Daily Democrat, Volume 1, Number 96, Decatur, Adams County, 1 May 1903 — Page 1

VOLUME 1

JOHNSON GUILTY. Jury Agreed on the First Ballot. Will Go to the Jeffersonville Reformatory for From Two to Fourteen Years. i>nly one l»allot was necessary for the jury to find Curtis Johnson guilty of forgery and they returned their verdict to that effect shortly after one o’clock this afternoon, finding also tluit his true age is twenty-one years. The evidence •was all in at ten o'clock and Judge Erwin allowed the attorneys of ; each side forty-five minutes to' argue the case to the jury. The de-, sense was made on the plea of in-; sanity. The jury went to their room at 11:30 but tefore taking a ballot' i included to go to dinner which they did. Upon their return a tallot was first taken as to the 1 sanity of Johnson, all voting that lie was of sound mind. A ballot was then taken us to the guilt or . innocence of the defendant and the result was ••guilty." The veridet ! was written out at once and the jury were brought out. The defendant listened to his verdict in a sullen manner and as he passed out of the court room uttered a terrible oath against Prosecutor Moran. He will lx- brought into court for sentence next Monday. Johnson forgetl the name of A. C. Gregory to a check for <7.85 and admitted his guilt, making a defense almost impossible. The ease against Ed Touhey who was said to bean accomplice was continued and will very probably be dismissed. The finding that Johnson is twenty-one years old means that he will goto the Jeffersonville reformatory. His sentence will lx* from two to fourteen years and a tine of from <lO to <I.OOO. MINSTREL SHOW. Mat 19th is Ihe Date for Production by Entre Nous Club. The Entre Nous club have decided to give their minstrel show on Tuesday, May 19. The boys have already been working at their jxirts for the past two w< eks and the date for the exhibition gives them ample tune to fully prejiare. The production will be under the direction of Prof. Fred C. LaDelle and the training for the different characters lias been under his supervision from the start. Every member of the chib, almost thirty jx*rsons. will assist jn the presentation of the show and the ability found therein ■when directed by one of long experience in minstrel, is tound to make the affair a very successful prtxlnction. JOHNS’ FIRE. Caused by Boy Leaving Burning Candle in Atlic. A fire occurrtsl at noon today at die home of John Johns, just west from South Third street. The blaze started in the attic which was us<*d as a store room for o'd clothes and was caused by one of the children leaving a lighted candle burn there. He had gone into the attic to look for something and carelessly went 'way. leaving a candle which he ia<l taken with him burning. The Upper jiart of the house was quite badly damaged and some clothes ind earjx't were destroyed. Neigh bora saw the tire breaking out of the tjof and a bucket brigade soon bad die blaze under control. The loss > about <1(M) fully covered by insurance.

The daily democrat.

