Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 21, Number 102, Decatur, Adams County, 28 April 1923 — Page 1

Volume XXI. Number 102.

GARY MEN RECEIVE PRISON SENTENCES

juniors make BIG HIT WITH CLASS PLAY • Capacity Audience Sees Annual Play at H. S. Auditorium ! ROLES WELL PLAYED Einc Combination of Comedy and Mystery; Two Fine Specialities Given An audience which filled the large I high school auditorium to capacity I last night, laughed and applauded for more than two hours while the Jun has staged. “And Home Came Ted," one of the funniest and most cleverly written comedies ever staged in this | city. The acting of the Juniors was . excellent for amateurs ami the cast was well chosen. Don Parr played the role of Skeet Kelly, the clerk of the Rip Van Winkle inn, and he fitted into the part splendidly. This was one of the leading roles in the play and was difficult to portray. The part of Miss Plana Garwood, the heiress, who was a guest of the inn was capably played by Mis . Margaret Zwick. One of the comical roles, that of Miss Loganberry, a spinster, was portrayed by Miss Josephine Suttles. Miss Suttles had a fine makeup and her imitations of a spinster were excellent. Niles White was the villian of the play, taking the role of Ira Stone. His gruff voice and sarcastic smile made his acting very good. The role of Aunt Jubilee, the colored cook, was played by Miss Glenvs Elzey. The blackface roles are always difficult to play, but Miss Elzey is deserving of much praise for the man ner in which she acted the part. Deane Dorwin, who was known as Mr. Man, during the *pliiyl ( iturned out to be the real Ted and the hero of the play. The role was a heavy one and Deane deserves credit for his acting. One of the most difficult roles in the play was that of Jim Ilyker, the lawyer, which was played by Howard Brumley. In the first act he was a dashing young attorney, while in the second and third acts he was disguised as an old man and. f' was necessary for him to change his voice, entirely. Howard's acting was practically faultless. A character who appealed to the sympathetic side of the audience very much was Mollie Macklin, the housekeeper at the inn. This role was played by Miss Helen Kocher This was one of the heaviest roles in the play, also, to Miss Kocher goes a world of credit. The role of Henrietta Darby, a widow from Honolulu, who turned mil to be a former wife of Jim Ryker and who had remarried when she believed that Ryker had been drowned, was played by Justine Hocker. The role was well played. Earl Chase played the role of Ted. the groom, and Harriet Myers, the role of Elsie, the bride. This Ted was mistaken for the real Ted and many complicated Situations arose as a result. He and his bride had eloped and the bride got drunk on some Scotch drinks she found in the inn. Senator McCorkle, Elsie's father, came when notified by Diana Garwood, who was Elsie’s cousin. The role of the senator was played by Don Latnmlman. The climax was reached in the last act when Mr. Ryker made known his identity, exposed the real Ted, and Ira Stone was defeated in his scheme to obtain control of a furniture factory which | rightfully belonged to Ted. The love affairs necessary to make the play a complete success were furnished by Mr. Man and Diana Garwood and by Skeet and Molly. Z The play was directed by Mrs. J. R. Blair and Miss Agnes Sellouteyer, who is class chaperone. Miss Mildred Rittler was pianist. Little Mary Kathryn Sellemeyer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Sellemeyer, g-ve a speciality dance 1 between the first and second act which drew much applause from the audience. Between the second and (Continued on page two)

