Decatur Democrat, Volume 46, Number 52, Decatur, Adams County, 5 March 1903 — Page 1

all THE NEWS ALL THE TIME.

UME XLVI.

»g ( . lire \V. B. Reynolds Tuesday asSKtn united in Marriage George C. McClure and Miss Mellie A. Hart of C’nibu township. William Blackburn served as witness to the ceremony whieli he says was performed in a very plilhed manner. BH Foreman who was in town, said h®ad just received a letter from his brother Amos who was a former reel- ! denphere. The letter states that he haciust changed his base from Woodburn Oregon, to Stocktown, California city of 30,000 population. fle irv Lankenau and Fred Heuer wedt to’Freidheim Tuesday, to inspect thekipe organ which has been in use ] at th old church of that place. It is pOCiible that the organ will be placed in th l ' Zion Lutheran church of this citjias Freidheim is to have anew one. Bfev. E. A. Allen is again able to be about after a short illness, and will reetime work at once. He wishes to make a special announcement to his cSeh members to meet him at the fSEpnet-day meeting at the home of Mrland Mrs. Charles F. True. Re 'iSplier, your presence is especially dean at this time. M's Jacob Schafer has received a letter from her husband, who is trying t<Be<uperate his health at Ashville, South Carolina. The letter gives a fettering account of the benefits alSflv received, as well as of the pleasURS jow on tap at this world famed >a|lt h resort. The weather is of that perh-t sort that makes a hoosier apSHriato the real joy of life. A remonstrance against saloon feeg of Frankfort was stolen Saturday just before the time it was to have been filed with the commissioners. A man asked to see the remonstrance for the;purpose of signing it and was chet fully accommodated. He passed it to another man who started to run with it. In the crowded streets he eaaiL got away but was subsequently •Be-'-ed. The document has not lieen recovered. B. Allison, who with his wife is spending the winter in Florida, has written bis daugher, Mrs. Harry Dea i, that they are enjoying fine summer weather. They are at Puga (■do where Mr. Allison finds fishing beet He says that about SOO quarts of strawberries are shipped out of that |K'.- every day and that five berries will fill a quart measure. Apple trees are out in full blossom. Bluffton Nev following have paid the necesfety P r > ee for subscription to the Democrat since our recent report: Ad Martin, O. J. Suman, J. S. Boy era, C. A. Neuenschwander, George :S- ■jfei.-k. F. K. Schaefer, Eli Sprunger, Dec >1 Neuenschwander. Jesse Roe, William Custer, Charles Ehrman, Amelia Hoagland. Ed Nuenschwand er, Louis First, Shelby Vance, Sam Schindler, J, A. Bixler and John M. Springer. raßLv. F. J. Bublitz, pastor of St. John’s Lutheran church of Preble twnship. and one of the largest and fetalthiest Lutheran congregations in the county, was in the city Monday. He informed us that quite soon his eferch would be sporting a very Jfendsome new pipe organ that would cfct the limit of 82,000. At the ser- '«•' held Sunday this order was air- ■ to, and the proper committee "fill now begin negotiations with the vfcw of placing this costly instrument tttwork upon the sacred music they U& It will lie the best that is made, aid will lack nothing that is neces to produce musical harmony and •Ic' Hence. ■Among the many pleasant meetings OBthe Friday Night club, the one of in which Misses Grace wl Lizzie Peterson entertained will be remembered as the most pleasant. Progressive dotninoos was tt>< game ami each lady present, piay•l her best, Miss Bessie Schrock eecpring first prize, a pretty bisque •tetue and Miss Tripplette the consol•Bon, a box of stationary. Refresh viands formed the luncheon and part of the evening's pleasures Was a complete success. Besides the aßgular club members several invit fe guests were present, including ®rs. C. 0. France. Mrs. J. S. PeterBn, and Misses Mary Myers, Bessie fehrock, Ina Everett. June Merryfem and Dixie Tripplette of Stamp ■K Ground, Kentucky. might have been a disastrous y®bpi>ening was narrowly averted by Un lucky discovery of a break-down in the large twenty-five horse power fen engine at the Big Store. One of fee clerks noticed the peculiar bump feg of the machine, and when the atfention of Mr. Beeler was called to fe'- llla der, he had the engine shut •wn at once. It was soon found that WJg bolt which held the fly shaft in its boxing, had lieen snapped off, thus ■having the shaft to run in a free which i ight at any moment «t go. If it had done so, which fetuid have certainly happened in a time, the machine would have W' hurled from its grounding and a jjiv ug> resulted, to what extent it Sfemld be hard to determine. Ma were called and the engine ■'W 6 " 1 doctored up and, after two hours ■h'lt down, was again put to its work.

