Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 16, Number 108, Decatur, Adams County, 6 May 1918 — Page 1

W DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT W

Volume XVI. Number 108.

SUPREME COURT HOLOS THE DRAFT LAW GOOD AMSTERDAM MESSAGE SAYS GERMAN PEACE REPRESENTATIVE IS ENROUTE TO LONDON—PEACE RUMORS CONTINUE TO SPREAD. (United Press Service) Washington, I). May 6—(Special to Daily Democrat) — Men raised after the draft can be sent anywhere in the world to light for the United States, the supreme court today decided. The action of the court upholds the selected draft law in every particular. London. May 6—(Special to Daily Democrat)—Foreign Secretary Balfour, replying to a query in the house of commons this afternoon declared that no peace offer has been made to the allies recently, and that no representatives of any neutrals are here, who have made any tentative offer of informal peace negotiations. Balfour denied that overtures have been made by Germany through Holland. Amsterdam. Mav 6—(Special to Daily Democrat)—Foreign Deputy Minister Solyn is reported to have gone to London to represent the following proposals in behalf of Germany: Renunciation of all claims in the west; full restoration of Belgium; autonomy of Alsac-Lorraine within the German confederation; continuation of the present status in the east; certain concessions in Austria in the Trentine and an international conference to decide the Balkan and Colonial question.

IBy Henry Wood. United Press Staff (Correspondent) With the French Armies in the Field. May 6—(Special to Daily Democrat) —The Germans Saturday and Sunday began the systematic destruction of Amiens, the same as they annihilated Rheims. They hurled more than 150 shells and 60 aerial torpedoes into the city, causing heavy property damage, killing some civilians and endangering the cathedral, the palace of justice tind the museum. The latter contains the famous Puvis de Chavnnes murals. Amiens was evacuated by a large proportion of the civilian population some time ago. Recent dispatches declared that Rheims practically had been razed, and stated the famous cathedral there was so badly wrecked that its collapse was imminent. With the American Army in Lorraine, May s—(Special to Daily Democrat) —An American patrol penetrated German lines in the village of Ancerviiler to a depth of 300 yards this morning, overcoming an observation post, taking four boches prisoners and killing three. Elsewhere, everything is quiet. Ancerviiler is three miles and a half northwest of Badonviller and is six miles and a half south of the German border. It is in the so-called Luneville sector. London, April 6—(Special to Daily Democrat) —British troops advanced their lines on a “considerable front" on both sides of the Somme, despite strong enemy resistance, Field Marshal Haig reported today. "Between the Somme and the Ancre, and west and southwest of Morlancourt (midway between Albert and the Somme) we advanced our lines on a considerable front, in spite of strong opposition," the statement said. "We captured 150 prisoners, two machine guns and a trench mortar. | “Our losses at Molrancourt last night were slight. "In local fighting during the night; we improved our positions in the neighborhood of Locon and on the Lawe river (southern portion of the Flanders front). "At Morlancourt, the enemy’s losses were heavy." Washington, May 6—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Sixteen wood and steel ships, aggregating 89.195 tons, were launched by the shipping board, for the week ending May 5, it was announced today. This includes ten steel vessels and six wooden vessels. Washington, May 6 —(Special to Daily Democrat) — "Production of heavy Browning machine guns has been a failure, comparatively only to the break down of the aircraft program,” members of the house military committee declared today. The number of these guns produced has been very small, Representative Kahn, tank >ng repubican declared after the comhilttee spent two hours questioning

