Decatur Democrat, Volume 50, Number 47, Decatur, Adams County, 24 January 1907 — Page 1

I THE NEWS » ALL THE TIME

»■ Volume L

1 GOV. SWEETEN HAM ALSO CABLES I I iV. I Evidently Under Orders From His Ma- | Jeety—Kingston Citizens Will Send Testimony. x . 1 (Scripps-Mcßae Special.) WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.—Assistant I Secretary of State Bacon today gave F -out the text of an official apology In i the form of a letter from Esme HowL in charge of affairs of the British . '-Embassy at Washington. The letter ■ follows: “I have the honor to Inform .you, under instructions received from His Majesty’s government Secretary Lk of State for foreign affairs, that His [ Majesty’s government, after causing t an official inquiry to be made as to L- Uhe authenticity of the letter which Apeared in the public press yesterday anq purporting to be writteh by the Governor of Jamaica and addressed to Admiral Davis, commanding the States squadron, lately In Jamaican waters, Sir Edward Gray desires me to say that while he Is so far dependent upon the press only for information in regard to the incident, he deeply regrets if the published letter proves correct, that a British offl--cial should have addressed such a letter to the gallant admiral who had ran | dered valuable assistance to British e subjects at a time of suffering and dleIg --;tress and that he Is certain that this ■ -feeling of regret is shared by everyone 1 in Great Britain.” Ik So complete an apology was never 'K -expected and it Is one of the most rell markable official documents between I this and the British government in I -existence. I . Later today, Governor Sweetenham J of Jamaica sent a cablegram making 1 .partial amends for his actions, evident- | ly acting under instructions from | King Edward. It reads: “Jamaica is ’ -grateful to Your Excellency for expressions of sympathy for the very t practical aid, so kindly given by Ad--mlral Davis and the entire services of the squadron of the United States -army.” — (Scripps-Mcßae Special.) London, Jan. 22. —Archbishop Nutal -at Kingston has cabled President Roosevelt, expressing thanks of the comjr munlty for assistance rendered earthK . -quake victims by Admiral Davis. ACS'/ -Cording to a Kingston corespondent a for the Evening Standard, the citizens at Kingston are arranging to preI sent a testimony to Roosevelt II (Scripps-Mcßae Special.) K Kingston, Jan. 22.—Heavy earth--11 quake shocks were felt here at three ■ ’ o’clock Monday morning and again [i -last evening. |||;.. o ■ she HAS SPECIAL EDUCATION II Has Studied in Colleges and Lectured [ for Several Years —A CompeL tent Instructor. r Prof. W. C. Latta of Purdue University, State Superintendent of the Farnjers’ institute has written to the U ? President of the Adams county assort elation, concerning the qualifications || of Miss Miller, one of the special inll structors who will take part in the Il annual session to be held here Friday ii and Saturday of this week. He says: J[ “Miss Bertha M. Miller of Franklin, I] Indiana, is a graduate of the FrankPf l’in college. After graduating she fl Lrnt a year as substitute teacher ||j 'the Franklin schools. This was II J flowed by her teaching a year in ] f ie Hopewell school and the next two ■V fears she devoted her attention to housekeeping. She then spent two fl; years in the Teachers’ College at Co- | lumbia University, New York, graduat- ■ Ing from the domestic science depart- ; ;ment in 1905. ■ Miss Miller took this [special course for the purpose of prer- paring herself more fully in the duties 1 of housekeeping. Becoming interested ■ in. the educational side of the work, fl she has since been engaged in teach- ■ ing and lecturing on domestic science ‘ ■"subjects before the women’s clubs, ■ I school officials and farmers’ insti-1 I tutes.” It is -believed she will prove l a pleasing and attractive instructor.

