Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 23, Number 23, Decatur, Adams County, 27 January 1925 — Page 1

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

v ,l„ mf XXIII. Number 23,

program for MR OUTLINED gy association Program Bl |I<;ET_ IS $1,200 Membership Campaign To Open Soon: Flower Bed Contest Planned The sponsoring of the agricultural program among the junior lav and girl farmers in Adams fourty, which includes the emof an assistant in the of County Agent L. Eusche and the awarding of sub-I stantiid prizes to the club win-! ner; the continuation of the! river’ bank beautification as Parted last year; the desire to cooperate with the Civic Section of the Woman’s club or other organizations in inaugurating a city program in the interest of better lawns and lieautiful flower Intis and the backing of any movement having for its purpose tlie advancement of city or county, was adopted by the directors of the Decatur Industrial Association last evening. Budget Fixed At $1,200 The directors also decided to fix the Community Fund budget for 1525 at SL2Ot», sn addition to the membership fees obtained from the H 5 members. This is about half as muib as was raised last year for the Comnninity fund, which included Decatur. share of sec tiring the right-of-ways for the state road, at Geneva and Monroe and the carrying out of the 1924 program. To Secure Members Wtliam Linn, who set tho record bst year by securing 185 paid-up members in the Association, was reappointed Chairman of the memberahi? committee and he agreed, with the co-operation of the other members, to conduct the annual membership campaign, and, if possible, increase the membership to 200 during 1925. With few exceptions, all memberships in the Association expired on January 1, 1925 and everyone of 185 members will be asked to join again. The Industrial Association will also maintain the headquarters in the Graham and Walters building, which vere established four years ago, »hen J. H. Heller was president of the organization, and to make it a community center for those who wished to use it. , The Association has between S9OO wd SI,OOO on hands, including both the general and Community funds, and. therefore, the directors did not (Continued On Page Four) FUELLINGCHURCH IS SO YEARS OLD Plans Being Made For Observance Os Anniversary On October 26 1 r-paratory to observing the eigh- ' |o th anniversary of the establishWp tt of the Fuelling Lutheran settle'"“nt ' five miles north of Decatur, ln Root township, on October 26, lhp ®‘’ Po ‘ ers Lutheran church /’’’ the congregation of St. Peter’s inch at last Sunday’s services ° WI to redecorate the interior of e church and to enlarge the baln.!' do that additional seating ca--1 Clty w °uld be made available. 1,„ , S estimated that $2,500.00 will “‘ ’Pent in beautifying the church, 100 °T ittee haS been to receiver WOrk and bids wiH be stated n *" the spring “ was '■omnioi , 8 , planned to have all work ’MiversaryV’t’Je e ‘ ghtleth y of the congregation. day 'Xr being Wade fOr an *’>- vices wnV 1 the church and the serThe St' P attended by hundreds. ° f ,h * oldeTin r ßreKat ’ On 18 ° ne establish^i J he Pounty ' “ bein * the countv ab ° Ut ” ine years after lpr >« the rJT toUnded ’ Rev - Moel Pastor tnue tOr ° f the cburcb The different ? oeS , and membera of the NansX T tteeS Wfll makp ‘he “ e ann iversary services.

