Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 25, Number 272, Decatur, Adams County, 17 November 1927 — Page 1

M WEATHER ■ Mostly cloudy toHnlit and Friday Higbliy colder toHight,

PAIN HITS AUTO; OCCUPANTS ESCAPE

SUGAR COMPANY ■ WILL ELIMINATE I RIVER POLLUTION ftolland-St. Louis Company ■Will Take Steps To Clear ( n St. Marys River B om ERENCE HELI) HERE WEDNESDAY TO (>■ ieials of the Holland-St. Louis sitTO company announced at a conferK p . held with city officials from De am! Fmt Wayne, and represetiof the Izaak Walton League .mm conservation depaitment, in K, . local plant of the sugar company afternoon, that steps would He taken in the near future in an esTO, )i: I ' eliminate pollution of the St. H| . " livei between this city and Fort Mwayne. M Water containing a small amount of Hau.ir which is emptied into the river TO the sugar plant has caused polluof the stream by destroying the content of the water, with the B; entlt that hundreds of fish have died Srmn suffocation ad a disagreeable 'Km-neh has arose in Fort Wayne and ■rlsmcliete along the liver between this K.iy and Fort Wayne. Accept Responsibilities ?[ The sugar company officials accept■ed full responsibility for pollution of ■the stream ami assured those present ■at the conference that they were an■xioas to do whatever is necessary to ■eliminate the evil. Already, the com- ■ piny has expended $150,000 in install■ing a svstem and equipment to pievent pollution of the stream. Earl Durfee, of Toledo, chief chemist for the sugar company, was the chief spokesman at the conference yesterday He said, "we have a plan under fonsidguuinu at this time .wlpih we hope will result in turning the water back hit > the l iver nearly as pure as it was when we drew it out. We are not ready to reveal our plans at this time", he added. Promises Early Action "However, I will assure you that we will take some action before out next season opens and we sincerely hope that our plan wil eliminate all of ou. pollution, Mr. Durfee declared. "It is useless to make expenditures now for oar season closes in three weeks. Wo ar? making a detailed study now and will continue to do so during the next few weeks we are operating." The delegation at the conference yesteidny was headed by Mayor William Geake of Fort Wayne, and included E. H. Parks, an engineer in the sewage division of the state health derail nient; Dr. D. R. Beiininghoff, secretaiy of the Foil Wayne board of health; Hairy Hilgemann. president of the Fort Wayne chapter of the Izaak Walton league: A. A. Brensley, Chicago sanitary engineer representing the national body of the Izaak Walton lea- [ Rue; Toni Snook, member of the board i of public works at Foit Wayne; L. H. 1 Lhmtes, Izaak Walton league attorney; and Leonard H. Ellonwcod. city clerk at Fort Wayne. The Holland-St. Louis company was represented by Mr. Durfee and W. 11. Simpson superintendent of the Decatur plant. Mayor George Krick and Oi val Harruff, city engineer of Decatur also attended the meeting. An extensive survey of polluted "Loams wil bo undertaken in 1927 by the state health department and St. Marys river will be one of the first l< OVI'IM RD ox P.4GK ITVK) 0 JOSEPH WATSON EXPIRES TUESDAY Hartford Township Farmer Dies At Home West Os Geneva; Age 76 Years Geneva, Nov. 17—(Special) —Joseph Watson, 70, a Hartford township farmer died at 3 o’clock Tuesday morning, following an illness due to hardening of the arteries. Mr. Watson was a son of Mr. and Mrs. John Watson and was born February 17, 1951. He and his wife settled in Adams county shortly after their marriage, which occured in early life. Mrs. Watson died several years ago. Surviving is a foster daughter, Mrs. Glenna Grogg, and a host of mare distant relatives and friends. Funeral services were held at 10 o clock this morning in the Hartford church, west of Geneva, and burial was made in the West Lawn cemetery.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Vol. XXV. No. 272.

