Decatur Democrat, Volume 46, Number 45, Decatur, Adams County, 15 January 1903 — Page 1

ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME.

VOLUME XLVI.

Scheimen & Butler, stock dealers, will ship two car loads of hogs to Bos-: ton tomorrow, Three more loads will follow Saturday. Oliver Wood, living east of Geneva, was arrested yesterday on an indicttnent returned by the grand jury for assault and battery. He gave bond in the sum of >2OO and was released Lawrence Lewton the eight year old son of Mrs. Chester Lewton had his hands frozen yesterday when on the way to his grandthothers, to Monmouth. While his condition is not ■very serious the end of trouble with the members is not in view and it will oause considerable suffering. E. X. Ehinger, of the National Bank, this city and a party of Berne gentleman left yesterday for Hamilton and Paulding, Ohio, where they will purchase necessary furniture and Other articles necessary fur the establishment of a bank. The gentleman represents the Peoples Bank of Berne which will open for business in a very few weeks. The Democratic club elected its ■:iew officers Friday evening for the ensuing year as follows: President, Frank C. Foreman; vice-president, J. D. Winteregg; treasurer, Amos Hirschy; secretary, Noah Bixler; trustees, H. S. Michaud, Sam Schindler, Lous Gehrig. The dates of meetings were changed to second and last Thursdays of each month instead of Fridays. All members are earnestly requested to be regular attendants. Tom Harris, secretary of the Great Northern Indiana Fair association, attended a meeting of the state agricultural society at Indianapolis last week At these meetings discussion freely flows upon the different features'that make county fairs successful, and Tom caught onto several things that will later make the Great Northern even more talked about than it is now. The consensus of Ooinion prevailed that newspaper advertising was the best method and medium through which to effectually ■scatter printer’s ink, and get results. It will seem from this that fair associations are getting wise and will get the most for their money. Preliminary steps were taken today for the organization of a company to be known as the Decatur Stone comSany. Thev will begin life with 10,000 capital and stock is now being sold. Well known business men of the county are the organizers and the •company will be the largest concern of the kind in this part of the county. They will purchase new machinery and open up new quarries. They will deal in building and crushed stone and expect to do athriving business. The stock is being subscribed for liberally, and is being taken by Deca tur, Preble and Kirkland township citizens. They will purchase the Robinson land north of town and begin their new buildings as soon as ■weather will permit. A meeting of the stockholders will be held next week when definite arrangements w ill be made and officers elected. Senator Matson’s voting machine bill provides for the compulsory use of machines in all counties containing a city of more than 10,000 population. This will make it operative in the counties of Allen, Delaware, Floyd, Case, Clark. Grant, Howard, Knox, Marion, Madison, Tippecanoe, \ anderburg, Vigo and Wayne. The bill provides for the purchase of machines which have been approved by the voting machine commission named by the last legislature by the commissioners of the counties named. There ■s some sentiment against machines in some of these counties and it may be necessary to a uend the law so as io make it mandatory only on Marion county to secure its passage. Senator Matson, however, believes there is a good chance (or the passage of the bill as it stands and will push it to the end. The case of Jefferson Dunbar vs Jefferson Dunbar, administrator, began in the Adams circuit court yesterday and considerable inter est is being manifested, especially by the citizens of Hartford township, from where most of the parties hail. Lucine Dunbar died August 14, 11401, leaving quite an estate, as administrator of which Jefferson Dunbar, a son, was appointed administrator. For some time prior to the death of Lucine Dunbar he had made his home with Jefferson and family, and in the course of settlement of the estate Jefferson filed a claim of $2828 for the trouble and expense of having eared for his father. The other heirs objected to the allowance of said bill and hence the present suit which promises to be a battle roval between learned lawyers. According to law an administrator cannot allow a bill in favor of himself, it being necessary to hear evidence on the validity of his claim in the circuit court, thus giving other heirs ample opportunity to object. The attorneys in this case are Daily, Simmons & Daily, of Bluffton, and C. J. Lutz of this city, who represent the plaintiff, Mr. Dunbar, and Mock & Son, of Bluffton, and Schurer & Smith,Decatur, for the other heirs. The case will very probably be concluded today.

