Decatur Democrat, Volume 51, Number 46, Decatur, Adams County, 3 December 1908 — Page 2

OBITUARY. Milo Erexson. son of Wm. and Hannah Erexson, was born in Alien county, Ind., Dec. 3, 1871. He -was called to eternity without a moments warning on Nov. 25, 1908. bringing his age to 36 years, 11 months and 21 days. On September 25, 1892, he was united in marriage to Miss Marintha Letta Jane Kelly. To this union was born two sons, Harvey and Clinton, and four daughters, Leia, Laura and two little ones who preceded their father to the better world. In the winter of 1891. he made his peace with God, uniting with the M. P. church. He remained a faithful member until he moved where there was no church of his choice. Coming into the home of his companions folks at his marriage and spending sixten years of married life among them, they all realize the meaning of the scripture. A man shall cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh. He was a kind, faithful and loving husband and father. Owing to the invalid condition of his companion, the sole care of the home fell on him. He willingly performed his duty, always trying to guard his wife from anything that would cause her sorrow or trouble. She and his children learned to lean on him as only the weak can lean on the strong. Her folks learned to love him as one of their own. He leaves to mourn their loss a true and devoted wife, two sons, two daughters, three brothers, one sister, one stepbrother, an aged stepmother, and a host of relatives and friends. The grief stricken family has the sympathy and assistance of his neighbors and friends and especially his employer.

The furnace factory has enough orders ahead at present to keep the workmen busy for several months. This institution is progressing nicely and will be heard from in a large measure in the future. The Elks committee on program are busy completing arrangements for the memorial services to be held by them at the Bosse opera house next Sunday. The services will be very interesting as noted speakers are on the program. Excellent music will also be rendered. The people who are contemplating the purchase of Christmas presents will do well to watch the columns of the Democrat for announcements from Decatur merchants. Rare bargains are in store for the people of the city. Be sure and read each advertisement carefully. Raymond Knoff is making all preparations to open dental parlors In Berne in the near future. His furniture has been ordered and is expected to arrive within a few days. Raymond is a dentist of ability and will be sure to make good in the business venture. Seven years of practice and study has amply equipped him to do dental work very efficiently.

The statistics on marriage and divorce, issued by the census bureau Friday, show that only three states, Washington, Colorado and Montana, exceed Indiana in the number of divorces granted in proportion to population. The bureau’s statistics cover a period of twenty years from 1887 to 1906, inclusive. During that twenty-year period, 60,721 divorces were granted in Indiana. This is at the rate of 142 divorces annually for each 100,000 of population. In 1880 the divorces in the state were at the rate of seventy for each 100,000 of population. Apparently in a badly demented condition, waiting at the M., B. & E. station and claiming he was trying to find his home, W. S. Harvey, who disappeared from his home in Bluffton two weeks ago as completely as If the earth had swallowed him, was taken in custody Saturday at 1 o’clock by the Marion police. The man was put through a rigid questioning by Chief of Police Bert White, but all of his answers carried the conviction that he was demented. Walter Wellman has filed a libel suit for SIOO,OOO and rectification in Paris against the Sporting Review La Vie au Grand Air, because of the publication of an article characterizing Wellman's expedition to the North Pole as “an American bluff designed for personal profit and carried out under the cover of impossible scientific conditions.” The article of which Mr. Wellman complains was printed last spring and, he states, was inspired by one of the disgruntled members of the expedition. The Elks annual minstrel show which has become quite a social feature here, will be held this year about the middle of January instead of New Year's night as heretofore. The change in dates was made necessary because of the fact that several of the song and dance artists who have in the past made the occasion famous will be out of the city at that time and it was decided to await their return rather than dispense with their very valuable or invaluable services.