Qbcatilß

A NARROW ESCAPE AT MARION C i Man and Boy Had a Ha.i Raising Experience. *| After hanging for several minutes between two certain deaths, Will Crabtree, a colored man, and a 2-year-old white boy are alive today only because of good nerves and presence of mind. Roland Gulllford, col- t I ored, had a narrow escape. | The two men ventured on the Big 1 Four and Clover Leaf bridge to look ' down at the river. The boy saw the 8 men there and thought the bridge c was safe. He followed them, and all 8 three were standing at the middle ( when the 4:21 Big Four train whist- * led. This is the fastest train that ( runs on this division of the Big Four. The men and the boy started to run north in the direction from which the ( train was approaching. Guilliford 1 gQt across, but Crabtree fell. He * looked up and saw the train bearing < down upon him. The boy also saw 1 the train. Both seized the iron 1 braces whch run under the bridge and swung themselves down out of ’the 1 way of one death, and perilously sus- < pended above another. Twenty feet 1 of racing water was just below them and the train boomed along just above. 1 After the train passed Crabtree pulled 1 himself onto the bridge again, but the 1 boy, almost exhausted by his previous efforts, struggled in vain. Crabtree ran 1 to him, and, reaching down, took him 1 by the shoulders and dragged him 1 slowly up and on the bridge. The ad- 1 venture was witnessed by a large number who had gathered to see the river. 1 —Marlon News-Tribune. W. A. LOWER, NOTARY PUBLIC Inventory Filed in Noah Sheets Estate —Report in Patterson Estate — Application for Pension increase. E. Burt Lenhart was granted letters as administrator of the estate of Sydna Reed, deceased and filed bond in the sum of SISOO, signed by Norman Lenhart and P. G. Hooper. The appointment was made upon request of N. E. Himas and J. G. Somers. William A. Lower, familiarly known as Bert, has been appointed a notary public and filed bond for sl,000 as required by law. Chrstopher C. Sheets, administrator of the Noah Sheets* estate, filed an inventory of personal property as appraised by Phillip Baker and Horace C. Butler. The inventory shows a total of notes and personal property amounting to $5,963.30. ' - J. C. and Robert Patterson, executors of the Eliza Patterson estate, filed their current report for the court’s approval. , William B. Augustus an old soldier, > private in Co. B, 70th Ohio infantry, < made application for an increase in ; pension. He draws sl7 per month, i but deems that insufficient for his injuries. He moved here about two years ago and lives just south of town. J. W. Teeple appears as his attorney. — ——————o ■ THE MAN WHO NEVER IS WARM Suffers From a Strange Malady—No j Relief For Him. ; ——l Canton, Ohio, Jan. 23. —The coldest ’ man in the world was in this city ’ yesterday. He is Frank M. Bemis of 1 Columbus, a traveling man for a furni- ( ture house in Michigan. Mr. Bemis is < afflicted with a strange disease which j the doctors are unable to cure, and t which renders it Impossible for him to keep warm, even during the hottest i days of summer. < The year around he is obliged to t wear five suits of underclothing, a t heavy overcoat, the heaviest suit he < can find, a large pair of boots and i several pairs of socks. Despite all of j this he is always cold. He rarely cantracts a cold and possesses a hearty q appetite. He sleeps under eight blankets, a number of quilts and with boots, overcoat and other clothes on. Notwithstanding this he is none too warm. c While at home his gas bill is in the t ; neighborhood of S9O a month. 1 p He has been at a number of resorts s ito obtain relief for his strange disease, c but received no help whatever. Phys- < icians are unable to determine the < cause of his condition. c

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, January, 24, 1907.