Oecatilß D e^®Cr 4T.

D. H. Hunsicker left the city this morning on a business trip through I Paulding, Van Wert and Wells couni ties in the interest of the T. C. Corbett cigar factory. Judge Studabaker will soon erect another brick house on his farm east of town to be occupied by a tenant. A large bank barn is also to be built as soon as weather will permit and stone is now being hauled for the foundation of the new buildings. The Evening Democrat is the name of the new daily paper launched at Decatur last evening by L. G, Eiling ham, who for a number of years has so successfully conducted the Weekly Democrat. If succeeding issues are even half as good as the first, it should be a winner. John Heller, who has been in the newspaper business in Decatur for a dozen years, is manager of the daily.— Bluffton News. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Decatur National Bank met this afternoon and held their regular election of directors, the polls being open from two to three o’clock. The following board was chosen: P. W. Smith. W. A. Kuebler. J. H. Hobrock, C. A. Dugan, E. X. Ehinger and J. B. Mason. Immediately after the election the directors met and elected P. W. Smith, president; W. A. Kuebler, vice-president; C. A. Dugan, cashier and E. X Ehinger, assistant cashier. The dedication of Zion German Lutheran church will take place Sunday, January 25, ISO 3. Services will be held in the morning, afternoon and evening. In the morning service, commencing at ten o’clock, the Rev. Prof. L. W. Darn of Fort Wayne will officiate. At two-thirty In the afternoon English services will be held in which the Rev. J. Klansing of Preble will deliver the sermon. All English speaking people are invited to attend this service. In the evening at half past seven the former pastor of the church, Rev. H. Schlesselmann, of South Euclid, Ohio, will address the congregation in the German language. A collection will be gathered at the close of each service. William Emenhizer, a well known citizen of Wells county, was picked up last evening near the residence of R. S. Peterson, and if reports are true had he not received proper attention he would have frozen to death by morning. He is said to be a fine fellow and yesterday closed a deal for a farm in this county. He took a few drinks while waiting for his train back to Bluffton and between eight and nine o’clock started for the Clover Leaf station. He missed connections some way and about 10:30 was found by D. H. Hunsicker near the Peterson residence. His boots were frozen to his legs and he was in a precarious condition. He was taken to the Clover Leaf depot and a night policeman telephoned for, who found lodging for him. He soon revived and it is believed no serious results will happen. We are in receipt of the biennial report of the state superintendent of public instruction, Frank L. Jones, and besides other items of interest we note that hadevotes several pages of his report to recommendations to the general assembly. He advises that the present wage scale for teachers be continued and that the state board of education lie relieved of inspection of high schools. He would have a high school inspector at a s lary of 81,000 a year. He deals at length with the transportation of children to schools in the country districts, and suggests the enactment of a law making it necessary for schixil officers to provide conveyances. Ho pointe out that some of the state revenue from liquor licenses might be used in relieving the financial embarrassment of corporations that are without sufficient funds to provide requisite school facilities. The state, he says, should prevent the erection of unsanitary school houses. The Paragould & Memphis Railroad Co. has just been chartered in Missouri and Arkansas. Its purpose is to build a railway about fifty-two miles long from Paragould, Ark., toOsceolo, Ark., the line running through the southeast corner of Missouri. According to the charter of the company, the route will be as follows: From Paragould. Greene county, Arkansas, in a southeasterly and easterly direction, a distance of eight miles, to the St. Francis river, in that county, crossing the river into Dunkin county, Missouri, and to thence run in a northeasterly direction to Cardwell, in Dunkin county, thence southeasterly nine miles to the county line between Dunkin county, in Missouri, and MisBippi county, in Arkansas, and thenee east twenty-nine miles to Osceola, Ark. All that portion of the route which is in Missouri will lie in Dunk lin county, having a total of fourteen miles iu Missouri and ihli’.y eight miles in Arkansas. The incorporators of the companv are: John W. t ail, W. H. Nibliek? A. T. Vail, S. N. Vail, Daniel Sprang, Don Quinn of Deca tur. Ind., who have 565 shares, and E. A. Vail. J. E. Thomas. J. B. Hale of Cardwell, Mo., who hold thirty five shares. The capital is $525,000 of which S6O,(NX) has been subscribed. Manufacturers’ Record.

