Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 19, Number 38, Decatur, Adams County, 14 February 1921 — Page 1

Volume XIX. Number 38.

CONVENTION AT PORTLAND Midsummer Meeting of the Northern Indiana Firemen to be Heid June 16 OFFICERS IN MEETING Friday and Preliminary Arrangements Made — Decatur Man There The Portland Commercial-Review h as the following to say concerning ! • t he meeting of the officials of the Northern Indiana Firemen's Association: - The officials of the State Firemen Association arrived in our city this afternoon ahd visited a number of the business men of the city. The officers here are: G. F. Rogge and F. G. Duree of Fort Wayne; George Kihm of Kendallville; G. G. Butts of Mishawaka; L. C. Helm of Decatur and D. Resse Evans of Warsaw. All who are interested in the con vention that the firemen will have here are invited to the meeting tonight. Much enthusiasm was shown by those present at the meeting of the volunteer firemen, city officials and business men of this city with the officials of the Northern Indiana Indust rail and Volunteer Firemen's Association held at the auditorium of the court house Friday night, and plans were made to give the convention, which will be held here June 16, the best entertainment ever accorded it anywhere. The Rortland convention will be the sixteenth one. the first one being held at Montpelier with only sixteen companies participating at that time, while at the present time there are thirty-six companies, ten to fifteen bands and drum corps and 1,100 to 1,200 volunteer firemen attend a convention. If the weather conditions permit, the state officers say, that this city will not, unless preparations are made, be able, to accomodate the crowds that will attend the convention here. The officers were assured that Portland would get busy and see to it that means were taken for the comfort of the crowds and to royally entertain them, especially the volunteer firemen. The meeting was called to order by Chas. Headington, president of the i. local firemen's organization and who has been a fireman for the past twen-ty-six years and attended fourteen out of the fifteen conventions. Addresses were given by Mayor C. O. Mitchell, City Attorney R. D. Wheat and Secretary of the Commercial Association, Keith Spade, while Chas.. Headington and Grant Kikendall made talks for the local firemen’s organization. The meeting was then turned over to the state officers and the president, D. Reese Evans, of Warsaw, took charge of the meeting and gave a general outline of what the convention would be. George G. Butts, vice-president, and chief of the Mishawaka Woolen Manufacturing company’s volunteer firemne, talked on the “Benefits of the Convention.” He said that in the seventeen years that his company had had the firemen’s company, of which he had been in charge during the time, there had not been one cent of insurance paid because of damage from fire. He said that he thought this was in a great measure due to the fact that these conventions gave new ideas and made one practiced in the art of fighting fires. He said that the convention contests cabled one to be able to improve in fire fighting habits, so that a fire could he extinguished with more rapidity and thus save much money and property, for fifteen minutes at the beginning of a fire is what counts. G. Duree, of the Fort Wayne General Electric company’s volunteer firemen, gave an excellent account of "What the Convention is Like.” He said that the parade was one of the big features of the con ven’ion, with 36 fire companies wearing a diversion of uniforms, with 10 to 15 bands and drum corps and from 1,000 to 1,500 firemen in the parade, it is worth seeing. He said there are contests of all kinds, racing, hose laying, ladder and water battles and ® av e an interesting account of each. C. F, Rogge, who is with the same company as Mr. Duree, and who is secretary of the organization, told in the expense to a convention. He said ’hat the expense varied from $1,500 i ~ '--- - (Continued on page six)