DECATUR IIAIIY DEMOCRAT

CENTRAL SCHOOL PLAY “Her Honor, the Mayor,” at H. S. Auditorium Next Week “Her Honor, the .Mayor,” a three > I net comedy filled with good hearty laughs, will be given in the high school auditorium on Thursday and Friday evenings of next week by the pupils of the Central School. The members of the cast have been holding rehearsals for some time, and the production promises to be anI other one of those good ones for, which liie Central School pupils are , noted. — —o - — - HOUSE OF DAVID IS CLASSED AS A FRAUD TODAY -.— Judge Statter Says King Benjamin Is Guilty of Betraying Girls GETS JUDGMENT Court Awards $15,000 Judgment in Suit Against Cult; SBO,OOO Asked i (tnlteil Service.) Grand Rapids, Mich., April 28— ( (Special to Daily Democrat)—The f House of David is a fraud and King Benjamin Purnell, ruler of the cult. ' is guilty of betraying young girls, according to an opinion expressed by k Judge John Satter. whose decision in tlie suit of John and Margaret Hansell against the colony aud Its leaders, was tiled in the federal district court today. The court awarded the Hansels 115,000. They sued for SBO,OOO, but ; Judge Satter declared he thought this was excessive. > In commenting on Benjamin's relations with young girls, Judge Satter ■ said: "That a man may so dominate i young girls or mature women as to I render themselves submissive to him may be doubted and disbelieved by some but not to a person who knows , the details of general white slavery 1 cases. In this ease these submissive ■ girls received their keep but in the t name of religion they were taught that subjection was a holy right and < insured immortality Io their bodies. • "Many of the immoral acts to ■ which plaintiffs respective witness ■ testified occurred when Benjamin and the girl ruined were alone. None i of the defendants witnesses could , know of such acts or give testimony concerning the same.” i o i MERCHANT FLEET FOR SALE (United Press Service) Wallington. April 28.- (Special to Daily Democrat) — America’s merchant fleet was for sale today in the open market. i if buyer* do not appear by May 28 I the fleet will be with drawn from ti e 1 counter and the goveerment will run • it. I The shipping board ached for bids t on the vessel No statement was i made as to the price which the • government will consider reasonable, i , . — • New Dance Record Made in Ohio Today (United Press Service) i Youngstown, Ohio, April 28. — (Spe- • dal to Dally Democrat) —Albert Kish 1 passed the world's record for non-stop ’ dancing at four a.m. today when he ‘ had danced 112 hours with only three ' minutes out for rest every seven 1 j hours. 1 He had danced 117 hours at 9 a.m. and expects to dance until midnight tonight. When he passed the world's record ' this morning the big crowd watching 1 the show broke into cheers and applause. —— TEACHERS EXAMINATION r A large number took the examlna- ' tfon held in the Central School build--1 iag here today for state teachers' license.

PROBE CULT S ALLEGED EXPLOITATION OF GIRLS n At , ill® ilßi <O. a 1 ESatwWr (Pacific and Atlantic Photo) Two youthful brides, members of the House of David colony, which the state of Michigan is investigating as a result of charges that girls of 14 and 15, members of the colony, were debauched. St. Joseph, Mich.—Midnight meetings In corn fields, “courtships” in the girls’ dormitory rooms, and whoissale weddings when reports were circulated that officials were going to raid the colony, are some of the charges under investigation by the state of .Michigan, which is probing the affairs of “King” Ben Purnell, head of the House of David, a religious cult here. So far authorities have been unable to find Purnell, but they have quizzed many of its members. The state is particularly interested in the “hurried" weddings of scores of the young folks of the colony. According to stories told officials male members of the colony, old andyouug, visited the girls' dormitories utter dark. "King” Purnell, authorities were told, participated In many of the alleged orgies. Girls were taught that whatever Purnell told theta they should du witnesses, ststed.

BOVSTO MEET ' BAND DIRECTOR Meeting of All Boys In-; terested in Forming Band on Tuesday Evening •The attention of the young boys or' Decatur is called to the meeting to be held Tuesday evening at seven o'clock at the Decatur Industrial rooms with Mr. Ralph Bailey, Kind director of Marion, who desires to organize a Boys Band in Decatur this summer. Tlie meeting will be called at seven o'clock and every boy In Decatur who is interested in forming a juvenile band is urged to attend. Within the last two weeks the names of several boys who want to join the baud have turned into this office and given to Mr. Bally. A boys band has been organized at Bluffton by Mr. Bally and it is hoped that a similar organization can be formed in Decatur. Boys between the ages of twelve and fifteen are eligible. Tlie parents of the boys are also Invited to attend the meeting and hear Mr. Bailey explain the purpose of the. purpose of the organization.

——*^i : ft ~ -- . - —■ - — —— —— - • i Business Men Catch Spirit of 'Paint-up Movement; Second Street to be Transformed

i The owners or proprietors of [fifty-pine bnsiuees bouses tn 'je city i have signed a petition agreeing to paint the front of tbetr business house during cleanup week which will be from May 1 to 8 More i names are expected to be added to the list. When this bunch of live wires get through painting up, ths ' business district of Decatur certainly will look fine. If while the fronts of the buildings are being painted, the signs and awnings will be painted and repaired, and those which have served their time torn down, the movement will be a complete success. The painters are co-operating to get the work done and within a few days, Second street and its tributaries will be transformed into a beautiful thoroughfare. Following are the names of the establishments to be painted: Schafer Hardware Company Niblick and Company Colehill Cigar Company P. Kirsch and Son

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday Evening, April 28, 1923.

■i_ . ' 111 — ——~ get ready Ail residents or the city ar* urg ed to gather up all tin cans and I bottler around their premises, put them in boxes or barrels, and place them in the alleys or along the street where the city trues | driver can get them next week, which is cleanup week. The driver of the truck will dump them tn the truck and haul them away free of charge. Ashes will not be hauled by the city. The schedule to be followed by the truck will bn announced later. G. R. & I. Time Table Not to Change Here It was announced at the local ticket office of the Grand Rapids and Indiana railroad today that the change in time table which beeoine.s effective tomorrow, will not any of the trains which stop at tho local station. The Florida sleeper, which has been operated since last fall, will make its last trip south tonight. The Triweekly passenger extra, pulling the Florida northward, will make its last trip north at 6:55 a.m. Monday. o Miss Della Sellemeyer was visiting in Fort Wayne today. ■ ■■■l? ' . 1" !

