Daily Democrat, Volume 1, Number 20, Decatur, Adams County, 3 February 1903 — Page 1

‘fin . ® VOLUME 1

HEN ON. in n ' ip MBK 1 he Indiana Hen Has Them all Beaten. n • s- $ ft •■.-.£ y vcrybody Tip Your Hat to the Patient and Industrious lien. The most valuable song sung in Iniaua is the dally eaekle of the satised hen. If she and her ally, theturey hen, were to stop singing their lonotonous lay, the state of Indiana • ould be from $10,000,000 to $15,000,00 poorer every year and many (■hole communities in Indiana would nffer a financial paralysis and would zither up and be wiskeit away by he breeze that friske around the cross oad. There is nothing in Indiana that listributes money so widely over the rate, or that loosens the tight screws >n so many small bank accounts. All ’ >f this may serve as a thought-germ or the man whose habit it is to shy a iriek at the mother hen who pilots ler brood across his garden lot. If he hen were given the job, and were permitted to devote all of her energies ! x> the fieneral publie good, she would : maintain the state house, the judic- , ary and all the state institutions, from I penitentiaries to hospitals; she would * educate all of the children in Indiana ay meeting the annual public schoolj axpenses, and, on top of that, in a 1 favorable year, she would meet the ( maintainance of all churches of all kinds in Indiana and discharge their home and foreign mission obligations. Her production measured by the standard of the dollar, in many 'years is more valuable than the wheat production in Indiana, and most years; she loses oats yield production at the halfway mark. Indiana talks a great deal about ner Bedford stone production and the wealth of her glass industries. The IndianaJAicken, through the summer months alone, distributes 1 as much money in the state as these industries combined. The Irish and sweet potato, barley and a half dozen cereal crops all combined fall far short in valuation of her production. According to figures compiled by the government, the value of eggs and poultry grown in Indiana last year was $15,000,000. Os that amount it is estimated that the egg erop was worth $7,892,215. According to the chicken census, Indiana is credited with a population of 11,10.3,006 fowls. SPENT HIS MONEY. Ohio Man Gets Mixed Up and Thinks He was Robbed. John Sloat, of Middlebury, Ohio, came to town yesterday, and going to the Old Adams County Bank, cashed a check on a Van Wert bank for $.325. He took twenty-five dollars in cash and a certificate of deposit for S3OO. He is a blacksmith by trade, and had recently sold a shop at Middlebury and was figuring on buying the shop at Preble. Last night he hired-a liveryman to drive him to that place, the latter taking him in his oxyn private rig as an accommodation, the two having been friends for years. This morning Sloat claimed he had been robbed of his $325, and even intimated that the liveryman had something to do with it. The latter heard of the affair and was justly angry. He went to the bank and found that Sloat’s money was still there and safe, then he hunted up Sloat and asked for an explanation. The latter weakened and stated a number of times that he didn’t mean what he had said and we heard him make the statement that he had known the man all his life and knew he had not taken a cent from him, in fact had accommodated him by taking him to Preble. The truth probably is that Sloat spent a few dollars for drinks and that’s about all that is missing. BEAT HIS WIFE. ’Squire Smith Hands Out a Fine for Assault. Jerome B. Carter of Peterson, was arrested last night by Officer Pennington on an affidavit sworn out by one Nancy A. Carter, his wife. The charge was assault and battery with intent to commit a violent injury. Carter was armed with a club and threatened to use his wife up roughly, but wan desisted from the cowardly course by her piteous appeals. He was arraigned before ’Squire Smith, plead guilty to the charge and was niied SIO.BB, which he paid. The episode was followed by Mrs. Carter applying for a divorce on rather sen national charges, a full account of which appears elsewhere in this issue.

The Daily Democrat.

