Decatur Democrat, Volume 45, Number 23, Decatur, Adams County, 15 August 1901 — Page 1

ALL THE NEWS all the time.

VOLUME XIA.

Esther Russell, tiie sixtceninonths--011 daughter of Mr. and Mrs. U. G. Russell, of Elgin. Ohio, died Monday evening of cholera infantum and was brought here for burial, the services being held yesterday morning. Jefferson Township Sunday School Association will hold a picnic at Maple Grove, Jefferson township, on Aug. 24,1901. The speakerswill l>e Rev. D E. Zechiel. of Berne. Ind. and Rev. Francis Patton, of Craigville, Ind. A pleasant event of last week was the evening dinner party given by Mrs Jessie Townsend anil Mrs. J, C. Paterson at the home of the former on Thursdav. Among the guests from out of the city were Mrs. Hunt, of Winchester; Mrs. DeVilbiss, of Lancaster and Mrs. Moffett, of EJ wood. Jacob Atz, the harness man, has disposed of a half interest in his harness and carriage shop on North Second street to William Reppertand the firm name will hereafter be Atz & Reppert. The new’ member of the firm is a bustler, having lieen employed by Schafer, Son & Loch tor several years and will greatly assist Mr. Atz in making their firm one of the largest in the city. Miss Elizabeth Heading. Chicago, savs: Giftetl with a naturally beautiful voice of excellent range and fine timbre and possessing the poetic temperment so necessarv to the interpreter of song. Miss Larrsen has won the esteem of her friends and of the public and well merits.the distinction she has achieved. She will give a recital at the Baptist church Friday evening. Charles Simcoke is at home from Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he has been attending business college for two months past. During his absence he visited the Pan-American several days and says that he was well pleased with it, in fact he said that some of the buildings and exhibits surpassed those of the Worlds Fair. Charles will leave within a few days for Joliet, Illinois, where he will teach. The title of the five new cases filed with the clerk of the Adams circuit court are as follows; International Building & Loan Association vs George H. Kelley, possession and damages, SIOO, from justice of peace court. Arthur S. Burley vs A. G. Argue and John C. McKissen, rental for oil and gas lands, SIOO, from justice of peace court. Gertie Faust vs Emanuel Faust,divorce. Jacob Martin vsSimeon Weiand and John B. Weber, note, demand $125. Uriah Grim vs Grand Rapids & Indiana Railway Co., damages SI,OOO. Dr. Swiss, who has been selling medicine upon the streets here for two weeks past has formed a partnership with Dr. Dill and together they have opened a tent show. They are exhibiting this week on the Studabakerlot south of the Erie railway and have been doing a thriving business. The entertainment is very fair and the crowds who attend have no trouble in getting their nickels worth, that being the price of admission. Between acts their medicines are offered for sale and the patronage has l>een good. They will go from here to Bluffton in a few days. Attorney L. C. DeVoes, as attorney for Uriah Grim, of Hoagland, has fded a suit against the Grand Rapids A Indiana railway company, wherein the sum of SI,OOO as damages for an accident to his son. William, are demanded. Young Grim purchased a t ciiet from the Hoagland agent the 4th of last May to Williams, good on a local freight. The said train failed to stop at the depot and Grim attempted to board it while in motion, as a consequence he was thrown under the wheels and one of hie legs was crushed off. The plaintiff claims that the agent had no right to sell tickets for the train unless he knew same would stop at the station and that therefore the company is liable for the cost of nursing and doctoring the boy and for the actual loss of his services. Noting Grim was nineteen years of age. L. Gray is in jail at Celina and will next Monday answer to a charge of grand larceny, that being the day set for his preliminary hearing. Gray disappeared from Celina about two weeks ago, taking with him True Friend and True Worth, two valuable stallions owned by David and George Flanders, of this city. A search of several days was necessary liefore Gray was captured and a few hours more would have enabled him to land in Canada, where ho could have enjoyed himself unmolested by U. S. authorities. He was taken by a government detective, while inquiring for his mail at the Detroit post office, the s-gnal ns to his identity being given by the clerk of whom he asked for mail. He refused to tell where the horses were for several days, but final ly divulged the secret and they an' now in the possession of Flanders. Gray was taken back to Celina and his bond fixed at $1,500, which he was unable to give and as a consequence has since been a prisoner. It is said he had mortgaged the animals for *7OO to an Ohio man and he is also liable on that charge.