Stepler Brothers The Kuebler Company M. Deinlnger Company Peoples Cash Shoe Stors Charles Brock C. E. Baughman Lose Brothers Pumphrey's Jewelry Store American Security Company K. of C. Building H. Knapp and Son Cloverleaf Creameries, Inc. Anderson’s Restaurant Miller’s Bakery Star Grocery Decatur Fruit Company Doy I-Jiamou Mutschler’e Meat Market Burdg's Barber Shop Yager Brothers Furniture Store Gay, Zwick & Myers F. McConnell Jk Son Holthouae, S'lohulta & Co. Graham & Walter* Decatur Dry Cleaners Fred Fijllenkamp Burdg's Millinery

TALENTED 1 r- - i / -*» ■s .. m F t — jh mMl 1 Miss Vera Hutchinson, leader In, younger London society, who is making her mark as an authoress. Her| latest btxik, “Sea Wrack," Is hailed us a success. She is a sister of A. I S. M. Hutchinson, noted English! I author. ■» ■■ — ’ CONFIRMATION SERVICES i Large Class to be Confirmed at St. Mary’s on May 20 First communion services for the I large class of boys and girls who ! will make their solemn services at I 'the St. Mary's Catholic church will I be held on the third Sunday in May, | Father J. A. Seimetz, rector of the! church, stated this morning. Confirmation services will not be held at the St. Mary’s church this year. LOCAL DOCTORS GO TO MUNCIE Four Adams County Physicians Attend Medical j Meeting Last Night Four Adams county physicians at. tended a medical meeting held in, Muncie last night. Dr. Miller, of I Chicago, delivered a very interesting! ’ and Instructive lecture on “Newly i Discovered Causes and Treatment , for a group of diseases, Including | epilepsy. migraine, eczema and [ others. •! The Adams county physicians who I attended the meeting were Dr. Frank 1 ! Lose and- Dr. C. C. Rayle, of Decatur; 1 Dr. Summers, of Monroe; and Dr. . Reusser, of Berne. The four doctors went byway of Hartford City and made an inspection of the new Blackford County hospital which has been ’ completed recently. They report . that the hospital Is a very modern building, well equipped. There is a splendid spirit of cooperation shown! 1 in the hospital there, the doctors say, [ ■ every room in the building having • been furnished by individuals or 1 organizations. The superintendent! of the Blackford county hospital is ; Miss Stahl, formerly of the Hope | Methodist hospital of Fort Wayne. ■

E. A. Beaver’s Furniture Store D. N. Erwin Real Estate Fisher & Harris Western Union Lenbarl & Heller Citizens Telephone Company (two buildings.) Peoples Restaurant Decatur Dally Democrat Vance and Linn Crystal and Mecca Theaters Cort Theater D. M. Hensley & Son 1. Bernstein Northern Ind. Gas & Electric Co. Charlie Vogle.wede Callow’ & Kohn# White Stag Cigar Co. Schmitt Meat Market Mills Grocery Central Grocery Smith, Yager & Falk John T. Myar* E. F. Class & Son ' Joseph & Leng Cont er Ice Crea m Co. First National Bank Eats Restaurant

