Daily Democrat, Volume 2, Number 287, Decatur, Adams County, 14 December 1904 — Page 1

VOLUME II

COLLINS DEFENSE BEGINS State Concluded Evidence at Noon Today

SAME INTEREST SHOWN Case May Go To Jury Tomorrow Evening Attorneys are Fighting Hard-Other Court News—New Case Filed. The Luther Collins’ case is still the question of interest about the Adams circuit court room, and the attendance is large enough to prove that the public is more than ordinarily interested. The principal •witnesses for the state since the hour of going to press yesterday were Dr. Wilson who attended Miss Smiltey just prior to her death, and George Smitley, brother of the deceased girl. Dr. Wilson told of the condition of the girl when he was called to see her and of her condition during her illness, and of his treatment for her. George Smitley caused a slight sensation in court when he testified

that Luther Collins had asked him to help get the consent of Malissa's parents for relieving her from her condition. The strongest witnesses against the defendant have apparently been W. A. Clark, the nurse, Dr. Wilson and George Smitley. The state rested ut 11:30 and .Judge Smith consented to an adjournment until 1:30 upon motion by defendants attorneys to allow them time to marshal their evidence. At the time stated the defense began their evidence. The evidence will probably be concluded by tomorrow noon and the case may go to the jnry by evening. —o — Attorney A P. Beatty filed a new case in Adams circuit court entitled | Daniel W. Myers. Amos Gillig anil William H. Niblick vs Joseph M Rice, Phoebe M. Rice and Elizabeth H. Wherry, complaint to foreclose street assess ment lien, demand ♦SOO. The summons is returnable Decern ber 26th. —o — Marion Devinney vs Rose De vinney. divorce, demurrer filed to complaint. —o— Union Trust nompanv vs Sylvester and Eliza J. Peterson, defend ants ordered to answer December 19th.

CHOSE OFFICERS Young Men Elected by the Masonic Lodge. The Masonic lodge held their regular business session last evening, it being the stated time for the election of officers for the year 1905. This interesting event resulted last night in the selection of the following worthy men Henry B Holler, Worshipful Master; Norman "Lenhart, Senior Warden; Will Dorwin, Junion Warden; E. B Adams, secretary; George, Kinzle, secretary; J. 8. Coverdale, trustee. The installation will occur on Tues dav evening, December 27th, at which time the Royal Arch officers will likewise be installed. The list of officers chosen la st night include the youngest men ever elected in , the iocai lodge, hut they are etll , cient and will preside with dignity ;

Ihe Daily Democrat.

TO REVISE RATES Insurance Commissioner Mcßeth Coming This Week. James M. Mcßeth, State as fire insurance oommissicner will be in Decatur tomorrow or next day to revise the rates where improvements have been made. Several owners of business have taken advantage of the opportunity to improve their risks and thus secure lower rates. However, it should be understood that the improvements must be actually made before new rates will he given.

FAIR SEX Wants Recognition on School Board Fort Wavne Women Seek Legislative Changes in Their School Board.

, Believing that the intreests of . the Fort Wayne public schools can . be greatly advanced by the presence of a woman upon the city school board, says the Fort Wayne Sentinel, the edrcitional committee of the Woman s Club league has inaugurated an active campaign looking to this end. Under the present legislative enactment three mem- . bers constitute the board of trustees ! which conducts the affairs of the ( school city, but the ladies seek to I increase this number to five mem ( bers, and to insist that at least one member of the board shall be of the gentler sex. The club league’s i committee has employed City At | toinev Shambaugh to prepare a hill embracing these provisions for Fort Wayne and will seek to have the measure introduced at the coming session of the legislature. It is i planned to have the bill offered simultaneously in the senate by Senator Ulrey and in the house by I one of the newly elected representatives from Allen county, and the ladies believe there will be little oh jection to its passage. It is pointed out that a representative woman upon the school board would be of incalculable advantage to the schools in many ways. A vast majority of the teachers are ladies and at least half the pupils are of the same sex. It is asserted that a woman's voice upon the board will greatly aid in the solution of many ; problems which come before that j body and that the recent introduction of domestic science in to the high school curriculum affords an | additional reason why the ladies should be represented in the governing body. The matter has been agitated upon termer occasions, but the matter has not until now assumed a shape that seems to promise (infinite results. A POUND PARTY An old fashioned pound party as held at the Monroe parsonage Tuesday evening. The occasion was delightful and none enjoyed it more than Mr. and Mrs. J. A. h Sprague. The work upon the Mon roe charge is advancing and the above surprise party is only an in dioation of the harmony and good will which pervades.

DECATUR, INDIANA, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 14, 1904.

