Decatur Democrat, Volume 51, Number 14, Decatur, Adams County, 6 June 1907 — Page 1

ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME

Volume LI

f? ?a.

SIX OLD AND FIVE NEW ONES A Big Dinner Served at One O’clock , —Toast by Well Kpown Citizens of Decatur. F The fourth annual meeting of the stockholders of the Ft. Wayne and Springfield railway company was held in this city Saturday and the 'session was one of the busiest and most enjoyable ones in the history of this company. About 125 or two thirds of the entire number were present at 10:30, when the election of the board of for the ensuing year was held at the court room. The number of directors for this year was increased to eleven, the following being the members of the board /who will serve this year: W. H. Fledderjohann, J. H. Koenig, B. A. Fledderjohann, Charles Dirkson, Edwin Fledderjohann, T. W. Shelton, H. Gallmeyer, Harry | Kirker, Louis Lammers, Henry W. E. I Dirkson and Martin Gerke. At one k o’clock the entire company, together ft with a number of invited guests, were Kescorted to the Meibers Hall, where Ea delicious dinner was served by caKterers Coffee & Rinehart, the menu Kpeing as following: ■thicken Dressing Ham ) Cranberry Sauce I Mashed I Potato Salad Celery Vienna Bread aW Butter Pickles Olives I Assorted Fruit Ice Cream S' Assorted Cake | Coffee Cigars | Plenty of Water Every moment of the banquet was ■ thoroughly enjoyed and especially the ■ hour which followed, during which ■John H. Koenig acted as toastmaster Kin a happy and delightfully interesting ■ manner. Dr. Wilcox gave the invoI cation and Mayor D.D. Coffee delivered Bankable address of welcome, with a ■ good word for the Ft. Wayne and ■ Springfield people. After a greatly I appreciated song by a quintet of minI isters, composed of Revs. Fewer, Berg-B-man, Haist, Kessinger and Wilcox, the I toastmaster introduced Judge Richard B K. Erwin who gave a fifteen minutes I talk upon the “Advantages to comI munities brought about by interurban I lines.” His address was very interI esting and thoroughly enjoyed. Judge ■ James T. Merryman followed in a I toast entitled “Advantages and disB advantages to a city of an interurban ■ railway stopping in a town without ■ any outside communication.” He ex- ■ plained his subject in a clear and hap- ■ py manner and was listened to attefi- ■ tively. County Attorney Clark J. | Lutz then addressed the banqueters | upon the subject “Shall we not extend ■ the interurban from Decatur.” He ■ convinced every hearer as to the asKfirmative of this question and his rel marks were good to hear. I The closing address was given by | the *Rev. H. Theo. Wiken, whose re- [ marks, ’ as’ aways, contained just the ■.right amount of earnestness and jest. Kit was a very delightful banquet and ■ the big hall full of guests were more Kthan glad they were there. Immedi- ■ ately after the dinner the stockholders ■ and other guests went aboard special I cars and enjoyed a ride to Ft. Wayne I and return, completing an entire day a of pleasure. r. o i WAS TAKEN TO PIQUA TODAY Name Was John Ryan—He Was Taken in Charge by Relatives and Will Be Sent to a Sanitarium. John Ryan, the man who was picked up a few days ago by Marshal Green and Deputy Sheriff Dallas Butler near the C. & E. water tank in the west part of the city and who showed signs of being mentally unbalanced, was taken to his home at Piqua, Ohio, today, his brother-in-law, William Liddy, of that place calling for him. That *Ryan was mentally unbalanced was vouched for by Mr. Liddy, who says that he had been acting strangely for some time’ and that he finally left 'nome and for several weeks they had made a protracted search for him without results and would then have not located him' had they not seen a notice of his capture in a foreign newspaper ' and following up this clew they landbed him. Ryan is not vicious and :- seemed only too anxious to return to home, where he said he would remain and be good. However, he will .be placed in 'a sanitarium for treat- ’■ ment and they expect in a short time i to have him cured.

EUca-hIR QBMOCR4T.

