Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 23, Number 8, Decatur, Adams County, 9 January 1925 — Page 1

VolumeXXIII. Numbers.

I PROMOTION OF I STONE BELO UP I BY COMMITTEE I Nomination Os Attorney R * General To Be Associate ■ Justice Delayed I vs AKE PROTEST ■ ’Vitnesses Say Stone Should | Compete Work He Has B Undertaken ■ \,’ ;i 4i::;gto;». Ja.l. 9. (Special to I ■ iinmocrat) —Two witnesses ■B azaJnst promotion of at-1 ■ tortv’y G.-neral Harlan F. Stone to H i\c :>>•■ court in a closed hear-1 B infer - tin- s>na:e judiciary comIH mit'.'-e today. B luii’.i-s A. Owndy, of Bouider, Colo., I B -md I’.-ti Marsh representative of aj | f;.-ni oiganization declared that ■ H Since ifcoiihl remain at the depart-j ■ r. nt of jurllce to complete work ■ rhat he ht.s undertaken their objec- ■ t ; K! being in the nature of a tribute | tn his work as attorney general ac-' B nrt’icg to Chairman Sterling. ■ X > further hearings on the nomina-1 ticn are contemplated. Sterling said. 1 Washington, Jan., 9. —The nomina-1 tien cf Attorney General Harlan F. St-ito be associate justice of the | I’nrid States supreme court, was I !i I<l up wi'hobt explanation today by : : sub-committee of the Senate judiciary committee.. Chairman Sterling of the sub-com- j inittee declined to make any state-] . nt other titan that the nomina-1 lint had been considered but not act-' rd upon. Unit s there is objection to the | nomination tin- senate has always in 1 similar cases quickly reported favorably on the nominee. Two Killed When Bus Hits Small Touring Car Galesburg, 111., Jan. 9—(Special to Daily Democrat)—Two persons were killed and three injured near here today when a big bus and a small 1 touring car containing four laborers enroute to work, crashed on the Mon-mouth-Galesburg hard road. The dead: Harold Mchftiight, Monmouth. Everett Kissick, Monmouth. o Grandson Os Decatur People Dies At Richmand I.eon Nichols Schafer, 26, of Fort Wayne, a grandson of Mr. and Mrs. John Johns, of this city, died yesterday morning at Richmond, of complications. He is survived by his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Schafer; one brother, Clarence; and one sister, Miss Edna. Mrs. Harold Lloyd Is Injured In Studio Fire (UNITED PRESS SERVICE) Hollywood, Cal., Jan. 9.—Defec'ive wiring was today credited with the causing the studio fire that yeslerday afternoon injured Mrs. Harold l loyd. wife of the comedian, and did damage estimated at $60,000. Mrs. 1 ioyd, known on the screen as -•lildred Davis, was slightly burned a nd suffered some from fumes. o GETS SENTENCE TO PENAL FARM V» iley Slusser Sentenced For Failure To Provide For Family Wiley Slusser was fined $lO and costs and sentenced to serve sixty days on tho stale penal farm t his morning, for failure to provide for his "ife and children. He will be taken to the penal farm soon. Recently Slusser pleaded guilty to the charge of failure to provide for his wife and children, but Judge Sutci gave him a chance to make good ‘ l,ll he had explained his case and Promised to support his family. The court did not sentence him at that 'me and gave him a chance, but he 'as not made any payments towards support of his family since that me ' it is said, so the court sentenced him today.

BECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Fraternity House Burns At Indiana University — Ploomlngton, Ind., Jan. 9. — Fire early today destroyed tho Alpha Tau I Omega fraternity house here with a 1 loss of $45,000, Thirty-five occupants of the house ' fled In their night clothing and lost all their persona) belongings. The flames were swept to the Kappa Sigma house adjoining and it was saved with difficulty. Firemen were handicapped in fight- ] ing the flames by a shortage of water ' I in the city mains. MASONS TO HOLD JOINT MEETING Masons, Eastern Stars Ancl Families To Meet Tuesday Night On next Tuesday evening the Chapiter and Blue Lodge Masons and the Order of Eastern Stars will hold a i-jolnt meeting in the Masonic hall, at which time the newly elected officers ]cf the Chapter and Blue Lodge will be in' tailed. All Masons and their wives and families, and all Eastern ■ Stars and their husbands and famlilies are in vitert to attend the installation ceremonies. i The only two surviving ""charter members of the Masonic lodge in this , city, namely, r>r. J. S. Coverdale and ] Dr. B. W. Sholty, will be honored guests at the. meeting. The lodge i meeting will open at 7 o’clock and the installation ceremonies, to which the ! gttestr, will be admitted, will start at 1 7:30. Following the installation I ceremonies, there will be a social i hour, during which refreshments will ibe served. The ball room will be j thrown open and music will be pro- - vided for dancing. The affair will be i a social gathering of all Masons and Eat’ern Stars and their families. A i highly enjoyable evening is anticipated. I —■ :■ . Jt. . 4 v . Nhiß—twii>■* • «wi «■—> ■■ ■■ ■ Two Youths Executed In Sing Sing Prison Todav > ‘ (UNITED PRESS SERVICE) Ossining N. V.. Jan. 9. —John I Emclite. 21, and John Rys, 19. both of Reading, Pa., were executed in the electric chair at Sing Sing shortly before midnight for the murder of Lee Jong. Tort Jefferson laundryman. Both youths were calm as they entered the death chamber. They were accompanied by Rev. John McCaffrey. Catholic chaplain. The execution followed a long fight to save the condemned men. Friends appealed to Governor Smith, but he declined to interfere because the district attorney would not recommend leniency. Emelite and Rys beat the laundryman to death while trying to rob him. Previously he had befriended them. TO GIVE RADIO SETS TO BLIND Blind Residents Os City To Get Sets Under Plan Proposed Here A plan to provide radio receiving sets for the blind residents of Decatur, thereby connecting them with the outside world and furnishing them an interesting and educational means of entertaining themselves, has been proposed by local radio fans and it is believed that the plan will be carried out within the near future. The plan was first proposed by Charles D. Colter and R. JI Harting, and it. has already met with popular approval. There are five residents of Decatur who have the unfortunate affliction of being blind, it is said. It is | planned to raise a fund by popular subscription, with which to purchase i sets for those five people and any ; other blind persons in the city, there are any. A similiar plan has been carried i out by broadcasting stations in De- ' troit, Michigan; Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania; Schenectady, New York; Washington, D. C.; and o< er large cities. A fund of $5,000 was raised in ' Deroit to provide sets for the city's ■ blind residents. Blind people who 1 have listened In on radio sets have re--1 ceived great enjoyment from them and they are in a position to appre(Continued on Page Six)

DR.L.L.MATTAX, COUNTY CORONER DIED LAST NIGHT Prominent Geneva Physician Died Os Blood Poison At Hospital HEART WEAKENED Was Native Os Adams Co.; Elected County Coroner Three Times Dr. L. L. Mattax. of Geneva, age 62 years, coroner of Adams county, died i at midnight last night at the Adams i County Memorial hospital In this city after a sixteen day’s illness from blood poisoning, heart trouble and a diabetic complication. Dr. Mattax fell a victim of the blood poisoning, which resulted in his fatal illness, a day or so after Christmas. Ho dressed an infectious wound of a patient on Christmas day. He had a small scratch on his left hand. I but it wasi not noticeable enough to’ give it much attention. Germs from the wound of his patient poisoned his hand and on Sunday, December; 28, he took to his bed. A fever developed and on December 30 he was removed to the Adams County Memorial hospital. About the time that brother physicians thought they had, the poisoning in his hand checked, an acute attack of Bright's disease developed, together with a diabetic complicatiqg. and his heart weakened. His condition became serious the first of the week and attending physicians gave little hope for his recovery. He lingered between life and death for a few days and yesterday passed into a coma, which finally ended in death. A Native Son Dr. Mattax was a native son of Adams county. He was born In Blue Creek township on September 5. 1&62-... Ujs ggreijts were William L. and Bathsheba (Coverdale) Mattax and he was one of four children. Became Doctor in 1891 After attending the district schools in his township, Dr. Mattax first engaged in farming on his father's farm and several years later decid ’d <o take up medicine as a profession. He entered Sterling Medical College at Columbus, Ohio, and was graduated from that institution with an M. D. degree in 1891. He then returned to Adams county and opened his oflicc at Geneva, at which place he has practiced med’chi? and surgery fcr the past 33 years. On October 26, 1892, Dr. Mattax was married to Miss Sophia Blocker (Continued On Paee Four) o CONGRESS TODAY Senate: Considers amendments to the Underwood bill. Couzens committee continues probe o’s prohibition unit. Committee on military affairs discusses routine business. Interstate commerce commission considers railroad consolidation. House: Expects to pass army appropriation. Appropriations committee considers commerce and labor appropriations bills. Shipping board investigation resumes. Naval affairs committee discusses minor bills. Interstate commerce committee considers aeronautics bill. Military affairs and public lands committees hold regular meetings. Aircraft investigation continues. o — John E. Kern Leaves For Florida Today John E. Kern, of Midland, Michigan former Decatur citizen and merchant, left today for Orlando, Florida, where he will spend the winter and probably locate in business. Mr. Kern owns about one thousand acres of land in Michigan and he intends to dispose of his holdings in that state and move to Florida. Mr. Kern was one of the owners of old Big Store in this city which was destroyed by fire more than 20 years ago. He has been visiting here for several weeks, coming here to visit his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Kern, before her fatal illpess.

