Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 20, Number 4, Decatur, Adams County, 5 January 1922 — Page 1

Volume XX. Number 1.

DISTRICT TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD IN DECATUR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, MARCH 3 AND 4—PRINCIPAL CLINE IS OFFICIALLY NOTIFIED THIS AFTERNOON—A DIG EVENT.

J. D. L. Cline, principal of the De catirr high school, received official notice this afternoon that Decatur had been selected as the place for holding one of the district basketball tournaments on Friday and Saturday. March 3rd and 4th. The information was received from Arthur L. Chester, permanent secretary of the state organization, news for the school officials, basket ball fans and players of this county. Professor Cline was also designated in tha order to be central principal of the board of control for the tourna nient and will be in charge. The information does not include the exact territory to be included in the tournament to be held here but formerly this Included three counties and it is expected that not less than a dozen or fifteen teams with their "rooters” will be here for the big event. Mr. Cline will have charge of the entertainment of the visitors who will be taken care of in private homes while here. The district tournaments are always important events attracting attention all over the state as the wiiine’s here wiH go to the sectional cud state tournaments. This is the first tournament of its kind ever held here, the local fans having to content themselves heretofore with the county contest v hlle this will give the followers of quintets the opportunity to see all the teams of the district. It is probable that among those who will engage here will be Monroe, Berne, Geneva, Kirkland. Hartford, Decatur, Bluffton, Pennville, Bryant, Portland and others. The winner here will take part in the state tournament either at Purdue or Indianapolis, it is expected. Details will be given in a few days. Mr. Worthman and Mr. Cline have been after the tournament for several weeks ami are greatly elated over their success. Former tournaments for this district have been at Huntington and Bluffton. TO SELL PARSONAGE The trustees of the Baptist church are offering their property on Jefferson street for sale. This residence was purchased for a parsonage a year or so age, the property being one of the Parrish residences, and will make a fine home for some one. or will probably prove a good invest-1 ment. The home has been improved 1 in many ways since it became the property of the church. TO OPEN NEW SHOP. ' • Vaughn Murray and Franklin Franz automobile repair men, are opening a shop in the Erwin & Michaud room on Second street, where they will do vulcanizing, electrical work, handle accessories, etc., but because of the equipment not being here, the boys do not care to make further announcement until they are ready to take care of the business. ■ • __ NEW PLANT AT GARY. Chicago, Jan. s.—(Special to Daily Democrat). —The Jones and latughlin Co., of Pittsburgh, have negotiated a deal to purchase 1,000 acres of land in the Calumet region in which Gary and other steel towns are located, it was reported in financial circles here today. According to reported plans, the Pittsburgh company will build the largest steel plant in the country. Albert DeWolf Erskine, consulting engineer, said he negotiated the deal for the land, said to have cost $2,000,000 but would not state whom he represented. It was stated unofficially that the ’ new plant will employe from 7,000 to 10,000 men. Officials of the Jones and Laughlin Co., spent some time in the Calumet district recently, it was said.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