General Dixon, now in charge of the work. A military investigation of the failure has already been started Dixon said asking that a congressional investigation be delayed until the results of the present probe are known. Conditions at the plants of the Colt Arms Company are being stringently inspected now, Genera Dixon said. The majority of the contracts for the heavy Browning guns are held by this company. Washington. D. C., May 6—(Special to Daily Democrat) —The white house announced today that President Wilson has ordered an official probe of charges made by Gutson Borglum against the aircraft production heard. (United Press Service) The allies still retain the initiative on the western front, Field Marshal Haig's report showed today. In Picardy, the British advanced their line on a "considerable front" along the Somme and between that river and Albert, six miles to the north. Haig said his troops encountered “strong opposition" there, but inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy, while suffering slight losses I themselves. Only local fighting was reported in • Flanders, and this on the southern i portion of the battle front. Haig said the British improved their positions . in the neighborhood of Locon and on ' the Lawe. Locon is about three miles north of Bethune. The Lawe flows northward, crossing the lines about a mile east of Locon and converging with the Lys near Estaires. A United Press dispatch from the 1 American front in Picardy said the American artillery is smashing the towns of Mont Didier, Cantogny and Mesnil-St. Georges, but is sparing the churches in those places, despite the fact that they are believed to shelter German artillery observers. Cantigny is about three miles and a half west and north of Mont Didier. . Mesnil- | St Georges is a mile and a half west and south of Mont Didier and two I mites south and east of Cantigny. An official report from Constantinople said that German troops, in. occupying Sebastapol, found a portion of the Russian Black sea fleet in I the harbor. The employment of these ships in a sortie against the allied naval forces in the Mediterranean, however, is doubtful. The appointment of Field Marshal French, former commander in chief of the British armies and later commander of the home forces in England, as lord lieutenant of Ireland, has been officially announced. He is recognized as an extreme Ulsterite. ' (By William Philip Simms, United • Press Staff Correspondent) i With the British Armies in France, - May 6—-(Special to Daily Democrat) r —British troops have advanced 1,200 - ,yards on a front of more than a mile i between the Ancre and the Somme < North of the Somme the Austral - ians advanced 700 yards on a 1,500 g yard front, and early today they ad

Decatur, Indiana, Monday Evening, May 6, 1918.

THE MAY SESSION I County Commissioners Me 1 This Morning at the I Auditor’s Office. .FINAL REPORTS FIELD I iln Two Drains by Surveyor—Additional Aid Extended to Poor. The hoard of county commissioners convened in May session at the auditor's office this morning. '1 he linal reports in the matter of the Charles lleicheldeffer and Bowers - drains were filed by Orval Harruff. > superintendent of construction and » approved. - The auditor was authorized to refund to Frank S. Peterson the sunt of $5.64. he being erroneously assessed ■ for taxes. ! The board granted the petition of ■ John Miller for the recommending and , sending of Harrold F. Miller, a youth • of Adams county to the Indiana school ■ for Feeltie Minded Youths at Fort Wayne. Ed L. Augenbaugh, trustee of WashI ington township, was authorized upon his petition to extend additional aid ’ to the families of Frank Boyer. Mrs. George Syphers. Anna Moorehead and Mrs. Harry Straub, he not to exceed fifteen dollars for each family. T’pon the petition of John Eicher, trustee of Monroe township the board authorized the overseer of the poor to extend, not to exceed fifteen dollars, to the Jess Johnson and William Sutliff families. The board will he in session the next couple of days during which time the contract will be let for a motor truck, coal and building of bridges. ded another 500 yards On a 2.000 yard , front. Constantinople. May 6—(Special to Daily Democrat, via London) —German troops, occupying Sebastopol (in the Crimean peninsula) found in the harbor most of the Russian Black sea fleet, including cruisers, destroyers. ! torpedo boats, submarines and merchant ships, it was officially announced today. The sultan Selim and the Hamidieh have arrived. The dispatch would indicate that at least a large portion of the Rus-’ sian Black sea fleet had been captur'ed by the Germans. This fleet is said to have played an important role in the recapture of Odedda by the Russians. and it w«s expected to be the chief aid of the Russians in their' fight to retain control of the Black j sea. Rome. May 6—(Special to Daiiy Democrat) —The Armenians have fran-' tlcally appealed to Pope Benedict. im-| ploring him to save them from the consequences of Turkish re-occupation I of their country, it was reliably learned today. i The pope is deeply moved and in-] tends to make every effort to induce the Germans to prevent the Turks from committing further atrocities, it is said. Washington, May 6 —(Special to Daily Democrat)— 'America |s now shipping small armies to France in response to the allied appeal for reserves. During May and June contemplated shipments will more than equal the fighting strength of the combined Belgian and Portuguesse forces on the west front. July and August will show a slight decline in the average as added tonnage is turned to the task of getting across newly needed supplies in increase quanities. ' In the fall and winter the task of ■ bulding of this country's fighting ■ forces abroad will be more methodical Divisions torn apart for the purpose 1 of brigading units with the British and f French will be brought together and ’ organizations left behind will be sent ' to complete a cohesive all Americar ’ army. It is purposed to have a registratioi 2 June 5 for all young men who hav< reached 21 since the last registration d This will create a new reservoir o class one men. now being rapidly dr >, pleted by the heavy drafts of April am ) May. At the present rate July 1 wil 0 find few in class one remaining unlns ■, I the war department has completed It c. l classification of the new thousands I- Hence there may be some slight slow i 0 ing up of draft calls during June an i- July. lUlj

