Decatur Democrat, Volume 47, Number 45, Decatur, Adams County, 14 January 1904 — Page 3

DOCTOR E. J. Beardsley, General Practice and Surgery. But Special Attention given to Eye. Ear Nose, Throat and Chronic Diseases. Expert lit rittiog Glasses, Thoroughly equipped for treating Eye, Ear Throat ami Catarrhal cases. CALLS answered, day or night. OH'ElCE—over postofflee RESIDENCE—cor. Monroe and Ninth sts Office Hours—# to 11 a. tn. 2 to 4p. m. STORY OF THE IROQUOIS FIRE HORROR By request we publish the following letter from an Adams ooutny boy to his parents: Hegerwisch.m., Jan 3, ’Ol. Dear Parents. This is Sunday afternoon, I will endeavor to write you a few lines. We had quite a snow storm here yesterday lasting all day. This cold weather and snow is staying with us here pretty well. There were over two hundred funerals yesterday in the city, and such a blinding snow storm, you can imagine how terrible it was to burry the dead. Today is a very nice day and I ex pect there will be more buried today than yesterday. I suppose you have read or heard of this awful disaster here, which happened last Wednesday afternoon when nearly COO people lost their lives in the Iroquois theatre fire. I can not explain in this letter the awful catastrophe that I saw on New Years Day with my own eyes. This was the saddest New Years Day of my life. Although I was not personally acquainted with anyone who lost their life in the theatre fire, yet I felt like sypmathizing with the living who had lost their loved ones in the fire. On New Years Day morning accompanied by Dave Armstrong 1 started down town, expecting to view the theatre death trap as some called it, and some of the dead in the morgues. We went to the City Hall into the Supt,. of the Police office and got a permit to see the dead in the morgues. After getting our permit we left the City Hall and the first place we came to was Jordan's morgue, 14 E. Adams. I told Dave before entering that I could not bear up under the strain of seeing such a horrible sight and he

The Oldest, the Largest and the Best 4 INDIANA MEDICAL AND ‘ B SURGICAL INSTITUTE. 10 Wayne Street. The only legitimate medical institute y t in the city. Established in 1878. OD.I.TucKer.A.M.M.D. *“**■ W Secretary American Association Medi 1 cal and Surgical Specialists, the ablest specialist in the country, will , be ’ n an honest doctor. AT MURRAY HOTEL Friday, January 22, 1904 Dr. Tucker has treated more cases of Chronic Diseases than any other three doctors in the state. THIRTY YEARS EXPERIENCE. Dr. Tucker has treated 63,020 patients in the state of Indiana since 1872 and with perfect success in every case. A STRONG STATEMENT. Dr. Tucker has deposited SI,OOO in bank as a forfeit that he has treated more eases of chronic diseases and has performed more remarkable cures than any other three specialists in the state of Indiana. New methods of treatment and new remedies used. All chronic diseases and deformities treated successfully - such as diseases of the brain, heart, lungs, throat, eye and ear, stomach, liver, kidneys. (Bright’s disease,) bladder, rectum, female diseases, impotency, gleet, seminal emissions, nervous diseases, catarrh, rupture, piles, stricture, diabetes, etc. Consumption and Catarrh can be Cured. Cancel's and all Tumor's cured w ithout pain or the Use of a Knife. Eh As Gild has prepared an antidote for the sin-sick soul, so has He pre pared antidotes for a disease-sick body. These can be found at the Indiana Medical and Surgical Institute After an examination we will tell you what we can do for you. If we cannot benefit or cure you, we will frankly and honestly tell you so. Patients can be treated successfully at a distance. Write for examination and question blanks. Street cars and carriages direct to the institute. No incurable casestaken for treatment. All cases guaranteed by bank endorsement Dr. Tucker has a cure for epilepsy. Examination and consultation free. Address all communications Dr. 0. W. Ticker. —! FORT WAYNE, - INDIANA

