Daily Democrat, Volume 2, Number 94, Decatur, Adams County, 30 April 1904 — Page 1

VOLUME II

TO RICHMOND ASYLUM

Governor Durbin Orders John Terrell Taken

ISSUES CONDITIONAL PAROLE Will be Taken to Prison if He Recovers Final Chapter in the Sensational Wells County Murder Case. Special to Dally Democrat, BLUFFTON, IND., April 30— The famous Torrell ‘murder case seems finally to be concluded for the present at least, as Sheriff Johnson this morning received a letter from Governor Durbin granting Terrell a conditional parole and ordering that he be taken at once to the Richmond asylum for the insane. He will be kept there until his complete recovery, when he is to be taken to the Michigan city penitentory to serve out his sentence of life imprisonment, unless otherwise ordered by the chief executive. The generl opinion here is that he will never recover and that his life cannot be prolonged more than a few months. Attorneys over the state are divided in this opinion as to whether the course pursued has been the legal one but Governor Durbin says. “I have dicided to take his action because it seems the humane treatment of the case. ” Yesterdays Bluffton Banner said: Just before noon today an entirely new phase was placed on the Terrell case. At half past ten o'clock Sherriff Johnson received a telegram from Governor Durbin that entirely changes the aspect of the case and shows that the governor is determined to make some intervention in the matter. The telegram read as follows: “Sheriff Johnson:—Hold Terrell until yon receive further word from this office, which will be within a few days. Signed, At infield T. Durbin, Governor.” This places Sheriff Johnson tn a peculiar position Under the orders of Judge Smith he was to convey Terrell to the prison at Michigan City and turn him over to he authorities at that place. The question now is, would the prison authorities receive him? It is the opinion of the leading attorneys in the city that they would be compelled to if Johnson brought the proper commitment from the court officials here. They say that the sheriff is acting solely under the direction of the judge and that the governor cannot con tr<>l his actions in the matter. However, the governor has one power that he can exercise and prevent the taking of the prisoner to the penitentiary. This is tie power of issuing ]>ardons. Ho could have pardoned Torrell Moro the trial had he so desired or he can do so

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now before the prisoner is taken from the jail. However, Judge Smith before leaving, advised Sheriff Johnson to wait a few days and see what further word comes from Governor Durbin. As far as Judge Smith is concerned he is out of the case. He has signed the commitment passed judgement and ordered the prisoner taken away. He no longer has the power to rescind his actions. CRAZY TRAMPS Cause Excitement at Williams Break L’p Lamps and Cause Trouble —Will be Arrested Monday. Sheriff Butler will go to Williams Monday to arrest two tramps who have become obnoxious to that community. They first appeared about three weeks ago with a companion known as George and all three were given employment by farmers. George got a job at the Schroeder home and a few nights ago robbed Will Bonck, a visitor, of seventy one dollars and skipped out. Officials have failed to land him but it is believed that his two comrades know where he is. A night or two ago these men went into John Heys saloon and one of them announced that he was going crazy. He immediately carried out that statement by going through a wonderful performance in which he succeeded in breaking up several lights and other furniture about the room. He gave his name as Gale Rhodes and said his home was at Ohio City. Sheriff Butler went to that place last night and found that a Gale Rhodes lives there but is a quiet, respectable citizen and hus not been absent. READS BAD Divorce Petitions in Which the Allegations Are Hard to Swallow. Col. Win. F. Cody, better known as "Buffalo Bill,” asks for a divorce from the wife he married nearly forty years ago. A man in Indianapolis hus petitioned for a divorce from a wife married by him in 1863 and who has borne him nine children, in each case cruelty on the part of the woman is the cause for which the separation is asked. It seems to have taken these men a long time to find out their matrimonial ill luck—so long, indeed., as to lead the suspicion that their petitions have on real justice behind them. There are cases, of course where divorce is sanctioned by the law, but we don't believe that any statute was ever passed with the expectation that it should be applied to cases of the kind mentioned above. If a man and woman have lived together as husband and wife for forty years and then suddenly discover irreconcilable differences of temperment, they might find a cure for their trouble in living apart for a time. In most (’uses, after trying the experiment, they will be glad enough to live together.

DECATUR, INDIANA, SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 30, 1904.

