Daily Democrat, Volume 1, Number 23, Decatur, Adams County, 6 February 1903 — Page 1

VOLUME I

IN COURT. Bigs in a Legal Way at the Court House. Matters in Circuit and Probate Court Taken Up this Morning. Ln the petition suit of Elsie Bollman vs Catherine Crabbs, Schafer Peterson, commissioner, the final report was filed, approved and the commissioner discharged. In the case of Uriah Grim vs the G. R. & I. Railway company, a demurrer was argued by the attorneys, L C. DeVoss for the plaintiff and A. P. Beatty for the defendant, the court overruling the demurrer. Attorney Schafer Peterson entered his appearance for the defendant in the case of Wm. Niblick vs Peter Frank. A motion to quash was argued by A. P. Beatty, appearing for the defendant in the case of the State of Indiana vs Charles Geimer, embezzlement. Judge Erwin has not yet ruled on the question. In the case of W H. Niblick and C. A. Dugan, trustees vs Ellen and Perry Robison, a demurrer was filed to complaint but overruled. and separate answers filed bv each defendant. In probate court Henry Lankenau has been appointed guardian for Arnold Meier and four other minor children. He gave bond in the sum of 8800. Simeon Sprunger was appointed administrator of the estate of Abraham Sprunger, and the latter's will was probated. The administrator filed his bond. MANY WILL BUILD. Farmers Are Arranging for Handsome | New Homes. A number of farmers in the north ■ part of the county are arranging to have handsome new homes erected during the coming summer and some of them will compare favorably with the beautiful homes of this city. We have mentioned several of them from time to time in these column and the fact was Kcalled to our mind today while conaersiug with a member of one of the best known contracting firms of the city, who said he was figuring on at least a dozen country homes which are to be commenced as soon as possible. Among the well known farmer- who are getting ready for such improvements are Henry Luttman and Louis H. Boknecht, of Root township, William Krutzman living north of Preble Frank McConnell of near Monmouth and a number others, several of new barns are to be built and the season promises to be an unusuah- <ne in this line of improvements REMAINS ARRIVE. James Waldron, Sr., Brought Here for Burial. As mentioned in last night s issue the remains of James Waldron, Sr., who died at the home of his nephew in Chicago. Wednesday evening, arrived at 8:15 o’clock this afternoon on the C. &E. A number of sorrowing friends and a committee of the Knights of Pythias lodge of which he was a member, were at the station. The funeral services will lie in charge of the local K. of P. order and will be ht.ld tomorrow morning at ten o’clock from the home of his daughter, Mrs. C. S. Niblick, on Third street The remains were accompanied here by Mrs. Ackerst and Mr. Fred Jaycox of Chicago. A SOIREE. IHf - - The Sophomores will Entertain the Freshmen. Invitations have been printed and will be sent out in a day or so to members of Freshman Class of the Decatur High School, requesting their Knee at a soiree to be given at the of Miss Leota (iilpen, on Friday evening. Feb. 18. We an l not upon society terms, and while we are unable to fully describe all the meaning and merits of a soiree, we feel safe in say ing that the occasion will be a very pleasant and enjoyable one. The sophomores are a jolly crowd and know how to entertain in the correct

The Daily Democrat.

GRAIN MEN'S SESSION. Annual Meeting Held at Fort Wayne Last The annual meeting and election of the Northwestern Ohio and Indiana Grain Dealers’ association was held yesterday afternoon and last night at the Mayne hotel, Fort Wayne, and the business session was devoted to the discussion of the evils under which the shippers are laboring, with a view of formulating some plan by which they may be remedied. Among those present were E. L. Carroll, J. F. Disher. J. W.Shellerof this city: C. G. Egley, Fred Neaderhouser and Amos Hirschy, Berne, Nathan Shepherd, Geneva. Plans for the benefit of grain dealers and likewise the farmer were discussed and resolutions as to the best manner of grading grain were adopted. A big banquet followed. THE SHOW A Fair Attraction, But They Failed To Please. Hal Reid's “A Home Spun Heart,” was before a half audience at Bosse’s Opera house last night. From the beginning it was apparent that something was lacking, and at only a few places was the audience riveted to the action liefore the house. There were some among the cast that could do a creditable turn, but even those seemed exceptionally weak at many points, thus preventing any possibility of making a hit. The stage setting was very realistic and though simple was as complete as any ever brought to this city. As it was, and understanding the success of this show under the same management at other places, we presume that it was their day off.

