Decatur Democrat, Volume 50, Number 13, Decatur, Adams County, 31 May 1906 — Page 1

ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIMI

VOLUME L.

WANT FIFTY-YEAR FRANCHISE ' Indianapolis, Decatur & Ohio Line Railway Wants a Franchise on Monroe Street. K*' - . The council met Tuesday evening in ' continued session, Mayor Coffee pre- 1 siding and all councilmen being pres- ] ent excepting Van Camp, who had , been called out of the city on account . Os the death of a relative. The coun- , cil immediately after the roll call, , proceeded to transact the business that came before them. Martin moved < that the auditing committee appoint- j ed at the last meeting by the Mayor ■ be authorized to examine the books of the clerk and treasurer and that ' their compensation be not less than thirty cents per hour. This motion , promptly carried. Attorney Todd, of V Toledo, Engineer Fassett, of Cleve- , land, and Attorney Young, of Toledo, being present ,those gentlemen were requested by the Mayor to address the council upon the subject of the new interurban railway to be known * as the Indianapolis, Decatur & Ohio line, which they did, Attorney Todd being the spokesman. He informed the council in a few chosen words the desire of the company, stating that he had framed a franchise after the one granted the Fort Wayne & J Springfield line and that he had the same ready to present to the council. Burns then moved that the franchise be submitted to the- couneir at once for their consideration. This motion . carried and the franchise was duly turned over and'read by the clerk. Franchise asks that the new company may enter the city at or near the river bridge at the east part of the city and to run thence west over Mon- - roe street to the western city corporation line. The company also expect to take up. the brick street where their track will run and replace same in as good repair as when taken up and with a concrete foundation. .They will also put in an electric light at every dangerous crossing, such as the river bridge, where they cross the other interurban line and at the Grand Rapids railroad crossing. Their franchise asks that the time limit be set for the completion of the same in the year 1909. They also ask for a fifty year franchise through the city limits. The engineer further informed the council that they were not as yet decided as to what kind of power they would use, whether electric or gasoline, but did state that this feature would be determined in the near future. , Christen then moved that the franchise be referred to the public improvement committee, which is composed of Burns, Chronister and Christen, for their consideration and that this committee report back to the council at the next regular meeting. This motion carried,.. Upon motion by Bums, the council then adjourned to meet in regular session on next. Tuesday evening, June sth. SETTLEMENT is completed The Settlement Sheet is Beady for Official Signatures. Auditor Lewton has completed the settlement sheet for the spring collection of taxes. From it the total state tax collected was $8,410.52; benevolent institutions, $3,217.18 ; state school, $8,313.29; state educational, $1,800.11; county, $25,028.98; township, $6,507.57; tuition, $11,131.41 ;• psecial school, $17,962.60; road, $3,791.78; township poor, $864.12; turnpike, $5,^59^2; ditch, $200.51; library, $819.85; corporation, $19,850.16; special toad, $7,247.09; macadam road, county sinking, $4,858.06; stfttv debt sinking, $69.70; total, Out of this collection $21,810.80 ' goes' to the state, and Treasurertiatfiiot will go to Indianapolis next. week, io make settlement. • u; » : HARRY CHRISTEN IS MARRIED It is announced that Hany Christen, formerly a member of the Blackburn & Christen drug firm, was mar- , ried May 21st, at Toledo to Miss Net- ? . tie Beckingham. The latter has made her home, for several years with Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Walters at Midland, Michigan. The marriage ceremony was performed by City'Judge Lott, of Toledo. Mr. and Mrs. Christen left here yesterday for Chicago, whefe they will visit for a few days, and may decided to locate permanently hi some of the suburbs of that city.

