Daily Democrat, Volume 2, Number 295, Decatur, Adams County, 23 December 1904 — Page 1

VOLUME II

CASES DISMISSED Riot Chorge Lacked Evidence Decatur Boys Court Difficulties Over the Monroe Affair are Settled. The oases of the State against Roy Elzey, Will Schruleker and Adam Wise, charged with causing and inciting a riot at Monroe in which Wise was seriously injured by being hit in the head with a stone, have been dismissed, and from all reports the matter will drop, and no further trouble caused by the state. The reason of this action on the part of the state was that the law clearly and specifically sets out that to constitute a riot case three or more parties must he arrested and convicted before the case will hold. In this special instance there was no doubt about the guilt of Elzey and Sohrnleker and these two parties could have easily been convicted, but the chart e against Wise could not be proven, as the ring leaders and' troublemakers at Monroe, who witnessed the whole affair, and were to a certain extent interested, stated that they would be unable to offer any evidence against Wise, as he seemed to he an innocent party in the whole transaction, and did not seem inclined to cause any disturbance. With this circumstance staring him in the face and the law being so plain upon the subject, Prosecutor Moran was forced to dismiss the cases and discharge the defendants. There is no doubt but that the boys have already been punished enough, and that in the future they will conduct themselves in a different manner and endeavor to be good citizens. The cases of drunkeness filed against the three b-ys at Monroe cost them in the neighborhood of <SO, which they paid. A TRANSCRIPT Attorney Lutz Completes Record The Transcriyt Measures About Fifteen Thousands Woros and is Complete. Attorney Clark J. Lutz completed the transcript of the record in the railroad subsidy, and forwarded it to the president of the Clover Leaf. It is a lengthy document, contains about fifteen thousand words, and is neatly type written ami bound. It contains all the corresjiondenoe that first took place between the Commercial clnb and the railroad officials, including the agreement entered into between them, and following this all the record of an official nature, beginning with the call issued by Auditor Bock for the board of commissioners to assemble and consider the petition. Following comes the granting of the same, the order fcr an election, affidavits of publication, appointment of election inspectors, tte oan\ass of the vote, in fact a complete record of the whole transaction. This record is the company’s authority to prooeed along the lines as laid down by rhe contract, and they will no doubt not be long in jierforming something that will be practical evidence that they recognize the agreement , and will act accordingly.

The Daily Democrat.

NEXT ATTRACTION Elf and Jane will Meet You Next Monday Night. "Eli and Jane" was the attraction at the City opera house last night, and general satisfaction was expressed by the large audience who witnessed the play. Mr. Green has been seen here before, but never in a role that suited him better than Eli. The play is not to be classed with.the ordinary "rube" production, for the comedy i. most refined. The specialties introd..vd were very well received. Miss D Vere won the admiration of her audience.—Noiwich (N. Y.) Daily S un. At Bosses’ opera house next Monday night. WAS INDICTED Dr. C. L, Landfair in Clutches of the Law Indicted bv Special Grand Jury for Alleged Criminal Operation. Dr. C. L. Landfair was arrested this morning by Sheriff Johnston on a grand jury indictment brought against him at the recent special session of the grand jury in this city. The charge against the doctor is that of performing an alleged criminal operation upon Miss Francis Beeler, who recently brought suit against him in circuit court for <5,000 damages for the same reason. In her; complaint she alleges that he operated upon her without her knowledge of what was being done and without her consent. Miss Beeler was summoned before the grand jury and after some difl'.oulty was induced to tell her stoiv with the result that the indictment was returned. Mr. Landfair when arrested immediately prepared to give bond, the sum named being <I,OOO. This was the sum required in all felonies at this term.—Bluffton Banner. GRETNA GREEN Motion County Clerk Issues Marriage Licenses to Non-Residents. Marion county proposes following in the steps of Jeffersonville and has opened its gates to fleeing couples who desire to get married. This action comes as a surprise and may pave the way for other counties in the state to do likewise. Indiana may may become known as the gretna green of the nation if all the counties follow tho pace set by Floyd and Marion counties. It is not known that the staid old county of Adams will lay down the bars for marrying couples from everywhere, but it is a foregone conclusion that there are other counties in the state which will not stand idly by and allow two counties to reap all the notoriety and fees in this direction. William E. Davis, the clerk of Marion county, has issued instructions to his deputies to issim licenses whether the woman to be married is a resident of Marion county or not. He says the order was issued because ho under stood that tho supremo oonrl had so construed the law. Since December IB three have l>een issn d three licenses to women who, in the marriage license affidavit, were admitted to be non-residents of Marion county.

DECATUR, INDIANA. FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 23, 1904.

