Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 12, Number 156, Decatur, Adams County, 2 July 1914 — Page 1

Read By 15,W0 Each Evening

Volume XII. Number 156.

COME AND .IDIN THE HAPPY BAND Weather Conditions and Ev erything Favorable for the Big Event. THE PORCH PARTY On Winchester Street To-night-Squares Are Gaily Decorated. Everybody Is coming out this evenI Ing to join the happy band that will K, throng Winchester street for the B ‘•porch Party.” All the residences in that section S that will be given over to this affair I Lave been gaily decorated. Bunting I and flags in great numbers have beeu I used, as well as strings of pennants |- and Japanese lanterns, and the special E stringers of electric lights have been ■ hung. The band has practiced diligently | end its best music will be given this | evening. The women of the City Improvement | League have as their able assistants, ... the Hoy Scouts who itave been work fc ing like Trojans all afternoon, arrangp ing the street tables and booths for the B refreshments. A car load of watermelons was re g. ceivisl at the wholesale house today * and the society immediately got busy K to provide watermelon for the refreshp' i’.icnt stands. The Fourth of July Would not be wholly a Fourth without watermelon and this celebration, f- which is a little advance Fourth celebration, is going to have watermelon for sale, together with the ice cream, hi.iuemade candies, cracker jack, Zigzag. lemonade, pop and other good tilings. There is much rejoicing that the weatherman sent the rain yesterday amt that today dawned bright and -fair with ideal weather. It promises : to be sustained for this evening and i if everything continues as it began, i there will be no necessity for postponing as it was decided to do in case it rained today. • There will be automobiles for rides for the children for a small sum. The . admission to the festive squares and porches will be free but everybody is expected to spend his and her money ™ freely for refreshments and rides that the children's play ground fund may bo greatly incased. The children need a "safe ana sane" place to play ■ and funds are needed to equip the , grounds. S oA CARPENTER - TROUBLE. "I tel you how it is." said the old carpenter. “1 met a young widow with a grown-up-step-daughter and I married that widow. "Then my father met cur stepdaughter and married her. That made my wife the mother-in-law of her father in-law. and made my step-daughter my step-mother, and my father became my step-son. See? "Then my step-mother, the step- ' daughter of my wife, had a son. The boy was, of course, my brother, because he was my father's son; but he was also the son of my wife's stepdaughter, and therefore her grandson. That made me grandfather of my stepbrother. Then my wife hud a son. "My mother-in-law, the step-sister of my son. is also his grandmother, because he is her step-son's child, child. My father is the brother-in-law of my child, because his step-sister is his wife. 1 am the brother of my own son. who Is also the child of my stepgrandmother. lam my mother's mother-in-law, my wife Is her own child's aunt, my son Is my father’s nephew, and I'm ray own grandfather I —and 1 can't stand it.”—Mechanical ! Digest. — o NO MAIL DELIVERIES. ■> There will be no rural nor city de liveries of mall Saturday. July 4, on I Recount of the same being a national : holiday. The window will be open to : callers, however, from 8 to 9 o clock I that morning. ■—o 1 UNCLE HEZEKIAH OBSERVES. There’s rneny a porch swing gits E. th' movement tliet should rltefully belong f a broom.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

