Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 13, Number 294, Decatur, Adams County, 8 December 1915 — Page 1

Volume XIII. Number 294.

Report Current That American Steamer Communipaw is Torpedoed BY UNKNOWN SUB Crew of Thirty-nine and Five Officers Said to Have Perished. New York, Dec. B,—(Special to the Daily Democrat)—The Standard Oil' steamer Communipaw reported in Rome dispatches to have been sunk' by a submarine arrived in Alexandria on Sunday according to a cable received here by the New York office today. The cable was signed by the Standard Oil agent at Alexandria. It stated merely that the steamer had arrived and gave no intimation that she had been attacked by a submarine. Officials of the line admit the vessel may have left port the following day and may then have been attacked and sunk. London, Dec. 8, —(Special to Daily Democrat) —A news agency dispatch this afternoon reported that the American steamer Communipaw reported submarined arrived safely at Alexandria on Monday. The news was stated as “official”. Paris, Dec. 8, —(Special to Daily Democrat) —That England, against the wishes of her allies, favors the withdrawal of the expeditionary forces from the Balkans was strongly hinted following the third session of the allies war council today. A high French official made this statement: "If England persists alone in favor of leaving Salonika then the remainder of the allies will come to the aid of the Serbs. Sir John French, a British commander in chief, is understood to have brought the suggestion that the Balkan campaign be abandoned. London, Dec. B,—(Special to Daily Democrat) —A Rome dispatch today said that the American steamer Communipaw was submarined ’’ with all hands" off Tabruk. This message was interpreted to mean that the crew of the steamer was lost. Dispatches from Genoa where the Communipaw put in recently said she carried a crew of thirty-nine men and five American officers. She was coinmaned by captain Nordstrom and was bound for Alexandria. The nationality of the attacking submarine is unknown. Washington, Dec. 8, —(Special to the Daily Democrat)—The state department today received a cablegram from Amabssador Page at Rome saying a vessel believed to be the Communipaw has been torpedoed and sunk. London. Dec. 9— (Special to Daily Democrat)— Sharp contradictions in reports concerning the fate of the American steamer Communipaw made it uncertain this afternoon whether the oil tanker was attacked by a submarine. Though admitted to be possible it was not considered probable her ethat the ship had departed from Alexandria almost immediately and had then been attacked. It was believed to be more probable either that she was chased by a submarine while enroute to Alexandria or that another vessel whose identity is unknown was the victim. New York, N. yYdcc. 9—(Special to Daily Democrat ) —Captains Boy-ed and Von Papen. German embassy attaches, will leave New York next Tuesday in response to the demand for their recall, according to a report reaching the federal building here this afternoon. Berlin, via wireless, Dec. B—(Special to Daily Democrat)— King Nicholas of Montenegro has suggested to the entente ambassadors that Monte negrb be allowed to conclude a sep arate peace because she is exhausted, according to reports published here today. CHIROPRACTORS HERE. N. C. Ross, D. C, of the Ross Col lege of Chiropractors, Fort Wayne and R. H. Hewitt, C. J. Eable and F H. Siplas, also of Fort Wayne, wer< in the city today attending the Bur gener trial and visiting with B. C Henricks. the Decatur chiropractor.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

