Democratic Press, Volume 1, Number 29, Decatur, Adams County, 2 May 1895 — Page 1

THE DEMOCRATIC PRESS.

VOLUME 1.

Al Fristoe of Bluffton, was in town Tuesday. 1 John Yager was at Fort Wayne 1 Monday evening. Miss Bessie Hale left for Pitts- ' bnrg Sunday on a visit. i Attorney Dick Erwin was a busi- [ ness visitor at Van Weit, Ohio, Monday. J. P. Goodrich of Winchester, i was in town Monday afternoon on ; business. The mother and sister of Mrs. E. ] P. Menefee visited in the city the ; first of the week. . Trustee Laughlin and John T. ' Kelley were conspicious by their presence about town Monday. i Liveryman Homburg, wife and ' lesser Roniburgs, spent last Sunday in Fort Wayne with relatives. The babe of Deputy Auditor Brandyberry has been quite sick for several days past, but is now convalescing. John Kraner, a prosperous farmer living on the southern border of Adams, was attending court several days this week. Herman L. Confer is working Ohio towns this week in the interest of Place's saleable creams and other notable delicacies. The enumeration of the school children which has.just been completed by the school board, finds a total 1,283 within the city’ limits. The Knights of the Golden Eagle gave a grand ball at Winchester on May Ist, to which the Press acknowledges receipt of an invitation. Auditor France and Sheriff Ashbaucher were mingling Tuesday with the horse trading populace of Blue Creek and Jefferson townships. A number of our people viewed the remains at the scene of the glycerine explosion Sunday. Everybody says it’s awfully awful, and we guess that doesn't half tell | the truth about it. List of letters remaining in the * post office in Decatur: Gottleib Zerker, Calvin Supiger, John Schoeth, Mandy Petters, Clara Picket, Deliah Twigg. John We [.!■' ley, Postmaster. Samuel S. Walls of Van Wert, Ohio, a brother of Mrs. J. H. Lenhart of this city, died last Thursday after a short illness with heart trouble. Mr. Lenhart and family ■ were present at the funeral, which took place Saturday. Archer & Marshall will give one of their delightful Edison phono graph entertainments, consisting of band music, piccolo and cornet | solos and duets, and vocal solos and quartettes, at the Baptist church next Tuesday’ evening. May 7. Admission, 20 cents. Children, 10c. Rev. L. L. Rupert performed the marriage ceremony that made Willis F. Johnson and Lydia L. E. Brandyberry husband and wife. The ceremony took place at the home of the bride's parent, in the i presence of a few invited guests, on last Thursday. The Press joins their procession of friends in extending congratulations. At the Catholic church Tuesday morning occurred the marriage of Miss Hattie Stettler of this city to Peter Stine of Lima, Ohio. The ceremony took place in the presence of the several friends of the contracting parties, after which a sumptuous dinner was given at the bride's home on Ninth street. The Press extends congratulations. A case in court last week took up Friday and Saturday, and came from Geneva with Jacob Butcher and Clark J. Lutz attorneys for the plaintiff. The case originates from a note signed May 21, 1894, payable to James Sullivan, calling for SSO in principal, with six per cent, interest, attorney fees, etc. The note was signed by A. Musser, Sohia Watson and J. M. Watson. The note was then sold to the Geneva Bank, which made the title of this action Charles D. Porter vs Sophia and John M. Watson, Albert Musser and James Sullivan. The defendants, Sophia and John Watson, answered the complaint by averring that they never signed the note, and that their names appeared there by means of fraud. The case was hotly contested and ended by the jury returning a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, for the full amount of the note 850, interest 82.84, and attorney's fees |65, making a total of 8117.84; which they will have to foot up and look pleasant.

Attorney De Voss was a Grand Rapids passenger Tuesday evening for Fort Wayne. Shaffer Peterson has filed a thousand dollar bond and been appointed by the governor of Indiana as a notary public.. Mrs. Ramey and daughters, Ruth and Effie, attended a swell party at Decatur, Saturday evening, given by the former's sister.—Portland Sun. The ladies ‘ ‘leg of mutton sleeves’' have swelled until nothing less than a hind quarter of beef would describe them now. Such are the changes of time. Mr. and Mrs. Bowen Hale entertained Mr. Markley and wife, Mr. Goodspeed and wife, Mr. Rife and [ wife, Mr. Rowe, wife and family of Bluffton Sunday. The residence of George Hohaner was burned to the ground Sunday night. The fire originated in the wood sheti, but was discovered too late to save the dwelling, although much hard work was done. A delegation of Decatur horse men with Dick Townsend at the head, have purchased Wayne Wilkes, a blooded horse with a pedigree and reputation that is| hard to duplicate. He has been . brought here. Capt. A. J. Hill is absent from the city on a two or three week’s business tour in the interest of Shafter Peterson's law citations, which are still selling as fast as the press can print them. His Ohio edition will s on be ready forcircu- ■ lation. Sheriff Ashbaucher arrested Mac [ Burkett and Julius Jonloh of near Monroe on a grand jury indictment charging them with embezzling timber. The latter gave bond in the sum of one hundred dollars, while the former is looking through the iron bars. Bowen Hale will move his family to Willshire w’eek after next, he having gone himself and is assisting in bringing his mill business to a reality. The carpenter work will be done by July, and soon after that everything will be humming with business. Henry Bulmahn and Minnie Berning, John Loshe and Lizzie Wolpert, John Baker and Rosa Wolpert, Peter Stein and Hattie Stetler, Willis F. Johnson and Lydia i L. E. Brandy berry comprise the list who have secured license to [ c arry since last week. Coats & Sons of New York, were plaintiffs in a court suit Monday, which madeC. W. Hocker of Monroe, defendant. The point under : controversy was the order of some ■ needles. The firm sent him 75,000 but he kicked on taking and paying for same, vowing he ordered j but about the one thousandth part [ part of that number. After invoicing the case the jury decided same in favor of Hocker. The circuit court last Friday sev- ' ered the matrimonial bonds existing between George B. and Ella J. Cline. The former is the plaintiff and alleges in his recorded complaint that they were married on July 21, 1894, and lived together until April 15, 1895, when Ella left him, and refused to return to George even after repeated requests to do so. Ihe most serious charge against her, however, was that sexual intercourse was an impossibility. All told the causes were sufficient to grant the divorce, giving defendant 8240 alimony. I have been creditably informed that certain persons have been maliciously circulating scandalous reports concerning the young ladies of the high school and myself. I have in my possession the following statement, w hich is signed by fifty j of the young ladies of the high school: “Whereas, malicious and scandalous reports have been circulated, detrimental to the character of Supt. Moffatt and reflecting no | less upon the character of ourselves as members of the high school. We wish to inform the public that, his conduct toward us has never been other than that of a gentleman. I trust that this will he sufficient to convince all candid and fairminded persons that such reports arc utterly false. If in the future,, I shall be reliably informed that; such persons are continuing the cir- I culation of these falsehoods, I shall ; on behalf of every young lady in the high school as well as myself, be compelled to take legal action through my attorneys. Very truly, A. D. Moffett.

DECATUR. INDIANA, THURSDAY, MAY 2. 1895.

The grand jury returned seven-' teen indictments during their session, which closed last Friday. J. D. Hale and wife, anti J. Q. Neptune and wife were Bluffton visitors Sunday, being guests at the home of 1 >. E. Studabaker. Alex Bolds of Hartford township, attended court Tuesday, and tapped the thing off just ; ght by re newing his allegianc to the Press for a year to come. Melvin Mallonnee a twelve years old youngster, fell from a road scraper last Thursday and came out with a broken arm. It was the left member and was broken just above the wrist joint. Uncle George Pontius of Hartford township, was in town the first of the week looking as hale, hearty ami jovial a- ever. He reports the oil business as booming, his clearing sales last month amounting to i some 81,200. Henry Fred Linn has contracted for the erection of the Willshire i crist mill and elevator, which was ■ i let by Bowen Hale. The contract [ is quite a good one and will keep a j gang of workmen hustling tor some time to come. W. E. Keubler and wife entertained to dinner Tuesday evening, D. M. Hensley and wife, J. 8. Peterson and w ife, A. R. Bell and wife, Dr. Devilbiss and wife, W. H. ■ Nachtrieb and wife, C. A. Dugan and wife, Dell Locke and wife, J. C. Paterson and wife, Mrs. Crawford and Miss Barthol. “Nearer my God to Thee” by : Gilmore’s Band of New York. | “Rock of Ages” by Baldwin' Cadet Band of Boston. “Washington Post March’’ by L . S. Marine Band. “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” by the Standard Quartette, and “Home, j Sweet Home,” a cornet solo, are some of the attractions at the Baptist church next Tuesday evening. Henry Lankenaur of Bingen,was , in town Saturday and reported that portion of Adams county promi- ( nence as being a full yard wide and I; all wool. In the rounds the Press . office received his social attention r for a few spare moments. He at ’> one time was prominent in news i paper 'circles, and as a matter of • fact still leans in that direction yet. . j Charley Reed, son of Postmaster . Reed, has gone to the Chicago , Presbyterian hospital where he was > to have an operation performed on , his right arm today. Tuberculosis [ has set in at the elbow and the chances are that the arm will have “ito be amputated at the elbow’. It ' | is to be hoped, however, that such will not be the case and that the arm may be saved. He has been troubled with it for the past 1 three months.—-Morris, (Ill.) Post. I Yesterday morning at eight ’ o’clock there was a double w edding at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, the I principles being John Baker and Rosa Wolpert, and John Loshe and Lizzie Wolpert. Father Wilkins performed the ceremony, after which a gorgeous dinner was served J- to the relatives and friends at the i brides’ home, west of town. All I the contracting parties are well and , favorably known and are the best the country affords, and haveoceans ' of friends who wish them a long [ life of interrupted happiness. The Press extends congratulations. The Odd Fellows of this city ob- [ served the seventy-sixth anniversary of the foundation of the order ■ in America on last Friday evening, j They met at the lodge hall al seven | o’clock in the evening and marched from there to the 51. E. church, | where the exercises were held. The program consisted of prayer j by Rev. Smith, music, and two adI dresses. The music was furnished by the 51. E. choir, and the mere mention of that fact is a guarantee that excellent music was furnished. The chairman, J. F. slaun, in a few minutes talk sketched the history of the order. He was followed by Rev. E. T. Gregg, who delivered the principal address of the even- ' ing. Rev. Gregg’s address was an ' excellent word painting of a true Odd Fellow’, and it received the universal approval and commenda tion of not only the Odd Fellows | present but the visitors as w’ell. After the address the chairman, in behalf of the lodge, thanked the ; public, the choir and Rev. Gregg, , and the meeting was dismissied by the benediction. The members marched to the lodge hall and from their dispersed to their homes feeling well paid by the evening's entertainment.

P. W. Smith, the timber king of | Adams as well as numerous other I counties, was smiling on friends : here the first of the week. f The county superintendent held ! teacher’s examination Saturday, 1 which was attended by some forty : odd, w’ho tried their mental skill at ' “Aggers” and the like. I Don't fail to hear the most won- < derful instrument of the day, Edi- 1 son’s Phonograph. A royal treat 1 for all. No ear tubes. Hundreds 1 of people hear at the same time. At the Baptist church, Tuesday > evening, slay 7. Business was brisk in town Sat- < urday, the streets being jammed i [ with people, who were shoppingas j well as attending to other business t ■of importance. Our merchants all I : report a good day’s sales, with the ' cash in the money drawer to show < for same, too. ! 1 Papers sent here from Morris, 1 Illinois, tell of the probable neces-, 1 sity of amputating the arm ofP Charley Reed, the son of W. 51. 1 Reed. Tuberculosis having set in at the elbow is what is causing the i, \ disaster. Mrs. Reed accompanied | 1 her boy, and received but little en- ' couragement against this fatal ne- , loessity. Their friends here will | regret to hear of the misfortune. ] Daniel Drew was found dead in 1 [ a box car at Winchester, the dis [ 1 covery being made by a brother in I the tramping profession, who was[ seeking a night’s repose in the H I same car. On his person was found i papers which identified him and gave his home at Milwaukee, Wis- [ 1 consin, where his parents live.[ 1 They were notified and ordered the ! remains taken care of and sent to I them. Trustee Wechter of Bluecreek I township, stands a very fair show of holding his office four years more ! after the expiration of his present I term which ends in August. Lad, fall a republican succeeded by a [ few votes in being elected, but now [ he has moved to Indianapolis and : will not be present to take charge | of the office when the time rolls around. This in turn will compel ; the present official to remain in [ command of the official charge. .[ This will make but two republican ; trustees in the county. The development of the Montne-1 ' ■ Her oil field has been a puzzle to I • those not acquainted with the tac j 1 tics of the Standard and other oil 1 producing companies. The Mont--1 pelier field showed but little oil for ‘ a long time after oil drilling had • been going on rapidly and many w’ells were drilled and apparently 1 abandoned. But it seems that the: ‘ facts were that all the wells that • showed any oil were carefully plug ■ : ged and awaited the proper time [ ■ for development. The Montpelier ■ . field was closely guarded by the[ ‘ Standard company and no excite-! ; ment allowed to exist. The work I • ’ f developing the field and securing! [ [ leases went on quietly mouth after , month and in fact, year after year. . until the great field was taken in [ by the great corporations, and now ! the Montpelier field bloss< ms out as , it never did before. — Bluffton : Chronicle. : A rather laughable incident oc-; : curved at Berne Thursday afternoon, 1 ■ in which a Portland boy figured i j somewhat conspicuously. Along in the afternoon the lad, who was ; ; about thirteen years old, went into : i Shook Bros, store and asked to look i at the bicycles. While slr. Shook | i ’ was showing him the wheels an- ] other customer came in and called < him to the back end of the store. I This was the boy’s chance, and in i a moment he and the wheel disap- 1 i peared. After some time the nwr- f shal was summoned and started on j t ; the hunt after the twain. He fol- j 1 lowed the wheel tracks in the dust 1 until he found the lad asleep at a i farmhouse, the wheel at his bed-:' side. The valiant minion of the • law promptly hand cuffed thechild, 1 and took him to Berne, where the i boy said he was from Portland, t After considerable guying by the I crowd the marshal took the irons < off his youthful prisoner and the ] two went to bed at the hotel. NVhen i the marshal was soundly sleeping i 1 the little fellow got up, dressed and < crawled out of the window. Waking 1 up as his game was fleeing, the mar- ] shal grasped the former’s coat, only ' to see him slip out of it and leave ] it behind. Securing his revolver ■ the marshal used it, but to no es- : feet, and he is now being roasted ] for putting irons on a thirteen year i I old boy, allowing him to escape, I; and then shooting at him.—Portland Sun.

Jacob Buhler, sen., was uptown ! the other day, the first time for some five months. He is looking somewhat the worse for wear, but is considerably better. We hope he may fully recover. After a painful illness of several weeks slrs. Daniel Sprang died this morning at half-past two o’clock. She was an estimable lady with many friends and admirers, who regret the cuttingdown of her useful and beneficial life. The funeral services will take place Saturday afternoon at two o’clock. The assault and battery suit with damages attached to the tune of 85,000 was occupying the court and jury for four days last week. The title of the case was Lorenzo D. Hall vs Reuben Baxter. The case went to the j ury shortly after noon on Thursday, and after deliberating for about an hour and thirty minutes, they brought in a verdict in | favor of the defendant. The suit was hotly contested by the attorneys in the case. J. C. Moran is deputy assessor of I Jefferson township. The other day he appeared at the home of John : T. Kelley and after making proper returns of the property there, laid ■ his book down and went into the house. While absent a young hurricane came along and carried those j assessment sheets over the greater j portion of Jefferson township. slr. i Moran is receiving the “horse laugh” from all corners, especially when he returns to assess many j who had previously submitted to! the ordeal. Surely it’s a rocky road to Dublin. One of the most pleasant events j Decatur has known for many days j was the reception given by slrs. 1 11. B. Allison, in honor of her [daughter, slrs. Jesse Townsend, ■ who recently returned from Boston [ where she spent the winter study- , ing voice culture. Those who assisted Mrs. Allison in receiving [ were slrs. Townsend, Mrs. Crabbs [of Toledo, slrs. Ramey and daugh- [ ter of Portland. During the afteri noon a large number of friends [ were greeted and delightfully entertained. Mrs. Rice presided at [ the punch bowl, while Miss Studa- [ baker and Miss Christen ushered I the guests to the diningroom where la dainty lunch was served by Mrs. [ Patterson, Mrs. R. K Allison and ‘ Miss Lola Foster of Willshire’ The I charming appearance of all the ladies present was proof, beyond a doubt, that nature has not a monopoly on new and beautiful garments. Come now the grand jurors withlin and for the body of Adams [county, and report to the court that they have discharged to the best of [ their ability all duties required of them by law. That they have per Isonally inspected the county poor [farm and would report thereon, | that they found the same in good [ condition, and the inmates thereof ' well cared for and provided with suitable clothes and food. That they carefully examined all build ings situate thereon, and viewed [ the entire premisesand found every I thing clean, well cared for ami in proper condition. That they found in said poor house one Ham- ; mond, an inmate thereof, who is a dangerous and unruly person, and in such a condition that it is unsafe for him to be allowed his liberty and that he is now confined in a cell in said poor house. That there is no suitable place in or about said infirmary to properly confine said person, and that to keep him in his [ quarters would, in our opinion, be i brutal and inhuman. We therefore [ recommend that an investigation I be made by the proper authorities; [ and that he be either removed to some other institution better provided for his custody, or that better arrangements be made at said infirmary. We further report that we find that the Toledo, St. Louis Kansas City railway company by their road bed have obstructed a natural water course running through said poor farm, so as to back the water over a large portion of the tillable land thereof, having provided an insufficient culvert under their road bed. We therefore recommend that the proper and competent authorities proceed to have the same enlarged, so as to provide a sufficient outlet for the water flowing over and across said poor farm. We further report that we have visited the county jail, and find everything there in excellent condition and the premises clean and well cared for, and the prisoners provided with proper food. George H. Kelley, Foreman.

NUMBER 29

A case of bastardy preferred by Jessie Twigg against Arthur Glendenning. was being adjusted in court Tuesday afternoon. The i complaint alleged that on July 16, j 1894. the plaintiff had given birth to twin babes, and that their parental ancestor on the father’s side is none other than Arthur Glendenning. The babes lived but a short time after birth, which we expect aided to lessen the amount of the judgement assessed against the defendant, who was caught for 875 and the court costs. The treasurer of the Indiana Christian Endeavor Union, slr. Chas. J. Buchanan, who went to Boston to make arrangements for Indiana delegates to the fourteenth international Christian Endeavor convention to be held in that city, July 10 to 15, secured the Parker Hotel, the best in the city, for Indiana headquarters. Dr. F. C. Heath, master of transportation, expects to secure railroad rates within the reach of every one. Boston: is making most active preparation in anticipation of 60,000 delegates. The ghastly and deadly effects of ; the powerful substance composing nitroglycerine has again been heard [ from, and the effect was nearenough to cause every inhabitant of Decatur to wonder where he was at. [ Not knowing the true cause of the terrific explosion, many judged it to be an earthquake or some other evil omen that would turn this [ worldly globe upside down and [ perchance cast our lot in the no- [ table China, where we would deal [ with Japan without gloves. No distinguishable damage was done outside of unstringing one’s nerves and making him unfit—for the time being—of intelligibly appending [ his John Hancock to a note calling for a thousand or more. The inquiries were then numerous but no one could penetrate the unfathomed mystery and determine upon a conclusive evidence for a true finding. However a half hour afterwards a j telephone message from Bluffton | unfolded the true meaning, which was to the effect that a wagon load of glycerine had exploded, leaving no one behind to tell the sorrowful tale of how it happened. In a few minutes after the news reached , here, delegations of our people were on their way to the scene ofdisaster. Curiosity raged at a fire heat. Not less than one hundred of our people . visited the fatal scene on this day, | which was at Powell’s ford, two i miles this side of Bluffton, on the 1 banks of the raging Wabash. There a deep hole some forty feet across (the top and perhaps twenty-five or thirty at the bottom, showed con- [ clusively where some explosion had [ occurred. It seems that William I Ulmer bad left the factory that i morning with 720 quarts of gGcerI ine, which was stowed away in an Empire wagon. The ford is some [ two miles from the factory. The : explosion was either the result of leaking glycerine or by a jar against I on oak tree that overhung the road. | The latter theory is the more accepted, anil it is the belief of most i of those who viewed the scene of [ the accident. Ulmer had been in the services of the Empirecompany [ almost fromnts beginning. He was ; aged twenty two years. One of the strange things concerning him and [ his work was that his folks were | very anxious to have him engagein something less hazardous, but as he [ owed a few dollars on his team he [ decided to make one more trip and I then find work which if less remunerative would at least be safer. [ All that could be found of Ulmer’s remains were a few bits of clothing i and fragments of bleeding flesh, which were collected and taken to [ Coroner Sicßride’s undertaking establishment, Part of one horse was ■ found a hundred feet away from the [ scene of the explosion, and part of another on the river bank an equal [ distance away. It hardly seems credible to those unacquainted with ; the terrible explosive power of nitroclyceiine, that so much dam- [ age could be done by 720 quarts of the fluid. Four or five mammoth oaks stood near the river bank which were badly uprooted and broken into pieces, while smaller i ones were hurled a distance of five i hundred feet. Fences were blown down, houses and barns wrecked and incredible damage done. The jar was felt not only here but at [ slarion, Portland, sluncie, Hartford City, Fort Wayne, Huntington, Warren, Ossian and slontpelier. Funeral services were held Sunday in the Christian church at Bluffton, over the few collected reI mains of the unfortunate Ulmer.