Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 23, Number 91, Decatur, Adams County, 16 April 1925 — Page 1

Vol. XXIII. Number 91.

SEPTEMBER 15 TOl3 ARE DATES FOR GREAT NORTHERN INDIRNR FAIR E. u. Williamson, Secretary of Elkhart County Fair and Recognized As A Great Fair Manager, Leases Bellmont Park And Announces Plans For Big Annual Event; Agriculture E\h ibits, Races, Amusements, Night Exhibitions And Many Other Features Included In Plans for Event; .Manager Plans to Open Headquarters Here Son n And Have Program Ready For Publication In Nea r Future.

The Great Northern Indiana Fair, 1926, will open Tuesday evening, September 15 and continue until Saturday evening, September 19, bigger and better than ever. F. 15. Williamson, secretary of i the Elkhart founty Million-Dol-j lar Fair and recognized as one) of the very best men in his work in the entire country, has leased! Bellmont Park from Col. Fred Keppert, and today started plans for the event to be held here during the middle of September. Mr. William-on lives at Goshen ami returned thorn last evening after cnurluding the deal hern. He will return in a few days to open Headquarters and will devote much of his time to arranging details liere. lie lia- \isiiert here frequently anil attended several fails. He again inspected the grounds and buildings yesterday and declates the fair here this year will he one of the biggest iu every way held in the middle west. The new fair manage:- has been engaged in the business for twenty years and has managed several of the good ones. For the past few years lie has had charge of the IClKhurt County fair ut Goshen and has made it one of the good one*. He feature* agriculture and his complete program, which will he published soon, will make every one in this county anxious to attend the big show. The Goshen fair will be held during the week of September 1 and the Van Wert. Ohio, fair, always a good "tie, will be held the week previous lo.the dates here. A* there are but few fairs in the middles west during the dales selected, Mr. Williamson is confident that every feature here will he woith while, including a big and in- j teresting iace card. It is needless to say that this com- ( iiiunity will welcome Mr. Williamson and that our business men, farmers -mil all others in this county will he ! more than glad to co-operate with him* cud assist him in making the Decatur fair the very best in all this section. Bellmont Bark is the niosi attractive grounds to iie round and the lairs held here the past four years have been excellent ones. With Mr. Wil(Continued on Page Eight) BOYS URGED TO ATTEND MEETING Invited To Take Part In Nomination of Candidates For Junior Election All the hoys of the fifth, sixth, seventh ami eighth grades of the public, Catholic and Lutheran schools iu this i eity are urged to attend the junior p convention to he held at the Central school building Friday afternoon at 3:30 o’clock for the purpose of nominating officers for the Red, White and Blue tickets for the junior city i election. The election, which will be held in connection with Boys Week in Deca-|i tor, April 26 to May 2. will be held ; next Thursday, April 23. at the De-|' catur Library. The successful ticket will serve in the city offices at the city hall for au hour on Tuesday, April 2S. Officers to be nominated are mayor, three ward councilnien, two councilmen at-large, city clerk and city , treasurer. After the election the successful ticket will appoint superin- 1 teudents of the electric light aud, water departments, city attorney, street commissioners, fire chief, members of the hoard of health, 1 school board and other appointive Places in the city government, who 1 on April 28 will be called upon to do ' their part in carrying out the duties ' connected with their office. Boys Week Is being observed 1 throughout the country th's year and a special program of Interest to the ' hoys iH planned for every day Os the i week, beginning Sunday with boys i day in the churches. i

