Daily Democrat, Volume 2, Number 24, Decatur, Adams County, 8 February 1904 — Page 1

VOLUME II

AFFIDAVIT AGAINST COLLINS Charge Made by Dead Girl’s Brother

TILED IN CIRCUIT COURT Bond Will Probably be Placed at SI,OOO Defendant Employs Counsel.-Case Will Not be Tried Before April Term. George Smitley, a brother of Malissa Smitley, appears! Prosecuting Moran this morning and filed im affidavit against Luther Collins, charging him with having administered medicine and poison to said Malissa Smitley and in so doing caused her death. The ath davit covers four pages of legal cap paper and is in four counts setting A GREAT TALKER Dr. Sulabee a Favorite Here Preached Yesterday at Presbyterian Church. Will Lecture Tonight. Rev. Dr. Sulabee. a native of the * 'rient, preached at the Presbyterian Church, morning and evening Sunday and was very interesting He told many of his e\|>eriences and the audience last night, after listening attentively for an hour and a half were loath to have him quit talking. He was driven troni his native country for having accidently broken a bottle of wine on the street, it being a believe there that the man who owned the store, tht sidewalk in front ot winch had l*ien defiled by Wine would die with in three weeks unless the person causing same was put to death. Ke' • hulaliee then a boy fled and came to this country. He landed in N'e" York, 7000 miles from home, with out a friend and penniless and though the master of ■'•■ven lang tiages could not sjieak a word ot English. He was a shoemaker by trade, secured a job, and worked is way through sch< 01. lieginning in the primary grade and completing the high school course. He grad Uatod from a western college and afterwards from the Rush Medical School, winning first honors in sur gory. While in Wissonsin he met with a terrible accident bis fi-- t living frozen so badly that laith had to bo amputated though the delect is not noticeable, so advanced ha» become the art of building artificial litnbs. Dn Sulak-e i* * learned, interesting and earnest talker and will be greeted by a large atidiewe at his lecture tonight. ‘

The I )AiLY Democrat.

[forth the following facts “That Gorge Simtley, upon oath swears that Luther Collins on the 25th day of January, 1904, at and in Adams county, Indiana, did then and there felonously, unlawfuly and willfully proscribe and administer to one Malissa Smitley, who was then and there in a delicate condition as the • said Luther Collins then and there well knew, certain drugs, medcinie, poisons and substance to this affidavit unknown with criminal intent such action not then and there being necessary to preserve the life of said Malissa Smitely, in consequence whereof the said woman I died on February Ist.” The other three counts are practically identical with this one. Collins has been in jail here since Saturday. He has employed Attorney C. J. Lutz to defend him. The affidavit with information will be filed in circuit court this afternoon and Judge Erwin will place Collins bond, it is thought at |l,ooo, which the de- ■ fendant says he can give without trouble and thus gain his liberty. The case will not I* called for trial it is believed before the April term of court. While here today George Smitley called at the jail to see Collins but he refused to talk and i turned his back upon his brother 1 in law. - — > •I COURT NEWS A Probate Case Heard This Afternoon. Judge Erwin was busy this afternoon hearing exceptions to the final report of Aamda A. Cothrell, administratrix of General B. Cottrell estate. The attorneys in the case were C. J. Lutz, F. M. Cottrell, J. C. Moran and Schafer Peterson. Court convened this morning but adjourned immedi ately to allow attorneys and court : oflicials to attend the funeral ser- ■ vices of Mrs. Ernst. IS KNOWN AGAIN Detective Says Miss Schafer’s Assassin is Known Lives in Town Where She Formerly Resided, and is Under Surveillance. A dispatch from Bedford says: Detective Reed, who is at work on the Schafer murder mystery made a formal statement tonight to newspaper correspondents. "The identity of the murderer is known, ■ said he, "and he lives in a town tn which Miss Schafer formerly lived. There will bo no immediate arrest I fed more hopeful tonight than at any time. “The evidence 1 m our pos.-es.xion we consider conclusive. convincing and of such a character as will result in conviction." Detective Recd refused to I identify fl"’ suspect further, but intimateil that the man was under surveillance. Miss Schafer’tt former home was at South Bend and J IXeatur. I

DECATUR, INDIANA, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 8, 1904.

