Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 21, Number 75, Decatur, Adams County, 28 March 1923 — Page 1

Volume XXI. Number 75.

SUGAR prices TO BE PROBEO BT GOVERNMENT Harding Determined to go to Bottom of Situation and Fix Blame PRESIDENT WORRIED High Republican Tariff Blamed by Many People Throughout Nation (Cnitc-l Press Service) St Aufust inf’. E'lorida. Mar. 28— (Special to Dally Democrat)—Presides Harding is tletermlned to go to th? bottom of the sugar situation and ascertain definitely who or what is responsible lor the manipulation in prices of this national necessity. A complete government investigation not only from the tariff angle as demanded in a letter the president has forwarded to the tariff commission- is in prospect, it was learned today. Attorney General Daugherty will be ask<Bl to enlist the aid of the department of justice while Secretary of Commerce Hoover will probe the commercial end, according to present plans. A conference between Daugherty and the president lias been arranged for today and means of ascertaining the truth in the situation which is causing Mr. Harding much alarm will h? discussed. Mr. Harding nas announced the sending of a letter to the tariff com mission demanding that it attempt to learn how far the high republican tariff goes to influencing prices. The president feels that this tariff is not responsible and he Is anxious to clear the name of the administration from accusations which have been made in some iiuarters. But this Is only a preliminary step In th« general government inquiry. The of justice has full authority to go into the price sttuattion and do things which the commerce department under Secretary Hoover could not have done. Hoover has no power to summon witnesses or command that informa ' tion concerning price manipulations ; be given, Daugherty has. Mr. Harding is very much arowe ed. The reports-, and counter reports which have been bandied aliout were brought to his attention by A. 1). Usker, chairman of the shipping board and a personal adviser of tho chief executive. Other members of the vacation party have pointed out editorials in many newspapers indirectly attack lug the administration and directly blaming the high republican tariff In seeking vindication in an investigation Mr. Harding realizes the importance of preventiug Democrats from making political propaganda out °t the situation. It is said. Mr. Harding likewise realizes that * mere announcement that the high tariff is not responsible for the high sugar price will not satisfy the pub- *’■ is recalled that the sugar situation caused the . Republicans nmch trouble during the 1922 campaign and also worried Woodrow. Wilson, and with Mr. Harding’s pro-1 posed western campaign tour in prospect he desires to clear up the existing situation with the utmost celerity. farmers plan FOB INSTITUTES President Elected; Two New Institute Associations Formed At a recent meetng of the Adams bounty Farmers’ Institute Board, C. •• Mumma. of Union township, was eectcd president to succeed Thomas ‘“ffiths. of Kirkland township. The n *" w in utitutes have been former, one | I nion township and the other in ' • Mary's township. Preliminary ans fdr holding Institutes next year made at the meeting. There will « a total of ge Ven township insties held tn the county next year. hiJLi nst ' tutes held this year were cd / Buc cessfu) and were attend- ‘ ’ y lttrge crowdß - Excellent th ers w ®m sent here to address farmers on important, subjects ° f farn * Ute and farm work.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Nie Sheffer l‘etitiohs Board for a Pardon Nlc Sheffer, Who was convicted last January tor the murdur of his brother, Jumes W. Sheffer, ot Auburn, has writ t< n a letter to Adolph Seldenstickei, Secretary of the state hoard of pardons, asking hi., release from the state prison, where In Ims been y. n teneed for life. Sheffer protests his ignorance, as he has done on all previous occasions He signs the communication No. 9394 JURORS SPEND MOST OF NIGHT IN DELIBERATING Reach Verdict for Plaintiff in Fisher vs. Ramsey C ase at 2:15 A.M. SCHMITT VS. BURK Damage Suit Being Tried in Circuit Court Before .Jury Today After spending more titan lialf of the night. locked up in the jury rooms at the court house, the jury which iteard tho evidence in the case 01 William Fisher against Clyde and i Sim Ramsey yesterday, reached a verdict at 2:15 o’clock this morning. The case was given to the jury at 5:30 p. nt. yesterday. The verdict, which was read in court litis morn ing. awards judgment to the plaintiff ' in tile sum of S4OO. The sum of s6olt was asked in the complaint. The ' suit was an action to collect on a 1 note given by the defendants to the i plaintiff In payment for a steam engine. The defendants claimed 1 that the engine was not as represent- I ed by the plaintiff. Mr. Fisher live-, I in Winchester while the defendants reside near Geneva. I Damage Suit Tried Today I Tlte trial of the case of Joseph ■ Schmitt, by his next friend Hubert i Schmitt against Avon Burk, was be ( gun in the circuit court this morning before Judge Moran and a jury. Th j 1 suit is an action to collect the sum ( .of s6Oll, which the plaintiff slleges | ts due tor damages inflicted to his , 1 automobile in a collision which oc t cured lust winter. The collision bfr ; tween the plaintiff's car, driven by , Hubert Schmitt, and Mr. Burk's car ©retired at the intersection of Second , ami Marshall streets. Mr. Schmitt , was driving north on Second street ( and Mr. Burk was going e4ist on ( Marshall street, when the accident f occured. Tlte plaintiff claims that , the defendant's car struck tlte rear ( end of the plaintiff's car. throwing it ( against an electric light pole aud tree. Hubert Schmitt occupied the 1 witness stand this forenoon and ' much of the afternoon. Change of Venue Granted A change or venue in the case of 1 Charles Diehl against the Toledo, St. 1 Louis & Western railroad company, 1 was granted today by Judge John C. ; Moran, upon an application filed by : the defendant. The ease was venu- 1 e<| to the Allen Superior court. Parrish Appears for State Attorney R. ('. Parrish, of Fort ' Wayne, today entered his appearance for the state In the case against -1 Hugo Zuber, who is facing :i. charge of assault and battery with intent to commit a offense ' Daugherty’s Son Has Agreed to Tell Story (United Press Service) New York, Mar. 28.—(Special to Dally Democrat)—Draper Daugherty, ; son of the attorney general, has agreed i to come to Assistant District Attorney : Fred Pecora's office this morning and tell what he knows about th- Dorothy I King case, f’ecora told tlte United Press. The exact hour at which th" young man will appear has not yet been fixed, but it will be probably late in the day. j Daugherty, according to apublished | interview which was brought to Pe cola’s attention, was friendly with the “Broadway Butterfly” who was found chloroformed in her apartment March 15. However, I here is nothing about their friendship which Daugherty desired to conceal. A blackmailer tele-j phoned Daugherty and threatened to reveal his acquaintance with the mod-| i el, the interviewer sufd. Daugherty, having nothing to hide, defied the blackmailer.

