Decatur Democrat, Volume 46, Number 24, Decatur, Adams County, 21 August 1902 — Page 1

ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME

VOLUME XLVI.

The little son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gessinger has been quite sick w ith summer trouble for two weeks past, but is thought to be slightly improved now. Marion Elley and wife left Monday for a twenty-one days trip to Oklahoma and while gone will see considerable of that new territory. They wdl also visit relatives. A handsome new residence will soon be erected on Fourth street by Sheriff Dan N. Erwin. The new addition will embody all that is new and modern, and when complete will cost several thousand dollars. Misses Bertha Heller and Blanche Dibble will return Saturday from a months visit with Miss Daisy Rickenbrode at Ripely, New York. During their trip they also visited Lake Chataupua, Niagara Falls and other places of interest. Several Decatur people were at Robinson park, Fort Wayne, Sunday and heard the famous Carrie Nation. They say that her half hour talk contained many good thoughts and pointers and that her trip over the country can’t help but do some good. Fred Harb has been chosen as leader of the newly organized band and they will at once proceed to put themselves in shape for a call from anyone desiring a first class attraction. The boys are all musicians and if they will stick together can’t help succeeding. A man who has made a study of oil business for ten years said, “It is my opinion that the company who goes just east of this city, just over what is known as the ‘back bone,’ will strike the best pool in the country.” A well may be drilled in that locality before long. New cases as filed in the Adams circuit court this week are Charles Grimm vs Frank McConnell, suit for damages for slander, demand 85000. Emil Mayer, vs Isaac Zimmerman, et al acct, demand 8175. Maggie Jeffries vs William T. Jeffries, petition for divorce. Carrie D. Mann et al vs John Pelly et al, complaint to quiet title. A sleeping party to her girl friends was the society event of Friday evening. given by Miss Lucile Bryson and eleven young ladies participated. The guests were the Misses Margarette and Saley Vesey of Fort Wayne, Carrie Kapp and Corinne Dailey of Bluffton and Carrie Thomas, Fannie Hite, Vera Patterson, Agnes Schrock. Josephine Niblick, Dessie Beery and May Niblick. The following morning a crowd of young gentleman were invited to an eight o’clock breakfast. All the arrangements for the big Fall Festival blowout at Ft. Wayne lasting all next week have been completed and there now remains nothing to be done except fix things up with the weather man. All the papers in the surrounding country have advertised the festival and several tons of lithographs and other advertising paper have been posted up on walls and hung in windows. The CaskillMunday company has added several attractions for the Fort Wayne show, all the bands have been engaged and the public is on the qui-vive to see what will happen. The Festival will open on Monday. The train that carried the passengers farm this place to North Dakota last week was held up by train robbers in northwestern Illinois Tuesday afternoon of last week. There was a gang of eight robbers took charge of the engine, detaching it and the mail and baggage cars from the passenger cars, and run it on a mile where the safe was looted and all the money taken, of which they got several thousand dollars. The mail and baggage car was totally destroyed by the explosive used. One of the gang of robbers was killed. The Geneva people reached their destination in North Dakota last Thursday. Sylvester Pontius wrote a letter home tellinur of the robbery. None of the passengers were molested.—Geneva Herald. “There is now,” says State Superintendent Jones, “a disposition among teachers to seek employment in new lines of endeavor. Both men and women, who a few years ago would have been satisfied to teach in the country schools now realize that they can do better in otheremployment, and many of them are quitting the business of teaching. It is true that the renumeration for teaching has not kept pace with the times. The legislature has fixed a minium scale, but 1 do not bafieve that wages average ally higher than they did a few years ago.” The superintendent also points out that since the change in law making the terms of county superintendents four years, many of them are grading applicants for licenses more close than formerly. This has had the effect be believes of cutting down the supply of teachers in some of the counties. Another fact to be considered he notes is that it is now almost impossible for a person to get a license to teach unless he has been a graduate from a high school. Formerly many of the country teachers received licenses after passing through the common schools.

