Daily Democrat, Volume 2, Number 292, Decatur, Adams County, 20 December 1904 — Page 1

VOLUME II

dismal failure . Leap Year Has Been a Fizzle f. Less Marriage Licenses Issued This Year Than Last by Thirty-Nine— The Reason. With December two thirds gone, the marriage records at County Gerber's office show but. two licenses issued. One year ago this month twenty-two licenses were issued. The year 190 4 has been practically a failure, so far as the matrimonial market is concerned, and leap year at that. Last year 217 licensts were issued in Adams county, while this year, with but ten days to come, only 178 licenses have issued, a decline of thirtvnine. The reasons are only conjecture. Whether the fair ladies of Adams county were too reserved t.o "pop the question” or the gal lant men were so cruel as to turn the ladies down will never be known. This result after a period of eight years without a leap year is surprising. That the ladies could not muster up courage in eight years to carry most anv fort is indeed a surprise. It is said that in former leap years it was not exceptional to see the woman secure a license. But one or two cases of this kind have been noted this year. There is another side to be considered in this matter. It is possible a great many men who might have proposed during the year have been deterred from such action because of the fear that their friends might think the fair lady had “done the asking ” Then too possibly a great number of ladies refrained from accepting for the same reasons and are postponing the answer until 1905. At any rate the number of licenses issued in 1904 bids fair to be less than the number in 1903. The same state of affairs exists elsewhere wbere records have been observed. For 1903 up to December 14 there had been 310 licenses issued in Wabash county. For the same length of time this year in the same county the number was 245. In Huntington county the records is 299 for 1903 to 265 for this year The condition is certainly a deplorable one.

FELL DEAD Mrs. Dangherty Victim of Heart Disease Well Known Pioneer Lady Found Lifeless son the Floor—Had Fallen From Chair. Genova. Ind.. Deo 20 -Mrs Wil liam Dugherty. one of the heat known women in Southern Adams county, foil dead at her home eist of thia town in Jefferson township She was sixty-tive years old and had resided in this locality man' years. Her husband was absent from the home attending to busi ness and when he returned was horror-stricken to tind his wife lying dead upon the tluor. Hhe had apparently been sitting in a ohaii when stricken and had fallen to the floor. She had been dead about an hour when her husband found her. The coroner was summoned and pronounced death due to heart failure.

The Daily Democrat-

SPOKE TRUTH Anderson Minister Scores the Society Ladies ana Parties. Anderson. Ind., Deo. 20—Preaching on “The Slime Pitts Found in Anderson,” the Rev. K Pearce, at the First Baptist church, last evening, stirred his congregation when, alter attacking the saloons, he said: "The second pit is a combination arising from social fads. Society leaders set the pace. Others ape. If one has money, brains an I morals are secondary consultations. Some of the evils existing in -ir midst, if not created, are propagated by the fads of society. Take gambling. Os all traps for men gambling is one of the most fascin - ating, demoralizing and most inexcusable from a public standpoint. Few society parties are complete without cards. A few years ago progressive euchre was introduced and adopted.- Then a loud protest went up against it. But of late little is said, and yet few are the games which debase and damage the moral sense as this. Many young gamblers and so-called respectable ones, learned the art at the card table of our homes, or at some social function. ”

A DEATH Mrs. Lucinda Burrell Died Yesterday The Deceased was an Oid Resident o Adams County—Living Here Many Years. Mrs. Lucinda Burrell, aged seventy years, died yesterday afternoon at four o'clock, at her home four miles east of this city, after an illness of several months’duration with dropsy. She was an old resident of this county, coming here with her parents when bnt a mere girl and residing here ever since. Her health was good up until several years ago, when she contracted a complication of diseases, witu which she gradually declined. The sudden death of her husband a few years ago, assisted materially in hastening her death. She was a devoted member of the Union Cha]iel church, and a persistent worker ini ts behalf, being a firm believer in Christianity and all anting her late illness was never beard to complain, placing her faith in her Gcd and His will be done The funeral services will be held tomorrow morning at ten o’clock at the Union Chapel church, the Rev. Ryan conducting the services, and interment will be made in the Union Chapel cemetery. She leaves two daughters and sons, and a host of relatives to mourn their loss.

WHITE PLAGUE Pneumonia Will Soon Claim Mort Victims Than Consumption. It is stated that for every thousand persons who die in this country, over ten thousand of them are claimed by pneumonia. Consumption i« the dreaded of all diseases and has been designated as the “great white plague,” but the close race being given it by its sister scourage, is startling the health authorities and medical profession all over the world. The census of 1900. the latest reliable statistics for the whole country, show that in that year there had been 105.971 deaths from pneumonia, while consumption claimed only five thousand more victims.

