Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 21, Number 116, Decatur, Adams County, 15 May 1923 — Page 1

WumeXXl. Number 116.

FLOOD AND TORNADO TAKE MANY LIVES

I, LANKENAU I PROMOTED TO [ SUPERINTENDENT Keneral Foreman of G. E. I Plant for Several Years Gets Advancement Ither CHANGES HERE ■Several Other Changes Are Made to Meet Demands of Increased Production I To keep pace with the rapidly in■roasing production at the local plant ■ the General Electric company, E. ■l'. Lankenau, who has been general ■orernan of the local plant for sev■end years has been made superin■emlent. The office of superintendent L just been added at the local plant, t being the highest office here now Jert Gage has been advanced to the gisition of general foreman. The anlouneeinent of changes together with everal others came yesterday from J. A. Barnes, of Fort Wayne, who is general superintendent of the plants n that city and in Decatur. The other changes at the Decatur t once are as follows: Foreman machine works, William Dim. Foreman of winding and insulating, William Kohls. Foreman of finishing and plating rorks, Cash Lutz. Foreman of collector and motor ssembly work, Frank Brown. Foreman of punch press work, ohn Knott. Foreman of mechanical maintennce. Alvin Buffiinberger. Foreman of electrical maintenance 'al Waite. Production is Increased Mr. Lankenau stated today that the Hitput of the local plant at present s slightly greater than 5,000 motors er week. The output has been in Teased during the last month from 500 per week. Last month the local tiant shipped out about 5,000 more notors than were built during that nonth, drawing heavily on the stir plus stock. A few men have been working at night for the last few reeks, in order to catch up with the production of certain parts of the motors. Two types of motors are the only articles made at the local plant now. They are quarter and sixth horse power washing machine motors. Recently the machinery used in making relays was transfered to Bloomfield, »nd the transformer machinery was tent to Fort Wayne. Between 350 and 360 people are working at the local plant at present. The factory has been re-arranged preparatory to the installation of electric conveyors. The first conveyor is expected to arrive here in about ten days. When the new conveyor system has been installed completely, the work in the factory will be speeded up considerably. Speed Violator Fined in Mayor’s Court Today Sterling Peel, driver of a bakery truck for the Bittner Bakery, was found guilty of violating the motor vehicle law on two counts in the court of Mayor DeVoss this afternoon. The first count was exceeding the speed limit and the second was driving a truck without a chauffeur's license. 1 hree witnesses testified that Peel was exceeding the speed limit. Peel was arrested yesterday morning fol lowing an accident at the corner ot 1 bird and Adams streets in which the •wo right wheels on the truck were smashed. The accident occured when •’eel attempted to turn the corner. He Was fined $1 and costs in each count, making a total of $22, which he paid. CHICAGO MARKET CLOSE Wheat: May $1.18%; July $1.15ifc; Sept. $1.13%, Corn: May 78%cJuly 79%c; Sept. 78%c. Oats: May <2c; July 42%c; Sept. 41c.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Work on I. U. Stadium to be Started at Once Bloomington. May 15.—(Special to Daily Democrat)—Work on the new Indiana University Stadium will start just as soon as the architects plans are completed and bids are advertized J for, authorities of the university announced today. P. P. Evans, Cleveland, was to draw j the plans and oversee the construe-i tion of the stadium, which will cost I $250,000. The seating capacity will be 22,000, I with provisions for the addition of units which will eventually bring the seating capacity up to 45,000, or 50,0tt0. Mrs. J. S. Peterson went to Fort Wayne today to attend a bridge party to be given by Mrs. T. M. Reid and Mrs. Arthur Rose, of Hoagland Avenue. o OPPOSE SUNDAY FUNERALS HERE Ministerial Association and Undertakers Wish to Discourage Practice Members of the Decatur Ministerial Association, in regular meeting yesterday afternoon, went on record as being in favor of discouraging the practice of holding funerals on Sunday in the city of Decatur. The ministers do not wish the public to infer that they will not conduct funeral ' services on Sunday here, however. Previous to the meeting, the ministers had interviewed the various I undertakers in the city and they took j the same stand on the question as! taken by the ministers. There are j cases when a Sunday funeral is ab ! solutely necessary, owing to the condition of the corpse and other circumstances, and both the undertak- ■ ers and ministers would readily hold the funeral on Sunday in those cases, they said. in many cities there is a rule that a funeral shall not be conducted on Sundays. The Catholic church has practiced this rule for many years. The main objection to a Sunday funeral is that it breaks up the church program on Sunday and increases greatly the nervous strain and responsibility of the pastor who is required to appear before his congregation twice that day with fresh subject matter in his mind on each occasion. While it is impossible to formulate an iron clad rule forbidding funerals on Sunday within the city, and the ministers would not wish to take such action, were it possible, the ministerial association wishes the people to consider the matter and whenever possible arrange to hold the funeral service on a week day. Discuss Union Meetings At the meeting of the ministerial association yesterday the matter of holding union meetings during July and August, as was done last year, was discussed and each pastor instructed to place the matter before his congregation and to obtain the sentiment in regard to it. A report on the matter will be made at the next meeting of the association. The advisability of holding a union tent meeting during the latter part el September was discussed but this matter was deferred until after each pastor had placed the proposition before his congregration. It was suggested that the union meetings during the summer, if held, be held in some open space where the people could gather on foot or in automobiles, possibly at the city water works park. , Dr. W. A. Squires, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, addressed the ministers yesterday on the subject of, "Religious Day School Training. —o ELKS MEETING AND INITIATION WEDNESDAY The regular meeting of the Elks lodge will be held Wednesday evening at the hall. Initiation ot several candidates will also take place, followed by a feed. Every member is urged to be present.

