Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 23, Number 89, Decatur, Adams County, 14 April 1925 — Page 1

Vol. XXIII. Number 89.

STEPHENSON’S ACCUSER DIES TODAY

OIL WELL AT MONROE SHOWS PROMISETODAY Well Shot Monday Shows Promise Os Producing Six To Ten Barrels BAILING IS STARTED Crowd At Well To See It Shot Estimated At 500 Persons Won) lias boon received from Monroe today that the oil well shot yesterday on the J. N. Buckhead farm h, showing oi' am) probabilities are that it will pump about six to ten barrels a day. It was first thought to lie a dry hole, but during the process of bailing the oil was found. Workers at the well and owners today are buying tubing and other material necessary for pumping. Work will continue at once and it is thought that the oil will flo w within a few days. About firn) persons gathered at the .1. X. Ilurkhead farm on side of Monroe to witness the shooting of an oil well, the effort of several Monroe and other Adams county men. who have been planning for several years the incident in the hopes that oil would be struck. A company was organized some lime ago and stock was sold to continue the work that had been started by several Monroe men a few years before. Jacob Rawley has been in charge of the we’l and for the last several months has ben reudx to sUuai_Lhe well, but has had considerable trouble getting an experienced well-shooter Finally, one was obtained at Portland. People from neighboring towns gathered at the scene several hours before the shooting which took place about 2:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon. One hundred quarts of nitro-glycer-ine were placed in shells, there being five in number. The shells were lowred to the base of the well. 1.200 feet below the surface of the earth. By the time the last shell was properly placed and the field clean'd, all the neighboring schools had been dismiss-

(Connnnwl on Par* *lx) — - OF AUTO INDUSTRY IS DEAD Elwood Haynes, Builder Os First Automobile, Dies At Kokomo Kokomo, Ind., April 14 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —Mayor Burrows of Kokomo today sent out a proclamation calling on automobile factor ics and auto accessory plants throughout the country to cease work during the funeral of Elwood Haynes “father of the horseless carriage.” Time of the funeral will be announced today. It is expected to be held at the Haynes home here. Haynes, who was 68 years old. died last night from heart trouble that followed an attack of influenza several weeks ago. Only the members of his immediate family knew of his critical illness until physicians announced yes-, terday that he could not recover. Haynes built his first automobile In 1894 after two years of experiment with various types of engines. On July 4, of that year, he had the “horseless carriage” towed a few miles out. of Kokomo behind a horse and buggy. fasting off the tow rope, Haynes triumphantly piloted the machine back to town at a speed of eight miles an hour. The machine was the first auto built in the United States, and is now preserved In the Smithsonian institute at Washington. A short time later Haynes organized the Haynes Automobile company, with which he was associated the remainder of his life. Haynes was born in Portland. Ind., October 14. 1857.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Couple Escape Injury When Auto Overturns Bluffton, April 14. —Mr. and Mrs. Roy .Mossburg, of Liberty Center, luckily escaped serious injuries Saturday night when the Ford coupe in which they were riding turned over n. - :r the Chester Redding farm north of Liberty Center. The accident occurred when the Mossburg machine attempted to go around another car and hit fresh gravel. The car side swiped and turte-d completely over. The other car was ditched but was not wrecked. The Mossburgs emerged from the wrecked ear with only slight injuries. SEVERAL SEEK SCHOOL OFFICE

