Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 22, Number 187, Decatur, Adams County, 6 August 1924 — Page 1

I^eXXIIN“ l " berlß L

man killed in threshing accident

| HE* BOARD I fOTES AGAINST I INCREASE OMER B Assessments I say values are fair I Investigation Shows AssessI ments Higher Than Used Car Y alues The Adams County Board of i • Review this afternoon refused ! to place the 20 per cent, horizontal increase on the assess- ( I ments of automobies in Adams I county, as ordered.by the state' board of tax commissioners. i County Assessor William Zimmerman. who by virtue of his office is chairman of the board, stated that, the reason which prompted the board . to turn down the demand for the in-1 creased assessment was that "we be-, lieve the present assessments are I high enough, in that they reflect the I fair cash value of the automobiles in | ; the county. To increase them would i be wrong, we believe. We feel that ' the automobile owners put their cars. in at their true cash value and to in- 1 crease the assessments by a one-fifth. horizontal raise would make them pay taxes on a value which we think : they should not be obliged to pay on. ( Before arriving at this decision the members of the board listed every, automobile in Adams county, its make, model, year and assessed value, and compared these facts and values, with the prices listed in the blue book| of the National Used Car Market re- : part. Compared with these prices the automobiles in this country are still asessed at a price approximately SIOO,OOO higher than the cash values listed in the trader's guild,” said Mr. Zimmerman. In several of the taxing units it was found that the assessment placed on the automobiles by the owner and township assessor were higher by SIO,OOO than what the cars would be worth, compared with the dealer’s trading prices. Mr. Zimmerman stated that the state board was given the benefit of the doubt in the matter and that the board of review took the highest prices listed in this Vounty in making a comparison of the true cash values. The Assessed Value Ihe assessed value of the awtomo(CnnHniu»d nn Pacp Fhei HANGS SELF TO END SUFFERING f r awford Commits Suicide At Father’s Home Near Geneva Crawford, age 44, committed sutetdp bv hanging himself at the " , " 1P of his father. Alex Crawford, southwest of Geneva, about noon "'sd.iy. His lifeless bodv was found upended by a hitching strap from a rafter in the buggy s hed at the side o- the barn, indications were that o had been hanging only about five rai " U,es whp " he was found, nv , ' <rawfnrd has been despondent r ii health and other misfortunes an i>'' l ne bp^a " en him recently, ' ' 'ad threatened to end his life, recent years he had lost four chiln and his wife. He has been work- i n the oil fields of West Virginia wn , <amp t 0 vis!t his father two mobile aE °, He made the tr ’P b ? auto. mobile and when hfi ho I,''>', P ° Or phyßciftl condition that mobile. ° h ' he ' Ped from thp aut °- father CraWt ° rd ‘ S BV,rvived by h'is sisterMY*® fiV6 years and a Oklahoma.' Chama *«’> « Tulsa, White ci'' SPlVices W 'H held from the Will be b,irßda y afternoon. Burial ‘ be madp a'- White oak.

