Decatur Democrat, Volume 41, Number 1, Decatur, Adams County, 18 March 1897 — Page 1

The Decatur Democrat.

OLUMF XLI.

Miss June Merryman spent Sunday at Fort Wayne. Amos Foreman has open'd a grocery and meat market in one of his new buildings on north Main. A special convocation of the Accepted Scotish Ri’e Masons was held at Fort Wayne Tuesday and Wednedasy. JamesT. Merryman of this city was in attendance at the meeting. D. W. Beery shipped a car load of fine horses to the Eastern market last Saturday. He left on Sunday evening in time to catch the horses at their destination and dispose of them. Uncle George Pontius of Hart ford township, was in the city last Friday and Saturday. Herecntly returned from a trip to Texas where a sister reside-’, whom he visited for a week or two. Miss Eva Smith who has been visit'ng relatives in New York City for some time, and taking ad van tage of the great music facilities of that city to complete her musical education, returned home last Thursday. Dr Coverdale was called to Woodburn, last Thursday to see Grandma Numbeis who is quite ill with erysipelas. Mrs. Numbers was one of the old settlers ot this county, and is well and favorably known by many of our people. William Worden, one of the jurymen in the Bolds case was pas 'i ng around the cigars this week on account of of a young democrat that has made his appearance in the Worden household. Mother and child are doing well and Will is able to resume his duties as juryman. " A New York paper states that a girl in that city kneads bread with her gloves on. “But” says a western editor “that is no news ’o us. We need bread with our boots on; we need bread with our pants on; and if our friends who are so much in arrears don’t pay up soon, we will need bread without anything on. In fact to be well bred is to provide us with the means to obtain bread.” —Ex. The new Methodist chuich in this city wilt be dedicat d on Suu •day, April 18. This date has been decided on by the coiugrittee and pastor who have the matter in charge. Many high and important officials and ministers in Methodis'-i-m will be present and conduct the ceremonies on that day. It will be an impor ant and happy day for the membership. A new pipe organ will be among the noted improvements. The last quarterly meeting of this conference year was held Sunday by the Methodists at their place of meeting in the court house. Presiding Elder Simpson was present, conducting communion services and preached two excellent sermons, both.morning and evening. The conference this year wdl be held at Kokomo. Decatur with a handsome new church edifice, and other adequate accommodations, should press her claims for the conference next year.

New circuit court, c s?s filed for the April term are George Knox vs James McHale et al, change of venue from Wells c unty. Phillip Meihls vs Melrose Meihls, divorce. Mary Brown vs Frederick Brown, divorce and alimony. demand §IOOO. David Studabaker vs Dick C. Townsend and Pat Cox, complaint in ejectment and damages; demand S4OO. John Wisehaupt vs William J. Myers, appeal from J. P. Findlay McCollum vs An drew J. Pyle, appeal from J. P. Minerva Murphy vs Joseph W. Murphy, divorce; demand §2.500. Charles D. Murray, exparte, appeal from board of commissioners. spring, will see another thorough testof the oil field east of Geneva and present prospects are better than ever before for an oil field of importance in tnat section which has hitherto been the oil man’s Waterloo, as upwards of $25,000 have been spent in drilling dry holes in the territory east of Geneva. The New Corydon well has 800 feet of oil in it and recent floods prevented the completion of- the well. Burford & Co. have leased several hundred acres of laud, comprising the Kramer, Pyle, Burris, Corson, Ford and other farms two miles southeast of town and a well will be drilled as soon aS the weather permits.—Geneva Herald.

