Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 13, Number 281, Decatur, Adams County, 23 November 1915 — Page 1

Volume XIII. Number 281.

TO DECIDE NEXT TDESDAY w “ _?««>

JtJDGE HARTFORD TAKES WEEK TO CONSIDER TRACTION PROBLEMHIGHEST BID IS $64,000 BY C. H. WORDEN OF FT. WAYNE

MANY WERE HERE Joseph Bros. Join Kalver & I Co. and Push Bids Up Several Thousand. JEROME HERF ON And Asks Few Days to Se- * cure Engineers’ Report Represents Syndicate. This seems to be the season for “bone picking” and the turkey gobbler has no exclusive right. The poor old traction line was offered again this morning and from far and near came men who had figured out how they could make a few dollars or a great many dollars and wanted to buy the road at as low a figure as possible, so ridiculously low in fact that the court frankly stated that he did not know what he ought to do and finally decided to take until next Tuesday morning. November 30, to make up his mind. It seems impossible that a railroad which cost our good people nearly three quarters of a million dollars should now be sacrificed at a “Junk” price. * According to the order the receiver and hist attorneys ware at the traction offices this morning and they had many callers. Forty men, including attorneys, capitalists and interested parties were on hand when the receiver announced that I. A. Kalver and his partners had offered $51,647.65 for the road, and asked if there were any further bids, Charles H. Worden, representing the First National bank of Ft. Wayne, the Old Adams County bank of this city, and Henry Paul, a Fort Wayne financier, bid $60,000. Joseph. Joseph & Bros., junk dealers of Cincinnati and Chicago, bid $60,600, and for an hour or so the bidding continued between the two latter parties until 1'0:30, when the Josephs offered $63,500 and were promptly raised SSOO by Mr. Worden. The Josephs announced that they were done and the receiver prepared to make his report to the court. Kalver & Company stat- ■ ed that they had formed a partnership with the Josephs and that they were interested in the bids offered by their representative. Immediately afterward the crowd went to the court room, where Judge Richard H. Hartford was waiting for them. Mr. Lutz, attorney for the receiver, read the offer of Mr. Worden and the court then read his order made November 15 and asked it any one present had anything to say as to why the offer of $64,000 should not be accepted. Jerome Hers, a well known former citizen of Peru, and now of Indianapolis, representing a syndicate of capitalists who have just become interested in the proposition, immediately announced that he would like to have until the latter part of this week that his engineer might make an estimate of the road. Short talks were then made by various attorneys. Eben Lesh of Huntington, representing Mr. Dolph, explained that Mr. Dolph s ability to qualify ar, a bidder depended on a big deal, including arrangements with the Northern Ohio Traction company, and operating contracts with the Clover Leaf and Erie railroads. He explained that the deal had been practically completed with the Clover Leaf and the Northern Ohio, and is pending with the Erie and that they believed it would culminate. He renewed the offer of Mr. Dolph to pay SIOO,OOO for the road if given thirty days longer. Judge Olds favored an extension of time. Judge Vesey and Senator Bar rett. representing creditors, banks ' etc., insisted the bld ought to be ac cepted at once. Attorney Hugh Kee gan of Fort Wayne favored closing the deal at once. Mr. Jessup, a Rich mond attorney, representing the Dick

