Decatur Democrat, Volume 40, Number 46, Decatur, Adams County, 28 January 1897 — Page 1

The Decatur Democrat.

VOLUME XL.,

Miss Sue Thompson of Fort Wayne, was in the city Monday instructing her class in dancing. Joe Colchin of Bellefontaine, Ohio, who has been in the city a few days in attendance at the funeral of his sister, left for his home yesterday afternoon It is rumored that a business change of considera >le imortance will take place in the near future, in which several of our well known business men are interested. The school house at Poneta, Wells county, was burned Monday night at a late hour. The gas was left burning in the stoves, and an increased pressure is what done the work. John Yager and Charlie Spenc* r were nine miles in the country Tuesday night. They drove out in a sleigh but walked back. The horse got a little sporty and ihmped them out. The case of State vs George Sullivan for larceny, was pulled off in the circuit couvt Monday. It ended in a victory for Sullivan, there not being sufficient evidence to warrant a conviction. List Thursday afternoon the Sha^p'are club met at the home of Mrs. D. E. Studabaker and a very interesting paper was read, by Miss Emma Gilhom on “Home and Its Influence on Labor the State and Society.” Kover & Son of Fort Wayne, wh<> have the contract for frescoing and decorating the M. E. church in this city are now at work on the M. E. church at Monroe Ville. As sson as they complete the work in '’■hat city, they will begin the work in this ci'y. Marion Beall, formery cashier of the Geneva Bank, will open a bank at Ossian, and that town feels considerably elated over the fact that they are to have a financial institution. We congratulate Ossian on having induced Mr. Beall to locate in their midst. Fred and Will Koldeway of Preble, had a break-down and a lot of similar fun one day last week. They were delivering some porkers to the Preble market when the catastrophe occurred, which compelled them to walk the remaining distance, much to their diseom fiture.

.. The eighteenth annual report of the Indiana school for the feebleminded youth, at Fort Wayne, is now published, atopy of which is before us. Judging from the report, Supt. Johnson has been do ing some valuable work, and his removal from that institution would be unjust and unwise. There are 553 inmates and seven of them are credited to Adams county. A case is now in the circuit court in which Catharine Sprunger is defendant. She is matron at the orphans home at Berne and is accused of working the faith cure racket upon one of the little orphan inmates who bad taken an overdose of some poisonous fluid that was around the house. Dr. Franz of Berge is one of the prosecuting witnesses. Man is boru of woman, spanked by the hired nurse, jerked baldheaded by cranky schoolmasters, and attended by a selecfrand varied assortment of troubles, says an exchange. He lingers on luxury’s lap until his paternal ancestors fire him out to begin his battle with the world. He starts a newspaper and his friends promise to support him, but in the hour of need he finds that promises, like three-cent lamp chimneys, are easily broken. The palatial and beautiful mansion of Mr. and Mrs. Will A. Keubler was thrown open Tuesday evening to a large party of friends, who auswered their invitation to a six o’clock dinner. The dinner was served in all the elegance of the times and consisted of all the delicacies and dainties that cullinay art is heir to. The various courses were too numerous to count but so good—we can taste them yet. After a pleasant hour and a half enjoyed around the festive board, the gentlemen retired to the billiard room where an after dinner smoke was indu'ged in, which was followed by cards and other amusements. The Kuebler home is surely a beauty and a joy forever. Handsomely furnished, containing all the conveniences of the times, one feels that life is worth living. This was an enjoyable occasion, fully testified to by the many smiling faces of the guests present.

Mrs. W. A. M »rnh and non Howard of Bluffton, arp visiting in thia Citv the guests of the former’s parents, Mr. and Mrs A. Gilhom. J. S. Hart offers $25 reward for informatian leading to the arrest of the persons who broke several win dow panes in the vacated house two miles south of town. Not a single solitary marriage license was issued the past week, which demonstrates beyond any doubt that confidence is a rank fraud made out of whole cloth. Mrs. Elizabeth Hart was agreeably surprised last Tuesday evening by quite a number of her friends calling on her at the home of her daughter, Mrs. H. Tettman, the occasion being the birthday of Mrs. Hart. M. E church services at the court house next Sunday. S. S. at 9:15 a. in. Preaching at 10:30 a. m , Junior League at 3 p. m. Senior League at. 6 p m., Preaching at 7 p.m. All are cordially invited to attend these services. Notwithstanding the extreme cold weather we feel like congratulating ourselves upon the excellent gas service, which enables every one to be comfortable. The gas company deserves praise for their business administration and abundant supply of gas. The partition in Schafer & Loch’s hardware store has been removed, making one large spacious room of the entire first fioor. The office has been moved to the north side, all of which makes a very forcible and different appearance. The change is the right thing. Herman L. Confer went down to Indianapolis Monday bearing with him petitions signed by 400 or 500 Adams county taxpayers, which asks of the legislature now in session, to divide this judicial circuit. The petitions will be delivered to the committee on organization of courts.

