Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 21, Number 187, Decatur, Adams County, 8 August 1923 — Page 1

Volume. XXI. Number 187.

NATION PAYS RESPECT TO HARDING

DM.BLACKBURN ANSWERS FINAL SUMMONS TODAY Pioneer Citizen Os Decatur, Passes Away At Home On South Sixth Street DROVE STAGE COACH Life Filled With Kindness And Service To Public And Friends ■ ! William Blackburn, 87, known tc hundreds as “Uncle Billy,” one of the pioneer citizens of Dechtur and Adams county who drove a stage coach long before other modes of travel were ever heard of, died at 5 o’clock this morning at his residence, 121 South Sixth street following an illness ot one month, during which time he showed remarkable endurance for a man of his age. His death was calls ed by paralysis of the throat, having suffered one stoke three years ago,: and another two weeks ago. He was, in poor health two weeks before the final stroke. The history of Mr. Blackburn’s life; is filled with acts of kindness and ser vice. Coming to Indiana from Ohio when a mere lad. he was first a farm er .then a stage coach driver, a bus iness man, and assessor of Washing ton township for a period of 1G years, until his failing health made it necessary for him to resign three years ago. William Blackburn, son of Thomas and Anna Blackburn, was born in Richland county Ohio, July 19, 1836. He was one of fourteen children. A few years after his birth he came to Adams coutrty with his parents and settled on a farm in Root township. On February 19, 1863, Mr. Blackburn* was married to Miss Rachiel Dutcher, daughter of Samuel and Catherine Dutcher, who also settled in Root township after migrating from Ohio Last February Mr. and Mrs. Black burn celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary. . Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn, one of whom diet, while young. The other three are 'Page Blackburn, of Decatur; Mrs. Carrie Gwinner, of Dodge City. Kan. and Mrs. Katie Burell, of Rochester. Indiana. There are six grand child ren and six great grand children. For the first year following theii marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn resided on a farm in Root township The following year they moved to Decatur and Mr. Blackburn became a driver of a stage coach between Decatur and Ft. Wayne, and for a while drove as far east as St. Marys, Ohio During the several years that he drove a stage coach, Mr. Blackburn nevet experienced a hold-up. After the stage coach began to give way to the more modern means ot travel, Mr. Blackburn purchased a grocery store in Decatur, forming a partnership with Harlowe Mann. This store was located at the corner ot Seventh and Adams streets. Mr. (Continued on page four)

PROCLAMATION CITY HALL, DECATUR, INDIANA Whereas, our President, Warren G. Harding, after contributing his best to the welfare of the nation has been called to his final rest, and Whereas it is proper that the citizens of Decatur, Indiana, in exemplification of our patriotic citizenship end respect should jo.n the nation in expressions of sorrow and reverence; Now. therefore, 1, H. M. DeVoss, as Mayor of the city of Decatur, Indiana, recommend and suggest that on the hour ot three o’clock P. M„ standard central time, Friday, August 10th, 1923, when the body of our honored President is consigned to the grave, that all business activities in our city cease and that we meet at the Methodsit Church and join in the exercises of honor, respect and sorrow held there. I would further ask that all city offices be closed at that hour and the bell on the City Hall be tolled for a period of five minutes, and that all industrial, mercantile and professional activities be suspended for a period of five minutes at some time between the hours of three and four o’clock, as a silent tribute to out deceasid President. Witness my hand and offic'nl seal tMs Bth da y of Au K ust ’ 1923 - H. M. DeVOSS, Mayor