Barbecue Lunch To Be Feature Os Card Party ; An added attraction will l»- given at the bimonthly card party and en tertalnmenl lo bo given Wednesday evening at the Knights of Columbus hall by tho Catholic Indies' Social club, K. F. “Ginger” Guss announcing that a barbecue lunch would be served during the evening. Arrangements are being made to serve bar becued beef and gravy and barbecued smoked ham during the evening and “Ginger’’, who will act .is chef assures the public that it will bo tho finest meat ever fasted. The public is invited to attend the entertainment. WOMAN’S CLUB HOLDS MEETING Mrs. Frank Sheehan, Os Gary, Speaks; Plan For Future Meetings A very interesting and instructive meeting was held by the Woman’s Club, in the assembly room of the library last night. During tho business session final plans ami arrangements were made for the William Herschel! lecture, which will be given at the High School Auditorium Tuesday evening. February 24,, at eight o’clock. Tickets are being sold at fifty cents for adults and all school children will be admitted for twentyfive cents. Five dollars was subscribed to the radio fund for the blind people of our city. The program was in charge of the Civic department of which Mrs. John Carmody is chairman. Mrs. Cecile Moser sang .a group of songs and was accompanied by Mrs. Roger Swaim, of Bluffton, at the piano. Mrs. Frank Sheehan, of Gary, prominent club woman of Indiana, gave a very fine lecture on “Woman, the Builder of Man.” Her talk dealt with character building and the necessity of cleanliness, honesty, obedience, loyalty and the quality of being cooperative. Mrs. Sheehan is at the present time chairman of the department of applied education of the Indiana Federation of Chibs and chairman of the natural scenery committee of the genera) Federation of Clubs. Prof. Edgar G. Frazier, of the Dramatic department of Indiana University, will read “Abraham Lincoln.” by Drinkwater, .at the next regular meeting of the club, which will be February 9. Anyone outside of the club wishing to hear Prof. Frazier may secure a ticket for twenty-five cents from any member of the Literature department, who will be in charge of tho program. Mrs. F. V. Mills is chairman of the department. -o Favors Fewer Days For Teachers’ Institutes (UNITED PRESS SERVICE) Indianapolis, Jan. 27. — Senator King, of Sweetser, announced today he will introduce a bill in the senate to reduce the number of days for holding county teachers’ institutes from five to three. The bill would also' curtail expenses of the instiAnother measure which Senator Sweetser will sponsor provides that townships in which a town of 6,000 population or less is situated may Join and erect a joint high school, sharing the cost proportionately. — o Five Persons Burned To Death In Minnesota Barnum, Minn., Jan. 27 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —Five persons were burned to death here today when fire destroyed their homes. The victims: Mrs. John Gerard, Ruth Gerard, 14, a daughter, Russel Gerard. 12, a son; Esther Walberg, 3 a grandchild; Arthur Walberg, Jr., an infant. Mrs. Gertrude Kingsburg. 60, sister of Mrs. Gerard was rescued by tw’o sons of Mrs, Walberg. 0 — This Man’s Afraid Os ’ Those Airplane Guns A man dropped into the Daily Democrat office this morning and wanted to know if the ‘‘boundary line between Indiana and Mexico” was guarded. He said he “didn't want to get ‘bumped off,’ by one of those airplane guns.” He talked for several minutes on varied subjects of a similar nature and then went over to the court house and inquired about the boundary line.

MID-WEST AND WEST IN GRIP OF COLD WAVE Temperature Falls to Zero; Rising Temperature Is Forecast SNOW IN SOUTHWEST Blizzard Sweeps Over Nebraska, Oklahoma And Western States Decatur and Adams county, as well as practically all of the state of Indiana. were in tho grip of another cold wave last night and today. The temperature fell sharply from about 35 or 49 above zero to tho zero mark within a few hours. Street thermometers here registered a few degrees below zero eirly this morning. Tho mercury rmained near 10 to 15 de ] grees above zero all day. Tho cold wave appears to be gener al throughout, the mid-western and western states as well as the north half of the nation. Warmer weather! is promised for Wednesday. (UNITED PRESS SERVICE) St. Ix)uis, Mo N Jan. 27 —(Special l>' Daily Democrat) —St. Louis was recovering today from a near blizzard which struck late Monday, shoving the temperature from about 55 degrees to slightly more than 10 above I this morning. Snow fell yesterday and eady. night and was driven by a driving north wind. Today dawned calm. Cleveland. O. Jan 27 Tempera ture dropped 45 degrees here in the last 24 hours as the cold wave sweeping eastward pierced this section The mercury stood at 3 above zero ■at 9 a. m. with colder weather in prospect before night, according to the weather bureau. Cincinnati. Jan. }7 —A record fall of snow tied up local and interurban traffic hero today. Train pulled into stations from half to four hours behind schedule and interurban travel was stopped almost entirely. Many wires were down Six inches of snow was reported by the weather bureau, but heavy winds accompanying the storm pileil up drifts three to four (Continued On Pace Ronri ANNA DOWLING ON DEBATE TEAM Decatur Girl Chosen To Represent Marquette University Milwaukee. Wis., Jan. 27.— Miss Anne Dowling, of Decatur, Ind., a co-ed in the Marquette University College of Journalism here, has been chosen as one of four girls who will represent Marquette in a series of women’s intercollegiate debates this season. It is the first girls debating team ever assembled at Marquette. Others on the team are Helen Corrigan and Clare Quirk, Milwaukee: and Mary Ganser, Union Center. Wis. The question which will be debated with the Wyoming Agricultural college team on March 18 is: “Resolved. That Congress be empowered to override by a two-thirds vote, decisions of the Supreme court tjjat declare acts of Congress unconstitutional.” The Wyoming debaters are considered as being the best girl debaters in the country. They established a national inter-collegiate record in 1922 by having thirteen successive victories accredited to them. They will uphold the affirmative in their debate with the Marquette co-eds. Although this is the first inter-col-legiate debate for the co-eds of Mar quette, they promise to put. a hard fight and are determined to break the record of their opponents. If this debate is successful a schedule will be arranged for next year with teams from leading colleges among them being the Michigan Agg es and the Kalamazoo State Normal. Prof. William Duffey, in commenting on the approaching contest said: “This debate will be the test of whether or not the co-eds at Marquette want a debating squad and it will show the reaction of the student body.”

