Democratic Press, Volume 1, Number 19, Decatur, Adams County, 21 February 1895 — Page 1

THE DEMOCRATIC PRESS.

VOLUME 1.

Mesdames B. F. Kain, Elizabeth Ellinghara and Esther Hanna of Bluffton, were guests of ye editor and wife last Friday. Mrs. Will Winch returned to Warren the first of the week, after a few days visit in the city with her parents and other relatives. George C Bailey and Clara E. Fuhrman, James M. Johnson and Lucy E. Erwin conclude the list of marriageables for the week past. Remember, you ought to examine the Standard Dictionary before you purchase any other. Afterward we know you will not have any other. Charley France was the recipient of a valentine last Thursday, that was ugly enough to represent Queen Lil on dress parade. It was indeed a beauty. Jacob Atz of Berne, forwards the ! lucre for a year’s subscription to the Press, which insures all the news of Adams county for that length of time. Christian Stengel of Berne, has been naturalized by an action of the circuit court essential upon such 1 matters- Mr, Stengel is a substa tial citizen of the county. Tom Archibold started for Philadelphia last week with a car load of horses, but the weather froze him out, so to speak. lie took ad van tage of transferring the job to another, and made straight tracks home. A Decatur man advertises for a dozen amateur circus men, and an elephant. If it’s a baby elephant he wants we respectfully refer him to the “tub’’ that presides over the uncertain destiny of the Dunkirk Sat u rday World. —R idgevi 11 e News. Mr. Morrison of Marion, w bile hustling for a Clover Leaf train Saturday evening, was taken ill on the way. The home of Dr. DeVilbiss was reached, where he became exhausted and where a physician was called. It was several days before he fully recovered himself. The Masonic brethren had another big time at their lodge hall last Friday night which ended in an oyster supper, where again Lou Miller distinguished himself with a second dish of oysters. His record in this line is becoming to be something awful ami the people are talking about it. After all that has been said by the newspapers about fakers and swindlers and especially the grape vine chestnut, we learn that a few farmers in the vicinity of Honduras were taken in by one of the smooth ducks who represented that tine grapes Could be raised from a scrub sprout. But we have to live and learn.

Here is an editor’s timely suggestion as to how to “break oxen”: “If only one ox, a good plan would be to hoist him by means of a log chain to the top of a pole forty feet from the ground, then hoist him by a rope tied to his horns to another I ole. Then let descend on his back a five ton pile driver, and if that don’t break him let hi n start a newspaper and trust people for sub scription. One of the two ways will do it sure.” A fire at the jail building Sunday afternoon about two o’clock, took all the inhabitants of the city to that quarter. The fire originated fr< m the furnace in the basement, the same becoming too hot, and being near the floor above, it blazed out. The fire company responded and in a few minutes after the alarm the fire was extinguished. The damage was slight. The commissioners will immediately make the furnace saf-. so a repetition will not soon occur. A meeting was held at Anderdbn the other day by Truman Stewait who proposes to organize a colony for the benefit of working men in cities. Stewart’s idea is to ask the 14.000,000 men in the United States to contribute four cents each. This fund will be placed in the hands of a committee. With it will be purchased a large tract of laud in Tennessee, Washington, or some other place agreed upon by the executive committee. The land will be divided into fifty-acre lots. No colonist can own more than one lot. It is not transferable, but, in case of abandonment, reverts to the colony. The recruits are expected from mechanics and laboringmen in overcrowded cities. To become a member a person must be an Amer ican citizen and the head of a family. No saloons are to be allowed.

