Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 24, Number 299, Decatur, Adams County, 20 December 1926 — Page 1

WEATHER Mostly eioudy tonight. Possibly rain extreme * ou,h P or ' tion. Slightly colder north and central portions. Tuesday generally <*lf.

33 DROWN WHEN FERRY BOAT SINKS

LAUNCH MOVE FOR TRANSFER OF STEPHENSON Move Started To Have ExDragon Transferred To Marion County Jail habeas corpus WRIT EXPECTED Indianapolis, Dec. 20. — Although reports persisted here today that there was a move on foot to gain transfer of D. C. Stephenson from the state penitentiary at Michigan City to the Marion or Hamilton county jail, no definite step had been taken this afternoon and the movements of Stephenson’s attorneys were still speculative. Indianapolis. Deo. 20. — (United Press.) —Petition for a writ of habeas corpus to remove D. C. Stephenson, former head of the Indiana Ku Klux Klan, from the state penitentiary where he is serving a lift' sentence for the murder of Mlsh Madge Oherholtzer. was to be filed in Laporte county circuit court at La porte today, according to reports here. It was understood the petition would be based on the contention of Stephenson's attorneys that the judgment of Judge Will M. Sparks in Hamilton county circuit court was not valid because of technical errors in procedure. Counsel for Stephenson were expected to maintain that the clerk of Marion county court failed to sign the transcripts and miter for change of venue when the case was sent to Hamilton-county circuit court. The writ will be directed at the warden of the state penitentiary, it was reported, and will seek to have Stephenson delivered into the keeping of the sheriff of Mario nor Hamilton county. Wife Os Wealthy Watch Manufacturer Found Dead New York. Dec. 20, — (United Press! j —The district attorney’s office today! practically exonerated Wallace McClean Prohasco "of the homicide charge against him as a result of the shooting yesterday in the apartment of Mrs. Robert Ingersoll, widow of the watch manufacutrer. Mrs. Ingersoll was killed and Probasco, whose own wife was the daugh ter of the late Robert G. Ingersoll, the famous agnostic, was severely injured. Investigators, after working all night on the ease aijd talking with Prohasco at Bellevue hospital, where he is under technical arrest, said they believed a note in their possession, written probably on Saturday by Mrs. Ingersoll, contained the solution of the entire affair, and that it would show the case was plainly one of suicide on the part of Mrs. Ingersoll after, she had fired upon Prohasco. TRADING BRISK INDECATURTODAY Local Merchants Report Heavy Business For Monday ;Stores Open Nights Trading was brisk in Decatur today, and most merchants reported the heaviest Monday shopping in the last several months. Many people were in Decatur this morning and predictions are that a heavy week will be experienced by most merchants. Practically all local stores will remain open evenings this week, it was announced this morning, in order that those who work until 6 o'clock at nights will have an opportunity to purchase their gifts in the evenings. Shoppers will save considerably it they read the advertisements of the various Decatur stores in the Daily Democrat, each night. These columns contain many suggestions each night for Christmas shoppers.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Vol. XXIV. Number 299.