FRENCH MOURN 11)01, ▼a A a sSF a -® r -i u/ ’ dS -Li- , ■ G> ■ ' v'U** . ’ " K 1 (Pacific nod Atlantic Photo' The whole world join t with Fra nee in mourning the passing of Sarah Bernhardt. famous l-n-m it actress, who died in Paris Monday. Picture shows Mme. Bernhardt with the Polina during the world war. Mme. Hern harilt took an important part in patriotic activities during the conflict. Tlte troops in the picture with her were tlte soldiers who drove back the Germans from the vicinity of Paris.

BRIDGES TO BE SOLD NEXT WEEK Commissioners to Lvt Two Contracts and Order Others Sold The Zimmerman nnd Holt house bridges in Kirkland township and the Ringer bridge in French township will be ordered sold next Monday when the county commissioners meet in regular session. At the same time contracts will be awarded lor the building of bridges in Hoot township. The Alpha bridges spans ditch number seventeen, near the site otthe old Alpha « hurch. while the lx-w(on bridge spans the St. Mary's river. Although bids will be received on concrete and steel vonstrution. It is believed that the com missioners will decide on the steel construction. The estimate on the Alpha bridge is $5500.(10, while the Lewtoll bridge is est mated to cost $30,000.00. This bridge has a 135 foot span across thriver and will be similar in size to the A. J. Smith bridge spanning the St. Mary’s rive.r on the Fort Wayne Decatur road. The Zimmerman and I io’.thouse btidges are ea< h sixteen foot spaas and the estimateed cost of construction is $1,600.00 on each one. Tlte bridges span ditches and will supplant the old wooden bridges now in use. The Ilingger bridge has a twenty foot bridge across a ditch and it is thought that all three bridges will be built of concrete. The estimate on the Ring ger bridge is $2,200.00. Bids for the construction of these three bridge? will be received at the May session of the board. The bridge program for this year calls for the construction of nine bridges and and after the above five are constructed and funds are available, blds for their construe tion will be received this summer. > —- ■ ■ It is reported the U. S. Government will bottle all bulk liquors in bonded warejiotisu-d as protection against poison whisky sold ou prescriptions.