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

St. Marys, Ohio, To Celebrate Birthday Mayor Huber DeVoss has received an invitation from Mayor Swift, ot St. Mary’s, Ohio inviting him and all Decatur people to attend the Cen I tc-nnlal celt bration to be held in St. I Marys during the week of August 19th to 25th, inclusive. St. Marys, Ohio, will be one hundred years old [next week and a big celebration is planned in observance of its birthday. There will be parades of all kinds Itands and pageants and the people [of Decatur and Adams county are in Ivited to ay end. CORNERSTONE TO BE LAID SUNDAY Appropriate Exercises To Mark Occasion At Reformed Church Sunday The cornerstone of the new Zon Reformed church which is being erected at the corner of Third and Jackson streets, will be laid next Sunday afternoon. Appropriate exercises will mark the occasion, beginI ning at 2 o'clock. Two out-of-town speakers have been obtained to deliver addresses Sunday afternoon, namely, the Rev. L. C. Hessert, of Crestline, Ohio, a former pastor of the local congregation. and the Rev. F. W. Knatz. of Fort Wayne. A detailed program will be announced later. The addresses will be given (in the old church building which stands directly north of the site of the new building. Following the program in the church, the audience will retire to the site of the new church where the cornerstone will be laid. The congregations of all other churches in the city, as well as the public in general, are invited to attend the exercises. STULTS RESIGNS AS CUSTODIAN .James I). Stubs Quits As Custodian Os The Court House; Served 12 Years James D. Stultz has tendered his resignation as custodian of the Adams county court house to the board oi comissioners, effective September 30, 1923. The resignation which was in writing .was presented to the county com missioners yesterday afternoon and came as a surprise to those about the court house. Mr. Stultz, on tin, day of his resignation becomes effective, will have served twelve years as custodian of the court house in this city. He was appointed in Sept tember 1911, and has served faith fully ever since, being absent only a few days during these twelve years, sickness causing him to take a few days rest. The commissioners didn’t act on the (Continued on page 'wo)

THE VACANT DESK AT THE WHITE HOUSE hbmhi I'Tik .i m Uli WASHINGTON’. D. C. —Before President Harding stirted on h's ill-fated Alaskan trip, he arranged his desk just as Lt stands today. The photo at the left is of his mother. It was the one immovable object on the desk.

REVIEW BOARD IS INCREASING VALUES HERE Decide To Carry Out Recommendations Os State Tax Board 20 PER CENT RAISE Valuations Os Farming Implements And Automobiles Being Boosted The members of the Adams county board of review will place the extra twenty percent on the assessments of farming implements and automobiles as ordered Uy the State board of tax commissioners. The board members met Tuesday morning and for several hours discussed the method and plan to be | used in changing the assessments. A plan was agreed upon and the work started. Two teams are working, Martin Jaberg, county auditor, and Hugh D. Hite, county treasurer, are working together on one set of books while John R. Parrish and Wade Manley are working together on another set. William Zimmerman.! county assessor, is tabulating totals and also assisting in the work. The assessments on automobiles and farming implements varied considerable in many of the townships. I Some were high and some were extremely low and the board members hope to equalize and adjust these assessments as much as possible. However they cannot correct the mistakes or differences in the township assessors’ sheets, the increases placed on these two articles affecting the entire township. The increases placed on farming implements and automobiles as ord ered by the state will add from one hundred thousand to one hundred and forty thousand dollars on the tax duplicate, the value of the automobiles and farming implements in the county being over seven hundred thousand dollars. The net valuation of all property in the county will be about $41,000,000.00 this yeas. It is not known if the tax rates will be lower or higher for next year. —•— — Fred Foos Improving Fred Foos, 14-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Foos, who had his right leg broken at the femur bone on June 20th, while playing in the alley back of tht Daily Democrat office, is getting along fine. The broken .leg will be placed in a plaster paris cast the latter part of this week it. is thought. Fred is in good spirits and is resting well, even though he has to lay perfectly still in bed | during these hot summer days. His leg was broken when a heavy stone slab from a make-up table fell over, catching his leg and breaking it. | CHICAGO MARKET CLOSE Wheat: Sept, 98%c; Dec. $1.01%; May $1.06%. Corn: Sept. 76%c; Dec 62%c; My 64%c. Oats: Sept. 35%c; Dec. 37%c; May 40c. —o — Mrs. E. W. Kampe has as her house guest, Mrs. Woodford Davison, of Los Angeles, California.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, August 8, 1923.