Selection Os New County | Superintendent Set For Monday, .June 1 A superintendent of the Adams county puldie schools will be selected at the meeting of the township trustees to |>e held here on Monday, June 1. Mr. E. S-. Christen, who has held the office for tho last eleven years, will not be a candidate for the office again, he announced today. However. there are at least four prospective candidates for the office, it is report ed. Among those who are said to be seeking the office are Clifton Striker, principal of the Monroe high school; Don Collom, principal of the Geneva highjicltool; It. J. Mann, principal of the Pleasant Mills High school; and Clyde Hendricks, former principal of the Monroe high school but a present principal of a junior high school in ' Fort Wayne. Mr. Christen's term will expire on August. 15. next. The outgoing su perintendent is held responsible for the annual statistical report, on the county schools. in announcing that he will not bo , a candidate for re-election Io the office. Mr. Christen slated that he desired to resume the teaching profession. in which he was engaged when he was made county superintendent eleven years ago. Mr. Christen was elected to two four year terms and served out three years of an unexpired term prior to his first regular term. Mr. Christen stated that he has definitely made up his mind not to become a candidate, although he has been urged to do so by many of his friends. He stated further that lib would take no part in the selection of his successor. Mr. Christen has stood for progressive improvements in the rural schools of the county. During his administration more than one-third of the townships in the county have consolidated their schools. Mr. Christen is a strong advocate of consolidation where such action is for the best interests of the schools and pupils. “The county superintendent has j been divested of much of their authority within recent years,” Mr. Christen said today, “and the office has ecome practically useless and will remain sq until additional authority is given. 1 feel that 1 will receive much more pleasure in teaching than in supervsng." o Catholic Pupils Honor Father Seimetz Today A program honoring Rev. Father Julius A. Seimetz. rector of the St. Marys Catholic church, was given this afternoon at the Catholic school by the pupils of the grades and the high schools. All the pupils participated and the program consisted of songs, drills plays and speeches of good-will and love for the pastor. Sun- | day was the feast of St. Julius, pat--1 ronal namesake of Father Seimetz and I the program today was arranged to observe his namesday. It has been 1 customary for the pupils of the Catholic school to honor their pastor on I his namesday. The pupils also pre- ' presented Father Seimetz with a sil- ! ver purse,

PLANS FOR BOYS WEEK IN DECATUR ARE ANNOUNCED Next Friday Is Date For Convention To Pick City Candidates ELECTION APRIL 28 Program Provided For Each Day Os International Boys Week The junior convention for lite purpose of noniinabing candidates for the three tickets to be voted on in the junior city election, to be held in Decatur in connection with Rotary Club International Hoys week, will be held at the Central school bull.' ing Friday afternoon, April 17. immediately after school. The election will be hold at the Decatur Library on Thursday, April 23. after school and the successful candidates will hold office in the city building for one hour on Tuesday, April 28. known as boys day in citizenship. Last evening, Henry P., Heller, chairman of the Citizenship day program, held a meeting with his committee, composed of M. F. Worthman. superintendent of city schools; Rev. Fisher. Otto Pirsch, C. S. Niblick, schools; Guy Brown, principal of the Central school; Dore B. Erwin, John Fisher, Otto Pirsch. C. S. Niblick, and A. R. Holthouse at the Old Adams County bank and it was decided to hold the convention and eleelion on the above dates. The three HckeP? sh the field will be the Red, White and Blue, and candidates on these tickets will be mayor, three ward councilman, two councilmen at-large, a city treasurer and a city (Jerk. The l>oys of fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades of the public. Catholic and Lutheran schools will participate. The committee decided Io follow the regular rules pertaining to an election and only those offices filled by a city election wjll be voted on by the boys. Other offices, such uh superintendent, of the water department; superintendent of the elee(Confirmed on Page nx SELECT ENTRIES FOR COUNTY MEET D. H. S. Contestants For County Meet Chosen Last Night Decatur high school’s contestants for the sectional contests in oratory, and music contest at Berne on April 25. were selected in a contest held at the high school building last night., It was necessary to hold an elimination in only three contests last night since there was only one entry in each of the other three events. Miss Mildred Akey won the right to enter tire sectional contest last night by winning first place in the piano solo contest. The only other entrant was Miss Monai Butler. In the reading contest, Miss Betty Erwin won first place and will take part in the sectional contest. The other entrant in the reading contest was Miss Vera Butler. In the vocal solo contest, Miss Josephine Anderson won first place. The other entrant was Miss Mildred Akey. Miss Marilynne Wherry was the only entrant in the oratorical contest. Miss Doris Peters was the only entrant in the violin sole contest, while a quartet composed of the Misses Neva Zerkle, Ireta Fisher, Mildred Akey and Doris Peters, was the only entry in the quartet contest. The judges in the reading contest last night were Mrs. James Cowen, Mrs. James Elberson and Miss Zelna Stevens. The judges in the music contests were Dr. Fred Patterson Mrs. Kathryn Tyndall and Mrs. Cecile Moser. The contests were close in (Continued ci: vage Six)

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, April 14, 1925.

