Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 23, Number 158, Decatur, Adams County, 6 July 1925 — Page 1

Vol. XXIII. Number 158. ■ ■ ■" 11

HAWKINS GETS 15 YEARS; FINED SIO,OOO

ADAM WEIS IS FATALLY HURT IN ACCIDENT Dies Today Os Injuries Sustained When Hit By Traction Car ACCIDENT AT MIDNIGHT Automobile Strikes Interurban Head-on; Car is Demolished Adam Weis, 52,5 i truck driver for the Mutschler Packing company of this city, died at the Adams County Memorial hospital at 7:00 o’clock this morning from injuries received at midnight when the Ford roadster which he was driving crashed head-on with the twelve o’clock interurban car in front of the Elks Home on North Second street. Mr. Weis was returning to Decatur after visiting relatives in Fort Wayne yesterday and the interurban car was going to the car barns after making the last run from Fort Wayne to this city. Mr. Weis was driving a Ford roadster belonging to John Scheiman and the wheels t>f the roadster were straddling the car track. It is thought that Mr. Weis mistook the interurban headlight for a street light, because he struck the car headon and no effort apparently was made to get out of the road. Grover Barvee, motorman on the interurban, did not see the approaching automobile in time to stop. The Ford was thrown cross-wise in the street and Mr. Weis was thrown through the windshield of the car against the curb on the west aide of Second street. He suffered severe cuts and head bruises and he lost much blood before medical, aid arrived. He was rushed to the Adams County Memorial hospital but died early this morning fro mthe injuries, without regaining consciousness. The interurban car was slightly damaged and the Ford in which Mr. Weis ws riding almost completely demolished. The motor was pushed out of place and bent and the fenders were torn off the car. The headlight were destroyed and glass from the (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) CELEBRATION HELD AT BERNE I Hundreds Attend Sunday School Picnic In Spite Os Rain (Special to Daiiv Democrat I Berne. July 6.—Saturday, July 4, 1925, will probably go down in the history of Berne and all Adams county, as a red letter day, and one which will linger long in the minds of those who attended the celebration at Berne. The county Sunday school rally and picnic, which was scheduled to have been held in Lehman’s grove a half-mile south of Berne, was washed out when a rain storm struck the community Saturday morning and lasted through the greater part of the day. Many people, however, gathered at the grove after the shower in the morning, and a great crowd was present at noon. The crowd had just eaten dinner and Judge Hill, of' Elkhart, was starting to deliver his address when rain again hit the vicinity, and so the picnic was called off. The Hon. Oswald Ryan, of Anderson, however, had given his speech in the forenoon, and it proved a great treat. The Dunbar band furnished ; music during the forenoon, also. After the noon shower, the crowd went to the community auditorium where Judge Hill delivered his address. Music was also furnished by a negroes male quartet of Kentucky, and they made a great hit with the crowd. Drinks and ice crea tnwere (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) <

