Daily Democrat, Volume 1, Number 29, Decatur, Adams County, 13 February 1903 — Page 1

LOME 1

GOT THE BOY. Three-Year-Old Boy Taken From His Mother. Btpoty Sheriff Ferrell Performs the Duty Under Order of Court From Huntington County. Deputy Sheriff Frank Ferrell drove to Hartford township yesterday and performed a disagreeable duty, that irt taking a three-year-old boy away from his mother. The child is the aon of Mr. and Mrs. Cleophas Rittgore, of Huntington, is a pretty, bright facet! little fellow, and of course does not understand the serious trouble between his parents. Mr. Rittgers is a business man of Huntington. is the son of Rev. and Mrs. Jacob Rittgers, formerly of Linn Grove, and brother of Prof. Ritt•gers of the Linn Grove schools. Mrs. Rittgers was formerly Miss Ruth Kizer, daughter of Silas Kizer, one of the best known citizens of Hartford ■MrMhip. They were married sever*’. years ago and were gett : ng along nieely until a short time ago, when Mrs. Rittgers and her son left home and has since refused to return. The husband then brought suit for divorce and asked the court that the only child, a son. nearly three years old, , named Charles Rittgers, be placed in care of the plaintiff’s pateats, Rev. and Mrs. Rittgers, until ettch time as the merits of the case may be decided. The order was issued and sent here and Deputy Ferrell was sent out for the boy, being accompanied by Rev Rittgers. to whom little Charlev was given. Mrs. Rittgers. the mother, was not at home when the officer arrived, having gone to Huntington to secure her household goods. The boy’s grandparents objected but were powerless of course, and the little fellow was brought here and taken to Huntington last night. Quite a court battle will result, the principle point of litigation being the custody of the child. NATIONAL GUARD. The Progress Made In an Effort to Organize a Company Here. The question as to the probability of a National Guard company being organized in Decatur has been specu fated on to some extent by Decatur people, although no steps have been taken toward such an organization. Several letters have been received by Dick Meyers from J. J. Backman of Auburn, major of the Second regiment I. N. G., inquiring as to the attitude in regard to this matter at this city and urging that i! at al! possible to organize a company of militia. There is no reason why such an organization should not exist here, as Decatur has supported one before and the advantage of a company of solddiers near at hand is so apparent that avery citizen should give his support to any effort made in that direction. SCORE OF YEARS. Partition Suit Nearly Twenty Years Old is Disposed of. The case of Richard Winans vs. Jasper H. Winans et al, a partion suit filed in 1884, nineteen years ago and which has been on the docket of the Aflame, circuit court over since, is lie tug wound up today. R. S. Peterson was the commissioner for the estate in question and his final report was copied on the records today. Ths report was approved and the commissioner duly discharged. The ease was before J udge Bobo, J udge Heller and Judge Erwin. TO BE MARRIED. Will Kelley will Wed a Pennsylvania Lady. J." Will Kelley, a Portland attorney and Well known hem, is in the city on hie way to Titusville. Pa., where he will be married next Tuesday to Miss Mary Hughes, a popular lady Os that city. They will reside at Portland and hare is wishing them all kinds of success Will’s father, (lyrgH Kelley of Geneva, accompan-

The Daily Democrat.

