Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 16, Number 111, Decatur, Adams County, 9 May 1918 — Page 1

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT’ W

Volume XVI. Number 111.

PREMIER GEORGE DEFENDS ACTION Says General Maurice’s Tactics Were Unprecedented and Unwarranted. HOUSE OF COMMONS Scene of Exciting Debate Today—Hindenburg Has Big Army Ready. (Tlafrcd Pram? Service) By Ed L. Keen, United Press Staff Correspondent) London, May 9—(Special to Daily' Democrat) —“General Maurice's ac-1 tion was unprecedented,*’ declared Premier Lloyd George in the house of commons this afternoon, during the course of debate resulting from Maurice's attack on the veracity of the premier and Chancellor Bonar Law. | “He did not act fairly. He should have made his charges before the cabinet. General Maurice was as responsible as any one for my figures from the war office. “General Maurice made a flagrant breach of discipline,” Lloyd George declared. "My figures on the army's fighting Strength were taken from the record of the war office. “I have ascertained since these were not inaccurate. "Field Marshal Haig and also the war cabinent were reluctant to extend the British line into France, which was then in response to very great pressure from France.’ •‘Lloyd George quoted from Maurice's department, issued nine days after the premier's speech, confirming that the strength of the British army was greater in January, 1918, than in January, 1917. There was a record breaking attendance in the house of commons. 1 The galleries were packed with notables. | Amsterdam, May 9—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Queen Marie, of Roumania, has announced she will not recognize the peace pact just signed with the central powers, according to a dispatch published in the German press. The queen is quoted as declaring she would prefer to abdicate. This also is said to be the attitude of the queen's children. London, May 9—(Special to Daily j Democrat)—British troops by a count-er-attack last, night drove the Gemans from portions of the allied front which they had occupied in the morning, betweci La Clytte and Voormczeele, Field Marshal Haig reported today. A new German attack in tie Kemmel sector this morning pressed the British line back slightly at one point. "We drove the enemy last night from the positions he gained yesterday morning in the La Clyttee-Voorme-zelle sector and re-established the positions we originally held." the statement said. f “A new German attack north of Kern mel this morning pressed back our line slightly at one point “Yesterday's attack in Flanders was carried out by two German divisier.s (24,0t0 men). They suffered heavy casualties. “Hostile raids were repulsed last night in the neighborhood of Lens and Merris. We took prisoners yesterday in local fighting near Bucqucy (midway between Arra sand Albert.) "The enemy's artillery developed considerable activity last night in the Albert sector.” ..London, May 9— (Special to Daily Qemocrat)— “We improved our new positions between the Somme and the Ancre and took several prisoners," Field Marshal Haig reported today. (Ry Car! D. Groat. United Press staff correspondent.) Washington. May 9 —(Special to Doily Democrat) - The American army in France will be well on th' way to the two million mark by the end of the year. Tliis forecast has added weight today from Secretary of "’ar Bakers offlcal revelation that we have now passed the 500,000 mark "over there." Included in this are regulars, na tioual guard and national army forces The addition to the half million non there is being accomplished steadily A maximum effort is expected to l«

