Decatur Democrat, Volume 48, Number 12, Decatur, Adams County, 26 May 1904 — Page 1

71l the news_ ALL THE TIME.

VOLUME XLVIII.

COMMENCEMENT. The opera house was crowded to its utmost capacity Friday evening, tbo occasion being the annual com- , njencenient exercises, always one of the delightful social events )f the year, especially for the class and their friends That nights exercises were especially so and no end of credit is due the class and their instructors. Each graduate conducted himself in a most praiseworthy manner and their friends are all ; proud of them. The evenings en- ■ tertainment was opened by the orchestra playing “Navajo” and followed by an appropriate prayer by Rev. Grethers. Bertrand Segur ( was the first of the class on the pro- ( gram, his subject being “Benedict , Arnold,” whom he styled the prince . of traitors, yet showed in his fearless reckless character much good ( and many lessons for consideration. Ray Allen told of the writings and , life of Washington Irving, of his ( love of books and his superiority ( as a writer for the people. His life J ; was neither obscure or brilliant. | ( Miss Fanny Hite gave her essay ( “Cobwebs” in a sweet manner, op-1 ( ening with the old story of the spi- I ( der and the fly, which is not only j poetry but truth. The temptations ( of life begin with cobwebs but end in debauchecy and shame. By the cobwebs of life we make or unmake 1 our destiny. Miss Gertrude Moses rendered a beautiful piano selection 1 and was encored. Albert Sellemeyer delivered an oration on “Piocrastination" which he explained as putting off tomorrow what can as well be done today. It is idleness and lazyness and like small pox is contagious. His ad- ' dress contained much good advice ; nicely told. Miss Edith Smith gave the life of Wardsworth, charmingly 1 describing him as a child of nature, ' fond of out door life, as a man he was solid and knew what he be lieved. He was the greatest of nature poets and his works prove the mind of poet, prophet and ! teacher. Charles Merryman's subject was “What Next*’ and included a review of our rapid advance in scientific commercial and religious lines. He said the American people have learned how to accumulate wealth but not how to distribute it. Miss May G. Coverdale, in a grace ful manner and with a confident style of speaking gave the only reading of the program, the sad beautiful poem, “Absolution” Her voice whs well modulated, her ges- , tures correct and she held the closest attention of the large audience. “The Almighty Dollar" , was a subject, cleverly handled by Charles Knapp. His oration contained just enough humor to make it good to listen to and his description of the Americans hunt for the , root of all evil was interesting and full of good sound advice and many witty and appropriate quotations. , A cornet solo by Albert Sellemeyer, with piano accompainment by Miss Edith Smith was well rendered. Miss Marie Patterson, an essay, ■*“Visions,” was next on the program. Her paper was well written and her delivery eoxellent. She told of the visions of Columbus, Morse and other great men and their outcome, of the visions of the ■class for commencement, of their vision of the future, including art, literature and home. Harry An- , drews told “Why I go to school” ' and his essay was one of the best i of the evening. He declared that the student need not necessarily out shine his companion and win great 1 fame, it is enough to know that one has learned something by his study. Argo BrushwiUer delivered the closing oration “The Ideal.” Every youth should have an “Ideal” coming impusively from the heart and follow it. Every winner in the worlds battle has had a high ideal. A violin solo by Prof. Withans with accompaniement by Miss Gertrude Moser pleased and delighted the appreciative audience. Superintendent H. A. Hartman made ’a short talk telling the high merits of the class of ‘O4 and presented the diplomas. Rev. Pontius said the benediction and the commencement exercise were over.

