Decatur Democrat, Volume 46, Number 18, Decatur, Adams County, 10 July 1902 — Page 1

all THE NEWS ALL THE TIME.

VOLUME XLVI.

judge Studabaker is having a cement side walk placed about his new block just south of the court house that will add a metropolitan appearance. Jesse Roop will not pick cherries on Sunday for a time. While at that occupation Sunday he fell out of the tree and has since been suffering with a sprained back. Frank Dibble was the victim of a surprise Thursday evening in honor of his forty-first birthday. A number of guests were present and the occasion was enjoyable. Holthouse, Callow A Co., have incorporated under the name of the Holthouse Drug Company, with a capital stock of $5,400. The articles were filed Monday. Charles Murray is having a run of tough luck in the way of sick help a dining room girl, a kitchen girl and the night clerk have all been quite ill for several days past. One of the men with the electrical fountain here proved to be a professional checker player, and skinned everyone about Fristoe's Smoke House, even ’Squire Smith. Attorney David E. Smith and Tell Selby are fishing today somewhere between here aud Willshire. Both are experts at the business and we are expecting a mess of fine ones for breakfast tomorrow. Some one threw a canon fire cracker into a crowd Friday and it went off just as it struck Alex Barnett’s left knee. An uglv looking wound was the result and the services of Dr. Boyers was necessary. Mayor Dunlap of Anderson, who was a candidate against George Cro nier for the republican nominee for Congress, was here yesterday attending to business interests. He is doing some special work for the John Hancock Life Insurance company. Prof. Merrell of Kokomo was the guest of friends in the city over Sun day, leaving Monday evening with his father for a two weeks trip through the east. They will visit Niagara Falls. New York, Providence. Boston and other eastern cities aud points of interest. The trip will no doubt be an enjoyable one. Lightning struck one of the big telephone poles an the Home line near the central Monday evening aud as a result burned out about fifty ’phones over town and gave several persons who were near their ‘phones some lively experience. Ed Engelerwas knocked off from his writing desk near the ’phone in his place of business ami was stunned somewhat. John Craig and Esther Kuntz, who were ue’ar the switchboard at the central, also felt the shock,- Berne Witness. Preble celebrated the anniversary of our glorious independence Saturday night aud the affair was the most successful aud largest attended of any ever held in that thriving and hustling toH'n. The crowd was so large that it could scarcely lie handled, but they were good natured and everyone had what they were looking for. a good time. The program consisted of fire works, balloon ascension, sack races etc. and everything advertised was given. The Preble band furnished the music and did their part to the satisfaction of everyone. The drug firm of Nachtrieb A Fuelling have dissolved partnership, the same going into effect July 1, although Mr. Fuelling will continue as a clerk in the store until August 1. Mr. Fuelling purchased his interest in the drug store, which is one of the best and largest in the city, about four years ago, since which time he has stuck faithfully to business. He is looking for a business location in another city, but has not determined upon any place yet. Mr. Nachtrieb will continue in business, the store being known as the Nachtrieb Drug Store. Dr. J. S. Coverdale, Dr. H. F. Cos-t'-'lo and 'Squire James H. Smith of this city drove to the home of Frank Judd in Preble township, where they jnet Dr. Metts of Ossian and held an insanity inquest over the person of Mrs. Judd, who has been violent since ■ast I- riday. The case is a sad one and the family are deserving of the sincerest sympathy. But little evidence was necessary and she was declared of unsound mind and application sent for her admittance to the Eastern Hospital at Richmond. The Judd family is one of the best in the community and have always been held in high esteem, but about two weeks ago Mrs. Judd received an un81gned letter through the mail of such a nature that she worried constantly and her mind finally became shattered' On Friday afternoon she took two doses of earliolic acid with suicidal intent and for several hours her Hie hung only by a thread, finally recovering, but leaving the mind if anything weaker. She will be taken to Richmond within a few days and the many friends hope for her ultimate <? n . I Precovery. There are five ! nldren in the family, the youngest >ut two years old. There is said to ’« a good clue to the party who wrote .. e and officers will look into the affair.