PAY THE CARRIER BOY X I Please remember that the carrier i boys will collect tor the Daily Democrat Friday evening this week instead of Saturday. They need the money because Saturday is the Fourth anl several of the boys are planning a little trip away from home. They will appreciate it and promise you better service if they can give it. — o MISS MILLER IMPROVING r Miss Ruby Miller who has been 111 for many weeks of Inflammatory rheumatism is making rapid recovery. She was able to walk from room to room in the house yesterday and tomorrow it is thought will be able to sit out on the porch. WILLNOTLEAVE 1 Break Between Generals Car , ranza and Villa Gives New Hope To Huerta 1i RESULT OF PLOT 1 Italian From America Tells That Anarchists Plotted Archduke's Assassination Vera Cruz, July 2.—(Special to the Daily Democrat,)—-General Huerta has changed his mind and will not flee from Mexico City, at least for some time, according to British refugees who arrived here today. They declared that the break between Caranza and Villa lias given Huerta great hope that - he may yet be victorious. El Paso, July 2/ —(Special to the 'I Daily Democrat.) —General Carranza shows signs of yielding Vlßa tn order to prevent the latter from setting up a new revolution, it was indicated |by word received here from Torreton that Caranza lias notified Villa that he may have all the coal he needs to operate the trains for moving his troops. Villa’s inability to get coal ' | was one reason for his latest break. Caranza’s son-in law. the constitutional counsel here, returned today and denyed that Carranza was preparing ■ to flee to the United States. Trentee Austria, July 2, —(Special to Daily Democrat.) —An Italian by the name of Alessanbrimt who recently returned from the United States confessed today that anarchists had ploted the assassination of Archduke FerdI inand and wife. The Italian had been working as a carpenter at Paterson, N) J.. He admitted that he knew before leaving the United States that an attempt would be made on Ferdinands life. News that Kaiser Wilhelm had changed his plans of attending the funeral at Vienna tomorrow because he feared an attempt would be made l on his life, created great excitement here. Belfast, Ire., July 2, —(Special to the ! Daily Democrat,)—To prevent a serious outbreak, the commissioner of police today ordered that no arrests be ■ made of Ulster volunteers who have ‘ i been parading the streets with rifles to show that Ulster was ready tc fight. Trouble however, is growing i more serious daily and a clash is feared on July 12 when Orangeman’s day will be celebrated. ARE GIVEN SENTENCE. (United Press Service.) Baornarvon. Wales, July I—(Special i to Daily Democrat) —Cayllis North, a i militant suffragette who recently in- • herlted $450,000, and Georgia Lloyd, i were each sentenced to three months i in prison for smashing windows. They i founght vicious.y to escape when the ' sentence was read and bit and scratchI ed five wardens. ■ —CI ” ■ TO RETURN FROM WEST Miss Gertrude Moses, who has spent a year or two in Tucson. Arizona, and i who stopped off at Yankton, S. D. and 1 also in Chicago enroute home for a i visit, will arrive iiere tomorrow. GET YOUR DIME READY The Daily Democrat carriers will collect for this week on Friday evening. . Their work is by no means all pleasure • and it will be an accomodation if you I will Law the dime ready for them.

Decatur, Indiana,Thursday Evening, July 2. 1914.

, TO MEET TONIGHT , City School Board Will Meet ‘ to Close the Work for the 1 Year. r SCHOOL SUPPLIES — 1 «l I Contracts Will Probably be j Awarded—Commercial to be Selected. Irvin Brandyberry, O. L. Vance and , J. Fred Fruchte comprising the city { , school board, will hold a meeting this epening. At this time the work of the year which is just ending, will be clos- . ed. The contracts for the supplies for the new year will probably be let at this time. The matter of the selection of a commercial teacher to fill the vacancy occasioned by resignation will also be attended to. 1 Mr. Brandyberry’s term does not ex pire until the last of July, when he will be succeeded by Dick Myers re- , cently elected to this position by the city council, at which time the re-or-ganization will lie effective. The'selectlon of janitors for the var ious schools will also be made tonight. o AT SALEM EVANGELICAL. ■■ ■ ! Rev. J. M. Gibson will preach Sunday morning at 10:36 at the Salem Evangelical church. MAP COMPLETED Road Superintendent Hendricks and Mr. Longshore Finish a Big Job. SENT TO PURDUE I I I Repair of Roads is Progressing—Large Fund Coming From the State Soon. II County Road Superintendent James ■ A. Hendricks today forwarded to W. i ' ’. H. Hatt, professor of civil engineering ”, at Purdue University, Lafayette, Indi i ana, a large map. done In colors, size ,' four by five feet, and showing many , 1 things of interest in Adams county. [ ■ ( principally the five hundred miles of 1 . macadam and improved roads. It is 1I divided as to sections and also shows the location of the various school , houses, churches, etc., and is the com : ,' pletion of three months work by Mr. t Hendricks and Deputy Surveyor R. L i Longshore. Mr. Hatt will have copies of the map made for various purposes, , reducing the size so it can be used in reports of different kinds and will then . I furnish the local office with copies j .. which will prove of much benefit to ,' those interested in the good roads of , 1 Adams county. i Mr. Hendricks reports that the work , m his department is going along nice- . ly at this time, the only thing which 1 retards the work being the inability to secure teams. Many miles of road have been improved and the work will be kept up just as rapidly as teams can be secured to haul the stone. At this season of the year when the 1 farmers are busy with their crops it is i almost impossible to secure teams or - men. Mr. Hendricks has driven over , 3,000 miles this summer In his car, atg ranging and instructing the assistant r superintendents, all of whom are look- » Ing after their work in a splendid mail . ner. Adams county will make the drawon the automobile fund from the state within a short time. It is expected that the o'.im which comes to this t county fm the first six months of thiu 1 year will be double that of last y. ar, 1 or about $2,000 making ■> go<xl availa able fund for the road improvement work, — -o— — GENEVA MAN NOT GUILTY. I- William Cooper who was arrested ;. at Geneva last Friday on a charge of b speeding was tried in the court of n Justice of the react Shoemaker, and found not guilty.

