Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 21, Number 119, Decatur, Adams County, 18 May 1923 — Page 1

Volume XXI. Number 119.

74 BURN TO DEATH IN SCHOOL HOUSE

GIVES ADDRESS ON BOYS WORK I TO ROTARIANS Frank Ruf, Former Adams County Youth, Makes Interesting Talk BLUFFTON VISITORS Five Members Os Bluffton Rotary Chib Here; Sen. Saunders Speaks Frank Ruf, former Adqms county hoy, now secretary of the Ft. Wayne Y. M. C. A. and a recognized lead er among men and boys, delivered an excellent, idealistic talk on boys and the part the fathers and Rotarians should play in helping make better boys, at the regular meeting of the Rotary club last night. ‘'Some refer to boys as a problem. It is not a problem. Its a lack of understand ing between the father or older person anti the boy,” said Mr. Ruf. "We were all boys at one time. There is nothing strange about being a boy. He is just a human being who needs leadership and guidance.” Mr. Ruf it) his discourse of the important subject told of the care and precaution used in breeding better eattle, of the money spent on them. “Not enough attention is given to the human child. What better investment would you want than that of helping a boy and when lie has ■ made good you can look with pride on him.” Mr. Ruf told of the physical, social, educational and religious or spiritual make-up of the boy and | urged every Rotarian to guide or set an example for the boy of today. “Let him follow in your foot step-” said Mr. Ruf. His talk was an inspiring one, full of good wholesom ■ I thought and was greatly appreciated by the Rotarians. Mr. Ruf was horn and reared at Berne, being a son of Rev. B. Ruf He is clean-cut, sincere in his work and has the faculty of conveying his thoughts and words right to the heart of his audience. Mr. Rut came here at the invitation of Col. Fred Reppert, who acted as chairman of the meeting last evening. Bluffton Men Here Five Bluffton Rotarians, j Herb Bender, Ralph Todd, Jack Monyhan. Hobart Frazier and State Sena 1 or George L. Saunders were guests of the local club last evening. Senator Saunders made on of his interesting and good talks, telling of what Rotary was trying to do in this district and of the advantages of a county hospital. o Two Bluffton Cops Quit As Result Os Friction Bluffton, May 18. —The resignation of Lemuel Stout, a night policeman in the uptown business section of the city, was followed yesterday by the resignation of Fred Bender, night policeman in the west side business and industrial district. Allen Shel don, a oformer night policeman, may succeed Stput. It has been known for some time that there was friction in police circles. The resignation did not create surprise. Could Not Occur In This State Indianapolis, May 18 —(Special to Dally Democrat) —A fire such as occurred in South Carolina could not occur in Indiana, John B. Kramer, deputy fire marshall, in charge of school house inspection, said today. “Kerosene lamps such as started the fire in Cleveland, S. C„ are not permitted In Indiana school buildings," he declared. “Even in communities where there are no electric lights, school buildings usually have their, own electric light plant.”

DECATUR DAIIY DEMOCRAT

Five Make Fine Record In Book-Keeping Course A wonderful record was made durJ ing the closing school term by the five members of the Decatur high school who took the course In advanced bookkeeping. The five pupils took the examination given in the work this week and the average grad l of the class was 97 percent. The five pupils are Mildred Butler, Naomi Helm, Robert L. Mills. Walter ,1. Elzey, and Paul W. Whittenbarger. All five are juniors. They will receive their advanced bookkeeping diplomas at the high school commence, merit exercises next Tuesday ingo TO APPROPRIATE HOSPITAL FUND County Council And Commissioners To Meet In .Joint Session June 4 The members of the county council will meet in joint session with the board of county commissioners on Monday, June 4th at the Auditor's office in this city, Mr. Jaberg announced today. Action relative to the. appropriating of the additional 125,000.00 with* which to complete the Adams county Memorial hospital will be taken. Other important business will also be disposed of. Road bond sale Macadam road bonds to the amount of $23,200.00 will be sold by county treasurer Hugh Hite on Tuesday, May 22nd. These bonds will be issued road. Union township. $5600.00; IT-man-Gase road. Union township. $5360.00;Phil saner road. Union and Root townships, $6000.00; f.. N. Sprunger f road, Monroe township, $6240.00. The building of these four roads practically concludes the ro t I construction program in this county this year, due to the provisions of the “Holiday road bill.” passed by the last legislature, which limits th.' amount of road bond indebtedness in the townships to 2% of the valuation instead of four. However, the G. E. road to Washington township will be constructed under the provision t of the new law. Fair And Lough Going To State Track Meet ('oath A. G. Moore will leave for Indianapolis at 12:02 a.m. Saturday, accompanied by Don Farr, ol the D catur high school, ami Claude Lough of Geneva, where the latter two will take part in the annual state high school track and field meet. Farr ami Lough earned the right to participate in the state meet by tying for first in the pole vault ami winning the high jump, respectively, at. the sectional meet held in Fort Wayne last Tues day. Lough tied for second place in th high jump at. the state meet last year and he is counted to win a place in the event this year. This will be Farr’s first trip to the state meet. The local athlete has been improving steadily in the pole vault since the start of the p,resent track season and in practice' s yesterday evening cleared the bar at 11 feet one inch, the highest he has ever gone. Should he be able to go this high in the state meet he has a fine chance to be among the point winners. Sixty-Five Will Be Graduated At Bluffton Bluffton. May 18.— Principal John M. French today annuonced the tentative list of the graduates of the local high school for this year. It all of the students named on the list receive diplomas. There sixty-five members of the senior class who have made passin grades so far. CHICAGO MARKET CLOSE Wheat: May $1.18; July Sept. $1.14%. Corn: May 80%c; July 80c; Sept. 78%c. Oats: May 42%c; July 42%c; Sept. 40%c.