♦ ♦♦♦♦♦ + + + + 4> + + 4, + MENNONITES ON TRIAL. + ♦ + 1+ Camp Zachary Taylor, Ky. + ♦ May 9—(Special Io Daily Demo + oral) Trial of sixty-four con + ■ + seientious objectors to war at + I ♦ this camp was ready to start ♦ - + today before a military tribunal + ♦ The mon refused to obey orders ♦ + or to do any work in connection ♦ + with carrying on war. They are + ♦ mostly Mennonites from north + + Indiana. The specific charge + i + against them is that they refus ♦ ' ♦ed to aid in beautifying the + : + camp liy planting flowers. ♦ + + ♦♦♦♦ + ♦ + + ♦♦♦♦ reached this month or next, and to c ontinue well along into the sumnvr. While it rnay not be said just how fast the troojw are moving it can be stated reliably that the present speed 1 is several times as great as it was in I the ebb period around February. J (By William Philip Simms, United Press staff correspondent) , With the British Annies in France. May 9 —(Special to Daily Democrat) , —Counterattacking stubbornly last night, the British re-captured their original line southwest of Dickelm-c h lake. I Today, at the extreme right of this small battle front they were compelled to retire, owing to heavy machine gun fire. I Fighting continues about a small ( pocket which the Germans occupy at a strong point east of Mille Kruysen (a mile northeast of Clytte.) BULLETIN With the Americans in Picardy, I May B—(Special to Daily Democrat) j • —The American artillery continues pounding the German positions. , One German battery is known to have been blown up. Another i t Bois De L' Alval. near Framicourt. which had been heavily shelling our , positions, was stopped by the American retaliatory fire. (Bois De L' Alval of the “wood of L' Alval" is less than a mile northwest of FTamicouit and about the same distance north of Cantigny.) While there is speculation as to , where the next German attack is coming. the Franco-American staff, rei sponsible for barring the way ’o France. are on the alert. There are indications that the boche is bringing up additional artllery in this region. Izmdon, May 9—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Fighting was still continuing on the three mile sector between Voormezeele and La Clytte. south 1 and southwest of Ypres, where the i Germans penetrated the allied posi- i tions yesterday morning when Field | Marshal Haig filed his night report. | Haig said the Germans “launched ( a strong local attack against French and British troops holding the sector between l-a Clytte and Voormezeele." Voormezeele Is about one and two- , thirds miles directly south of Ypres, , while La Clytte is three miles west . and south of Voormezeele and about ( a mile and a quarter northwest of , Kemmel. The center of this sector ( I would be about at Dickebusch lake. i which lies slightly more than two miles southwest of Ypres. During the night, however, the French advanced their line south of ’ i I-a Clytte takng a number of prison- ] Regarding this fighting in Flanders , the German war office in its day report j said: “The artillery battle was reviv- ( ed at Mont Kemmel and to the west of Bailleul.” > The French war office said that both j artilleries were active Ajn lioth sides , of the Avre. on the Amiens front, but , | that there were no infantry combats. , j (By William Philip Simms. United Press Staff Corespondent) With the British Armies in France, ' May 8--(Special to Daaly Democrat) —One of the hugest concentrations of troops ever assembled on any bat- ' tiefield lies today inside the great ’ bulge in the line which sags down 1 past Arras, Amiens and Mont Didier. ' North of this, in the salient pointing toward Hazebrouck. is a secondarmy concentration, but proportions lately important, mile for mile. These are ready to strike. > Facing them are the gallant French, 1 the imperturable British and the vanguard of eager Americans, waiting B for the show to begin. Will Hindenburg hit again against •' the Flemish hills’ f- Will he make another smash tov ward Amieus " Will he hit southward toward ( om-»-,piegne? s.j’ or, will he suddenly swerve to a iv 1 totally different scene? y.j The future will settle these quesle (Continued on Page Two)

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday Evening, May 9, 1918.

