Daily Democrat, Volume 2, Number 15, Decatur, Adams County, 28 January 1904 — Page 1

VOLUME 11

STILL IN DARKNESS Suspect Arrested for Murder of Miss Schafer Proves an Alibi as Do His Predecessors and Discharged by Police. The mystery surrounding the ♦loath of Miss Sarah Schafer the jcetty school teacher who was In-utally murdered a few days ago is still surrounded in darkness and rhe police are bo nearer solving the same than they were the day the murder happened, whoever the is still at largo among the public. Although the police and detectives are doing everything in their power toward locating the murderer, it seems that every clew they get and work out jiroves absolutely of no avail. A young man by the name of Henry Behr was arrested yesterday at Memphis Tenn, and like all others wEo have so far been suspicioned of this heineous crime has successfully proven an alibi, and the murder is still shrouded in mystery. recover!d~home Grandma Griffin Secures Deed to Property Had Deeded it to Rev. Gant, Leader of the Pentecostal Band. Among the deeds left at the office of County Recorder Cloud today I was one which roads as follows: I “Charles Gant to Martha Griffin, f lot 211, Decatur, fl. 00,” and it is said that this act marks her separation from her church. Grandma Griffin is rather an eccentric lady who resided in the west part of town. 8 imo two .years ago she became an enthusiastic Pentacoster und joined the bund of religious workers who were conducting services on the streets here. So earnest did she become that she j deeded her property as described above to Rev. Charles Gaut, the leader of the Penacostal band afterwards Mr and Mrs. Gaut left here going to the north part of the state and Grandma Griffin accompanied thorn Rev. Gant wandered from his faith, Mrs. Griffin lost confidence and has been trying for a year to regain her projierty, in which she has just been successful. FOUND WATCH Dr. Charles J. Blackman formerly o.‘ this city and who was in the Iroquois theatre fire at Chicago had the misfortune to lose his watch while engaged in the work of rescue. Yesterday he received the watch from Chicago. He had dropjNxl it on the floor inside the building and it had been found along with the mass of valuables recovered. The doctor had the number of the works und by that means was üble to identify the time piece. The fact that the building was olMed und I guarded made it possible for many valuables lost inside to lie returned to their right ful owners Dr. Blackman spent several days after the fire assisting in the hospital and it was through his efforts that the sufferings of ■ many of the unfortunate jieoplcj was lessened. i

The Daily Democrat.

, GOES EAST H. R. Moltz wi|' Buy Spring Goods for the Boston Store. Harry Moltz one of the active members of the firm of Kueblcr and Moltz, dry goods dealers left this morning for New York City where he expects to buy a full and complete line of up to date goods that will be worn by the eastern jieoplo , who are the leaders of this country for fashions and thu |by going to the real scene of action this firm will be able to compete with any of the cities in this section of the country when it comes to handling all the latest eastern patterns of dry goods und ladies dress suits fcr the spirng and summer trade. MISSION SERVICES I I — I Father Valentine Preaches I Powerful Sermon Plain Truihs From the Lips of a Great Man.—“ Domestic Happiness” Subject Tonight. , I The discourse rendered last oven- ’' ing at the St. Marys Catholic church by Father Valentine on the subject of ’’Christian Marriage” was probably one of the first lectures that has ever been delivered i here on this subject,and was a marvel in oratory. The ease with ■ which he handled the subject, the. I earnest convictions he carried with ;it and the powerful evidence he i established in its behalf made it a , i wonderful sermon, and he held the j I keenest attention of every person ! before him. His subject this I pwening will be “ Domestic Hap-J Ipiness” and should prove to be i | among the best that he has de- ■ livered here. These meetings are . proving a wonderful success and 1 the church is crowded every evening. Father Valentine speaks plainly and his beautiful thoughts and startling truths cling to one’s mind in such away that they will never bo forgotten. Not a person in Decatur should miss hearing this great man LEASES RENEWED Oil Companies to Continue Operations in West Adams. Five oil comjianies are interested in Northern Wells county and in Western .Adams county and all of them are renewing their leases by paying rental for another three months. This will carry the leases w ell into the spring and it is expected tha tlively drilling will be done in Lancaster and Jefferson townships when warm weather comes. There are now two wells being drilled north of this city, the one on the Hall farm and the one on the Leeper farm oast of Tocsin, just across the line in Adams county. The drill ’ on the Hall farm was down 600 feet yesterday.—Bluffton Nows. CALLED ON PRESIDENT Judge Erwin Home From Vist to Capitol. Judge Erwin returned home last j night from Washington, D, C.. where I he has been for the past ten days, j , visiting friends and taking in affairs jof congress, senate sod the Capital generally. Ho called on President i Roosevelt and enjoyed a quarter of l au hours' chat with that gentleman. The judge reports a most pleasant j an 1 enjoyable trip. |

DECATUR, INDIANA, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 28, 1904.