IN SESSION. The Commissioners' Court Grinds Out a Little Business. The commissioners this morning granted a liquor license to John M. Andrew’s whose place of business is at Monroe. The license was asked and granted in Washington township, the township line running along the side of the town. No remonstrance was filed. Plans were adopted for the Limberlose bridge, which is south of Geneva and is a county line bridge. An order was . entered of record for the proper adver|tisement for bids, and the commissioners of both this and Jay counties will "meet in joint session here March 9, to open the bids and let the contract. The bridge will be sixty-eight feet long and will conform closely to the design of the other bridges built in the county.

Surveyor McKean filed two bonds in commissioner’s court each calling in amount for $6,000. They were given as superintendent of the Woods and the Decatur & Preble macadam roads, the law requiring this heavy bond for superintending such public work, both bonds are gilt edge and were approved by the board. The commissioners have bought a fine male cow of blooded stock and with several superior qualities. It is four years o!d|weighs 1800 pounds and wears a pedigree that could not be confined to a single issue. It was purchased of David Dilling and is a genuine thoroughbred. It will strut around the county farm and be master of all he surveys. BIBLE CURIOSITIES. Facts Gleaned from Careful Study of the Good Book. There are no less than 3,566,489 letters in the bib1e,773,697 words, 31,198 verses and 1189 chapters. The number of verses commencing with A are 12,038; B, 2207; C, 183; D, 17: E 207, F, 1797; G, 209; H. 1164; 1.1449; J, 158; K, 65; L, 414; M, 437; N, 961; 0,592; P. 149; Q. 4; R, 127; S, 1088; T, 5286; U, 83; V, 37; W. 1396; X, none; Y, 356; Z, 17. To read the Bible through in a year means reading three chapters every week day and five chapters each Sunday. All the letters of the alphabet are contained in the twenty first verse of the seventh chapter of Ezra. SET FOR TRIAL. Judge Erwin Makes up the February Calendar. Judge Erwin was busy for several hours this morning setting down cases for the present term of court. As shown on the docket the various suits will come up as follows: State criminal cases, against William Ward, I embezzleaient. February 14; Ohio Oil Company, nuisance, February 20; William Lautzenhizer and Vent Everett, February 23; diariesGeimer; embezzlement, February 18; John Weger assault and battery, February 16; Mabel Evans keeping house of ill fame, February 16; Oliver D. Reynolds, February 17; George Bolds et al vs David Cheney, February 26; Minerva Dudgeon vs Douglass Dudgeon, March 2; Decatur National Bank vs Steve Longenberger et al, March 23; E. D. McCullum vsTippe- ! canoe Oil Co et al, March 3; Charles I Grim vs Frank McConnell, March 15; 1 lantha Gregory vs A. C. Gregory, March 9; Otty Bohls vs Geneva Oil Co., March 11; W. H. Niblick vs W' W. Hoagland et al, March 24; Cora Schlegal vs Isaac Zimmerman. February 24; Jacob Martin vs Mary B. Fravel, March 10; Sarah E. Largent vs Joseph Largent, March 25; Jacob Brenneman ex parte and Jacob Hunzicker ex parte, February 25. NOT IN INDIANA. New York Shows a New Law to It’s Legislators. Attorney-General Cunneen of New York has written an opinion in which he holds that the offering of a transportation pass to a member of the legislature is a misdemeanor, that its acceptance by the legislator would constitute a misdemeanor and make him subject to forfeiture of his office. This statement of the ease was made public today by the attorney-general

DECATUR, INDIANA. TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 3, 1903.