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1903.

The following statistics have been summed up concerning the factories of Decatur by an Indianapolis man: Capital employed, 8389,000; number iof establishments. 83; average numtier of employees, 341; annual outlay in wages, $128,121; value of product, $656,430. Winchester is in the midst of an epidemic of small pox, the extent of which is at present hard to calculate. I The public schools have closed and I the health officers are placing a Htrictquarantinearound every suspect. One death resulted yesterday. There is much apprehension upon the part of the people there that it may grow alarmingly. The funeral services of John Wafle who died yesterday morning will be held Thursday afternoon. Rev. Klausing will officiate and there will be a short services at the house at one o’clock and regular services at the Preble German Luthern church as soon after as the trip can be made. The surviving members of the family are a son, John Wafle who lives at home, a daughter Mrs. Mary Buck, of Chicago, and an adopted daughter Miss Matilda Wafle. Notwithstanding the cold it was a very jolly crowd that left the city for the homo of Andrew Schurger, one and one half miles west of the city, Monda evening. To say that the crowd enjoyed themselves would not be doing it justice for they just had a glorious time. After the crowd, which was composed of C. Y. M. S. club boys and their lady friends arrived at the Schurger home they proceeded to the enjoyments of the evening. The music was furnished by Will Smith and Roy Wolford. Luncheon the likes of which could not be surpassed, was then served, and the crowd left for the city at a late hour wishing Mr. Schurger success in his new home in Oklahoma. A number of wealthy farmers near Williams are making an effort, to organize an oil company which it is believed will be successful, whose purpose will be to develop northern Adams county. The people of that community have long felt that oil or gas in paying quantities is hidden beneath their farms and they are nowdetermined to find out. They will go at matters in a business like way and will drill several wells in various neighborhoods, thus making a thorough test. This organization is probably the result of a producing well which came in a day or two ago at Boram, four miles northwest of Williams. While this well was light it proves there is a field in the locality if it can be found. Fort W’ayne speculators, represented by Charles Bash, Harry Pursell and Lee Fosters have leased a large tract of land north of Williams. About March 1, there will be launched iu this city a new clothing firm under the firm of Acker, Elzey & Vance. The members of the firm are Sam S. Acker, Charlie Elzey and O. L. Vance, all experienced in the business and the possessors of a long line of acquaintances and friends located in all quarter sections of the county. They have already secured a five year lease on the Stone building, occupied by the New- Fair store, having purchased from D. Van Cleef the counters and shelving now there and have a written contract for the possession of the building by February 20. They will put on display a complete line of clothing, gents furnishings, hats and caps and will open up ready for business by the first day of March. In the meantime they will make arrangements to have every--1 thing in working order by the date named. The two former members of the firm will leave Tuesday morning for Rochester, where they will buy at least one line of their stock and will be on the ground early for their opening. This will make five stocks of clothing handled by that many different firms iu this city. A young woman came here presumably from Fort Wayne about a month ago and has since been mak--1 ing this city her headquarters, going away a day or two each week. Among other places it develops she has lieen visiting at Bluffton and has there met a man who won her love and affections. She gives her name as Miss Ada Cochran, and a few days ago filed a suit in the Wells circuit court demanding the sura of $5,000 of Henry Lewin, a saloonkeeper of that city, who she claims promised to marry her and has since showed a desire to revoke his agreement. Lewin save that it is a rank blackmailing scheme and will fight the case to the end. He says the woman came to bis place and told him she would like to go into some business and wanted his help. He refused and claims he ordered her out of his place of business. Miss Cochran called at this office this morning and made the following statement: “The statements Mr. Lewin made concerning me are false. I never intended to go into business and am ready to marry i him any time. It is not his money I want but I expected him to keep his promise to marry me, which he cer tainly made. I was greatly surprised to learn of his actions after the number of times he lias declared his love 1 for me.”

