Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 23, Number 185, Decatur, Adams County, 6 August 1925 — Page 8

MURDER THEORY ADVANCED AMIN Foul Play Indicated In Death Os Cora Stallman In A Cistern Mattoon, ill., Aug. 6. — (United Press.) —From murder to suicide and then back to murder again has swung the pendulum of opinion as to bow Miss Cora Stallman, 48 years old, spinster and former school teacher, met her death. Iler b<xly was found last Saturday in the cistern on the farm of' her sister, Mrs. Anna Seaman. Her body, Thomas Seaman, her brother-in-law now says, was not found In a sitting position on the floor of the cistern. Instead, ho declares. the body stood propped slantingly uptight, the feet against the side of the cistern, the back against the center filter wall, and the whole body drooping so that the face dipped in the water. Examination has shown that Miss Stallman did not drown. Preliminary examination showed no trace of poison in the vital organs. Therefore, Coroner F. S. Schilling, as well as Sheriff McNutt, argue the woman must have been dead before she splashed into tde water ot the cistern, no matter in what manner she met her death. "Had she climbed into the well and taken poison, she would have sagged forward." McNutt said. States' Attorney Charles Fletcher has ended his investigation, however, until the coroner’s jury brings in a verdict. Fletcher is firm in the belief that the woman (killed herself. "Everything points to suicide," he said. "Her relatives and friends have told of her growing slightly deranged and of her recurrent illness." Coroner Schilling despite early an nouncement that the vital organs had been sent to Chicago, is holding them until the inquest has been held. If death from an unknown cause is the verdict, the organs will be sent to the University of Illinois for examination, he said.

Conflicting stories told by Mrs. Edith Lilley, wife of a tenant on the Seaman farm, has led to an investigation of her actions. Two of a series of mysterious letters were received by Miss Stallman last Friday. They had been mailed in Humboldt, two miles distant. At first, Mrs. Lilley said that she had not been in Humboldt that day. Prompted by one of her children, however, she admitted that she had been. Information that she had purchased stamps in Humboldt has leached the ear of Coroner Schilling, but there is no evidence that she mailed letters there. Dr. T. O. Freeman, one of the physicians who performed the autopsy, declares that Miss Stallman was dead when the body dropped into the cistern, strengthening the murder theory. —o —— CANCEL HONEYMOON Boy, 14, And Girl, 19, Elope: Funds Run Out And Bride's Father Starts Move To Annul Marriage. Mishawaka, Ind., Aug. 6.— (United Press,)—The honeymoon trip of Carl Josephe of Muncie and Zona Garnett, of Mat ion, was cancelled here today while the two youthful elopers awaited arrival of the bride's irate father. Returning fdom St Joseph. Mier., where they were married, the couple spent their last forty cents for gas for their flivver and then appealed for financial aid. The father wired to hold the couple until he could get the marriage annulled. Carl is fourteen and Zona is nineteen. They met two weeks ago. o Story Os Hold-up Near Here Is Not Confirmed Rumors of a holdup near this city, that was said to have occurred last nigth, have not been confirmed, according to Chief of Police Joel Reynolds, late this afternoon. The holdup was said to have taken place east of Decatur last night, but neither of the night policemen reported anything of the night policemen reported anything of that nature to Chief Reynolds this morning, he said. Figitive From Indiana Reformatory Is Caught St. Louis Mo., Aug. 6--Albert George Helmkamp, escaped convict from the state reformatory at Pendleton, Indiana, will be returned there today to complete a 14 years sentence for larlarceny. Helmkamp was arrested here fate Wednesday under suspicion and admitted being a fugitive. He waived extradition. o 5 |_WANT ADS EARN—S

w ~ jd A I The PROVIDENT Means s Prosperity To You S Announcement:- § THE PROVIDENT BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCIATION OF DECATUR ; iZ( has been incorporated under the laws of the State of Indiana, which law requires it ■> to be under the supervision of the Banking Department of the State. c ■) Al ¥ P ST The Association is now offering.its stock to the public at the lace value L r * f -/gS OF I Fifty Dollars per share, payable at.the rate ot titty cents per shaie per /■ T. nar- month ~ NO MEMBERSHIP FEE IS.CHARGED. |J ijj p n Economy will be practiced in every department.of the association, so that every dollar invested by )i\ '•} wJ you will work for you. (■) ■( / M ’) First: To encourage every man, woman and child in this community to save, which is the (■) "/ if 14^*003S foundation of prosperity. ■ • M ■) LIHI tiMßßmwu-wai Second: To encourage every citizen to own his own home, by paying for it as rent, increase /A ■( prosperity. . M Jr Third: To encourage all to keep their money invested at home where it will do the most good W ■f and perpetuate prosperity. u Ji Loans will only be made after careful investigation as to the security, which must be First Mortgage (> L/OOTi-S Liens on real estate in this community. The loans will be repaid on the basis of one dollar per month. '■) »»awEiM«'>aßMßK^®-T' f or each one hundred dollars borrowed. m i*( m VJT This association is strictly a home company, endorsed by our best w «( 13 ©ms CzOillDtlill/ citizens, and is being organized and will be maintained and managed jV ■/ i j-\i im- ii--a-iiri tit -Minr-iimr-i-r--n. ' >v home people on the most economical basis possible. The stock is (J J> now being offered for sale only by home people who are members of /■) y the association. (■) rt Z (a) j( FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONSULT ANY OF OUR OFFICERS, MEM- U .( BERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, OR WRITE THE SECRETARY. W 1 The Provident Building and Loan g 3 Association of Decatur a 2 Economy and Safety Means Prosperity For You \ W OFFICERS § : JAMES COWAN, President HENRY B. HELLER, Secretary X j JAMES L. KOCHER, V-Pres. E. WALT JOHNSON, Treasurer g DIRECTORS | ■) JAMES COWAN, E. BURT LENHART, JOHN H. HELLER H ■( Manager of Decatur Casting Company, Decatur Abstracter, Secretary Decatur Abstract & Loan Co. fatur Democrat Company Decatur W Ji E. W. LANKENAU, CHARLES A. DUGAN, I. C. WARING M gs Manager of General Electric, Decatur President First National Bank, Decatur Waring Glove Company Decatur y( J( JOHN H. CARMODY, JAMES L. KOCHER, w. A. KLEPPFR "”' tl Manager Holland-St. Louis Sugar Co., Decatur Manager Kocher Lumber Company Manager Cloverleaf Creameries Decatur W W CHARLES S. NIBLICK, R. E. MUMMA, GEORGE M KRICK"" Cl ■J -President of ON Adams County Bank. Deeati.r Manager Decatur Lumber Company, Deeatur Manager Kric-k Tynd-ill <om any Dec tttir W D C. N. CHRISTEN, E. W. JOHNSON, HENRY R " M of Christen & Co., Contractors & Architect Manager Decatur Insurance Agencv, Decatur i n W vm- i ’ f l .. W igf i-n.yer, Lenhart and Heller, Decatur • /-) L( C/ K) ®

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT, THURSDAY, AUGUST 6,1925.