Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 22, Number 227, Decatur, Adams County, 23 September 1924 — Page 1

7. l „meXXll Nulnber 227 -

1925 TAX RATES [ INADAMSUOUNTY ARE ANNOUNCED Objections To Proposed ‘ Kates; Geneva Has Highest Kate many rates HIGHER Increase Necessary In Eight Os Seventeen Taxing Units In County No objections were filed by taxLjers in Adams county against the [proposed tax rates and levies for the different funds and departments of moa, government for 1925 and the proposed rates will stand as final. Testerday was he last day on which remonstrances against the proposed M tes could be filed. Heretofore, for the past two years, objections have peen filed against certain local nms but this year no one objected to them With the fixing of the state rate at 28 cents on the hundred dollars yesterday, the total rates in the different townships and taxing units are available. In eight of the seventeen separate taxing units in the county, the rates for 1925 will be higher. In Preble township the township rate has not vet been certified to the county auditor and it is not known what the total rate will be in that taxing unit. The town of Geneva wi'J have the highest tax rate next year, it being 12.72 on the SIOO. This is a reduction, however, of five cents on the hundred dollars over the 1924 rate. Decatur is next with a rate of $3.45. This is an increase of twenty-seven cents on the hundred dollars over this year. Decatur-Root township is third with a late of $3 43 as compared with $3,135 this year. Berne is fourth with the same rate as this year. $3 46 on the hundred dollars. Os the townships. Jefferson township has the highest rate. $2.62 on the 1 SIOO. This is a reduction of f.vo cents over the rate this year. How Rate is Figured Funds ami appropriations which* go to make up the different taxing units are: County, county bond, county bridges, road repair, township road bond and interest fund, general township tax. tuition fund, special school fund township road tax, (in townships only), poor fund, library tax. (in Decatur and Washington and Root townships only) corporation tax and the state tax. The Total Rates The total rates in the different townships, except Preble tonwship, and in the corporations for 1925 are as follows: I nit 1924 rate 1925 rate Vnion $2 08 $2 03 Ro< ” 1.62 1.89 Preble (Rate not certified to Aud.) Kirtland 1.77 1,76 Washington 1.45 1.48 St. Marys 1 97 1 99 Blue Creek 2.36 2.17 Monroe 199 1 91 Prp “‘h 1.87 1.74 Hartford 2.46 2 44 Wabash 197 2.13 Jefferson 2.66 2.62 Docatur.VVash 3.19 3.45 (Continued on Page Five) SEXATORFESS TO SPEAK HERE Ohio Senator To Open Repblican Campaign Here Thursday Evening Senator Simon D. Fess, of Ohio, "dl speak at the court room Thursevening of this week, opening the republican campaign i n Adams couny ' The meeting will be called Promptly at seven o’clock as the senator must leave on the 8:49 train oTer the Clover Leaf. I lan for the meeting have been on ar some trtme but confirmation of e date was not received until late ■‘st evening, and as the senator is raveling with the Coolidge-Dawes part of the way through the n ral west, this confirmation was "® e ® sar -v- Senator Fess is a noted Ilion an< ' ° ne ° f most active year ” t '* 1 ' repu ' ) ' iean campaign this

