Decatur Democrat, Volume 47, Number 32, Decatur, Adams County, 15 October 1903 — Page 3

DOCTOR E. J, Beardsley, General Practice and Surgery, special Attention given to Eye. Ear „Throat and Chronic Diseases. p< " expert in Fitting Classes, equipped for treating Eye, Ear Tborouge > ro j t e nd Catarrhal caßt)B CALLS answered, day or night, OFFICE—over postoffice. RESIDENCE— cor. Monroe and Ninth sts Offlce Hours—9 to 11 a. m. 2to Ip. tn.

jlr. and Mrs. J. W. Thomas returned to Winchester today after spending several days at the sick bed of Col. M. B. Miller whose condition is slightly improved over that of a few days ago. Friday evening the Bachelor Maids met at the home of Miss Mayme Deiniger and reorganized, electing the following officers for the ensuyear. Miss Edu Wemhoff, President and Miss Nettie Smith treasurer. The first regular meeting will be held at the home of Miss Ada Deininger and a good time is looked forward to by all. Charles D. Murray, proprietor of the Murray Hotel had a birthday Friday. He refuses to state how old he is but its past twenty one some. Anyway the event was duly celebrated by a number of his friends who called on him that evening and enjoyed an elaborte six o’clock dinner especially prepared by Mrs. Mun >v, which fact is a sufficient guarantee that it was delicious. The guests included Mr. and Mrs. P. J. Hvland. Mrs. Charles Patton, and family, Mrs. Sutherland, Mrs. N. Blackburn and daughter Miss Nellie and Mrs. Chenj T of Waterloo. Mr. Murray received several handsome presents and the event was a happy one every minute and (or all concerned. The committee appointed by F. A. S. lodge to have charge of the arangements for a minstrel showheld a meeting last night at the home of Mrs. Will Dailey, who is a member of the committee who will have general suprevision of the ministrels. Everything is progressing nicely and a successful minstrel is assured. There will be about thirty members of the chorous and Mrs. Dailey is now gettinhg them in training for the different parts. The minstrel show will be given at the Masonic Temple in Fort Wayne sometime in November and it is the intention also to present it in' the opera house at Decatur and possibly at Montpelier. A date had been secured at the Masonic Temple for Novebmer sth but the minstrels will not be ready by that time and a later date will be secured. The committee will meet again Monday night at the home of Miss Alie Waltz to make farther arrangements.—Bluffton News. Edward Hose who has operated a gambling room at Geneva for several years appeared in court Saturday and answered to the case of the state vs Edward Hose and Harry Steed for keeping a gaming ■ fou'iii. tie pieha guiii/“aii<i'o ilugv Erwin fined him a hundred dollars and costs. He stayed the docket and will arrange to pay the fine as soon as possible. This is the heav iest fine ever imposed by an Adams county court for misdemeanor and Mr. Hose apparently was not looking for such a heavy dose. The limit however is SSOO so that Mr. Hose may still consider himself lu.ckv as this is the third appearance before this court. The indictment was returned last April but both Hose and Steed left the State before they could be arrested, and have just returned. The case against Steed has been dismissed. Judge Erwin has taken the right course to stop gambling, his idea being to punish the man who operates such a place and to punish him in such a manner that it will have some effect.

2nd Consignment of Tools and Hardware dirpct from one of the best and largest tool factories in the country. All goods of the first quality. These Goods Will all be Sold at Manufacturers’ Prices. ■ SCI LASER ‘ IIARDWARE. GO.