Übcatilß

Mr. and Mrs. S. Bowman, of Celina, I Ohio, are the guests of Dr. J. Q. Nep- : tune and family. Mr. Bowman is one ■ of the leading citizens of Mercer I county and is engaged extensively in : banking business. A horse owned by Peoples & Holt- I house, and which had been hired out to Frank Maples Tuesday, while hitched to a post in the north part of town, became frightened, broke loose and ran away, completely demolishing the buggy and fortunately not in-1 juring anyone. The horse was cut and bruised in several places, but nothing serious. The damage done ■ will amount to something like thirtyfive dollars. The committee on state of the church of the Methodist general conference, having in charge the ! question of the proposed change of the rules in regard to dancing, card playing and theater going has decided by a vote of 55 to 43 against recommending any change. This ! result was reached only after a vig-! orous and prolonged contest in the committee meeting. A minority report presented by members of the ' committee who favor a more liberal; construction of these rules will be j offered in the general body will be I the signal for the most spirited struggle that will occur on the floor during tne present conference. Miss Blanche Carrol entertained a number of her young lady friends Monday afternoon at her home on Winchester street in honor of Miss Opal Crawford who left Tuesday morning for Marion Ind, where she will make her future home. The afternoon was pleasantly passed by playing numerous games the principal one being a guessing contest with clothes pins at which game Miss Madge Hite excelled and was accordingly awarded first prize a beautiful hat pin while Miss Marie Berry succeeded in capturing the booby but we will not disclose what the prize was’as we faithfully promised not to do so. During the afternoon’s enjoyment Miss Blanch served a two course luncheon and you may imagine the rest. Ata late hour all adjourned wishing Miss Crawford a safe journey and lots of similar occasions at her new home. The Board of school trustees held their regular session Monday night and conducted quite a little important business though the selection of teachers for the ensuing year was not reached. The resignation of Miss Carrie Blossom was accepted and she was given a year's leave of absence to attend college. The resignation of MissLuzader teacher of literature in the high school was accepted. The salaries of all teachers and janitors for the last month of school were allowed. Michael Wertzberger was selected as custodian of the four school buildings for the summer his duties being to keep them in repair and attend to the lawns no small job by the way. An hour’s time was taken by the board last night in looking over recommendations and applications of teachers of music and the commercial department. No selections were made another meeting of the board will be held next Monday night. The new school books which the parents of Indiana children will have to buy for the next school year will cost them many thousands of dollars. This is a handsom elite, sum to be expended for books alone but the state board of education has ordered it to be done, and be done it must. There is no way out of it. Contracts with the new publishing firms have been made, and those firms will insist that their books be used. Next year it will be necessary for children in nearly all departments to have new text books. The first, second and third readers are being revised; a first primer will be used preceding the new first readers; both arithmetics will be changed and the probabilties are that Walsh’s arithmetic will be used, although this is not definitely settled; a new primary geography published by McMillan &Co., will be used, the vertical copy books will be discarded and the old fashioned slant writing will be revived.

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1904.

Bert Heller leader of the famous ■ Linn Grove band, wants to give a concert in Bluffton and offers to bring his band here some evening free of charge if business men will provide the place to play. His ob- , ject is to advertise his band and he has an eye to contracts during the campaign. The Linn Grove and | the Bluffton band might arrange for a joint conceit some evening next week and give such a concert as would draw people from twenty miles around. The new insurance rates for Decatur will be completed this week. State commissioner Mcßeth resumed work this morning and has completed the down town district. Tomorrow the work on factory and special hazzards will begin and this work will require about two days. Rates on nearly all buildings has been advanced slightly and stocks as a rule reduced though in a number of places this has been reversed owing to changes in the risk. The rates as made by Mr. Mcßeth and his assistants will be approved by the state board and published within a few J weeks. The shop of the Poyneer Seed Seperator Co., is presenting an exceedingly busy time this week. They are turning out eight machines a day and are 600 behind in their orders. They originally had about 800 orders and but 300 of these have been filled. Over 100 of the seperators have been placed in this county and the majority of the balance are ordered from Ohio. Mr. Poyneer stated this morning that he had eight men traveling tor him. Two are in this section of the country and six are at work in Tennessee The orders for the Tennessee salesmen are being supplied from the old factory at Rushville. As soon as practicable Mr. Poyneer will move his entire establishment to this city. He desires to operate it entirely by electric power and must wait until he can secure it. He also stated that he would employ about eight men regularly in the making of seperators and that if during the winter he J should decide to-take up some side line, he would in all probability employ many more. Walter Chapman aged 31 years 5 months and 6 days died yesterday j morning at his home at Rivare at i nine o’clock after several months llnness with tuberoul osis of the bowels. Mr. Chapman had been resident of Rivare for several years and while there acted in the capacity of operator and ticket agent for the Chicago and Erie Railroad for which company he always gave perfect satisfaction. He was a member of the Methodist church of that place and was a devoted Christian. He had a host of friends j here who were, shocked to hear of i his death- The funeral will be held this afternoon at the Methodist church at Rivare Rev. C. J- Graves officiating,. The remains will then lay in state at his home until two o’clock Sunday morning when they will be taken over the Erie railroad to his wife’s formre home at Orville 0., for interment. He leaves a wife and two children to mourn their loss.

Shaffer Peterson returned this morning from Ft. Wayne where he was attending to the case of Uwry vs McGriff in which the plaintiff charges McGriff with alienating the affections of his wife and breaking up his family and stated to a representative of this paper that the case had been venued from Allen to Wells county where it would now be tried. Mr. Peterson also informed us that immediately after taking the change of venue that Mr- Uwry by his attorney approached Mr. McGriff and offered to settle their differences by McGriff paying to the plaintiff the sum of one hundred dollars. To this proposition McGriff promptly turned his back stating that he owed the plaintiff nothing and would take his chances before a court of justice and thus have his name vin dicated. This case promises to be a hotly contested one and some very sensational evidence offered. Shaffer Petterson of this city is assisting in the defense.