A NEW ORDER Ladies Will Not Sing in Catholic Choirs in Future. A Fort Wayne dispatch is as follows: “By an order of the pope sent out on last Saturday the choirs in the Roman Catholic churches of the Fort Wayne diocese will have to be organized and the voices of women singers, which have mingled with the men in songs of praise and adoration will be done away with. The order from Rome is a mandatory one and demands that in the future women take no part in the choirs of Reman Catholic churches. In place of the women the order states that their places in the choir shall be filled with boys who are able to carry the soprano and alto parts. The order will be effective in all churches of this country.” NOW OPEN Democratic State Headquarters Open Arrangements Going On For A Lively and Active Campaign. The democratic state headquarters at Indianapolis are now open with secretary Reilly in charge, who will take active charge of the early work of organization which is to be undertaken at once. The headquarters for the time being will be located in one room of the Sentinel building. Later when more room is needed additional rooms will be taken in the same building. Chairman O'Brien does not propose going to Indianapolis to take up active work until it is nearly time for the state convention. Notices to county chairmen urging them to waste no time in the reorganization of the committees if this work has not already been done will lie sent out at once. All the details of such work will be looked after by Secretary Reilly. It is Chairman O’Brien's plan to make a personal tour of the state this year such as he made two years ago, when he paid at least one visit to every county to discuss the situation with the county organizers. In that way he came in per sonal contact with the men who wore looking after the party ’s interests and learned the true condi tions. COURT DECISION Man Who Buys Volts is No Better Than the One Who Sells. Felix might have needed the money—but now he supreme court has said that the man who plans a crime and leads another into its commission is no bettor than the man who executes the crime. In other words the man who buys a vote is no better than the man who sells. The supreme court hand<>d down its decision Friday reversing the judgment for <IOO- recovered by Felix Bliss against Jay county as a reward for the conviction of a man charged with selling his vote. George Sitzman, formerly of this city, was convicted on the evidence of a receipt which acknowledged he had "Received of Felix Bliss <2 to stay Pan way from the polls.” The supreme court held that the law does not provide a reward for the vote buery or vote seller; that the man who buys the vote is )Mirti ceps criminils with the man who sells.—Portland Commercial Review.

IN PROGRESS Protracted Meetings at Methodist Church Pastor White Will Soon End the First Year in Decatur. The protracted services at the Methodist church are still on. it being announced at the meeting last night that they would continue until further notice. These meetings have been the means of much good in every way, a general revival of the Christian spirit being very much in evidence ever since the meetings begun, several weeks ago. These services together with the many other duties of Pastor White has been very telling upon his usual robust health, but he has stood the strain manfully and perhaps will regret the close of the meetings more than any one else. This reminds us that in two months more the conference year closes, and with it the first year of the pastorate of Rev. John C. White. In that brief year he has clearly endeared himself to his conrgegation and to every one else in fact and demonstrated his ability as a speaker and a minister of the gospel. He has recognized ability and compares favorably with the most able minister of this or [ any other conference. There will be a united appeal for his return and this is as it should be. You can almost hear the cry of alarm that will predominate at the end of the five years, when the laws of the church will change him to another field in spite of the appeals and protests of those who would have him remain. Change the laws. WINTER WEATHER Follows Sunday Morning Thunder Storm Checks the Floods Again.—A Fierce Blizzard Raging in the Northwest. Bsluted wayfarers and persons awakened from thetr sleep at an early horu Sunday morning heard. lieals of thunder for the first time since early full, and they were deluded by the joyous sound into beleiving that the backbone of the winter was broken. The weather man decreed differently, however, and the thermometer took a drop from fifty one degrees at 3 o’clock in the morning to fourteen degrees at midnight, and a light full of snow was thrown in just to show that the trick may still lie easily turned. < ondsideruble snow was melted by the mild air and by hot ; ruin of Friday and Saturday and the water in the small streams was swollen considerably in volume. The St. Marys is again out of bapks I and the cold snap came just in time to save big damage from Hoods over , the country. It is easily figured that the winter is by no means over. <'older weather is predicted for tomorrow and dispatches from the northwest say a tirerce blizzard is raging there that Jwlll effect this country in a few days.