Monday, September 2nd, is to be a I busy day in Decatur, for. aside from I being circus day it has been selected by the Ft. Wavne lodge of Elks as a day to show Decatur how to have fun and they are coming down with a full membership headed by the Ft. M ayne city band. Five acres of oats on the Robinson farm two miles north of town were destroyed by fire Wednesday night of! last week. The fire originated from a j spark from a G. R. & I. engine and spread rapidly. The oats was the property of John Magley and figures quite an amount in dollars and cents. John Schafer and a party of his friends were driving south on Winchester street Wednesday afternoon and when near the C. & E. railway | their team became frightened at a passing train and ran away. The rig was overturned and the passengers I spilled out, all escaping with no injury, more than slight bruises. John I Schafer managed to cling to the lines ' and soon had the team under control. John Dickerson, leader of the K. of P. band, has been offered a good position at Clarinda, lowa, where he is j wanted to take charge of the painting department and accept the leadership of the band at the state asylum for the insane. The band is a fine organization of forty pieces. The job pavs S7OO a year but John has not yet decided what he will do.— Bluffton News. Miss Bernice Peterson, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Peter son of this city, united in marriage last Friday evening to John Magley, jr., of Monmouth. The marriage was a surprise to even their most intimate friends and was performed by Rev. Jones at his home at Hoagland. They will make their home near Monmouth. We congratulate them and offer our very best wishes for their future. The Elm street sewer caved in Monday afternoon and caught three men who luckily escaped with slight injuries. The accident happened on Chestnut avenue near the residence of R. S. Peterson, and the men were down about eight feet when the eave in occurred. Several men jumped up i and got out but three were buried up ! above their waists and it required several minutes to dig them out. Two of the men were bruised about the legs, the other received a badly sprained arm enough to cause him to lay off several days. A fierce fire for a few minutes occurred Friday afternoon and succeeded in completely destroying Al Gerard’s barn on South Mercer street. The fire was caused by some children playing back of the barn. They started a small trash fire and almost before they knew it the barn caught. Au alarm was sent in at once but the Hames spread rapidlv and liefore the company arrived was beyond control. Several surrounding houses were ignited but were easily outened. The barn contained several ton of hay. all of Mr. Gerards carpenter tools and other articles, making a total loss of about S3OO, with no insurance. Patrons of the common schools all over Indiana, will be compelled to buy new school books for their children at the opening of the school year. The change in the school books has been made necessary because of the expiration of the five years’ contract under which books are furnished by the liook companies. The expiration of the contract means a revision of the books. In several instances the revision has been so radical that the old books cannot be used in connection with the new. in which case the new books will necessarily have to be purchased. Following is a list of books that will have to lie purchased new with their prices: Hyde’s Practical Engiisii Grammar, 40 cents: Montgomery’s American History, <>•> cents; Physiology, 60 cents; s[M*lling book. 10 cents. In the case of American histories it is probable that the old Ixxiks may l»e used along with the new. Any excess over the prices thus fixed by law, charged by booksellers is a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment and fine. One of the most disastrous fires of the summer to country property occurred about one o’clock Saturday morning when the large barn, grainery and other outbuildings of C. E. Bolinger, who lives two miles southwest of Monroe, were destroyed. The fire originated on the barn floor, where a lot of loose hay was packed. Mr. Bolinger and a neighbor l»oy were asleep on the front porch and were awakened about one o’clock by the crackling of the flames. Before they reached the barn the roof had fallen in and not a thing could be saved, the flames soon reaching surrounding! buildings. The alarm was given and ’ neighbors soon arrived and by hard . work managed to save the house. The loss is a heavy one and besides the j buildings includes seven hundred bushels of outs, four hundred bushels of wheat, fifty tons of bay, horse, bug-, gies and every article of machinery on I the place. Mr. Bolinger estimates the amount destroyed at $4,000 with SI,2(X) insurance in the French township i mutual, leaving a net loss of $2.800,1 The blaze was plainly visible from • here. ■