I ASI DRIVERS WARNED Chi«f-of-Police Reynold* Say* Ar • rests Will be Made Fast and careless automobile driv-1 ers uro warned to cease their dan-. gerous actions at once or arrest* will follow, Recording to a statement i made today by Joel Reynolds chief I of Police. Mr. Reynolds stated that many complaints had been made by! local citizens aud that the practice, must be stopped at once. Besides driving on the city streets at a rapid rate of speed, many drivers cut ; corners and pay no attention to the; ' “blind traffic cops” la the center of ' the street intersections. SEARCHERS TO START AT 1:30 P. M. TOMORROW Organized Search for Judge Moran to be Made Sun- , day Afternoon — NO NEW CLUES TODAY — Few New Rumors Reported But All Prove Groundless; All Probed ■ ■- ■■■ — All persons wishing to join in the search for Judge John C. Moran tomorrow are requested to meet at the court house at 1:30 | o’clock. All those having automobiles are asked to bring them. The search will be organized bei fore that time and captains appointed. All who possibly can are urged to aid in the search. I Preparations were being made toI day for an organized search of the territory between here and Fort Wayne Sunday afternoon tor Judge j John C. Moran, who has been mis-. I sing from his home in thte city since Thursday, April 19. The local I searchers will meet at the court i house at 1:30 o’clock and travel toward Fort Wayne ami another parj ty. composed of Fort Wayne citizens will travel toward this city. The search was being thoroughly organized today in order that the searchers may proceed in an ordfflly manner tomorrow. Captains will be appointed to have charge of a certain number of the. searchers. Sheriff John Baker, former sheriffs Sephus Melchi and T. J. Durkin, Deputy Sheriff Dallas Hower, Ed Green and others will serve a-s captains. A large number of Decatur residents and many others from over Adams ! county are expected to join in the ! search for John Moran, who waa (highly respected throughout the j county, i No new clues developed today. A ! few new rumors were heard but all, i when investigated, proved groundiless. Every rumor or possible due i is being investigated to the bottom i in hopes that some light may l>e shed. lon the mystery. The following telegram was re-; | calved by T. J. Durkin this morning ! from Dr. A. G. A. Buxton, former, •pastor of the Decatur Christian church, who I* s resident of Berthoud, Colorado: "Just this minute received Decatur paper telling of Judge Moran’s dieI appearance. I pray God’s rare and keeping of this noble Christian mao and my good friend. Will you please ; let me know it ho is safe. He is a ! brother to me. Dr. A. C A BUXTON." i Nothing New At Fort Wayne • ‘ In a communication with those di-1 i renting tho search tor Judge Moran in Fort Wayne this afternoon, it was! stated that there had been no new ; developement there today. A nnm-i tier of rumors had been run down and all ware false. The search was being conducted there today along the same line* a* during th* pa»t few day*. A Urge tjumbfr of Boy SeesitA were conducting a search of (he surrounding territory at Fort Wayn* today, but late this afternoon no results had been obtained. (Continued on page six)

Price: 2 Cents.

HEAVY FINES AND PRISON TERMS GIVEN Mayor Johnson Sentenced for Eighteen Months and Fined $2,000 FEW GET NEW TRIALS Majority Expected to Carry Cases to U. S. Dist. Court of Appeals (United Pre«s Service) Indianapolis, April 28. —- (Special to Daily Democrat) — Heavy prison aentences an<l fines were given > principals 'among the defendants in the I Gary Ixioze conspiracy case toi day after Judge Ferdinand A. Geiger in federal court today, I overruled motions for a new trial for all hut three of the 55 defendants convicted of conspiracy against the federal prohibition law. The sentences: Roswell O. Johnson, mayor of Gary one year and six months in prison and $2,000 fine. William M. Dunn, who resigned as city judge when he was convicted one year and one dav in prison and SI,OOO fine. Dwight M. Kiu<ler. iLake County prosecutor, oiin year and cn« day aud j SI,OOO fine. Clyde Hunter, formur Laks County prosecutor, one year and one day and SI,OOO fine. The minor sentence ranges (tom one day to six months and tha heav- ■ lest fine was SIOO. Refusal to grant a second trial j came after long arguments by de- ' I sense attorneys, in which the couipe--1 tence of the evidence introduced was ; attacked. Before' sentences were announced, district attorney Elliot divided tbe defendants into four classes. Th* first consisted of those who sold booze, according to evideme intro I duced at the trial, tbe second of ' those whom evidence showed oper I ated resorts at which the law wn« ' I violated. The third class included police ofi fleers, constables and Ralph Sta-g- --:. natch hotel proprietor, who figured ' as a leading character in the case. Tlie fourth consisted of public oftiI dale. Those granted new trials (were: sheriff Wm. Olds, Charles I. 1 ' Clemens. Justice of the Peace, and > Fred Seabrtght, former prosecutor In 1 Clemens court. It was reported th* 1 government will not further pre*- ' I these case*. "I have always done any duty.” I Mayor Johnson said when given an ■ opportunity to talk. He said liu had ' nothing more to say. Prosecutor Kinder broke down aud cried. Hunter went to him, putted i him on tlie shoulder and told him not to worry. It is believed generally that a msIjortty of the defendants who me 'city and county officials will carry their cases Io the U. S. district court !of appeals at Chicago. All who received sentences of mere than a year will be sent to th* | federal fnisou at Atlanta. Thoa* sentenced to a year or less will h* confined in tbe. M'.rion county jail. The court gave defendant* who expect to ifppeal, 120 days in which to tile bills of exceptions. o ....... . DECLINE DELIGHT SAVINGS Muncie, Ind., April 28. —AU Munci* ; factories were to have gone on day. ! light saving time Monday, but when the change was put up to the work- ! men in several plants, it was votrd down almost unanimously. Less than '; half of the plants iu th* city will ’ change. ' *♦ WEATHER ♦ *««*«***« + ♦♦♦♦♦♦ Fair in north, unsettled in cent!) portion tonight; Sunday generally fair. Somewhat warmer Bunday in north.