Daily Democrat, Volume 1, Number 24, Decatur, Adams County, 7 February 1903 — Page 1

® VOLUME 1

IS VERY LOW. Condition of John A. Fetzer Serious. The Critical Stage of His Illness Will Continue Twenty-four Hours. John Fetzer, one of the liest known citizens of Decatur, is very low with pneumonia and complications at his ■ home ou Tenth street and but little hope is entertained for his recovery. He was taken sick with a bad cold •otii" four weeks ago. lagrippe followed and pneumonia developed about a week ago. However, he seemed to be getting along nicely and no particular fears were entertained until last evening when he suddenly grew worse. During the night he became unconscious and is still in that condi tion, rallying for a few minutes at inI tervals. Dr. Keller has been treating him and realizing the seriousness of the case, sent for Dr. J. N. Dinnen of ■Fort Wayne. The latter gentleman arrived at 1:19 and went immediately 'to the Fetzer home. He returned to Fort Wayne at 3:19 saying everything possible was being done for the pa iient. He said: “He is a very sick man with but a chance in a thousand to recover.” Dr. Keller says that his condition is very“serious but he still has hopes and says that if he lives twenty-four hours he believes he can recover Mr. Fetzer is a very popular man and has many friends who earnestly hope he will recover. PASSED AWAY. Marry Bunrtfr, of livare, Dkd This Morning. Harry Bunner, after an illness of ©ver ten months with consumption, died at his home in Kivare, at six o’clock this morning. The disease was caused by a severe cold, which settled on his lungs, and being weakly constituted he was never able to overcome the progress of its ravages. The d-< •eased was born near Bobo on May 2. 1880, and lived with his parents at Rivare up to the time of his death. He gained the respect of all those he came in contact with, as he always led a true and upright life, and all are grieved over his death. Geo. A. Bunner and wife, his parents. E. A. and IF. H. Bunner, of Bobo, his brothers, thud Miss Lucy Bunner, his sister, are the remaining and sorrow-stricken members of the family. The funeral Will lie held at 10 a. m. Monday from , tlie Rivare Methodist church, of which he was a member, Rev. Waggoner MMfabor cemetery. TO THE SKIES. Can Johnson to Make a Balloon Ascension in This City. MDurt Johnson, the aeronaut, has 1 signed papers and will sail his balloon : tbeteoming season under the manage 1 men’ of John Julian, of Bluffton.; According to present contemplations theßiirst ascension will be made in this city on the fourth of April, the first Saturday of that month. JohnsonSbelongs in Decatur, made his first ascension at this place, and so prom ises to give our people an exhibition that will outrival any other mid-air perf. rn lance ever neon in this city; and ne is prepared to do it, too. His bailo i. a 90 footer, in the sky kisser’s parlance, is the largest made, outside of Mose used for military purposes, and will carry a man as high as he i wants to go. ’ Besides, Curt has dem ,‘«Wtr ited his intrepidity a number of | times especially at Ossian and Mont- ’ pelier. Ind., where the balloon climbed and climbed until the rider looked no larger ‘than a rabbit,” and so an extraordinary good ride is looked for. CHURCH SERVICES. Rev 1. A. Allen al the Methodist Church Tomorrow. Rev. E. A. Allen will conduct scr , viceaftt the Methixlist church tomor row morning and the memlsws of both ■ongregatione are urged to be present The other Presbyterian services Will bo held at the Baptist church as previously announced. Every one invited to attend all meet

The Daily Democrat. 1 — — "■— - — — . ....

NO BETTER. Miss Atones Reuland Remains in Same Condition. Miss Agnes Reuland, a sister of Mrs. J. B. Holthouse of this city, was removed, from Milwaukee to her home at Prairie Du Sac, last Wednesday. She has been seriously sick for some time at a Milwaukee hospital and her condition does not show any improvement. It may be however, as her friends hope, that the change will be for the best, and that her chances for recovery may be brightened. CORN CONTEST. The Big Show Closed at 1:30 This Afternoon. I The Winners and Some Facts of Interest About the Contest. About six weeks ago a real estate firm published the following notice to I the farmers of Adams county: “Bring in your corn. The following cash j premiums will be paid by J. H. Hall, i<V Son A; Fulk, Real Estate Agents, | rooms Nos. 1 and 2, Studabaker Block, for Adams county corn brought to their office. For the liest six ears of yellow corn, $2; for the second best SI, For the best six ears of white eorn, ?2; for the second best sl. Premiums to be awarded Feb. 7, 1903. We have three men to judge this corn, their names in an envelope, sealed i and deposited in the National Bank.” Shortly after this notice the corn began to come in and the exhibits at their office this morning proved conclusively that old Adams county ;is one of the best corn countries on i earth. There were thirty-three exhibits by the following farmers: Davis J. Foster, Jasper Wable, Isaac L. Babcock, W. F. Fulk, David Lah man, James C. Moses, Harvey L. Smith, T. W. Bess, Charles E. Magley, Logan Wolfe, John Malston, John Baker, C. Bryan, Peter M. Fulk, C. M. Steimen, D. L. Noffsinger, Wilson Meyers. Frank Roop, Martin Miller, J. H. Railing, Wm. Rinehart, J. Andrews, W. I. B. Wass and R. K. Erwin. The judges met at twol o’clock this afternoon and proceeded to work. They were E. Carroll, Jos , eph Helm and J. D. Hale, all well i known grain dealers of this city. It was indeed a big job to arrive at a conclusion as the corn was all of a first-class grade. John Wabel had on exhibition six ears which averaged 13J inches in length. The winners were announced at three o’clock and i are on yellow, James C. Muses, first; C. E. Magley, second; on white Jasper Wable. first and John Malston, second. BARREL BARN.