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

SHRINERS PLAN EGR CEREMONIAL Decatur And Adams County Shriners Interested In Event At Ft. Wayne In catur and Adams county members of Mizpah Tom pie. Nobles of ; the My.-tic Slirine. are looking forward with much interest to the Spr tig Ce remonial which takes place in Fort Wayne on ih> evening of Friday, May 1. Special interest cenlets in the ceremonial as it is the last similar event to take place before the opening of the magnificent new Mizpah Temple, which will be dedicated in November with elaborate ceremonies. Local Shriners have had a large part in the establishment of this building and its service which wi 1 form a new center of activity for ell northern Indiana. An exceptionally large class of r.ovici s will unite with the Shrine at the coming Spring ceremonial, as many wish to lie full-fledged Shriners at the time of the fall ceremonial and dedication. Local Shriners will doubtless canvass the situation pretty carefully and open the way for eligible Musous to tafee the Shrine , degrees on May 1. I C. C. Humphrey and F. I. Patterson hate been appointed by Robert i Koerber, illustrious potentate of Mizpah Temple, to serve liere as i “ambassadors,” to keep in close connection with the activities of the i Shrine at tlie Fort Wayne liead- | quarters. At a recent meeting iu Fort Wayne, Mr. Koerber announced that James 11. Hnberly, of that city, had been named as a committee chairman to arrange a plan whereby each city represented in Mizpah Temple would have a resident representative at Fort Wayne, toito'would keep the outside members in constant touch with all activities. Decatur is well represented in the membership of Mizpah Temple, the roll containing the following names: Roy Arc Tibold, Clarence E. Bell, John H. Burroughs, A. Leigh Bowen, Richard L. Burdg, Avon Burk, Geo. T. Burk, Sim Burk, Roily 1 Butler, Edward S. Cliristeu, Chas. 11. Colter, Earl I). Colter, Earl G. Coverdale, Jonas S. Coverdale, Chas. A. Dugan James Elberson, John S. Falk, Martin Cleon, Frederick P. Handler, Orval Harrutf, Harry N. Helm, David M. Hensley, Hugh D. Hite, John R. Hort|on, Sherman P. Kunkle, Chas. C. Langston, Wilson H. Lee, Clark J. Lutz, John S. McCrory, Harry L. Merry, Harry R. Moltz, Richard D. Myers, Clyde C- Nobie, F. I. Patterson, Calvin E. Peterson, John S. Peterson, C. O. Porter, C. C. Humphrey Percy J. Raymond, Claude C. Rayl, C. C. Schafer, Win. P. Schrock, Daniel Sprang, Geo. E. Teems, Philip 11. Thomas, Oscar L. Vance, Ralph E. Yager. Bell Telephone Company Will Renew Its Fight Indianapolis, April 16 —Indiana Bell Telephone company officials will renew their efforts to reduce the valuation of the company’s property fixed by the tax board yesterday at $29,571,938, it was indicated today. The valuation was a reduction of $1,000,000 from the figures fixed by the state board last year but the | company sought a reduction of $5, | 000,000. An opportunity for a rehearing on the valuation may he given the company in June. The board considered the reduction ! of $1,000,000 as large considering the additions and betterments made to the company's property last year totaling $2,000,000.

STEPHENSON ENTERS PLEA OF NOT GUILTY Pleads Not Guilty To Kidnapning And Assaulting Miss Oberholt/.cr TRIAL DATE NOT SET Motion To Ouash Indictments Overruled By Indue Collins Today (UNITED PRIMS SEUVIUI-b) Indianapolis, Ind„ April 16 —(Unit<d Press)—David ('. Stephenson, former Ku Klitx Klan leader, today entered a plea of not guilty to indictments charging him with kidnaping and assaulting Miss Madge Oberhi> tier, who died Tuesday from poison taken after the alleged attack. At the same time E; rl Klenek and Earl Gentry. Indicted us Conspirators ■ in the alleged kidnaping, entered , pleas of not guilty. The pleas of not guilty were en tred after Judge Collins had overruled motions filed by Eph Inman, at torney for the three accused men, to quash the indictments. Date for the trial was not set . Prosecutor Rcmy informed Judge Collins that the earliest possible date for trial under tile court calendar would be May 25. Remy and Inman could not agree on tills date and Remy was given time to propose another date. Meanwhile Coroner Robertson continued his investigation of the death of Miss Oberholtzer, which resulted Tuesday from poison taken after the alleged attack. Physicians who were called into consultation in the case were to it-s---t:.fv at the inquest today. Chicken Bone Lodges In Throat Os Anderson Man Anderson, Ind„ April 16 —An operation was contemplated today to remove a chicken hone lodged in the throat of J. O. Palmer, 62. All efforts to remove the bone have failed and Palmer is in a serious condition. AIRSHIP BREAKS FROM MOORINGS Giant British Dirigible Storm Driven Over Sea With 20 Men Aboard (UNITED PRIMS SERVICE)) London, April 16—(United Press) —Prisoners of the sky—held alutt in the giant dirigible K-33, storm driven over the North sea —twenty officers and men oi' the British air service are being carried along by high winds and have no hope of bringing their craft back to England tonight, the air ministry announced tills afternoon. Tlte airship and crew tire safe and have been ordered to proceed on their present course, holding their own as best they cun in the gales. At -1:30 \p.m.» the R-3’ was approximately 75 utiles northwest of Amsterdam. Lowestoft, England, April 16.— (United Press)—Torn from her moorings at Pulliam and carried out over the North sea by a 50-mile-an hour gale, tlie giant dirigible R-33, crippled and with 20 men aboard, fought the elements today in a desperate struggle for safety. For a time thousands on the shore watched lit* airship, its nose torn away, dip and plunge in a heavy rain storm. Then a terrific gust struck the huge craft and it disappeared out. to sea behind a bank of dark clouds. After nine and one-half hours, during which tile crew patched up the nose of the R-3.1 and were able belter to manipulate the craft in the storm, the dirigible was reported 50 miles oIT the coast, of Holland, northwest of | Amsterdam, The R-33 was reported sighted | near the island of Terseheliing. one l of The Netherlands group in the I North sea, at 3:30 p.m. Among those aboard the crippled ' airship is Corporal Potter, one of the survivors of the disaster of the R-38, which broke in two and fell in flames lover Hull, England, three years ago. i

