Decatur Democrat, Volume 51, Number 29, Decatur, Adams County, 16 July 1908 — Page 1

the news all the time

Volume LI

CITY IS GROWING Fourteen Families Moving Here from Marion this Week OTHERS TO COME Ward Fence Company Will Start Operation Next Week

Fourteen more families have moved to Decatur from Marion this week, the men being employes of the Ward Fence company. Others will follow and a large number of men will oe employed from here as needed. Beside these quite a number had located here during the past few weeks and the population has increased several hundred this summer. It all helps. The fence factory will begin operation Monday, though it will be several weeks before every department is in good running order. They will begin with about sixty men, and within a year or two we predict that five times that number will be on he pay roll. The class of men brought here by this factory are the very best, and will become splendid citizens. Such an institution means much fcr a town and Decatur is appreciative of the fact. The removal of the machinery and *ts re-settlng is a big job. but has been handled in a manner that proves ths proprietors and thejr employes all knew their business. The house question is now a serious one with our people, and if relief is not forthcoming in the way of several additional houses, Decatur will be in a veritable panic for places to house those who want to live here. While quite a number of new houses have been built this summer, yet »he supply is away short of the demand. There is time to build several houses yet this summer, and those who can should heed the cty of more and better houses for rental purposes. o Everything is running along smoothly for the Great Northern Indiana Fair which is to come off in about six weeks. The race track at the park is being put into good condition for the races, which will be the best ever, and altogether this year’s fair will eclipse ail others, as the management of same has spared no money in making it a bummer.

HODGE ARRIVES AT PORTLAND Star in the “Man. from Home” Tears Through Indiana. After a delayed start of over six Itours. William F Hodge, start of The Man from Home" reached Portend Monday night, coming from Kokomo, enroute to New York, in a Waynes automobile. The total of 78 miles were covered during the six-hour fan from Kokomo, which included stops at Jonesboro and Hartford City, the latter place for supper, the machine recording a perfect score. Despite ihe rough and muddy roads, the big ■ touring car kept up an average speed of twenty miles per hour, until shortly before 9 o’clock, when the Mrty reached this city.—Portland vommercial Review. ■ — o An interesting session of the K. of W lodge win be held Thursday evenand let every member of this ®nler turn out and be in attendance at this meeting as the matter for the Waticn of a new home for the lodge be discussed. tuner Cline suffered a severe cut to e thumb of his right hand while at *ork at the Opera House barber shop .. !s morning. A razor he was handlnK slipped and took a neat slice out st the member. He will be forced to off f O r a f ew (jays and is planning s short outing at one of the northern a hes to help pass his enforced vaea,on and will probably leave tomorT o * -Bluffton News. Bryson informs us that he is possessor of a large box of pick’rel fish which he received from Alex «!■ and P. w. Smith who are up nt en ’ Mich enjoying an outing. Jeff |*as compelled to share up with I and claims they are the best I e bag ever eaten.

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delivered himself at prison Montpelier Man Converted Came Back to Serve Time. Michigan City, Ind.. July 14.— Warden Reid, I have come all the way from Yakima, state of Washington. to enter a prison cell and take my punishment like a man," s aid William McCarthy, Indiana’s Jean Vaijean, this afternoon, when he returned to the Indiana state prison to serve fourteen years for violation of a parole. The man was convicted of larceny jn Montpelier, Ind., and was later paroled from the prison. He violated the parole three years ago by engaging in a drunken brawl. He fled and for three years ha 3 eluded the officers. McCarthy went west and it was there that he was converted, as he says, by Salvation Army workers. He wrote to Governor Hanly, telling him of his intention to return and pay the penalty for violating his parole. The fugitive then worked for months to e arn hi s car fare to Michigan City. He arrived here last evening and concealed himself In the city t until today', when he gave himself up. INCREASED DOUBLE