FORGERY CASE Jvdge Vrughn to Hear the Big Portland Case. Judge Vaughn will go to Portland May 23 to try one of the most celebrated cases in the annals of crime in H. B. Gordon and a man named Knox charged with forging check for <15,000 and having attempted to defraud a Portland bank with the check. It is alleged that Gordon and Knox are members of a celebrated gang of crooks who have frequently defrauded members of the American Bankers Association by similar methods and that,association, assisted by the Pinkerton detective agency succeeded in landing two members of the gang at Portland two months ago. One of the mon was seen to buy a check tor <ls at a Cincinnati bank and being recognized as a well known crook a Pinkerton man followed him saw him in’ consulation with Gordon and Knox at Muncie and then followed the two latter to Portland where ho saw Gordon attempt to pass the check in exchange for oil leases. In the meantime the <ls check had “been raised to <15,000 —Bluffton News. COUNTRY FIRE Home of George Hindelang Destroyed Contents Burned—Family Have Narrow Escape.—Fire Occurred Early This Morning. The home of George Hindelang five miles east of Decatur, in Union township was totally destroyed by fire shortly after four o'clock this morning, all the contents also being burned. The fire originated in the smoke house adjacent to the home and where some meat was being smoked. Mr. Hindelang was the first to awake and seeing the light realized at once that the home was on fire. Leaping from bed he managed to get his family of six small children from the burning buildng just in time,a moment or two later would have meant a different story. The house was an old one and the loss is only about <SOO insured for <3OO in the continenal company. Graham & Lower of this city agents. Mr. Hindelang will arrange at once to erect a new home. SLIGHTLY BETTER Judge Studabaker’s Condition Shows a Little Improvement. Judge Studabaker’s condition todayis about the same as yesterday. While he is not out of danger by any means, he is so much better than a few days ago that the family feel considerably encouraged. The heart being weakened seems the worst symptoms just now. Dr. Swieringen of Ft Wayne was in consultation with the local physicians today and said everything possible w-as being done and recovery is possible. A report current on the streets this afternoon that he was worse but this was a mistake. Services at M. E. Church. Preaching morning and evening by Rev. J. A. Sprague,of Monroe; Junior League, 2:30; Young People’s meet ing, 3:00; Epworth League, 0:80; Preaching. 7:80. Special invitation to the young people to atteud any and all of these services.

STRONG CHARGE Made in Divorce Case Filed Today Mrs. Gage Accuses Her Husband of Trying to Kill Her and the Baby. A sensational divorce case was filed in court late this afternoon by Attorney J.(’.Moran, entitled Emma j Gage vs. Laban H Gage. The complaint recites that the couple were married June 5, 1899 and lived together until July 3 1902. The defendant is charged with having treated his wife in a cruel and inhuman manner, struck and cursed her but the serious charge is 1 asfoflows: On a day in June 1902 Gage and his wife and baby went to Berne, and on their way home had to cross the G. R. & I. railway. They were riding in a buggy and while approaching the track Mrs. Gage observed a train approaching at a great rate of speed. She spoke to her husl>and who said it was not a train but a track light and urged 1 his horse on, though his wife begged him to stop. When near the track and with the train close upon them Gage jumped from the rig and ran in an opposite direction. Mrs. Gage and her baby were forced to remain in the rig, which barely missed being struck by the train. i Mrs. Gage was badly frightened and alleges in her complaint that she believes that her husband thus attempted to take her life. The affair made her so fear her husband that she has since lived with her father. The custody of her only son, Jacob Gage, alimony and support are asked for. COMMUNION DAY Services at St. Marys Church Tomorrow Thirty-Eight Children to Take Holy Communion for the First Time. Tomorrow is communion Sunday at the St. Marys Catholic Church and thirty eight children will receive the holy communion for the first time. One week from tomorrow is confirmation day when the children will be taken into the ohuroh by Bishop Alehrding of Fort Wayne. First mass will be held tomorrow at seven o'clock and second masts at nine o'clock. The names of the communicants are: Misses Anna Masoney, Catharine Masoney, Clara Eiting, Cocelia Neswald, Agnes Berling, Edith Miller, Anna Lichtle, Lena Meyer, Josephine Schumacher, Irene Gerard, Agnes Costello, Mary Geels,' Marie Gluting, Bertha Steigmeyer, Ida Bogner, Rase Heiman, Francis Rademacher, Lorete Bosse, Alma Starhouse. Lillian Meyer, Margaret Clark, Emma Keller, Emma Kelley. Master Edmund Kleinhenz, Otto Bogner, Joseph Colchin, Charles Herman, Joseph Gase, Joseph Kortenbrer, Otto Keller, Clarence Bremerkatnp. Fred Fullenkamp, Melvin Gallogly, Samuel Benz, Adolph Colchin. James Carrier, Florain Geitner and Leo Braun.