Marriage licenses were issued this week to Jesse I. Breneman and Dolhe E. Lewton, Everett Banter and Lilly Meshberger, John Jefferson Addy and Hila Pearl Johnson. The range and stove grafters who are working over this county were in i town over Sunday, and are out again : this week. Look out for them, thev are a gang of slick skinners. There is some talk of a three days running race meet here soon, but the , chances are that it will not materialize ' as it is now only about two months I until the opening of the big countrv ! fair. The Blakey Evangelical church will! give a picnic next Sunday in Henry Grote’s grove in Union township. The! affair will be of considerable magnitude to which the public in general | is invited. John D. Hale will have as convenient and handsome an office at his grain house in a few days as anyone j could wish. Carpenters have been at j work this week and already quite a change is noticeable. The J. W Place Co. have been about the busiest people in town during the past week and have been pushing out about 1,000 gallons of cream daily, besides a large amount of soft drinks and sundries. A lodge of Elks was organized at Bluffton yesterday and sixty-three members were taken in. The Hartford City lodge did the initiatory work and a good time was indulged in.representatives from Fort Wayne, Muncie. Frankfort and other cities being present. Bayard Gray, of Frankfort, presided and a big banquet was given. Henry Shoemaker and L. C. Stockton Friday went to Decatur, Ind., where they witnessed the one mile dash. Lady Montre was entered and | took first money. She made the first half mile in 52| seconds and the second in even 52. This makes twofirsts and one second in three starts for Lady Montre. —Columbia City Commercial. The Decatur ball team went to Delphos Sunday to meet the Grays of that citv, whom they defeated early in the season by a score of three to one. The Reds had a determined look in their faces when they left town, but it’s all gone now, and all that’s left is a hang-dog expression that savs, ‘'it’s our pwn fault.” The score was eighteen to three in favor of Delphos and the cause is said to have been too much “boozerine” on the part of a half dozen of the Decatur i boys. At a meeting of Company D, 160th ! I. V. 1., it was decided to hold the reunion at Wabash on August 19th and 20th, which will be Tuesday and Wednesday. On the first day the visiting members of the twelve companies will be greeted and given a hearty welcome. The annual parade of the Spanish-American war veterans, who are expected to lie present, will take place the first day. probably in the afternoon. The annual camp-fire will lie held on Wednesday evening. On the second day the business will be done and other features of the reunion enjoyed. In a few days Bishop Alerding will send out formal notice of the death of Father Meisner, of Peru, and also notice that an examination for fitness to occupy the vacant charge will be held. The Peru charge is an irremovable rectorship and in accordance with the rules of the church a competitive examination is held for the position. Those eligible to take the examination are priests who have been ordained ten years or more and have held responsible charges three years. The examining board makes a report to Bishop Alerding and the selection is made by him. A continued session of the city council was held Tuesday evening, with Mayor Beatty and Councilmen Peterson, Stetler and Weaver present. John D. Andrews was allowed $45 and A. J. Teeple, .$16.50 for guarding small|K)X patients. A petition was fileil by Nathan Roop for a sidewalk on Elm street and was referred upon motion to the street committee. I). D. Heller A Son as attorneys for the Decatur Oil A Gas company then presented and asked for the adop tionofan ordinance granting rights and privilege to lay maintain and operate gas pipes in the city of Decatur for illuminating, heating’ and power purpose, and same was referred to the judiciary committee. Bids were received for the building of the Schugg sewer and four firms submitted prices, the same lieing J. B. Buhler. Thomas A Parrish. J. S. Bowers and W. W. Moats. Ou motion by Corliett all bids were referred to the sewer committee. An ordinance providing for the payment for the use of electric lights and fixing a time and providing a penalty for nonpayment was adopted on suspension of rules. It provides that all electric light bills be paid by the 10th of the following month, the penalty being a 10 percent fine and the lights will lie shut off until same is paid. The matter of selling the old fire bell was referred to the fire committee. Council then adjourned to meet in continued session the following evening.

DECATUR. INDIANA, THURSDAY, JULY 10, 1902.

