Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 23, Number 143, Decatur, Adams County, 17 June 1925 — Page 1

Vol. XXIII’ Number 143.

STATE IISES ITS STAR WITNESSES IN SHEPHEROCASE Try To Prove Shepherd Had “Guilty Knowledge” Os Fatal Illness near endof evidence State Expected To Complete Evidence With Testimony Os Dr. Faiman Today (United Press Servjc*) Criminal Court, Chicago. June 17 -(Special to Daily Democrat) — From the testimony of three witnesses the state today attempted to prove I that William I). Shepherd had ‘i;iiilty knowledge” of Billy McClintock's fatal illness. Shepherd is on trial accused of murdering young McClintock by feeding him, typhoid germs. Each of the witnesses testified that Shepherd made statements to- the effect that Billy knew he had typhoid fever even before his physician diagnosed the case as such. "It is one of the strongest links in our circumstantial case against Shepherd," state’s Attoreny Robert E. Crowe declared. “This man had a guilty conscience. He had given Billy typhoid germs ano then gave him castor oil so that’the germs could do their work. The fact that Shepherd quoted Billy as saying that he had typhoid fever even be- . fore doctors were called in shows Shepherd is guilty.” Elbert Al’en, a court reporter, identified notes which he took when Shepherd was first questioned by Crowe in regard to the case. The notes showed that Shepherd said: “BUI came home on Sunday after nqpn, complaining he wag ill. He Baid he thought he had typhoid fever.” Two witnesses had preceded Allen on the witness stand with testimony of a similar nature. Crowe was driving the final spoke in his case today, hoping to complete his evidence this afternoon with the testimony of “Dr. C. C. Faiman, who confessed giving Shepherd typhoid germs for the purpose of killing young (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) Q ENROUTE TO MICHIGAN Decatur People Taking Saddle Horses . T o Summer Resort. Mr. and Mrs. Leo Weber and children and L'oyd Ahr are enroute to Bay View. Michigan, with ten head of saddle horses, which they intend to rent out to vacationists during the summer months. The party left Decatur a week ago last Monday and are making the trip overland in two covered wagons. They spent last night in Howard City, Michigan. They expect , to reach Bay View in about another -week’s time. Bay View is a popular resort in northern Michigan, and hundreds of vacationists spend the hot months there each year. ■—* o NEW TELEPHONE DIRECTCRY OUT Citizens Telephone Company Issues Directory To All Os Its Patrons i The new telephone directory for i the patrons of thA Citizens Telephone ] company in Decatur, Monroe. Bertie i and Linn Grove and the surrounding ■ rural communities will be completed i by the job department of the Daily i Democrat today and will be ready tor - distribution among the patrons tomorrow. Herman Ehinger. manager t of the telephone company, has hired < the Decatur Boy Scouts to distribute i the new directories in this city and t the Scouts will apply the money de- < rived in this manner to their camp t fund. ! The new directory contains 96 pages, including many advertisements ot r merchandise in Decatur. Monroe and s Berne. The company has 3.000 copies t of the directory printed. This is the t first directory issued since April, 1 1924. ' 1