SEVERAL ROADS . ARE COMPLETED Forty Roads Were Completed or Begun in Adams County During Year — ABOUT FIFTY MILES Added to Total, Which Now Reaches 650 Miles-Past Year Was a Busy One. The construction of the many macadem roads in Adams county during I the year. 1921, has been an important part of the work of the county during that period. Between fifty and fiftyfive miles of new roads were constructed in the forty contracts let and completed twenty-six of the highways were started or the contracts let during the term of Orval Harruff as surveyor, and fourteen other contracts were let and have been under the direction of Surveyor Dick Boch, along with the other twenty-six which were turned over to him at the beginning of the term a year ago January 1. Mr. Boch has probably been the busiest surveyor during his first year, that the county has ever had, as heretofore every official has completed the roads on hand, and the new officer had to be content with the new work which happened to come. All of the forty highways have been completed, with the exception of three which the report to follow will show. The county now has about 650 miles of improved highway, which are directly under the supervision of the highway superintendent including the new cement roads, the M. R. E. at Berne, and the Bellmont at Decatur. The roads completed and the three reported not completed during the year are: Seth D. Beavers, Washington: Michael Miller, contractor; one mile; cost $8,898.00. James D. Huffman, St. Marys; Warren Striker, contractor; cost, $8,500. Jacob Bevington. Blue Creek; John [ Buckmaster, contractor; cost $6,055. J. A. Laisure, Monroe; C. W. Merriman. contractor; cost $10,300. Salem Reformed Cttnrch road, Preble; Parr & Habegger, contractors; cost, $19,548. O. N. Tyndall, Blue Creek; Glen Workinger, contractor; cost, $17,125. John M. Frisinger, Washington: Chas. C. Arnold, contractor; cost, $7,494. George Christ, Washington; J. G. Crum, contractor; cost, $6,250. Ferdinand Stauffer, Monroe; C. W. Merriman, contractor; cost, $6,443. Reuben Meyers, Jefferson; Finley Striker, contractor; cost, $20,972. Martin L. Smith, Wabash; C. E. Stauffer, contractor; cost, $9,667. N. H. McClain. Monroe; Rufus Huser, contractor; cost, $9,394. Henry I. Teeple, Blue Creek; Amos K. Stoneburner, contractor; cost, $9,680. Fred Bilderback, Blue Creek; John F. Parrish, contractor; cost; $1,486.80. D. E. Bollinger, St. Marys; John F. Parrish, contractor; cost $4,276.36. Peter Stuckey, Wabash and Hartford; J. G. Crum, contractor; cost, $9,230. Fred Gallmeyer, Preble; Crum & Stoneburner, contractors; cost, $22,290. Nathan Ehrman, Kirkland; J. G. Crum, contractor; cost, $8,505. Henry Kreuckeberg, Union; Philip Sauer, contractor; cost, $16,852 60. Enos W. Lehman, Berne: Finley Striker, contractor; cost $26,473. John C. Cowan, St. Marys; A. K. Stoneburner, contractor; cost, $15,790. Catherine Eiting, Washington; Finley Striker, contractor; cost, sl4,(Coutiuued on page five)

BANDITS MURDER BANK PRESIDENT And Wound Two Other Citizens—Maywood Bank in Chicago Robbed OCCUREI) IN DAY LIGHT Bold Highwaymen Battle for Payroll and Escape With $12,000 in Cash. I lilted Preu* Staff Corre«|H>ndent Chicago, Jan. s—(Special to Daily Democrat)—James Stoeffel, president of the Maywood State bank, was murdered today, and two others wounded by live bank robbers who escaped with a $12,000 pay roll, Stoeffel. James Venson. cashier of the bank, James Sweeney, police chief of Maywood and Ralph Hunt, an agent for the American Can company had just left the bank with the payroll for the can company, when the bandits opened fire from an auto. Stoeffel was killed instantly and Sweeney and Venson seriously wounded. The bandits grabbed bags containing the money and sped toward Chicago. Maywood is a suburb. Sweeney obtained the auto license number as the bandits fled with the loot. It was the number of an auto which had been stolen. The Chicago police department rushed shot gun squads to guard all roads leading to Chicago but no further trace of the bandits was found. Sweeney, lying wounded in the hospital at Maywood, told the fol lowing story to the United Press: "After many recent payroll robberies, President Stoeffel was anxious to be especially’ careful with the payroll today. We were all well armed and prepared. “We left the bank about 8:30 a. m. and had gone only two blocks on the St. Charles road, when a big black touring car drew up alongside of our machine. “The bandits opened fire without warning, the first few bullets going wild. As Stoeffel reached for his revolver, two bullets struck his body and he fell back dead. I fired several times at the bandits. Venson resisted one of the men who left the bandits’ auto t oget the money, and he was shot at close range. The bandit shot him down putting two bullets into his body as he fell. “Sweeney, with two bullet wounds in his chest kept up a running fire at the bandits car as it raced away with the loot. He then crawled to a nearby house and after phoning the Chicago police department*, collapsed." AT MASONIC HALL Music and Reading Will Feature Entertainment On January 12th by ZANDORFF COMPANY Redpath Number Will Be Given Here Under Direction of Woman’s Club. Pleasing harp music will be one of the features of the entertainment to be given here on the Lyceum course by the Zandorff Entertainers, January 12th at the Masonic hall, under the auspices of the Woman’s club. The harp has always held a deep place in the hearts of the people. It is among the earliest known of all musical instruments. But the harp of today is much different from that of early times. The modern harp possesses three thouusand separate pieces of mechanism and there are few who master it in all its complexity. Miss Lucille Brogan is the harpist of the company, and she is fast becoming known as one of America's most talented artists on this instrument. Throughout the country she is hailed as a most successful entertainer. Miss Gladys Anderson, reader and impersonator, appears with Miss Brogan. She has had a successful Lyceum and Chautauqua experience and her readings and impersonations never fail to entertain. The program of these two gifted entertainers is noted for its verve and variety and the Zandorff Entertainers will please their audience, thoroughly. * Tickets for the entertainment may be purchased from any member of the Woman's Club.

