Daily Democrat, Volume 2, Number 160, Decatur, Adams County, 18 July 1904 — Page 1

VOLUME II

SKULL WAS FRACTURED Death of Aged Mother of George Doctor

IN A RUNAWAY SUFFERED TWENTY-FOUR HOURS FROM FRACTURED SKULL. The Funeral Arrangements Completed for Wednesday From Home of Deceased. George'Doctor went to Ft. Wayne this morning in answer to a summons stating the serious injury of his mother in a runaway there Saturday evening, At the time he left he did not know that she had succumbed to the injuries received and had died at Hope hospital last evening, after twenty four hours of suffering. The deceased made an attempt to jump from the buggy alighting on her head. Her skull was fractured and at (first her recovery was doubted, owing to her advanced age. As a short notice of her life, she was a native of Germany. She was born in that country April 1, 1831, but she had iieen a resident of Allen county for fifty years. Her husband died over three years ago. The decedent is survived by the following children: Louis, Fred, George, Charles, Mathias and William Doctor, Mrs. Maggie Fackler, Mrs. Mary Schmidt Mrs. Louis Schmidt and Martin Doctor Mrs. Doctor was a woman of noble Christian character and lovable ways and during her residence for half a century in the county she won a large circle of friends who are shocked and grieved at her tragic death. The body was removed to the Kinehn & Meching undertaking establishment and prepared for burial. The funeral will be held Wednesday afternoon at;l :30 o'clock at the family home in Manon township, and at 2 o'clock at Emanuel Lutheran church in that townsihp. The Rev. Zsuhoche officiating. George Doctor, a favorite son of the aged mother was shocked beyond measure when he learned of the sad death. He will no doubt return'before the funeral and arrange to take his family to the Marion township home for the funeral services which will lie held Wednesday. BIRTHDAY DINNER Mrs. Isaac Smith, Near Bobo, FiftySix Years Old. Sunday was the fifty sixth birthday of Mrs. Isaac Simth a resident two and a half miles east of Bolsi, and in honor of that event a big dinner was given which was enjoyed by J. L. Gay and family, J. M. Frysinger, A. M. Bowen, Philip Koos and wife Allbert Chrionister and family, Elza Jackson ard family Jacob Drake ' and wife, Delbert Walters’and family, Mrs. Eli Stoops and son, Mrs. J. L. Moser, Mrs. Lydia Cowan, Mrs. Middleton, Mrs. Jennie Winans, Burley Sheets, Charles Mosetj Clara Frysinger, W. J. Crawford and family Mrs. Rebecca Cowan and Miss Joe Mylott. A pleasant day was enjoyed by all present.

The Daily Democrat.

BRIGHT'S DISEASE C. R. Higgins, a Prominent Fort Wayne Man Is Dead. C. R. Higgins one of the best known businessmen of Fort Wayne, died at the St. Joseph hospital after an unsuccessful attempt to combat with the dread of Bright’s disease. The funeral will occur Tuesday at four o’clock and will be under the auspices of the Fort Wayne Commandery of Knight Templars. The deceased was a member of all the different Masonic bodies and was also identified with the work for many years. Many Decatur people know him he being for many years secretary of the Scottish rite. SOUNDS GOOD Another Inventor of Cheap Fuel

Said to Contain all the tleuients of Htat That Are Contained in Either Coal or Wood. A new fuel successfully tested has been invented by Jacob Smith, a glass worker at Muncie. It is said to posses more heat units per pound than either coal or wood. It can be manufactured and sold at a profit for half the cost ot coal and it does n»t smoke except when a strong draft is used. Its success as a fuel for domestic uses was determined several weeks ago but not until this week was its value for manufacturing demonstrated. The fuel is made largely from the refuse of the pulp mills, of which there are a number about Muncie. Each mill turns out thousand of tons of refuse annually. The refuse a combination of soda and lime, used in the decomposition of wood, is mixed with crude oil, and the finished product resembles putty. It may be out with a spade and thrown into a furnace or beneath a boiler. No kindling is necessary, for a match touched to it will light it readliythe material burning with an intense beat. There are no clinkers and the ashes remaining after the lire has burned down may be made into a now compound for which Mr. Smith has anoher use. Ab ushel of the fuel beneath a six teen horse power engine at a factory kept steam up for eight hours. It is manufactured as a plasterer makes his mort. ar. The government patent office has called it the “Smith fuel.” BUSINESS CHANGE L. C. Sells Interest in Marble Business to His Partners. The firm of Hughes, Cress and Beavers is no more, a deal been consumated Saturday evening whereby Messrs. Cress and Boa vers bought out the one third interest of L. U. Hughesand will continue to run and operate the business at the sumo old stand. The above named firm had been together for something like throe years and were doing a nice business in their line.