I F \MOI S FLIERS OF THE YEAR RECEIVED AT LUNCHEON BY PRESIDENT ""*“ l 1 rwssgtiXxMi.uiiiiiMr x.- .' ..... * - &i* ■ Zu M • ImF f, -■ WW .iMai to wto 01! IHW ; S wHI w w '"f t kIjgjMSS ? J IS Ws 1 ® tobbl f M H if fi® it H U Mw w H « RMI aMOKi ik tH ill tw bP IH HI HI ' - WW ft y < >Ji l 4 m f W ( w to TO to « w ■■’'•••"• ... <x.-. — Here is a group such as has never been seen before. Most of the famous names of aviation are shown together, left to right, Chamberlain. Goebel. Charles Lindbergh, Ruth Elder, Schluter. Bronte. Lieut. Ilegenherger, Noville. Commander Byrd, Haldeman, Schlee and Levine. They were at luncheon with President Coolidge, al Washington, 1). on the occasion of presentation of the Hubbard medal to Lindbergh.

RECALLS START OF CITY PLANT Dr. .1. S. Coverdale, Member Os City Council In The Nineties, Gives Data Dr. J. S. •'overdale, who was a menibcr of the Decatur city enmicil back in the nineties and who took part in those actions which brought about the building of the city light and power plant, this morning gave the data as to the facts. The council was composed of three Democrats and three Republicans, the latter elected in 1894 on a platform of providing a water plant for the city. The Democrats were Geo. Patterson, first ward; John Buhler, second ward and W. H. Niblick, third ward, while the Republicans were J. S. Coverdale, first ward, J. W. Vail, seeond ward and .1. W. Teeple, third ward. B. W. Quinn was mayor. When the matter of building a water plant came before the council it was, as progressive steps of this kind always are, a much discussed question, finally being adopted by an affirmative vote by Buhler, Patterson, Vail ami Coverdale, two republicans and two Democrats. After it had been definitely decided to build the plant, W. H. Niblick, chairman of the light and power committee, urged that an electric light plant be installed at the same time and this was agreed to. The city did not take over the Edwards plant as efforts to make an agreement with the owners failed. Instead, they built an entirely new outfit and bought new machinery, the plan being finfinced by assistani e from citizens. The original cost was $65,000. For a number of years the plant did not carry itself and at various times efforts were made to induce the city to dispose of it, but always the sentiment was against this. km some years now. the power and light department of the city has been more than self sustaining and is now a valuable asset. Decatur has, during the past few years, added many miles of ornamental light posts and this city has the reputation of being the best lighted of any of its size in the state. Martin F. Mylott has served continuously as electrician and superintendent since November 17, 1897, his selection being made upon motion by Dr. Coverdale. Rain Causes Discomfort In Blast Torn Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pa., Nov. 17-(1JP)-A steady rainfall brought discomfort today to the many persons living in explosion torn houses and slowed down efforts of workmen to recover more bodies from the ruins of the Equitable Gas company blast. Identification of parts of two f ’ i3 ‘ membered bodies found in the Ohio river five miles from the scene of the explosion and a head found along the Baltimore and Ohio railroad tracks near the blast brought the identified list of dead to 26.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Stntr, Nntlonnl And Inlrrnnllonnl Senn

Farmers Need “Broad And\ Permanent” Legislation Committee Os Agricultural Education Makes Survey Os Plight Os American Farmer And Report Thot “Emergency” Measures Will Not Solve Problems; Recommendations Offered Chicago, Nov. 17—4(UP)—The plight of the American farmer is so acute, that no single piece of relief legislation is equal to the occasion, the Ameri- ' ban Assnrtatton of -L»nd Grftnt Colleges and Cnversities was advised today , by its own special investigating committee.

