Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 21, Number 192, Decatur, Adams County, 14 August 1923 — Page 1

Volume XXI. Number 192.

GERMANY WILLING' TO SUBMIT CASE TO WORLD COURT — t New Chancellor Mares; Country Can Pay If Given Reasonable Time ■ GIVES FIRST SPEECH Striking And Rioting Continues Throughout The Country; Many Killed (By Carl D. Groat, United Press staff correspondent) Berlin, Aug.l4.—The general strike celled by the communists was cancel led at 3:10 p m. today. 1 Berlin, Aug. 14—(Special to Daily , Democrat)— Germany is willing to , present the question of justice or injustice of Franco-Belgian occupation ( of the Ruhr to an international court, 1 Chancellor Stresemann declared this ( afternoon in his "maiden speech" in , the Reichstag. I The chancellor suggested tlmt if ( the expelled German population of l the Ruhr is permitted to return, if all the Ruhr is permitted to work < freely, and if Germany is granted a . reasonable moratorium, the Reichs j government will be able to meet its j reparations obligations. "If Germany is given free and inde- ; pendent disposition over the Ruhr again," Stresemann said, “if the ] Rhineland reassumes its condition ( guaranteed through | international j treaties and if every outraged Ger- . man of the Ruhr and Rhine again receives his freedom and his home, , then we will have a breathing spell , and through it will be able, by use . of all our economic powers to produce , means for regulation of the repara- > tions question." | T’he occasion was not suspicious , with the nation apparently w the brink of dissolution, with red revolution. strikes, rioting and separation , hurrying toward catastrophe. Riots Continue i Police reported more than a score , wounded when a mob in the Hermannsplatz here this morning stormed a detachment of police who final- , ly were forced to use their weapons. In the Berlinerstrasse, demonstrat ors attacked police who routed the mob after one man had fired at a policeman. Minor riots were reported in the suburb of Schoeneburg and other . districts in which some people were wounded but none killed. Observers saw calamity ahead for the new regime but Stresemann sac- . ed tire situation with apparent calm. He planned an opening speech calling on the workers in the interest ot themselves and the fatherland to abstain from wooing the Lorelei of communism. Overnight flashes in the kaleido- ■ scope of German events included a strong movement for separation of the Rhineland and formation of the long proposed Rhenish republic; bloody rioting in Silesia, Neisse, Han- . over, Seitz and other towns; strikes in a score of cities and misery and famine everywhere. If it were winter, the socialists admitted the situation would appear completely hopeless but under present conditions they hoped to stave off a final crisis with aid of the harvest, i o BULLETIN (United Press Service) Grant Springs, Wyoming, Aug. 14.—(Special to Daily Democrat)—Two hundred miners were reported entombed in the Gunn & Quelly Coal company mines, between Grant Springs and Kemmerer today. A rescue train was sent from this city. No details of the accident have been reported. Rock Springs, Wyo. Aug. 14. —(Special to Daily Democrat) ■—Appeals received here today by the Federated Mines Rescue and First Aid station, from Kemmerer, stated that more than 200 men are trapped below ground in a mine. Rescue ears and a rescue crew left here at once for the scene of the acejdent. Cars from Salt Lake t ity also were ordered to the mine.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Klan To Hold Meeting At Monroe On Sunday I Monroe Aug. 14. —(Special To Dally Democrat)—A meeting of the Ku. Klux Klan will be held in Monroe next Sunday afternoon at 2:30. Prominent speakers will he present to enlighten the people as to what the organization stands for and what its principles are. A large crowd is expected to .] attend this meeting. tulsT under , MARTIAL LAW > Failure Os Civil Officers To Prosecute Masked Bands Is The Cause (United Press Service) Tulsa. Okla., Aug. 14—(Special to , Daily Democrat) —Tulsa, oil capital j of the southwest, was placed under ( martial law at 6 a. m. today. Two companies of crack national guard units took ovef the enforcement of military law under orders of , Gov. J. C. Walton, who suspended the operation of civil procedure due to failure of local authorities to prose-1 cute masked bands, who whipped many victims. Three hundred militiamen from Oklahoma City, Muskogee, Okmulgee and Tulsa armed with automatic 1 rifles, set up camp within the city, limits. Guards paraded the streets. All civilians were ordered indoors between 11 p. m. and 6 a. m» "The insurrection against civil law,” declared by the governor to exist here, has resulted in great num-' bers of alleged bootleggers, and peddlers being kidnapped and whipped. Floggings have been weekly events. At one time five men and one woman were kidnapped and all were whipped except the woman who escaped by crawling through underbrush. Pearl Hayter was kidnapped, her hair cut off and forced to submit to other indignities. ' The climax was reached when Nathan Hantman was seized on the streets within one block of the police station. He had just been released by police after being questioned regarding sales of liquor and dope. Yelling an screaming, he was taken through the streets to the outskirts of the city, where he was stripped, tied up to the limb of a tree by his arms and flogged until great gashes were cut on his body. Hantman acused police of having turned him over to his abductors. | The experience was related personally by Hantman at the governor's office. In promulgating martial law, the ( governor reiteraljed his determination to stop floggings. 2,000 of which are alleged to have occurred in Oklahoma within a year, even if he has to plate the entire state under martial law. "It is clear the law was not being enforced in Tulsa," the governor said. "Obstacles were thrown in the way of any individual officer who attempted to enforce the laws.” o — Yeomen. Enjoy Outdoor Meeting Last Evening The open air meeting of the Brotherhood of American Yoemen held at the Lee Stultz home on Oak street last night was a big success. About seventy attended and the event was much more pleasant than the indoor meetings. Refreshments were served and there were talks from various members. If the weather continues warm another meeting will be held in two weeks. —o— — Return From Motor Trip To Marion And Akron, O,' ' I Mr. and Mrs. J. L Gay and daugh- . ter Miss Goldia and Miss Agnes Hous | ton returned today from a motor trip, to Marion and Akron. Ohio. They left here last Friday morning and ar-1 rived in Marion in time to attend the. funeral of President Harding. They , were unable to view the remains, however. They spent Friday night in Marion at the home of Mrs. J. Q. Gay and on Saturday morning, Mr. Gay went to the cemetery where Mi. Harding was buried. In Akron the local people visited Claude Gay and family. They started home yesterday evening, ner and arrived homPzm:cendlHP, They were accompanied home from Marion by Mrs. J. Q. Gay and son, who will make a visit here.