MOVIE FILM TO BE MADE HEBE Arrangements Completed For Local People To Give Production Hollywood and Los Angeles, California, will have nothing on Decatur when it comes to furnishing terra Arma for moving pictures. Arrangements have been completed between a well-known moving picture producer and Jesse Leßrun, manager of the Cort theater, whereby a local movie entitled. “Too Many Heroes,” will be produced here soon. The cast for the local movie will be made up entirely of local people and will be made in the same manner | that the big movies are made in Hol- | lywood. All kinds of characters will I be needed for the picture, fifty men and fifty women. All persons who ■ are sixteen years old or older are eligible to take part in the movie. Everybody who desires to take part in the local film are asked to turn in their name and address at the Cort theater ticket office not later than Thursday night. o Chinese Bandits Threaten War Against Government Pekin. China, May 18. —(Special to Daily Democrat) —Chinese bandits are reported to have issued a call to dismiss unpaid troops to join them in a revolution against the government in well authentated reports from Lin Cheng today. If the government does not meet the kidnappers demand the latter must wage war fare on largest possible scale a bandit proclamation is said to state. Depredation of bandits who still hold a dozen foreigner captive may cost the government of China aboli tion of extra-territoriality. o BIRTH Marjorie Anna is the name of a girl baby born to Mr. ami Mrs. Ingle H. Harris, of Sheridan, Indiana. yesterday. Mrs; Harris formerly was* Miss Doris DeVoss, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. C. De Voss, of this city. Mother ami babe are doing nicely. Mrs. L. C. De Voss is in Sheridan. LEGION TEAM TO PLAY PORTLAND Local Ball Team to Open Season Sunday With Portland Studebakers The Deatur American Legion baseball team will play its first game of the season at Portland Sunday afternoon when the Portland Studebakers will be met. The Legion team has held a few practices and the players are reported to be in fair condition for the openet. The Studebakers have a fast team and will be a hard nut for the Decatur team to crack The new suits for the local team arrived yesterday. They were purchased through the firm of $L Knapp and Sons and are on display in the store window. The suits are made of gray material, trimmed in blue. The word “Decatur" in large letters eppears on the front of the shirts and monogram bearing the letters “A L” appears on the left sleeve. The caps jjre blue and the hose are black and white. The game Sunday will start at 2:45 o’clock. Several rooters are expected to accompany the team to Portland The probable lineup, as announced today, is as follows: Ed Frauliger, catcher; H. Cochran, left fielder; Ed Coffee, right fielder; W Lankenau, center fielder; C. Baxter, first base; L. Kern, second base; A. Buffenbarger, third base; W. Shady pitcher; and R.McCollum,'short stop. Utilities will be Klein and) Engle. McCollum may not be able to make the trip on account of illness in his family

Decatur, Indiana, Friday Evening, May 18, 1923.