said ho fetl the same but we nerved ourselves up a little and entered. In the first room there were quite a number of dead who had lieen dressed and placed in their coffins and relatives and friends viewing their dead, across the aisle were two docI tors who were operating upon a i man, a victim of the fire and trying to save his life. We passed on out of this room down the aisle and entered the second. As I camo to the door I stopped, I shuddered at the though of seeing such a horrible sight of so many human beings; men, women and children, lying in rows and a narrow aisle between them, but I nerved up myself a little and passed down the aisle. This sight which I now see I can not explain in writing. But as we passed down the aisle there was a man ahead of us whose wife had gone to the matinee on that fatal afternoon. He told mo his story and said he was about to give up hope of finding her. I told him to renew his courage and not to give up. He turned and started on to continue his search, suddenly he stoped at the form of a woman, her clothing was partly burned off of her body, her face was burned so that ho could not recognize her features, but he looked closer and closer. He began to examine her underwear and found her initials. He knew those initials but to make sure that she was his wife was the next thing to do. He knew that his wife’s first name was worked in letters on her stockings, so he took oft her shoes and the stockings. He had recognized the name. The tears began to flow down his checks when he suddenly exclaimed: “My God” that is Eliazbeth my wife.” We tried to comfort him. Quite a few other people noticed him too and gave asisstance. He had one friend along with him who gave the men in charge orders to prepare her body for burial. So that is rhe way the routine of work has been going on since the horrible fire. One wealthy man who lost his wife and three children, one boy and two girls, and a maid servant said that he had lost all he had and that there was nothing to live for any more. He says to his lawyer, take all my money and use it to punish those who are guilty for

this offense. His name is Hull, and he was the first man to swear out a warrent for the owners of the Iroquois theatre and the building commissioner. Still the dead list increases, quite a number who wore injured and taken to the hospitals are dying of their wounds. It is said that the list of dead will reach 700. The number of people dead when taken from the fire was 582. There are any amount of people who are losing their minds here because of this horribe loss of life. Chicgao was he saddest city upon the earth when the old year passed away and the New Year entered, not a noise of any kind could tie heard, but instead you would see people going from morgue to morgue searching for their friends or relatives. Not only this city but several other cities in different states was weeping for the dead. There were people from nearly half of the states in the U. S. who were watching that play. The papers claimed three were 2100 people in the theatre on that afternoon. Today all the theatres in the city are closed 38 in all, it being so orderd by the Mayor. All of them it is claimed have violated the city ordinance in different ways, and they will remain closed until they comply with the law of the city. That picture which I saw on New Years Day will never vanish from my mind. We dont know what our fate will be for we are constantly in danger wherever we are. Well I will close for this time. Your Son, Homer Hendricks. John Lose the genial barber will soon leave* for California where he goes in quest of a desirable location and also to seek for good health. He expects to be absent for two months and in that time will look the southern part of California over thoroughly and should he find a place that suits he will at once return home and sell his belongings here and become a resident of California where winter is never known. John is very enthusiastic over his proposed trip and has all kinds of faith that ho will find what he is in search of. The city he will visit first will be Santiago,Ca’., and from there travel south until he can find what he wants. Os course should he not be taken up with the climate and country he will continue to make his residence in Decatur but otherwise he is determined to move at once A sei ions fire was averted about four o’clock Sunday morning in the Entre Nous club rooms and the members of that popular institution should thank Policeman Fisher for his good work. The gas had been left on in the looms and during the night had came on with such a rush that the roaring could be heard plainly on the street below. The danger was noticed by Officers Geary and Fisher who attempted to enter by breaking in a door but found this impossible. Finally a store box was secured and standing on this Fisher crawled from the side walk to the fire escape platforms and succeded in climbing up the three flights of the iron fire escape. It was a nervy job as the iron steps were icy and slick and a mistep meant an accident. The feat was accomplished however and the officer succeeded in getting in a window and turning down the fractious gas. The rooms were red hot and no doubt a bad fire would have soon resulted. Mrs. Bertha May Murphy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Horace Botthoff, was born May 7, 1883, departed this life January 6, 1904, aged twenty’ years and eight months, She was united in marriage to James E. Murphy of Quincy, Illinois, October 20, 1902, her husband ft r some time has been afflicted with typhoid fever and unable to visit the bedside of his dying wife. She leaves to mourn besides the husband, her fond father and mother and three ; isters. The sisters are Miss Ethel of this city and Mrs. Carrie Hollinger, Crestline, Ohio and Mrs. May Ta-Mar. Mrs. Murphy was a kind, good hearted woman and died a Christian, having made peace with God and offered sincere prayers that she might be relieved from her suffering and taken Home. Persons desiring may view the remains at the home on Winchester street from six to eight o'clock this evening or tomorrow morning. The funera] services will be held at the M E. church at Pleasant Mills Friday morning at eleven o'clock leaving the house here at ten o'clock.