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

BOOST FOR RELIEF FUND, Rev. A. H. Saunders, chairman of the committee in charge of raising funds for the New East Relief organization reports two contributions in this mornings mail, sent in by C. O. Lehman of Berne. One was for $1.40 from the Borne graded schools and another for $10.45 from the Berne high school. A total of $11.85. AGED LADY DIES Mrs. Catherine Brunnegraff Passed Away Sunday Morning at Home Here APOPLEXY THE CAUSE Funeral Services Will be Held Tuesday Morning at St. Mary’s Church Mrs. Catherine Brunnegraff. well known agad lady, residing on Short street, died Sunday morning at 5 o'clock her death being due to apoplexy. Mrs. Brunnegraff had not been well for several days, but she had been up and about the house, the fatal attack coming Saturday night. Msr. Brunnegraff was born in Germany, July 10, 1844, making her age seventy-six years, six months and twenty-four days. She came- to this country many years ago, and she and her husband, James Brunnegraff. have lived on Short street several years. Surviving besides the husband are two sons. Martin and Joe, of this city; two daughters, Mrs. Josephine Costello of Chicago, and Mrs. Robert' Schwartz of Champaign, 111. Ther? are also six grandchild™. Two brothers, Rev. Father E. A. Jakob, of Mendota, 111., and Henry Jakob, of Cincinnati, also survive. The two daughters arrived this afternoon to be in attendance at the funeral, which will be held Tuesday morning from the St. Mary’s Catho(Continued on page six) HELD TAX SALE Treasurer Hugh Hite Sold Property for Delinquent and Current Tax AT THE COURT HOUSE At 10 O’clock This Morning —All Properties Sold Except One in Geneva County Treasurer Hite was official auctioneer at 10 o’clock this morning at the annual sale of property because of the owners failed to paytaxes, the properties sold bringing only the current and delinquent taxes and the costs accrued in making the sale. The only property on which there were no bids was the Doris and Charles Votaw property in Geneva. B. W. Sholty purchased the Eli Bierie and Fred Bentz 80-acre farm in Monroe township, the delinquent tax being $56.60 and the current tax $156.21. Mr. Sholty also got the Bears and Ireland properties in Hartford township, the sum of $1.91 being the delinquent tax and $5.58 the current tax. He also purchased the Luclla Runkel two acres in Wabash township by paying $1.73 cents delinquent and $8.38 current tax. John Schurger bid in the Samuel E. Leisure forty acres in Monroe township, the delinquent tax being $33.42 and the current tax $81.55. George W. Ford purchased his own property in Wabash township, the delinquent tax being $8.78. This sale is said to have been made purposely that hoid(Continued on page four) OtO*********** + hoover can have it ♦ + — * + St. Augustine, Fla., Feb. 14 -4- + (Special to Daily Democrat)— * + Herbert Hoover can be secre- * + tary of commerce in the Hard- + + ing cabinet if he will accept the + + post, according to the belief of * * persons close to the president- 4- + elect here today. + Hoover had previously been * + supposed to have slight chance ♦ + of being invited into the cabinet ♦ 4. because of the opposition of a ♦ 4- number of senators, including + + Nirma Johnson, of California. ♦ + But Harding has hopes of nul- * 4> lifying the opposition, it is said ♦ 1 4- and believes that the public is ♦ ‘ 4. a whole will approve the appoint- 4> 1 + rnent of a man with Hoover’s * ' 4> 'experience. +♦♦*♦***********

.'THE OFFICIAL ; CENSUS DATA I, 0 e 9 * 1 Final Figures Given Out on Population in Adams County in 1920 [ TOWNSHIPS INCLUDED County Had Population of 5,797 in the Year 1850— Interesting Facts Adams county has a smaller population this year than it had in 1900 J and 1910 according to the final cenI -sus figures received at this office to- , day. from William C. Hunt, chief statistician of tile census bureau, Washington, I). C. The 1920 census shows tile county has a total population of 20.503 as 1 compared witli 22,232 in 1900 and 21,1 840 in 1910, the percentage of loss ' being six and one-tenth per cent. The urban population, the city of Decatur, is given at 4.762 and the ‘ rural population at 15,741 in 1920, whil|> in 1910 the urban population, was 4.471, the rural population 17,369 in 1900 the urban population was 4.142 and the rural population 18,190, ' so it can be seen that the city of 1 Decatur has made a steady gain in the last twenty years, the gain in he last ten years being 292. The gain in the urban population or in the ! city of Decatur in the last ten years is six and five-tenths per cent. In 1850 the population of Adams ' ■ county was 5,797. The population of the townships in- ' eluding part of the cities and towns, are: Blue Creek township, 929; French, 863; Hartford 1,079, Jefferson 887, Kirkland 927. Monroe, including part of Berne and Monroe towns, 2,914; Preble 996, Root 1,134, St. Marys 996, Union BGS, Wabash, including Geneva and parts of Berne, 2,788; Washington, including Decatur and part of Monroe. towtf.T.l26. The population of the towns in Adams county are: Berne 1,537, Decatur 4,762, Monroe 384 and Geneva 879. Geneva had a population of 1.140 in 1910. The state of Indiana which was admitted to the union in December 1816 had a total population in 1920 of 2.930,390, an increase of 229,514 in ten j ears. Indianapolis is the largest city with 314.194. Os the ninety-two (Continued on page six) A BIG CROWD HEARD CHORUS New Musical Organization Made Decided Hit in the First Public Concert DESERVES SUPPORT Os Music-loving Community—Will Aim to Give - - Monthly Musicales The first appearance of the new Decatur chorus drew one of the biggest crowds of this kind ever brought to gether in this city, the Presbyterian church being crowded Sunday aLenoon with people, from the main en Hance to the attic, everyone anxious Lg hear the program announced in last Friday’s paper. Every available seat in the auditorium, Sunday school room and balpony was taken, and the concert, which was of the very lust was appreciated by every person gaining admittance to the church The program was carried out as an ' nounced, and began at 4 o’clock, last--1 ing one hour. Dr. Fred Patterson an ' nounced the purpose of the organiza- ' tion and there is no qeustion but that ' it will have the united support of D<- ‘ catur people. The concerts will bo ' given monthly, and the chorus will be ' enlarged from time to time. ' Following is the program given ‘ Sunday: ' Organ Prelude, “Serekiada” (Kin- ' der). ' I Chorus, "How Beauteous Are Thy k Feet” (Morza). Duet, "As Pants the Hart” (Smart) H— Mr. and Mrs. E. D. Engeler. N Chorus. “O Loving Savior” (HawJ ley). | Duet, “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” I (Caro Roma)—Mesdames Tyndall and . Schrock. J Sols. “Not Understood” (Haugh- ► (Continued on page six)

