Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 19, Number 91, Decatur, Adams County, 16 April 1921 — Page 1

Volume XIX. Number 91.

STORM’S DEATH TOLL FIXED AT SIXTY

BERNE WINNER IN SPELLING MATCH Miss Gladys Schindler Spells Forty Minutes with Edith Mae Bell, Decatur THE WORD “PIVOT” Was Fatal Word—Contest Lasted Two Hours and Forty Minutes. In one of the most excjting spelling contests ever staged in Adams county Miss Gladys Schindler of Herne won in the Adams county contest Friday evening at the court house. In the B contest, staged at the gym Gerald Zimmerman of Kirkland township was successful. The B teams were made up of spellers from the fifth and sixth grades form the north and south halves of the county and the A teams which spelled at the court house were pupils from the seventh and eighth grades. Each spelling match was interesting throughout, and the spectators, friends of the Spellers were up on their toes every minute of the two hours and forty-five minutes required to decide the best speller. Miss Schindler, winner in the A contest at the court house, spelled against Edith Mae Bell, of this city forty minutes before Miss Bell finally went down on the word "pivot" giving the honors to Berne and the Webster's dictionary to Miss Schindler. The foHowing is the list of the spellers in the seventh ami eighth grades, and the order in which they finished, together with the township or corporation they represented, and their teachers: Eighth Grade. 1. —Gladys Schindler. Berne, O. A. Potter. 2. Edith Mae Bell, Decatur, Archie Heller. 3. —lvan Douglas, Decatur, Archie Heller. 4. Flora Dague, St. Mary’s, H. M. Crownover. 5. —Magelina Armstutz, Berne, Alice Gerber. 6. —Ruth Geisel, Kirkland, Rosella Mills. 7. Carl Zehr, Wabash, Bertha Buckley. 8. —Rhea Morical —Wabash, Bertha Buckley. 9. —Yelly Buckmaster, Blue Creek. Margaret Becker. R. L. Butcher. 11. —Jeanette Steele, Decatur, Grace Coffee. 12. —Francis Cook, Union township. Zariffe Barkley. 13. —Gladys Eagleson, Union, Mary Miller Clern. 14. —George Lang, Union, Esther Zerkle. 15. —Esther Magley, Root, Mrs. Myers. 16. Roscoe Bradford, Wabash, Bertha Buckley. The following words as misspelled are: Ancious, chanel, reigon, amonge, duing, aproach, knack, nuise, portridge, moveable, arrouse, exibltion, athlet, theives, inhaibiant, genious, expedition, disapointment, miliner, penant. skeam. significant, prtnefpnly. sufferage, pivet. Pronouncers were Ed. §. Christen and Martin Jaberg, and the judges were Mrs. M. A. Lower, Mr. Clem and Don McCollum. The B. Class. The B class at the gym, which was composed of the same number of spellers from the fifth and sixth grades of the north and south halves of the county, also made a most creditable showing, although the contest was not as exciting. There are, however, many excellent spellers in the teams, an another year or two they can stage a contest that will be just as interesting as the one at the court house Friday evening. Mr. C. O. Lehman was the pronouncei, and the judges were Dallas Spuhler, Walter Krick and Ruth Parrish. The contest resulted as follows: B Team (sth and 6th Grade). 1. —Gerald Zimmerman, Kirkland, Walter Crum. 2. Edna Weaver. Jefferson, Amos Ketchum. 3. Mary Pipfer, French township. William Noll. (Continued on page four)

