Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 11, Number 113, Decatur, Adams County, 12 May 1913 — Page 1

Volume XI. Number 113.

ACTION BY emo jury Impeachment Proceedings Filed Today by the Adams County Grand Jury. AGAINST MR. OPLIGER Must File Answer in 10 Days and Cause May be Heard at This Term. The grand jury which completed its work at 10: SO o’clock this morning, and made an immediate report to the court, included therein impeachment proceedings against Lawrence E. Opliger, county superintendent. The charge .was filed with the clerk and a copy of same given to Mr. Opliger, at the time he was summoned. Under the law he must file an answer within ten days and it is probable that the cause will be heard during the present term of as the law, it is said contemplates immediate hearing of such cases. The charges in two paragraphs as filed following in full. State of Indiana, County of Adams, ss: In the Adams Circuit Court, April Term, 1913. State of Indiana vs. Lawrence E. Opllger.

Comes now the grand jury for the April term, 1913, of the Adams circuit court, good and lawful men, duly and legally Impanelled, charged and sworn at the April term 1913 of said Court, who upon their oaths present that on the sth day of June 1911 Lawrence E. Opliger was duly and legally elected to the office of County Superintendent pf the public schools of 1 Adams County, Indiana, an office created by the laws of the state of Indiana, and on said date said Lawrence E. Opliger accepted said office of County' Supertntedent, was sworn Into office, and entered at once to the discharge' of the legal duties of said office, and Is now, and has been continuously since said sth day of June 1911 the legally acting and qualified county supenintendent of public schools of Adams county, Indiana; that during the month of February 1812 he became a person of unsound mind, and that by reason of said unsoundness of mind the said Lawrence E. Opliger became, and now is, and has been continuously since said time incompetent and wholly disqualified to perform and discharge the, duties of county superintendent of public sch<M>ls of Adams county. Indiana, as said duties are prescribed by the

laws of the state of Indiana; that said unsoundness of mind of the said Lawrence E. Opliger exists now, and has existed continuously since the month of February 1912, and since said date has continuously and now renders him incompetent and wholly disqualified to perform and discharge the duties of said office as they are fixed by law. Wherefore, the plaintiff asks that the said Lawrence E. Opllger be removed from the office of county super intendent of public schools of Adams county, and for all other proper relief in the premises. 2nd Paragraph. And the Grand Jury aforesaid, upon their oaths aforesaid, charge and present that on the sth day of June 1911, Lawrence E. Opliger was duly and legally elected to the office of superintendent of the public schools of Adams county, Indiana, by the township trustees of Adams county, Indiana, an office created by the laws of the state of Indiana, and on said date the said Lawrence E. Opllger accepted, said office, was sworn into office, and entered at once upon the discharge of the legal duties of said office, and Is now has been continuously since said sth day of June 1911 the legally acting and qualified superintendent of public schools of Adams county, Indiana; that on the 26th day of April 1913 one, Danlei A. Baumgartner, a person of good moral character .and a person pY css-, ing all the legal qualifications required ( of persons to teach in the public I schools of the state of Indiana, and a I resident of Adams county, Indiana, j presented himself at the usual place in Adams county, Indiana, where th" examination for applicants for teach -, ®rs' licenses was then and there being held by the said Lawrence E.,Opliger, then and there the county superintendOONTIN ET OTM PAGE THREE

becatur daily democrat

let contract for bridges. The county commissioners met m »I»eeial session this morning to award ’he contracts for the building of bridges. Amos Fisher secured tho contract for the Koos bridge, his bld ing 31,232, the lowest over four others. The Herne, Supply company landed the Heller county line bridge, for $4!»5 and the Pan-American company landed the contract for the John Brown Bridge No. 2, the price being 18,640. o—— IMPORTANT DEAL./ The sale of a large business plant of the city is under way and will be ready for publication tomorrow. THE DEAtFtOLL Is Great — Otto Heckman Succumbs to Erysipelas Resulting from A SMALL BOIL John Parr Called—Joseph Geenen Dead — Bert Archbold Funeral. The death toll has been exceedingly great over the Sabbath, there being s’x reported this morning, of either Adams county residents, or those well ’known here.

