Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 23, Number 159, Decatur, Adams County, 7 July 1925 — Page 1

Vol. XXIII. Number 159.

TAX REDUCTION PLAN IS ANNOUNCED

CONTRACTS FOR REPAIR OF THREE BRIDGES ARE LET Five Contractors File Bids With County Commissioners Today PURCHASE SUPPLIES Board Buys Groceries, Clock And Other Supplies For Infirmary Contracts for the repair of three bridges were awarded to three different contractors by the county commissioners in session this morning, five bids being filed with the board. The bridges to be repaired are the Johnson bridge in Root township, the Engle bridge in Washington township and the Arnold bridge in Kirkland township. These bridges were •endered unsafe through iong years c* service and the abutments were • i.maged by high waters and washtuts. Yost Brothers secured the contract for the Engle bridge, Amos Fisher was the successful bidder on the Johnson bridge and Homer Arnold was the low bidder on the Arnold bridge. The bids as filed with the county ccmmissioners follow: Johnson bridge—Yost Bos, 11335; Chast Cole, $1634; Homer Anold. $1345; Amos Fisher, $1287; C. A. Leichty, $1915. The bids on the Engle bridge were: Yost Bros, $787; Chas. Cole $867; Homer Arnold, $972; Amos Fisher $988; C. A Leichty. $1875 Only three bids were submitted on the Arnold brldgtF. hdlhCTY’Yftst Bros , s6|s; Chas Cole $663; Homer Arnold, $585. Bids for Supplies The commissioners also awarded contracts this morning for the furnishing of supplies at the county infirmary. In the bid for groceries there was a difference of only 22 cents on a total bid of $137.75. The bids were. Niblick & Co., $137 53; Fisher & Harris, $137.75. For the furnishing of a clock at the county infirmary the bids were D. M. Hensley & Son. $10.00; C. C. Pumphrey, $12.40. Other contracts for supplies were awarded as follows: twine, Lee (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) BANDITS ROUTED BY POISON GAS Citizens Bank At Elnora Saved From Robbery Today Washington, Ind., July 7 — Poison gas released from the vault routed bank robbers and prevented looting of the Citizens Bank at Elnora near here, today. The yeggs knocked off the Combination of the safe. The gas placed in the vault as a defense was released and fumes drove the men from the building. They obtained only 11 cents from the cash drawer. Defeated in their attempt to rob the bank the bandits blew the safe of the Elnora Milling Co., and took $1,200 in notes. Five other business houses were entered and small amounts were taken. o —- Men Suspected Os Attack At Bluffton Are Released Bluffton, July 7, — Earl Thrailkill and Fred Applegate, the two men arrested in Adams county Sunday night in connection with the criminal attack on Mrs. Russell Clanin, of this city, and her 13-year-old niece, Martha Crawford, of Mt. Zion, were released from the county jail today, after they had proven an alibi. The officers staled that the two men proved that they were notat the scene of the attack at the time it occured last Friday night.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

BOTH LEGS SEVERED Workman Caught Between Two Cara On Elevated Structure In Chicago. Chicago, July 7—Caught between two cars on a north side elevated structure, Robert Vandel, 19, formerly of Terre Haute, Ind., suffered the loss of both legs here today. Physicians who attended him at the Lakeview hospital said he may live. Vandel was employed by a painting constractor’s company and was carrying water to painters on the elevated structure when the accident occurred. PYTHIANSPLAN GIG CELEBRATION Large Crowd Expected Here For Golden Jubilee Event, August 20 Plans are underway for the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Decatur lodge of the Knights of Pythias, which will be held at Bellmont Park in this city, August 20. The big celebration will be in observance of the fiftieth anniversary of the Decatur lodge. Both United States Senators from Indiana. James E. Watson and Samuel M. Ralston will be here for the day and deliver addresses. One hundred northeastern Indiana lodges will participate in the event and it will be one that will be long remembered. Grand .Chancellor Dore B. Erwin, of this city, and all other state officials will be present during the big celebration which will last the 'entire dsf There win be bands, quartettes and other sorts of entertainments to assure the people attending that the entire picnic will be an interesting affair. A big chicken supper will be served in the evening by the Pythian Sisters and it is expected that several thousand visitors will be fed at that time. A huge parade of automobiles will open the day’s celebration and after parading through the city the cars will adjourn to the picnic grounds. Speeches will be given in the afternoon and evening and contests also will be held. All members of the Knights of Pythias and Pythian Sisters are invited to attend the Jubilee. Invitations are being issued to all neighboring lodges and it is estimated that the largest crowd of this kind ever gathered in northern Indiana will be on band August 20. The local members of the lodge are working hard to make the meet a success and several specialties will be presented by the Decatur lodge, including an exhibition by the Decatur drill team, which is one of the best in the state. SEEK RELEASE OF HAWKINS ON BOND Friends Expected To Raise Bond For His Freedom Pending Appeal (United Press Service) Indianapolis, July 7 —Relatives of Morton Hawkins, head of the defunct Hawkins Mortgage company who is under sentence of 15 years Imprisonment for fraudulent use of the mails, were expected today to start efforts to raise a $50,000 bond for his release from jail pending appeal. Hawkins was sentenced in federal court yesterday by Judge Baltzell and his motion for a new trial was overruled. The sentence was one of the heaviest ever given in federal court here. A fine of SIO,OOO was added to the prison sentence. Attorneys for Hawkins filed a writ of error and a writ of supersedeas preliminary to appeal and Judge Baltzell set bond at $50,000. Hawkins was convicted last week of fraudulent use of the mails in the operation of the Hawkins company and its subsidiary loan societies.

