Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 25, Number 3, Decatur, Adams County, 4 January 1927 — Page 1

WEATHER Fair tonight and Wednesday. Mode, ate temperature.

FIGHT OVER FOREIGN POLICIES LOOMS

RACE FOR HOUSE SPEAKERSHIP IS GROWING WARM Legislators Center Attention On Marion County Caucus Tomorrow ! KLAN MEETS AT CAPITAL TONIGHT Indianapolis, Jan. 4—Confident that ■ the vote of the Marion county delegation will have a powerful influence over the outcome of the contest for speakership in the house, legislators and lobbyists arriving in increasing numbers here today were centering their attention and efforts on the , Marlon county caucus to be held tomorrow! nght. immediately proceeding the general caucus of Republicans ! Partisans of both L. A. Pittenger and Harry Leslie, speakership can- ■ didates, are bringing pressure on the Marion county legislators in an es- [ fort to swing the Marion county vote. Pittenger and Leslie are regarded now as having the field to themselves. ; Indianapolis, Jan. I.— While rival I" camps in republican and democratic < legislative ranks continued preparS. ations for their respective caucuses tomorrow night, the Indiana Ku Klux Klan came out today with the announcement that the legislative program It will support in the seventyfifth session of the Indiana general assembly, convening Thursday, will be determined tonight at a banquet here. t The banquet “will be given in lion- £ or of certain state senators and state • representatives who are members of ;• our organisation," says the invitation | sent out by state grand dragon W. Lee i Smith, adding that "the necessary’ ors ganization will be then and there ■ perfected that will guarantee the . proper understanding and co-oper- ■ atlon." !• Races for the speakership of the house and president pro-tern of the senate usurped attention of the vanj arMtrd of representatives and sen ' atcrs arrtrtsfi for the session. A reported trade that might have [ an important bearing on the outcome j of the race between Janies J. Nejdl. Whiting, and Denver C. Harlan of , Richmond, for president pro tern, was ’ widely discussed today. These reports indicated that Senator Nejdl ' would be content to relinquish his request for chairmanship of tire com- ; mittee on education in favor of Senator John S. Alldredge, of Marion j county, in return for added support. ’ Senator Alldredge supported all educational bills introduced two years ' ago when the klan sponsored a religious education bill which was deJ seated. A free text book bill is among several educational measures Sen<CONTIXtnwiJ nN PAGE TWO) DALE PLANS TO CONTINUE FIGHT Muncie Publisher Lays Plans For Another Appeal From Jail Term j Muncie, Ind., Jan. 4. —(United Press) —Declaring he would fight through to , the end, George R. Dale, local publisher, today laid plans for another appeal to the Supremo court. ' Dale’s original appeal from the de cision of the Indiana Supreme court ! upholding his conviction of contempt of court charges, was dismissed by the . federal body yesterday when he failed to supply the court with a printed record of the case within a specified time. 1 Dale wired his attorneys in Washington for full details of the dismissal ! and promised that if a further appeal was possible he would make it. His > friends, however, say he has not the money to carry on the fight. The contempt charges on which he ‘ was first convicted, grew out of an article published in his paper here ! in which he attacked Judge ClarencDearth and attachees of the circuit A i court. SB

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Vol. XXV. Number Three.