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

I M. .1. Mylott Returns From | ; Convention At Washington I M. .1. Mylott returned last night from Washington, D. where he at-j tended the national convention of the Holy Name Society, as a delegate I from the local society. Mr. Mylott went to Washington last Tuesday. The main exercises were held on Sun- ■ day and President Calvin Coolidge addressed the delegates and thousands of guests at 5:30 in the afternon. The parade, which was held Sunday afternoon, was attended by thousand* of men who inarched to the tomb of George Washington, wheie Cardinal O’Connell gave an address. STORM DEATH TOLL CROWING At Least Fifty-nine Lose Lives In Minnesota And Wisconsin BULLETIN St. Paul. Minn.. Sept. 23.—At least 59 lives were lost in the terrific wind and rain storms which swept Minnesota and Wisconsin Sunday, latest reports today show. In Wisconsin the toll was 54 lives. Five were killed in Minnesota. Officials fear that the total may reach 65. More than 200 persons suffered injuries and hundreds were made home less. The property damaged was estimated at more than $1,500,000. The tornadoes brought death and destruction to seven separate communities in northern Wisconsin, front I Barron county to the west to Ashland 1 county to the north and Ocnida county to the east. Clark county suffered the heaviest loss of life with twenty-eight dead in the farming communities surrounding Thorp, Owen and Redville. Six lives were lost at Sanborn. Ashland county, and eight persons perished at Westboro. Taylor county. Four , persons were reported dead in Oneida' 'county and three were crushed toi death at Couderay, Sawyer county. a| 1 aby was killed'at Gilbert and a woman lost her life at Lehigh. Two other fa--1 talitie s in Wisconsin and five dead in Minnesota brought the total of known dead, to 59. Much of the stricken area is still off from wire communication. Railroad communication also is disorganized. Relief workers are assisting what victims they can reach. o Tax Lien Filed Against Gaston Means Today BULLETIN Washington, Sept. 23.—The federal government today filed in the supreme court here a tax lien against Gaston Means, star witness in the senate department of justice investigation, amounting to $267,614.40 for alleged unpaid income taxes for years 1921. 1922 and 1923. The lien assessed the unpaid taxes at $214,091.52 and the penalty $53.522.88. Coffee Divorce Case Not Completed Monday After hearing the evidence in the divorce suit of Julia C. Coffee against David D. Coffee yesterday, Judge Ryan in the Allen circuit court, continued the case until he could satisfy himself about the legal residence of the plaintiff. Mrs. Coffee told the court yesterday that every time she 1 sat on her front porch last summer and fanned herself with a newspaper, her husband accused her of flirting ■ with men who passed by the house. She also said that her htisgand falsely accused her of associating with several men of Decatur. —. . —o —— Probe Os Hill’s “Cider Party” Ordered Today (United Press Service) Washington, Sept. 23. —Assistant I Attorney General Mrs. Mabel Wille- . brand today ordered U. S. Attorney . Woodcock of Baltimore to start an ' investigation of the cider party held 1 by Representative John P. Hill at his , Baltimore home Saturday night, t Mrs. Wlllebrandt promised definite 1 action in the case this week. Hill 1 guests with the intention of forcing I the government to render a decision ■ as to its legality and by analogy the illegality of beer of similar alcoholic Icontent. „ .1 ’

TRAGEDY FOLLOWS THE ETERNAL TRIANGLE > ( ' '■ 1 MOUNT VERNON. Ill—The Rev. Lawrence M. Hight, former racehorse, 1 owner and jockey and now Methodist minister of Ina, 111., has confessed to | officers here that he poisoned his wife and Wilford Sweeten, a member of 1 his congregation. He admitted that he put arsenic in his wife's coffee and 1 in drinking water swallowed by Sweeten. He said he wanted to rel.eve their 1 suffering. Now Mrs. Sweeten has confessed that she poisoned her husband. | The above photo shows Dr. Hight and his wife, who died suddenly, on Sunday. September 14 ___

TRAINING SCHOOL HAS FINE OPENING Decatur Community Train- ' ing School Opens With Large Enrollment The Decatur Standarc Community : Training School which is being held | |at the Central scnooi building was. 1 auspiciously opened last evening, j The attendance was fully up to expectation. there being about ninety . who enrolled in the six classes being - taught during the first semester. There were in addition quite a large number that have enrolled, but were not able to attend last evening and these with those who have not yet enrolled is expected to make the enrollment go considerably over the hundred mark. I After an inspiring chapel service, the dean. Rev. R. W. Loose, called attention to the importance of this movement among the Protestant churches of Decatur and the sur- ’ rounding community, stating that perhaps it had possibilities wrapped ’ up in it which even the most sanguin could not at this beginning foresee. "The day will come when all who are here tonight will be proud of the fact you were members of the first term 1 of the school and present at its for(Continued on Page Five) — q VETERANSWILL HOLE A REUNION 309th Engineers Association Os 84th Division To Meet Oct. 10-11 The 309th Enginers Association of the S4th Division, composed of 1,700 men from Ohio and Indiana who served at St. Nazaire and Brest, France, in the World War. will hold Its first reunion at Indianapolis, October 10 andll. Several Decatur and Adams county men are members of the organization. R. J- Wechsler, 1465 r Union street. Indianapolis, is chairman of th reunion. Those men from here who served in t the outfit, are Charles Baxter, Ed Gaffer, Lloyd Archer, now of Fort Wayne; Ray McClure, now residing i somewhere in the west; and Ray I Harvey, deceased. Os the 1,700 men s in the outfit, 125 cannot be located at present. The reunion is being ! given much publicity in hopes that I those men may be located in time for ; them to attend the reunion. i Mr. Baxter is planning to attend i the reunion. It is not known whether ■ or not any other local men will attend f the reunion.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, September 2s, 1924,

