Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1899 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat

» SI.OO Per Year.

LOCAL MATTERS. Judge Healy is seriously sick. Mrs. D. H. Yeoman is visiting at Kokomo. ' Aj ■ Miss Ara Glazebrook is in Indianapolis this week. Several from here are attending the state fair this week. Bell phones are being put in place of the old phones used here. Esau Hart of Remington, was in the city a short time Wednesday. The infant child of Mr. and Mrs. E. McClanahan died Monday. A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Jos. Bomtrager, south of town, Monday. Will Schanlaub and Miss Laura McClellan visited in Morocco Sunday. Mr, and Mrs. Thos. Callaghan of Walker tp., were in the city Wednesday. .Mr- and Mrs. L. F. Hopkins of Chicago, spent Sunday with Rensselaer friends. Anti-reform Reser of Lafayette, was in the city a few hours Saturday on business.

Miss Kate Manck of Newton tp., has purchased a fine new upright Failing piano. Mrs. W. B. Austin and daughter Miss Virgie, have returned from their sojourn in Michigan. Mrs. I. N. Warren of Laporte is visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Irwin, this week. F. L. Chilcote of New Albany, was visiting his father M. F. Chilcote and other friends here this week. Mrs. Wood and Miss Fannie went to Oshkosh, Wis., Tuesday to visit Wm. Wood, a son and brother, for a week. Mr. and Mrs. A. Pruett of Goodland, visited over Sunday and Monday with Mr. and Mrs. J. A. McFarland. Esq. Joel F. Spriggs of Walker tp., was in the city Tuesday, having been summoned on the case of the State vs Melser. Chase Kelly has purchased P. H. Smith’s interest in the Rensselaer laundry. The latter will return to Chicago it is said. F. £l. Austin is attending the Illinois conference of the church of God, hence there will be no services in the church here.

C. C. Klumph, a graduate of the American School of Osteopathy at Kirksville, Mo., has located in Rensselaer and has offices in the Nowels House. Samuel Lemaster of Newton <jounty, who was visiting his fath-er-in-law, Howard Burr, of Jordan tp., made The Democrat office a pleasant call Saturday. John Stillman, a well known farmer of West Carpenter, recently purchased a farm in Jennings county and will move there in the spring, we understand. Mrs. B. E. Leatherock and chil--dren left Monday to join Mr. Leatherock at Morehead, Kan. James Hickman has moved into their residence property here. Harry Bott, a former employee in a newspaper office in this city, and lately employed on the Delphi Journal, has secured a position on the Bloomington World, and has moved to that place. The onion harvest in the Gifford district is now well along and the ' average yield is said to be about 300 bushels to the acre, some going as high as 400 bushels or more and some much less. The price to the grower is now about 25 cents, we understand. New pensions: Increase, Hen--5f Hoshaw, Bensselaer, $6 to $8; ames H. Jackson, Kentland, $lO to sl2. Restoration and increase: Daniel Ash, Morocco, $lO to sls. Original widows: Matilda J. Southard, Lochiel, SB. ■ ■. .v.' 1 . . ....

"SEjUt- DR. MOORE, Specialist, Office First Post Office. RENSSELAER, HMD. '

Subscribe for The Democrat. Tell them you saw it in The Democrat. Rooms For Rent, enquire of Mrs. E. H. Shields on McCoy Ave. The two best wagons on wheels, Studebaker and Weber, for sale by C. A, Roberts. , The Indianapolis Sentinel Free To Every Paid-In-Advance scriber To “The Democrat.” Green Thornton has sold his farm 3 miles southeast of town, to a White county man for S6O per acre. Miss Katie Shields is visiting friends in Monticello and attending the Delphi street fair this week. - Mrs. Wm. Washburn and daughter Miss Iva, have returned from a several weeks sojourn in Michigan. The Duvall’s, west of town, have sold their 180-acre farm to a man from Fairbury, 111. Consideration SSO per acre. Elder N. H. Sheppard of Indianapolis, was shaking hands with old friends here this week. He was attending the ministerial convention. The ministerial convention of the 2d missionary district of the Christian church was held here Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week. The balmy autumn breezes while exhilarating to individual, seem to have a depressing effect on the court house clock, and it had a poor spell again Thursday.