DECATUR, INDIANA, TUESDAY EVENING. DECEMBER 20, 1904.

DAMAGE CASE Allen County Suit Venued Here William Langohr Crushed In Caving Sewer—Demands Sum of Five Thousand Dollars. A <y,ooo damage case was tiled in circuit court here this morning on change of venue from the superior court at Fort Wayne. The complaint was filed in Allen county last June by Attorneys Colerick & Ninde, and is entitled William Langohr vs Julius E. Remus, the complainant says that April 1, 1903, he was employed by Julius Renus, the defendant, who is a contractor, and who at that time w’as constructing a sewer along an alley between Stophlet and Swinney streets in Fort Wayne. Langonr was digging in the trench, which was about fourteen feet deep. Because of insufficient bracing and the piling of earth upon the edge of the trench, the walls of the sewer collapsed and caved in upon plaintiff, who was mashed, crushed and bruised, his bones and muscles broken and plaintiff permanently injured and rendered unfit and unable to work. The plaintiff alleges that he was in no way guilty of contributory negligence, and asks for judgment in the sum of <5,000. Attorneys Olds & Doughman represent the defendant and have Hied a general denial to the allegations. The suit promsestobe a hard fought and interesting oae.

WILL AGREE Berne Injunction Sult Will be Settled Out of Court. J. T. Merryman, of Decatur, was in town yesterday, representing the Berne Grain & Hay Co., in their little difficulty they had with the moving of the old postoffioe building. A town ordinance passed a few years ago prohibits frame buildings to be built on or moved to Main street and that caused the difficulty. The company has now come to an agreement with the town council to allow the building to be moved to Main street, as it will be covered by iron sheeting, which the company had planned to do, but it seems the council were not aware of this fact. The trouble might easily have been avoided —Berne Witness.

MUST SHOVEL Bluffton Council Makes a New and Novel Law. Bluffton, Ind., Dec. 20.—The city council has given notice today that it will order the enforcement of the ordinance to clean snow from sidewalks. The law will not be enforced by prosecution, court trials end slow delays, but it will be enforc’d by scoop shovels. Every sidewalk not swept by 8 o’clock Sunday morning will be cleaned by city employees, under the direction of the stieet. commie sioner, and every sidewalk so cleaned will cost the property own • er or tenant one cent par lineal foot. The city council gave notice publicly today that the ordinance would be strictly enforced, begin, ning Sunday morning

EUCRE CLUB Mrs. C. 0. France a Club Hostese Last Night. The Friday Night Eucre club met last evening with Mrs. C. O. France on Mercer avenue, and from all reports, a fine time was had. The play started promptly at eight o’clock, and for several hours the girls wore busily engaged for first prize, which was captured by Mrs. George F'anders, she having scored the highest number of points. During the evening light refreshments were served, and at a late hour the club adjourned to meet next with Miss Eva Acker.

ANOTHER DELAY Dynamo and Engine was Resold The Westinghouse People do some Queer Turns—The Council to Discuss the Question Tonight. The Westinghouse Electric company have always been judged by Decatur people as business people, but Mayor Coffee, Electrician Mylott and the city council are pretty thoroughly disgusted with them just at present. Several weeks ago he company made a proposition to this city to sell them a second-hand dynamo and engine. After due form the proposition was accepted and the first payment, <1450 was forwarded to the company’ agent, Mr. Johnson. He accepted the money, but soon after sent word that the machinery had been optioned to other parties. Friday he notified , Mayor Coffee that the deal had fallen through and the machinerv ordered shipped to Decatur. This morning came another message that the dynamo and en gine had been sold to other parties, and asking the city electrician to oorne to Cleveland and examine another plant. The matter will be discussed at tonight's council meeting

ISSUE CALL St. Emanuel Church Choose Rev. Bohn, of Edgerton. Ohio. The members of the St. Emanuel church in Union township met Sunday afternoon, and issued a call for Rev. Phillip Bihn, of Elgerton, Ohio, to serve as pastor of this church. This action was made necessary by the recent resignation of Rev. S;h nitt as recently an nonneed. Rev. Bohn is a well qualified and able pastor, and the St. Emanuel congregation are earnestly hoping that he will de aide to accept. His answer will probably not be kno.vn for several days. Rev. Schmitt leaves January 2nd for his new charge in Illinois.

DRANK KEROSINE Little Son of George Morris, of Bluffton, Was Very Sick. The title son of Mr. ami Mrs. George Morris was quite sick for a time Sunday moi ning from drink ing a quantity of coal oil, which it secured from a vessel which was left standing on the floor fora short time. Its throat and stomach were painfully burned by the oil, but nothing serious resulted, and the baby is much better today.—Bluff . ton News.

