Daily Democrat, Volume 3, Number 16, Decatur, Adams County, 30 January 1905 — Page 1

VOLUME 111

[MRS. HELM BURNEDTODEATH Victim of Terrible Accident Sunday Morning

■ DIED LAST NIGHT I tier Son Badly Injured in ■ Effort to Save Iler Explosion of Coal Oil While Startint a Fire the Cause lived on Tenth St-eet. Mrs. Susan Helm met 'a terrible death last evening as the result of burns received while attempting to start a fire in her sitting room stove yesterday morning. She lived on South Tenth street in the west part of Decatur with her son, Samuel. She arose Sunday morn-1 ing about six o'clock and at once: started to kindle a fire in a soft coal stove. She placed some kindling in the stove, then poured on some kerosene oil. For some reason or other the oil failed to ignite at once. Mrs. Helm was bending over the j stove putting in some small pieces of coal. This seamed to stir up the . blaze sufticilent to ignite the gas, I which had already formed from' the coal oil. An explosion followed,' the flames encircling Mrs. Helm. Her clothing caught fire and she, was fearfully burned from the hips to the top of her head. Her son heard the screams and immediately rushed to her assistance. He tore off her clothing and dashed water on her body, but before the flames were extinguished they had oom j pie ted their awful work and the poor woman .vas suffering the tortures of death. Dr. P. B. Thomas was summoned, but his efforts proved futile, death relieving the pitient at 9:30 o’clock last night. Her face and right side were liter- ; ally cooked and the flesh fell from the bones. While her tmck and other porticns of her body were also terribly burned. During the hours between the time of the accident and her death the victim suffered the fiercest agony and it was known from the first that re- j covery was impossih le. Samuel Helm had his hands badly burned, while tearing his mother's clothes oft. His wounds while painful are j not serious. Mrs. Helm was the! wife of Geoige Helm who died sev- 1 oral years ago. She was a duugh ter of Noah Glass, deceased, and was fifty six years four months and sixteen days old. She has lived in this county the greater part of her life, but resided at Parsons, Kansas a few years. Iwo children Samuel Helm anil Mrs. Etta Lang rey survive her. The funeral ser vices will be held Tuosdav morning ; at ten o’clock at the United Brethren church. PASS HIM UP Smooth Person Works Van Wert Citizens —Sold Them Thistles. Several of our citizens wore vi o time, yesterday, of a smooth, bow legged Persian, who was selling buds for for 250 each, claiming they 'grew on Mt. Olive and would sprout in water by soaking for ten minutes. After soaking for an hour it was unwrapped and found to lie a thistle bulh covered with moss and soaked in essence of cinnamon.

The Daily Democrat.

IS BUSY Judge Erwin's Services Are in Demand Just Now. Judge Erwin is a busy jurist these days, his services being in I considerable demand. During all of last week he conducted court at Fort Wayne, hearing three impor tant cases. He went to Huntington today, where he sits as special judge in circuit the court of that county. He will o]>en court here next Monday and on Thursday of next week will go to Fort Wayne where he acts as special judge in a famous murder trial, the Indian Godfrey who killed his father in a road house spree a year ago, being the defendant W'LL PROBA T ED

Mrs. Eiting Gives Money to Church I Bequests Sum! to Orphan Asylum and Benedictine Society Also to St. Joseph Cemetery. The will of Christena Siting wa* probated at the office of County Clerk David Gerlier this morning. She bequeths |2OO to the St Mary 's Catholic church; <2OO to the Bene deotine society of Clyde, Missouri; 1200 to the orphans' society at I Clyde, Missouri; <2OO to the St. Joseph cemetery; i 150 to the St. Mary's church to be used to purchase candles and altar decorations; #2OO to her brother. Benedict Schreoder, of Madison; S3OO to her sister. Theresa Matnam, of Cincinnati ; <4OO to Margaret Eiting ; <2OO each to her grandchildren, Helen aad Matilda Eiting and the balance of her estate equally to Henry, Cornelius and John Eiting, each to i share alike. Edward Ehinger is made executor of the will, which was made September 24, last. Mrs. Eiting died one week ago Sunday, She was a kind Christian lady and her noble traits are shown in her will. THE PROGRAM ■ Presbyterian Ladies Missionary Society Meets Tomorrow Afternoon. The Ladies’ Missionary society of the Presbyterian church will meet at the home of Mrs. John Sohug, Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock A cordial invitation is given to all the ladies of the church and their friends to attend The program in eludes: “Review of the Year.” Paper—“ Home Mission Outlook,’’ Mrs. Thos. Reid. Solo, Miss Grace Peterson. Conversation. “Why do 1 believe in Missions’?” led by Mrs. Allen. Music, Mrs. W. HLee. Reception committee, Mosdames Sohug, Woodward and Wertzberger.

DECATU’L INDIANA, MONDAY EVENING, JAN UAH Y 30, 1905.