INVENTIVE GENIUS OF TOLEDO, KNOWN HERE HAS NEW CONVENIENCE FOR THE RADIO FANS

X. Uhl, inventive* genius and gen eral manager of the Toledo Metal Furniture company, Toledo, has added to his large number of Inventions land patents, products of which are manufactured by his company, a "Uhl steel radio table and operator’s chair," and Clippings from newspapers and trade papers speak very highly of his newest invention. Mr. Uhl is well known here, being a son in law of Mrs. B. J. Teveer. Besides being an inventor. Mr. Uhl is also a radio fan and has built several radio sets for himself. He also has his automobile equipped with a small set and when ’the family go on a picnic or to the I Toledo parks to spend an evening, he I rigs up the outfit and they enjoy a conj cert or lecture while eating. He has a large radio out fit in his home and betters received this week by relatives ihere from Mrs. Uhl state that her husband was able to tune In on messages 'sent from Havana, Cuba last week. | Contrary to popular belief, Mr. Uhl ’met with great success in using the I steel table for mounting radio sets and l

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday Evening, March 28, 1923.

William Boose Improving At St. Joseph Hospital William Bosse, former postmaster ; of Decatur, who is confined to the St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, is reported to be getting along very 1 nicely. Mr. Bosse has sick for tho (>ast four weeks, suffering with intluenza and complications. Physicians say Mr. Bosse will be aide to return to his home here within three or four I weeks, providing his condition continues to improve. FROM BREAKMAN TO BANK HEAD 1 Former Decatur Young Man Makes Great Advancement From hreakman on the Penn.tylvanfa railroad to president of a bank cap Italized at $125,000 and controlled mllrely by union labor Is the unapt ■ e I perlem e of R. A. Kuioff, a lornu r (Decatur young matt. Mr. Knofl now i 'is general chairman of the Brother j hood of Railway Trainmen for the! Pennsylvania lines west of I’ittsbnrt, 1 He. has been selected as president of j a new bank to open ou or before May i > I 1, in Pittsburg. The bank, according > to announcements from labor leader-. | is the eleventh to be organize) within: ithe past few years tinder the full guidance ot union labor. Mr. Knoff is the son of the late Mr. I land Mrs. Harry Knoff. Mr. Harty Knoff al the time was Adams county) surveyor anil was city engineer of i i Decatur at the time ot his death. Dr. I Ray Knoff. a dentist in Bluffton and | | formerly of Geneva, is a brother to R. A. Knoff. ‘j o >4««**>* + «*«** + « WEATHER ♦ ♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ + ♦♦♦♦♦♦ — INDIANA—Fair aud continued cold tonight; Thursday probably fair; slightly warmer in north portion.

from all parts of the country, orders art pouring into his factory for the handy and convenient tables. The Toledo Metal furniture company em ploys several hundred people and besides manufacturing radio tables and chairs a general line of steel office —.. . -7; —— ~"77? ill ■ /a 1 ! - ■-j ' ’ a The above picture shows Mr. Uhl wtth his radio outfit at home.

MAIL BOXES IN NEED Os PAINT Postal I)epartment 1 1 rges Rural Patrons to Paint Boxes and Supports In a Postal Bulletin received at the local postoffice, the attention of the postmaster is tailed to the need for improving the appearance of the mail Itoxes along the rural routes. The postoffice department urges that all patrons on the rural routes paint their mall boxes white and place their names on the box in dark let itrs. preferably in black. It is suggested further that the post or sup port to which ttie boxes are attached bo painted white. It Is the purpose of the department to improve the general appearance of the rural mail boxes throughout the country, so that they may be a credit not only to the Postal Service but to the community through; which Hurural delivery routes operate. Many of the boxes at present time present a very unsatisfactory appearance and j on account of the exposure to weatb. er, the boxes have rusted and worn 1 away. j Following is an extract from the , l*os;‘:tl Bulletin: I “It must be distinctly understood I that the department will not permit ( the withdrawal of service from a rural mall box whir-tv’ the owner refuses j to pa nt so long as the box remains ; weather-proof and a fit receptacle for mail. However, it is believed that the cooperation in this endeavor of 1 all patrons of rural routes through out the country can be secured through postmasters aud the appearance of the boxes materially improved. Your interest is solicited and a special report from you as to the re | suits obtained will be appreciated.” ■' - — —■ o I The production of olives and olive ! oil from Greece for the year 1922 is estimated at 130,789,222 pounds ot olives and 17,314,028 gallons of olive oil.