The Young People’s Reading Circle of Adams County Has Advanced Greatly OVER 3,000 MEMBERS Belong to the Circle While But 2,000 Belonged Last Year There is a fact relative to Adams county educational affairs which without doubt will interest every tax payer of the county. The reading ci'cle work which has been suggested by the state departemnt as a great thing for the pupils to engage in, has more than doubled itself during the past year. While but 307 new books were purchased by the different townships. In 1905 and 1906, 677 have been purchased during this and last year, a step forward which reflects much credit upon those in whose hands the important matter has been entrusted. While but 2,000 Adams county young people belonged to the circle last year, more than 3,000 enjoy membership In sam e this year. The following wi’l demonstrate the fact that many of the townships have purchased more books during the past two years than in 1905 and 1906. Quoting number bought in 1905 and 1906 first the comparison is as follows: Union township, 0-64; Root. 21-63; Preble, 27-44; Kirkland. 56-59; Washington, 51-34; St. Marys, 10-26; Blue Creek. 22-77; Monroe, 3514; Wabash, 1 2-132; French, 20-22; Hartford, 56-53; Jefferson, 10-9; Berne, 0-20; Decatur, 0-20; Geneva, 13-23. It is the greatest achievement ever accomplished in Adams county in the same length of time. In 1901 508 books were purchased by the reading circle; in 1902-3, 631 were purchased; 1903-4, 458; in 1904-5. 499; in 1905-6, 339; in 1906-7, 367.

WILL RAISE MONEY. Bluffton Citizens to Fight Action cf Council. Further steps toward fighting the street paving on three eas) side streets developed Monday when one of the strongest opponents to the pavement- started to raise money with w’hich to pay attorneys fees and court costs. Each property owner who signed the remonstrance against the asphalt paving will be asked to pay his proportionate share of costs, or such as he feels himself able to pay. This amount desired to raise in advance for it is easier to get the money subscribed now that it would be afterthe injunction suit was tried and won or lost. The same plan of fight will be conducted on each of three stree i. Attorneys for the property owners said today that the injunction suits are being prepared. One gentleman, on how good authority cannot be sta*ed positively, says that in case the rttorneys win in their fight against the pavement they are to receive fees r s $l5O on each of the three streets. Bluffton News.

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, July 16 K>oß.

SANTA CLAUS WAY Was that Taken by a Mr. Miller to Reward Clint Switzer SAVED HIS SON After Two Years He Buys Horse and Puts It in the Bam for Him Clinton Switzer, a well known young man living east of Geneva, awoke a few mornings ago, to find himself the owner of a handsome and valuable | driving horse. That he was surprised ' goes without saying and more so I when he discovered, attached to the' horses mane, a note which said: Don’t be surprised to find this horse. It is a gift from us to show a small part of our appreciation for your brave act in saving the life of our little son. Don’t try to find us to return the gift or thank us for *when you discover the horse we will be on our way abroad. The note was signed by Mr. and Mrs. Miller. Slowly it dawned on Clinton's memory what it meant. About two years ago while a carnival company was holding forth in Geneva and during the week, Mr. and Mrs. Miller, who lived in Ohio, went there fcr a few days’ visit. At the G. R. & I. depot one day their little son, about two years of age, toddled under a train just as it started to pull out. Switzer was standing near and by a brave effort succeeded in drawing the child from beneath the iron wheels. His act caused some excitement and talk for a time, but Clinton had almost forgotten the incident until reminded of it by the note. A few days ago Mr. Miller visited Geneva, purchased the horse from Arnold, the liveryman and that night took the animal to the Switzer farm and put It in the barn in regular Santa Claus style. A strange co-incident is the fact that recently young Switzer was &t Portland and bought a twenty-fiv<e cent whip, securing a chance on a buggy, and was lucky enough to win the rig- Now he owns a horse and buggy and is happy, of course.

COURT HOUSE NEWS A Legal Battle is on to Reform a Deed A NEW CASE FILED A Busy Session is Promised for the September Term of Court The case of Henry Young vs. Sarah and Walter Hetler, to reform a deed, filed here about a year ago, is going through the various knocks, of a leg.fl battle. After the usual proceedings of making up the Issues here, a change of venue taken to Jay county, where it was again prepared for trial and then another change of venue taken and it was sent to Wells county where the papers arrived yesterday. The trial will probably occur at Bluffton next fall. When the plaintiff. Grandpa Hetler, went to Portland recently, it was his first trip op a railroad. Attorney Dore B. Erwin filed a newcase, the plaintiff being the Bank of Berne, and the defendants Luther and William Lehman, suit on promisory note, demand $125. The demand is 'or two notes, $26.10 and $50.00 with interest and attorney fees. Business is piling up at the clerk’s office, assuring a busy term at the September session of court. • During vacation sixteen civil suits have been i filed besides the twenty-eight grand 1 jury indictments. ’ ' Clem Voglewede has returned from a special busines strip at Berne.

