Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 21, Number 100, Decatur, Adams County, 26 April 1923 — Page 1

Volume XXL Number 100.

ORDERS PROBE OF PROHIBITION AGENTS

fsve schools IN COUNTY TO CLOSE FRIDAY i Commencement Exercises at Four on Friday Night; Monroe Last Night A SUCCESSFUL YEAR Kirkland Township Schools Not to Close Until a Week From Friday ('ctmnericcment exercises xx'ill be in three high schools of Adams county tonight ami Friday night. The ii.mls where graduation will he nr p Geneva, Jefferson, township, Harttord township and Pleasant Mills. The Monroe high school held itx commencement exercises last l ight in the Methodist church at Monroe, gleven received diplomas The school will dose Friday. The Jefferson township commencement will lie held this evening and the other three will be held on Fri day evening. ' Benjamin J. Burris, state superintendent of -public instruction, will deliver the commencement address at Jefferson tonight. Nineteen will be graduated at Geneva, eleven at Hartford township, seven at Jefferson township, and tvne at Pleasant Mills. Excellent p:-. grams have been prepared , for each commencement and the addresses will be worth hearing. Bac- 1 i! mieate services were held for • -h of the classes last Sunlay night. The graduates in Geneva are: John Martin. Elizabeth Greeno. Richard Potter, Christian Stahly. Florence Striker, Genevieve Rankin, Arthur I .••■t'arger, H. Long, now in Honolulu, Emmett Tally, Ruth Degler, Virgil Aspy, Thurman Drew, Claude Lough, Julia Nelson, Jeanette Hpi linger. Eugene Snow, Catherine Anderson, Leah Miller and Mildred Wood. The graduates in Hartford township are: Richard Myers. Alvin Windmiller, Chancy Reynolds. Wilraer Jack, and Misses Clara and Edna Glendening, Ruth Munro, Martha Him hirer, lvel Monce, Helen Bentz and Mary Schlagenhauf. The graduates in Jefferson town-, ship are: Edward Billinsky and 1 .Misses Ovdine Butcher, Lois Buck-j | master, Anna Fetters, Alice Kenney, Margaret Remaklus and Madeline Robin. The Kirkland township high school will hold commencement exercises on Friday evening. May 4. Only four pupils will be graduated in Kirkland township. The schools have enjoyed a very food year this year. A high grade of work has been done by all of the high schools and there has been nothing, except a small amount of sickness to interfere with the work. Following are the graduates at Pleasant Mills: Joy Beam, Chalmer Edwards, Mary Gulick, Harold Masters, Harold Myers, Bo Johnson, Be noit Johnson, Ruth Geisler and Thomas Debolt. n Nebraska Woman Dies and Returns to Life (United Press Service) Omaha Neb., April 26.—(Special to Daily Democrat)—A graphic account of how it feels to die and then awaken again in the flesh and blood instead of the spirit world, was Riven today by a woman, restored to life by science. •Mrs. Rafaola Mercurio, 68, was restored to life after entering the shadows of death by use of adrenalin, injected into her heart by Dr. W. A. Oi t rie, when one physician had given her up as dead. Her body was of breathing or heart action, purple. She gave no outward signs gresr in the bed chamber. Prayers for the dead were in prtiShe had resigned herself to death, resolving to -die “beautiful and became puzzled and confused after regaining consciousness after ten days, after the powerful gland extract started her heart to beating again and sent blood pulsing through her! arteries.