REV. R. C. JONES OFFICIATED) Four Prominent Young People Take the Marriage Vows—Happy Time at the Warner Home. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Koos, of Union township, was the scene of a very pretty double wedding Sunday afternoon at four o’clock When Rev. R. C. Jones, of Selma, Ind., joined Miss Mae Warner and Clyde M. Rice, and Miss Alive Koos and Glen W. Warner in the holy bonds of wedlock. The event was a very pretty affair and was witnessed by a large crowd of the relatives and friends of the contracting parties and the ceremony was simple but impressive. Immediately following the happy event an elaborate wedding dinner was served and the guests did ample justice to this part of the program. The contracting parties are all well known in this city, being public school teachers in which work they made most enviable records for themselves. Clyde M. Rice, one of the grooms, is a resident of this city, having acted in the capacity of principal of the north ward school for several years last past and is considered and held as one of our best citizens. Miss Warner, the bride, is avery attractive young lady and is held in high esteem in the community in which she resides and for several years past has taught school in that vicinity. Glen W. Warner, the other groom, is a resident of Adams county, having for the past several years made his home at Peterson, Ind., where he had been acting in the capacity of principal of the schools. He is popular among his associates, and is held in high esteem by all who know him. The bride, Miss Alice Koos, is a resident of Union township, being a pretty and accomplished young lady, who, for years, - has been a leader in society in her community, and like her husbafid, for several years "has been engaged in teaching school. Mr. and Mrs. Rice will make their future home in this city, while Mr. and Mrs. Warner expect to go to Marion, Ind., where he will attend the normal school, Where they will make their future home they are as yet undecided. The Democrat extends congratulations. TO BE INTRODUCED IN INDIANA By the State Board of Health—the Opsonic Index Process Strength-

ens the Patient. Indianapolis, June 5. —In its campaign against tuberculosis the Indiana state board of health will, within the next three or four weeks, introduce a new process for combating the disease, which has heretofore been used but little, if any in the state. The process is what is known as the opsonic index, a theory by which the board hopes to strengthen tuberculosis patients so that they can better combat the disease. The system also is one by which people who are subject to the disease can be innoculated with a serum obtained from their'own blood that will render them immune from tubercular infection. The work will be carried on in the state laboratory of hygiene under Dr. J. B. Rucker, head of the bacteriological department. Dr. Rucker will remove a quantity of blood from a tuberculosis patient. With this he will in-, oculate a rabbit or a guinea pig. In the course of three weeks, when the animal develops symptoms of tuberculosis, it will be killed and a serum extracted from its blood. This serum will be injected into the blood of a number of tuberculosis patients. The idea is to strengthen the blood corpuscles so that they can withstand the ravages of the disease. - t o G. R. & I. WILL SHOW FIGHT. Refuse to Install Interlocker in this City. Richmond, Ind., June 4.—The Cincinnati, Richmond and Ft. Wayne railroad, a section of the Grand Rapids and Indiana line, today filed suit in appeal in the Wayne circuit court from the recent decision of the state railroad commission. The suit is the outgrowth of the proceedings recently instituted by the state railroad commission against the Grand Rapids and Indiana .line to compel the installation of an Unproved electrical inter-locking .device at Decatur, Ind. The switch was ordered.installed and the railroad' company refused to accede.

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, June 6, F 907.