Mike Belg rof Fort W iyno is in the city Monday showing to his friends here a handsome ring that was presented to him last Friday evening by the members of the Eagle lodge. The ring is a large gold band ring with the emblem of an eagle on it and in the center of the eagle is a beautiful diamond of about one carat. Mike whs president of the lodge for the past year and on Friday stepped down in favor of the newlv elected officer and it was during the ceremony’ that the members presented him with this token of respect. Mike certainly’ is proud of the same and would rather part with his life than with this ring. The first divorce case in nearly three months was filed Friday by Attorney L. C. DeVoss and according to the complaint the desired papers are due rhe plaintiff. The case is entitled Fannie Smith vs Barclay Smith, both residents of Monroe township. Non support, cruel and inhuman treatment and drunkeness are charged against the defendant, some of the statements being rather sensational. Mrs. Smith says that on one occasion her husband became angry and approached her with an uplifted ax saying “ I will smash you with this ax.” They were married September 6, 1900, and lived together until March 21, 1903. Mr. Smith owned a farm worth S3OOO, he argeed that if his wife would sign a deed with him they’ could sell out and move to Decatur. She did so and then Barclay refused to live with her longer and she was forced to seek employment as a domestic. She asks for SIOOO alimony and ten dollars per week from March 1, last, until the case is disposed of in court. Marshal Cordua informs us that he received word Saturday evening that the police at Marion had located and arrested John McLean and John Nigeo, the two members of the “Punkin Huskers” who were wanted hero on a charge of robbery. Marshal Cordua at once saw Harry Freidman and Frank Miller, the parties from whom the goods were stolen and neither one seemed inclined to think they wanted to put any money’ into the cause to bring them back so a compromise was effected and the two named gentlemen paid to the Chief of Police at Marion five dol lars to square the deal hero ami also paid the costs at Marion which amounted to about twenty dollars, and Marshal Cordua was notified that he would receive the money today. These two men begged hard to lie released and in fact the show could not have gone on had they been detained as they were leading men in the company. But there is one thing sure it will certainly learn them a lesson that during this day and age of the world a criminal cannot get very far away liofore he is apprehended. Marshal Cordua deserves due credit for the efforts he extended in causing the arrest of the two men. Tom Railing the ball player has been notified by the management of the Dallas Texas base ball club that he is supposed to report at Dallas for duty on February’ the tenth to prepare himself for the coming season, which opens the first of April. Dallas has been the place chosen by the Cincinanti Reds to ido their preliminary work and it ■is against this team of National I Leaguers that Tom will have to try ' himself out. Tom made for himself last season by hard work a record that any person ought to be proud of, as it was his first season in professional base ball and he had lots to learn but ho did his best and the management have considered he did and this season he will draw the handsome salary of $135 per month. Tom is only nineteen years of age and has a strong right arm He is of good built and if he takes the proper care of himself he has a brilliant future before him. Not over a month ago at a meeting of the owners of the different clubs the question was propounded who would be thepreimier pitcher of Ihe Texas League this season and the unanimous opinion of all members was that Railing should ’prove the best thus showing that the base ball authorities of the south think of him. It is the prevailing opinion at Dallas that Tom will not stay long with them, for the form he showed last season and if ho is any way near that form this season ; some major club will pick him up and Dallas will loose the service of a star. Tom’s many friends here will follow him closely this coming season and predict a good year for him.

Tha’ Hnnti izt.m c mn’v need- a new court h mse mil ndlv at that is evidence from the fact that a committee his appraised the old building at the ludicrous sum of t wen tv flee dollars. The Huntington Journal says; The three appraisers, Wjlli tm S waim. John King n”d Patrick McCarty, appointed by the county commissioners to appraise the value of the old court h >nsa, made the appraisment yes terdav fixing the amount at $25. The walks leading to and from the structure were appraised at $25 also. Representatives of the Fort Wavne & Springfield Railway Company were in Berne Friday centering with members of the executive committee of the business men’s association relative to an extension of the interurban electric railway to this place. The party was composed for President W. H. Fledderjohann, General Counsel John H. Koenig and Harvey Harruff. They called on President Leshman of the association, then visited members of the executive committee. To the News Mr. Harruff said: “The engineer corps has completed its work north and must now continue south. We expect to build the line where the people want it-. If Berne wants it we will build it here.” Continuing Mr. Harruff stated that the purpose was to construct the line through Monroe to Berne, then to Celina. Geneva mav get an extension. The party went to Geneva and will return here to meet the business men’s association. — Berne News. The Seunho Club met Thursday afternoon with Mrs. Charles Christen at her home on Monroe street and from what a certain party told us it was the howling sucess of the season. She could hardly resist talking about the,good things to eat and how royally they wore entertained. The club as on all for mer occasions passed the afternoon playing pedro and ten games were played to decide who should get the prize and Mrs. James Haefling and Mrs. Henry Schulte were lucky enough to capture the first prizes, while Mrs. George Bailey and Mrs. Lawrence Smith were awarded the boobies. After the prizes had been given to the lucky members the dining room doors were thrown open and all were invited to be seated at the table and what they didn't nave to eat is easier told than what they did have. In fact all the dainties in season were spread before them and it was indeed n. (east. You can imagine what the members did to it, but it was a plenty anyhow. After all had partaken of all they could eat it was late and a motion for adjournment was made and carried and all departed for their repsective hemes after voting Mrs. Christen a fine entertainer. The club will meet next Thursday afternoon at the home of Mrs. Henry Schulte. A dispatch from Washington says: The rural mail carriers will get an increase in salary. Within the next few weeks the committee on postoffices and post roads of the house will decide on the amount o* increase it shall recommend, and will also decide whether the fourth assistant postmaster general’s recommendation that the carriers be prohibited from doing an express package business shall bo included in the bill. The present thought is to provide for an increase in salary j in rhe regular postoffice supply bill.: More than fifty bills providing for , increased salary for the carriers are before Representative Overstreet’s committee. The increase J suggested range from SIOO to S3OO. . An increase of SIOO would make the salary S7OO a year and an increase of S3OO would make the sal-: ary S9OO. The members of the committee are disposed to agree on a salary of $750. The sentiment in ' congress seems to be that the ear-: riers ought to receive SBOO or S9OO a year, but a representative says the ca riers must not expect to get all they deserve at this time. The. next congress or perhaps this congress at the next session will make another increase. Opinions differ as to the advisability of prohibiting the carriers from doing an express . business. Many of the carriers are ' telling their congressman that this source of revenue ought not be cutoff.lt is represented that in some localities carriers are able to pick up from SSO to SIOO a year as the agents for concerns of various kinds that sell to farmers through the carriers and deliver the goods through the same revenue.