DECAT UR DAI IV DEMOCRAT

Decatur Ladies to Live Play at Mt. Pleasant The Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Church of Decatur, will present The Honorable Mrs. Ling " in tin- school building at Mt. Pleasant, on Tuesday evening I under the aupices of the Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church of the Decatur cir'cult. The play was by the liechtur ladies in their home city recently and they received many complements oit the production. The public is cordially invited to attend the play. DUKE OF YORK MARRIED TODAY London Is (Jay as Marriage Occurs in Royal Family in Westminister Abbey By Charles M. McCann l nMetl l'res-4 Sniff Ciirrenpomlenl London April 26 —(Special to Dally Dt mix rat) The Duke of York and lidy Elisabeth Bowes-Lyon were married at noon today in Westminster Alibey. While the great hells of Parliament pealed the nation's joy at the union anil millions sent up a thunder of i hoers, the modest Scotch lassie w ho had entered the Alibey a commoner. emerged, 4’inderella-like on the arm o( her smiling husband, fourth lady of all England. At the wedding breakfast at the palace, following the ceremony. King I George dubbed the bride “Your lioy|al Highness" anil Lady Elizaii ch j became next in rank to Queen Mary, Queen Alexandra anil the Princess I Mary. And just at the moment when the blushing bride and the popular straight-hacked young duke stepped from the massive Abbey doors aid started for their carriage, the sun, hidden two days behind disheartening clouds and showers burst forth, its rays striking upon the shimmering sheen ot the wedding gown. The five hundred toned Della of Westminster set up the pealing they maintained for three and a half hours and the duke tarried away his hride on a long ride through London i streets where several million saw - them pass. | The wedding breakfast, the recepl tion at Buckingham palace, and BerI tie and Betty—despite the latter’s new dignity—became just a happy pair of newly married lovers, off on a honeymoon to Polesdon Lacy, in Surrey. If the Prince of Wales does not marry, any heir to the union sealed today will be in line for the throne of England. The last occasion on which the son of a reigning king of England wedded a commoner in the Abbey was more than six centuries ago, in 1263 when Edmond Croughbank married Aveiine of Lancaster, daughter of the Duke of Albemarle. The wedding ceremony which Began at 11:30 was over shortly after noon. FORTY-FIVE TO GRADUATE Larger Number to Complete Eighth Grade Work this Spring Approximately forty-five pupils will complete the eighth grade work in tlie Decatur Central schools this spring and become eligible for high school work next fall, according to a statement made today by W. Guy Brown, principal of the Central schools. Fifty or more will lie graduated from the Digit school this spring, it is said, making a larger number leaving the high school than .coming in. However, there will likely he several from Monmouth and tli; territory surrounding this city who will enter the freshman class here next fall. The list of eighth grade graduates will be announced in the near future. o ; — ENGLAND’S OLDEST DIES (United Press Service) Lincoln, England, April 26.—Mrs. Jane -Lister 107 years old, England’s oldest inhabitant, died here today. Shft recently rejected an offer of SSOO a week to appear in vaudeville.

HALT FLIGHT i OF MEMBERS OF HOUSE OF DAVID High Officials of Cult Attempt to Escape Investi- • gation Into Colony OTHERS GET AWAY Three High Officials of Cult and a Woman Reported to Have Escaped (United Press Servlrp) St. Joseph, Mich., April 26—(Spcrial to Daily Democrat) —Flight of high officials of the House of David, following revelation, of immorality among members of the colony, was interrupted by sheriffs deputies today. Benjamin Hill, one of the “seven pillars” of the colony, accompanied by a "virgin" member, was taken into custody at the Stevensville railroad station, seven miles south of here, by Sheriff George Bridgeman. The couple had checked several trunks and other baggage to Chicago. The sheriff believes Hill planned to join “King" Benjamin Purnell, ruler of the colony who has been missing since the first of the year. Hill, and the woman were taken back to St. Joseph and held under guard at a hotel. The “pillar” promised to go before the investigation being conducted by Judge Harry Dingeman and reveal the inside workings of the cult. The sheriff said he had information three other high officials of the cult and a woman had escaped during the night. Other developments over night in the one man grand jury investigation in which startling admissions of immorality had been obtained from supposedly virgin wives and celibate husbands, include: The halting by Attorney General Andrew B. S. Daugherty, in charge of the investigation, of a “group marriage.” Jailing of Phoebe Robertson, 17, one of the would-be brides. A threatened fist fight between Harry Dewhirst, chief attorney for the colony and Judge Dingeman followed by Sheriff Bridgeman grappling bodily with the attorney and tossing him out of the county jail. The sensational developments came at the first night session of the ; inquiry. » (Continued on page eight) o D. H. S. TO PLAY AT HUNTINGTON Local High School Baseball Team in Action Friday; Track Team Idle Decatur high school’s baseball team will go to Huntington tomorrow afternoon to play the Huntington high school nine in the first game of tlie season for the D. H. S. team. The boys have been practicing hard for the past two weeks and should be in, condition to give the Huntington county boys a real game. A few of the Decatur players got into action last Saturday iu the game between the north and south halves of the county, and they showed up good. Coach Moore and the players will drive to Huntington tomorrow. The track team does not have a meet this week. The thinly clads are working hard, however, to round into condition for Ihe meet with Portland here next Saturday, May 5. The locals made a good showing in the county meet last Saturday, i The Sharks made in the various events last Saturday were not high but were fair considering the condition of the track and field and the fact that this was the first meet of the season. Fourteen local tracksters have been entered in tlie sectional meet to be held at Fort Wayne, May 12. It is probable that a few of these athletes will not participate in the sectional meet, but Decatur will hae two entries iu each event.