J*ECATUR daily democrat

ALLECED BANDITS HELD One Man Believed To Be Member Os Gang That Robbed Galveston Bank. Gary. Ind . June IT (United Press) Oeorge alleged meniber of the bandit gang that robbed the Stater bank at Galveston, Ind waH taken to Logansport, today for bank officials to attempt to identify him. Arlen Ray and Fra|lk Bp!ady an() Helen Rois, sweetheart of Marshal) are held in jail at Hammond awaiting the outcome of the attempt to identify Marshall. < harles Cordik of Calumet City. Hl., has already been identified by Galveston authorities as one of the bandits. —o . CIRCUS DAY IN CITYTOMORROW Gentry Bros.-James Patterson Circus To Exhibit Here Thursday Circus High Lights Name — Gentry Brothers ami James Patterson's combined circus Will Arrive—On Pennsylvania tracks front Winchester. Indiana. Will Unload—Starting at about 5 o’clock a.m. Show Grounds — Ahr’s Field, east of city on Bellmont road Parade —Free street parade will be held at 11 o’clock a.m. Afternoon performance—2:oo. Night performance—B o'clock. Will load to depart—On Pennsylvania tracks, starting at about ll:oo o'clock p.m. Circus Day, for the first time in several years, will be observed in this city tomorrow. And bright and early with the rising of the sun. the great methodical process of unloading the huge canvas arena and its hundreds of animals and contraptions will begin. The large special train, bearing the equipment, will arrive in Decatur on the Pennsylvania tracks from Winchester, rmwtrrhw TnoiWffF. W " The Gentry Brothers and James Patterson Circus combined is said to be one of the largest and best tented concerns traveling the middle west this year, and it. carries more trained animals than any other show in the world together with a troupe of artists and thousands of pounds of equipment. The show grounds will be the Ahr (CONTINTED ON PAGE TWO) o FIREMEN GOING TO CONVENTION Local Fire Laddies Expect To Attend Meeting At Hartford City About fifteen local volunteer firemen are planning to leave tonight for Hartford City, where they will attend the annual Northern Indiana Firemen's Convention, in session al that city tonight and tomorrow. Irvin Elzy and R. E. Smith are the delegates from Decatur and L. C. Helm is a member of the executive board. The business season of the convention will he held tonight at Hartford City, at which time a site for the 1926 convention will be selected. Among other business will be the annual election of officers of the organization. One of the important matters that will be d sposed of is the invitation for the Northern Indiana association to join with the state organization. Mr. Helm stated today that he could not say definitely whether such action would be taken, but it was his opinion that the Northern Indiana unit would remain separate from the state organization. The various contests will be held tomorrow ad shows, booths and concessions have been erected in Hartford City to help in making the con vention a success. The Decatur fire department has decided not to take any of its equipment and, consequently, will not enter the various contests. The big parade of volunteer firemen will be held tomorrow morning it which t me more than 500 firemen and several bands will parade through the streets of the convention city. The session will draw to a close tomorrow night.

Decatur, Indiana, 'Wednesday, June 17, 1925.

COIiNCIL VOTES TO POT LICHTS ONTHIRDSTREET 1 ontract Let For Construction Os Sudduth Sewer Last Night, Also PETITIONS PRESENTED G. E. Employes Ask Aid Os City In Constructing Swimming Pool The Decatur city council decided at its regular meeting last night to place ornamental lights on South Third street and bids for (he same will be received July 7. A petit on was presented, signed by citizens of Adams street asking that their lights be placed inside the sidewalks. This matter was referred to the electric light committee of the council. Two bids were received for the construct on of the Sudduth sewer. Joseph Metzger was the low bidder and received the contract to construct' the sewer. His bid was $919, $5.00 I lower than the one submitted by j Amos Fisher. Work on the sewer will start at once. The construction of a sidewalk on St. Marys and Derkes streets was completed- and accepted by the city by means of a resolution from the city engineer who reported satisfactorily after an inspection of the work. Assessments on this work were filed at the meet’ng. A petition for a sidewalk on North Eleventh street, from Nuttman avenue to Monroe street, was received and referred to the street and sewer committee. A report will be heard at ' the next session of the council. The (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) 0 PLAINTIFF RETS SLDOODAMAGES Zoe Zehrbach Gets Judgment Against Telephone Company And City A verdict for the plaintiff, assessing the damages at SI,OOO was returned at 9 o’clock last- night by the jury in the case of Zoe Zehrbach, of Sandusky, Ohio, against the Citizens Telephone company and the City of, Decatur. . The jury deliberated ■ about four hours before reaching a verdict. Mrs. Zehrbach asked for. $15,000 in her complaint. The damage suit resulted from an automobile .accident which pccured on North Second street on the evening of August 1, 1924. when the automobile in which the plaintiff was riding struck a guy wire on a telephone pole anil was wrecked. There are two other suits pending against. the telephone company and city as a' result of the same accident. They were filed by Fred Zehrbach,, husband of the plaintiff in the suit just tried, and Maggie Fuhrman, of north I of the city, who is a relative of the Zehrbach fasnily and who was riding in the car at the time of the accident. The attorneys for the plaintiff filed a motion for judgment on the verdict this morning and the court sustained the motion, awarding judgment in favor of the plaintiff against the two defendants for SI,OOO and costs. The defendants separately excepted to the judgment and the court gave thirty days for the defendants to file their bills of exceptions — -o —— W. E. Prenter Heads Locomotive Engineers Cleveland, O„ June 17. — W. B. Prenter of Cleveland was elected pres'dent of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, to succeed Warren B. Stone, who died last Friday. Prenter served as vice-pfesident of the organization under Stone and since Stone’s death has been acting president. Prenter was elected by the advisory committee of the brotherhood and is to serve until the next general election of the organization in 1927. L. B.Drifting, formerly of Patchoge, N. Y.. and grand chief engineer of the brotherhood, is to succeed Prenter and A. Johnston ot Superior, Wis., assistant grand chief is moved up into Griffing's place.