You should see C. A. Roberts for Buggies and Road Wagons before buying. It sill cost you nothing to see them. At the rear of Glazebrook’s blacksmith shop. A rally day and township Sunday school convention will be held at the Presbyterian church Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock. A good program will be rendered. Everybody invited. John Mellender has traded his Rensselaer residence property for a 40-acre farm near Black Oak, White County, owned by a man by the name of Gray. The exchange has already been made, Gray moving to town and Mellender moving upon the farm. Two of the indictments against Geo. Meyer of Remington, were knocked out, we understand, and on the third he was found guilty and fined $lO and costs. The indictment against John Johntson should have been against Tom Johnston, and that also was no good, we are told.

Esq. Carmy Hays of Fair Oaks, was in town Monday his Justices’ docket. Esq. Hays had been summoned on behalf of the defense in the State vs Babcock, criminal libel case, but the part of the defense in which his testimony and docket was necessary was held unadmissible by the court, hence he did not testify. Uncle William Gieenfield and Miss Flora Hodshire, both well and favorably known to our people, were united in marriage at the home of Rev. J. D. Carson, near Remington, Tuesday. They will make their future home on Mr. Greenfield’s farm, a few miles from town. The bride is the daughter of the late James Hodshire, and is about thirty years of age, while the groom is past seventy years. Most of the party of pleasure seekers from this place who left for the East sometime ago, returned home yesterday morning. Herman Hordeman, t>ne of the party, reported to us that a most enjoyable time was had by all, with no accidents or sickness to mar the occasion. They were delayed for some hours this side of Cumberland, going, and passed by a bad passenger train wreck, somewhere between Cumberland and the Ohio river, on their return trip. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hordeman did not return with the party, as they wished to visit a few days longer with friends in New York.

Rensselaer, Jasper County, Indiana, Saturday, September 23, 1899.

Death of Mrs. James Randle.

Blanche, wife of James Randle, of this place, died last Saturday evening at about seven o’clock, aged almost 20 years. The cause or her death was puerperal fever and blood poisoning. The funeral services were held Monday morning at 10 o’clock, at the Christian church, conducted by Elder A. L. Ward. The remains were interred in Weston cemetery. Deceased was the daughter of Morris and Mary A. Thomas and has resided here nearly her entire life. She leaves a husband and infant child to mourn their loss. She has been married a little more than a year.

Rev. Faulk’s Lecture.

The lecture at the First Baptist church Monday evening was reasonably well attended. The speaker talked for two hours and still the people were interested. We draw conclusions that there are many weeping Rachels to-day made so by the voting Jacobs who make the laws. But this was not all the evils spoken of. The social evil was mentioned, as also the domestic grievance. The Rensselaer citizens who did not hear him missed a.treat, especially the parents. Those desiring a lecture on moral reform, social purity, or a political speech would do well to try and hear him. Rev. Faulk is a man among the few with push and backbone who believes in “legal as well as moral suasion” for some evil; for instance, the buggy whip doesn’t come amiss for disobedient girls, and I would mention the boys as well. He believes in reform socially, morally, politically, religiously, even a nasal drawl at the prayer meeting. Mr. Faulk has promised to be with us* on the 16th of October, to assist I. S. Wade in an all day temperance meeting at Rensselaer. xx

At about nine o’clock Saturday evening, some parties in Hilderbrand’s pool room discovered smoke issuing forth from the roof of the rear of M. L. Hemphill’s blacksmith shop, which soon burst into flames. The alarm was immediately sounded and as quickly responded to by our firemen, who saw at a glance that the fire had gained too much headway to save the blacksmith shop, and that their attention must be given towards saving Hilderbrand’s saloon, adjoining. They fought bravely with the destructive element and in a short time a sigh of relief went up from the immense crowd gathered about, as they realized that the fire was under the control of the firemen and that the scenes of devastation would extend no farther than these two buildings. Much fear was expressed at first because of the brisk wind carrying the clouds of sparks and burning material on to the roofs of the old frame buildings on the north side of Washington street, but many sentinels were here to be found, who guarded their posts not only wisely but well. Tbe blacksmith shop which was wholly destroyed, together with the wood work machinery, was a serious loss to Mr. Hemphill, with no insurance. The loss is estimated at a little over SI,OOO. We understand that Mr. H. will rebuild at once. The Hilderbrand building which was only partially destroyed, was covered by S4OO insurance. The insurance company has already settled the claim by paying $350. The origin of the fire is unknown. Subscribe for The Democrat.

Dissolution of Partnership.