Gasoline Explodes, Killing \ oung Woman Princeton, Ind., Dec. 20. — (United Press.)—Hurling her body through a second story window onto the roof of a Porch, a gasoline explosion proved fatal here last night to Miss Mary Buck man, 20. The young woman, intending to clean a skirt, placed a pan of gasoline on an oil stove with n pan of water. The gasoline vaporized, filling the room with fumes. The open flame ignited the fumes, causing the explosion. o SAYS FIRST MASS SUNDRY Simeon Schmitt, Decatur Young Man, Is Ordained To The Priesthood The Rev. Simeon Schmitt, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dynos Schmitt, of this city, who was ordained to the Catholic priesthood, Saturday morning, in Foit Wayne by Rt. Rev. Bishop John F. Noll. D. D. said his first mass at St. Mary's Catholic church in this city at 8:45 o'clock Sunday morning. A lowmass was celebrated and the immedite relatives and a few friends of the newly ordained priest attended the services. The ordination ceremonies were held in the chapel of the St. Joseph hospital and a number of the relatives and freinds in this city attended. Hu was ordained a deacon last Friday by the Bishop. Rev. Schmitt was ordained < at .this time in order that he might go to New Mexico for his health. He will lemain in this city until after the first of the year and then leave for the west where he will enter a sanitarium. He completed his Thelogical studies at Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary, near Cincinnati. Last evening, his parents gave a dinner in his honor at the parental home, the Rev. J. A. Seimetz, rector, and the Rev. Joseph Ilession, assistant of the local parish, being among those present. OLDER SCOUTS ARE ORGANIZED Beta Sigma Alpha Organized For First Class Boy Scouts Os City Several older Boy Scouts of the city , have formed a new organization, to be known as Alpha Chapter of Beta Sigma Alpha. The organization was completed at a meeting held Sunday afternoon. The new organization is for boys who are in high school and have completed the required tests to become a First Class Scout; to serve as an inspiration and guide to the young boys in Scout work; and to work together a . a unit for the good of the community. Members must be either active, associate or veteran Scouts. The organization is the idea of Bryce I Thomas, Scoutmaster, who devised the plan as a means of keeping the older boys interested in Scout work and its Ideals. The plan has the approval of the Boy Scout committee of the Rotary dub which sponsors the Scout work. Meetings will be held during ttys winter months, only, in the Scout headquarters in the Industrial Association rooms. Each member will wear a small pin, hearing the Greek letters for Beta Sibma Alpha, and other emblems. The members of the new organization are Harry Daily, John DeVoss, Herman Lankenau, Tom Haubold, Harold Zwick William Klepper, Jr., Cha'mer Fisher; Billy R° bert Heller- Richard M. Frisinger; James Koclier, Jr.; Cornelius L. Durkin and n „ce Thomas. The officers are: Harold Zwick, President; Herman Lankenau, vice-president; Harry Dailey secretary; Robert Heller, treasurer’ John DeVoss. sergeant at arms; ; Billy Bell, director of probation; and Tom Haubold, diiector of initiation.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

iIES NO REASON FOR KILLING BOY Confessed Murderer Os Chicago Boy Denies He Is Degenerate Chicago, Dec. 20 —(Unified Press) —Harold J. Croarin, 26, son of wealthy parents, was held in custody here today as tho confessed murderer of little Waltfjr Schmtyh, six-4)eai*-old boy found dying in the hayloft of a riding academy Friday night. Arrested late yesterday, C’roarkin readily admitted beaSing the little boy to death, but refused to tell why he did it. “I killed him,” he said, ‘‘but I don't know why I beat him to death with a hammer, don’t ask me why I did it" In the same breath Croarkin denied that he was a degenerate or that he had mistreated his victim, except by striking the blows that were responsible for Walter’s death. "Can you tell in any reason why a 26-year-oid man should kill a 6-year-ohl boy," he was asked by State’s Attorney Crowe. ‘‘There's only one reason I can see” Croarkin replied impersonally, “And that’s that the man attacked the boy. Now I’m going to shut up until I see my lawyer.'’ Croarkin said he killed the boy Friday afternoon by striking him several times witih a hammer. "Then I went to a priest and confessed my crime,” he said. “I felt better but didn’t know what to do so I got on a train and rode almost all night. I spent Sa|tu{rday looking around (n the department stores at . various things I liked. Yetsterday I went to see a lawyer and he advised tho to give up. I took his advice.” The murder of Walter has stirred the city into a reactionary revolt to crime IliuY it bus not experienced since Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, young college students, killed 10-year-old Robert Franks, a crime very similar to Croarkin’s. —o D. P. Tobin Defends Primary Election Law Indianapolis, Dec. 20. — (TTnited Press.)—The primary election system was defended here yesterday by’Dam' lei J. Tobin, treasurer ot the American Federation of Labor, in reply to the New York speech last Saturday of Vice-President Charles Dawes. Tobin, one of labor's leading champions, said Dawes’ speech against the primary system was “one of the most cynical and audacious attacks ever made against the institution of democracy.” Small Pox Quarantine At Hartford City Lifted Hartford City. Dec. 20. — (United PresAß)—The ban on public meetings passed two weeks ago here to combat the 300 cases of smaillpox prevalent was iefted at 4 o'clock Saturday afternoon. Theatres, churches and all public, meeting halls are now open after two weeks of darkness. BOY IS BURNED BY EXPLOSION Elwin Smith Severely Burned In Accident Near Ossian Sunday Elwin Mehen Smith, 12, son of Mrs. Rufus Smith, residing about 4 miles nortjheast of Ossian, was severely and perhaps critically burned in an explosion whirjh occurred Sunday afternoon. The boy was badly burned about the face and arms. Elwin Smlith, with two other boys, had gofie to a school house near the Smith farm, wfifch tfie intention of playibg They decided to build a fire Rn tihe school and found a can, thought to contain kerosene. The Smith boy threw the contents of the can into the stove and the stove exploded. The other two boys there at the time of the explosion stamped out the fire. They were only slightly burned. No damage was done to the school.

