Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 23, Number 220, Decatur, Adams County, 17 September 1925 — Page 1

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Vol. XXHL Number 220.

THOUSANDS OF VISITORS ATTEND FAIR

brake hotel JJItOITSMOST hangforcrime Jury Find Two Gangsters Guilty Os Murder Os Hotel Employe SENTENCE DEFERRED State’s Attorney Hails Verdict As Great Victory For Law (United Press Service) Chicago. Sept. 17 The Drake hotel bandits must hang, a jury decided early today after a night of balloting. A verdict of guilty of first degree murder was returned at !:18 am. It carried no recomnwndation for mercy. Neither of the slayers—Joe Holmes ami Jack Woods—showed any emot on when the verdiet was announced The murder of Frank li Rodkey occurred during a spectacular holdup of the fashionable Drake hotel in July, Rodkey was assistant cashier. Fire bandits entered the lobby. They seized $7,500 and killed Rodkey. Two bandits were killed in a battle with police, two were captured - and one escaped. Judge Jacob Hopkins wf'l not pass formal sentence until after hearing a motion for a new trial on October 3 State's Attorney Robert E. Crowe said the verdict was a great victory for law anil order. Mrs. Rodkey. widow of the slain cashier, declared she hud' r**re!vc-d justice and was satisfied o , Milton Swearingen Has Operation Last Night Milton Swearingen, popular young man of this city, was rtished to the Adams County Memorial hospital last evening where'he underwent an operation for appendicitis. He was reported to bo resting easy this morning. Milton entered! Franklin Co'lege. at Franklin, a week ago and came home Tuesday for an over night •’.sit with his mother. Mrs. Lulu Swearingen. He became ill late yesterday afternoon. Milton was pledged to the Phi Delta Theta fraternity at Franklin. PROPOSE NAME FDR STATE ROAD Admirers Os Gene StrattonPorter Want No. 21 Called Limberlost Trail In connection with moving Elephant hock a 50-ton boulder, from the bed of the St Marys River and placing it in front of the cour£ house in this city as a memorial to Mrs. Gene StrattonPorter plans now being made include naming state road No. 21. as "Limberlost Trail." A committee composed of W. D. Press. Geneva; Ed M. Ray. Berne. James A. Hendricks, Monroe, and Thomas J. Durkin, of thia city, has been appointed to take up the matter ’it hthe Hoosier State Automobile Association and the state h'ghway " mtnission, with the view of ha ving *his road, which passes through Geneva, former home of Mrs. Porter, and through the county, designated as ’h p Limberlost trail. Much interest has been shown in the Ilans now under way for erecting memor.a? to Mrq Porter and within a short tune a day will be proclaimed p S f ' ene Stratton-Porter day in Adams ounty and the campaign made to r > ise sufficient money to move the r °ck and cause the memorial to be erected. is estimated that SBOO to SI,OOO be sufficient to pay the cost of ■ectng th ememorial, and those who ar e sponsoring the movement are con«nt that this can be raised within ‘ 'ery short time. The school chilren will as3 lst in raising this fund.

Cupid’s Target is V - MISS' ERIW FRANCIS'! — Edita G. Francis, as “Miss Houston,” failed to catch the judges' eyes in the national beauty pageant, but she looked just about the prettiest of all to Jules T. Tischendorf, a fellow townsman. She has started home as his bride. neWge^to - BE OPENED HERE Kroger Company To Occupy Former White Stag Cigar Co. Building A new grocery store w ill be opened in Decatur about October 1 by the] Kroger Grocery concern, operators of a chain of groceries. The new store I will be located in the building on South Second street until recently occupied by the White Stag cigar company. The Kroger company operates stores in Fort Wayne and several other cities in Indiana and neighboring . states-. Htnry Thomas, proprietor of the White Stag cigar company closed out his business a short time ago, on account of his poor health. Mr. T.annas suffered a nervous breakdown about a year ago and. although he has improved greatly, has not regained his former health entirely. The building is located the first door north of the K. Burdg millinery store. o Man Goes On Trial For Attempted Criminal Attacks Columbus. Ind., Sept. 17. —(United Press) —Orrel Brown. 40, known by police as “Jack-the-Grabber” was to go on trial in Bartholomew county court today charged with attempting to attack four girls and women. At the time of his arrest. Brown signed a written confession that lie lay in alleys at night and grabbed the girls with intent to commit criminal assault on them. Subsequently he pleaded not guilty in the circuit court and trial was set for today. He has been in jail since his arrest. —, Kellogg Bars English Communist From Parley Bulletin ■Washington, Sept. 17. — (United Press)—Both condemnation and praise were showered upon Secretary of State Kellogg today for his action ,n barring Shapurji Saklatvala, communist member of the British parliament, from entering this country 1o attend the sessions of the Inter-parliamentary ustion here next month. Senator Borah. Idaho, chairman of the senate foreign relations committee , and -a noted exponent of free speech, , led with a statement that "the United , States cannot afford to be more afraid than the British government to allow this man to express his opinion freely.”