Note the adv’t for the People's Bakery, who also handle a full and complete line of groceries, provisions, etc. Romy Holthouse is the proud papa of a boy born Sunday night, and that is sufficient to make anyone teel distinguished. The case of state vs. Michael Shafer for selling intoxicating liquors to minors, has been continued to the next terra of court. The editors of the Winchester Democrat were acquitted of the charge of liltel, which was instituted against them by Wallace Neal of Portland. John Webber came home from Philadelphia,Sunday,where he has l>een disposing of another ear load of horses. He reports the market as being favorably inclined his way. The banks in this city will be closed tomorrow the same being the anniversary of the father of our country, George Washington, who also could not tell a lie and stick i to it. Mrs. Vessey of Fort Wayne and Mrs- Morrison of Marion, were visit ing their father, Judge Studebaker I and other relatives here last week. They also attened the ChamperStudebaker reception Saturday afternoon. Editor Rayn, of the Geneva Herald, was circulating about town s Tuesday, talking business. The ar i rival an of Editor Rayne, jr., at his home last Friday night, is causing him to feel bigger than an ordinary father of twins. After February 17 and in connection with the M. & €)., the Clover Leaf will shorten the line to Mobile and various points in Tennessee, ; Alabama and Louisiana. For par- : ticulars call on our agent or C. C. I Jenkins, the general passenger I agent. The Dunkirk World this w-eek I began the publication of an even- ' ing daily, which they say will fill ■ the bill and be a newspaper that | you read about. W. T. S. Ireland is the editor, and here's hoping he i will fully realize sufficient lucre to repay his ellorts in supplying the | news for the people of Dunkirk.

Mr. and Mrs. John Wisehaupt entertained a number of their friends Friday evening, Feb. 15, it being their eighteenth wedding anniveisary. The evening was spent in social games and dancing. Refreshments were served after which the guests departed for their homes. Many valuable presents were received. You will find elsewhere the legal notice of sale of the Smith Shoemaker ditch, which is a Jefferson I township improvement entire. Drainage Commissioner Tyndall has fixed the day of sale at March i 2d, the same to take place at Geneva, commencing at ten o’clock a. m. The ditch consists of 116 stations, and will be sold by stations of 100 feet each. Here is a quiet tip to a few bidders around there. Look ’er up. A Maine editor delivered himself thus in an obituary notice: “ While it is almost a crime to speak ill of the dead, we feel it our duty to tell the truth about Miss Mary Jones who died last night. She was a human hornet. She never spoke a decent word to any being and slander sprang from her mouth like toads from the girl in the fairy tale. If she goes to heaven we don't want to be there, and we believe that we voice the sentiment of every man. woman and young lady in this burg. We gladly contribute a quarter for ice for Mary, who will need it. The attention of the Adams cir enit court is now being taken up by the Miller Popejoy damage ease. The case grows out of the alleged seduction of Miller’s wife by Pope joy. The parties to the suit are farmers near Bluffton in Wells county, the defendant being at one time treasurer of that county. The case is brought here on change of venue and is followed by a large number of witnesses. The case was brought here to avoid the enormous crowds that always attend such cases in the central village of Wells county. The plaintiff is represented by Judge Joseph S. Dailey Hons. Levi Mock and John T. France, while tne defendant is represented by Sharpe & Sturgis, Martin & Eichhorn and R. K. Erwin. The case was taked up yesterday morning and will occupy the court’s attention the balance of the week.

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1895.

