Daily Democrat, Volume 3, Number 31, Decatur, Adams County, 16 February 1905 — Page 1

VOLUME 111

ANOTHER FIRE Berne Hay and Grain Co. Lose Warehouse A Twenty-five Hundred Dollar Bhzt Caused by Storing Goods Removed Frcm Yesterday's Fire. Birne had another disastrous fire this* morning, at about the sime hour as the Simison & Snhlner fire. ■ • enured yc*tediv morning. The Berne Hay & Grain company are the losers this time, ami the d< straction of their property is total. Boring the fire yosterdiv miming simison & Soldner arsed permission of the Berne Hay A- Grain company to store in their building the goods that had been saved from the b tire, this being the only available place in the town. Tire Hay com pany had at the "time only a car load of cement and a car of hay and flour stored in their building, and readily consented. At five o'clock this morning Nightwatch Sohncck noticed smoke issuing from the building, which is located on Main street, and at once turned in an alarm. The tire comp iny re«p <n led in a short time, but before they’ arrived the building was in a mass of flames, entail the efforts that were extended by the tire comp my was to keep the fire from spreading, as their supply of water had run on*. owing to the amount use I at the tire yesterday. The company were all exhausted from their former efforts and had not fully recovered from their trying ordeal of the day before, but nevertheless worked with a will, and kep* the fire confined to the one building The theory of the origin of the fire is that while moving the goods in eluding carpets etc., from the Sim ison Soldner fire, some of the goods were smoldering, and after being carried into the building were soon in flames. After the tire of yesterday morning the Berne Hay Grain company, not carrying any insurance, immediately applied fora policy of 11500, which was written and delivered to them yes terday afternoon at five o'clock, tuus protecting them nt just the right rime. The insurance called for one 11.000 on the building and *SOO on the stock, which will not cover the loss, which amounted to |?.500. Five hundred dollars was the loss sustained by Simison Sold ner on the goods they had stored in the building. It is said that only the fact that the surrounding build ings were covered with snow pre vented the flames spreading and the destruction of thousands of dollars’ worth of property. OIL REFINERY . A Million Dollar One Being Built by Independent Companies. A movement has been quietly inaugurated for the erection of a ♦ 1,000,000 oil refinery by eighty independent oil companies and owners operating in Texas and Louisiana fields. The phn is to present the refinery to the state of Texas, conditioned only upon its •nairtainance and operation for a specific term of years. The promoters are carefully guarding the details of the deal, which, it is said, are about perfected, the required capital having been pledged ! y those interested in the move as a last resort to combat the Stan dard ()i| company, which under othar n trnos his secured control of tin oil mirk it. Tie indip indiots are preparing suit against the Standard on the anti trust law. The Proposition is for the state to operate the refinery not, for revenue, but at cost of refining.

The Daily Democrat.