DAUGHERTY TO BE QUESTIONED To Be Called Before Special Session Os Senate Committee Camp Perry. 0.. Sept. 23 —A rpecial session of the senate committee investigating the department of justice | will be called immediately. Senator 'Smith W. Brookhart announced here today. I P,rookhart had just received a telegram from Senator Burton K. TA heeler authorizing the hearing. Harry M. Daugherty, former attorney general, is to be called before the reconvened session. Senator | Brokhart said, in an attempt to sift | the truth from the many rumors. ( charges and counter charges result- | 'ing from Daugherty's open letter to John W. Davis and the alleged repudiation statement of Gaston B. Means. Wheeler Issues Challenge Peroia. 111.. Sept. 23.—Former Attorney General Harry M. Daugherty was challenged by Senator Burton K. Wheeler today to “tell how he was able to spend $30,000 a year in Washington on his $12,000 salary." Barnstorming in a private car through the farm districts of central Illinois, the Independent Vice-Presi-dential candidate centered his entire attack upon Daugherty, who. he said, "is the best living example of the eorupt influence that has taken over the reins of our government. POSTPONE ADAIR MEETING —— By request of several leiding democrats from Linn Grove, the Adair meeting, scheduled for next Saturday evening at that place, has been postponed, on account of the Bluffton street fair being in progress this week The meeting will be held later, probably on the evening of October 4th. ■ ■ ♦ — ■ Base Ball Scores National League Pittsburgh. 0; New York, 2. (four innings.) Cincinnati. 0; Boston, 0 (five innings.) Chicago. 4; Brooklyn, 3. (three innings.) St. Lottis. 3; Philadelphia, 0. (three innings.) American League New York. 0; Cleveland, 0 (one inning.) Washington. 0; Chicago, 1. (three innings.) Weather Fair tonight and Wednesday; rising temperature Wednesday.