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Attend Funeral In Benton Harbor, Mich. Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wertzeber ger have returned from Benton Har bor Michigan, where they attended 1 the funeral of Miss Mildred Wtregberger, their grandaughter. Miss Wertxeberger was drowned last Thursdya in lAke Michigan. She and the members of the Young Peoples Society of the First Cotnunity church, Benton Harbor, went to the lake for a picnic and while she an dthe members of the class were in bathing the tragedy occurred. She was the daughter of Mr. and MrseW. W. Wertzberger and was 19 years of age. o LOCAL PEOPLE IN ACCIDENT Six Decatur Persons Escape Serious Injury Saturday Night An accident in which six Decatur people barely escaped with their lives occurred about midnight Saturday night on the Bluffton-Decatur road when the Oakland touring car driven by Gregg Grandyberry hit the side of a bridge and turned over into a creek about two miles northeast of Bluffton Mr. Brandyberry and five other Decatur persons were returning from the Bluffton American Legion carnival. They were driving about thirtyfive miles an hour and a car drove up behind them. Mr. Brandyberry turned over to the side of the road to let the car pass. He did not see the bridge a few feet ahead. The car hit a wash-out in the road and before Mr. Brandyberry could swing the car back to the middle of the road it crashed into the rail of the bridge. The car ran up the side rail of the bridge and turned over into the creek. All the occupants of the car were thrown into the creek and the car was buried in the water. The six people who were thrown into the water, were thrown free of the falling car and were only slightly injured. Two of the young ladies suffered minor bruises and cuts. They were brought to this city where they received medical aid. The car was almost completely ruined. The fenders were torn off and the frame was badly damaged. The top of the car was broken almost off and the engine was severely damaged. It was towed to this city yesterday after several workmen finally succeeded in lifting it out of the creek. Mr. Brandyberry stated that the car was completely covered by insurance. o CHANGE OF MINISTERS John B. Stetson Appointed American Minister To Poland By President Coolidge. < United Press Service) Lynn, Mass, July 6 —The change of American ministers to Poland and Finland was completed today with the announcement by President Coolidge of the appointment of John B. Stetson. Pennsylvania, as minister to Poland. Stetson was recently appointed minister to Finland but his transfer was decided upon in order to send A. J. Pearson, lowa formr ministr to Poland to Finland. Parson is said to have re-* qusted this asignment to Finland on acount of the personal expenses connected with the Polish post. — o — ANNA BAUMAN DIES Former Adams County Resident Dies At Home Os Daughter tn Bellvue, Ohio. Berne, July 6—Mrs Anna Bauman, age, 82, former resident of Adams and Wells county, died Satnrday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Walser, in uellvue, Ohio, Death was due to sentillty. Mrs. Bauman was the mother of Ed Bauman, Hartford township farmer. The body was returned to this county for burial. Funeral services will be held from the | Salem Evangelical church at 2 o’clock Tuesday afternon.

STEPHENSON MUST STAND TRIAL FIRST State Gets Right To Pick Order Os Trial Os Three Defendants TRAIL DATE UNCERTAIN Prosecution Insists Upon Immediate Hearing; Defense Wants Delay I UNITED PRESS SERVICE) Noblesville, Ind., July 6— (Special to Daily Democrat) I D. C. Stephenson, former grand j dragon of the Indiana Ku Klux Klan, must stand trial on charges of murdering Miss Madge Oberholtzer before his co-defemlants, Earl Klenck and Earl Gentry, tire called to face a jury. This was decided today by Judge Hines in Hamilton county court in a ruling giving the state the right to pick the order of trial for the three defendants. Throughout a long drawn legal battle Prosecutor Remy had insisted that Stephenson, the principal defendant, be placed on trial first The ruling was made as one hundred veniremen were waiting for examination in the trial of Gentry, which had been scheduled for today. Defense attorneys objected bitterly to the ruling, and asked that exceptions be reserved as a basts for appeal. Tne decision of the court left date of trial for Stephenson problematical. The state said it was ready for immediate hearin and will insist upon it. It is believed the defense will attempt to obtain a postponment. Eph inman, chief defense attorney. asked Judge Hines for time to consider a further defense ruling and court was adjourned until 2 pm. o BULLETIN (United Press Service) * Richmond, July 6. —A. G. Lupton, of Hartford City, former president of the Hoosier State Auto association, died at East Haven Hospital here late this afternoon. FOURTHPASSES QUIETLY HERE Rain Marred Observance Os Independence Day In Most Places Independence Day. July Fourth, passed quietly iu Decatur. No community observance was held in Decatur and many persons spent the weekend at northern Indiana summer resorts. The storm, which was general throughout Indiana Friday night and Saturday, narred the plans of many picnics and auto trips, but little damage was done in this county by rain and ligtning. The auto races at Winchester were postponed until July 19 and several family reunions which were scheduled to be held in and near Decatur were postponed because of threatening weather. A severe heat wave that preceded the storms was not broken and the thermometer today was higher than before the rains. Hundreds of tourists passed through Decatur Friday. Saturday and Sunday on week-end tours to the hundreds of lakes in the northern part of Indiana and southern Michigan. The northwestern Indiana counties were hit Friday night by severe rains and then the sky cleared and made most summer resorts pleasant for over the Fourth All ball games were postponed because of the weather. Onl ya few fireworks were discharged in Decatur, but elaborate displays were shown at Fort Wayne and other neighboring towns and cities.