OncAiilit

Asa McMillen, of Sistersville. West j ' irginia, who has been visiting relatives in the county for several weeks will return soon. He is employed in a large glass factory at that place. Master Arthur Close is suffering with a very sore foot this week, the result of jumping on a rusty nail. Ihe nail penetrated to the bone and the services of Dr. McMillen were required. Miss \ ida Bowers entertained a number of her young friends at six o’clock dinner Friday evening. Misses Margaret and Sally Vesey of Fort M ayne and Miss Forest of Bluffton were t he out of town guests. Mrs. J. B. Meibers was surprised by the members of the O. D. O. club Monday evening. About twenty-five guests were present, the occasion being Mrs. Meibers forty-fourth birthday anniversary. Progressive pedro and delicious refreshments formed amusements for the evening. Four couple were granted the rights to marry this week by the issuance of licenses at the county clerk's office. They are, William Sudduth and Gertrude Faust, John W. Farlow and Mary E. Clark, John M. Blossom and Mrs. Elsie Stacy, Jacob Hess and Maude A. Schroll. After several delays and postponments the dates for the annual reunion of the 160th I. V. 1., at Wabash has been fixed and will positively occur September 17th and 18th. The occasion promises to be a pleasant one for the boys and a larger number is expected to be present than at any previous reunion of the regiment. Albert Spuller has purchased of the Simion Haines heirs their splendid farm south of this city, the consideration being 85,000. This is one of the best improved farms in Indiana, up-to-date in every way and Albert justly fells proud of his bargain. He is a strictly modern farmer and will add still greater value to his land befor many months. The Carroll Oil company will soon have well number one under headway and those who know a thing or two about the business say they have a good chance for getting one of the best wells in the field. They will drill on the John Broadbeck farm, one mile east of Bobo. The material for the rig is now on the grounds and everything is being arranged to commence work by next Monday. The company expects to put down at least three wells this fall and more if the indications for valuable returns are anywhere near satisfactory. Later evidences of the evil designs of Charles Augerman, who is now in jail awaiting a hearing upon a charge of attempting to blow the county infirmary into smithereens, are daily coming to light. Supt. Graber insearching a pair of pantaloons belonging to Augerman, found a key to the residence portion of the infirmary. This simply confirms the fact that the prisoner was going the limit and if he had been permitted to carrv out his conceived plans, the beautiful building now would perhaps would be a seathing mass of ruins and the inmates including Superintendent Graber and family would be making peace with their Maker. Horse stealing seems to have again become quite fashionable along this section of Indiana, and this too when fifty per cent of them are captured. Last week a horse was stolen from Martin Bubmeyer near Geneva. On Saturday night a horse wait stolen from David Swartz but was recovered on Monday and the daring thief lauded in jail. Scarcely a day passes but what Sheriff Erwin receives several cards offering rewards for the recovery of horses stolen from the counties north and south of here. Sheriff Williams of Marshall, Michigan was here the first of the week and recovered a horse which had been stolen from his county and sold here. It seems that the old style of dealing a little harshly with such people will have to be resorted to for they seem to no longer fear the law. Upon good authority we are informed that arrangements have been completed for a five days red letter running meet, to be given at Steele’s park October 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18. The project is being launched by Chicago, Fort Wavne and Decatur horsemen and it will lie the greatest racing event ever given in a small city. The entire week will be devoted to running races and then, will be five races each day, the purses ranging from 8150 to 8500. Thursday will be Derby day and during the week our city will have as guests thousands of'visitors from cities all over the country. Already it is said more than 150 runners have been entered, which means that every race will be a fierce one and Steele’s park will be a correct imitation of Hawthorne during the entire week. The gentlemen behind the enterprise have plenty of capital and will niako the races a groat success. While it is rather an experiment to give such a week of banner events in a city of less population than 100,000, with the weather man in a favorable mood it can’t help but be the inauguration of many such weeks over the country.

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 11102.

