Decatur Democrat, Volume 41, Number 4, Decatur, Adams County, 8 April 1897 — Page 1

Ttif: Decatur Democrat

VOLUME XLI.

Miss Lucy Vail of Ossian, is visiting in the city with her brother J. W. Vail and family, t Mrs. Holmes of Portl ind, re turned to her home Monday after a short visit with her daughter, ' Mrs. J. D Hale, Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Dibble ac companied by their son and daughter, are at Wellington, Ohio, attending the marriage of Louis Dibble a brother of the former. Levi Birkley has purchased the grocery stor ■ of J. Martin & Son, located on the corner of Adams and Seventh streets, and will continue to dish out groceiies at the same old stand. Albert Broucht of Kirkland township, was brought to this city yesterday charged with provoke. Squire Smith taxed up the usual costs and trimmings which were promptly se'tled. A very disastrous lire occurred at Bluffton last Friday, in which several business houses and dwellings were consumed. The loss is estimated at 110,000, covered by insurance. The origin of the fire is unknown. The coroner of Allen county has returned a verdict to the effect that Will E. Colerick’s death was due to accidental asphyxiation caused by poisonous products of com bus tion of gases. This verdict is in accord with general public opinion. The February term of the Jay circuit court .closed Saturday evening. This was the wind-up of the Jay-Adams judicial circuit, and hereafter the two counties will be separate and distinct districts, and judge Heller will preside in Adams county only. The April term of court begins next Monday, lasting ten weeks. Under the new regime more time will be given to lawyer and client in the trial of cases, and will be found in >re satisfactory 'o all concerned, than the old style of rustle from the beginning of the term to the end. When the school enumerator calls on you give in all your child ren of school age, thereby incieasing the amount received for school purposes. Remember the amount of money depends on the number of school.children, and in this particular case, the more children we have the more money we have. The ladies of the Presbyterian church are making preparations to present the beautiful can'ata Ruth in a short time. They are beingassisted by all the local songsters of note, and rehearsals have already begun under the directorship of Prof. F M. Schirmeyer About sixty voices will be heard in this popular production, and the entertainment will be given in a large tent especially engaged for the occasion. Watch the date. Jacob Martin & Son have disposed of their West End grocery to Levi Barkley. Ed, the junior member of the firm, has purchased 3 one-half interest id the large grocery store owned by D. P. Bolds at Richmond. With the vast amount of experience Ed has had in that I'ne, he will be assured of success in his new location, and the people of Richmond will have an all round hustler in their midst. He left last week to assume the management of the new concern. The rates of valuation placed by the assessors on personal property will be somewhat as follows: Poultry, $2 to $lO per dozens; brick, $3 to $5 per thousand; steam engines and boilers, SIOO to 1,-200; fire and burglar proof safes, $5 to $800; billiard aud pool tables, SSO to $200: pianos, 25 to $300; organs, $5 to $100; sewing and knitting to $10; clocks, $2 to $100; bicycles, etc. $5 to $75; stallions, SIOO to $500; farm horses, SBO to $25 or less; mules, SSO to S4O or less; cows, sls to SSO; fat cattle, 3 cents a pound; two year olds, sls to 25; yearlings, $lO to 15; calves, $5 to $10; registered cattle, sls to $100; sheep, 3 to 5 cents a pound; hogs, 3 cents; wood per cord, 50 cents; wheat, 60 cents per bu; corn, 15 cents; rye, 20 cents; oats, 10 cents; potatoes, 15 cents; grass seed, $3 to $1; hay $4 to $2; bacon, 4 cents; pork, 4 cents; lard, 4 cents; cider, 5 to 10. cents per gallop; vinegar, 10 cents; maple molasses, 50 cents; sorgum, 2ff cents; lumber, 50 cents to $2 per thousand; scales, $lO to SSO; ice 30 to 50 cents a ton; threshing machines, $25 to $500; corn shelters, $5 to SSO.

Bert ami Della Harm IT, son and daughter of County Recorder Harruff attended a wedding at Marion, Ohio, this week.