A New Idea Put Into Effect by an Indiana Farmer. James Sears, a farmer living near Lapel, has constructed a barn unlike any other in the world, says the No blesville Ledger. It is cylindrical in shape and is sixty feet in diameter. Twenty-five feet from the ground the roof lM*gius and runs to a cone. The roof simply rests on the outside walls and there are no supports of any kind other than these walls. In order to keep the outside walls from spreading under the heavy weight of the roof, Mr. Sears conceived the idea of banding the barn with hoops like a hogshead. Being a practical blacksmith, Mr. Sears made the bands of solid steel and fitted three of them to the barn. He says that in addition to being solid the barn is cyclone proof, as there is no possible way for the wind to catch hold. On the inside of the strirtture there is a driveway all around next to the outside wall. Next comes in circular style the stalls for horses and cattle. Inside of these is the feeding room and in the center of the barn and extending to the cone of the roof is a silo. Mr. Sears fills this with green fodder and feeds it to his stock. It is said that there is more mow room in this barn than in a rectangular barn 80x40 feet. PARTITION SUIT. Clark J. Lute, attorney, this morning filed a new case in circuit court entitled Robert M. Hunt vs. Walter A. and Amanda Hunt. It is a partition suit and the court is asked to divide according to the respective rights of all parties concerned a lot located in the town of Buena Vista.

DECATUR. INDIANA, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 7, 1903.

MORE OIL. ® » Another Representative Here Taking Leases. Will Lease Land and Drill in Various Parts of the County.

1 E. D. Watkins of Buffalo, New York is registered at the Burt House. He is a geniel. affable gentleman, a I member of the Empire Oil company, one of the biggest in the country, and his visit here at present is to secure their share of leases on the lands adjacent to this city. His company has transacted business in the state for many years and now own valuable ■ J possessions in numerous Indiana ■ counties including Jay, Adams. Wells, and Huntington. The Empire was | one of the first companies in existence jto drill in the Geneva field. Yesterday he drove through the southern I part of this county and’northern Jay I and secured several valuable leases. ’ I Hie company now owns leases on j 2,040 acres in Wabash township, Jay county, alone. He informs us that he I will have several assistants here with-, J in a few days and they will then pro- i ceed to pick up a few leases in this I immediate vicinity. The Empire i company expects to drill a half dozen wells in this part of the county during the summer and will try and get in their share of prospecting. Here’s hoping they get good ones. BUYS ANOTHER FARM. Judice Erwin Invests in Preble Township Land. Judge Richard K. Erwin, who recently sold his farm just east of the city for a handsome sum, has reinvested his capital in Adams county soil. He closed a deal last evening whereby ho comes into possession of 160 acres located in Preble township and knownas the Lewis Reppert farm. The laud is of the very finest quality and is considered one of the best quarter sections in the great state of Indiana. Judge Erwin does not expect to re side on the farm but will remove his familv to this city within a few weeks. He will improve the buildings on hie new farm the coming summer and the property will soon be a model one.

CLUB MEETS. Yotfng Ladies Enjoy An Hour or Two at Pedro. ' The young ladies of the Friday evi ening pedro club were entertained last I evening by Misses Leona and Ger ; trade Devoss aud the usual amount jof fun was enjoyed. Al cants thA highest honors were won by Miss ' Bessie C-ungleton. Refreshments were served and this part of the evening’s pleasure was not the least enjoyable by a 1 >ng ways. This clul> has a record of having had more good times during a year or two past than anyone, having had a meeting each ■ week. Last night was no exception to the rule and the girls all say so. ORDERED SOLD. Probate Court in Session for a Few Minutes. No business of importance was | transacted in court this morning, save the taking up of a few matters in pro j I bate. In the case Abe Sprunger, estate, Simon Sprunger. administrator an order for the sale of the personal propertv was made and said active was ordered published an application i was also filed for the sale of real estate. NEW FACES. New faces are seen nt the Christian church every night. The evangelist J spoke on the great sermon preached |by the Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost when 3000 were converted. All persons now should be converted as the 3000 were. The pastor of the church will preach Sunday morning i and evening. Subject for the morning, “Should Feet Washing he Ob served,” and in the evening, “The New Berth.” The Evangelist will Im* back on Monday and preach on Baptism Monday evening.