PLEASANT EVENT. Members of Baptist Church Enjoy a Social Evening. Dr. and Mrs. Beardsley as host and hostess very delightfully entertained at a church reception <md social at their home, corner Rugg and Winchester street Thursday evening. The evening was spent in games and a guessing contest of Bible characters. At nine o’clock the guests repaired to the dining room which was beautifully decorated with ferns, roses and carnations and were served to a two course luncheon. After the luncheon each one was requested to draw from the fish pond a souvenir of the occasion. Every guest present enjoyed the evening and not a few have so expressed themselves, adding that Dr. and Mrs. Beardsley are certainly a success in the art of entertaining. TO PLAINFIELD Boy Returned to School After a Year's Vacation. William Sehtimacker, better known as “China,’’ evidently will lie com polled to do full time at the Plainfield reformatory. J. G. Hadley, a representative of that institution, arrived in this city yesterday noon, and returned this morning with the lad in custody. “China" has lieen out on probation for over a year, and seemed to have kept a clear record until the last month, when a number of petty malefactions were reported against him. The accusations need be but very few and light to end a parole, and the suddenness with which he was sent away is due to rigidness of rules of the reformatory. MRS. LIGHTLE DEAD. A Well Known Lady of the County Answers Final Call.

Mrs. Maria Liddle died at her home four miles southwest of the city at four o’clock last evening after a long illness. She was seventy-three years old and well known in her community as well as here. Three children are the survivors, the husband having preceded her to the bitter land a number of years ago. The funeral arrangements have not yet been made but will be announced tomorrow.

DECATUR, INDIANA, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 6, 1903.

ANCIENT FACTS. A Glance at the County's First Record. Items of Interest to Pioneers as Well as the Younger Generation. Through the kindness of Deputy Auditor Lewton we were this morning allowed a glimpse at the first record of business in Agams county, and it may interest some of our readers to give the contents of the first few pages. The record was made by the county board of commissioners at their first regular session held May 9th, 1836. The first few lines show that the act establishing Adams county was passed January 23, 1836; that an election was held the first Monday of the following April, at which time John S. Rhea, Samuel Smith and Wm. Heath were elected commissioners, Samuel Rugg clerk, and David McKnight sheriff. All these officers were pres ent at the first meeting on that eventful morning, sixty-seven years ago, and their business of course was to organize, which they did, by electing Mr. Rhea as president of the board. The first official business was the adoption of ’Squire Thomas Ruble’s report of fees received by him, amounting to 85. The county sheriff was allowed 51.50 to pay the Fort Wayne Sentinel for advertising notice of the establishment of the county. The board then appointed John K. Evans as trustee, Joshua Major constable, each giving bond for twenty five dollars, and then adjourned until the following day. Each member was again present and the board proceeded to business at once. Jeremiah Roe was appointed county treasurer, David McKnight assessor, and John K. Evans as collector of county and state funds. They also appointed township officers for Root and St. Marys, made up commissioner districts and road districts, and drew the petit and grand juries, and adjourned to meet May 18th. The commissioners received two dollars per day when in session, and each gave bond for performance of his duties. LEFT HIS CHARGE. Rev. Hall, of This County, Will Go to Work at Elgin. The small pay for a circuit minister has driven an Adams county preacher away from his duties according to the Geneva Herald, which says: Rev. S. S. Hall and family left this place Wednesday morning for Elgin,lllinois where he will resume his work as an artisan in the Illinois Watch Works. Rev. Hall has been on the Ceylon circuit and filled appointments at Ceylon, Hartford, New Corydon, Union and Oakland, which places he filled creditably. The amount the circuit paid him was too small for him to live and provide for his family in the proper wav. and finally like many of his predecessors gave up the charge. Rev. Hall performed his duties well and was deserving of a great deal more than he received. The circuit promised to pay 8300 a year. Mr. Hall and family have the esteem of all who became acquainted with them during’his labor here. Now. as the barber would say, “Next man.” EDITORS MEET. Session at Indianapolis Closed Yesterday. The Indiana Democratic Editorial association held its mid-winter meeting at Indianapolis yesterday, and before adjourning selected bort Wayne for the mid summer meeting in June. A reception was given to the members and their wives by the Hon. and Mrs. S. E. Morse, last night, at their residence on North Meridian street. The officers elected yesterday were: President, Benjamin F. McKey, Lebanon; first vice-president, A. J. Dipboye, Columbus; second vicepresident. L. G. Ellingham, Decatur; treasurer, A. I). Moffett, Elwood; secretary, W. H. Rucker, Lawrenceburg. Delegates to the National Editorial Association at Omaha, Neb., July 8 A. B. Crampton, Delphi; L. G. Eilingham, Decatur; E. E. Cox, Hartford City; John W. Barnes, Logansport; John C. Williams, Anderson; W. S. Chandlers, New Castle; 8. S. Botts, Greenfield.