APPROVES SLASH IN EXPENDITURES OF GOVERNMENT Presidnet Coolidge Sanctions Reduction Os $126,000,000 OTHER BIG PROBLEMS President Confronted By Threatened Coal Strike And Immigration Affairs By PAUL R. MALLON United Preu Stuff mlent Washington, Aug. J 4. —President Calvin Coolidge approved' ytoday a slash in government expenditures ot $126,000,000 for the next fiscal year. General Herbert M. Lord, director of the budget bureau, conferred with the president at the White House and submitted his estimates of ex penditures contemplated by the various government departments for the next year. Ixrrd's work, which was begun at the instance of President Harding, was wholly sanctioned by Mr. Coolidge The threatened anthracite strike, and the immigration situation were the other pricipal problems confronting President Harding's old cabinet as it met for the first time today to advise with the new president, Calvin Coolidge. Mr. Coolidge has drawn up and already put into execution a definite plan to banish the threat of a coal I strike by having representatives ot both sides meet at New York tomorrow and seek an agreement. The budget is based on an estimated cost of $1,700,000,1100 for operation of the government next year as com pared with $1,826,000,000 for the fiscal year. I These figures are exclusive of in ttem pitMiu debt. uu«L putoffice receipts and expenditures which are not included in the budget. The government heads, members ot the cabinet in charge of the different (Continued on page four) o NICKLE PLATE OFFICIALS HERE Van Swearingers And Others Stop Here For Brief Visit Today The Van Bweringens, President Harnett and other of the directors board of the Nickle Plate railroad, I Mr. Ross and the officials of the Clover Leaf division visited Decatur this morning for a few minutes arriving in a special train over the Clover 'Leaf at 10:15 and leaving at about 10:30 a.m. Dan M. Niblick president of the Decatur Industrial association, received a message from Mr. Graham, of the Clover Leaf, at nine o’clock and got busy at once, rounding up about forty business men who wreeted the rial road men at the station here. Among the visitors were: M. J. Van Sweringen and O. P. Van Sweringen the Cleveland young men who completed the organization which took over the several lines including the Clover Leaf; J. J. Burnett, president of the Nickle Plate; W. L. Ross, senior vice-president of the organization and in charge of the Clover Leaf; C. L. Denny, Mr. Bradley and Mr. Miller of the hoard of directors, and Messrs. Milne. Graham, Ramsey, Cross and other officials of the various lines | now under ownership and control of the Van Sweringen organization. The train is made up of Pullman dining car and observation and will go through to St. Ixmls. The officials [alighted from the train and met the Decatur citizens, Mr. Ross and others ot' tlie party promised a return trip to Decatur in October when matters of importance will be discussed. 0 — Enters Hospital Today Samuel Fuhrman, well known farm er of Root township, was taken to the Adams County Memorial hospital this morning where he will be treated and take a rest. Mr. Fuhrman suffered from a nervous breakdown about nine months ago and has been in ill health since that time.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, August 14, 1923.

