Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 18, Number 6, Decatur, Adams County, 7 January 1920 — Page 1

Volume Will, Number 6

A WATER WK$ SUPERINTENDENT — Will he Employed by City to Take Charge of the Water Department SUPT. MYLOTT BUSY Annual Reports Filed— Committee Authorized to go to Indianapolis The city of Decatur is not only' growing but the city's own business is increasing to such an extent thru it will he necessary to employ a superintendent for the waterworks department of the municipal plant, exclusive of the electric and power department. Last evening at their regular meet Ing the council moved that a superintendent and an assistant he employed to take charge of the water depart ment. the duties of Mr. Mylott. the general superintendent. being so : heavy at present and with prospects of increasing rapidly that it was impos- f slide for him or his assistants to give '

the proper attention to the water department. With the building of the new power plant Mr. Mvlott will have his hands full with the electric and power plant, while the new superintendent will confine his efforts and work to the building up and taking care of the waterworks. Upon motion the matter was referred to the watework committee with power to act. they to do the employing of the superintendent and a helper. Mr. Yager’s annual and quarterly reports were filed and placed on record and are printed in another column of this paper. The fire chiefs quarterly report was filed and spread on record The street and sewe committee reported on the J. M. Rice sewer, Ing the improvement from a district j to a local sewer and the resolution ■ adopting the improvement was passed. Bids will be received for its construction on February 3rd. The cost of the sewer will be borne by the property owners on the west side of the street. A resolution was passed authorizing the transerring of $770.92 from tie special judgment fund to the genetai fund. The committee appointed by tl.e council to go to Indianapolis to appeal before the state tax hoard and the public service commission was authorized to go and a motion made to appropriate 1200 for their expenses. The finance committee allowed the following bills and the meeting adjourned: Christen Smith. $133.25; Ed l,!P ' n ’ $1.05; Water Works pay roll. s h -40. M. J. Mylott pay roll. $148...■: J'tbn Thomas, $135.84: G. R 1 $128.85; D. F. Teeple. $5.29: Erie L. R.. $210.95: Durkins Garage. , Western Union T. co.. sl- J ■ ’ Linn. $5.20: Holthouse Garage. . 75; D. McNaughton.. $« ' H tool oft* Fred nu»K.e, Foos pay roll. $-4. - R $20.00: Lee Hdw. < . .75.19; Charles ( 'rJulius Hougk. $3.10; ’ l6l com. pay roll. »■ .. Ho!t . Co.. $8.25: Lee Hd»- yagpr & house r SIOOO . j. Folk, $10.75, ' „ p Teeple, F. Stonerook. »-'• $422.77; $17.12: T. St. L.'V .. Mieheal H- SorjhJ-

♦ ++ + + ***er**R* cast *1 ♦ THE WEAjH ER + +++ t + <<. ***** north rain south pof Rain or snow n , ra i ns ofrs tion tonight. Thursday 8 . snows. colde r ' . 1 *♦♦♦♦♦♦** :** + B *:tER ANSWER * ♦ .the census office ♦ ♦ Reports t 0 niimbe , of in-* + are that m ■ refusing t( W ♦ Ktan( ' es P X P que»ti° ns ' . Y "l* ♦ answer the (h)S | + should and tha* + government i . efusal t 0 an | ♦ i ♦ the penalty I jg sever* ♦ + W er the lu' 1 ' ansW ered an® ♦ They must * righ t ev en t* ♦ ( ♦ Unde Sant your bus» * 1 ♦ know yo“ r “donkey” about ■ ♦ ♦ ness. Ron' ♦♦+♦♦♦**

DECATUR DALLY DEMOCRAT

OUR ANN ual R bISH The annual January r " Hl ‘ P»y sunscript ions is on 1,! t' l ' 9 office and if I the present rat' is kept ttp during the month we will show a 100 per cent renewal for whirl l course we feel more than gratfid- We know that we need your <ooperf lion i,n<l food will if we are to continue to print a dally paper durinK Ille9e times ami |We appreciate the splendid respon e now being made to renew at the same old price during this month. PREVOST TAKEN Arrest of Young Man Charged with Murder of Detroit Man was MADE LAST NIGHT — The Prosecution will be Based on Circumstantial Evidence tl'nltnl Press Service) Mount Clemens, Mich.. Jan. 7 iSpecial to Daily Democrat)—Lloyd Prevost today stood definitely charged with slaying his friend. J. Stanley