WENT THE LIMIT. Hogs at the Biltman Sale Brought Big Money. T. H. Baltzell, who left here ten days ago for Biltman. North Carolina, to attend a stock sale of thoroughbred English Berkshire hogs, came home yesterday. The sale was held on the famous Vanderbilt farm and was attended by great crowds from all over the country. Mr. Baltzell made the trip fully expecting to purchase the Berkshire boar which took first prize at the recent London stock show, but the animal was not up to his expectation-,-and consequently Tom -didn’t invest. The hogs sold at enormous prices, going at from 8200 to 8650, and apparently were no better than hogs owned by Adams county farmers. In fact Mr. Baltzell told the sale holders that he could sell them hogs as good for much less money, and a representative of the Vanderbilt farms promised to come here in a few days to look at Tom’s stock. If he does the chances are he will take home with him some of the best hogs he or anyone else ever owned. GETTING READY. Bluffton Arranging for the Big K. of P. Day. / The Knights of Pythias of Bluffton are up on their toes completing arrangements for the event there the 25th, when some 600 or 700 visiting brothers will be with them. Their committees have been appointed as follows: Reception C. E. Sturgis. Wilson Grove, D. C. Vollmer. M. A. Stout, R. F. Cummins, Dell Locke, J. R. Spivey, Frei! Barr, M. M. Justus and Harry M. Farren. Decorations G. P. Becker, Harry Evans and Charles Merriman. Music L. E. Roush, Harvey Sawyer and Bert Wasson. Transportation Bert Wells, James Foncannon and H. B. Nelson. A larger attendance than usual is expected at the district meeting this year. The Portland lodge is figuring on running a special train for the accommodation of themselves and Decatur. MUST PASS EXAM. Barbers will Have to Pass Examination and Pay One Dollar License. A bill to license barbers in incorporated cities and towns has passed both houses of the legislature and now awaits the governor’s signature which it will no doubt obtain. The bill was recommended for passage by the committee on labor. The law provides that barbers shall pay a fee of one dollar a year and that all persons wishing to enter work at that trade shall pass an examination. It provides for a state commission composed of three members who draw salaries of 81.fXM) a year each. Local bar tiers at a recent meeting decided that the new law’ was O. K. and consequently we look for no objections now. ANOTHER DANCE. Entre Nous Club to Give Informal Dance Tonight. The Entre Nous club will give aonther of their informal dances this evening at their rooms above the Winnes shoe store. The room is being beautifully decorated in the club colors and the event will no doubt be a very enjoyable one. Another dance is lieing arranged for St. Valentine night and every effort is being made to make it the greatest society event of the season. CHURCH WORK. The evangelist at the Christian church last night spoke on the conversion of the Ethiopian Nobleman. It was a sermon full of thought and the speaker held the attention of the audience to the close. A large audience is expected tonight. The song and prayer service will commence promptly at seven p. m. and scripture quotations will follow. The question box will be opened at the dose of the sermon. All will receive a cordial greeting. There will be no services Saturday evening but on Sunday morning and evening. All friends and-tnembere of the churh are expected to be present . and the pastor will preach.

GOES TO GERMANY Charles Fehrenbach Will Leave Next Week. Probabilities Are That a Snug Fortune Will Come Into liis Hands. Charles Fehrenbach, who works at the baking trade for Jacob Martin & Co., will leave by the last of next week for Baden, Germany. He goes at the summons of a letter received yesterday from Mrs. Westafeld, an aunt of Mrs. Ferenbach, who has immense sums of money and a large estate, and it may be that Charley will fall in for bis share of the inheritance. At any rate he justly deserves his portion, which would be a snug sum, as there are but three heirs. Mr. Fehrenbach has not decided anything definitely concerning his business interests in this city, nor will he until he determines whether or not he will reside in the old country. The citizens of Decatur are glad to hear of this good fortune and hope that it all may materialize satisfactorily. Charley is an honorable and industrious man and will appreciate the inheritance. Should this be the result of his visit to Germany, the probabilities are that he will remove bis family there soon. RULES ANNOUNCED. How the Lenton Season is to Be Observed This Year. The annual announcement of Lenten regulations for Roman Catholi/s of the various archdioces has just been made. Copies of the letter of instructions have been sent to all the pastors and will be read in the churches before Ash Wednesday. The instructions follow: “Fresh meats maybe used at all the meals on Sunday and once each day at the principal meal on the following days: On all Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays; on all Saturdays, except Saturday of ember week and Holy Saturday. Flesh and fish are not allowed at the same meal. Custom tolerated by the church, permits coffee, tea or chocolate, with a small piece of bread, to be taken in the morning. Custom allows the use of eggs, butter, milk, etc,, at the evening collation. The following persons are not obliged to fast, viz: The sick and those in feeble health, women nursing children, all who are engaged in laborousand exhaustive occupations the young who have not completed their twenty-first year and those who have reached the sixtieth vear of their age.”