Esther Sellemeyer Lands In United States A telegram received here yesterday evening announced the arrival in San Francisco, of Miss Esther Selle, meyer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. H Sellemeyer. former residents of this city, who has been in China for the past few years, doing missionary work. The telegram states that Miss Selle meyer was well and was enroute to Los Angeles, where her parents and brother Jesse Sellemeyer. reside. Miss Sellemeyer plans to visit in Decatur this fall. BURGLARS MAKE HAUL AT WREN Steal S2OO In Cash, Several Checks, And SBOO In Bonds Sunday Night Burglars to whom authorities have no clue, robbed the Wren department store at Wren. Ohio, of over S2OO in cash, SIOO in checks and between S7OO and SBOO in bonds Sunday night or early Monday morning This was the third time this store has been robbed recently, over SIOO having been stolen two weeks ago, and a few dollars about four weeks ago. A big Paige automobile, bearing an Indiana license and supposed to be owned in Fort Wayne was left in a Wren garage Sunday evening by per sons who did not return to claim the machine Monday. The burglars gained their entrance to the store by forcing the front door with tools stolen from the Erie railroad "hand-car" house at Wren. A track chisel and pick were among the tools stolen by the thieves and were left in the store after the robbery. After forcing the front door the burglars apparent!) went immediately to work on the big safe in the store. Nitroglycerine or some other powerful explosive was used by the thieves as the doors of the safe were almost entirely demolished. The report was unheard by residents oi Wren owing to padding which the burglars had placed over the safe to deaden the noise. When access to the safe was gain ed, the burglars made a thorough inspection of its contents and remov cd everything which they believed might be of value to them, according to Deputy Sheriff Fred Boley, of Van Wert who made an investigation ot the robbery Monday morning. The call was sent to the Sheriffs office before 6 o’clock, when an employe went tc the store to get ready for the day’c business. Sheriff Boley and Fort Wayne of ficials, to whom a phone message was sent after the car was discovered in the Wren garage, have no clue tc the identiy of the owner of the ma chine. The thieves apparently made no es fort to conceal their depredations as ter the robbery was committed, as (Continued on page four) FIVE OPERATIONS AT NEW HOSPITAL Two Major And Three Minor Operations This Morning; Fifteen Patients Five people were operated upon this morning at the Adams County Memorial hospital, local physicians being in charge. Those who underwent operations were Miss Mabel Hower, David Graber. Miss Marjorie Johnson. Mrs. Sol Moser and Miss Mildred Andrews. The operations on David Graber and Mildred Andrews were classed as major operations. Marjorie Johnson and Mrs. Sol Moser had their tonsils removed, while Miss Hower was operated upon for the removal of a growth on her back. Her tonsils were also removed Fifteen people are now patients at the hospital. All of the bed rooms on the first floor are occupied and six of the patients are on the second floor. Miss Christ, the superintendent, and the five other nurese have Leeq kept busy since the hospital was opened two weeks ago last Sunday and report everything running aiung nicely.