,i++++*++ + + + + + + + FIRST DAY A BIG SUCCESS. + The soliciting teams who startI + cd out Sunday on the first day of ' + the week’s drive for funds for 4- the Knights of Columbus War + Camp Fund met with great sue- + cess, the good citizens of our + little community responding + nobly to the worthy cause. A ) + number of the teams started out 4> in the afternoon and splendid | -b assistance was given by praetic- 1 . 4* ally every one solicited. No ex- < 4- act figures of the amount col- < 4- le< ted were obtainable today ns ■ 4- the teams had not reported. The ■ 4- drive will continue this week • 4- and from the encouraging prog- • 4- ress and splendid co-operation of 4 j4* tlie Decatur people given the 4 4- first day of the campaign it is al- -I 4- most a guaranteed fact that the -I 4- city will "go over the top" and -I 8 1 4- then some. Decatur must raise -I 4- $3,500. Have your ‘ mite" ready 4 4- when the coniruitee calls on you. 4 4- You are helping the boys who 4 4- are fighting for you. 4 f 4 , 4 , 4-4’4-4 , 4>4-4 , 4 , 4 , 4 , 4-4 WENT OVER TOP 1 Washington Township Has Made Good by Assuming Share of Liberty Bonds. . MEETING WAS HELD At Washington Church— First National and Adams County Banks Help. Washington tonship went over the top when returns were totaled up this morning. It was a hard old battle but she got there and the township which bea-s I the name of the illustrious "Father oi his Country" will secure one of the ’ handsome honor Hags, to wave to the 'publie during future years, the fa-l that they met the request of their government. At the meeting held at Washington church Saturday evening $3,000 was raised. Subscriptions by mail left a ' shortage of $2450. This morning The I First National Bank subscribed for an 1 additional $2,000 and as the previous , purchases from that bank had been distributed among the city districts it was decided to credit this purchase to Washington township. The Old ■ Adams County Bank subscribed for SSOO witli the same instruction and I Washington went fifty dollals over. A crowd that completely filled old Washington church Saturday evening , listened to strong appeals to put the i township over the top for the Third Liberty Loan and the meeting was l one of the best ones held during the I campaign. 1 The music, was furnished by Mrs. J. 10. Sellemeyer. the Misses Meibers, I Bremerkamp and Kohne and was an ' | inspiring part of the program. Rev. ' Leach, pastor of the church presided i and after prayer, by Rev. Marsh, adi dresses were made by D. N. Erwin, Dr. S. P. Hoffman. J. C. Sutton, and a closing eloquent appeal by French Quinn which touched the heart of every per- . son in the room. Chairman Schirmeyer then announced that appiicaI tions would be taken and the first to . respond was Mr. Carper who has a J son now on the way to France and ; who promptly took another SSOO bond to support that boy and the others and t the government. Others responded . splendidly with $250 subscriptions and j many with SSO and SIOO. The meeting closed at 11:30 and was considered a great success even though the en,f tire amount could not be secured, g Three thousand dollars worth of bonds I were sold. e ~mr7burk IS BETTER d d G. T. Burk, well known business it man who has been dangerously ill for n a week past with bronchial pneumonia is considerably improved today. Ihe in crisis was passed Sunday it is beliav re ed and unless some complication n. arises, it is now thought he will recov of er. The prayer of the entire com e lmunity is that this splendid citizer id be spared to us. 111 WILL MEET TUESDAY EVENING ss ts An important meeting of the Lib s. erty Guards will he held Tuesday ev w- ening at the hall. Every man wh< id has signed the muster roll is ex i peeted to be present.