Miss Hattie (Jilliom after an absence of more than a year nx the west, where she had gone in search of health, returned to her home Sunday night greatly improved. New circuit court cases are The Titusville Iron Co. vs Samuel Shugert, note; demand S7OO. The Union Central Life Insurance Company vs George Stoll et al., foreclosure mortgage; demand $1,200. Superintendent Snow returned fr >m Elkhart Saturday evening, where he attended a meeting of the Northern Indiana State Teacher’s Association. The attendance was large and an elegant time was had by the instructors. We acknowlege receipt of an invitation to attend the commencement exercises of the Ohio Medical College to be held at Cincinnati, Friday evening, April 9th. M. F. Parrish of Monroe, is among the fortunate ones to adopt the degree of M D The grand jury for the special term of our circuit court will consist of Frank Arnold of Kirkland township, C. A. Augsberger of Berne, John R. Peoples of Root, James McClune of Monroe, Albert Spooler of Washington, and Reuben Beery of Kirkland. Clerk Lenhart issued marriage licenses to Simeon H. Staudler and Myrtle A. Nelson, William C. Turner and Lydia E Barklev, Charles Rowe and Trusie Heller, Daniel A. Miller and Minnie Headington, Josiah B. Ray and A. Durr, Charles W. Johnson and Edith J. Keteon.

Miss Ball a young lady fifteen years of age, was arrested Sunday at the instigation of her mother, charged with being an inmate of an house of ill-fame. Later the charge was reconsidered, and the young lady was taken home where an effort will be made to show her the error of her way, that she may become a useful woman. The stock sale held at the Peoples & Rice livery barn last Saturday was well attended, and sales were well patronized The bidding was spirited and several head of stock were sold. As soon as farmers and stock growers know they can find a market such as these sales afford, the sales will become quite popular and will be a success. Another sale will be given in the near future and parties having stock to sell should bring it in. The Evangelical Conference closed at Wabash yeaterday and the following assignments were made for this district: Kendall ville District—D. Martz, Presiding E’der. Kendallville, J. Moisei; Wolcotsville, H. H. Reinhold; Waterloo, D. Zechiel; Edgerton J. Rees; Defiance, W. 8. Tracey and Philip Buechler; Payne, J. M. Smith; Decatur, J. Wendell; Berne, C Pierce; Van Wert, D. Speichler; Markle, S J..Zechiel; Huntington, H. Steininger; Urbana, J. Stoops; Nappanee, S. Hofferbert; New Paris, W. Mygrant. Our neighboring town of Willshire is greatly excited over the description of a trip to hades made a few days ago by John C. Ault, a well-to do citizen of that place, while lying in a trance, into which he fell while attending a protracted meeting being held in that town. He says he was transported to the regions of hell and everything seemed so natural that he could smell the smoke. The place was very dark, and a continual noise as if made by thunder kept going constantly. He saw but three persons and they had the appearance of being skeletons, two of them he recognized as being Walling and Jackson and they were making desperate efforts to be released. After a short sojourn in the infer nal regions he was transported to heaven where the scenery was entirely different. In this place two special messages were given him to be delivered to persons on this earth. One of them has already been delivered, while the other will remain a secret until theproper time comes for its delivery. Mr. Ault lay in this trance for 36 hours and hundreds of friends visited him while he lay in this comatose state. His story has caused a great deal of excitement and'is generally believed as he was known to have a good reputation for truth and veracity.

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY. APRIL 8. 1897.

Carrie, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. P. B. Thomas, who has been seriously ill for some time, is somewhat improved at this writing. The cow catcher on on the east bound C & E. passenger train brought part of the caicas of a cow to this city early Monday morning. True to its name, it caught her, and caught her right, judging from the mutilate 1 remains. The Evening Journal was launched on the sea of journalism last Mondaysevening for the first time. forth well filled with spicy news, . and is an up to date daily. Should it continue as it began, we bespeak for it a long life and prosperity. Attorneys Mann, Lutz, Erwin, A. P. Beatty, Merryman, Hooper, J. S. Peterson, Bobo ond Judge Heller attended the banquet given by the Portland Bar to the in and out going judges last Monday evening. An elegant time is reported by all who were in attendance. J. K. Fogle, a sort of all around prize fighter and lion tamer, who has made his headquarters at Ge neva for some time, left this city yesterday with a load of horses for the foreign market. Upon his arrival in tha' foreign land he will accept a position with Hagenbeck the animal trainer The school enumeration for the current year must be taken by the school trustee or his assistants, between the 10th of April and the Ist day of May. There is a penalty attached to the refusal of any parent, guardian or head of family re fusing to properly give the enumerator a correct list of the names and ages of the children under his or her charge. The jury c >mrai-si ners have named the petit jurors for the April court term. They are J. D. Winans, of. St. Marys township, James K. Martz of Monroe, J. N. Kerr of Monroe, G. W. Shafer of Wabash, Joel Roe of St. Marys, George W. Pyle of Geneva, Isaac N. Tee er of Wabash, John W. Sutilef of French, Sylvester Pease of French, H. L. Garboden of Preble, John H Orndorff of Jeffer son, and Reuben R. Bradford of Wabash. A sad affair occurred at the home of John Sickafoose of Preble, Friday night. When the parents arose on Saturday morning they found their infant child dead in its mother’s arms When the father arose in the morning, he printed a kiss on the baby’s lips before going to work, little thinking that the idol of his heart was dead. When the mother arose some time afterwards, she niticed that the baby did not look natural and upon close examination was shocked to find that her babe was lifeless The parents are grief stricken oyer the sad affair and kind friends are doing all in their power to sooth their troubled feelings. The funeral of toe infant was held Monday afternoon.