ALL ARE INVITED To (he Patriotic Entertainment at Masonic Assembly Hall ON FRIDAY EVENING i Living Pictures, Good Music and Many Exercises. The patriotic entertainment to be given for the benefit of the Auxilliarv % of the Order of Eastern Star will be held Friday evening. May 10th, at the Masonic assembly hall. The program will begin at 8 o’clock. Admission 10 cents. Instrumental solo, “To a Toy Soldier" —Ruby Miller. Drill —Delsarte children. Music —Liberty Chorus. Living Pictures: a. An American Beauty b. Makers of the Flag. c. A Good Investment. d. In Memory. e. The Country’s Youngest Defender. f. America. g. Is Your Boy Going Too? h Tenting on the Old Camp Ground Music—Liberty < horns. An Indian Dance —Campfire Girls. Service for Both Red Cross nurses and Boy Scouts. Music—Liberty Chorus. FIRST GRADUATE From the Kirkland Township High School Will be Jerry Howard. L JUDGE W. 11. EICHHORN Will Deliver Commencement Address on Friday Evening. An event in which much interest Os the community centers is the first annual commencement of the Kirkland township high school, which will be held FTiday evening of this week. There is one graduate, of this first class, being Jerry Howard. O. D. Rider is the principal of the school, and under the direction of the school officials a very good commencement program has been arranged. The principal speaker will be Judge W. H. Eichhorn, of Bluffton. Democratic nominee for congress. The baccalaureate sermon was recently delivered at the Beulah chapel. COMMISSIONERS ADJOURN. The county commissioners completed the docket for the May meeting last evening and adjourned after making the following entries: L. M. Busche and Marion Archbold were appointed by the board as alternates to the Purdue scholarship course, beginning September, 1918. Mr. Busche was named as first alternate. The Decatur Lumber company filed a bid for the county’s supply of coal which was taken under advisement and the cause continued. The auditor was instructed to refund to William Byrd the sum of $13.54 as erroneously assessed taxes. The treasurer's report for April was filed and approved. County Surveyor Orval Harruff filed his plans and specifications in the Butler. Cottrell, Huser and Brunner bridges and in the Moser and Huser culvert improvements. They were approved and the auditor instructed to give notice to bidders that the board of commissioners would receive bids for the construction of bridges and culverts on Tuesday, June 4th. DELIVERED FOUR MORE CARS. The Schafer Hardware company, through their local agent. Harve Kitson. sold and delivered four more cars. The proud possessors are: Otto C. Smith, French township, five passenger Oakland Sensible Six; Reinhart Reinking. Union township, five passenger Chevrolet touring car; William Page, this city, five passen ger Chevrelet touring car; Karl Dick . Kirkland township, five passenget touring car.

IAN AGED VOTER Much Interest was manifest aliottl the courthouse today when the retuii of a voter’s registration paper showed • that Adams county had n voter of tlu ago of 118 in the person of John Eti sley. of Linn Grove. The registration paper set out that he was bom January 31, 1800 and that he moved to his present location on the same date. 1 showing that be was i>orn and reared and spent his entire life of 118 years at the same place. The unusual ago . caused much discussion and it finally developed that Auditor John Mosure knew the gentleman very well, but that he is only about slxty-five years of age. This was corroborated by the assessor’s report on record. The date of birth on the registration card is in error. To date, the oldest voter who has registered is Clark Brothers who is 95 years old. PATRIOTIC SPIRIT Os Decatur People Shown in Contributing Toward War Camp Fund. WOMEN IN CANVASS And Have Splendid Success—A Decatur Boy Writes of Work. The women of Decatur, members of the soliciting teams for the Knights of Columbus War Camp Fund started out on their canvass of the homes yesterday. From every nook and comer of the city a hearty response was given to the worthy cause by our citizens. they showing their patriotic an.l willing spirit by contributing their share towards the fund. The mtn will complete tbeir canvass with the next few days and it is an assured fait the city will go “over the top" in this drive as she has done in those heretofore, you can't stop them. The totals will not be published until the canvass has been completed. Yesterday Martin J. Mylott, chairman of the War Camp Publicity committee. received a letter from Norbert Holthouse, of this city, now with the headquarters company, at Camp Hancock. Georgia, in which he told of the wonderful work being accomplished and the many advantages extended to the boys through the “Everybody Welcome" huts. He says: “I must say from my two months' experience in the service, that the Knights of Columbus are surely doing a wonderful act towards the winning of the war and especially in making it home-like for the boys. At our camp we have two halls, the finest buildings of the entire camp. Programs are given in these halls nearly every evening and they consist of boxing and wrestling matches, musical programs and lectures by prominent speakers. Each hall is in charge of fine men." Ho concludes his letter with the hope that Decatur will raise her quota and with a little contribution of his own towards the fund, and states “that the money a person contributes towards this cause will never be spent in fruitless ways.” The local committee in charge of the drive hopes to complete the canvass within the next day or two. If the solicitors have not called on you. hand in your subscription to C. S. Niblick at the Old Adams County Bank. Help Decatur go “over the top." Be one of the Americans back of the boys. o GAUZE DRESSINGS Will be Made on Tuesday and Fridays Only. It has been decided by the executive , committee of the local Red Cross that on account of the scarcity of material. Tuesdays and Fridays of each week. . only, shall be devoted to the making 5 of gauze dressings. The remaining afternoons will be devoted to the mak- . ing of muslin bandages and hospital . garments. June 15th is the date -tot by headquarters as the date on which we may expect to have a new supply of gauze. '• CARD FROM MISS SELLEMEYER e A. H. Sellemeyer has received a : card from his daughter. Esther, a e. missionary in China. The card was ; written April 7th and mailed from j, Nanking, China. She is recovering ; from an attack of malaria which i- while not serious, caused her to re t, duce in weight considerably. She is ir back in her school and is getting along nicely.