Decatur, Indiana, Monday Evening, February 14, 1921.

4>* + 4-*4-4>4- + 4‘ + 4-4- + + + 4> SPENCER IS CENTER + 4. 4. ♦ Washihgton, Feb. 14 — (Spe- ♦ I + cial to Daily Democrat)—Spen- ♦ ♦ cer, Indiana, is the town near- ♦ ♦ est the center of population of ♦ 4> the United States, the census 44> bureau announced today. ♦ + *4>+4>4*4>4*4>4> + 4>4>4>*4> THE COURT NEWS I County School Superintendent Ed S. Christen Admitted to Bar Today I ’ JURY IS SUMMONED For Monday, February 21 —Next Week Promises to be a llusy One for Court County School Superintendent E. S. Christen was admitted to the liar this morning in circuit court, following , the report of the committee which examined him as to his knowledge of law and as to character. Attorneys James T. Merryman, Lewis C. DeVoss and Clark J. Lutz were members of the committee, and they highly recommended the county superintendent as a fit person to practice law. Mr. Christen has been county superintendent since 1914. and previous to that time was a teacher in the schools of the county. Judge Moran today summoned the I members of the petit jury to appear I next Monday morning, February 21st. 1 The week of February 21»t will be a busy one, several state cases having been set for trial. Cases of liquor law violation have all been set for next week, and also the pool room owners who were arrested on grand jury indictments will have hearings. Clara Stepler, of French township, who has been an inmate at the conn ' ty jail six weeks, awaiting the necessary papers for her return to Easthaven asylum, will lie taken to that place Tuesday, the papers having arrived this morning. Martin Kirchner vs. Mary Gault. Default of defendant. Rule to an swer absolute on or before Febru ary 22nd. Jennie Moser vs. Jeter Moser, divorce. Motion to strike out plea in abatement is overruled. Exceptions by plaintiff. Demurrer to plea in abatement sustained. Exceptions by defendant. Application for allowance filed by plaintiff. Counter .showing to application for allowance by defendant. Application for allowance submitted and evidence heard. Defendant is ordered to pay to tlie clerk of court the sum of $35 for use of the plaintiff and her attorneys. Real estate transfer: J. Charles Brock to Richard A. Hocker, part lot 552, Decatur, $1,450. Marriage license: Chester L. I Haines, farmer, Berne, born August' 22, 1894, son of Benjamin F. Haines, I to wed Arba Ray, housekeeper, Berne | born July 17, 1899, daughter of Will ' iam Eli Ray. *, — * I THE WEATHER FORECAST Fair tonight and Tuesday, colder tonight. DATES FOR TRIAL Cases in Which Local Parties Are Interested Are Placed on Calendar in JAY CIRCUIT COURT Both Are Damage Cases and Will be Tried Before Judge McGriff and Jury The Portland Sun says of two Adams county damage cases which are to be tried in the Jay circuit court: “The case of Joseph L. Sipe vs. Albert H. Macbeth and Amos Reusser. seeking damages in the sum of $lO.000 venued here from the Adams circuit court, has been set for trial on March 17 by Judge McGriff. A motion for a continuance was filed recently by attorneys for the defendant. The defendants, surgeons, of Fort Wayne, are charged with failing to remove some gauze from a wound following an operation on the plaintiff. The case was originally set here for January 7. A second trial of the damage case of Chalmer Schlegel by Lewis C. DeVoss. his next friend vs. Ferdinand (Continued on page five)