‘‘DECATUR CAN AND WILL”

• KINDERGARTEN OPENS. The Kindergarten opened by Miss Ruth Patterson in the commercial room of the central school building has started off very nicely and everything is going fine. Miss Patterson has .Miss Genevieve Smith as an able assistant. FIND MOTHS INTERESTING. .. Children are finding tiie study of moths very interesting and have eyes for all the rare and beautiful species since the ones found and mounted at the library a few weeks ago. A lovely Imperial moth was brought to the library by Dwight Fuerst and another similar one, by Francis Costello. ABSTRACT MADE Sheet Showing Total Assessment of Property in the County Is Made BY THE AUDITOR Decatur Holds First Place Among the Corporations $2,005,950. Deputy Auditor Paul Baumgartner has made up the abstract of assessment of property in the townships and corporations of Adams county for this year from the assessors’ sheets as re- | visefl by the board of review which i completed its thirty days’ session II Tuesday. The total assessment has not yet been figured but County Assessor George Gent is states that it is probably higher than that of last year. The following is the total personal property valuation, and the tulai. per sonal and real estate assessment, according to townships and corporations: Personal Total Union $220,315 $ 792.235 Root 420,500 1,305,400 Preble 371,250 953,300 Kirkland 269.825 877,910 Washington 307,375 1,1(10,090 St. Mary’s 205,725 791,460 Blue Creek 192,615 756.960 Monroe 440,810 1,373,335 French 244,500 830,525 Hartford 331,745 935,235 'Wabash 284,050 1,100,380 'Jefferson 210,255 756,985 I City of Decatur .. 699,675 2,005,950 I Town of Monroo . 97,810 156,125 , Town of Berne ~ 489.605 803,520 ' Town of Geneva. . 170,965 378,140 ERECfjuiIDTNG Ward Fence Company W il Start on New Office Building Near Factory WITHIN TEN DAYS Will be a 32x72 Structure and Will Have All Modern Conveniences. Within the next ten days work will be commenced by the Ward Manufacturing company on tho erection of a ; new 32X72 frame office building on - the south line of their factory site. The , building will he a one story affair, with a basement. The front will be divided into compartments for the various officials by glass partitions, similar to their office now located at the corner of Monroe and Third streets. The rear will also be partitioned off for • a stock room and a safety deposit vault I built. The center of the building will be i used for the stenographers, clerks and , letter files. The new office will be completely furnished wilii al! new mod- ■ ern improvements and special stress has been placed on lighting and ventilation. Owing to the heavy increase In business during the past year, the present office room was too small to satisfactorily handle it and as It was seen that much valuable time could be saved by having the office in the vicinity of the factory, it. was decided by tiie officers of the company to erect (Continued on Page 5)