QecATilß

The fancy pillow which was made | jby Miss Verna Smith, was rallied off Monday night at her home. About fifty I tickets were sold and Simeon Haines, j who held number thirty-two, was the lucky man. The pillow was a very beautiful piece of needle work ami Sim feels proud of his possession. F rysinger & Gerber are disposing of their big Belgian horses at a rapid | rate. The people have just lately j learned of the value of this kind of animals and the firm is enjoying a brisk sale. Monday they sent one horse to Van Wert, Ohio, Tuesday one was sent to El Paso, Illinois, I acd one to VVainsfield, Ohio, while on last Saturday they sent out two, one > to Fort Wayne and one to Rockford, Ohio. Gerry Martz was in this week, the! second time since last August 20,! when he was seriously injured in a ! fall while trying to raise a barn, when a heavy beam fell across his back, crushing him. It is really a miracle i that he escaped with his life. It’ takes the aid of a cane to assist him }in navigation, yet he is daily gaining ! strength and thinks in time he will i overcome the ill effects sustained at i that eventful time. The Abe Boch’s sale of livery stock Saturday at the feed barn on First street soared high, the exact total of the same being 82.987.79, and true to Abe’s prediction every thing about the place was disposed of at some price or other. The property, especially the horses, went at excellent prices and are now scattered all over the country. About fifteen head of horses were sold going to Fort Wayne, Spencerville Berne and other surrounding towns. Abe is satisfied as is every one else. Homer King will immediately open a feed and sale stable in the barn. The close of the year’s shortest month finds the Indiana field verging j upon what promises to be one of its most important periods, and it is the opinion of every operator in the territory that before another year has passed the Hoosier district will have attained a point of supremacy in the western field. In and around this section the oil industry is assuming a position of greatest importance, and it appears as if the residents of this state were finally awakening to the fact that “in oil there is money,” not alone for the producer of the commodity, but indirectly for nearly every • inhabitant of the oil belt. Jacob Branneman,of Berne, was in town Mondav and left orders for large supply of sale bills which announce that he will dispose of several thou- ' sand dollars worth of personal property at his place in Berne on Thurs day March 19. He will dispose of interests in Berne and expects to sail for Europe about May Ist. His family will accompany him and the trip is to be made on account of the health of a son who is afficted with acute catarrh. Jacob says he don’t know how long thev will be absent but several months at least. Mr. i Branueman is a good citizen and Berne and the county will miss him should he determine to locate elsewhere perI mantly. After a severe arraignment in which ; he accused him of subornation of perI jury, J udge Branyan of the circuit court | Saturday informed Attorney Henry C. | Morgan, that he could not practice in !, the court until he had offerer! an apolo- , gy. The matter grew out of an action ; in which the supreme and apgiellate ! courts of the state were asked to mandate Judge Branyan. Morgan had his I client make affidavit that the case had I been called seventy-five or eighty i times in court, and Judge Branyan i ■ says it has not been called to exceed three times. The action against Judge 1 Branyan was taken to force a ruling on a motion for a new trial and to tax costs. Lawyer Morgan asked for a i hearing and Judge Branyan set the ease for next Saturday and will appoint a disinterested judge to hear same, but insists that nothing but an apology will save Morgan from disbarment. The greatest sensation that ever ’ was experienced in Allen county is 1 on just now as ths result of the grand ! jury investigation which closed Thursday, after returning seventy one indictments. perhaps half of them ’ against public officials and well known business people on most every imaginable charge. Among them are H. A. Gorseline, superintendent of poi lice, on a charge of public intoxiva tion; Justices H. F. France, B. W. , Skeleton and others, on the charge of ■ taxing illegal fees; Henry J. Miller. ' bribery; Gus Jackson, Vernon Chris holm and many others, gambling. The list includes charges of every- > thing in the calendar except murder. Great excitement prevails and there is ; nil sorts of conjecture as to who will lie the next arrest in the long list, but i a third of which has been made pubj lie. The grand jury were in session twenty days and examined 620 wit i nesses. Nothing escaped investigai tion from the price of oatmeal to the i assassination of Garfield and the ini vestigations were far-reaching and , thorough. An investigation was demanded from many quarters and it > was had, atid from the return made it i i looks as though an investigation was necessary.