ABOUT PIE Congressman Cromer to Make a Speech A Sensation Promised In Criticising the Civil Servlc Commsslon. Louis Ludlow, writing to the Indianapolis Star says that Congressman Cromer resents the hoggish i propensity of the District of Columbia and the neighboring states of Virginia and Maryland in gobbling up positions in the departments at Washington of the exclu aion of worthy states like Indiana. He has secured promise of time to make a speech in the House tomorrow, in which he will go after the civil service commission for allow ing thia discrimination The condition of favoritism which he pro poses to show is sufficient to aston ish the country. He has secured ample figures to prove his point, and if the civil ’service commission does not feel the effect of his ammu nition it can be considered proof against -uongresaional artillery He will ]>oint out that in the nine execnsive departments in Washington, the government printing office and inde|iendent offices like the civil servioec ommission, interstate commerce commission and the Smithsonian institute, there are , 25,675 employes; that of this num ; her the District of Columbia has 5,657, Maryland 1,398, and Virginia 1,119. While they have only 44 10 . jier cent of population of the i country they have gobbled 30 1-101 i per cent of the offices. He will show that if all the states and territories had appointments in the same ratio as tie District of 'Columbia, Virginia and Maryland, in | stead of 25,576 employes in Wash ! ington there would be 1,461,531. Hh wid assert that since July 1, 1903. 738 places have been apportioned to the District of Columbia, which is thirty-one more than the state of Indiana has all told. Con gressman Cromer holds the civil service commission directty respon sible, as it is charged by law to see that these places are apportioned among the various states according to population. He declares that Washington society controls the appointments and that social leaders here are able, by a great pull they ; exert, to have them dealt out to their favorites and poor cousins, while congressmen are afraid to break up the game for fear of offending the social nabobs. His speech promises to tie a sensation. JAIL SERVICE

Decatur People Should do a little Home Missionary Work. Two well known Decatur ladies called at the county jail yesterday and in their own way conducted religious services, especially for the wayward woman tramp who is serving sentence there. The efforts of these women may prove to have been useless, but they will at least have the knowledge that they have don ea Christian duty. For three months past there nas from nine to seventeen prisoners at the jail. These are men, many of whom have received a sentence for some mistake. A prayer, a few moments’ talk, a sacred hymn may remind them taught by mother As a community we owe it to them. In the jails of surrounding counties the ministers conduct services each Sunday and they have been producive of more than one conversion. Sheriff But let gladly allow such services here.

LATE EASTER Holiday of Beautiful Hals Comes on April 23 This Year. Decatur ladies have discovered another reason for sadness while their husbands are correspondingly glad as they think of the delay in paying millinery bills. This year Easter Sunday falls on April 23. The date is unusually lute. But few times in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries has Easter t»een so belated. In 18’0 it fell on April 22 and on the same date in 1812 and again in 1832. In 1848 it came on April 23 and in 1859 on April 24. The latest Easter recorded in the two eenturits was I**6, when it fell on April 25. There will be but two more Easters on April 23 in the twentieth century, in 1816 ami 2000 In 1943 it falls on April 25. Last year Eister cime on April 3. The earliest Easter recorded in the two centuries thus far was in 1818, when it fell on March 22.

ERIE TALK Two Reports as to Their Future Are Current Believed the Announcement of a Merger With the C. H. & D. Will be Made This Week. There are two reports current regarding the future of the Erie Rail road company. One is rather vague and uncertain The other is definite and specific. One “ays that there is a transcontinental development in which the Erie will figure, but fails to state particulars further than that it is the result ot a bring ing about of a settlement of the Northern Securities case. Big changes are expected to follow that settlement, and it is now thought not to be far away. But there is another development which is nearer home and which seems more rea sonable, abiut which three are p hibilities of an interesting character. It is known that the refinancing measures of the C. H. A- D are nearing completion, and it is stated that as soon as this has been ac- j oomplished there will be a change, in the railroad map which will lead to a close traffic alliance, if not a combination, of the Erie and C. H. A D. roads. If is believed th if the anounoement of such an alliance will be made soon after February 1. F. D. Underwood, president of the Erie road, announces the appointment of James H. Maddy ns special representative of that line, with headquarters at New York IT’S FUNNY Stewart’s Farce Comedy “The Two John!' Tomorrow Night. J. C. Stewart's merry musical farce, “The Two Johns,” which comes to the Bosse opera house next Tuesday. January 31, is undoubt- i edly of the most popular comedies overproduced, its revival this sea son is said to be far more preten tious than when it was here before, new jokes, songs and specialties having been interpolated. In addition to this the famous Garden City quartette has been engaged, whose ability is unquestioned as they have been appearing successfully for the past three years in the different vaudeville houses of the larger cities. All in all it is an entertainment of merit and if you want a good laugh don’t miss it.