DECATU It DA I I.Y DEMOCRAT

U. S. Flyers To Delay Next Leg A Few Days Reykjavik. Iceland, Aug. 6—(Special to Dally Democrat) —The icebound coast of Greenland today rei pelled the American world flight I and Lieut. Lowell Smith, commandling the expedition, announced he and | Lieut. Eric Nelson will wait here a I couple of days before proceeding. Upon word from the Danish supply steamer Gertrude Rask, caught in the floes 15 miles off Angniagsalik, de-1 pends the time of the start on the I next lap. The flight to Angniagsalik on theeast coast of Greenland is across a 1500 mile stretch of open water from Reykjavik. "We will wait a few days ana see what the Rask reports” Lieut. Smith I said. ‘‘We are advised she is ice-' I bound and unable to land supplies and spare parts. If the steamer cannot make port, it would be impracticable i but not Impossible to fly into Greenland.” WANT A CHANGE AT FIVE POINTS Petition Asks Council To Make One Street A Boulevard — A petition, signed by 47 persons, requesting the council to change the stop regulations at Five Points, street Intersections was filed with the city council last evening and upon motion ' referred to the committee on public safety, of which A. R. Ashbaucher is ' chairman. The petition asked that the Second street and Winchester street inter- ! sections be opened and that a boule-, I vard or thoroughfare he made of these two streets. In other words, motorists driving north or south on Second and Winchester streets would not have to come to a stop at the Five Points’ crossing. According to the I traffic regulations now in force, all motorists or drivers of any vehicle must come to a “dead stop" at either, ’ of the five point intersections. Complaint has been made about the regulations and the getting up of the petition was the result of the unsatisfaction with the regulations. 1 Members of the safety committee want to please the motorists and at the same time protect them from accident at this important crossing and in their opinion the regulations can best be enforced by the “dead stop”i at all five points. j Although the committee will not re-t port, until the next council meeting, it was intimated, however, that no change would be made in the pres-| ent regulations and that all motorists would be required to observe the, present stop signs. The councilmen stated that if the crossing was not approached from five points it would, in all probability, be more satisfactory to make a boulevard of one of the streets, but in view of the five street intersections it was customary to stop at all five points. - It has also been suggested by sev-, eral people that if one of the streets be given the right-of-way, that Mercer avenue be included, for the reasonl that this street leads to the hospital and expediency might warrant the opening of this thoroughfare. —♦ Leaves To Investigate Value Os McCray’s Land (United Press Service) Fort Wayne, Ind., Aug. 6—Benjamin Heaton, attorney for R. Earl Peters trustee in bankruptcy for the estate : of former Governor McCray toefay started on a trip through th° northwest and Canada to investigate the value of McCray’s farm holdings. Peters found the affair, of the I former governor in such chactic condition that it was impossible t j de-I termine the- worth of the various j farms without sending a personal representative to investigate. —.—_ o . - — Bread Price Up At Muncie (United Press Service) Muncie, Ind.. Aug. 6—Bread prices ' were one cent higher in Muncie today. Bakers say lard and eggs as well as flour are costing them more.

STREET PAVING DISCUSSED BY CITY COUNCIL Residents Os South First Street Want That Thoroughfare Paved i DISCUSS FRANCHISE Proposed Franchise For Nickle Plate Switch Is Discussed During a busy session of the city council last evening, street matters had the attention of the councilmen and they heard several arguments for street improvements. Ed Berling, a resident of South ’ First street, read a lengthy argument in favor of the improvement of that street from Adams, south to Rugg street. Mr. Berling and eight or nine other property owners along the ■street filed a petition several months ago for the improvement of this i street with brick. The cement side- ' walk and curbing is already installed. Mr. Berling and the other petitioners strongly favor the going ahead with the improvement. He produced facts and figures to back 1 up his argument and stated that of all the people affected by the proposed improvement, no one was dependent upon a living wage for his living. After hearing Mr. Berling, Mayor DeVoss informed him that the matter was in the hands of the street and sewer committee and that in all probability some action would be tak-I en on the original petition before another year. '• The council is figuring on improving Jefferson street next spring. That street has perference, the improvement being deferred until next year for the reason that the city wished to lay new water mains along the street this year and to give the ground time to settle" before the brick was placed on it. The Railroad Franchise John Carmody, chairman of the traffic committee for the Decatur Industrial Association, appeared before the council and asked what action had been taken in regards to giving the Nickle Plate railroad a franchise . to cross Patterson and Eleventh , streets. Mr. Carmody informed the ( council that the industrial committee , (Continued on page two) LITTLE HOPE FOR I I COOLER WEATHER __ 1 Temperatures As High As ‘ 102 Reported Through- ( out Indiana t * \ (United Press Service) Indianapolis, Aug. 6. — (Special to Daily Democrat) —Deaths in the worst heat wave of the season in Indiana numbered three at noon today, j Adozen or more persons had been prostrated. The temperature at noon today was 87, three dergrees lower than at the same time yesterday. Indianapolis, Aug. 6. —With the intense heat wave unbroken and weath |er forecasts giving little prospect of immediate relief, Indiana today sweltered through another day of torrid temperatures. | The weather bureau held out the < possibility of showers and slightly t lower temperatures, but would not 1 predict anv material drop in the t t mercury. | Although the highest temperature recorded here yesterday was 94.1, 1.9 I I degrees lower than Monday’s record, i suffering was much more intense. Temperatures ranging as high as t 102 were reported throughout the state. One nfin was prostrated while at work in Indianapolis. Three- were over come at Anderson and one at Middleton. In Indianapolis thousands of per < (Continued on page two)

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, August 6, 1924.

DROPS DEAD I I j iml Jackson, Mich. — Former United States Senator Charles E. Townsend di opped dead here Sunday night while visiting with his family at the residence of Dr. L. I. Harris, a friend. He was 68 years old. Senator Townsend was defeated for reelection to the senate in 1922 by. Former Gcv. Woodbridge N. Ferris, a Democrat. The last part of his time as a senator was devoted to a defense of his colleague. Senator Newberry, who resigned after a long fight over his campaign expenditures. After his retirement he was appointed a member of the international joint commission which handles boundary questions between the United States and Canada WALTON RUNNING SECOND IN VOTE Impeached Oklahoma Governor Seeking Senatorial Nomination (United Press Service) Oklahoma City, Aug. 6—The Ku Klux Klan issue in Oklahonma remained unsettled today when incomplete returns in Tuesday's primaries showed ex-governor Jack Walton and congressman E. B. Howard running a close contest for the democratic nomination for United States Senator. Howard, with the support of the Klan, received 26.972 votes in returns from 857 precincts of 2.996 in the state. Walton who stumped the state crying down the hooded order, polled , 26,396. Unofficial totals from 1.150 precincts at 10:30 gave Howard 33,219; Walton, 30,981; Wrightsman. 20,329; Gore. 18,833; Freeling, 6,274. W. B. Pine, Okmulgee klan candidate, was leading the field by 5,000 for the republican nomination for Senator. defensewill" REST CASE SOON Leopold-Loch Defense Expects To Finish Hearing In Few Days Criminal Court Room, Chicago, Aug. 6. —(United Press) —Clarence Darrow, chief defense attorney in the eopold Loeb judicial hearing, and today the defense hopes to rest its case in three or tour days. plans to call lay witnesses after Dr. Bernard Gluck conducted his testimony. State’s attorney Robert E. Crowe plans to put on several state alienists in rebuttal. Darrow said he may put on another alienist after Crowe produces the state’s medical testimony. (Continued on page two) Weather Partly overcast tonight and Thursday with local thunder storms; not so warm Thursday.

SEVERAL CITY IMPROVEMENTS ARE FINISHED Ornamental Lights Erected On Fourth And Madison Streets WATER MAINS LAID Council Lets Contract For Ornamental Light Posts For Mercer Avenue A number of completed improvements were reported to the city council at its regular session last evening. M. J. Mylott, superintendent of the Electric light department, reported the completion of the ornamental lighting systems on Madison ami Fourth streets, while Orval Harrtlff, superintendent of the water department. reported the installation of the six-inch water mains on Dirkes and West Madison street and on Dayton avenue. The final assessment roll in the matter of the Tenth street improvement. including brick pavement and cement sidewalk was also adopted, no objections being made against the preliminary assessments. . The New Lighting System With the completion of the Madison and Fourth street improvements. 62 ornamental street lights have been added to the city’s circuit of street lights, bringing the total number up to approximate’yy 175 ornamental street lights. Second street from Jackson to Adams street and Line street from Adams to the Erie railroad crossing ip addition to Madison and Fourth streets are now lighted with ornamental lights. Posts are also erected at several other street I corners and Decatur is gradually becoming a “great white way" and within another year will see approximately 100 more posts erected on several streets, including Mercer avenue. Adams street, Monroe street and Third street. City Pays Most of Cost The cost to the property owners on Madison and Fourth street for the lighting system is small. On Madison street the cost figured 34 cents per front foot or $22.44 for a 66-foot ot On Fourth street the cost to the property owners figured only 31.17 cents per front foot or S2O 57 for a (Continued on page two) LOCAL BANK IS FIFTY YEARS OLD Officers Os Old Adams County Bank Are Re-elected The Old Adams County bank of this city is a half-century old and today began its fiftieth year of business. C. S. Niblick, who was re-elected president of the hank at a meeting of the directors held late Tuesday afternoon. today began his forty-fifth year of service and nineteenth year as president of the institution. The old officers were re-elected yesterday, they being. Mr. Niblick, president and chairman of the board ot directors; G. T. Burk, vice-president; J. D. Harkless, cashier; Albert Scheutnann, first assistant cashier, and 11. E. Meibers, assistant. Mr. Harkless first became cashier of the Old Adams County bank last February, succeeding Edward X. Ehinger, whose death occurred on January 23 of this year. He has been connected with the bank for two years. The Old Adams County bank, one of the oldest and largest, state banks in Indiana, has a paid up capital of $120,000, a surplus of $30,000 ant! total resources of one and a half million dollars. It on joys deposits of nearly a million and a quarter dollars. Niblick, who enters upon his nineteenth year as president of the | bank, started to work there 45 years ago as a messenger boy and has filled every office except that of vicepresident. being elected president, while holding the office of cashier.

Meeting Relative To Erie Farm Special Friday A meeting will be held at the rooms lof the Decatur Indu tlral Association I Friday evening when T. M. Palmer, i I Erie railroad representative, will exI plain how plans may be made to have an agricultural special stop at Decatur. It is planned to equip and I schedule a special train to demon- ■ strate b<‘tter farming methods and run the same through Indiana this fall, if the interest warrents the railroad going to such expense. All Decatur business men, who reallize the benefit in having farmers raise better crops and sell the prodate cf '.Veir farm at less expense for production are urger to attend the meeting and hear the plan as ex- - plained by Mr. Palmer. Farmers am! - al others interested parties are in- .! vited. *■ Avon Burk. President of the De--1 catur Industrial Association will pre--1 side at the meeting. 1 o COUNTY MOTOR CLUB PROPOSED -I t Hoosier State Auto Associa- ' tion Fostering Local Organization ‘i The Hoosier State Automobile As- ' sofiat’on. through its special repret sentative Mr. J. P Hutchins, of Indi anapolis, and Walter Wilkinson. I representative in Adams county, has I been very busy in the past few weeks e i laying the ground work tor the orgunI , ization of the Adams County Motor n [ Club, which will be the local branch ,1 -off the H. S. A. A. Many of the prom I inent and influential men of the conno ■ 1 1 tv have been interviewed ami much ■ interest is being shown in the new I organization All agree that the work , lot’ the Hoosier State Automobile As'Jsociation lias been commendable , ; fhrough the last twenty years of its existence. By having a local organ : iation officered and directed by local men much effective work can be acs j complishcd. it is believed. p I The. purpose of this organization is ,to voice the opinion and sentiment s - of the motoring public of Adams t ‘ county and to guide the interest of ? the Hoosier State A. A. in all local - activities and to co-operate with sim- ! ilar organizations in other cities and - counties throughout the state, which taken together comprise the Hoosier State Automobile Association. From time to time, matters of state importance, particularly legislative matters must be considered and givII en careful attention, -by a group of representative men, such as there will be in the local club. Experiences have shown that an independent local club, being limited 5 to a small membership, cannot employhelp to run the office ami take care of the work. Furthermore the people cannot be gotten together successf fully for conducting the organization 1 independently and the results from i- years of experience is that the interI est of those few who are dependable d is ruined, by the lack of support ot if the balance of the local motoring r- public, consequently this plan as out r lined above is being put into effect s generally throughout the state, Mr. M. E. Noblet. secretary and s- manager of the Hoosier State Auto | mobile Association will be present at if. a meeting to be held here August • to help in the organization ami to 1 1 explain the duties of the officers and ■ ' directors of a motor club, as well as I the workings of the Hoosier Stale. (.'Talks will also be made by local , J speakers as to the needs and benefits |of the local Motor Club The meetj ing will be held at 7:30 p. m. in the .. I Industrial rooms. All members and j the public are urged to attend as this ’ will be their club and its success de- , | pends on their co-operation and sup- ’ port. o Truck Carrying Picnic Party Is Overturned Izigansport, Ind., Aug. 6. —Miss J Helen Hanuagan, was severely injurJed and the lives of 25 members of a . picnic party were endangered when . the truck in which they wore return- , ing from a picnic turned over a steep embankment early today.