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 1903.

Dr. D. G. M. Trout and Jacob Miller are erecting a derrick on their Wabash township lease and will soon be drilling a well, which we hope will be a produce- of gigantic proportion. Operations are becoming active in the Geneva field and it is predicted that more work will be accomplished this < year than in ten previous. Frank James and Cole Younger I have formed a combination with ’ Chicago capitalist and will put the ! biggest wild west show in the world | on the road. They will open the sea-! son in Chicago in May and travel northwest. Os course their train robbing reputation will be enough to guarantee them a big patronage. Veterinary Surgeons Leßrun and Ziegler went out to Frank Fugate’s this morning to make a peculiar operation on a horse. The animal had its eye lid torn, causing great pain, with the probable loss of sight if not immediately restored. The doctors were confident of success, and, as the horse is a valuable one, the operation means much to Mr. Fugate. For the first time in several months the weather was such this week to permit the workmen to proceed with the building of the handsome new Presbyterian church, and it is believed no serious delay will occur from now on until its completion. The church is about half finished and already begins to show signs of beauty. It is believed it will be ready for dedication about July 1. This new church will certainly be an adornment to our fair city and when completed will have cost about 815,000. Counting eighteen years as the average life of the American locomotive, about 82,000 goes up each year of service besides the shop expenses required for repairs. Local passenger engines will stand nineteen years of running, freight engines sixteen, ; while switching engines are good for i twenty-two. Although American I makes are shorter lived than European, they can stand much more work land run at higher rate of speed. ■ English machines are rounded up | after 5,000 miles of running, while the American machines see the shops after 70,000 to 120,000 miles of duty on the road. A letter was received this morning from Miss Frances Cook by Mrs. M. Burns which tells of an unlucky accident to her mother a few davs ago. Miss Cook is a teacher in the Decatur high school and went to her home in Kokomo last week for a few days visit. I On Wednesday evening she returned ! from a days shogiping at Indianapolis and knocker! on the door to arouse i her mother. Mrs. Cook started down i stairs and when about the third step I from the bottom thought she had reached the floor and took a long step. As a result she fell heavily and struck against the door. The bone of her hand was pushed down between the two bones of the forearm and the ligaments were torn loose, making a ’ painful and serious wound which will I trouble her for five or six weeks at I least. The county commissioners met in regular session Mondav morning and attended to some business of import ance, the first of which was the adop i tion of plans agreeable to not only the I Adams county commissioners, but I also to the Jay county “dads,” for a bridge to be built on the south countv line. The plans and specifications were presented by Surveyor McKean. The new bridge will be sixteen feet wide and eighty-five feet long and will be built over what is known as the Limberlost creek, and near the residence of G. W. Schafer. A peti- ' tion was filed by George Strickler for j a highway in St. Marys township and [Jesse Roe, J. W. Hakes, McClellan | Tague and J. W. Winans appeared before the board and filed a request that said petition be dismissed. Attorneys D. E. Smith, D. D. Heller and C. J. Lutz were arguing the question this afternoon. Judge Erwin, though undergoing the tortures of a genuine case of lagrippe, managed to get down Monday morning and a short session of court was held, adjournment being taken about ton o’clook. No important business was called and the few motions made by the various attorneys were disposer! of with the following results: In the case of the state vs William Covault, judgment was rendered on verdict of guilty, new trial being refused and the defendant must pay fine of ten dollars. State vs Carl Burley, reset for Thursday of next week. Alary E. Hower vs James A. Hower, divorce proceedings, cause dismissed and costs paid. George Hains vs Louisa Hains et al, appearance by attorneys, rule to answer. The Marion Chronicle company, a corporation, vs the Harrod & Wagoner Shoe company, a corporation, appeari ance entered by C. J. Lutz for defendant and ruled to answer. Only two cases are set down for trial this week since the Burley trial has been post ponod. The first is Charles Grim vs i Frank McConnell,Ja slander suit in | which 85,000 damages are requested and which will come up Thursday. The other is entitled Andrew J. Leedy vs L. G. Botkins, administrator, suit on claim, demand 879.20, and is set for Friday.