Mrs. Delle Locke came home Tuesday afternoon from a two months absence in California. Mo-t of the time was spent in and around Los Angeles, although all points of interest in that section of this b ‘autifulicoutinent was visited. She is delighted with that couutry as most every one is who visits it. Her many friends in this city are busy extending a glad welcome to her return. We have heard many compli meats bestowed upon Manager Bowers of the gas company, and we are willing to add the further testimony that it is deserving and not out of place. Even when the thermometer registered twenty degrees below zero, the abundant supply of gas enabled every one to be comfortably warm and in good humor. The gas service couldn’t be better, thanks to au all wise providence and officials that are determined to please the public. Society has turned against its old favorites. The latest fad among opera-goers is not So much to come late, as to come for the enjoyment of some special scene or duo or ana, and then go right away. From this it would seem that music is failing to sooth the ennui of the too highly civilized breast. And the joys of the dance are no longer what they were. The german has been set aside to make way for a new series what are called morris dances, lately become very much the mode. For example, in place of standing up to the lancers in the usual fashion, a tall, golden pole is placed in the center of the and couples to the numbe of eight, ten, or even sixteen, each take a ribbon dangling from the .pole’s top. At the end of every ribbon is a bouquet and then, by following a series of simple and pretty figures, the ribbons are alternately braided about and unwound from the pole. The figures are in no sense a regulation may-pole dance, but adaptations, in the grand change, das-a-dos, &o. frotn the lancers and quadrille. Another charming ball-room recreation is what society calls a Spanish fandango, but which in reality is a long-step tnazourka The women all carry tambourines or castanets in their hands, and keep time t© the music as they revolve about the room. Os course morris ribbons and bouquets, tambourines and castadets are all carried off as souvenirs of an evening’s amusementr and, for the sake of attracting young business men, no ball holds later revelry than one o’clock of the morning.—From “Society Fads,”- in Demorest’s Magazine tor February.

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY. JANUARY 28, 1897.

It. B. Allison was at Toledo several days.last we 'k. It has quietly leaked out that a conference at Canton was also indulged in which makes the postoffice difficulty all the more perplexing. The new Methodist church will not be completed until the first or middle of April, several months later than was at first thought or desired. The lecture room will be finished up and services held there until the church proper is finished. The school children of Pleasant Mills took advantage of the good roads last Friday and organized a sleighing party, driving to this city to take in the sights. After a drive through the city Jhey returned home much invigorated from their pleasant trip. Misses Katie Poche, Ella Webster Maney Herman, Eva Beadell, Mesdames Martin Lili and Frank Rogers of Fort Wayne, Misses Emma Worden, Mande Tuhey and John Worden of Huntington, were here yesterday attending the funeral of Miss Clara Colchin. Romijerg & Hart of the Hoosier livery stable, treated several of their friends to a sleigh ride Tuesday evening. A thorough inspec tion of the town was made, including an ice cream lunch with Place. The streets are simply to smooth to talk about. All the snow poetry on earth couldn’t do justice to “the beautiful” that now is so blessed to mankind. Miss Bertha and Master Lawrence Voglev ede were thirteen years old last Tuesday and they were accorded a pleasant surprise by quite a number of their friends on that evening. The evening was spent in games such as young people would enjoy and after a pleasant evening all departed for their homes first wishing the twins many more snch occasions. The trial of Supt. Moffett, of the Decatur schools resulted in a demand for his resignation. This is a very unfortunate break in the school routine of the citv whether Mr. Moffett is guilty or not, the matter has had a very injurious effect upon 'he schools of the city, and they will not soon resume their wonted regularity and serenity.— Bluffton Banner. The beautiful home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Schafer was filled with brilliancy and merry fun last night, the occasion being a masquerade party given by Messrs and Mes dames Fred Schafer, J. T. Merryman, and P. G. Hooper. Many were the guests of honor, all dressed in every conceivable fashion known to ancient and modern times. We beg pardon for so briefly mention ing the occasion, but the short time we had for gathering any facts of newspaper importance is suffi cient for the omission.