COUNCIL ADJOURNS. Complaints Are In and Meetings Are off Until Tuesday. The continued session of the city council which has been on all this week, has finally adjourned until Tuesday evening. Not a single complaint was filed last evening and but one the night previous, thus showing that everyone is through object'll?, and it’s up to the council, who will give their final decision at Tuesday night’s meeting. The council intended to go over the route of the sewer today, bat owing to the weather being a little nasty the excursion was postponed and will be made the first pleasant day that happens along. In case this survey is not made, the the general round-up meeting scheduled for Tuesday night may be postponed. ATE RAT POISON. Little David Erwin Has a Narrow Escape. Quick Action Saves the Boy’s Life, Although He Ate Enough Poison to Kill Ten. David Erwin, eight years old, son of Judge and Mrs. R. K. Erwin is alive and feeling quite well today, though he is by no means responsible for that fact and that he is living today is due to a lucky incident and the fact that the judge has a telephone in his home. Tuesday evening David went to one of the neighbors and played until nine o’clock, returning homo to find everyone in bed. As he entered the door he noticed a plate of chicken under the kitchen table and thinking that his baby sister had been feasting on this appetizing looking dishand had carelessly left it under the table, he pulled it out and in a few seconds had cleaned the platter and appeased his appetite. As be started to his bed he stumbled and the noise awakened his mother who called to him with instructions not to touch the plate of chicken as she had dosed it with a liberal supply of rough on rats, expecting to rid the kitchen of some mice that bad been bothering around for a few days. David’s answer that be had already eaten the lunch was sufficient to badly frighten his mother who at once ran to the telephone and called for Dr. Boyers, who instructed her to feed the boy all the sweet milk and alum in the house. Davy juggled down about three gallons of the fluid and by the time the physician arrived he was pretty thoroughly cleansed and with a little treatment soon entirely recovered. Dr. Boyers said that a few minutes delay in treat- , ing the lad would have resulted fatally as the quantity of poison taken was enough to kill ten boys. Judge Erwin was at Huntington and knew nothing of the affair until last evening. BURIED TODAY. Remains of John A. Fetzer Interred This Morning. The funeral of John A. Fetzer, who died Wednesday morning, was held at the Methodist church at 10 o’clock this morning. Rev. Pontius, of the United Brethren church, preached the funersl sermon, and the body was in terred at Maplewood cemetery. The deceased was thirty-two years old and has been in business in this city for six years, during which time he gained the respect of all those he came in contact with, and all feel that v valuable friend and citizen has been taken away. METHODIST CHURCH. Rtv. E. A. Allen Will Conduct Services There Sunday. Owing to the continued illness of Rev. Hudson, morning and evening services at the Methodist church will be conducted Sunday by Rev. E. A. Allen of the Presbyterian church. Members of both churches are urged io be present and everyone else cordially invited. Services will be held at usual hours.

DECATUR, INDIANA, FRIDAY EVENING. FEBRUARY 13, 1903.

THE BANK OF WREN Will Begin Business in April. A Capital of $20,000 it Already Subscribed to the New Bank. The Bank of Wren is a new institution that will hang out their sign at Wren, Ohio, some time in April. It is a branch of the Old Adams County Bank of this city, and stock will be owned by Judge Studabaker, W. H. Niblick and R. K. Allison of this city, J. L. Moser, W. H. Stults, William Frysinger, Oliver Harrison, O. I. Harman, L. M. Harrison, Myers, Culley At Co., Gehres & Co., W. M. Bowen, Dr. Havis. J. W. Harmon and Jasper Dudley, all business men of Wren. The people over there are tickled out of their skin at the prospects of having a real live bank. They have pushed the project with vigor ever since such a possibility became noised around, and as a result every prospective depositor wanted a good sized chunk of stock. The amount of the capital stock ($20,000), has now been more than subscribed, and still there are more clamoring to get in on a good thing. This will either necessitate the capitalization at a greater sum than at first intended, or the paring down of the amounts individually subscribed. It is prob able that the latter plan will be adopted, as a too great working capital is not needed to carry on the business there, and as a mathematical proposition the larger the capital the smaller the per cent, in dividends. Should no break occur in the plan outlined, W. H. Stults, who is well known here, will be the cashier and have charge of the business. R. K. Allison spent yesterday there and arrangements are now about complete. They will probably erect a building and open out for deposits some time in April. FAVOR ANNUITY. This Kind of Insurance Growing in Favor. The great insurance companies of the United Slates are now doing a constantly increasing annuity business, and it looks as if this feature of life insurance in our hustling, busy country, where so much uncertainty attends the accumulation and retention of fortunes, would rapidly grow in favor. Some men who are not able to save much money, who have no dependents and who are only anxious to provide for themselves in old age, are in the habit of taking an extra SI,OOO they accumulate and investing it in an annuity. At the age of fiftyfive a thousand dollars will purchase an annuity of about SBO a year, at the age of sixty five sll2, and at the age of seventy-five about $l5B a year. Many carry annuities for themselves as well as life insurance for their families. Women who have lieen left small estates find an annuity an excellent form of safe investment. Their expectation of life is greater than that of men, and the annuity paid them is therefore somewhat smaller. If a woman has accumulated a thousand dollars at the age of thirty-three, she can invest it in an annuity, and re- I ceive a little over SSO a year in return,' thus adding about $1 a week to her income for life. At the age of fiftythree she would receive about S7O a year on the investment of a thousand dollars in an annuity, at sixty three 1 about $93, and at seventy-three about! $135. A BUMPER. Councilman Teeple Goes Against the Real Thing. Charles D. Teeple, councilman from the first ward and an all round good fellow, is one of the regular force in the clothing department at the Big Store. He is good-natured and his co-workers are not slow in taking advantage of that fact. Last evening one of the boys handed him a choice looking, real Havana cigar, and Charley was not slow to proceed to get all the enjoyment possible out of the cheroot. For fully ten minutes he blew out rings of fragrant, delicious smoke, while his comrades centered about him, giving one excuse or another, until nearly a dozen sight set* era surrounded him and eagerly awaited the explosion. It came finally and the councilman lost his dignity for an instant. He soon rcovered and joined heartily in the laugh.