WORDS OF PRAISE Bestowed on Newspapers by Rev. Sam Jones. Speaking of newspapers, Sam Jones said: “If I wanted to get a right square judgment, I’d rather go to a newspaper press in America. They are the best detective force in the country today. They have punctured more shams, and so far as I a m concerned, 1 sav take the bridal off and let them go. The only ones that will be hurt will be the shams and frauds, and if you think the newspapers print too much of a sensational kind, don t you read it. The papers need to be reformed but the people haw got to reform first. News papers are printed for money and to suit the patrons. If you think these should be run on high moral platform just reform yourself and the papers will follow suit.” ON THE BOOM island Park Organization Completed New Lands Purchased and SIOO,OOO to be Spent in Improvements.

Rome City, Dec. 14—The Island j Park Assembly organized here last night, elected officers and arranged e for the greatest Chautauqua in the I west. The new organization is I incorporated under the statutes of Indiana providing for and regulating the incorporation of volunj. taiy associations for religious, edu cational and benevolent purposes, with 4,000 shares of stock, which . will be placed among the friends of , the association in shares of $25 each, which will he used for purchasing the old assembly property —hotel and lots, Chautauqua hall and last, the W. C. T. U. home and lots, the Model of Palestine and ( ; other assembly buildings, with an extant of lake frontage additional, , comprising all that portion of territory two lots deep from the , Bridge avenue through to the east bank of the lake on the mainland, , which will include the neautiful grounds and belongings of the Triplet, or Woodlawn Beach hotel. Also, for remodeling and enlarging the hotels and the erection of such other buildings as are very much jneeded for university extension work and summer schools, such as will be maintained under the new regime Options on territory needed have all been secured and very liberal encouragement given by the firms in the immediate territory, so that as soon as the new | association is fully under way the i improvements will be mapped out I and before the assembley session of ' 1905 is concluded Methodism will have a Chautauqua park equal to auy of her other grand educational and religious institutions.

A JAIL SENTENCE Tom tlarvev Gets Thirty Davs for Stealing Pair of Booh. Tom Harvey, who stole the pair of two dollar hoots from the sign board in front of Clem Voglewede’s shoe store, Monday night, appeared before Judge Erwin this morning and plead guilty to a charge of jietit larceny. He was fined five dollars and costs and sentenced to jail for thirty days, which means he will be held a prisoner within the dreary stone walls until Febru ary Ist. Harvey is but twenty years c Id, and that fact with his earnest plea for leniency saved him from the trip to Jeffersonville. His theft was a bold one t having been committed at six o'clock in the evening, when the sheets were filled with people.

MET LAST NIGHT

School Board Hold a Session Claude M. Rice Selected to Vacancy Caueed by Resignation of Mrs. Macklin. The School Board met last evening in regular business session with all members present, being called to act upon the resignation of Mrs. P. H. Macklin, formerly Miss Lola Jackson of this city, who was secretly married a few weeks ago. The resignation was formally accepted by the board and Claude M. Rice of this city appointed to till the vacancy, which is toom three in the north ward. The question of how long a vacation to give the pupils during the holidays was thoroughly discussed, which resulted in a unanimous vote o f allowing one week and one day vacation. The board took this action on account of shortening the school term next spring. This being the only matter of importance to act upon the board adjourned.

DRAFT FOUND Fred Engle Discovered Draft Stolen from Miss Comer. The fifty-dollar draft that so mysteriously disappeared Saturday evening from the home of Tom Miller, Clover Leaf agent, has been recovered. Fred Engle found the same in front of the residence of Calvin Miller on Winchester street while on his way to school, and returning the stolen property to the rightful owner. The only theory that can be advanced as to the find ing of the property where it was found is that the guilty party found out that the officers had been notified, and that all banks had been notified to stop payment on the same, and that if he could re alize no money on the draft he had best dispose of it, thus throwing it away where he did. Miss Comer is certainly much pleased over the recovery of the draft.

WANT TO LAUGH? Farce Comedy “Looping the Loop" Here Tomorrow Night. The musical fantasy ‘‘Looping the Loop,” will be the attraction at the opera house on Thursday, December 15, presenting a series of pretty pictures of life in gay New York introducing the big scenes on Coney Island Beach, life in an apartment house in uptown New York and many bright and pretty pictures of guy Manhattan. The story introduces the world famed folk of the New York Journal's f unny pages of the Sunday editions, here Lidy Bountiful, Mrs. Katzenjanier, Happy Hooligan and the twins introduce mirth and music to the story of ‘‘Looping the Loop." The latest Broadway hits are ineidentaljto the sfory, and the principals are supported by a large chorus of prettv girls who add much to vinos the performance. ONLY FOUR But Four Decaturites Go To Toledo Today. Four tickets wore all that were sold this morning for the Milner excursion to Toledo, and the amount of money that this grafter will realize from Adams county will not cause any over time work in counting it up. The people are getting wise mid prefer to deal with their own merchants whom they know do not dare to cheat them, instead of taking a chance wih out of own fakirs.