A popular young man of the city, who holds a position in one of the restaurants, has been busy since Sunday bathing his face in camphor and other antidotes recommended to take out frost. The facts are that this youth took a lady friend out sleigh riding Sunday afternoon and became so interested in conversation that he failed to notice the falling temperature and by the time he got home his nose had actually been frozen. Mrs. Gene Stratton Porter of Geneva has written a book, presumably a novel, which will no doubt be very popular, and especially here, where she is so well known. The manuscript is now in the hands of the Bowen Merrill company, publishers, of Indianapolis, and will soon be on the market. The title and nature of the book has been kept a secret and is to be a surprise, no doubt. Mrs. Porter has written a number of magazine articles, and has met with splendid success in that line of work. While this is her first effort as an author, we predict a .ready sale for her book. Farmers throughout the county are feeling elated over the excellent prospects of a heavy wheat crop. From the number of acres put out in wheat and the bright outlook it is estimated that this cereal w-ill outdo the remarkable showing of former seasons by at least twenty-five percent. With wheat at sixty-seven cents per bushel this is very encouraging to the many farmers who have been planting the crop for years only to see it nipped in the bud by an open winter or killed in its prime by the Hessian fly. The farmers entertain no fears for the crop so long as the present weather conditions prevail. A coating of snow is nature’s protection for the wheat crop and this year the conditions seem to be working out perfectly. Dallas Butler, son of our county sheriff, came home from Indianapolis last night. He says the capitol city is in the midst of a terrible epidemic of small pox. Over six hundred cases have been reported and there were seventeen deaths last week. A young man living next door to Dallas’boarding house died Sunday and students in that neighborhood at once left for their various homes, fearing a quarantine. Indianapolis papers have not mentioned the serious plague, notwithstanding their ever-ready manner of describing conditions of this sort in other parts of the state. Last spring, when something like sixty cases were reported from this county, Health Officer Hurty stormed and even threatened to quarantine the county. Perhaps he could now put to good use at home some of bis good advice offered here. A few days ago Truant officer Lemuel Johnson filed a complaint before ’Squire Smith alleging that Samuel Aumiller, of near Berne was violating the state laws by refusing to send his two children to school. Constable Pennington was sent out to make the arrest, got his man alright but was unable to hold him. Aumiller got away and the constable was at a loss as to what should be hie course of action. Samuel’s father came to the rescue by asking how much the bill would lie. Mr. Pennington figured out the amount at $21.95 which means ten and costs and the old gentleman immediately planked down the lucre. While a little out of the ordinary this means of settlement is no doubt valid. Samuel Aumiller the defendant, recently figured in a suit in the circuit court in which a divorce was asked for by his wife and was refused by Judge Erwin. Aumiller says the reason he has not been sending his children to school was because he was afraid his wife would entice them away with her. He has arranged matters with the teacher who will see the mother doesn’t get her children while in school and they are again at their studies, George Fisher, an escaped convict from the intermediate penitentiary, Mansfield, Ohio, is in jail here awaiting orders from that institution. He arrived here this morning about eight o’clock and a few minutes afterwards was locked up. With but little urging he confessed and won! was at once sent to the proper officials telling of his capture To a Dailv Democrat reporter he told the following story: “lam twenty-two years old and escaped from the Mansfield penitentiary October 27, 1902 and have since been roaming over the country in search of work, which I have been unable to obtain. I was sent up from St. Clair, Ohio, for burglarizing a sa loon. I was sent out of the prison on an errand as a trusty, realized the opportunity and escaped. I came here Sunday morning and walked to Fort Wayne, then back again last night. I have not had a bite to eat since yesterday noon. I have served three years and was sentenced for ten years.'’ He is apparently a nice fel fellow and tears no resemblance to the ordinary thief. A reward of twen-ty-five dollars is offered for his arrest and this amount Sheriff Butler will no doubt receive. He is five feet, five inches tall, has dark hair, blue eyes and weighs 135 pounds. A telephone message from Mansfield at noon said that an officer of the penitentiary would arrive tonight to pay the reward and take the prisoner.