WORST FIRE IN YEARS Entire City is Threatened With Destruction

BALTIMORE FIRE Beyond Control at Noon Today Manp Lives Lost.—Property Valued at Ten Millions Goes L'p in Smoke. Special to The Dally Democrat 12:00 . m. Baltimore, Md.,Feb., B—At eleven o’clock after raigng twenty four hours the awful fire is not yet under control! and still burning at various places. The loss may reach ten million dollars. Twenty five people have lost their life, 600 SUNDAY WEDDING Mr. Scheiman and Miss Koenemann Married. Fred Scheiman the popular meat man, located on Madison street was united in marriage last evening at 5:30 o’clock to Miss Lizzie Koeneman at the home es the bride’s parents five and one half miles north west ot this city. The creemony was performed by Rev. Clausing, and was attended by only the immediate relatives and a few specially invited guests. After the ceremony a fine wedding supper was served. The newly married couple were the recipients of a number of handsome and useful presents. They will lie at home to their many’ friends in their new home on North Third street. The Democrat joins with their |heir many friends in wishing a happy married life. WAR NEWS Japanese War Vessels Arrive on Scene — Have Seized Several Russian Trading Vessels on Way to Korea. Special to tlii- Dally Democrat, L< INDON.,Fbe 6. -Dispatch from Berlin says, strong Japanese fleet of war ships on their way to Chennepo Korea seized several Russian trading vessels. WASHINGTON. I). (’.. Feb. 8— Washington department today re•teivad a cable from the American legation at Seoul that reported that . the Japanese warships have anived I off Masampho.

NUMBER 24

I firms are wiped out of business, I 600 buildings were destroyed, in eluding three banks, three big hotels, five newspaper offices, twelve buildings eight stories or , higher. The burned area covers I three squaie miles and includes i forty blocks. I Baltimore, Md.,Feb. %, 3 p. m.— I At one o’clock Chief of the fire de apartment said: "The fire is still [ beyond control of the firemen.” Many buildings ha.'-e been dyna mited, the intonation of the explo-o sions and the shrill whistles of the engines add Jto the indescriblablo horror of the scene. Every few minutes the fall of buildings and walls is heard The fire has attacked the wharve docks and piers of harbors and are spreading to the south east section of the city, but not burning as fiercely as at day light. Some hope it will spend itself soon. The Jloss is variously estimated at from one to two hundred million dollars. Jacob Ilginfritz, fireman from York, Pa., was killed by’ falling walls. SECURES CONTRACT Fred Huffman to Build School House in Monroe Township. Bids were received and opened last Saturday by John J. Soldner, Trustee of Monroe township on a I one room school house and Fred Huffman of this city proved to be the lucky man, his bid being the I lowest and he was consequently awarded the coontract. The bidders and bids were as follows: Julius Haugk, <3,387; Fred Hoffman, <3,395; Christ Stauffer, <3,560; Joe Liddy <3,575, and Levi Schnapp <3,690. The school house although small will be modern and up todate in every’ respect, and the awarding of the contract speaks very highly of Mi. Hoffman’s ability and close figuring. Oscar Huffman of this city is the architect. FUNERAL SERVICES Many Attend Last Rites Over Remains of Mrs. Ernst. The funeral of Mrs. Titus Ernst ' was held this morning at ten I o'clock from the Methodist church I with Rev. J. C. White officiating. A large crowd was in attendance to j pay their last tribute of respect to the dead. The services were impresI sive, bringing out all the good traits of a faithful church member and a ' devoted Christian and with encouragement to the immediate family. All the court officials , the Adams county Bar. The Eastern Stars and the Robecca'a attended the funeral in a body. Interment was made at Maplewood cemetery. FROM AFAR Familv Receive Letter of Condolence From Japan. The Yager family are in receipt, of a letter from Charles B Harris, 'expressing sympathy with them for the death of their father, Leopold Yager and his old friend. Mr. Harris formerly lived at Goshen and traveled fi r a furniture house. He is now and has been for many years in the Consular srevice, (I. S. A. at Yagaski, Japun He is at the very center of interest ia the Russia Japan war.