WEDDING OFF / * * ‘Jfe MISS NANCY HOYT Washington, D. C.—Society here is still agog over the sudden calling off of the proposed*nuptials in which Nancy Hoyt, 21 year old daughter of| the late Henry M. Hoyt, solicitor gen I oral under the Taft administration, and Lieut. F. Wiseman-Clarke, Royal British Navy, were to have been the principals. The wedding was indefinitely postponed the day before it was scheduled to be held. Matrimonial troubles of a sister of Miss Hoyt’s are said to have caused the break. When parents of the prospective grom learned that a sister of their then proJifcble daughter-in-law had been twice divorced they were shocked and so seriously offended Mrs. Hoyt, Miss Nancy's mother, that she at once terminated the engagement. The Wiseman-Clarkes have returned to England. THIRTY-EIGHT GRADUATE AT THE CENTRAL SCHOOL . Hiring Past Year; Get. Total Os Sixty Graduated Report Cards Today “Deeds And Misdeeds’’ School Annual Completed Today; Contains Many Pictures And Stories ■ • Thirty-eight pupils will be graduated from the eighth grade at the De- ' catur Central school this spring. The list of graduates was made public today by W. Guy Brown, principal of the Central schools. This makes a total of sixty pupils who have com pleted the grade work in the Central schools this year, as a class of twenty two was graduated at the close ol the last semester. No commencement exercises will be held for the eighth grade graduates. The grade cards were given out to the Central sdhool pupils al 3 o’clock this afternoon. The pupils in the Ward schools received their grade cards at 1:15 o'clock this afternoon. Annual is Published “Deeds and Misdeeds," the annual publication of the Central school pit pils, was completed by the printer today and placed on sale to the pupils and all others who desire a copy of the annual. The book contains 28 pages, none of which Is advertising. The school does not solicit advertising for the annual, but pays for the cost of the publication by pro-rating the cost among the pupils, after the selling price of the book has been deducted. The pictures in the book include class pictures, faculty pictures, pictures of the girls' and boys’ basketball team, play cast and the city school board. The book is dedicated to Miss Edna Swearinger, a pupfl in the school who died suddenly and unexpectedly during the fall. (Continued on page five) Weather Unsettled weather tonight and Saturday with probably showers, slightly warmer in southwest portion tonight.

COACH MOORE RESUMES STUDY Athletic Coach Al I). IL S. For Last Two Years To Enter Illinois U. A. G. Moore who has been physical training director in the Decatur high school and conch of the Athletic teams for Ihe past two years, will leave here next Wednesday to enter the University of Illinois, where he j expects to continue his studies until ihe obtains a degree of Bachelor ol i Science and Physical Education. Mr. Moore needs a little more than one year's work to complete his course. He has studied previously in Illinois and Indiana University. Mr. Moore has turned out very good athletic teams since ,lie has xbecn coaching in the local schools. The | basketball team won the sectional I championship in 1922 anti the football team here last fall was the best one in the history of the local school. He'has made a number of warm friends while here. His successor has not been chosen yet. Mrs. Moore left Decatur last Saturday and will spend the summer at the home of Mr. Moore’s parents near Flora. o — Will Begin Work On New Factory Tomorrow Work on the new building for the Gerber Ladder Company on the site of the old Schafer, plant in the northwest jwrt of town. wiH begin tomorrow. when a force of men will begin cleaning away the debris and doing the preliminary work. The construction of the new 60x120 factory building will start in a few'days. I Several Decatur business men drove to Craigville today and visited the Gerber plant there. They found it a busy place with about fifteen men turning out step ladders at a lively pace. Daniel Gerber, senior member of the firm, and his two sons are enthusiastic about the new factory proposition and anxious to get machinery started here. They will also manufacture long ladders, ironing boards, washing machines and coaster wagons. WAR VETERANS MEET TONIGHT Plans For Joint Observance Memorial Day To Be Formulated A joint meeting of the G. A. R , Spanisli American War Veterans, American Legion, and Auxiliary to American Leigion, will be held in the American Legion hall on North Second street at 7 o’clock this evening. Plans for a joint observance of Memorial Day in this city will be t'orniu lated. Although the nature of the ol> servance is not known, it is likely that it will take the form of the observance held last year, when services were held at the monument on the court house lawn and in the circuit court room. Members of all five organizations are requested to attend the meeting tonight. The meeting was culled by Charles C. Lanston, commands* of Adams Post No. 43 of tile American Legion. Q Wes Hoffman And Family To Move To Fort Wayne Mr. and Mrs. Wes Hoffman and children will move to Fort Wayne next week where they will make their future home. Mr. Hoffman, who has been with the Mishawaka Woolen Mills Company, of Mishawaka, Indiana, has a splendid position with the company and by moving to Fort Wayne it will be more convenient for him to cover his territory. Their many friends regret to see them leave.