Deputy Auditor C. D. Lewton is busy working on the annual report, which when completed will give a detailed account of the business transacted by Adams county during last year. The report is far enough ad vanced to give the total receipts which are $75,893.73 and total disbursements which include all expenses of county revenue proper of $56,118.09, which leaves a cash balance of $19,775.64. The report will later be published in compliance to the law governing thisfeatureof the county’s business. For two months or more the citizens of Bluffton have teen wrestling with the electric light problem. They received from the city council the assurance of a franchise if home capital would back the venture and after a stated term of years turn the same over to the city in payment of its actual cost. The Commercial club, the storm center of all the money and progress of the city can boast, have diligently labored to raise sufficient funds to secure the plant, but up to date failure seems certain. The city council are now up on their tip toes and threaten to unhorse the project by withdrawing their franchise. Coal oil is still on the market and in all probability the Commercial club and Bluffton will continue to use it. The remains of Joseph Johnson arrived here at eight o’clock this morning from Richmond, and were sent to Willshire at noon. Mr. Johnson died yesterday morning at East Haven. Richmond, of cerebral hem orrhage, aged seventy-six years and two months. He was well know-n to our older citizens and was an early settler of the county, coming here in 1836. He resided two miles southeasf of Pleasant Mills, remaining there until 1884, when he went to Easthaven. He was a man of many good characteristics and his long life in this county was one of usefulness. Three sons survive him, they being Andrew Johnson, living three miles south of this city, John G. Johnson, of Portland, and Thomas Johnson, of Willshire. The funeral services weie held this afternoon from the Methodist church at Willshire. Interment at the Blazier cemetery, southwest of Willshire. The J. W. Place company have seventy-five or eighty men working in their ice harvest and if the weather does not fall through itself within the next ten days they will have stored away for consumption next summer, something like 300,000 tons. This will be distributed into four mammouth ice houses, the two on the banks of the Bowers quarry will furnish that used for domestic purposes. It measures about nine inches in thickness and is of that clear, perfect lake variety that looks much better and is more impressive in its virtues about the Fourth of July than at present writing. The two other ice houses are filled from the river and are used by the Placecompanv in keeping cool their very extended trade in ice cream and soft drinks for which their name is celebrated. It will take about ten days to complete the harvest and make them feel secure during their trade season. The other three local ice dealers are William Mershman J. W. Kleinhenz and Fred Scheiman, if not up to their eyes in gathering in their crop they will not permit much time to elapse before doing so. It is hardly possible with the mercury within hailing distance of the zero mark, that an ice famine is the least probable. James Anderson, captain of the guards, at Mansfield, Ohio, inter mediate prison, came here to take charge of George Fisher, the confessed escaped convict from that institution. Prior to the arrival of this official Fisher had expressed a willingness to return to prison, but the familiar face of his old guard must have caused him to change his mind, for he refused flat-footed to budge without the proper requisition papers from Governor Durbin, and this action would delay his removal tor a day or two. Several schemes for his removal were proposed, but each had in it some flaw and Fisher still maintained his stubborness. He is a con fessed burglar and says he assisted in robbing houses here, but an investigation failed to substantiate his statements or he could have been sent to Jeffersonville. It was finally decided that Sheriff Butler should take him to the 3:24 train on the Chicago & Erie and put him aboard. Guard Anderson will be on the same train, keep his eye on him and arrest him as scon as he is across the state line and this was done. Mr. Anderson savs that Fisher is ajnotorious crook and one of the worst men ever in their prison. He is several years older than he claimed and a thief of the worst type. This is his third arrest and he was out on parole. He had lieen sent up on an indeterminate sentence of one to ten years, was paroled at the end of the first year, violated his parole and served two years longer. He was then given a job at Upper Sandusky, but after a few weeks took up with his old associates and fled to this state, as soon as the facts were learned a reward was offered, resulting in his arrest as stated in yesterday’s issue. His prison number is 742.