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

MRS. LANKENAU HOME Mrs. E. W. Lankenau, who had | been at the Lutheran hospital. Fort Wayne, for the past three weeks, tak-! I lag special treatment, came home I last evening, greatly improved. Mrs. Lankenau suffered a fall yesterday at the hospital, and for a time it was thought her shoulder was dislocated, but this proved not to bo true when an x-ray examination was made of the shoulder. ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦ THE WEATHER FORECAST ♦ Indiana—Rain or snow and colder in north and rain and much colder i in south portion tonight; freezing ! temperature tonight; Sunday fair: and continued cold. Lower Michigan—Snow this afternoon and probably tonight, slightly colder tonight in south portion; Sunday fair with slowly rising temperature. CONVERT POLICY Half-Million Ex-Service Men and Women Must Make Change Before March 26 OR LOSE INSURANCE Decree of War Risk Insurance Bureau Officials Meet With Opposition Washington, D. C„ April 16 —The decision of the Bureau of War Risk Insurance that the more than half a million ex-service mon and women carrying War Risk Term Insurance must convert their policies into one of the permanent forms of insurance , before March 3, 1926, or lose their in surance, is meeting with some degree of .opposition, particularly from posts of the American Legion. The bureau’s ruling is based upon the resolution passed by’ the last congress declaring that for the purpose of certain war-time legislation, the war with Germany was to be consid- , ered at an end. The legislation specified included the War Risk Act and its amendments. It was provided in the War Risk Act itself that term insurance might be carried until five years after the "end of the war," and it was further provided "that the words ‘end of the war’ as used here- ' in shall be deemed to mean the date of proclamation of exchange of ratification of the treaty of peace, unless the president shall, by proclamation, declare a prior date, in which case the date so proclaimed shall be deem- 1 ed to be the ‘end of the war’ within , the meaning of this act.” . There is a wide difference of opin- , ion among officials in the bureau of ■ War Risk Insurance as to whether > the congressional resolution justifies the ruling that the War Risk Bureau war ended on March 1, 1921. The , national legislative commitee of the American Legion has asked the comp- , troller of the currency for a review of the bureau’s ruling. TO MAKE APPEAL Indianapolis. Ind.. April 16. The work or organizing various counties of Indiana for the financial appeal which The Salvation Army will make from May 9th to 17th is rapidly getting under way according to reports reaching state headquarters here. The eighty-nine county advisory boards, which have been formed in eighty counties since January Ist, form the nucleus for the organization work. Various sub-committees, including those for the towns and cities and those for the work in the townships, publicity committee-, speakers’ committees and others to care for all the i details of the appeal, have been appointed or will bo* named within the : next few weeks. i Campaign supplies and literature is , being sent out now’ from the state > headquarters here and will be distiib-| uted through the counties .under the . direction of tho county advisory . boards. HERRICK IS ACCEPTABLE. Paris, April 16.—(Special to Daily ' Democrat). —Premier Briand dispatched a message to President Hard- ’ ing today accepting appointment of Myron T. Herrick as ambassador to ’ France. He expressed gratification at the return of Herrick to the Paris embassy.

MRS. LANKENAU HOME

TO MEET MONDAY Committee of Fanners and County Agent Will Meet Industrial Association AT NEW QUARTERS Problems of Farmers Will Be Discussed With the Decatur Business Men. David J. Schwartz, of Monroe; Fred ■ Busche, of Washington township, and I John D. Nidlinger of Union township, appointed by County Agent Busche, will meet on Monday evening with the members of the Decatur Indus-; trial association, and talk over matters of mutual interest to the associa-1 tion and the farmers. The business men of Decatur desire to get in closer touch with the | farmers of the community, ami the: above named men were selected to! present the side of the farmers in a I business way, and it is expected that ; tho farmer and merchant will be enabled to work in a spirit of co-opera-1 tion much better when the ideas and ■ opinions of each are presented to the other in a friendly way. The Industrial association will meet Monday evening in the rooms recently opened over the Graham & Wai ters office, and it, is desired that the | members of the association attend tho meeting, and give the representatives of the farmers a good audience. The three men selected by Agent Busche are representative men ot their communities, both in farming and stock raising, and can present the problems of farming and stock raising in away that will be interesting and profitable to all. Be. on hand Monday evening at 7:30 o'clock and enjoy a profitable evening. a oTchedisle Decatur Plant of the General Electric to Operate Four Days a Week BEGINNING APRIL 18 ■ Means Increase of Four and Two-thirds Hours for Employes of Factory. Beginning Monday the Decatur, plant of the General Electric company will operate under a revised j schedule of hours, the plant working I four days a week, all day—Tuesday, | Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. This arrangement will give the employes four and two-thirds hours per week more than heretofore, the new | schedule making the hours from 7:20 until 12 and 1 until 5. Since last De-1 cember the plant has been working | five hours per day for six days a' week. Mr. Barnes, superintendent of the' Fort Wayne works, in an interview yesterday said that this change was , being made in order to make the working schedule conform with the schedule of the Fort Wayne plant. Th new schedule 'will continue in effect “until further notice.” The new arrangement is welcomed by the employes of the local plant. Besides giving them the few extra hours each week, they have three days—Saturday, Sunday and Monday, whereby they may make plans for pleasure or business, without interfering with the working schedule of the factory. EXAMINATION TODAY. The second examination for common school diplomas was held ovei tho county today, and there were many to take the test. Every township and school corporation held the I examination. There will be one more opportunity on May 19th to try for the comifion school diploma. TREASURER BUSY. The county treasurer's office was a busy place today, many calling and liquidating the spring installment of taxes. To date a grekt number have paid, but there are many who have not yet (ailed. The first Monday in May is the last day and it would be well if you call as soon as possible.