Miss Mary Myers returned on Monday from a visit of a few days with her sister, Mrs. Robert F. I Harding of Fort Wayne. Henry Gallmeyer of Bingen, is j now a full Hedged member of the Press family, he came in Monday and planked down the necessary evil to insure its forthcoming. The house of Frank Steele living in this township on the Pleasant Mills road, was burned totheground last Thursday. A defective Hue caused the conflagration. No insurance. An order for the Standard Die-; tionary will receive prompt attention if addressed to J. A. Anderson,; Huntington, Ind., who is agent for Adams, Huntington, Wabash, Miami and Whitley counties. John T. Langle, a musical and piano dealer of Marion, Ind., was in town Tuesday- talking music boxes to some of our people. On account of this visit the home of i John D. Hale will soon be adorned with a beautiful upright piano. C. C. Boesse, the merchant and postmaster at Preble, had a narrow escape from a fire on Monday of last week. The blaze -was discovered in the closet, and how it got started is a mystery too deep to ferret out. It was extinguished after a damage of some $25. At Winchester this week a K. of P. fair is on dress parade, and which will wind up tomorrow night with a swell ball, such as K. P’s only know how to engineer. Their new hall there is a beauty, and this fair was for the purpose of increasing their cash on hand to pay- for same. The grand army- encampment to be held at Muncie, March 27 and 128, is now being amply arranged I for, at which time there will be a brilliant array of brass buttons and noble veteraus who survive the late unpleasantness. The encamp raent headquartes will be at the I Kirby house. Many from here I will attend the emcampment. A quiet wedding was solemnized at Decatur last week, Mr. 8. O’Connor and Miss Dollie Burdge being the interested parties. Mr. O'Connor is an oil man in the employ of ■ Collins, Hardison & Leonard, and Miss Burdge is the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Burdge of this place. The Herald bids the young couple a pleasant matrimonial jourI ney.—Geneva Herald. The commodious home of Mr. and Mrs. Fr> d Schafer was ablaze with ladies last Thursday, the occasion being an all day valentine hem stitching party. Thirty-seven ladies responded and spent a pleasant day and at the same time dis tinguished themselves as capable hemmers and stitchers. It was one of those pleasant occasions where everyone has a good time, for which much credit is bestowed upon the hospitable hostess. During the month of January, there were 35 new oil wells in Wells county with a daily output of 1,102 barrels. In Blackford county there were 5 with 65 barrels. Jay, 11 with 300 barrels. Adams, 4 with 250 barrels. Miscellaneous, 7 with 150 barrels. Os the new ones started and not completed, 61 were in Wells county; 8 in Blackford; 25 in Jay; 3 in Adams, and miscellaneous 7. All of this would indicate that the center of the oil I tield is yet in this county. The ' summary shows that more operaI ting is being done in Wells county ■ than all the others put together.— Bluffton Chronicle.

Ninety-three tickets were sold for the institute at Berne which took place last Saturday under the efficient directions of County Superintendent Snow. By some mistake, for which no one is to blame, a reported account of the proceedings there failed to reach us, so you will have to be content with only this short account of the day. Some 300 were enrolled, out of which number 123 were teachers, only six being absent. This indicates an interest in educational work that is hard to beat. The printed program was one of the best it has been our lot to examine for many an age. and reports from every which way, impress us with the fact that the rendition of it was even much better than the program itself. Many trustees and other school officials were present and took an interest in the work, all of which indicates that there are no flies cn the school work in Adams county.

The circuit court suit of Lucina Harden vs. Alvi K. Burger for bastardy, was continued until the next term of court. The defendant is at liberty under a SSOO bond. Horst* buyer Weber of Decatur, was in the city the first of the week and succeeded in purchasing twelve tine specimens of horse flesh which will be shipped to Nashville, Tenn., for disposal.—Ossian News. It will soon lie time for public sales to be ripe, and we want to say to our farmer friends that we are headquarters for the best sale bills in the land. Remember we have something new to offer you. Come and see us. The Press acknowledges the friendly visits of a number of our Bluffton friends who paid their re spects w hile attending court this I week. Os course we will not men ■ tion the fact that some of them were witnesses in a case of “horna kabugery” or words to that effect. At Van Camp’s factory they report an overdose of business, something that will tickle most any one, j providing he isn’t affected with the spring fever. The factory in question employs ten or fifteen men and are turning out some work that is hard to beat from a mechanical point of view. Gen. George Washington and his wife, with his five cabinet officers and their wives, will give a public reception, Feb. 22, at the M. E. church lecture room. Everybody will be made welcome who will pay I the passport, one cent for each year ] of their age. An entertaining pro- ' gram will lie rendered and refreshi ments served. You will note in this issue the professional card of Dr. C. V. Connell, veterinary surgeon and dentist. He is an honorary graduate of the Ontario veterinary college, and the Toronto veterinary dental school; and knows all about the proper medical treatment of domesticated animals. If your horse has the colic or anything else in the list of animal diseases, be sure to look up Dr. Connell in the I. O. O. F. block. This circuit court was cheated ! out of another court case which was coming on a change of venue from Huntington. The editor of the Markle Journal sued W. T. Jai cobs, a saloonist at that place, for 85,000. The suit grew out of an article in the Markle Journal reflecting somewhat on Jacobs, who afterwards gave the editor a neat thumping. Jacobsafterwardsanted up a small bunch of money and the suit was dismissed. A large sled load of Decatur's young married folks to the number of fifteen or twenty arrived yesterday afternoon to spend the evening at the residence of A. S. Elzey, where Mr. and Mrs. Burk Kern were also present to enjoy a few hours with old friends. The party was a merry one and much improvement was made when the city orchestra arrived on the scene and favored the visitors with some of their choice selections. At a late hour the sled pulled up in front of the residence, which caused a ter mination of the merrymaking and the happy crowd departed for their homes. The News takes the responsibility in inviting them to make a repetition of their visit in the near future.—Ossian ews. The reception given by Mrs. Champer and Miss Hattie Studebaker to their lady friends at the beautiful surburban home of Judge Studebaker, last Saturday after noon, was a social success in every particular. Miss Studebaker, Mrs* Champer, Mrs. Vesey of Fort Wayne, and Mrs. Morrison of Ma rion, received the guests in the spacious parlors; Mrs. Niblick ami Mrs. Gregg ushered them into the dining room where delicate refresh ments were served by Mrs. Nachtrieb and Mrs. Bailey. In an adjoining room Mesdames Hooper and i D. E. Studebaker served ice cream I and cake. On entering the house one was welcomed by the mingled odors of roses, carnations, hyacinths and other fragrant flowers, which was only a quiet reminder of their superb beauty. A profusion of ; smilax and flowers, rare because of their beauty, lent an indescribable charm to the successof the occasion. Also the cordial welcome extended by the hostesses, and which was so thoroughly expressed by all who assisted, that t he guests were loathe to depart, and even lingered much longer than is customary. Some eighty guests were present.

