Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 January 1899 — Page 4

JMtBWII f, t. BiBCOCK, tDITOB HID MUMU Bntered nt the Poet-offlee at Rrnizanlaer, Ind. as second elam matter. sci TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTIONt ONE TEAR «•«> SIX MONTHS * 50c THREE MONTHS 25c. Payable in Advance. Advertising rate* made known on application Office on Van Renaaelaer Street, North of Ellis & Murray’s Store.

Open up the books. Let’s have ■an investigation of county affairs. The ‘ Runt” seems to have received a kick in a mighty tender place, judging from the amount of "howling he has been doing since he moved into his new quarters. When county officers refuse to submit for inspection and examination, papers which any person has a right to inspect, and without giving his reason why he wishes to see them, it is time to have a a general overhauling. Open the books! “Harbor” Knotts would confer a favor by devoting his valuable time to the dog question instead of endeavoring to protect the thieves, thugs and cut-throats who assemble at that plague spot known as Roby. The former diversion would be much less harmful to his constituents. The pretender of The Democrat has dropped the Sentinel from his exchange list.—Barnacle for January. No, but the “runt” should not expect a weekly paper, published every week, even up for one issued only at such times as his friends of the court house ring bring in a little “feed.”

The taxpayers up in the “democratic county of Starke” met and formed a Taxpayers’ Protective Association and will , investigate the alleged crooked work of republican county officials. Such an organization should be formed in every county in the state where there is reason to believe official dishonesty evists. Only last summer a little investigation revealed a $4,000 warrant outstanding of which the public knew nothing. Two Auditor’s annual reports failed utterly to disclose the existence of the loan. There is 119 telling what a thorough investigation would reveal, but one thing is certain, the two leaves cut from Commissioners’ Record 10 are safe from the prying scrutiny of everybody. In every instance where a state of rottenness has been discovered in county affairs, exorbitant taxation exists, and the public were kept in the dark about public affairs, when it was possible to do so. Jasper county is no exception to this rule. If everything is in ship shape order an investigation can’t hurt any one. If things are not all right, the sooner the fact is known the better. The Shelby county scandal grows apace. The county commissioners finding they would be caught red-handed, canceled all bridge contracts, amounting to some SBO,OOO, and then had secret surveys made and without the knowledge of the taxpayers, again let the contract to the same parties, and for a sum the people seem to think $20,000 too high. And so the taxpayers are preparing to fight some more.

For six weeks we have been trying to find out why John E. Alter's name was substituted for John H. Jessen's, on the county records in the Coates ditch matter. The bill shows John Jessen did the work, yet the claim was docketed in the name .of and a warrant drawn in favor of J. E. Alter. We have arrived ai the conclusion, that there was something about this bill that Alter did not care for the public to know, and took this means of hiding it from public view. At times it is not good for the public to know too much.

Bro. Marshall, at last recognizing the futility of« covertly fighting county and township reform, has come out square-toed in favor thereof. Although late in his announcement in this instance, neighbor Marshall can usually be depended upon to shout for “reform” —and a fat county order. An Indianapolis correspondent of the Cincinnati Enquirer says the County Officers’ Association is workings press bureau overtime at Indianapolis, to accomplish the defeat of the county and township reform legislation. These gentlemen may as well possess their souls in patience for if this legislature adjourns without doing something along this line in the right direction, the next legislature will, and it will be a drastic reform measure, too. The republican press of this county is as dumb as oysters on the subject of the stationery deal of last year. This may be easily accounted for. That contract called for furnishing all stationery of whatever character, while several fat orders outside of this contract were filled by the republican press of this county, and these bills added to those now marked as “continued” amount to over SI,OOO. Our republican contemporaries never squeal bn a “divy.” The Republican devoted a half column last week to to the “Nickum light fraud” as it is pleased to call it. It may be necessary to protect the Republican’s readers from this sort of frauds, but The Democrat readers possess too much intelligence to be caught on a pinhook of that kind. These matters must have employed all of the editor’s time Friday, Saturday and the first four days of this week, as he “forgot” to mention the fact that Abe was in session Friday and Saturday of last week and Tuesday of this week. Neither does the Journal mention the session of last Friday or Saturday, but does mention the session of Tuesday. Taxpayers will please make a note of the fact that The Democrat is the only paper in Jasper county that gives all the news pertaining to county affairs.