WILL LECTURE Rev. Valentine Here Next Week Gifted Young Priest will Conduct Series of Meetings Here—Begins Monday Night. V Rev. F. Valentine, of Cincinnati, will next Monday evening begin a series of free lectures at the St. Mary’s Catholic church in this city. The lectures will continue through the week, including Friday and Monday and Tuesday of the following week. The mission is especially for non-Catholics and Father Wilken has sent out a number of invi tations as a foot note to which is this line "no Catholiic will be admitted unless acccmpanied by a non-Catholio.” The list of subjects for every night is as follows: 1. The Haunted House and Some of Its Ghosts. 2. You cannot be Happy without Religion. Why? 3. "Lead Kindly Light:” or Christianity in the Church. 4. Emmmanuel—God with us; or Christ is still upon the earth. 5. Triumph in defeat; or the Divinity of Christ proved hy the Divine Tragedy. 6. Free Love, Human Love, Christian Love; or Marriage and Divorce. 7. ‘‘Union; the Battle Cry of Freedom. ” A question box will be placed at the church door for honest inquiry. Father Valentine is a gifted orator, an earnest and sincere Catholic and religious worker who needs no introduction to Decatur people, having lectured here before. He will be heard by many during his series of lectures. FIFTEEN MORE Clover Leaf Order New Locomotives for Immediate Use. E. 8. Woitham, purchasing agent of the Clover Leaf, has just placed an'order for fifteen locomotives with the Amerioan Locomotive company and the engines are to be built at the Bruoks plant of that company. The company has con tracted to deliver the engines in January. The engines are to weigh 93 tons and are to be built on plans ; made by Peter Maher, superintend ent of motive power of the Clover Leaf. This is the second engine order placed by the Clover Leaf this winter, rhe first order of ten engines having been delivered to the company a week or ten days ago. 'lhe company will therefore [have twenty-five n£w engines in service by the latter part of January, which will put it on a very good operating basis. STORES ARE BUSY Holiday Week Causes a Rush in Busi-ness-Trade Is Good. Decatur stores have been busy places thia week, and today and tomorrow look like record-breakers. It is Christmas week and eveiv one is on the search for gifts, including clothing, dry goods, toys, novelties, dishes, pictures and about everything else kept in the various retail stores. The season has at leastequalled last year, and according to the statements of many merchants is far head of any previous year. The toy merchants and racket stores report an unusually good trade.

XMAS CONCERT Programme for Presbyterian Entertainment To-morrow Night. The program for the Christmas entertainment to lie given at the Presbyterian church tomorrow evening, is as follows: Song—“A Naughty Little Mouse, "eleven girls and boys. A Christmas Play—‘‘Santa Lost Sacs.’’—Characters - Robin Hood and his men. Queen Genevieve and her attendants. Santa Claus. Blue Bell. Children. Brownies. Pixies. Fairies. Song and March—The Flannegan Guards—By boys and girls. Song—By School. Treat. Song—Blessed Christmas Words —Miss Lila Hoffman and school. A little play—“ Christmas Stocking" May Erwin, Glen Tague and Santa Claus. COURT NEWS Blossom Divorce Case Heard Barger-Drum Case Disposed of—Other Legal Business Heard Yesterday Afternoon. lhe Adams circuit court was not in session this morning, but some business of more or less importance was transacted yesterday afternoon. —o— The divorce Joase of "John M. Blossom vs Elsie 8. Blossom was heard and Judge Erwin to k the evidence under advisement. He will return a verdict in a few days. —o— Samuel Barger vs George W. Drum, Sr., et al, suit on note of <4OO in which a verdict of <364.59 was given, finding that Henry, Joseph and George Drum, Jr., and Louis Brentlinger are sureties for George Drum, Sr., and James E. Ward, on order was issued to exhaust the property of the principles Hist. —o— Della F. Fetzer vs B W. Sholty, administrator claim of <BO allowed and ordered paid out of the estate —o — Judge Smith was expected here this mon ing to hear the arguments for a new trial in the case of tho State vs Lusher Collins, who was found guilty last week, but the failed to arrive.

METHODIST CHURCH. The Sunday school will give its Christmas entertainment Saturduv evening. Santa Claus has been invited to be present and has given his word to come. The Christmas morning meeting to lie held at 5 a. m. promises to be one of the best services of the day. Every on* that can should attend Session of the Sunday school at 9:15 a. m. “Tne Prince of Peace.” Mr. John W. Vail, superintendent. Public wor ship at 10:30 a. m. The class will not meet. Junior League at 2:30 p. m. Epworth League at 6 p. tn. ‘‘An Offering to Christ.” Mark 14, 3-9. Mrs. May L. White, leader. An especial song service with solos will proceed the evening public worship at 7p. ni. Your presence at the Methodist church on this glad day will be much appreciated. Bring your friends. Our people will enjoy the presence of tho Rev. W. H. Daniel, and the Bev G. H. Myers at these services. John C. White, Pastor.