Misses Kit Christen and Nellie Schrock spend Sunday with friends at Bluffton. cooking club will meet tomorrow night with Miss Bessie Schrock. A number of talented physicians have been engaged to take the proper cue of the sick and inflicted. The treasurers’s office in Lagrange county was broken into one night last week, the safe br >ken open and 1350 taken therefrom The county treasurer will have to make good the loss. Don’t fail to peruse the large display advertisement of Kern, Brittson & Beeler, the clothiers, gents furnishers, boot and shoes. They are giving away gold watches. P st up on their prices. Dave and Hattie Studabaker are guests of their father Judge Studabaker. Dave has been located at Fort Wayne for some time, but has returned to take charge of a stock farm which will be started this spring. Rev. Schroeder, who is now conducting a revival at Dixon, Ohio, is said so have expressed his intention to make his next effort to save sinners in thD place. He is causing the people about Dixon to begin thinking.—Monroeville Breeze. Surveyor Fulk was at various points in Ohio last week, and made a very searching inquiry -mong the various lolbfs, and personal in quiry of the proper officials and finding by the amount of iifforma tion gained and the aggregate mileage of crushed stone roads, that they must be the thing. P. J. Hyland was successful in securing the contract for furnishing the lights for the new Methodist church. The chandeliers are handsome designs of oxidized copper. One of them will contain twenty gas and twenty electric lights, another ten each, another four each, thirty or forty combination brackets, a number of one light pendants, all of which will figure a total cost of S4OO.

On the first day of July next the bill permitting the printing and use of private mailing cards, witlj a one cent stamp affixed, will go -into effect. The progressive business man will have his advertisement conspicuously displayed. The bill is provided by’ the postoffice de partment, as it tends t 6 populize the postal cmls, besides effecting a saving to the government of the difference between the cost of the cards and the stamp. Minerva Murphy through attorneys Peterson & Lutz and R. 8. Peterson, asks the circuit court to sever the marriage vows that exist between herself and Joseph W. Murphy. The complaint states that they were married January 25, 1883, and lived together as husband and wife until March 15, 1897. Abuse of the plaintiff is alleged. They’ have four children, Harry, Frances, Marion and Carl. The plaintiff seeks the custody of the children and alimony’ in ihe sum of §2,500. The Willshire Herald, J. Emmett Culley’s paper, contained a heavy leader devoted to abuse of thfi commissioners of Adams county, because they refused to give the contract for building the Decatur and Bluffton gravel road to T. Spriggs & Sons of Wabash, Ohio. These contractors had arranged for their crushed stone at the Willshire quarries, hence the teriffic wail of the Herald The contract as awarded gives the furnishingof stone to our home dealers, and thereby help those who pay for the road. The outburst of abuse of our commissioners was uncalled for and bebttled no one but the pubisher thereof. A committee composed of Commissioners Conrad Brake, J. E, Mann, David Eckrote, Sheriff Ashbaucher and Surveyor Fulk made an investigation of the crushed stone roads iu and about Delphos and Wilshire, Ohio, last week. They were piloted over various stone r «ads by Sheriff A. L. Fisher of Lima, Ohio. Thfey made a thorough investigation in the matter including the material of construction, kindsand quality of material and especially the cost of repairing same herafter. After a careful investigation they decided that stone was the right were royally entertained by Sheriff Fisher, and received much information, he being a contractor of much experience.

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY. MARCH 18, 1897.

