Daily Democrat, Volume 1, Number 247, Decatur, Adams County, 26 October 1903 — Page 1

VOLUME 1

HOLTHOUSE DITCH SOLD ♦ Bidders Were Thick at the Auditor’s Office

DITCH SALE. Fred Koenig to Construct the Work. The P. Holthouse Ditch Bid Off at Six Thousand Dollars. The auditor's office was the scene of more genuine activity than any place in town, the occasion being the sale of the P. Holthouse ditch. The bidders were there in plenty and to spare, many of them bidding

ARRIVED HOME. — I Geo. Butler Returns Home Minus Arm and Leg. Tearibly Mangled at Boone, lowa, less Than a Month Ago, But Recovered Rapidly. George Butler, the young man so badly injured at Boone, lowa, four weeks ago tomorrow arrived home Sunday but minus his left leg and arm. He is a son of Mrs. Tobias Meyers who lives in the south i>art of town and left here about seven years ago. He has been all over the country and served three years in the army. He was down street this morning greeting his friends and seemed as happy as any one could be especially under such circumstances. He says he wanted to (■ross a 200 foot bridge, very high near Boone, and over which no one was allowed to walk. Ho climbed a freight train and failed to get up high enough on the ladder. He was struck by a stone abuttment and thrown under the moving wheels. When carried to the hospital at Boone it was feared he could not live but in three weeks time was able to make the trip home, certainly proving that he has grit enough for several men. He is staying for the present with his sister and has no plans for the future. Besides the fact that ono leg is off above the knee, an arm off above the elbow he has an ngly looking gash on his head and his recovery so soon seems miraculous. The accident happened on the Chicago & Northwestern. Is Very Sick. Mrs. Horace Callow is reported ns very ill today nnd her condition is said to be quite serious. A little girl baby arrived this morning.

The Daily Democrat.

on a few sections, while others took in the whole works. Fred Koenig was successful and bid in the entire ditch for ♦6,000, being from <I,OOO to <2,000 below all competitors. The bids were Fred Koenig <6,000 R. M. Rittenuor & Co., <7,428, Samuel Doak <'',2B7, Frank Arnold <6,994, Fred Engle <7500. Contract was immediately entered into for the construction of the gigantic piece of ditch work, and in all probability work will begin at once. The contract price is <2.300 below the estimate. It contains twenty eight sections and a total of 728 stations and will be sufficient to keep a contractor busy for some time to come. Many of those interested in the payment of the ditch were present, several of them bidding on certain sections, but the bid as a whole was over <IOOO below this kind of bidding. It is generally accepted that the contract as bid in, was extremely low in price, the length of the ditch being a fraction less than fourteen miles.

STOLE COAL Peliceman Fisher Gives Chase to a Robber. It seems from all appearances that some one is stealing the coal from the city water works plant, so says night policeman Fisher, as he reports having surprised a man of middle age in the act of filling up his wheelbarrow with coal but he caught sight of Fisher before he could capture him and he made well his escape by good running. His wheelbarrow is still at the water works pant and he may have same by calling there for it. The police have their suspicion of who it was and he had better carry himself straight in the future and avoid trouble. W. C. REINKING. Death Ends a Year of Suffering. For Two Months He Had Been Unable to Eat Other Than Liquid Food. William C.Reinking ofie of Union township best known citizens died last night at ten o’clock after an illness of over a year.He was afflicted with cancer of the mouth and for nearly two months had not tasted a morsel of food, being kept alive only by liquids. He was born in Union township and had lived there all his ilfe. He was a kind neighbor and his freinds are almost innumerable. He was forty-eight, years, eight months and six days old. About fifteen months ago a cancerous growth on tho jaw bone began to trouble him an ho immediately begun treatment for same but to no efft'ct. he finally became bedfast, deith coming as a relief to his long suffering. Tho wife and six children tho oldest a son of twenty years survive. Tho funeral services will be held from tho Blakey church at one o'clock Wednesday afternoon. Intorrmont at the Blakey cemetery

DECATUR, INDIANA, MONDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 26, 1903.