M. BURNS IS VERY ILL. Word has been received that M. Burns, until a few years ago a resident and business man of this city, is very seriously ill at his homo in Los Angeles, where he removed after retiring from business here. He has been ill since the fifth of last month and the last word received says he is ; quite weak. Hiss illness started with the grip, but has developed into more serious sypmtoms. His many friends here are hoping for news of his improvement. EVANGELICAL CHURCH. This evening at 7:00 is the time for the mid-week service at the Evani gelical church. At 7:45 the teachers i and officers of tfie SundayTchool will , have a short session, after which the choir will rehearse Christmas songs. Let there be a good attendance. J. H. RILLING AND MUSIC COM. MANfMEWROADS Were Completed in Adams County During Year and Seven Went Over. UNTIL NEXT YEAR ________ List of Completed Roads, Showing Location and Name of Contractor. Jim A. Hendricks, county road superintendent has prepared a report which shows that he has had more to do during the past year than many people who have not paid more than passing attention to his duties might think. He has watched carefully over the repair of the 500 miles of improved roads in the county-, lias seen that the other reads have been kept up as mucli as possible, has looked after the repair of a large number of bridges | and the building of several new ones and has had all sorts and descriptions of duties in his office. List Os Roads Built. Some idea of a part of his duties is shown by the statement that during the year twenty two roads were completed including: Mt. Tabor—St. Marys township.' Merryman & Fugate, contractors. Decatur & Monroe —No. 6, Washington, L. W. Frank & Son. Teeters road— Washington, Striker Bros. Hessler road—Washington, Eli Engle. Patton road—Washington, W. M. Martin. Jackson road—Washington, W. B. Martin. Loshe roa^— Washington, Eli Engle. Schrank road—Washington, Michael Miller, L. W. Frank. Sellemeyer road—Washington, Michael Miller. Harlow road,—Wabash, Meshberger, contractor. Brunner road —Monroe township, Striker Bros. David Depp road—Monroe C. Musser. Yaney road, —Kirkland Meshberger, contractor. Yoder road—Hartford. Meshberger. Tinkham road—Blue Creek, Gerber. Krueckenberger road —Union, W. B. Martin. Hoile road —Root and Allen county, L. O. Bears. Bowefs road —Kirkland, Eli Engle. Meyer & Rich —French, A. BelberI stine. Aaron Bricker road—Wabash, Striker Bros. I Harrison street. Monroe, Meshberger. s Fuhrman road —Root, C. Musser. Roads Which Went Over. Besides the roads constructed the following were sold but not built be- , cause of lack of funds and which will , be built the coming year: Henry Scheuman road —Preble townI ship, Julius Haugk. e John Bollenbaucher road—Jefferson, Smith & Mathias. J. J. Hirchy road —Monroe Meshberger. I B. Miller road —Hartford and Wae bash, L. O. Bears. p I. G. Kerr, Monroe, Finley Striker. - e James Foreman road—Blue Creek, r . W. V. Buckmaster. 0. Frank Hisey road—Jefferson, Blue Creek, W. V- Buckmaster.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday Evening, December 8, 1915.

FIRST MEETING Held in New Masonic Quarters by Chapter Last Night—New Officers. HAVE BEEN CHOSEN To Serve During Ensuing Year—. Judge Smith Again Chosen High Priest. The first meeting held in the beautiful and commodious new quarters of the Masons was that of last evening when the Chapter of Royal Arch met in regular stated meeting. The business of a routine nature was disposed of. followed by the election of officers as follows: De. E. Smith, high priest; L. C. Helm, king; J. D. Hale, scribe; H. B. Heller captain of hosts; P. L. Andrews, principal sojourner; W. P. Schrock, Royal Arch captain; Roy Archbold, secretary; L. L. Baumgartner. treasurer; E. B. Adams, C. E. Peterson and J. Q. Neptune, grand masters of the veil; B. Kalver, guard. The installation date will be decided upon at the next stated meeting. The lodge room was only partially furnished but was beautiful and the members present thoroughly enjoyed the new quarters. The Blue lodge will hold their meeting next Tuesday night at which time plans for opening the new home will be completed. o— ARE COMPLETED East Rugg and South First Streets Reported Completed by Engineer. ACCEPTED BY COUNCIL Sewers Will Not be Built— Will Look Into Matter of Taking Insurance. Street and sewer matters occupied most of the time of the city councilmen, who met in regular session last evening. The first thing on the docket was the filing and spreading on record of proofs of publication giving notice to property owners to present or appear with their objections in the proposed rebuilding of the Vail and Gaffer sewers. The street and sewer committee, to which the petitions were referred, reported favorably on the matter, but as the sewers had been cleaned out and repaired in the meantime, and were giving satisfactory results, the council did not order the sewers rebuilt. The petition of property owners for a ten-inch tile sewer in the northwest part of the city was referred to the street and sewer committee. Attorney C. J. Lutz,' representing the city school board, presented the council with a petition asking for their sanction in the matter of issuing the SIO,OOO school bonds. The petition was accepted and spread on record. City Engineer Orval Harruff made his report on the completion of the East Rugg and South First street improvements. The resolutions adopting the report and ordering the engineer to file his preliminary assessment roll were passed. The assessthent roll was filed at once, so the council authorized the clerk to give notice to property owners to appear or present their objections before the body on the 21st day of December. The street and sewer commitee was authorized to enter into a contract with the contractors for the maintenance of the two streets. The matter of taking out employers’ liability insurance was reported fa--1 vorably on by the street and sewer committee. Owing to the high cost ‘ of keeping up the insurance the council deemed it advisable to look into ’ the matter first. Some thought it would be cheaper in the long run for the ‘ city to carry its own risk and insur ance. Martin Mylott was-instructed to look after the matter of taking out insur ance on the electric light building ;, used for the storing of the meter thai connects the Monroe and Decatui e electric light line. > The finance committee allowed th<