NEW ROUTE. Rural Route that wiU Benefit Adams County. Farmers are Petitioning for Route Number Nine Out of Bluffton. Farmers east of Bluffton are petitioning for a new rural route which, if established, will make the ninth for that poet office. As planned the route runs east along the south side of the Wabash to Powell’s ford, thence on the Prilliman gravel road to Vera Cruz. From Vera Cruz it runs one mile southeast on an angling road, then straight east for two miles, north three miles to Pugney road; west two miles on the Pugnev road;' north a mile and then west a mile to j the Hartman road, thence on the Hartman road to the road running east and west a quarter mile south of Craigville. It doubles on this road and intersecting roads until it reaches the old state road on which it goes back to Bluffton. About half of the route is in Adams county. A NEW HOME. Clinton Pontius, of Hartford Township, wiN Blow Himself. Clinton Pontius of Hartford township, was in town yesterday, and while here bought at the Bower’s quarry the stone for a fine new house which he will build on his Hartford township farm this summer. The new structure when complete will be one of the most handsome country residences in the county, it contain ing all the modern improvements of the times. Mr. Pontius is one of those fortunate individuals who not only makes money but he makes all kinds of money. As a side issue seven producing oil wells keeps him in pin money. The last one is good for sixty barrels daily, all of which makes him an income of a very healthy sort. ACCIDENTS GALORE. Disasters Seem to Multiply in the New Year. This year is starting out with an unusual number of disasters wherein the number killed and injured is large. Railroad wrecks claim a big share of the victims. It seems that so far as railroad wrecks are concerned exjierience has taught nothing. The same chances are taken as of yore and seemingly no extra safeguards are provided. Too many men in charge of trains are willing to take chances but when it is everlastingly top late they discover that chance is a very fickle goddess and liable to play false at any moment. ANOTHER TRUST. A Promoter of the Abstract, Loan anti Insurance Business. W. A. Groom of Anderson, is organizing and promoting an enterprise that will corner all the abstract, loan and insurance business in the state by the formation of a gigantic corporation. A meeting of many interested in the scheme was held at Anderson Friday and the plans were thor oughly discussed. Mr. Groom has for several months past been develop ing this project and claims it is per fectly feasible. His idea is to unite under one head all the important abstract real estate insurance and rental agencies in the country, thus forming a trust in this line of work that would crowd out the smaller firms and ultimately control the business, from one general office. CHANGED HER MIND. The report comes from Ossian that a young inim there has a bona fide suit for breach of promise. The young man is Elwin Goshorn. He had n tnarrriage license in his pocket Inst Wednesday to wed Edna Hall, of Huntington, but when she made the trip to Ossian it was for the purpose of declaring the engagement broken and to put an end to wedding preparations. Miss Hail was a trimmer in the millinery store at Ossian last iall.

TELLS IO STORY. Cross Complaint Filed in Liken Divorce Case. A Trial that Looks Like a Real Battle is Booked in Court. The divorce case of William S. vs. Elizabeth Liken was filed yesterday and was at first thought to be only of ordinary interest. However, as events develop it bids fair to be a hard fought battle and one of the largest cases of the kind ever tried in the Adams circuit court. Mr. Liken charges in his complaint that his wife abandoned him in 1900 and that is the sole charge on which a decree is sought. But new Mrs. Liken has filed her cross complaint and her story also alleges abandonment and there seems to be a serious mistake some where. There is probably no doubt that a divorce should be granted but to whom and what is to be the amount of alimony are the questions that will cause interest in the proceedings. Mrs. Liken says that her home is in Pennsylvania and there fourteen years ago she first met William Liken. For ten years they were sweethearts and then married in 1893. Two years afterwards a little baby came and while the mother was still sick her husband abandoned her, coming to this state and has not since, so it is alleged, provided for her in any manner. The child died after living but a few hours. Mrs. Liken is now thir-ty-seven yeaas old and her husband about fifty. The complaint says that Mr. Liken is worth over SIOO,OOO, he being an oil producer and owning valuable lauds and other property in the Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania fields and with these facts in view Mrs. Liken yesterday afternoon asked for the sum of S2OO to pay her expenses. Mr. Liken filed a counter show ing and claims to be worth only $30,(XX), but Judge Erwin decided the amount asked for was not excessive and allowed same in full. The complaint also says that Mrs, Liken knows of one deal made by her husband since their marriage whereby he cleared the sum of SIO,OOO and of oth ers in which he made enormous sums. She also says that she believes her husband has been converting property into money and transferring it to other parties to avoid paying her a large amount of alimony. The case was filed by Merrymanß& Sutton and Heller & Son appear for the defendant.

