Daily Democrat, Volume 5, Number 53, Decatur, Adams County, 2 March 1907 — Page 1

Volume V

BABY GIRL WAS MURDERED Two Boys Found the Dead Body Under a Small Bridge

WEST OF THE CITY ; ( Believed the Child was l ! Choked to Death i CORONER HELD INQUEST TODAY j Result is Still Unknown —Officials • Working on an Important Clue. Lying at the home of Horace Botthoff, custodian of the Decatur ceme. £ tery, is the body of a sweet faced, Mark haired, litte girl baby, who, per. i haps before a day old and before her I little eyes nad scarcely opened to the I beauties of this world, was murdered |by some degraded being, so low in morality that we can And no name i suitable. Her little body had been placed in a paper sack and very probably hurled from a bridge and left to • die from the shock and exposure. The ; human mind can scarcely fathom this I terrible crime which has been com. [ mitted in our midst and as the story ; became public last evening feeling ran I high. It is needless to say that no i stone will be left unturned to land I the person or persons, connected with : the awful affair. Charles Cloud and Joe Deiner, two I young men who reside in the west I part of the city, while hunting for ■ muskrats along a small creek that I runs through the Decatur cemetery, made a ghastly find of the remains lof a newly born babe about five \ o’clock yesterday afternoon. The find was made near the bridge that spans the creek on the Preble and Decatur road, and the boys were frightened nearly to death when they found the •child. The boys had been hunting all j afternoon along the creek and were • returning home when they passed under the bridge, and one of them i discovered a sack lying on the ice. I Out of curiosity mor than any thing I else one of the lads said: “I wonder I what is in that sack," and unthought. I edly thrust his stick into the sack, ■ tearing it open. A paste board box I was found to be in the sack and the I young men lifted the lid, and you can ■ Imagine their surprise when they dis. I covered that it contained the remains I of a baby which lay cold and stark lin death. The boys hastened to the I Botthoff home and informed Mr. Hott. I hoff, who went to the scent immediI ately and took charge of the remains. I conveying them to his home. It " 1S I then that an examination was made I of the remains which disclosed hie fa't I that it was a fully developed babe. I possibly twenty-four hours old. 1 ‘ I skin was white and clear and putn. I faction had not set in on an pi. lof the body. It was a git' I with black hair and of heavy limb and I body and would possibly weigh ten I pounds. The only bruises upon h I body was about the head, both > ■- I being discolored as if the head I. t< I come In violent contact with - >m‘ I object and both ears were filled " I Wood. Whether the bruises were I caused by throwing the remain' I the bridge into the creek, or whe’her 1 the child had been wilfully murders I wiU probably never be known. >-!■ ;- I iff Meyer, Deputy Sheriff l>utl< ■ a representative of this papei a to the cemetery last evening <• ■ I cured all of the particulars that emm fl be gleaned concerning the di>< fl and viewed the remains which ■ed the marks as described above . fl guilty party or parties were ver } fl fill to leave no marks of id< n , 1 fl as the child was found in a paste board box in a flour >■• fl the child bad not a stitch of < fl on it. That it had not lain w 1 more than twenty f <>u fl is certain owing to the fact l‘-‘ had not set in. rhe “ ■ BB will make a rigid exami ’■. fl wij] endeavor to locate fl parties and bring them t-> fl The finding of the body di-c fact that one of the most in the county « hi

The Daily Democrat.

been committed and if the murderer is located, but little sympathy will be shown. How’ a mother or anyone else could sanction such an act, even to cover their own shame and disgrace is mere than the ordinary mind can fathom. Coroner J. C. Grandstaff, assisted by Drs. D. D. Clark and J. M. Miller, and under instructions from Prosecutor H. B. Heller, conducted an inquest on the body of the babe this morning. Prosecutor Heller swore each party present to secrecy, and as a result the verdict cannot be obtained yet. It is known, however, that finger marks were found upon the baby’s throat, pioving conclusively that the child had been choked to death. There was other evidence of this fact also. A valuable clew was also obtained at the inquest and it is quite possible that the mystery may soon be cleared. sprungeFguFlty Arrested Yesterday and Heavily Fined PUTS UP A CASH BOND But Later Decides to Plead Guilty and Judge Erwin Fined Him Fifty Dollars. Samuel Sprunger, the man who had nerve enough to conduct a saloon in Berne, without a license and in direct opposition to the law and the wishes of Fred Rohrer and four hundred other citizens of Monroe township has again paid the penalty of his folly. He appeared before Judge Erwin, plead guilty and was fined fifty dol. lars and costs which he Immediately paid. When first arraigned he said he would fight the case and put up a SSOO cash bond, the case being set for tria' for Thursday, March lt4h, but a few minutes later he changed his mind and entered a plea of guilty. His stock of whiskey and other spirits fermenti, are being held at Berne un. der an attachment Issued from Squire Liddy’s court and will probably be destroyed within a few days upon or. der from that court. A day or so after the raid upon Sprunger he left Berne, going to Covington, Ky, where the police nabbed him. However, he returned of his own accord and was arrested yesterday afternoon. Whether he will open another “hop cream” joint or not, he has not announced. o — DIST. CONFERENCE