PIONEER IS DEAD r ‘ • * m iwBBwIHHEP WILLIAM BLACKBURN Former stage coach driver, died at his home here this morning. JOHN WHITFELD FOUND GUILTY Mulatto Slayer Sentenced To Life Imprisonment i Following Verdict (United Press Service) Cleveland, ,Aug. B—(SpecialB—(Special to Daily Democrat)—Guilty of murder i with a recommendation of mercy, John L. Whitfield was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Ohio penetentiary hero late today. Three women and nine men indicated by their verdict the murder of Patrolman Dennis Griffin May 11, was on Whitfield's head. But they added: ‘‘We recommend i mercy.” And thus did Whitfield escape the death chair. In sentenc'ng the mulatto prisoner Judge Frank C. Phillips criticised the jury for failing to return a death verdict and declared that their action was unfortunate for society. o Blackburn Funeral Friday Funeral services for William Blackburn will be held from the Presbyterian church at 10:33 o’clock Friday morning. Burial will be held in the Decatur cemetery. Monroeville Couple Divorced At Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, Aug. 8. —Henry Krick, of Monroeville, was granted a divorce from Bertha Krick yesterday by Judge Charles J. Ryan, of the superior court. The couple had lived together sot 17 years. One of the causes of the divorce, according to Krick, was that 1 Ills wife wanted him to buy a sedan, when he was unable to afford it. One day when he was ill, he said, his wife packed up her belongings | and moved away. He has not seen her since. I II '■»" 'I Weather Generally fair tonight and Thursday; preceded by local thunder showers in extreme south portions this afternoon or tonight; cooler tonight in south portion.

CITY CONTRACTS FOR LIGHT POSTS ON LINE STREET Contract Let For Ornamental Lights In Residential District OTHER COUNCIL NEWS The City Council Transacts Much Business At Regular Meeting Last Night Tlte contract for the furnishing ot ten ornamental light posts to be erected on Line street, south from Adam street to the Chicago and Erie ra road, was awarded by the city council last evening to the Auburn Foundry Co., Auburn, Indiana, the price forth posts being $32.75 each. The posts will be of tlte same size and style as those erected around the Decatui Digit School buildinj. This style post is not quite as large as thosi erected on Second street. The prop erty owners will pay their propqrtion ate share for the posts, while tlte city [ as a whole pays the cost of installa tion. No objections or remonstrance were filed by property owners against the preliminary assessments in tin matter of the Second street light im provement. Tlte cost to the property owners for the ornamental lights er ected in the business districts from Jackson to Jefferson streets is only seventy-five cents per front foot. Petitions Are Granted The electric light committee recommended that the petition of prop erty owners on South Second street from ‘Jefferson to Adams .and on Madison street from Second to Third for ornamental light posts, be granted Engineer Harruff’s plans and specif! cations were filed and approved, they calling for ten light posts on So. 2nd street, five on each side of the street and four on Madison street. The same kind of posts as those recently erected on Second street were re commended. Bids for the finishing of the posts will be received at a la te¥ meeting of the council. Gets Sidewalk Contract Amos Fisher was awarded tlte con tract for the building of a cement sidewalk on the west side of Mercei avenue north from Rugg street to the intersection of Winchester street. The contract price was 19 cents per square foot, complete. His was tlte only bid filed. The sidewalk was petitioned for by W. A. Klepper. Contracts Are Filed The contract between the city and F. J. Schmitt for the hauling and disposing of lite garbage, and with Fred Colchin for the improvemnt of Tenth street were filed and appoved. Mr Colchin lias not yet started on flu street. The three blocks from Mon roe to Adams will be improved with brick and cement sidewalks. , Councilman E. A. Beavers moved that the city attorney give A. J. Smith official notice to repair the retaining | wall to his property on Madison street it caving in alongside of tlte alley between First and Second streets. The Ft. Wayne and Decatur Trac(Continued on page four)