Big Damage From Fire In Indianapolis Stock Yards Indianapolis, April JI. (United Press.) Spontaneous combusitlon i whs given today as the cause fur a i $85,d00 blaze last night in the feed I barn at the I'nion Slock Yanis. Fire Chief O'Brien ami eleven fire i men were overcome by smoke while ' fighting the flames. The condition of I lwo of the men was so serious they | were sent io a hospital. Seven hundred tons of hay and thousand bushels of corn ‘ were burned or ruined by water. MRS. MC CLINTOCK DIED OF POISON Chemist Makes Report On 1 Analysis Os Vital Organs Os Woman U NITED PRESS SERVICE) Chicago, April 14— There is no doubt that Mrs. Emma McClintock omther of Billy died from mercurial poisoning Dr. W. D. McNally, chemist announced today in a report on his analysis of vital organs of the woman. Dr. McNally found evidence of bi , chloride of mercury in every organ i This shows that poison was ad--1 ministered with murderous attempt. I he said. Other information will be brough j forth later at the trial of Wiliam J Shepherd. Tlie state charges Shepherd gave , typhoid fever germ for securing the ' McClintock fortune. o - MONROE LADY EXPIRES TODAY - Mrs. C. W. Merryman Dies Following An Illness Os Sugar Diabetes Mrs. C. W. Merryman, age 63 years, a life-long resident of Adams county, died at her home in Monroe at 12:3(1 o'clock this morning, following an illness of sugar diabetes. Mrs. Merryman had been in ill health for the last few years, but her last illness lasted only four weeks. i Mrs. Merryman was a daughter of I Robert and Sophia Andrews, and was i born in Adams county. November 2, 1861. Practically all of her life was I spent in Adams county. For the last nineteen years Mr. and Mrs. Merryman have resided in Monroe. They were married -12 years ago last November. Mrs. Merryman joined church when she was fourteen years old and at the time of her death was a member of the Methodist church at j Monroe.

' The husband. C. W. Merryman: ['one adopted daughter. Mrs. Loma • Foster, of Monroe; one sister. Mrs. 10. C. Fink, of Fort Wayne, and one [brother, Leslie B. Andrews, of Indian'apolis, survive. Funeral services will be held from the Methodist church in Monroe at 11:30 o'clock Thursday afternoon, the ! Rev. S. I. Zechiel, pastor of the Mon- • roe M. E. church, officiating. Burial will be made in the Decatur cemetery. O Ex-Kaiser Not Supporting General Von Hindenburg London, April 14—(Special to Daily Democrat) —In one of the few direct communications to the outside world, authorized by the former German kaiser since his exile 1 in Boorn, Wilhelm Hohenzollern today informed the United Press that he was not supporting the presidential aspirations of General Hindenburg and interred that he had not released the former field marshal from his oath of allegiance to the throne. Weather Fair tonight and Wednesday, hut with some cloudiness. Somewhat cooler tonight in west portion.