At the June meeting of the county commissioners as a board of Turnpike Directors, “Honest Abe” allowed himself $35 for services in “looking after” the northwest system of gravel roads. In addition to this he recieved his $3.50 per deim for the day’s session of the board the same as the other commissionees, and E. L. Clark as clerk of the board, received $1.50. At the December session asTurnpike Directors, Abe received $31.50 more for services on above system and his $3.50 per diem. Fred Waymire at this meeting drew $24.50 for looking after the south system, and E. L. Clark as clerk, $1.50. This is a “graft” which the taxpayers are not generally informed of, as all these allowances are recorded in what is known as the “gravel road record,” and no publication of the allowances is made in the “official organ” that we have observed. No republican legislature has met since 1881, that has not devoted much valuable time to the uplifting of the multifarious interests of Mr. Dog. Always the friend of the oppressed, the republican party has ever been the champion of his dogship. It was this party that in 1881 raised his dogship from slavery and outlawry to his present social position, decorated him with brass and beerchecks, the iusigna of his social rank, and guaranteed to him his 1 inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. ■ Every republican legislature since 1 has endeavored to better the social and moral condition of Mr. Dog. ! Yet it was the republican legislature of 1897 that made an assault upon the personal liberty of Mrs. Dog. 1 A law was passed that year requiring her to remain at home during certain periods. Mrs. Dog has treated with scorn and contempt—spat upon aa it were —this

indignity heaped upon her, and to-day, despite this barbarous and inhuman law, she goes about on all occasions, unhampered and unharmed. The present legislature is again wrestling with this question. However, any assault on the constitutional liberty of Mr. or Mrs. Dog will be resented at the proper time and in the proper manner. What the farmers of this county think of the merits of the prosecution of John E. Alter is shown by the fact that they unanimously elected him president of the county farmers’ institute, for the ensuing year. They have and esteemed Mr. Alter all his life and they khow that his prosecution is nothing else but malicious persecution.—Apologist. The action of the commissioners’ court in cutting a large number of bills nearly in two, and dismissing many others altogether, filed the last year by J. E. Alter, for services of himself and “assistants,” must, in the light of recent events, be attributed to malicious persecution. Next week The Democrat will publish the amount of the bills filed by Mr. Alter, the amount cut off from, and the amount dismissed altogether by the commissioners during the last year, as shown by the county records.

County Treasurer Gwin seems to have very peculiar ideas about the publicity of the records in his office. On the only two occasions we have called at his office to see canceled county warrants he has required us to state explicitly just what information we wished to get before allowing us to see them, the request for the warrant by number and the month issued not being sufficient information in his opinion to let us examine a canceled warrant. Thursday we wished to see the warrant issued to J. E. Alter for “field work on Coates ditch,” and he required us to state just what reasons we had for desiring to see the warrant before he would make any effort to show us same, then the warrant was not found. Perhaps it had not yet been presented for payment, but it was drawn several weeks ago. We had supposed it was none of the treasurer’s business what information we desired from examining a canceled warrant, but that individual seems to rule otherwise. We trust he will not force us to secure a mandate from the circuit court compelling him to allow us to examine records in his records in his possession without explicity stating the information we desire to gain therefrom? Gentle reader, have you noticed the direction from which the howl comes, when The Democrat man’s club comes down? From this same source, comes the ribald and vulgar criticism which is being heaped upon him. Investigation will show that these howling critics have fed, are feeding, or expect to feed at the public crib. Some of these carping, howling critics have some ugly sores on their official persons, and these sores are very tender. The Democrat man has not trimmed all the knots off his clubs, and throws them without regard to these tender places. Some of these clubs have come down “kerwhack” on a sore place, and then they howl. Do you blame them? You are not in a position to realize how it hurts. No official who turned over his office to his successor with clean hands is doing any howling, neither is he standing on the street corners barking and snarling at The Democrat man. His conscience is clear. He didn’t take any money from the public but that belonged to him. He didn’t “stand in” with dishonest scoundrels whose only business consists in bribing corrupt public officials, and robbing a long suffering public. He has no fear for The Ddmocrat man’s clubs. But it tickles him all bver when he sees these clubs start on their journey. He knows they will hit a sore place, and everybody else knows it, too. They can locate it by the howl it raises. The Democrat man has some more clubs and he intends throwing them, and and when you find one of the ring ducking and blinking his eyes, or “cussin” The Democrat man, you I can rest assured he has been hit.

COMMUNICATED.

