Daily Democrat, Volume 1, Number 58, Decatur, Adams County, 18 March 1903 — Page 1

VOLUME 1

BIG DAMAGE CASE. Change of Venue From Jay County. SB,OOO Dollars Asked as a Rebate to I Oil Lands Sold on a Guarantee. change of venue from Jay count, a damage case in which the sum lot' »' ,000 is demanded was filed in court here this morning. The suit is entitled Adam Cui per, Nelson Fran. s and Albert Oppenheim vs. John J. Black, and is the result of a deal made December 31, 1900. At that I time the defendant was the owner of a fourth interest in gas and oil wells in Harrison county, Ohio, on which were located thirteen oil Mas. is. The complaint alleges thutfciid Black represented that the avaray daily production of these wells was more than sixty two barrels, but was really only thirty - seven barrels jx>r day. Under this xnterei . ■sentation the defendant sold his interest to plaintiffs for 116,250, of which sum 111,925 was paid in .©a-h and a debt assumed which eovHjh d the rest of the amount of the sale The complaint further alleges that had the output lx?en as represented the price would have been a fair one but under the circumstances it wa> a gross outrage and the sum of *OO as a rebate on the gross guano itee is demanded. The suit wa||oled last September by Attor neys| Daily, Surtmons & Dailey of Bluffton An answer in three paragraphs lias also been filed by Mr. Black s attorneys. J. Will Kelley and ILaFollette <fe Adair, which denies every allegation and says that tl le plaintiffs in this case, experienced oil men, made him the propodtion to give him the sum of $16,25 for his interest, and that theykgrei'd that Mr. Cupler, one of the plaintiffs in the present case lie given ten days to examine said prope which was done, and that Was so well pleaded that paid down the sum of ||o,ooo to bind the bargain until they could get the rest of the purchase money. The plaintiffs in the ease knew or ought to haw known the.worth of the property. Mr. Black alleges that the pnfcerty at the time sold by him was worth more than 116,250 and ifeßerefore demands judgment for costs AN ADDITION. A New Power House May Be Built in the Near Future. Th. building committee of the city pouncil wi’l proliably make a . t t the next meeting suggesting that an addition be built to the power house of the city electric light (plant. Such a procedure will he in lino with the recent decision of thf®ity council to place a new dynii- no in position to aid in supplying the incandescent service. Th* pre sent buildings are eentirely ilia&iquate for the installment of additii >nal machinery and as thought by the electric light committee, a twenty-four foot addition will be necfcfcary to make sufficient room. WHO IS HE? Decatur Boy Locked Up at Fort Wayne. The police news column in this morning's Fort Wayne Journal-Ga-zette said: ‘' Patrollman La van way picked up Walter Grip of Decatur, at Main and Harrison streets at an early hour this morning and locked him up, charged with vagrancy.” No ©no by the name is known here and it is probably a ficticious one.

The Daily Democrat.

DROPPED DEAD. Tramp the Victim of Heart Trouble. A man known as “Bow” who claims Hartford City as his home, fell dead at four o’clock this morning a mile north of Shledon, while walking along the railway tracks. A companion, Janies Brenneman, and he slept at the water tank near Fort Wayne and had started to walk to Hartford City. The body was taken to Fort Wayne for burial. "Bow" was a glass worker.

SERIOUS TROUBLE. Leo Meyers of This City Up Against it. Arrasted by a United States Marshal and Given a Hearing at Fort Wayne. Leo Meyers, a well known] young man of this city, was arrested by United States Marshal Rankin yesterday and taken up before Commissioner Logan at Fort Wayne to answer a charge of mailing obscene matter. It seems Leo wrote a letter for John Broger, better known as - 'Dutch John," to his daughter, Barlxira Hudson, now Mrs. Miller, at Muncie and at the bottom of the letter Leo wrote an obscene sentence which angered the recipient so that she turned the letter over to the offiers resulting in the arrest of Leo. The case was set for trial in May and the boy’s bond fixed at 1300, which was signed by his father' John Meyers.