The formation of a new eastt rn trunk line is expected to lie the outcome of recent Wall street activity in Chicago and Alton and Toledo, St. Louis & Western shares. E. H. Harriman and Edwin Hawley are the controlling forces in this project, and from well informed sources it is learned t hat no less than five different railroads will be combined to make the new system. Following is a table showing the individual and aggregate mileage of the roads, which will constitute the proposed system : Chicago &• Alton. 1,000; Kansas Citv & Southern, 85; lowa Central, 560; Minneapolis, & St. Louis 6,335; Toledo, St. Louis & Western, 450; total 34,803. These roads are so situated geographically that they can do business with each other, and by the constructions of some additional connections it is believed that a considerable saving in operating expenses can bo effected by placing them under one general management. It is hardly necessary to state that Saturday was a democratic day in Decatur. The morning train bought a large delegations from Berne and Geneva, and besides every township in the countv was represented with a large number of democrats, all of whom are interested in the primary election ufiich is due next Friday. This is the last Saturday before said primary, and so far as the weather is concerned it is about the only decent Saturday since the date was announced. The friends of the different candidates are apparently making the most of the opportunities offered, and are laboring with necessary zeal for their favorites. The primary campaign through out has been exceptionally peacefull and quiet, and is a credit to every democrat in the country.. The canvassing is about at an end. the candidates now putting the finishing touches to their campaign work. The election boards have all been selected, they all living representative citizens and loyal democrate. The inspectors will all be here next Thursday and receive their ballots, tally sheets and final instruments for election day. As usual the Democrat will keep open house election night, and will arrange for free telephone service all over the county thus getting the returns complete before a very late hour. Every one is invited to join the crowd on this night and to make the Democrat office head quarters. Promptly at 7 Thursday night the members of the G. A. R. were called to order by Commander Henry Lankenau, and after transacting some business and making arrangements in regard to atending the funeral of Comrade John Reed, the oldest member of the order, the commander announced that, installing of officers was in order. (4. W. Woodward was escorted to the front as intsalling officer, which place ho fulfilled to the letter. The ceremony was very impresive and military-like and much credit is due Comrade Wo al ward for the way he discharged the duties of said office. After the G. A. R. installation and a fe.v remarks by the newly elected commander, Theo, Kennedy, the W. R. C. then began their installation of office, which was conducted by Mrs. Theo. Ken nedy as installing officer, and was also most impressive. The color bearers of the corps persenting a most beautiful appearance in the ceremony. After these exorcises a few remarks were made by Mrs. Malotte. the newly elected president of the W. R (’. and the singing of “America" byall present, closed the installation of both orders. Rev. E. A. Allen was then called to give a short talk, to which he promptly responded and his subject was “Saluting the Flag.” The Rev. handled his subject in hi- usual good humored manner and wedged in several appropriate jokes. Rev. John C. White was then called, ho also gave a short talk concerning these orders, and urging the W. It. C. to see that the flag was put into every school and church in the city and that the children be instructed as to the true meaning of the flag of our country. The exercises (dosed with a short campfire by the various members of the Post which was hihgly interesting, after which they adjourned. The new officers in both the G. A. R. and W. R. C. are all good and worthy members and we predict that these fraternal organizations will in the year of 1904 excel] all previous records.