Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 21, Number 233, Decatur, Adams County, 2 October 1923 — Page 1

Volume XXI. Number 233.

INJUNCTION SUIT FILED AGAINST KLAN

election moves VERYQUIETLYIN OKLAHOMA TODAY — Special Election Held In Defiance of Gov. Walton; Deputies On Duty. INTEREST IS VARIED Vote Throughout State Expected To Be Eight Per Cent of Normal. fTTnlt*>'l P r <“»» Service) Oklahoma City, Okla., Oct. 2 (Special lo Daily Democrat) Voting in Oklahoma’s special I election, held in defiance of Governor J. C. Walton, pro-j ceeded quietly in all parts of the state during the morning, j Oklahoma county, strongly against Walton in the last election. showed signs of polling! the largest vote in its history. In counties where the governor's special agents and military authorities probed law-; lessness. placed by the executive at the door of the K. K. K.. balloting was heavy. Other sections reported little interest and an 80 |kt cent normal ballot for the entire state was forecast. In all sections of the state the voting was conducted in an orderly manner, with picturesque deputy sheriffs hastily organized during the night, guarding the polls. "We are going lo obey the law not Governor Walton,” was the unanimous expression by the sheriffs. ‘‘There - wUl”be no interference with the election anil order will be preserved . ” No man who voted escaped the gleaming eye of the vigilafltes. At Ponca City, Ardmore. Muskogee and Okmulgee, famous Oklahoma oil ■ towns, strapping oil workers with hips bulging or guns conspicuously luing outside their coats, almost ordered election clerks to give them their ballots. In these sections ballot lg was especially heavy. Occasionally a deputy would cast a fnritive glance at a voter and his hasd would clasp the handle of his gun where it would rest until the vote had been deposited in the ballot box. One deputy, careless with his shooting weapon, dropped it on the floor of the Oklahoma county court house here. Another deputy was wounded in the shoulder when the gun was discharged. By Lincoln Quarberg (U. P. Staff Correspondent) Oklahoma City, Okla., Oct. 2. —Okla homa laid its six shooter on the table today and called for its bollot. Polling places opened generally throughout the state at 7 a m. ready for voters to cast their ballots in the special election, banned liy Governor J. C. Walton. Armed and deputized citizens actually slept on the ballot boxes In many cities to insure the security of the election supplies. Izmg lines of voters waited before the polling places at the time of opening in Oklahoma City. Balloting Starts Orderly Iteports from throughout the state "ere that the balloting started in an orderly manner in nearly all count*l'B - In only a few counties where Governor Walton's political supporters are in charge of the election machinery, the polling places failed to open. Governor Walton, who opposes the election because it carries an initiated law for vote of the people that the legislature may meet for purposes of impeaching the governor, without being summoned by the executive, continued efforts throughout the night to prevent Success of the balloting. He issued a call for an election on December G, at which time the initiate,! measure allowing the legislature to convene itself would be submitted to the people. "if the Oklahoma people want to (Continued on page seven)

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Resolutions Proposed By Organized Labor By' Harold E. Swisher (U. P. Staff Correspondent) Portland. Ore., Oct. 2. — Resolutions | pointing the way for organized labor j during the coming year were offered today to the 4Jrri annual convention lof the American Eederaticn of Uilior, j now in session here. Important among the proposed resolutions were those extending the field of organized labor, favorfhg the abolittion of child labor, limiting the use of writs of injunction, planning better living and wage conditions for women workers and bettering generally of conditions of all workers. WOMAN HELD IN j LINOSLEY CASE Former Adams County Man ( Still In Jail In Michigan; Inquest Postponed. Ralph Lindsley. former Adams county man, is still confined in the ('enterville, Michigan, jail, awaiting developments in the investigation being conducted into the supposed suicide of his wife. Hazel Lindsley, at their home i near Sturgis, Michigan, last Thursday. The coroner's inquest has been indef- , initelv postponed, awaiting the arriv- ; \al of photographs and finger prints j from Lansing, Michigan. Although no date has been set for the inquest, it is generally believed that it will he held either Monday or Tuesday of next week. Another woman, who is believed to know something of the affair, is being detained in the Centerville jail. also. This woman, lias admitted certain irregularities with I.indsley hut has not been directly connected with circumstances surrounding the death as yet. She lias admitted having been confronted by Mrs. Lindsley while in the company of Mr. Lindsley, it is said. Mrs. IJndsley died about noon last Thursday front a bullet which pierced her forehead and lodged near the top of the spinal column. Lindsley says he was putting his car in the garage when he heard the shot and rushed upstairs in his house, he found her dead body lying on the floor. A re- j volver was found by officers, on the ( floor beside her. wrapped in a piece of mosquito netting. It is generally known that Mr. and Mrs. Lindsley had had domestic trouble, but the suicide theory is believed by many, since Mrs. Lindsley attempted suicide once before. CLERK'S OFFICE TO BE IMPROVED New Furniture and Filing Devices Here To Be Installed Soon. The steel furniture, counters and filing devices for the county clerk's office have arrived and are stored in the corridor of the court house. They will be installed by the Art Metal company of Jamestown, N. V, as soon as the old counters and filing cabinets have been disposed of. The county commissioners will in all probability advertise the old furniture and cabinets for sale and will receive bids for their purchase. Several offers have already been made for the lumber and old cabinets, which have been in the clerk's office since the court house was built in 1873. The new filing devices are being installed so that the valuable records and books can be stored or filed away. Lack of space now prevents the placing of the books and records in their j proper places and the stell shelving l and cabinets will greatly increase the capacity in the office.* It will be two or three weeks before work is started on the installation of the steel devices, and county clerk-elect John Nelson, who takes office next January, will enjoy the advantages of the modern equipment.

