Decatur Democrat, Volume 58, Number 22, Decatur, Adams County, 29 May 1913 — Page 6

APPOINTMENT OF EXECUTOR. Notice is hereby given that the undersigned has been appointed executor of the estate of Louis Schroeder, late of Adams County, deceased. The estate is probably solvent. ALBERT SCHROEDER, Executor. May 12, 1913. Fruchte & Lltterer, Attys. 20t3 NOTICE TO NON-RESIDENT. State of Indiana, County of Adams, ss: In the Adams Circuit Court, April Term, 1913. Nade Haley vs. Anna B. Haley. No. 8521. Complaint for divorce. It appearing from affidavit filed in the above entitled cause, that Anna B. Haley, the above named defendant, is a non-resident of the State of Indiana. Notice is therefor hereby given the said Anna B. Haley that she be and appear bet’oer the Hon. Judge of the Adams Circuit Court, on the 2nd day of September, 1913, the same being the second Juridical Day of the next regular term thereof, to be holden at the court house in the City of Decatur, commencing on Monday, the Ist day of September, A. D., 1913, and plead by answer or demur to said complaint, or the same will be heard and determined in her absence. Winess my name and seal of said court hereto affixed, this 2<Hh day of May, 1913. FERDINAND BI.EEKE, Clerk. Peterson & Moran, Attorneys for plaintiff. 21t3 — —-o 40TICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE. Notice is hereby given to the creditors, heirs and legatees of Frederick H. W. Bohne, deceased, to appear in the Adams Circuit Court, held at Decatur, Indiana, on the 12th day of ( June, 1913, and show cause, if any, why the fiinal settlement accounts with the ■ estate of said decedent should not be approved; and said heirs are notified ! to then and there make proof of heirship and receive their distributive shares. LOt’IS BOHNE, I Administrator. ' Decatur Ind., May 16, 1913. D. E .Smith, Atty. 21t2 ■ APPOINTMENT OF EXECUTOR. Notice is hereby given, that the undersigned has been appointed executor . of the estate of Louis Schroeder, late ! of Adams County, deceased. The es-' tate is probablv solvent. ALBERT SCHROEDER. Extcutor. ; May 12, 1913. 21t3 j o — When the case of the State of In- [ diana vs. Lawrence E. Opliger, county superintendent, for impeachment, was called in the circuit court this morning, a partial appearance for the Je- ( fendant was entered by Attorneys C. J. Lutz, D. E Smith end Peterson & Moran. A plea in abatement was also! filed by the defendant. Appearance[ for the state was entered by Prose-. cutor R. C. Parrish and L. C. DeVoss, and they filed a demurrer to the plea in abatement, which r-as set for argument. May 31. The plea in abatement follows as filed: Comes now Lawrence E. Opliger, de- ( fendant in the above entiled cause, and for his plea in abatement therein, he says: That the complaint, accusation or indictment in said cause, was returned by the grand jury at the April. term, 1913, of the Adams circuit court; that the grand jury returning said [ charge, accusation, indictment or pre-1 sentment was composed of one A. P. Daugherty. J. M. Foreman, Frank Fisher, John Christen, D. C Neuenschwan-. der and one Peter Rich. That of said grand jury whose names are above set out the said John Christen was not a legal and qualified per-; son by and under the provision of the , laws of the state of Indiana, that he had no right to serve as a grand juror j at said time, for the reason that the said John Christen had served as a ! member of the regular panel of the' jury of said court at its regular April term, 1912, and within the year imme-; diately prior to his serving as a grand juror at the April term, 1913, of said court. Defendant further says that the said John Christen at the time of his selec-j tion as a grand juror aforesaid, and during the time of his service as a member of the grand jury, at said term and duryig which the presentment, accusation, indictment or com- 1 plaint was returned by said grand jury, had such state of mind, and such a state of mind existed on the part of him the said John Christen, in reference to the defendant herein, that he could not act impartially and witout prejudice to the substantial. rights of the defendant herein, and that the said John Christen, as a member of such regular grand jury who returned. said complaint, aiwuisation. indictment, or presentment did act partially and with prejudice and against -.the substantial rights of this defend- ® * ant. And the defendant further says, that of said gramr jurors above named, J. M. Foreman, A. B. Daugherty, each, and severally, were of such state of mind, on e ’ r part, and the part of each of them, in reference to the de-, fendant, charged as above set out, that they nor either of them could not act impartially and without prejudice to the substantial rights of the defendant herein. And that said A. B. Daugherty and J. M. Foreman, by reason of