ON HIE CHILD LABOR BILL The Indiana Statesman Delivers Stirring Argument in Defense of Pet Measure. Washington, Jan. 23. —Senator Albert J. Beveridge today delivered the most famous speech of his career when he spoke before the senate in support of his bill to prohibit the labor of children in mines and factories and sweat shops. He spoke for several hours, quoting statistics and put-’ ting forth convincing argument. Con-| eluding, he said: “I have shown — “First. That the evil exists; that certainly hundreds of thousands and more, probably over one million, children are even now either being killed or utterly destroyed for that citizenship on which this, free Nation alone depends. “Second. That the states can not remedy this evil; and even if they could, would not do so throughout the whole Republic for a generation. “Third. That the evil can be stopped only by a national remedy; ' and that this is right because it is a national evil ? “Fourth. That this national remedy can be applied without raising the disputed question of states’ rights, by invoking the absolute power of Congress over interstate commerce. “Fifth. That over such commerce the power of Congress is unlimited and involves the power to prohibit the transportation of any article which Congress deems it wise to prohibit, this having been repeatedly and. expressly decided by the Supreme court. “Sixth. That in the exercise of this power Congress has passed a large number of laws prohibiting interstate commerce in various articles. “Seventh. That the possible abuse of such power is no argument against its existence and that the remedy for such an abuse is in the hands of the people at the ballot box. “How strange that the Constitution is always invoked to prevent every reform helpful to humanity and hurtful to great financial interests! How strange that the Constitution is never invoked against legislation asked by railway and manufacturing interest! Why is the Constitution made to appear so mysterious and hard to understand? It is not so, in fact; it was made for the guidance of a Nation of common men and women and was adopted by just such men and women at the polls, as Chief Justice Marshall pointed out. The Constitution is our “ordinance of National life,” as that greatest judges called it; the “charter of our nationality,” as Justice Story called it; It was not written to shackle human progress, but to give human progress free play. The Constitution was made for the people—not the people for the Constitution. And the purpose of this Republic is to make better human beings; it has no other reason for existence. And to save human beings from ruin is the purpose and effect of this bill.” o— — - RURAL CARRIERS’ INQUIRIES Bad Roads May Cut Them Out of Salary for Their Work. Inquiries are pouring in to the cashier at the postoffice at Indianapolis from all parts of the state, asking whether or not rural mail carriers who can not cover their routes on account of impassable roads, will be paid in full for the month’s work. In a great many parts of the state the carriers have not been able to deliver their letters for several days, and many of them fear they will lose their salaries for each day missed. The officials at Indianapolis have been at a loss to know a solution. In every case, in the absence of instructions from Washington, they have notified the postmasters to take up the case with the department direct and have expressed the opinion that the affair will be solved equitably. Q TOWNSHIP CASE IS SETTLED Trustee Henry Hite and his advisory board made settlement with the bondsmen of ex-Trustee Coffee. The basis of settlement was $340, the amount the township had involved in expenditures on the case, and in addition the bondsmen pay all court costs. The case has been tried, a jury disagreement being the result.

MUNCIE POSTOFFICE AGITATION If Permitted Cromer Will Name Charles Van Matre. Muncie, Ind., Jan. 23. —Much interest is aroused here over the question of a successor to Postmaster D. A. Lambert, whose term of office ends early in March, a few days after | George W. Cromer’s term as congressman expires. The situation, according to precedent, would make Muncie a presidential postofflee. as the national administration is Republican and Mr. Cromer’s successor is a Democrat. The Indiana senators 'would then a candidate, would he lominate-.l hy the president. It is said, however, that a strong ••ffort is beint made. : j ailow m-in Cromc* e? n’n.v the next postmaster. It j’ mt kno '.'i whether this will be don? or n»t If the privilege should be riven Mr. Cromer it is said that Charles Van Matre, one of his stanchest friends, who is now chairman of the Republican county committe and county superintendent of school, would stand the best chance. Charles Emerson and Charles L. Bender are other names mentioned in the same connection. o ■ — ACT AS DISTRIBUTING AGENT Pass Upon Candidates and be a General Utility Agent for the ■ District. Anderson, Ind., Jan. 23. —The committee of Republicans to whom will be entrusted the work of planning the organization of the Rahvon club has been selected. The avowed purpose of the organization is to gather into one strong combination all the Republicans of the district. The club will be organized with a number of working committee, among which will be a candidates committee, to whom all persons aspiring for a political position will submit their application. The claims of the various applicants will be investigated by the committee, and their application submitted to the membership for action. The applicant receiving the largest vote of the membership will receive the unanimous support of the club for nomination. Other. features of the club’s work will be the distribution of the political offices more generally among the various members of the club and prevent too constant rotation in office of its members. The men who are promoting the movement are well known throughout the district. They are as follows: George Lilly,, president of board of works; ex-Senator E. E. Hendee, Editor E. C. Toner, ex-Prosecutor Albert H. Vestal, M. A. Rush, John C. Armington, H. C. Heaton, F. M. Van Pelt, V. J. A. Obenauer, U. H. Merson, Lon Starr, Rodney Brandon, Kenneth McMahan, Richard Kirkham, Marc Ryan, Will Quick, W. J. Fairfield, Joe Keltner, Harry Hardie, Theodore Duvall, Joe Rayborn, W. W. Atherton and Walter Werking. o . THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS Four Bills May be Considered During the Week. (Scripps-Mcßae Special.) Washington, Jan. 23. —The ship subsdy bill, appropriating $3,750,000 for the benefit of lines already established and already profitable. 2. A vote in the senate on the seating of Reed Smoot, who, under oath, has said that he holds his obligation to the Mormon church superior to his oath to support the Constitution of 1 the United States. 3. The vote in the house on Senator La Follette’s bill to protect people who travel on railroads from acci- ; dents caused by underpaid or overworked railroad employees. 4. And, least important of all, the . vote as to whether it was a proper j example of the “square deal” for the ) president to discharge from the army , three companies of negro troops in or- j der that fifteeen privates, not yet ] identified, might be punished. ; —= o Mr. Cleery, rural route inspector, is i here and will travel over every route 1 out of the Bluffton office. Any found ’ too long or too hard to get over on account of bad roads will be changed < and several routes will probably be cut down. He will also see that all boxes comply with the government's I requirements. —Bluffton News.

