Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 16, Number 270, Decatur, Adams County, 16 November 1918 — Page 1

Volume XVI. Number 270.

PLANS FOR DEMOBILIZING THE ARMY

ORDERS ISSUED TODAY FOR THE MUSTER OUT GERMANY ASKS PERMISSION TO SEND DELEGATION HERE TO PLEAD FOR FOOD—A SPECIAL RECEPTION FOR RAINBOWBOYS. (United Press Service) Washington, D. C., Nov. 16—(Special to Daily Democrat) — Two hundred thousand men will be discharged from the army within the next two weeks in this country, under orders already issued- As the demobilization machinery develops 30,000 men can be mustered out each day. No more troops will be sent overseas. General Pershing has been ordered to send back immediately all sick, convalescent and wounded. Troops in this country will be demobilized in the following order: Development battalions containing 90,009 men; conscientious objectors, spruce producers, central officers’ training schools, United States guards, railroad troops, depot brigades, men in retracement camps, and last combat divisions. Men will be given an opportunity to re-enlist in the regular army. The war department will ask that every man be given a bonus of one month’s pay. All soldiers may wear their uniforms three months after their duty closes. In returning from abroad, they will be mustered out from the camps nearest their homes. Celebrations and parades may be held in the nearest large city. The order will be left to the judgment of General Pershing. Arrangements are being made to use all Atlantic coast ports for the returning soldiers. The Rainbow division will be given a special reception and may be allowed to tour the country. London, Nov. 16—(Special to Daily Democrat)— Germany wants to send a delegation to lite United States to plead for food, , according to a wireless dispatch received from Berlin today. Foreign Secretary Soli, in another wireless to Secretary Lansing, asked President Wilson’s permission to send such a commission immediately to America to lay before the United States government the conditions of famine in Germany, and the necessity of steps being aken for the purchase of foodstuff. Sols also emphasized his anxiety for an immediate conference at The Hague. .«■

Washington. Nov. 16—(Special to Daily Democrat) — America today backed up her recognition of the Czechs with a loan of $7,000,000 to the Czecho-Slovaks national council. This :s the first recognition that the Unit ed States may finance for nations of new government by oppressed European nationalities. At the same time reconstruction loans were announced by the treasury department to Belgium, Italy and Great Britain. Belgium will get $9,000,000, .England, $200,000,000 and Italy $50,000,000 London, Nov. 16—(Special to Daily Democrat)— King Albert’s entry into Brussels has been postponed on account of the disorders there, it was announced here today. Owing to pillaging and destruction of property in the city by German soldiers, allied military action may be necessary, it was stated. London, Nov. 16—(Special to Daily Democrat)—The German command n p wireless to the allied command proposed today that an addition be made to the armistice, providing a safety zone of 6 miles, between the German and the allies and United States troops, who are following up the evacuation. Washington, Nov. 16—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Germany will ultimately have to pay for any food she obtains from the United States or the allies. This assurance was given authoratively this afternoon after it had been suggested to this government that the impression was forming that the relief was contemplated. Washington, Nov. 16 —(Special to Daily Democrat)— Preliminary sessions of the peace conference will begin at Versailles or Paris late this month, French cables today reported. Regulations to govern the deliberations aroundmentslhrdshredtacmecmf parliamentary problems will be taken up, it was stated. It was also suggested that inter-allied problems will be decided at the preliminary deliberation. Baltimore, fold., Nov. 16—-Naval

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

mine sweepers are working up the Atlantic coast today, hunting for German mines. These mines were planted by U-boats which raided the shipping in American waters. Most of the mines are believed to be off Chesapeake bay, off the Maryland coast, and off New York harbor and the entrance to Long Island sound, (United Press Service) New York. N. Y, Nov. 16—(Special i to Daily Democrat) —The American i people will not have to deprive themselves of a mouthful of sod to fead , Germany, Herbert Hoover, federal . food administrator, declared here to- . day, before sailing for Europe to hold , a series of conferences on world supply with allied and neutral food officials. "We are not worrying about Germany,” said Hoover. "She can take care of herself. What we are worrying about is the ‘little allies’ who have been under the German yoke. They are faced by famine. We must give them help and lose no time in doing So.” Administrator Hoover declared Germany was not faced by starvation and that as soon as the water tight blockade was released she could get all the food that is needed. (United Press Service) Washington Nov. 16—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Early demobilization of the “dizzy brigades”—development battalions —in home cantonments and quick return of sink and wounded from over seas the sole immediate home coming put Oi the war department. A full pronouncement of troop policy is lather hampered by the fact that the department does not yet know what the United States will be ■ called upon to do with respect to ■ policing Europe. Much of this dei pends upon how the wheel turns in • Germany and Russia, but it is assuni- ■ ed that the more than 2,000,000 men overseas now can be considerably reI duced at an early moment. (United Press Service) New York, Nov. 16—(Special to Dally Democrat)—When the boys ' come home they will be so tired of II _ (ContlnueT~on~Page Two)

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday Evening, November 16, 1918.