„A FLAG RAISING 11 ___ <1 o Patriotic Service Will be Held Sunday Afternoon at 8 1 ST. PETER’S SCHOOL s p ‘ In Fuelling Settlement — a t Proceeds of Stand to the Red Cross. ■* m ■ - - - ’ One of the patriotic services of interest will Im? the fiag raising to lie ’ held next Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock. May 12. at the St. Peter's or i Fuelling Lutheran school in Root I township. A fiag donated by the choir of the church will be raised and an I impressive program given. Music will be furnished by the choir under the direction of the teacher. Prof. Paul W. Dorn, and the oration will be given by Prof. Walter Dorn of Concordia College, Fort Wayne. Refreshments will be sold at a stand and the proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross. DR. MOSES ENLISTS Dr. Ralph Moses of Fort Wayne, passed through this city on the G. it. & I. at 1:05 enroute to Camp Shelby, Miss., having enlisted in company C. 113th Field Signal Battalion. Dr. 'doses Is a son of Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Moses and his many relatives and friends in this city will be interested in his progress in the signal corps. EXPRESS THANKS District Officers Thank the Workers for Excellent Service in THIRD LIBERTY LOAN In This District—Splendid Co-operation Causes Success. ■ ■ —- On behalf of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, as fiscal agent of the United States treasury department charged with the duties and responsibilities of handling Liberty Loans in , this district, 1 wish to express sincere appreciation and most cordial thanks to those workers in Liberty Loan ac- < tivities who have not been in the public eye. but who. nevertheless, have i done the work that they have been called upon to do, both patriotically . and cheerfully. This class represents a vast army composed of committeemen and solicitors, bank clerks, railroad employes and employers of other firms and corporations in Chicago and other cities and towns throughout the district. Subscriptions in this district number. in round figures, some 2.500.000 and the work involved in the handling of this enormous number of subscriptions means intensive labor and long hours, and it is on the army of workers just mentioned that, this burden falls to a large extent. This work is all done voluntarily, without expense to this bank or the treasury department An additional work of appreciation should here be expressed to those employers who have co-operated in such splendid manner and made such as--1 sistance possible. Those workers who have been in the , public eye have to some extent been t repaid by the enthusiastic applause of the public, and while fully appreciative of their efforts this public ac- , knowledgment is particularly directed ’ to those other earnest patriots who have worked so hard during the camI paign without special notice by the I general public and who will necessar(l ily continue to be active in this conv nection for some time after the cam paign is over, in segregating subscriptions, tabulating them and taking care L of,the details relating to subsequent payments to be made. a J. B. McDOUGAL, a Governor. Federal Reserve Batik District Number 7. n K SERVICES THIS EVENING 1. s . The Zion Lutheran church will obs serve Ascension Day with services at g the church this evening at 7:45. . A. W. HINZ, Pastor.