OIL NEWS. Late Information from the Hoagland Field. J. B. Hobrock, manager of the Hoagland Oil company, made a state ment today to a Democrat reporter which strictly construed means that ( there will b<>-omething doing in the oil business in that neighborhood. He, said that the farmers were confident there was oil in that locality and with in a week arrangements would lie con 1 eluded for drilling. This company ■ will not be entirely a home one, he i further stated, for they hope to inter ' est some Fort Wayne capital in their project. While outside will, not necessarily need lie employed before prospecting is begun, the company wants to get experienced oil I men at its head. If there is any oil in that part of the county this company will surely get it because they begin with determination and have good sound men to back it ami here’s hoping they will strike gushers that will put to shame the light producers that made Texas famous. REAL ESTATE DEAL. J. E. Moser Buys the George W. Roop Property. J. E. Moser the photographer, has purchased the George W. Roop busin ■ s properties ad joining his gallery. The purchase has lieeu made several davs, he buying them simply as an investment, and in years to come when they become worth $ 1 (M) per foot street frontage, the wisdom of the purchase will be more apparent. It is certain that the business portion of the city is walking that way, and in the last year oi two this fact has become more certain than ever Axifore. There was a time when the Moser gallery was considered away out of town, but now it is "in it,” as the boys say. City real estate is expected to soon take another healthy boom.

A SURPRISE. Grandma Cochran, Oldest Member of The M. E. Church, the Wcti». Mis. W. J. Meyers and Mrs. David Studabak r were the originators of a surprise party, held last evening at the home of Grandma Cochran, the occasion being her 81st birthday, she being the oldest member of the M. E. church at Decatur. Each lady went with a basket well filled, and at five o’clock an elegant supper was served. Grandma Cochran and eleven of the ladies being seated at the first C •> < *• V ■ ■ - * • W j| gj|-. \ A(I SARAH COCHRAN. table, Mrs. C. G. Hudson offered prayer, and then presented her with a nice Oxford flexible backed Bible, which the ladies present had purchased for her in remembrance of her birthday. Those present were Mesdames S. Spangler, D. D. Heller. Katherine Clamper, John Niblick. Belle Weklen, Elijah Mann, Jesse Branderberry, Dan Beery, C. G. Hudson, Katie Kinsey, G. W. Roop, Katherine Rugg, M. V. B. Archbold, J. T. Archbold. T. H. Blosser, Dan Railing, J. H. Lenhart, A. R. Bell, W. J. Meyers, David Studabaker and Mrs. Martin Beery of Pleasant Mills. An enjoyable time was had by all, gr ind ma appearing as young as'any of them. All went home about 8 o’clock, wishing grandma might live to enjoy many more birthdays. WITH THE MAGAZINES. A Word About Popular February Periodicals. Pretty nearly the whole range of human interest is covered in the Feb ruary number of the National Magazine, New England’s only illustrated monthly. Pierpont Morgan is undoubtedly the most fascinating figure before the world today. “Mr. Morgan. His Advisers and His Organization” are discussed at length in the January Cosmopolitan by John Brisben Walker, who spent ten days between Mr. Mor gan’s and Mr. John Mitchell’s offices, in September, in the attempt to settle the coal strike. The February number of The Am erican Boy is before us. It is rich in illustration, story and anecdote and full of practical and helpful hints for American boys. The friends of this unique periodical will be pleased to know that it has passed the 100,000 mark in circulation truly a great achievement. A full page illustra ti n of an ice boat .ruing at full si e> I adorns the front cover. It is an inspiring picture. The seventh installment of the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, written by the editor of The American Boy, for boys, appears in this issue. The February Lippincott’s Magazine serves up a delectable dish of fiction in its "Complete Novel” by Mrs. Alice Duer Miller. It is called “A Man of His Word,” and tells the stojry of Dickie Dyson’s match with the daughter of a lady in whose death by ' a street accident he felt implicated. He was pledged to marry Philipp") ’ but she was not in his set. She was a | schoolteacher, and the ready may • fancy the scandalous consequences whicl a skillful pen turns into a happy result. The firm of Harrier A Bros, ri'l publish during the current year books iby a number of our best known American writers. The list includes works by W. D. Howells, Mrs. Wil-kins-Freeman, Booth Tarkington, R. W. Chambers. Octave Thanet, How ard Pvle, Matilda Serao, C. T. Brady, Mrs. Deland, Mary Johnston, A. T. Quiller-Couch, Henry James, E. F. Benson and others.