: WELL KNOWN + Answers Death Summon + —John Spuhler, I’romi- + nent Auctioneer, Died 4+SUNDAY AFTERNOOS ♦ ♦ + Following an Illness of Ter 4- Days—Funeral \\ ill be * Wednesday. 4John Spuhier. a man of splendid + character and ability, and one of tin + leading austioneers of the county. +1 passed away Sunday afternoon at 2: 10 a, o’clock at his homo on North Fifth . street. Death resulted after a ten 44. days' illness of uraemic poisoning. He + had been a tthe point of death for * several days. Several years ago Mr. Spuhler suffered from a severe seige I of illness and his life was despaired of at that time. Following several operations he had recovered his former gootl health anti had been able to g renew his activities in the business world until ten days ago when he was stricken with a new form of illness. Mr. Spuhler was still in the prime of life, being but forty-one years of age. He was bom July 2. 1876. in this city . and was a son of John and Barbara ’ Spuhler, both of whom are living. He spent his entire life in this city and vicinity and had become an auctioneer of ability and ent terprise and there is brobably no better known man in the county than he. His immediate family consists of his wife, who was Miss Minnie Mayer; his parets and one brother and three sisters. They are Mrs. Frank Mct'oi - i neli and Mrs. Mary Swaggart. this city ;Mrs. John Link and Henry Spun- : ler. Fort Wayne. j Mr. Spuhler was a member of the Reformed church and it is there that s the funeral will be conducted at 2:30 o'cock Wednesday afternoon. Kyllowing a service at two o’clock from the home. Rev. L. W Stolte will be in charge and burial will be in the Decatur cemetery. Q — A FLAG RAISING — Blue Creek Township Raised Honor and Service Flags ‘ i SUNDAY AFTERNOON ; Open Air Meeting as the ‘ Church Could Not Hold I ! the Throng. > |t i The Methodist church at Salem | ■ could not hold all who gathered yes- I 1 terday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock for | , Blue Creek township's patriotic mee,- 1 i t . ing, so a large wagon was drawn up . in front of the church for the speak- * er’s stand and the service conducted 1 in the open air. The weather was the finest ever and everything went off ( nicely. Two (lags were raised. One > was the honor flag showing that Blue i Creek had gone over the top with I honor in the third Liberty Loan drive, 1 of which Charles Feasel was chairI man, with his splendid hand of coll workers. The other was a service II flag with twenty-two stars showin -! that township's contribution of splen--1 ■ did young men to the army. Rev. W. Paul Marsh of the Christian . church, this city, delivered the ads dress of the afternoon, which was a fine one, carrying a splendid mesaage. Music was provided by the Methodist quartet, of this city, Dr. J. Q. Neptune. s W. F. Beery, Henry Dellinger and C. r L. Waners. Will Merriman presided a at the meeting. e Many attended from surrounding townships and towns. n JEFFERSON TO CELEBRATE V- - v Jefferson township made a great n record in the recent Liberty Loan campaign, going more than $2,000 over their quota. They will celebrate | the event, by the raising of their Honor b- Flag at a meeting to be held in the v- township next Sunday afternoon, io There will lie special music and x- speeches and everybody is invited to (attend.

VICTORY MARKS CLOSE s OF LIBERTY LOAN DRIVE * TOTALOFSSBI,6OOISSUBSCRIBED—- ■■ WORKERS ARE JUBILANT-FINAL OFFICIAL REPORT TONIGHT MAY : REACH 5600,000 GOAL 0 ~ FINAL FIGURES ON THE LOAN. " Townships Quota Subscroptions Sold e Unions 20,250 226 $ 22,600 r k’»ot 34.000 240 37.050 Preble 26.250 247 26,850 ; Kirkland 22,600 290 24.000 Washington 27,600 143 27.700 . St. Mary’s North 10,900 no 13,450 St. Mary’s, South 9,250 113 9,700 Blue Creek 20,600 274 22*850 ’ Monroe, North 21,200 194 21,200 Monroe, Middle 17,300 53 5*500 Monroe. Berne 35,800 385 47,300 French 22,200 168 19,450 Hartford 26,200 335 31,650 Wabash 31,000 254 39*950 .Jefferson 19.450 238 21.600 Decatur, First Ward A ... 9.200 158 32,650 Decatur, First Ward B ... 9,200 103 15,450 Decatur, Second Ward A.. 9,300 168 81.100 Decatur, Second Ward 8.. 9,300 87 21*250 Decatur, Third Ward A ... 9,200 157 35*050 Decatur. Third Ward B ... 9,200 167 22,000 Total SIOO,OOO J 139 $581,650 Os this amount $120,100 has been turned in by the women’s committee.