Decatur, Indiana, Friday, January 9, 1925.

r County Coron< i Dk ..».. . •“ Dr. L. L. Mattax Dr. L. L. Mattax, of Geneva, coron- ; er of Adams county, died at the . Adams County Memorial hospital at midnight last night, following a short illness of blood poisoning. Dr. .Mattax recently begun his third term as county coroner. CEMETERY BOARD WILL HOLD OVER Old Trustees And Officers To Remain In Office; Reports Are Made Due to the fact that a quorum was not present' at the annual meeting of , the stockholders of the Decaturl t Cemetery Association held last evening at the office of Dr. J. S. Cover- ' i dale, the annual election of trustees . was not held and the old board of trustees will hold ever for another year. Five of the seven trustees attended the meeting and. following 1 the motion that the old officers hold over (luring 1925 the trustees organized by re-electing the old Officers. J. S. Niblick was elected presi-| dent; Dr. J. S. Coverdale, secretary, i and Judson W. Teeple. treasurer. The other members of the board of trustees are. Dr. J. M. Miller, M. Kirsch. 1 Dr. P. B. Thomas and Peter Kirsch. The annual report of the secretary ’ w’as read during the meeting and the financial statement showed the Decatur Cemeterv Association in splen- • ; did condition. There is a balance on hands and several thousand dollars ( loaned on interest. During the year the Association expended more than $5,000 for beautifying and enlarging . the cemtery grounds. Curbing was placed alongside of the driveways . and other improvements made. New Plans Adopted The plans prepared sometime ago , for enlarging the cemetery by plotting an additional fifteen acres of ground, west and north of the present ground were approved by the trustees recently. Only a part of the annex will be improved this year, it was stated. More Than 2000 Graves The Secretary’s books shows that (Continued on Page Six) Weather Unsetled tonight and Saturday, probably rain or snow in south portion; warmer tonight in north. -- - - - ■

■ ■■■■■ —— ■ i ■■■■■ — — - • — — Daily Democrat Goes Into Nearly Every Home In City And County

The twenty-second annual renewal campaign of the Decatur Dally Democrat is now well under way and each day sees many subscribers to the county daily renewing their subscriptions to 1926. The Decatur Daily Democrat was established January 12, 1903, and since that time it has been the annual custom to conduct a renewal campaign during the months of Jan- ■ uary and February. . Beginning with only a few hundred subscribers, the circulation of ithe Daily Democrat has climbed /Steadily every year until now the daily paid-up circulation is more than 3,300. The Daily Democrat goes in practically every home in • the city of Decatur. The news-boys each night deliver more than 1,100 papers, besides what are sold at the office over the counter. Census figures give