BANKERS ASK COUNTY FOR AID IN PROTECTION Want County To Pay Cost Os Equipping Thirty Vigilantes PLAN IS FAVORED Commissioners Act Favorably On Suggestion Os Committee Members of the State Bankers Protective Association and C. A. Dugan, president of the First National bank of this city, appeared before the Adams County Board of Commissioners today and related their plans of organizing the Adams County Protective association, which will be primarily a protective organization for banks, but also will protect the entire county. The representatives asked that the county commissioners approve the plans and recommend that the county pay the expenses of equipping the thirty vigilantes who will be selected throughout the county and armed ■with revolvers and sawed-off shot guns. The expense of equipping these men will amount to about sl,000. The commisisoners passed favor ably on the plan and next September, at the regular meeting of the Adams county council, will recommend that the money be allowed for the equipping of the vigilantes. All counties in the state are taking the same protective steps. The eounty organization wjlLxojjlinue_t.hj plan <U»d eqjjip the men. The money will be furnished by the banks of the county until (CONTINUED ON PAGE EIGHT) o MURDER MYSTERY STILL UNSOLVED Officers At Loss To Discover Cause For Death Os Young Girl Lasalle, 111., July 7. —(United Press) —Police and county authorities, today joined forces to solve the most gruesome murder mystery in the history of LaSalle county. With the report, made today by Coroner’s physicians, that Marie Secjak, pretty 17-year-old girl, who was found by a roadside yesterday, had not been the victim of a criminal attack, the officers were at a loss to discover a cause lor the murder. The autopsy snowed that the girl’s skull had been fractured, apparently by a bottle of vermouth found by her dead body. Two charges of buckshot had been fired into her side. “The girl was the victim of a Sunday night joy ride,” asserted Sheriff E. J. Walters. "We have traced her steps and found that she was ‘picked up’ by two young fellows about 23, who asked her and her friend, Nellie Schalk, to take a ride in their car. They called each other Pete and Paul. “They took me home early,” Miss Schalk told the authorities, “I told them 1 had to get in early. They toid Mary they would take her to Jonesville where her sister lives, and would stop in at her mother's so she could get her things. Her mother gave her an umbrella to take along. That’s all 1 know about it.” The two youths were evidently familiar with the district because they mentioned prominent names and people in their talk with Miss Schalk, the officers indicated. They are tbday rounding up all the young men with touring cars in an effort to have the girl identify Miss Secjak’s assailants. Weather Indiana: Partly overcast tonight and Wednesday; probably local thunderstorms; not much change in temperature.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, July 7, 1925

LINN GROVE LADY DIES Mrs. Charles Reynolds Dies Os Cancer Following Illness Os Six Months Duration. Mrs. Charles Reynolds, 56, died at her home near Linn Grove, at 9:30 o’clock Friday evening, of cancer.following an illness of six months duration. Mrs. Alice Reynolds was a daughter of Levi and Marie Marsh Heller and was born in Wells county, September 25, 1868. She was a lifelong resident of Wells county. Mrs. Reynolds is survived by her husband, father, one brother, David Heller,, of Linn Grove; four sons, C. M. Reynolds, of Bluffton, Raymond, of Vera Cruz, Everett and Lester, of Linn Grove; and two daughters, Nila and Ethel at home. Funeral services will be held from the Christian church at Linn Grove at 2 o’clock Monday afternoon, the Rev. Mr. Baker and the Rev. Mr. Holliday, officiating. Burial will be made in the Six Mile cemetery. BISHOP MAKES APPOINTMENTS Father Leonard Deininger Is Named Assistant At Lafayette The Rev. Father Leonard Deininger, recently ordained priest of this city, and who recently completed his study at Cincinnati, has been appoipnted assistant to the Rev. John R. Dinnen. rector of St. Marys Catholic church at Lafatyete, Indiana. This appointment was made known last night by the Rt. Rev. John F. Noll, bishop of the Fort Wayne Diocese. Nine appointments were made by the new bishop, they being his first appointments since he was consecrated bishop a few days ago. Father Deininger will go to Lafayette, July 10, the day on which the appointment becomes effective. The nine priests appointed last night are all recently ordained with the exception of one, and are receiving their first appointments. Rev. Deininger has been visiting his mother in this city since he was ordained a few weeks ago. He will leave Wednesday or Thursday for Lafayette where he will assume his duties as assistant. The newly appointed assistants were notified today. Mother Os Preble Lady Dies In Fort Wayne Mrs. Louise Schroeder, 88, mother of Mrs. Ed Schueler, of Preble, died at her home in Fort Wayne, at 5:45 o’clock Monday evening, following an illness of six weeks of senility. Mrs. Schroeder was born ip Germany and came to this country with her parents when she was ten years old. The hus-1 band and four children survive. The other children are Fred Schroeder, of Mansfield, Ohio; Mrs. Ernest Baada, and Wiliam SChoeder, of Fort Wayne.