AN ARM TORN OFF Another Terrible Corn Shredder Accident

IS CONCLUSIVE A Pinkerton Detective Discovers Important Evidence. Hartford City, Ind., Dec. 13 — The work of Detective Charles ,1. Smith, the Pinkerton detective, to unravel the Sanderson murder mystery, acting under instructions of Prosecutor Burnes, has been made public. He sou nd evidence justifying the belief thatJSanderson was murdered within fifty rods of his house, that Sanderson's wife was present and assisted i n concealing the body; that the stone tied around the man’s neck to anchor ♦me body from a culvert on the Maddox pike, instead of from San derson’s barnvard, as first supposed, and that where the body was lifted through t he fence a fragment of a woman’s dress worn by Mrs. Sanderson. The detective also cl »ims to have traced the route by which the murderers drove from the Sanderson farm to the Maddox road, going over the bridge where they secured the stone by which they anchortai the bodv in the pond. There were spots of blood on the culvert, and footprints showing where the murderers had walked I about the road. The tracks of I buggy wheels'showing that ;a turn was made at the bridge, which tracks could be followed to the pike. ■ It was found’that the strap used to adjust the stone to Sanderson's i neck was cut from a strap tied to a fence at Mrs. Sanderson's home. It had been used with which to fasten horses, and the\'murderers left part of the strap still clinging to the fence. The stone taken from Sanderson's neok fitted’the crevice in the foundation ofjthe bridge on the road fromjwhich'it was taken. On Mrs. Sanderson’s farm was found a tin target full of bullet holes, where it is alleged that the Cooks practiced target shooting before they essayed J the murder. Neighors assert that they noticed the odor of burning clothes on Mrs. Sanderson’s farm'about the time of the murder. The detective found the remains of a fire which included charred bits of “clothing, and where it Jis supposed the bloody clothes were destroyed. While the grand jury was’ in session Detective Smith acted as deputy prosecutor, hearing all the testimohy submitted to the grand jury. A STAND SULL Oil op irators'are practically at a •‘fund still in all fields producing a high grade crude. Indiana shows a decline, but still leads in activity. The Indian Territory and Oklahoma have some excite ment, while Kansas operators are doing little.lJlndiana had ten gushers during the week. The Muncie district is credited with eight of them, with an initial output of 1,485 barrels; the Parker City district one gusher that did 250 barrels and the War ren district one good for r 115 barrels, In the Muncie field there were but twenty wells] complehd showing that a large number cf s'rings of tools rushed into that field must have been idle. Marion field was a close ’’second with eighteen wells completed. In the rest of the old field “there were twenty-four wells completed, all but three of which were producers. The average of the.wells in the old field was •>!!' barrels, which should be sufficient to encourage producers and capitalists with a steady, 11.20 market.

NUMBER 287

DOUGLAS MILLS THE VICTIM Right Arm Taken Off at Shoulder Accident Happened at Noon Today on The Bouser Farm South of Town. Douglas Mills, nineteen years old, had his right arm torn off in a corn shredding machine at 12:30 today. He is a son of Lew Mills of near Monroe, hut for some time has made his home with his grandfather, Samuel Beavers, of near Peterson. For several weeks he has been employed by Beiberiok & Werling, heing one of the hands used to operate their corn shredder. They were working at Samuel Bou«er’s, a mile south of town, and the men had just returned to work after eating their dinner. The machine had been started and one of the men was absent after a bucket of water. Young Mills was feeding one side of the machine and another workman the other. In some wav a bundle thrown in by Mills’ companion caught his arm and before he could extricate it, he had been drawn nearly into the machine. His right arm was torn off above the elbow and was ground into fragments. As soon as possible the machine was stopped and Douglas helped from his awful position. He was brought to this city by his com panions and taken to the office of Dr. 8. D. Beavers. That physician with the assistance of Dr. J. 8. Boyers and Dr. W. W. P. McMillen, attended the wounded man The arm, as stated 1 was torn off just above the elbow but the arm was badly mutilated several inches above, and it was necessary to amputate the arm at the shoulder. The young man showed grit and made no complaint. His condition is serious, and while he will probably recover, the accident is a terrible one. About a vear ago Douglas’ father. Lew Mills, had his left arm accidently shot off at the shoulder while attempting to climb over a fence with a shot gun in his hand. BEGINS TOMMORROW Complete Rural Route Service in Adams County. Complete rural route service begins tomorrow morning in this county, and nine now carriers will start out delivering mail for Uncle bam, traversing practically every corner of the county. Five of the new routes start from this city, one from Pleasant Mills, one from Mag ley, one from Geneva and two from Monroe. Tins will make a total of twenty.six routes in the county, besides several from other counties, which reach into Adams It is said the service here alter tomorrow will bo the most complete in any county in the state.