SAYS NEW STATE TAX RATE WILL CAUSE DEFICIT State Auditor Says New Rate Os 28 Cents Will Not Be Sufficient LOWERED TWO CENTS Auditor Says State Is Virtually Bankrupt; Funds Are Exhausted With the reduction of two cents in j the state tax rate for 1925 making it 1 28 cents on the hundred dollars, i State Auditor Robert Bracken, in voting for the now and lower rate, filed a written statement that the levy would mean a deficit of approximately $1,390,000 on Oct. 1. 1925 and a deficit of $3,175,000 on December 1, 1925. The 1925 state tax rate was fixed j 1 y the board and Governor Branch late Monday afternoon, the final day , for the adoption of the rate. This year’s levy is 30 cents on the ■ hundred dollars and when this rate 1 was fixed last year. Auditor Bracken I opposed it on the grounds that it was' not high enough and that a deficit would result in 1924. He claimed that the state deficit would be $3.646.000.' whereas the deficit today is $3,740,000 j This deficit must be paid sooner or later. Mr. Bracken contends, and took a stand this year that the state rate should at least be 30 cents or higher on the hundred dollars in order to ; wipe it out. County Auditor Martin Jaberg has not received a certification of the new state rate, but expects it by Wednesday and as soon as it is received he will begin to compile the tax duplicates. S’ate Is Bankrupt Mr. said that the state is' vbtually mmsrupt and that there is net enough money in the general and benevolent funds to last more than two or three weeks and that the state will either be forced to borrow money 1 or call nprn the counties of the state to advance money. The general fund levy was increased from 3 cents on each SH»O to 4.55 ; cents, the teachers’ retirement fund levy was increased from 1.05 cents Io .15 cents and the benevolent institu- , tions fund levy was reduced from 12 to 8 cents. With the 13.95 cents total I of levies fixed by the state legislature 1 for both 1924 and 1925, this br ngs the total to 28 cents, as compared with 39 cents this year. W. C. Harrison, secrete, y of the tax board, disagreed with Bracken's contention. asserting that if the inheritance tax can be put in the general fund next year instead of in the highway fund which would require legislative action, the debt would he paid at the end of 1925 under the levy. MOORE ORDERED TO LEAVE CITY Stranger Jailed Sunday Evening Pleads Not Guilty To Vagrancy Charge A charge of vagrancy was f led in I city court this morning against . Frank Moore, the stranger who was ' locked in jail Sunday night by Night Policeman Sephus Nielchi. after Moote had frightened several women and made threats that he would get what ho wanted ‘'if 1 have to take a gun with me.” Moore pleaded not guilty to the charge and was releas- ' ed after Mayor DeVoss had given him orders to leave the city at once. Moore claims to be an ex-service man. but his conduct in this city has - been degrading and he has many times cursed and abused housewives t of the city, according to police officers. Officers were called to a residence in the city to arrest the man ■ several weeks ago, but wh|n they arrived there he had made his escape 3 on a freight train. He told Mayor DeVoss this morning that he wanted ' to attend the Bluffton street fair this week While in jail here the man refused to eat a bite of food, and had not touched the meals served to him from Monday morning to this morning.

[ Funeral Held For Michael Miller Today, Funeral services for Michael Miller, well known citizen and road contractor of this city, whose death <>ccurred Saturday evening, were held from the St. Mary's Catholic church, at nine o’clock this morning. A golem teqiiim high mass was said. Rev.l .1. A. Selmetz acting as celebrant, ■ j Rev. Charles Merr. of Monroeville, deacon, and Rev. Otto Peters subdeacon. The services were attended , by hundreds of friends and relatives I of Mr. Miller. Burial was made in the | Catholic cemetery west c Decatur, BEET WORKER IS ARRESTED — Bohemian Laborer Jailed After Assaulting Woman Yesterday Chief of Police Joel Reynolds was called to the foreign settlement near I the Sugar factory about 6 o’clock yesIterday evening, where Paul Sinio, a Bohemian, beet worker, was said to |be making dangerous threats Simo ihad a revolver in his pocket when the .officer arrived, but offend no resistance. Eva Stano complained to the [officer that Simo had been making threats against her for some time. Recently she obtained his revolver, she said, and hid it in her hut. fearling that he might shoot her. Yesterulay evening, she said, he came into her hut. secured the revolver and knocked her down with his fist. Simo has been boarding with the woman land had promied to pay $7 per wetk for his board and washing, but :he 'claims he has never paid her a cent. Simo was locked in jail hist night and this morning. A charge of assualt and battery was filed against him. His case was set for a hearing in city icourt before Mavor De Voss at 1 ■o’clock this afternoon, but as the! mayor was unable to hold court, on account of illness, the cade «3is continued. Simo was permitted to return Io the foreign quarters, but was warn ed that \f he started another disturbance he would be locked in jail again. The man cannot speak or understand English but a boy acted as interpreter. o Brigadier Gen. Sawyer Died Suddenly Today , BULLETIN Marion. Ohio. Sept. 23. —Brigadier General Charles E. Sawyer, personal , physic ian and close friend of the late President Harding, died suddenly this , afternoon. Sawyer dropped dead while talking to his wife and son. Dr. Carl W. Sawi yer at his sanitarium at White Oaks j Farm, near here. Sawyer was 64 , years old. Apoplexy presumably was , ' the cause of his death. J __ o Important Questions Laid Before Cabinet (United Press Service) Washington, I Sept. 23.— President Coolidge today laid before his cabinet r two questions of importance the re ilative importance of aircraft and battleships, and governmental econ omy. Secretary of War Weeks, who is in “ New Hampshire, and Secretary of Agriculture Wallace, who is ill. were the only members absent from the important discussion. n o ' [ Don Farr Is Drummer In Indiana University Band *'j Don Farr, of this city who enrolled as a freshman in Indiana University '’[this fall, has been selected as a snare '' drummer in the university band. A * large number of musicians tried out. ’’ for the band and it is an honor tn win " a place in the organization. The band I consists of more than one hundred ‘.pieces. Don is a pledge to the Sigma 3, Clii fraternity, also. — o— — —- ’[German Cabinet Votes To Join League Os Nations i (United Press Service) , Berlin. Sept. 23.—The German • cabinet today decided in favor of this I country joining the league of nations i at the earliest possible moment. The cabinet voted however to in I quire of the league council regarding II guarantees as to Germany's positior - before formally applying for admis sion.