FIRST GROOM Unde Robert Simison First Man Married In Wills County. An article in the Muncie Star from Riff ton. says; ’ The first white child born in the city of Bluffton is still living He is a son of Mr and Mrs. Michael Miller, and was born on June 4, 1839. Ho was h inored by being named after the to wn. His name is William Bluffton Miller. He is at present living tin Marion, In<i , wh-’re he is at . present engaged in business. The ■ first Wells county groom i* still I living. Ho is Mr. Robert Simison, wh > is at the present time living in this city with his son, George Simis?n. although f r many years he resided in Adams county, until the death of his wife, less than a year ag >. He was married in February, 1837, to Miss Rebecca Davis, at the resilience of James Harvey. The ceremony was performed bv Squire He■ • i. of Fort Wayne, who was imported for the occasion. At that time there was no minister or jus tice of the peace in Weils county, or any other person who had the authority to tie the nuptial knot.” GEN. WALLACE Famous Soldier and Author Dead Indiana’s Best Known Citizen-End Came Peacefully at His Crawfordsville Home Last Night. Surrounded by his family General Lew Wallace, author of "Bin Hur,” one time minister to Turkey and veteran of the Mexican and civil wars, died at his home in Crawfordsville, at seven o’clock last night, aged seventy eight years. The end came peacefully. His last words, as he turned to his wife to bid her good-bye, were: ‘I am ready to meet my Maker.” He was one of Indiana’s moat famous men. a civil war general, a diplomat and an author. He wrote ‘‘The Fair God,” ‘ Ben Hur" and “Prince of India,” eioh a literary jiwol His father, David Wallace, was governor of Indiana in 1838. J Lew Wallace’s name is known the world around. He was one of the leading Masons of the country hiving attained the thirty-third degree. His name will find a prominent plane in history and his books will be read in centuries to come. DON'T MISS IT i “Caught In the Web” Is a Wonderful Melo Drama. In ‘ Caught in the Web,” the next attraction at the opira house, we are shown a wonderful child of the playwright’s fancy, but the theme and motive of the offering is entirely in a new vein and should be seen to be appreciated. It is the best described as an original melodrama of contemporary life. Its theme Im vers around the crime of shoplifting, and on« rs the big scenes is laid in a New York department store which is most faithfullv reproduced. Then the author unfolds a plot of unoom mon merit wherein are depicted the adventures of a good woman and an honest man liesot on all sides by villainy and treachery. Clever dialogue and sprightly action lead to thrilling climaxes and these are in a measure effectively relieved by a series of humorous incidents.

DECATUX INDIANA, Till JRSDAI EVENING. FEBRUARY Hi. 1905.

THE LEGISLATURE Legislative Apportionment Bill Agreed to The Codification Bill on Cities and Towns Has Been Made a Special Order- — The fee and salary committee reported Mr. Sweeney's bill to fix tie compensation of couuty audi ; tors for the keeping of books of the ■county council, with amendment and recommendation for pissage. ——— The two hill* which wore set as sjiecial orders in the house wore disposed of with little lass of time. The bills engrossed were senate bill i No. 105, to permit township* to j issue long time warrants and engrossed senate bill No. 144. The senate today adopted a report of the majority of the committee in favor of the codification commission bill on cities an I towns. Senator Ginierd, ohairm in of the committee on cities and towns, called the hill I up, which was set a* a special order. Provision* of a legislative apportionment bill was practically agreed ' upon by republican memtiers of the legislaturein joint caucus. When j the caucus adjourned everyone, apparently, was satisfied with the ; proposed redistricting of the state. 1 However, the j lint legislative ap- ! p >rtionment committee will not in treduoe its bill until Monday The committee on education reo- ; otnmended for passage house bills Noa. 343 and 314. The latter is Mr Long's bill to fix the daily salary of teachers by multiplying the average grade by 3* 2 cents instead of 2% cents, providing they have taught four years and hold a three year state license. Mr. Sweeney’s bill to abolish the truant officers in cities under 3,000 population was reported for indefinite postponement. The committie did not submit its repirt on the bill to make Palmer univei sitv a state normal school, although its report has been prepared. The senate pissed Senator McCain’s bill, to t.mend the present law regarding the state board of healthand county boards of health. The bill, senate bill No. 21, came up as a special order at 11 o'clock. It would increase the salary of the seroetary of the stare hoard of health from *2,400 to 13,000 a year, and would pay members of the botrd *lO a day for divs given to their work. Now ‘hey receive nothing. It also makes a county board of health consist of the jjoun ty sujierintendent of schools, the county auditor and the county sur veyor, instead of the county oom missioners. as is now the case. The bill also provides that a county board of health milt o >ll oot birth as well a* death statistices. IN DIRE STRAITS Are Hit Kansas Oil Men and Their Families Says Mr. Wheeler. James L. Wheeler, of Geneva, prominent in Indiana oil circles, returned last night from the Kansas and Oklahoma oil fields, where he has been looking after his oil properties. He says the conditions there are as told in press dis patches, although the story of the hardship* endured by the laboring people now out of employment has not been told. Hundreds of men have not done a day’s work in two weeks and arc withou’ m iney, for in a new country, mono/ comes and goes with little though' of the future.