It will be pleasing news to the many Decatur friends of Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Leslie of Van Wert, to Know that they are the parents of a hale and hearty son who arrived Thursday. Frank is wild with joy, an a everyone getting along first-class. , A letter fresh from Los Angeles. California finds Rev. and Mrs. C. G. Hudson delighted with their new home. Both are enjoying a campaign of good health, and according to instructions they desire to be remembered to those who may inquire. During the pastorial career here of Rev. Hudson the writer was regularly and that means weekly, "invited up to take our medicine,’’ and from force of habit this kind and clever invitation was again repeated in the letter mentioned. Another birthday surprise occuredFriday evening with Ralph Knoff one of Decatur’s popular young men, the occasion being his twenty second anniversary. A number of his friends gathered at his home on Thirteenth street and the hours passed rapidly with cards and flinch as amusements, followed by refreshments and an old fashioned taffy pulling. Later the crowd adjourned to the Entre Nous Club rooms and danced the light fantastic until the ’wee sms’ hours. It was a joyous occasion that will make Ralph remember the day for years to come. He received a number of useful and pretty presents. Miss Myrtle McDonald of Portland, was an out of town guest. Mrs. Herman Tettman was operated on Wednesday at the St. Joseph hospital, Fort Wayne and the operation which was performed by Dr. H. E. Keller of this city and Dr. E. J. McOscar was considered very successful. A large febroid tumor was removed as was also the appendix, the patient standing the severe test. While the crisis in such operations is never over until forty eight hours afterwards it is thought Mrs. Tettman will get along all right. She has suffered for many years from the tumor though she has never been bedfast for any great length of time. The physicians say ! however that had the operation been ■ postponed a few weeks longer the patient could not have stood it. As it is they believe she will recover rapidly and within a few weeks be in better health than for years. I The tumor was a very large one and had been forming for twenty years. Mrs. Tettman has numerous friends here who hope her recovery will be rapid. Thursday morning about 10, two tramps dropped into Warren. The were suspicious looking and their actions were watched. They began drinking. About 8:30 in the evening one of the tramps became intoxicated. Marshal Co vault met the fellow in front of the Marcus Tam livery barn and placed him under arrest. The fellow put up a fight. ThTAYs'iiv'tiic' tempted to shoot the marshal. But Mr. Covault, was four years sheriff of Blackford county, was not to be scared. He also had nerve and in the scuffle the tramp shot himself in the left leg. The bullet entered the inside of the calf of the leg and took a downward course, going ! just far enough to be felt on the i side of the leg opposite where it i went in. The fellow fought untn bystanders, had him handcuffed. D--- teyman, removed the ball ud dressed the wound. The prisoner was searched and skeleton key, a file, a razor, the revolver and other articles of a suspicious nature were found. His partner was also arrested and it is beleived the parties who | are custadions are wanted by the police somewhere and the catch may prove a good one.

The other evening a woman in a near by city who attends the club dances tapped her husband lightly with a fan and said: “Love, it is growing late, I think we would better go home.” After they reached their residence she shook her fist under his nose anti said: You old scoundrel, you, if you ever look at that mean, calico faced, mackerel eyed thing you saw tonight again I'll bust your head wide open.” Mrs. Mary Barrington, of Wabash is the guest of her brother Ed Phillips and family. Mrs. Barrington had a narrow escape from death at Kokomo about a year ago, when a house was destroyed by a gas explosion and her mother and sister were killed. Mrs. Barrintgon was badly injured and for many weeks it was feared she could not recover. She still shows the result of her injuries, being unable to walk only a short distance without the use of crutches. In court prosecutor Moran asked assistance in the case of the State vs Joseph Osburn. Wesley S. Iliff et al vs Dennis Wallace et al, substitute complaint filed,. submitted, evidence being heard in part. Elizabeth “Liken vs William Liken, rule to answer absolute in five days. Tarlthon Selby vs John Schurger, appearance by Smith for defendant, rule to answer. Arlie W. Carpenter vs W. S. Liken, appearance by Lutz for defendant, rule to answer. John Scheiman and Henry Scheiman vs Grand Rapids & Indiana railway company, set for trial seventh Friday, Oct. 23. Bids were opened for the construction of the north Preble macadam road, three bids being filed and their figures being almost too close for comfort especially between Calvin Miller and J. S. Bowers. Julius Haugk argeed to construct the road for $10,397. Calvin Miller $10,273, John S. Bowers $10,269. There was but a difference of $4 between the two latter, but the difference was sufficient to give the contract to Mr. Bowers on his bid. It is thought that owing to the lateness of the season, that perhaps no work will be done on this road until next spring. It was feared that to work the grade would place the road in worse condition than it would to leave it over winter, and then carry the work to conclusion without any interruption. A contract with Mr. Bowers is being drawn up and will likely be signed yet today. Beside; opening the bids and awarding the contract for this road the board took some further action on the extension of the Decatur and Monroe road. The candidate of Kekionga lodge, Knights of Pythias,before the grand lodge for grand outer guard, was unsuccessful, but he made a creditable race, and is placed among the probabilities at some future time. The most exciting feature of the election was the defeat of Frank Bowers for grand keeper of records and seal, a position he has held for seventeen years. He engenered by intimating that some members were using the order for political designs. This supposed machine rebelled and caused his defeat. One of the most interesting features of the grand chancellor’s report is that statement that Indiana is now carrying in force $3,358,500 insurance in the endowment rank. The total membership of the 504 subordinate ' hrdaasds.-nfi-'S so,non, | there having been 49,464 members in goal standing nt the end of the fiscal year, June 30. Seven during the last year. The subordinate lodges September 30 reported $lB,744,960. cash on hand, their loans and investments aggregated $280,376.10. besides $259,324.56 worth of lodge property and $470,040.64 of real estate which run the total holdings up to $1,197,190.10.