MAKING SURVEY. — Engineer McKean Taking the Meas- 1 ure of Monroe Street. Surveyor McKean began setting the ]M'gs for the Monroe street brick pavement, with a view of getting the projx*r grades for plans and specifications, which the council have askixl to te furnished them. The petition that has been in the hands of the promoters along the street, has already been signed by a representative bunch of the property owners, and it is probable that the council will recognize its completeness, as a sufficient guarantee for them to carry into effect their arrangements as agreed to u week or two ago. As originally prepared ' the paving will begin at the river bridge and never stop for breath until the toll rings at Eleventh street. HAPPY EVENING. Telephone Girls Enjoy Themselves. — An Entertainment at the Central Office in Honor of Miss Gerard. A unique affair was the reception tendered last evening in honor of Miss Lilly Gerard, who has resigned her position as an exchange girl at the central telephone station for several years. The scene of the event was the office where duties and pleasure have so often mingled, for the life of a telephone girl is not all drudgery. In honor of last night’s event the exchange rooms were beautifully decorated, carnations being very conspicious. The event was quite exclusive the only guests being the girls and Mr. Tom Ehinger of the secretary’s office. At ten o'clock a very elegant three course banquet was served and it is safe to say that this part of the reception was by no means the least enjoyable. Later in the evening Photographer Moser was admitted into the scene of pleasure sufficiently long to secure a flash light picture of the happy group. The evening was one of the happiest on record and Miss Gerard will remember her last evening at the office for many years to come. She will leave next Wednesday for Fort Wayne to begin her duties as a trained nurse. SCHOOL ENUMERATION The Township Trustee Complete Their Work and Report. The township trustees and school enumerators for the county have all made their reports to County Superintendent Brandyberry, with the exception of Geneva cor]x>ration. With that omitted the total is ! 7,395 and when Geneva lands safely, the total will jx’rhaps to increased I 350. As reported Union township ' has 410. Root 382, Preble 430. Kirkland 309, Washington 500, St. Marys |;W9, Blue Creek 373, Monroe 895. French 437, Hartford 144, Wabash | 70(1, Jefferson 448, Decatur 1,212 and Berne 346. This enumeration is taken every year, and us reported this time shows a small increase over last year. Root township decreas<'d her rejxirt thii ti -five, the other townships showing slight increases. A small child of Dix* Foreman fell from the top of a dressing case this afternoon and bruis'd its head quite severely. The little one had been plac'd there by its mother and another chilli was charged to watch it while Mrs. Foreman worked about the house, but despite this caution the child worked near the edge and fell.

DECATUR, INDIANA, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 1, 1903.

FELL FROM BED. — Death the Result of the Accident. Mrs. Mannensmith, a Resident of Preble Township, the Victim. Mrs. Abigal Mannesmith, who for fifty years has been a resident of Preble township, died at three o'clock this morning as the result of a peculiar accident. She has been staying at the home of her daughter. just over the line inWells county and Wednesday morning fell out of tod. Her hip was fractured and owing to her extreme old age her physicians could not save her life. ■ She suffered great pain until yesterday morning when she sank into unconsciousness and never rallied. She grew steadily worse until this morning when the end came. She was eighty-six years old and came to this county in 1852, ' being one of the best known ladies in the west part of the county. Her health has been splendid and lit is believed she would have lived | many years yet had it not lx*en | for this accident. She was a sister lof Uncle John Rupright. The funeral services will to held at the Methodist church at Williamsport Monday about noon, the funeral party leaving the home at ten | o'clock. MORE STOCK. The Jackson. Michigan, Cement Company Selling More Stock. Some time ago those interested in the Jacksonville Michigan . cement factory, was given the privilege of increasing the amount of stock held by them. As the time draws to a dose for this extended privilege, it finds every holder of stock in this city taking advantage of the opportunity, and conservatibly estimat'd some ten or fifteen thousand dollars of this stock will come to Decatur. The money derived therefrom this new issuance of stock will to used in making extensions to the factory, which when complete will make it the largest and most eomI plete cement factory in this country. | Their output for 1903 has long ago toon contracted, in fact it being an impossibility to supply the demand. The various uses to which cement is being converted i makes the future for this class of manufacture very bright. The ■ stockholders residing here are more than satisfied with their money as invested. OIL WELL. Messrs. Trout and Miller Own a Good One. D. G. M. Trout and Jacob Miller of this city, ure in the oil business to a certainty now and are no doubt feeling very Rockefellery as they are sole owners of an oil well making forty barrels a day. These gentlemen have a comjkiny of their own and every drop of that oil is theirs which means a daily income of forty-five dollars. Each of these gentlemen owned a farm in the south part of the county and a few months ago while talking atout their land decided not to lease but to go into ixirtnership and drill a well on each farm. The arrangements were sjx'cdily made and tin* first well came in last week. At first it was believed to to dry but under orders they drilled on through second pay and as a result got a good pr'xlncer which is now making forty barrels. They arc arranging to drill another well at once.

