Daily Democrat, Volume 1, Number 211, Decatur, Adams County, 14 September 1903 — Page 1

VOLUME 1

FOUND FATHER’S BODY Daughters’ Awful Discovery of Their Parent.

Fred Betzell Found Dead. has Well Known in South Part of County. Lifeless Body Found in a Field Near Geneva Early Sunday Morning., » Fred Beta 11, a well known citizen was found dead early Sunday morning. He was a teamster for the Central Western Oil Company and lived a lout a mile east of Gen i Mrs. Betzell has been visiting

SAY HE IS CRAZY Marion Paper Tells Life of Joe Osburn. Served a Year in Jail There for Attempting to Kill Lew MeCaskey.

The Marion Leader says: ‘‘Joseph O-burn, who killed his father-in-law. John Busentiark, lived in Grant < ■ unty most all his life. He reside! in Green township and his occupation was that of a farmer. He was well known all over the county. Nine years ago Osburn committed a vicious assault on Lew McCaskey, a resident of Green township and a brother of Harve McCaskey, the politician. Osburn claimed that McCaskey had talked about his wife, and seeing McCaskey at a Country sale he approached him from behind and beat him over the head with the butt end of a black snake whip. McCaskey was serious ly injured and for a time it was feared that he would die. Osburn was arrested on the charge of assault with intent to kill and brought to jai] in Marion He was fried in the circuit court and was found guilty of assault and battery and was fined |SCO and given a jail sentence. His relatives wanted to make up his fine and get him out of jail, but he refused to allow them to do so, saying that he didn’t know any better way to make 1500 than to lay’ it out in jail. At the jail he was soon made trusty and after serving almost a year he was allowed to return to his family. He has never been oonisdered exactly right mentally and one sister is said to have diisl in an insane asylum. John Biuenbark , the murdered man. resided in Grant county on his Green township farm for twenty years. He was highly resjiectial and had a large circle of friends. His wife

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[friends at Chattanooga. Ohio, for several days. About seven o’clock Siturday evening Fred told his daughter that he was going out to the barn to feed his horses and would then go to the home of a neighbor, Riley Bradford, to see about buying some pigs. He failed to retiwa anti the daughters beeomtihg alarmed began to search for I him. He was found at two o’clock Sunday morning lying dead in one of his fields. Apparently the end had come without a struggle as his face apjieared calm and there was no trace or sign of suffering. He i had called on Mr. Bradford and was returning home when it is supposed he was seized, heart trouble and died almost instantly. He was fifty years old and his family consisted of a wife and three daughters. He was a popular citizen in and near Geneva, and his sudden death caused quite a shock to the community. When found he held a rope in his hand but no significance is attributed to that fact. Coroner Schenck visited the Betzell home yesterday and his verdict will, no doubt, lie that death resulted from heart failure.

died in the Marion hospital early last spring. Shortly after that he sold his Grant county farm and he and his son-in-law, the man who kilbsl him. moved to Decatur, where they had purchased a farm. LOOKS INHUMAN.

Barbarous Treatment of Bodies of the Dead. The last legislature passed a law requiring the dead bodies not claimed by relativesto be shipped to some incorporated medical college for dissection. A few days ago a young man was killed in Huntington county by an Erie train. After the body had laid three days and was not claimed a Fort Wayne medical college demanded it and got it. The doctors found tl ,t the corpse had been so badly multilated as to be of no service and it was shipped back to Huntington in a badly deconqiosed condition. The law that will jierimt a corpse to be shifted around in such a manner and gives incorporated medical colleges a corner on dead bodies is about as foul smelling us the remains the Fort , Wayne doctors refused. WONDER WHY? Monday Is the Popular Ladies Suicide Day. A man out of a job has heen compiling some feminine suicide statistics. He says more women commit suicide on Monday than any other day. He thinks this is due to the odd jobs that has accumulated over Sunday, and to the extra duties of wash day that heap up on blue Monday. There is a discrepancy somewhere. Women are given to be essentially religions creatures and if ever they are stayed up for the conflict of house keeping it ought to be on Monday after a day of church going and a religious meditation. Pocsibly the rest and ]>eace of the Sabbbath is so suggestive of the quiet, cookleas life beyond that the over-strained mind and body are lured on to hasten the spirit thither

DECATUR, INDIANA, MONDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 14, 1903.