TOBACCO KING LEAVES ESTATE OF $86,309,140 Somerville, N. J.. Jan. 4. —(United Press.) — A first accounting of the estate of James B Duke, late tobacco king and philanthropist, tiled today in the county surrogate's office, showed he left $M,309,140.22 to his heirs. On his death, on Oct. 10, 1925. an inventory showed the aged philanthropist left an estate of that amount and since then the value has been increased 13,395,710 3S. PYTHIANS MEET AT HUNTINGTON Decatur Men Attend District Meeting; Supreme Officer Coming Here Several Decaur men attended an eleventh distiict meeting of the Knights of Pythias ledge, held at Huntington. last night. Eighteen lodges were represented at the meeting, and about 30u persons were present. About 200 attended a banquet held prio,- to the meeting. Those from Deca’ur who attended the meeting were Dore B. Erwin, F. V. Mills, Roy Mtimma, Ed. Beery and David Adams. Mr. Snyder, of Huntington, presiued at the meeting. He introduced Mr. Elmore, of Monticello, grand chancellor commander, and the latter introduced Carl Mitchell, grand keeper of records and seals. Others who spoke during the meeting were: Charlej Swaysen, grand master of arms: Roy Bates, of Fort Wayne, grand outer guard: Dr. Priest, of Marion, supreme representative; Dore B. Erwin, of Doculur, past gruud chaiKi«i>or commander; and W. J. Shoulty, of Wabash, eleventh district chairman. There were several musical numbers and a reading during the program. The meeting was said to be one of the best meetings ever held in that district. Members of the Decatur lodge are making plans for a meeting to be held here on January 27. at which tim«> Fred S. Atwood, of Minneapolis, supreme prolate of the lodge, will be here and give an address. Mr. Atwood, who is blind, is known as the blind optimist. He is a noted lectuer and he made such a great impression with Indiana Pythians at the grand lodge aieeting last fall that several lodges have arranged for him to return and give lectures this winter. ga The newly elected officers of Kekionga Lodge, No 69, of this city, will be installed on Thursday night of this week. They are: Elmer Chase, chancellor commander; Martin Van Alsburg, vice-chancellor commander; Joe Elzey, prelate; David Adams, master of arms; Garth Hoover, inner gueard; Don Teeple. outer guard; Joe Hunter, keeper of records and seals; John Parrish, master of finance; Fred Blosser, trustee; and W. A. Lower, master of exchequer. A new furnace has been installed in the Pythian home here and now ready for use. o Federal Probe Os Meliett Murder Case Begun Today Cleveland, 0., Jan. 4. —(United Press) —New and perhaps development were anticipated here today in the Don R. Meliett murder case, when it was learned that a federal probe has been started by United States Attorney Bernstein. Detective Ora Slater, Cincinnati sleuth, who worked on the case following the shooing last July and Prosecutor Harter, who added in obtaining a conviction of Patrick E. McDermott, now facing a life sentence, conferred today with Bernstein. Evidence that at least one member of the Canton police department aided in concealing McDermott following MelUett’s assassination is believed in Bernstein's hands. o Capital Stock Increased Indianapolis. Jan. 4. — (United Press)—A resolution increasing the capital stock of the Workingmen's Building and Loan Association of South Bend, Indiana, from $1,500,000 to $2,000,000 was approved at the office of the secretary of state today.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

TAKE STEPS TO IMPROVE FOUR MORE HIGHWAYS Commissioners Order Petitions Published; Hearings On Feb. 8 PRINTING CONTRACT IS AWARDED TODAY The first steps were taken today by the board of county commissioners toward improving four more roads in this county. The petitions for the W. H. Laughery road improvement, in Blue Creek township, the Frank Neadstine road in Blue Creek township, the Price and Wells road in the town of Geneva and in Wabash township. and the Sam Nussbaum road in the town of Berne and in Monroe township, were presented to the board by Attorney J. Fred Fruchte and ordered advertised in the Daily Democrat. A formal hearing on the petitions will be held by the board at the meeting on February 8. Other petitions presented to the board this morning, but on which no action was taken today include, the Stephler road improvement in Monroe township; the Carl Murphy road in Monroe; the Edward Luginbill road in' Blue Creek township; the Rufus Huser road in Wabash township and the Hoffman and Irelan road in Blue Creek township. Road Bids Feb. 8 Bids for the construction of the FS. Armstrong road in Wabash township and the Bartley-Burk road in Jefferson township will be received Uy the commissioners on Feb. 8. Printing Contract Awarded The contract for all printing. blank books and office supplies to the county offices during 1927 was awarded to the Fort Wayne Printing company today. All other bids were rejected The bid of the Auburn Printing company was rejected because the company had bid only on three classes, whereas the specifications call for four classes. Bids For New Counter, Specifications for furnishing metallic counters in the county auditor's office were adopted by the board today and bids for furnishing the counters will be received by the board on February 8. The old wooden counter in the auditor's office has served its day and much valuable space is lost because it is not arranged to take care of the books and records which are piled ceiling-high in the closet room. The counter will be similar to the one in the clerk’s office, which 'C'INTIMUED ON PAGE TWO) STEPHENSON’S BONDS MISSING Former Wife Os Ex-Klan Dragon Tries To Locate Notes Worth $79,000 Indianapolis, Jan. 4.-(United Press) —Attorneys for Mrs. Nettie Stephenson Brehm, of Poteau, Okla., today were attempting to locate bonds and notes amounting to $79,000, belonging to David C. Stephenson, former dragon of the Indiana Ku Klux Klan, now serving a life sentence in the Indiana state prison for murder. Mrs. Brehm claims, as wife of Stephenson, $17,000 support for the cate of the her daughter whom she alleges is Stephenson's child. That Stephenson possessed notes and securities totalling $79,000' was brought out In superior court here yesterday when John S. Hunt, formerly Indianapolis representative of the Fidelity and Deposit company of Maryland, was questioned by Floyd Mattice, attorney for Mrs. Brehm. Hunt testified that he was shown receipts for the securities, said to have been deposited in the First National bank at Batesville at the time of Stephenson's trial and conviction on charges of murdering Miss Madge Oberholtzer, Indianapolis girl.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, January 4, 1927.