Catholic High School To Have Football Team A meeting of the boys of the IJecirur Catholic higlt school will be lieli. n tlte St. Joseph school building at :30 o’clock Thursday evening for the mrpose of making preparations for i football team next fall. The local .’atholic high school has never had a ootball team, b it it is said that there vill be sufficient material in the chop) during tlte coming term to place a team on the field. It is re po. ted that France Couter. local Ims iness man. will coach the team providing one is organized. BEGINS UTH YEAR AT BANK C. S. Niblick Re-Elected As President Os Old Adams Co. Bank;Other Officers Charles S. Niblick today begins his forty-fourth year with the Old Adams County Bank, a record of business rarely equalled. He was unanimously reelected at the meeting of the new hoard of directors last evening to serve as president. G. T. Burk was made vice-president and E. X. Ehinger, cashier. Albert Scheumann, Robert Miebers and D. .1. Harkless were made assistant cashiers. At four o’clock last evening the I clerks and judges of the election announced the selection of the follow- [ ing as members of the board: C. S. Niblick, G T. Burk. E. X. Ehinger, John Niblick, L. C. Waring, W. .1. Vesey, C. J. Vogiewede, J. W. Tyndall and Charles N. Christen. The directors met at seven. The Old Adams County Bank is one j of the oldest state financial institutions of the state being organized in j 1874 and will be forty-nine years old I th s month. It was the first bank in che county and lias grown steadily ince its organization. CAMP MEETING BEGINS AUG. 17 Annual Meeting Os Church Os God Near Payne, Ohio, Is Announced The annual camp meeting held by 'he Church of God on their beautiful camp ground in the Kilpatrick grove wo miles southwest of Payne, Ohio will be held this year on August I*. | to the 27th. The committee has secured some of the best ministers with year of experience, and their sermons on many, subjects of much importance to all will be a spiritual uplift to all to attend. The song service will be a special j feature in each service of the meet ing where good spiritual singing tin der the direction of Dale M. Oldham will again this year be enjoyed at the meeting. This meeting is strictly not a money 'Continued on page H1

IN MEMORIAM Warren G. Harding 1865 1923 By Rev. Francis C. Young Chicago's Poet Priest With love divine All Wisdom’s hand Hath led the Chieftain of our land Away from care and pointed sword To mercy’s home and his reward. The nation's heart in sadness broke With pray’r tlte Heavens doth evoke; He might have faliled. yet tried his best Dear Lord, grant him eternal rest.

Price: 2 Cents.

THOUSANDS VIEW REMAINS PLACED ON CATAFALQUE Funeral Services Held Li Great Dome Rotunda At Capitol Today SERVICES ARE BRIEF Casket Will Be Placed On Funeral Train And Taken To Marion Tonight (United Press Service 1 ) President's Funeral 10:10 a. m.—Cortege leaves White House for capitol 10:30 a. m.—Cortege turns the treasury corner 10:50 a. m.—Procession passes postoffice department building 12 noon —Services in rotunda completed and mourners began departing from capitol. The Capitol. Washington, Aug. 8 — (Special to Daily Democrat) —I’nder the gray dome of the capitol with time-honored rituals the body of the late President was placed today upon the historic catafalque of Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and the unknown soldier. While the leaders of the nation bowed their heads in token of submission to the Almighty’s will tlte funeral service was held in the great dome rotunda whose lofty spaces echoed to the strain of hollowed 1 hymns and the prayer arising for the [ dead and those he left behind. With the departure of Mrs. Hard- [ ing. the widow-, President Coolidge and other relatives and officials from the scene of the funeral, the doors of the capitol were thrown open and the thousands of men. women and children waiting for a last look at the face of the president were permitted to file by the casket. A line of four abreast stretched a'ong East Capitol street as far as tile eye could see. Sweltering in the midsun patiently seeking the shade of the Elm trees the throng stood hushed. A gray bearded veteran of the Legion that fought with Robert E. I Lee —he wore his confederate hat I tind buttons—was one of the first to file by. His battered gray hat crushed to his breast, the gnarled figure of the old man slumped as he readied the casket. He knelt in silent prayer. I’nder the concave glass of the dull black casket rested the head of the dead president. His hair, well streaked w'th black, of youth when be entered the White House, but two and a half years ago. The death pallor lav upon his features. But the peace that comes with rest was written upon his palid lips. Tlie actual services beneath the dome were very brief and simple. During them Mrs. Harding wore a thick mourning veil so her features could not lie distinguished. She followed the ceremony closely however rising with others at the proper time. (Continued on Page six)