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 1901.

h REGINNING August 20, next Tuesday, the "Democrat £ h "begins its annual collection of subscription. Statements .< will be mailed to every delinquent subscriber, and a prompt £ •j settlement of the account is expected. Promptness on your ►- 3 part will be appreciated. 8-

Mrs. John D. Hale, Tuesday, purchased a handsome cottage at Rome City and herself and family will proceed to occupy same the rest of this season and probably for many to come. Fret! M. Falk, the music instructor, is a victim of typhoid fever and has been very ill for a week past. His condition up to date remains pretty serious although a change for the better is expected in a day or so. Fred Heuer is still very sick with typhoid fever, although he is believed to be slightly improved. His fever is not quite so high as a fewdays ago, and other symptoms are rather encouraging. However, it will probably be several weeks before he is able to attend to business duties. We call the attention of our read- , eis to the advertisement of the International Business College of Fort Wayne, Ind., which appears in another column of this issue. This splendid business training school has been under the same management for the past eleven years, and is up-to-date in all its appointments. We would advise any of our young people who contemplate taking a commercial or short hand course, to investigate the merits of this institution. The death of Mrs. John Geimer of Union township uvxuued Friday as ternoon, the result of Bright’s disease. The death is a sad one as seven children, the youngest of whom is but four days old and the eldest but 14 years, are left motherless. Mrs. Geimer was thirty-four years of age. Two children proceeded her to the unknown land. Dr. D. D. Clark and Dr. P. B. Thomas held a post mortem examination and discovered that the case was Bright’s disease which was precisely as they had diagnosed it. The funeral services were held Sunday from the j St. Marys church in this city. A meeting of the Decatur driving club was held last night and arrangel meats perfected for the three days race meeting to be held Sept. 18, 19, and 20. The exact amount of purses will be $1.(550 and the races are free for all entries. There will be pacing, trotting and running races and the event will be one of the best ever held in Ohio or Indiana. Already several horses have been entered from Ft. Wayne, Richmond, Marion, Van Wert and other cities and its a safe guess that every heat will be exciting and interesting. Posters giving program and complete details will be out in a few days and it will pay you to keep your eyes open. Remember the dates, September 18, 19 and 20. / Charles E. Mann died at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Mann, on west Monroe street Thurs day noon, after a long seige of lung trouble. He was first attacked with the malady at Cardwell, Missouri, three years ago, after suffering a sun stroke. He came back here hoping that a rest would restore his health but he grew worse. He finally went to Oden, Michigan, and remained several months doing some work in the lumber camps. There he seemed to improve some and gained in weight until taken with the grippe, from which time he declined rapidly. He came back home last spring and his friends knew then that he could not long be with them. He clung to life with a tenacity rarely seen however, at times would really appear to be slightly improved until about two weeks ago when he became too weak to be about. He was twenty-three years of age. The funeral services were held at the Methodist church i Sundav afternoon at 2:530 o’clock, Rev. G. Hudson officiating. Interim i" at Maplewood. Michael D. Kinney, known more i favorably to a large number of Adams county citizens as Kinney in the hoi low. and one of the early pioneers of old Jefferson township, died at his country home there last Monday afternoon. His death was caused by the result of a fall received a week previous, and which dislocated his hip joint. Owing to his advanced age the shock was too severe and his death resulted. The deceased was born in the county Mayo, Ireland, in the year 1817, and had lived in Jefferson township forty-four years, coming there from Cincinnati. At that time he was penniless, but after forty four years of frugality, hard labor and a generosity that is unequalled, he leaves an estate that ranks him as one of the wealthiest men in Jefferson township. He leaves a widow and three sons, James the trustee of Jefferson township, and John and Patrick who are lawyers of considerable repute living in Celina, Ohio. The funeral took place last Friday from the St. Mary’s Catholic church in Jefferson township, with interment in the cemetery by the church. His death removes' a landmark and one of the best known, most generous and charitable citizens of Jeffers' n township or of the county.