HE WEARS A CAP » .-W ■ — ‘SB / t wm < f.■ j OH*®* — - - 3 . •i t & I»< '*l it & M

PRESIDENT COOLIDGE The above picture shows President Coolidge as lie appeared in Chicago Sunday, June 7, on his way to the I Twin Cities of Minn. Notice he is wearing a cap. TOLL OF WRECK MOUNTS TO 43 Many More Suffering Horrible Burns From Which They May Die Hackettstown, N. J. June 17 The disastrous wreck of an excursion train on the Laekawana rairoad near here yesterday had claimed a total of 43 lives that marks it one of the worst accident in years. A recheck today placed the dead at 43 men women and children with many more suffering horrible burns from which thew tttny die. The cauldron of steam which engulfed over 100 passengers on the train when it plunged into a switch wrecking day coaches and pullmans brought the death rate to a gruesome figure. o Thinks Amundsen Is Maki .Way To Cape Columbia Oslo, June 17 President Dr. Thomassen of the Norwegian arenautie duh told the U. P. today that he believed Roald Amundsen and his party are making their way to Cape Columbia after a plane crash near the pole. ! Hiftsaid Amundsen left sealed instructions to a captain of the steamer Farm to have a vessel wait 14 days and then start a patrol of the edge of the ice to Spitzburgen. — o Eighteen Miners Killed Sofia, June 17 —(United Press) — Eighteen miners were killed today 1 in an explosion in the "Prince Boris” i mine at Klatschkozi. the greatest I mine disaster in Bulgaria’s history. TO STAGE PLAT AT WILLSHIRE Pythian Draintic Team To Give Damon and Pythias Tuesday Night The dramatic team of the Decatur i lodge of Knights of Pythias will go to Willshire, Ohio, next Tuesday evening. to stage the play. “Damon and Pythias”. Tlie play will be given in the opera house in Willshire. Tip- cast will meet immediately folowing the* lodge meeting tomorrow nigtli and hold a rehearsal. The local dramatic team staged Damon and Pythias in the high school auditoiium here two nights recently and much favorable comment on the production was voiced. The members of tlie cast are equ pped with new costumes and the play is interesting. Several Decatur people wil accompany the dramatic team to Willshire Tuesday night. Weather I Indiana: Thunder storms this after • noon or tonight followed by mostl' , fair Thursday. Somewhat cooler it: > southwest portion tonight and in ex treiue south portion Thursday.