HAD A COON HONT Monmouth Men Entertained Our Old Friend and Employer, Mr. Moffett. HOME FROM DULUTH Where He Had Harrowing Experience in Big Forest Fire Recently. Mr. E. D. Moffett, under whore splendid tutorship, we started in the journalistic field about the year 1897, A. D., when he conducted the Decatur Journal, dropped in this morning to say "hello." He has been visiting a day or two with the C. D. Kunkle family at Monmouth where Cal entertained him Last night with an old fashioned “coon hunt." assisted hy several neighbors, including Messi. Hovarter, Johnson, John Magley, Moses and Sherman Kunkle. Mr. Moffett has just returned from Minnesota where he went <hrough the great forest fire and had a very narrow’ escape He was visiting Ms son, Paul. They reached Duluth and for four days and nights did not close an eye. For days the lives of every one was in danger. The fire did much damage oven in that city where 120 people v ’'tinted to death while in the vit e d°ath li_-t when completed will reach 2,000. It was a real experience evey for an old newspaper i man like E. D. who has had about everv kind. A GREAT BATTLE Taken Part in by Hugh V. < Perkins. This City—Drive ( Against Austria WITH ALLIED ARMIES J Member of Only American . Division Which Took < Part in Advance. i i Hugh V. Perkins, a Decatur boy, was one of the Americans rn the 332nd infantry, only U. S. unit to take part with the allied armies in the great drive against Austria a few weeks ago and which resulted in the complete defeat of that army, forcing a surrender and the end of the war. The following is part of a letter written to his sister, Miss Estella Perkins. just before he went into the now historic battle and is dated October 20th: “So far as I know there is no official foundation for what is to follow, and it may be cut out by the censor, but I’ll write it anyway: somehow I feel that ‘my chance' will come very soon, for a while I entertained the thought that the war would end and I should be with you soon, but feared that the peace so obtained would be dearly bought, and of short duration; you know that. I have expressed the opinion that the German nation —rich and poor alike —should be thoroughly punished. This may sound cruelly hard hearted, but if you’ll reflect I think you will see the practical need for just that; and now we hear that our president has said that the war may yet last a year and I am glad. And if a call is giver for volunteers for special duty, and I am accepted. I shall be happy. I shall be loath to leave this organization, and many of the fellows in it, but war Is my business; and I do not want tho advantages my country has ’ given by my past training, and not repay it. God only knows whether 1 such a step would add to tho number of widows and orphans in our land. 1 but it is mainly that my son may not ' have to do this thing over that I embrace the. opportunity: I love him and his mother, too dearly to let such a » chance pass. But, sister, if in this j service for God and native land, my t own fine body goes west, I wish you I 'to know that I went a cleaner, purer

1 man than you’ve ever seen me. This may surprise you but it's true. Lei me add that 1 have every confidence and trust that I shall see you all in th© states, with what joy you may imagine. Your affectionate, HUGH Company A. 332n<1 Inf, American E F., Italy. A. P. O. 901. ~ ASP EC I A L~SESSION? (United Press Service) Tallahassee. Fla.. Nov. 16—(Special to Daily Democrat!—A proclamation convening the state legislature in extraordinary session. Nov. 25, for the purpose of enacting legislation to prohibit shipment of whiskey into Florida has been issued by Governor Catts. The recently adopted dry amendment to the state constitution goes into effect January 1, next. MRS. BOOTH DEAD Mrs. Edward Booth Died at I Six O’clocii This Morning of Complications. SIXTY YEARS OLD Lived South of the City— Funeral Monday from Monroe M. E. Church. Mrs. Louvinia Booth, beloved wife of Edward Booth, prominent and well known citizens living four miles south of Decatur, died at six o’clo- k this morning at her home, after an extended illness from complications. Mrs. Booth, a life long resident of Adams county, was born in Washington township on October 6, 1858, a daughter of Mr and Mrs. Thomas Andrews, she being just sixty years of age on her last birthday. Besides the husband, a daughter, Mrs. Sarah A. Busche, of Washington township, survives, and the following brothers and sisters: Marion Andrews Mrs. Thomas Baltzell, Decatur, and Mrs. George McKean, Granite City, Illinois. The funeral will be held Monday afternoon at two o’clock from the M. E. church at Monroe, Rev. Krider officiating. Burial will he made in the Ray cemetery. LIMIT EXTENDED Gifts May be Sent to France until the 30ih of Month, Says Telegram. WHICH CAME TODAY Original Date Was the 15th —Additional Labels to Arrive by the 21st. Mrs. Peters, secretary of the local Red Cross chapter, received a telegram this morning from Mr. B. F. Bourne, division manager of the Lake Division. Ohio, stating that the mailing date for sending oversea Christmas gifts for the soldiers in Europe, has been extended to November 30th and that additional labels for this purpose will be stmt here so as to be available by November 21st. Regulations governing this ■ new order will he sent later, the i message said. This will be good news for many - who have been delayed in sending , gifts to the soldier lads for one reat son or other. The original limit for j sending these packages was the 15th I and a surprising number were dis- • appointed in getting the gifts away. • The boys “over there" will not be . disappointed however, for this gives t you an opportunity to remember them ( KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. i Regular meeting Monday evening, t the ISth. Business of imjortance will ’ come before the meeting. Something II of interest to members. Be present. • 270t2 G. K-