VISIT FRIENDS •s I 11J 1 LIIi ; John and Arthur Strait Who i Lived Here Eighteen Years r 1 Ago Here Today. JOHN WENT WEST =5 p—i And Has Prospered -Will Take Family Horne in A r Automobile. • John and Arthur Strait, former rest- ' dents here are calling on Decatur ’ friends after an absence of eighteen years. Their father formerly conducted a general store and the boys have ’ many friends who are glad to renew acquaintances. They were guests today of John Spuhler and were busy shaking hands with many whom they had not seen in years. John lives at Elk City, Okla., where he is engaged t in business and has prospered. Arthur ' lives at Sidney, Ohio, where his mother also resides. John and his family have been in Ohio visiting his mother ! and other relatives and drove here yesterday in his new Reo car. With his family who are at Sidney, he will leave in his car about August Ist for Elk City, driving the 1200 miles over the Lincoln Highway, a branch of which goes through his town. They will follow the main road to a point fifty miles south of Chicago when I they strike the old Santa Fee trail i which takes them home. ON THEJNCREASE Wells Fargo Express Company Finds Increased Business Necessary to EMPLOY A DRIVER » .. N.. — i Express Companies Take Business of U. S. Express I Company. ' Owing to the increase of business, ' Wells Fargo Express Agent Ben Elzey I ! finds it necessary to employ a regular , driver, and Peter Bolinger who has i been assisting now and then in a rush, ' has been given the position. Owing to the fact that the United States Express Company has given up its business, the Wells Fargo company yesterday took up 14,000 miles of its sys- , tem. In this section this includes the 1 Indiana Union Traction system, The Fort Wayne & North West Traction, the B. & O. and the C H D. systems. Tile Adams, American and Southern Express companies took the rest. That • of the Adams Express company in this ’ vicinity includes the Wabash, Fort Wayne & Northern Indiana, Ohio Electric and others. The acquisition will • mean a big increase in local business here. - ANXIOUS TO CO-OPERATE. (United Press Service.) I Washington. July 2 (Special to Dai . ly Democrat)— Big business is ready L to take its medicine. One of the chief ( representatives. J. P. Morgan of Mor . • gan & Company, so indicated to-day to j i President Wilson in a conference at the White House. He told the Pres- , ident that bm/.iess men are not an- , tagonistic to the administration and are willing to co-operate if shown what they can do. Morgan told tiie President very frankly that many of his business associates complained be- ' cause they could not see and talk with the President. Wilson replied that he had been so busy with his legislative program that he had had i little time to meet visitors. Henry Ford, the millionaire automobile mani ufacturer, will confer with the Presi ident at a luncheon In a few days at i the President’s request. A delegation i of Chicago business men are coming i next week. It is understood that the - business men were invited to eliminate the criticism that the President will t not listen to suggestions of the men agected by the proposed legislation.

I FUNERAL SATURDAY. The funeral services for Mrs. Rebecca Bunner who died suddenly at North Manchester while on a visit witli her > daughter, will be held Saturday morn ing at 10 o’clock at the Mt. Taber < hurch. Rev. Powell will officiate. Interment will be held at Mt. Taber cemetery. .—o , BARBERS TO CLOSE MONDAY. All union liarber shops will remain open Saturday but will close on Moni day. o UNCLE HEZEKIAH OBSERVES. Why ez et th’ best hour fer sleepin’ is aftur th' alarm klock goes off? OUR PEAR TREES Are Rapidly Dying—Pear or “Fire Blight” is Growing Disease. i r WIDELY PREVALENT Appearance and Nature of Disease and the Measures For Control. Pear trees are dying by the wholesale in Decatur and vicinity, as elsewhere in Indiana, and if the rate con-! tinues, it will be a very short time un-' I til this luscious fruit is ektinct in this section. Net only are the older trees I affected, but young trees, some that were set out about five years ago. which grew and bore, are rapidly dying. One resident of Decatur, wishing to learn what measures could be taken to prevent or cure, wrote to the de partment of horticulture, Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station for information and the following on “fire blight” will be received with ' interest by all who are Interested in the preservation of their pear trees: j “Fire blight, more prevalent in Indiana this spring (1913) than ever be-' fore, is without question the most important disease of pome fruits. Since the disease is bacterial and epidemic in nature, every precaution should be taken to prevent its spread. Appearance and Nature. "The disease Is known most appropriately as fire blight, though such common names as pear blight, twig blight, blossom blight, fruit blight, body blight, canker and blight canker 1 indicate that this same disease does not always present the same appearance. Trees attacked with fire blight usuallv show unmistakably the effects of the disease. Stricken trees often present a seared affect, as if all the outside twigs had been fire scorched or blackened by frost. Usually the blossoms wither first, and subsequently tiie new growth, and the twigs may die back several inches. The disense may also attack large limbs through any accidental wound, and hence the rapidly destructive blight canker. Fruit when affected withers and turns black, and exudes thick milky beads of sap which teem with bacteria. "The disease rarely winters over on the small twigs of the apple or pear, but almost Invariably in the bark cankers. In the early spring these cankers "bleed" mildly, and beads of sap stand . out as on the small fruits, like drops! of perspiration on the surface of the cankers. These bacilli filled beads of •ap are sweet, and attractive to bees land other insects which unwittingly, in j subsequent visitation to blossoms spread tiie disease rapidly and effect; ively. Control Measures. "The control of fire blight depends upon prevention rather than cure. There Is no spray material known which will check it. The bacteria work underneath the bark out of reach of the spra; pump. Thorough and consistant cutting out of twig and , blossom blight as soon as it appears, . making the cuts 6 inches or a foot be- ■ low where tiie disease apparently stops • Is necessary. The trees should be ex- - amined in late winter, and all cankers t cut back to live wood, or cankered I limbs removed. All wounds and prun--5 ing tools should be disinfected after e each operation with bi-chlorfde of mer--0 cury, one part to 1000 parts of water. II Wounds over an inch in diameler when n dried should be painted with good lead. paint." I