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, July 6, 1925.

BOYS GO TO LAKE Two Classes From M. E. Sunday School Leave Today For Outing At Lake James. — Members of two boys classes in the Methodist Sunday School taught by W. Guy BroWn and Bryce thomas accompanied by their teachers, left this morning for Igike James, weher they will spend a wek’s outing. Mr. and Mrs. Avon Burk took a few of ths boys to the lake and wi.l remain there over night. The boys have rented a cottage for a week and will spend their time in swimming, fishing. boating and playing games. The boys who made the trip were Harry daily, John W. Beery, Robert Passwater, Robert Heller. Tom Haubold, David Heler, Dwight Schnepp. Chalmer Fisher, Joe Krick. Paul Handier. | James Burk, Hubert Stults and George i Helm. o ■ 43 KILLED IN BOSTON TRAGEDY More Bodies Removed Today From Ruins Os Collapsed Building By Foster Eaton, (U. P. Staff Correspondent) Boston, July 6—(United Press )— The body of a woman, severed at the waist, with shreds of finery of the dance that ended in tragedy still clinging to it, was taken from the ruins of the old Dreyfus hotel building in Boston's Chinatown today, bringing to 43 the list of known dead in the collapse of the five story structure. Toiling with team shovels xnd two motor trains to clear away the wreckage in which nearly 100 revelers were trapped in the early hours of Independence day. firemen and workers feared that work at any moment might disclose bodies of additional victims. Fire Chief Dan Sinnott, hoarse and weary after directing the rescue and search parties for more than 48 hours, estimated to the United Press that the final toll of dead would not exceed fifty. A score, taken from the terrible tangle of debris which spilled over into an excavation as the entire building crashed in. are in city hospitals and some of these may not live. Fire Commissioner Glynn believes that the finding Aof the woman's body and that of a man early this morning. all the dead have been accounted for. The tragedy came swiftly in the midst of an all-night dance, attended by members of the Pickwich club, which was famous for its "Bohemian" entertainments. Dancers thronged the floor of the ballroom, applauding for an encore. The club occupied the second story of the structure, which was not otherwise tenanted. Without warning, save a few preliminary rumbles that scarcely sound ed above the laughter and voices, the ceiling fell in upon the celebrators and the floor gave way beneath their feet. Men and Women were hurled together in to terrible vortex of flesh and splintered timbers and tangled fgramework, down to the basement of the structure, wihle the rest of the of the five stories fell in on top of them. Chicago Tribune Tower Opened To Public Today Chicago, July 6— (Pnited Press.) — The 36-story Tribune tower, home of the Chicago Tribune, was opened to the public today. The building is a gothic structure, rising 473 feet. Built of limestone, lead and steel, the tower cost $8,50p,000, the newspaper announced today. The building stands on Michigan boulevard just north of the “loop” and commands a wide view of Lake Michigan. Weather Partly overcast tonight and Tuesday with probably local thunder storms; not so warm Tuesday and in northwest portion tonight.