DECATUR- DAILY DEMOCRAT

erson Trust company, made a splendid talk, asking that further time be taken since the price for junk was within a few hundred dollars of the price offered. Mr. Lucas of Huntington, also representing Dolph, asked for thirty days’ extension of time and pointed out that if the Dolph deal can be made it means much for this community. Attorney Leonard favored ac(Continued on Page 3.) AT ~JSRIICE The Anti-Saloon League and J. Frank Hanly Do Not Agree on THE BEST METHODS To be Followed in Making Indiana Dry—No Special Party Planned. (United Press Service) Indianapolis, Ind., Nov. 23 —(Special to Daily Democrat)—Friends of the Anti-Saloon League pointed out today that although the league shows resentment toward former Governor J. Frank Hanly following what'they described as his attempt to atampede the temperance convention here, there had not for some time been any cooperation between Hanly and the league in their work for prohibition. The Anti-Saloon League did not welcome the announcement that Hanly would publish the National Enquirer. The league also publishes a temperance paper. The league never has looked favorably upon the work of the Flying Squadron, which it termed a "personal” enterprise of Mr. Hanly. There was much speculation here today whether the open break be tween Hanly and the league, following the defeat of Hanly’s efforts to swing the state temperance convention for a new political party, would hurt the cause of prohibition in Indiana. Mr. Hanly argued that a political party must be back of the prohibition movement, that both the democratic and republican organizations and pros peetive candidates and opponents are not favorable to the drys and that if it proved that, they were not, then the drys must have a new party to fight for statewide prohibition. At the conclusion of his address he asked all who endorsed his idea to stand. “Carried away by Hanly’s enthu siasm and eloquence most of the crowd stood,” said an official of the league. “However, the convention later put itself definitely on record as against Hanly’s new party idea.” This official said: "Without a doubt ■ Hanly has been working for years with I the object in view of starting a new party in Indiana with himself as its organized leader to carry the prohibition movement.” This official explained that Hanly was invited to address the convention “merely out of courtesy.” He said Hanly took an "unfair advantage, both of the league and the audience.” THE MEETING IS TONIGHT. The regular meeting of the Decatur Merchants’ association will be hold at eight o’clock this evening at the library. All persons interested in the new proposed Cleveland to St. Louis highway should attend as at this time will be considered the invitation to attend a boosters’ meeting to be held a( Marion on December 1. CEMENT WORK BULLETINS. Portland cement bulletins, contain- • ing information of much general inter , est, have been received at the library. ■ These deal with concrete highways • and pavements, surface finish, ehirai neys, poles, silos, stucco, ranks, fence - posts, concrete in the country and - testing cement.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday Evening, November 23,1915.

Ft. Wayne Printing Co. and Madison Democrat Get in on State Job. FILED LOWEST BIDS Contract to be Awarded as Soon as Board Can Tabulate and Rccheck. (By Willis S. Thompson) Indianapolis, Ind., Nov. 23—(Special to Daily Democrat) —The Fort Wayne Printing company is the lowest bidder for a large part of the state printing contract, for which bids were opened Monday morning. The Fort Wayne bid was submitted by John Wilding and A. J. Moynihan, representing the company. That part of the contract includes all pamphlets and bound books, which embraces the court and legislative reports. The Madison Democrat was low on that class of printing which includes all printed stationery, such as envelopes, letter heads, file cards, personal cards and the like. On the balance of the work, including blank books, ruled work, embossing, lithographing, election ballots, miscellaneous supplies, legislative work excepting the printing of hound statutes, the Burford company was lowest. The contracts will be awarded as soon as the board can tabulate and recheck the bids.

ESTATE_ GIVEN By Washington S. Wolfe to His Wife and'thc Two dhiM ren AND THEIR HEIRS Probated Today—Wife Receives a Life Estate in the Same. The will of Washington Simon Wolfe was probated today. The same was executed March 21, 1894, and was witnessed by Mary Addie Ogden and James F. Mann. He provides first for the payment of debts. To the wife. Sarah Wolfe, he gives a life estate in all the property, real and personal. At her death, the daughter. Eliza Huffman, is to receive in fee simple eighty acres of the land in French township, being the west half of the section. The son, Joseph Wolfe, and his children that may be alive are to receive the east eighty in fee simple. Provision is made that the personal property may be disposed of as the wife sees fit and to her profit. The remainder, if any, at her death, is to be divided equally between the son and daughter named before. A codicil was written July 27, 1898, and witnessed by A. L. DeVilbiss and J. F. Mann, (hanging one item in which the eighty was left to the daughter, making the new provision that it is to be left to her and her children. He asks that the wife, Sarah Wolfe, serve as executrix, without bond. LAND DAMAGE CASE ON TRIAL. Portland. Ind., Nov. 23—The damage suit of Jeff Moser against Daniel 11. Ford went on trial in circuit court yesterday beforp a jury. The plaintiff is asking- SI,OOO judgment for damages to peat land alleged to have been burned over by fire said to have been carelessly started by the defendant on his adjoining land, while burning brush. POSTOFFICE PATRONS. The postoffice will be closed Thanksgiving day, Thursday, November 25. except from 8 to 9, when the general delivery window will be open to callers, and especially for patrons of the rural routes, as there will be no delivery by rural mail carriers. The city carriers will make one complete trip, leaving the office at 7:30 in the morning.