Attend Meeting Os M. E. Pastors And Stewa r ds The Rev. U. S. A. Bridge, pastor of the First Methodist church of this city, and F. V. Mills, district steward, went to Fort Wayne today to attend a meeting of the pastors and stewards of the Fort Wayne district of the Methodist Episcopal church. The meeting was to be held at the First M. E. church in Sort Wayne, and there was to be a continuous program from 10 a. m. until 4 p. m. Rev. Bridge was on the program to deliver an address on the subject, "A Five Per Cent Gain in Membership in Each Charge." W. H. M. S. MEETS AT FORT WAYNE Local Women On Program For Annual Meeting May 22 And 23 Several Decatur ladies are on the program for the twenty-fifth annual meeting of the Woman’s Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of the Fort Wayne district. which will be held in the First M. E. church of Fort Wayne on next Tuesday ami Wednesday, May 22 and 23. Mrs. F. V. Mills, of this city, is the florresponding secretary of the district organization. The meeting will open at 10:30 . o'clock Tuesday morning with an executive session. Mrs. 11. D. Myers, of this city, will have charge of the memorial services at the afterßoon session on Tuesday. Mrs. A. B. Cline, bureau secretary of white work in North Carolina and Tennessee, will speak at this session on the subject, “Housing Our Students.” Other intersting talks will be given. Mrs. Mellinger. National Field Secretary. will deliver an •address at the evening session on Tuesday. On the Wednesday morning program will be music, talks, election of officers, and reports by the various officers, including a report by Mrs. Mills. Decatur ladies will handle the subject, “Packing the Home Missionary Barrel,” at the afternoon session on Wednesday. A young peoples banquet will be held at 6:30 o’clock Wednesday evening. Miss Etta Mailorffie will be toast mistress. The gram will consist of talks corresponding to the various branches of radio. Mrs. O. L. Vance, of this city, a great young people’s worker, will speak on. “istening In.” The meeting will close with a session beginning at 8 o'clock Wednesday evening. Mas Mary Brown, of this city, will conduct the devotional*. A pageant will be given, and there wll he musical selections. ■ • Two Residences Being Remodeled This Spring Among the houses being remodeled this spring are the Ed Whitright honrt on West Monroe street, and the house moved from Third street to South Fifth street by Carl Pumphrey. Mr. Writright is raising his house and when completed it will b*' thoroughly modern. Mr. Humphrey will also make his house modern Ln every respect. Next year Mr. Pumphrey intends to build a beautitul new home on the east side of South Third street, which place he purchased from the Allison heirs. —• Ask Release Os Football Star At Northwestern Chicago, May 18—(Special to Daily Democrat) — Charges that Charles "Chuck" Palmer, football star, held for questioning in the Leighton Mount mystery, was kidnapped from home by authorities who detailed him, were made in habeas corpus action for his realease today. Edith Palmer, a sister, filed the petition through attorneys. She also alleges that Palmer accused by Mrs. Violet Bachman of having declared he "knew where Mount amub" is held without authority and denied legal advice. Chief Justic McKinley ordered forthwith hearing.

Price: 2 Cents.

CHILDREN AND PARENTS BURN IN BUILDING Four Hundred Trapped In Fire In South Carolina Last Night DURING PROGRAM Farmers and F ainilies Had Gathered For Entertainment By Children (United Press Service) Cleveland, S. C., May IS—(Special to Daily Democrat) — Seventy-four crushed and blackened bodies, the toll of a disastrous tire which trapped ■IOO parents, friends and children in a school house here, were in improvised morgue? today as officials continued searching the ruins of the little frame building. Police officials in charge of the rescue work announced at 9 o'clock that they did not believe any more bodies would te found in the still glowing embers. Every home in the little village had been pressed into service, either as a morgue or as a hospital to care for those trampled in the panic which followed the cry of -Fire” or who were bruised in leaping to safety from windows on the sec uni floor. Homes of the peaceful rural community were converted into house* of horror by the agony of injured. Some suffered broken backs in their darin leaps from the building while others, including women ami children were buttered and broken by the crush at the door of the school house when the audience, mad with fright, sought to escape. The farmers and their families who came to town to be entertained tor the evening by their children, stampeded at the closed door and those who fell or were knocked over in the rush of humanity were trampled tin derfoot. Then th Hanies, roaring through the building reached the frenzied tin* ter about the entrance and those who had gone down were consumed in the heat. Rescue workers who were attracted by the light, found their friends and loved ones buried in the blackened mass. Frenzied relatives hesitated often in their labors of recovering the bodies, in an effort to identify their own. Little groups gathered about each body as it was brought from the debris hut there was little that remained to establish the names of the victims. The bodies, lilted carefully and car tied tenderly by loved ones were taken to nearby homes, then as the toll of the disaster mounted, other house.were commandeered until virtually every residence had become a morgue or c hospital. All doctors and nurses from Camden and other surrounding towns rushed here throughout the night and fearly today and gave themselves up to the task of caring for the Injured, while officials of Cleveland and Camden and some towns people kept up the search of the gaunt ruins. The pitiful piles of homes and burned flesh gathered today represent 25 per cent of the total population of Cleveland's townspeople. I‘rac Icaily all of the white population about (Cleveland went to the school Inst night for the entertainment and the last census of the township showed 490 inhabitants. Cleveland itself it a small unicorporatvcl city. The tire gu-'y a grim point to the place which amateur doctors rec ruit ed from the ranks of the students were performing. The play was > 'ailed "Topsy Turvy." It was a farce comedy which had set the audience in I i roar of mirth up to the time th« ex plotting lamp turned the entertainment into tradegy.