Marion Andrews and Chris Hocker of Monroe, were in the city Monday on their way to Fort Wayne. The former to visit his brother O. P. M. Andrews, who is under a physicians care in that | city. The valentine affray in Root township, as described a week or two ago was somewhat illuminated, so later advices state. Nothing of any serious nature was indulged in, everything being lovely aid the goose hanging high. Postmaster Welfley reports unclaimed letters belonging to F. C. Collins. Gertrude Moser, James Andrews, James Tabler, E. H. K Iler, Harvey Bax’er, Mrs. John Benton, Creg Myers, James Erwin, F. E. Gnepper, Matilda Hendricks and Frank Hazlett. The Corbett-Fitzsimmons fight is over, and Corbett fell a victim to the sledge hammer blows of Lanky Bob in the fourteenth round. It appears that Pompadour Jim was out of his class, and he should now be relegated to the infant class, and Fitz should receive all glory connected with the fight, if such there be Artist Moser is no back number in the preservation of the art so natural to him. A glance into his studio will marvel the eyes of any one who possesses any instinct of beautiful portrait work. Mr Moser recently attended a meeting of the photographic association and while there received many admiring testimonials as to the merit of his work. Messrs and Mesdanes H. R. Moltz and C. E. Neptune enter tained a number of their married friends last Friday evening at the hohie of the formdr. The occasion being the sixth and seco d anniversaries respectively of their marriage. Interesting amusements were arranged for the guests, and after that came a dainty lunch. Then came the leave taking with well wishes fr the future, and hopes for many more anniversaries John Hendricks of Monroe, in vaded our sanctum Tuesday and planked down the lucre for a year’s Democrats. He has been a con stant subscriber of the papei since 1861, having saved nearly all the papers from that time to this. Especially interesting and valuable are the issues during the rebellion. Many of the battles and skirmishes were written up by Captain Hill and sent home and published in the paper. Mr. Hendricks wouldn’t trade those papers for a car load of McKinley “prosperity,” and we don’t blame him. Street Commissioner Cutting came into this office 'ast Saturday with “bind” in his eye. In dramatic tones he demanded to know who “writ” that article that appeared in last, week’s Democrat, relative to the filthy condition of some of our street crossings, during the week prev ous. We suppose hisßoyal Highness felt indignantly insulted at our remarks and byway of apology will say that the afore mentioned crossings were not quite as bad as they would have been had a herd of thirty elm peelers camped thereon for a week. The inclement wea her has subsided and the street crossings can be found once more. The commencement exercises of the Decatur high school will be held May 7. The class which graduates this year is an unusually large and exceptionally strong one. Thirty two of the girls and boys of our city will bid farewell to shool work on the above date and receive diplomas for having performed theirduties well. In facing the duties which will come up before them in after life, they havq a task, in which they will be greatly aided by the learning attained in our public schools. The class is spoken of very highly by the faculty and a bright future is predicted for them. Here is the class as it will go to the post on Commencement day: Misses Maggie Hoyer, Doll Christen, Susie Calderwood, Lizzie Patterson, Jes sie Blossom, Leo Case, May Trout, May Ernst, Grace Bottenberg, Blanche Reynolds, Ina Wyatt, Myrtle Watts, Hattie Moore, Maggie Fordyce, Vesta Dibble, June Merryman, Maggie Daniels, Tina Allison, Messrs. Lawrence Hughes, Earl Coverdale, Dick Christen, Chalmer Shafter, Charles Suttles, Earl Fristoe, Marion Smith, Earnest Carr, Melvin Mallonee, Harvey Shroll, George Kern, John .Case, John Kern and Dick France.

Judge Studabaker has brought suit against Townsend & Cox for S4OO, sa>d money due as rent f r the room and building occupied by them fi>r plumbing and gas fitting. | This firm has been quite a popular one during their short residencei and business career in our city. Court adjourned Monday after-j noon to give the attorneys an op j portunity ..f attending the funeral I of Will E. Colerick at Fort Wayne. The bir of this city will be well represented at the funeral, thereby showing the esteem in which the young man was held by the bar of this city. Aar n Broker of Geneva, was in town Saturday and among other notable deed" remembered his Democrat subscription for one long year in advance. Aaron ithe oldest veterinary surgeon in Adams cOunty and has a record for cures and surgery, that any one could.be proud of. He enjoys a good business and is doing well. Under the new law which has passed thelegislatnre,all physiemns in this county will be required to register again. All physicians who have m t registered since 1891 have been advised that they should take out new lie uses before the new law takes effect. Eminent authorities throughout the state have expressed the opinion that they should pursue this course.—Huntington Herald. France & Merryman as attorneys for Mary Brown has filed suit for divorce from Frederick Brown. The complaint avers that, the defendent i- guilty of adultery with numerous persons whose names are not given. The fruits of their marriage is one boy, now six years old, which the p aintiff also seeks the custody of. She also asks for alimony in the sum of SIjOOO They were married March 28,1891, and lived together until February 16, 1897. . The law abolishing‘quart shops had its effecl in Adams county as well as plsewhere. It closed five or six places in this county, and left Peterson, Friedheim and several other small pn toffice towns without a drink shop. The law as interpreted by Representative Nicholson, permits druggists to sell the beverage on physicians prescript! ms, only. This was one time when retail liquor dealers and the temperance elements worked in harmony and unison. ..They* both wanted the quart business, abol ished, and now are satisfied. '