ION*. t >.

Left to right: Col. George T. Buckingham, Chicago; Senator William B McKinley ol' Illinois;.Senators Claude A. Swanson. Virgin a. and Joseph Anderson. Arkansas. They attended parliamentary union meeting. NEW YORK. —The above photo, taken on Tuesday (Sept. 25) on board the Leviathan, shows four members of the committee which attended the parliamentary union meeting conference in Europe. They are: Left to right: Col. George T. Buckingham of Chicago, Ill.; Senator William B. McKinley of Illinois, Senator Swanson of Virginia, and Senator Joseph Anderson, of Arkansas.

STATE K. OF P. | MEETING OPENS ' First Sessions of Five-Day, Meeting Held Monday; Will Parade Tonight. 9 Indianaolls. Oct. 2. —Grand lodge sesslons of the Knights of Pythias domain of Indiana convened today at the K. of P. building. Approximately ll.OOd* delegates representing 4t>4 lodges from all parts of the state are in attendance. Memorial services were held at 11 o'clock for Oeorge W. Powell and Will- j iam P. Hart two deceased past grand! chancellors of the order. ließerrrl -WUivanv-ii. Gray. of Coving ton, Ind., was re-elected commander of the bridage uniform rank for the fourth consecutive term at the closing tlie consecutive term at the closing session of the uniformed rank yesterday. Today's program will be climaxed with a parade at 7:4.1 P-m. The grand lodge this afternoon elected Elmer Bassett, of Shelbyville, as grand chancellor and Dore B. Erwin,. of Decatur, as grand vice-chancellor. Indianapolis, Oct. 2 —The fifty-fifth annual state convention of the Grand , Lodge of the Knights of Pythias op ! ened Monday in Pythian hall. More than 2,000 delgeates are expected and ! the convention will last five days. The sessions were devoted to the business of the Uniform Rank, the military division of the order. The election of officers of this division was held Monday afternoon Regimental Elections Regimental elections were held in five of the regiments to fill vacancies. In the Ist regiment, Harry South, of Indianapolis, was elected lieutenant-colonel, succeeding C. W. Kuetemeier, also of Indianapolis. In the 3d regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel E. P. Holmes, of Connersville, was re-elected, and Guy M. Luvall, of; Richmond, was elected major of tho first battalion, succeeding A. F. Ireton, of Richmond. In the 4th regiment, Colonel Levi Hooker, of Evansville, and Lieuten-ant-Colonel Theo P. Mathis, of New Albany, were re-elected, and L. C. French, of Evansville, was elected major of the 2d battalion. In the 6th regiment. Colonel George C. Rossell, of Terre Haute, was re-elected, as was Major Charles F. Keifner, of the same city, as Major of the Ist battalion. In the 9th regiment, Fred E. Swaim. of Huntington, was elected colonel, succeeding J. Austin Jones, of Kendallville. Supreme Chancellor to Speak The Grand Lodge will meet Tuesday and Wednesday and the Pythian Sisters will meet Thursday and Friday. The election of officers of the Grand Lodge will be held Tuesday afternoon. George C. Cabell, Norfolk, Va. the supreme chancellor, will speak Tuesday afternoon before the election. Memorial services for the 853 members of the organization who have died within the last year as well as special services for two past grand chancellors will be held Tuesday morn'jng at 11 o'clock. William Heiskell, Indianapolis, a past grand chancellor, will make the memorial (Continued on page eight)

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, October 2,1923.