’ JULIUS SCHUR : DIED SUDDENLY ► - h i- One of Best Known Busi- ’ ness Men of Berne is Victim of Heart Attack [•ABOUT NOON TODAY Death Came in Few Moments After He Became 111 at II is Home — ! Borno, Ind., Fob. 14. — (Special to I Daily Democrat). —This community ! I; was greatly shocked at noon today by j the news of the ‘sudden death of I Julius C. Schug one of the best known ’ business men of the community. Apparently in excellent health he had just returned to the Main homo at 11:10 and was sitting in a chair ■ when tlie attack came on. Mrs. 1 Schug at once notified tlie children ; and other relatives but death came before they arrived. He had been subject to slight heart attacks but had 1 not been seriously ill. Funeral arrangements had not been made this afternoon. Mr. Siliuft is survived by the widow and three daughters and one son, Velma, who resides in Michigan; Catherine, Walter and Vera. Mr. Schug was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, December 20, 1858, coming to this county when a very small lad and since residing there. He was educated in the Schools of Berne and as a young man was a very industrious worker. He was a carpenter and later became sales agent for the McCormick Harvester Co., traveling several years for them. In 1887 he became a partner in the Schug Brothers hardware store hero and for many years contirftied at that business. He retired a few years ago j but he has always been recognized I as one of the leading citizens of this town and a worker for any thing which would benefit his community. He has numerous business connections aniT wh“%ell known all over: the county. Besides the immediate family and many other relatives he is also survived by four brothers, Rudolph, Phillip, Charles of this place and ,John of Decatur. Mr. Schug was well and favorablyknown in Decatur, making frequent business trips to this city. The announcement of his death will be sad news for his many friends in this part of the county as well as elsewhere. NO REDUCTION IN THE WAGES Railroad Board Holds That Railroads Cannot Arbitrarily Reduce the — WAGES OF EMPLOYEES Will Not Allow Change Until Case is Heard—Erie Men Are Effected Chicago, Feb. 14.— (Special to the Democrat). —Right of ’ railroads to arbitrarily reduce j wages of employes was denied by the Federal Railroad Labor Board in a decision today. The board’s ruling was contained in a ruling on the petition of employes of the Erie road to prevent the management from putting into effect dras- ! tic salary reductions and changes in - | hours of work. No change shall be made in the existing scale and working conditions before the board has an opportunity ) to heir the case. The hearing was ( set for February 23rd. The employes charged that the I road attempted to put into effect re- , duction in wages of track laborers to 30 cents an hour; ordered train dispatchers to work seven days a w<?ek | without relief and ordered reduction I of tlie earnings of telegraphers for | January 31st. Whether they worked or not on that day. Further conference between the employes and the road in an attempt ! to settle the controversy was sug- ■ gested by the board. Washington, Feb. 14. —(Special to' the Democrat).—Plans to fight the open or non-union shops movement will be made by labor leaders from all parts of the United States at a series of meetings here beginning February 22, Secretary Frank Morri(Continued on page five)

MOTOR BURNED OUT The motor In the washing machine 'at the Lizzie Buckmaster home ’.u>n oil out at about 2 o'clock this af‘< r :noon and caused quite an amount of ! smoke. Fearing that a fire might re-! suit the fire department wns called I to the acene. CALLS MEETING County Chairman J. Fred Fruchte Issues Call for City and Town Meetings FOR THE MAY PRIMARY — Members of Committee to, Meet in Each Town on the 21st of This Month J. Fred Fruchte, democratic county chairman, has received an official notice from Benj. Bosse, state chairman, asking him to call a meeting of tlie democratic members of each incorporated town and city, for February 21st, at which time city chairmen arc to be named and plans made for the primary to he held in May at which time candidates for city and town officers will be selected. For this purpose Mr. Fruchte has therefore asked that the members of the democratic committee living in these various communities. Decatur, Monroe, Berne and Geneva, meet on the day named for the purpose of completing the organization. Meetings will of course be held in the towns for which organization is made. In this city, the meeting will be held at 7:30 p. m. in the democratic headquarters over this office. Members of the committee here are D. D. Coffee, Thomas Dowling. Dan Tyndall. James Hurst, J. O .Selk-meyer, and C. N. Christen. THE M E REVIVAL Sunday Great Day at Local Church — Rev. Thomas Preached Fine Sermons NO SERVICE TONIGHT Epworth Leaguers Will Have Lunch Wednesday and Attend in a Body Yesterday was a great day in the Methodist revival. The morning service began with one of the largest Sunday schools, if not the largest, ' that has ever been held in Decatur. ' There were 516 present and many more came in before the close of the ' school, but there were that many in the classes. Enthusiasm was in the air. The aim had been placed at 500 and it was more than reached. j In the morning service Rev. Thom- I as preached one of his great sermons 1 to a crowded house. His text was J Job 35:10, “Who giveth songs in the ( night.” Not only was the auditorium filled but the lecture room as well. In the evening the church was so packed that the Services began before the regular time. All the space was taken and all chairs were brought into use, and then hundreds 1 were turned away. It was impossible < to supply the crowd with even stand-1 < ing room. |' Rev. Thomas preached from Mark i 3:11, "Thou are the Son of God.” - r He showed that Jesus Christ claim- , ed to be the Son of God, and that he , was such in deed and in truth or was ( (Continued on page two) ■ ■ — I 4. BIG GAME TONIGHT -b * * All aboard for the big basket * | , 4> ball game to bo staged at the *I ( 4- gym tonight. + j •'f The lovers of basket ball arc 4> j 4« to be treated to a game out of * ( + the ordinary tonight, as the * , 4« Monroe high school boys and 4- ( 4. girls teams will clash in a return 4> 4- game with the local high school 4‘ j + boys and girls teams at the ath- 4* 1, •h letic hall. The game has long +1 , 4* been looked forward to with 4* 4- great interest, and much will de- 4> 4« pend on this contest, relative to 4* the county tournament which is + 4« also to be held this week. 4< 4* The largest crowtf of the sea- 4- ) son is expected to be present 4 1 ■ I 4* Monroe is coming "300 strohg.” 4- i 1 4- Decatur will do better. Come 4-, I 4* early and prepare to root. 4> i < 4.4.4,4.4.4.4>4>4,4.4,4>4>4>*,|>,