CONFISCATE COAL. Dunkirk Assumes Western Airs and Helps Herself. There was a mass meeting of the' leading people of Dunkirk yesterday in the council chamber in the city hall, and it was unanimously decided to confiscate three out of five car loads of coal on a siding on the Panhandle road. This was done and the coal hauled to the waterworks plant. During six weeks Dunkirk has been without coal. The railroad company has been imploied in vain for relief. The electric light plant has been idle for want of fuel and the town has been in darkness. The five carloads billed to a Chicago manufacturing firm, but were sidetracked there on account of a hot box. At today’s indignation meeting it was said that the railroad company had used the hot box plea as au excuse to let the Dunkirk people get some coal When a vote was taken and it was unani mously decided to confiscate three i carloads of coal, those present at the I meeting formed in line and went to the siding, where the ears were rest ling. Three of them were forthwith unloaded and their contents sent to the waterworks plant, from which point the coal will be distributed. NIGHT SERVICE. Local Telephone System at Berne to Be Improved. George Kinzel and Irve Pyles went to Berne'this morning, where they | will make some improvements in the local ’phone system of that place for the Citizens’ Telephone company. The very rapid increase in the number of ‘phones used in Bertie, which now amounts to eighty-six, has awakened the Citizens’ company to a sense of appreciation, and the people of that town are to get the beet of everything, including a night service. In order to do this it is necessary to move the central office from Stengel & Craig’s drug store, and the same * ill lie done before Monday noon. The new office will be located above the drug store. It will require thirty-six hours or more to do the work, and from Sunday morning to Monday morning all com munication to or from Berne will be shut off. The through lines to Linn Grove and Geneva, however, will not be affected.

WANTS HIS CHILD. A Father Will Ask the Court to Give Him Care of His Daughter. O. B. Mohn, whose former wife was driven out of Decatur a few days ag because she ran a house of ill repute, will take legal measures to recover from the woman the custody of ime of his three daughters. Mrs.> M 'hn has been leading au immoral life and associated with her are three ; of her children, one aged 16, the second 14 aud the youngest only eight years of age. The two oldest daughters are of the age to select their own guardian lint the youngest is in the legal control of her father if he can but find her. lie wants to get her even if he can do nothing iM'tter than end her to a house <if c >rrecti< in f< ir i girls where she would eventually turn I out to be a good woman. It is said Mrs. Mohn returned here from Deca- | tur and is still in the city. Bluffton News. FUNNY PICTURES. Cartoonists Are Goint> a Little Too Far is the Opinion of Many. It is interesting to coujf*cture just ! where the color<*d supplements of the i sensational newspapers an* to lead us, remarks the Indianapolis News. In the extremity of their desire to obtain something “funny” some of these pa pers have been printing pictures of Noah’s ark and its inhabitants, the animals being made to exhibit the common weaknesses of mankind and to communicate their opinions to each other in the slang of the day. The silly stuff is now to Im* improved upon to the extent of making comic representations of other Bible stories. One shudders to think what the result of it will Im* upon the mind of the child that sees these things, but a lack of reverence for all religion will doubt less be one of its fruits.

MUST DIE. “Bud” Taylor to Be Hanged March 6. Supreme Court Refuses to Grant Another Reprieve. The following dispatch has been re- ' ceived from Jefferson City, Missouri, [ and will explain itself: “The su reme supreme court has affirmed the sentence of “Bud” Taylor of Kansas City ! who is to hang on March 6, for the I murder of Ruth Nollurd at Kansas City on March 2, 1901. Taylor is a base ball player, 23 years old and married. He became infatuated with Ruth Nollard, who reciprocated his affection for a time and then transferred her love to another. Taylor rented a room in Kansas City and for three days laid in wait for the woman with 5a repeating rifle. She passed one day with her sister and Tavlor shot anil killed her from a window. He tried to kill himself but the weapon would not discharge again. He tried to hang himself in jail and offered a plea of insanity as a defense < f the murder.” Taylor, it will be remembered, was a player in Place’s Creams, a base ball club of this city in 1900 and committed the crime for which he will now pay the penalty with his life, a few months after leaving here. COMING HOME. Jerrv Burkhead Will Soon be With His Friends. Jerry Burkhead, who was sent from here to the Jeffersonville reformatory two years ago on a charge of petit larceny, will be home in a short time if all reports are true. Word has been receive from the authorities of that institution to the effect thfit Jerry has lieen conducting himself in a most correct manner for a year past, and is considered a model prisoner and his case is now being considered with very strong probabilities that he will be paroled. Jerrv was sent up for a term of from one to three years, and had he been real good he might have been home a vear ago. but boy-like he became a little tin ruly, and as a consequence failed to I get into the first grade, the only one from which a prisoner can be paroled. Jerry has always been more mischievous than real bad, and a few kind words and a little assistance from our citizens may make a good man of him. He will lie under parole for a year yet or until his time is fully up. and can be returned on the least provocation. THE SMALLEST.