NO STATUTE To Punish a Man Tor Stulln? Electricity In Indiana. There may boa law against plugging gas meters thin defrauding the poor but honest gas company, hut there io no law in Indiana against the theft of electricity. This was tried over at Wabash whore a man a ith nerve wired his own house, connected up with the city plant and was reveling in elec* tiro light that did not cost him any more than sunshine. When the electric light compiny came to prosecute the man they found there was no statute in the law of the state which could he found to fit the case. The man hail coin rnittisl a crime was easily seen but no such crime whs known in the laws of the state. Accordingly the case was dropped. The only thing which could be done was to make the man stop using electricity This was done, but the grand jury refused to find any indictment against him under which he could be prosecuted by the stite. The company accidentally discovered that the man had wired up his house with electric light*. Hi hid successfully tapped a wire and run the feed wires into his home. There he had the free use of all the lights he wanted, and fared well until caught in the course of time by the cotnpnav who had been furnishin g him the lights free of cost. WON’T AGREE Remonstrators Refuse to Compromise at Berne Nichols Agrees to Give Bond to Conduct Saloon According to Law But Is Turned Down. Another effort is being made to compromise the Berne saloon trouble, and George Nichols has published notice that he will apply for license at the March session of the county commissioners. He has offered to sign an agreement with the remonstrators that if they will not appear against him and thus allow him to secure a license that he will give ajbond of *SOO or *I,OOO that ho will conduct his saloon according to law. Mr. Rohrer, who has always appeared for the remon straters informed us this morning that the remonstrators laugh at the proposition and that they will . not even consider any compromise that means any kind of a saloon for Berne, that they will be on hands to fight Nichols and anyone else who desires a license. The ‘‘blind tigers” are now closed iu Berne and it is in reality a dry town and the anti saloonists are happy. WINDING UP Washington Township Advisory Board Getting Ready to Report. The advisory board f ir Washington township, Ex Trustee T. 8. Coffee and Attorneys Lutz and Beatty are busy today trying to put the finishing touches to a settle ment of the affairs of tte retiring trustee. The board desires to wind up the matter today, and in that event their report wdl be ready for publication tomorrow. There is considerable contention between them and Mr. Coffee over several purchases, which was made without th ir knowledge or approval, and it is probable theyjwill refuse to credit him with at least some of the items in controversy. The figures as given by the advisory board will he printed as scon as their repjrt is put on r< cord.