FACTIONS NOT TO DICTATE IN APPOINTMENTS Speaker Leslie Os Lower House Says He Is Tied To No Clique KLAN FIGHT SEEN —— Fight For Control Os Committee On Education Looms Up Today (I’NITED PRESS SERVICE) Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. 9 —(Special | to Daily Democrat) —“No faction is. going to dictate a single selection in the naming of house committees."] Harry G. Leslie, speaker of the lower] branch of the legislature, declared today in taking up the task of making his appointments. "I have made no promises and am tied up with no faction or clique,” he said. “When I am satisfied that I have the men best qualified and best suited for the various posts I will announce my selections." Leslie’s statement followed reports that the Ku Klux Klan was ready to wage a bitter fight for contrql of the committee on education in both houses. “The schools of Indiana are not going to be made the football of any faction for any private aims.” Leslie declared.- "I believe I can pick a committee of men big enough to be above selfish motives.” Leslie indicated that Lemuel A. Pittinger, of Salem, republican floor leader, would probably be chairman of the ways and means committee, the most important committee post in the house. The klan fight for control of the committee on education in the house loomed when it was learned that James Knapp, of Hagerstown, is an aspirant for tho chairmanship. Knapp is understood to have the bacluug of Walter Bossert. grand dron of the Indiana klan. J. Glenn Harris, Lake county representative, is opposing Knapp for the chairman ship The crowd of applicants for minor jobs in both houses must wait until Monday on the announcement of the selections of the legislative patronage committee. Because of the large , number it was decided that the announcement would be put off until that time. Plans for inauguration of Governorelect Ed Jackson and Lieut. Gover-nor-elect Harold Van Orman held interest today of legislators who remained here following adjournment of the general assembly until Monday morning. Van Orman left Indianapolis last night and will return from Evansville Monday morning aboard a special train with about 400 of his southern! Indiana friends and admirers. Ed Jackson, governor-elect, is confined at his home with a cold and is ] likely to stay in bed until Monday. Fourteen Leap From Burning House Into Net ■ Youngstown, 0., Jan. 9. —Fourteen persons leaped to safety in emergency nets stretched by firemen when their escape from (he second floor of a burning house was cut off by flames here today.

only 1,200 homes in the city, so it can be seen that nearly every person is interested in what happens in Adams county. In the rural districts in the county the Daily Democrat goes into a majority of homes, a fact which the publishers of this paper appreciate very much. The support and co-operation given this paper for more than twenty . years has made it possible to con- • tinue our efforts in trying to print a I daily paper which the community can , feel proud of and at the same time , function as an institution worthy of the support of the community. - * We kindly ask our many many mail I subscribers to renew their subscrip-| J tion during our annual renewal cam-' ■ paign and we assure you that it will. •, be a pleasure to serve you through-1 !, out the year.

Sorority To Give Away Bed Spread Set A beautiful hand embroidered bed spread set, consisting of four pieces, will be given away by the Psi lota XI Sorority some time this month. The articles will be placed in the Beavers & Fryback window Saturday for display. The girls are selling chances on tho outfiit. which will be given to the person holding the lucky number. The sorority is a charitable organization and a large sum of money is spent each year for the needs of poor families. The liberal patronage of he. public is solicited. EASTERN STARS INSTALL OFFICERS J Interesting Meeting Held By Order At Masonic Hall Last Night — The Order of the Eastern Stars , held a most interesting social and . business meeting last evening in the ' lodge rooms, the occassion being the ] (annual installation of officers. Worthy Matron Mrs. Leona Graham presided at the opening and intro- | duced Mrs. Homer Lower, Past Ma- . tron of an Ohio Chapter. Mrs. Lower, i assisted by R. D. Meyers as Marshall impressively read the Installation ceremonies, thereby installing the following officers ot preside for the new year: Worthy Matron. Mrs. Pearl Heller; Worthy Patron, G. T. Burke; Associate Matron, Mrs. Alma Frysing- . er; Conductress, Mrs. Floy Blair; Associate Conductress, Miss Zelma; Stevens; Secreary. Mrs. Mayme Meyers; Treasurer, Mrs. Ida Gilson; Chaplain, Laura Krill; Warder, Mrs. Maud Hower, Sentinel, Mrs. Flora Kinzel; Marshall. Mrs. Della DeVoss; ] Organist. Miss Florence Haney; Adah, Miss Fannie Hite; Ruth, Mrs. Ercie Hower; Esther, Mrs. Jennie Edwards; Martha, Mrs. Edna Jaberg; and Electa, Mrs. Marie Porter. Following her installation, Mrs. ] Heller the new Worthy Matron, de- ] livered a short talk of lovely senti-. ments to the Chapter and her new corps of officers. She was then takien by surprise when Past Worthy Matron. Mrs. Leona Graham, in behalf of the Chapter, presented Mrs. Heller with a beautiful basket of roses and carnations. The presentation was made with a pretty poem, which portrayed the token of the flowers. Mr. O. L. Vance then took the floor and after entertaining the members for a short while with amusing stories, finally reached the climax of his talk when he expressed the Chapter’s appreciation of the past Matrons, Mrs. Leona Graham and Mrs. Mayme Meyers, by presenting each with a beautiful Past Matron s badge, be(Continued on Page Three) ARCHITECT TO LEAVE DECATUR Oscar Hoffman To Assume New Position In Des Plaines, 111., Monday Oscar Hoffman, well-known architect of tllis city, has accepted a position as superintendent of construcI tion and architect for the W. L. Plew j Real Estate Company, of Des Plaines, ] Illinois, and will leave Sunday night to assume his new duties on Monday. The Plew Real Estate company is developing several hundred acres of land into a fine residential district at Des Plaines and plans call for the erection of fifty houses this year, costing between $7,000 and $15,000 each. Mr. Hoffman will be the superintendent in charge of construction and will also prepare a number of the plans for the modern homes. Des Plaines, Illinois is located about 16 milea northwest of Chicago and is a suburb of the great mid-western metropolis, it has a population of about 5,000 and still operates under .village government. It is not a commercial city, but a place where many Chicago business men live. Mr. Hoffman intends to move his family to Des Plaines' the later part of February. Mr. Plew is well-known here, being a son-in-law of Mrs. Fred Hoffman. He is connected with a bank at Des Plaines. Mr. Hoffman has been an architect (Continued On Page Four)