We understand that Geneva lodge of Odd Fellows had quite an interesting and enjoyable session at their lodge home last Friday night. The initiatory work was conferred. The Myers Voice Company of Defiance, Ohio, will give a free music lesson and musical entertainment at the Evangelical church on next Monday evening, Feb. 25. All lovers of music should not fail to be present on this occasion. Our people must liear in mind the public exercises at our schools tomorrow, and to also remember that you have a standing invitation to attend. Be sure and show that much interest in the education of your children or some one else's children. On March 6, April 2 and 30 th., the Clover Leaf will issue one fare, round trip stop over tickets to points in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Also excursions to points in Ark- i ansas and Texas, March 5 and April 2. See the agent or C. C. Jenkins s for particulars. The correspondent from this city to the Fort Wayne Journal must bean ancient cuss, judging from his news deportment. In Tuesday morning's paper there appeared three dispatches from this city, every one of them from a week to j ten days old. Such ability will ' surely be appreciated by that j j journalistic production. The ladies of the Woman’s Home' Missionary Society of the M. E. I church met at Mrs. Robert Case’s, | last Friday evening, to prepare some clothing for the poor of our city, and were delightfully sur- i prised by being served to elaborate refreshments prepared by their hospitable and enthusiastic hostess. ' The ladies declared that it did pay to do good, in a material way, some j times. Bluffton is to be entertained this [ evening by a lecturer on the subject of “Fish and Fur Seal,” of Alaska. The Superintendent of the schools at that place having re cently heard of a place called Alaska immediately sent for a lecturer to discourse on the new discovery for Blufftonians. Attorney Eichhorn, of that hamlet, took occasion while in this city this week to assert that Bluffton people having just heard of the recent discovery of that territory were entitled to much credit for announcing the new “find.” The marshal had a peck of fun Monday night, and his presence spoiled another peck, so you per haps can little guess what wholesale fun there was on tap. The old opera house was the scene of a real game cock fight, and some fifty spectators had gathered around to witnesss the victory and defeat and see the buckets of blood promiscuously spilled around the ring. But when they smelled the marshal in close proximity, you ought to have seen the flying comedians. They dropped through the floor, flew out of the windows, in fact any way to get out, and after they once felt the ground their coat tails fairly cut the wind in getting away: and that part of it was the best of all.

