speech the governor was surprised at the similarity of the views expressed with those he had incorporated in his own manuscript. When he returned from Seagirt the speech was sent direct to the printer without a single alteration. This unusual coincidence was whispered about the state capital this week and now becomes public property. There is not a single question upon which Wilson and Marshall differ in the slightest respect and this fact is taken as another manifestation of the great democratic thinkers in direct contrast to the bitter war which is raging between the two wings of the republican party. The speech of the governor will have unusual national importance because of the points which he will discuss in detail from the democratic standpoint for the first time. Governor 'Wilson treated the great issues in a thorough way, but left a great deal unsaid which the governor will bring out clearly. The national significance of the utterances is aroupsing the anticipation of the party leaders all over the country. A telegram was received today from William F. McCombs, the national chairman, saying that he will be in Indianapolis for the ceremonies on August 20th. He also expressed the opinion that Governor Wilson will find the time to make the trip west and join in the great national love feast. These ceremonies will practically open the democratic campaign in the great middle west. It is the intention of the party leaders to set the pace this fall and place the enemy on the defensive in the very beginning. While the two wings of the republican party are still at war, the progressives attempting to win over western leaders and the standpat crowd trying to retain their ground, the democrats are presenting a united front and plunging into the midst of the campaign with their armor in first class condition. The campaign of the democrats will be conducted along sane and conservative lines. There will be no denunciation of party leaders of the two other parties and personalities will be strictly under the ban. The democrats here at Indianapolis believe that all that is necessary this fall is to remain in the path mai>ped out by the state and national conventions. The fight will be along dignified lines and entirely free from abuse. The notification day committee is deluged with correspondence from democratic leaders all over the country. An extra force of clerks and stenographers have been set to work in the offices of Fred B. Johnson, who is in direct charge oT the arrangements. Word has been received this week from practically ev<d state committeeman in the United States and nearly all of them declare that they will attend the meeting. The plan of decoration of the downtown streets and tho residence sections has been thoroughly worked out and the city will be ablaze with colors when the visitors begin to arrive. (Continued on Page 2)