Since “Honest Abe” has seen fit, for reasons best known to himself, to disclose the amount of profit in the gravel road contract in Marion tp., in 1893, he would do his constituents a greater favor by giving out information,—if not inconsistent with public interests—on the following matters, viz: 1. How much profit will there be in the Keener tp. gravel road contract,—S. M. McGinnis (& Co) contractors? 2. What became of the bond filed on behalf of the above contractor? Why has no bond ever been substituted for the one that mysteriously disappeared? Is there any likelihood of the contract being executed before the bonds are all paid? 3. If not inconsistent with public interests, please state what was the net cost of the court house clock and bell? 4. How much profit was there in the furniture 5. Could the gentleman who had the various contracts for “extras” on the court house make’living wages at the prices received for their work? 6. How much money had been paid those “architects” from Ft. Wayne before the discovery was made that contracts on a percentage basis are void? Please give dates and circumstances leading to this discovery. 7. How are the air pumps working at the power house? Has the walking-beam attachment proved a success? An appendix containing such other information, of a public nature, and not called for in these interrogatories, will be thankfully received by your constituents. 8. Why did you hold court nine days last December—the statutory limit—at a cost of §12.50 per day to the people, when all the business could have been easily transacted in half that time? 9. '•» Since J. E. Alter has received a certificate of good character, from G. E. Marshall, and the Farmers’ Institute, will you do him the justice to reinstate the bills filed by him, and dismissed by you, and allow balance on bills cut by you, amounting to hundreds of dollars? Your present attitude casts a cloud on his veracity, as all of these instances can not consistently be attributed to mistakes. Z

Real Estate Transfers,

Dewitt C. Hopkins to Cor* A. Hopkins. Jan. 20,1*5, bl 4, Weston's addto Biniseiser, sl. Mary C. Baker toKUsa 8. Potter, Jaa.S, pt e end se 14-28-7,77 acres, Jordan. $2,600. WilUam G. Renicker to Samuel A. Hopkina, Jan. 21, se se 21-80-6, Barkley, $2,000. William B. Austin et al to Sarah E. Miller, Jan. 23, pt se 24-20-7, 20 acres, Newton, WJOO. Leon W. Shaffner to WilUam C. Schwier, Oct. 23, 1807, its 0-10, bl 7. Bentley’s add. Wheatfield. . Carrol C. Kent to Oliver P. Hurley, Jan. 8, Its 12,13,14, 15,16, bl 11, Fair Oaks, SSO. David S. Alter to Roland Leir, Dae, 24, eH w*s ae 22-30-7. 40 acres, Union, $l,lOO. Stephen C. Comer to Trustees Brushwood church, pt sw se 18-30-6, Barkley, $25. Jasper Circuit Court to William Schwaaa, Jan. 20. w*4 ne 7-31-8. Walker, Decree.

CHICAQO. I ND!ANAPOUB A LOUIBWILCB Rensselaer Time-Table, Corrected to May 15,1888. South Bound. No. 31—Fast Mail (don’t stop) 4:48a,m. No. s—Louisville Mail, (daily).... ..10:55a. m. No. 33—Indianapolis Mail, (daily).. 1:45p.m. No. 39—Milk accomm.. (daily) 6:15 PNo. 3 Louisville Express, (daily ).-11:12 P- m•No. 45—Local freight 2:40 p. m. North Bound. No. 4—Mail, (daily).. 4:30 a.m. No. 40—Milk aecoinm., (daily) 7:31a.m. No. 32—Fast Mail, (daily) 9:55 a. m. ♦No. 30 —Cin. to Chicago Ves. Mail 6:32 p.m. iNo. 38—Cin. to Chicago 2:57 p. m. No. 6—Mail and Express, (daily)... 3:27 p.m. ♦No. 46—Local freight 9:30a.m. No. 74—Freight, (dai1y(.............. 7:52 p.m. ♦Daily except Sunday. only. No. 74 carries passengers between Monon and Lowell. Hammond has been made a regular stop for No. 30. Frank J. Reed, G. P. A., W. H. McDoel, Vice-Pres, and Gen. M’g'r, Chas. H. Rockwell, Traffic M'g’r, W. H. Beam, Agent, Rensselaer.

> DENTAL | SCIENCE y Has reached its highest C point in our office. We f have conquered pain and J anxiety. We have assured ? our patients that our f methods and prices are * n keeping with y dental _ progress. / Confidence has V \ been the keynote y Kof our success, f \ if we work for S S you once we're ( \ sure of getting ? C your ? S as the dental work y° ur relatives iand friends. Our dental work costs little. wears well, and is guaranteed to be the best that money can buy. Rensselaer Denial iwors, DR. J. W. HORTON. OFFICfI UPSTAIRS IM MSW BRICK. FIRST BOOR WBST OF F. O.

New Undertaking

I h! A /(lL v / 7‘V\7 NJ I % / /1 \ 'a 1 In Horton building, one door west of Makeever House, with a comple'e and first-class stock of • FUNERAL FURNISHINGS i I respectfully solicit a share of the l public’s patronage and guarantee sat- » isfaction in every respect. Calls promptly responded to day or night. A. B. COWGILL, ’Residence at Makeever House, mo.i «r.