11 furniture, steel sbda fountain furni'jture, factory dining room furniture. ■ metal chairs, metal tables, stands for •! typewriters and meta! stands for al! other devices are manufactured. I A trade paper speaking of Mr. Uhl’s ■ latest, invention and product, says: ■‘Loeut.’d in Toledo, and having an ordinary 3 tube receiver with a. spider Web tuning panel mounted on a Uhl Steel Radio Table. Mr. Uhl is able to receive stations in California very clear and distinct. He has several letters of confirmation, also a telegram acknowlegmeut from broadcasting station K. F. I. at Los Angeles. , Ixiter experiments with this same equipment have brought in musical programs from Denver,/-Boaton etc., with out the use of any antenna what-I soever and was loud and distinct j enough to ba heard In any part of the house. Mr. Uhl ha,s demonstrated ; that thia wonderful performance of his throe tube receiver, la due to the fact that being mounted on this Uh! Steel Radio Table, stabelir.es the tun ' ing to a high degree." |

To Hold ( oilage Prayer Services This Evening Cottage prayer meetings in prepar alien for (tn- revival services which start soon, will be held by members of the Evangelical church this eve ning. Tit" prayer servio-s will he held al tin- following homes: Elmer Amspaityji, on Mcßarnes street; Thomas Cook, <>n North Fifth .irect; Maynard Johnson, on South Tenth street: and at III" church. Similar meetings will he held on next Wed n-.alay night. TRIAL OF GARY LIQUOR CASE NEARING END Mayor Rowell Johnson Expected to Take Stand Late This Afternoon CITY JUDGE TESTIFIES Attempts Io Explain Why He Imposed Fines Without Prison Sentences (United Press Service) Indianapolis, Mar. 28—(Special to Daily Democrat t— Mayor Roswell Johnson, or Gary, one of 62 defendants in tlte county booze conspiracy case was expected to take the stand in his own defeue In federal court late today. With 4hle ( tesflimoay of Johnson and Sheriff William Olds, (he case of the defense will draw to a elose. In dications were that the defense would rest by evening. William Dunn judge of city courts, a defendant attempted to justify his practice of fining prohibition violators SSO and costs witli no jail or prison sentence attached while testifying during the morning. Duun said it was the general understanding around Gary that the SSO tine would be the penalty tor first conviction. Testimony of witnesses to the effect that they paid the amount of their fines to lawyers nnd did not appear personally in court was explained by Dunn by saying that he always thought (lie defendants were in (lie room when lawyers entered pleas of guilty for them. He said lie believed now- after hearing these evidences that he might have been imposed upon. "Do you know how it was that attorneys bargained with their clients in advance for tees and told them what tines and costs would be.?’’ asked District Attorney Homer Ellicott on cross examination. “The fact that I impose a minimum flue and suspended the days on first offense may have commercialized the practice,” Dunn answered. Dunn answered a general denial of all charges against him denying that he was present at. the police station wheat Philip Ukman, star government witness was arrested. Ukman had told a story of being arrested without charge amt of being beaten into insensibility in the presence of defendant. officials when he refused to sign a statement incriminating himself am! government dry agents in a plot to blackmail prohibition violai ors with forged government search warrants. The government scored one of its strongest points against Mayor Roswell Johnson of Gary in cross exam ination of John Bennett, treasurer of the Republican city committee of Cary, who is named in the Indictment charging a conspiracy to dispose of confiscated whiskey illegally and protect bootleggers for payment. District Attorney Homer Ellicott drew an admission from Bennett that an "emergency fund” not listed in the committee’s books existed for unlawful use. “When we sent men out to do certain work in the precincts we could not very well make a report on it,” Bennett testified in reply to a. question. He admitted that part of this luud was a SSOO contribution from Gaspari Monti, murdered king of Gary’s little Italy who was to have .been tlte government’s star witness. o . — Dore B. Erwin. Ben Hoagland, and Roy Mumma attended the Eighth J District meeting of the Knights of | Pythias lodge in Anderson, yestep ! day and last night. Mr. Erwin in 1 Grand Prelate of the lodge and the other two local men were delegates i from the Decatur lodge. i The maximum range of the Amerl- | can army rifle is 4891.6 yards.

