Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 21, Number 161, Decatur, Adams County, 9 July 1923 — Page 1

Volume XXI. Number 161.

yoemen start ELIMINATION OF SITES TUESDAY Reduce List Os Sites For Children’s Home From 27 To 6 Tomorrow DECATUR APPEALS Local People Send Letter To Board Os Directors As A Final Appeal At a meeting of the board of directors of the Brotherhood of American Yoemen, to be held tomorrow and next day at Des Moines, lowa, nix towns will be selected from which will be chosen the site for the proposed home for children. In other words the long delayed elimination process is now on. For more than a year this community has presented in one way and another the advantages as seen by us, stressing our fine community spirit brought about by "a hundred years of right living," and our actual desire to help the idealists back of this great proposition to provide a real home for unfortunate children. In the beginning of our effort w e were assured this was the big thing, else we perhaps would not have entered. Now it seems the board is regarding material things such as the physical attractiveness of the site more than the real big thing back of the movement. Whether or not this city will be among the six, we cannot say, put that the people here may have all the facts we are giving the developments of the past few days. Local men were notified of the meeting tomorrow and at a session of the board of directors of the Decatur Industrial association last Wednesday, it das decided that French Quinn and John Heller should ’ attend the Des Moines meeting and present our claims. Feeling that they should not make a trip there without some confirmation, a telegram was forwarded tc Mr. H. C. Evans, asking for a confirmation of the dates and whether he deemed it wise for the Decatur committss to attend. He replied that since the board had visited here and knew our proposition that he did not feel ft would do any good. By the same mail a letter from Mr. A. N. Farmer was received saying that the elimination would occur and ( that from six to ten towns will be left on the list after this week. He! said, "I know that some of the members of our board of directors are very insistent on having among other, things, a natural lake and a tract of at least two hundred acres of timber, on which to locate our buildings and cottages. Several such locations are | in the running.” He suggested that we get in touch with Mr. McKee, the board chairman at Detroit, and arrange a meeting with him. A telephone message to his office brought the reply that he was out and would not be in until today. A telegram brought no response and the local tnen decided to send the following letter instead of making what appeared a “wild goose chase.” The following letter was sent Saturday to Des Moines and will be the final appeal •hat we be included in the six cities •o be given final personal tion:10 the Officers and Directors of the Brotherhood of American Yoemen, Des Moines, lowa. Gentlemen: We are informed that you have now eliminated all but twentyeven locations for the Childrens’ Home and that at your this month’s f 'ng you propose to further elintina te until only six remain. We flatter ourselves that it ’would he inconceivable that we should not he one of the six. It has been suggested that we be "Presented at your July meeting dur>ng the period that you are deliberattng as to who shall be the six so favored. After very careful and thorough dis'ussion in meeting assembled we are to-lined to think such action upon OUr part would not be politic. We are as intense in our feeling as 11 that August day in which you were ' °“ r guests and when we testified with a our strength as to our sincerity ® n< mer iU. Without specific requests (Continued on page three)