EVIDENCE ADDS TO THEORY OF SUICIDE TODAY Secret Probe Into Death of Mount Lad Strengthens Theory FRIENDS QUESTIONED Grand Jury Intends to Continue Probe Into Slaying Theory United Prena Muff < <>rre«pon<lent Chicago, 111., May 15— (Special to Daily Democrat) —Evidence obtained in three days secret probe of the deatli of Leighton Mount., has strengthened the theory that the Northwestern university freshman committed suicide, Robert E. Crowe, states attorney, announced today. In this investigation, Crowe quesi tinned intimate friends and advisors of Mount, whose skeleton was found tinder a pier in Lake Michigan, nearly a year and a half after his disappearance. Crowe, however, said the grand jury probe of the slaying theory will continue. Henry Warren, the 12 year old boy who found the bones, said that contrary to police reports, no rocks were piled upon the skeleton and that it was lying on the surface. Herman F. Steinbern, a Christian science practitioner whom Mount (Continued on page two) o ANNIVERSARY DANCE ENJOYED — Psi lota Xi Sorority Entertained Several Guests Last Night The first anniversary dance of the Psi lota Xi Sorority was given at the Masonic hall last evening, complimenting about sixty invited guests, exclusive ot the sorority members and their escorts. The affair was an informal one and thoroughly enjoyed by the many present. Catchy music was furnished by the Feature Five orchestra composed of Miss “Bee” Leonard at the piano, Miss Naomi Lawson, trombone; Floyd Enos, trap drum; Harold Lawson. saxaphone, and Wayne Burnette, banjo uke. Dr. Fred Patterson acted as floor manager and official announcer of the evening. The hall was attractively decorated in the sorority's colors of blue and gold, streamers of crepe paper being strung around the chandeliers, while at the southeast corner of the hall a cozy corner, fenced in with lattice work and artistically decorated was arranged, back of which four little girls, the Misses Mary Macklin, Florence Magley, Eloise Lewton and Helen Christen served delicious punch and wafers. Floor lamps were placed along the west end of the hall. Dancing started at nine o’clock and continued until midnight. Features during the evening were two circles and a balloon dance. Among those, present from out of town were: Mr. and Mrs. Joe Simmons, Mr. and Mrs. Frank McDowell, James Plessinger and Roger Swain, of Bluffton; Mr. and Mrs. Claude Dillon, Van Buren, and Mr. Leroy Packard, of Wabash. The Psi lota Xi sorority was organized in this city a year ago, Mrs. Chalmer Porter serving as the first president of the organization. The present membership of the sorority is composed of the following: Mrs. Chalmer Porter, Mrs. Herb Borroughs, Mrs. Carl Pumphrey, Mrs. Will Schrock, Mrs. Hugh Hite, Mrs. John Baumgartner, Mrs. Fred Patterson, Mrs. A. G .Moore, Mrs. W. E. Hoffman, Mrs. Earl Adams, Mrs. Charles Knapp, Mrs. A. R. Holthouse, Mrs. Charles Lammiraan, and the Misses Helen Swearingen Marcella Kern, Dora Marei Magley, Lucille Butler, Donna Parrish, Fan Hammell and Geraldine Everett. Pledges, Mrs. Bernice Burk and Miss Mary Callow.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday Evening, May 15, 1923.