GETS THE TWELFTH DISTRICT Hoffman Has a Clear Field In Hie Congressional District. Indianapolis, Nov. 29. —Monday, December 14, Is expected to be one of the big days in the United States senatorship campaign which is now on in the Democratic party. Past activity, it is said, will pale into insignificance when compared wttn the activity which will take form on that day. According to the gossip in political circles the candidates for United States senator and their champions and the candidates for the speakership of the house and their champions will come to Indianapolis on December 14 to get ready for the meeting of the democratic legislators, which will be held in the city December 15. State Sen-ator-elect Steve Fleming, of Fort Wayne, who was in the city, said that he would be for Edward G. Hoffman for United States senator first, last and all the time. Further than this statement Mr. Fleming refused to discuss the senatorship. Hoffman, it is said, will get nine votes out of his home district, the Twelfth.

ORVILL WELLS RETURNED HOME Traded Horses Twice and Brought Good Animal Back. Orvill Wells, one of Monroe township boys who left home about ten days ago, taking with them a horse belonging to Wells father, returned home Saturday evening. He and his comrade, Floyd Martz, had got as far as Wells county, where they secured a few days work at husking corn, and Wells finally got enough of the life and came home. He had traded horses twice during his absence and came home with a better animal than he started with. Martz decided to go on further west and did not return with the Wells boy. 'Wells parents were greatly worried about him, and no doubt glad to have him at home again. o - - ■ DEATH OF JAMES MURDOCK. One of Indiana’s Greatest Financiers is Dead. Hon. James Murdock, of Lafayette, and one of the best known business men in Indiana, died early Saturday morning from heart failure. Mr. Murdock was wealthy, being a millionaire, amassing this fortune by a devotion to and a keen insight into the many intricacies tofi business. The Murdocks have owned practically all of the Wabash Valley Gas Co., which for years supplied Decatur with natural gas. Mr. Murdock’s funeral occurredTuesday morning at Lafayette fiom St. Marys Catholic church at 10 o'clock. o ATTEND FUNERAL OF NEPHEW Relatives Called to Oak Harbor on Sad Errand. Commissioner William Miller and wife and Miss Marie Knepper, of Monroe, will leave Tuesday morning for Oak Harbor, Ohio, to attend the funeral of a nephew, Harry Knepper, who was killed Sunday. The message which wag received today stated only the fact that the boy had met a sudden death and gave no details of how it happened. The lad w-as about twelve years old, and a bright and popular boy, whose death has caused sadness among his relatives here. o Rev. John H. Hill, a Democrat, w’ho was elected to represent Bartholomew county in the lower house of the next general assembly, is a foe of the fish and game laws. He believes that it is the God-given right of every man to fish and hunt when he pleases, and it will be one of the aims of his work in the legislature to secure the repeal of the fish and game laws. Mrs. Abe Beery is very sick at the home of her niece, Mrs. George W. Roop, and her condition is alarming. She suffers with what is known as creeping paralysis, and hopes for recovery are very slight. She is sev-enty-one years old, and this fact adds to the improbability of her recovery. Her husband died about seven months ago, since which time she has lived with her niece. The following letters remain unclaimed at the Decatur postoffice for the week ending Nov. 30th, 1908: Myrtle Emerine, Philip Beery, Chas. L. Harlan, John Solfrank, August Bohnke, John Beckner, John Echardt, Mrs. J F. Kertman, Mrs. Annie Miller, Nelson E .Mercer, Henry Weisenborn, Rev. C. H. Wharton. Persons calling for above please say advertised, giving date. M. A. Frislnger, P. M. The Rebekah lodge have elected their officers for the ensuing term as follows: Mrs. Nora Butler, N. G.; Mrs. Crist, V. G.; Della Harruff, recording secretary; Nellie Winnes, financial secretary; Mrs. A. D. Artman, treasurer. The installation will take place the first of January. A little frosty again, but at that mighty nice weather for the first day of December. Let’s all be happy.