John Mougey left bright and earlv ■ Monday morning on his first trip as traveling representative for the Carna- j han shoe house of Fort Wayne. He will travel in southern Ohio and ex-1 pects to get home each week to spend | Sunday. Gus Rosenthal was one of the victims of the 4th of July and has! since been wearing his left eye in a ' bandage as the result of too close contact with a fire cracker. It was a close call for him and he has thought about it frequently since. A horse belonging tq Henry Bremerkamp became frightened on Court street Monday morning and tore across the court house lawn and back at a good pace, damaging the wagon considerably. The horse fell and struck the curb and as a result was badly bruised. Miss Tena Radamacher was elected Queen of the Mardi Gras, the voting closing Thursday night at ten o’clock, at which time she had 101 votes, j However, she refused to serve as did j also all the other ladies whose names | had been mentioned and who had re- ; ceived votes. As a result the carnival j had no ruler. A very pleasant wedding took place I at the home of Rev. H. Kohn, near Willshire, on the fourth day of July at eleven a. m., the parties being Mr. Jesse I. Brenneman and Miss Dollie E. Lewton, the groom from Wells | county and the bride from Adams county, Indiana. May peace, happi-; ness and prosperity be theirs is the wish of their many friends. The Fort Wayne Sentinel of last week told of a quick court record in a divorce way by former Decaturites, | as follows: About fifteen minutes I before noon today Hannah W. Egg filed a complaint in the superior court for a divorce from Charles B. Egg, and a few minutes after noon she was a free woman. The allegation in the complaint was extreme cruelty and i failure to provide and Attorney Thomas was the conductor who carried the case through in almost record break- i ing time. A belated traveler who was compelled to stay all night in a backwoods cabin, says soon after the frugal meal a tall, gaunt youth of about eighteen and an equally sallow aud gaunt girl of seventeen, both barefooted, took their hats from wooden pegs in the wall and prepared to go out. whereupon the mother, taking her pipe from | between her yellow teeth said reprovI iugly: ‘‘Go ’long an’ wash your feet, I Levi, you and Looly both. Hain’t you ’shamed to go off to an evenin’ party without washin’ your feet?” They obeyed, but as Levi took the washpan from a bench by the door, he said, with a grumble: "I’d ’bout as soon stay home from a party as to have to fix up for it.” It begins to look as though by this time next year we will have the opportunity to cool off by taking a ride on the trolly line. A party of survey ors under the supervision of the U. C. Coduallade were here Monday and Tuesday going over the route. His assistants were Albert Schraider, A. J. Smith. Will Hower, and C. M. Smith. They surveyed the right of way over Mercer aud Second streets and over Adams to Third, thence i north to the corporation line, leaving i Tuesday noon for Fort Wayne, where ■ they expect with good weather to * arrive by Friday. They stated that they believed the line would reach here by January next and within a year would be completed to Fort Wayne. Henrv Hite the well known grocer was bitten on the index finger of the right hand by a big tarantula Friday morning a few moments past eleven o'clock, and for several hours his life ‘was dispaired of. He was unpacking a box of bananas aud had just taken hold of one of the bunches to pull it out when he felt a stinging sensation in his hand and noticed that one of the fingers was bleeding slightly. Surmising the cause he tied his hankerchief tightly about the injured finger and hastened' to the office of Dr. J. S. Boyers who at once administered proper treatment. Mr. Hite’s promptness in securing medical aid no doubt saved his life, for as it was, his pulse was at a very low ebb when Dr. Boyers began working on him. Dr. J. M. Miller was called into consolation and for two hours the two physicians worked incessantly, being rewarded at the expiration of that time by hopeful symptoms. The patient was taken tn ’ his home during the afternoon and has since been steadily improving much to the satisfaction of his friends. He was able to sit up by Saturday aud while his illness lias weakened him some he will no doubt be as well as ever soon. After the accident the bunch of bananas was carefully examined aud the tarantula finally captured and placed in a glass can. It is still alive and on exhibition at Everett A Hite’s store. The bite of a tarantula is not usually fatal as was supposed by many people but a serious illness often follows a bite of one of the insects. At the time Mr. Hite was bitten he had been working quite hard and was overheated and this coupled with his shock from the bite so affected his heart as to make his illness very serious for a while. ■ >1