| Reaches Every Nook Os County

Price Two Cents.

TESTIMONY SENSATIONAL State Asks and is Granted Permission to Offer Som. • New Evidence Today IN OPLIGER CASE Motion to Strike Overruled —Defense Introduces Testimony As to Sanity. i j The Opliger impeachment case was I resumed before Special Judge Robert Stine, in circuit court this morning. The state had closed its case last Friday but immediately after court opened today tiie attorneys asked permission to introduce additional testimony which had since been discovered. This was objected to by- attorneys for Mr. Opliger but the motion was granted by tiie court. This testimony proved to be rather sensational, touching upon an incident which occurred at the Opliger home while Harry Fleming lived there, tiie exact date being April 15th last. Miss Nellie Barkley sister of Mrs. Fleming who lived with them and went to school testified that on the evening previous to that time Mr. Opliger liad asked her if she would assist him in grading some manu[script early the next morning. She [replied that she would. On the mornling of the 15th she says he came to her room shook the door so that it became unlocked and entered, dressed in his night clothes. Though she protested lie remained fifteen minutes but made no advances. Her evidence w as substantiated by her father, John A. Barkley and by Mr. Fleming. Attorneys for the defense objected to [the testimony and moved to strike ,it out but tiie motion was overruled. ! Tiie evidence was offered by tiie state to sustain their claim of Mr. Opliger’s insanity and not to prove immorality. i Mr. Barkley testified that he provided . his daughter with ample protection in case of further embarrassment and Mr. Fleming said that as soon as possible afterward lie moved from Mr. Opliger's house. Miss Barkley also said that on the day previous while she was at work assisting Mr. Opliger grading papers that she reached in front of , liim and said “Excuse me,” to which lie replied “Did you say 'Squeeze me?" The defense opened this morning and have introduced a number of witnesses to testify that they believe Mr. Opliger to be of sound mind. About a dozen witnesses have been subpoened, including business men and teachers. It is not known whether or not Mr. Opliger will take the stand in his own defense and it cannot be said at this time just how much longer will be necessary for the completion of the trial. Other Court Notes. , There is one date mentioned in tiie law on which the county clerk may have a holiday—except Sundays of course—and that is the Fourth of July, lu consequence thereof, County Clerk Bleeke announces that his office will be closed all day Saturday. Any couples who anticipate taking out a marriage license, filing a divorce, getting a hunters or junk dealers license or anything else pertaining to this office, should govern themselves accordingly. ■ .The case of the Blppus State Bank vs. H. E. Rlllgera, A. D. Tharp, has been received here on change of venue from Huntington county. Real estate transfers Theodore F. Sprunger to Andrew Sprunger, lot 353 Berne, $1400; Walter D. Cross et al to D. B. Ford, lot 195 Geneva, SI2OO. Special Judge C. J. Lutz, of Decatur, was In the city on Tuesday aftenioon . lute and rendered his decision in tho Denney Reber suit to set aside a deed I of conveyance, holding in favor of the I defendant. A motion for a new trial .' was overruled and an appeal of the • case to the appellate court was grant* i ed, ninety days being allowed in which - to perfect the appeal.—Portland Sun. i ■— l —« 1 Tiie demand for hunters and fishers’ - licenses iias been unusually great the r past few days at the county clerk’s •[office. Since June 26. the following . have secured them W. H. Baker. F. i C. Chronister, Christ Hoknecht, C. L. ■ Walters, Doc Lhamon, Bob Melbers, Os* | (Coutluucd on fugo Four)