Owing to the lateness of the. following local announcement of the Woman s Relief Corps, we failed to publish it last week, but here it is, nevertheless: The W. R. C. installed the following officers for 1897: President, Mrs. Mollie Gilson; S. V., Mrs. Carrie Doak; J. V., Mr*. Rebecca Phipps; Sec’v, Mrs. Libbie Roebuck, Treas, Mrs. Emma Nelson; Chap., Mrs. Harriet Coverdale; Con., Mrs. Emma Buhler; Guard, Mrs. Nora Parish; Asst Con., Mrs. Orpha Erwin; Asst Guard, Mrs. Alice Niblick; Delegate to Department convention, Miss Vina Cutting; Alternate, Mrs. Orpha Erwin. The following is Ihe report of the relief committee of the W. R C. for 1896: Money paid out of treasury for home at Lafayette $lO, for home at Knightstown $2, Feeble Minded Home at Fort Wayne sl, Minnie Saxon fund $2, Southern battle grounds, flowers for decoration 50c, aid in sickness $3.50, funeral ex peuses sll 50, shoes $2, flour $l2O, underwear •!. muslin 80c, calico 60c, thread 10c; gloves 30c, lodging for soldier and wife sl. Other than money, dresses 8, shirts 7, hose 7 pair, pants 7 pair, coats 2, overcoats 2, hats 2, wraps 2, shoes 2 pair, overshoes 2 pair, shirts 9, bed comforts 6, canned fruit 24 cans, apples 3 bushels, potatoes 3 bushels, peach butter 3 quarts, jelly 11 glasses, bread 15 loaves, meat $2, medical treatment $3. Other than money, total $36.50, money paid out of treasury $37.60, total $74, visits to the sick by committee 210, boquets to the sick room 124. “Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, you have done unto me.” By order of Pres.

Samuel Waggoner of Monroe died Tuesday morning after a long, lingering and painful illness with consumption. He was one ot the unique land marks of Monroe The funeral services were conducted yesterday. The ice men are now busy harvesting a bountiful crop of ice. J. W. Place has one hundred men busy at work, and will fill three mammoth ice houses within the next week or two. All this means the distribution of $2,000 or 13,000 among the laboring people. Let the good work go on. The woman’s Relief Corps with the additions of Mrs. E. Clark and Grandmother True, walked in on Mrs. E. G. Coverdale Tuesday and surprised her beyond imagination. They came with their baskets filled, and it is needless to say that a pleasant and enjoyable day was the result. A petition has been filed in the Portland circuit court, asking for an immense ditch which will, it is said, afford drainage for nearly 100,000 acres of land. The ditch will be one of the greatest enterprises ever attempted in northern Indiana, if the petition is allowed, and will cost from $50,000 to $75,000.—Fort Recovery Journal.

The business men of Huntington gave a sleighing carnival last Mon day and it proved a wonderful success. Every conveyance that runs on snow was brought into use, and the result was a parade of considerable length, and very novel in appearance. Let the business men of Decatur do the same thing while the snow lasts and it will be the means of bringing a large number of people to the city. At nine o’clock Tuesday morning, at the St. Marys Catholic church, the marriage nuptials of John Keller and Miss \ancy Franks was c msumated by Father Wilkins. Misses Pauline Keller and Cora Franks and Frank Leichty and Will Colter acted as brides maids and groomsmen. After the ceremony, a dinner was given at the home of the groom’s parents, three miles north of town, where everything good and eatable was on display. A farmer who has been studying agircultural journals says he is stumped. He claims that he read inonejourna that a side window in his stable makes a horse’s eye -weak on that side. Another paper fells him that a front window hurts his eyes by the glare, those on diagonal lines make him shy when he travels; oue behind him makes him look squint eyed, and astab’e without windows makes him blind. The farmer wants to know whether there is a place outside the heads of those editors where he ca r hang his windows. The dismissal of Professor A. D. Moffett, superintendent of the Decatur schools, is deeply deplored ,by his friends who knew him to be a man of the strictest moral integrity, incapable of any of the charges that were preferred against him. Unfortunately for 1?rof. Moffett he incurred the enmity of some citizens of Decatur who were willing to turn heaven and earth to bring about his dismissal, and too wel IJthey have succeeded. With the odium of public dismissal and the further humiliation of the im posed charges hanging over him Prof. Moffett’s career as a teacher has been immeasurably injured, and it is doubtful whether he can ever regain what he has lost. That any town should contain citizens so lost to every sense of justice and every sense of shame as to be willing to destroy the future of a young man struggling in an honorab'e career, for the mere gratification of personal enmity is a disgrace to our civilization. That Decatur pontaius more4hau its just portion of this class of citizens is unfortunate. Prof Moffett may have been indiscreet, considering the character of those who (lave been pursuing him, but as for his having even by word, intimation or thought any but the loftiest conceptions of morality, is utterly incomprenensible and wholly without the slightest evidence to substantiate it. The school board of Decatur may have thought that there was justification in the dismissal, but they have committed an irreparable injury to a young man for the mere gratification of the malicious feeling of citizens who would have stopped at nothing to have accomplished their purpose.—Miami County Sentinel.