JUSTICES OF PEACE SUMMONED Must Appear Before Jury and Show What Has Become of Money Belonging to School Fund. * • *- Portland, Ind., Jan. 23. —Just now the magistrates of the law —the justices of the peace—are the ones who are coming before the grand jury with “fear and trembling” and they are asked to bring their docket along in order that the grand jury may inquire into what has become of the several fines imposed by these same justices of the peace, but which amounts have not been paid into the school fund at the county treasurer’s office as the law directs. Not all the justices of the peace of the comity have been called because many of them have obeyed the injunction of the law and turned their fines in regularly. Then there are others. Some, it is said, have not converted the fines imposed in their courts into the public school fund for ten or a dozen years. Some of these rural justices have but little business and their delinquency is a matter of only a few dollars while those in a more densely populated community have retained a neat little sum. The total will enhance the school fund a few hundred dollars.. . Some of these magistrates have rushed by the grand jury room to the county treasurer’s office where they have liquidated, and scarcely before the credit ink was dry have opened their docket in the presence of the grand jurors, thus hoping to escape further difficulty. The whole business, it is said, started in Redkey where one out-* going justice who had enjoyed a lengthy clientage for several years, refused to turn over his docket to his duly elected successor This aroused the suspicion of. the newly created court and he- straightway - visited the county treasurer's office, where ’he soon ascertained that his predecessor was some three years in arrears. These facts connected with this discovery were promptly communicated to the prosecuting attorney and the entire list of justices’ courts wer< thrown into the limelight. And it is not a bad thing. Those who have obeyed the law need have nothing to fear. Those who have been guilty of withholding that which .does not belong to them knew they were overstepping the legal bounds and should be made to “toe the mark” just the same as the wrong-doers who paid the withheld fines into the courts for violations of the law. o COUNTY TREASURER IS SHORT *r ' ' trr — Evansville Officer is $60,000 Behind; in Cash. Scripps-Mcßae Special Indianapolis, Jan. 23. —The i Federal Union Surety Company of this; City, today made the sensational and surprising announcement that County Treasurer Walker at Evansville, Ind., is short between fifty and sixty thousand dollars. The surety company, who were on his bond, say they have been secured by Walker and his wife deeding over to them $25,00 worth of property. The Federal Union says that Walker lent the money to the school board which the board cannot or will not pay back, being in hard lines itself. For this reason Walker didn’t have the necessary cash on hand the first of the year, and the crash came. o —_ RESIGNS FROM TOWN COUNCIL Charles Harkless Will Remove to Farm Near +lere. Today’s Berne News said: At the regular meeting of the town council Monday evening, Charley ; Harkless handed in his resignation and the same was accepted. Althought the resignation was expected by the other members of the council it was not generally known to the citizens of Berne and caused quite a little surprise. Mr. Harkless’ resignation will be in effect on and after Feb. 18th, after which he will move on a farm near Decatur and his successor will i finish the unexpired term, which lasts until Jan. 1, 1910. The new member 1 will be chosen by the other two conn- ' cilmeu, Eckrote and Parr. ' o 1 — - Miss Druckemiller returned to Mar- * ion today, after making a pleasant ! visit here with Miss Zoe Miller.