W. H. Nachtrieb is at present getting his drug store in a presentable condition, after being torn up for several weeks bv remodeling. The paper hangers are at work today putting on a new coat of bright wall paper. Mr. Nachtrieb will have a fine place when everything is completed. Twenty five members of the Knights of Columbus will leave Sunday morning for Logansport by the way of Ft. Wayne where they will attend a joint initation of the Peru, Logansport and Lafayette organizations. A fine program has been arranged and a good time is being looked forward too. Albine Smith of this city will at that meeting be given the last degree of this order and Clem Holthouse a former Decatur boy but now at Delphi will also be introduced into the mysteires of this lodge. In Indiana last week 84 wells were completed in the oil fields and 17 were dry, leaving 67 producing wells which made a new production of 33,088 barrels. Grant county still leads in production of new wells, but Delaware county leads in production. Out of 14 wells drilled in the latter county 6 were dry and the other 8 produced 995 barrels the first 24 hours. While the wells drilled there are big aver age producers, about half put down are dry, as in all new fields therefore while some oil companies are making money others are losing. Prof J.W. Craig, commercial teacher in the Decatur high school, has served notice upon the board of school trustees that he does not desire to make application for a position here for next year. He has accepted a most profitable position of a similar nature in one of the leading colleges. Prof. Craig has been here two years, coming from Indianapolis. He is well recommended by the trustees and his associate teachers and his departure i.s regretted, though his many friends are glad to hear of his success. Mr. and Mrs. Craig leave Decatur with the best wishes of a large circle of acquaintances. Next Sunday the attraction that the Rosenthals furnish in Delphos should prove to be one of the best of the season, as this team is reputed as being one of the fastest semi-professional aggregations in Northern Ohio, always putting up the real article and always out to win. For the past seven years Decatur has been going to Delphos and she has always proven to be a hoodo to our team, never being able to win but one game in that time and that by a score of 3 to 1, and up until this season Delphos has refused to return the date, and next Sunday the fans can see just what kind of a ball team Delphos has, and will undoubtedly see as fast a game as on last Sun day against the Blues. The Rosenthals are putting in their best licks practicing and will be in fine fettle for the contest and endeavor to give Delphos a rub for her money. Remember the date, May 29, and be there.

Perhaps the queerest little railroad in the United States is the Columbus Lima & Milwaukee that ex tends from North Lima Ohio, to Defiance. This road crosses the Nickle Plate and the Clover Leaf at Continenatl, Ohio. The business of the road is purely local and it has neither depots nor station agents. The conductor of the one train that runs over it is the whole thing in the transportation department. A telegraph line and the operation is not known on the road, communication between dfferent points being carried on by a single line of telephone. Formerly the road had two engines, but one of these got out of repair and has not been in the ser vice for some months, one engine now constituting the entire power. When this gets out of repair the services of a blacksmith at Continental is called for. If the breakdown occurs along the line the smith packs a kit of tools mounts h track bicycle and goes to the en*ne and makes the repairs that are necessary to enable it to get to the end of the run. It is said that the one train does not run every day but makes a trip when business demands.

Six young people were confirmed and received into the German Reformed church Sunday morning after receiving religious instructions for threeyears and are now fullfledged members ot that congregation. Rev. Grether carried out what is known as Pentecostal services, and preached a beautiful and instructive sermon, especially for the young people, telling them their duties, what is expected of them and bringing forth the pitfalls and beauties of this life, also telling them the duties of a true Christian life and closing by giving to each of the class an appropriate fatherly lecture. Those who were united with the church by confirmation were: Tillman Gerber, Louis Nyffeler, Edward Miller, Carl Weis, Carl Schafer and Ida Meyers. The church presented a beautiful appearance, having been recently refitted with new carpet and decorated for yesterday’s services. Special meetings are to be held during this week. The last sad rites were performed over the remains of Elias Coverdale, which were held at ten o'clock at the Methodist church. The au dience was large in number and was composed of relatives and the large standing army of friends who have known and associated with the decesed during the long number of years in which he has been identified with this community The Adams county bar and the members of theG. A. R. attended in a body, the latter had charge of the service and at the grave conferred the impressive ritualistic services of the order. The funeral sermon was delivered by Dr. Beardsley he being assisted in these ministerial duties by Rev. Pontius. The life and character of the deceased Have been previously portrayed in these columns, and we can but add that another good citizen has gone to his reward.