| CHARLES DIRKSON TREASURER Well Fitted for the Position of Trust —Four of the Six Officials Live in Decatur. Saturday afternoon, immediately after the banquet, the newly elected board of directors met at the offices of the Ft. Wayne and Springfield railway company and proceeded to at once elect their officers, who will serve for the enusing year, and without any opposition or a dissentive vote the following selections were made: W. H. Fledderjohann, president and general manager; J. H. Koenig, vice president and general counsel; Charles Dirkson, treasurer; B. A. Fledderjohann, secretary; T. W. Shelton, general superintendent and Edwin Fledderjohann, superintendent of construction. The newly elected officers are in every particular save one the same as last year, the new man being Charles Dirkson as treasurer, he taking the place of M. H. Wilson, of Cleveland, Ohio. In selecting the old officers, the members of the board of directors did a wise thing, and in connection therewith paid a high tribute to the men who have handled the business of the line so successfully in the past and fo£ the confidence thus bestowed in them the old officers will make renewed efforts for the extension of the line and for the upbuilding of the line between this city and Ft. Wayne. In Mr. Dirkson, the directors have chosen a clean cut man, and a man who is held in high esteem by all who know him, and a man who will make an honest, conscientious and upright officer. Mr. Dirkson has been affiliated with the line since its birth, and the board could have paid him no higher tribute than by electing him to this office of trust, which we are confident he will fill with credit to himself and to the company. Out of the six officers elected, four of them are residents of this city and county, which speaks well for Decatur. Owing to the increased stock, four new directors were added to the board over that of last year, the newly elected directors being Martin Gerke, of Root township; Henry Gallmeyer, of Preble township; Henry Dirkson, of Root township; Louis Lammers, of New Khoxville, 0., and Harry Kirker, of Logan, Ohio. The three new directors froifr this county are well known to our citizens and need no introduction, being influential citizens, and prosperous farmers residing in the northern part of our county. They are all heavy stockholders in the company, and the stock holders paid them a nice tribute in selecting them to assist in conducting the business of the line. Louis Lammers, of New Knoxville, 0., is a prosperous farmer in that territory, and is also a heavy stockholder in the company, and is d man who has had considerable businessman this line of work, and in selecting him the stockholders have made no mistake. He is an uncle of the Fledderpohann boys and while here Saturday made many friends. Harry Kirker, the other new member of the board, is a native of Ohio, his home being in Logan, Hocking county. He is a manufacturer of wagons and buggies and is held in high esteem in the community in which he lives, and that he will fulfill all promises made for him by his friends as a member of the board we are confident he will do. The board as it now stands is made.up of good, solid and substantial material and We predict that they will ' map out a course that will make the name of the Ft. Wayne and Springfield railway one long to be remembered. — o GRANT COUNTY LOSES VALUE. Assessors Reduce Aprpaisement Two Million Dollars. ' Marion, Ind., June 5. —When the County Board of Review met Monday it Was learned that the assessment of property as returned by the assessors of Grant county is about $2,000,000 less than last year. The greatest depreciation is in the assessment of real estate in cities and towns. When the real estate was appraised four years ago the old property was at its height, and assessments were made at their highest value. In Fairmount the depreciation this year, according to the assessor,, is $181;000; in Jonesboro $65,000, and fa Marion about sl,500,000, The assessment of farm property -shows .■ slight. advancellk Its valuaHtm. Tie boardreview anticipates a busy season in the work of equalizing assessments.

A GOOD OFFICIAL RECORD His Re-Election is a Just Tribute to an Untiring and Able Superintendent. It was eleven o’clock before the township trustees congregated in the commissioner’s room at the auditor’s office, to elect a county superintendent The delay was occasioned by the absence of Trustee Huser, of Monroe township. He failed to come, so at eleven o’clock auditor Lewton called the township trustees into session. It tdok them but a few minutes to unanimously choose Lawrence E. Opliger to succeed himself as county superintendent of Adams county for the next four years. Mr. Opliger was first elected to this place in January of. last year, to fill out the unexpired term of Irwin Brandyberry, who resigned on account of failing health. Since that time Mr. Opliger has succeeded so well that his re-election was but a just tribute to a courteous and able officer. The schools of the county have just closed the most successful year of their existence, and to their credit have produced the largest class of common school graduates that ever finished the course of study, as laid down by the board of education of Adams county. The school relations all over the county are pleasant and agreeable and of course profitable.

1 Lawrence E. Opliger. ' There is no dissatisfaction anywhere along the line, and this is uncommon, when the large number of pupils are considered. It is a tribute to the skill and ability of Mr. Opliger, as the head of education in this county. Superintendent Opliger is twentynine years old, and is a native of Wayne county, Ohio. He came with his parents to Adams county in 1889, and up to the time of his election to the superintendency, always lived in Hartford township. He has been a student of the tri-state normal and the Indiana university and for six years was a teacher in the public schools of our county. He was good teacher, and a favorite at all the county institutes, and has well earned the recognition sought and given him.