152 PUPILS ARI GRADUATED FROM COMMON SCHOOL! Annual Commencement Ol Adams County Schools Held Here Today L. C. WARD IS SPEAKER Superintendent Os For Wayne Schools Gives Principal Address One hundred and fifty two pupils o Adams county and their parents, re iatlves and friends, gathered at th* auditorium of the high school her< this morning at ten o'clock, to altem the annual eighth grade county com tnencement exercises. The number o: graduates was previously annuonce< as ninty-eight in the Daily Democrat but a recheck showed an error, then being 152. L. C. Ward, superintendent of Hu Fort Wayne schools delivered tht commencement address, urging tht pupils to continue their educational work and commending them on hav ing attained tills goal in the life ol education. After special musical num bers, the Reverend I). N. Covert pas tor, of the Presbyterian church of thb city, offered prayer. After superinten dent Ward’s address, county superin tendent E. S. Christen gave a short talk, congratulating the graduates and awarded the diplomas. Several more musical numbers were played by the county orchestra and Reverend Covert offered tlie benedic tion. The diplomas entitle the pupil* to ntranc. without examination, to anj high school in Adams county. A large ciowd attended the commencement (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) o MOTOR COACH ON ERIE BREAKS DOWN Motor Trouble Develops Al Ohio City Tuesday; In Repair Shop Today The motor coach that recently re placed the local steam train on tin Erie from Huntington to Marion. Ohio experienced its first break-down yes terday at Ohio City, Ohio when moto trouble made it necessary to send ou a S. O. S. for a steam engine to hel| it. ...... The coach was towed back to Hunt ington where it is being repaired. Ii the meantime, the regular steam trail will substitute for the gasoline coacl and the regular schedule will be ii r , effect. It is not known whether the na 1 1 ture of the motor coach trouble is set ious or not, but it is thought that i wil! resume duties soon. The motor coach made its first ru la»t week and had had no seriou trouble until yesterday morning whe it broke down on its trip from Hun ington to Marion. After an effort wa made to repair the broken down ei gine it was towed back to the Huntint ton shops and a steam engine replace l It on the schedule. it is thought that the new* machin needs only some small adjustment because the same type of motor ha ’ been running successfully on othe 1 lines for some time and It is not e: ■ pected that the Erie will discontinu I tlie use of the motor coach. io. ■ - t * Thief Steals Gasoline 1 From Stone Quarry Tan A thief or thieves broke tlie lot 1 at the gasoline filling tank at tl V Meshberger Brothers' stone quari i' ne a r Linn Grove early Tuesday mor s ing, and stole ten or fifteen galloi ’■ of gasoline. Tracks of an automobi ’- equipped with new diamond tret y tires, which could be raced plain! <- were followed along the highway f about one and one-half miles, throui ~ the town of Linn Grove, to a poi where they left the highway. Tl gave a strong clue to the identity r the thief but Harry Meshberger sa ly that there would be no effort to pi n secute the thief, but they have a go x idea on whom to keep a watch the future.

’ ARKANSAS MINISTER HERI " .To Preach At Baptirt Church Tonign I At Prayer Meeting. The Rev. L. H. Roseman, of Ark ansas, will be in th* city this evenini . and over the week-end as a guest <> ’ the Rev. F. D. Whitesell. Rev Rose man will speak at the Baptist pray*: . meeting tonight on some aspect ot th' conflict between Modernism and Fund amentallsm In the Southland. Rev Whites*!! will follow this by a ser mon Sunday night on “War in tht » Churches": the Battle Between Mod ernlstn and Fundamentalism: the is , sues at Stake, and What the Outcomt 1 Will B*." ELKS FLAG DAY SERVIDE TONIGHT I Impressive Services Planned At Regular Lodge Meeting 1 Flag Day services, commemorating the one hundred and forty-ninth birth day of the American '.'’lag which was last Sunday, will he observed by the Decatur lodge of the B. P. O. Elks at the Elks club rooms on South Second street, at 7:30 o'clock tonight. The service will lie for members only, and will he in conjunction with the reg ular meeting, Fred T. Schurger, ex alted ruler announced today. Filing commemoration wi.l be observed in the form of a ritualistic program. Regular business matter will come before the lodge. The in itiation services which were schedul ed for tonight will be held next Wednesday night Instead. All members of the local lodge are asked to be present tonight. Important business and r.-ports concerning the progress of the earn ival will be heard at the business session tonight. Walter Wilkenson. general chairman of the carnival tc be held In Liberty Way by the Elks August 24 to 2*. said today that pUn.i are progressing nicely for the largest and best fun festival ever to be held in this community. Work has been in progress all week in cleaning and renovating the new home bought recently by the Elks Trespass on the lawn that surrounds the new home by several children has caused the publishing of a notice barring the use of the tennis court until proper officials are installed to ■ (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) MOOSE TO HOLD PICNIC JOLY 12 All-day Picnic To Be Held At Bellmont Park; Address To Be Given i j Members of the Loyal Order o . Moose and their families, will pie . nic at Bellmont Park, all day Sun t day. July 12, and plans for a big da) with entertainment and pleasure foi a every one are now being made. , At the regular session of the lodg< |t last evening, tlie picnic was definite ly decided upon and committee: 8 named to take care of the varlou r The speaker of the occasloi r . will be Hon Frank Rodner Lutz, su d preme lecturer of the Loyal Order o Moose, of Mooseheart. Illinois, whi „ is recognized as one of the greates g orators of America. He will delive 8 an address to the Moose and tliei friends at the park at two o’clock i £ the afternoon of the big picnic da and everybody is invitied to hea him The picnic will be an old fashioi ed one but with some new attrai tlons for the young and old A i members and families are asked t bring a basket lunch and to help out. the lodge will serve free coffe lemonade and ice cream. Plan 1 '* have a good time on tlie 12th of Jul y Moose members and families an n friends. 1M The general committee includes I le C. Helm. H. M. Gillig. Jesse Roc ‘d and Walter Wilkinson and the othi y ’ committees are: Reception—Fren< >r Quinn. Edward Roffier and D ' Hensley; refreshments — Willla nt Huffman, Henry Dlerkes, John Kief * R George Sherry, William Foughty.L' of Bogner. Oscar Sprague and tlie Oi ld lor brothers; entertainment— Jai Tester, Fred Schurger, Willia ®<l Thornton, Andrew Zeser; publicity to J. H. Heller, Robert Green and Wa ler Wilkinson.