such a state of mind, in reference to the defendant charged, did act partial- ' ly and with prejudice to the substantial rights of the defendant, said Law- , rence E. Opliger. The’defendant further says: That I in the selection of said jurors composring the said grand Jury of said term, of said Adams circuit court, the clerk of said court did not at 10 o’clock a. m., on the Monday, immediately preceding the commencement of the April term, of the Adams circuit court, shake I well the box containing the names i which had been selected to serve as (jurors, and grand Jurors, for the year 1913, and for the April term of the Adams circuit court and did not open the same In his office, and did aot .draw therefrom six names of competent persons as the law, at the time provided should be done. ( That at the time of the selection of said grand jury, this defendant was not charged with any offense against the laws of the state of Indiana, and that there was no complaint, indictment, accusation, affidavit dr presentment against him in the Adams cir- ■ cuit or any other court in the state of 'lndiana, and that he therefore had no right to challenge the jurors aforesaid or any one of them. Wherefore and by reason of the 1 things herein stated, he asks, that 1 . saiu proceedings above mentioned may : abate. L. E. OPLIGER. C ( :s****«**»**«** * CLASS ROLL. « * *. Lulu May Atz. * :|s Electa Baltzell. *[ •Jt William Beavers. Mary Hazel Beatty. 9 * Eda Gladys Butler. « Winifred Frances Burk. * [* Glen Leroy Chronister. ❖ * Nellie Wanda Daniels. * * Mary Frances Erwin. -3 ;* Agnes Gertrude Eady. # Ethel Pearl Fuhrman. -k * Monema Eulalia Fleming. 4s * Gladys Marie Graham. 4= * Fay Naome Hammell. 3 * Clyde W. Hendricks. * sk Clara Elizabeth Kauffman. * '* Jacob Jess Kauffman. sjs * Flavius Guy Kidd. *. * Dwight Kealite Lachot. * Robert Eari Lenhart. + ; * Irwin Louis Merry. ski I* Florence Grace Myers. ;k ■ !* Mary Alene Patten. A * Ruth Irene Patterson. * * Estella Margaret Perkins. * '♦ Robert Hale Peterson. * I * Ruth Abigal Parrish. >'-■ * Reba Patterson Quinn. 6s isk Mildred Cleo Roop. *| I* David Otto Rice. sfc * Lillian Mae Rice. & ■ (♦ Rex Duff Sowle. * Agnes Alvena Sellemeyer. *1 Daniel Heller Tyndall. ski * Forest E. Vail. # ' 6s*6s****!k***6s**! The members of the class of 1913 1 of the Decatur high school ate no longer seniors. They are now members of that alumni body that has( been in existence for the past thirty-| two yea-s in the city’s high school his- 1 itory. Their little bark that has found safe shelter for the first few years lof their life in the little home harbor, i was formally launched upon the ' broader sea of the world last evening for the commencement of another ' stage of life’s journey. Professor Thomas F. Moran of Purdue univercity, who gave the commencement address, struck the keynote of the future's success when he said: ‘‘Let , optimism be the motive power of your I life’s ship; have a good supply to | keep the engines running, and your journey will be a successful one.” I The commencement exercises were ■held in the Bosse opera house, and the audience was fully as large as that of the class day exercises the evening before. The stage, which was simply decorated with pennants, of which the largest and brightest was the high [school pennant in purple and gold, with the high school colors also showing in the simple streamers festooned above the stage, was scarcely j large enough to seat the thirty-five! 1 class members, which is the largest | class that has been graduated since ; I the four-year course was established fifteen or sixteen years ago. They were arranged in two semi-circles, { ' and made a very fine appearance, all j being dressPd alike in caps and! [gowns of gray. The class numbers twenty-two girls and thirteen boys. 1 Seated with them on the stage were | Professor E. E. Rice, the superintend-) ' ent of the city schools, whose excel-. lent wisdom and executive ability, | have done much to make their clos-; ing school years the successful ones : (that they have been; Thomas F. Mo j ran, the speaker of the evening, and Rev. D. T. Stephenson, of the Met'e odist church, who gave the invoca- ( 'tion. # Preceding the invocation, Mrs. C. J. Lutz, pianiste, rendered with her consummate skill amRJ perfection, Von ! Weber's Oberon-Fantasia Brilliante. [ A group of Indian Love Lyrics, each ; , a little gem in itself, was made more | beautiful by the perfect rendition of Dr. Fred I. Patterson, who is a favor-