SENATORS RETURN FROM ABROAD

\ Asks S2OO a Month To | Support Two Children j * . t J Terre Haute, Oct. 2 —Four hun- ? I dred dollars per month for the? jeare and custody of their two chil-| f dren is asked for in a suit for di-J 1 f vorce filed here today by Janet I | Beasley against John Hoke Beas-1 i f ley, prominent attorney and | ! | financier. j Mrs. Beasley charges cruel and I * inhuman treatment. | t Beasley is a member of the law | i | firm of Beasley, Douthitt, Crow-f ! ford & Beasley. He is a son of i I j John T. Beasley, one of the best | ? known attorneys of the state. $ * ? WITNESSES IN MURAT PROBE ARE SUMMONED Special Prosecutor Speeds Plans For Probe Os the Governor’s Finances. WILL START FRIDAY Republican State Committee Decides To Leave Probe To Grand Jury. Indianapolis, Oct. 2.—Subpoenaes I for witnesses to appear in the grand jury probe of Gov. McCray’s financial dealings were sent to sheriffs of several Indiana counties today, according to Charles W. Moores, special prosecutor, who will handle the investigation before the Marion county grand jury. Moores is speeding plans for the probe which will start before the Marion county grand jury on Friday. The day decided to call off its informal ' investigation and leave the investigation to the grand Jury. Republicans Close Meeting. Indianapolis, Oct. 2.—The republican state committee, having met, reaffirmed the fact that Gov. Warren T. McCray’s financial affairs are in tne hands of the court, and adjourned, interest in the McCray tangle today centered in the coming grand jury investigation. The state committee met with the generally understood purpose of considering very seriously the advisability of asking the governor to resign. Instead. it washed its hands of the affair, temporarily at least, and left whatever probing is to be done to the Marion county grand jury, which will take up the lase Friday. / CHICAGO MARKET CLOSE Wheat: Dec. $1.06%; May $1.10%; ( July $1.06%. Corn: Dec. 74%c; May | 73%c; July 74%c. Oats: Dec. 43%c; May 45%c; July 44%c. o David D. Wickey, farmer, Berne, 21, to Rose K. Schwartz, Berne, 20. Weather Fair tonight and Wednesday; little change in temperature.

SUMMON 31 FOR 1 A TAX HEARING ✓ Individuals and Representatives of Corporation Asked To Appear. Thirty-one individuals and representatives of corporations or partnerships have been summoned to appear,, before a representative of the state hoard of tax commissioners, who will be at the auditor's office tomorrow, 1 relative to the tax assessments of these particular individuals or firms. The hearings will be held on Wednesday and Thursday. Sometime ago the state board requested the ' county auditor to send them a list of assessments of certain business! | houses and last week these firms and individuals were notified to appear before the tax board representative. ! It is not known if the assessments of these individuals or firms will be changed, or what is the purpose of j the hearing. Hearing on Friday On Friday, October sth a representative of the state board of tax commissioners will be here to hear the objections made by about a dozen taxpayers against the proposed 1924 tax rates in the county and in the city of Decatur. A remonstrance against the fixing of the proposed rates in these two taxing units was filed with the auditor on September 24th and then certified to the state board, who will decide if the l proposed rates are lowered or left to stand. Jlo one objected to the proposed rates when the county council or the city council considered the rates and set a date for hearing. The city’s rate was reduced 11 cents on the hundred dollars and the county's rate, exclusive of the highway fund levy, is only three mills higher than that of this year. If the rates are reduced to a great extent, money will have to be borrowed to meet necessary expenses, as the proposed levies, it is said by those j who know what it costs to operate tlie county and city governments, have been fixed at the lowest possible figure. Monroe People To Give Farewell To Nelsons Monroe. Oct. 2.— (Special to Daily Democrat). —A farewell reception will he given Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Nelson, at the local M. E. church on next Wednesday evening. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson will leave for Decatur sometime this month where he assumes his duties as clerk of the Adams Circuit court on January 1, 1924. Mr. Nelson and family have been members of the Methodist church here for many years, and were leading members of the Sunday scjiool, Mr. Nelson being the superintendent for sev--1 eral years. They have many warm I friends here who regret to see them leave. The best of good wishes go with them to their home in Decatur. o COLORED HANKIES. Nearly every smart suit is equipped with a silk handkerchief in bright color, which drips from one side pocket.