Notice is hereby given that the co-partnership heretofore existing between P. H. Smith and Chase Kelley, under the firm name of Rensselaer Steam Laundry, has been mutually dissolved. Mr. Kelley will carry on the business hereafter, and will settle all accounts against said firm, and receipt for all amounts due said firm, which are due him by right of purchase. P. H. Smith. ' sept, ao, isos. Chase Kellet.

ANOTHER FIRE.

ANOTHER "VINDICATION."

The Infamy, Scandal and Disgrace to Bro. Marshall’s Character Is Officially Determined. Last April, after the vicious assault made upon John H. Jessen in the Rensselaer Republican for his having made an affidavit against John E. Alter at the earnest and repeated solicitation of the prosecuting attorney—which we know personally to be the case—Mr. Jessen asked of us and was granted space to reply over his own signature to the attack. Marshall was given some hard knocks, and he immediately jumped into court, behind the state —state cases cost the complainant nothing whether he wins or loses—and brought action for criminal libel against both the publisher of The Democrat and Mr. Jessen. The alleged libelous article, understand; was written and signed by Mr. Jessen, and the publisher of The Democrat had nothing whatever to do with it other than to give space to a citizen who had been bitterly attacked by a newspaper and had no way of replying, to give the same publicity, except through some newspaper of equal circulation. The cases were begun on affidavit and information in the April term of court, and that against The Democrat man was tried by jury Monday, James W. Douthit and Charles W. Hanley appearing for the defense and the State’s attorney and Frank Foltz —whom Marshall made oath he had personally employed to assist the prosecution—appeared for the plaintiff. The case occupied all of Monday. Two hours was given the attorneys for the closing argument Monday evening, the court gave his instructions to the jury Tuesday morning and after being out about three hours they brought in a verdict assessing a fine of $5 against the defendant but exempted him from all costs of the action. In the closing argument. Attorney Douthit made a brilliant argument lasting three quarters of an hour. Mr. Douthit gave a brief history of the criminal libel laws of Indiana and stated that only four cases had ever reached the supreme or appellate courts of the state; that men like Mr. Marshall were very scarce in Indiana, hence libel suits were rare. He was immediately followed by C. W. Hanley in a neat fifteen minute speech in which he quoted from “Newel on Slandßr and Libel,” that “a man who commences a newspaper war cannot come to the courts as plaintiff to complain that he has had the worst of the fray.” He said that Marshall had got the hot end of the poker and had squealed when the iron burned; that he did not like to see a man of his political faith do this, and urged the jury to take a common-sense view of the case. Mr. Foltz closed for the state in an impassioned speech of about 30 minutes, in vhich he was twice cautioned by the court to “stick to the text.” The prosecuting witness had deserted his counsel and was not in the court room to hear the closing debate. The evidence of the defence so far as deemed admissible by the court and placed before the jury, proved the truth of those particular charges made in Mr. Jessen’s article, but the evidence upon which it expected to establish the truth of the charge or statement on which the prosecution laid the most stress was not deemed admissible by the court. However, we can herein present the facts which were expected to be placed before the jury, that the public may judge for itself: In June, 1898, the Rensselaer Republican published what purported to be “a full official statement of the oost of the new court house.” In that statement, referring to the court house yard and coping contract, the following words were used: “ThefUliner, copin? and walks cost SB,BOO, contract price, to which about SSO will be, added for extra cement.”* ~ , It will be remembered that quite a little campaign thunder was attempted to be made out of the “compelling” the sub-contractors to tear up a part of the walks and coping on grounds that the ce-