Decaltir, Indiana, Thursday, April Hi, 1925.

1,1 KICS AMERICA 1 „ v

, MICHAEL ARLEN I Chicago. — Michael Arlen. tlte 2S "'year old author of “The Green Hat." 1) arrived in Chicago Saturday, April ,11 on the Century, with English 'lothes and an amazingly .iinerican point of view on many things: money, work, celebrities, etc. Mr. Arlen, with “These Charming a | People,” “Piracy,” ’The Condon Veni tap." and others to his ctedit besides [the more famous “Green Hat,” now > x ri'e- about three months a year. The rest of the time he spends, “in “jin own way." dodging authors. -• — o — _ .— it, C, T, 0, TO HOLD -COUNTY MEETING e| State President To Address Meeting At Berne Next Monday Mrs. Elizabeth Stanley, stale proslJ Hent of the \V. C. T. U. will he the j principal speaker at the county trn-M- - ing of the Adams county \V. C. T. C. - to lie held in Herne next Monday, ( > April 20. Mrs. Stanley will speak at each of tiie three sessions and will * talk on topics of great interest to t the cluli members. A six o’clock dinner will he served j in the evening for all attendants at the session. The object of the dinner I is to give all members of the Adams county association an opportunity to I meet and talk with Mrs. Stanley. The I I county meeting will start at 10 o'c’ock j Monday morning with a devotional | service. I A word of welcome and an intro- ' ! (Diction of Mrs. Stanley will lie given b> Mr- Vorheos , • * . Mrs. Stanley will respond with a short address. Tlte organization of an institute wil he next on tlte program, * which will lie followed by a noou--1 tide prayer. 1 The afternoon session will start at ' 1:20 o’clock with a Bible lesson. Mrs. 1 Stanley will then talk on “Our Red Letter Days and Their Signifificance" 1 A duet. “Higher Ground,” will lie J provided for by tlte Decatur Union. The next part of the program will 1 ( lie devoted to the reading of the preamble of the constitution of th» United States, saluting ihe llag and j repetition of the American Creed. A so’.o will tlien lie sung, “It Is There To Slay." Mrs. L Broughton will deliver an address on, •‘Broadcasting The Success Os Prohibition Or Luv Enforcement." This will lie followed . by a discussion on “Our State Plan Os r Work." At the c’osinc of the afternoon session there will be a rehep--1 fContinued on Page Seven! Discuss Pronoscd Air | Mail Route Through State t I Indianapolis, April 16 — Robert H. c Bryson, Indianapolis postmaster, was in Washington today conferring with Postmaster General Harry S. New on , the practicability of a new air mail r route between Chicago and New Orleans, by the way of Indianapolis. [ At thtj same time the Indianapolis f board of trade was in receipt of a letter from New Orleans stating the 1 route would be impractical at this » time, because of insufficient mail to j warrant it. ; Weather , PartTy cloudy tonight, and Friday: t probably local showers in south por- . lion- not much change in temperature. I