'VIP’E BEGIN TODAY mailingout statements to our subscribers, vv and we wish to again remind you that if paid in advance the Democrat is one dollar a year, and if not one dollar and a half a year. We expect immediate payment.

Notice is hereby given to all those interested in the Reynolds cemetery that they meet on Tuesday. August 25, for the purpose of cleaning the cemetery. You are requested to bring such tools as you think necessary. The examination for eigth grade' pupils to enter high school will be held at Central building next Saturday, beginning at eight o’clock, a. m. Those desiring to take advantage of this opportunity should be on hand. E. L. Browne traveling passenger agent for the Clover Leaf was in the city yesterday in the interest of the Detroit excursion which is in the stages of consumation by the Methodist ladies of this city and Bluffton. A crowd of Decatur ladies are enjoying the hospitality of the Vesey cottage at Rome City this week, being guests of Mrs. W. J. Vesey. Among them are Mrs. C. A. Dugan, Mrs. Harry Wilkinson, Mrs. Jeff Bryson and daughter Lucile, and Mrs. F. M. Schirmeyer. The event is no doubt a most pleasant one. Now comes William Scheerer who walks the chalk line into the agricultural department of the Democrat, and deposits therein a stock of corn measuring fourteen feet and seven inches. It is a monster and puts to shame many other infants of less degree. Up to date Mr. Scheerer is entitled to the belt, but we will still hold it for more takers. A horse belonging to Daniel Schwartz of Monroe township was stolen Sunday night. A number of other articles including two bicycles had been stolen in the neighborhood recently and a man named Albert Girod was suspected. When the Schwartz horse was missed officers here were notified and an effort made to land the thief which proved successful. Girod was located at Van Wert Monday afternoon and Sheriff Erwin went over and got the gentleman. He is now in jail here awaiting a chance to plead before the Adams circuit court. Dealers in men’s clothing are beginning to receive fall stocks. It is remarkable the few changes noticed in the styles. The summer styles have in many respects been duplicated. Unfinished black worsted is to be popular the coming winter. ( )ne well known dealer said last evening that his order called for very few suits of any color but black. The coats are to be military style, which prevailed in cities this summer. The trousers are to lie similar to those now worn, hanging loose in the back. Square coats are also to be worn to some extent. The overcoats are to be of a variety of styles. The long coat, reaching te low the knee seems to be in favor among the manufacturers. According to the Berne \\ itness there is in this county a book which would be a valuable addition to the library of any lover of old literature and we doubt not that the book contains some information that would be valuable to house-keepers of today. The issue of Friday said; A cook book 230 years old 'undoubtedly belongs to the rarest antiquities found in this community. This is in posession of Levi Augspurger west of town. The book was published in Mulhausen, Alsace, in the year 1672 and contains 1017 different recipes for preparing and preserving various kinds of meats, eggs, vegetables etc. The author of it was a cook in a monastery and the book found its way into the hands of Amish Mennonites, who came from that country to America. The volume is 16mo, the paper quite brown with age, the print quite antiquated but very legible. The binding is still well preserved.

A marriage occurred in this city Sunday afternoon which boarders very closely on the romatic order. The parties wire Mrs. Romaine Merryman, who has been employed in the store of Wolf Ac Dessauer at Fort Wayne for some time and Albert E. Hubachek of Chicago. The wedding occurred at the home of the bride s sister. Mrs. John Hays, and only the immediate relatives and Mr. and Mrs. C. K. Bell were present. Rev. Stabler performed the ceremony. Mrs. Merryman and Mr. Hubachek met for the first time, the Monday previous to their wedding day, when Mr. Hubachek, who is a traveling representative of Shayne At Co., fur dealeisof Chica go, went to Fort Wayne and called at Wolfe & Dessauers. He was introduced to Mrs. Merryman and it seems to have been love at sight, and there followed a week of anient wooing. On S iturday they came to this city, and wore married the following day. They left Monday morning for Chica go, where they will make their future home. The bride is well known here, where she has resided all her life excepting the last year. The groom is said to be a practical fur man and has been employed by Shayne & Co. for over sixteen years.