ASSESSORS MEET Receive Instructions From J. C. Wingate Slate Tax Commissioner Gave Interesting Talk to Township Assessors—Nine Were Present. John C. Wingate, of Indianapolis, state tax commissioner for Indiana, was here tod ty t > talk t > tne township assessors of Adams county (County Assessor Elias Crist was in | charge of the meeting, which was hdd in the cmrt room, at ten | o'clock thia’morning, nine of the twelve assessors were’’present, as follows: P. L. Soheiferstine. Root; Samuel Jaberg. Preble; William Zimmerman. Kirkland; William Blackburn, Washington; William Roop,’Blue Creek; Divid Lohman, Monroe; H irry Grove,; F.ejch ; Levi Schaupp, Hartford ;'JJ J. F. Felty, Wabash. Tures "wire* ah sent, J. () Ehrmun, Union; Carey Erwin. Jefferson; Dan Riop, B‘. Mary’s. Mr. Wingate spake'for two hours on the duties of the assessors. He complimented them I on the fact that their neighlwrs chose them to appraise their property, and insisted] t tlint the one great duty was to equalizd.SJ'Appraise each m in’s property in accordance witb his neighbors. The assessors will bogin workt’Maroh first and continue until Mayjlat. They will meet in Decatur March Ist. whin Cruity Assessir’JCrist : will give them further instructions Mr. Wingate is arFearnest ’ worker, and a pleasant speaker, in fact everyone present at today’s meet ing enjoyed his talk. His illustrations were apt. He toldlthe pur pose of the taxation, for wliat use the money is needed and insisted that we should a priv ilege. not as a burden. TOUGH WEATHER Rillroadlng Is a Dangerous and Unpleasant Bu'iness Just Now. " Monday F night 'and Tuesday,’ - said one of the old Erie road mer, ‘‘were'tbe worst hours of railroad ing I have experienced in years." Freight trains have l>een tied up at: all points along the line, and it was with difficulty that' the ’passenger trains were run through the bliz. z ird that raged. The on the west end was greater’’than at any previousjtime this year V Pas singer train No. 24, which leffchicago at 0 o’clock, did not reach this city, a distance of 112 miles,J until after five o’clock, about four and one half hours late. It was neoes sary to couple three trains—We hash, Erie and C. & E. I.—together to run up the 47th fstreetO’elevatLn in Chicago. Heavy drifts were en countered along the way. No. 4, following, was also over an hour late. No. 13, Tuesday, was six hours behind its sobidule’iuto this city, and regular No.’3jwas off over nine hours'owing to delays in the East The congestion in the local yards continues. — Huntington Herald. HEAD CUT OFF Brakeman Harris of Clovtr Leaf K‘ll(d Last Night. Brakeman Harris, of the Clover Leaf, was instantly killed at Greentown last night. His train, a freight, was making a running switch, when Harris slipped and fell under the train. His head was ■ out squarely from tho shoulders. ■ He was one of the oldest brakemen 'on the Toledo, St. Louis & Western i railroad, having been in their employ for years. Ho was qui*e well k’ o n i>; I> it'll'.

NUMBER 31

GODFREY CASE Defendant on Stand Today—[Case?] Attracts Some Interest. .¶ John Godfrey, charged with the murder of his father, will be placed on the witness stand in his own behalf upon the convening of court at half past eight o’clock this morning The descendant of the Miami chieftain will tell the story of the killing of his father on the night of March 11 last, and his testimony will be the most interesting feature of the trial now in progress. There is no end of speculation as to what the character of Godfrey's evidence will be. His attorneys have not yet clearly announced their plan of defense, although it is evident from the nature of the evidence introduced and the examination of their witnesses that they will attempt to prove either that the pistol from which sped the fatal bullet was in the hands of John God frey, sr., at the time it was discharged, or that the accused youth was struggling with his father for possession of the weapon and that it was discharged either accidentally or purposely by the young man because it was necessary to save his own life. All the testimony regarding the form and size of the bullet hole in the ceiling, the presence or absence of a groove Or mark in the joist above, and the cause of the indentation in the board of the loft floor the saloon ceiling has to do with the theory of self defense or accident. The state has sought to prove that the bullet went through the ceiling and struck the joist at an angle which would prove that the shot was fired from a point several feet in front of the bar, while the defense has tried to show that the joist was struck from the opposite side, which would prove that the bullet came either from inside the bar or directly over it, and that the pistol must there fore have been in the hand of the elder Godfrey, or that the father and son were struggling for the weapon over the counter.—Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. NEW FIRM Hyland & Co. Open Plumbing Store Occupy Hooper’s Block—Will Make a Specialty of Steam Heating Plants. The P. J. Hyland Plumbing & Heating Cd., isjtho name of a new business firm which will be ready for business by next week. Tuey are located in the Hooper building on Monroe street, and are now busy arranging the place for the convenience of themselves and their tra io. They will soon have a complete stock of both tubs, lavatories, and other supplies, and will hustle for a share of the business of this community. They will also make a specialty of puttirg in steam heating plants, and as they have already completed several first class jobs hero, they need no recommendations, as to their ability. The m< mbers o‘ he firm are P. J Hyland and ( hui es B Yobst, both of whom are well known. Mr. Yobst will ook after the work while Mr. Hyland takoi care of the business <rd of lhe concern. The latter will retain his position a* nssisfaik -it th ’ G v* >r the present nt least.