The trustees and several other friends of the superintendent were entertained to dinner by Mr. and Mrs. Opliger, and a most enjoyable feast is reported. —o— POSTMASTER’S SALARY REDUCED Goes Down SIOO—A Number Secured a Raise. The salaries of nearly a hundred Indiana postmasters have been changed, increases in most cases being granted, in the annual readjustment authorized by the first assistant postmaster general. The new salaries date from July 1. Postmaster Frislnger’s salary is reduced SIOO, from $2,400 to $2,300. Among those where an increase ofzsloo was made are Angola, Dunkirk, Elkhart, Ft. Wayne, Frankfort, Garrett, Peru, Plymouth, Richmond, Wabash, Warsaw and Winchester. The salary at South Whitley was reduced the greatest amount, S7OO, falling from $3,000 to $2,300. a— The great rain fall that has visited this county in the past month has, according to the farmers of the county, done a great deal of damage to the corn crop and it is said that there are scores of acres in the county that are under water and.have, been for the past week or more. In some parts county the conditions are worse than in others, but taken all over the county they are serious enough to begin to cause the farmers. considerable worry.

BODY POSITIVELY I . IED Indiana’s Famous Outlaw Captured Near Van Wert After Being Mortally Wounded and Died Shortly. Van Wert, 0., June 3. —(Special.)— The man captured near here at five o’clock last evening, after a chase of many miles, and after being shot several times was positively identified today as Marvin Kuhns, Indiana’s most infamous outlaw, horse thief and murderer. He died at the police station here at eleven o’clock last night, refusing to say a word about his identity. Kuhns was reared at Wapakoneta and parties from there have positively identified the body today. The police in this section believe that in Kuhns’ death they have broken up a gang that for months have conducted a wholesale horse stealing campaign. Kuhn was updoubtedly the leader and his nerve, if ever questioned, was proven in yesterday’s battle. With fifteen men against him, the desperado, single handed, fought until he fell mortally wounded. For six weeks or more Kuhns gang worked near Piqua,. Ohio, but a few days ago they moved the base of operations to Auglaize county. They stole several horses from there last week and got away with them. Saturday night Kuhns stole a rig from a hitch rack at Wapakoneta, driving to a point six miles south of St. Marys, where his horse showed signs of fatigue he abandoned the outfit, stealing another and proceeding. He had scarcely started, however, when this horse ran away. Kuhns then went to the farm of Wesley Smith, nearby and stole his best horse and rode on. Smith and his grandson missed the horse at daylight and immediately started in pursuit, following him to this city, a distance of forty miles. They were joined at Elgin by a man named Lewis, and arriving here at two o’clock, the elder Smith gave his place up to Sheriff Hatt, the three proceeding in one rig. A half mile west of here they found that Kuhns had held up a boy, who was driving, took his buggy, hitched his stolen horse to it and drove away. Six miles northwest of here they caught up with their man, but young Smith was not positive, until they drove around him. He recognized the horse, and they halted, when Kuhns pulled pis revolver and fired. Hatt leaped from the rig and slipped and fell on the road. Kuhns fired again, the bullet struck within an inch of his head, splashing mud in his face. Kuhns leaped from his buggy and ran into a thicket. The three men followed and were soon joined by a dozen farmers, who were attracted by the shots. The battle lasted a half hour. Sheriff Hatt shot Kuhns through the shoulder, another put a bullet'in his right hip. Hatt finally used his shot gun, and the fugi-

tive fell. He was overpowered, fighting to the last moment and taken to Covett, a little town where medical aid was secured. When told he must die. he said he was glad of it. His wife lives at Kendallville and she has been commtmlcated with to learn what disposition shall be made of the remains. Hundreds visited the morgue here today to view the remains.