i ite with Decatui audiences. The ■group comprised "The Temple Bells,” "Kashimiri Song,” ' Less Than the Dust,” and "When I Awake." Miss Edna Hoffman was the faultless piano ; (accompanist The instrumental solo. [ Wieniawski's "Legende," gave its , j lovely message to the audience : through the violin of Tony Holthouse, a skilled musician, whom the people j have learned to appreciate to the fulll est extent. The beauty was enhanced Iby the piano accompaniment by Miss i , Rose Smith. I The address of Prof. Thomas F. Mo- ■ ran, who is from the history department of Purdue university, was a vary good one, though, as it dealt with I plain, solid facts of history, had not that subtlety that characterizes many others, which, perhaps, are not so practical. His address was along edu- ' I cational lines and the keynote of the i whole was "Optimism.” He spoke of , I the zeal, the bright hopes, and enthusiasm of the graduate, to whom the 'world is yet an unconquered, wild ' awaiting only his coming to be reduc- ■| ed to submission, or to be led into the right ways of doing and thinking. The enthusiasm and optimism of tie (graduate is caricatured and paraI graphed in a humorous way the world over, but nevertheless the optimism 'is a fine thing to have, he said. Without optimism the great things of the j world couldd not have been accomplished. He then cited instances from j history showing such to be the case. Without optimism, or belief in himself, Columbus could never havve discovered America; Washington we j ! never have gained his v difficulties attending the cable connection of the continents would never have been surmounted; the steamboat invented, the Panama canal built and other great scientific and engineering feats accomplished. The pessimist never does any great things. Be cheerful and keep a-moving and you will win over the pessimist every time. Philanthropy and honesty were 'also two great factors in a successful career that he mentioned. No one may remember the dates and great battles of the Crimean war, but everyone will I remember Florence Nightingale, the (nurse, who ministered to the sufferI ing ones. The greatest beloved man 'of England was not the statesman or ■ any other public man of his time, ’ whose wonderful doings go down in history, but the noble Earl of Shaftes- ■ bury, who ministered to the poor' ' waifs and newsboys in the slum dis- ‘ [ tricts of London. Thousands follow-' *ed his body ti the grave in sorrow. I IHe was admired by the rich and lovjed by the poor. In closing Professor 1 [Moran read one of James Whitcomb I [Riley's cheer-giving poems, illustrative of his point, “Optimism." I City School Superintendent E. E. 1 I Rice presented the diplomas to the ! iclass. He prefaced the presentation! [with a good little address. Four years ’ ago sixtysix boys and girls entered the first year of high school. Os this number, the large percentage of thir-(ty-five remained through the entire Icourse, graduating this year from the 'Decatur high school. Os the whole number several went away to other cities and continued their studies there. He complimented their industry and perseverance. A pretty custom, begun with the f class of 1908, and continued since, was 1 furthered last evening, when Robert Peterson, president of the retiring class, presented to the junior class, who will be seniors of 1914, through its president, Frank Lose, the spade which is symbolical of the key to success — [ representing "dig.” Mr. Peterson made an excellent speech setting forth I the principles involved therein, and[ Mr. Lose responded in words of ac-l ceptance for the juniors, pledging' them to uphold the same. The singing of their farewell class song followed and after the benediction by Rev. W. H. Gleiser of the Presbyterian church, the reception by the seniors to their friends was held in the I large K. of C. hall. All the class mem-■ bers, standing in the receiving line, I met and cordially greeted, and in re-1 1 turn received the good wishes, of ( more than four hundred of their' (friends. A general social mingling! ' preceded the dancing which began at II o’clock. During the evening, punch land wafers were served by a bevy of) I young girls. Many former members! 'of the faculty and student body, as w-ell as alumni of the school, were among the visitors. | The class is a bright one and many j things are expected from the members in the future. Many of them will continue their education in higher institutions of learning, and will ad-1 vance step by step to careers d? nobleness and usefulness already mappeg out. The superir E. E. Rice, and the facul® are io be congratulati r the pa", .hey played in the education of this largiif class. $ o J With the closing of the schools yes- , terday for the summer, the greater I number of the teachers have already [made plans for their summer vacation. I Many o fthe teachers have deeded to go away for a summer term of school at some college or university. The