WARNE SAYS “NOT GUILTY." Charles Warne, or Perry Hull, or B. 11. Gifford, as he has been variously known at different times in his delirious career, pleade<l “not guilty" to the charge of issuing a fraudulent check, in the circuit cotyt this afternoon. Warne also demanded a trial by jury and his trial was for December 17. Warne was represented at the preliminary hearing today by Etnrick & Emrick, his attorneys. He had nothing to say during the time he was in court beyond declaring that he was not guilty of the charge. Neither Beulah Youse-Warne-Warren-Hull nor her mother were in cohrt to see the man of dream millions.-r-Fort Wayne News. SAM HANNA ON TRIAL. The trial of Samuel I). Hanna, formerly at the head of the Hanna-Breck-enridge company, of Fort Wayne, on a charge of forgery, was commenced in the Wells circuit court today, on a change of venue from Allen county. maFleetings County Agent A. J. Hutchins is Having Long List of Meetings FOR THE FARMERS To Berne Tonight to Make Arrangements for Poultry Show in January. Friday night will be a big night in Monroe. On that evening the second meeting under the direction of the county agent, A. J. Hutchins, will be held in the assembly room of the school house and at that time Clyde Hendricks and C. G. Pepe will speak on some phase of the soil question. Next week, on Wednesday evening, a meeting will be held near Magley. in the school of w®eh William C. Adler is teacher. "Unity Agent Hutch ins will have charge of this meeting, also, although Mr. Adler will have the arrangements in hand. On Thursday evening of next week a meeting will be held in district school number five of Blue Creek township, over which G. C. Lehman presides as teacher. This school is south of Steele, just a mile, and farmers in that vicinity are planning to attend. Tonight Mr. Hutchins will go to Berne where he meets a committee of the Berne Business Men's association, and also a committee having in charge the county poultry show, which is being planned for the first week in January.

REPORT IS MADE Grand Jury Returns Nine Indictments —In Session Eight Days. WERE 88 WITNESSES Commend Care Taken of Inmates of County .Jail and County Infirmary. The grand jury was discharged at 2 o’clock today, having finished its work. They were in session eight days, examining eighty-eight witnesses and returned nine indictments. Os this number five were reported in a partial report Saturday. They reported that they examined the county jail and found it in all respects clean and wholesome and sanitary under the management of Sheriff Ed Green and wife, who are doing all that is consistent for the welfare and comfort of the prisoners there. They recommend that two padded cells be arranged for. They also visited the’county infirmary and found it well kept, and in excellent condition, and the inmates receiving the best of care under the direction of Superintendent Martin Laughlin and wife. They commend the action of the commissioners in the selection of the superintendent. They recommend a new heating plant. The report was made through Michael Miller, foreman. o— LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED. The public library will be closed all day Thangsgiving.

JOE MASON WEDS Former Decatur Boy Married at Kansas City to Miss Mildred Rogers. WELL KNOWN HERE Is Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Mason—Bride a California Girl. A Jonesboro (Ark.) paper tells of the wedding of Joe Mason, a former Decatur boy: "Joseph Mason of this city and Miss Mildred Rogers of California were married Tuesday evening in Kansas City at the home of Rev. Father Keenan. This wedding announcement will be no surprise to the many friends of the contracting parties, who are very popular with a large circle of friends in this city. The bride is the sister of Mrs. James E. Parr of this city and has spent much of her time with her since the removal of her parents from Jonesboro to California several years ago. She is not only a beautiful girl, but possesses many beautiful traits of character, which have endeared her to many friends. She is active in church work, being a leading member of St. Mark’s Episcopal church. Mr. Mason is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Mason of this city. He is connected with the Jonesboro Trust company, as bookkeeper. They are expected to arrive in this city the first of next week and will be at home to their friends with Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Mason on Main street."