DbcatiTß Democrat

COMMITTEE’S FIRST SESSION Educational Commission Met and Organized. The Indiana State Educational Commission held its first meeting at the office of the state superintendent last week. The entire session was used in perfecting an organization and in determining the lines of investigation to be followed by the commission. The commission was appointed by Govei-nor Hanly at the request of the State Teachers’ Association embodied in a resolution at the close of an address by State Superintedent Cotton, in which he made some pointed recommendations regarding teachers’ salaries, school taxation and levies, normal schools, and the organization of the school system in townships. The resolution asked that the commission investigate the matter of salaries, taxation and all other matters that may rightfully come before such a body. The commission is composed of B. F. Moore, superintendent of schools, Marion; E. E. Moore, state senator, Connersville; L. Ert Slack, state senator, Franklin; Thomas D. Slimp, attorney, Washington; Will S. Ritche, president of the school board, Lebanon; Edgar Webb, editor the Ledger, Attica, and John W. Lewis, county superintendent. Subjects that will be investigated are teachers ’ pay, the manner of electing county superintendents, the advisability of a larger normal school system, local and state tax levies, and the formation of a township school board. The next meeting will be held on Jure 27. The commission will be glad to receive suggestions from any one interested in the welfare of the schools of Indiana. Address either the chairman, B. F. Moore, Marion, Ind., or the secretary. Edgar Webb, Attica, Ind. ■ FINED FOR OBSTRUCTING ROAD Camper Who Gave Name of John Jones Was Arrested. John Jones, who manages a camper’s outfit was arrested last evening by Sheriff Butler, on a charge of obtruding the public highway. The affidavit was signed by the supervisor of Washington township near Peterson. Jones came in this morning and was arraigned before ’Squire James H. Smith, where he put up a- pitiful plea of being a poor man without any funds and hardly able to make his living. The ’squire listened attentively to all he had to say and then promptly fined him a dollar and costs, which in all amounted to $10.30. Jones stayed the docket and was released. A similar case against John Doe was dismissed. WLL BE OPERATED UPON Mrs. Jesse Robinson Taken to Fort Wayne This Afternoon. Mrs. Jessie D. Robinson was taken to Fort Wayne Tuesday, where she will enter the Hope Hospital and submit to an operation for a complication of diseases, the operations to be performed Wednesday morning by Dr. M. S. Porter, assisted by Dr. J. S: Boyers, of this city. For months Mrs Robinson has been suffering with a complication of diseases, and could get no relief, and she at last consented to be removed to Fot Wayne and have the operation performed. As to the exact nature of her trouble the doctors are at present unable to state. She was accompanied to Fort Wayne by her husband and Mrs. J. S Bcwers. TO OPEN A BILLIARD ROOM H. A. Fristoe has announced that he would soon open an up-to-date pool and billiard room in the Smith rnorn. He has purchased a billiard table and two pool tables ted will them installed in a few days. He will conduct his business strictly according to law and will make an effort to secure his share of trade. His new tables will be as good as are made, and he will add more as needed.

/ DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY, MAY 31. 1906.

WAS IT REPEALED OR NOT? By the Legislature of 1905—Question Has Been Discussed Over * the State. Whether cjr not some important features of the Nicholson temperance laws were repealed by the legislature ofl 905 by the enactment of the public offenses act in the new criminal code, will be determined by the supreme court within the next few months possibly before the opening of the present campaign. / It is an open question among attorneys throughout the state whether the Nicholson law has been weakened. The public offenses act is supposed to repeal all laws within its purview. Some attorneys are claiming that it repeals the Nicholson law, and two judges have quashed indictments for violations of provisions of the Nicholson law which are not found in the public offense act. The latter fails to contain the Nicholson law provision prohibiting any one but the proprietor of a saloon or member of his family from entering the saloon on Sunday. It also omitted the provision for removal of screens on Sunday and after hours, and prohibiting minors from loitering around places where liquor is sold. The Nicholson law forbids the use of musical instruments or other amusement features in a saloon, but the public offense act says nothing on the subject. A saloon keeper at Elkhart was arrested on the charge of maintaining a music box in his place. His attorneys tried to have the indictment quashed on the ground that there was nothing in the public offenses act prohibiting him from having music. The lower court overruled them and they appealed to the supreme court. The ease is now being briefed for the state in the attorny general’s office. The opinion is expressed there that the legislature had no intention whatever of repealing any sections of the Nicholson law, and that the supreme court will so hold. It will also be pointed out in support of this contention that the legislature showed its disposition to strengthen the temperance laws when it adopted the Moore amendment providing for a two years ’ blanket remonstrance. Prosecuting attorneys all over the state are very much interested in having the question determined by the supreme court, as it is coming up constantly and there has been no definite ruling. HAVE A DAY OF ENJOYMENT The Luttman Family Reunion Was Held Sunday. - -• ■ —~r- - — The Luttman family reunion, Snnday, which was celebrated at the home Mr. and Mrs. Edward Luttman of Root township, was perhaps the most enjoyable of the many that have been held. Despite the inclement weather, all were present, thirty-five being the number that enjoyed the day and partook of the pleasures of the comfortable home of Mr. and Mrs. Luttman. At dinner a table was arranged for Mr. and Mrs. Henry Luttman, senior, and their six sons and one daughter. William Luttman and wife came down from Ft. Wayne, and returned that evening. The day was thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated a§ only such family meetings can be, and will be long remembered by this family and those connected with it. MRS. YOBST DIED MONDAY Was Mother of Charles Yobst of e-iif This City. 4 Mrs. Balbina Yobst died at 3 o’clock Monday afternoon at the age of seventy-one years at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Walter Lyman, 1225 Clark street. Mrs. Yobst was bom in Germany. She is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Walter Lyman, of this city, Mrs. Anna Rhodes, of Detroit, Mick, and Mrs. Lizzie Lauer, of Wanatah, Ind., and one son, Charles Yobst, of Decatur, Ind. —Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. Charles Yobst went to Fort Wayn this afternoon. The funeral will be held Thursday morning.