Kuhns’ past record is well known to most of our readers. He has stolen more horses than any man in the business, served many years in the Ohio penitentiary for murder, escaped and was returned and was pardoned a few years ago by. Governor Herrick. He shot a policeman at Ft. Wayne a few years ago and has proven a modern Jesse James. 8. OF V.’S MEET AT BLUFFTON. Two Hundred Delegates at the State Convention. Blufftoh, Ind., June 5. —Two hundred delegates are here to attend the twenty-first annual encampment of the Sons of Veterans and Ladies’ Auxiliary. The first session was held Tuesday afternoon at which the open-, Ing address was made by Major A. W. Hamilton and the response by T. W. Blair, of Fort Wayne, state commander. This afternoon there will be a big parade of members of the order, local militia and G. A. R.. after which there will be a sham battle if enough guns can be found. The report of the sec-retary-treasurer shows that during the past year.there was an Increase of five camps and 110 members, the new camps.being at Kokomo, Farmland, Anderson and Huntsville.

OIRCULATIOft 2800 WEEKLY

FJVE PUPILS IN THE CLASS Young Matrons Club Meet Today— C. W. B. M. to Meet With j Mrs. Fisher. ■■’.* — ; I ’t* ' • A Several hundred invitations will be issued next week announcing the St. Marys high school graduation of 1907 which will be held on Friday evening June 21st at the Bosse Opera house at 8 o’clock. The program will be as follows: Music Orchestra Welcome chorus by the class Saluatory Miss Margaret Eiting “Barometer” Herbert Ehinger “The Beautiful and the Useful” .... Miss Agnes Starost Music Orchestra “Co-operation” Miss Frances Radamacher Music ........Master John Wemhoff Valedictory Miss Agnes Costello Presentation of Diplomas Rev. H. Theo. Wilken At the close of this there will be a general program consisting of drills, music, etc. There is no doubt that this will prove interesting. Miss Carrie Craig will be the hostess at the meeting of the Euchre Club on Friday evening. The C. W. B. M. will meet at the home of Mrs. Arthur Fisher on Thursday afternoon. The program is as follows: Song—“ Stand up for Jesus.” Bible Lesson, John vili: 12-23. Circle of Prayer. Paper—History of Mormonism, Mrs. Fisher. Reading by the membersl on “Evangelistic and Educational Work in Utah.” Discussion of papers. Business period. Miss Rose Egan entertained at a six o’clock dinner on Monday, in honor of Mrs. Mary Feltz, of Lima, Ohio. Those present were Misses Anna Miller, Rose Geary, Lizzie Hain and Rose Center. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Brown entertained a large company of twenty-nine relatives and friends at dinner last Sunday evening in compliment of Mrs. Brown’s uncle, A. B. Nicklas, o£ Columbus, Ohio. Those who enjoyed the dinner were: A. B. Nicholas and his grandson, of Columbus, Ohio; Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Elzey, of Ossian; Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Sudduth, Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Deviney, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Sudduth and family, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Sudduth, Mrs. Margaret Soffelt and children.

Another dinner which was omitted was the one given at twelve o’clock Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Deviney in honor of Mr. S. B. Nicholas and grandson, of Columbus, Ohio, and Mrs. Joseph Elzey and son Charles, of Ossian, Ind. The Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal church will be entertained at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Erwin Thursday afternoon June 6th. Mrs. Horace Callow being the hostess, assisted by Mrs. Erwin. The principal paper will be given by Mrs. Roy Archbold and, several selections of music by Miss Mabel Erwin. All members and friends are urgently requested to be present. ■ ■ o—- ■ - ■ MAJOR ANDERSON IS DEAD. Former Decatur Citizen Died at His Home at Huntington. Major Anderson, formerly of this city, and who was commonly known here as “Jonah” Anderson, died last Sunday at his late home at Huntington, and was buried there yesterday. The deceased, up until a few years ago, was a resident of this city. He was an active member in the United Brethren church, and was well known all over this community. Before leaving here, he was engaged in selling fish on the street, but his old age would not permit such physical activities, so he suspended work and moved to Huntington to spend his remaining days. Mr. Anderson was not afflicted with any disease whatever, but simply passed away responsive to his old and ripe age, which was 90 years, 1 month and 24 days. .A wife and daughter are left to mourn the departure of a devoted husband and father. — —; o-— —-* — Pitcher McKee of the defunct Hartford City base ball team arrived today and joined the Frankfort team and will undoubtedly be* worked in tomorrow’s game. He is considered a strong man and Frankfort is fortune to secure his services. He Was wanted by several teams.' ' '‘‘t -

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