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday Evening, April 16, 1921. .

’ COLDER WEATHER COMING Washington, April 16. — (Special t. Daily Democrat i Colder weather. following storms now sweeping tho midwest, was forecast by the weather bureau here today. Tho storm will not hit the eastern states, the bureau said. The storm is now central over ■ southern Missouri and is moving i i northeastward, the bureau stild. It has been accompanied by snow in upper lake regions, Mississippi valley, middle plain states and Ro.kj Mountain regions. The i I snow has stopped, however, in tho | I Rocky Mountain stales. It is heavy ■ in Colorado, Kansas. Wisconsin. I Michigan and Nebraska. I > | From the reports obtainable in the press dispatches the storm last evening was one of tho most severe ever hitting the southwest. The midwest I was also visited by a blizzard, said to be tho worst in history. PLAN TO OCCUPY RUHR DISTRICT Marshal Foch Recommends Recalling of the 1918 and 1919 Classes TO BEGIN MAY IST I 4 Unless Germany Agrees to Pay — Economic Plan Is Submitted. (By Webb Miller, United Press staff correspondent) Paris, April 16. — (Special to Daily Democrat) —Complete plans for military and economic coercion of Germany on May 1 were submitted to the allies today by Premier Briand. The plans, which were drawn up at a conference last night of Briand. 1 President Millerand, Marshals Foch and Petain, and minister of liber- ; ated regions Locheur, included occu- ! pation of the Ruhr district and posjsibly industrial Westphalia. Upon Foch’s recommendations, it was decided to recall*' the military classes of 191 S and 1919 for three months. The marshal expressed the belief that 100,000 men were "sufficient to keep the Germans in check." Lochedr presented a customs i scheme whereby France would obs tain three billion marks annually from the Ruhr. Submtting the plans to the allies I for approval, Briand emphasized that 1 France demands definite guarantees land is not disposed to listen to fur- | there German promises. HEMINS IS «ELD Monroe Telephone Remonstrance and Petition Is Heard at Mass Meeting IN THE SCHOOL HALL I ■ * •• — One Hundred Fifty Interested in Rate Case Attended the Meeting. One hundred fifty patrons and former patrons of the Monroe Telephone company assembled at the auditorium in the Monroe school building Friday evening, to be present at the hearing of the petition for an increase in the rates of the company, and also the remonstrance filed by the patrons. Mr. Atwater, representing the public service commission of Indiana, accompanied by-a stenographer, took the testimony offered for and against the proposed rate increase, and it is expected that a decision will be reached by the commission within a few > days. The opinion gained from those present at the meeting, seemed to be i that the parties affected would abide i by the decision reached by tho com- : mission. The Monroe company was represented by Herman Ehinger, local manager, and Judge W. H. Eichhorn of Bluffton appeared for the remoni strators. The feeling among the many 1 in attendance last evening was friendr ly in every way, and it is believed the > rate war which has existed for the j past few months is nearing an end. i Frank Morrell, engineer and supers intendent for the Citizens company, was also in attendance.