Mr. and Mrs. O. E. Bennett, of Lima, Ohio, are in the city, the guests of the latters father, Frank Railing. Mr. Bennett is conected with the job and press rooms of the Lima TimesDemocrat and is a thorough gentleman. Judge Heller rendered his decision in the case of Fred Fisher, who sought freedom on a writ of habias corpus Thursday morning and in so doing refused to grant the writ. Fisher is held for picking pockets during the carnival. He was bound over to court in the sum of SI,OOO and his attorney thinking same was too high asked that it be reduced to S3OO. Frank Porter, a young man of Blue Creek township, has been selected by the board of trustees as business instructor in the Decatur high schools in the place of C. M. Simcoke, resigned. Mr. Porter has attended three terms at the Vories Business college and is no doubt well prepared for his duties. He will remove his family to town in a few days and will occupy the Terveer property on Madison street. Fred Linn, John D. Nidlinger and M illiard Steele formed a committee who visited fair grounds at Van Wert, Celina, Portland and other cities this week. Their object was to secure plans for buildings tor Steele’s park, where the Adams county fair association will hold forth for ten years to come. They will erect display build ings and stock rooms of various kinds, all of which are to be of the best material and strictly up-to-date. The Adams county fair grounds, will, when all completed be the most commodious and beautiful to be found anywhere. The city ball league was in session again Sundav and the largest crowd of the season witnessed two games, neither of which were of the brilliant order. The first game was between the Reds and Creams, lasting over two hours and resulted in a victory for the Creams by a score of 16 to 12. The feature of the game was the pitching of Charles Woodward, who done the twirling at the last five innings and didn’t allow his opponents a safe hit. The second game was between the Sanspareils and Leaguers and the latters won easily, the score being 25! to 8. This puts the Creams back to first place, while the Reds and Leaguers are even in their percentage for second place. James W. Hakes was one of the Adams county citizens who went to Oklahoma to take his chance in the great El Reno land distribution. Shortly after his departure his wife was taken ill with stomach trouble at her home in St. Mary’s township. Friends and neighbors lent their assistance and every possible aid was given. Letters and telegrams were sent to Mr. Hakes but he could not be located. Mrs. Hakes grew rapidly worse and died last Thursday. Again the kind friends gave their assistance but none wished to make the necessary funeral arrangements without some w’ord from the husband who still unaware of the affliction at home was hopefully awaiting the moment when his name should be called and he receive a quarter section of land. The Ixxly was prepared for burial and still no word came in answer to their many inquiries and still the body was held. Yesterday a message was received that the broken-hearted husband was on his way home. He is expected to arrive today and the funeral will probably be held tomorrow from McComb, Ohio. An Adams county fair in the year 1901 now seems more certain than ever. At a meeting held in the base ment of the court house yesterday, a permanent organization was affected bv electing George Tricker, president; Martin L. Smith, vice president; T. H. Harris, secretary and Rudolph Schug, treasurer. A constitution and by-laws were adopted. Fifteen directors. two from each township and three at large elected, and committees on finance, rules and regulations, buildings and grounds and premiums appointed, all of whom will report next Wednesday, at which time formal arrangements for the fair will Is* made. A ten years contract has already been entered into with Willard Steele, owner of beautiful Steele's park. As those who have been shaping the destinies of an Adams county fair mean business, there is but little question but what the exhibit of 1901 will be successful in every particular.; They propone to raise and place upon deposit SI,OOO, which will be used as an emergency fund and if necessary , will be diWwn upon to pay expenses an<l premiums. The association will erect two exhibit halls, stock pens, stulls, in all obligating themselves to expend in buildings at h.m.t SI,OOO or $1,200. The date is the iast week in September, not a very long time, but long enough the association says.