Death from 8011. What was thought to be only a little • boil, which first appeared last Thursday, rapidly developed into erysipelas causing the death of E. H. Otto Heckman, son of Fred H. and Sophia Heckman, of Freidheim, at 2:15 o’clock this morning. When the pimple first appeared just back of the right ear, ft was given little thought. It was openled and this gave relief. Saturday, however, it began to sw’ell and became so highly Inflamed that a physician was called. The deadly and rapidworking erysipelas, however, had gotten in its fatal work and after much suffering the lad passed away this morning. He had not yet reached his twenty-second year, having been born August 31, 1891. He was born In Preble township and spent his entire life there, being one of the township’s excellent young men. He is survived by bis parents, and the following brothers and sisters: Rudolph, of Ft. Wayne; Reinhard, Adeline, Albert, ' Clara, Karl, Gertrude and Anna, at home. The funeral will be held Wednesday afternoon. The procession will leave the house at 1:30 o’clock sun time for the Freidheim Lutheran church, where the Rev. C. B. Preuss will conduce the services.

I Archbold Funeral Today. ■' The funeral of Bert Archbold, aged i forty, was held this afternoon at 1:30 i o'clock at the Ossian Presbyterian i church, in charge of the Rev. Baker, i the pastor. Interment in the Oaklawn > cemetery. His death occurred Satur- ’ day morning at his home, four miles (southwest of Ossian, after a lingering : illness from tuberculosis. He was one .I of the well known and prominent - young farmers of that section. .His father, William Archbold, died ['only six weeks ago, and his mother, Catherine Archhold, three years ago. The deceased was born in Adams . county March 3, 1873, and went to I Wells county with his parents while he J was still a boy. At the time of his r'death he was living on the old Arch- . (bold farm. •I Surviving Mr. Archbold Is his wife, .Grace Deam Archbold, daughter of 'Mr and Mrs. John Deam, of Ossian. ■'There also survive one brother, James ’ Archbold, near Ossian, and two sisters —Mrs. Martin Henline, of Jefferson i township, Wells county, an<} Mrs. Liz- ■! zie Ormsby, wife of O. E. Ormsby, of 1 Michigan City. Mr. Archbold has many 'relatives here. Miss Irwin Passes Away. A Wheeling (W. Va.) newspaper received here this morning by Decatur friends brings the sad news of the death of Miss Suita Irwin, last Wednesday morning at 8:30 o'clock May L at her home there. She was eightyL’iv years of age and had been ailing three months from infirmities of old I she was one of the prominent I residents of Wheeling and was a 'daughter of Samuel and Lee Anna Irwin She has often visited here with Miss Hattie Studabaker and Mrs. Elizabeth Morrison and other friends, and well known, especially to te ladies (Contmueu on Page 3)

“DECATUR CAN AND WILL”

Decatur, Indiana. Monday Evening, May 12, 1913

A WORK OF LOVE Grandma Fisher Pieces Fine Comfort for Flood Sufferers at Piqua, Ohio. AN ABLE ASSISTANT Is Her Blind Granddaughter, Miss Grace Hurst—Dickinsheets Family.

A number of Decatur people are preparing to send a box of clothing and other things to the Lon Dickinsheets family, who lost all but what they wore at the time, in the March floods at Piqua, Ohio. Among the things to be sent is a fine comfort pieced and made since that time by Mrs. Sarah Fisher, better known as “Grandma” Fisher, who makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. James Hurst, on West Monroe street, this city. Grandma Fisher is seventy-six years of age, and still in fairly good health. Every Sunday finds her in her place in church. She retains all her faculties, and is never so happy as when busy at work. She has made many quilts in the past winter, and none perhaps will be appreciated more than this one which will be sent to the flood sufferers. Grandma Fisher is one of the oldest residents, and well remembers the j time when there were only a few business buildings grouped about the corner of Monroe and Second streets. An able assistant of hers Is her granddaughter. Miss Grace Hurst. Miss j Hurst has been blind many years, but is also an ardent devotee of quilti piecing—in fact many beautiful pieces are shown to her credit. The blocks are cut and then laid with the light and dark blocks together, thus enabling the blind girl to pick them up and sew them without the fear of getting the colors mixed. Mrs. Dickinsheets was formerly Miss Laura Stevenson of Monmouth, a daughter of the late Mrs. Auten of that town. She is very well known here.

TO GENERAL SYNOD John C. Houk Leaves Today for Atchison, Kansas, to Great Convention of LUTHERAN CHURCH Is One of the Five Laymen Sent from Northern Indiana Synod.