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, December 20, 1920.

Three Hundred Coolies Freeze To Death Enroute j T 6 Chinese Battle Front! Peking, Dec. 20.—(United Press.) — Three hundred collies, shipped in \ open railway cars from Kalgan to Pingtlchuan by order of General Chang Tso-lln, were all frozen to death enroute, it was reported here today. The bodies were sent bark to Kalgan-. REV. O.E. MILLER HEADS MINISTERS Baptist Pastor Elected President Os Decatur Ministerial Association The Itev. O. E. Miller, pastor of tho First lipptist church of this city, was elected president of the Decatur Ministerial Association for the ensuing year, at the annual election held by the organization in the directors’ room cf the Old Adams County Bank, this morning. The Rev. Miller succeeds the Rev. Ralph Loose, pastor of the First Evangelical church, who has held the office for the last two years. The Rev. A. R. Fledderjohann, pastor of the Zion Reformed church, was re-elected secretary-treasurer. The ministeis decided at the meet ing today that the simultaneous evangelistic services will be held in the churches reijresented in the minister ial association during the two week; from Sunday, Jaunary 9, to Sunday, January 23 inclusive. The ministers made an appeal to all clubs, lodges schools and other organizations to cooperate by arranging their meetings and activities during these two weeks so that they will not conflict with the church meetings. The seven churches -represented in the ministerial association held simultaneous evangelistic services last year and the plan proved to be very successfill. o—♦ Grocery Ads Wednesday In order that everyone might take advantage of the grocery and meat specials suggested for the Christmas dinner, the grocery and meat market ads will be published in Wednesday's Daily Democrat. Read them and do your stropping Thursday and Friday. Nelson May Gets $1,125 In Suit Against Railroad Rluffton Dc. 20. —Nelson May, of Decatur was awarded $1,125 in his suit against Walter Ross, receiver of the Cloverleaf railroad company, for $2,995. The jury returned its decision at 4 o’clock Saturday afternoon. The case was heard at Bluffton on a change of venue from Adams county. Good Fellows Club The Good Fellows Club Christmas Fund, sponsored by the Delta Tilda Tau sorority for the purpose of providing a merry Christmas for the poor children and families of the city each year, today passed the S2OO mark, with the announcement of several small contributions. The total today is $202.93. The fund will be closed Friday evening and the many toys, articles of clothing and food will he distributed among the needy families Fliday night by Santa Claus. The sorority still needs considerably more money with which to complete their purchases. The fund to date: Previous total $197.33 Friend '. -•’ls Henry Mangold .50 Lawrence Williams 1.00 Friends 3i75 Total ....... 1202.83