QUICK WORK. New Record Made by the Supreme Court. The supreme court advanced and I decided a case yesterday which was appealed day before yesterday. This almost unprecedented action was due to the fact that the judgment appealed from forbade the holding of the April term of court in Warren county which should have begun last Monday. An act of the last legislature which took effect March 9, changed the time of holding court in Fountain, Warren and Benton counties to certain dates calculated by reference to the last Monday in August, each term throughout the year, after the one beginning on that day, being made to follow immediately after the term which preceded it. On peti- ! tion Charles McAdams of Warren I county. the Tippecanoe circuit court I forbade Judge Rabb to hold an April ; term of court this year. Judge Rabb bad already held court in Fountain and Benton counties since the new law was p.issi-d and all that had ■ been done at toth terms must to held void if the judgment forbidi ing him to hold court in Warren county should to held correct. But ! the supreme court decided that the new act does not affect the time of ' holding until the beginning of the new court year in August, and that court can to held under the old law i until that time. j SERIOUS CHARGE. Fort Wayne Lawyer Gets Into Trouble. George Bower, aged 27, a well known attorney, was arrested by Deputy Sheriff John B. Ryan last I evening on a charge of criminal | assault. The charge was preferred by Calvin Scott, a farmer of Union township, Wells county, and the alleged victim is Scott's sixteen year old daughter, Amanda. The affidavit was filed in Justice ■ Tancey's court yesterday morning. ' and the warrant was served by I Deputy Sheriff Ryan, who found , Bower at the home of his mother, lon Home avenue, about half past five o'clock last evening. The Scott family lives on a farm owned by the prisoner's mother, and young Bower, in intrevals of his law practice, has been hxjking after the place. Some days ago he began shingling the farm house, and it is charged that while so engaged he entered the house, dragged the girl into a tod r<x>m and there accom- ' plished his purjxisc. The girl is said |to he in a critical condition, and | under the care of physicians from Ossian. Bower was brought down ' town and Justice Tancey's fixed his bond at <I,OOO, which was furnished by his mother, whereupon he was released. He denies the story altogether and says a young man who was assisting him in shingling the house will prove his innocence as they were together at the time the assault is alleged to have teen committed.—Fort Wayne JournalGazette. I - NEW CASE. Mrs. Colewell Wants Her Husband to Support Her. Attorneys Merryman&Hutton filed i a now case in circuit court this , morning entitled Vnrnie Uolewell vs. Reuben Uolewell and Bank of Geneva. a complaint for xupjxirt. • Vnrnie Uolewell and Renton are huslxtnd and wife and lived happily together until a few months ago. They ownwl a piece of property and Reuben induced his wife to sign a d<*ed for the sale of same. He secured alxiut <1 000 for the property and shortly afterwards left taking with him all hut about <l5O which he left in his name at the Geneva bunk. Mrs. Uolewt'll is now trying to secure that money and also a judgment against her huslxmd for support.

MACADAM ROADS. Union Township Asked to Support Macadam. John P. Spooler Circulating a Petition for Three Roads. John P. Spooler is carrying a petition getting the necessary signatures which ultimately will reach the official station of the board of county commisisoners. The peti- I tion asks that a sju-eial election to i held at the usual voting places in Union township, the result of said ballot being to determine the fate of the macadam road question in i this township. Three petitions for three different roads are prayed for, one of them being known as the Monroeville road, and runs north and south through the township, being five miles in length. One of the other traverses north and south ; the entire length of the township, and dovers the highway one mile west of the state line. The third petition is for the east and west road, one mile north of the south township line, the entire width of the township. According to the plan formulated, every resident in Union township can get to a macadam road by a mile's drive and as outlined would make a system of macadam roads that should meet high favor from every landowner and voter in the township. All Union township needs is totter roads and if the projxisition toing advanced by Mr Spooler is adopted, the township will have the I finest thoroughfares of any town- > ship in Adams county. Seventeen • miles of road are embraced in the ! three petitions. Since the above ! was written two miles have to-en j added, which will piss the Blakey | settlement church. A GOOD TIME. Misses Congleton Entertain Their Friends. Misses Jennie and Bessie Conglcton entertained at progressive pedro last evening and each guest tells of a delightful and very happy’ occur sion. Those permitted to indulge in the pleasure were the members of the Friday’ night club and a number of outside guests as follows: Mesdames W. F. Brittson. C. O. France, j Frank Durkins, A. E. Rose. Hunnel Acker, Miles Pillars, L. G. EllingI ham, J. H Heller and Miss Edna I Crawford. At cards high prizes : were awunlcd to Mrs. ('. <>. France and Mrs. Samuel Acker, the ladies Ix-aring their victory in a modest manner. A feature of the ix’easion were the delicious refreshments, daintily served and mighty goixl tastin'. The meeting was certainly one of the most pleasant of the year. WHACKING UP. Many Trustees Paying the Mansun U. Johnson Accounts. A sch'xd supply salesman who holds six thousand dollars of allegixl forge<l notes of Manson U. Johnson, the Madison county supply man, states tluit the trustees over the state are being brought to time by Johnson, who threatens, it is alleged, to pr'xluce figures which will implicate many of them in "commission deals" in the sale of schixil supplies. The creditors of Johnson are slowly realizing on many accounts which in the crush which followed the disclosures of ulleu’cd forgeries were thought to to worthless, and manifest no disposi. tion to give him trouble if they can gel their money.