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday Evening, January 5, 1922.

HOSPITAL NEWS. Mrs. Wayne Debout, living near Gei neva, was operated upon Monday at the Mngley hospital in this city, and is improving nicely. Mrs. Elmer Radcliffe, of Craigville, | underwent an operation at the Bluff I ' ton hospital, this morning, Decatur physicians being in charge. Mrs. John Stauffer of Monroe, is very ill. being a sufferer from perii tonitis. , THE SMITH FUNERAL. , 1 Funeral services for the late Elmer Smith will be held Friday afternoon, leaving the home at 1:30 o'clock, and from the Evangelical church at 2:30 o'clock. Rev. C. L. Haney will officiate . and burial will be at the Decatur . cemetery. < A COMPLETE LIST Os Students of Reppert , Auction School and Their Place of Residence i A FINE BODY OF MEN Some of Them Came Hundreds of Miles to Enter » Jan. Term of School. » ( We are giving today a complete list of the students who are here attend t ing the January term of the Reppert I auction school. They come from sev- ( eral states, and one of them all the . way from Canada. They are an enthusiastic bunch of men, are already , hard at work, and it is predicted every one of them will make an ideal auctioneer within a few months, with he excellent foundation gained in the . Reppert school. They are: > Warren Walker, Durand, Wis., R. I R. 4. John S. Laidlaw’, Prince Albert, . Sask, Canada. > Chester Ellison. Elgin. Neb. ; Lawrence Heck, Lewisville, Ind. R. R. 1. Carl W. Mallicoat, Bixby, South Da- : kota. ! Claude E. Willford, Malinta. O. i Otto Slates, Elmore, 0.. R. R. 1. Gibson R. Hollingsworth. Council I Bluffs, la., 409 Oakland avenue. Alva Ellis, Richmond, Ind. T. J. Matheny, Mt. Sterling, O. ' Furl H. Smith, Auburn, Ind. Walter J. Rierden, Montezuma, Ind. 1 R. F. Kivett, Onward, Ind. Harry F. Chrisman. Middletown. 1 Ind. 1 Chalies B. Long, Kirkland, Ind. R. 1. Henry D. Frey, Peoria, 111., R. R. 5. 1 L. E. Thistlewaite, Britt. la., R. R. 3. J. I. Crawford, Earlham, la. R. R. 4. Noel Cottingham, Howe, Indiana. Harold T. Gillie, Fort Wayne, Ind., R. R. 11. Bernard A. Siebenaler, Edon, Ohio. , R. R. 1. Forest R. Steininger, Rochester, Ind., R. R. 8. Cecil W. Slater, Oconee, 111. Russell R. Fletcher, Crawfordsville, Ind. McKinley R. Murdock, Waynetown, Ind., Box 176. A. W. Merkle, Ohio City, Ohio, R. 3. Pearl C. Kelsling, Bucyrus, 0., R. 6. (Continued on page three) ACCEPT THE CALL I Rev. F. I). Whitesell. Student at Northern Theological Seminary, Chicago , NEW BAPTIST MINISTER Will Come Each Sunday for Service Until the Close of School Next June. , ——— Rev. F. D. Whitesell, of Chicago, has accepted the call to the pastorate of the Baptist church in this city, i and his first service as pastor will be held next Sunday morning. The ; Rev. Mr. Whitesell is now a student at the Northern Theological seminary at Chicago, where he is fitting himself to begin active ministerial work. He is a graduate of the Jewell . college in Missouri, and has another yeaj' at the theological seminary, and • he will make weekly trips here each Saturday to preach for the local con- . gregation. The minister was here the first , week of the simultaneous revival meetings and conducted the services at the Baptist church, during which . time there were twelve accessions. , He is a fine young man, unmarried, I (Continued on page five)