Adams County’s Delinquent Tax Sale is on Monday. The delinquent tax sale will take place at ten o’clock next Monday at 11 east d<">r of the eourt h< ittse, A'l ams county can perhaps boast of hav ing the stnalles delinquent sale of any county in the state. Outside of De catnr, B« me and (leneva but nine! delinquencies will be sold Monday, and including these towns the num her is barely doubled. Two town ships I nion and Preble have none, while Root, Washington, Blue Creek and Monroe have but one each. The smallness of the sale makes the event of Monday uninteresting to those who are always looking for such snaps as buying real estate for taxes. HORSE MADE TRAIN. The Murry Bus Horse Makes a Train Without its Driver. The old bus horse lielonging to Murray went through a manoeuvre the other evening that certainly shows a full amount of animal cuteuess and sagacity. The horse was left standing in front of the hotel when it heard a train whistle, anil eons<<quently started for the G. R. Al. depot. Ar riving at the station, he backed up in the usual place, and after giving time for the loading of pamengers, gentlv started back for the hotel. A man iiap|iened along at this time and took the horse in charge, fearing a runawav, and the opportunity was lost of determining whether or not the old boss could yell “train east.”

NUMBER 24

MADE THEIR REPORT. The Legislature will Now Wrestle With Another Appropriation. The legislative coinmitte who visited St. Louis exposition, with a view of determining the attitude that will be assumed by Indiana, have made ’ their report to the legislature. The i committee reports that it found the proposed exposition projected upon a scale larger than any exposition heretofore given at any time or place, and ■ it expresses the opinion that the expo sition will exceed in magnitude and j opportunity for display any previous ! enterprise of its kind. Consequently, in view of the preparations that are under way by other states for their exhibits, the committee urges that fndiana should either be represented adequately or not at at all. An exhibit of the character that Indiana is able to make will result, in the opinion of the committee. in showing the people of the L'nited States and of the earth something of our state’s natural resources of mine, field and factory and will bring great material good to our people. A RUNAWAY. Georqe Heneford’s Horse Enjoys a Little Sport. A horse and buggy belonging to George Heneford, the blacksmith sail ed through town last night at a two minute gait aud some people are still figuring how it comes no damage was done. Mr. and Mrs. Heneford were at the home of John D. Meyers in the north part of town and "had hitched the horse to a tree near the road. The animal got loose some way and proceeded to show that he was built for a raeeinstead of an ordinary buggy horse. He ran up Third street to Monroe and thence east across the river bridge. Not the least damage was done, the blannket being still on the horse just as George had left it. LITTLE FOLKS. A Surprise on Della Affords Amusement. About thirty boys and girls called at the home of Miss Della McGonagel on Fornax street last evening and surprised that little lady in a most complete manner, the occasion being her thirteenth birthday. Games of every kind and those particularly amusing io children were indulged in and we know they had a good time for their merry cheers could Im* heard three blocks away. Refreshments consisting of ice cream and cake, candy and other delicacies were served and Miss Della no doubt wishes as well as her surprisers that her birthday came more frequently. AN INVITATION. Erwin /Asked to Attend Jeffersonian Banquet. An urgent invitation was received this morning by Judge Richard K Erwin to attend the annual banquet of the Jeffersonian club at Fort Wayne on the evening of February 20. The invitation was sight'd bv Willvun Brt'eu, a well known lawyer and chairman of the invitation committee, and also included a request that Judge Erwin respond to a toast, subject to be chosen by the judge himself. If business will admit <>f an absence therefrom he will -uudoubt edly accept the honor thus extended. WEIGHING MAIL The Government Getting the Avoirdupois of its Mail. Once a year the government lias its mail weighed, and on this weight is bused its contract with the railroad companies. The job of weilighing mail is a desirable position, and a good many Indiana men have an eye on it. The department takes its weighers from a list of substitute*; in the railroad mail service, and when ever it is found this list is short the congressmen are called on to furnish constituents. Just at this time the department has plenty of men.