“POISON PEN" WRITER ■ —. a 11 GEORGE MAXWELL New York. —Charged with being the author of "poison pen” letters, which have broken up many homes, George Maxwell (above) is held by the local police. Authorities have 147 letters claimed to have been written by Maxwell. FLOOR STOPS MAIL CARRIER High Water “Stalls” Flivver; St. Mary’s River Rising Rapidly Today If the St. Marys river in the vicinity of Pleasant Mills, six miles southeast of Decatur, continues to rise, Ray Smith, rural mail carrier on route six, will be forced to petition the postoffice department for a row < beat, launch or airplane. The downpour last night sent the old St. Marys cut ot her banks all along the line and in the lowlands the overflow’ is several feet deep. Mr. Smith and his faithful old "Lizzie” became stranded at the bridge near Pleasant Mills when the water which covered the road ran into the muffler and exhaust pipe and stopped his machine "stone dead.” Ray jumped out and “went in" to his hips, alighting in the ditch alongside of the road. Lawrence Durbin who was running his machine with the cut-out open came upon the scene and to the rescue of Mr. Smith. He tied a rope to Mr. Smith’s car and pulled him to dry land. Ray then proceeded on his route, completing the trip only one hour late, but a little wet and "out of fix.” Waters Are High In some places the overflow water extends quite a distance on both sides of the river and it is said that in places the overflow is four mid five feet deep. The river is continuing to rise and those who watched it say that it has risen more than a foot since morning. Mr. Smith stall’d that it the water continues to rise that he would not be able to cover his route tomorrow’. Ahr’s field, the Studabaker bottoms and other low lands in this city are flooded. The Wabash river at Geneva is out of batiks and the Lob gives the appearance of a miniature lake. Weather Continuer! rain and colder tonight; Wednesday fair; colder in east und south portions. A FRIEND IN NEED J. Henry Graber, an employe of the Schafer Hardware Co. of this city, is a real friend of the motorist because he knows what it means to run out of “gas” outside the city. Henry lives at the "point” on the Bellmont road east of the city. He keeps a two-gal-lon supply of gasoline at his home, just for motorists whose supply is exhausted in the neighborhood of his home. Henry uyS that every week he has to have the can "filed and that nearly every day someone comes to his house seeking a “lift". One man gave him 50 cents for a gallon of the “precious" fluid.