Deputy Coroner Will Zwick has returned his verdict in the death of Orval King a two month old child who died suddenly Thursday morning. The verdict reads that the child died of convulsions. His parents live two miles south west of Willshire. The baby was not sick when they went to bed but the mother awoke about three o’clock the following morning to find the little one lying cold in death. The exact age was two months and seven days. John 8. Bowers of this city Friday purchased the Jerome B. Hopkins farm near Camden, Jay county. The farm includes an eighty acres gravel bed, one of the largest and most valuable in all Indiana. The gravel is of the best grade and the bed is one of the deepest known in one place running to the depth of eighty feet. At present the gravel is being hauled into Blackford county, a distance of fourteen miles. The railways are arranging to run branches into the pit and Mr. Bowers will soon be doing a big business in gravel. With water melon and huckleberry pie still on the menu, one can close his eyes these mornings and almost see the frost glistening on the classic pumpkin , and hear the plunkety-plunk of juicy butter nuts, nipped by the chill of autumn, dropping to the ground. It really seems that October is about to break in with a nose cold vermillion and teeth that chatter. From the way that she heralds her advance she apppears to be a very familiar guest. People are doing all sorts of fool things to please her fancy. Light overcoats are being worn, while the pretenions cravette and its sorrow ful older softer, the raglan, appear in plentiful numbers. The giddy young man is wearing his top shoes, though to conceal his festive self ventilating hosiery. Most people however huddle into their winter garments and cuss the steam heater which they have not prepared for the season, grumble about the gas trust or wonder what the price of coal would be after today. Joseph Osburn was in court again Frida j’ the settlement of his estate being the absorbing question and George Bouserman was appointed receiver for the estate owned by Joe and Mrs. Osburn as the surviving heir of John Busenbark. Joe was brought to the court room at 1:30 by Sheriff Butler and remained there until three o’clock. He held an hour,s consultation with his at torney Judge Heller after which the case which is entitled ‘a petition to appoint a receiver in the matter of the Osburn-Busenbark partnership was heard before Judge Erwin. Mrs. Osburn was also in court and was represented by attorney J. T. Merryman. An effort was made to settle the affair without appointing a receiver and Mrs. Osburn and her husband consulted for fifteen minutes. It be * n’W ro'q^t i hat;tbe appojiitment of a receiver was the only way to reach an argeement between all parties concerned and Mr. Bailsman was appointed. During his stay in the court room Osburn never spoke except to his wife and attorney and then simply on business. He watched Mrs. Osburn continually and his eyes wore a yearning expression. His wife however paid no attention, to him and the affair so far as she was concerned was simply a matter of business. Joe looks pale and worried and the prison life seems to be telling on him. The estate in question and for which the receiver was appointed is the farm which Joe and his father in law owned in partnership and over the proposed sale of which they quarreled when Joe lost his temper and murdered the old man.