Work has been resumed at the G. R. A I depot and the basement will probably lie completed this week. The sewer which is nearly 500 feet long was finished Tuesday. The depot will be completed by the late fall. A committee of the Bluffton K. of P. uniform rank was here Thursday evening to see the carnival attractions the same shows or part of them at least being under contract to go to that city July 23rd to 26th, where a street carnival will be given. Joe Cloud and J. A. Bright, two of the best known young men in the county, have leased the new Fordyce building on Monroe street and will put in a grocery and restaurant. They are popular, energetic and up to date on business matters and will no doubt meet with success. Almond Dutcher, sixty-five years old and one of the oldest settlers in Root township died at seven o’clock Wednesday evening of last week at his home east of Monmouth. He had been suffering for several months with a complication of diseases and his death was not unexpected. The funeral services were held Saturday. John Confer left Sunday afternoon for New York City where he will take an eight weeks course in the art of cutting as taught at the John W. Mitchell school, the best institute of the kind in America. John is a splendid coat maker and has had several years experience and with the addition of a thorough knowledge of cutting will no doubt be a valuable man. There are many positions open for good meu in this line and it is quite probable that John will secure something good in the east and stay there. Bluffton papers and citizens of that town in general have been roasting our carnival to a standstill for the last few days and seem wonderfullv disgusted. Now they are going to show the world how to give a good one. In order to do so they have contracted with Mr. Gorman to furnish the same shows that were here with the addition of Boscoe, the snake eater and a gypsy camp. They will no doubt know more when they get through and will find that all is not gold that glitters. The celebration here was above the average aud not an arrest occurred as there were positively no thieves or pickpockets on the grounds. If Bluffton gives as good satisfaction to the public it will fie more than they have ever done before. The board of commissioners met in their regular monthly session Monday and contracted with the Indiana Road Machine company for a road grader on trial. The bonds for temporary loan, recently advertised, were given to the Old Adams County bank. The viewers report upon the establish meut of a road was approved. The petition to sign the Bolds judgment was dismissed. Liquor licenses were granted to William Sheets. E. Herrick and Delma Elzey. Rollin Laughlin was appointed a student to Purdue university. A. J. Thiemme, L. W. Lewton and Joshua Bright were appointed viewers upon the ditch petitioned for by Fred Schroeder. The Indianapolis Pipe Line company were issued a refunder on account of an error in their taxes.

The carnival or mardi gras is a matter of history and shows, fakirs aud their assistants have folded their tents and left for other fields. Financially it was perhaps not more than an even break for the only business done was during the evenings and on the day of the Fourth. The shows were above the average with the exception of one or two which were rank failures and a peculiar thing is that they were given the best positions on the grounds. The tents were located on East Madison and First streets and that part of the city certainly presented a gala appearance. Beyond doubt the best thing on the ground was the electrical fountain, that attraction worthy of all possible praise. It was located just south of Kirsch A Sellemeyer’s lumber yard aud did a good business each evening. The managers were corteous and seemed to be actually trying to give their patrons their moneys’ worth. Among the other shows were the Chinese theatre, Buckskin Ben. Flying lady and Esquimaux exhibition which were fair and the Red Dome which was as near nothing as could have been given. However taken all in all they were as good an average ten cent shows as are on the road aud gave tho people ample opportunity to spend their sur- | plus cash. A noticeable feature was i the absence of thieves, thugs and j pickpockets not a single case of robbery or hold-up being reported during’ the three days. No gambling I was allowed and the managers de- ! serve praise for their attempt to give | a moral entertainment. The most I disappointing part of the affair was the failure to give tho illuminated parade Saturday night as advertised, I as a large number of farmers drove in !to see same. While the crowds at no time were not what was hoped for they were large considering that the I farmers arc busier just at present > than they have been for many years II and a day away from the farm now | moans a loss of several dollars.