The public schools of this city as well as nearly every one in the county will begin their fall term one week from next Monday, that being the first day of September. Arrangements for the important affair are now going forward and by the opening day not a jar will occur. Earl and Otto Mann, the sons of Mr. ami Mrs. J. K. Mann of Paragould, Arkansas, have been very ill for six weeks past with typhoid malaria. They are thought to be past the danger point now unless they suffer a relapse which their many Decatur friends hope will not occur. Charles Peterson, who has been doing newspaper work here for several years, will leave soon for Hillsdale, Michigan where he has accepted the management of two college papers. In the meantime he will take a complete course of study in the Hillsdale college which is one of the best in the Wolverine state. Charley is a bright young man, a hustler and will put out a paper that is clean and full of life and the college could have made .no better selection. Ossian gave another after harvest blow out Saturday and claim to have entertained about' 2,(XX) people who otherwise would not have found their way to this enterprising little city. The principal attractions were a ball game and a balloon ascension, the latter feat being performed by Kurt Johnson, better know as Emerine of this city. He made a fine ascension from all reports, going up a distance of 2.000 feet and making a splendid drop with the parachute. The ball game was between Ossian and the Ft. Wayne Stars, the latter winning by a score of twenty-live to nine. In railway circles there is a well defined rumor that the Grand Trunk is after the Clover Leaf. The Clover Leaf delivers at Toledo a large amount of traffic destined for Canadian points and some for export byway of Canadian ports. The acquisition of the road by the Grand Trunk would give the latter all of this traffic from the South west over the Clover Leaf, whereas it gets but a small portion of it. The Eastern Illinois has entered into a long-time contract giving it the right to use tne Clover tracks between East St. Louis and Mode, 111. This trackage contract will make the needed connection between the Frisco system and the Eastern Illinois, andlwill considerably increase the revenue of the Clover Leaf. Friday's Bluffton News said: Leon Locke, son of landlord Del Loeke of the Bliss House, fell from a pear tree in the rear of the hotel this morning and broke both arms just above the wrist. Leon had picked about a bushel of pears and was up about 15 feet looking for more. Some boys were standing below talking to him when suddenly the three inch limb on which he was sitting gave way and Leon shot head downward striking his wrists and head on a pile of rock. One bone in each arm was broken just above the wrist and for over an hour he was in the care of Dr. Cook. He will wear both arms in plaster paris casts for a few weeks until the bones knit firmly. Considering thedistance he fell and the fact that he struck on a pile of rock it is a wonder the boy was not killed. He stood the operation in the doctor’s office very bravely and exhibited lots of pluck in refraining from yelling. Frank Cotton who is employed at the Murray house in this city made a visit to his former home at Bluffton last Thursday. While there he determined to have some fun with Henry Lewin a friend of his who runs a saloon and who has always told what he would do in case Carrie Nation was to make a hatchet raid on his saloon. Cotton went to the Bliss hotel and made up as Mrs. Nation and those who saw him say he was “real good.” He went to Lewin’s saloon and the story of what happened is told as follows by the Banner: At a small table sfit four or five fellows enjoying a cold bottle apiece. They were on to the plot and with loud yells made a break for the back door. The bogus Carrie, with one blow of her hatehet, caved in the top of the table and turned around for another place to begin. By this time Henry was ou the verge of appoplexy. He saw visions of broken mirrors, ruined bars and heaps of scattered glassware and his condition of mind can scarcely Ixi imagined. Forgetting his plans, forgetting his hickory club, ho made a dash for the intruder, “Hocus pocus winnerwurst, rotis mit etn, get out, Seat'.” he yelled and Riozod the smasher bv the neck. He was doing all in his power to choke the life out of “Carrie” when the by standers camo to “her” rescue and took him away. While the fracas was at its height, he was as white as a sheet and had the genuine Carrie been in the place he would not have been worse scared.