SCOTTISH RITE. Masons Meet at Fort Wayne This Week. Quite a nmuber of Decatur Masons are at Fort Wayne today attending the spring convocation of Scottish Rite Masons which opened at the Temple yesterday afternoon. A class of fourteen candidates was present to receive the degrees from four to thirteen. The work was conferred by Mr. William Geake, thrice potent grand master of Fort Wayne Lodge of perfection, and it was susjxmd ed long enough to permit of theenjoyment of a most excellent Ixinquet. At the banquet Mr. W. C. Geake, assistant attornney-gen-eral of the state, delivered the address. The other six-akers were Mr. M C. Campbell of Angola, and Judge 8. R. Allen of Fort Wayne. Those present from here are A. I’. Beatty, T M Reid French Quinn. Dr. Roy Archbold, George Kinzle, H. R. Moltz, M. Burns, Dick Town send, J. 8. Peterson and others.

WEDDING BELLS. Mr. and Mrs. Dibble’s Twentieth Anniversary. Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Dibble were very pleascnly surprised by their numerous friends last evening, it being their twentieth wixlding anniversary. All came with well filed baskets such as Decatur people are noted for and it is needless to say that all did justice to the tempting viands. The happy bride and groom of twenty years were presented with ii beautiful Japanese vase and all went merry as a marriage bell. The guests were Messrs, and Mesdames Paul HoojxT, R. K. Allison, John Vail, John Tyndall Dr. Thomas, Mrs. Crabbs and Mrs. Ed Bailey.

DECATUR, INDIANA, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 13, 1903.

THE CITY COUNCIL Sewer Committee's Report is Approved. ELM STREET SEWER QUESTION MEETS WITH DEFINITE DECISION. A Bis Volume of Important and Minor Business Transacted Last Evening. I _ _ The city council has taken a definite step in regardjto the Elm street sewer. Immediately after the roll call at last night's meeting, which found all members present, the mayor called for the report of the sewer committee on the resolutions referred to them and the chairman acting for that body, which is composed of Peterson, Stetler and Fordyce, stated that they were unable to report on the entire resolutions referred to them an<l asked that their partial consideration of the said resolutions, along with further resolves be adopted and approved by the council. A second to the motion was quickly voiced and with- [ out a murmur or an objection the : inqxjrtant report and resolutions were approved by the common I council, every member voting aye. The resolutions as proposed by Teeple and referral to the sewer | committee were to the effect I that after considering the findings |of Engineer Frost in a recent sur- , vey made by him, a report should le made, stating the extent of de- ■ ficiencies found in the construction I of the Elm street sewer, with a view of deducting the extent of these misconstructions from the contractor ’s price, and also that they estimate the amount that the property holders are forced to stand on account of the aforesaid misconstruction of the sewer, so that the city council could make a just assessment against the projierty affected by the sewer. In partial answer to this the sewer committee reported as follows: Whereas, The sewer in question was not constructed i according to sjx»ciflcations and contract, it is impossible to impose a just and equitable adjustment of assessments until the said sewer is constructed according to contract,Therefore be it resolved, That no assessments be made, any further expense incurred in the disposition of the Elm street sewer until the said sewer is completed according to the plans and specifications, and according to contract. The turbulent sower question thus being disused of, business of a less important nature was brought up and considered. Mayor Coffee made a plea for the proper enforcing of ordinances and several committees including the water works and electric light wen 1 rder"d t>» a’niken t<> >< sen*" <>f duty those city employes under their jurisdiction, who were negligent in enforcing the city laws tluit touched iqxin their official capacity. The water works board was bidden to investigate whether or not the contract, which wasentered into by the city with Mr. Ernslierger, lin regard to the exhaust steam for heat ing a green house and returning the condensed water to the city power house, had been projx'rly carried out. A jietition from the property holders along an alley sewer which extends between Winchester and Third streets, asking some action toward rectifying the damages tluit stand against them on account of the said sewer being improperly constructed, was referred to the sewer oomittee. The city will in a short time cease to handle electrical supplies. The motion which put the city in a position to handle all necessary accessories to electric light outfitting was nnnuled last night and when the present supply is sold Decatur will lie out of that kind of business. T. C. Corbett,