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday Evening, April 1928.

Indian on Buffalo —ljl Nickel Is Converted Chicago, April 26 —(Special to Daily Democrt) — The Indian whose profile adorns one side of the Buffalo nickel has become a Christian. Dr. E. E. Highley, who t returned today fromi Browning. Montana, said Chief Two Guns , Whitecalf, a Btackfoot, who posed for the profile has renounced paganism and joined the Methodist j church. mooseTair'is I WELL ATTENDED « Everybody Present Enjoys j Himself Immensely; Three More Nights The attendance at the opening night of the big. Moose fun festival and indoor fair last night, exceeded the expectations of the lodge members. The big hall on Monroe street was filled almost to capacity and , everyone appeared to have “one big time.” , The big prize of the evening a fireless cooker, was awarded to Fred Engle. This prize was given away at 10:10 o’clock and the dancing started Immediately The dance continued until 12 o'clock. There will be a dance each evening starting at 10:10 o’clock and continuing until midnight. Much to the disappointment of the many guests and the management of the fair the Jewbo hand failed to show up last night. However, the management promises that the hand will lie there tonight, sure, with six teen pieces strong. The big fair will be continued tonight, Friday night, and Satuday night. One big prize will be given away absolutely free each evening at 10:10 o’clock and three capital prizes will lie given away on the dosing night. The capital /prizes will he a parlor suite, a 100-piece dinner set, and a ladies’ or gentleman's suit of clothes. Since this is the first event of its kind ever given by the local Moose lodge, a few mistakes were made last night, but everything has been corrected and the fair promises to proceed smoothly tonight and for the remainder of the week. Tlie proceeds derived from the fair will he used in furnishing the new lodge home on Third street into which the lodge will move soon, o WHO'LL BE NEXT San Antonio, Texas, April 26.— (Special to Daily Democrat)—A new record of 112 hours continuous dancing was made here today by A. C. Watson. Watson began dancing at 7:30 Saturday night with seven other entries. . Jl —. o ■— • * WEATHER ♦ ♦ ♦♦♦*♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦*♦ Cloudy tonight, probably followed i by showers Friday; not much change . in temperature. FAVOR LETTING CONTRACT NOW 1 ' ( Majority of Reformed Church Congregation Fa- , vor Building Now . i Although final action has not been 1 taken on the awarding of tlie con- I tract l'or the building of the Zion Re- i formed church in this city, it was stated today that a majority of the i congregation l'avor the letting of the contract to the low bidder, C. N. Christen, of this city. Mr. Christen's i bid on the general contract was $413,9000. A meeting of the building committee will be held Friday at which time the matter will be definitely decided and it is thought tlfpt the contract, will be awarded and steps taken towards the building of- - beautiful new church this spring.