A gentleman by the name of Dick Wallace, a resident of Oaxaco, Mexico, was in the city Monday paying a brief visit with Henry Hite and family. He stopped here enroute to Pennsylvana where he expects to visit with his mother. Hugh Hite and wife from Decatur and Paul Wooten reside in the game city that does Mr. Wallace and it was at their request that he came to Decatur on his way to Pennsylvania. The Mexico gentleman is pleasant to meet and in his interesting talk he related of how Mr. Hite and Mr. Wooten are succeeding in Mexico. He stated that Hugh was doing exceptionally well in the mining business and that he and his wife liked the country very much. The opportunities are great in that country, according to Mr. W’allace, for young men, and Messrs. Hite and Wooten are accepting the good ones. Mr. Wallace owns a mine near Oaxaco. He left on the Erie train for Pennsylvania after his pleasant stay in this city. o — CLAIMS BILL WILL PASS. Senator Kissler, of Logansport, Will Seek the Repeal of County Option. Indianapolis, Ind., Nov. 29. —Senator Frank Kistler, of Logansport, will introduce a bill soon after the legislature is convened to repeal the county local option law by substituting the ward and township unit, as declared for by the Democrats in their state platform. Senator Kistler said that the bill will pass, as he has enough pledges from Republicans to put it through. While he did not mention the names of the Republicans who will vote for the measure in the senate, it is understood that Senators Wood, of Lafayette; Connci man, of Posey county, and Pelzer, of Boonville, are among the members. Senator-elect Walter Leggeman, of Evansville, who died unexpectedly yesterday, was another Republican member counted In favor of the repeal of the law. Governor Hanly will issue a call soon for a special election to name Leggeman’s successor, and it is likely that whoever is elected will take a stand against the present law. ROBBERS WERE CAUGHT HERE Negro and a Boy Taken—Another Man Got Away. Erie Chief of Police P. M. McCarty Wednesday night captured two robbers who entered a car at Kenton and rode In it to Decatur, where they' were rounded up. There were three fellows fin the gang. They forced ' the lock on one of the cars of an Erie train at the former place and rode in the car which they had entered, calmly looking into boxes and packages in the car and helping themselves to what they wanted. The Erie police got next to this and laid plans to get the entire bunch. When Captain McCarty rounded them up at Decatur one fellow, a negro, managed to get away. McCarty captured the other two, another negro and a white man, almost a boy brought them to this city,where they were kept in the police station until yesterday at noon. McCarty then left with them for Kenton where papers will be filed. While here the fellows were asked what they got out of the car. The negro stoutly protested that he got nothing at all, but the boy boldly stuck out his feet and displaying a pair of new shoes said, “This was all I got out of it.” — Huntington Times. ELECT A BOARD OF DIRECTORS Berne Traction Line Company Organize for Business. The stockholders of the Bluffton, Berne & Celina Traction company at a meeting at Berne last night prepared articles of incorporation which will be filed with the secretary of state within a few days. The capital stock is 150.000 and the full list of incorporators numbers about twenty stockholders, the majority of them citizens of Berne or vicinity, while a number of Bluffton men also are interested with good-sized subscriptions of stock. The board of directors,“’seven in number, elected last night to serve in that capacity for the first year, are Joseph Gerber, Peter Neuenschwander, B. A. Batson, Rudolph Schugg, C. S. Stauffer, Dr. Simpkins, and Edward Engeler. Os this board only one, B. A. Batson, resides in Bluffton. Messrs. Gerber and Neuenschwander reside east of Bluffton, while the remaining four directors reside at Berne. This board of directors will be called together in a meeting later to perfect their own organization by the election of officers. The articles of incorporation signed up with the full list of incorporators, will be received here w-ithin a few days by Attorneys Eichhorn & Vaughn and by them will be forwarded to Indianapolis to the secretary of state.— Bluffton News. —o ■ The weather conditions have taken another sudden change and the hoys have again donned their winter overcoats.