JITNEY SMASHUP I). W. Laisure of Monroe Crashes Into Jitney Mile South of Town AT SIX LAST NIGHT Mrs. Laisure Painfully Cut and Bruised —Machine Badly Damaged. i A disastrous collision, with painful results for Mrs. D. W. Laisure, occurred last evening at six o’clock one mile south of Decatur as the KalverNoble jitney bus was going over the hill near the Johnson farm, and D. W. Laisure, town marshal of Monroe, was coming north into the city. Witnesses of the affair, eight of whom were in the jitney, say Laisure was running fast when he passed the Trout farm and started down the hill. After that they could not see him and did not until the collision occurred. Laisure is said to have turned out for a mail box and crashed into the jitney, which had slowed down to a few miles per hour. Laisure’s windshield was broken as his wife lunged forward and through it. His steering gear was demolished and fenders were bent. The jitney stood the brunt much better. Aside from a bent fender and other minor superficial injuries it was not harmed. Earl B. Adams, one of the passengers on the jitney has a wrenched shoulder, and a traveling man complained of a sore head. Measurements taken on the ground showed that Laisure had nine feet in which to pass the jitney. Murray Scherer on his way to Monroe, assisted several of the passengers on their way, taking a load to Monroe. STIVERSONS ARE REBUILDING. Mrs. W. O. Bigham received word from her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Stiverson, formerly of east of this city, late of Rockford, Ohio, where their home burned recently, that they are rebuilding and are getting along nicely with the work. They expect to have the house ready for occupancy by Christmas. The house was brick and is being rebuilt in brick. They are well known here. BARBER SHOPS CLOSE. In order to accommodate the pub 11c all barber shops will remain open until 10 o’clock Wednesday evening. They will be closed all day Thanksgiving day.

| MISS COOK ESCAPED INJURY. I Bluffton Girl Was on Stand Which Collapsed. Miss Irene Cook, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. L. H. Cook of this city, way one of the students on the temporary stand which collapsed Saturday at Madison, Wis„ during the WisconsinMinnesota foot ball game. Miss Cook was seated near the end of the stand j and escaped unhurt, although many were slightly injured und a few seriously hurt. Miss Cook telephoned to her parents Saturday evening, informing them that she was Uninjured. — Bluffton News. Miss Cook is well known here. ■ o —— TO HAVE BOX SOCIAL. • The Dent school, one and a half miles . east of the city, taught by Miss Bessie Wilder, will give a box social Friday evening. November 26. At fifteen minutes till seven, a large hay rack will leave this city at the corner of . Second and Monroe streets, for the school, and all wishing to go may ride that way, no charge being made. The public is cordially invited to come and girls are requested to bring boxes. GET M BUILDING Under New Rule of Postmaster General Burleson Decatur Will Fail TO GET POSTOFFICE Deficiency in Population is Given as the Cause of the Order. Washington, D. C„ Nov. 23 —Postmaster General Burleson has laid down a rule in regard to the construction of postoffice buildings which may prove an insurmountable barrier to the construction of a number of public buildings in Indiana cities ai d towns for which authorizations we e made, either for site or building, in the last omnibus building act,approved March 4, 1913.