COURT NAMES RECEIVER FOR ADAMS EQUITY Charles S. Niblick Named Receiver for Adams Co. Equity Exchange JUDGEMENT AWARDED Court Awards $625 and Costs to Paul Rieter, Managers; Other News Charles S. Niblick was appointed receiver of the Adams County Equity Exchange today, following the filing of a suit in the circuit conrt this morn ing by Paul Reiter, manager of the concern. Mr. Reiter declared in his complaint that'the Equity Exchange owed him the sum of $625 for services rend 1 ered as manager and that the compan.’ | was insolvent. Mr. Reiter alleged that large amounts of indebtedness were owed by the Equity and that the concern was not able to pay the inI debtedness. Tlte case filed through the law firm of Fruchte & Litterer. Attorney A.' (’. Butcher appeared for the defen i dant and filed an answer in general denial, soon after the case had been docketed. Both parties appeared In court and tlte case was submitted to Judge Sutton. After hearing the (Continned on page two) o PRESBYTERIANS MEET THURSDAY '«nm Local People Going to Indianapolis for General Assembly Several members of the Presbyter ian church here are planning to at and the annual general essembmly to lie held at Indianapolis for one week starting next Thursday. Rev. and Mrs. B. N. Covert will go to Indiana polls on Thursday and remain through out the meeting. Others will attend various sessions. The possibiity of a hearing of the historic hesesy trial of Dr. Harry En erson Fosdiek, a baptist minister who is preaching in tlte pulpit of the First Presbyterian church, New York adds interest to the coining meeting. Several months ago, Rev, Clarence E. MacCartney, a member of the Philadelphia Presbytery, made a complaint and the Presbytery passed a resolution .asking the general essembly to take such action as will require the preaching and the teaching in the First Presbyterian church New York, "to conform to the system of the doctrine in the Westminister confession of faith. Tlie principal charge made agains Dr. Fosdiek by the Philadelphia min ister is tlte Dr. Fosdiek does not regard tlte doctrine of the virgin birth as essential to faith in the divinity and unique leadership of Jesus. Other theological issues are also raised, such as the doctrine of the atonement, the authority of the Bibb’ and the second coming of Christ. Leaders of tile church have intimated. however, that there will be no hearing of the trial of Dr. Fosdiek The latter, it is stated, will not even attended the essembly. Being a mem iter of the Baptist church, preaching as supply minister in a Presbyterian church, he is only responsible to the session, or tlte officers of the congregation to which he preaches, it is pointed out. The resolution of the Philadelphia Presbytery will have to be acted on, however, and the matter will be referred to prmanent judicial n f ti le essembly. Church leaders have Intimated that probably the only action taken will be the issurance of a gentle caution to congressional sessions to be judicious in the selection of ministers.

Jay County Oil Well Flows 80 Barrels Portland, May 15. —The No. 1 well on the Mock farm in the Hotmire pool broke loose this morning and flowed I freely, the flow of oil during tlte morn ing being estimated as 80 barrels. The well was shot lust week and while it is not yet piped up, there are tanks I nearby for the holding of oil and the ! well has been flowing into these , tanks the free flow starting yesterday Oil men and old drillers in tlte .Jay I county oil fields say this well is by I long odds the best, one struck in the I county for 12 to 15 years. The well began flowing before it was shot. N< 2 well on this lease will ho started 500 feet east of the No. 1 well, just as soon ns the rig can be put up This lease is owned by Nick Masters. Fred Foltz and Clyde Bechdolt of this City. COUNTY SUNDAY SCHOOL REPORT Total of 8,019 Enrolled in 53 Protestant Sunday Schools in County There are 53 Protestant Sunday schools have a total enrollment of schools have at total enrollment of I 8019 officers, teachers and pupils These figures are gathered from the annua) report just compiled by Miss Ida Sprunger, secretary of Adams County Sunday School Association ■ This report was made from actual statistics sent by the secretaries of 147 of the 63 schools. For the other | six schools, the figures aro estimated J Thus it will be seen that the report j must be quite accurate, as the six schools who did not send in their ‘ statistics are mostly smaller schools, ' | Every township In the county has | at least one organized Protestant Sun day school doing the regular Sunday school work. Washington townshi] (which includes Decatur) has the largest number of schools there he , ing 11 Sunday schools. Monroe town ship (including Geneva) has 7 schools' There are 812 teachers and officer, in the Adams county Sunday schools Besides these there are 7207 pupils receiving instruction. This makes at i average of approximately 9 pupils for every teacher and officer. The average attendance in all the Sunda; schools during the past fiscal year wa--6278 (including officers and teachers) The 8019 Sunday schools goers an ' divided into the following divisions children, 2540; young people, 2541, adults, 1860; < radio roll. 836 and home . department 242. These figures show that the children and young peoph are the Sunday schools' strongest supporters. Tin- statistics ot the respect 1 ive schools also show that the girl: ■ and tlte women are the better church ’ goers than are the males. Monroe township has the largest enrollment with 2698. The total en i rollment by townships is as follows: Union 56 Root 241 Preble 163 Kirkland *2l i Washington 174- ' St. Marys 367 Blue Creek 303 i Monroe 2598 French 536 > Hartford 396 Wabash 731 Jefferson 463 > Total SOL i The above figures do, however, no. represent the total church strength of , the county. There are a number of i Catholic churches in the county and a . number of other denominations, win . do not follow the plan of studying the i regular Sunday school lessons. The' , total of these would increase the , number receiving religious education • by a few thousand more. I 0 i MEDICAL SOCIETY MEETS r —— The Adams County Medical So . ciety will meet tonight at the office of Dr. Franz, in Berne. Dr. W. E Smith, of Decatur, will have a paper.