chairman of the building committee, reported that he hid Ix'en advised by Architect Christen that the truss which was designed to hold the roof of the addition at the water works, would lie of insufficient strength and that a different style of truss should be adopted. Con sidering this change of plans the building committee was authorized to have the design altered and allow Contractor Huffman the additional amount on the contract price, which this change in plans will cost him. The following bills were allowed: J. G. Smith, labor, 19.15; John Thomas, hauling, 1492.0; C. &. E. railroad, freight, 158.06; A. Brittson, stamps, |3; J. D. Hale, coal, 1144.38; J. S. Peterson, insurance, 140.50; water works superintendent pay roll, 14.95; J. G. Smith, labor, 1103.5; A. E. Rose, labor, |112.7,

ALL A MISTAKE. Modern People Are Changing Everything. It seems strange that nature made so many mistakes. It placed horns on the head of cattle, but man saw a chance for improvement and decreed the horns were useless and must go. It placed tails on horses, but man said the Creator was again mistaken, andthe tails came off. It placed whiskers on the face of man, but populism faded from the face of the earth and man ba.de adieu to the necessary appendage. It placed seeds in orangees, but little children swallowed the seeds and miniature orange trees grew in their stomachs, so man said the seed must forever depart from the luscious fruit. It coated chickens with feathers, but now man declares this coating is not fitting and the feathers must go the way of the cow's horns, the horse's tail the man's beard, and the orange’s seed. And now the department of agriculture is looking for a pig without hair.

IN THE CAPITAL. McCutcheon Has a New Novel Ready for Market. George Barr McCutcheon, the author of “Graustauk" and "Castle Craneycrow," and incidently a brother of John T. McCutcheon, the ' cartoonist, is in Indianapolis. He announces that he has a third novel ready for the public. He says it is wholly unlike his other two, but further that his, he will not talk concerning the new story. The two McCutcheons and George Ade [ were reared all in one corral at Lafayette—that is Ade joined the other two at the McCutccheon home when he shipped his trunk from Kentland to become a student atlPurdue. The attention the trio has attracted of late years, is one of the jxiints of pride of Indiana. George Barr McCutcheon, the lust of the trio to come to the front, has not only published two successful stories in three yeafs, but L« is doingancxti nsivc businis., with the monthly magazines. ANOTHER GOOD ONE. The Shepherd Oil Company Drill In a Good Producer. W. H. Shepherd, manager of the Shejiherd Oil conqxiny, and the ix-rhaps the best known man in the county, was in town hxlay and told us of another big gusher that was drilled in for his company last Thursday. The pump has just Ix'en started so its true worth is not yet appirent, but every indication isgoixl. Before the Mint oil stood 400 feet in the hole, and after the shot it measured 600 feet, and the least that can lx' said is that it is a g<Hxl one. This conqxiny now owns several jirixlucing wells and are in a fairway to dean up a clover pieei- of coin. It is prolxible that they may drill several wells in the locality in which they are now <qx>riiting.