George Gilbert was the victim of an accident last Friday morning that came near ending his useful-; ness from a physical sense, on this side of earth’s footstool. He is an employe of the egg case or box sac- 1 tory. There they make egg cases and the timber used in same has to be boiled, for which process they have vats built in the ground some seven feet deep and that many feet in diameter. They have four of these vats in use, two of which eon tain boiling hot water, while the other two contain warm water, just hot enough to scald one nicely. It happened to be the latter vats around which Mr. Gilbert was working and into which he took a , dive, or else he never would have known what hurt him. While filling one of these vats he momentarily forgot that the lid to the other one was open, and unconsciously stepped right into it. Fortunately his heavy clothing and woolen underwear protected him, so his feet escaped any injury. A streak down each leg and a spot in his back were the only places where the burning water got in its work. He was immediately taken out of the vat, hustled home in a sleigh, a physician summoned and the scalded flesh medically attended to. It will lay him up for some little time, but he will recover all right, and it will be an experience he’ll not soon forget.

NUMBER 19

A BLUE CREEK TRAGEDY Samuel Young Fatally Stabs his Wife and Then Commits Suicide. Bluecreek township comes to the front with a stabbing bee which finally resulted in the loss of two lives. It seems that Samuel Young forbid his wife associating with their neighbors, the Counterman’s, the request arising through a jealous feeling the husband entertained toward their neighbor. Therequest, however, was not heeded. She went to Counterman’s yesterday afternoon and when the husband became aware of her acts, he followed her carrying a large, ugly looking butcher knife. He entered the house and liegan his tyrant abuse by saying: “I forbade you coming here.” She replied that “she would do as she pleased about the matter.” His reply was: “I’ll end your life right here,” and as she rose up to cross the room he rushed at her and with the knife stabbed her in the back. She ran out of the house into the grape arbor, then turned and came back ami as she reached the door of the house she fell dead. The murderer calmly left the house, walked to his home a short distance, where he was found an hour or so later dead. He had suicided. Young was about sixty-three years old and his wife but twenty one, so it isn’t much wonder that domestic difficulties arose. The coroner was called to the scene early this morning, but we go to press too early to get the | particulars of the investigation.

The trial of Incest Jacobs began grinding at the circuit court last Friday morning with Bobo & Coffee engineering the interests of Jacols, and Prosecutors Snyder and Hooper looking after the defense. By agreement of the attorneys the jury was abolished and Judge Heller given the responsibility of deciding both the questionable points of law as well as the dishing out of a verdict, if the evidence in the case warranted such a finding. Almost the first witness on the stand • was his oldest daughter, who is now about fifteen years old. Her testimony’ was decidedly against the defendant, who she said had taken undue liberties with her since she was eightyears, and that his incest abuses of her were many and severe. Two other younger sisters were present w th the wife and mother, all of whom hung to the defendant as wife and child frequently do. The testimony showed that he was a third class animal and ought to be rooting on all fours instead of being clad in men’s clothing, which was about the onlymark of humanity noticeable any where about him. His milky’ cat I eyes and degraded manner was a forerunner that failed to speak in i complimentary terms in his behalf, i The taking of evidence and the \ hearing of arguments took up all of Friday and Saturday, and even continued late Saturday night be- | fore the last word was spoken for and against. All that remains is j for the Judge to make his finding, ■ which as yet he has failed to do. lln this the Judge is to be comj mended, for then no hasty dec sion | will be reached aud the law and evlI dence in all its various phases can Ibe carefully weighed. The family i entire, with exception of J a ney, the ■oldest daughter, are at the jail, they being too poor to provide themselves the comforts- of life. They came here from Michigan to bear testimony in beha f of their father. This trial brings to mind Jani will refresh the memory- of | many of the old timers when the same Jacobs was standing trial for the same offense, that of incest. The plaintiff was his sister, who ■ gave birth to a child which Jacobs was said to be the father of. It was in February, 1874, under Judge Haines' judicial career, but Judge Heller was put on the bench as a special judge. Bobo & Peterson defended Jacobs, aud the jury returned a verdict of six months in the county jail. Application was made by the defense for a new trial, aud the six months had nearly elapsed before the case again came up for hearing. Judge Haines without allowing the case to go into trial, gave the prisoner two years.