| ELECTION RETURNS J (Untreu t‘n*ss Service) Indianai oils, May 9 (Special to Daily Democrat t Complete figures ? on Tuesday’s primaries compile I, brought no surprising changes in the indications on an early return. Additional figures gave Fred Bayes, democratic candidate for congress In the second distret, a larger majority over William A. Cullop. The race was probably the bitterest in the elec- . tion. Bayes carried every county outside of Cullop's home Knox. George Rauch has been nominated by the democrats in the 11th dlstt ■ t by a 2 to 1 vote over S. B. Cook. Merril Moores has established his hold on the republicans of Mari ei , county by defeating the two veteran , campaigners, Lew Shank and Charles . Bookwaiter. THE NOMINEES Candidates for Township Assessor, Committeemen and Delegates. SELECTED AT PRIMARY By Each Party—Democrats Nominate Nine Assesors, Republicans Five. At Tuesday's primary candidates for the office of township assessor, 1 delegates to the state convention and j committee were nominated by Itothj parties. Members of the political »d-| visory hoards were also nominated at the primaries. Following is a list of assessors, committeemen and gates to the state conventions: Township Assessors Democratic ticket — Union, none; Root. John C. Magley; Preble, none: Kirkland. James D. Brown; Washington. Wm. Blackburn; St. Mar'-'s.j Andrew J. Porter: Blue Creek, Win. J Roop; Monroe. James V. Hendricks; French. Grover W. Neuenschwander; Hartford. Joseph Eckrote: Wabash. Silas Sprunger: Jefferson, none. Republican ticket —Root. J. A. Fuhrman; St. Mary's, Abner M. Fuller; Hartford. Perry Glendenning: Wabash Orton Wheeler: Jefferson. S. J Fogle.| There were no candidates in Union. Kirkland. Blue ( reek. Preble. Washington and French townships. Democratic Delegates Blue Creek and Jefferson. Frnak ’ Orndorff; Monroe. Wm. Baumgartner; Monroe. Herman Gottschalk; Wabash. Everett. <’. Arnold: Wabash. Geo Ineichen; French and Hartford. Wm. Anderson: Decatur third ward. Jesse' G. Niblick; Washington township and Decatur, Herman L. Confer; Deea’itr second ward. C. C. Ernst: Decatur lit st ward. John H. Heller: Washington township outside of Decatur. Clark J. Lutz: Preble and Kirkland. Lawrence Linnemiem; Root. Fred Schurger; Union and St. Marys, J. W. Vizard. Republican Delegates Jefferson. Blue Creek and Ceylon. Otis Burk; Kirkland. Monroe. French. Otis C. Hocker; South Washington, first and second ward. Roy Mumma: Union and St. Marys. John C. Cowan; first and second wardA, Decatur, Avon Burk: Preble and Root. Sherman Kunkle; Berne A and B and No. Wabash. Jno. H. Hiltv; Geneva A and B. and Hartford. Roscoe Glendenning; 3rd ward Decatur and North Washington, Harry Frit zinger. Democratic Commiteemen. East Union, Frank Mclntosh: North Union, none: East Root, none: W.'-t Root. Geo. Schieferstein: North Preble ' Ernst Doerhman; South Preble, Chas, i Werltng; North Kirkland. S. J. Bowt ers; South Kirkland. J. G. Crum; - South Washington. B. F. Breiner; - North St Marys. S. T. Welker; South I St. Marys, Chas. H. Samples; North > Blue Creek. John Durr; South Blue • Creek. Harlow Agler; North Monroe, 3 none; Middle Monroe, Vance Mattox: • Berne A. Chester Michaud; Berne B. -G. C. Baumgartner; French. non<-; • North Hartford. T. J. McKean; South “ Hartford. Ervin T. Pontius; North 3 Wabash. L N. Stahl; Ceylon. Geo. E. t Fink; Geneva A. Finley Kelley; Geneva B. C. N. Brown; West Jefferson, Frank Ornsdorfl: East Jefferson. Amos Steiner; Decatur first ward A, F. V. Mills; Decatur first ward B. Emerson Bennett: Decatur second ward A, A. R. Holthouse; Decatur r second ward B, James Hurst; Decat tur third ward A. J O. Sellemeyer; Decatur third ward B. Chas. N. Chris- '. ten.