DECATUR, INDIANA, MONDAY EVENING, JULY 18, 1904.

Mr. Hughes has not as yet fully determined what he will do but for the present will remain in this city and take a much needed rest. Messrs Cress and Beavers are very competent business men in the momument and marble business having hud a vast experience and are fully able to turn out a first class piece of work. They handle nothing but the best and would be pleased to have you call and examine their work. THE CAUSE Crude Oil Slumps in Price at This Season The Scale Upward is in the Winter When Operation is Slow and Expensive. Now that the price of crude oil has dropped, oil men are discussing the cause and all of them seem to be agreed. In the first place, oil is never the same high price in the summer months that is reached during the winter. It is much easier to obtain a high production during the summer that is pumping | can be carried on at all times, more j wells are sunk and getting about the field is naturally much easier than during the winter when the road in the oil fields at times becomes almost impassible and fuel cannot be hauled to the leases. The pipe line that the Standard is contructng to tap the Kansas field is annother potent factor, according to the opinion of many operators. This line is costing an immense amount of money and the pnxlucer must pay the freight. The old conservative operators are not disposed to be alarmed at the recent cuts ijnd they freely predict a raise in the price within a short time. While they do not deny the possibility of further reductions they regard such as highly improbable and the looking for better things. MUCH DAMAGE Rain and Wind Storm Was Furious Considerable Damage Was Done to the Electric Light Plant. The rain and wind storm that hit this city last evening was one of the worst that has been experienced in a number of years and for a while played havoc with things that came within its path. The up town district suffered somewhat by having a number of awnings blown down but out side of that no further damage was done. Out where the wind was able to spend its force and with nothing to stop it trees and crops suffered and were laid low. City Electrician Mylott informed us that the storm last evening was one of the worst that the electric light plant had experienced in years the lines on second street being blown down and a number of lines completely burned out caused by the electric lines and telephone linos coming in contract at the plant a number of transformers were burned oonpletely out and the city was thrown into darkness from eight thirty until nine o'clock until the lines and machinery could be mended. A number of reports came to us today concerning the destruction of property, and Decatur was not the only sufferer.

ANOTHER EFFORT Bedford Murder Not Permitted to Die The Family of the Murdered Girl lo Begin a Prosecution of the Guilty. Special to The Daily Democrat ELKHART, IND., July 18—The family and friends of Sarah C. Schaffer will take up the fight and endeavor to bring to justice the slayer of this bright young girl. The family are abundantly able to carry forth such a vigorous prosecution and it is said their determination is settled. They were perfectly willing to permit the Bedford authorities to do this but since they have so openly shown their inclination to shield rather than discover the perpetrator of the brazon murder they will take up the threads independently of those so far connected with the prosecution. The public generally will admire and assist the Elkhartians in their undertaking. LOOKS ROTTEN Bedford Case Blocked by Action of Court The Jury Say They Know the Guilty, But Lack Evidence Sufficient to Indict. There is something decidedly rotten with the Courts of justice down at Bedford. Last week was devoted to a grand jury investigation of the Sarah Schaffer murder. That investigation was hindered by the sheriff an officer of said grand jury, and Saturday the judge of that circuit court dismissed the jury from deliberation right at a time when they began tc unravel the most dastardly crime ever committed in the state of Indiana. Several members of the jury make the bold assertion that they Know, or feel confident they know, who committed the crime, but the evi--1 dvnee was not yet sufficient to convict, yet in the face of this showing they were dismissed by the courts. Why were they dismissed? The public will draw their conclusions and these conclusions will not be favorable to those whose official obligations demand a more rigid fullflllment of the duties < n ruffed to them. The citizens of Bedford should not rest under such accusations that murder has been committed and they refuse to give up the murderer, although known. Such a record should not stand in this day and age and we do not believe the Bedford citizens will stand for it. An Elkhart paper makes the open charge that Miss Love knows more than she has ever told. If the court and officers refuse to do their duty it is safe to say the newspapers and the press in general will not be so easily subjected. They will make life so miserable for those in authority that the case will again betaken up and the guilty discovered.