Bob Gregory brought in a stock of corn Tuesday that was raised on his farm in St. Marys township and beats anything we ever saw. The stock was over twelve feet high and had two mammouth ears of corn on it. Bob says he has fifty acres just like it and expects the biggest yield in the county. It is a new variety and Bob will sell it for seed corn next spring. The annual teacher’s institute is billed for next week and several hundred young ladies and gentlemen of this time honored profession will be be in the city. As announced before the instructors are the best in the business and the event promises to be the best and most interesting ever given in Adams county. The meetings convene Monday morning and will continue until Friday afternoon. J. R. Graber the superintendent at the county infirmary, recently read a paper before the board of charity that smacks of a practical understanding of the care, needs and demands of the poor and needy. The paper deals with the problem in an entertaining way and is a credit to its author, who is interested in his work. Mr. Graber will .find few equals as a manager of an institution where charity plays such an important part. When Carrie Nation was at Bluffton last week she told the women there she had cleaned her own door yard, and if there was any action to be taken against Bluffton saloons it would be because they would do some cleaning. Mrs. John White who formerly lived here and Mrs. Douglas White acted upon thisadvice Monday. when they had four saloonkeepers arrested, charged with selling liquor to their husbands after being warned that they were habitual drunkards. W. I. Nash and Jacob Masterson were charged with selling liquor on Sunday. Mayor Plessinger fined Nash and Masterson 810 and costs each. Discontinuing advertising has a depressing effect on business prospects. After a firm has been in the newspaper more or less regularly for some time, a discontinuance of the advertisement gives the people the impression that there is some letting up in the energy back of the store they think that probably the store is less attractive and less a desirable place Ito deal than it was before. It pays to ' do a certain amount of advertising for the reason that the newspaper used to give, that the firm should keep it s name before the public. The present argument is that advertising should be done for direct and immediate results and this argument is not of less force because there is the other consideration. The township assessors of Indiana are to try to get their allowance for assessor’s work increased from 82 to S 3 a day. The basis of the the movement is the statement that township asesssors and their deputies are under - ■ paid for their services, that almost • any other occupation would imburse i them as well as the position of assesor, while the latter position embraces ; responsibilities and labors much above that of ordinary labor. In fact the assessors say their offices are among the most important in the state, embodying great responsibilities and knowledge of intricate affairs. They desire pay in proportion to their work and responsibility. They also ask that the time for completing the work be extended from sixty to ninety days. The matter is to be brought before the session of the state legislature when it next convenes and in the meantime the assessors throughout the state will organize to present their case.

A wreck which resulted seriously in a financial way but lucky as to loss of life or injury to anyone, occurred on the Chicago’ At Erie railroad shortly after four o’clock yesterday afternoon. The accident occurred near the Mercer street crossing. No. 31, a west bound local train was switching in the yards and had thrown a number of cars back in order to set off a car. As they neared the switch, the rear brakeman jumped off to throw the switch, being unable to stop the cars. As he ran towards the switch he saw fast freight No. 77 nearly upon him. It was impossible for him to do anything but await the crash and it came in about a second. The engine of the fast train struck the local caboose and hurled it twenty feet, smashing it into kindling wood. A coal car next to the caboose was also badly broken. The engine of No. 77 also shows the effects of the wear and tear, having lieen thoroughly cleaned. The cab. bell ami smoke stack were wiped off at one stroke and still the old war horse ran on a distance of 300 feet and then took fire. The brave engineer stuck to his post and after stopping her proceeded to put out the lire, then stepped down with a smile and remaked, “When I come through they want to clear the track.” The fireman jumped when he saw what was coming and escaped without a scratch. The fault is clearly with the crew of the local and they will probably get an indefinite lay off, as they are forbidden throwing cars back as they did in this ease. The west bound express was delayed about an hour while the track was cleared.