THE FRUIT REPORT FOR MAY Frosty Did Some Damage, but Prospects are Good. Reports from all parts of the state to W. B. Flick, secretary of the Indiana Horticultural Society, for the month of May show a fairly good prospect for fruit of most kinds. The May frosts did considerable damage to fruit in small areas in exposed places, but not enough to affect the general average materially. Dry weather; which , prevails throughout the state, is a menace especially to small fruits, and if it continues will lessen the yield much, it is said. Trees and are generally in a healthy condition, though insects and diseases which could be controlled readily are allowed to go on in their work of destruction without any serious jattempt to fight ‘them. This neglect is causing the loss of many orchards and plantations. The San Jose scale, reports show, is destroying peach ahd other orchards to •, some extent in southern Indiana, hnd the canker worm is at work ini the central part of the state. The foriner can be destroyed by spraying with lime, sulphur and salt and the latter with paris green and lime solution. The coddling moth, it is cautioned, will get in its most effective work in June, July and August. They are destroyed by paris lime and water, or arsehate of lead and-water. If proper efforts be made by the fruit growers to care for their growing uit, Indiana, it seems, can and will fruit, Indiana, it seems, can and will grow enough fruit for her own conother states. WAS SICK SEVERAL MONTHS Was Nearly Eighty Years Old and Had Lived in Wells County Over Half a Century. 1 i ... v,, > Uncle John Rex, of Qssian, Indiana, ■ died Sunday evening at nine o’clock, ’ after an illness of several months’ duration, death resulting from heart > trouble and old age. He was seventy- ■ nine years of age and had made his 1 home in Wells county, near Ossian, for the past fifty years, during most 1 of that time following the profession of a farmer. He was well known in this city, especially among the older citizens, and had visited here on numerous occasions, with bis son. John Box and family. The funeral > •iprvices -ill be held Wednesday afternoon at two o’clock at the house and interment will be made in the Ossian cemetery. He leaves a wife and two sons, John Rex, of this city, and Israel Rex, of Ossian, to mourn their loss. Two children preceded him into the great beyond. HAVE YOU BOUGHT A TICKET? Don’t Fail to See “EHck’ry Fapn” Friday Night. Have you bought a ticket for ‘‘Hick’ry Farm?” It’s Friday night—the theatrical hit of the season and in a good cause —for the benefit of the library. You owe it to yourself, your family, your community to help out on this occasion and besides your are sure to get you money’s worth. Don’t hesitate, but buy a ticket. Only twenty-five cents for any seat in the house. The program, 'including the musical specialt’es. will be published tomorrow. Watch for it. A BIRTHDAY DINNER A birthday dinner was held Sunday at the home of John Frank, in Blue Creek township in honor of Mrs. Miranda Buckmaster, who had reached her seventy-sixth milestone. The event was attended by forty-eight guests, the majority of the same being in some way related to Mrs. Buckmaster. .The dinner as served by Mrs. Frank, was sumptuous in every respect and all the dainties of the season were served. The day was joyously 7 spent and will be long remembered by those who attended. Mrs. Buekmaster was the recipient of many beautiful presents.