’ A STATE MEETING 1 1 Food Adminstrators Asked to Attend Conference at Indianapolis ON NOVEMBER 21ST Dr. Bernard Returns from Washington—Determine Future Policies. S. E. Hite, food administrator f( r Adams county, received official notice from H. E. Barnard this morning, urging him to attend a meeting of the food administrators from every county in the state, to be held at Indianapolis on the 21st of this month. Mr. Bernard lias just returned from Washington where he held a conference with Mr. Hoover and he has some imjtorlant information to give the county administrators. At this meeting the future policies of the organization will be determined and Dr. Bernard says he knows of no reason sufficiently important to keep any of the men away from this important conference. Mr. Hite who has served in this county for more than a year and who has a splendid record for efficiency, will attend. Much interest is manifested by the people as to what steps will be taken now to eontroll such necessities as sugar and flour and the results of this meeting will be looked for eagerly. WILL FINISH IT 1 Frank Reed Tells News Re- ; porter There is Something j Back of Indictment. t - ( HAD NO INSURANCE 1 • f I Says He Did Not Come to Decatur Until Monday j Following Poisoning. A representative of the Fort Wayne c News gives the following interview t with C. Frank Reed who he met when I he landed from the train here: “I don’t look like a criminal, do i?" t he asked the News representativ k Reed had a two days’ growth otl. beard and was dressed in his work clothes. He explained that he was ' arrested shortly before noon Wednesday and had no opportunity to 1 change or to shave. He declared he had no intimation that he had been < indicted and placed the blame for it on enemies whom he did not nam-. j “There’s something back of all e.f this that, hasn’t been brought out." he said. "They have started it and I'll finish it. I was not even in Decatur on Friday, Feb. 22, the day of the alleged poisoning. I had been in Claypool for over a week. My wife, who had been assisting about the Madison house for a few days, took ill on Saturday. I was told of her illness over the telephone by my brother. Dallas, hut I thought she had suffered a bilious attack and was not alarmed. As a matter of fact, my brother ! called me a second time and on Mon-' ; day I came to Decatur and found my - wife’s condition extremely serious. i “Isn’t it a fact that your wife was i heavily insured?" he was asked. “I liad never taken any insurance r on my wife,” he said. "Her life was 5 not insured. Two months before her - death wo talked of taking out some r Insurance on both of us but the troni ble with the Also-Products company - came up in the meantime. I was al- . most penniless and T couldn’t have » taken out any insurance on her if I t had wanted to." > “Reed's conduct wit Be his wife lay ill and after her death is said to have aroused suspicion and finally led to , the investigation that resulted in the I returning of the indictments charg- ; ing him with murder in the first degree. Several witnesses will testify ( that he showed apparently little In-