Price: 2 Cents.

KEEN BIDDING IS FEATURE OF ROAD LETTING ('oii ii t y Commissioners Award Contracts for Improvements of Roads BIDS BELOW ESTIMATE Construction Work Will be Started as Soon as the Bonds Are Sold Competitive bidding at the road letting, held by the county commissioners tliis morning, was keen and tlie contractors evidently sharpened their pencils before submitting their sealed proposals. On? contractor was low only SI.OO. another $35.00, one $40.00, while the largest differ ence between lowest and next lowest bld was $134.00. Charles Arnold received the contract for the building of the Ulman and Gase road in Union township, lie being only SI.OO under the next lowest bid, $4,900.00, submitted InBurger & Andrews. Chris Eicher secured the contract on the Ross Harden road in Union township, his bid being $5,160.00. Dennis Striker was $40.00 low on the Sprunger road in Berne, securing the contract at hi . figure of $5,642.58. Phil Sauer was $35.00 low on the Sauer road in Resit and Union townships, his hid being $,■>.515.00. The total length of the four roads is 4.28 miles and the estimated cost of construction was $25,079.42, while tlte total of the four contracts is $21,216.58. The bids submitted this morning were as follows: Ulman & Gase road, Barger & Andrews. $4,900; Chas. Arnold. $4,899; Fred Cokhin, $5,283. 82; W. E. Nidlinger, $5,420.50; Chris Eicher, $5,600; Arthur Zehr, $5,217; Phi) Sauer, $4,915. Ross Harden road: Burger A Andrews. $5,472; Chas. Arnold, $5,294; Fred Colcbin. $5,371.61; W. E. Nidlinger. $5,472.79; Chris Eicher, $5,160; Arthur Zehr. $5,589; Phil Sauer, $5,386. A. N. Spnmger road: ('lias. Arnold, $5,998; Fred Colchin, $6,200; Dennie Striker $5,642.58; Harry Meshlte.rger, $5,682; G. W. Fennig, $6,397; Arthur Zehr. $6,200; E. C. Musser, $5,982. Phil Sauer road: Burger A Andrew $5,625; Chas. Arnold, $5,548; Fred Colchin, $5,606.28; \V. E. Nidlinger, $5,725.42; Chris Eicher. $5,600; Arthur Zehr, $5,862; Phil Sauer, $5,515. Superintendents of construction will be appointed by the commission ers and as soon as the bonds unsold work on the construction of the new macadam roads will be started. Adams county now has over 700 mile of macadam roads. o—- — ■ Approximately SO per cent of the public school children of Wilmington. Del., are making weekly deposits, ranging from one cent to more than a dollar, in a local savings bank. In the first two months of the movement the children saved $20,768.02 which only $307.79 lias been withdrawn.' MOLD HEARING ON PETITION Local Men at Indianapolis for Hearing on Telephone Co.’s Petition J. Fred Fruchte, city attorney, M. J. Mylott, city electric light superintendent. and H. F. Ehinger, general manager of the Citizens Telephone company, were at Indianapolis today attending the hearing before the Public Service Commission relative to the petition of the Citizens Telephone company to set aside the city ordinance providing that, the telephone company pay a tax of twenty five cents on each telephone pole located in Decatur. The ordinance was passetl several years ago, but the telephone company has not paid ■;the tax tor a year or more, contend . j lug that service is rendered the city, i aticb as taking care of the police and > fire calls, during tho year to bnlsate i the account. Last summer the telephone company filed the petition with the Service commission. The . question will be decided by the commission.