Democrat has secured the following upon inquiry from the principals of i the various schools. Not all have ; yet answered. All have been indusi trlous and carefully performed their . duties and are much tn need of the i recreation and change the summer i . will bring. i The Misses Ruby Miller, Matilda > Sellemeyer and Ella Mutschler will attend Winona college at Winona Lake. Miss Nell Wlnnes will go to i Indianapolis to attend Mrs. Baker’s primary school. Miss Grace Coffee who attended school last summer, ■ will not go this year, but will take a much needed rest. A. C. Spahr, who . attended Purdue university last year, will not go away this summer. The i Misses Eva Acker and Lulu Lankenau 1 > will take courses at Valparaiso uni- [ versity. Harry Fleming will go to ■ the Marion school. Miss Elizabeth ’(Peterson will also attend Mrs. Blak- ■ er s school in Indianapolis, which is ■ a special for teachers of the primary and intermediate grades. Miss Bess ■ Congleton, who took a course at the > Winona school last year, will take [ a much-needed rest this year. Miss ■ Neva Brandyberry will probably at- ] ■ tend some school of high standing, . though she. has not yet decided. She 1 spent last summer in the Indiana 1 State normal school in Terre Haute, i Mrs. E. J. Bailey is already at Westfield, N. Y., where she is recuperating. E. S. Christen will probably attend Chicago university for scientific and vocational courses, though this is not fully determined. I Miss Clara Williams, who resigned to accept a position in the Portland high school next year, will spend the ■ summer at her home in Worthington. Miss Sutton, who also resigned, will be at her home at Lafayette. Miss Bess Schrock may take a course in music and drawing in a Chicago school and Miss Fanny Frisinger may go to Chicago university this summer .though these plans are not fully determined. Miss Frances Dugan may go east to attend the commencement 1 at Vassar, a friend of hers being one I of the graduates. She may visit other points in the east before her return. Professor Worthman, Professor Tritch and Professor Baumgartner have not announced their plans. Miss Della Sellemeyer will leave a week from Monday for Denver, Colo., thence to Salt Lake City, and then to Los Angeles, Cal., where she will spend the summer, returning here to resume ‘her teaching in the fall. Miss Fannie ' Rice will go to Indianapolis to school. | o- > [ The Decatur Red Men went to , Hoagland to attend the funeral of a , i brother, Dr. Marion F. Small, held this afternoon at 2 o’clock. The Red ' Men’s beautiful burial ceremony was ( [used at the grave. An exchange says of Dr. Small's death: . , ■ "Marion F. Small died at his resi- I dence in Hoagland Thursday morning. May 22. at 7 o'clock,, from a complication of diseases extending back a number of months at the age of 54 years, 6 months and 11 days. He had bee a a citiztn of Hoagland for over thirty years, being engaged in the drug business and manufacturing, and ;in the last few years in the undertak--1 ing business at this place, and one of (the directors and founders of the (Hoagland state bank. H e was a man ot high character and respected by (all who knew him and whose loss will be greatly felt by the community. He leaves a wife and three daughters, Mrs. Blanche N. Hamilton, of BluffI ton, Ind.; Mrs. Erma Daugherty, of I Hoagland, Ind.; Mrs. Katie Shookman of Burrows, Ind., also five grand- [ children. The funeral will be held ! Saturday at 2 p. m. from the M. E. [church in Hoagland. Interment at tho Antioch cemetery." o The condition of rural churches in Indiana is one of the chief subjects which will come up for discussion at the state conferense on agriculture and country life in Indiana, which has [been called for June 3 and 4, at Injdianapolis, by the Indiana Bankers’ association. Throughout the state it iis generail known, especially to the active workers in these churches, that something is radically wrong and it is expected that out of the state conference will come some practical suggestions which will go far toward correcting the prevailing conditions. It is generally said by the field representatives of the Christian, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, and other (state church organizations, that the rural churches as a whole are not holding their own. Scores of them have been abandoned. Scores of oth- [ ers are barely alive with no regular I ministers and only occasional serviooo "Whorcx fVxavo rvirtvl church that is prosperous, it is said, ithere are fifty that are going back- [ ward or standing still. ! This condition is charged to several ' causes. The country church, it is [ said, has lost its old magnetic power i as a community social center. The . automobile and the interurban car has ' made it easier for farm people to get I to city and town church services. In many counties there are from fifteeri to twenty different church denominations, each one of which is struggling