By call from the auditor Trus tees Nidlinger, Lewton, Steele, Hall, Schug, Smith, Buckmaster, Brown of Kirkland, and Brown of Wabash, met the commissioners at their office Monday. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange opinions upon the recent law passed, making the board of commissioners an auditing board to examine and pass upon warrants issued by the trustees. As we stated two weeks ago, the real intention of the law was for monthly meetings, but it failed to so specifically state. The question at this time, is it valid, and shall our officers proceed to carry out what the law fails to state? The commissioners organized themselves into an audit ing board, making Conrad Brake president, and Joseph E Mann secretary. The board will not meet before the first Monday in June and by that time it is probable that a decision from some high court authority will make the law and its intentions clear. It is an expensive experiment, and devolves a duty upon the commissioners that cannot be easily estimated. The board is supposed to know that every warrant they are called upon to pass on, is a just and needful expenditure. To act upon them intelligently they will have to simply take the word of the trustee for it, and if they do that, these monthly meetings amount to nothing, and benefit no one. The trustees are capable of looking after the business of their township and should not be humiliated by hav ing an auditing board pass upon their official acts every month.

Washington Steele with his usual progressive spirit, has been keep ing tab on the amount of rain fad. For the year from Ap il 1, 1896 to April!, 1897, forty--even inches is the measured amount. Thirtyseven and three fourth inches fell the first six months aid ' ine and one-fourth the balance of the year. Kuebler & Moltz proprietors of I the Boston Store have ineorpoiated under the name of the Kuebler & Moltz Co. The only stockholders in the concert) are W. A. Kuebler and Harry Moltz together wi h their wives. Their business is growing day by day, and it was be lieved that an incorporation under the state laws would give them advantages they could not otherwise obtai n. William Anderson of Hartford township, stands ready to accept a challenge from Corbett or Fitzsimmons, or both, for any amount from SIO,OOO upwards. He has more confidence than the whole republican party put together with Mark Hanna thrown in. And it is all on account of a young democrat that arrived’at his house one day last week. Mother and baby are doing well, but whether Will will survive is a question. John Kern of the High school, has been chosen to represent this, city at the oratorical contest to bet held at Portland the latter part of" this month. Six or eight high schools in this part of the state will send representatives to the contest. It will now be necessary for John to put a little rosin on his voice to steady his nerves, and the prize is ours. He has enough oratorical ability to capture first honors, a d we will be dispppointed if the victory is not ours. An aged and veneiable mother came to this city from Fort Wayne a few days ago in quest of an err ing son who was inclined to be of a roving disposition. The boy .was found in this city, and a mother’s eloquence was used to induce him to return to his home. th it had known him since childhood, that he might be a comfort and solace in her declining years. To all these entreaties he turned a deaf ear, prgft ning the hardships of cruel wo?ld to a mother’s love. In after year- this same ypung man will have cause to regret his actions, and he should have. When a man (young or old) spurns a mother's love, and turns his back on her requests, he should be met on every turn with a chill v hand and marble, heart, they are unworthy the respect of the honest inhabitant of the brute creation.