PRESBYTERIANS ELECT HUGH D. HITE MODERATOR I Annual Congregational ; Meeting Os Local Church Held Last Night REPORTS ARE GIVEN Past Year Regarded As Successful One: Other Officers Elected Hugh 1). Hite was elected moderator of till’ Decatur Presbyterian church congregation, and Miss Sim! Mayer was elected recorder at the annual congregational meeting, held at the church last night following a pot luck supper that was enjoyed by many members of the congregation. Annual reports were made by the ’ elders, deacons, trustees. Every mem- * tier canvass committee, Christian 1 Endeavor society, financial committee, Ladies’ Aid Society, Woman’s Home and Foreign Missionary* society, Sun- ( day school officials, and the Daily Vacation Bible school committee. All tlte reports were favoiahle and were accepted by the congregation, t Tlte past year has been regarded as a good one both financially and in achievements by the local church. FolI lowing the annual reports tie- Rev., it. N. Covert gave the annual pastoria! report, in which lie reviewed the , year, asserting that it had been, in . his opinion, a successful one. Dr. S E. Beavers was elected a ,member of the hoard of trustees. Ik S. Michaud was re-elected a dea- * con, and Judge .1. C. Sutton was elected a deacon for tlte period of one year. Judge Sutton was moderator last year. The congregation voted . a substantial increase to the pastor’s , salary. Considerable praise was gixvp be Daily Vacation Bible School, which • was held last summer, and in which ■twanv boys and girls were instructed. 1 All other activities sponsored by tie * church also were praised and regard 1 ed as successful. PHI DELTS PLAN TO RE-ORGANIZE i Charter lie-granted To Focal Organization; Club Rooms Obtained Several former members of tlte Decatur chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, , national social fraternity, met last night and began plans for the recliartering of an organization here. The new club rooms wil lie located , over the Voglewode Shoe Store and will consist of a social room and a a meeting room. Ji The old charter lias been regranted to Harry Knapp, secretary of tlte old organization. Plans for membership in the new organization were the chief topic of discussion at the meeting held last night. A letter from the national secretary of Phi Delta Kappa was read which stated that the secretary and whoever ho selected would compose a committee ■ to determine which former metnoers would lie eligible in the new organization. It was decided to furnish the new rooms at once, and plans for a reorganization dance were started, which probably will he given soon. Tlte Hluffton chapter also has decided to i reorganize their old chapter situvl- j taneously and it is probable that several joint social functions vsill he : held this summer. j ]>hi Delta Kappa was first organized in this city about twelve years ago and club rooms wet ■ then located above the Peoples Restaurant. After a few years existence tdie charter was sent In. It was later returned in 1919 and ■ existed until last summer, when the i rooms, located above the F. V. Mills i grocery store, were given ui> and the organization wits disolved. 1 The new chapter will be known by the old name. Gamma Xi and the names of the former charter members will lie retained ou it. d lie pro- • sent plan is to limit the membership . to a small number.

MRS. CUNNINGHAM, CHARGED WITH MURDER. COLLAPSES IN CELL AGAIN — ■ «■—■■■ n ■■■■!—cic i i Arraignment Dn Murder (’harjje Postponed Pending Medical Examination Os Woman; Confesses Last Midnight That She Gave Poison To Four Os Her Children, But Denies Poisoning Her Husband And Another Child; Claims Motive For Killings Was A Desire To Join Her Husband In Death And Love Os The Children; Tells Story Os How She Gave Poison To Children; Killed Those She Loved Best.

PORTLAND WOMEN VISIT THIS CITY i Inform Decatur Women About Business And Professional Woman’s Club Several members of the Portland Business and Professional Woman’s club met at the home of Dr. Elizabeth Burns last evening lor the purpose of informing the business women of Decatur, who had gathered there, of the advantages of a dull of this kind for this city. There are nearly find of these clubs iu the United States aud near 4U.00U of the most efficient and successful j business women of the nation are included in the membership. There are about thirty of these clubs in the state of Indiana. The Portland dull has a membership of 104. The Portland women have their own club rooms and the dub has been a (let hied benefit to that city. The purpose of those dubs is to promote the* interests of women: to encourage greater co-operation among women: to elevate siaiidaxd.s; io -x---tend opportunities and to cteale fellowship. An invitation was extended to the Decatur business women to attend the first district conference of the Indiana Federation of Business and Professional ■Women . dub- at Portland one week from next Sunday. The ((inference will op*-n at one o’clock. Tlte eighth district includes eight dubs and prominent women from all ov, r the distrid will lie in attend'lice. The Portland dub is co-opt r- 1 t.i ing with Miss Jennie Rue Herscli.! extension chairman of the district.; and every effort is being put forth to make tile afternoon meeting a de-l iightftil event. Several Decatur wom-i | en will attend. The Portland ladies at the home of Dr. Burns last evening were Mis Jennie Rue Hersch, Miss Ernta Rein-' hard. Mrs. Mabel Gasbattgh. Misjj Molly English, Mrs. A. A. Kist, .Mi-,J ( Juanita Smith, Miss Helen Smith. Mrs. Fred Meeker, Mrs. ('. H. McLaughlin. Robbers Enter Bank Os Poneto; No Money There Bluff'ton. April 1 6 —Robbers entered ! the Bank of Poneto, a town about six miles south of liere, Tuesday 1 night atid were surprised to find that ! the bunk had become insolvent and j dosed more than a year ago. Wil-j liam Kunkle, Jr., of ISlulTton receiver for the hank, said that money had | other valuables had been transferred ] to this city several months ago. \’ot t even a single stamp remained for tliej “bold bandits." Entrance was obtain- 1 ed through tlte hack door and the j safe was opened by the combination, j It is ihnuglit I olio the work of umatures. U.S. Navy Steaming Toward Hawaiian Island Today Aboardd U. S. Seattle, bv Radio from United Press Staff Correspondent, April lti Dipping into the west, the United States navy is steaming j toward the scene of its greatest war | : problem. With the flagship Seattle almost 21 ! hours ahead of the remainder of the' fleet, the course is laid toward the Hawaiian Islands, which the navy will attempt to “capture." Convicted Murderer Gets A Ninety Day Reprieve Springfiekld, 111., April 16—Russell Scott, sentenced to hung in Chicago April 17 for tlte murder of Joseph Hauer, was Hits morning granted a reprieve for ninety days by Governor [ Lcn Small. This places the date for ! the execution of Scott's sentence July 19.