WM. SHADY DEM Former Adams County Resident Passed Away at Wells Qo. Infirmary HEART TROUBLE CAUSE Funeral Services Will Be Held Sunday Morning at 10 at Pugney Church. William Shady, age seventy-nine ■ years, died at the c ounty infirmary at | 8 o’clock last evening. He had been in poor health since he was taken to the county infirmary last September., suffering from heart disease and dropsy. He became bedfast a week! ago. Mr. Shady was born July 25. 1841 in Kirkland township. Adams county.' a son ot William and Susanna Grim Shady. While he was a youth the family moved to a farm four miles, north and one mile east of this city, and. with the exception of a few months spent in Michigan, he had I beer, a continuous resident here since. He was united in marriage to Anna Jones, who passed away eight years ago last February. Os eight children . born to them, three are living. They are: Mrs. Ella Stewart of Lancaster township; Mrs. Margaret Trenary of this city, and Vernon Shady, resid ing on tho home place. Martin Shady, the only survivor of the family of eight, six boys and two girls, lives a mile and a half north of Craigville. Tho funeral service will be held at Pugney church at It) o'clock Sun day forenoon in charge of Rev. Rosenberg. Burial will be at Toscin. — Bluffton Banner. Herman Hollman made a business trip to Fort Wayne this morning. JOKERS” CAUGHT Local Young Men With Auto Casing and Rope Given Good Scare LADIES FEARED GHOSTS Youngsters Found Pleasure Placing Casing in Road, and Pulling it Away. Four Decatur young men were "scared green" Friday evening about 7:30 o’clock, when a resident ot south of the city stopped their fun. at least temporarily. For the past two weeks auto drivers have been “duped" by the jokers. The young men would secure an old casing, tie a rope to it, and lay it in the road at (he Borum Run bridge, just south of the city, then they would go to a good hiding place and hold to the opposite end of the rope. An automobile would drive along the highway and seeing the tire would come to a stop sonic little distance beyond the tire. On running back to where the tire was supposed to be lying, it would of course be gone. Many women who happened to be in machines that had stopped, had become frightened and some of them refused to come to the citjvafter dark. Friday evening a resident ot south ; of the city driving into the city spied • the casing. He did not stop but drove ■ on up the road, turned around, went back home and secured a good six- • shooter. Coming back to the bridge, , the tire was in the road all right, and : lie stopped. Os course the casing had : disappeared and starting down over i the side of the road side embankment, ■ there was a general scatterment. The auto driver asked the running men to t halt, and all of them did so with one > exception, after a shot was fired into ■ the air. They begged like good fel- - lows and gave the name of the companion who continued to run. Floyd • Baxter. Hugh Hitchcock, David Baker I and “Jerry” Coffee can give full pari tictilars. r TO OPEN OIL LANDS. ■> Washington, D. C., April 16.—(Spej cial to Daily Democrat). —Secretary of the navy Denby announced today ■ that naval oil reserve lands in Cali- , fornia will be opened Immediately for drilling by private interests.

SOUTHWEST IS HARD HIT: DAMAGE TOTALS MILLIONS CROPS ARE LEVELED, BUILDINGS DESTROYED AND TRAINS BLOCKED BY SNOW -ILLINOIS IN PATH OF THE WORST STORM IN HISTORY.