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Missing Ossian Girls Found In Fort Wayne Maxine Prough, 12, and Laura Harmon, 19. two Ossian girls, who were missing from their homes since July 4. were found sleeping in bushes along the Wabash railroad tracks in Fort Wayne yesterday by police. Officers from Wells county returned them to their homes last night. The Harmon girl is said to be unbalanced and it is thought that she enticed the younger girl .away from home. They left Ossian in an automobile last Wednesday, with two strange young men. IMPORTANT ROAD MEETING TONIGHT Decatur Citizens Going To Geneva In Interests Os The New State Road A delegation from here will go to Geneva this evening to attend a meeting of representatives from over the county for the purpose of discussing the possibiKtftes of organizing the county to assist the state highway commission in locating and building a paved road through here. There are always many details to be worked out aml it is necessary that local people look after these. For instance, fifty foot rightjof-wayts are necessary and occasionally some slight change in the route is made to take out a curve or avoid crossing railroad tracks. Unless local communities are interested in roads and show it, it is quite likely they will be passed up. For some time Geneva has been interested. because the north and south trunk line for eastern Indiana is now within a few miles of that town, the workmen building between Bryant and Portland. It is necessary to secure a right of way on the west side nt the g r & t tracks and tht“ i effects five land owners from whom right-of-ways must be secured or a delay of a year will be caused while condemnation proceedings are instituted and heard. The Geneva 1 people are doing everything they can and have secured from the state the promise to route the road through there and through Berne, Monroe and Decatur as well, but the people of this county will have to take care of these problems. Mr. Weeks, representing the state ( commission, will attend tonight’s meeting and representatives from Monroe and Berne are expected to , be on hands. The road is being constructed of not less than crushed stone on top of the present road, and this is cov- ( ered wiith tarvia. Mr. Weeks de- 1 dares this road is the most important north and south road in the middle west as it connects more east and west trunk lines than any other. o “Whipping Boss” Appeals Lake City, Fla., July 9 —(Special to the Daily Democrat) —T. W. Higgenbotham. whipping boss, convicted of the murder of Martin Tabert in a convict camp, today planned* to appeal to the state supreme court. Judge J. A. McMullin denied a motion for a new trial for Higgenbotham and sentenced him to twenty years in the state prison. Higgenbotham was released on SIO,OOO bond pending disposition of his appeal motion. o O o | Robert Hite Has A I Baseball Autographed By The Great Ty Cobb o- o | What is prized more highly by a real American boy, than an official big league baseball autographed by i one of the biggest stars in ‘he great' American game? Such a souvenir is now in the possession of Robert Hite, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh D. Hite. Mr. Hite, the lad’s father, was in Detroit,, Mickighn, Saturday and Sunday, and while there saw the Detroit and Philadelphia American League teams play three games. Through the courtesy of Dr. Harry Dibble, former Decatur man, who is now a resident of Detroit and a close friend of the Detroit players, one of the official balls was secured and the [ world renowned Ty Cobb, pne of the greatest baseball players in the history ot the game, signed his name on : the cover of the ball.

LET CONTRACT FOR BASEMENT IN NEW SCHOOL — Logansport Firm Gets Contract For Work On The New Catholic School WORK BEGINS SOON Plans Call For Completion Os Basemnt This Fall; Building Is Deferred A contract for the construction of the foundation and basement under the proposed new Decatur Catholid high school and grade building was awarded today by the finance committee of the St. Mary’s Catholic church, to Medland Brothers, of Ixigansport, on their bid of $19,000. Two other bids were filed, but the bid of Medland Brothers was accepted as the lowest bid. Under that part of the building where the gymnasium and auditorium will be located, a basement seven and one-half feet deep and 82x84 feet in size will be constructed. The trench walls upon which the main building will be constructed will be 69 feet east and west and 176 feet north and south, facing E’ourth street. No basement will be constructed under this part of the building. The contract for the construction of the basement and walls under the l>oiler room, which will be erected at the southwest corner of the building was also awarded to Medland Brothers, it being included in the contract price of $19,600. The boiler room basement will be 12 feet deep and 46x55 feet in size. Medland Brothers were also the i low bidders on the general contract. -The trustees however rejected all the bids received, because of the fact that present building prices were too high. The foundation and basements will be constructed this summer and fall and will be let stand until next spring or until that time when it becomes • possible to erect the new school build- , ing. If prices do not drop within i the next year, the building of the school house will be deferred, it was stated. The site of the Catholic high school and grade building includes that ground facing Fourth street, south front the Monroe street corner ito the alley alongside of the Catholic I parsonage. WINS TRIP TO NATIONAL PARK I I George W. Cramer And Other Insurance Agents Go To Yellowstone Park George W. Cramer, who resides on Decatur rural route No. 8, has been notified that he has won a free trip to the Yellowstone National Park. Mr. Cramer is an agent for the Farmers' National Life Insurance Company. which recently conducted a big business campaign. The company offered a trip to the Yellowstone ' National Park to all agents who sold i SIOO,OOO worth of insurance during the year, closing on July 1. To all who sold $200,000 worth or more, they offered expenses for the agent and his wife. Mr. Cramer sold nearly $150,000 worth during the year. A. F. Baker, of Linn Grove, also won a trip, he having sold more than the required amount. Qrant Pyle, of I Bluffton, sold more than $200,000 ( I worth of insurance and he will get | to take his wife with him, all ex- . penses paid. I The party will leave Chicago on August 13. The route will take tehn to Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado; Salt Lake City, Utah, where they will spend two days; Yellowstone National Park, where they will spend one week; Bad Lands df North Dakota; and arrive back in ’ Chicago on August 27. The company ( headquarters are located in Chicago and its operations cover four states. I A branch office is located in -Fort Wayne. There will be about fifteen in the party leaving Fort Wayne. o ■ MARRIAGE LICENSE Martin Bulmahn, farmer, Decatur, age 22 years, to Amalia Bienz, Union township, age 20 years.