THE REPORT 11 Clerk Gerber’s Statistical Statement Gives Exact Numbrof Cases Filed and Disposed of in 1904—O‘her Interesting Facts. Clerk David Gerber today forwarded to the Indiana State Bureau of Statistics his report of business [ for the year 1904. The same shows that 175 civil cases were filed dur ing the year, twenty five letters of administration were issued and twelve guardianships, six decrees of foreclosure of mortgages, five Adams county ]Mkiple were declared of unsound mind, 18 marriage licenses were issued, ten people do dared their intentions of becoming American citizens, of which number one was originally from England, six from Germany, one frem Russia and two fr<mi Switzerland. Sixteen divorces were granted, sixty four criminal cases were filed during the year and sixty six disposed of. Nine of these were con-. victions for felony, twenty-eight for | misdemeanors, twenty nine crinii-1 nal cases were dismissed. There were eleven convictions under the , Indiana liquor laws. The report sets out the year 's business in detail and is an interesting one. LONG TERM Bluffton Schools Will be Open Eleven Months to Avoid Building. Bluffton shcools will hereafter be open eleven months in the year inst ad of nine, but pupils may attend any nine months and still have a three month's vacation. A very large majority will no doubt take the summer months for their vacation as usual. The school term begins September 4 and continues t< August 3 for the next year It is hoped this plan will save building another school building. Superintendent Wirt's plan is to have the new system go into effect February 17th, which will be the beginning of one of four terms during the eleven months. ! The plan is not to apply to the high school, which has been conducted on a flexible system something of this order for some time, i Under the new plan pupils can take < only three of the four school terms i and the idea is that about one I fourth of them will be taking a va cation at a time, thus relieving the overcrowded condition of the schools.—Binfft >n News. BIRTHDAY PARTY Girl Friends C II on Miss Desde Mann Called on Her.

Saturday afternoon, thirty girls called at the home of Miss Dessie Mann, and reminded her that her Twelfth birthday had arrived. Those present were.: Misses Dorothy Ervin, Ethel Dellinger, Ruth Suttles, Effie Pence, Tena McKean, Mary Hendricks, Frances Miller. Ruth Miller, Bessie Jleftrey, Tottie Hildebrand, Ethel Hildenbrand, Edythe Long, Ruth Patterson. Jessie Freel, Kate Bremerkamp., Nettie Reynolds. Grayce Coffelt, Edna Segur Esther, Cook, Esther Corbett, Grayce Purdy, Germaine Coffee, Vera Hammond, Marie Gass, Ruth Buhler. Marie Kitson, Alice Brandyberry, Jessie Schrank, Maggie Roop, Georgie Mann, Dessie Mann. Luncheon was served and many beautiful presents were reoeGe.l. All rep >rt a good time.

NUMBER Hi

BILL OF FARE Prof. Hicks and His Menu for Month of February. Rev Hicks has sent out his February menu in the weather line, and the first storm is due on the 3rd A progressive warm wave [ with falling barometer will appear first; cloudiness. with rain, turning to snow, will follow, and these, attended with more<>r lessstorminose, will pas* central to eastern parts of the country from about the 3rd to the sih. By the sth and all the phenomena of the first storm period will have nearly or quite disap peared, except the cold. Change to warmer and falling barometer, followed by return to cloudiness and rain and snow will again be advancing from the western parts. On and touching the Bth and 9th look for rains with electrical storms. The next storm period is central on the 14th, extending from the 12th to the 16th. The passage of regular winter storm conditions may be counted on this period. First, February rains, turning to snow and sleet squals, winding up with rising barometer and cold wave. The 19th, 20th and 21 will bring general and very active winter storms, the first stages of which will Im* warm and tropical—rains with lightning and thunder, espec ially on and touching the 21st. But in quick order look for change to colder with blizzardous visitations The last storm jieriod for February runs tr<>m the 25th into March. (>n and touching the 27th and 28th, growing change to falling barometer warmer and cloudiness will merge into wide spread rains, fringed on the west and northwest tangents by s io.v, high winds and much colder

RUSSIAN WAR FatherGopon Has Escaped iv Sweeden Sunday Was an Exciting Day at Warsaw —Cavalrymen Act Like Savages. St. Petersburg. Jan. 30, 1 a. m.— Father Gopon, it is now established definitely escaped through Finland and was oonveved across the gulf to Sweden by sympathetic Finns At present he is supposed to bo in Stockholm. A story ha* been started, which is attributed # to the police, that Gopon is a Jew. Warsaw, Jan. 30.—Troops have been charging mobs in all direction* today. Spirit shops have been wrecked and are burning. Wound-! ed men are coming in, and the blood of the dead, dreadfully smear-! ed on torn clothing and paper, is) being borne f rom man to man by excited Poles as a fiery cross. Among those attacked by the cavalry, who behaved in a manner worthy only of savages, were the British consul general for Poland, Captain Alexander Mudrray, and the British proconsul, Fritz Muou kain. SPECIAL MEETING Decatur lodge, No. 571, F & J M will hold a special meeting Tuer day evening, January 31, at o’clock prompt. Work in the firs degree Vl»4t‘ng hm’h’on enrdGH invited. Henry B .1 r. »v ij