Elephant Rock And Its Origin Geological History Os Indiana States That Adams County Is Within Glaciated Area Os State And Many Bowlders W’ere Carried Into State From The North.

It may be interesting! to know something of the origin of “Elephant Kock.” which has been suggested as a memorial to Gene Stratton-Porter, and the following taken from the “Indiana Compendium of Geology” throws light on the subject: "Adams County, Indiana, lies within the glaciated area of Indiana, hence its bed rock (urolith) is covered with a thick overburden of glacial drift (regolith). The latter varies in thickness from a few feet to eighty or more. It conceals the eroded surface of the Silurian (Niagara limestone). Beneath the Silurian strata lie the shales of the Ordovician which rest upon the Trenton limestone, within porous portions of which oil has been found in the county. The formations are as follows: Drift, 47 feet; limestone, 436 feet; Bluish sale, 667 feet; Black shale, 110 feet; Trenton limestone, 40 feet. “The general geological conditions

ACTORS GATHER IN DAYTON FOR SCOPES TRIAL Little Town Is Jubilant Over Defeat Os Plan To Move Trial BRYAN ARRIVES TODAY Great Preparations To Receive Commoner; Trial Opens Friday By William J. Losh, (U. P. Staff Correspondent) Dayton, Tenn., July 7. —A clerk in Robinson’s drugstore, where the famous argument on evolution of modern times began, painted in large white letters on the window pane: “Judge Gore refuses to grant injunction.” The news touched off a heartfelt cheer in Dayton, where townsfolk with all their preparations made for receiving and entertaining visitors at the trial of John T. Scopes, had spent an anxious 24 hours. William Jennings Bryan, war lord of the state, who was to arrive at 12:20 p. m., will be the first of the titan figures to reach the scene ready for battle. Great preparations were made to receive the commoner. A general turnout of the town behind the Rhea Cential brass band in full regalia was scheduled at the station. Bryan will speak tonight at a business men’s dinner. Dayton received the news of its victory over those who would take (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) INVESTIGATIONS ARE ABANDONED Federal Trade Commission Discontinues Probe Os Industries (United Press Service) Washington, July 7—The federal trade commission’s investigations of the bread industry, the farm co-j operative movement and part of the “power trust” investigation, ail of which were ordered by senate resolutions, have been abandoned. The commission’s appropriations for the fiscal year started last Wednesday, do not allow for any “economic” investigation, unless violation of the anti-trust laws is specifically charged or unless the probe was ordered by a joint congressional resolution. The discontinued investigations were ordered by senate resolution which did not charge such violations, Commissioner Van Fleet explained to the United Pres',

of Indiana are not complex. The rocks belong to the sedimentary division. The only rocks of igneous know’n in the state are the boulders which were carried into the state from the crystalline belt of rock lying far to the north. During a great part of the time that the rocks of Indiana were being deposited the sea occupied the whole or part of the state. In this sea the fragments of disintegrated rocks of former ages were deposited to contribute to the strate which were later to form the surface of the state The movement which was to convert the marine Indiana into dry land began on the eastern border and extended across the state northwesterly. Because of this differential uplift the southwestern and the northwestern corners of the state were the last portions to emerge from a gradually retreating sea.” — Contributed.