John C. Houk ofthis city will leave today for Atchison, Kans., where he will attend the United States General Synod of the General Synod Lutheran church. This convenes in the St. Mark church at that place, Wednesday, May 14. Mr. Houk was chosen as a delegate to this meeting by the Northern Indiana Synod, which was held October 11-14, 1912, at Lagrange, where he was also sent as a delegate by the Hoagland circuit. The General Synod Is composed of all the different branch synods of the United States and meets once every two years. The Northern Indiana Synod comprises the northern part of Indiana and nearly ail of Michigan. Ten delegates in all are sent from this synod, five of whom are clergy and five laymen. Mr. Houk is thus one of the five laymen. The honor Is quite a great one, and this is the first time that any member of the local pastorates has served as a delegate to the General Synod.

BUYS 600-ACRE FARM. A Converse dispatch reports that Mrs. Emma Daniels of Decatur, widow of Rev. W. H. Daniels, has become the owner of a tract of land In Jasper county in exchange for a 157acre farm in Wells county and a business block in Windfall. It was a $75,000 deal. E. A. Fields, a saw mill man and farmer of Saratoga, was here on business Saturday with Smith & Bell.

INDIANA’S WIRE FLASHES. (United Press Service) Marlon, Ind, May 12 —Frank D. Brosier, proprietor of a pool room and tobacco establishment on Washington street, pleaded guilty to selling liquor to a minor and was fined 50 and costs. Brosier had no license, but considerable whisky was found In a raid on his place. Marion is a “dry” city. Evansville, May 12—Although detectives gave evidence that they had been asked to bed in the place and that women flimsily dressed were In the house, a jury or representative citizens freed Violet Baker of the charge of conducing a disorderly house at 214 E. First street. Prosecutor Sappenfield nevertheless announced that he would move against the eight other resort keepers arrested in the recent vice crusade.

SHOT TOOK OFF HAND I *• . Ranza Wolfe, Who Went Through Spanish War and Standing Army LOST HIS HAND Shooting off an Old Muzzleloading Gun for Sport Saturday Night. Going through the shot and shell of the Spanish-American war, and two terms in the regniar army, practically unscathed, It was left for a little old muzzle-loading musket to blow off the good left hand of Ranza Wolfe, a well known young man, living two and a half miles southeast of Monroe. The accident happened Saturday near midnight, at the home of his uncle, R. Wolfe, near Salem. At midnight, Ranza wanted to have a little j sport and got out the old gun to shoot it off, three or four times, for a little advance Fourth of July c 'ebration for the neighbors. The gun went off all right for several times, but the last load entirely shattered the left hand from the wrist down. Doctors Parrish and Rayl of Monroe were called to the home and took the hand off, it being found imperative to do so. The young man was then taken to his home near Monroe, and will undoubtedly get along all right. He is thirty-two years of age and unmarried, and known over nearly the entire county. He served with the Decatur and other Adams county boys in the Spanish-American war.

COURT HOUSE NEWS Grand Jury Reports Four Indictments and One Impeachment Charge. SIX DAYS’ SESSION Two New Cases Filed— Several Probate Matters Attended to. The grand jurors this morning at ten o’clock through their foreman, A. B. Daugherty reported into court that they had completed their work and returned four true bills, together with one charge of impeachment of county officer. They vjere in session six days and examined thirty-six witnesses. They visited the county jail and found all conditions good, except that a new pump Is needed in the prisoners’ ward; the tin cornices on the jail need painting and the chimney tops need rebuilding. These improvements were recommended. They also report having visited the county infirmary. They recommend the establishment of two new boilers in the heating plant and report having found all other conditions good. County Clerk Ferdinand Bleeke has (Contnrvea on rage 2)

WON EASY GAME W ■■■■ ■ ■■» Local Shamrocks Defeated Fort Wayne Senecas by Score of 9 to 3. SOME FAST PLAYING Exhibited on Both Sides, But Shamrocks Had Senecas Outclassed. An exciting game of base ball was played Sunday afternoon at the Shamrock ball park when the local team crossed bats with the fast Seneca team from Fort Wayne with the result that the Shamrocks totaled nine rims while only three of the visitors reached home plate. Both teams were held down in the first two innings, but in the third the locals broke the spell end brought two men z in home. In the fifth they scored four runs and in

the seventh three men crossed the bag. The visitors secured two runs in the fourth Inning and ode in the fifth, thus saving themselves from going home with a goose-egg. Johns did the twirling for the locals and assisted by the splendid catching by Ault, did excellent work, holding down the visitors to seven hits. Th© Senecas is the team which defeated the Shamrocks so badly last season and the improvement the local team has made can readily be seen from the result of the score. The Shamrocks secured nine hits, seven of which were twobase hits / and also registered two errors, while the Senecas secured seven hits with no errors. Next Sunday the Marlon Giants will meet the Shamrocks on the local field. This team is the fastest colored team in the state and is coming with the cxpecation of winning back the laurels lost to the Shamrocks last season. Johns and Ault will be the battery for the Shamrocks.