BRIAND GIVES !! UP EFFORT TO FORM CABINET Refusal Os Socialists To Join With Him Causes His Failure INFORMS PRESIDENT I — French President Must Select Another To Form • A Cabinet Paris, April 11. — Aristide Briand II went to the Elysee palace this even--11 ing and informed Pres'dent Doumergue that he could not undertake the task of forming a cabinet io succeed t that of Premier Herriot. Refusal of socialists to join government with Briand as premier caused the latter to give up his attempt to form a ministry. By A. L. Bnaford, t F. I*. Staff Correspondent I Paris, April 14.-A lukewarm altitude displayed by socialists towards participating in a cabinet headed by Aristide Briand, who is attempting to form his eighth cabinet and to •succeed Premier Edouard Herriot. further delayed formation of a government of the left today. Despite the demand for haste for financial leaders who urge a temporary ministry, if necessary, in order to straighten out affairs of the Bank of France, it appeared likely that final decision on a Briand ministry might be postponed until Wednesday. The impression in socialist circles this morning was that the national council would reject participation in the Briand ministry but would decide ito support it provided it agreed to I carry out the program of the left wing 'groups. The council session to decide j upon the socialists’ attitude was exI pected to last until 10 p. in.. making it difficult for a cabinet to be form ed before that time. In case the socialists adopied this I attitude, the question then would he I whether Briand would agree to govern with socialist support or would refuse because the socialists would not par-1 tieipate in the cabinet. In tlie latter case. President Douniergue probably would ask Rene Renoult. who was minister of justice in j the Herriot cabinet, to form :i cab-1 ir.et on the change of winning confidence of parliament. A Renoult cabinet would include Briand and possibly Herriot, DeMon-1 zie and Louis Loucheur. BAUERMEISTER’S DOCTDR IS HEARD Physician Is Chief Witness In Typhoid Fever Damage Suit Today

Dr. Schlagel. of Fort Wayne, the physician who attended Herman Bauermeister during his illness ot typhoid .fever in the fall of 1923. was the principal witness today in the trial of the suit for $19,000 damages for Mr. Bauermeister’s death, brought] by the Lincoln Trust Company, administrator of Mr. Bauermeister’s estate, against the City of Ft. Wayne and the Pennsylvania Railroad com pany. Dr. Schlagel took the stand about the middie of the forenoon and was still testifying at 3 o’clock this afternoon. The first witness called this morning was Mrs. McCurdy, of the state board of health, who analyzed the samples of water taken from the city water mains and the railroad company's mains ih December, 1923. Mrs. McCurdy, who testified yester- 1 day evening, also, testified that she found typhoid fever gepins in the water taken from the railroad company's mains but that she did not 1 find typhoid germs in the water taken from the city mains. The samples! are said to have been taken from the mains after the typhoid fever epidemic had been brought under control.

Uniondale Lad Kicked In Face By A Horse Bluffton, April 14. —Max Williami son, six-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. | Ora Williamson of near Uniondale. ' ufi'f-rf-d serious injuries when kickI '-i| in the face by a horse last Sunday night. The lad started across the ( farm lot on. a trycicle and one of the horses that had just been turned loose on pasture kicked hi mas he ' went by. The hoof of the horse caught I Max in the forehead, inflicting a deep gash and bursting an eyeball. He was rushed to the county hospital , here and an effort is being made to save hjs eyesight. CITY TO HAVE MORE POLICE I “— ! City Councilmen To Grant Request Made By Indus- 1 trial Association The city council will provide more; police protection in Decatur as a res|tdt of tlie request made by niemberst of the Decatur Industrial Association! at a meeting of the association held’ last evening. A committee was named hy Avon, Burk, president, of the association., to call on the council asking that anl extra policeman lie appointed on the’ day force and one on the night force* and extras on Saturdays, if needed, and representatives of the council, I who were present at the meeting, assured the members that they would , do the best they could, without cans-, ing a financial burden on the city. Sentiment, for more policemencame about since the holdup <>f the i Niblick and Company store last Sat i ttrday. when two voting bandits / I |robbed the safe in tin 1 store of alioutj I $1,200.00 in checks and cash. Opinions were given by many pre . ent and, if extra policemen can stop the bandits who seem to travel from coast to coast visiting the smaller cities, as well as the larger ones, they will find them in Decatur, it 1 was st 'ted. The subject of roads was also brought up at the meeting and County Attorney Henry B. Heller informed the members that the count', commissioners had consented to improve several streets in and leading to Decatur, including tin- petition for ( the improvement of the Samuel AckI er road, north of Decatur. L. M. Busche. county agent, reported on the success of the Junior Farm clubs which are sponsored by the Decatur Industrial Association and stated that, the hoys and girls were taking a great interest in the work. Tlie club work will get under way in a few weeks and members of the Industrial Association will personally call on the members when they get | started. The next mce'ing of the association will be held on Monday. May 4.