To be Held in Ft. Wayne This Month CONVENES AT TRINITY CHURCH Various Committees Appointed—Rev. White on Committee for Admission Into Conference. Methodist Episcopal churches of the j Port Wayne district of the North In--1 diana conference will hold the annual | district conference at Trinity M. E. ' hurch in Fort Wayne March 19. 20 Lnd 21. a n d the program for the con. I ference has just been issued. Rev. (■ i . Wade, presiding elder, will be in three days the pastors, local ■cliers. district stewards, class Sunday school superintend. •id the presidents of the various h societies will go over the work church for the past year in pre.,n for the coming conference • Logansport in April. , . .ingram includes services in

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday Evening March 2, 1907.

I charge of the various ministers of j the district, Rev. White being on the ■ program Wednesday morning, the 20th. The committees for the district conference are as follows: To examine candidates for license to preach—J. K. Walts, P. E. Powell. C. E. Line. To examine local preachers in the course of study—First year, M. A. i Harlan, W. P. Herron, J. M. Canse; second year, David Wells, E. L. Jones, M, C. Pittinger; third year, J. B. Cook, P. H. Walter, N. P. Barton; fourth year, C. H. Brown, E. A. Bunner, H. Boase. Registrar—J. K. Cecil. For admission into Annual Conference —J. C. White, C. A. Rowland, G. W. Martin, J. L. Hutchens, Beneville Sawyer, Preston Polhemus. Local deacon, and elders’ orders —J. S. Cain, S. F. Harter, G. H. Bright. General qualifications —G. H. Hill, M. E. Nethercut, R. L. Semans, F. P. Johnson, F. A. Reichelderfer, C. W. Church. Resolutions —H. S. Nickerson, C. B. Sweeny, M. T. Brandyberry, J. S. Newcomb, B. F. Hornaday. 1 New work in the district —C. B. ! Dougherty, H. H. Hocker, C. G. Nel--1 son, R. E. Goxnall. ♦ TWO HUNDRED PIPE LINERS , Were Brought to Preble Over the Clover Leaf. | A special train of six cars passed over the Clover Leaf, east bound to Preble. There were two hundred pipe liners and two car loads of tools which were brought from Casey, 111., by the Ohio Oil company to start a twelve. 1 inch line between Preble and Poneto. There is a gang already working at Poneto. ' Sunday a gang of men was also brought to Elwood and they will lay another eight-inch line ten miles out of Elwood making connections with the twelve inch line between that place and this. This makes three I eight inch lines running out of El. ( wood. The company hopes by looping the c lines this way that they will be able i to get the oil through without anoth. I er station. If this fails to pan out, a > new station will be erected at Mont- • pelier to help the oil along. If it , is found necessary to build the new - station here it will mean one as large r or larger than that of the Indiana I Pipe Line company’, with a number of i large receiving tanks. —Montpelier t Herald. ' chooseofficers J X Meeting of City Improvement Society X s D. M. HENSLEY AS PRESIDENT Reports of the Secretary and Treas- , urer Give Glowing Acounts , of the Year’s Work. ( Notwithstanding the inclement ’ weather quite a number of members attended the meeting of the City Improvement Society last evening. Perhaps the most important "business I transacted was that of the election of officers. Mr. D. M. Hensley was the unanimous choice for president, the remainder of the selection being ’ the old officers. They are Mrs. L. G. Ellingham, vice president; Earl B. Adams, secretary, and C. J. Vogle. wede, treasurer. Mr. Hensley, the new president, has been one of the few faithful, loyal and hard working ; members and his selection as presi- - dent of the society is not only a 1 recognition of merit, but it means . more accomplishment during the sec. ) ond year of the life of this civic so. - ciety. Dr. Boyers, the retiring presi- . dent, can boast of giving the town 1 one good cleaning, and that is honor enough to last the average man a life 1 time. He has made a good and effis cient executive officer and retires . with credit. Reports from the secres tary and treasurer for the year were c made, showing that much has been . done toward beautifying our city, s Flower planting and efforts to otherwise make Decatur fresh and sweet, i -..i1l be taken up and carried out.