SHERIFF’S DUTIES WELL CARED FOR IN CLARK COUNTY Jeffersonville, Ind., Jan. 4.—(United Press)—The two men for one 1 office vogue so popular in Central I America this reason has spread to Indiana. Wiliam A. Baird, Rep., and Hal , K. Hughes, Dem., are the present sheriffs of Clark county. Hughes was elected to the office at the November ejection and claims he assumed its duties January 1. Baird, however, holds the jail and sheriff's office and proposes to continue so until January 1, next year. Quo waranto proceedings filed by i Hughes are to be heard in circuit i court January 22. Meanwhile both > sheriffs are performing the duties of i their office. : At the opening of the Clark county . commissioners’ court yesterday, they i entoned the “Hear Ye, Hear Ye” in . unison. i o STORK BESTS I GRIM REAPER Births Outnumber Deaths In Decatur In 1926 Nearly Two To One i I Births outnumbered the deaths in > Decatur during 1926, nearly two to one. • The stork delivered 131 babies, 69 ' males and 62 females, to Decatur parents during the year, while the Crim Reaper removed only 69 residents of . the city, 31 females and 38 males. Os , the 69 deaths. 12 were children under I ten years of age and 57 were persons more than 21 years old. The above information was obtaint ed in the annual report of the city j health beard, composed of Mrs. J. H. ) Heller, Dr. P. B. Thomas and Dr. J . M. Miller. Dr. Miller is secretary of the board. : The city health board held eight > meetings during the past year and . served eleven orders to clean up ■ places. Two general inspections of health conditions in the city were made by the hoard. The board reported that th re was ) some contagious diseases during the - year, consisting of measles, whooping . cough, scarlet fever and. just recenti ly, hree cases of diphtheria. The board - announces that diphtheria is preveri table by the use of anti-toxine and the t board heartily recommends the use of > the same. i o Police Doubt That Man Held Is Erdman Olsen i Harrisburg, Pa„ Jan. 4. —(United Press) — State police officials here today were inclined to doubt that the man arrested near York early today was Erdman Olsen, long sought Wis- . consin slayer. . The man, who gave his name as ' Frank Jackson of Boston, Mass., was brought to state police headquarters here this morning and questioned. 1 He is to have finger prints made and photographs taken. Police officials say the man told conflicting but stSadfaptly ) denied that he had ever been in Wisconsin. ■ FLOOD WATERS ARE RECEDING 1 f Relief Workers Begin a I Checking Damage Done 3 In Southern States 3 Memphis, Tenn., Jan., 4.—(United 3 Press)—Receding high waters in a 3 score of rivers today gave promise to - the south of early relief front the flood f situation. f Relief workers began checking da--1 mage by the floods throughout the states of Tennessee, Arkansas, Missit ssippi, W. Virginia and Alabama as > the flood waters began to wane. So far the records show that 29 per--3 sons have lost their lives and consert vative bankers today placed the fin--3 anciai loss between $2,000,000 and $5,000,000 mostly to crops.