CIRCULATION .nler’s Office aug2O 8

ABANDON MUNICIPAL PLANTS According: tn This Statement Municipal Ownership is Not a Success The Rinlimond Item is responsible for the statement that during the past few years, at least sixty cities and towns in the United States have sold, leased! or abandoned their lighting plants. In a few cases they still retain.: their distributing system, buying the current from some company, but in most instances they have gone out of the business entirely. A number of other places have made unsuccessful efforts to dispose of their plants. As with few exceptions municipal lighting plants have been in operation but a short time, this is remarkable showing oij failure and one, it need hardly be said, that Is seriously avoided by those who for ends of their own are urging other cities to make similar experiments. . . As it usually takes some years for a city to realize how great a burden it is carrying in its lighting plant, it ' is probable that the number of admitted failures will increase rapidly from ' now on for, as an eminent electrical > engineer recently said, “There are al- . ready indications that a considerable number of these municipalities which ; have engaged in Improper undertakings, are entering upon a period of , financial difficulty. i 7 o HAS RESERVOIR BROKEN LOOSE? ■ 1 Erie Railroad Officials Report That It 1 Has Destroyed Barriers. > f Celina reservoir, the source of the , Erie’s water supply for many miles in Ohio is reported to have broken its- barriers and is overspreading the , surrounding country. If the report t be true tlfe Erie will be without water in Ohio. It is said that the great resi ervoir has given away at the Celina . terminal and should this be true the I water will spread.' over the country j opposite ttye Source of the canal ( which conducts the supply from the . reservoir to the many points along the road from which it is drawn out . for use on the system. The canal [ supplies all of the pumping stations , along the road between Celina and Decatur According to the statements of i Erie’s official authority the large artit flclal lake contains 17,000 cubic feet , of water which if turned loose would drown the country for. miles around. It occupies a space of several thous- , and acres reaching from Celina to St. Marys, Ohio. At one end is the Wabash river and at the other are the St. Marys and the Erie canal. Although no , definite information has yet reached this city of the reported break the Erie east of Spencerville has been suffering from high . water since Sunday evening though the flood which was general Friday night, did not effect that part of the ; system at all. Sunday evening’s rise was the first that gave the roadsmen cause for alarm. The officials in charge of the road were watching through the night for trouble but although the water arose to within one foot of the rails for several miles west of Marion, the track was not injured nor has it yet been injured by the flood. If, however, as the report states the reservoir has broken its bounds, there will be much trouble on the road. The walls containing the great body of water have been made exceedingly strong but it is seldom that such a flood as is at present devastating this part of the country, menaced it. The inundation of two years ago, although mild in comparison with that of the last few days, was too great, for the reservoir to withstand and it broke loose, causing a deluge. When the Erie again built .it up more substantial walls were constructed bht there is a possibility that even these will not endure the great weight that has been placed upon them by; (he recent snow and rainfall.—Huntington News-Democrat. ■ ■ - ... - 0 —— SENATOR BAILEY RE-ELECTED The Vote Was One Hundred and Eight -For Him to Forty-five Against. ‘ ; IScripp.srMcßae Special.) Austin, Tex., Jan. 23. —United States Senator Joseph W. Bailey was today re-elected United States senator from this state by a vote In the two brances of the state legislature • of 108 to 45. In the state senate the vote was 19 in favor of Senator Bailey and 10 against him, and in the lower house, Senator Bailey received 89 votes and 35 were cast against him.

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