Price, Two Cent!.

JOHN 0. COFFEE DEAD FOR WEEKS Body Found by Two Lads Playing Near Old Swiv.u niing Hole West of City. — BADLY DECOMPOSED i Identified by Papers in His Pocket—Death Believed Accidental. 11 II I The badly decomposed body of a I ■ man. that later proved to Im* that of 1 John C. Coffee, 66, teamster and farm j laborer, well known about town, wis I found last evening about five o'clock ) in a swimming pool on the Harry Butler farm northwest of the city It is believed that the body had been in the water since Marell and the theory is that the man in crossing the meadows during the spring freshets walked off • the embankment and fell into the deep ! hole and was drowned, accidentally. I The body was first found by George. . son of John Scheumann. and Diedriek Dierkes, son of the late Herman Dierkes. The boys had gone to the old swimming pool intending to go swimming. They had not yet gotten into the water when they noticed a strange object in the ixmil. but supimsed that | someone had been trying to play a i joke by putting a man like dummy in | the water. George threw a stone at j the queer object to investigate and the | stone bounding away, assured him that it was a body. This was further strengthened when he took a stick I and began prodding around the object. The stick caught in a watch chain and pulled the watch out of the pocket, and so turned the body that they were assured beyond doubt that it was the body of a drowned man. They hastened to the Harry Butler I home where officials were called from this city, and Coroner D. D. Clark, who happened to be at his farm adjoining the Butler place, was also an early arrival on the scene Harve Smith and R. D. Myers pulled the body from the pool. lifter loosening the coat tails which had apparently I been held in the mud. whereupon .he body arose easily to the surface and was drawn out. j The decomposition was such that j identification was impossible from the personal appearance. However, his pocketbook furnished the real clue. This contained, liesides money in the sum of from two to three dollars, a canceled note given to the Old Adams County Bank. The name was written in indelible pencil, and the date and the first name of the signature. “John C." were legible. The last name however, could not be made out. but on being taken to the bank and traced back, it was found to be that of John C. Coffee. The body when found was dressed in working clothes, including besides the underclothing, coat and vest, two pairs of overalls and a good pair of shoes. It is said that Mr. Coffee, who had long been employed as a teamster by Julius Haugk at times, had also been working for Mr. Ray on the Lehman heirs' farm south of Peterson: and had also been employed at times by his brother. Hosea Ray. living on he. Haugk farm northwest of this city. As nearly as could be learned this morning by his relatives he had left the Ray farm south of Peterson some time in Man h and aliout that time ■ had also been at the Hosea Ray farm . where he had been paid for some • labor done there. It is the theory ; that in crossing from one road to he : other, probably on the way to the R.ty i place, or returning, he had cut across i the meadows of the Butler farm and • had fallen into the deep hole of the , swimming pool. The creek that flows : through the Butler farm, broadens nut into the pool that is said to lie about ; twenty by forty feet in dimensions at 1 this place, and at one side of the bend, i the embankment is steep and about :. six feet high. During high waters, as :• in early spring the pool is about five , feet or more deep, but at this time is i. about three or four feet in depth. , The deceased was a son of the late ;. Daniel Coffee and was born here about I sixty-six years ago. He was never r married The fact that he worked -about, at various places probably is the ; reason that he was not missed during - this time, or If be was. it was probably "(ContSuetFon Page Two)'