| following bills and the meeting ad- ■ Ijourned " I Imperial Coal Sales Co $37.48 Protective Elec. Supply Co, .. 47.15 L, W. Franks & bon 75 • Decatur Volunteer Firemen ... 12.00 Enameled Steel Sign Co 115.00 Associated Mfg. Co 1,25 W. G. Nagel Elec. Co 199.50 Litz-Smith Fuel Co 111.06 Chicago & Erie 366.87 t Lorain Coal & Dock Co 153.40 Krick-Tyndall Co 78.00 Schaub-Dowling Co 4.36 r Isaac Chronister 32.50 ’ John Barnett 3.40 Adams Express Co 25 Street Commissioner’s pay roll 101.40 A. C. Foos pay roll 192.00 C. C. Clemens 8.76 Roy Elzey 29.25 l " Natl. Refiining Co 30.00 f Citizens’ Telephone Co 6.00 5 Do 5.70 t J. D. McFarland 4.00 - Frank Bogner 32.50 1 James Ross 2.00 (Continued on Paste 4.) ■ - o HAS WITHDRAWN Judge Smith Will Not Per- ( mit Name to be Presented at the Primary. i , > IS NOT A CANDIDATE ' - i For Congress—Quotes Section of Law Which Makes Qualification Doubtful. I The Press, Friends and Voters of Adams County and the Eighth Congressional district: Last week the Decatur Daily Democrat made an announcement of my probable candidacy for Congress as a representative from the Eighth District. The Constitution of the State of Ind iana provides: Sec. 16, article 7, in--1 eligibility of Judges.” No person elected to any judicial office shall, during the term for which he shall have been elected be eligible to any office of trust or profit under the State, other than a judicial office." With this constitutional provision and the questions that might subsequently arise in the House of Repre- ' sentatives by reason thereof, in the event of my election, I cannot therefore consent to be a candidate. I certainly appreciate the cordial- , i ity with which the announcement in , the Democrat concerning my candidacy was received by the Press, my friends qf Adams County and through out the Eighth District and I take this 1 opportunity of thanking them and to ’ make this statement that some ellgl- ’ ble candidate may make announce- ' ment of his candidacy. Respectfully, , DAVID E. SMITH. o MONEY FOB SANK ' Old Adams County Bank Will Send Out $26,515.64 to Members of Club. 1 A THOUSAND MEMBERS J j I New Christmas Club Will ' Open December 20—Will i s Pay Four Per cent, i Say, won't that pretty little Santa t Claus check which you will receive Saturday from the Old Adams County s bank, come in handy in buying your t Christmas presents this year? i_ Friday night, the officers of the Old Adams County bank in this city will mail one thousand letters, each cont. taining a neat little Santa Claus r check, the amount written thereon rept resenting your savings for the year p 1915. The total amount to be distrib--0 uted by the bank this year will be d $26,515.54, which is over $4,000 more e than last. Interest at the rate of 3 r . per cent will be added to the checks that have been kept up and paid in full i; The amount of Interest to be paid r . the members of the Christmas Savg ings club will be over S7OO. The lt checks this year are very neat with lr Santa Claus in all his glory perched in one corner, seated in a flying male ’ (Continued on Page 4.)