THE ELECTION What is the Verdict of the Voters The Vote is Fairly Large and it is Beleived that the Subsidy has Carried by a Good Majority What is the verdict of the voters on the <28,000 subsidy election to secure the Clover Loaf division? The answer will soon be known to a certainty, in fact it is practically known now, and conservative men who have been watching the polls say the subsidy has been voted three to one, and perhaps even stronger than that. It is believed now that Washington township will carry in favor of the subsidy outside the city of Decatur and here it looks as though the vote would be almost solid for the im provements. No one seems to doubt but that it has carried, and by a good majority. However, an hour or two still remains before the polls close, and if you know of any one who hasn't voted, tell him the importance, and hurry him along. Don’t take any chances—make the majority as big as possible. In Decatur a good sized vote has been cast, and the total will nearly reach the vote of the recent general election. Everything is quiet, but the good work is going on con stantly. In the township, while the vote will not be so large in comparison with the city, still it will make a creditable showing. The opposition were hard to find today, and those favoring the tax held full sway. A busy 1905 in Decatur seems ' assured, and we hope the verdict to be returned this evening will make this statement a positive one. If you haven’t voted, do it now. HURRY.

FUNERAL THURSDAY Mrs. Louis Buuck Died Yesterday AfternoonMrs. Louis Buuck, aged seventy years died yesterday astern >on, at her home one mile west of Freidheim, after an illness of a short time. Death resulted trorn heart trouble. She was a strong, healthy woman for her age, and was in the best cf health until a week ago, when she was stricken with heart trouble, which with her old age, she was unable to battle with The funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at two o’clock at the Freidheitn church. The Rev. Prtisse conducted the services, and interment will ba made in the Freidheitn cemetery.

FISHER & HURST Jamee Hurst Buys an Interest in the Pecp'e’s Restaurant. A deal was oosummated and closed late yesterday afternoon, whereby .lames Hurst, a well known Adams county man, pur chas id a one-half interest in the Peoples’restaurant, situated on Sec ond street buying out the interest of John Soheiniun property of the Riverside hum The now firm will bo known as the Peoples’ restaurant under the management of Fisher & Hurst Mr. Hurst purchased this business for the benefit of his son. who will look after his father’s in forest and learn the business. The new firm is a strong one, and should draw their share of the trade

NUMBER 292

SHEEP KILLED Union Township Reports One Hundred and Thirty-One. Trustee Koldewey reports that for the past year Union township has had to pay for one hundred and thirty-nine sheep, which was either killed or wounded. The total appraiesment of the value of these sheep, and for which Mr. Koldewey as trustee had to pay was <451.75. During the year three dogs were killed. The number of sheep killed the past year seems unusually large.

MAY INDICT Special Session of Wells County Grand Jury The Francis Beeler Affair Being Investigated Again—Dr. Landfair’s Arrest May Follow. The Bluffton News said last evening : lhe grand jury which served during the opening week of the present term of circuit court, was reconvened today on an order of Judge Vaughn issued last Friday but kept secret until today. The purpose of the extra session of the inquisitors, it is said, is to inquire into a criminal operation alleged to have been committed by Dr.C. L. Landfair on and about September first and more especially to take the testimony of Miss Francis Beeler, the young girl who has alleged that the operation was performed upon her. During the first session of the jury the Landfair mu tter was gone into thoroughly but not enough evidence was found upon which to indict him for the reason that the girl would not testify against him, her attorney advising her that under the law she could not be oomi>elled to testify to matters that might tend to i ncrim mate herself. Since the grand jury met Miss Beeler filed a suit for damages, alleging the performance of the operation and setting up various statements concerning it and it is to these that toe jury will try to make har testify. Should her testimony be along the lines stated in her complaint tor damages it will no doubt res lit in an I indictment being returned against ■ the doctor and also against herself. Badly Crippled News of the removal of David E Bulger, helplessly crippled from paralysis, to poor farm near this city, recalls the existing scenes in the Indiana legislature in 1887, when Col. R. 8. Robertson, of Fort Wayne, who had been declared elected lieuten<nt governor of Indiana, was prevented from taking his seat as presiding officer of the state senate. Mr. Bulger was then a big, muscular fellow wh > was serving as doorkeejier of the senate,, and ho it was who laid violent hands upon Colonel Robertson when the latter attempted to oc cupy the chair of the preaid ing officer.—Bluffton Banner AMUSEMENTS. ‘"A Royal Slave," which comes to this city tomorrow night will prove an innovation in the way of melodrama, as it is a distinct nov elty both as to theme and scenic embellishment. The plot of the play is taken from Gen. Lew Wai lace’s great story, "The Fair God,” which is sufficient guarant®e of its literary merit. The many beautiful scenes have been painted from photographs taken in Mexico especially for this production and ar» said to be magnificent examples of the scenic painter's art.