HOLD TWO MEN FOR ATTACKING BLUFFTON WOMEN Muncie Men, Arrested Here, Face Charges Os Rape IDENTIFIED BY WOMEN Married Woman And Her 13-year-old Niece Victims Os Assault Bluffton, July 6. —(United Press.) — i Earl Thrailheld and Fred Applerate, of Muncie, arrested in Adams county I Sunday evening, today were identified by Mrs. Russell Clannin, of Bluffton, and her 13-year-old niece, Martha Crawford, of Mt. Zion, as the two men who criminally attacked them here I Friday night. The two men. who stoutly deny the charge of rape filed against them, have not been arraigned in court yet. They are being held in the Weils county jail. Mrs. Clainnin iuentified Thrailheld as her assailant by scratches on one side of his face, which she declared she inflicted in a futile effort to free herself from the man. Applegate was identified by one bad eye, it is said. Earl Thrailheld, 40, and his son-in-law Fred Applegate, 22, both of Muncie, were arrested in Adams County Sunday evening, about 7 o'clock, and taken to Bluffton where they were to be araigned today on charges of rape. It is alleged that the two men criminally attacked Mrs. Russell Clanin, 25, of Blanton, and her 13-year-old niece. Miss Martha Crawford, of Mt. Zion, in Bluffton last Friday night. Thrailheld was arested at the Lightfoot home, four miles south of this city, and Applegate was taken into custody at the Fred Bender home in Pleasant Mills. The arrests were made by Sheriff Noah Frauhiger and Chief of-Police Henry Gehrett, both of Bluffton, and Officers Melchi and Clark, of the Decatur police forec. Both men strongly denied the charge. They were visiting relatives in this county, their wives being here also. The attack on the two women occurred shortly after 11 o'clock Friday night and the citizens of Bluffton were greatly aroused over the affair. It is said that the tensoin was so great (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) o ELKS LADIES PLAN SHOWER Arrange Miscellaneous Shower For New Home Thursday Afternoon Mothers, sisters, wives and daughters of Elks are cordialy invited to attend the miscellaneous shower to be given at the new home Thursday afternoon and evening of this week. Whether or not they recieved an invitation all are most cordially urged to come and to take part in this event. A list of members was given to the ladies organization, but in, many cases mothers, sisters and daughters have been overlooked because the names have been changed by marriage. Those interested are anxious for as many of the women folk to take part in this and other events to be given so no one need wait for invations. All who are eligible should attend and take part. Any kind of a gift which can be used in the home will be accepted and several may join, if they desire, in the purchase of any article which can be of service, and any gift which will help to beautify the home or make it more convenient will be deeply appreciated. The committees in charge of the big Elks Fun Festival, to be held here the week of August 24, began to speed up this morning and plans for a great program are now being made. There will be thrillers and features, music, (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)

Board Os Review To Finish Work Friday ■ The county board of review will contclude its annual session next Fn-1 day, July 10. During the forty-day I session the assessments and appraisements of personal property and real estate have been checked by the board members and several changes have been made. In several instances changes were made affecting the entire township or town corporations. This week, the board of review members are comparing the mortgage exemption blanks and making comparisons with the appraisement blanks. , MANY LOSE LIVES DURING WEEK-END Between 200 And 300 Lose Lives In July 4 Celebrations And Outings Fourth of July celebrations and week-end outings took a toll of between 200 and 300 lives in the larger cities of the United States, a checkup by the United Press showed today. Boston, where 43 members of a notorious night club who were “dancing in the fourth" were killed in a building collapse, led the casualty lists. Police reports throughout the country show that the number of deaths due to Art-works and explosives was grafit'yingly small this year, but traffic and drowning accidents showed an alarming increase. Chicago was second to Boston, with 30 deaths, six from fire crackers; eleven from drowning, ten from automobile accidents and three homicides attributed to ceelbrants of Independence day. Indianapolis. July 6. — (United Press.) —Indiana’s casualty list tor the Fourth of July and Sunday stood today at twenty dead and fourteen injured. Twelve were killed in auto accidents, six were drowned and one was burned to death by fireworks. The injured were all hurt in auto accidents. G. J. Boswell, 52, of New Augusta, and his wife, Florence, 50. and son, Leon, were killed when their auto was struck by an interurban car near Indianapolis Sunday. Ermit Boswell 31. driver of the auto was badly injured. Clifford Hill, four, was run over by an auto in Indianapolis and fatally hurt, and Bruce Barrett, 23, died in the cit yhospital here after his auto crashed into a telephone pole. Four persons, three of them Chicagoans, dorwned at Beach resorts near Gary. Mrs. Nellie Johnson, 38. was killed and three others were injured in an auto accident at Muncie. Joseph Cordua, 18, of Hammond, and Marion C. Setty, of Calumet City, 111., were killed when their auto was struck by a train near Gary. One other occupant of the car was hurt. Harry Wilcox, 45, ond his wife, Emma, 42, were killed when their auto was hit by an inteurban car near Richmond. Both lived in Richmond 0 NEW BANK FOR TOCSIN Plans Under Way For Organizing New Bank To Replace One In Hands Os Receiver. Bluffton July 6—Plans are under way for the organizing of a new bank at Tocsin, to be known as the State Bank of Tocsin, to replace the defunct one which was closed recently, and placed in the hands of a receiver. A meeting has been called for boosters of the new bank project to be held at Tocsin. July 16. A committee has been selected to solicit peop 'e of Tocsin and that visinity for stock in the new bank. The Old Adams County bank of Decatur is receiver for the defunct bank. Robbers Under Arrest (UNITED PRESS SERVICE) Rome, July 6—The robbers who Friday night made away with two million lire worth of treasures from St. Peter's sacristy, have been arrested. according to the Epeca.