Price: 2 Cento.

KILLED HUSBAND TO BE FREE TO LOVE MINISTER Elsie Sweeten Confesses To Poisoning Husband; Loved Rev. Hight TELLS FULL STORY Couple Moved From Jail Today To Prevent Possible Mob Violence Mt. Vernon. 111.. Sept. 23.—Fearing possible mob violence although none was openly threatened. Sheriff Holcomb today took Elsie Sweeten and Rev. Lawrence Hight out of the Jefferson county jail here and rushed them by automobile to another jail in some unnamed Illinois city. The people of Ina. the home town of the two who confessed poisoning their respective spouses with arsenic to allow expression of their love for each other are deeply wrought up over the crime. (United Press Service) Mount Vernon. 111., Sept. 23—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Naming her paster as her traducer. Elsie Sweeten. 34. today confessed she poisoned het husband, Wilford. so she could be- free to love her pastor. Rev. Lawrence M. Hight. After an all night session of questioning in a front room of the Jefftrson county jail, following her arrest on a confession last night by Higbt imn jeating her. the pretty brunette told a full story accepting the crime as her own. Rev. Hight, middle aged Methodist Episcopal pastor of Ina. the village in which she lived with her husband, for many years, loved her and she reciprocated the affection, she said. She did not iove her busband He neglected her. she declared. After dictating a complete confessicn, the woman, exhausted, fell in to a deep sleep. Rev. Hight, still pious, held in the same jail for the murder of his wife by arsenic, which be has confessed, piayed when told the woman had r confessed. ”1 love her. She reciprocated my affection. It was all a terrible misr i take." 1 Rev. Hight furnished the woman ? with the arsenic to poison her huss band, which she administered in reI peated doses until he died July 28. S Then Mrs Anna Hight, wife of tlfr ■ circuit rider pastor for 26 years, fell s sick and the minister, keeping what 4 he said was his end of the ‘‘murder s compact.” gave her poison in her food until she died Sept. 12. Elsie Sweeten, although haggard, still is beautiful. She is a slender *. brunette of regular handsome features. Her eyes are bluish grey and her bands are white and well formed. State's Attroney Frank Thompson , wi'l ask that indictments charging first degree murder be made against both Rev. Hight and Elsie Sweeten. ' when the next session of the Jefferson county grand jury meets here Octobei 13. ■LOCAL CHURCH TO PRESENT PLAY I Christian Church To Stage “The Microbe Os Love,” On October 3rd Members of the Christian church will present the play, “The Microbe of Love” in the old high school gymnsium on Friday night., October 3. it was announced today. The play will be produced under the management of the Wayne P. Sewell Lyceum and Producing company, of . Atlanta. Georgia, and a director from that company will arrive soon to take charge of the rehearsals. i The play is a three-act comedy. 3 dealing with Dan Cupid's method of sj conquering so-called marble hearts. [Many funny situations are producv'.ed by the love sick spinsters and g balky bachelors. The song hits of n the play are “right up to the s- minute” and the whole comedy is said to be a classy production.