HAVE ORGANIZED first Meeting of the Board of Directors, I Officers for the Citizens Telephone Company Elected This Morning. The newly elected board of direc- ! tors for the Citizen's Telephone company met this morning for organization, the same being completed by the election of Henry Hite a- president, John Baker vice president. Frank M. Schirmeyer secretary, E. X. Ehinger treasurer, and John W. I Tyndall manager. This is the first I meeting of the new board since I their election, Henry Hite having ■returned Saturday from West Biden. The board is replete with good practical business men, and the business of the comjiany will continue along the lines of good government lin the management of the com- : jiany's affairs. Mr. Tyndall as manager, assumes the place of Jeff Bryson, who has filled this position for the last four or five years and [ who made an enviable record in such a trying place. The new manager is chuck full of ability and is practical in everything he undertakes, and his administraion is alI ready assured from every point ot vie? . No business was taken up outside the election of officers, but they have another meeting tonight which will be the initial step toi ward the business end of the administration of the present board OPTION EXTENDED Option on Robison Land Extended 20 Days. — Negotiations With the Springfield Traction Company to be Closed Tonight. A message has been received! from the Fledderjohanns that they | are enroute to this city byway of Celina, and as soon as they arrive a settlement Tietween them and the Commercial Club will be effected. This will, no doubt, lie done some time this afternoon or tonight, as the option expires at midnight. The company will be required to give a surety bond, guaranteeing the club that they will carry out their agreements and this bond they already have. The matter I will be arranged in legal form and | the property transferred when they meet tonight. Work on the grading has lieen sewed up for a day or two owing to delays in the engineer’s department. This individual arrived today and wjll at once relieve all stringencies accrued. Mr. Tubman, the contractor, was in town this morning and reported things as moving very satisfactory, with this one exception. After the negotiations for the site are concluded, it is likely the Fledderjohanns will be more lilieral in discussing the future plans of the company. At a late hour this afternoon French secured im extension of twenty days to the option in order to secure the Commercial Club against accidents that might occur.

' WAS CANCER. Doctors Examined Growth Taken From Isaac Roe’s Body. Dr. D. I). Clark has been advised by Dr. McOsear of Fort Wayne that the growth which Caused Isaac Roe's death was a cancer. The growth was submitted to the Fort Wayne doctor to clear up a pi >int which could not be agreed upon by i the doctors who attended the man during this illness. Dr. McOscar wrote as follows: "Dr. Griebel and myself have examined the growth taken from the body of Isaac Roe and pronounce it true canceroma.’’ GO TO MICHIGAN Kern & Walters will Move to Midland. Will Open a Real Estate Office There Within a Few Weeks. John Kern and C. L. Walters, formerly interested in the Big Store, have about concluded arrangements to locate at Midland, Mich., where they will go into the real estate business. They exjiect to leave within ( a month for their new location and will move their families there Midland is a thriving town of 3,000; population. the county seat of Midland county, located in the western part of Michigan near Saginaw Bay. The country is new but a splendid farming section and while they are twenty years behind this section, it is improving rapidly and will soon be one of the best parts of all Michigan. Wesley Selby, his father and brother have each purchased farms in the county and will make it their future home. The territory is wild but the land very productive. It is a great opportunity for a real estate office, and the firm of Kern & Wai- 1 ters will, without doubt, do a thriv- ' ing buisness. They are both young men of good business qualities and chuck full of hustle, and the one necessary stock of trade which assures success in the real estate business. They are bound to win out and while their friends in Adams county regret to lose them, they wish them every possible success. A BIG ESTATE. it is Claimed That Busenbark Was Worth $20,000. Attorney A. J. Behymer went to Decatur yesterday afternoon where he will look after probating the will of John Busenliark, who was kilknl by his son-in-law. Mr. Behymer drew up the will several years ago and the property valued at $20,000 goes to the only daughter, the wife : of Osburn. Whether she will use any of the money in helping her husband out of his trouble remains to be seen.—Marion Leader. From statements already made by Mrs. Osburn there st-ems’to be no doubt\ but that she will refuse to assist her husband. Still the understanding I here is that the prisoner has sufficient means of his own right to make his necessary defense. The First News. Fifteen minutes after the Bluffton liall game was over the Democrat officially announced the results and gave the score by innings. Large crowds were attracted by the bulletin and studied the score with varied expressions. When the bulletin was posted a moment later how the last inning was closed and how the winning run was made the crowd took it easy for they could not expect it to be any other way