The list of unclaimed letters remaining in the Decatur postoffice uncalled for are Mrs. S. Hirsch, Peter Heath, Thomas J. Annett, Jas. A. | Bell, Jas. A. Tucke, John Suddith, John Stick, D. N. Rice, Miss Susie ! Miller, Sarah King, Louis Kelly, Mrs. | Annie Good, Mrs. Ella Liggell, Rob- j ert Hathaway and Gieseppe DiGirolamo. Hon. Hugh Dougherty returned last evening from Indianapolis, where he attended a meeting of the voting machine commission. The commissioners passed favorably on the Columbia voting machine and it will be given a. license in Indiana. This makes two 1 machines now elgible to use here| and will no doubt have a tendency to | make them in common use on account i of the competition that will certainly I arise.- Bluffton Banner. A happy crowd of young people ! drove to the grove near Schei- j man’s bridge Sunday morning aud enjoyed a several hours picnic, the feature of which was the fine tasting lunch prepared by the ladies: The crowd included Misses Kelly of New London, Ohio, Turner of Roches- j ter, and Misses Mayme Conter, Nettie Smith, Mayme Deininger, Mayme Fullenkamp and Celia Smith and Messrs. Martin Mylott. Charles Peterson, Wai Wemhoff, Neil Kelly, Roman Barthal, Frank Wemhoff and Lee Martin. Not many years ago the parent was in absolute control of the child. The fathers and mothers of nearly every family in Decatur can remember when their parents took every cent I they earned at labor. There was no I question about the matter, the boy or! girl regarded their wages as the just i revenue of their parents until 21 and gave it freely, whether earned in the field, in the factory or at some trade to which they had been apprenticed. Today the father who would take a cent from the wages of his boy or girl j would be regarded as tyrannical. The reply would be, “well I earned it myself and it belongs to me.” It is so held by the parents, even, and while the law is identically the same, custom and usage have changed it entirely. Fu Lee. the Chinese, was talking! loud and making funny gestures on the streets Sunday and Monday, and after considerable trouble succeeded in imparting the information to the proper authorities that his employer, the proprietor of the Zig Zag show. | was making an effort to beat him out of everything he had. An investigation proved that he was right and that instead of paying him, the boss had taken the Chinaman’s clothes aud j paraphanalia, claiming that he owed him for opium which had been furnished in large quantities. After a time Fu Lee got his baggage but no pay and as a consequence the entire force of actors quit the show aud a new stock will have to be obtained before a performance can be given. It is said that Fu Lee had over SIOOO sewed in his clothes, and we don’t wonder he made a quiet kick. Charley Houser who was reared in this county and lived here until about three years ago was drowned in the Iroquois river about one o’clock Friday afternoon. Since leaving here. Charley has been living at Brooks, Newton county. Indiana, and it was near that place that the accident occurred which ended his life. His father who has been living at Hammond was visiting with Charlev and they in company with Carrev Comer, a former Pleasant Mills boy, and another youth went down to the Iroquois river after dinner. The recent rains had swollen the stream aud had backed the water into a ravine aud formed a dead water pool which was about fifteen feet deep. Shortly after reaching the river Charley and young Comer got into the boat and started across the pool, while George Houser aud his companion stood on the bank watching them. The men in the boat were standing up, each paddling with a short oar and joking and laughing with each other. When out about twelve feet from shore, the boat lurched slightly and Charley lost his balance, falling backwards: as he did so, he grabbed Comer and both fell into the water the boat overturning. For a moment it looked as though both men would drown, but Comer finally extricated himself from Charley's grasp and swam out. lieing almost exhausted when he reached shore. Charley who could not swim struggled but a moments and sank from view, his terror stricken father, standing within a few feet, but with no power to help him. The news soon spread and within an hour, the body had been recovered. The remains were brought to this yity Saturday night and the funeral services conducted from the I nited Brethren church Sunday afternoon. Charley W. Houser was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. George Houser and was born near Pleasant Mills in this county in 1866, being thirty-six years, two months and sixteen days old. He was married about ten years ago to Miss Etta Helm of this city, who survives him aud who has the sympathy of everyone in her hour of trouble. Charley was an honest and Christian citizen and was a member and ardent worker in the United Brethren church.