The committee, composed of prominent agricultural educators in some of the country’s leadtmr universities, urged "broad and permanent" skhcultural legislation rather than “emergency" measures, and went on to assert that many of the farmers' | problems must of necessity be met from within the industry. Single Act Insufficient ‘‘Agricultural legislation,” the comI mittee report stated, “is a far broader question than can he rendered by a single act of congress. Any proposal that confuses the minds of the public by encouraging the idea that 1 a single emergency relief act would meet adequately and permanently the difficulties under which farmers op- ' erate is prejudicial to Jhe interests . 'of agriculture. | “Agiiculture should not be depend- : ent upon legislation enacted after emergencies arise, but there should I be enacted such bipad, permanent . legislation as will enable agriculture to meet emergencies as they occur. , | “Legislation designed to aid in ' emergencies should be adopted in ad ; vance of such emergencies and the plan involved should be simple in ad . iCON’PIN< in> ON PAGE FIVE! LOWER BOND DENIED DAY > i Government Fights To Retain Hold On Witnesses In Fall-Sinclair Case 1 By Herbert Little United Press Staff Correspondent Washington, Nov. 17 The government today blocked, temporarily at least, an effort by Mason Dav to win a reduction from $25,000 to SIO,OOO of the bond under which he is free on ’ a Fa'l-Sinclain jnry-tlimperlng \coii’ spiracy charge. it was the second time in two days the government, fought to retain its hold on reluctant witnesses in the famous Teapot Dome case. Yesterday justice F. L. Siddons ordered seized SIOO,OOO in property of 11. L. ■ Blackmer, a missing "key. witness" i in the oil trial proper, who refuses to return from Europe to testify. Refuses to Return i Paris, Nov. 17 — (UP)— Harry N. Blacemer, missing Fall-Sinclair con- ' spiracy case witness, does not intend ' to return to the Unitde States to testify despite the threat that SIOO,- ’ 000 of his property may be seized, 1 his lawyer told the United Press to(OiyriM KI) ON I’AGE TWO)

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, November 17, 1927.

TORNADO HITS WASHINGTON 0.0. ■ Heavy Damage Caused Byi Twister Which Hits Capital This Afternoon Washington, D C., Nov. 17.- —(INS) IA ripping, twisting tornado came out of the south this afternoon and did heavy damage in the norheast and I southeast sections of Washington and in nearby Maryland suburbs A number of persons were taken to I hospitals, but no deaths were re ported. | | Property damage was heavy. Porches, roofs and automobiles i were picked up by the wind and hirrled in all directions. Numerous houses collapsed. The storm, described by weather experts as a “typical twister." startled over the Virginia shore of the i Potomas river and swept over the oimy war college, the army nir station at Felling Field and then through the residence section east of the capitol. It cut a path about six blocks wide. ’ I , — <> .Judge Qualifies To Trv Governor Ed .Jackson Indianapolis,,lnd., Nov. 17 --(INS)--. ■ court, Oscar II Montgomery, of Sey-1 Former Justice of the Indiana supreme mour Indiana, filter qualiflying her>‘ | this afternoon as a special judge to try ' Governor Ed Jackson and his c i.h - fendants . n bribery charges ,et 9:30 A. M. November 28 as th,- date when he will hear arguments on motion to quash the indictments against. Gov. Jackson. j o 1 Giles Again Postpones Flight To Austria , — I San Francisco Nov. 17 —(INS)- The proposed flight of Captahi Frederick 1 A. Giles, British aviator from California so Hawaii enroute to Australlin ' was postponed here today until tomor- ' row because of bail weather. 0 —— — Former Adams County School Teacher Killed A. M. locker,t former teacher o I district school No. 8, in Monroe town- , ship, died Sunday evening, October 1 30, at Caldwell, Idaho, of injuries sustained when he was struck and run ’ down by an automobile. Mr.* Locker taught school in Monroe township in 1885 and 1886.