RUSSIA IS DYING j FROM STARVATION Edwin Hullingcr, Correspondent for United Press Tells a Sad Story OF CONDITIONS THERE Returns From Land of Frozen Death Where Inhabitants Live on Grass. By Edwin W. Hullingcr, United Press Staff Correspondent Kazon, Russia, Dec 15. —(Delayed). —A republic is dying of starvation. The prophecy of deatli to come, made last fall, is being fulfilled today on the lonely frozen steps of eastern Russia. Fifty percent, of the babies in the Kazan republic already have died. Forty-five percent, of the population of the villages in this region are dead or missing. Not six percent, of the population of the republic will be left to greet the spring. Kazan contained a population of over two million. I have just returned from a trip through a land of frozen death, in company with J. R. Childs of the American relief administration. We i completed the first personal investigation since the rigors of winter set in. of the fate of the villagers in the heatr of the stricken region. In one little settlement the last four inhabitants died the day before we arrived —a village of 200 inhabitants 1 had reverted to primeval nothingness with no one to bury the last four bodies. On the first stretch of our long journey into the frozen heart of the snow-bound interior from Svirsk we traveled without finding a single village where any food, save grass, could be bought at any price. Eighty percent, of the people left alive in this district are maintaining life solely on a diet of grass. Some of the peasants grind grass and roots into “flour” which they sell at 130,000 roubles a pound. Throughout this vast district, once one of Europe's grain growing centers, there grows today only the cold hush of death. A bleak northern sun squints down tor a few hours each day on endless snowfields where the only thing is fine, swirling snow, lifted by the biting winds and dropped in a lavender mist upon the silent white plains. Our sleigh caravan jingled into an almost deserted village. An old peasant woman with a face like that of a skeleton, hobbled forward, in her bony hands she clutched stalks of (Continued on page three) SURPRISE FRIENDS Mrs. Bonnie Mount and Mr. H. B. Albright Quietly Married at Dayton. O. THURSDAY, DEC. 29th Visited Week With Groom’s Parents«-Groom is Telephone Cable Splicer. Friends in this city were surprised i today to learn of the wedding of Mrs. Bonnie Mount, of this city and Mr. H. B. Albright, of Dayton, Ohio, who has been employed in this city the past seven months as a cable splicer for the Citizen’s Telephone ( company. The marriage ceremony was performed last Thursday, December 29, ( at the parsonage of the Christian , church in Dayton, Ohio, the Rev. ( Martin, officiating at the service. Mrs. Mount and Mr. Albright left De- ( catur a week ago last Saturday, an nounclng to their friends they were . going to Dayton for a visit with Mr. Albright's parents, Mr. and Mrs. William B. Albright. Because of late ' trains they did not arrive in Dayton , until midnight, and after a few days' visit at the parental home, the couple after procuring the license, went to . the minister's home and the cerernony was performed. They returned here the first of the week, and will make Decatur their home for the present. Mr. Albright is working at Van Wert, Ohio, on telephone work. The groom has made many friends during his stay here. 1 He is a thirty-second degree Mason and a Shriner. Mrs. Mount has lived . here several years coming to Decatur when her husband',’ the late George (Continued o« page five)

SCHOOL BOARD TO BOILD ASSEMBLY ROOM AND GYM IMPROVEMENT TO BE ADDED TO PRESENT HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING ON FIFTH STREET AT A COST OF FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.