French Quinn is home after his first four weeks in the employ of the railroad enterprise being inaugurated by the members of the Decatur Egg Case Company. During that time he traveled the line already in use and also that under contemplation of erection which is about forty miles long and which traverses a territory whose future is looked upon as bright and rosy. Some of the experiments related are exceedingly novel and while new to him seem exceedingly humorous to a native hooiser. Mr. Quinn will likely be here for two or three weeks, when the work of financing the enterprise will be putunder way. The future and outlook for that country was never more promising than at the present time and with the natural talent, genius and business ability of French Quinn, the undertaking he has in charge will flourish and progress and some day will be one of the gigantic business enterprises of that country.

Saturday will be a big day in commissoners court as at that time bids will be opened for ten macadam road extensions. In the list are the Pleasant Valley & Oak Grove, East Washngton Decatur and Monroe, Monroe township Central, Pleasant Valley and Oak Grove, JGeneva Ceylon and Wabash Township, Decatur and Monroe, West Washington East Washington, and Decatur and Bluffton. Bids will be opened at ten o’clock and most likely every road will sell and later be built according to plans and specifications as laid down by the viewers and engineer in charge. This is a fair sample of the spirit of macadam road improvement that is now working among the people in different sections of Adams county. It means what has previously been said that soon the county will enjoy the distinction of having the most aud best macadamized roads in the country. The peculiar fact also exists that wherever these roads are constructed no amount of purchase money could induce those who use the roads to part with them and go back to good old fashioned mud. It will soon be a mat ter of great pride to point to the uninterrupted miles of first class macadam roads, that will grace the highways of Adams county.

===== " CIRCULATION 2800 WEEKLY

NUMBER 12

Another swindling game is being worked. A fellow comes along and lets out the secret that all persons possessing an 1894 dollar may secure season ticket to the World’s Fair for it. He then says he has been through the country searching for the coins of that date and finds them to be scarce, but all those he finds he takes up. A couple of days afterwards his confederate comes along and incidentally says he had heard of the scheme, and as he is in possession of a number of the coins and cannot use them all, he is willing to sell them at a reasonable price sometimes as high as $5 a piece. The swindlers float from city to citv. The fact of the matter is that the 1894 dollar is of no more value than any other so far as getting into the World’s Fair is concerned. Mrs. Kate King of this city was united in marriage Thursday afternoon to Mr. J. R. Rodgers of New Castle, Pa. The happy event occurred at 4:30 o’clock at the residence of Rev. Dr. Moffett, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, Fort Wayne, that gentleman officiating. The happy couple left here yesterday afternoon and returned this morning, their announcement being a complete surprise for their friends. Mrs. King has been a life long resident of Decatur, and for the past several months has been living with Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Meyers, 313 South Adams Street. Mr Rodgers is a highly respected gentleman, and well to do. He first met Mrs. King about a year ago at Greenfield, Ohio, where she visited the family of Dr. Ballard who formerly livedhere. The Democrat extends heartiest congratulations. Willie Mentzer, the 9 year old son of N. Mentzer, had a close call from death Tuesday evening. ’Mr. Mentzer had returned from work and had turned his horse out to graze along the side of the street. The horse was beginning to stray away when Mr. Mentzer told his son to go bring it back to the stable. The lad hastened too obey and ran up to the horse’s head to seize the strap. As he did so the beast became frightened and reared up on its hind feet. The little fellow held onto the strap but could not get out of the way in time and the horse came down with its front feet on the boy. He was knocked to the ground and was unable to arise. The father was badly alarmed, having seen the accident and thinking that the horse had perhaps struck the boy on the head. He ran up to his son picked him up and carried him to the house. Here an examination of bis hurts was made and it was discovered that he had not been seriously injured. The horse’s hoofs had scraped the skin off one leg from the thigh to the knee but he was otherwise unhurt.—Bluffton Banner.

At the City Hospital in Cincinnati under the potent spell of morphine, Oscar Seager Sunday lived over that memorable 'scene in DeGasteaux's saloon when he killed Marie Roach, the Geneva girl. For days and nights he has been suffering with excruciating headaches and his physicians at the City Hospital have been obliged to drug him into insensibility. Just when the deadening influence of the drug was fading away, and in that interval between sleeping and waking last night, the picture of that scene seemed to pass through his mind His right hand clutched nervously over a fold in the counterpane as it clutched the deadly weapon on that fatal morning. Murmurs passed over his pallid lips, and several times the name “Marie” was heard. Groans that could only have been forced by his mental picture escaped him, and when he finally awoke he was bathed in perspiration. The attending physicians now fear that slowly but surely Seager is becoming mentally unbalanced owing to the gradual formation of a brain abscess due to the injury done by the bullet with which he sought to end his ow» life. The pus formation in the frontal sinus is continuing and the agony this is causing is ' enough to dri-'e him insane-