FAIL TO FIND ANY TRACE OF JUDGE MORAN Search Continues Without Any Word From Missing Decatur Jurist ALL CLUES PROBEDj Local Men (Jo to Yoder This Afternoon to Investigate a Report The party of local citizens who went to Yoaer today to investigate a report that a lady there had seen a man walking on the interurban tracks last Friday, who answered the discretion of Judge Moran, returned late this afternoon with the report that they were unable to find any one there who could shed any light on the mystery. With seven days elapsed since the inystjf riouA disappearance ot; Judge John C. Moran, of the Adams circuit court, and with practically every clue exhausted, detectives, police, relatives ar.d friends continued their search this afternoon with hardly more than hopes on which to work. A report from the office of Chief of Police Moeller, of Fort Wayne this) afternoon stated that no new cities j had developed today and that m re I suits had beqpi obtained from what few dues had been followed. Sec-c-h---ing parties scoured the woodland surrounding Fort Wayne, working on tlie theory that Judge Moran, while suffering from amnesia, had wandered away and possibly died from exposure. Other sfrarchers kept a close watch along the hanks of the rivers in that city, blinking that per haps his body might he found floating in one of the streams. A party of Decatur citizens, composed of Phil Macklin, Herman Yag er, John Heller and Prosecuting Attorney E. Burt Lenhart went to Yoder this afternoon to work on a clue which, had been reported. It tvasi heard from various sources that a woman residing near Yoder had seen a man, who answered the discription of Judge Moran, walking along (he interurban tracks in the direction of Bluffton lust Friday. This report lead to the theory that Judge Moran had started to walk to Decatur anti followed the wrong interurban line. May Have Gone To Decatur, 111. Another theory which was given (Continued on page seven) PEANUT LODGES DEEP IN THROAT Mrs. W. A. Klepper Suffers Great Fain; Believed to be Recovering Mrs. W. A. Klepper of Mercer avenue, is believed to he recovering front an illness which for twenty-four hours appeared very serious. Tuesday evening about six o’clock Mrs. Klepper was eating a piece of peanut candy when a small part lodged deep in her throat. She began to choke and her efforts to dislodge it only made the piece of candy become embedded deeper in the layrnx. She suffered terrible pain all night and the assistance of two local physicians failed to relieve her. Yesterday morning site was rushed to Fort Wayne where several specialists did their Best to relieve her but with out. results. It was finally decided to take her to Toledo toiiuy for more expert assistance but it was decided last eening to wait until this morning, one specialist advising that the candy had perhaps been dislodge hut that the pain was due to a laceration. It was feared the candy had reached the lungs but as th*re is no temperature Joday and her general condition so much better it is now believed she will get along nicely. She was brought back here and is being cared for by Mrs. D. D. Clark at the Klepper home.

Bankruptcy Referees Appointed Yesterday James I). Briggs ot Geneva yestcr-! ! day was appointed referee in the! ! bankruptcy of L. Roy Runyon, and Frank McConnell was appointed referee in Ihe bankruptcy of thej (Grimm and Hoover store at Echo, j The appointments were made at Fort j Wayne. Attorney Dore B, Erwin, of j this city represents the largest num-1 ! tier of creditors in both cases. 0 j Alfred Beavers is helping at the | Teeple and Peterson Clothing Store I { today. ROTARIANS ARE HOMELESS NOW Driven Out of Club Rooms by Fire; to* Meet at Eats Restaurant As a result of having their rooms in tlie Dan Beery building on Madison street ruined by fire, smoke and water Wednesday afternoon, the Rotarians will hold their regular weekly lunch eon tit Joe loose's Eats restaurant at 6:15 this evening. Follownig the luncheon the members of the Rotary club will go to the Decatur Industrial rooms where a short business meeting will he held and an interesting program given. Tlie attention of the ! members is called to the change in j meeting places and every Rotariau is urged to be present promptly at 6:15. The Rotary club has occupied the rooms in the Beery building for nearMy two years and although the club did not have a great amount of furniture stored therein, the damage from the smok» a«d water makes it impossible to meet there this week The paper in the front room was ruined, while tlie center room, used as kitrh en, was damaged to some extent. Tlie dinning room was also mated and smoked up. At first the firemen encountered | milch difficulty in locating the smoldering blaze. After entrance from i tlie stairway had been gained into I the room it was found that the fire ; was burning iu the little room used as a kitchen. Much water was thrown into the front room, thereby causing eotisidi) able damage. The origin of the lire is a mystery. The Rotarians had uot visited their rooms since last Thursday. The table linnep.s were taken out of the room on Monday and since that time no one has been there, that is, to the knowledge of the Rotarians or Joe Lose, who looks after cleaning up the rooms. The Rotarians carried t v\*t hundred dollars worth of fire insurance and at the meeting tonight, it will b- decided it' the club will continue to occupy tlie rooms as headquarters. o— HEARTS LINKED BY CHILD Mother and Foster Mother Fighting For Possession Os Girl Chicago, Aprjil 26 — (Special to Daily Democrat)—The hearts of a mother and a foster mother. Doth lighting in court for custody of Beatrice Nuttall, 12. were linked by the child today. As Mrs. James Morris, the real parent and Mrs. James Nuttall, the foster parent, sat on each side of her in a court room drama that is to decide which shall retain, the name of “mother”, the girl drew their bands togethef. Few tears came to their eyes as they embraced but the contest will be continued in a friendly way. “I would give you anything in the world except Beatrice," Mrs. Natali, gray haired and sobbing, told Mrs. Morris who instigated habeas corpus proceedings for the child. Mrs. Morris searched for 12 years for Beatrice after the latter's illegiftmate birth and adoption into tlie Nutall home. Judge David, with Judge Claire Edwards sitting with him, continued the hearing for a week. At that time he will decide between the rights of a mother who has fostered kbe child for 12 years and the parent of flesh and blood. Mrs. Nora Railing spent the day in Fort, Wayne.