HOLDS SEIZURE UF BOOZE LADEN SHIPS IS LEGAL _ I District Court Judge Upholds Seizure Os British | Ships Today IMPORTANT ACTION Holds That Seizure Outside Three-Mile Zone Is {Justified New York, Aug. 14. —Seizure of British fillips which hover outside the three-mile limit to aid in surreptitious landing of liquor cargoes in the United States, either directly or in co-opera-tion with small Ix-otleggers’ craft, were upheld today by Judge W. Wood 1 rough in U. S. district court, Brooklyn I Woodrough, an Omaha judge sitting temporarily in Brooklyn directed aj jury sitting in the "ase to return a verdict of $20,000 in favor of the U S. government against the Detroit Fi delity and Surety company in con nection with seizure ot the British vessel Marion Mosher, July 27, 1922.. The ship was seized off Fire island while landing liquor from small craft. In his decision regarded as an im portant interpretation of the power ol the federal government as to the seiz ure of foreign ships engaged in the liquor trade, althrough outside the three-mile limit, the judge said: “When a British vessel hovers oft the American coast, although three ‘ | miles from shore, with intent to vio-. ' late the law. and is caught in the act of smuggling or attempting to smuggle intoxicating liquors and is shown tc be having contact with the shore its > seizure, although of foreign registry and gJlhough outside the three-mile i limit is justified." The surety company was involved because it furnished bond for the I I ship's release after seizure. The pres ent action was based on forfeiture ol the bonds. 0 INVESTURS FEEL NEW CONFIDENCE Stockholders Os Doffing’s Subsidaries Begin To Feel Easier Now Indianapolis, Ind., Aug. 14.—Two hundred stockholders of subsidiaries of the R. L. Dollings company now in the hands of a receiver, were feel 1 ing a new confidence in the future of their securities today following a meeting of stockholders and Dollings salesmen with Bert A. Mcßride, receiver, here yesterday. It was a disheartened group that gathered in the Knights of Pythias building to find out what had happen ed to the stock and what was to be come of their savings. In the crowd were many who had been employed by the Dollings com pany to sell stock and who had invest ed their savings in the securities. ' Mcßride urged that the subsidiaries be kept in operation far as possible and the stockholders voted to keep the Hugro Manufacturing plant at Warsaw running. "Let'snot liquidate the Hugro prop erty,” said one man. “If wc do we 1 will never get a cent. I'll bet my old horse —and that is all I have left 1 that- if we liquidate we'll never get anything." The stockholders took a vote of con fidence in Mcßride. o - Firpo Wins By K. O. Firpo, Argentine heavyweight, knock ed out Charlie Weinert ot' Newark, N. J..after one minute and 49 seconds of fighting in the second round of a scheduled eight round bout here last night. The “Wild Bull of the Para--1 pas" sent the Jersey heavy to the can vas four times. Weather Partly cloudy tonight and Wednes- : day; somewhat, cooler in north portion Wednesday.

Father Seimetz Goes To Visit His Parents Rev. J. A. Seimetz, rector of the St J i Mary's church will leave tomorrow for Michigan City where he will visit [ | with !;is parents until next Tuesday* and will then go to Noti- Dame, Ind iana to attend the annual retreat of the Catholic priests. He will be ' gone about ten days. OBSERVEFEAST OF ASSUMPTION Special Masses At Catholic Church Wednesday; To Open School Sept. 4 The feast of the AMumpUon of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be observed Wednesday in the St. Mary's Catho-1 I lie church. It is a holy day of ohli- ■ gation and masses will be celebrated at 5 a.m., 7 a.m., and 9:15 a.m. Bene-1 diction will he given immediately after 'the 9:15 high mass. The feast of I the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin I Mary is one of the important holy days observed by the Catholic clinch. School Opens Sept. 4th The St. Joseph grade schools and the Decatur Catholic high school will open on Tuesday. September 4th and indications are that the registration will he the largest in the history ot the school. Last June the first class in the history of the high school wgraduated, five graduates receiving diplomas. Many new students will enter the high school this year there being twenty-seven eighth grade graduates last June and it is stated that a majority of the pupils are planning , to enter the high school this year. The senior class next year will, how i ever be smaller than last June, only three Juniors being graduated in June. , The Freshman class had nineteen members and the Sophinores six. 1 The excavation for the basement land foundation under the new propos ed Catholic grade and high school building is being pushed ahead and it it thought that before fall the foun dations and basement will be com pleted. Sister Vera At School Sister M. Vera principal of the Catholic school, has been in New York 'this summer attending a teacher's training school. She will return to Decatur in the near future and will be in charge of the Catholic school nest year. ° — Celina Fair Opens Today The annual Mercer county, Ohio, fair opened this morning at Celina. Four days of entertainment including fast horse racing, lias been arranged for the many visitors expected. A Decatur race horse, Lee Trilba. owned by Mrs. Elizabeth Putman, I was entered in the 2:25 pace this as- . ternoon. A grand display of fireworks on Wednesday and Thursday evenings will be a feature of the night fair. Many Decatur and Adams county people always attend the Celina fair and this year, no doubt, will see as many or more of them on the ground. ______ o _ — Commissioners Accept Three Macadam Roads The county commissioners have ae- , cepted the A. C. Butcher road in Wash- ] Ington township the Joel Lehman road in Monroe township and the Ulman and Gase road in Union townships. , These roads were constructed this < year, they being macadam roads. , School Board To Meet < i The city school hoard will hold a : meeting this evening. The budget lor the coming year has been made out and likely will be adopted by the board this evening. The board did not meet last night as was planned. ■ —• WILL NOT TEAR UP STREETS Goshen. Aug. 14—The city council has decreed that new pavements are not to be torn up by plumbers making gas, water and sewer connection as soon as they are put down. An ordinance was passed requiring property owners along streets which are to be paved to make all plumbing connections and if any fail to comply with the ordinance the city will have the work done and charge the bill against the property.