DEPLORES LACK OF TRAINING OF CHILD IN HOME Charles Brandon Booth Gives Powerful Address In This City FORECASTS GREAT SPIRITUAL AWAKENING “We are permitting the youth to wander away while we climb the social or business ladder,” declared Charles Brandon Booth, of New York City, in his lecture at the high school auditorium last evening, under the auspices of the Woman's club. “It can be proven," the speaker asserted,” that 85 per cent of the failures of the young people of today are due to their home life and home training, but don’t be discouraged.for we are on the verge of the greatest spiritual awakening ever known, an awakening of the individual hearts and souls of the children of the land, but just now the situation is serious.” Environment Great Force. “A few years ago, 65 per cent of the criminals were over twenty-five years old while the average murderer the reverse and 65 per cent of the criminals are less than twenty-five years oldwhi le the average murderer of today is but 22 years old." Mr. Booth told incidents of prison life as they have come under his observance and said he had, only recently visited the Indiana reformatory at Pendleton where more than 1,600 young men are held and declared that the responsibility for these things is on every good citizen and comes back to environment and heredity influences. “Are you giving the children a fair chance? You can’t fool them, you should be frank, with them, even as to sex problems. The mind of a child is the most thrilling study in the world and to train them you must think in children’s terms, be real pais and understand them.” ‘‘What kind of an environment and heredi.ary influence are you giving the children of this community? What's the matter with children of today? Do more of them wander away because this is the automobile age? Because it is the jazz age? No. I'll tell you what’s the matter. They ar 0 lonesome. They want your friendship and your advice. Dad. know your boy. Mom know your daughter, keep them from idleness." Mr. Booth closed with a short explanation of tile Big Brother and Big Sister idea,' which is, in short an or(Continued on Page 4) CAST FOR PLAY IS ANNOUNCED Central School Pupils Hold Dress Rehearsal For Play Tonight The cast for the play to be given by the eighth grade pupils of the Central school, in the high school auditorium Wednesday and Thursday evenings of this week, was announced today. The dress rehearsal will be held this evening. The cast has been working diligently for the past few weeks under the capable direction of Miss Grace Coffee one of the teachers at the Central building. The title of the play is, "His Last Legs." rickets are being sold by the Central pupils and may be obtained at the door on the evenings of the show. The admission price is twenty-five cents to everyone. Following is the cast: Felix O’Callaghan .... James Engeler. Charles Rivers Daniel Schafer Mrs. Rivers, Randolph Brandyberry Dr. Banks James Burk John Harold Me'.chi Mrs. Montague ..Bernadlne Shraluka Julia Banks Erna Lankenau. Mrs. Banks Enid Walter. Music will be furnished each evening of tho show by the Central school orchestra, under the direction of Miss Dessolea Chester.

THREATENED WITH CAPTURE, BANDIT COMMITS SUICIDE Peoria, 111., Jan. 4. —(United Press) —Threatened with capture by posses after he had robbed a bunk, a bandit identified as Henry Smith of Chipepaw Falls. Wis., shot and killed himself. He had held up the First National bank of Secor, 111., escaping temporarily with sl.ooo. When pursuers surrounded him Smith shot himself through the head. The money was recovered. SALES OPEN IN DECATUR STORES Exceptional Values Being Offered In Majority Os Stores In City Sales in practically all lines of business in Decatur will begin tomorrow. and shoppers of Decatur and this community are asked to read the advertising in the Daily Democrat where exceptional values are being offered. Three sales are announced in tonight's Democrat as starting tomorrow. Indications are that more sales will begin the latter part of the week. The annual January Clearance Sale of the Vance and Linn clothing company will open Thursday. Mr. Linn stated today that) their entire stock would be offered for sale during the time of the sale at “turnover” prices. The E. F. Gass Ladies’ Ready-to-Wear store is opening an Opportunity sale tomorrow morning, during which sale the entire stock will be offered to the public at reduced prices. The Niblick and Company Dry Goods store will open its January Clearance sale tomorrow, placing on the sale counters the entire stock. This concern, one of tho oldest in Decatur, recentely remodeled its building on Monroe and Second streams to mae room for more space for stock. Other big sales are being arranged and will be announced this week. Readers of the Daily Democrat are urged to watch tho columns of the paper and take advantage of the bargains offered. The advertiser, by using he Daily Democrat, is getting complete "coverage” in Decatur and is reaching more than two-thirds of the homes in Adams county. o BANDITS TORTURE WOMAN UNTIL SHE GIVES UP JEWELRY Chicago, Jan. 4—(United Press) — After 4 hofirs of torture reminiscent of the Spanish inquisition, Mrs. Mathilda Radunas, 22. finally disclosed to 3 bandits the whereabouts of her money and jewelry. The robbers gained entrance to Mrs. Radunas’ apartment by representing themselves as health inspectors. Immediately after entering they drew guns. Mrs. Radunas was bound with an electric light cord, and then gagged. Several minutes of whipping about the head and shoulders followed. Failing to make her disclose the hiding place of her money with these methods, the bandits tossed her onto a bed. stripped her. and then applied lighted matches and cigarettes to her skin. They attended the work in relays, two searching the apartment and the other torturing the woman. Mrs. Radunas finally surrendered the information and the bandits obtained money and jewelry, estimated at $1,500. She is under a physician’s care. Budget Committee Cuts Requests Os State Schools Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. 4.— (United Press) —Indiana schools went under the pruning knife of the budget committee today following a conference with Governor Ed Jackson. Slashes were made in requests from Purdue. Indiana University and state normals. but amounts will not be made known until the budget is presented to the legislature.