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, January 27, 1925.

RE-ELECTED AVON BURK Avon Burk, well known Decatur grain dealer, was re-elected president of the Decatur Industrial Association at the annual mealing of the board of directors of tlie association last night. RADIoIm PASSESS4OO Donation Os $30.40 From ' Casting Company Employes Boosts Total — With one donation of $30.40 from the employes of the Decatur Casting company, and a few smaller contributions the grand total of the radio city, today mounted to $414.35. The collection at the Casting plant was taken at noon today, and the employes gave liberally. One of the former employes. Oral Davidson, who lost his eyesight in an accident at the plant recently, is on the list to receive one of the sets. The Woman's Club voted last night to give $5 to the fund. The fund is expected to grow considerably higher before the committee begins to purchase the sets. The employes of the General Electric plant will be given a chance to contribute to the fund before the contributions arc closed. More money is needed as there are at least nine blind residents of the city and immediate vicinity for whom sets will be purchased The new contributors are: Previous total $374.95 Decatur Casting Co. employes 30.40 Decatur Woman’s Club 5.00 Simeon J Hain 3.00 L. M. Busrhe, roi’hty agent. .. 1.00 Grand total $414.35 o— ——— Leo Grisky Found Not Guilty Os Intoxication Leo Grisky was found not guilty of public intoxictaion this morning in a hearing held before John W. Merriman. justice of the peace. An affidavit charging public intoxication was tiled against Grisky last fall following a colission between an automobile driven by him and one driven by Mrs. Harry Helm, of this city. The collsion occured on the Mud Pike south of the city. Grisky’s hearing was postponed on two previous occasions. UNION TOWNSHIP INSTITUTE FEB. 3 Three Sessions Scheduled To Be Held At Kohr School House The annual Union township farmer’s institute will be held at the Kohr school house on Tuesday, February 3, and C. D. Spuller, chairman of the township organization, is now preparing the program. Morning, afternoon and evening sessions will be held and two state speakers will deliver addresses at the institute. V. V. Clark, of Bristol, Indiana, and Mrs. Morton Fordice, of Russellville, will be the state speakers. A basket dinner will be served at noon and the farmers of Union township institutes and others who care to are invited to attend. The township institutes now being held in the county are attended by large crowds and the meetings are both interesting and eductaional. Weather Mostly fair tonight and Wednesday; continued cold tonight. Raising temperature Wedensday.