John W. Ellingham, an elder brother of ye editor and a newspaper publisher of North Platte, Nebraska, was visiting us several days this week after an absence of over ten years in that western country. Herepor sthat theprom ised “prosperity” which was Iso freely offered, was side-tracked and never reached them in quantities as advertised. However the west has succeeded in going through several years of drouth and other calamities and is now ripe for busi uess and booms. He recites the many advantages of that climate, country and scenery in true western and as the fellow says, “is dead stuck on it ” The commissioners were iu ses sion Monday afternoon signing the contract and approving the bond of Calvin Miller & Company, the successful bidders and contractors for the Bluffton and Decatur gravel road. There was some speculation entertained that they wouldn’t toe the mark and agree to all the conditions in the contract, but this proved untrue Among the spec ified conditions of the 'Contract we note that work is to begin on or before May 1, and the road is to be completed by November 15. No extras of any nature' will be al lowe 1. Home labor and teams exclusive are to be employed, and nothing but blue lime-stone from the Decatur quarries is to be used. The contract price is §34,949, of which twenty per cent, is to be retained until the completion of the work and the acceptance of the road by the commissioners and engineer. They filed a bond calling in amount for §70.000, for the faithful performance of their contract,. ‘ <The bond bears the signatures of Isaac. W. Carter, George W. McMauam, Levi M, Cole, N. T. Miller and David Studabaker. This bond is worth many times the amount called for, and, no doubt, the work will be completed satisfactorily to all interested and concerned.

Warren W. Moses has resign*d his position as agent of the Wells Fargo Express Co., and is succeed'd by A. Triplett of Wildeis, Ind. Mr. Moses has made genial and ac commodating agent, and the many patrons ot l he Wells Fargo Express Co. sincerely regret his action. Mr. Triplett comes to the city I highly recommended, and wed qualified to perform the duties imposed upon him. Our imp, and he is no slouch at figures, has been greatly worried for some days in trying to solve the following dipping from an exchange: “There sat down to a| table recently four mothers, two! grandmas, one great-grandma, one grandpa, two uncles, one great unde, two brothers, one lister, one niece, one great nephew, one cousin, two second cousins, and in all t here were six grown people and four children.” Complaint is frequently made -ays an exchange, that country editors are not good business men. This certainly cannot be said of an eastern editor who offered a prize of SSO for the best written proposal of marriage by a lady. He selected one written by a rich widow, and answered with a letter of acceptance. When the lady re fus»*d to marry him, he sued her for breach of promise. That man missed his calling. He should h ive been a lawyer. By virtue of a law passed by the i-cently adjourned legislature, Trea-urer Bolds will hold his office until January 1, 1898. The law referred to makes the expiration of all county treasurers on the first day of January. It is said to be better for both incoming and outgoing officials. At this time a general settlement can be made more easily, as n w luplicates are then placed in the hands of the treasurer for the collection of that year’s taxes, and like all other business there is a general settling up. Treasurer Bolds second term expires some time in September. During the four years pastoral -ervices of Rev. E T. Gregg, the net gain in membership was 131. He has attended sixty five fnner•i's, fifty-four weddings and baptized 158 persons. The church ias paid §B.IOO on building and im provements and §2,137 for benevo lent purposes. Ihe showing is excellent and clearly shows that much progress and activity has been a notab e feature during the pastoral administration of Rev. Gregg His return t’or another year is unanimously demanded by the membership and will no doubt be granted by the conference officials who have the ministerial ap pointmeuts in charge. The German Building and Loan Association of this city made their first distribution to share holder last week. Thirty-five stockhold ers in t »e institution drew cash prizes amounting to $25,050.00. At the same time 19 mortgages representing §8,000.00 were can celled. This stock was the first series issued by the association, and matured in 82 months. After a close investigation we find that the stock in the German matured in 8 mouths less, than any similiyj organization in the state, having the same monthly payments. 'The German Building and Loan Association was organized May 15. 1890. The first officers were: John Schurger, President; N. Blackburn, vice-president; D. G. M. Trout. Treasurer and Paul G. Hooper. Secretary. The present officers are: B. W Sholty, president; J. T. Merryman, vice-president; W. IL. Niblick, treasurer and F. M Sehirmeyer, secretary. The business affairs of the institution are controlled by a board of five managers consisting of the four latter named officers together with Judge David Studabaker. This board ol managers personally superintend the making of all loans, and make personal inspection of all property upon which a loan is desired, before complying with the request. The conservative business manage-1 ment manifested by the association smee its organization, hat placed the German in the front rank of solid financial institutions of this city. A large number of the beau tiffil residences in this city owe their origin to the German and their proud owners cannot-say too much in praise of the association and its management. May the institution continue to prosper, build up our city and furnish many more homes to the people of our city is the wish of the Democrat.