MILLARD COWAN CALLED BY DEATH Lifelong Resident Os Adams County Dies At Hospital Here Last Night Mitlaid Cowan, 70, life-long resident of AiUuns xmiißlv, died at the Adams I County Memorial hospital last night f Hewing an illness of 10 days. Mr. Cowan underwent an operation at the hospital Tuesday and gradually became weaker until death came at 9:30 o’clock last night. Millard Cowan was born In Sf. Marys township. Adams county. October 12. I 1857. He was a son of James an J Elizabeth Cowan. He spent his early : years on his parents' farm and when a I young man was united in marriage to Effi,4 Harnish, who preceded him in ] death in 1914. ; Mr. and Mrs. Cowan lived their entire married life in Decatur, and after Mis. Cowan's death. Mr. Cowan made ' his home with his son, Glen, on Line street In this city. Surviving are three children. Glen, of this city, and Mrs. I Fred Deininger and Mrs. John R. Wood of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Five grandchildren also survive. A twin sister preceded him in death in 1915. Mr. Cowan' was a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge of this city. In poli- ! tics he was a staunch Democrat anil 1 was active for the past. 46 years in i local and state politics, serving at cm time as a precinct committeeman in tills city. Mr. Cowan was a city police ■ officer for several years. For the last lItIXTIMEii Ok PACK FtVH) RAILWAY FIREMAN KILLED IN WRECK Logansport Man Loses Life When Locomotive Plunges 20 Feet From Elevation 1 Indianapolis. Nov. 17.—(UP) —J. B. Frye. 36, of Loffansport, was killed today when a Pennsylvania, railroad engine on which lie was fireman, . p'tinged 20 feet from elevated tracks pinning him beneath the wreckage. Arthur Talkington, 57, Jeffersonville, en,gir(er. leaped.. Both h's ankles were broken and he was I injured about the chest, arms and in- ' jured internally. The two men were on the first of two engines pulling a 15 coach train ! to Louisville, Ky„ from Chicago, 111., and were just, puTJing* puli of bite Union station. Louis Guenther, 43, of Jeffersonville, Ind., fireman on the second engine was Injured about the left foot and leg and Raymuth N. Smith, 44, of Indianapolis, engineer I stuck to is post and was uninjured. II R. R. Mace, Indianapolis division superintUndentl was personally in charge of rescue work, in which two . ! crane derricks were called into ac- ’ t on to lift the engine to reach Frye. Talkington told police he noticed i something was dragging and a inopnent later felt the engine turning.

lIF The I nlle«1 nn«l Int rrniit loiiiil .>>«■ Mrrtlre

Decatur; Child Has Seven Grandmothers; Oldest 93 Years Old In response to the sUry published In tli<> Wednesday issue of the Deactur Daily Democi.it in which th:ee-yerif old Latola Jane E. Eail> daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Eady, laid claim to five giaii'l-fatheis, Jimmy Davis, Iwo-yeai-old son of Ml. and Mrs. Pearl Davis, of Sixth st. act, steps forth with a claim to seven living grand-mothers The eldest grandmother is 93 years of age ami lives at Salem. Indlann Her name is M.s. M. Clausing. The ether grandmothers to which young Jimmy lavs claim aie Mis. C. W. S Davis, Salem, Indiana, aged 76 years Mrs. II <>. Davis. Pleasant Mills aged 45 years; Mrs. G Kelly of Kentucky aged 74 years; Mrs. Maiy Franke Fort Wayne, aged 46 .'ears; Mrs. Henri Franke, Ft Wa'ne aged 77 years; and Mis. Louise Hartwig, of Payne. Ohio, aged 78 years. ALLEGED GANG OF AUTOMOBILE THIEVES HELD

Five Men And One Girl Under Arrest At Fort Wayne Today EACH HELD UNDER BOND OF $6,000 Fort Wayne, Nov. 17.— (INS) —Five men and one girl were being held by police here today under s£,ooo bond on charges of wholesale auto theft. The gang was supposed to have had its headquarters in a road house and to have reconstructed ano sold stolen cars through a garage at Burkett, Indiana. Those arrested were: Miss Ethel Kive, 21; Walter Westerman. 28: Paul Quinlan. 23. Orval DeLong. 37; all of Fort Wayne: Fii?d Albertson 51. of Burkett; and Prentice Hoop 27. of Payne, XYhio. The roadhouse where the gang is alleged to have had its headquarters is operated by Westerman and DeLong on the Bass road, about six miles from here. Quinlan was bar tender at the place, it was said. Westerman and Quinlan were tin first, two arrested. They were taken into custody by Deputy Sheriffs Fritz anil Rosenwinkle at the D. AJ. restaurant. West Main street, as they were about to leave the ity, the officers said. They had a 38 ■alibre revolv» r in their posssession and a pint bottle about half full ot /moonshine wi) In the automobile parked outside the restaurant. The automobile was a special Nash coach* alleged to have been stolen from Troy, Ohio. At the time ot the arrest the Nash carried an Indiana license whiili was l iter found to havt been issued to John Hedges, now serving a term of Z-to-1.4 years in the state reformatory on a charge ot grand larceny. The original Ohio license for the Nash was found lie hind a wood pile at the home of Westerman' on Cass street the officers said. Haynes roadster bearing a New York license which is alleged to havi been stolen by the gang, was found by the deputy sheriffs. Quinlan confessed that the gang had stolen about 20 Fojd automobiles in the city. He said they were selling them to Albertson at Burkett, who in turn disposed of them through another ageti’y. Albertson will have to face a charge of receiving stolen icovriM ei> a' iiiv.i .() Charles Dirkson And