GN THE RACK Trouble For Bluffton Rural Route Carriers Waller Fetters Charged with Pernicious Activity in Politics in the Last Campaign. I A Washington special says: Walter Fetters, of Bluffton, treasurer, of the Indiana Rural Carriers, is making a vigorous fight to prevent his dismissal from the service. Congressman Cromer, who is a friend of Fetters, called at the postoffice department to insist that Fetters be given a full and fair hearing before he is dismissed from the service. Fetters is charged formally by the postoffice inspector, who investigated his case with having circulated a large number of advance sheets of Rural Free Delivery News, the organ of the rural letter carriers to help elect a democratic house of representatives. In his reply filed with Fourth Assist-! ant Postmaster General Bristow, Fetters says he received a number of such advance sheets last October, and that he was bitterly opposed to their publication. He at once be gan to devise a plan to prohibit the publication of the article in the regular November issue of the News, and finally went to Chicago for that purpose. He claims to have been successful in preventing its publication.

LOOKS DIFFERENT Manv of the Handsome World’s Fair Buildings are Down. A. C. Alexander, secretary of the Indiana World's Fair Commission, is making arrangements for transferring the offioe of the commission from St. Louis to the State House Miss Hallie I McNeal, chief clerk, has returned and will have charge of the local offioe, which will be located in the rooms of the Lieu-tenant-governor. Mr. Alexander said the state exhibit will be brought here. He said a visitor to the grounds now would not be able to recognize the place. The salvage company, which received the contract for removing the buildings, has already begun its work of wrecking, and manv of the handsome edifices have been razed.

SAD NEWS Mrs. Wilmington Well Known Here Dies at Grand Rapids. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Phillips received the sad message this morn ing that their niece, Mrs. Will Wilmington, had died at her borne at Grand Rapids, Mich. A little babe proceeded the mother a few days ago. Mr. and Mrs. Wilmington were quite well known, having visited here just after their wedding a year and a half ago. MARRIAGE LICENSES Four Havr Btrd Issued at County Clerk's Office. The ice has been broken and tl e matrimonial market has brightened considerably. Four licenses have been issued, the followingjieing the happy parties. Oswin Sprunger and Emma Brooker, Oscar Burry and Eliazbeth Augsburger, (Horn Rook and Laura Heistand, Hamuel F. Majoi and Mina Connor.

NUMBER 295

A SURPRISE Mrs. '.Miller Reminded of Her ThirtySeventh Birthday. A very pleasant time was spent last evenng, in the form of a surprise party, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. M. Miller, on Second street. About twenty-tour ladies reminded Mrs. Miller that she was passing the 37th mile stone of her life. The crowd presented her with two very handsome pieces of china. Mrs. Miller treated the crowd to a delightful lunch, after which all returned to their respective homes, wishing Mrs. Miller many happy returns

FREIGHT WRECK Occurred at Wallen Last Night A Dasterdly Attempt to Wreck Passenger Train-Officers are Investigating. What was undoubtedly an at tempt to wreck passenger train No. 8, on the G. R. & I. railroad at Wallen, last night failed because a freight train came along a few minutes before the passenger was due. The freight ran into the obstruction placed by the wreckers and went into the ditch. Fortuna lily no cne was killed. The wreck occurred about 8:30 o’clock, a short distance north of Wallen, and about eight miles north ot Fort Wayne. The northbound freight train was to meet the passenger at Huntertown, and was bowling along at a rat® of thirty smiles an hour, when suddenly the engine struck an obstruction and was thrown from the track, landing fully six feet to one side. The tank was overturned on the track and the first four oars following were tumbled into the ditch. The trainmen immediately saw that a number of rails had been piled on the track, and is no doubt it was the work of wreckers. A brakeman hurried to the station and sent word of the wreck to the dispatcher's office. Sheriff Stout was notified and in a few minutes Deputies Daseler and Swaidner were on their way to the scene of the wreck to make an investigation. There is no clue to the wreckers.

LUCKY ESCAPE Russell Stewart Fell Twenty-five Fee But no Bones was Broken. Russell Stewart, thirteen year old son of W. W. Stewart, of rural route nine, had a brnky escajie from serious injury. Hu was assisting in feeding the stock and had climbed to the mow to throw down some hay. As he started down the ladder his foot slipped from the round and the boy fell a distance of twenty feet alighting on his head and shoulders. He was rendered unconscious ami was in that condition when found hy his brother who heard him moaning a few minutes after the accident. Dr. Kirk, of Daisy, Ohio, was summoned and an examination showed that no bones were broken. The shoulder muscles were torn loose, and the lad's back was bruised, making painful injuries. He is recovering nicely.