NUMBER 20

WOULD POISON HER Nancy A Carter Wants a Divorce for Protection. C larges Agaiast Jerome B. Carter are Indeed Serious. Sensational divorce cases seem to be the rage just now, as scarcely a day passes that one is not recorded on the docket. The latest is Nancy A. Carter vs Jerome B. Carter, residents of Peterson, and the charges are pretty strung. They were married in 1895 and lived together until yesterday, when Mrs. Carter came to town and began proceedings for a separation according to law. Cruel and inhuman treatment, failure to provide and several beatings at the hands of her husband are among the atlega tions, but the serious part of her sworn statement is one which says that her husband has several times during the past two years threatened to poison her, and that he continually carries a bottle of strychnine for that purpose. He tells her that one of these days he will give her a dose that will fix her and on numerous occasions has run her out of the house and called her vile names. Mr. Carter is past three score years. The sum of $.300 alimony is asked and a restraining order has been issued to prevent the defendant disposing of a horse and buggy and other personal property which he owns. The case was filed by Attorneys John C. Moran and Daniel N. Erwin. ANSWER FILED. Bluffton Man Files Denial to Ada Cochran’s Complaint. Henry Lewin, the Bluffton saloonkeeper has filed his answer to the ! complaint of Ada Cochran, at present residing here and who has sued him for $5,000 for breach of promise. Henry says it’s a case of the rankest kind of blackmail, and he is arranging to fight it as long as there is a | court to listen to hie troubles. He says Mrs. Cochran is a rank imnoster and a woman of low character who went to Bluffton from Fort Wayne the last of December. He denies the allegation in the complaint and will try to show that Ada’s heart strings have not been torn to any alarming extent, at any rate not $5,000 worth. INCORPORATED. The Peoples Bank of Berne File Articles of Incorporation. Articles ■ l inc< ip ir ition fi >r ihe People's State Bank of Berne was filed yesterday with the secretary of si. Ye. It is capitalized at $40,000, and those taking stock are Rudolph Schug, Joseph Rich, David Mershberger, Christian Merschberger, Jacob Mersehborger, Christian Hirschev, Emanuel V William F. S< hug, Abraham Sprunger, N. 11. McClain. ■IN. Kerr, Mow Au Si|M>, Fred Fox, J. J. Leichtv, John Rich. C. C. Voder, C. C. Merschberger, J. C. Schug, Nicholas Rich, A. B. Beberstine, Peter Beberstine, J. M. Rose, E. D. Engler. Fred J. Gerber, Simeon Gilliom, E. B. Rice, John W’intoregg. tind John Lehman, all of Berne, C. A. Dugan and John Schug of this city, P. W. Smith of Rich | mond, Samuel Egley of Geneva and Peter Holfhian of Linn Grove. It is expected that the new addition to the banking privileges of Berne, will open for business some time next mouth. A LARGE ATTENDANCE. At the Christian church last night there wasa izreat crowd. Nearly <w -ry sent lining taken. The evangelist preached a strong sermon. Atnoug other things he su'd, that some people lielieved in u personal God but not in ti personal devil, but one was just uh real hh the other. There was no way to account for some peoples' actions, only by saying that they are possessed of the Mvil. The goiqiel of the Lord Jesus Christ is ordained of God to overthrow the devil and all his works. Tonight the evangelist preaches or. the Conversion of Cor nelius theconturian. Everyone should hear this sermon. Como early that you may secure a seat. Tomorrow evening is "Mothers' Meeting.” Every ninther and every aue who ever had a mother is invited.