AN AWFUL CRIME Father Kills His Two Little Sons. One of Indiana's Worst Crimes Committed at Marion Yesterday. One of the most atrocious crimes ever committed in Indiana was the one near Manon Sunday when Jesse McClure killed his two little sons, aged seven and live years. : McClure seperated from his wife a year ago. She refused to live with him and returned with her children to her father's home. Sunday McClure hired a rig at Elwood and drove to the farm of Mrs. McClurj's father. He found the children play ■ ing in the front yard and induced them with candy to take a ride with him. He drove a mile up the road, carried the children to a fence corner and shot them with a revolver. The older one was found dead a few minutes later and the younger was dying a piece of candy still being in his mouth. McClure went to Marion, gave himself up and was taken to Indianapolis to prevent a lynching. THE FIRE FIEND. Sister of H. S. Porter Heavy Loser. Property Valued at SOO,OOO Destroyed, With But One-Third Insurance. Mrs. Lizzie H. Francois, of Redwood, Minnesota, sister of H. 8. Porter of this city was a heavy looser by the fire fiend Thursday morning. Two business blocks were destroyed entailing a loss of <128,000, nearly half of which falls upon Mrs. Francois who owned what was known as the Hotel Francois block and a half interest in a large general store. The fire originated in the big hotel and a number of guests had narrow escapes. The hotel was a three story brick block and practically new. This building was owned solely by Mrs. Francois and was valued at <12,000. She also owned a half interest in the Francois & Schmal store, which car ried a <35,000 stock making her loss nearly <60,000 with less than <20,000 insurance. The loss is a terrible one and the Decatur friends of Mrs. Francis sympathize deeply with her. The fire was the fiercest ever witnessed in Redwood and means much to the business interests of that thriving western town. GAVE GOOD SHOW. Good Comedy, Small Crowd at the Opera House. “An Indiana Romance" company gave a good show it Bosse's opera house Saturday evening to half a house. The production is a rural comedy in four acts and shows life in Lucyville,Posey county, Indiana. The drama is lively, the actors were good and a moral can lie drawn from the play with a little thought.

ADVANCE IN CRUDE. Crude Oil at Two Dollars a Barrel is a Probability. A. B. Holand, of Titusville, Pa., one of the principal owners of the Enterprise Oil company, is in Marion looking after the holdings of the company. When seen by a News Tribune representative he talked freely regarding the oil situation. Among other things he said that one of the head officers of the Standard Oil company told him that the price of oil would reach the <2 mark in a short time. He is confident that there will be several big jumps within the next few weeks. Mr. Holland said: “The Standard Oil company is worried. The difficulty in getting oil has started them to | thinking. They are now afraid lest i they lose their power.” PUNISHED ENOUGH Fred Richards Should be Released. So Says Alexander Johnson of Fort Wayne, Who Saw Him Recently. Aleander Johnson of Fort Wayne was a visitor at the Michigan City pennitentiary a few days ago and while there talked with Fred Richards who was sentenced from this county for life twenty years ago for the murder of Backestoe. Mr. Johnson thinks Richards should be pardoned and gave the following statement to the Journal-Gazette: Mr. Johnson talked to Fred Richards, who was sentenced twenty years ago for life for the murder of an old man over in Adams county, and who had his trial here. Rich ards, who once was a fine specimen of manhood, weighing 225 pounds, is now aged, is a phyical wreck, and is confined to the hospital ward. He has over 200 letters from prominent people urging his pardon, and among these is one from Attorney Henry Coleriek of this city, who asisted [assisted] to prosecute him. “Richards should receive a pardon,” said Mr. Johnson. “He has changed sadly since I saw him last, about fourteen years ago. He has been a model prisoner and I would be willing to trust him to as great an extent as any man. He has not long to live and I believe he has gone through all that the law requires of a man who has committed a crime and 1 think that he has been thoroughly reformed." MEET TOMORROW. W. M. S. Special Event at Presbyterian Church. The Women’s Missionary Society of the Presbyterian church will meet in the lecture room Tues day afternoon, Oct. 27 at 2:30. By consent of the program committee Rev. Aikman will talk on Mormonism, the subject for the day, since he has recently visited Salt Lake City. The routine of business will bo the same and the usual collection taken. The ladies are urged to come and bring their friends. A Girl Baby. Mr. and Mrs. John Mag ley are the parents of a pretty and charming little girl who arrived last night to gladden their home. Everyone concerned feels mighty proud and the little ones name already chosen is Dora Marie Magley.

MACADAM ROAD ELECTION Viewers to be Appointed by Commissioners Monday.