Price 2 Cents.

ALLEGED BANDIT GOES ON TRIAL IN COURT HERE Adams Co.. Youth Charged With Aiding In Honduras Holdup McCLEATER TESTIFIES Alleged Comnanion In Crime Returned From Reformatory For Trial Elwood Fry, age 20 years, [ Adams county youth, went on ' trial in the Adams circuit court this morning on a charge of Inrccnv. in connection with the holdup and robbery of I Homer P. Crum, storekeeper at I Honduras. Kirkland township, lon July 26. 1921. Little time was consumed in securing a I jury to try the case, everv member of the regular panel I being accepted by counsel for the defendant and the state. Members of the jury are Russell | Long. Henry Biebrick. Godfrey Lehr- | man. Martin Keifer, Alfred Bolling- ! er, Edward Chronister, William Mitchell, Samuel Beeler, Harvey L. Smith. Melvin Mallonee, Willis Fonner and Marcellus DavidsonAttorney Clark J. Lutz is assisting Prosecuting Attorney John T. Kelly in prosecuting the case for the state, and Attorney R. C. Parrish, of Fort Wayne, is counsel for the defendant. Mr. Crum Testifies The first witness called to testify in the case was Mr. Crum, who took the stand about 10:30 o’clock. Mr. Crum recited iu detail how the hold- | up and robbery took place on SaturI day night. July 26 He said that he was just closing his store for the night, when a car passed the store. He had counted out his money, taken Un during the day, and placed it in a I cigar box. intending to take it to his i home, which was located a short distance from the store. After the car ! passed he extinguished the lights in ; the store, locked the door and started to walk home. The car had gone to tlie cross roads a short distance ] west of tne store and turned around. It stopped in front of the store, just after Mr. Crum had started home, and one of the two occupants of the car asked for some gasoline. Mr. Crum said he pumped two gallons of gasoline into the ear and then one of the men flashed a light in his face and, pointing a revlover at him. demanded his money. He said he told the man he did not have any money but the man asked for the cigar box. Mr- Crum said he handed the box to the man and the two climbed into the car and drove away. The box contained between $75 and SIOO, Mr. Crum said. McCleater Takes Stand After Mr. Crum was cross-examin-ed by counsel for tho defense, court adjourned for the noon recess. When court re-convened at 1 o'clock, Cleho McCleater, the other youth arrested with Fry for the holdup, and who was (Continued on Psee sir) o DELAY HERRINS OF M. S. HAWKINS Removal Proceedings Confined From January 12 To January 30 Indianapolis, Jan. 9 —(Special to ] Daily Democrat) —Removal proceedings against Morton S. Hawkins, former president of the Hawkins Mortgage Co., of Portland, Ind., before UI S. Commissioner Andrews Iddings at t Dayton, Ohio have been continued f from January 12 to 20, according to t a telegram received by Homer Elj liott. United States district attorney from Benson H. Hough, who holds j the same office for the Ohio district, r today. A dispatch from Dayton however said Iddings declared he had not y postponed the hearing and would not until a formal motion is presented S January 12. It is expected this will t , . be done. Final disposition of the cases Os fourteen defendants found guilty in a the conspiracy case by a jury in November will be made by Judge * Ferdinand A. Geiger of Milwaukee, Wis-, Saturday.