MADE A TEST. The Carpenter Fuel Given a Test at Chicago. Charles Carpenter came home this morning from Chicago where he submitted his patent fuel to a thorough test by the scientific department of the famous Armour Institute. Mr. Carpenter first went to Lafayette, expecting to have the fuel tested, but they claimed they could not ;take the matter for several days and Charlie proceeded to Chicago. He is highly elated over results and says that Prof. J. Deßasen Young, leading scientific instructor at the Armour gave the fuel a thorough test and commended it highly, saying that out of seventeen patent fuels examined by him, this was the best. A gentleman from Chicago with considerable financial re sou re « came home with Mr. Carpenter and is determined to buy the rights for the city of Chicago. Charley has not determined to sell the right yet as he has no way to ascer-I tain its value. ROUTES EXTENDED. —— Indiana lo Get Five Hundred More Rural Routes. Plans for the establishment of addi- i tional rural free delivery service in Indiana for the fiscal year, which will begin July 1, have been completed.; Indiana will get in the neighborhood of five hundred new routes during the year. The number of routes now in operation in the state, or ordered to be established before July 1, is in ex j cess of one ihousand, and by the end of the next fiscal year more than sis-I teen hundred rural carriers will be employed in the state. This means that three fourths of the state will be covered by the rural free delivery service. The appropriation for the rural service for the new fiscal year will be about $12,000,000, which means that the department will establish new routes at the rate of eight hundred or a thousand a month. PAY IN FULL. A Legislature Bill to Pay County Clerks and Sheriffs Their Salary. A bill seems likely to pass the legislature which will be of especial interest to county clerks and sheriffs. The bill in question allows these officers the payment of their salary in full, regardless of the amount of fees collected. It goes back to 1900, and if it succeeds in passage any county clerk or sheriff who since 1900 has come up short in his salary as prescribed by law. can get it in full. The Gard bill, which is another offi ccrs' bill, and which seems likely to pass, has been amended so that it looks better to county aud'tors. Under the amendment these officers will get ten per cent, of the school mortgage fund loaned up t > $5,000, and it also allows from S3OO to S6OO as clerk j of county council. TO MICHIGAN. Phillip Gephert Will Move There in March. Sale bills have been printed for Philip Gephert who lives about a mile and a half south-east of Pleasant; Mills for a public sale on March 5.1 Mr. Gephart has leased his larui for two years for $8(X) cash rental in advance and soon after the sale will leave with hie family for Mich-1 igan, where he owns a section of good j farming land. The nice roll of rental money is an index to the value attached to farming land in this county and vicinity. A few years ago the farm would have gone begging at half this sum. THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH. There was a great audience at the Christian church last night to hear the evangelist speak on the “Prodigal of Decatur.” All young men in the city ought to have heard it, and the solo by Miss Jones, of Fort Wayne. Tonight will be the last night for the evangelist, but the meeting will not close until Sunday night. The pastor will preach Sunday morning and evening. Tonight the evangelist will speak on the “New Testa meut Church.” It will be a chart sermon. All should bo sure and hear this sermon. Come with a friend.