o TEST SANITY OF MRS. CUNNINGHAM Sanity Test Os Woman Suspected Os Poisoning Family Is Planned i • I Gary, lud„ April 14. —A sanity test i will be made late today of Mrs. Anna Cummingham, 50, held in jail here - pending investigation to determine t whether five members of her family ■ were poisoned. Alienists have had r her under observation since her re-

- turn front Chicago yesterday. Dr. William D. McNally, coroner’s chemist from Chicago, has removed ’ the vital organs ot Walter and Harry » Cunningham, two of Mrs. Cunning--sham’s children. Walter and Harry, tl along with a sister, brother and their r | father, died within a period of six t-|*years. as Dr. McNally said he was convinced Rhey did not die from valvular heart r as stated in the death cer•fillcalf.

Price 2 Cents.

MURDER CHARGE IS DEMANDED BY PROSECUTOR REMY Poison Finally Claims Life Os Girl Who Accused Ex-Klan Leader STEPHENSON LEAVES Leaves His Office this Morning And Has Not Returned Yet Indianapolis, April 14.—Miss Madge Oberholtzer, 28. whom i D. C. Stephenson, former klan leader is alleged to have attaek|et\ died here today. He was i charged with assault on a mid- . night ride to Hammond. The girl is said to have swal- ' lowed poison following attack. After Miss Oberholtzer had I been returned to her home her ' father filed • charges against I Stephenson. Stephenson was ? freed under bond after effort to 1 hold him without bail were fu•tile. Prosecutor W. E. Remy and Charles ' E. Cox attorneys for the dead worn'an's father went into conference to • consider whether they will demand 'a change in indictment to charge of 'murder. Cox had announced several • days ago that th-at course would bo Ipusued in event of death. i : Stephenson left his office about 110:15. shortly after the lady's death, file did not say where he was going and has not returned. (> .— bulletin Indianapolis, April 1 I—(Special* to Daily Democrat) —Kay L. Harris, of Hicksville, Ohio, was the lowest bidder today for the contract for seven miles of surface macadam treatment of State Koad No. 21. north from Decatur to the Adams-Allen county line, and for the thirteen miles on State Koad No. 13, from Bluffton north. Mr. Harris’ bid was $119,751. PUBLISH THREE ROAD PETITIONS Commissioners Expected To Take Action on Improvements Soon The petitions for the Ben Eiting. Ed Green and Samuel Acker road ipmroveinents, which ask that tin 1 roads bo improved with a hard surface binding, will be published thia week and will be heard by the county commissioners at their monthly meeting on Tuesday May 5. The petition for the O. Boerger road in Root township was also passed upon anil will he published and the ease

heard at the next monthly meeting of the board. The Ben Biting petition asks that the toad, commonly known as Thirteenth street, south from Monroe street to the intersection of State road number 21. be improved. The Eil Green petition covers Winchester street in this city, south from the Cloverleaf tracks, around the bend to State road number 21. The Acker petition calls for the improvement of that stretch of road from the end of Second street in the norh par of Decatur to the Smith bridge and west from the intersection of Second street to the Holland St. Louis company crosing. The petitioners ask that the roads be constructed under the

township three-mile road law. The road affected by the Acker petition is in Root township, while the other two roads are in Washington town- . ship. The petition for the Boerger road ■ asks that the road be improved with J macadam under the township road : law. The county commissioners did 1; not act on the petitions for the count ty unit roads, which were petitioned -for a month ago. These petitions have been tabled for the i