Price 2 Cents.

I DOCTOR HEARD IN STEPHENSON HEARING TODAY r „ Tells Os Condition Os Miss Oberholtzer Upon Her Return Home SPECTATORS WEEP Doctor’s Testimony Substantially The Same As Given Previously Preng Service) i Noblesville, June 17 (Special to Daily Democrat) While spectators leaned forward in their seals to catch every word of his testimony. Dr. John Kingsbury, of Indianapolis, told of the physical condition of Miss Madge Oberholtzer after her return from a midnight train ride to Hammond, Indiana, with I). C. Stephenson last March. Dr. Kingsbury's testimony was given in the hearing on the plea of the three men for release on bond, while awaiting trial on a murder charge for the girl's death. The doctor's testimony was substantially the same as that he gave at the coroner's inquest after the girl's death in April. Women in the court room wept openly as Dr. Kingsbury described bruises and wounds on the girl's body, which he said she told him were inflicted by Stephenson during an alleged attack on the train it was a terrible ordeal for members of the dead girl's family. George Oberholtzer. the father, sat with his head buried The mother lost the calm that had marked her bearing during the hearing and sobbed audibly. Marshall Oberholtzer a brother, sat with head erect and face grim and calm and listened to every word Stephenson paled a trifle as the weight of the doctor's story fell on * him, but he followed the testimony carefully comparing it bit by bit with the copy of the dying statement. Dr. Kingsbury's story of Miss Oberholtzer's trip to Hammond was the same as that given in the death statement. ROTARY BOYS WORK Program For Work During Next Year Is Mapped Out Today. Cleveland. 0.. June 17. — (United Press.- The policy of tlie Rotarian international in uidingthousands of tin forunate children throughout the world was laid down at the convention of the organization here today by Hart L. Seely of Waverly. N. Y.. chairman of the international committee on boys' work. f Almost since Its inception the Rotary have directed activities toward help ng such children. Year by year its charitable activities have grown and the program being formulated here Is the largest ever undertaken Most of Hie attention of Rotarians today will be directed toward Hie election of international officers. Anj nouncement of election results will ! not be made before Friday however MEMBER OF STATE t TAX BOARD HERE II y Says Best Land In County i- Should Be Assessed At $125 Per Acre ii o The good land in Adams county it should lie assessed at $125 per acre, exclusive of improvements, and tlie o improvements at from S2O to $25 per Y, acre, and the mediocre and other land <1 at a corresponding figure, according to James Showalter, member of the state board of tax commissioners, who 'P met with the Adams county board of ay I yesterday. If the valuations in h this county are placed in accordance with the above figures, the state board nl likely will not make any changes. Mr. H ’ Showalter intimated. ‘° “There isn't a farmer in Adams eoun--11 ty who would stand for those figures' * was the statement made today by m County Assessor William Zimmerman, ~ who added that the valuation is It(CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)