Price; 2 Cents.

FIRE ADDS TO DESTRUCTION IN ARKANSAS Famous Resort at Hot Springs Suffers Heavily From Big Storm HOTEL IS DESTROYED At Least 15 People Missing and Propertv Damage is $1,500,000 (United Press Servlet) Hot Springs, Ark.. May 15.. —A tornado. cloudburst and fire that swept Hot Springs, famous resort, during the night, left behind flood and ruin that is reported to have taken several lives and did $1,500,000 damage. A definite check of the casualties impossible as rescue parties including nurses, physicians ami army and navy hospital attendants started relief work No bodies had been received at mor goes. The night of destruction and terror for this pleasure place in the Ozarks began shortly before dusk. A cloud burst swept down through the hills a high velocity wind accompanying ii As the deluge poured down through the streets asphalt was ripped up and sent tumbling end over end before the torrent. Fronts of business build ings and other structures on the main boulevards were crashed in. Automobiles standing at curbs were washed along with the rushing watI prs Fire broke out as the flood passed. Flames, caused by lightning, bu. from the Grand Rapids furniture company. and fire fighting forces battled the flames in mud and water but with little success. The blaze ate its wa> into the main business buildings. The red flames flickering on the murky water in the darkness of the night, cast wierd shadow and added to the fear of women and children who cowered in their rooms. Wealthy guests from the eastern cities, the vanguard of the tourists re mained in their rooms in fear of the fury of the elements. The fire spreat: , to the Dixie case and the Oliver Finne grocery company and then licked its way up the walls of the Marquette hotel. The hotel, a $750,000 structure, was totally destroyed. The electric light plant went out of . commission adding fear to the con fusion of the night. The steady downpour of rain con tinned through the night finally con quered the flames and shortly before daybreak the army of rescue workers headed by army and navy staffs and police officials began the task of saving the injured and caring for victims who may be dead or homeless. At least fifteen persons are missing, first reports of the rescue workers said. At the same time railroad compan ies began rebuilding the damage caused their lines by wind and flood. Wrecking crews was scattered throughout the storm swept area, while all train service was at a standstill. Telephone aud telegraph wires ripi ped away by the tornado at 7 o'clock 1 last night were still badly paralyzed The Western Union was the first to establish communication with th* stricken district und on this wire, reaching as far as Little Rick the first details of tlte disaster were sent. In one Instance in the height of the flood a man and three children were caught and stranded in an automobile by the torrent The party was res--1 cued by ropes just as the car was ' carried away. A few minutes later another auto 1 mobile was battered and broken as it was tossed about by the high water. Two men managed to extricate themselves and swam to safety. Mrs. Kate Hopkins, trapped In Iter automobile was battered by ,ie first rising waters nearly drowned before (Continued on page two)