A DEFECTIVE FLUE Destroyed Home of William Smithly on South Thirteenth Street. — iFire was discovered By Neighbors, But Too Late —The Department Had Trouble.

Fire, which was supposed to have started from a defective flue destroyed the home of William Smfthly, living on south Thirteenth street, at 8:00 o’clock this morning. It was first discovered by Pink Ball who was working in the neighborhood at the time, but gained such headway that it was impossible to extinguish th© flames. The alarm was immeadlately sent in to the fire station, but owing to a brok- , en spark plug on the truck it was impossible to start the motor for fifteen or twenty minutes. By the time the department arrived on the scene the entire roof was ablaze and the second story was doomed. The effective work of the fire laddies however when they managed to get the water on the flafiies quickly outened the fire and stopped its progress. Had the house been fifty feet further south it would have '] been impossible to have reached it with the hose as the nearest fire plug was 1100 feet to the north. With the 1 assistance of the neighbors the house- ’1 hold goods in the lower part of the 1 home were saved. Mr. Smithly carried 1 insurance on the goods to the amount 1 of |3OO in the German-American com-'’ pany. The house was owned by Jerry 1 Russell and is almost a total loss. o —. ' EXTRA COPIES OF 1913 ACTS. • _ We have received several extra cop- ' les of the Indiana acts, 1913, sent through the courtesy of Mr. Ellingham, and will be glad to furnish them to those who have use for them. The supply of course is limited, so If you really need one better get in as soon as possible. |

ROOP-DURBIN ELOPEMENT. | Miss Sarah Roop, aged seventeen, daughter of Frank Roop, of north of the city, and John Durbin, who has' been employed the past year at tho j lien Butler farm, returned Saturday evening from Kalamazoo, Mich., where they were married by the judge. They left here Saturday morn’ng early, and escaped the vigilant eyes of the bride’s parents. The father was in the city Saturday, seeking the al<t of the officers in a-wearch for her, but it seems they made good their escape and were happily married. The young couple will live In this city. THE LORD S DAY

Was Fittingly Observed in All the Decatur Churches Yesterday. I WAS MOTHERS’ DAY i Reports from the Various Churches Show Excellent Attendance.

Evangelical Church. r I ( I The services Sunday were well ats tended and enjoyed, a hopeful and friendly spirit prevailing. It was “Mother and Home Day” at the Evan- , gelical church. At the morning servt ice Rev. Rilling paid a fine tribute to ( the motherhood of our land. He said: ' "Few words grip our hearts more firmly and play upon our seart strings ( . more gently and recall such sweet , memories as the word mother. It is a ( mark of strength and a fine character ( to get homesick when away from fa- ( t ther and mother. At the side of moth-' er is a place of safety. She is not ( only the queen of the home, but a source of protection. How easy it , is to do right and how hard go wrong after having been under the sacred 1 influence of a good mother. Many a boy and girl has been kept from a way,ward life by keeping in close touch i, with mother. Her’s is a life of sacri1 flee—toiling up into the late hours of 1 the night. No place so dear to her as ' the home, and no work so enjoyable as the home duties. Home is her I throne." At this service Mrs. Runyon I sang touchingly, “My Name in Moth-. 1 er’s Prayer." At the evening service,' I Rev. Rilling spoke on the “Home Life.” , | What the morning service was in behalf of mother, the evening service was for home. The choir sang “The Prodigal and the Song," by Wilson, and the ladies’ chorus sang, “Home, Sweet Home," by John Howard Payne. Presbyterian Church. The Rev. W. H. Gleiser of the Presbyterian church spoke at the morning service on the text, Acts 1:8: “And ye shall receive power, when the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall Ibe my witnesses,” taking for his subIject, “The Power of the Holy Spirit." The gist of his remarks were as follows: “Where is there a man of arnbi- - tion who does not desire power? But 1 power is of many kinds. There is me- j chanical, political and intellectual 1 ( power. But Christ did not mean anv 1 one of these when he spoke of power , to His disciples. By power he meant 1 (Spiritual Power. The Holy Spirit Is t I the source of this power. Men are 1 called to believe in God’s Spirit, be- 1 cause the Father promised Him, and 1 because that promise was fulfilled. The 1 disciples by waiting received this gift, t They waited, with as much concern as a mother waits for the return of the < expected boy. There was the sound of ( a rushing mighty wind. Tongues of*! fire came down upon the assembled 1 people and they were baptized with the ' Spirit of Power. The uses of the 1 Holy Spirit are many. He convicts 1 men of sin, He-enllghtens the mind in ; (the knowledge of Christ, He renews ( the wills of men and enables them to embrace Christ as Savior, and makes men His witnesses. Would that man would open the door leading into his heart, and thus permit God’s Spirit of Power to drills work.” Reformed Church. Don’t Worry. "Take no thought.” Jesus is not discouraging forethought, but foreboding. That'voge feeling that some harm is dogging our steps Is called foreboding. This arises mainly from the want of forethought. Thought, as used by the Savior, means ' anxious care, worry. Such worry, over our health, over our w-ork, once ad(Continuee on rage 2) j