New circuit court cases include Ulyses 8. G- Boar vs. William Underwood, note; demand $l5O. Jas. B. Rice vs. Joseph L. Anderson et al, note; demand SIOO. George H. Bright vs. William H. Park et al, note; demand SSO. One of the swell affairs of the season wa« the party given last Thursday evening at the tome of Miss Emma Gilliom on Madison street. The house was beautifully decorated with roses, carnations and smilax and at eleven o’clock refreshments were served. Those present were the Misses Jennie Cougleton, Emma Ehrestnan, Hattie Wertzberger, Gertie De Voss, Flo Beatty, Tessa Barkley, Bess Congleton. Bess Dorwin, Leona De Voss, Minnie Barkley and Delia Wertzberger. In some of the towns of the state parties have established dressmaking schools, charging pupils from ten to fifteen dollars for a certain number of lessons and promising to procure situations for their pupils at good big wages per week; but when the time comes for the parties to furnish the situations somebody gets left, and it is not the principals of the school. It would be Wise for people to pay after they get the promised situations. The worst of it is, the teachers are great big whiskered men and as mean as pusley.—Auburn Gazette. The proceedings of the Adams circuit court can be briefly told hi the following: State vs J >seph Stoneburner; set for trial on the 9th day of Febuary, 1897. Mary Jacobs vs James K. Jacobs; com plaint for divorce; due February 18. John Coffee vs Wm. H. Nib lick adm’r; set for trial on the 29th day of February, 1897. David Studabaker vs Grand Rapids & Indiana R. R. Co., City of Decatur, Ind ; plea in abatement filed by City of Decatur. Hulier Mfg Co., vs Jesse M. Parrish et al; dismissed and costs paid John W. Kleinhenz vs John C. T. Gerard et al; default of defendants submitted. Robert Boyd vs Elias Towney et al; complaint dismissed on motion of plaintiff. Jane Blocher vsgUfias. E. Harper, adm’r; dismissed add judgment against plaintiff for costs. Herman Ftomberget al, vs townsena et al; defendants ? tilled to answer. Victory Lord vs Frank B. Lord; defendant ruled to answer. Mary Elzey vs Wm. F. Elzey; set for trial on 2nd Saturday, Jan. 30, 1897. Wm. Stout vs Isiah Weist, No 5289; set fortrial on the 3rd Wednesday of January term, 1897. Hattie M’Caffee vs

City of Bluffton; set for trial on 3rd Tuesday. Feb. 2, 1897. State vs John Amstutz; Mann & Beatty appointed counsel to defend defendant. Etta N. Helm vs Samuel J. Helm; complaint for divorce. Jacob Kessler vs Martin V. B. Simeoke; complaint to require defendant to file bond of justice of the peace. Henry Peters vs Henry Mayer; dismissed and costs paid. Sarah Ellsworth vs Ed W. Fravel adm’r; set for trial on 2nd Thursday. 'Joh n Bieberstine vs Abraham Bieberstine; answer filed by John to cross complaint of Abraham. James R Bobo et al, vs Dan W. Meyers and Amos Gillig; judgment against defendants for costs. Chas. W. Yager vs S. C. Niman; judgment against plaintiff for costs. State ex rel Irvin Brandyberry vs Dan P. Bolds et a'; dismissed and judgment against relator Irvin Brandyberry for costs. Cora Cook vs Robert N. Steele; plea in abatement filed by defendant. Victory Lord vs Frank Lord; motion for new trial filed by plaintiff, overruled by the court. Lhaben Gage vs Geo. Albert Gage; set for trial on Feb. 1, 1897. Lorenzo D. Ha’l vs Perry Robison et al; judgment against plaintiff for costs. State vs Irwin Lhaman; fined $1 and costs. State vs Henry McLean; J. R. Bobo appointed counsel for defendant. State vs George Sullivan; set for trial on Monday, Jan. 25, 1897. State vs George Sulliva”; jury return verdict of not guilty State vs. John Amstuzt, jury verdict of not guilty, David Steele foreman. Henry Dolch vs. Webstet Biteman, notice to tax costs by defendant, overruled. Town of Geneva vs. Wm. Drew, set for trial on fourth Monday,. February Bth. John W. Kleinhenz vs. John C T. Gerard etal, judgment vs. John C. T. Gerard and John Yost for $248.69; foreclosure of chattel mortgage. Donovan & Bremerkamp vs. Joseph Smith, administrator, claim; allowed $11.84. State vs. Henry Me Lean, two cases; defendant discharged in each case.