DRESS TOOK FIRE Miss Elva Rex’s Narrow Escape Encircled Wiih Flames the Young Lady | Saves Her Life by Presence of Mind. Miss Elva Rex whe is employed by the firm of Smith and Bell as ! as stenographer and bookkeeper i had a very narrow escape yester I day afternoon from burning to death. She was working ~on her ’ books when the telephone bell rang and she at once proceeded to answer the same which sits on a desk very near the coal stove. Unthoughtedly Miss Rex backed up against the stove and her skirt inimediatey caught fire. Os course she did not take very much time to answer the telephone but at once tried to put the fire out which by this time had gained considerable headway and she was wrapped in a mass of fire. It did not take her long to realize her awful position and by keeping a cool head and using good judgement she was out of her skirt in quick time and soon I had the fire under control. Miss i Elva says that had the skirt been a cotton one instead of a heavy flannel., she would have undoubtedly not been able to relate this accident. She certainly is to be j eongratuuted upon her good fortune i and her good presence of mind. — HAS LEFT COUNTY ■ I . Oliver Reynolds Again Causes Talk Said to Have Whipped His Wife and Left for Parts Unknown. Oliver Reynolds who won a reputation for all around cussedness about a year ago when he eloped with Julia Loser, a sixteen year old girl of Monroe township is again causing considerable talk in his neighborhood. It seems that! Oliver has not been satisfied exactly 1 since returning to his family and some stormy scenes are said toj have occurred at indifferent times. About a week ago Reynolds engaged in a quarrel with his wife, who is in a delicate condition, and showed his manliness (?) by knocking her down twice. He then left and neighbors say he has quit the community for good. If reports are true and he is the misserablecur that such stories lead us to beleive it would bo far better for the com mnity if they never heard of him | again. It is also stated that Missj j Julia Loser who ran away withj I him before is also absent and the I supposition is that they are to gether. However this part of the I story could not bo confirmed though ,it was not denied. It is said tint jin the scrimmage Mrs. Reynolds (lid her best to defend herself and succeeded in biting her husbands hand very severely, inflicting an in jury so serious that the services of ja Monroe physician was necessary.

HIS BIRTHDAY 1 Fred Jaebker Surprised by His Friends. Fred Jaebker had a birthday yesterday, and had almost forgotten the fact until last evening, when a bus load of people from Preble and several from this city called to remind him that they had not forgotten him. Games and refreshments were indulged in, and for fear that Fred might forget the date in the fuiure, I the crowd took him and dumped him l into a five-foot snow bank. The occasion was a happy one, and it was late when the young folks departed. IS VERY LOW — Chat Edington Suffers From Lung Trouble Family and Physician Have Given Up Hope.--Has Been 111 Several Months. Chares Edington commonly known by the people of our city as '’Chat” is lying at his home in the south part of the city at tho point I lof death. He his been afflicted for [some time with that dieaded disease consumption which now has its deathly coils fastened 1 tightly about him and he isgrowing i weaker and weaker every day | About two months ago he made an I extended (rip in < >ld Mexico to ascertain whether or not the change in the climate there would do him 1 any good but after trying tho same for two months he decided to i return home as he considered he ■ was deriving no benefit from there.' ,It is generally understood that ! 'he can not List much longer and :it is only a question of time until ;he wil have to succomb to the terrible ravages of this disease. EARLY BIRDS A Number Have Already Paid 1903 Taxes Treasurer Voglewede Furnishes Us a List of His Roll of Honor. While the 1903 taxes are not yet, due a number of the citizens have already called on Treasurer Voglewede and deposited the necessarv amount charged against them. In fact the number for this time of the year is earlier than usual and Mr. Voglewede has kindly given us the names, which he terms his roll of honor. Those who have paid are as follows Union G. W. Miller, in full: Wm. Hart, Joseph Crozier, James Crozier, B. AE. R. Hower, Al Knavel, Ester A Weldy, George Hindalang. Root Peter Troutuer. J. A Swartz. - Preble Chris. Eickhoff. j Kirkland John Schurger, Cum. St. Marys Caroline Cowan. Louis Brandt. Munroe Hailu Maun. J. A.l.aisure, John and Lucinda Elsey. French Jonathan Moser. Wabash J. 1). Moser. Jefferson John Abnett, J. A.' Minch, Duckwell A Dwigens. Decatur Florence King, John and | Lucinda Elsey. Berne Peter Soldner.