GOLDEN WEDDING. Decatur People Will Attend Society Event at Fort Wayne. Messrs, and Meedames Judge David Studabaker, John Niblick, D. E. Studabaker, Mrs Katherine Champer, Mrs. Morrison and Miss Hattie Studabaker will attend a brillant society event at Fort Wayne tomorrow, the same being the fiftieth or golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Vesey, parents of Judge W. J. Vesey. The occasion will no doubt be a most enjoyable one for everyone, of course including the Decatur delegation. Among the guests will also be fifty friends and relatives from Kendallville and i number from Fort Wayne. The dav will certainly be one of unlimited pleasure. BOOKS ARE GOOD. Papers and Documents in Old City Safe Are Well Preserved. The old city safe, which figured in the town hall fire last May and has since stood in the open weather, was opened yesterday and the papers and records found intact. William Bauman, the expert from Marion, Indiana, did the work atid proved himself a clever artisan. The handles of the big doors bad lieen knocked off and he had no control over the bolts so it was a very tough proposition, but he was successful nevertheless. The safe is in first class condition and with a few dollars of repairs it will be as good as ever.

NUMBER 23

HE LOVED HER. How the Indiana Ghouls Came to be Captured. There is# romantic story connected with the trial of Dr. J. Alexander charged with grave robbery, now in progress at Indianapolis. Rufus Cantrell, a negro who stole bodies for the Indianapolis doctors for several years, gave the evidence on which Alexander and others were indicted and he made the resolve to confess and get out of the business when he was driven by Alexander to disinter the body of the only woman he ever loved. He returned home late one night from an extended visit out of the city and was informed by the doctor that he must steal a body that night. He went to a suburban cemetery and stole the body of a colored girl, not knowing who it was. In the operating room when the lights were turned on and he beheld the form of his sweetheart who had died during his absence, he determined to have revenge and he wrote the letters that restored the body of the girls to her parents and brought about the arrest of twentyone ghouls. A WARM TIME. Two West End Ladies Get Into a Lively Discussion. This morning two women living in the west part of town engaged in a hair-pulling match. The children I started the trouble and not being able to fight hard enough the mothers took a hand. For a while angry words were exchanged with all the force and energy that could be made use of on such an occasion, and became so warm that the first lady ordered lady number two out of her house, but said lady refused to go until ready and had her say, whereupon they became so earnestly engaged in pulling the hair of each other’s heads that tears began to flow. Then both sat down and wept and finally apologized to each other. GOOD NEWS. State License Granted to Popular Young Physicians. Drs. Earl Coverdale and Lawrence Hughes were notified this morning that they were successful with the examination which was passed some time ago. Both stood very high in the work and they now have the priv ilige or hold a license to practice medicine and surgery in any part of the state. Dr. Coverdale has already begun practicing with his father and Dr. Hughes will probably locate in the west as he is now in that section looking for a favorable site. Both are fully competent as the results of the recent examination proves, and undoubtedly will win success in their chosen profession. GOOD PROGRAM. Arrangements For a Good Entertainment by Presbyterians. The program for the musicale to be given at the Presbyterian church next Monday evening at 3 o’clock, has been completed and is as follows: Selection, Frtsl Patterson, True Fristoe, Jesse Sellemeyer: violin solo. Minnie Orvis; vocal solo, Will Schrock; read ing, Mrs. C. F. True; piano solo, Mrs. L. G. Ellingham; recitation, Mrs. Floyd Brittson; instrumental duet. Elizabeth Peterson, Mrs. Ella Hell; selection, Fred Patleraon, True I'ris toe, Jesse Sellemeyer. i METHODIST SERVICES. Rev. E. A. Allen Will Conduct Morning Services Sunday. Owing to the fact that Rev. C. G. Hudson is housed up with a slight at tack of lagrippe, it has been arranged that Rev. Allen of the Presbyterian church, will preach in the morning and the congregations of both church es are expected to attend. It has pro viously lieen announced that services would be held at the Presbyterian parsonage but owing to the later ar rangements the meeting has lieon transferred to the Methodist church.