Plans for the purchase of sites in several Indiana cities have been held up because of this ruling of the postmaster general, who says that it is bad business to construct buildings in towns where rents are low and where the receipts of the postoftice and the population to be served fail 1 below a certain stipulated standard, j When the time arrives in regular order to take up plans for public buildings the treasury department calls on the postmaster general to give an expression as to the needs of the postal service in the particular town for which the building has been authorized. If the town is not entitled to a public building under the rule which the postmaster general has laid down he replies as follows to the communication sent to him by the treasury department: “In this connection 1 desire to invite your attention to this department's view that governmentowned quarters should not be provided for postofflee purposes exclusively unless the rental paid by the government offices is as much as SI,OOO per year, and then only when either the gross postoffice receipts amount to as much as $15,000 a year or the population as much as 5,000.” Under the postmaster general’s rule it would be impossible to carry out the building plans for the following Indiana towns: Bluffton, deficiency of population, according to the last census; Clinton, deficiency of postoffice receipts; Decatur, deficiency of population; Kendallville, deficiency of population; North Vernon, deficiency of both population and receipts; Rochester, deficiency of both population ami receipts; Salem, deficiency of both population and receipts; Warsaw, deficiency of population. AU of these towns either for site or for site and building were carried in tho last omnibus building act. It is probable that these and other pending propositions also are disqualified under the postmaster general's requirements. JOURNAL MEN HERE. Tom Johnson and Leonard Brandt, reporter and staff photographer of the Journal-GazetW-. were in the city <his morning covering the sale of the Fort Wayne & Springfield railway. They will also work up a few special features of Decatur and vicinity. They returned to Fort Wayne on the 11:30 o’clock car.

Price, Two Cents.

GREECEJJAVE UP Greece Believed to Have Yielded to Allies Threats and Coercion. BULGARS GET WHIPPED Ten Thousand Killed and Wounded in Assault on Monastir Saturday. London, Nov. 23 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —Ten thousand Bulgars have been killed and wounded in fighting for Monastir. The Bulgarian froces attacked the town Saturday, Salonika advices say. It was learned here today for the first time that tho assault was repulsed. The earlier reports were to the effect that the town had fallen. London. Nov. 23 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —Greece was believed today to have yielded sufficiently to the allies’ demands to have obviated tho necesity for forcible measures of coercion. The conclusion was based in an official foreign denial that tho Greek ships are being seized or detained by the British or that a blockade of ports has been established. If the Athens government had not at least promised to refrain from interfering with the allies’ Balkan campaign it is assumed both the stepd would be taken. Zurich, Switzerland. Nov. 23—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Italy has decided to send a military expedition to the Balkans to aid the allies, the Romo correspondent of the Nue Zuriycher says this afternoon. The allies’ firmness with Greece, he says, turned tho scale. Berlin, via Saville, Nov. 23 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —Capture by the Austrian, German and Bulgarians of 9,500 more Serbians was announced by the war office today. o — WINONA REORGANIZES. (United Press Service) Wasaw, Ind., Nov. 23—(Special to Daily Democrat) —The reorganization of Winona assembly was completed today with the election of W. J. Bryan as president. Other officers of the big assembly elected today are: Vice president, W. P Carmichael, St. Louis; general secretary, S. C. Dickey, Winona Lake; recording secretary and treasurer, Lloyd Calycombe, Indianapolis, and chairman of the board of directors, E. O. Excell of Chicago. The management of the association was placed in the hands of an executive committee of seven, headed by Professor Excell. Articles of incorporation were filed today with the capital stock of two hundred thousand dollars. The names of twenty-two prominent men appear as incorporators. REV. ROGERS RESIGNED. Rev. F. G. Rogers, for a year pastor of the Baptist church, tendered his resignation Sunday, the same to be effective the first of the year, or at such time as some one can be secured to succeed him. Rev. Rogers and family left this morning for St. Joe, Mo., where they were called by a telegram last night that Mrs. Rogers’ grandfather was at the point of death. They will return later, and continue tho work until his resignation is accepted. — o VISITED COUNTY FARM. Members of the grand jury hava asked us to state that they thoroughly enjoyed their visit to the county farm yesterday. They were nicely entertained at dinner by the superintendent, Martin Laughlin, and his good wife and they found everything in excellet codition, the inmates well cared for and everything spick and span. They were delighted with the visit and with the conditions as they found them. BISHOP IS ILL. (United Press. Service) Cincinnati. Ohio. Nov. 23—(Special to Daily Democrat)— Bishop David Moore. 77. of the Methodist Episcopal church, was found unconscious in hid berth on a Big Four train which arrived in Cincinnati today from Chicago. It is believed he was stricken with paralysis during the night. His homo is in Indianapolis. At Christ’s hospital his condition was believed critical. o Mrs. J. R. Grabill left today for her home in Grabill after a visit here.