GOOD STUFF IS SENT ABROAD Causes Sensation in New York and Investigation is Demanded 1 at Once. New "York, May 29/—lndications that tainted meat has been served to the consumers in this county while the good meat has been sent abroad in conformity 7 with foreign laws, has aroused a cry of horror from the press and public throughout the country. The Times and American published here, both demand immediate publicity and publication by the president of a special report on the meat packing industry. Chicago, May 29. —The papers here are strangely silent today regarding the sensational beef trust investigation which the president has ordered. Only two papers commented editorially 7 on the investigation at all. Washington, May 29.-—Great pressure is being brought to bear on Roosevelt to make public a special report of the labor commissioners Neill and Reynolds of New York. The report deals with sanitary conditions at the Chicago packing houses. BIG FORCE OF MEN AT WORK* Steel Arrives for the Fort Way nt" Traction Line —First Car Will J be Here Next Week. J Seventy-five men and nineteen, teams are at work today on the Fori? Wayne & Springfield interurban railroad, and they 7 are pushing the work along in a manner that can leave no doubt in the minds of the skeptical as to the completion of the line and that within a very short time. More men and teams are wanted and are being put to work as rapidly as they apply. The scarcity of teams has been a drawback fof'fwo weeks past; hut the enterprising farmers showed the ’ right spirit today 7 by furnishing the nineteen teams. They are hauling ; steel from the G. R. & I. tracks here out -along the line. Steel rails for five miles of track is being taken out now. Five miles more will be received next week and all the rails will be along the right-of-way 7 within three weekg. The first car, one of the finest ever operated on any traction line, will arrive next week. A large force of.men are rushing the work at the power house, and the road has taken on the prosperous appearance which guarantees its early completion. That cars between here and Fort Wayne will be running before many 7 weeks is now an assured fact and it’s time for us all to take off our hats to the hustling, never-say-die, genial gentleman, W. H. Fledderjohahn. As a railroad president he is a success and we are truly glad he is a citizen of Decatur. We need more “Billy” Fledderjohanns in this community, more men who make things move whether they want to or not. A < SUNDAY BRAWL OCCURS Fight Yesterday at the Johnson Home on Oak Street., A free for all fight occurred Sunday afternoon at the Johnson home on Oak street, in which young Johnson was badly beaten and bruised up by John Stetler. It seems that Stetler, in company with Red Ault and young Blazer, was walking past the Johnson home and were drinking and quarreling about a .certain young lady, and were talking in the vilest of language. Young Johnson asked them, in a gentlemanly way, to desist, which seemed to anger Stetler, who hit him over the head with a beer bottle and then beat him up in a terrible manner. A warrant was at once issued for the two and Stetler was located last evening by Policemen Reynolds and Green at the residence of George Debolt on First street and lodged in jail. Monday morning, he was arraigned before Mayor Coffee and plead guilty, being assessed a fine of a dollar and costs and ten days in jail. Being unable to pay or stay the docket, he went to jail. The police are now on the lookout for Blazer and Ault.

CIRCULATION 2800 WEEKLY

NUMBER 13

JUST WHAT HE DESERVED Frank Cotton Whipped by a Man of Three Score and Ten. Frankie Cotton, who hangs around this city and Decatur alternately but claims this city as his home, was soundly whipped last night and while assault and battery is something hardly to be recommended as a general pastime, the prevailing opinion is that Frankie got about what was coming to him. He was put to the bad by Sol Weist, a man of seventy years. The trouble happened in the office of Dick Humphrey’s bus barn late last night. It seems that Cotton, according to the statements of the men around the barn, has been tormenting Weist for the past two weeks. Last night he came into the office and saw the old man dozing in his chair. Cotton locked the door of the office and then commenced tormenting the old man, thinking he was drunk. Weist was sober, as it happened, ahd in a few minutes he had Cotton down and was giving him the trouncing of his life. Cotton lost a pair of glasses in the fracas and later went to the office of a doctor to find out what ailed him. Oick Humphrey was forced to kick hi the door in order to get Weist to desist in the punishment he was inflicting on the meddlesome kid. — Bluffton Banner. ...* THE MEMORIAL SERVICES I. > pThe Veterans Attend Services at the United Brethren Church. ' ‘‘m .• ;;• The annual Memorial services of the G. A. R. were held Sunday morning at ten thirty o ’clock at the United Brethren churchy Rev. Luke official- e frig. At ten o’clock, sharp, the G. A. R.. the W. R. C., and the Sons of -Veterans met at the G. A. R. hall and marched in a body to the church, there being a large attendance from ( Wh order.. The text that Rev. Luke spoke from was as follows: ‘VF havefought a good fight* I have finished my course; I have kept the faith.” The sermon was fine and Rev., Luke portrayed many beautiful pictures from the text. He spoke for nearly two hours and was given the closest attention. Special music was given in honor of the event. CLOTHES CAUGHT FROM FIRE Her Condition is Serious—Mrs. Butler Rushes to Her Relief and Has Hand and Arm Badly Burned. Little Esther Butler, aged about eight years, and the daughter of Will Butler, was very seriously burned just at noon Tuesday. The child, with several others, was playing about a bon fire, in front of the home, corner of Madison and Eighth streets, when her clothing cought fire. Her screams and the cries of the other children soon brought Mrs. Butler to the scene and she immediately tore the child’s clothing from her. Dr. J. S. Coverdale was summoned and dressed the wounds, pronouncing them serious. The right arm, and right side from the hip up were terribly burned, the skin coming off with the clothing. The little girl’s head was also burned, the hair being singed off. Little Esther suffered terribly, but the physician believes she will recover. Mrs. Butler had her right hand and arm badly burned in assisting the child. THE BUSINESS MEN’S MEETING Vote to Permit Advertising on»Base Ball Fence. - The Business Men’s Association held a regular meeting at the Commercial Club rooms last evening. The attendance was smaller than usual, but much interest was manifested. It was decided by a majority vote of those present to deviate from the usual rule and permit those merchants who so desire to take advertising space on the base ball fence. Watch for the signs, which will soon appear. The association also discussed some interurban business before adI journing.