Price 2 Cents.

PORTLAND MAN PUNISHED FOR MISUSING MAILS Motion For New Trial Is Overruled Bv Judge Baltzeil PRAY AN APPEAL Stay Os Sentence Granted To Permit Filing Os Bill Os Exceptions (United Pre** Staff r-orreFpnndent) Indianapolis, July 6—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Morton Hawkins, of Portland, was sentenced this afternoon to 15 years in prison at Atlanta, Ga., and fined SIO,OOO by Judge Baltzed in Federal court. Hawkins was found guiltv of fraudulent use of the mails in the operation of the Hawkins Mortgage company, and its loan societies through which the government charged investors lost $(>.000,000.' Atotrneys for Hawkins immediately filed a motion for a new trial and the motion was overruled. Then the defense fild a motion for arrest of judgment as the first step toward an appeal to the United States circuit court of appeals, at Chicago. Judge Baitaell granted a 90 day stay of sentence pending filing a bill of exceptions by the defense. He was sentenced on 15 counts the total being 77 years. Since the sentences run concurrently he will serve only 15 years. o MANY DIE IN FIRE Fifty Charred Bodies Recovered From Ruins Os City In Columbia Where Disastrous Fire Occured. (United Press Service) Bogota, Columbia, July 6 — Fifty charred bodies have been recived from the ruins of the city of Maniza'es where fire raged from Friday night to last night. For yttbousand persons are homeless and the property loss is estimated at $20.000„0t)0 rainstorm last night aided in extinguishing the fire. o ANOTHER BIBLE SCHOOL PROBABLE Results Os Community School .lust Closed Are Gratifying Indications are that Decatur will have a Community Daily Vacation Bible school again next summer, so successful was the one which closed last Friday. The expense of the school is said to have been smaller than anticipated by the churches backing the movement and the results obtained were gratifying. There were 272 pupils regit!ai*y enrolled in the Bible school this year and the average daily attendance was 263. or 93 per cent of the enrollment. The enrollment was once as high as 290. but only those who attended one week or more were counted as regular pupils. Certificates were awarded to the pupils who did good work during the five-week coorse. "A" certificates were awarded to the pupils who did not miss more than three days and who did creditable work during the term, and "B” certificates were awarded to those who did not miss more than six days and who did creditable work during the term A total of 186 received "A" certificates and 32 received "B” certificates. There were several others who were regular pupils in the school, but who, owing to various reasons, were unable to attend regularly. The commencement exercises were held in the high school gymnasium last Thursday night and several hundred (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX)