Daily Democrat, Volume 1, Number 6, Decatur, Adams County, 19 January 1903 — Page 1

VOLUME 1

CHINA WEDDING. Anniversary of Judge and Mrs. Erwin Celebrated. A Popular Home Enjoys one of the Delightful Days of it History. Twenty years ago last Saturday, Mr. and Mrs. R. K. Erwin were united in marriage and of course the event had to be celebrated, as these china weddings come but once. Accordingly a surprise was framed up by the relatives and executed without a hitch. It was an enjoyable and happy affair and the relatives join us in wishing that their silver, golden and diamond celebrations be as pleasurable and even better attended. The china wedding was celebrated Sunday at the judge's country home east of town and the guests began to arrive early in the morning. Mr. and Mrs. Erwin were not slow about grasping the meaning of affairs as one after another rig drive up, and they devoted their entire energies to making the numerous relatives and friends feel welcome, succeeding admirably. About forty people were present, including the families of Wesley Wass, Dwight Wass, John Barkley, Frank Crates, Horace Callow, Dan Erwin, William Erwin and Charles Carpenter. A number of pretty china dishes were given the bride and groom who received in a graceful manner and with due ceremoney. The dinner, always a principle attraction at such an event, was a hummer, consisting of turkey, chicken and other delicacies fully appreciated only at wedding dinners. It was one ■of the days in life that are always re membered by the participants and will be talked of for years by the Er- j wins and their relatives young and old. THE TRACTION LINE. The Scheme Proposed by Dr. George May be a Dream. In yesterday’s issue of a Fort Wayne paper several columns were devoted to the electric lines which are likely to be built in the state this ▼ear, and its faith in the line through here did not seem to be very strong. It read: “None of the city officials has heard anything lately of the line •from Cincinnati by the way of Rich mond, as mapped out by Dr. George, of Dayton. During the summer ■months he carried on a flirtation with the city administration, but more than to" drive over the suburbs and inspect the ground with a view of fixing upon the most practical entrance to the city nothing was done. ■Newspapers along the line of the proposed route, however, are evidently impressed with the belief that the line is still very much alive and pin their faith to the belief that the road ' will eventually be built/’ The paper may be right in its conjectures, ’though people here still think that [within a year the cars will be running i by their doors. HOBOES ARRESTED. Two Tramps Spend Sunday in Jail. Tom Sullivan, a Pennsylvania glass blower, and George \\ hite of Columbus, Ohio, the latter a professional tramp, were arrested last night and lodged in jail to prevent them getting themselves into serious trouble. A warm plac L to sleep seemed to be a treat for the boys and their slumbers were serene. They were given orders, to get out of town this morning as quick as possible and did so. The cold weather has made the tramp a scarce article in this locality lately, but we doubt not that a bounteous supply of them will be on hand with the first spring day. PROBATE COURT. Judge Erwin took up probate affairs in circuit court this morning and the following business was transacted: In the Peter Parrott estate, Edwin Heller, executor, a new bond was ordered filed for twice the amount of money on hands, Heller acting as trustee for Adeline Debroe. In the W. D. Mallonee estate, James Hoagland, administrator, the final report was filed. In the case of Aurelia and '‘Claud Studler, minor heirs, Edwin ■Heller was appointed guardian.

THE DAILY DEMOCRAT

THE ST. LOUIS FAIR. • • I Indiana’s Exhibit will be Worthy the State. That Indiana will be represented at the coming Louisana purchase exposition in a manner befitting the dignity of that great commonwealth is the consensus of opinion of the committee selected by the present Indiana general assembly. The members of the committee selected for this purpose on visiting the site of the world’s fair at Forest park were surprised at the magnitude of the undertaking. After a drive over the grounds, which was followed by a conference with ex-gov-ernor of Missouri David R. Francis, president of the Louisana Purchase Expcsiiion company and other officials, in which the work already ac ( complished and that which remains j to be done between now and the time set for the formal opening of the | world’s greatest fair, was explained to | the committee, the committee without hesitancy expressed itself in favor of i recommending in its report to the legislature that it appropriate a sum suffiecient to guarantee the ablest repre- | sentation of the state. As Governor ; Durbin expressed it, “If one state ' building won’t be enough, we’ll erect two.” The committee appointed to visit the site of the exposition and re port its recommendations to the legislature regarding the representation of Indiana at the fair was named at the suggestion of Governor Durbin. Lieutenant Governor Newton W. Gil-, bert was selected as chairman and the ' other members were named as fol j lows: Henry W. Marshall of Lafayette, speaker of the house; Senators W. A. Kittinger of Anderson, S. B. Fleming of Fort Wayne and Albert D. Ogborn of New Castle. Representatives Joseph M. Cravens of Anderson, O. R. Luhring of Evansville, and James F. Stutesman of Peru. GovI ernor Durbin accompanied the com- ; mittee as a guest. TROUBLE BREWING. — [The Berne Anti-Saloon League Still on the War Path. Since two of Berne’s saloons have, by process of law, been closed there has been more or less feeling between those who have performed prominent stage acts, both in favor of the closing and against it. The two saloons now run lunch rooms, where lunch, cigars, etc., are handed out to their customers at the regulation price. Some protest has been made even against this, and anti-saloonists have closely watched the movements around these places. Saturday a men was stationed in front of these former saloons and the names of those who entered therein was carefully jotted down in a note book, with the intention of later having an old time grand jury investigation which they hope will reveal violations of the I law. It is not an exageration to say that trouble in large chunks is brewpng, and that the end is not yet in I sight. CHOSE OFFICERS. Annual Election at the Catholic Church Yesterday. Yesterday was election day at the St. Mary’s Catholic church, and the officers were duly chosen for the various places and to serve for the ensuing year. As chosen they are: Treasurer, Ed X. Ehinger: secretary, D. D. Coffee; collectors, H. H. Bremerkamp, Frank Teeple and Nicholas Miller; usher, Timothy C. Corbett and cemetery custodian, Jerry Coffee. All are men of merit and will do their duties faithfully. In the afternoon the St. Mary’s society, composed of ladies, held a meeting and elected their officers for the ensuing year. Mrs. J. B. Meibers was elected president, Mrs. Garrett Berling, secretary and Mrs. B. Wemhoff, treasurer. NEAT AND HEALTHY. The Daily Democrat is a Sprightly Youngster. The initial number of the Daily Democrat reached our office Tuesday morning. It presents a healthy appearance, and was very neatly gotten up. J. H- Heller is manager and the paper is published from the weekly Democrat office at Decatur. —Geneva Herald.

DECATUR, INDIANA, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 19, 1903.

DEMENTED. ——— Strange Actions of a Former Decatur Lady. Mrs. Lase Ellis seen at Hartford City but has Disappeared again. Mrs. Lase Ellis, of Redkey, formerly Miss Bertha Burdg, of this city, is temporarily demented and has left home. The following from Saturday’s Hartford City News tells a sad story v to her Decatur friends: Mrs. Bertha E. May, the woman whose strange actions excited so much comment in this city Thursday, proves to be Mrs. Lase Ellis, the wife of the well-known saloon-keeper at Redkey. Ellis was here last night in search of his wife, who had left home in a de- J mented condition. Ellis says his wife is afflicted with epilepsv and at times she is not responsible for what j she says and does. Mrs. Ellis left her home Wednesday niefit and it is supposed she camo directly to this city, where she stopped at the Parker hotel, registering as Bertha E. May.; She imagined there was a romance in her life that would read well in print and she wanted her story printed in connection with her picture. She went to a photographer and had her picture taken for that purpose. At the hotel she told women she met that she had a husband and a good home. I Her conduct was that of a respectable woman, but still it was plain that , she was not in her right mind. She left the city Thursday evening, and it is believed she went south. Before she left home she went to her husband’s money till and abstracted between SIOO and S2OO and she was plentifully supplied with money when she was here. Her husband, who is fearful I that some harm will come to her, returned to his home this morning, but will renew the search if she does not turn up, as she will when she recov- j ers her reason unless she is interfered j with. Mrs. Ellis is a member of the church and is highly regarded at Redkey. She is the mother of five children. BOYSGET DRUNK. Two Lads Indulge in Beer and one Nearly Dies. Charley Ault, seventeen years old, went into a saloon here Saturday and bought some beer which was afterwards;drank by himself and fourteen year old brother, Martin, with the result that the latter almost died from the effects. He became hopelessly drunk and so sick that for awhile it was feared he would die. The boys are the sons of James Ault who is very angry about the matter. He says he knows the man who sold the liquor and has ordered him not to sell liquor to Charles and he may conclude to prosecute him. A saloon keeper who so tar degrades himself and violates his lawful rights by selling liquor to boys deserves punishment. A NEW BANK. I The Old Adams County Bank interested at Wren, Ohio. The Old Adams County Bank of this city, in conjunction with local capitalists, will soon have a banking institution in full operation at Wren, Ohio. Such well known businese men as J. L. Moser, William Frysinger, L. M. Harmon and W. H. Stults will own a block of stock in the new bank which will start out with a capital of from $15,000 to $25,000. A room which when completed will be the home of the Bank of Wren is now being built by Mr. Stultz. The town is not so large but it is full of energy and business for a small place and has a large farming territory which has no connection with any other place. The new bank will without doubt do a profitable business as it deserves. SMASH IP. A wreck occurred on the Clover Leaf railroad between Greentown and Sycamore, about eight miles east of Kokomo. Extra number 71, westbound, was running at full speed when a car in the middle of the train broke down, causing a general mix-up. No one was injured and the Frankfort wrecking crew soon had the track in shape so that traffic could be resumed.

SENATOR SPOONER. The Wisconsin Senator will be Re-elected to the United States Senate. After all the barking of the dogs of political war, it seems certain that Senator Spooner of Wisconsin, will be re-elected to the United States senate.: Mr. Spooner is a strong lawyer and a thorough student of government. He has taken a front position in the sen- j ate. He is in the inner republican j councils, and the democrats regard i him highly as a worthy foeman. When either party does something to maintain the highest standards of the United States senate, thoughtful men of both parties can afford to yield their applause. The better equipment there is on both sides of the chamber the better chance there is of I thorough enlightenment on public questions, many of the most important of which are not strictly partisan. The senate is rightly considered a balance wheel in the government, and it should be constantly builded up. The continuation of such men as Mr. Spooner in both parties is the best resistance to an unthoughtful popular outcry that looks to tearing the senate down and impairing its dignity and influence. STREET SETTLEMENT. Berne’s Town Council Paying Out the Cash. Clark J. Lutz, as attorney for the town of Berne, w’ent to that place this afternoon where tonight, he will meet the town council who will try to effect a settlement for the brick street. The council held five percent of the contract price as a guarantee of the repair of the street, and they now would like to keep on holding it for five years, the limit of time in which the contractors are to keep the street in repair without any expense to the town. It is questionable whether the town can legally do I this, and Mr. Lutz went down to straighten out the tangle. The amount of money in controversy is about SISOO. A settlement of their ; new sewer will also be made. APPROPRIATION BILLS. Congress will Begin Wrestling with this Important Measure. The statehood bill, the immigration bill and the Cuban reciprocity treaty i will vie with each other in demanding the attention of the senate during the present week and the probabilities are that before the close of the i week, all of them will be displaced temporally by the legislaI tive, executive and judicial appropriation bill. The last named measure has been under consideration at the hands of a sub-committee on appropriations for the past two weeks and | will belaid before the full committee. ON THE WAR PATH. ————— Governor Durbin wants the Jeffersonville Reformatory Investigated. The legislature through the chief ' executive, is doing a game rounding I that has for its object the cleaning out of the present board of managers of the Jeffersonville reformatory. The governor has a red-hot poker up his sleeve for former Superintendent Hert, and wants a board there that will look through the eye of a needle and sift something that will reflect I upon the credit and standing of this former superintendent and state politician. At that time Hon. W. H. Eichhorn, of Bluffton, was a member of the board of control, his tenure of office being from 1897 to 1901. FOR $5,000. Damage Suit Is Filed Today In Circuit Court. Charles S. Fetcher has filed suit against the Decatur Egg Case company for $5,000 damages while working in their factory at South Whitley, Jan. 25,1901, he had an arm torn off by some machinery. The case was filed at three o’clock this afternoon. Benton Gates and Frager, Biggs & Frager, attorneys of Columbia City, appear for plaintiff.

FREE DELIVERY. Inspector Here to go over Postoffice Receipts. May Recommend that Free Mail Delivery be Established in City. A. R. Burr, postoffice inspector for the Cincinnati district which includes this portion of Indiana, is in the city on business of the utmost importance, his business being to carefully goover the matter of establishing free mail delivery in Decatur. There are several requirements necessary before a city 1 can claim this convenience, among them and chief in importance is that 1 the actual receipts of the postoffice be SIO,OOO per year, and this part of the affair was very satisfactory. Mr. Burr went over the receipts this morning and found them equal to the occasion. Next is the fact whether or not the city wants free delivery and whether or not they will assist the government in completing the system by numfiering the houses and posting the names of the streets. As to this Mr. Burr interviewed several members of the city council, each of whom spoke very favorably and there is littledoubt but that this part will tie arranged. The remaining condition and the only one which there seems to be any liklihood of trouble is a building large enough and one conveniently arranged for the accommodation of such an office. The present building j is by far too small and is by no means a perfect home for the transaction Los business, and there seems to be no other room available just at present. However, there may and no doubt will be away out of this handicap and we feel safe in saying that by July Ist the system will be established. The year’s receipts are counted from March to March and without doubt ■ the SIO,OOO mark will be more than reached by that time as the average month’s business is considerably above the required amount. With the new system a number of mail carriers, who go under civil service I and retain their positions during good | behavior, will be necessary. The exact number cannot be given until the re- ■ quirements are known, but there will probably be three or four to start with, at salaries of from S(XX) to SBOO. I Inspector Burr is also looking up ! matters with regards to fraudulent | use of the mails. WILL SUPPORT CLARK. The Indiana Delegation have Announced Their Preference. The Indiana democratic congressmen at a conference held Saturday, practically agreed to support Champ Clark of Missouri, for democratic leader. The candidates are Clark and Representative John Sharpe Williams of Mississippi. It is expected that otner northern states will follow Indiana’s example and declare for Clark. The Hon. Champ Clark is one of the bright and worthy members in the lower house of congress. He is logically safe and sound and will prove a minority leader in which the democratic party may well feel proud. Hon. John C. Richardson, the present democratic leader will retire from congress. BUSY POSTMASTERS. The Indiana Public Buildings will make Responsibilities Galore. The postmasters of Vincennes, Crawfordsville, Logansport, Richmond, Hammond, Elkhart, Anderson and Muncie may expect to be kept busy when Uncle Sam gets ready to proceed with the construction of the new public buildings in Indiana. It is a fact not generally known that the law makes the postmaster ot the town where a postoffice building is to be erected the custodian of the site and it is through him that all businese relating to the site must be transacted. WILL ENTERTAIN. Mrs. A. B. Morrison, Mrs. Crabbs and Miss Hattie Studabaker will entertain the members of the Ladies’ Shakespeare club at the home of the former on Fourth street, Wednesday evening. The guests of honor will be Mrs. A. J. Vesey and Mrs. J. W. Vesey, of Fort Wayne. The affair no doubt will be a pleasant one.

NUMBER 6

STILL IN PRISON. John Potter will Serve until next October. Two years ago a man named John Potter, then day clerk at the Burt house, embezzled $l3O given into the care of Mr. Hill the proprietor by a traveling man. He left here on the night train for Chicago, where he was apprehended a day or so later brought here, tried and convicted. He was sent to Michigan City for a term of one to seven years. Usually this means the freedom of the pris oner shortly after the end of the first year but John has not been quite so lucky. It has developed that this is bis second term in prison and under the rules of the institution a maa who has served time cannot appear before the pardon board until he has served three years. His three years will be up next October. The informa comes was received by Daniel Erwin who wrote to the warden to ascertain what had became of Potter as he left some clothes and other personal chattels here when he went “up.” CERTAIN PROOF. Comfort of Our People is an Assured Fact. A load of coal stood unguarded and unprotected in a first ward alley and not a single pound was confiscat ed. This is certain proof that the ! people of Decatur are not suffering from lack of fuel. Had such a thing happened in Chicago or any other large city, according to reports in the j metropolitan papers the horses would scarcely have been unhitched until the wagon would have been well 1 cleaned, another argument that Deca tur is the only place on earth to"enjoy I life. BRUSHWOOD BONDS. The Decatur National Bank buys a few Bonds. The board of commissioners this I morning received bids for the bonds., . the money for which will be used in building the Brushwood College ma cadam road. The only bidder was the Decatur National Bank of thiscity, I and their bid being in comformity with the law, was accepted. They give $5,000 for the bonds and the same will be turned over to tnem as soon as the lithographers complete them. I The Brushwood road traverses the southern portion of Hartford township and completes the macadam road to. I the Jay county line. LIKE IT’S DAD. The Daily Democrat a Worthy Son with Much Promise. The Decatur Daily Democrat is a i new born son to the gallaut Democracy |of Adams county. Its father, the Decatur Weekly Democrat, has long j been in the front rank of influential and successful newspapers. Its proprietor, Hon. L. G. Effingham, is a bright journalist, and will make it a success. The Adams county Democracy is to be congratulated on the Daily Democrat. Anderson News. FINED IN COURT. The Case of State of Indiana against Covauit Settled. The case of the state of Indiana vs Covalt, which charged the defendant with assault and battery with intent to kill, was adjudicated in court this afternoon. The intent to kill was withdrawn from the affidavit by Prosecutor Moran and the defendant plead guilty to assault, and Judge Erwin handed him out a fine of fifteen dollars, which with the usual trimmings will figure up about thirtytwo dollars. He stayed the docket. The affidavit against H. Fred Bohnke who was mixed up with Covalt and who was charged with assault wa« dismissed. This case was the outcome of a hand-to-hand duel at the fair grounds last September, Mr. Bohnke at that time being on the special police force.