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, July 9, 1923.

HE SAVED HIS COW (United Press Service) Wilksbarre, Pa„ July 9 —(Spec- | ial to the Daily Democrat) —Sit- | ting on a rainroad track watching that his cow would not be run over by a train. Andrew Getskey, a miner, fell asleep. An engineer | had to get down from his cab and I kick him to clear the right of way. Watermelons Are Here The first shipment of watermelons this summer arrived in the city today and were being delivered to local merchants. The prices ranged from, eighty to ninety cents each. The I melons were large in size. COWAN TURNS DOWN OFFICE Declines Justice Os Peace Job In Washington Township; Fees Too Small Due to the expense of equipping an office. Milliard Cowan, former Decatur marshal who was appointed Justice of the Peace in Washington township, stated that he would not take out his commission as such officer. Mr. Cowan stated that it would take more than one hundred dollars to equip and fix up a suitable office, purchase new record books etc., and that the revenue from the office was not enough to warrant the expense. It Mr. Cowan does not accept the office it is not known if the county commissioners will appoint another person to fill the place. Washington township has one Justice of the Peace. A. C. Butcher, and it was stated that the legal affairs could be taken care of in that court. Mr. Cowan state that since the Justice of the Peace did not receive a salary, and fees derived from the hearing of cases were not enough to pay rent and equip an office where business could be transacted. - Adrian Lenhart Buys Interest In Tire Shop Adrian Lenhart, local young man. has purchased a half interest in the tire shop at 224 South Second street, which has been known as the Lion Associated Tire Store, from Joe Sovine. Joe Brennen is the other member of the firm. The store will be known as the Ace Tire Tire and Battery Shop under the new management. A complete line of P-est-O-I.ite batteries will be added to !!’•’ stock. Although the shop will not be known as a Lion Associated Tire Store, the wellknown Lion brand of tires will be handled in addition to other makes. A complete line of tires, batteries and accessories will be handled. Messrs. Brennen and Lenhart are two of Decatur’s promising young business men. MORE DECATUR BOYS SUCCEEDED Dr. Harry And Dr. John Dibble Making Good In Detroit, Michigan Hugh Hite and M. F. Worthman have returned from Detroit. Michigan, where they visited with friends. While there they met Drs. Harry and John Dibble, former Decatur boys, who are now two of the leading and prominent | physicians in the automobile city. ] The Decatur men invited the Dibble Brothers to attend the dedication of the Adams County Memorial hospital, which will be held in this city on Monday, July 30th, and they assured Messrs. Hite and Worthman that they would be here. The Dibble Brothers have been in Detroit for sometime, ] have made excedingly good in the i practice of medicine and surgery, and ] are numbered among the leading phy- i Isicians there, just another instance I I that the Decatur boys can and do < 1 make good away from home. i Weather Generally fair tonight and Tuesday; warmer in north and central portions tonight; cooler near Lake MichiganTuesday afternoon or night. |