terest in his wife's recovery H* was j very positive. according to Mrs Maser, that she would die and that arsenic had been injected into the meat. . So positive was lie. Mrs Moser declares, that he even demonstrated how it could have been done." WOOD SHED* 1 DESTROYED? At ten o’ lock last night the Decatur fire department w called to the L. Lee residence on ’Vest Harrison street, just on this side of the Schafer Saddlery factory, to put out the fire I that was fast destroying the wood shed, with about two tons of coal and a good-sized stack of wood sheltered therein. The wood house, a shew metal structure, was completely de stroyed. the blaze seemingly starting under the floor and eating its war along the beams and scaffolding. Ii is thought that the fire started fron the ashes that were stacked against the side of the sited The coal ant wood was partly charred anti Cliiet Dellinger stated the loss would bf about seventy-five dollars. WILL REPEAT IT Mite Society Will Repeat Play, “Mrs. Tubbs Does Her Bit"—Benefit of ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION Wit] be Given November 20 —House Was Packed Last Evening. It was a pleased audience that witnessed the home talent play "Mrs. Tubbs Does Her Bit." given last evening at the Athletic hail under the auspices of the Methodist Mite society, the majority of the people enjoying their first good laugh since the pre war days and at the request of a committee the society agreed to repeat the. performance on Wednesday evening. Novemner 20th, for the benefit of the High School Athletic Association. A nice sum was raise 1 last evening which will be used by tlie Mite society in [laying for their Liberty bond. The proceeds from the performance to be given next Wednesday evening will be turned over to the Athletic association, it to be used in the equipping and finishing of the new hall. Tickets for the play will sell at twenty-five cents each. The boys and girls will call on you next week. Follow. g is the east and a short synopsis of he play: Mrs. Mollie Tubbs, a patriotic mother—Mrs. P. B. Thomas. Aunt Serefty McDougal, wealthy old lady—Mrs. Mary Eley. Miss Clingie Vine, romantic old maid —Miss Eva Aughenbaugh. Mrs. Ellen Hickey, a kind neighbor —Mrs. Milo McKinney. Miss Elsie West, Red Cross nurse —Helen Walters. James Scotland Tubbs, one of Uncle Sam’s boys—Howard Beery. Simon Rubbles, the grocery man Lee Bowen. Major John Pepper, commander of camp—O. H. Odell. Nelson Reid, private of first class Bryce Thomas Private Tim Graham — Dwight Thornburg. Quennie Sheba Tubbs, aged eleven — Gertrude Kinzle. Scuffles Tubbs, aged ten—Herman ■ Myers. Billy Blossom Tubbs, a little "feller" —John Wilson Beery. Punkey Tubbs, the Tubbs toddler —Katherine Smith. Time —Year 1917. Place —Shanty town, the “slum" district of a large city near a military camp. Act I—Front room of Mrs. Tubbs’ little shack in Shanty town. “America. Here’s My Boy.” Act. 2—Same scene, six weeks later. A military wedding. Act 3—Scene 1: The army camp at midnight. Mrs. Tubbs does her, bit. Scene 2: c atae as act 1. Mrs.! Tubbs prisoner of war.

Price, Two Cents

BOYS AND GIRLS MAKING A RECORD Victory Classes Have Subscribed $1,800.10 to the War Work Fund. r ? 1 MEANS LOT OF WORK <i d *’ And Doing of Errands to eg Make Up Donation—A it \\ onderful Spirit. 1) I The following grand total has been >f subscribed by the Victory Boys and « Girls in the schools in the city and over the county. The report includes the subscriptions up to Friday evenj l"0: Decatur Ward Schools $ 36.75 Decatur Central School 183.00 Deeatcr High School . 360.00 * Decatur Catholic School . 354.00 Decatur Lutheran School .. . 20.00 Geneva School 173.50 Berne Schools 375.00 Hartford Schools 68.25 French Schools 20.20 ’ Preble Schools 27.50 Blue Creek Schools . 13.65 St. Mary's Schools 12.25 I Kirkland High School 135.00 Kirkland schools 21.00 Total SIBOO.IO The "Victory" Boys" and the "Victory Girls" of Adanis county are making a record of achievement in cbix. United War Work drive that will be long remembered for its success. It is particularly gratifying to those in charge of the drive to know that the school children have so remarkably appreciated the purpose of this great drive and that they have realized that the opportunity afforded them to lie of real service to the boys in khaki was a privilege that they were happy to take advantage, of. Mr. Pumphrey and Miss Holthouse report $1,800.10 turned in up until Friday night and a number of districts yet to hear from. It is really very fine. It shows conclusively that the young people are not only informed regarding these great events but that the spirit of service lias taken possession of them. This SI,BOO donation has meant in most every instance real sacrifice. The young people were cautioned to subscribe by the slogan “earn and save" and then to give. It will taken lot of errands and lots of work to make up SI,BOO. These young people have already in hundreds of instances been preparing for this very purpose and man) a real sacrifice will be made by them between now and the first of next Mareli in [laying what they have subscribed It is surely a great lesson to the "grown-ups.” The teachers of I lie different schools all over the county have also shown a beautiful spirit. This will mean a lot of work upon their part as it already lias done. To receive from day to pay the little earnings of the scholars, to make the proper credits and to tabulate and report them during the days and weeks to come will take a real effort. Tlie soldiers of our great republic are not all at the front There are just as surely real soldiers right here at home. Day after day the lessons taught these young people in every ' school room in this county have been lessons that have reached their un--1 derstanding and their hearts. It has been great work. Surely the impres- ' sions given them and the effort these young people must take will be of ' such a nature as to be treasured until their hair is gray. The report from tlie Kirkland township high school was a surprise and it is learned that thirty donors were responsible for the showing. The chairmen say that they are having difficulty in getting reports from the townships, which is not to be wondered at because of the vast number of units that must be heard from. It is confidently hoped, however, that as they do come in that each section of I the county will hsve reason for great. I pride in the result.