to keep its church alive and hold a regular iwistor. This is a financial burden that is proving too great for many of these congregations. The affairs of th e rural church will be brought before the state conference by Dr. Albert B. Storms, pastor of the Central Avenue M. E. church, Indianapolis, who is not only one of the leading ministers of Indiana, but a fosceful and eloquent speaker. His first intimate knowledge of rural church affairs came while he was president of the lowa State Agricultural College, a place he held for six years, when he was in close contact with the farming element After coming to Indianapolis, Dr. Storms i was, through the state denominational I officers, enabled to continue his inti[meat inquiry into rural church conEditions, and he is now regarded as (one of the highest authorities of the [state on this subject. The Indiana Public Library commission has also been looking into rural <liu:ch affairs, and will, through an extensive display of photographs ■nt the state conference, show in a (bird’s eye view the status of the [ churches. This will in itself be an Illuminative source of information to I all who are interested in the welfare 'of the Indiana country churches. It <is expected that this general subject alone will attract many men and wo(men from over Indiana to the conference. FUNERAL FRIDAY. Mrs. John Shoemaker of East Main street, left Friday morning for six miles west of Geneva, called there by the death of her husband's aunt, Mrs. William Ralston. Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at two o’clock from the L’nion Chapel, followed with burial in the Alberson cemetery, northwest of Geneva. Mrs. Ralston, who had been a sufferer from goiter for several years, was operated upon Monday evening at the hospital in Pennville, death resulting [at 5 o’clock the next morning. The deceased was fifty-seven years of age and is survived by her husband and five children: Emmett and Luther Ralston, near Geneva; Clifton Ralston of Cory, Blinois; Blanche, wife of Everett Rigby, six miles west of Geneva; and Rena, wife of Chance Buckmaster, of Geneva. —Portland Sun. o— The committees for the observance of Decoration Day, Friday, May 30, have completed the arrangements for the day, the order of events being as follows: The G. A R. and W. R. C. will meet I at the G. A. R. hall at 9 o’clock a. m. and march to the old Catholic and old Protestant cemeteries and decorate the graves of the soldier dead. The [committee will then go by automobile ; to the St. Joseph aud Maplewood cemeteries and perform their mission of decorating there, after which they will return to the G. A. TL hall for refreshments. The regular observance of the afternoon will begin at 1:30 o’clock. At this hour, the line will form at the G. A. R. hall and march to the court house lawn, where the cenotaph and miniature grave, representive of the unknown dead, will be decorated. The line of march will then be formed again and proceed to the court room, where further services will be held. First will be the ritual service by the G. A. R. Then a song will be given by th e quartet, the reading of the orders from headquarters, then another song by the quartet. The address by the Rev. Goodwin of Rich Valley will be the feature of the afternoon. More music by the quartet and the benediction will precede the forming of the line for the march to the river, where flowers will be strewn for the unknown dead marine soldiers. This line will be as follows: Form on Madison street, with right resting on Fourth street; south on Fourth street to Adams street; east on Adams street.to Second; north on Second to Monroe; east on Monroe across river bridge; counter march on levee back to bridge. Service by W. R. C. in memory of sailors aud ma-; rines jvho sleep beneath the waters, after which march west on Monroe street to Second, then south on Second to Madison; thence to G. A. R. hall and disband. The formation of the parade will be as follows: City Band. Schoo! Children. i Secret and Benevolent Orders. | Martial Music. I Relief Corps, G. A. R. and all sol(diers and Sons of Veterans. I J. D. Andrews in charge of firing squad. I R. D. Myers, chief marshal. I All those who have flowers to help in the decorations are requested to have them at the G. A. R. hall Friday morning, where they will be gladly received. I 0 Ex-County Commissioner and Mrs. William Miller, now residing in this city on Tenth street, are two of the very favored few who have been privileged to spend fifty years together.