Last Tuesday evening two petitions were presented to vacate street-* and al’eys in the city. One by the mayor and others asking that the alley between the mayor and Norman Case property be vacated, and the other by W. H. Myers asking that certain streets aud alleys in his addition to the city be vacated and that the numbers of the lots, also be vacated in the same addition. Both petitions were referred to the street Commit tee and they were ordered to meet Monday the 19th and examine the premises and report at the next meeting. Perhaps the most important business was the passage of a resolution looking to the bricking of second street from Jefferson to Adams, and Winchester street from Adams ►treet to the Clover Leaf railioad. Objections to the necessity for the improvement will be heard the 4th of May. The ordinance that ha • been pending for some time to restrict the sale of liquors to the business portion of the city was passed. Those voting for the ordinance were Coverdale, Vail and Teeple. Those voting against the ordinance were Knoff, Hart aqd Niblick. The mayor cast the deciding vote in favor of the ordinance. The ordinance goes into effect Jue Ist. The petition of the city band for electric lights on the band stand was granted and the matter of furnishing the lights was referred to the committee on public improvements. The contract of the city with Townsend & Cox for the tapping of the water mains was forfeited, and the city engineer instructed to procure the making the taps and hold the bond Os Townsend & Cox for the damage. The following claims were allowed: For a hydrant, $27.00; H. Stevens, $2.10; Brooks Oil Co , $29.43; fora new fire nozzle, SSO 00; J. D. Edwards, $213.34; the fire department for the Vail fire, SJ3 50; aud the street commissioner’s pay roll $65 20.

The law abolishing quart shops' passed by the last legislature will be tested in the courts. The test ease will be brought in the Elkhart circuit court and whatever the decision will be an appeal will be taken to the supreme court. J. j L. Keim, a Millersburg saloonkeeper, will be the principal in, the action It is generally believed that the Saloonkeepers’ league ini Indiana, where the quart shops I flourished under the operation of It e Nicholson act, that the new law is invalid. The school taught by Dallas Spoiler in district No 4, Preble t iwnship closed last Friday. The forenoon was spent in reviewing the school work, after which the scholats, parents aud visitors par took of an elegant dinner that had been prepared In the afternoon the exercises were opened by the director Mr. Judd in which he expressed himself as being greatly pleased with the progress made uniter Mr. Spuller. Thiswas followed by songs, declamations, dialogues, &c , after which all retired to their homes. The fire department received the new Siamese nozzle and attachment, Friday and gave them a test the same evening. The nozzle has and front spray attachments, ( and in addition to this the Siamese ( attachment enables the firemen to throw two streams of water from the same connection when they are rushed for time, or have but hose enough for one line. All these things are very nice, but to ecome efficient in the use of these fire I killing toils, pract'ce is needed and the right kind of practice at that. To throw water and drown people on the street is an easy matter, but to drown a fire is another matter not quite so easy and to do it successfully it is necessary for the department to acquaint itself , with all the primary matters peri tainingthereto, and aboveallthings remember that discipline is the all important factor. The word of the chief should be law always and everywhere, ami as soon as this is instilled into the breasts "Os our fire ■ eaters we can expect to see the flames curt ailed, z 1 . . . . ■ The twelfth volume of the t-ixth bi annual report of the bureau of statistics, has been published, a copy of which has been received at this office. From it we find many 1 items that may prove newsy to our readers. Dur ng the year ending June 30, 1596, there have been issued in Adams county 210 iharriage licenses, twenty-three divorces graute i, two foreigners nat uralized, thirty died at countyasylum, ninety-three confined in the county jail, 246 civil cas s begun, 126 civ 1 cases pending, 102 criminal case > begun, twenty convictions fur criminal charges, nine-ty-two administrations granted and pending, twenty-seven estates settled, 219 guardianships pending, issued and disposed of, 133 executions decrees of forclosnresenteied, 493 warranty, executors, sheriff and auditor's deeds made involving the amount of $541.163, 352 real estate mortgages made, twenty-four school fund mortgages, 180 chattel mortgages, thirty eight mechanic’s ; liens, $3,768 expended for grand and peti' juries, $1,501 for other court expenses, $143 f>r coroner’s inquests, $3,138 for enumeration and assessing, $1,248 for county superintendent and institutes, S2OO for county board of health, $946 for eliminate and prisoners, $2,265 I on account of poor farm,sl,73spaid the poor by trustee-’, S7O paid fori roads and highways, $391 for state j benevolent institutions, $263 for insanity inquests, $1,975f0r ditches | $6,309 for bridges and highways, $3,250 for interest on county bonds, $3,411 for interest on county or ders, $1,246 for books and station ery, $1,046 for printing and advertising, $5,000 for redemption of county bonds, $842 for other ex penses, and a net county 7 debt of $53,781. There was 29,546 bushels of wheat raised last year, 34,114 bushels of corn, 21,082 bushels of oats, 2,831 bushels of rye, 223 bushels of barley, 1,015 bushels of potatoes, 19,142 tons of timothy hay, 1,541 tons of clover hay, 7,668 head of horses, eighty eight mules, 5,859 milch cows, 4,934 head of cattle, 11,425 sheep, 16,070 pigsand hogs. There were 3.340 democratic votes cast at the 1896 November election, 1,613 republican, thirty-one prohibition, twentysix gold standard, sixteen national. The election expenses for the twenty seven precincts was $1,629.80.