CIRCULATION 2800 WEEKLY

NUMBER 18

The Bluffton News of Saturday said: The Clover leaf did a great business out of Bluffton yesterday and their accommodations were exceedingly poor. The strong point of attraction for Bluffton pleasure seekers was Decatur and Agent Wallace sola 466 tickets for that point for the three trains due respectively at 5 and 9:42 a. m. and 6:45 p. m. Os the above number 292 people went over on the 9:32. When it pulled into Bluffton it was made up of one coach and the combination mail and smoking car. The train was then comfortably filled but the 292 Bluffton people were jammed in. The crush was something terrible and the conductor could not get through to get his tickets. The mail and baggage cars were crowded and half a dozen bovs found seats on the coal in the tender. The Clover Leaf deserves condemnation in strongest terms for its lack of accommodation as it knew travel would be heavy. The conditions were better coming home for four or five extra cars were added. Parks M. Martin, Democratic member of the state board of tax commissioners, thinks the valuation of personal property will be greatly increased this year. The'county boards of review have concluded their settings and the state tax board will meet on July 14. Mr. Martin says there will not be a great many appeals from the decisions of the county boards. He says further that the boards do not anticipate much of an argument with the railroad companies this year. He was informed yesterday by Deputy Auditor Martin that but two applications for a hearing have l>een filed by railroads thus far. Mr. Marlin think's the meetings which he and Mr. Wingate held with the township assessors early this year have been productive of good results. These meetings had a tendency to interest the assessors in their work and to make their work more thorough. Mr. Martin is also of opinion that taxpayers are gradually becoming more and more inclined to list their property at its full value. In that part of the state, which includes the southern counties Mr. Martin declares that books will show a material increase in valuations of personal property. July Fourth. 1902, was a day such as we have always imagined was that one of 126 years ago when our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence, an act that has rang down through the century and a quarter of years as the most important in American history. Not a cloud appeared on the bright blue sky and the day could not have been more beautiful by special order. However, the two weeks prior had been filled with bad farming weather and as a consequence the crowd which attended the Decatur celebration was not nearly so large as it would otherwise have been. Several thousand people were on the streets though as it was and the zip and boom of the fire cracker could be heard from daylight until midnight. During the morning the crowd was entertained by listening to the famous Bluffton K. of P. Band and attending the various shows on the Carnival Midway. At 12:30 a parade was given consisting of sixteen floats representing riches, music, flowers, fashion, etc., and headed by the band. The parade was beautiful and was greatly admired by the throngs who witnessed it. The line of march formed on Adams street and went north on Second street to Monroe, thence east to Steele’s park, where the races of the Decatur Driving Club were held, this being the most important part of the days program. The races were interesting and exciting and the 3,(100 people who attended were well pleased. The first race was the 2:40 pace with five starters and was won by Winfield, Jr., owned by Dr. D. D. Clark, with Maud M., owned by Dr. J. M. Miller, second. The 2:35 trot was taken easily in straight heats by George Flanders' horse True Worth, Lady Horton, owned by Beery & Holthouse, second. True Worth proved himself a race horse and bar ring accidents should get some money and a splendid mark before the season is over. Mack K., won the free-for-all pace, but was given a good run for the money by Little Dick, owned by Mr. Cramer of Geneva. Mrs. Beatty was the winner of the ladies race, driving Prescott, while Decatur Boy. driven by Mrs. Enos Peoples tool< second place. The most exciting event of the day was the free-for all run for a purse of SIOO, and all who witnessed this feature nay it was the greatest race ever seen in this locality. There were seven starters and all proved about equally matched, for in each heat the seven junipers fought from start to finish, Lady Mentre, ' the winner, closing up and taking ' both beats on the homestretch. Katie ! Garfield got second money, Martha | Fox third and Candle Broom fourth. All were foreign horses. The races I lasted until seven o'clock. During i the evening the crowd enjoyed themj selves in various ways, some attended the shows, others by giving fire works exhibitions and still others by just pushing about. The day was a happy one for everyone who was out lira good time, and had there been a few free features the Fourth would I have been an ideal one.