A MISSIONARY DAY I All Dav Program at the Methodist Church Tomorrow. II ~ ■

A METHODIST DAY Missionary Program for Tomorrow. Many Visiting Ministers Will be Here and Take Part in Program. Tomorrow will lie a sort of a Methodist day in this city, and sev ■ eral ministers from out of the city | will be here. Those expected are A. S.Pretson from the Wayne street church, Fort Wayne, L. R. Retts of.

COURT NEWS. Routine of Business Transacted Today. Business was not very brisk about the court house this morning and not a great amount of entries were made on the docket. Abraham Boegly vs John Weger and Maggie Weger, demurer filed by John Weger, overruled, demurrer filed by Maggie Weger. Alma Englehart vs Michael Englehart. default as to defendant, rule against prosecuting attorney to answer, plaintiff ordered ' to pay five dollars into court for! prosecutor’s fee. Mattie E. Magner vs Wiley’ Magner, appearance by I Erwin & Erwin for defendant, i plaintiff ordered to pay’ five dollarinto court, case set for Thurs day, September 17. — ELECTROCUTED. Clarence Engor Put to Death. I A Million Dollars Lost in Damatle to Property in Florida. Special to The Dally Democrat. Auburn, N. Y., Sept 14—Clarence Engor of Buffalo, was today put to death in electric chair for the murder of Archibald Benedict, keeper in Auburn prison, who had reprimand cd him. Special to the Dully Democrat. Jacksonville, Fla., Sept. 14.—Passengers were arriving this morning I by train from Tampa and report the projierty loss there by h irricane nt ♦ 1,000,000.

NUMBER 211

"Monroeville, C (). Spencer of the Geneva circuit, Lewis Rehl of the St. Paul church at Fort Wavne. W. E. McCarty of Hoagland, J. A. Sprague of Monroe, J. S. Cain of Geneva, A. D. Wagner of Bobo, and W . H Daniel the presiding elder for this district. Pastor White is chairman, and has arranged a program for morning, afternoon and evening, m which all the ministers named will take part. The program is I quite interesting and are along the lines of missionary church work, and are expected to cultivate the habit for liberality in the field of missions. This particular branch ! has never been given the publicity such a worthy cause demands, and I people generally accept it as a not ; very generally needful part of their church giving. The first session begins at ten oclcok, the second one a two, and the third at half past | two. The attendance should be large and it is hoped that members and others will give the time and .attention the merit.

THE VERDICT FILED Coroner Schenck’s Report to County Clerk. Finds That John Busenbark Died by Injuries at Hands of Joseph Osburn. Coroner Schenck today filed his ' verdict on the death of John Busenj bark at the county clerk's office. The official document is very short but decisive. It reads as follows: “I, C. H. Schenck, coroner of Adams county, having examined the body of John Busenbark and heard the testimony of the witnesses, . which said testiomny is hereunto I attached, do hereby find that -nd deceased man came to his death i from the effects of injuries received I at the hands of one Joseph Osburn.” Then follows rne age and description of the deceased and the official signature of the coroner. The eviolence is said to have been very strong and the officials deem it fair • to withhold this part of the report for the present. A SURPRISE. Charles Baxter’s Twelfth Birthday Fittingly Celebrated. In honor of Charles Baxter's • twelfth birthday about sixty of his , young friends met at bis home on Elm street last Saturday evening and gave him a complete surprise. Charlie said his greatest surprise was when Mrs. C. J. Lutz led him to the table where lay a large num her of useful and beautiful presents. The evening was spent in games : and amusements as only the young ~ can. Light refreshments were served and at a late hour all declar • ing the evening most pleasantly spent hade Charlie good night.