FARMERS PLAN GOOD PROGRAM Five Institutes Will Be Held in Adams County, Starting January 23rd. MR. BUSCHES REPORT Show That County Agent Has Been a Busy Man During the Past Year. The season for farmers’ institutes is at hand, and five programs have been arranged for Adams county. The first will be held at Monmouth on January 23, the second at Monroe January 24, the next at the Kirkland township high school, January 25; Geneva, January 26, and the last in Hartford township, January 27. Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Lindley will be the speakers at these institutes. Preparations are now being made by the various officers of the institutes for interesting programs in addition to the addresses by the speakers. The Agent's Report County Agent Busche has prepared a report of the work done by his office during the year 1921, and it shows that he has been on the job all of the time. It follows: Number checking up in 5-acre contest 23 Number receiving medals for yields over 75 bushels per acre 8 Demonstrations of Hot Water treatment of wheat 2 Attendance at these demonstrations 52 Seed corn selection demonstrations held 10 Number of cows tested for tuberculosis 1840 Poultry culling demonstrations held 17 Attendance at these demonstrations 583 Pruning and spraying demonstrations 2 Attendance at these demonstrations 50 Corn testing demonstrations held 6 Demonstrations for formaldehyde treatment of oats 4 Number finishing in pig club.. 18 Total number of farm visits.. 592 Total meetings held during the year 230 Total attendance at these meetings 10860 Personal letters written 1226 Circular letters written 60 Total copies circular letters mailed 8306 Number of days spent in the office 126 Number of days spent in country 173 MISS LOIS KYLE*WEDS MR. CHARLES JACKSON Miss Lois Kyle became the bride of Chailes “Spurge” Jackson in a ceremony performed Tuesday evening at Ossian. Miss Kyle is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gene Kyle and has been employed at the county clerk’s office. Mr. Jackson, who has been attending a government vocational school at Valparaiso, is a son of Mr. and Mrs. James U. Jackson, formerly of Liberty Center, who now live in Bluffton. The couple left after the ceremony on a wedding trip.—Bluffton News. Miss Kyle is well known here having refereed several basketball games in this city. e » THE WEATHER FORECAST ♦ nldiana: Fair tonight and Friday, colder tonight, cold wave. Lower Michigan: Probably snow flurries today and Friday, colder tonight with acold wave, diminishing northwest winds. Upper Michigan: Probably snow flurries tonight and Friday, colder to night, cold wave in central portion.

Price 2 Cents

The Decatur school board, at a meeting last evening preliminary plans for the construction of I an assembly room and gymnasium adjoining the present high school ■ building at the corner of Adams and Fifth streets. The increasing demands for an assembly room at the high school building, made further postponement of the improvement almost impossible, so crowded are the two small assembly rooms at the i local building. The original plans for the new high school building included this im--1 provement, but it was found that the cost would be too great for the funds available, and the plans were changed somewhat, and arrangements were i made to use the smaller rooms, thus ■ dividing the pupils, and according to . the present plans, the rooms now' i used for assembly rooms will be used s for recitation purposes, as the originI al plans provided. The new addition will be 70x85 i feet in dimensions, and the ground or basement floor will be used as a gymI nasium and for all athletic purposes, . by the boys and girls in the school. ’ The second floor will be constructed t into one of the best assembly rooms i in any high school in the state. At one end will be constructed a stage, large enough to put on any kind of I an entertainment desired. The state > law requires that each pupil in a i school building shall be entitled to ■ 225 cubic feet of space, and the plans for the new building, with the space alloted for the assembly, will be ; ample for the seating of 375 students. and with a seating capacity for en- ; tertainment purposes of 900 people, while another 100 can easily be seatI ed on the stage. In the gymnasium ample room will I be provided for the seating of 1,200 people, and the basketball court will I be the regulation size, 50x80 feet, It is probable that other athletic I equipment will also be added, and the pupils of the Decatur high ’ school will have an auditorium and equipment equal to any high school ; in the central mid-west. The cost is estimated at $40,000. ; At the meeting last evening Oscar Hoffman was employed as the archii tect to draw the plans for the new addition, and Attorney Clark J. Lutz , will prepare all necessary legal matters for the board. It is hoped to have the building completed and ready for ; use by the time school opens next fall. -' a HAYS HAS NOT SIGNED. i - Jan. (5. —(Special to Daily Democrat). —Postmaster General Hays denied today he had already signed a contract to become head of the motion picture industry in the United States. "It is not true,” Hays said, referring ito published reports of the contract ■ signing. "There is nothing to add to J my statement given out in New York Monday. There is no change in the situation as then indicated.” NEWBERRY TO ANSWER. Washington. Jan. 5t —(Special to Daily Democrat). —Senator Truman H. Newberry, on his arrival here today. ! took his defense in his own hands j and told friends he would "insist on making a statement to the senate, concerning the charges that his election was accomplished through the use of great sums of money. THE PENROSE FUNERAL. Philadelphia, Jan. 5. —(Special to , Daily Democrat)? —Funeral services ’ for Senator Boies Penrose were held ' here at 8 a. m today. Only the ira,l mediate family attended. Simple services were held at the 1 ' r Penrose family lot in Laurel cemetery. , At the Penrose residence today it was announced the services wre pri- , vate because o fthe wishes of the late senator. The body was not cremated.