BETTER ROADS. Root Township to Vote for Macadam Roads. Trustee Boknecht Has in Circulation a Macadam Road Petition. Trustee L. H. Boknecht has in circulation three macadam road petitions whiich have in view the completion of the thoroughfares in Root township. They are known as the north Root township roads which begins at the Aber school

TONIGHT’S SHOW. “Kathleen Mavourneen" Will be Good. Democrat Man Attended the Dress Rehearsal Yesterday Afternoon. A representative of this pajier hail the pleasure of witnessing the first dress rehearsel held by the Kathleen Movourneen company yesterday afternoon at. the Bosse opera house, and to say that it was good can hardly express it. The company is certainly evenly l>alanced throughout, and the actors and parts have been carefully selected, and we can say this much for the public's benefit that every one who witnesses the performance tonight will certainly get their money's worth. Special mention should be given the work of Miss Kate Mylottas Kathleen Movorneen Frank Wemhoff as Terence O' More and Henry Thomas as Bernard Kavanaugh, as they handle their parts as old and experienced actors and actresses. The company has been working hard for the past three weeks and should be given your encouragment by your patronage. The play is given under the auspices of the C. V. M. 8. Club who always do every thing right. The following is the cast of characters: Terence O'Moro... Frank Wemhoff Bernard Kavanaugh, Henry Thomas Father O'Cassidy... M.O. Wemhoff Darby Doyle “ ('apt. (Tarefield... .Thos.E. Ehinger Dennis “ David O'Connor Otto Bremerkamp Black Rody.... Red Barney J. Niblick Billy Buttons Leo Martin Meg Marslough Mayme Voglewcde Kitty O'Laverty.... Rose Forbing Lady Dorethy “ Miss Kate Mylott as Kathleen O'Connor. The musical program includes vocal solos by Misses Katie [Mylott

NUMBER 247

house and runs north to the countyline, being three miles in length. Another is the Root township central road, beginning at Belleview, the A. R. Bell farm, running north to the Waggoner corner one and one half miles long. The other is the south Root township road, commencing at the Piqua road and running north to the John Christen corner one mile long. The first two hours succeeded in getting forty odd signers to the petition, thus showing an almost unanimous sentiment in favor of these roads. The petitions will be offered for signature during this week and then same will be presented to the board of commissioners at their November session which begins Monday. It is the intention to rush the matter to an early vote, the vie wers appointed will likely be instructed to complete the work with this end in view. The routes petitioned for will give Root township a complete system of macadam roads, and be worth to them many times the cost in taxation.

and Clara Terveer, cornet solo by Jesse Sellemeyer and the following orchestra selections, “The Sun Dance,’’ The Witches Whirl, In Ball Costume, Lovey Mary, Southern Smiles. MORE MONEY. Congressman Thinks Rural Carriers Should Have $llOO. In an address before Grant county rural carriers association at Marion Wednesday evening. Congressman Landis said: “1 favor paying rural letter carriers 11,100 a year. The mounted carrier in the city of Marion gets >BSO a year, and pays his own expenses for keeping a horse etc. The rural carrier is entitled to the same treatment. The i>ostal dej partment shows a deficit each year. Say it is >10,000,000 a year. That sum it not a large* one in view l of the stupendous transactions of this government. Fifty millions I is not a large amount when we look at it as Uncle Sam looks at epxenIditures. The government pays >145,000,000 a year in pensions. Who notices it? No one teels it. This is an immense concern, this government. It goes on a huge scale. The carriers ask for >6OO ! the first year, >750 the second year iof services and >BOO a year after ! that. If a man does the work from the first year, why is he not entitled ’to the same money he would get J in the third year? THREE ANNIVERSARIES Mrs. Harry Beam Celebrated Her Birthday. Saturday evening’s Bluffton News said: Harry Mandeville and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Deam went to Fort Wayne this morning in Mr. Mandeville's automobile. Mrs. Mandeville went over on tho morning train and the four will attend the matinee jxsrformance this afternoon of the play “Princess Chick." They will return in tho auto and ex]>ect to be home by seven o’clock this evening. The pleasure trip today celebrates three anniversaries in tho lives of tho two couples. It is tho birthday anniversary of Mr. Mandeville and of Mrs. Deam and also the anniversary of the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Mandeville.