BARBARA YODER DIES AT BERNE Widow Os Joseph Yoder Succumbs At Home Os The Rev.C.N.Stucky Mrs Barbara Yoder, age 73 years, died at the homo of the Rev. N. Stucky, in Berne. Tuesday. Mrs. Yoder, nee Stucky, was born in French township, Adams county, December 4. 1851. She was married to Joseph Yoder, who died May 30, 1911. To this union no children were born, but Mrs. Yoder leaves to mourn her departure, tiiree step ch.ilj dren. two sisters, Mrs. C. N. Stucky | and three brothers, Nicholas and j and Christine Stucky, of Linn Grove: i Peter, of Berne, and Mcses. of ‘ Woodburn. Funeral services will be held i* Thursday afternoon at 1 o'clock from the home of Rev C. M Stucky, and from the Defenseloss Mennonite church, of which Mrs. Yoder was a member, at 1:30 o’clock. — o Indiana To Have Small National Guard This Year Ind'anapo'is. Sept. 17. — (United Press)—The Indiana National Guard, for the present at least, will be the sandiest army of reserves the state has maintained since the World War, it was made known today by Adjutant General Kerschner. The adjutant general said the guard I could not possibly exceed the present ! strength of 4.500 because the budget ■ appropriation this year is greatly re- ' duced as compared to the financial ' allotment of previous fears. "Instoad'of'havfng enlistment drives this fall to fill up the companies, as was the case in previous years, we have a long waiting list for each compI any," General Kerschner said. Little trouble is expected during the winter from the problem of getting I a full attendance at drill that usually I confronts the guard officers, according to the adjutant general. “Men who miss drills consistently without a sufficient reason will bo discharged," he said. "We have too many men on the waiting list who will be too. glad to have a chance to ga’n experience in the guard to waste t'tne with the fellows who think they can miss drill every time they feel like it. “We will resort to the legal right to place a man in jail for a failure to attend drill only when his aefion threatens the discipline of the company." Under war department orders, only forty-eight drills will be held a year from now on. o Seek Grand Jury Probe Os Death At Richmond Richmond, Ind.. Sept. 17.—(United Press)—A grand jury investigation of the death of Leroy Yost, whose body was found in an elevator at a factory here, was sought today by Coroner Bond. Bond said the evidence of foul p’ay was sufficient to warrant a grand jury probe. Yost met death by a blow on the head, according to the coroner's verdict. Upon finding the body, authorities took Leonard Smith, a brother-in-law of Yost, into custody for questioning. Smith was night watchman at the factory where the body was discovered. Although failing to shed any light on the mystery, Smith is still in custody. — o Banks To Close Friday The hanks In the city will close nt ( noon on Friday and remain closed for | the remainder of the day. in order that the employes may attend the Northern Indiana fair. Automobile Burns A Ford coupe was destroyed by fire on the highway about a half mile south of the Raudebush school house on the county farm road between midnight last night and th's morning It has not been learned who the car belonged to. but the license number was 256,770.

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, September 17, 1925.