The city council started out on the review of the property affected by the Elm street sewer Monday. They were accompanied by a civil engineer who will make soundings along the line and determine whether or not the alleged minconstructions are true. The “city dads” expect to be able to determine an impregnable report from the facts thus learned and establish an equitable adjustment of assessments. The entertainment given by the j Rathbone Sisters Monday evening was very well attended, and the program proved very interesting, as it was successfully rendered. The quilt selling which was done by auction, with | Charles France as auctioneer, afforded much amusement. The bidding! was spirited and the hammer fell when the price run to the ten dollar mark. Mrs. John A. Smith was the successful bidder. A ten year old boy known as “Little Speedy,” and who lives with Mr. and Mrs. Harl Daughtry at Fort | Wayne, ran away from home Satur-1 day morning. All day long he was searched for but could not be located and in the evening Harl telephoned and was informed the lad had reached here at two o’clock, having walked the entire distance in six hours. Harl came down today and took the lad home with him. Little Speedy’s name is McConnehey and he is a brother of Mrs, Daughtry. Coroner C. S. Williams, of Whitley county, has given out his verdict for the death of Fred C. Shopman which occured at Larwell, February 22. Shopman was a brakeman on the P. F. W. &C. railway and his mother resides near Williams in this county. In the verdict the coroner states that the collision was caused through the carlessness of trainmen and he openly charges the engineer of one train with manslaughter. The Pennsylvania railroad companv is also severely censured for removing the body of the brakeman to Fort Wayne. Litigation over this accident is expected to arise. E. M. Hill, of Toledo, representing the Morgan syndicate, whose business is to build railways and rapid transit lines, arrived in the city at noon today. In company with ExSurveyor W. E. Fulk he made the rounds of the business houses this afternoon, for the purpose of ascertaining the feeling of our citizens, which he says seems generally favorable. He will lie in this locality all week and will start tomorrow on a trip over the proposed line. The route mentioned in an issue of the Democrat several days ago will likely be the one chosen though this is not a settled fact aud cannot be fully de termined until the right of ways are obtained. Mr. Hill is a thorough gentleman and knows his business, having been instrumental in constructing a number of electric lines in various parts of the country. A petition for a new highway in St. Marys township has caused considerable discussion at the county commissioners’ room. It ended by the appointment of viewers in the names of Henry Eiting, Joseph Peele and Henry Hobrock. The proposed road is one that would whack a chunk out of the John W. Cowan farm, and that gentleman was on hand to rebel. The board granted liquor licenses to Henry Koenneman. John Myers. Jeff Klopfenstein, W. O. Cordua and John Schafer. The appointment was made, of Martin Laughlin as drainage com- ; missioner. which places the construe- i tion of all circuit court drainage in his hands. The appointment lasts two years. Clark J. Lutz was re-appoint-ed county attorney, the appointment lasting one year. This is the fifth time he has been unanimously chosen as the board’s legal counsel, having safely guided the board since the introduction of the countv reform law, and will continue so to do, for another year. Our readers will, no doubt, remember a malpractice case, trier! in the Adams circuit court about a year and a half ago, in which Mrs. Belle Botkins asked for damages from Dr. Aspy. and in which the jury returned a verdict of 8200. Dr. Aspy appealed the case to the supreme court and a decision was rendered Saturday in which the lower court is affirmed and the judgment therefore stands. Since the trial of the case the plaintiff, Mrs. Botkins, has died. The decision was written by Judge Gillett whosavs; First. Actions for personal injuries through negligence in surgical treatment come within section 359a Burna, and the complaint need not negative plaintiff’s contributory negligence. Second. There was no abuse of discretion in refusing to require the plaintiff, a woman, to submit her knee to examination before the jury by a surgeon whom she had called as a witness, in connection with her crossexamination, nor did the subsequent exhibition of her limb to the jury make the prior ruling error where the request for such examination was not repeated. Third. A party cannot be required to produce as evidence an X-ray photograph taken in connection with consultation bv her of a surgeon with a view to treatment. Attorney Dore B. Erwin appeared for the plaintiff.