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CORRUPTION IN 1 ENFORCEMENT OF LAW IS CHARGED Sect, of Treasury Mellon Orders Sweeping Investigation at Once HAS NEW EVIDENCE 1 Agents Said to Have Been Pocketing Taxes Collected From Bootleggers (United Prep* Washington, April 26—(Special to Daily 'Democrat)—Secretary of the Treasury Mellon today ordered a sweeping investigation of alleged grafting and corruption among prohibition enforcement agents. New evidence has been laid before Mielion and he has turned it over to Internal Revenue Commissioner Blair, with orders to act promptly. Alleged irregularities by agents in New York, Philadelphia and Boston will first bl gone into. The new evidence, Mellon indicated, included charges that some prohibition agents had been pocketing taxes collected from' owners or liquor in warehouses. The agents would sell liquor owners and boot leggers, that on payment of the taxes, the liquor would he freed. Several who have been swindled in that way have complained. No loss to the government bus been disclosed, Mellon indicated. o SORORITY PLANS TAG DAY i Delta Theta Tau Girls to Raise Money for Hospital ffoom As a means of raising funds with which to furnish a room in tlie new Adams County Memorial Hospital, the members of the Delta Theta Tau sorority will conduct a “Tag Day" next Saturday. April 28th. The sorority girls will tag those who wish to give a nickel, dime, quarter or even a dollar towards the fund and will appreciate whatever help is given them. It is said that the cost of furnishing and equipping one of the rooms in the new hospital is over i two hundred dollars and the Delta i Theta Tau girls have raised a portion of this fund already. If you want to help the girls, let them tag ■ you and then hand them a coin. — o Vigo County Blind Tigers Are Restrained (United PreHH Service) Indianapolis, April 26.—(Special to Daily Democrat l--Restraining orders against operating what federal officials say are the most poitilar and notorious blind tigers in Vigo county were issued today by Judge A .14. Anderson in Federal court. Eighteen defendants said to lie operators and owners of the places were named. —a FUNERAL HELD THIS P. M. Joseph Mazelin Died at Hospital in Berne Monday Evening Funeral services were held at 2 o’clock this afternoon in Berne, for Joseph Muzelin. uge 26, who died late Monday evening at the Hossman hospital where he underwent an operation Sunday evening for appendicitis and obstruction of the bowels. Deceased was born on a farm in Monroe township on November 2, 1896. Most of his youth was spent on the farm. For some time he had also been employed as a mechanic In the J. I’. Mazelin garage in Berne. A number of years ago he went to Louisiana, where he was married on May 21. 1919. Isitely he has been employed with the American Milk n Berne. Surviving Mr. Mazelin arc his wife, Douise Mazelin; his aged mother, Mrs. Verena Mazelin of Monroe 1 township: two brothers, John P. Mazelin of Borns and Joel Mazelin ot Monroe township; also a foster sis ter, Mrs. Chris Liechty of Berne. Ilia father, three half brothers and four half sisters have preceded him in death. o