IT BENEFITS THEM I County Officers Have Terms Extended. Four Officials Are Given a Year or More Extra Time on Their Jobs. R. K. Erwin, judge, term expires January 1,1900, extended about fourteen months. David Gerlier, county clerk, elect, term expires January 1, 1909, extend- ■ ed one year. Henry Voglewede, treasurer elect, ’ term expires January 1, 1907, extended one year. Clinton C. Cloud, county recorder elect, term expires January 1, 1909, i extended one year. Adams county has five lucky office , holders who are benefitted by the new i law regulating the time of taking their | office and who will gain a year’s time J on their jobs as stated above. The I bill has been signed by Governor j Durbin and is now a law of Indiana, i It was presented by Senator Askren i and was entitled “A bill for an act to ; fix time when terms of officers shall | begin: to fix times when successors shall be elected; to fix terms of appointed officers, to fill vacancies and ! repealing all laws in conflict.” The | new law is to the effect that every county officer shall take his office on January Ist following his election and as an office holder cannot be legislated and the present officers or officers I elect will hold over until such time as ; their successors can he elected and take their office according to the law. I The prosecutor, auditor, sheriff, com missioner, surveyor and other officers are not affected. K. OF P. DOINGS. New Hall Dedicated at Ohio City Last Night. D. H. Hunsicker was a business caller at Ohio City, last even ing and incidentally attended the big “doings” of the K. of P’s. at that place, as he himself is a Knight. A new hall was dedicated and the dedication exercises were attended with a big banquet. There were about three hundred people present, »he Van Wert, Willshire and Rockford orders attending in a body. In the secret part of the program, first rank work was conferred by the Van Wert lodge, j second rank by Willshire and third I rank by the Rockford order. A num- ! ber of Grand Lodge officers and Knights with inter-state represents tives were present, and the affair is | reported as one of the most enjoyable : and successful dedications that is known in the circle of the Knights. SOON READY. The Glove Factory Will Be Ready for Help in a Short Time. The machinery for the Waring Glove and Mitten company is fast be ing placed in position at the factory j on North Second street and the sixty-, five sewing machines fill the floor to its capacity. The forelady will arrive in a few weeks and prepare for the opening runs. Applications for work will then be considered by her and according to the views of the management, applicants from Decatur will I be given the preference in the assigning of positions. Arrangements are fast being completed and everything will be in readiness for the start about March Ist. NO LICENSE. The Barbers* Bill Killed Dead m the Legislature. The barbers’ bill was killed yesterday afternoon in the legislature on a viva voce vote by a decisive majority. Section after notion of the bill was stricken out until nothing was left but the emergency clause. The measure seemed to be considered a huge joke. The house while in the same deadly mood also put an end to the life of the state veterinarians’ bill. Horse doctors and barbers will continue lo work in Indiana unentangled by examinations and licenses.

NUMBER 29

GET BUSY. The Window Screen Company are Ruining in Full Force. A representative of The Daily Democrat was shown through the Metallie Window Screen factory and we are free to state that the busy scene presented there was a most pleasant surprise. The plant is located in the Weber building on Monroe streetand the large ground floor room is already crowded with the machinery, stock and necessary furniture. They are j turning out about eight hundred ■ screens each day, having on hand at I present over 8000. While this may seem like a large amount it is scarcely a fourth enough to fill the orders now on hand and they are still coming. Quite a force of workman are employed and more will be needed as the season progresses. This company is a comer and will within a few year# be of untold benefit to our growing city. The Cochran Screen is the best on the market today, having all the advantages of other screens and none jof there disadvantages. Its a ten time winner and the gentleman back lof the institution are the kind that will make it win. MYSTERY EXPLAINED. Mr. Mohn Tells Why His Name is Mr. Baer. Oscar Mohn as he is generally known but whose real name is Osoar Baer was in the city last evening and ! called at this office. He is a clever and nice appearing gentleman and his business in this city was to ascertain the whereabouts of his children | which he believes he has done. He says they are with a relative of his wife in VanWert county. The officer# have not yet been able to locate Mrs. Mohn, though he found out here that she is in hiding at Bluffton. Mr. Mohn says there is no mystery in the fact that he has|two names, his parent* whose names were Baer having died while he was very young and he was ' raised by his grand parents whose names were Mohn, hence while be is really Oscar Baer he has always l>een known as Oscar Mohn. He has lived in Bluffton several years and holds a good position at the pump factory. Mrs. Baer and himself have parted three times the last being September |4, 1902. He is very sorry for the disgrace brought upon him and will make every attempt to save his daughters from shame and a downward career. HOW IT’S DONE. I The Maple Syrup Season Will Soon Be at Hand. The season of the year is almost at ' hand when the owners of sugar catups will tiegin tapping the trees and boiling the sap for maple syrup and maple sugar. The trees are tapped i by bearing a small hole in one side to a depth of several inches, and an out let for the sap is made by inserting a metal spile. Upon this spile hangs i a tin bucket, and everything is doue so that the least amount of dirt may j get into the water. The buckets are carefully covered with tin lids and all are looked after about twice a day j when the sap is running freely. The j season for making syrup does not last any great length of time. It consists ’ of that time during which the frost is eomiug out of the ground. In this period the sap will flow, but the min i tile the frost is all out, the sap ceases lo run and the season is at au end. NEW DEVICE. An Improvement In an Oil Pumping Device. Isaac Wanner and Charles Klose are the inventors of an oil pumping device which local oil men have led them to lielieve will make them some money They have had a number of practical oil men examine the device to suggest improvements and most of them have pronounced it an improvement over many of the numping powers now in use. It works oti the electric plan and its special features are that it rune easily and as many wells can be pumped as the producer cares to hook on. As yet they have only a small model but expect lo build a working model soon and will probably patent the device.