Ginlcy Begins Serving Term In County Jail James Ginley was locked lu the' county jail Wednesday evening to I begin serving u sentence for violatj Ing the prohibition law. recently Im.posed upon him by Mayor DeVoss. I Ginley was found guilty and fined t SIOO and costs, amounting to about. $l3O, anil sentenced to serve thirty days in jail. He appealed his case! to the circuit court, but upon his mo-' tion, the appeal was dismissed list - week. Mayor DeVoss today issued a ’ committment for him and Chief of Police Reynolds locked him up. The tine and costs have not been paid yet, j either. VETERANS TO PICNIC SUNDAY i Ex-Soldiers Os Indiana And Ohio To Gather At Celina, Ohio Arrangements are complete for the 1 ' first annual ail-d.iv picnic of ex-sold-i iers of Indiana and Ohio, to be held at Edgewater Park. Celina, Ohio, next Sunday, September 20. The picnic is open to all ex-soldiers, their families and their friends. A big basket dinner will be spread in the park at noon and all who attend are urged to bring well-filled baskets. Mayor Morrow, of Celina, wil! address the veterans and their friends during the forenoon session. Judge Thomas Morrow, of Cincinnati, Ohio, will de’.ive and address on. "Our Duties a» Citizens." during tlie afternoon. The Hon. W. T. Fitzgerald, an Ohio congressman, will speak on "Needs of the Hour." Several other addresses will be given by prominent speakers. Several bands will be present to provide music tor the occasion. The program for the picnic is as follows: Morning Session —10 o'clock Chairman —A. F. Sarver. M D., Greenville, Ohio. Muster of Ceremonies—Hon. Frank L. Kloab. Celina. Ohio. Address of Welcome—Mayor Morrow, , of Celina, Ohio. (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) o CONN EXHIBIT DRAWS INTEREST Manufacturers Os Musical Instruments Have $20,000 Display At Fair L B. Elhardt, factory representative of the C- G. Conn Company, Ltd., makers of musical instruments is in this city this week with a large exhibit of instruments direct from a disifay at Milwaukee. The exhibit is valued at $20,000 and is the largest ever shown in this county. The display is in the Woman's Art building at the fair grounds and Mr. Elhardt has issued a special invitation for ail fair-goers to visit the Conn display. The exhibit is composed of all gold instruments. Mr. Elhardt is cooperating with the various bands at , the fa r and has also caled attention to all people interested in music to his displav. He stated this morning that an agent had been selected in , Decatur to handle the Conn musical instruments. The Northern Ind'ana Fair was selected as one of the few expositions in this state where the big gold display wuold be brought and according to those who have seen it. it is well worth the time of visiting the Arts building to see the display. The Conn factory is located at Elkhart and it has been making musical instruments for many years, .being regarded as one of the best manufac turers in the world Mr Elhardt stated that he would be in the city the rest of the week arranging for an agency in Decatur and it is probable that it will open! in the next few weeks. The name of the agency has not yet been announced. Weather Fair tomorrow and warmer Thursday; Friday increasing cloudiness.

TRIES TO CASH FORCED CHECK Loyd Bieberstine, Os Near Berne, Jailed Here Wednesday Evening A charge of forgery was filed again t Bieberstine in circuit court this morning. The affidavit was signed by Officer Melchi. Bieberstine, was expected to be arraigned in court' sometime today. Lloyd Bieberstine, a young man residing southwest of Berne was taken into custody late yesterday afternoon by Policeman Melchi and Special Poiceman Charles Ault, after he had attempted to cish a forged check at the Hoosier grocery about 5 o'clock. Young Bieberstine has been in court in Decatur and also in Wells county several times and at present has a charge pending against him for grain stealing. Bieberstine went into the Hoosier grocery and asked them to cash a check for hint tor $13.20, which supposedly had been written by the Burk Elevator Company. The clerk in the store noticed that the won! elevator was misspelled and told the young man that he would call the elevator and see if the check was good. Bieberstine became frightened and ran out of the store. He was caught by Officer Ault near the interurban station and was turned over to Officer Melchi. who took him to the county jail. It is not yet known whether a charge will be filed against him. or whether he will be sentenced on the pending charge. When arraigned on the previous charge, it was postponed indefinitely provided the young man did not get into further trouble, but bis attempt to cash the eheck yesterday probably will open up the old case Several stores in Decatur report that a man answering Bieberstine's description attempted to cash checks with them yesterday, but hi- was apparently turned down on all previous attempts. o Rumor Tells Os Sea Serpent In Lake James Steuben county is all excited over the report of a sea serpent in Lake Jaittvs. Various fishermen have repotted seeing the monster during the past week. Some state that it is fifty feet long, others that it is as long as one hundred feet. All agree that it is of lurid hue and disports itself noisily and vigorously in the water, and that the head of the monster is about three feet long and stands distinctly out of the water. People have gotten so worked up about the lake, that bathing lias come almost to a stop, according to rumors. The Angola Rotary club, under whose invitation Group 11 will hold a meeting at Izike James on Friday afternoon, is ofering a reward to the person who will capture the monster, so that there may be nothing to mar the pleasure of the visitors at the lake. At any rate the rumor adds zest to the forthcoming meeting of Rotarians at tlie lake. Perhaps there is something in the climate there that makes people see reptiles of lurid colors. o Flood Destroys Crops In Chinese Province By Randall Gould <U r C <’-re«”ondent' Peking, Sept. 17.—(United Press.) —All crops over an area sixty miles long and thirteen miles wide have been destroyed by flood waters of the Yellow river which have now surrounded 900 millages in Shangtung province. Dikes at Yung Chenhsien broke beneath the swollen tides pouring waters over the vast area and the Yellow river shifted its course. Emergency relief work has started under the direction of the international famine relief commission which is sending out boats as the only] meins of communication with the stricken districts. The organization has sent a chief engineer to advise on relief measures and on control, of the river.