Price: 2 Cento

IRA LYBARCER FATALLY HURT NEAR GENEVA Died Aboard G.R.& I. Train While Enroute To Ft. Wayne Hospital BODY IS CRUSHED Caught Between Engine And Separator; Father Os Eleven Children Ir;i Lyblirger. age 57 years, prominent Wabash township farmer, was fatally injured about 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon, when crushed between a steam threshing engine and separator, on the Frank Armstrong farm, one and one-half miles east of Geneva. After much difficulty, Mr. Lybarger was removed from the engine and placed on hoard the G. B. X 1. train to be taken Io the Methodist hospital at Fort Wayne, , but he died as the train was nulling out of the Decatur station. The threshing outfit had just completed threshing the crop on the Armstrong farm and Mr. Lybarger. who owned the engine and separator, was backing the engine up to the , separator, preparatory to moving to , the next farm. As the engine near- . ed the separator, the clutch stuck and . the engine crashed against the separj ator with great force. Mr. Lybarger was caught between the engine and the feeder on the separator. The ( barnyard was muddy from recent rain . and the large wheels on the engine c spun around in the mud. as it struck the separator. , The other men who were assisting . Mr. Lybarger. at onc P started work to tree the unfortunate man. A team I was hitched to the rear of the separator, but the doubletree broke. After much time had been lost, the men 5 succeeded in moving the separator f back with their own strength. . Mr. Lybarger was semi-conscious [• when removed from the engine, and I directed the men to take liim home. He was rushed to I.is home in an autI omobile and physicians summoned. ] As soon as the doctors arrived, the r seriousness of Mr. Lybarger’s injuries was noted and arrangements were made to remove him to Fort Wayne. , Tlie G. R. & 1. train was held at Geneva fifteen minutes while Mr. Lyj barger was being brought to the station. Mr. Lybarger was badly crushed II (Continued On Page Four) tl 0 : BAND CONCERT THIS EYENINC j f Moose Band To Build New Band Stand On Wagon For Future Use The regular week I;, band concert will be given on the court house lawn at 8 o'clock this evening by the Meo e band. F' llov.ing the concert this evening the band stand located on the court hov.se lawn will be torn clown. A new band stand will be built on a wagon and in the future the hand stand will be? rotated among the principal business corners on Second street. , The new stand will be 18 by 20 feet in dimentions. It was decided to build a band stand on u wagon after the county commissioners asked the band to remove the stand from the court house lawn after each coheert. The lodge has never given permission to any organization or individual to use the band stand tor other purposes, but several have used it without permission. The Moose band is making splendid progress. An effort will be made to keep the band together throughout the winter, as those backing it be- > lieve that it is the foundation for a splendid muscial organization.