Murle Lalsure, charged with petit laiceny, asked for and was granted a continuance in his case. In the case of John C. F. Manley, for giving liquor to a minor, a motion to quash indictment was filed and overruled. A plea of not guilty was entered and the case heard by Judge Merryman, the defendant waiving the jury. The court has not given his decision. Lewis Wible, indicted for keeping a gaming room, plead guilty and was fined $15.00 and costs. Hunters’ licenses have been issued to Charles H. Colter. D. M. Hensley, John Fleming and Wm. Hendricks. Real estate transfers: Walter Ncack to Sylvester Garner, 15 acres in Root township $950; M. R. E. cemetery Assn, to John W. Craig, cemetery lot 147, sls; Grant Jordon to S. A. Winans, 80 acres Jefferson township, $7,000; Mount Taber cemetery to C. H. Love, cemetery lot $10; K. of P. lodge to Edwin Fledderjohann lot 48, Decatur, $5,000; Eliza M. Johnson to Ulysses Gifeller, 30 acres Kirkland township, $2,650; Mary E. Riehard to Eliza Johnson, lot 15 Monroe, $1,865; Maggie S. Vesey et al to Eliza Johnson, lot 20 Monroe, $75; Mary E. Richard et al to John W. Hendricks, lot 16 and 17 Monroe, $175; Eliza M. Johnson et al to John W. Hendricks, lot 15 Monroe SBOO. Application and bond were filed for administration papers in the estate of Lusetta Love and same ordered issued to Clayton H. Love. His bond was fixed at $3,000. Sarah J. Passon, executrix of the Henry Passon will filed a report of the sale of personal property which was approved. o Fred Kruckeberg, the Union township farmer, whose family have been having the greatest typhoid seige ever known in tms county, was in town Monday. /Sterne bf us imagine we have had troubles to contend with, but to Mr. Kruckeberg belongs the title of having withstood the hardest seige for sickness known here. Eleven of his family were down at one time with typhoid fever, including his wife, his father and nine of his children. Dr. Morgan, of Dixon, who attended the patients now believe that every one of them will recover, unless some . unforseen accident occurs. It is a marvelous thing for usually the aver-

age is greater than this and especially where they are all in one house. Two trained nurses and Mr. Kruckelerg looked after the sick and rhe house has been a hospital for several months. Mrs. Kiruckelberg who became sick about the middle of August is now’ able to walk about the house when assisted by one of the nurses, and one daughter is able to be about a part of the time. The others are still bedfast, but are slowly improving. An investigation disclosed the fact that the illness of the family was due to the use of an open well near the house. Mr. Kruckeberg sent a specimen of the water to Fort Wayne, where it was analyzed and the report made that the water was very bad. Fred considers himself lucky that his folks are recovering, and is happy accordingly. -— o Mrs. J. O. Sellemeyer charmingly entertained at her home on Fourth street Saturday afternoon for a number of her girl friends, who were home from school. Sewing furnished the principal pastime of the afternoon, beside reminiscences of the past, the girls being lifelong friends. A buttonhole contest w’as indulged in by the party, and Miss Frances Merryman car. ried off first honors, a beautiful handpainted dish being given to her as a reward for her cleverness. At five o’clock a dainty two course luncheon was served, Those who enjoyed the festivities of the occasion were Misses Fannie Frislnger, Winnifred Johnson, Frances Merryman, Pansy Bell, Lucile Hale, Mrs. Maynard Frisinger, Madge Hite, Frances Harkless, of Paulding, Ohio, and Mildren Winch, of Winona. — Months of suffering from tuberculosis has culminated in the death of Samuel Albert, s on of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Forat, of Washington township. The young man who, at the time of his untimely demise was sixteen years six months and thirteen days old, became affected with lung trouble some time ago, consumption developing within a short time, and his life has been despaired of for several weeks. He was born and reared in this county, and was known by hundreds of loving friends, who will deplore the sad news of his death, but the grim reaper, in its deadly sweep, claims many victims whose death is wholly unexpected, but a few months previous. The funeral services were held from the St. Marys church Wednesday, December second and interment was made at the Decatur cemetery. The bereaved parents have the sympathy of all.