PLEAD GUILTY Ed Laisure Gets One to Fourteen Years’ Sentence. Edward Asbury Leasure who was brought from the mountain wilds of West Virginia by Sheriff Bob Johnson yesterday to answer to the charge of sealing horse and buggy was aranged in the Wells cicuit court late yesterday afternoon and entered a plea of guilty. Judge Vaughn gave him a sentence of from one to fourteen years in Jeffersonville and he will go South next week. Leasure told Dr. Shoemaker all about taking his rig on the night of March 15 and intimated that he had got in trouble there with a girl and took the horse and buggy to make a rapid escape. BAND CONCERT Linn Grove Boys Make Music Gave Good Program at the Opera House Last Ni£ht to Small Crowd. Those who failed last evening to take advanage of the opportunity | i to hear the musical concert rendered at Bosse’s Opera House by Hellers i Famous "Juvenile Band of Linn I * Grove, without doubt missed one ' of the finest musical concerts that ! was ever given in our city by a like organization, and were deserving of a much larger crowd than was present but those who were there got the worth of their money. The Land is composed of fifteen members whose ages range from fifteen to twenty one and all of whom are ■ first class musicians and artist in their line. The class of music that this organization rendered was far , superior to anything that has ever | been played in our city and showed that the band as a whole had worked earnestly to have the same to perfection and they did, for every number by their leader meant something and the hall was constantly filled with sweet strains of music. Too much credit cannot b? given to Burt Heller the leader who is a thorough musician and fully competent to handle any band in the state, he being a graduate from the Conservatory of music at Cincinnati O. and Linn Grove should be proud of him. The concert was fine and we perdict that should they return in the near future they will be greeted by a full house. HE AROSE A Man Who Lightened the Cares of His Wife. "Is there a man in the audience j fiercely exclaimed a female lec-{ I turer," that has dune anything to | lighten the burdens on his wife's shoulders? What do they know of woman’s work? Is then -a man here”, she continued, folding her arms and looking over the audience with superb scorn, “that ever got up in the morning, leaving his tired worn out wife to enjoy her slumber, gone quickly down stairs, made the fire cooked the breakfast, sewed missing buttons on the children’s clothes, darned the family stockings, scoured pots, filled the lumps, swept the kitchen and done all the rest, if necessary day after day uncomplainingly? If there is such a man in the audience let him rise up.” And in the roar of the hull a mild looking man in spectalees, in obedience to the summons, timidly arose. Lie was the husband of the eloquent speaker. It was the first time he hud a chance to assert himself.

NUMBER 94

HIGHSCHOOLDANCE First Event of Commencement Social Season Young Society People Enjoy the Event. —Several Out of Town Guests Attend. The opening fete of the coni mencement exercises was held last evening by the Senior class of the High Schoo) at the C. Y. M. S. club rooms and proved to be a howling success in every respect. About twenty five couples took advantage of their invitations and attended, i The hall was beautifully decorated in their class colors which were arched and draped in many artisic designs which here and there was intermingled with the green foliage from large house plants. The grand march opened promptly at nine o'clock and from then on until a late hour the orchestra was kept busy keeping time for the merry fete of the dancers. Pretty girls with pretty dresses and stately young men in full dress attire made a pleasing sight to the onlooker The music was furnished by Daisy Haines of Ft. Wayne and Mr. Med j Miller of this city which was peri feet in every respect and at the I close of each and every dance the musicians were encored for their work . The dance on the whole was certainly one of the finest social events that was ever held in the city and many were the compliments to be heard today concerning the delightful manner in which the Seniors tried to make the guests feel at home and enjoy themselvs. The out of town guests who were 1 present were Miss Hickox Ft. Wayne, Miss Emma Dicker Portland, Miss Ethel Duff, Van Wert, Miss Grace Moses Chicago, and Mr. Ed Meyers, Ft. Wayne and Will j Drunning of Huntingon. YOUNG MATRONS' Club and Others Guests of Mrs. J. W. Tyndall, Mrs. J. W. Tyndall was at homo to the members of the Young Marons Club also Mrs. A. E. Rose. S. 8. Acker, C. <>. France, C, A. Du(gan, D. C. Townsend, Roy ArchI bold, D. L. Quinn, Jeff’ Bryson, H. E. Bell, Mrs, DeVilbiss of Lancaster 'and the Misses Rose Christen, Mary Myers, Minnie Orvis and Bertha Heller. After a few g"mes lof Pit had been indulged in, a guessing contest took place in which Mrs. I). L. Quinn came out best and will given a lovely bunch of roses. I At five o'clock Mrs. Tyndall served ;an elegant lunch. The next meatI ing of the club will be a business meeting Monday night at Mrs. John Hellers on North Third Street. EUCHRE CLUB Mrs. A. E. Rose the Hostess at Delightful Meeting. The Friday night euchre club met last evening with Mrs. A. E. Rose on Third street and fine time was had by all present. Play was started promply at eight o’clock and for several hours all the members battled for supremacy and at the close it was found that Mrs. George Flanders, was the lucky member and was accordingly awarded the first prize which was a beautiful Haviland china dish. During the evenings enjoyment a fine three > course luncheon was served and at t a late hour the dull adjourned to • meet May the 13th with Miss Mintu Acker on First Btr< et.