I Fleeting Years I ■ f fir J*. ’W ' ■? ' . j - (* When Evelyn Nesbit’s case, at Atlantic City was raided] there was a bare announcement of the fact in the papers.! On the same day a few lines' noted the tact her former hus-| band, Harry Thaw, was visiting his old haunts on BroadExiiumS ABE DN DUTY Four Men Added To City Force During Fair; Several At Fair Grounds Several extra policemen are on duty in the city and at the fair grounds during the fair this week. Joel Reynolds, cltlef of police, stated today that he bad appointed four extra men to handle the traffic in the city. They are Charles Ault, W B. Waumack, Al Moser and Frank Neadstine. Two of these men will work at the intersection of Monroe and First streets, and the other two at the intersection of Madison and Second streets. They will work in shifts. E. B. Williamson, manager of the fair, has appointed several men to do police duty at the fair grounds and along the road loading to the fair grounds. They have been sworn in as deputies by the mayor and have the power to arrest any law violators. The regular day and night city policemen will be on duty each night, also, until the fair traffic is over. o Gas And Electric Organizations To Meet French Lick. Ind.. Sept. 17. — (United Press) —Public utility executives of Indiana and the middle west will gather here next Monday for three meetings of gas and electric organizations. Tlie Indiana Gas Association will hold a two day session at the West Baden hotel Monday anil Tuesday. G. M. Johnson, of South Bend. ;s president of the organization. 'Die Indiana Electric Light Association will meet here Wednesday The program will he in charge of T. N. Wayne, of Indianapolis, president. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday of next week the Great Lakes division of tlie National Electric Light Associa. tion will held its annual meeting here. ——o Rotarians Not To Hold Regular Meeting Tonight Ou account of the fair, the regular meeting of the Rotarians will not be held this evening. However, every Rotarian is asked to register this evening before six-thirty o'clock at the Industrial rooms or with Herman J. Yager, secretary.

Price 2 Cents.

FAIRWEATHER ON SECOND DAY OF EXPOSITION ' Fair-goers Flock To Bellmont Park For Second Day Os Event TRACK IS FAST Cloudy Weather Wednesday Cut Attendance On Opening Day A clear day greeted concessioners and fair-goers today and prospects of a record crowd at the second day of the Northern Indiana Fair were bright at 'noon today. At 10 o'clock, it was estimated that more than 2.000 people were on the grounds and a steady stream gave promise that at least 6,000 would attend the big day of the annual exposition. The Dunbar band of Berne was scheduled to furnish t’le music for . the day and the players arrived In ] this city early. At 10 o'clock th.-j* struck up the fir.t selection aud stat ted the program for the banner day of the fair. Three good races I are scheduled for this afternoon to I start at 1:30 o'clock. The grandstand j acts will be given between the heats <of the races. This year’s grandstand i acts are said to be the best of any ’ ever shown here. Judging A most Finished Rube LaMonte, announcer, will be in charge of the exhibitions between the races The various exhibits are all open today. Judging started at noon today. Many good exhibits are on the grounds this year. The sheep exhibit is the largest ever shown here. Another good exhibit is in the poultry department, where many prize winners are being displayed. Tonight's program includes the grandstand acts and the grand display of fireworks. This year’s display of fireworks is the most elaborate ami largest even shown in this part of the j state, according to those who witnessed the grand display last night. There will be a change of fireworks toniglfit |and tomorrow night and everybody is invited to stay during the evening fair and witness the great (CONTINUED ON PAGE SLX) oKIWANIANS MEET AT FORT WAYNE Practically Every Club In State Represented At Convention Fort Wayne, Ind., Sept. 17. — (United Press) —Practically every Kiwanis club in Indiana was rep esented today at the annual state convention of the organization. • Thomas A. Coleman, of district governor of the state, called the first business session to order this morning. L. ('. Ward, head of the Fort Wayne c'ub. delivered the welcome to the visiting Kisanians. Convention com. mittees were named at the morning session and group luncheons were scheduled for noon., A hall dozen addresses and committee reports will occupy tin attention of the. convention this afternoon and Senator Watson will speak at the annual banquet tonight. Off cars for the coming year will he elected tomorrow. Tlie names of A. E. Kress of Teno Haute and C. E Endicott, of Huntington, wore advanced for election as district governor to succeed Coleman. Kress was at one time lieutenapt | governor for the Terre Haute district. • Endicott wa < defeated for district » governor last year, by Coleman. r Delegates from Marion were seek- • ing the 1926 convention for that city. a Convention officials expected an at. . tendance of more than one thousand at the gathering.