Family Visiting Here Charles Dirkson, for many year pro minent here, who took a prominent purl in the building of the Fort Wayne and Decatur traction line and served as treasurer of that company for some time, arrived here today with his family. having motored through from Hobson, Montana, where they have lived since leaving here, (“uirley likes Montana and says its really a great country with big opportunities and a big outdoors. Th" state voted wet last year Charley says and while still under the . Volstead law, has no complications . from state laws. He and his family are I visiting ills brother Henry Dirkson, of 1 north of the city, and expect to remain here two or three months.

Price Two Cents.

TWO MEN HAVE i NARROW ESCAPE NEAR THIS CITY Albert Reppert And The Rev. 0. H. Scherry Escape Injury This Afternoon AUTO STALLS ON RAILROAD TRACK Albert Reppert, of Kirkland township anti the Rev. O. 11. Scherry. of Vera Cruz, miracously escaped injury, when the Overland sedan owned by Mr. Reppi'rt stalled on the Pennsylvania track at the south edge of tins city, on Federal road numlx r 27, anti was struck by a north bound Pennsylvania pas* senger train at 1:30 o'clock this ifternoon. Mr. Rppp< n and Rev. Scherry were ’nroute to this city. Both men saw he train coming when they were on the track Kev. Scherry told Mr. I Reppert that the train was at preaching. but that they could make the crossing easily. Motor Is Stalled

Mr. Reppert said that he had released his clutch, and when he noticed that the train was aproachiir lie let the clutch out again. As the clutch was lot out, the motor ■(topped completely and left the automobile standing on the track. Mr. Repiiert| immediately started •he motor again, but the train was ipon them. The engine of the train struck the front of the car throwing t off the track and badly damaging it. The ft out right fender and wheel were torn off and the frame of the machine was badly damaged. Neither Occoupant Hurt Neb het occufiuiit received a scratch inti the car did not turn over. The wo men got out of the car and shovd it hack on the road. It was so badly damaged, however, that it was necessary for a local service truck to bring it to this city for repairs. A motorist approaching the corssing behind the Reppert car tried in vain to hail the fast train, but to no avail ■nd it crashed into the car. Both men stated after the accident that hey were lucky to avoid injury and terhaps death. Trout Pleads Not Guilty To Charge Attorney 11. M. DeVoss appeared n Mayor s court yesterday and enter’d a plea of not guilty for John Trout, harged with violation of the prfthlntion law Date for trial was not at. Tin trial of Fred Knight, charg’d with a similar offense, will probibly be heard Friday afternoon, it was learned today. 0 Mrs. Smith Acquitted Os Charge Os Murder Libel ty, Ind. Nov. 17 (INS I Mrs. Margaret Smith of this city was ncluitted by a jury in Union circuit court here this afternoon of the charge of murdering her husband George Smith who died June It. Mrs. Smith had been accused of feeding him arsenic. The jury deliberated mote than 15 h urs after receiving the ease last night. Trial began on November 7. TONIGHT TO BE “BAPTIST NIGHT" Baptist Minister And Congregation To Attend Christian Church Revival

Tonight is "Baptist Night" at the Christian church. The pastor ot the Baptist church, with the members ot his congregation, will be present at the Christian church tonight to take part in the revival now in progress. The bad weather interfered with tile attendance last night, but those who were present were well repaid for their efforts. The Rev. A. R Eledderjohann pastor of the Reformed hurt'll offered the prayer. The Rev. A. A. (’oil delivered a splendid sermon. Mr. Hess, song leader, conducted the song service in his usual spirited manner. There are only three more days until the close of these meetings. The people of the community are Invited to attend.

YOUR HOME PAPERLIKE ONE OF THE FAMILY