The fiftieth or -golden anniversary of < their wedding rolled around Sunday. I and was celebrated in a very happy i way. The aged couple had planned to ; spend the day very quietly. In the morning they went as usual to the i Zion’s Lutheran church on West Mon- ' ro e street, of which they are members, and when they returned home at noon, found that their relatives had remembered the day and were there to cele brate with them. The day was in fact a triple cele bration. Os their six children, omy two ore living.. They are Louis, who resides on the old home place, four miles south of the city, and whose (wedding anniversary was Saturday; and Fred, of Chicago, whom they had ' not seen for four years, whose fourteenth wedding anniversary was Sunday. The sons, with their families,; were among those present,, and as the ! parents did not know of their inten- 1 tions to come home on this day, the ' event was the more joyous. The son, Fred, from Chicago, brought with him a golden wedding | cake on which were fifty golden can--1 dies. The company brought with them [ good things for a feast, and the table ( ’ for the dinner with its wedding cake,. i was set when the honored ones arrived home from church. At the table; of honor were seated Mr. and Mrs. I ' Miller, their sons and their families, I and Mr. Millers only living sister, > Mrs. Solomon Linn. The candles were lighted at the opening of the dinner and burned brightly during the repast. 1 The day was given over to reminis- ■ censes ard the extending of good wishes, and also more substantial remembrances. Among the gifts re--1 ceived by the aged couple were a set ' of silver knives, forks and spoons from their children; a gold-handled umbrella for Mrs. Miller, a gold watch chaia for Mr. Miller, gold-banded dishes and other gifts. During the afternoon ice 1 cream and cake were served. 1 For thirty-three years Mr. and Mrs. Miller have resided in this county. Mr. ! Miller was born in Schuylkill county, ' Pa., October 10, 1837, and is seventyfive years old. His wife was formerly Miss Minnie Knepper, was born in Heinchen, Saxony, Germany, Dec. 5, 1872, and is seventy-one yearsold. When she was eleven years of age, she ' came to America, and on May 25, 1863, was united in marriage to Mr. Miller at Ft "jont, Ohio. In 1880 they came to Decatur, Adams county. Here, 1 for three years, Mr. Miller owned and ’ operated what is known as the P. W. Smith saw mill. He then purchased ' the farm south of the city where the family lived until last summer when they came back to Decatur to live. Os the six children born to them, three died in i’' f ancy, and were buried i at Fremont. Ohio. A daughter. Emma, ' died here a" the age of sixteen years. l 1 Mr. end Mrs. Miller are two of the ’ county’s best people and many congratulations are being given them for their golden wedding anniversary. Among those present Sunday were: Mr. and Mrs. Louis Miller and children, Harry, Herman, Emma and Clarence; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Miller and! ' (children. Robert, Ralph and Franklin, of Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. Sol Linn, and family, Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Kern and family, Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Elzey and family of Ossian, Frank Linn,. Ch’c.nvo: Dr. end Mrs. M. F. Parrish' and family, Monroe; Roma Brelner. end Miss Verna Owens, Mr. and Mrs. [ Fred Linn and family. | Fred Miller, son of ex-Commissler.er | William Miller, who has been a resident of Chicago for eighteen years, attended the golden wedding anniver isary of his parents here Sunday. Mr. Miller has for thirteen years served as an assistant in the office of the secretary of th© board of education in Chicago, his particular work being the taking care of the pay roll. The work of the board of education in Chicago is ' a big work as may be imagined and a (few facts gained in a conversation with I Mr. Miller this morning may surprise many. The board occupies three floors , of the Tribune building, the ground on which that building stands being the , property of the school city and for j which they receive annual rent of $700,000. The pay roll last month was $857,000. There are in th e city of Chicago 286 schools, with 7,000 teachers, , the salaries being from $650 per year each to SIO,OOO, the latter sum being the amount paid the superintendent. Each principal receives $4,000. The ■ schools of Chicago spend each year a [ total og $15,000,000, of which amount ( $2,500,000 is spent in new buildings and equipment. It’s a wonderful story of a school system in a city that does I things. While Decatur might have snmo trmihlo <v» Voonlnn- ’ . Am up HiMt Cur J , cago, they should go forward in the. same manner pro rata, as compared in population. i o i A little difficulty in securing diplomas for the graduating class of 1913 has caused various reports to become circulated and the publics entitled to an exact statement of what occurred. [ Members of the board were interview- j ed this morning and made a direct and plain explanation which we believe will satisfy any fair minded person. The