A number of the neighbor friends of Mrs. Martin Stair, formerly Mrs. P. P. Ashbaucher, gathered at her home on North Second street Monday | evening and pleasantly surprised the happy couple. Mr. and Mrs. Stair arrived here at noon yesterday ; and were entirely unsuspecting and the event was as big a surprise as: could be hoped for. About thirty I people were present and they certain-1 iy enjoyed themselves to the fullest! extent. Games, music and individual j pranks furnished the chief amusement j and kept the funny spirit going. 1 During the evening a delicious course of refreshments were served and the guests all departed with the impression that a better time could not have been had. The commissioners have approved the bonds issued for the building of the West Pleasant Mills, Decatur & Preble and the Brushwood macadam roads and the same have been turned over to the Old Adame County and Decatur National Banks who purchased them. The bonds are a fine specimen of lithographic beauty and with Adams county behind them makes them more acceptable property than the cold and glittering coin. With the cash on band and the weather subsiding to a mild point, work will soon begin and on some of the roads already has. With macadam roads, electric inter-urbans and country telephone service,certainly Adams county is coming to the front at a merry pace. The jury were in their regular places Tuesday, according to order from Judge Erwin but were dismissed until Thursday morning. Business was disposed of as follows: State vs Carl Burley, motion to quash indictment filer!. Einerva Dudgeon vs Douglas Dudgeon, finding that defendant is a habitual drunkard and James T. Merryman appointed guardian. Anderson Trust Company vs Washington school township, demurer submitted and overruled. W. H. Niblick vs Peter Frank, demurrer filed to fourth paragraph to complaint. Julius Hougk vs Mary and Adam Brown, leave asked and granted to file third paragraph of answer. John C. Glendening, extr, vs David Wheeler, answer filed. In the John A. Fetzer estate, James Ball administrator. a petition to sell personal ptoperty was filed and granteid. The county officers Monday filed the report of monies collected by them during the past three months from December 1, 1902, to March 1, 1903. The county clerk’s office has broken all records and the amount of money turned over by Deputy Haefling is the largest in the history of the clerk’s office by more than 8300, the total this quarter being 81152.74. The money is accounted for in the report as follows: Fees in civil cases 8298.18; probate 8169.18; criminal 869.05; marriage licenses 8122; transcript and copies 816.25; certificates, etc. 830.90; insurance 89: other license 83. Deputy Haefling can assign no reason for the big advance other than a general increase in all departments of the office. Countv Recorder Gallogly also has a splendid report, though not largely above the average. His filed statement shows that fees on deeds amounted to 8218.15; mortgages 875.55; releases 847; miscellaneous 8113.55; making a total of 3554.25. The sheriff’s report is as follows; Fees taxed on writs collected 85.93; fees taxed and received from clerk 819 40; I per diem 842; miscellaneous 86.30, I total 573.63. Dr. S. F. George and party arrived in the city at noon Tuesday and after three hours left for Williamsport and Fort Wayne, expecting to arrive at the latter place that night. The party consists of three prominent men in electric railway circles and registered at the Murry House as follows: Jilton J. Coleman, New York: Wilham S. Smith, Toledo; and S. F. George. Dayton, the first named being the financial representative, the second the general engineer and the third the well known promoter after whom the line is named. They left Dayton Saturday morning and did not expect to arrive here until the latter part of the week. There is according to the statement of these gentlemen not the least doubt as to the fact that the road will be built and at once, this being the final trip for the purpose of gaining a knowledge of the value of the cities and lands along the route. Within a few weeksjjactual will be begun and then there can Ibe no doubt of the fact that the road is ac- ! tually to be built. Neither Dr. George nor his associates were looking for newspaper notoriety and were very reticent as to their business, simply saying “we will have some news of utmost importance to vour readers within a few days.” However, they authorized the Democrat to state in loud ! tones that the line will positively be built and on the route first planned, running from Rockford to Willshire, Pleasant Mills, thence to Decatur, ! from here to Williamsport and Fort Wayne. There will be no change Engineer Smith informer! us and the route will not be changed to run to Steele. »The gentlemen knew their business and nil appear happy in the belief that the be built at once. Let her come.