APPROPRIATION BILL TO GARRY SMALLER SUM Administration Bill Will Be About $1,000,000 Less Than 1923 Bill BUDGET ABOUT READY Aopropriation Bill To (Jo Before House On Fridav Os This Week (UNITED PRESS SERVICE) Indianapolis, Ind.. Jan. 27—(Special to Daily Democrat) —The administration appropriation bill will carry approximately $1.000.000 less than the 1923 appropriation bill, it was Indicated today by Representative Pittenger, chairman of the budget advisory committee. The 1923 appropriations totaled approximately $18,000,000. Pittenger said the budget report would include appropriations for the highway commission, the conservation department, Indiana and Purdue Universities and all other state institutions and departments. The budget report will be in the hands of Governor Jackson late today and the appropriation bill will go before the house Friday of this week according to Pittenger. o —— Fire At Bluffton Causes Big Damage Bluffton. Jan. 27 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —Fire starting in the office of Dr. Curtis early this morning, caused a total damage of approximately $13,000. Much damage was caused by the water used in fighting the flames. The Union Savings and Trust company building was damaged. Tim flames, smoke and water also damaged the office of Dr. Curtis, a tailor shop, poo) room. Western Union office and the Davis Electric shop. —q Fatty Arbuckle’s Wife Receives A Divorce (UNITED PRESS SERVICE) Paris, Jan. 27. —Minta Durfee, actress, has been granted a divorce from Roscoe Arbuckle on grounds of desertion. j—O BLUFFTON HAS CASH ON HANDS City Plants Operating At Profit; New City Building Planned The city of Bluffton, including the municipal light and power plant, has some cash on hands and councilmen and others are discussing how best to spend it. Sentiment favors the building of a new city hall, an auditorium and gymnasium and the improving of the city plant. Reports submitted to the council show that the light and water departments of the Bluffton plant have been earning a profit for the past three years. The general fund for the city also has a cash surplus of about $31.000, it was stated, while the reserve or depreciation fund of the light, and power plant is placed at around $30,000, including last year’s operations, Reports showed that the water department made about $5,500 last year, while the electric light department earned about SIO,OOO. The Bluffton Banner says: “Following the report of Mr. Moomaw, Mayor Thompson gave figures obtained for the month of December, which give accurate information as to what the plant has been earning since the Linn Grove light line was taken off the local circuit. During this month, the electric department showed a net earning of $1,600 and the water department a net earning of SI,OOO making a total net earning of $2,600. This report was highly pleasing to the councilmen for they were anxious to see just what, effect the Unit Grove line had in the profits of the city plant This report was a very conservative estimate and may Increase SSOO. The Banner, in another article (Continued On Page Four)

Licensing Os Automobile Drivers Sought In Bill (UNITED PRF.HR SERVICE) Indianapolis, Jan. 27.—Examination and licensing of all automobile drivers would bo required under a bill being considered today hy Representative Carlisle, of South Bond, for Introduction in the legislature. The bill would provide for immediate Issuance of certificates to id) ' drivers and elimination of irresponsible drivers through state examinations over a period of two years. Carlisle has been making a study of the New Yor): and Maryland laws on the subject. , THREE ALLEGES BANDITS ON TRIAL Prisoners Plan Stubborn 1 Defense In Trial At Van Wert, Ohio Van Wert, Ohio. Jan. 27.—Rumors ' that Martin Walsh, Frederick Miller and Samuel Gallagher would plead guilty of robbing Jacob Sluterbeck i when brought into court Monday 1 morning proved unfounded. When 1 the court was opened the three pris- 1 oners had Paul J. Ragan, Toledo at- 1 torney, to defend them. Ragan stat ed to the jury that efforts would be made to prove that Walsh. Miller and ' Gallagher were not in the vicinity of Sluterbeck’s home at the time of the robbery. ' The business district presented a ‘ scene of much activity yesterday. People had gathered from all parts of ' the county and tlie surrounding country to hear the trial or to get a ' glimpse of the prisoners. The prisoners were seated directly in front of the court and jury. Their handcuffs and overcoats were removed by the officers. All three were freshly shaved, their hair had been recently cut and they were dean and well dressed. Miller and Gallagher kept their eyes to the front but Walsh occasionally turned around to get a glimpse at the row of detectives and officers from other towns who were seated in the court room. At the beginning of the session. Judge Blachly warned that the aisles in the room must not be filled and instructed the bailiffs to allow no one inside who could not be seated. All seats had been taken fully an hour before time for court to begin. The jury was sworn at 10:45, only a half hour after Attorney Miller 1 bad started his questions. The prosecutor then made a short ’ statement of the state’s case and was 5 followed by Attorney Ragan. Outlines Defense “In our testimony we will have no ' evidence as to whether or not the ’ Sluterbeck robbery occured,” the Toledo attorney said. “We will only I try to show that the three defendants were not there and that holding them for this alleged crime is a case of mistaken identity.” Ragan said that the defense would offer testimony to show that Walsh and Miller had been living in Detroit and a man named Baldwin and that they drove from Detroit to Chi-1 cago on the night of December 26 arriving there on the morning of December 27. the same date as the Sluterbeck robbery. Ragan said he ' would try to prove further— That Miller and Walsh had break- 1 fast in Chicago on the morning of 1 December 27 and stayed there until that evening. That they drove from Chicago to Terre Haute. Indiana, with “merchandise” in their car. Says Witness Is In Prison That part of this merchandise was sold in Terre Haute to a man who instructed them to take the rest of it to a man named Morgan. That the two were strangers to Moran and when they called on him that evening did no business but were instructed by him to come back the next day. That they came back the next night to Moran’s house and were invited by Moran to play cards. That they 'were engaged in this game when ofI fleers arrested them. One witness who could testify toj these things is dead and another has ] since been sent to Leavenworth pris-, on, Ragan added. Regarding Gallagher Ragan said j he would try to show — : | Gallagher spent 10 weeks in Terre . i Haute hospital but was released a(Continued On Page Four)