ABOUT JFINISHED Work on the Washington Township Ditch Jobs is About Completed. THE BIG JOBS DONE By the First of the Year— Farmers Have Some to Clean Out. Completion of most of the ditch contracts in the is about accomplished. The Ayres ditch, which has been in the hands of the contractor for the past four months is completed and accepted and the ditch has been turned back to the township. The W. D. Strait ditch, of which Hoffman and Kochen have the contract is about finished. The contractors have a few stations to finish yet, and then the farmers who have a portion of the work to do can go ahead with their work, and the completion of this ditch will easily be accomplished by the first of the year. Friday Township Trustee Ed L. Augenbaugh will Inspect a large portion of the work that is completed on the Holthouse ditch and will accept it if it agrees with the specifications. Sam- 1 uel Butler is the contractor on this ditch. The Washington township part of this ditch is almost finished. c CHRISTMAS NIGHT 1 Selected as the Time for Having Municipal Tree Program. COMMITTEES CHOSEN Mrs. Jessie Deam Gives a Forty Foot Christmas Tree for Purpose. , Accepting the offer of Mrs. Jessie : Deam, Third and Adams streets, of a forty foot Christmas tree, the general committee having in charge the muni- 1 1 cipal Christmas tree plans continued. I on in the business and determined to 1 have the main program on Christmas 1 night commencing at five o’clock. | 1 Candy will be purchased with which | to reward the children, the services 1 of the citly band will be solicited and the program committee will arrange a 1 short but excellent program for the evening. Two other evenings will be ' devoted to exercises at the tree in the ’ week following Christmas. The sub-committees appointed by the chair last night were: Arrangements-C. N. Christen, chairman, Charles S. Niblick, John H. Hel- ' ler, Mrs. F. H. Hubbard and Mrs. Dan Beery. Finance committee —Herman Yager, chairman, E. Burt Lenhart, Matthias Kirsch, S. B. Fordyce, Roy Munnna and John Logan. Program music committee —Prof. C. E. Spaulding, chairman, Jesse Selle- 1 meyer, Florence Meyers, Chas. Hocker, Mrs. John H. Heller and Mrs. C. E. ' Bell. % Soliciting committee—Mrs. C. 11. Davison, chairman, Mrs. L. A. Holthouse, Miss Inez Coverdale, Dr. Elizabeth Burns, Ed Macy, H. H. Knodle, Mrs. James Bain. Purchasing committee —C. J. Lutz, chairman, J. L. Stultz, William Meyers Dr. C. H. Costello, and G. T. Burk. Decorating committee —Mrs. E. B. Adams chairman, I) M. Hensley, Mrs. John Peterson, Jesse Winnes, Mrs. Dick Christen and Mrs. Jesse Burdge. The general committee will meet again next Monday night to hear reports. Mrs. James Bain was selected to represent the Pocahontas, MJss Gusta Cramer the telephone girls and Mrs. D. D. Heller the Charity board. o A PENNY SOCIAL. The Ben Hurs wil hold a penny social and parcels post sale at their hall Thursday evening. December 9, commencing at 7:30 o’clock, to which no admission will be charged. Albert Sellemeyer will furnish music for the occasion with an Edison concert and victrola. I

I BRANCH IS ORGANIZED. A young people's branch of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union was organized Monday in the high school assembly at the close of the afternoon session with Miss Cecil Andrews as president. The object Is to unite the young people of this community in the promotion of total abstinance, purity and prohibition. Any high school student wishing to become a member of this organization may do so by giving his or her name to the president and attending the meeting next Monday evening, December 13, at 7:30 o’clock at the home of Mrs. C. F. Kenna, who has the work in charge, with Mrs. Arthur Ford as her assistant. FIRE INSURANCE AGENTS All fire insurance agents in the city of Decatur are asked to attend a meeting to be held at eight o'clock this evening at the offices of the Decatur Underwriter’s agency over the Peoples Loan & Trust Company. MR BUTLER DEAD Thad Butler, Former Decatur Editor, Died Yesterday Afternoon AT HUNTINGTON, IND. Gradual Decline of Several Months—Funeral Thursday Afternoon. Thad Butler, 69, a veteran Indiana newspaper editor, for three years editor of the Decatur Herald, leaving here a year ago last November, died yesterday afternoon at 3:45 o’clock at the home of his son, Charles A. Butler, 31 Randolph street, Hnutington. The end came quietly after weeks of general decline, more than a year ago having became afflicted with hardening of the arteries. Last month a slight improvement in his general condition was apparent, but this was followed by a relapse several days ago. and it was realized that the end was near. Members of his family were summonej to the bedside early Tuesday morning. The funeral will be held Thursday afternoon at Wabash. Short services will also be held at Huntington. Born in Lagrange, November 19, 1846, Mr. Butler was proud of the fact that he was a native Hoosier. His father was the first resident physician of Lagrange and his mother the first teacher in the public schools of that place. There were two sons, Thad and Mark. The last named died several years ago in Huntington. When thirteen years of age, he took employment in the print shop of the LaGrange Standard, learning the trade thoroughly, and later serving as journeyman printer, holding cases in Fort Wayne, Wabash, Lafayette and Cleveland, Ohio. In 1863 he became associated wi.h C. O. Myers who established the K*?ndallville Standard. His first business venture for himself was when he formed a partnership with A. P. Ferry in the early seventies, on the Wabash Plain Dealer. In 1882, he moved to Andrews and established the Andrews Express.. In 1884 he went to Huntington, consolidating the Express with the Lime City News, of which D. B. Hoover was one of the proprietors. The news-Ex-press and Indiana Herald were later merged, the newly organized company having been named the Herald and News-Express Company. Mr. Butler remained managing editor of the Herald for about twenty-four years. Mr. Butler finally disposed of his stock in the Herald and in the hope of improving the health of himself and wife, removed to Boulder, Colo., where he issued a weekly publication. Longing to go back to Indiana, the Boulder plant was sold and within a few months there appeared in Huntington a new publication known as the Morning Times, edited by Thad Butler and Morton Stults. The paper continued in the field until bought by M. H. Ormsby and merged with the Evening News-Democrat. Mr. Butler and Mr. Stultz later bought the Decatur Herald, which they retained until offer was acepted in 1914 for the sale of the plant. Mr. Butler then retired from active labor in the newspaper field, returning to Huntington and opening up a business for supplyi ing linotype matter for various pub- | (Continue? an rage 4.)