NUMBER 4f

JANUARY APPOBTIONIUNT. Union township—Number of children 321, congressional interest fund $26.80, common school fund $390.11, t twnsbip tax $195 84, special school tax $387.03, total $999.78. Root—Children 387, congressional interest $79.42, common school $425 87, township $385.82, special school $760.73, total $1.65184. Preble—Children 472, congressional interest $30.58, common school $582.52, township $598.14, special school $296.97, total $1,508.21. Kirkland—Children 438, congressional interest sl6, common school $552.93, township $254 42, special school $1,013.44; tuition $245.91, total $2,082,70. Washington—Children 507, congressional interest $36.78, common school $621.77, township $772.84, special school $278 86, tuition $252 13, total $1,962.38. St. Mary’s—Children 347, congressional'interest $34.58, common school $416.15, township $204.09, special school $273.49, tuition $322.49, total $1,250.80. Blue Creek—Children 380, congressional interest $24, common school $469.59, township $lB5, special school $lB4, tuition $92 19, total $954.78. Monroe—Children 783, congressional interest $18.60, common school $998.47, township $622.84, special school $1,234 21, total $2,874 12 French—Children 403, congressional interest $21.35, common school $502.13, township $358.40, special school $470.87, total $1,352.75 Hartford—Children 457, congressional interest $581.94, township $428.67, special school $857.39, tuition $153.84, total $2,033 52. Wabash—Children 644, congressional interest $26.97, common school $809.54, township $527.90, soecial school $1,057.75, total $2,422.16. Jefferson—Children 402, congressional interest $40.74, common schbol $481.44, township $370.95, special school $788.11, total $1,681.24 jxD^ltnr—Children 1,243, commmi school $1,614.57, special school $3,634 57, tuition $1,825.99, corporation tax $7,210.70, library tax $143.59, school $7,218.72; corporation $7,210.70. Geneva —Children 411, common school $533.86, special school *383.38, tuition $316.01, corpora tion tax $1,000.38, sch >ol $1,233.25, corportion $1,000.38. Berne—Children 314, common school $407.86, special; chool SBB4 38 tuition $42.7.89, corportion tax $1,232.23, scfiool $1,720.13, corporation $1,232.23. A special to the Sentinel from Richmond says: Joseph Reed of this city, township assessor, has formulated a plan by which the present system of assessing can be greatly improved and a saving made to the counties. His ideas have been embodied in a bill which will be introduced in the legislature at some time during the present session. Instead of allowing the assessors and their deputies $2 for a possible sixty days, Mr. Reed would grade their pay according to the amount of property that they assess. If the amount is less than SIOO,OOO they shall receive SIOO annually; if more than SIOO,000, one-tenth of 1 per cent., and so on up to $32,500,000. When the amount is passed the compensation shall be one sixteenth of 1 per c6nt. It is estimated that this plan would make a saving in this (Wayne) county of at least SSOO a year, and would at the same time afford an incentive to look up omitted property. This is the way two republican papers state the effect of tha restoration of confidence. The Lafayette Courier says: “A well knowa merchant dropped into the store of a Main street business man yesterday and cheerfully inquired: Well, old man, how is business? The Main street man looked at his questioner solemnly and reproachfully an instant before replying; a tinge of severity in his voice. My dear sir, it shocks me to hear yoa speak so disrespectfully of the dead.” Commenting on this the Frankfort News says: “How strange- Why, in thia town the merchants every day, and a dozen times a day, have to lock their front doors to prevent the rush of people from overturning the store and tramping the clerks to death. Nit.”—Huntington Democrat.