Bert Nichols left last Saturday for his home in Michigan, after being in the city a short time on business. While here he closed a contract with the Springfield & Fort Wayne Traction Company for all the cement they will use in the construction of their power station and other buildings as well as culverts to be built on the grade between this city and Fort Wayne. The contract is one that will amount to many dollars as the cement necessary for all this work will be no small item of expense. A continued regular session of the city council was held Friday evening Mayor Coffee and members Peterson, Weaver, Stetler, Teeple and Corbett were present. Mr. Petersn moved the adoption of the resolution to allow the county to improve Thirteenth street by macadamizing same. The resolution was adopted unanimously and the city agreed to maintain and keep the street in repairs after same is con structed. The improvement begins at the corporation limits on Thirteenth street and runs north to Monroe street Mr. Teeple moved that J. S. Peterson be allowed the sum of $67.50 for insurance on the city property and motion carried. In the matter of an extension of the water pipe lines the same was referred to the water works committee upon motion. The election of a city commissioner to take the place of Peter Kirsch was then taken up and on the first ballot R. S. Peterson received four votes and was elected. A discussion on Elm street sewer affairs followed but with no definite results, the committee not being ready to file its report and at eleven o’clock a motion to continue the session on Monday evening carried. At three o’clock last Saturday John S. Bowers contractor filed the necessary papers with the clerk of the Adams circuit court to mandate the city of Decatur and demanding chat he be paid the amount due him by the city for constructing the Elm street sewer. The amount in controversy is $17,789.62, that being the value of the improvement as shown by the report of city engineer Fulk, filed January 7, 1902. The case is entitled the State of Inidna on relation John S. Bowers vs City of Decatur, D. D. Coffee Mayor and councilmen S. W. Peterson, C. J. Weaver, T. C. Corbett, C. D. Teeple. 8. B. Fordyce and H. C. Stettler. An account of the mandate proceedings was published in the Democrat a few days ago at which time a few days notice was given to the city council. Since then a number of meetings of the committee on streets and sewers have been held, Mr. Bowers meeting with them and it was hoped by many that a settlement could be effected. At times this seemed possible and then again impossible. Surveyor McKean was employed by the committee and went over the line reiioytiny. that tb.e greater part of the sewer is practicable. Mr. Bowers agreed to give a SIO,OOO bond to the council that he woud rebuild the Shamp branch and make it satisafetory. However the committee which is composed of S. W. Peterson, H.C. Stettler and S. B. Fordyce could not agree and it is possible that they will file reports, a majority and minority. As it stood Mr. Pet.■r«on would .uot.ij.'rroe to settle. Mr. Stettler was willing and Mr. Fordyce we are informed refused 'to sign either a favorable or unfavorable report. Mr. Bowers waited until three o’clock that afternoon when he filed his suit. The mandate as stated asks that the court order the city to pay the amount in controversy or show why and means a tedious and expensive law suit.

John 8. Bowers, L W. R. Cochran, and J. H. Heller returned Monday from a two days inspection tour of the gas fields which supply Decatur, Geneva and Berne. Some new arrangements are being made there and something about the preparations for gas supply for this winter will be given our readers in a day or two. The trip was an enjoyable one, including a trip to J. S.Bowers’ new farm known as the Jerome B. Hopkins land, near Camden and where we were treated in a hospitable manner. On this farm which was purchased only a few days ago is located one of the largest and most valuable gravel banks in Indiana, covering an area of six acres and reaching to an unknown depth. Several former Decatur families including those of Millard Cowan, James Woodward and Michael Members now live a few miles west of Camden near the pumping station where the men are employed. Mr. Cowan has been foreman at the station for five years but expects to | leave soon having tendered his resigI nation yesterday. He has not decided on fut are arrangements but may return to Decatur. Dr. J. L. Johnson, of the Oro Copia gold minmg company of Calij fornia who has been here the past month or two soliciting stock for ■ his company, has “folded his tent” and is gone. It is claimed he solioit- : ed stock here to the amount of $3200 I face value. Dr. Johnson’s method ' was to sell 50 cent shares of his | own in the mining company and I endorse them over to the buyers. The buyer wouid give him a check for the amount Jof stock bought and Mr. Johnson would endorse the check over to Dr. C. T. Bedford, president of the “Indianapolis Medical College” which he claims to have endowed to the amount of $5600. i These checks were to be cashed ! and the money deposited in the j Capital National Bank of Indianapolis. The new medical college to be erected with the endowment from Dr. Johnson is to be located at corner of Alabama and North streets in Indianapolis. Dr. Johnson made an effort to make his philanthropic scheme appeal to the good and moneyed German people here. He also made the most glowing representations of the rich gold mines the Oro Copia mining Company owned in Riverside county California, declaring that the company would pay 4 per cent dividend per month, or 48 per cent a year on the investment! As a “guarantee” he deposited in all over $7500 in the local banks here and guraranteed there with 40 per cent annual dividend to the stock holders here, counting from February 1904. Through these glowing representations he secured SSOO from an elderly lady east of town. Where he got all his $3200 or more, is of course, a secret of those w-ho “pitched in”. But suspicion began more and more to develope among the more experienced in business affairs and the reliable sources in Riverside, Caliornia that no such mining company is known there, and that the treasurer of the company, the “Idemnity Title Trust Company of Los Angeles California, is not registered. The banks here refused to induce people to take hold of the scheme and the doctor on his return last Monday, in a rage withdrew his funds from the bank here which he had promised as a security fund for his pair.'to - I here, and left in the evening. At I the station he aired his opinion o«' j the town by swearing blue streaks ! and cursing it because the people i here hesitated to support his “phil- : anthropic" scheme. What the ■ fate of the stocks taken by people . here will be remains to be found out by those that were “game” ehough 1 for the doctor.—Berne Witness.