DAWN TO DUSK FLIGHT ENDS IN MISSOURI Plane Broken When Forced Down By Motor Trouble At 1 O’clock BEHIND SCHEDULE Lieut. Maughan Was Running More Than Two Hours Behind Schedule St .Joseph. Mo., July 9—(Special to Dnily .Democrat) —Illeut. Russell L. Maughan, attempting a dawn to dusk flight was forced down today at 1 p. m. ten miles northeast of St. Joseph due to engine trouble. In lighting the landing pier of the light Curtis pursuit plane was broken and no attempt will he made to complete the flight. Springfield. 111.. July 9—A plane, thought to be that of Lieut. Russell L. Maughan, trans-continental flyer, passed over Springfield, at 10:21 a. m., headed due west. The plane was flying low at a high rate of speed The distance from Indianapolis, where Maughan was reported leaving ; at 9:20 a. m., is 185 miles, and this would indicate that Maughan’s speed is averaging about 185 miles per hour. Indianapolis, July 9 —A small airplane believed to be the Curtiss pursuit plane piloted by Lieut. Russell L. Maughan on his dawn to dusk' trans-continental flight, was signted j flying over the center of Indianapolis at 9:20 o’clock this morning. The plane was flying low at a speed estimated at more than 130 miles an hour. It headed due west from jj**j*a hs do!Ts. McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio, July 9 —Lieut. Russell L. Maughan, com pleted the first leg; of his “dawn to dark” flight from New York to San Francisco when he landed his little Curtiss pursuit plane here at 9:12 a. m.. today. The aerial speed king was two hours and 27 minutes behind his schedule which called for a landing here at 6:45 a. m. Maughan's schedule gave him 20. minutes here for refueling but he was so Tar behind that every effort was put in to refueling his plane and , getting it started for the next stop at St. Joseph, Mo. The distance from Mitchell Field to McCook is 570 miles and Maughan j flew it in five hours and 14 minutes by his own watch. Maughan took off for St. Joseph at 9:32 a. m. McCooff field officials said the official time of his arrival here would be recorded as 9:10 a. m. Maughan said a heavy fog over eastern Pennsylvania had thrown him a] hundred miles off his course and that this was responsible for his delay in reaching Dayton. W, H. HILGEMAN DIED SUNDAY Retired Farmer Os Preble Township Died Following Extended Illness William H. Hilgeman, 78. retired farmer of Preble township, died at 3 o’clock Sunday afternoon, at his home north of Magley, following an illness of two years’ duration of infirmities of old age. Mr. Hilgeman lived his entire life on the farm where he died, having been born there on May 31, 1845. Mr. Hilgeman was the son of William and Sophia Hilgeman. His wife died three years ago. One son also preceded him in death. Five daughters and one son survive. They are Mrs. Jacob Bleumka, Mrs. Fred Peters, Mrs. John Peters, Mrs. Ed Reppert, Mrs. Lewis Worthman, all of near Magley, and John Hilgeman,' who resides on the home place. Funeral services will be held from ! the Magley Reformed church at 2:30 ( o’clock Wednesday afternoon. Short. services will be held from the home at 2 o’clock. Burial will be made in the church cemetery at Magley.

Tax Hearings For Adams County People July 25 The State Board of Tax Commissioners have announced the dates for the hearings of the various counties. The state board will attempt to cause . more uniform property appraisals to prevail in Indiana. The hearings of the board will extend from July 23 to 28th. The dates for the hearing for Adams county has been announced as Wed nesday, July 25th. The state board will hear 17 counties that day. The hearings for Jay and Wells counties will be on Thursday, July 26th. PENNSY FLIER KILLS THREE — Fatal Crash Occurs Sunday Afternoon Near New Haven; Another May Die Fort Wayne, July 9—(Special to Daily Democrat)—Three persons were ( killed and one is near death as the result of an accident at a grade crossing on the Pennsylvania railroad line near New Haven Sunday after-1 noon. Benjamin Riddner. 47. a merchant; his wife. 37. l oth of 1302 East Lewis , street, this city, and Mrs. Riddner’s father, Carl Ganelin. 62. of 3113 West Roosevelt road. Chicago, were killed j instantly, and Evelyn Noglowski, 3, of the Chicago address, was so seriously injured that her death is mo-j mentarily expected at Hie Methodist hospital. The Riddner family was dr'.ving south cn the Hartzell road, tlcee miles south of New Haven, when they were struck by a special New i York-Chicago express running at a | speed estimated in excess of 60 miles an hour. The new Star sedan, driven by Mr. ' Ri-ddner, was operating at a speed of less than 10 miles an hour when it approached the crossing, according to information furnished to Coronet Benninghoff and police. Mr. Riddner, who, it is said, was just learning to drive the machine, became confused when he saw the approaching train and. instead of bringing the machine to a stop sent it forward with renewed power directly into the path of the oncoming express train, railroad employes said. Kills Chicken Hawk | Oscar Ewell, of Preble township, brought in a dead chicken hawk today. which he shot early this morn1 ing. The hawk had taken a chicken I from the Ewell farm and had carried ' it over to a wheat field where it was devouring it. Mr. Ewell secured his I shot gun. and when the hawk saw him coming it flew up in the air. Mr. Ewell fired, bringing the hawk down. | The hawk was a large one, measur-1 ing 46% inches from tip of one wing to the other. He took it to the county auditor's office and laid claim to | the reward offered for killing of, | chicken hawks. As far as known no appropriation was made this year tor the paying of this reward. o • Hospital Trustees Meet The board of trustees of the Adams county memorial hospital held a meeting in the office of A. J. Smith this ' morning. Plans for the dedication off the building on July 30 were discussed and the tentative program outlined. The trustees also made an inspection of the hospital. The furniture is being placed in the building and everything will soon be in readiness for the dedication. William R. Ray Dies Cleveland, July 9 —(Special to Daily Democrat)—William R. Day, set mer associate justice of the United States Supreme court, died today at Mackinac Island. Michigan, according to word reeived here. Attorneys William L. and Luther Day, Cleveland, his sons, received the report. Day will be buried in Can! n, Ohio, T nu-.a.ay. it is plinned — Chautauqua Directors Met I The directors of tile Decatur Chau-1 Itauqua association are urged to meet lat 7:30 o’clock, this evening at . the Old Adams County Bank. Final plans for the holding of the Chautauqua will be made and every director is urged to attend.