TONATIONALMEET Miss Agnes Costello Will Be Be Delegate to Big Irish Meeting at Chicago FROM LOCAL SOCIETY Two-day Convention Wil! Star Monday—Other I)e---caturites to Attend. Miss Agnes Costello, because of her position as temporary secretary of the local St. Batriek's Day society, lias been appointed as a delegate to the national convention of the Amer-1 lean Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic, the convention being held Monday and Tuesday in Chicago. There will be 5,00(1 dele-1 gates in attendance at the convention I and the headquarters of the organrza-1 1 tion will be at the Morrison hotel. It will be one of the biggest gatherings of members of tlie Irish faith ever i held in the mid-west. Miss Josephine Malley, also of this : city, will attend as a delegate from' the Anthony Wayne council of Fort Wayne. Miss Naomi Durkin, will also attend the gatherins.’, but she goes as a spectator and not in any official < a parity. Miss Costello's appointment was i made by the national organizer, Mr. J. B. Nellegar, and the honor is duly appreciated by Miss Costello. it is probable the local organization will become affiliated witli tile American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic. ATHLETIC CARNIVAL Decatur athletic fans are premised a treat in lite entertainment to. be provided next Wednesday evening at the K. of C. hall, the program beginning at 7:45. Promoters say it ' will be an excellent chance for old I fans to renew their knowledge ot the sport. The program will feature the old eastern bear bull dog fight, and there will bo five big feats on the porgram. Local talent will make up the program. It will be fciven Wed nesda yevening, April 20, at the K. of C. hall at 7:45. Ring side seats will cost 75 cents; other scats. 50 cents. ASSESSORS MET. The regular weekly comparison of 1 the township assessors and deputies : was held witli County Assessor WillI iant Frazier today. Assessors report : progress with their work, but their ‘: job this year is anything but an easy one. LICENSED TO WED. 1 A marriage license was issued to Gottlieb W. Schaefer, farmer, born i ’ April 17, 1856. son of Gottlieb Sehae- ! fer, to wed Sarah .1. Hart, housekeep- ’ er. born May 2, -1861, daughter of ’ Salem Clendening. Each has been married before, former marriages having been dissolved by death. I WATCHING THE SCOREBOARD. Yesterday's hero—Ford. The Braves’ second baseman worked Mlljus for a pass in the tentli inning with the liases full and shoved over the run that beat Brooklyn 6 to - 5. The Cubs scored six runs in the . seventh inning, driving Riviere and , Kircher off the mound and beating - the Cards. Rice and Gharrity knockr ed home runs helping the Senatois beat tho Red Sox 7 to 1.

Price Three Cento

(United Press Service) Chicago, 111.. April 16. (Spctitil to Daily Democrat) Sixty ' persons were killed and property damage Io the extent of HiiTlions of dollars in blizzards and tornadoes which covered the entire ceiitrat wCst today. (j'ops were leveled, buildings destroyed, trees blown down, railroads blocked by snow and , sleet and wires forced to the i ground, fruit trees and early ■ gardens damaged. The windstorm did the most dam- : age in the southwest where the lives were lost. A tornado hit portions of Arkansas and northeastern Texas, I leaving death and destruction in its wake. Eleven were killed in Texas and forty-nine in Arkansas. Telegrams and telephone wires were down and reports of the extent ;of the damage were meagre. Nurses, physicians and food supplies were rushed to the stricken areas. The storm today centered over Illinois and was Sweeping toward the Gieat Lakes. The wind reached a velocity of 70 miles per hour. H. J. i Cox, in charge of the United States weather bureau here, said it was Chicago's worst storm. The wind was accompanied by a rain which was accompanied by a rain which was nearly a cloud-bur s t. The rain fell in torrents for a period of more than twelve hours. In the northern and western states a heavy snow fall blocked railroads. All trains that were not entirely sus pended were running hours late, breezing weather over alarge portion of the storm area was forecast for tonight with additional damage to cropk in prospect. Chicago, April 15. — (Special to Daily Democrat). -King winter delivered a severe blow to tile mid-west today with the worst blizzard in years. Taking a heavy toll of life-and property, the storm wave swept over the Mississippi valley from the west, paralized communication and demoraiizell transportation. Southwestern Arkansas and eastern Texas were the hardest hit. A tornado which swept through that district killed near forty, mostly negroes and cause hundreds of thousands of dollars property damage. A heavy gale was reported over practically tho entire Mississippi val- ' ley. The sixty mile wind swept 'trees, telephone poles and some frame ' buildings. )t was accompanied by a heavy rain fall. In northern states, the rain turned to sleet and snow. Railroad traffic were stalled, wires were down. Wiscqnsin reported the heaviest snowfall of the winter, with street car.; in several cities lied up and thousands of persons forced to walk I to work. Lii'e saving stations at practically .ill ports on Lake Michigan were working throughout the night attempt ing to aid vessels which apparently | were in distress. Coast guards attempted to give aid to vessels lying off the Milwaukee break. The light boat off Calumet harbor, Chicago, was in danger of being swept away by tho gale. The keepers stuck by their posts throughout the night. A coast guard boat stood by to take the keepers off in case the light boat was swept away. Fear war. expressed for the condition of the fruit crop in the states hit. Lower temperatures were expected to follow the storm. The Southwestern Tornado. Texanliorna. Texas, April 16.—■ (Continued on page two)