TIN SHOP Bert Lew Opens Up a Shop on First Street. A new tin shop and under a new management was opaned this morning by Burt Lew in the building formerly occupied by Henry Schlegel on First street and Mr. Lew from now on will be in a a position to handle anything that may come in his line. He has had a number of years experience in this business and is fully competent and able to attend to any kind of fining. Mr. Lew has for the past year or so worked with a number of the hardware stores who carry a fining department and always gave perfect saisfaction with his work. SOME FIGURES Taxable Valuations in Adams County An Abstract of Assessments as FurnishJd to State Auditor. The abstract of the assessment of property in Adams county is an- ' other instrument just completed at the auditors’ office. The true value of land in Union township is $446,375, personal property $134,590 polls 176, total value real and personal $580,965, mortgage exemptions $39,550. Root, value of lands j $611,544, lots and improvements i $3,735, value of real and personal $150,080, polls 212, total taxables $767,560, mortgage exemption $35,590* Preble value lands $458,180 lots S6OOO value real and persona] $221,220 polls 171, total taxables $685,490 mortgage exemptions $7665. Kirkland value lands $450,805 lots $2345, real and presonal $130,240 polls 187 total taxables $583,390 mortgage exepmtion $34,880 Washington, value lands $642880, personal $165,140 polls 315, total taxables $*08,020, mortgage Exemptions $4500. St- Mary’s value lands $446,605, lots $12290, personal $106,970. polls 173 total taxables $566,495, mortgage exemption $34,600. Blue Creek value of lands $451,445 lots $985, personal $130,545, polls 170 total taxables $572,975, mortgage exemptions $225,100. Monroe value lands $669,625, lots $17,095, personal $307,905 polls, 256 total taxables $994,625, mortgage exemption s'>2,loo. French value lands $459,895 personal $193,645 polls 191, total taxables $653,540 mortgage exemptions $47,000. Hartford value lands $177,005, lots $17,380 personal $239,030 polls 244 total taxable $73,415 mortgage exemption SIB,BOO. Wabash value lands $626,555 lots $5300 personal $333,350 polls 283 total valuation $965,205 mortgage I exemption $52,565. Jtfferson value | of lands $428,570 |>ersonal $261,295 i polls 182, total taxables $689,865 mortgage exemption $31,120. Decatur value lands $1,495 lots $1,052,505 jicrsonal $640,500 polls 626 total taxables $1,734,510 mortgage exemption $53,900. Geneva value lands $15,855, lots $176,635, personal $191,205, polls 290, total taxables $383,675 mortgage exemption $13830 Borne value lands $23,645 lots $201,030 personal $431,285, polls 275 total taxable i $55,59 60, mortgage exemption $14840. A BIG BOY BABY. Word was received today from Fort Recovery stating that Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Meinerding were the proud possessors of a big bouncing boy. Both mother and babe are doing well. Uncle Tone Forbing received the glad tidings.

NUMBER 160

CONTRACT LET * Berne’s Electric Light Plant Assured Its Completion is Guaranteed Within Ninety Days. After working for several years the little thrriving city of Berne is to have complete and up to date electric light plant the contract having b?en let on Saturday and now everything is an assured fact. There was a great number of contractors present and as per advertisment the contract was let to the lowest bidder. The Ft. Wayne electric company securing the contract for all electrical appliances and the it. Wayne construction company securing the contract for putting in the boilers. The plant will be located just two squares north of the Main street and just east of the Grand Rapids railroad and will be an up to date structure throughout. The contracts call for two 20-K. W» dynamo machines and two large boilers and the estimated cost of the plant will reach in the neighborhood of ten thousand dollars and must be completed and ready for use in ninty days. Berne is rapidly coming to the front in the line of improvements and is far in the lead of any city its size in the state, having at present a fine fire depart ment and a mile and a quarter of fine brick street and with their own elecric light plant will be very much citified and we take our hats oft to our little enterprising neighbors. The citizens of that city always have the interests of their own at heart and are rapidly pishing it to the front. Keep up to the good work. CLOSE SHAVE A Runaway Saturday Evening Alfred Volmer and Family Have an Experience That Was Exciting. A runaway occurred Saturday evening which might have been a very serious affair. Alfred Volmer early in the evening ordered a two seated rig from Meyers and Soheiman and intended to take his mother and two sisters out for a little outing but their trip was soon ended and all members of the family were forced to walk back to town. The runaway occurred just opposite the entrance gate at Steeles Park where one of the horses stumbled and in getting back to its feet, Mr. Volmer lost control of the lines and the team and denly started, quickly freeing themselves from the harness and tearing oft down the highway at a terrific clip the occupants of the rig had in the mean time jumped and escaped without any injuries. The rig was badly wrecked the tongue being broken the dash board badly injured and several other minor things about the rig damaged. Up until twelve o’clock Saturday night the team had not been recovered.