PASSED THE HOUSE Ship Sbusidy had a Very Close Call DEMOCRATS WERE AGAINST IT Four Indiana Congressmen Voted With Democrats—Cromer For It. Washington, March 2.—lt has been years since the house was the scene of so royal a battle between the two great parties as it witnessed there yesterday over the ship subsidy bill. The bill was passed between but not until after it had been once defeated, and this fact in itself shows how close the alignment was. When the first vote disclosed a majority against the measure the Democrats and their Republican allies made the house ring with their cheers. There were several roll calls before the final favorable result was secured. The vote on the Littauer substitute was defeated on the first'vote, ayes, 164; nayes, 161. The Democrats could not retain their lead, however, for on a vote to lay on the table a motion to recon, slder, the opponents of the ship subsidy were defeated, 156 to 159, and the vote to reconsider the first vote was adopted 164 to 154. Both of the Democratic Indiana members voted against the graft, and the following Republicans. Gilhams, Holliday, O. B. and Fred Landis. The seven other Indiana members, including Mr. Cromer from this district, voted for it. o A WARM MEMBER Hon. J. A. M. Adair Already on Firing Line WILL BE A POPULAR MEMBER Only a Week in Washington, Yet They All Know Him —Committee Assignments. That J. A. M. Adair of Portland, who will succeed next Monday to the congressional shoes worn for eight years by George Washington Cromer, will prove a popular member of the house is already demonstrated. Adair was in Washington only about a week, but he made wonderful progress in getting acquainted and ingratiating himself with the Democratic membership of the house. Democratic solons from all parts of the country are now accosting him with such familiar expressions as “Hello. Adair,’ as if their acquaintanceship has extended over a period of ten years instead of less than ten days. The prediction is gen. eral on the Democratic side that Adair will prove a “warm member.” He is alert, quick to grasp a situation, and the minority leaders of the house have picked him out as a man who is likely to prove an able performer in devising and executing schemes to put the Republicans in a hole. Adair is not a rantankerous partisan, but he likes to have fun and it is likely that he will be on the firing line in many of the political battles that will be waged in the Sixtieth congress. Mr. Adair’s committee assignments are still undecided. He would like very well to succeed Representative Cromer on the committee on agriculture, but the demand for places on that committee is terrific and it is doubtful whether he can land there. If he can not he would be satisfied with a place on the banking and cur. rency committee as his major assignment. He is a banker and a business man and the banking and currency ■ committee would afford him a field I for his chosen activities. He has not yet selected his private secretary, but I has several names under considera. ■ tion for that appointment. —Ludlow, : Washington correspondent. I o Edison Brock arrived t.lay from I Fort Wayne and is the guest of bis i parents.

DALE SPAHR WAS THE HOST Entertained His Friends at a Banquet Last Night. A delightful banquet was given at the Anderson & Baker restaurant last night between the hours of 11 and 12 o’clock by Mr. Dale Spahr, who left this morning for Van Wert to deliver two horses for Mr. Gunsett, a horse buyer of that place. On the way to Van Wert Mr. Spahr stopped at Ri. varre, Wren, Glenmore and other places. He will return some time this evening, and no doubt his many friends will be at the train which will bring him to town. Mr. Spahr has had this trip planned for some time, but not until yesterday afternoon did he decide positively on what date he would leave, but he entertained the boys royally. COURTHOUSENEWS Mrs. Louisa Zaugg asks for a Divorce M’GRIFF AND ELLIS ARE FINED Each Gets Thirty Dollars and Costs— Action in Other Cases—Some Affairs in Probate Court. Attorneys Merryman & Sutton, repressing the plaintiff, Louisa Zaugg, have filed suit against Peter Zaugg, asking for a divorce. Fifteen years