OFFERS ALIBI FOR MC DERMOTT Owner Os Rooming House Says Pat Was In His Room At Time Os Murder Canton, Objo, Dec. 20.— (United Press) —The night that Don R. Melleft was ambushed, allegedly by the underworld because of his editorial war on rum trafficlng, Pat McDermott, alleged slayer, was in his room and remained there until the following morning, Mrs. Hattie Grehart. testified. Mrs. Gerhart is the witness upon whom the defense is relying to establish an alibi for McDermott on trial here for his life. V The witness, a cripple, was virtually carried into the court room by a IkUliff and deputy. Instead of taking the witness stand, she was seated in a huge chair facing the jury. She testified she kept the rooming house where the defendant, known to her as "Charley Thompson," stayed before the killing. Mrfi. Gerhart testitied she heard someone she believed to be McDermott go up fio his room several hours before the editor was killed and that Pat. slept late the following morning. o ‘‘Red” Grange And Four Teammates Are Arrested Dallas, Tex., Dec. 20.—" Red” Grange and four members of bis New York Yankee football team spent three hours In jail today following arrest on charges of drunkenness and disturbing the peace. Grange was charged with disturbing the peace while the others were charged wiTTf disturbing the peacp and drunkenness. They were R. V. Scott, W. S. Oliver, A. T. Hubert and A. A. Woods. Tho five former college football stars were brought in at 4 a. m. by Bob Greenlee and Vern McGlothlin, patrolmen whose combined weight is 650 pounds, utter a complaint had been made that there was a disturbance at the Ritz hotel. After being released on bond, the five men paid $lO fine each and left the police station. uVi; u the polka ippeiSji a, fT® ’ ported the biggest ot the five,”?aaley" Hubert, issued a challenge, declaring he did not intend to be ‘‘rode" to headquarters. The mammoth policemen paid no attention, however, to the football player’s protest and easily loaded the men in' the police wagon. Dr. And Mrs. Patterson Are Home From Minnesota Mr. and Mrs. Fred Patterson arrived home, Saturday evening, from Rochester. Minn., where Dr. Patterson was a patient at the Mayo Brothers hospital for a few weeks. The doctor is feeling much better and is glad to get hack home and hopes to be able to come up town before long. He stood the trip well and is feeling much better. RED MAN LODGE TO GIVE PARTY Annual Christmas Party For Children To Be Given Wednesday Night The annual Christmas party for children of the members of the local Red Men lodge will be heSd at Red Men's hall, on the third floor of the Stmlabaker building, Wednesday night at 7:30 o’clock, Mat Breiner, who is in charge of the party announced today. Each child attending the party will be presented with the annual treat and those who are sick and not able to atten dwill also receive a treat if they send their name to Mr. Breiner before Wednesday night. A Christmas program will be given by the children preceding the treat, and fine program has been aranged. Singing, also, is on the program. All members of the Decatur lodge are cordially invited to attend the party.

Negro Shoots Street Car Conductor Today ’ Indianapolis, Ind., Dec. 20.—(Un ted Pres*) —Harry Nutter. 35, Street car conductor was shot, early today by a negro. I Nutter and the Motormar if his car were resting at the end of their Ifno when the Negro rapped at the closed door. The conductor open",* the Joor I to admit him. The Negro fired one shot amt fled. Physi ians at the hospital where ' Nutter was taken said his condition l was critical. The bullet pussed througli . his left arm. entered his lung uid ! probably severed his spinal column, . it was said. , The Negro war said to be well dressed and young. A roundup of suspicious t characters was tinder way. CHORUS CHOIR GIVES PROGRAM I _________ Large Audience Hears Sacred Program Given By St. Mary’s Chorus Choir — A large cr iwil attended the sacred 1 YuYetide program given by the St. Mary’s Chorus choir of St. Mary's Catholic church in the auditorium of the Catholic school building, last evening. A Christmas play, “Why the Chimes Rang", was rendered tiy the choir. A cantata, "The Manger Prince" was rendered by the choir. During the program Tony Hoithouse favored the audience with a violin solo, and Mrs. L. A. Hoithouse sang one selection. The Christmas program was directed by Mrs. Hoithouse. ! : ———o— —— MONMOUTH H, S. TO GIVE CANTATA “In The Gleam Os The Star” To Be Presented Wednesday Evening A Christmas cantata, entitled "in the 'uteam ot' t7ie S>t*r~ Wilt' 'fitr'kire it \if the Monmouth high school, in the high school building, Wednesday evening, December 22. Preceding the cantata, the high school chorus will sing Christmas carols and Irene Gerke will sing a solo. "I am a Christmas Fairy”. Admission will be fifteen and twenty cents. The public is cordially invited to attend. Following is the cast for the cantata: Judith KatherineWeidlpr Naomi Helen Gerke Abigial Lydia Scheumann Rhoda Crystal Melehing Leah Della lloerger Lois Agnes Gaiser Marthu Helen Bohnke Elizabeth Adela ilerning Mary Mary Runkle Dorcas Betty Schieferstein Asa Otto Boerger Seth Roger Reber Reuben Max Melehing Timothy Alton Bittner Nathaniel Luther Brokaw Rabbi Ben Ezra Richard Johnson Bethlehem Girls Martha Noll; Mildred Bohnke; Beulah Trout her; Arvilla Biebrich; lterneice Holle; Ruth Fuelling; Esther Fuelling; Myrtle Melehing; Helen Fritzlnger; Josephine Hill; Laura Fleming; Olive Berhold; Mary Jane Kunkle; Louise. Gage Nagareth Boys I Roy Whiteman; James Pyle; RobI ert Fritzlnger; Truman Schieferstein; i Orange Ray Whiteman; Billy Fritzint ger; Herman Gibson, i Nazareth Girls Mary Elizabeth Parrish; Eunice Hammond; Avonel Belhoid; Ruth Falk 1 Frances Smith; Helen May; Vera t Belhoid; Elizabeth Belhoid; Helen s Melehing; Mary Reber; Lueila Bros kaw. r Lullaby Girls Gwendyline Parrish; Luciie Pari rish Harriet Kunkle; Eleen Jackson; Virginia Parrish; Charlotte Reber; Eleanor Johnson; Eligabeth Reed; 1 Reba Jan I’yle. Mrs. Lydia B. Sawyer Accompanist.