John Wynands. who was employed at D. M. Hensley’s jewelry store for three years past has accepted a similar place with a large jewelry house at Connersville, Ind. John was popular among his acquaintances here and will no doubt be a valuable man in whatever capacity used by his new firm. Mrs. Dell Locke and Mrs. Ellen Dailey, Bluffton, and Mrs. Frank Robison, Richmond, were guests of honor, for whom Mrs. Jessie Townsend gave a delightful afternoon party yesterday. The affair was informal and the thirty invited guests say the occasion was a completely happy one. Dainty refreshments were nicely served and added their share towards the enjoyment. Blind Ross, who for many years has sold brooms on the streets in this city and whose home ist in Blue Creek township, is seriously ill and can not recover. He, himself, expects to die some time today, and as he has a mind that is exceptionally bright, many of his neighbors expect his prophecy to cometrue. He has lived in the county many years, now owning a fortyacre tract of land in Blue Creek township. He has been totally blind since he was three years old and he is nowclose to the sixty mark. He is known by many of our people here. Jacob Samuel Railing, w-as born April 27, 1864 and died August 10, 1901, aged 36 years, 3 months and 11 days. He leaves to mourn his loss, a wife, fourjson?, one daughter, a father, mother and two sisters, besides a host of relatives and friends. Several years ago he united with the M. E. church at Monroe and died triumphant leaving for his friends the assurance of his readiness to leave this earth, that has brought to him so much pain and suffering. Funeral services were held in the M. E. church at Pleasant Mills, on Monday the 12th inst., conducted by Rev. E. H. Peters. Ben Preble, passenger conductor on the Clover Leaf, socially prominent at Frankfort, resigned Saturday and left quietly for parts unknown. Before his departure he confessed to having lived a double life. At Frankfort he was known as B. A. Preble, but at Toledo he was E. E. Smith with a residence on a swell street. He circulated in good society at both places. His supposed Toledo wife is Miss Ella Simon of Dupont, Ohio. According to his confession he two years ago became acquainted with Miss Simon, who comes of a splendid family, and he procured for her a situation as book keeper with the Merrill Manufacturing company of Toledo. Miss Simon left Toledo also Saturday, and is far away. Henry McKenna who was sent to the penitentiary from here a fewmonths ago, proclaims his innocence, in a letter to B. F. Ault at Geneva, as follows: "I can say lam well only terrible lonesome and discouraged to think lam shut up here for a crime I never did or thought of doing. It is terrible, and every day seems a month to me. I have lieen here just two months today and it seems as if I have lieen here a life time and in one sense of the word it is a life time for it will follow me all my fife no matter where I am, I will think everyone knows all about it and I can never feel as I did. Before I could always hold mv head up and could say with pride there is nothing against my record that lam ashamed of, but now am marked with one of the worst brands the brand of a criminal and of the prison. Byron this no small thing for me who has no friends to help him. 1 have always tried to live wherever I was so that I could always go back and meet everyone and feel as if I were welcome but it is different. lam trying to do what is right by trying to obey all rules and orders of the place, and if I don't make any trouble for myself I will grade just one month from today.” « The remains of Mrs. William H. Bixler, of Huntington, were brought here Tuesday afternoon and intern'd at Maplewixxl cemetery. Quite a number of jieople accompanied the remains and they were met at the depot by the many relatives and friends from this county and by the Rathbone sisters in a body. Mrs. Bixler died Saturday evening at five o.clock as the result of a surgical operation to remove a tumor. She was thirty seven yearn of age the 7th of last April and was born in this county, Her parents being Mr. and Mrs. John Hower, of Kirkhind township, both of whom have been dead several rears. She was married to Mr. Bixler Christmas eve of the year 1882.. the ceremony having been performed bv Rev. Dustman. They removed to Huntington in 1888 and hare sincere sided there. She has been an invalid for four years past and struggled j bravely for recovery, but to no avail. .She was a member of the Rathbone sisters and of the Court of Honor, ' carrying SI,OOO insurance in the latter order. She leaves her husband and the following brothers and sisters: James. Dayton, and John Hower, Mrs. Reuben Briner, Mrs. William Brinerand Mrs. Solomon Billman, of this county; Mrs. Fred Oakes and Mrs. Suttles, Huntington and Mrs. •Joseph Hower, Van Wert.