CIRCULATION 2800 WEEKLY

NUMBER 24

Everything is in readiness for the teachers institute which begins Monday and will hold forth in the circuit court room. Superintendent Brandyberry expects one of the best institutes ever held. The list of instructors include Frank L. Jones superintendent of public instruction, W. E. Henry and H. J. Cozine all instructors of note and ability. Since the law came into effect giving a teacher pay for attending institute, the interest has increased not a little. The session begins Monday and last five days. Venetian night was celebrated at Rome City Tuesday night as it has been at that popular resort for several years anti the crowd in attendance is estimated to have been over 7000 people. A grand parade of decorated and illuminated launches was made, a fire works display of great merit was presented and the occasion was one of which the cottagers and visitors to Sylvan lake may talk for many days with pride. Every hotel and cottage was decorated and 20,000 Japanese lanterns set off the grounds about the beautiful lake. The friends of A. J. Smith say he is the only real live fisherman in Decatur. Others go and come home with exciting stories of their adventures and describe the “big ones” in loud tones, but A. J. proves his ability by a general distribution of fish when he goes. He has been at Oden, Mich., for two weeks past and last Monday C, H. Colter received a box of find large pickerel, with instructions to to pass them out. The box contained about a dozen beauties, two of which would weigh at least fifteen pounds each. What the eye sees, the mind must believe, sayeth the learned street corner doctor and we are inclined to believe that Mr. Smith deserves the championship medal when it comes to the art of catching the finny tribe. A company of young Cleveland capitalists are drilling for oil in the Blue Creek field where thev own a section of leases which give evidence of possessing oil in quantities that will make the company rich. Their first well in this territory came in Saturday, being shot with 120 quarts of nitro glycerine. Three hundred feet of oil stood in the hole when drilling stopped and after the shot the oil raised to some seven hundred feet. Some trouble is being experienced with the pumping apparatus, so that to this time the exact worth ot the well is not known. With about half the time taken up in patching repairs the well made forty barrels the first twenty-four hours. It is the estimation of experienced oil men that the well is good for sixty to seventyfive barrels daily. The company owning it will immediately drill five more wells within a radius of that many locations, and there is but little question that every one will be a good producer. The well was drilled on the Dye Ferguson farm, and if present indications count for anything Dye is in it knee deep. Charles Augerman. the anarchist, who planned to blow up the county infirmary, had a hearing before ’Squire Smith yesterday morning and was placed under peace bond for the sum of SSOO. This will enable the officers to hold him until the September term of court opens, when he will be tried for the unlawful use of dynamite, there being a section of the Indiana statutes which provides that whoever carries dynamite about with him or conceals it in any building without the consent of the owner, shall be found guilty of a felony and shall be liable to a penitentiary sent ence of from two to fourteen years. Yesterday's trial was interesting as Augerman made his first explanation of the charge against him. He said he concealed the dynamite in his trunk to prevent the other inmates from getting hold of it; that he had the rope saturated with turpentine to stuff a chair cushion with, his idea being to kill bed bugs, with which he said the cushion was. infested: that he placed the caps in the tea kettle lid to show people what a 'areless man Mr. Graber is; that he went away toescape Mr. Graber, whom he had cause to fear. He said he was sixtynine years old, was born in Germany and landed in New York in April, 1884. He came to this county in November, 1893, and had since been an inmate at the county infirmary. He suffers from asthma and gives one the impression that he wont have to l>e watched long in this world. His form is bent and his face shows lines of suffering, still a glance at him is sufficient evidence that he was once a powerful man. He says he has mastered a number of trades and can work at any of them. He is a lock smith, shoe maker, harness makei. printer, carpenter and has followed even other avocations, and admits being an expert in handling dynamite and other explosives. There is not a particle of doubt that he intended to destroy the infirmary and his plans were most carefully made. While seated in ’Squire Smith’s office his picture was taken by Mr. Harrod. During the trial the evidence of Mr. Graber and Janies P. Haefling was also taken, both men telling of threats that Augerman had made that Graber would soon be out of the way.