ago it is alleged Peter left his wife, without any cause whatever, and with five children to support. He went to Ohio, where he has since lived and his wife has never seen his face since, nor received any support from him. The children are now all of age. George M. Beard vs. Eli Meyer, Ed Green and James Doherty, false imprisonment, demand $2,000, appear, ance by C. J. Luts for Doherty, by Peterson & Moran for Green, and by D. B. Erwin for Meyers. Ruled to answer. George A. Bohrer Brewing company vs. Harry Cordua et al., suit on bond, demand $650, appearance by L. C. DeVoss for Sheiine and Andrews, demurrer filed by all defendants and overruled, separate answers filed by Cordua and Sheiine. Rule to reply. John Meyer vs. Christian R. Niblick, adminstratrix, claim, $70.50, allowed in sum of S7O. Charles W. Carpenter vs. Laura E. Carpenter, divorce, set for trial next Saturday, continued indefinitely. Andrew Miller vs. Grand Rapids & Indiana railway company, change of venue granted to superior court of Allen county, on motion by defendant. Judgment was rendered against Charles D. Murray, in the case against him for allowing persons in his saloon on Sunday. He was fined $lO and costs. State vs. Michael McGriff, selling liquors to minors, finding by the court, that defendant is. guilty, fined S3O and costs. State vs. Lafayette Ellis, selling liquor to minors, finding that defendant is guilty, fined S3O and costs. Paul G. Hooper, administrator of the Anna Mallonee estate, filed his inventory showing a total of $1,785.19 all in mortgages and cash. Christina R. Niblick, administratrix of the W. H. Niblick estate, filed inventory number three, which was approved. Katharine Shaffer filed a separate answer to the petition to sell real est Ate of her husband, Mathias Shaffer. Jonas Tri’va -• lUoiuue to. day, where he will spend Sunday with I relatives.

IS IN HOT WATER Cremer’s Appointment Not Yet Assured CONGRESS ADJOURNS MONDAY Many Pet Measures Killed —Railroads Won as Usual—Rural Carriers Get Increase. Washington, March 2.—The president may decide not to appoint George W. Cromer ,the retiring Eighth district member of congress, postmaster at Muncie. It was the hope and expectation of the members of the delegation from Indiana that the nomination would be sent to the senate today, but inquiry at the White House reveals that the case is still under consideration there. A protest against the appointment being made has been filed with the president by some of Cromer's old-time enemies at home. Mr. Cromer's friends are doing all they can to overcome the effect of this protest, but they were not at all certain today that they could succeed. Postmaster General Cortelyou has sent the president a recommendation that Cromer be appointed and it now rests with the chief executive to say. Washington, March 2. —The work of the closing days of the Fifty-ninth congress has narrowed down to the conference committee stage. It looks now as if the finish on Monday would be easy. An agreement has already been reached on practically every contested piece of legislation. In the final roundup many pet measures are being thrust into the scrap heap. Senator Beveridge's amendment to the agricultural bill providing that the date of inspection should be stamped on every package of canned meat or meat product went by the board last night. Washington, March 2.—The railroads won out on the question of fixing a basis for their pay for carrying the mails and thereby saved for their pockets about $5,000,000 a years. The conferees rejected the senate amendment providing that in ascertaining the average daily weight of mail Sunday shall be included as a divisor. Washington, March 2. —In the final round.up on the postcffice appropriation bill, the rural carriers’ salaries were fixed at S9OO a year. Washington, March I.—President Roosevelt has assured friends of Representative Cromer that he will try to reach a decision tomorrow as to whether George W. Cromer shall be appointed postmaster of Munce. Representative Watson called today on the president in behalf of Mr. Cromer. The president said that some protests have been received and that he wanted little time to consider them. Other friends of the congressman at once became active and inquiries were made at the postoffice department and the white house to ascertain where the protests are coming from. The department and the president declined to give afly information as to the identity of the protestants. Cromer's friends said tonight that there is still some doubt as to whether he wins the fight. His enemies seem to be busy wherever they can get in knocks. It was learned today that the appointment of Alva M. Newcomb as postmaster at Elwood, which was made on Cromer’s recommendation, has been ordered held up in the senate committee on postoffices and post roads. The clerks of that committee decline to give any information as to who requested that this action be taken, claiming that such matters are in the nature of executive secrets. It is believed that somebody is opposing Cromer, who fears that he will become a political power in the Eighth district if appointed postmaster. Cromer went with \\ atson to the white house today, but remained outside while his colleague interviewed the president. o SEVERAL BILLS ARE PASSED (Scripns-Mi'Rae Special 1 Indianapolis. March 2. —The house passed to a third reading the Moss I uniform text book bill. The senate I passed the pure stock food biii, aLo I Vincennes University claim bill, both

Number 53