SUIT AGAINST JAY COUNTY. Cull • Whipple Ask* for Interest on Fees. The expected suit against Jay county was filed late Saturday afternoon by Attorney S. A. D. Whipple for his client, exSheriff Lewis “Cull" Whipple, and names the board of county commissioners as defendants. The complaint alleges that Jay county is ! indebted to Whipple in the sum of $1,076.82 as interest on fees collected by the plaintiff during his term in ’ office and which he paid over to the county treasurer under protest. After Whipple’s successor was elected and he had surrendered the office to him the supreme court decided a case that had been pending for some time and Whipple was refunded th e amount of money he had paid in under protest, but the commissioners refused to allow him interest on/the amount. The 'complaint is accompanied by an itemized statement giving the date of pav|inent of each fee and the amount of accrued Interest thereon separately.— Portland Sun. —o— — THE CHAIRMANSHIP

Meeting July 25 to Choose a National Chairman TO SUB-COMMITTEE Lincoln is Happy Over Their Many Distinguished Visitors Lincoln, Neb., July 15.—The appointment cf a subcommittee of eleven to meet at the Auditorium Annex in Chicago July 25 to name a chairman of the Democratic national committee, and the adoption of a resolution providing for making public campaign contributions were the principal accomplishments of the national committee's meeting with W. J. Bryan and John W. Kern at Fairview yesterday. Democrats the country over were called upon to form clubs immediately to aid the campaign work. Mr. Bryan suggested the appointment of the subcommittee and declared that upon it there should be no man who was a candidate himself or had a candidate for the campaign leadership. This being put in the form of a motion by Josephus Daniels, of North Carolina, Chairman Taggart appointed the following, his own membership being provided for in the resolution: Taggart, Indiana, chairman; Hall, Nebraska; Mack, New York; Osborne, Wyoming; Green, Rhode Island; Ryan,Wisconsin; Daniels, North Carolina; Wada Iowa; Tomlinson, Alabama; Cole, Cal-

ifornia; Brady, Oklahoma; Daniels was made chairman. Lincoln is extremely happy because the formal notification of Mr. Bryan that he has been chosen as the Democratic standard bearer will take place in his home town. Some members believed there would be great political advantage in having the notification take place in New York, while Urey Woodson was among those who favored Chicago. Chicago, he said, was a central point, and the fact that railroad fares had to be paid was a factor. But there was no opposition 'O Mr. Bryan’s wish to have the scene laid in his home city. The time was set for Aug. 12. As this is a good two weeks after the date appointed for a similar function at Cincinnati for Mr. Taft Mr. Bryan will have ample opportunity to prepare an answer to any statements the Republican nominee may make. The official notification of the vice presidential nominee, Mr. Kern, will take place at Indianapolis at a date to be determined upon later, probably by the time the subcommittee meets at Chicago. —— Miss Lena Miller, the popular clerk at Niblick Co. dry goods store, left last evening for Rome City for a few days, being a guest at a porch party given by a jolly crowd of Fort Wayneites. While at Rome City Miss Lena Is a guest at the Williams cottage, |

A SOLAR PLEXUS Is What Van Wert Hands Promoters of New Indiana League NOTE OF WARNING Regarding Action of the Muncie and Anderson Sports With a beating cf tom-toms the announcement is made from Muncie that a new league will be organized to take the place of the old Indiana-Ohio, now defunct. Muncie, Anderson, Logansport, Connersville, Huntington, Bluffton, Decatur and Kokomo are mentioned as towns likely to become identified with the new venture "says the Van Wert Bulletin. The movement emanates from Muncie and Anderson and that fact alone, provided the same interests are in charge there as before, is enough to sound the death knell of the proposed organization. Van Wert is not in the habit of sending up anything that might be accepted as a “knock” an any project for legitimate sport, but a note of warning is due all the towns named. If

the gentiemen interested desire to subserve their own interest they should before becoming identified wi'h the new movement, consult the oil Huntington and Van Wert managers. The story of protested checks, issued on an alleged good faith, failure to contribute toward the old league's expenses and other acts that do not speak well for the integrity of the Muncie and Anderson men is writtea in black and white and, doubtless, would be easy of access, despite the fact that those injured have persistently declined to air the matter for the public benefit, preferring to should sr the burden and stand in silence, with the satisfaction that thy dealt honestly w'ith both players and public. And the man who stands at the head of t’le side of right in the matter is Frank A. Gamble, president of the old league. BUY PICTURE SHOW William Biggs, x Rural Route Carrier on Route Nine