It was a wonderful victory in Adams county. The Third Liberty Loan drive which closed at midnight Saturday brought a total of $581,650, equal to 145 per cent plus. It showed a total of 4.139 subscriptions with an average purchase of $l4O each, a most remarkabe fact. The campaign opened four weexs ago and continued strenously in this county. The original quota was $400.000 and this point was easily reached a week before the end of the drive. Then came the request that we make it 150 per cent and the boys kept ip the work. With another day it is probable that goal could have be-.n reached and every unit in the county save one—Middle Monroe—-put over the top. A glance at the above table will show that every unit made good, excepting Middle Monroe and French and the latter is within less than S2OOO of the mark. Washington and North Monroe went over with today's reports and in remarking upon this fact it should be stated that the town of Monroe more than doubled their quota to make this possible. There is so much credit due to everybody, Chairman Frank Schirmeyer who never quit, MrS| Knapp, chairman of the women who! performed a great work in organizing! the women of the county for the first time, the splendid assistants, the men

RESULTS IN INDIANA. (United Press Service) Indianapolis. Ind.. May 6 (Special to Daily Democrat)— Fairly complete returns today on the Third Liberty Loan campaign showed that every county in Indiana raised its minimum allotment, some more than doubling the amount. The counties in the northern part of the state which are ’ members of the Chicago federal reI serve district, raised approximately $71,000,000. which is about. $19,000,000 above the quota and $9,000,000 under a subscription of 15 per cent. The counties in the St. Louis federal reserve district in the southern part of ■ the state made an over-subscription |of about 4 per cent. ADVISORY BOARD MEETING 'Fhe members of the advisory board of the Third Liberty U>an will meet tonight to close up the affairs of the campaign. Every member should be present as there are several imporant matters to be disposed of. F. M. SCHIRMEYER, Chairman. JOHN COFFEE ARRESTED John Coffee, was arrested today ■'noon by Chief Police Haneher on a warrant sent to him by bort Wayne J authorities, charging that, he had I “jumped” a. board bill. He was plan- , ed in jail and will be taken to Fort | Wayne tomorrow.

Price, Two Cento.

> who spoke, the women and the men who sang, the boys who furnished and i drove their cars, the captains of the townships and the many who helped them—that we just can’t start in on it. You know them and you know ■ whether or not you did your part as I a good citizen of the United States and. therein you will find your reward. Future efforts will bring no greater victory than this wonderful result of the Third Liberty Loan. Adams county has leaped from an unknown place in the records of the state to a place above the center and will hereafter be recognized as one of the live ones of the state. Dearborn county, where W. H. O’Brien is chairman again leads the state with a subscription of about a million dollars, nearly three times her quota. In Adams county splendid work was done everywhere, not the least of which was right here in Decatur where four times the quota was reached. Excellent work was done in every precinct and the organziation has a right to feel proud of the record. A few reports are still to come in (and there is a bare possibility that the (coveted goal of 150 per cent or $600.I 000 may be reached when the final of(ficial totals are made up tonight. The above table was compiled at 2:30 this afternoon.

++++•!•++ + + + + + + + •b FOUR MEN LEFT TODAY. + + + •b Ernst E. Miller. Bluffton, ru- + ■b ral route: Amos Wittwer, Berne, + •b Clarence E. Chronister and Ol- + •b iver Sehnepp left this morning -b •b at 7:03 over the Grand Rapids & + •b Indiana railroad for Fort Benja- + + min Harrison. Indiana, they com- + + prising the county's quota of the + + draft call for laborers The four + 4> men were escorted to the train b b by members of the local military b b board, friends and relatives 4* b They left on the regular passen b + ger train. Arriving at Fort liar + b rison they will be given a course * b of training and later on placed b I b in companies and sent abroad b + Indiana's share of the big draft b b call for 223.000 men. beginning b b May 25th. is 3.476. Figuring the b b county’s per cent of the call on b •b the same basis as heretofore, b b about four men tor every five b + hundred, called from the state, b •b between twenty-five and twenty b •' b eight men would be called by b ■ + Mav 25th. The local military b ■ + board has not received any deti- b l'b nite instructions as to what Ad- b 'b ams county's shart* of the state’s b i b quota will be. ♦ 14.4. + + + + bbbbbbbb