Price 2 Cents.

M*rtf**H Ps•***«• S#»”*v Gary, April 16.—Mrs. Anna 1 , Cunningham, 50, charged with murder in connection with the [death of her husband and four I children today collapsed again j in her cell in the Crown Point, Ind„ jail, . She was examined to determJ ine whether she had swallowed | arsenic. ! Arraignment on murder was postponed ponding examination of the woman. When Attorney Frank Gavvit, and May, the 18-year-old daughter entered the cell they found the lady stretched out unconscious. She has collapsed repeatedly since her arrest. When Mrs. ( unningham was searched in jail a small box of arsenic was found. Police want to determine whether her condition is due to poison. Last night she confessed to giving poison to four of her children. . Gary, lad April 16 \ I'-h-.i of (guilty wiis expected by police today when Mrs. Anna Cunningham, 50, i:t ■arraigned on the charge of murder, following her confession last midnight to giving poison to four of her children, three of whom died. I The only motive behind the killings. Mrs. Cunningham said, was a llesire to join her husband in death and love of the children. I Mrs. Cunningham denied having riven poison lo her husband and to fliarry. the eldest son. They di-d •natural deaths, sin* said. 1 David, the fourth son. she fed mrsenic, is in a Chicago hospital, fighting for life. The husband and four | children died w iliiin t period of six i years. May. IS-year-old flapper daughter, j (scaped poisoning because Mrs. Cunningham loved her tlte least. Mrs. Cunningham said she took i poison herself hut the only result was j severe illness. ; "I wanted to join my husband, who • died in liils," Mrs Cunningham told i Sheriff Ben Strong quite dispassionI -ttel\ "And when 1 decided to die I 1 wanted to take along with me the childi '-n I 1- ■■■ - J.u.-'i •I never did give poison to pa—- • lie just died. I didn't give poison to ! Harry, either. He was my favorite ! son. He was the one I gave part of '• the money front the farm to buy an j automobile. After Harry and Fa were gone my home seemed broken tip. j “I gave poison to Isabelle. Isabelle (Continued on Page Seven) JASPER GILBERT ; DIES IN MICHIGAN Former Well Known Decatur Man Dies At Home , of Son In Battle Creek A telegram, revealing the death of Mr. Jasper Gilbert, formerly of this city but recently a resident of Battle Creek, Michigan, was received in this city today l>y Mr. Gilbert's daughter. Mrs. Earl Stidduth. Mr. | Gilbert, died yesterday at tlte age of I 80. Complications and infirmiites J were given as llie chief causes of I dentil. j The remains of Mr. Gilbert will ar , rive in litis city tonight and will be ! taken to the Stidduth home. Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Unit ail Brethren church of this city. Interment will lie made at the Decatur • cemetery. Mr. Gilbert spent most of his life ! ! in this city, with the exception of a i few years at which time he visited i ) relatives in various parts of the i country. For the last year he has • | been residing with a son in Battle :■ . Creek. He was one of (lie oldest > I citizens ill this county before his departure a year ago.