Buys Business AT VAN WERT, OHIO He is the Possessor bf an Up-to-Date Moving Picture Show William 'Biggs, rural carrier on route nine, closed a deal a few days ago whereby he became proprietor of a moving picture show at Van Wert, Ohio. The place of amusement had been conducted by Bogart Brothers, of that place for some time and it was only by paying a fancy price that Mr. Biggs was able to purchase same. Mr. Biggs will continue in the government employ and his son Lawrence will conduct the pictur eshow. The show was opened to the public a few days ago and the new proprietor has done a land office business since, but one more amusement place of its kind being in Van Wert. Mr. Biggs returned to the city last night and today he purchased a piano of Moses and Meyer which was taken overland to Van Wert this afternoon, Mr. Biggs returning with it. At the expiration of his vacation, however, he will resume duties as rural route carrier. o v Med Miller, the well known artist has Just completed a number of new and up to date signs for different parties that are beauties in every respect. Med is there with the goods and you should give him a call if in need of a sign.

CIRCUi.ATinw 2800 WEEKLY

Number 29

fifty dollars and costs Judge Moore Decides that “Ton ca” is Malt Liquor, (Special to Daily Democrat.) Frankfort, Ind., July 15.—Judge Moore today gave the Indiana brewers a body blow jn his decision that Tonica a so-calied temperance beverage, i s malt liquor and therefor cannot be sold without a license. He' fined Bert Johnson, who retailed it, fifty dollars and costs. The brewers have been flooding the dry districts with this new brand of liquor. Judge Moore held that the fact that the liquor is malted brought it within '.he law, no matter whether intoxicating or not. - — COMPLETE REPORT An Abstract of the Assessable Property in Adams County BOND TRANSCRIPTS Another Probable Session of the Board of Commissioners County Auditor Lewton has completed the abstract of the assessment o£ property and from that report the following intresting figures were gleaned: Tp. Acres. Taxable Prop. Union ~15.982 $664,050 Root 22,273 933,865 Preble 15,126 835,570 Kirkland 15,561 737,710 Washington 22,332 991,2-40 St. Marys 15,607 675,575 Blue Creek 15,328 624,340 Monroe 22,500 1,138,270 French 1.5,229 734,70-5 Harford 15.501 817,490 Wabash 22,170 985,830 Jefferson 15,341 638,875 Decatur 43T7 1,6131,975 Berne 314...... 647,010 Geneva 209 369,595 Monroe 15 7«,380

Total 213.925... $12,486,780 Two more transcripts for macadam road bonds have been completed, and forwarded to Indianapolis for approval as to their legality. Another special session of the commissioners will likely be held Saturday, macadam road contracts being the business to be transacted. 0 The article concerning a proposed subdivision of the Cincinnati archdiocese was read with interest by the Catholic clergy of Fort Wayne. It aroused no surprise, however, as it has been expected for a long time that such a division w-ould be made, owing to the fast increasing Catholic population of the middle west. The Cincinnati archdiocese is the largest in the world now- and the province contains some of the largest cities in the country. The Cleveland diocese, particularly, is so large in population as to necessitate a division at no distant day and it is expected that Toledo will be made an episcopal see before a great while, and this, in all probability, will be followed by the creation of an archbishopric, with its seat at Detroit. In that event the Fort Wayne diocese would probably form a part of the new’ province, which would likely be composed of the dioceses of Detroit, Grand Rapids. Toledo, Fort Wayne and leaving Cincinnati, Columbus, Indianapolis, Covington, Louisville and Nashville in the old province of Cincinnati. The change would deprive the middle west of having the largest arch-diocese in the world, but it would conduce to a better organization, as the present archdiocese covers too much territory considering the large Catholic population.—Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. ~