Price, Two Cents.

A BOOK EXHIBIT 1 , At Library This Week is At- > trading Attention—List of Children’s Books. FOR THE PARENTS Suggestive of What to Buy for the Children’s Christmas Presents. The book exhibit for this week at the library Is attracting much favorable attention. This is a list of juvenile i books suggestive for Christmas pres- ■ ents for children, and are intend”d for I the education of the book-buying parents, relative to the choice. The list includes the following: Books for Little Children—Picture Books. Adams. F. —Story of Tom, the Piper's Son. Caldecott —Picture Book No. 4. Crane—Mother Hubbard, Her Picture Book. Greenaway—Marigold Garden, Happy Children (Father Tuck’s Panorama Series). Lucas—Four and Twenty Toilers. Moffat —Our Old Nursery Rhymes. Smith, E. B. —Story of Noah’s Ark. Rhymes. Jingles and Poetry. Browning—Pied Piper of Hamelin. Field—Poems of Childhood. Lang—Nursery Rhyme Book. Mother Goose —Mother Goose arranged and edited by E. C. Grover; illustrated by Frederick Richardson. Mother Goose- Mother Goose: the old nursery rhymes, illustrated by Arthur Rackham. Smith & Hazeltine—Christmas in i Legend and Story. , 1 Stevenson — Child's Garden of i Verses. II Stevensen —Child’s Garden of I Verses. Illustrated hy J. W. Smith. Wiggins—Golden Numbers. Myths, Fables, Fairy Tale and Stories. Aesop—Fables of Aesop. Anderson—Fairy Tales. Anderson —Fairy Tales. Brown—Kisington Town. Carroll, pseud.—Alice Adventures in Wonderland. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham. Carroll, pseud.—Alice Adventures in Wonderland, with forty-two illustrations by John Tennial. Craik —Adventures of a Brownie. Craik —Little Lame Prince. Grim Fair Tales Grimm—Fairy Tales (Windermore I edition). Harris —Nights With Uncle Remus. Hawthorne —Tangle wood Tales. Howells—Christmas Every Day and Other Stories. Inglelow—Mopsa the Fairy. Jacobs —English Fairy Tales. Kipling—Jungle Book. Kipling—Just So Stories. Lagerlof—Wonderful Adventures of Nile. Lorenzini—Pinnochio. Page—Tommy Trot’s Visit to Santa Claus. Perkins—Dutch Twins. Perkins, comp.—Twenty Best Fairy Tales. Rame —Nurnberg Stove. Scudder—Children's Book. Scudder —Fables and Folk Stories. Sewell —Black Beauty. Willison —Japanese Fairy Taits. Books for Older Children—Adaptation of Classics and Standard Stories. Arabian Nights—Arabian Nights’ Entertainment, edited by Frances J. Olcott. Bible, C. T. - Old-Old Story Book, comp., by Eva March Tappan. Blackmore —Lorna Doone. Bunyan—Pilgrim's Progress. Cervantes —Don Quixote. , Chapin—Wonder Tales from Wag- , ner. Cooper—Last of the Mohicans. Dapton—Tales of Canterbury Pilgrims. Defoe —Robinson Crusoe. Dickens—Christmas Carol. 1 Dickinson—Children’s Book of ’ Christmas Stories. t Lamb—Tales from Shakespeare. 1 MacLeod—Book of King Arthur. Marryat —Children of the New For- ' est. I Pyle—Merry Adventures of Robin • Hood. 3 Scott —Ivanhoe. I Shakespeare —Midsummer Night’s ’ Dream. (Lamb Shakespeare for tha i Young). Biography, History and Travel. i Brooks—True Story of Benjamin Franklin. Daiia—Two Years Before the Mast. (Continued on page 3) a