CIRCULATION 2800 WEEKLY

NUMBER 23

The following parties have lieen united in marriage this week on licenses granted at the county clerk’s office: Theodore A. Hendricks and Elizabeth M. Koenig, John Magley and Bernice H. l J eterson, Harry Eix and Alvine Reinking, Elza Allen and Lena Foughty, Frank Bahlig and Katie Schenbeck. The long continued drouth has caused much sickness and physicians say there has not been as much in years as present. Many deaths are reported from various diseases and the doctors say that unless rain comes soon that the effect may be terrible. The last rain here was on the evening of July 4th, just six weeks ago today, making the dry period one of the longest in the history of the county. Adams county comes to the front in the person of Win. Field, who is a leading merchant in the little city of Geneva and proves himself lucky in the recent drawing contest for claims in the El Reno District reservation, he having drawn claim No. 2,242. Mr. Fields thinks he is strictly in the push and will start for Indian Territory about the 15th of this month to look after and conserve his precious prize. Mr. Fields is an old and highly respected resident of this community and old soldier of the 53rd Ind. Regt. All join in congratulations to him for his lucky draw. —Geneva Herald. Frank Jaberg, a young man that was raised in this county and lived at Magley until a few months ago was drowned Tuesday, Aug. 6th, near Sacramento, California. For some four months past he has been working for a lumber company at Madera, Cal., and on the day mentioned he went to Sacramento for a short outing. While enjoying a steamer ride aboard the Jacinto on the famous water front, he lost his hold and fell over board. Before he could be rescued he sank and drowned, the body being recovered after a long search. His remains were prepared at once and sent homeward and are expected to arrive by today. Frank was twenty-one years old and a son of Samuel jaberg, one of the best known citizens of the west part of the county. Services will be held over the remains shortly after their arrival, from the German Reformed church at Magley. W. W. Wagoner, a son of John Wagoner of this city, is from current reports on a fair road to amass a fortune. His good luck was spoken of in Tuesday’s Fort Wayne Journal-Gaz-ette as follows: Mr. W. W. Wagoner, for the past year a resident of Texas, went to El Reno and registered for the drawing, and got 160 acres of the land. This good luck comes on top of a lucky investment in the Beaumont, Texas, oil fields, and Mr. Wag oner is in a fairway to amass wealth. A Fort Wayne friend of Mr. Wagoner received a letter yesterday telling of the streak of fortune. Mr. Wagoner stated that upon learning where his land was located, he heard rumors of mineral deposits in that section, and that the next day he was offered $2,500 for his prize. Mr. Wagoner came to Fort Wayne from Adams county about eleven years ago and entered the service of the G. R. A I. railroad as a telegraph operator. He was afterward advanced to the position of train dispatcher, which he held until four years ago. when he resigned to become manager of the Postal Telegraph company's local office. Two years ago he resigned and went to Detroit, and from there was sent to Texas to take a responsible position. When the oil Ixiom was on in the Beaumont field he went thither and made a lucky strike in the oil district. N iekol as Schaffer, a young business man of this city, died at his home on south Third street Saturday afternoon at two o’clock after an illness of but twenty-four hours. Ho had not been as well as usual for a month but was able to attend to business and not even his closest friends surmised that his illness, if such it could lie calk'd, was anything serious as he never complained in the least. Friday as ternoon he went to set' his physicians, Clark Bros., and told them he was suffering from severe cramps. Realizing his condition as very serious they onion'd him home and administered for his relief. Drs. Thomas and Miller were calk'd into consultation and everythihg possible done to relieve the terrible pains, but seemingly without effect. He grew steadily worse until Saturday noon and a consultation of the physicians resulted in a decision to oiierate upon the patient at once, but before arrangements could be completed a sinking spel 1 came on, and within a short time the hand of death had brought relief from the hours of pain. A post mortem exami nation was held by Drs. Clark. Miller and Thomas and revealed the fact that death was due to general tuberculosis peritonitis. Mr. Shaffer was twenty-live years of age and had lived hero a number of years, having been in the saloon business on Monroe street since 1897. He was a popular young num and quit'' successful. He was married June 5, 1900 to Miss Theresa Zeser, who survives him. The funeral services were conducted from the St. Marys Catholic church I Tuesday morning. Interment at St. I Joseph’s cemetery.