I THE SAD STORY I Detailed Account of Mrs. Walters’ Death Her Daughter, Mis Edith, Was With Her Mother at the Last Moment. The Columbus Dispatch thus speaks of tho sud death of Mrs.Wai- j tors: As though Morpheus had gently wraped its mantle of sleep about the form of Mrs. Elizabeth Walters, so death claimed its own Tuesday mor-, ning while the aged lady was enroute- to the Union station in oom-: pany of her daghter, Miss Edith' W'alters, where they were to take ' the train for Edgerton, Ind., to be ; present at the death bed of tho for-, mer’s grand-daughter, Muri Major. 1 The blow has fallen on tho grief stickon children of Mrs. Walters with double force, as those who live in this city are momentarily expecting to receive a telegram appraising them of the death of the little girl, to whose bed side her grand mother was going at the time I death overtook her. Then too, Mrs. Walters was in good health at the time she started on her jouney. and her death was unheralded by a moments warning. Monday evening i Mrs. Walters, who has been staying with her daughter and husband. | Mr. and Mrs. O. M. Cummins, of 1 1030 Highland street, came just before Thanksgiving, received a tel- , egram from lire daughter, Mrs. j Mtie Major, stating that her little j daughter was ut the point of death, and tlr.it an opporation as to be performed as the last resort. Mrs. Walters desired to leave at once lor the bedside of the little one, but her' children in this city ]iersuaded her to wait until Tuesday morning. Accordingly Mrs. Walters started with her daughter, Miss Edith, in a cab for the Union station, where they wore to take the 5:15 train over the Hocking Valley for the north. As the cab turned off of ' Highland street onto First avenue, Mrs. Walters remarked to her | daughter,” The cabman is going to igo through the park, The young lady answered her, but when they passed into High street the daughter remarked that they were not going through the park, to which tho old lady made no reply. Miss Walters thought nothing of this, however, and the cub proceeded to the station. Tho young lady alighted first and when her mother did not follow, she stepped to the , cab door to assist her and tho form of her mother fell into her arms The daughter realized that life hud | departed und informed the police 'man who advised that the dead woman lie left in the cab and that' she be taken to the Protestant hos pital, whore she could be pro I nounced dead. This was done und the feelings of the daughter can only be realized as she rode to the hosital > with her dead mother After the woman had been pro nounced dead the cab took her to her homo which she hud so recently left apparently in good health. i Tho coroner was called and he pro I i nounced the cause of death us being ! hemorrhage of tho brain. At times ■ the old lady hud boon afflicted with I neuralgia and although she hud' never suffered an attack with her' I heart she hud often said that some time it would reach that organ and kill her. This, tho children think, was the real cause of death Mr. Walters i was born in southwestern Germany 1 and came to this country at the | age of 13 years. During tin-past IS years she has lived at Decatur ' Ind., and was 65 yours of age nt tin | time of her death.

NUMBER 15

STRANGE WILL Man Gives a Large Sum to Church Until Christ Comes. The will of tho late William Worth ol Kansas City, who died January 7, 1901, was tiledin probate court today After bequeathing $50,000 each to his wife, Emily C. Kendall and his four children Mr. Kendall created a fund, tho income of which is to be devoted to establishing a memorial to lie called “The William i W. Kendall fund of the Methodist Episcopal church.” This part of the will reads: “It is my will that tho balance of my estate, $250,000 shall be held in trust as ti. sacred fund, tho income of wnhich shall be used for the building up of | Christ’s kingdom on earth under the auspices of the Methodist church It is my will that this fund shall continue until the end of this world when Jesus comes.” BANK STATEMENT — Old Adams County in a Flourishing Condition Deposits Pass the Eight Hundred T housand Dollar Mark. In another column of this issue may be found the sworn statement of tho condition of the Old Adams County Bank of this city at j the close of business on January 22, ; 1904, and it is safe to say that but I few financial insitutions in the i big state of Indiana can make a I better showing. The total resour - ; ees reach $962,088! over half a mill- . ion in loan- and discounts, Nearly $200,000 is due from bunks and bankers, about the same amount >n stocks, bonds and mortgages, about $50,000 is in cash. The deposits on time and demand are $804,060.37. The statement is certainly a glowing one and the bank officials are justly proud of it. ARE KEPT BUSY Telephone Co. Fighting Cold Snap. Severe Weather and Heavy Sn«w Keeps the Linemen on the Jump. The Citizens Telephone oompuny are right now having about as busy a time »s ever in the history of the oornjainy, in keeping their lines in service for the use of tho public in general. This cold snap, has tieen a very severe test on the copper , lines and in many places on (heir toll system the lines have snapped 'completely in two. It has kept Superintendent Kinzle and his force of linemen busy repairing the same Iso that the service would be complete. Yesterday a full force of ■ | mon were ut Geneva and at Hast ' Farmland mending the lines that ’ hud been thus cut in twain by the i«' cold weather The company here tjurv deserving of graet credit for thus showing their enterprise and ei in trying to give their patrons a I L-ood telephone system.