The afternoon session of Teachers Institute opened promptly at 1:30 by singing by pupils of Decatur schoo s. “The School Ideal’ was then discussed by O. G. Brim, of Berne schools. He said the aim of education is to fit us for We. The educated man should be social, unselfish, obedient and industrious. To teach these ideals we should keep the ideal before the student. Further discussion of this subject by W. P. Merryman, teacher of Blue Creek township. An education is simply a state of mind. Not only are the leaders educated, but men of all occupations may be educated. He went a step further than Mr. Brim and said that education is not fitting a man for life, but education is life. Four persons are to be considered in developing ideal namely, patron, child, school officer and teacher. Both speakers agreed in the main on this subject. We were then treated to an excellent lecture “The Book of Job, a Literary Study,” by Prof. William E. Smyser, of Ohio Wesleyan university. This was an eloquent talk of fifty minutes. which wa s highly appreciated by all.

Rest. Piano duet, by Misses Mutchler. Recitation, Miss Goldine Fink. This recitation was responded to by an encore. Educationl quiz: First question, “How to Secure and Maintain Interest in School.” Answered by Jesse Snyder of Jefferson township. Second question, “How Can Current Events Be Made Use of in the Schools.” Answerd by Mr. Swartz, of French township. Third question, “How Can We Hold the Large Boys in School?” Answered by Mr. Gilliom, of Monroe school. Fourth question, "Should the Readers and the Arithmetic be Re-adopt-ed?” Answered by Mr. Beachler, of Decatur. Fifth question, “What Are the Advantages of teachers’ institute conducted on the departmental plan’" Answered from the standpoint of the grammar grade by Clyde Rice, of Decatur. From the standpoint of the high school by R. J. Mann, of Monmouth. Closing remarks by Mr. Opliger. Adjournment.

Dick Neptune came home Saturday night from a month’s hunt in Arkansas. He is looking fine, feeling just as “purty” as he looks and says he had the time of his life. He was accompanied by Peter Frank and Peter Wilhelm of this place, who will remain there and trap during the winter, and by Link Hill and Bill Middleton, of Cardwell. The deer were scarce, but Dick got two of the three he saw, ahd wild turkeys were not as numerous as they might have been. The real sport came in squirrel hunting and in fishing, the latter especially. Dick has fished as much as the average professional man who loves the sport, but says this is the first time he ever got all he wanted. The camp was along the St. Francis river, and the water being low’ after the long drouth, the fish had congregated in the deep holes, were good and hungry and bit on any old thing. The doctor fished and fished and hunted until he was tired of the business, the pleasure becoming work and then he came home. A few of his friends are eating venison today, and are willing to swear that everything he says is absolutely true. o Judge John F. LctFoliette has ordered Jury Commissioner, R. P. Stewart and T. C. Stephenson to meet on Monday of next week with County Clerk Gillespie to draw the names of six men to constitute the grand jury to sit during the December term of the circuit court to be begun December 7th. Usually the grand jury is called out one each year and then during the month of January but previous to the election Judge TjiPY>l- - declared his Intention of calling a special session of the grand jury to investigate any alleged infractions of the election laws that might be reported as a result of the last election. While the election affairs will perhaps take up the greater portion of the time of the grand jury they will also be other matters to probe into, among which will be the ShattoSummers murder case at Dunkirk and the alleged larceny case in which it is charged that Earl Mann obtained clothing and shoes from local stores, taking them away on approval before paying for then and then forgetting to bring them back.-Portland Sun. The illness of David Studabaker, the young son of Mr. and Mrs. D. E Studabaker, has developed into a case of typhoid fever. While quite sick he is reported today as resting as easy as could be expected. Miss Springer a trained nurse from Hope hospital’ arrived today and has taken charge Gs the case. Judge Vesey, of Fort Wayne, and Judge LaFollette, of Portland, were attending to legal a ff airs here this morning.