NEW CUSTODIAN HIRED! Care-taker Os Wells County Court House, Guilty Os Intoxication, Resigns By Request. Bluffton, July 7. —Jesse Day yesterday tendered his resignation as court house custodian, to the county commissioners, by request, and the board immediately employed James Chalfant to succeed Day. Day’s resignation becomes effective July 11. The resignation was the result of an escapade last week in which Day was arrested for intoxication and four gallons of home brew liquor were found in his room in the court house. Day pleaded guilty to intoxication. STEPHENSON TRIAL DELAYED Case Not To Be Tried Until October; Attorneys Consider Moves (United Press Service) Indianapolis, July 7 —A council of war was to be held today by attor-' neys for D. C. Stephenson, former grand dragon of the Indiana Ku Klux ' Klan, and Earl Klenck and Earl ‘ Gentry to consider further legal moves in their behalf. Immediate trial of the three men < in Hamilton country court at Nobles-1 ville on charges of murdering Miss Madge Oberholtzer was made imi possible when Judge Hines preemptorily adjourned court until October Adjournment of the court followed a day of bitter argument between defense and state attorneys as to which of the three defendants should go on trial first. One hundred veniremen were in court waiting for examination to try Gentry when court opened yesterday. Prosecutor Remy demanded the right to place Stephenson on trial first as the principal defendant. Judge Hines granted Remy's request and the defense camp was thrown into confusion. Eph Inman, chief defense attorney, sparred for time until Judge Hines served an ultimatum that court would be adjouned until October if the defense had not agreed on their course of procedure by four o’clock At four o'clock Judge Hines adjourned court and' a moment later Inman dashed into the court room from a hurried conference with Stephenson in the county jail. Inman attempted to file a motion for a change of judge and two other motions, the nature of whicli was not revealed, but Judge Hines refused to reconvene court to consider the motions. Inman protested strenuously against Judge Hines’ action but without avail. He then called a conference of defense attorneys for today. ELKS INITIATION WEDNESDAY NIGHT Regular Meeting At Old Lodge Room, Also; Plans For Carnival Elks initiation will be held tomorrow night at eight o'clock at the old lodge room on South Second street, Fred T. Schurger, exalted ruler, announced this morning. The new home will be closed during the initiatory ceremony and all members of tiie lodge are requested to be present. The initiation will be held in connection with the regular weekly meeting of the lodge, and business of importance will be brought before the members. Plans will be announced for the Elks carnival to be held on Liberty Way in this city August 24-29. The meeting will start promptly at eight o’clock tomotrow night and initiation will follow in a short time. The new home has been completely arranged with the exception of the lodge room and it is expected that this will be done within the next | few weeks.

Price 2 Cents.

ADMINISTRATION PLANS A CHANGE IN SURTAX RATES New Rate Expected To Range From 12 To 25 Per Cent LOWER NORMAL TAX Repeal Os Federal Inheritance Tax Expected To Be Sought Swampscott, Mass., July 7.— (United Press.)—The general .tax reduction policy to be recommended by President CoolI idge to the coming session of congress, involving a marked decrease in both normal and surtax rates and the repeal of inheritance taxes, was announced today at the summer white house. | The spokesman for President Cool- ; idge said (he administration would , recornmend the surtax rate which ( treasury department figures showed 1 should produce the greatest revenue It was indicated this rate was exl pected to ronge anywhere from 12 to 125 per cent but certainly not higher ' than the latter figure. I Under the existing revenue bill i surtaxes range from one per cent on i net incomes of SIO,OOO to $14,000 gradually upwards to a maximum of 40 per cent on net incomes over $500,000. Th# president was said to feel that i the fundamental element in the administration tax reduction program was the amount of revenue which could be drawn under the new bill. It was said the administration would recommend any surtax which seemed to meet this requirement eo long as it was not one so high that in an indirect way it affected business. It was indicated a 25 per cent tax surtax would be the maximum in the administration’s bill and that the highest surtax might be considerably lower. Definite treasury figures which would permit the president to reach an exact decision on the normal and surtax rates lie will recommend have not yet been received at the summer white house, but Mr. Coolidge has made up his mind on the general out (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) o JOSEPH COROUA KILLED SUNDAY Train Hits Automobile In Which Former Decatur Youth Was Riding A telegram was received yesterday by Mr. and Mrs Daniel B. Roop, of Pleasant Mills, informing them of the tragic death of their grandson, Joseph Cordua, age 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Cordua. of Hammond, formerly of Decatur. Mr. Cordua was killed Sunday when a Canadian flyer train on the Grand Trunk railroad struck the automobile in whicli he and two other companions, Marion C. Setty and Rudolph Miller, were riding. Setty was also killed. / The accident occurred at the grade crossing at Thornton Junction, near South Holland, 111. The sedan car was demolished. Miller, who drove the car will recover it was stated. The Cordua# formerly lived in this city and at Pleasant Mills. Joseph Cordua was born in this city and several years ago the family moved to Hammond. Building Sidewalk Around Catholic School Building A new cement sidewalk is being constructed around the St. Joseph Catholic high school building, corner of Fourth and Monroe streets. A sixfoot walk is bein§ constructed and the half block on Monroe street will be completed by this evening. Amos FFisher has the contract for constructing the walk.