Brown, whose bullet-riddled body was found slumpeil over the wheel in his car. on the Utica road, the morning of December 14. Attorney General Grosbeck. who has [been conducting secret investigations. I asked for the warrant late yesterday | afternoon. Prevost was arrested last ' night. Macomb county authorities believed today they had a most complete chain of circumstantial evidence upon which to press their charge against Prevo.tt.• [Since there were no known eye-wit-nesses they said the prosecution will )>e based entirely on circumstantial evidence. The attorney general and his assist!ants set about today to check up on [the minor details, the final welding of [ each link of the chain. Witnesses, it [is understood, have been produced who can clieck up on every hour of ’ Prevost's time the evening of the int ri ( ' er - [ The young man has changed his story several times, officials said. i With 'be arrest of Prevost came Hie release of Cecil Beatrice Vester, are-ted t Kalamazoo on information given authorities by a former friend. Gladys Summit. It was said today other arrests are unlikely immediately. The authorities it was understood, will try Prevost alone, eipecting the alleged guilt of oth'Ts as accomplices to develop du - ing their testimony as witnesses. Corefiil investigation today had develos>er this theory of the crime: Brown and his wife's cousin, Prevost, we seen riding about town in Blown- car. the evening of December 23J until about 9 o’clock. B his first alibi. Prevost said he left [Brawn then and went to bed. Brovn went to the home ot' Arnold M»ioi. a relative by marriage, where he remained until nearly 10:30 p. r.i. Het said, according to Marion, he exPW<?ted to meet Prevost and search for sgifie buried liquor along the Utica road ißrown was seen to drive up to the fiklisan hotel where he and Prevost IwW. at 10:30. A few minutes later he drove away with a man. said to have been identified as Prevost. & Authorities said evidence at hand tended to show that young Stanley wfovost. a nephew of Lloyd, and a friend took the gun from which the shut j s believed to have been fired, to ILloyd between 9 and 10 o clock the Inight of the slaying.

■ Ute friend was Quoted as saying was lying on his hed fully dressed. Stanley Prevost exhibited the gun several days before the tragedy, savitf it belonged to his uncle. Lloyd, witnesses told investigators. REVIVAL At the Mt. Victory United Brethren Church—Rev. Sill, Pastor. Services each evening at 7 o’clock Easiness session Saturday at 2:00 (clock. Rev. A. M. Johnson of Van E'ert. 0.. will he with us over Sunfay. Sunday morning communion services. A cordial welcome is exenJed to all regardless of church •elation to attend tthese services. Tome thou with us and wo will do 'hee good.

CITY WILL DO IT ’■ ■ Ornamental Lights if Erect--1 ed by Property Owners, will be kept up 'AT CITY’S EXPENSE I Council Makes Motion to That Effect—Committee is Busy at Project If* the ornamental lights are erected I bv the property owners in this city they will be kept up at the city's ex [pense, including the furnishing of the "juice." Tlie council made a motion to this effect at the regular meeting last evening an (Unformed Carl C Pumphrey, chairman of the ornamental light committee, to act accordingly. Mr. Pumphrey has been furnished a temporary blue print of the propos ed system of lighting and in view of the city's liberal offer the proposed project will more than likely meet iwith approval by the majority of the property owners. Tt is estimated that the cost of erect ing the ornamental posts would be about eighty cents a front foot, male ing a forty-foot lot cost around $32 No further expense would fall on the property owners after they were i;i stalled. The property owner can pay the initial bill in two installments. MINERS RATIFY The Plan Adopted Used in Settling the Strike—After a Stormv Session AMERICAN WAS SHOT Killed by Carranza Soldiei —Estimate 2,000 Dead in Mexico. (United Press Service) Columbus. Ohio, Jan. 7 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —United Mint Workers of America meeting today ratified the plan under which the re cent coal strike was ended by a vote of 1.639 to 221. The vote came at the end of a stormy session in which the radical element of the union sought to block approval of the project. i Under terms of the settlement President Wilsons commission of ' men will fix a basis of wages for bi luminous miners. Washington, I). C. Jan. 7.—(Specia’ to Daily Democrat) —-Gabriel Porter an American citizen was shot and kill ed by a Mexican federal army officer at Ttixpam Dec. 21. the state depart ment was advised today by the American counsel at Tampico. “The council has been directed by telegram,” the state department announced, “to report further information and if warranted hv circumstances to urge the local authorities in the Tampico district to arrest and punish the guilty person.” Mexico City. Jan. 7 —(Special te Daily Democrat)—Estimate of total dead in Saturday nights earthquake ran as high as 2.000 today. One town in the state of Vera Cruz was reported to have been wiped out The whole side of the hill on which the town was located collapsed it was said damming a river and flooding the town. Many lives were lost in this catastrophy. Others were crush ed to death by hugh boulders which came down the mountian side. Another vilage near the city ofVera Cruz also was reported partly destroyed. Searchers reported they had recovered 85 bodies. Thirty soldiers were reported killed when a church tower collapsed smashing several adjoining houses. STEEL CAUGHT HIS LEG W. F. McKean, of Monroe, was painfully Injured yesterday afternoon while assisting in unloading steel at i the factory site. A piece of steel , caught his left leg. mashing the flesh and muscles and causing intense suf- < feting. He was taken home and will I) be confined to his bed for some time. 1 No bones were broken. it The steel is now being erected and the G. E. factory site is a busy 1 place these days with a half dozen forces at work. Brick is arriving 3 and within a fortnight the big buildj ing will be well under way.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday Evening, January 7, 1920.

• TAKEN TO HOSPITAL TODAY Mrs. Gene Lutz-Smith. daughter ol Attorney Clark J. Lutz, was taken to the Lutheran hospital at Fort Wayne tills afternoon, for treatment Lora serious kidney trouble. She has been suffering occasionally for a year past and for two weeks the pain , lias been more acute. Her condition ' became worse yesterday and her local physician advised that she be I taken to the hospital. The trip was made in the Gay. Zwick & Myers ambulance, leaving here about one I’clock. A FINE OLD GYM ’Big Athletic Hall Looks Dandy in its Coat of Stucco Just Completed BY CARROLL & SON Did a Good Job in Cold Weather—Hall is Most Popular Place in Town The jolt of stuccoing the gymnasia n ias been completed and it looks like real job too and certainly adds to he appearance of the big hall which as become a very popular place for he youngsters as well as many of the Ider people. The work was done by E L. Caroil & Son who deserves much credit or their sacrifice of any profit. The veil known firm was so overcrowded vith work that this job given late was lelayed until cold weather set in but his did not stop them for the stucco vas put on during the past two weeks vhen the weather was severe. The gym is a fine looking hall now md is worth every cent that has been nd will be put in by our people who ire thus providing a decent place ior ‘he boys and girls of this community. The basket ball teams have been makng good use of it and now under Mr. Worthman indoor baseball is to b“ nade popular. Th* first practic lor he business men was held last evenng and was throughly enjoyed. The "tall is paying its own way and will irovide the right kind of exercise tinier the right kind of direction. Mr. Troves, director of athletics is verv opular and is proving an excellent nan for the place. THE MONROE POST Os the American Legion Elects Officers for the Ensuing Year HAVE STRONG STAFF Paul H. Graham is Commander —Membership is Growing James Monroe post of the American Legion, located at Monroe, met Monlay night and conducted an enthusistic meeting. Officers were elected nd other business pertaining to the irganization transacted. Officers were elected as follows: Commander —P. H. Graham. Vice-Commander Floyd Liby. Adjutant Treasurer —L. M. Busche. Representative on District Committee- —Bill Kauffman. Historian —(’. A. Shirk. Other members forming executive committeeI—Dr. 1 —Dr. M F. Parrish. George Sprague. Lawrence Durbin. Although the post was formed just recently, it is progressing very rapidly and the membersship is constantly . growing. It is made up of an enthusi- . astlc bunch of fellows and is destined to be a great success. The post cordially invites all cx- | service men to visit them at any time at their quarters. COURTING AT BLUFFTON i i Special Judge David E. Smith, of t Decatur, this morning overruled mo--1 tlons to require plaintiff to file more i specific complaint in the account case of the R. Williams company 1 against the W. B. Brown company. The case is to be tried by jury, members of the Shoemaker jury being ordered to report today. The com--1 plaintalleges that the W. B. Brown r company is indebted to plaintiff for 1 n bill of goods amounting to $485. ; The complaint is in three paragraphs - and demand for S6OO is made in each. —Bluffton Banner.

. IN THE CITY COURT Sixty-nine Cases Triec Before Mayor Yager jj in Year 1919 'VIOLATING CITY LAWS p s.Was the Heaviest — Seven s “Drunks”—The Fines g Amounted to $272.50. [Mayor Yager submitted the following report to the city council last evening which whs spread on record and accepted: , Summary for the Year 1919 During the year there were sixtynine cases tried in the city court charged as follows: Public Intoxication 7 ' Heavy Hauling 9 Unlawful Possession of Liquor . . 5 I Petit Larceny 5 Profanity 1 Speeding 8 Issuing Fraudelent Check 1 Trespass , 4 i Assault and Battery 5 ■ Train Climbing 4 > Obstructing Highway 1 1 Violating City Ordinances 19 Total 69 , Fines and fees collected from these cases and turned into the city treasurer—s272.su. FORD CAR NIPPED 5 £ • Frank Gillig’s Car Stolen from Corner of Madison and Second Last Night REPORTED TO SHERIFF Who has Started a Systematic Hunt for Car and Thief—sso Reward Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gillig of south Os the city drove to town last evening in their Ford, leaving it at the corner 1 tfear the Teeple, Brandyberry A Peterson store, on Madison street at S O'clock. When they tried to find it at ten o’clock it was gone and a search has failed to furnish any clue. The I car was no doubt stolen and Sheriff .Melchi is conducting a hunt for the cui' and the thief. Fifty dollars reward is being offered. The car was a 1917 Ford with the 1919 license number 221.410 with a lipniemade front dash hoard, car upholstered all around, one glass missing from right front light and left light stained with checked paper, one window out in back of the car. one j robe and one horse blanket in car. Another distinguished mark is a ' pipe just in front of the forward seat [ used for filling the gas tank with-, out lifting the cushion. This pipe could of course be torn out hut the; marks would sure be left Card are being sent to every city within the radius of a hundred miF>s and Sheriff Melchi who has already gained a reputation for recovering stolen cars is using every means to get trace of the Ford. VIEWERS ARE APPOINTED The county commissioner appointed the viewers on the following roads. John C. Cowan road. John Stoutenberry and Ed Chronister viewers. Enos Lehman road. Albert Heppert and Frank Breiner viewers. Stahley road. Martin L. Smith and A. C. Nuensch- ' wander, viewers. Ferdinand Stauffer road. August Conrad and August Schiviewers.man viewers. E. M. Hay road. Frank Fugate and Joseph Andrews. ' viewers, Ruhen MeyeT load. Ruben Schindler and Peter J. Baumgartner, viewers. The Seigrist road. Charles ’ Habegger and Ed Affolder. viewers, Martin L. Smith road. Henry Kucher and Oswald Hoffman, viewers. These viewers will meet at th: auditor’s office to qualify and are ors dered to make their reports on or before January 23rd. Auditor John 9 Mosure was authorized to make up * the assessor's books and receive $150.00 for his work. Dynois Schmit' ’ was authorized to repair a sewer that , connects his land with the old faT . grounds. , The board adjourned last evening. r Londftn postmen threaten a strike i because the authorities refused tehm .'permission accept “Christmas boxes” | this year.

LOOK FOR PAT ADAMS (United Press Service) I Michigan City. Ind.. Jan.7 (Spell ciul lo Daily Hcmocrat) Police >l' northern Indiana were warned today to watch for Patrick 11. Adams, a con vid from Indianapolis prison here late yesterday, supposedly by con's cealing himself in an automobile within the prison wails. , [ When the car was driven out of th® I prison. Adams went with it. No clue to bis where abouts had been I found up to noon today. PLANS COMPLETE I For Holding the Annual Farmer's Short Course I ‘ at Purdue University ; FROM JAN. 12th TO 16th An Apple and Ham and Bacon Show will Also ; be Held There. 4 ' luifayette. Ind.. Jan. 7 Plans ate icompleted for the annual farni*T I short course which will be held • I Purdue University Jan 12 to hi and t, arrangements are being made to care □ i for 3.000 farmers am! their wlve< from . throughout the state. In one county. Pulaski, the 12 township directo < 1 of the farmers' associations have ! [agreed to bring 10 men or more to at'tend the course, making in all 120 i persons from that one county. In a number of other counties whose reiI j idents may reach Lafayette by inieri urban, special cars will carry the in-n Ito the short course which promises to lhe the most successful ever held in | tlie state. An excellent array of agri- ’ cultural leaders and speakers will bo [on the program. ■ J In addition to the short course, the | annual state corn show; the annual Purdue apple show, and a ham and bacon show, in which home cun d meat will compete for $75 in prizes, 1 will be held More than a dozen state associations with a total membership of more , than 4.000 including the tndiarfa Corn I I I Growers' Association. Indiana liv< istock breeders' Association. Indiana , Dairy Association, beef and dairy cat-j . I tie breed associations. Indiana Sh“op j Breeders' and Feeders' Associatin'!, land Indiana Home Economics Associi- | tion. which is composed of repreuen- | tatives of each of tlie local clubs | over the state, will hold their annual meetings during the farmers' week. Such well known speakers as Hon. IA. F. Lever, of the Federal Farm i I nan Bureau at Washington, for yen 's chairman of the agricultural commit- 1 [tee in the House of Representatives: 1 I Dr. H. J yy’aters. former president of 1 I the Kansas Agricultural College, now 1 [editor of the Weekly Kansas City ‘ [star: A W. Hopkins, chairman of ' I the Wisconsin Livestock Breeders’ ' [ Association: Prof G. I Christie. [ ! superintendent of agricultural exten-1 1 sion of Purdue University and '"o.'-l 1 merly assistant secretary of agricnl-p titre, will be on the program. Special classes with a great amount ! of practical work will he provided in anima! husbandry, poultry, dairying, j' | home economies. horticulture, and I soils and crops. Purdue, specialists in these various lines will conduct this pvork and those attending the course)' may attend any of these classes they , ' ’ wish. — 1 1 IS PLACED IN JAIL — 'I Marshall Bob Andrews of Monroe [' ■[accompanied Jim Stevenson of that , I citv to Decatur this morning 'ind 1 ■ I . .'turned him to Sheriff Seph Melchi whop 11 placed him in Jail. Stevens was ! . found guilty in squires court of jump- > 1 i | ing a $2.50 board bill Ho had four 1 .{days to serve as the guest of Seph : 1 ' Melihi. GOVERNOR TO INVESTIGATE (United Press Service) Indianapolis. Jan. 7 (Special to Daily Democrat) Governor Good (rich today was ready “to go to the bottom' of the charges of irregularities In election of members of the state board of agriculture. He said ho would order an investigation by the state board of accounts if he eon siders such a step Justified after he has conducted a personal inquiry, e An official investigation would i lead to recommendations for new " legislation governing the agriculture J board, the gjoveruor said.

Price Two Cento

FOR A BIG6ER AND BETTER DECATUR Mayor Yajfer in Annual Message to City Council Urges Building of » THE POWER PLANT Thanks C itizens and Officials for Cooperation— A Great Outlook. I In his annual message t > the city < ouncil. read last t veiling. Mayor It'harles Yager recommended ami urgled the immediate building of the new power plant, thanked the citizens and officials tor their co-operation during the past year and predicted a great year ter the city during 1920. His annual message reads: Decatur. Ind.. Jan. •>. 1920. Gentlemen of the (‘ouncil: We are now starting on a new year and I hope that we will work together as we have in the year jt st passed. I lielb ve that every one of you have the .best interests of Hie city at hea t. That is just as it should be. | wish to congratulate each one of you for what you have done the past yen'. You have done nil you could do to belter the conditions of our city, ami I thank you for it. With the General Electric now building, and with other factories coning to us. We will have to arrange to take care of them with light and pow er. which we will not be able to do with our present plant. We must have a new plant in order to taka care of the new business which will come to its. and I ask the citizens of our city to work with you in order to secure it. I believe that the pub’ic service commission will grant our petition to issue bonds for same: then it will be up to us to raise the balance of the money needed, and I feel sue that our citizens will be big enough 'or the task. 1 wish to thank all of our citizens who have helped so far in this work. We are living in one of the finest cities in the state, with miles of brick treets and cement walks and thoir- | .mds of fine shade trees, and with lour city lighted as it liould be a.id like it will bo if the present plans go through, we will he second to none. Our city is in good shape financial!* Our credit is good and wo should keep it so. Our people are the finest in th* world and I fee) sure that they will .<ll help in the securing of a new plant. With our plant on the railroad we will save from $3.5(10 to $5,000 per year on the hauling of coal alone. And with the new business that we will be able lo got we can pay for tlie plant out of the earnings of it and wo will not need any levy to take care of the bonds as they come line. It will be a big |ob but I believe we are big enough for it and everv one of us should help in th n matter as it concerns all of ns. With our new plant, in operation we will be able to take care of the business that, we have and also the new business that will come to us for quite a while. We are bound tn grow and I ask of our citizens that they will help all they can in helping take care of the people that will come to our citv. We must have a lot of new homes, and if you ran build one nr mure, do it for the good nf our citv and let's show them that we annrociate their coming. And that we will do all wo can to take care of them. We certainly arc indebted to the General Electric people for deciding to locate here and we should show them that wo appreciate their coining and their coming will bring others, and we must take care of all of the n, not only with light and power, but witli homes in which to live We must build homos and a lot of them I wish to thank the police officers | tor their work the past year in trying to keep our city clean. They certainly deserve praise for being on the job lull the time. Also Mr. Dowling for being the best street commissioner we have ever had He surely has been a busy man and has done his work well Our firemen arc tn be eongrafitlat.'d on the very small loss that our peopj*' were forced to have on account nf tires. The loss was very small con uinring the number of fires and the amount endangered. The men at the citv plant also come in for our thanks and ns soon as i sible should he given a raise in wages(Continued ffn Page Three)