diplomas were ordered some weeks ad to be exactly like those of last yes and to cost two dollars each, includtn a leather cover. When they came I was found that a mistake had bee made by the Welch Company of Ch cago, who had the order. There wa no place on the diplomas for the sl| nature of the faculty and the pare) ment used was old and shopworn. Th board decided to reject the diploma and Immediately wrote the Welc Company to that effect, asking tha new diplomas as per original order b sent It was then suggested tha blank diplomas be given the class ut til these arrived, but to this member the class objected and the boar at once agreed to do anything the could to relieve the situation untl the new diplomas should arrive, i was decided that printed diplonu i should be secured and these wen 1 printed at this office and duly awarded These are the original diplomas am are just as efficient and valuable ai (the parchment would have been. Th, board will secure the diplomas as or and send them to the graduate! jin due time. In the meantime the; have diplomas if needed, and the wholi ■ affair seems to have been taken can of in th e best way possible. The loea ( board were not responsible for an er lor made by the Welch company ant each member states plainly that there | was no disposition to prevent any om from receiving a diploma and that ■ such a statement Is too silly even ta deserve much contradiction. "Tue class members did their work and did it well and the board was as proud of them as any one in the city,” said the board members. — o— — t T pon returning from a shopping trip in the business district of the city Saturday evening between 6:30 and 7:00 o’clock, Mrs. William Brown, residing in the south part of the city, informed Mr. Brown’s ten year old sister who is making her home with Mr. Brown that she was tired of staying at home and was going away. At about the same time, John Sites, au employee of the Krick & Tyndall factory and who was rooming at the John Merryman home, next door to the Brown's, disappeared. Mr. Sites and Mrs. Brown had been on very intimate terms since he has been making his home in the city, they being seen together frequently and although no concrete facts have been discovered | that would prove an elopement the suspicious circumstance surrounding the case would indicate such. Mrs. Brown's father, Mr. Morgan, living south-west of Bluffton, was visiting her at the time, "and she mad» the [trip to town to get supplies ior Sunday. When Mr. Brown was informed lo' the a t. he took no immediate steps, thinking that the wife had mere'ly gone out to take a walk as she is of a very nervous and excitable ternperment, and another thing that allayed his suspicions at the time was the fact that she had taken none of her clothes. He thought nothing more of the matter until Mrs. Brown failed to return in the evening and when also informed that Sites had departed for regions unknown. With the assist- . ance of the officers, he made a thorough search of the city yesterday but no traces could be found of either lof the parties. Sites claims his home (in Mercer county and came here sevieral months ago to work at the Tile [factory. He was a man of perhaps forty years of age. When he left the Merryman home he took with him all s os his possessions with the exception r ' a bicycle. No clue of the couple has been discovered. In an interview this morning with Mr. Brown, he stat■tu cLut he ould make no attem; tto locate them and if he knew where they were that he would send her sl9 to go on further. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been married twelve years and he states that never have they had a cross word with each other. Julius Haugk is planning to build a handsome three-story building on his business lots on Madison street aud at this time, it seems most probable that such an improvement will be made during the summer. If plans for the renting of the building now under way culminate, Decatur will have a new and attractive new block that will add much to the appearance of the down-town district. The lower floor according to plans under way al this time will be used for a ten-cent theater, a company being organized to take that proposition over, with Fred LaDelle, the well known magician, as the manager. The theater building will be forty-four feet wide and 132 feet long, will seat 600 people comfortably and will have a large stage J and an eubauce lual would do credit ■to such an institution. The ten-cent vaudeville is the popular theater at this time and would no doubt prove profitable here. The second floor of the building will be used as offices and [the third floor as a lodge room. The | Masonic lodge willmeet tonight to dis,cuss the proposition of renting that ( part of the building. If the leases are (closed, Mr. Haugk will , build his new block. It will be steam heated and strictly modern in every respect.