Price Three Cents

SENATE VOTES FOR INCREASE Bill Increasing Salaries of Judges Was Passed Today by the Senate ITS SUBSTITUTE BILL McCray’s Amended Tax Bill is Postponed in the House Until Thursday Indianapolis. Feh. 14 —(Special t<J Daily Democrat) —The state senate - today passed the English bill increas--1 ing the salaries of supreme and apj peltate court judges from $6,000 to i $7,500. The vote was 28 to 15. This measure was a substitute for one killed by the senate early in the session of the legislature which sought to boost the salaries to SIO,OOO A bill similar to tlie one passed today was indenfinitely postponed recently by tlie house of representatives. Tlie administration tax bill proposing amendments to the tax law so as to retain to the state tax board jurisdiction over blind issues and tax levies came up in the house but consideration of it was postponed till Thursday when two amendments were offered by Representative Barker of Boone county, who was piloting the measure through the house. Ono amendment would take carte of certain levies which Attorney General Lesli says were invalidated by tho special legislature. This amendment applies especially to the state highway commission levy and provides that the governor, the auditor of state and the tax board may fix levies in case they are held illegal by the supreme court or are not acted upon by this legislature. The other amendment would exempt from taxation armories used by the state for military purposes. A bill referred to on debate as “a real blue sky law” was passed by the senate 39 to 0. The bill would make unlawful the payments of dividends from proceeds of stock sales. It was said such payments have been common among stock promoters thrqughout the state. By a vote of 33 to 9 the senate passed the bill placing members of the pardon board on a par dium salary basis of $lO. This bill was drafted following Governor McCray’s decision to have the board sit motnhly instead of quarterly. SUNDAY SCHOOL REPORT These were 1.513 persons in attendance at Sunday school in this city Sunday, a greater number than last Sunday, but the colection fell oft somewhat. The Methodists led The report is as follows: . Att. Col’ Methodist 516 $26.48 United Brethren ”00 13.23 Reformed 148 11.27 Evangelical 192 9.56 Baptist 94 7.40 Presbyterian 150 7.17 Christian 75 3.1:3 Church of God 38 I 5’ 1 Totallsl3 $79.83 COUNTY MEET THURSDAY Members of the Knights of Pythias ledge a.e requested to reiuembe.- the county moiling at. the home in this city Thursday evening. The meeting v ill start promptly at. 7 oclock. There will be a class of pages, and a program will be given, announcement of. which will be made later. An effor will be made to get every knight at tlie meeting who has belonged to the order twenty years or more. Keep it in miifd and be on hand. INFANT IS DEAD. Clarence Edward, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. George Keck, died Sunday evening at 5:12 o'clock at the fam ily home on Madison street, death being due to exhaustion. The child had not been well since its birth, Febru ary sth. The parents have one other child, a daughter. Miss Mabie, nine years old. Funeral services were held privately this afternoqn at the home, tho Rev. Miner officiating. Burial was at the Decatur cemetery. WANTS BILLS PASSED. Washington, Feb. 14. — (Special to Daily Democrat). — President-elect Harding has sent an urgent request to republican leaders to clean up appropriation bills by March 4th and leave the legislative docks clear for other tilings in a special session it was learned today.