Price: 2 Cents.

BODY OF NAVY BALLOON PILOT FOUND IN LAKE Lieut. Roth’s Body Found Floating In Basket Os 111-Fated Balloon AIDE’S BODY MISSING Lieut. Null’s Body Is Not Found Yet; Body Found In Canada May Be His (United Pr**s*« Service) Port Stanley. Ont.. July 9—(Special i to Dally Democrat) —Floating in the I basket of the ill-fated United States navy balloon. A-6698, the body of j Lieut. L. J. Roth was found 14 miles | off Port Stanley at 10 a. m. today. The body and the basket were 1 found by the Canadian fish boat Onajag. I The body was found in the basket, with head and shoulders hanging 1 over the side. The body was clad . only in underwear and a life prej server. Identication was made possible by laundry marks in the underwear. I The initials “L. J. R.” stood out plainly. i A ring was found on the left hand. I The body and basket were brought Into Port Stanley by the Onajag. They will be held here until instructions from the United States navy department can be received. The basket was floating lightly in the water when it was picked up. The basket had evidently floated with the current from which it had fallen into the waters of Lake Erie. 25 miles off shore early Saturday . morning. Immediately after the Onajag returned here with its grim cargo, speed boats and cutters were rushed to the vicinity where the floating ■ basket was found, in hone of finding , the body of Lieut. T. B. Null, aide of Roth. Belief that the men had been able to float away from the balloon as it settled to the water were borne out. | The body of Lieut. Roth was placed in ice when it was brought in port at 11 o'clock. It will remain there until United States officials arrive to make an examination of the body. Local physicians declared death had resulted from hunger and exposure. The head and shoulders were not wet, indicating Roth had been able to hold himself out of the water until he tied himself to the side of the basket. The Onajag sighted the basket while fishing off Port Stanley. The fishing trip was abandoned until the body could be brought in here. Body Found in Canada Point Pelee, Ont., July 9—(Special to Daily Democrat) —The body of an unidentified man was found floating off the Canadian shore here I shortly before noon today, i There was some belief that the body was that of Lieut. T. B. Null, missing from the wrecked balloon A-6698. The man was dressed in a blue serge suit and wore army shoes. He was about five feet, seven inches tall, and from appearances had been in ‘ the water about a day and a half, acI cording to authorities who examined the body. By the fact that the man was clothed there was some doubt that the man was Lieut. Null. Null is believed to have worn a life preserv- ' er after faling into Lake Erie off Port Staney Saturday morning while the body picked up this morning had no preserver around it. A coroner from Kingsville is on his way here to examine the body, and establish the identity of the man. French Ratify Pacific Accord Unanimously (United J’ress Service' Paris, July 9 —(Special to the Daily Democrat) —Without reservations, the French chamber of deputies ratiI tied unanimously today the Pacific (accord signed at Washington, November 1921, by Britian, France, Japan [and the United States. Deputy Archimbaud opened the de- , bate today with a criticism of the Pacific accords on the grounds they do not include Indo-China, France’s Far-Eastern possession. The chamber ratified also a FrancoCanadian commercial treaty.