CIRCULATION 2800 WEEKLY

NUMBER 45

THE ELM STREET SEWER. Perhaps the most interesting, most important and most largely attended meeting in the history of the present council was the session of Tuesday night, and as predicted it was a heart to heart affair. Had you been present you would have agreed with us that it was a mixture of enraged citizens, brilliant lawyers, trained engineers and determined men. Their sayings were full of cutting sarcasms, and earnest appeals with now and then a flight of oratory that would almost bewilder. Every member of the council was present and Mayor Coffee presided. After a few minutes devoted to minor business a call for objections to the Elm street sewer was made and in quick response Lawyer A. P. Beatty addressed the body for the citizens and objections whom he represents. His position and we may add here the position of each and everyone of the objectors is that the old council bad no right to accept the sewer and that the council upon proper proof that the improvement is unjustly charged for, therefore have the right to set aside the assessments and deal directly with the contractors. He stated that the sewer was not completed accord ing to contract; that when record of acceptance was made it was intended by the council as final; that W. E. Fulk was not city civil engineer, and his report is therefore not binding. Mr. Beatty was followed by attorney C. J. Lutz who made an able plea for the rights of the citizens, confining his remarks to the causes for objection, principally that the sewer does not comply with the specifications and the jieople should not be made to pay for it. He said that at no place along the sewer was it within a foot of being as deep as plans called for; that cheap cement and cheap material of every kind was used; that the assessments were outrageous and in instances equal to half a property was worth on the market. His speech was forcible and to the point and he quoted citations of law to back his statement. Attorney Braydon Clark of the Clover Leaf, made a short talk on the position of the corporation he represents, claiming that their assessment of SIOSO was far in excess of any benefits they could ever receive, as the sewer had been constructed for sanitary purposes more than surface drainage. He said: “We will fight the payment of this outrageous robbery as long as there is a chance to do so.”’ Hon. Henry Colerick, representing the contractor, JohnS. Bowers, then answered some of the statements and state! his position, which may be condensed to this: “Council has the right to change assessments and no doubt should do so, but has not the power to rescind a contract made by a former council.” He also said that the assessment against the city for $2,000 was invalid, as the city had no funds for the purpose and was beyond the two per cent indebtedness. He appealed only to the law, nothing else. Persona) objections were made by John W. Tyndall, L. C. Miller Will Russell and others and the argument lasted until eleven o’clock. The council took the matter under advisement and will next Friday evening go over the various questions, although a decision will not be reached for perhaps ten days or more. The petition for the Elm street sewer was first filed July 31, 1900. it then teitig known as the Shamp sewer. The resolution for building same was adopted February 14, 1901, the contract was let to J S. Bowers A Co. April 19, 1901, and the sewer accepted January 7.1902. Since then the assessments- for damages have been made by the city committee and so much disatisfaction made I known that a reassessment was made and still were not happy and hence the objections which were filed by Peter Frank and sixty-five others. John F. Colchin, Andrew J. Teeple, John M. Blossom and R. H. Johnson, Among the attorneys who were present at Tuesday night’s meeting were Braden Clark, Clover Leaf attorney for Indiana and Illinois. A. Shane, Frankfort. Henry Colerick, ’Squire France, Ft. Wayne, A. Simison, Bluffton P. G. Hooper, D. D. Heller A Son, Peterson A France, C. J. Lutz, L. C. DeVoss and A. P. Beatty, of this city. Besides these J. B. Kelly and W. H. Taylor, Clover Leaf officials and other prominent people were present. While out hunting a few days ago Will Chronister of this city found three guns, which were wrapped in a canvass and hidden along the fence at the county farm. The package contained an air gun, a twenty-two calibre target and a double barrel shot gun, fifteen guage and the find clears up a mystery of nearly a year. Last April J. R. Grater, superintendent of the infirmory missed the property and made a search for same without any result and sutqxised they were lost for good. Mr. Grater telieves that the guns were taken bv Charles Augerman who either intend ed to sell them or use them some way or other in his plans to destroy the infirmory last spring. His arrest and subsquent sentenceto the penitentiary spoiled his plans and the guns remain where he hail placed them until discovered by Mr. Chronister.