The Ladies Cooking Club met last Friday evening at the home of Mr. and Mr-. W. J. M vers on Fifth street. The cooking club had. as their guest Miss Roma Turner of Greenville, Ohio, and Miss Mena Myers, and Messrs. Gus Turner of Chicago, Will Schrock, Don Quinn, Earl Coverdale, Earl Eristoe, Chalmer Schafer and Warren Moses. The guests were obliged to taste of ail the dainty viands prepared by the fair members the Cooking Club. The young men wore pic tures of agony on their faces the next morning, and were a unit in saying that “The proof oftthe pudding is not in eating, but in the digestion.” It seems that William Snyder of Hartford town-hip, this county, is doomed to everlasting sorrow. His son, Philip, aged forty-two years, committed suicide about four o’clock Saturday morning, April 3, 1897, at the residence of L. P. Wateer at Domestis, Wells county, Ind., by cutting his throat. Philip was the oldest son »of his parents. He was married to a Miss Snllivan and lived together several years, two children were born to them, a boy now about eighteen years of age and a girl about fifteen. Some years ago he and his wife separted, he going to Colorado, where he remained until about two weeks ago when he re turned and was visiting around among his old neighbors, when he went to Mr. Walsers’ and while

staying over night he g t up about four o’clock and started out. Some one asked him where he was going, he said he was going to get a drink of water, and as he did not return in a reasonable time they began a seat ch for him and found I him lying dead behind the barn. After he cut his throat he walked four of five rods before he fell. He then got up and walked two or ; three rods further when he attempted to get over the fence, He got on the fence and fell over cn the other side where he was found lying on his face, when they picked him up the knife fell out of his hand. Traces could' be seen on the (fence where he placed his hands to ' steady hiuself as he walked along. 1 We will now give a little bis’ory of the Wiiliaul Snyder family: Christena, first wife of William Synder, became insane about twenty-five years ago and was sent to the asyL urn at Indianapolis where she was restored to reason and returned home. Afterward another attack came on and she was again taken ito the asylum wheie she died October 11, 1876. About this time her oldest daughter, Mrs. Amelia Schott, was seized with the same terrible malady and with the exception of a few short intervals in which she was ra'ional has been insane ever since and has been pronounced incurable at the asylum at Cleveland, Ohio. Mrs. Mary A. Simons, the second daughter, has never been afflicted with the disease Mrs. Sarah E. Br wn, third daughter of Mrs. Snyder, was afflicted also and died in the asylum at Indianapolis October 1, 1888. Miss Martha Snyder, the ( fourth daughter, has never shown any symptoms of the disease. Philip, (the present suicide) was ■the oldest son. William Allyre Snyder, was the second son. He became insane sometime in 1883, and after two uncessful attempts at suicide, one by hanging and the other by drinking paint in which he was frustrated, and was then i sent to the Indianapolis asylum where he died December 6, 1883; aged 23 years, 6 months and 29 days. Mrs. Amanda E. Clendenen, was the fifth daughter of Mr. Snyder. She was also stricken with insanity in February, 1891, and committed to the asylum at Richmond, Indiana, where she has been ever since, and don’t seem to get any better. Mrs. Lucy Fields, youngest daughter of Mr. Snyder has also had a slight attack soma years ago, but recovered from it. George Snyder, the third son, has neyer shown any symptoms of the dread disease, and it is hoped he never will. Samuel Snvder, the youngest son, also committed suicide by hanging himself in the barn on November 29, 1893; aged 23 years, 5 months and 2 days. Mrs Snyder was the mother of eleven children. All lived to be grown men and women except one that died in 1868, at the age of two years. Her children were naturally bright and intelligent, and were one among the best families in the neighborhood in which they lived.

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