Price, Two Cents,

FLEE FROM OLD MEXICO Mrs. Elizabeth Morrison and Daughter Leave for the States—Only ONE RAILROAD OPEN Took Advantage of That Before Insurrection Cut Off All Escape.

, Because there was only one railroad open for transportation in Mexico, and ,the insurrection and conditions arising therefrom were daily growing worse, Mrs. Elizabeth Morrison and daughter, j Mrs. Dick Wallace, and her babe of .Oaxaca, who arrived here Saturday, de- ; cided to leave their Mexican home at I once, before escape might be impossible. Their trip home, which begatr fifteen days ago, was taken by a new route, in a round about way through jCuba, as egress through Mexico City, and north to the Texas border is cut off. Mr. Wallace, who, on account of his mining interests and other business, could not pick up and leave as did the women, will follow in two or three weeks. They will remain in the states , until the government is fully settled. All railroads north of Mexico City are cut off. There is but one automobile plying back and forth from there to the Texas border, and only men taka chances in that, as it is likely to be cut off at any time. .4 t Leaving Oaxaca, which is in the extreme southern part of Mexico, Mrs. Morrison and party went by rail to Tehuacan, thence northeast by rail to Esperanzo, and continued to Vera Cruz on the gulf. They were two days and a night making this trip. At Vera Cruz they took a boat to Havana, Cuba, thence a boat to Key West, Fla., then to Cincinnati, and on home. While Oaxaca is far removed from the workings of the rebels, conditions are growing so bad there that a longer delay might have proven disastrous. Food is twenty per cent higher, and will rise ten per cent more in a short while. J This is because the food supply is , short. With no railroads operating, none can be sent In. What is even worse, no planting for local crops Is going on. One of the rebel officers issued an order that anyone caught planting in a certain state would have his ears cut. If a man with his ears cut was found planting a second time he would be shot. This certainly put a quietus on planting. The value of $2.60 in Mexican money is required for one United States dollar. Joining th© train on which the Morrison party came were a party of seven American ladies and two children, from Monterey. They tried to get out through the north, and reached a point only six hours’ ride from th© Texas border, when they could go no further. They were obliged to retrace their st4ps and take the gulf route. They met a train from Mexico City that had been robbed three times. The first time the robbers took only from the men. The second robbers finding the mon had nothing left, robbed the women. The third time there was nothing to get, and the lives of the passengers were lu danger. The Vhole country borders on a complete state of anarchy. The rebels state that if the United States intcr’feres, the houses of all th© foreigners will be entered and the inmates killed. The foreign houses have been marked and Mexican rebels detailed to enter them at once and slaughter the Inmates, at the sign of approach of United States soldiers. This condition prevailed a year ago in Oaxaca, when the Decatur people were forced to come north. This year, however, Oaxaca and its state are comparatively safe, as they are in sympathy with the presI ent government. Should the rebels get control, however, all safety for them will be past. Business in the mines is practically nt a standstill. All smelters are closed, and as no supplies, or provisions can be gotten in,, there is nothing to be done but suspend work. The Morrison party saw no signs of the rebels, directly or indirectly, on their trip home, but reports are alarm(Continued on Page 2)