Price Two Cents.

ADMINISTRATION’S POLICIES ABROAD ARE UNDER FIRE Senate Fight Over U. S. Policies In Nicaragua And Mexico Expected CABINET CONSIDERS KELLOGG’S ACTIONS Washington, Jan. 4. — (United Press) —The U. S. government's acquired right to build a canal across Nicaragua and establish a naval base at Fonseca bay was stressed by President Coolidge's spokesman today as justification for the administration's policy in the revolution-torn central American republic. (By Ludwell Denny. United Press staff correspondent) Washington, Jan. 4.— (United Press In preparation for a senate fight over the ad tninii st ration’s policies in Nicarauga and Mexico, the cabinet today will be asked to consider Secretary of State Kellogg’s conduct of relations with those countries. President Coolidge disapproved tho censorship established by American forces of occupation at Puerto Cabezas, the Liberal rebel Nicaraguan capital. But the President will support Kellogg fully on the policy of protecting American lives and property abroad The only question is as to methods to be employed. Undecided On Procedure Neither the state department nor the President have yet decided what ( action to take in regard to the alleged confiscatory Mexican alien oil law which became effective Jan. 1. They are considering the possibility of lifting the arms embargo as desired by the De La Huerta Mexican counter-revolutionists, and of withdrawing Ambassador Sheffield from Mexico City, if Mexico seizes American property under the law. John Van A. Mac Murray. American minister at. Peking was ordered by the state department today to return to Washington immediately to confer with Secretary of State Kellogg and President Coolidge regarding new problems in Chinese relations created by the rapid rise of tho Cantonese nationalist! movement. Mac Murray will arrive at Seattle on Feb. 9 Frederick Meyer will act as charge d'affaires at Peking in his absence. Today’s developments included increased activities at the state department and a tightening of the ban on information to the press and public on the critical relations with Mexico. Nicaragua, and China, These developments included: In formal efforts to secure a compromise solution between the oppos(COaiTINIED OK PAGE TWO) GALOSHES ARE POPULAR TODAY Rain And Warm Temperature Convert Snow Into Slush Here Galoshes ruled on lhe streets today, and the heavy snowfall of last week passed into history as rain and a rising temperature played havoc with coasting and bob-sledding. What little snow remained at noon today was quickly changing into water, and predictions are that all the snow will have disappeared by tonight. Rain last night and this morning changed the snow into slush and carried all the aspects of paring weather. The first heavy snowfall the season had passed into history, after making itself useful during the Christmas vacation for hundreds of children who used it for coasting and bobsledding. Cloudy weather prevailed again today and the thermometer registered around the 36 degree mark. The snowcontinued to melt until late in the afternoon. Predictions are for slightly oolder weather tonight and possibly tomorrow.

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