With two trunks filled with atn,! tive and durable samples of ligh t heavy harness, collars, fly nets T W. Watts, representing tsc e S( ./K er up-to-date saddlery company this morning on an extensive bustaS trip in the interest of the cotnpZß The Schafer company launched injjM wholesale harness business some ago. and have enjoyed a hicrw9 mail order business since. The eiJS lent goods manufactured by the .■> cern has become in great demand as a consequence, Mr. Watts has chosen to represent the firm on road. By this means they expecttfl engage more extensively i nto J wholesale business, covering a vu| [amount of territory. Mr. Watt s j s [salesman of ability. Worlds of JI perience in this line has him with the qualities which sprjß success in his every undertaking] That he has such an ability and ini consideration of the fact that he cj] compete with all comers in the -nJ of harness, in price and quality itl can readily be seen that his work vial bo fruitful. The Schafer people ar] much encouraged over the brightE prospects for a prosperous future J the business and if quality and work-l ir.anship are to be considered. their! fondest hopes will undoubtedly bel realized in the ready sale of the goods.!

Affairs in Wabash county look ven| promising from the viewpoint of the] anti-saloon league. Such a number of residents in that county! have been putting up an appeal for! an option election there that when] Rev. N. C. Shirey, superintendent of| the Fort Wayne district, in which Wt| bash county is Included, stopped oil at the county seat Friday night, he I was forced to consent to. the beginning! of operations toward that end and I the temperance workers today had I placed in their hands petitions fori signatures which will be presented to I the county board of commissioners if I expectations are realized. Should I this be the case, an election will be] asked for some time during the week! of the 28th of December. Rev. Shirey I returned from Wabash this morning] and he expressed his most confident belief in the ability of the workers there and in the final success of the undertaking. “It is the policy of the league to be conservative in such matters,” he said today, “but the room in which we met Friday night was so crowded and every one semed so enthusiastic that I was but a figurehead in ordering them to go ahead.” Wabash county is the first in the district i under the charge of Rev. Shirey in which (Operations (have [been [Commenced under the new law and owing to this, more than any other fact, the election must be successful for the welfare of the league. The main fight will be in the city of Wabash, as the remaining part of the county is overwhelmingly in favor of the prohibition of the sale of intoxicating Iquors. The commissioners’ court meets on the 7th of next month and if the petitions contain 25 per cent of the signatures of the voters, an election has to be called within twenty to thirty days.—Fort Wayne Sentinel.

Washington, Nov. 30. —Congress, in the three short months of the regular session which will open next Tuesday will write at least one very important law upon the statute books. There is hardly any room to doubt that the bill of Senator Thomas H. Carter, of Montana, establishing a system of postal savings banks, will be enacted into law. Debate on this measure will begin in the senate Dec. 14, when it comes up as a special order. It is not expected there will be any protracted discussion, for both national platforms in the last campaign approved the project, and there is aunanimity of sentiment in favor which paves the way for speed. In view of the probability that governmental postal savings banks soon will be established, a word as to the system may be of interest. Every postofilce in the United States that is authorized to issue money orders will become a postal savings bank office. Any person who is ten years old or more may become a depositor by placing sl, the minimum amount necessary to open an account. A married woman may enjoy the privilege of the system free from any control or interference by her husband. The depositor will be given a pass book with the amount of his deposit duly entered and with his name on the back for identification. After an account has been opened deposits of 10 cents and multiplies thereof will be received, but no one shall be permitted to depcsit more than S2OO in any calendar month. No deposit shall be allowed to exceed SI,OOO and no interest shall be paid on deposits in excess of SSOO. On deposits of SSOO and less interest at the rate of 2 per cent per annum shall be allowed and entered in the pass book to the credit of the depositor and shall become a part of the principal. W. S. Harvey, the Bluffton man,who mysteriously disappeared two weeks ago, has been found wandering abou the city of Marion in a demented c®' dition. t