Price: 2 Cents.

GASOLINE WAR CAUSES A BIG DROP IN PRICE Product Selling For 18.4 Cents Per Gallon, Retail Throughout Indiana CUT IS WIDESPREAD Prices Likely To Be Lowered Throughout The Nation; All Companies Cut Motorists in Decatur and every other city and town in the state ot Indiana, awoke this morning to find that the price of gasoline, that precious fluid which has been selling foi 24 cents per gallon had dropped to 18.4 cents, and was selling for that price at all filling stations. The order to reduce the price was received by Standard Oil dealers late last night from Chicago offices of the Standard Oil company of Indiana. Shortly after the Standard Oil had been reduced, other companies annI ounced that they would meet all competive prices and Immediately reduce their product to the same level. This is said to be the largest single cut in the price of gasoline for about twenty-five years. Indiana citizens were expecting a reduction soon, since the gasoline war was started in South Dakota and spread to other states las. week. (United Press Service) Chicago, Aug. 14 —(Special to the Daily Democrat)—A gasoline war that will lower retail prices throughout the country probably to 15 or 17 cents a gallon appeared imminent here today. Tlie competitive struggle between the Standard Oil companies and independent was forcasted in the Midwest war which culminated in the Standard Oil company of Indana putting prices as low as 15.4 cents a gallon and averaging 16.4 cents, in effect today in ten states and part of another. ■ AH independent dealers previously reduced prices to 17 cents. Some of the other companies cut to 16. The Standard Oil reduction represents a cut so 6.6 cents a gallon; the independent decrease, five cents. Although gasoline was selling from 20 to 35 cents n the territory affected, the average was 23 cents. I States in which the cut is effective, bringing swarms of “bargain hunting" autoists upon filling stations, include: Illinois, Indiana. Wisconsin, parts of Oklahoma, lowa, South Dakota, North Dakota. Missouri. Kansas, Minnesota and Michigan. A decrease to 16 cents in South Dakota where the “price explosion" was started by a tiny flame applied by Gov. W. H. McMasters, bfecame effective Saturday but was included in the Standard’s announcement of the general decrease. War Begins In South Dakota The “price war" was attributed directly to McMaster’s action. Public sentiment which has Iqng been smouldering against what officials termed “exorbitant high prices and huge stock dividends by oil companies.” was stirred by his success in forcing the Standard Oil company to capitulate. His method was simple. After the Standard refused his demand for a cut from the 26 cents then charged in South Dakota, he ordered the Mitchell, S. D„ state highway depot to sell to the public at 16 cents. He also started plans to dump a half million gallons on the market through state filling stations. Other Companies Reduce After a day of this, the Standard met tin- 16 cent price. Independents and other companies followed. North Dakota. Nebraska. lowa, and other states took their cue and wired demands for similar general cuts by the Standard, their governors claiming unjust discrimination. Some fears were expressed that the low price will be of short dura tion. Some rumors said that Governor McMasters and independents had agreed that the 160,000 gallons the former is said to have procured should be sold at 16 cents, that then the price is to be advanced to 20 cents in South Dakota. (Continued on page four)

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