Fisher & Norris Near the Depot, Pay Cash For Hides, Veal, Eggs and Poultry, and Game in season. RENSSELAER, INDIANA.

wn... We wish to inform the public that we have -got permanently located in our Mill at the old Creamery Building, and have a full equipment of machinery and are prepared to do all kinds of Mill Work. Carpenter and Job Work J and all kinds of Wooden Work. WE CULL FOR AMD MIIVER ; Articles to be repaired. When you 1 have anything that no else can fix, give us a trial. DOHY BROTH. I RSBIOBMT •BMONB «•<. MILL •PMQNS RR*.

muiiiß wOTm fowaer

ATTORNEYS. - Hanley & Hunt, Law, Abstracts, Loans and Real Estate. Office in IT Miiiflge»< Wuflßiy, Ist flour. rear effMcCsg'Wßaak. J. L. Duvall, Attornet-at-Law. AH huri*f proftmkm ontojud thorougiily executed. Mmmqf to Boa* <nb Btannat any terms. Real Estate boaght amdaold. Collection, and abstracts carefully propounded. First door east of P. O. upstairs. Geo. K. Hollingsworth Arthur H. Hopkins Hollingsworth A Hopkins, Attorneys at Law. IF Odfin seeoad floor of Leopold's Block. Corner Washington and Viiirmrhii ate. Practice in all Ae courts. purchase aril and lease real estate. Attorneys for Rensselaer B. L. AS. Association. Jas. W. Douthit, LAWYER, Rensselaer, Indiana. Wm. B. Austin, Lawyer and Investment Broker Attorney For The L. N. A- Aaßy.aud Rrumrlaer W.LA P.Co. •SsOffiee over Chicago Bargain Store. Reusnriarr, Indiana frark bolts. C- a. irmfl*. marry m. eurb-b Foltz, Spitler & Kurrie. (Successors to Thompson A Bro.) Law. Real Estate, Insurance Abstracts and Loans. Only set of Abstract Books in the Cou-.ty. RENSSELAER. IND. Sj Chilcote & Dunn, Attorneys-at-Law, v. Attend to aU business in the profession with promptness and dispatch. Office in second story of Makeever Block. RENSSELAER. IND. J.F. Warren J. F. Irwin Warren & Irwin, Real Estate, Abstracts. Collections. Farm Loans and fire Insurance. Office in Odd Fellow's Block. RENSSELAER. INDIANA. R. S. Dwiggins, COUNCELOR AT LAW. Office in Room 7. Forsythe block. Rensselaer. Ind. __ BANKING. Alfred McCoy, Pres T. J. McCoy, Cash. A. R. Hopkins. Assistant Cashier. A. McCoy & Co’s Bank, RENSSELAER. IND. The Oldest Bank in Jasper County. Established in ItwL Transacts a general banking business. buys notes and loans money on long or short time on personal or real estate security. Fair and liberal treatment is promised to aIL Interest paid on time deposits. Foreign exchange bought and sold. Your patronage issulichcd. Patrons having valuable papers may deposit them for safe keeping.

Addison Parkinson. John IL Wasson. President. Vice President. Emmet L. Hollingsworth. Cashier. Commercial State Bank, (North Side of Publie Square. RENSSELAER, IND. The Only State Baukin Jasper Co. DIKECTOftS. Addison Parkison. G. E. Murray. Jas. T. Bundle. John M. Wasson and Emmet L. Hollingsworth. This bank is prepared to transact a general banking business. Interest allow ed on time deposits. Money loaned and good notes bought at current rates of interest. A share of your patronage is solicited. PHYSICIANS. ► I. B. Washburn. < £.C.Ei«iish. Washburn & English, Physicians & Surgeons, Dr. Washburn will give special attention to Diseases of the Eye, Ear, None, Throat and Chrouie Diseases. Dr. English will give special attention to Surgery mail Departments, and general medicine. OSee over Ellis A MtnwtTetephonetA DENTIST. H. L, BROWN, Dentist Office over F. B. Meyer’s drug store. UniM BuwsW. 93 COLUMBIA ST. LAFAYETTE, IND. Actual BcMbm*. Book-keeping- Eufiish Telegraphy, Shorthand and Penmanship. The best m every way. Send for Catalogue. Apr. 2A 1 yr. B. A. DRAKE. Pres. MOODY & ROTH, Dealers in Fresh, Salt and Cured MEATSPoultry, Game, Etc. nignesi mco raw tot nwti sna OPPOUTKFUB.MU ■wwiaa.nm. r rttOMK tea.