CIRCULATION 2800 WEEKLY

NUMBER 52

Mrs. John Woy died at six o’clock Tuesday, at her home on north Fifth street. She has been in rather poor health for a long time, but seemed no worse until yesterday morning, when alarming symptoms became apparant. She sank rapidly until this morning when death resulted. She was one of the best known ladies in the county, having lived here for over forty years, and made friends with all who met her. She was born in Carrol county, Ohio, October 27, 1834 and resided there until 18C>0, when she was married to John Woy and removed to this county, having since resided in the vicinity of Decatur. She was nearly seventy years of age. No children survive and the near relatives, besides the husband, are five sisters, Mrs. Jackman, of Whiting, Kansas; Mrs. Martin, of New London, Iowa; Mrs. Lavina. Mrs. Laticia and Miss Quarrv, of Stark county, Ohio. Mrs. Woy’s death was due directly to lagrippe and heart trouble, which, owing to her weakened condition, seemed to take a terrible hold. The shoe factory is enjoying an unusual amount of prosperity at the present time and are turningout a big lot of goods. They have recently increased their patronage by sending a representative through the northwest and are now receiving orders up U> the limit from the big cities in that territory. There is at present more orders now awaiting shipment than the orders of last year and the year before combined. When in full working capacity, the establishment turns out about 2COO pairs of shoes per day and the rapid growth of the concern is shown by the fact that when it first started, about four years ago, the capacitv was but 25 pair. The Decatur product is sent all over the United States and is quite an advertisement for our city. Their output is in various styles and colors are worked from sojt leather and are made only for the trade. About seventy-five people are given employment by the concern, which it is working full power and a very important feature is that many people can do work at home. Those who have children and can give only part of their time to outside work take advantage of this opportunity and make quite a few dollars. Mr. E. M. Hill, the representative of the Morgan syndicate whose purpose is to build an electric railrway through this county left Tuesday for Yan Wert over the buggy route. He was accompanied by Engineer W. E. Fulk of this city, and their purpose is to decide on a line of way for the new proposed route. The trip over was on the township road straight to the state line, east passing along the south side of Steele’s Park and past -the Jesse Swartz and E. S. Moses farm. At the state line a jog north of some 300 rods is made and then straight into Van Wert through Middleburry. After an interview there with some of the business men the gentlemen left that city yesterday morning, going three miles north and three west, striking Adams county at the corner of the Elijah Krick farm, tLe north county line, from t here they come due west to the John D. Nidlinger corner, thence south three miles to Jacob Koos’ and then two miles west to this city. Mr. Hill informs us that from what he has learned already he is rather inclined to favor the latter route, though of course he will not determine that fact until he has been over the proposed lines, has viewed the advantages and ascertained the possibilities of securing the right of way. Mr. Hill in conversation with a Democrat representative Monday evening informed us that he was delighted with the prospects of the road and the encomagement he had received from those with whom he talked yesterday, everyone believing that such a line would be a great benefit. Messrs. Hill and Fulk will leave iiere Thursday morning on the southwest route and expect to reach Montjjelier by Friday evening, and will go from there on into Indianapolis next week. If no unforseen accident occurs the work of grading for the line will commence in May or June and the road Will be in running order by fall. The lienefits of this line would certainly be enormous, not only to Decatur but to other towns in the county, including Preble, Peterson, Honduras, Vera Cruz and Linn Grove in the way of increasing trade. Further than this would lie the labor such an undertak ing would would require. Mr. Hill says there is little doubt but that the central power house, a building to cost 8150,000 will be located here, this city lieing about half wav between Toledo and Indianapolis. ’This would mean the payment of all employws from the office hero and the distribution of many thousand dollars each year. The building of such a road would cost on an average of 820,(MM) per mile and by the proposed route would traverse about thirty miles in the county, making an expenditure liesides of the power house of S6(X),(XM). Dili you ever think of the in creas in taxes that would thus be paid into the county, nearly 820,000 per year? From every point of view the road would be a help to everyone and we want to see it come and come soon.