Price 2 Cents.

SEEK PROBE OF STATE HIGHWAY BOARD'S AFFAIRS Sweeping Legislative Investigation Sought In Resolution Today DRY FORCES ACTIVE “Bone Dry’’ Prohibition Bill Forced Through To Third Reading Indianapolis, Jan, 27.—A sweeping legislative investigation of the affairs of the state highway commission since 1921 was asked in a resolution introduced in the house today by Representative DeHaven, of Indianapolis. The resolution asked the appointment of a committee to make the investigation and the question of the appointment was made a special order of business for tomorrow morning. The affairs of the commission are now being investigated by the Marion county grand jury. The investigation has been in progress for several months following a report made to the state board of accounts on alleged irregularities in the equipment division of the highway department. Charges that the state insurance commissioner is controlled by insurance companies in acting on rate classifications were hurled in the senate by Senator Moorehead during argument on the chambers bill providing for abolishment of fire insurance rate making bureaus. The minority committee report recommending passage was approved. Dry forces in the house pushed their “bone dry” prohibition bill through to third reading with unexpected ease when the minority report of the public morals committee recommending indefinite postponment was voted down by viva voce vote. The house approved six amendments agreed upon by Representative Wright, author of the bill, and member of the committee. The house bill to prevent corporal punishment of school children was short lived. A committee report recommending indefinite postponment was unamiously adopted. —— o Missionary Society Os Antioch Church To Meet The misisonary society of the Antioch church will meet next Thursday for au all-day meeting at tlie home of Mrs. Henry White, one mile east of Preble. The day will be spent in making children's dresses to be sent to the Near East. The neighbors and friends as well as the members of the society are invited to attend. OLD OFFICERS ARE RE-ELECTED Avon Burk Head Os Decatur Industrial Association Avon Burk, focal grain dealer, was re-elected president of the Decatur Industrial Association at the meeting of the directors he’d last evening at the Industrial rooms. The other officers, Oscar Lankenau. . vice-president. Hugh Hite, treasurer, and Franco Conter. secretary. were also re elected for the ensuing year. Mr. Conter begins his third year as secretary of the association and in appreciation of his splendid services during the past two years the members of the association at 1 the annual meeting on January 12. voted hin\ SIOO.OO. The other directors of the association are C. E. Peterson, John Carmody. Will Linn. A R. Holthouse and George Krick, the latter being the only new member of the board. An interesting session of the board was held following the election, during which time the directors discussed matters of interest to the community and mapped out a program ] of activities for the year. Mr. Burk assured the directors that lie would do everything in his power | to be of service to the association I and to the community as well, during I the year and expressed the hope that Decatur would continue to progress and be one of the best small cities in the state.