Hugo Steiner Drove Car Which Was In Accident The people who were In the car j which collided with the Luther How|er car just north of the river bridge Sunday evening, were Hugo Steiner, Mrs. Steiner, Jacob Kertz, Mrs. Henry Kertz, Jr.. Henry Kertz, Sr., and a number of the Kertz children. The party was enroute to Chicago after attending the funeral of Roland Kertg. I 10-vear old Herne boy who was killed , | when accidently shot by a revolver nt j Herne last week. Steiner was speed- | ing, it is said, when lie struck the ■fresh stone near the approach to the J fridge and the car skidded into the j Hower car. Both cars were badly damaged, but none of tile occupants j were seriously injured. NEW OFFICIALS | NAME DEPUTIES New Treasurer and County Clerk Have Re-Apnointed Present Deputies. Although Louies Kleine, county I treasurer, and John Nelson, county clerk, will not assume office until Jan- ; nary 1. 1924. they have announced who their deputies will be or at least the : ! first year of their term of office. Both :of the county officials will retain the j j present deputies who are serving, [County Treasurer Hugh Hite and | County Clerk John T. Kelly. Miss Goldie Gay, well known lady of. this city will he Mr. Kleine's deputy iu the treasurer’s office and sJ.iss | Florence Holthouse will be the deputy | under county clerk John Nelson. Miss I Gay has been a deputy in the treasur er's office for nine years, serving unI der former county treasurers, W. J. Archbold and George Kinzle and has been deputy under Mr. Hite ever since ,he took office in 1920. She is well ! acquainted with the work in this imj portant ofice and will continue to be a I courteous and efficient county official. Miss Holthouse, daughter of Mrs. I Minnie Holthouse ,of this city, has j been in the clerk's office for the past four years, being appointed by CountyClerk John T. Kelly when he took office in January, 1920. She is well acquainted with the many details in this office also, and has been serving as deputy clerk in an efficient manner. Miss Holthouse prepares all the typewritten records in the clerk's offite. Mr. Kleine and Mr. Nelson will he the only two county officials to take ofice next January. LOWER COSTOF HIGHWAY ORGED Members of Highway Commission Agree That Levels Are Too High. This is the third of a series of j articles, first published in the In- j dianapolis News, dealing with the j Indiana highway commission, how and where it obtains its money, j what it does with it, and the re- i suits the people of the state may reasonably expect in the way of roads, (By W ,H. BLODGETT.Staff writer on the Indianapolis News and published in this paper by courtesy of the News. Notice to tile public service commission, the Indiana highway commission and its subsidiary branches is the object of more criticism than any state department. Some of these criticisms are of a political character, and still other criticisms are started by dealers in material used -in-fcwTge and road construction because they can not ‘ get in,” and the charge is made that the specifications adopted by the highway commission for the building of roads and bridges are so “loaded” that only certain kinds of 1 material can be used. This is deni(Coutiuued on page four)

Price: 2 Cent*.

APPOINTMENT OF RECEIVER ASKED BY PLAINTIFFS Complaint Charges That Three Million Members Join In Conspiracy. FILED AT CAPITAL Six South Bend Residents Want Names Taken Off Membership Roll. n’nlte' 1 Pret»* * a *rvf rt '') Indianapolis, Oct. 2 (Special to Daily Democrat) — Charges that three million members of the Ku Klnx Klan throughout the l nited States have combined in a gigantic conspiracy to violate the constitution and laws of the l nited States and in manv instances to supplant the regularly constituted government by klan rule were contained in an injunction suit filed hv six residents of South Bend in federal court today. Appointment of a receiver for the Indiana klan and an injunction ordernig the names ol the six plaintiffs stricken from the membership roll of the jklan were asked. The complaint charges the klan hits been guilty of conspiracy to take over the administration of justice and obtaining immunity from punishment for members ol the conspiracy guilty of tarring and feathering and other acts. The complaint further charges the | conspiracy with stealing government 1 property and unlawfully influencing : : army hoards of inquiry charged with i investigation of such affairs. Arcord ng to the complaint the plaintiffs were put on the rolls of ! the invisible empire without their I consent. They charge that false i representations that they are mem- ■ i hers of the klan has injured their : i business and personal standing. Milton Elrod, editor of the Fiery - Cross and spokesman for the klan, I ' declared today that the names meni tioned in the suit had never been on ; the roll of the klan. He declared that on July 4 a card ■ 1 index containing a long list of resi- -! dents of South Bend was stolen from the office of the klan in that city. • This list he explained consisted of \ names of persons eligible for membership and not members. — o Man-Girl Unconcerned As Trial (lets Started (Unite! Press Serviee) Chicago, Oct. 2.— Smiling and apparj ently unconcerned. ‘‘Freddie’ Thompson “man girl” today watched the I work of selecting a jury to try him on the charge of killing Richard C. Tesmer during a holdup here several months ago. Wearing silk trousers, a sheer, flimj sy blouse, hair done up in woman’s | puffs and a face covered with a heavy I beard, the accused smiled at each prospective purer. Four jurors were chosen yesterday. o — Still Searching For Policeman’s Slayer I I •| Mum ie. Ind., Oct. 2.—While search lis being continued here for Claude Michaels, who Sunday shot to death ' Tony Tlellis, Muncie policeman, it is I now generally believed the man has K I succeeded in leaving the city. Word 11 from Richmond is that a man answer- ' ing Ills description was seen to leave ' a freight train there Sunday night d and it is thought Michaels may lie * heading for his former home in Kenv tuck v. Delaware county commissioners are offering a SSOO reward for d his canture. A movement was started here today to. raise a fund for the purchase of a . home lor Hellis’ widow and children _ uud a memorial to the slain patrolman.