WAYNE TRAGEDY. SIKM’KIJfi DEATH OF WILL E. (taICK. Miss Mae Hall Also Found In An Incoiiscioiis and Almost Dying Condition.

Word reached this city Saturday morning that W. E. Colerick, a prominent attorney of Fort Wayne, and Miss Mae Hall his sweetheart, had committed suicide at the latter’s home. Hon. Henry Colerick, father of the young man, was busily engagedin tryingthe lawsu't now on trial in the circuit court, and to the attorneys was left the unpleasant task of informing the unsuspecting father of his son’s fate. Court had just adjourned and Mr. Colerick had started" for the hotel when he was called back by R. K. Erwin, and told to wait a minute. Mr. Erwin, Judge Heller and sev eral of the att rneys stepoed into the jury room to consult‘about the best plan of breaking the news. Mr. Colerick in the meantime suspectingthatall was not right rushed in and (remanded to know the worst. He was told in as few words as p 'B- - For a moment he stood wrapped in thought, then bursting into tears fell on his knees and fervently pray d. The scene at this point can hardly be described, but the strong men who stood by, : hqwed their heads and silently in sympathy for the grief stricken fath’er. After awhile Mr. Colerick was taken to his hote , where be remained until the afternoon when he left for h's home in the company of a delegation of prominent Fort Wayne attorneys who came to this city to console the father. The following facts taken from the Fort Wayne Journal will enlighten our readers, as to (be cause and surroundings of the tragic suicide: Will E. Colerick left his home on last Thursday’ evening and disappeared as com- ■ pletely as if the earth had swallow'ed him up, until his dead body was found on Saturday morning at the home of Mis- Mae Hall his sweetheart. The discovery s was made iby Ralph Lane a cousin of the I you >g lady who bad stopped at the home of the Halls to make inquiry’ of her, as her mother was out of the city and she was expected to spend the time until her mother’s return, at the home of a friend. Nothing could be learned of the young lady’s whereabouts and he determined to force the door of her apartments, as on close inspection it was found that the door had been locked from the inside. The sight that met the young man’s gaze as he entered the room was | shocking. Lying on a *o r a was , the body of Will Colerick stiff in the nibrace of death. In a bed room adj> in ng Miss Hall was found apparently dead, but upon close investigation it was found that life was not extinct, and a message was hastily dispatched for a physic an Dr. Miles F. Porter soon appeared on the scene and had the young lady removed to Hope Hospital, where she is slowly re gaining consciousness, but it will be some time before she has full possession of all her faculties. All kinds of theories were advanced as to the cause of death but nothing definite will be known until the young lady throws some light on the affair. Rumors were current that the youqg couple had taken carbolic ac d, as a two ounce vial containing a few drops of the poison was found on a stand in the sitting room. An autopsy was held on Will Colerick, and his stomach turned over to the city chemist for analysis. He has dscovered some traces of escharotic poison in the stomach but not enough to fully’ substantiate the theory of suicide, and it is not improbable that death was caused by’ asphyxiation. The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock from the residence of the young man’s parents on West Berry 7 street. The funeral was the largest ever .held in Fort Wayne. Services were conducted by Rev. Samuel Wagalihals of the English Lutheran church, after which the bqdy was interred at Lindenwood. The floral offerings were profuse, and came from all classes of people who had known the deceased during his life time. Thus ends the last chapter of the terrible tragedy. ‘ '

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