TWO NEW ONES. Change of Venue Brings Cases Here. Makes Fifty New Cases so Far This Year in the Adams Circuit Court. Two new cases were filed in circuit court this morning on a change of venue from Huntington county. They are each entitled Alithea L. Gillispiee vs. Ernest A. Gillispie, the first being a suit to quiet title and the second to recover jxissession of personal property. The cases are rather queer and a little out of the ordinary. In March 1898, Miss Alithea Gillispie deeded to Ernest A. Gillispie a valuable house and lot in Huntington, a contract being entered at the same time that Ernest was to keep, board and clothes Miss Alithea drn-ing the rest of her life. Since then it seems Ernest has become afflicted with the drink habit to such an extent that she is afraid to live with him very quarrelsome and hateful. The complaint shows that he has made life unbearable for the plaintiff and during the extreme cold weather a few months ago drove her out of the house. He has therefore violated his contract and the plaintiff wants her property back. The second case in which the same people are parties is an action tor ecover personal property, including lieds, chairs, pictures, carpets, etc., and it seems the entire stock of house, hold goods belongs to Alithea and she wants it. She also asks for SSOO damages for detaining same. The cases were filed by attorneys Branyan & Freighton. This makes just fifty new cases filed since January Ist. GOOD ADVICE. A Few Hints to the Young Man of Today. Any sensible young man ought to know that he can't be up late at nights abusing his stomach and be in full possession of his faculties for business the next day. And he ought to know also, that a man must lie clear-headed and in full possession of his faculties to hold his own in the keen competition of life. Your "good fellow" is popular for the time being, but when his money is gone anil he has lost his job and is on his uppers the “good fellow” business doesn't get hiirn anything. Its “poor fellow" then. Another gixxl man gone wrong, ahd "the boys” arc ready to hail another “good fellow” who has the price. We don't mean to say that "the boys" are mereennary. They don't altogther pass up a "good fellow” when he is broke, but it isn’t the same. They say ho hit the booze too hard and couldn’t stand the puce. They feel sorry for him, but he is out of it. His gixxl fellowship doesn't excuse him, even in the eyes of his friends, for having thrown away hiis opportunity. FOR BURGLARY. Judge Erwin will Hear Jav County Case. The men who burglarized G. W. Smith's grocery and several other business houses here several months ago, were placed on trial at Portland last week. Charles Smith, the youngest of tho two, was Hist tried and convicted after an hour's deliberation by the jury, Janies Cunqilx'll of Kenton, Ohio, was next tried and was acquitted. James Carroll of Pittaburg, hud a change of judge, and will bo tried before Judge Erwin of Decatur—Redkey Timos,

NUMBER 58

MORE POLITICS. Senator Fairbanks Not After Southern Newspapers. The statement issued by Senator Fairbanks in which he denied he is establishing a chain of newspapers in the south to capture the presidential nomination from Roosevelt, was made necessary from a political standpoint by a succession of stories which have appeared in eastern newspapers relating, with more or less detail, the alleged plans of Fairbanks to put Roosevelt out of the race, so to speak. There is a suspicion that these stories emanated from administration sources and were intended to administer a blow to the Fairbanks boom while it is in the budding stage. If such was the case it was a very adroit move, for Senator Fairbanks was in a poor position to speak just now. He recognized this fact and hesitated. It would have [been letter for him. however, if he made a prompt denial several days ago. While he has held back the pro-Roosevelt and pro-Beveridge papers have gone to publishing columns of stuff about his alleged newspaper ventures in the south and it looks as if the administratiion in finally forcing a statement from him caught the tall Indiana senator between the upper and nether millstones.

AT DINNER. Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Du£an Entertain at Their Palatial Home. An elegant dinner party was given i last evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Dugan on Monroe street those present being Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Niblick, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Nachtrieb, Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Carroll, Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Patterson, Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Kuebler and Mr. and Mrs. L. G. Ellingham. i The dinner was one of those delicious several course affairs that looked too good to eat and tasted even better than it looked. After ' dinner was served a pleasant evening was devoted to games and many other modes of entertainment, all of which stamped the seal of approval upon Mr. and Mrs. Dugan as ideal entertaiiners. A GOOD CONTRACT. A. E. Rose will Put in a Plant at Liberty Center. Arthur E. Rose, the well known contractor for electrical jobs and heating plants, has secured a nice job that will require considerable attention for several weeks, the same being a contract to install a steam heating plant in the school budding at Lilierty Center. The building has heretofore Ix-en heated by a hot air system which proved very unsatisfactory anil the trustees decidisl to make a change. The contract was let Monday at the county superintendent's office at Bluffton. Figures for the work show it. will cost about $1,200 and Arthur is well pleased with his success in landing the job. NEW QUARTERMASTER. Col. Oran Perry Appointed to Succeed R. S. Foster. Governor Durbin has appointed Col. Oran Perry of Indianapolis, to succeed the late R. 8. Foster ns quartermaster-general of the Indiana national guard. There were several applicants for the place. The apprintment of Colonel Perry, who is a veteran of the civil war, was received with much pleasure by stab' officials. He has residl'd in Indianapolis many years, but prior to coming hero was a resident of Richmond. He served with honor throughout the rebellion.