Price Two Cents.

ICE FLOES SINK LOADED LAUNCH IN HUDSON RIVER Number Os Dead Expected To Grow; 24 Escape After Falling Into Icy Water LAUNCH .SINKS IN MIDSTREAM NYw York, Dec. 20.—(1 niled Press) The heavily laden ferry launch. Linseed King, was crushed by ice floes in the Hudson river today anti at least X? workmen are known to have drowned. Twenty-four survivors, who escaped miracuouslv after having tumbled into the icy midstream waters in a strong tide, were known to l>e in hospitals. The number of known dead was expected to grow. Spectacular rescues followed collapse of the 35 foot craft. A dozen river vessels, ranging from tugs to steamers, arrived) in time to lift from the chilled waiter* tho semiconscious laborers who in some rases had been able to cling safely to cakes of floating ice. The number of missing could not be determined, since Spender. Kellogg & Sons, owners of the Linseed King, announced that they had no accurate list of tho workmen. Eight bodies were found off 254th street shortly before noon. They had been swept by the tide to a point almost seven and a half miles from the scene of the disaster, in midstream opposite 120th street. According to Herman Vaienzuln, one of flip framed workmen, overloading might havp led to the cotlapise. The blame was laid on heavy ice floes, however, by the launch captain. John Bowheiter. o Stults Baby Dies Two Hours After Birth Harry Daniel Stults. infant son of Harry and Mary Stults. died at the Adams County Memorial Hospital at S o’clock Sunday night, two hours fol’iimViiil, Nil' !m , ' baity in the family. The body was re moved to the home of the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Stults, on Cleveland rtreet, at which place funeral services will be held at 2 o’clock Tuesday afternoon. The Rev. B. N. Covert pastor of the I’resbyteriun church will officiate. Burial will he made in the Decatur cemetery. Besides the parents, the four grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Stults and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Aurand, survive. Breaks Ribs In Fall Mrs. Minnie Teeple is confined to her home, suffering from a fracture of two i lbs, she started to get out of her son’s automobile nnd slipped as she put her foot Otiltfte street. She fell on the curb and broke two ribs. TRIAL OF LIBEL SUIT IS RESUMED Letters Introduced As Evidence In Case On Trial In Local Court The trial of the libel suit of Herman C. Weber, young Root township farmer, against his wife’s father and mother, Mr. ami MrdT William Klink, of Union township, was resumed in circuit court this morning, after a recess over the week-oml. Introduction of eyidence was started this 1 morning by the plaintiff. Three let--1 ters written by Mrs. Ktink;, which, the 1 plaintiff charges, contained libelous ' aOtacks on him, were read in court. The letters were written in German und were translated by a professor ■ of German, from Fort Wayne. Two ■ of the letter* wove written to Web- ; er’s w'ife, a daughter of the twu> de- ; fendants, and She other was w'ritten to Weber’s mother, in Fort Wayne. The pAaintiff was prepared to rest its case sometime tilts afternoon.

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