NUMBER 96

BAD DISEASE. Even the Fish Have the Smallpox. A dispatch from Williams]>ort, Pa. gives the following information: “Torbert Johnson, a lumberman in the Black Forest reigon, caught smallpox in a most surprising way. He ate brook trout caught in a stream in which it has since been discovered a number of woodsmen who had smallpox had bathed. Johnson lives alone and just a week after his fine meal of fine speckled beauties the disease broke out. As a result trout fishing has ceased in all the streams of the Black Forest region. The woodsmen of the camps that have teen attacked are fighting the quarantine and in a number of cases have suffered to take to the woods rather than be isolated with other patients. The situation is grave and the state health authorities are doing everything in their power to combat the disease*. WILL BE BUILT. Majority of Property Holders Want Fourth Street Paved. That Fourth street will to paved this year is almost positively assured. The majority of property holders along that thoroughfare I have signified their willingness to I have the improvement made and when the committee makes a report ! to the council showing these facts, there are but few probabilities of any effective objections. The ■ council has heretofore declared that they will abide by the wish of the jx-ople, so long as their desire rej mains just and lawful, and so as the j condition stands then* are ninetynine chances out of a hundred that this old mud street must go. So it appears that very soon five blocks j of i>aved streets will lx* under way ' of improvement and that before the end of summer Fourth street will be a brick paved and res|x*ctable thoroughfare. ALL READY. > -in m , Bi£ Parade at Anderson G. A. R. Encampment. The executive committee of the G. A. R. at Anderson, where the state <*ncampment is to lx* held, has completed arrangements for th'* big parade on Muy 13. It will lx* hi'aded hv a platoon of police and the Soldiers and Sailors Home Band at. Knighstown. Grand Marshal A. I. Makcpeac'* and his aides will come next. They will be followed by Thom.is. J. Stewart of Washington, D. C., the national commander, and bis staff. The post department commanders of Indiana, sixteen in all, will follow, after which will come Governor Durbin and his staff. The latter will to mounted. The post from the Marion soldiers' home will lx* given the first place in the jxirade of organizations. WANTS THE JOB. John C. Black Would be Commander-in-Chief. Considerable interest in local G. A. R. circles has lx*en aroused by a circular letter which is now toing sent out to the Grand Army veterans asking their support for Gen. John ('. Black of Illinois, e.\ commissioner of )x*nsions, for the office of ci*m-mander-in chief of the Grand Army. The circular states that Indiana, Illinois and Ohio will give General Black their solid support. The <*i.r leulnr letters are toing sent out as a part of theeanqiaign material that is toing issuetl in hehalf of General Black. It is presumed that the statement with reference the attitude of the Indiana Grund Army s]M'<'ulative, as the Indiana diqxirtent has not vet formally indorsed any candidate.