ment was of poor quality. The Democrat, investigated the records of allowances made on this contract to see if anything extra had been paid, with the following result: Com’rs’ Record 10, page 551 $1,905 25 “ “ 11, page 4 1,200 25 “ “ 11, page 18 850 25 “ “ 11, page 93 800 25 “ “ 11, page 133 2,500 25 “ “ 11, page 141 1,700 25 Total $8,956 50 [We give record number and page where these allowances may be found, so that any taxpayer may go to the records and satisfy himself as to the reliability of these figures.] Then, taking the figures as they appeared in the Republican’s “official statement” as to contract price—thinking we could trust the M statement” that far —we stated that the records showed that over $650 more than the contract price had been paid for this work, and gave the allowances made. We commented on this considerably, stating that the last allowance made, (Sept. 7,1898) was for “sl,700,25, balance on court house yard contract,” which made a total of $8,956.50 on an $8,300 contract, and the records, so far as we could discover, showed no contract for the payment of any extras. Thus, here was an “irregularity” by which over $650 had been paid for which no apparant value received was rendered. Under date of Nov. 4, 1898, — two months after every dollar had been paid as above noted—the editor of the Republican denied the allegations made by The Democrat in the following vigorous language: the Court house yard slander. The Democrat, which has understated the amount of the original contract for the court house yard improvement, in order to have an opportunity to claim excess payment, has repeatedly stated that the contractors were paid for tearing up the coping and rebuilding the defective cement walk. There is not a word of truth in the statement, as they have not received a dollar for any of the work which had to be done over again and If any of the contractors were put on oath they would say the same thing. There was $250 paid extra on the coping, but this was allowed before the necessity of having the coping relaid was discovered. The necessity of paying this $250 extra occurred through a mistake which 09 men out of 100 would not have noticed. In the original contract for improving the yard, the word “curbing" was used in describing the stone to go around the yard, where the word should have been coping. Now curbing is stone dressed only on one side, and flat on the top, and used alongside of street gutters; while coping must be dressed on three sides and have its two top angles beveled off. The sub-con-tractors insisting on holding to the letter of the contract, and to make the change from curbing to coping stone, they were paid $250, which was not excessive. Aside from this Hiram Day has been allowed between SSO and S6O for extra cement used in the foundations. The original contract called for one-third cement and one-third lime, in the mortar, and the commissioners changed to all lime, and paid the actual cost of the additional cement used. Aside frcm these two items no one HAS BEEN OR WILL b'e PAID ANYTHING FOR EXTRAS ON THE YARD AND COPING CONTRACTS.” The capitals are ours. This was a very positive statement, made in defense of an “irregularity” in which several hundred dollars had been drawn from the county treasury, as shown by the records, and for which the records gave no satisfactory explanation.

When this libel suit was begun the records were again carefully gone over in the above matter and going away back to where the original contract was let (Oct. 5, 1897, Record 10, page 535) to Heinzman Bros, for $8,455—n0t $8,300, as given in Mr. Marshall’s “official statement” —and tracing it dotfn to the time the last dollar was paid, we found nothing to show where any extras came in. Yet, allowing the $250 for changing that word “curbing” to “coping”—a very expensive word, that —although we found nothing of record to substantiate this statement, $245.75 still remained to be accounted for in this deal, to say nothing of the S2OO or more paid to other parties for extra cement. All this evidence and much more of the same nature, evidence of record that could not be disputed, was in the court room but it was held inadmissible by the court, hence the defence had but little to offer, not even being allowed to show that the prosecuting witness had begun another action for criminal libel against the defendant and then ran away from it, for tbe purpose of showing his malice. The jury was composed of 3

Vol. 11. No. 24

democrats and 9 republicans, and | on the question of guilt or inno~ cense, that is technical guilt in giving space to the article, is understood to have stood. 6to 6. '

NOTICE. After this week, I will refuse to pay any tuition in the Rensselaer city schools unless pupils are legally transferred, and will be in my office for that purpose Saturday, Sept. 23d. J. D. Babcock, Trustee, Marion Tp. CLOVER HULLING Having purchased a brand-new clover huller witn attachments for threshing crimson clover and Alfalva, I am prepared to do work in this line in a satisfactory manner and at reasonable prices. Andrew Ropp. POOR ORDER NOTICE. Parties having poor orders against Marion Township for the last quarter, will be paid same by presenting them at my office on Saturday, Sept. 23, 1899. J. D. Babcock, Trustee.

CHICAGO FALL FESTIVAL.

Oct. 5 to la—One Fare For the Round Trip Via the nonon Route. It’s going to be a hotter time than the World’s Fair. Grand -1 Military and Civic Parades, Fireworks, Magnificent Electrical Illumination, Bicycle Races, etc. Ask for program.

W. H. BEAM,

The Killing of Ben Thomas.

A Wanatah special to the Valparaiso Messenger, under date of Sept. 8, has the following to say of the killing of Ben Thomas ana Frank Simpson, by lightning, recently: “A sad accident occurred near this place yesterday afternoon about 4 o’clock in which Ben Thomas, a farmer, and Frank Simpson, a laborer, were killed by being struck by lightning. Thomas and Simpson, together with William Richman, of this place, and William Miller, of Michigan City, took shelter in Thomas’ bam during the heavy storm. All were standing in the doorway, when the barn was struck, the bolt running down a studding and striking Thomas and Simpson killing them both instantly. Miller and Richman were both knocked down by the bolt and burned considerably. Thomas was about 50 years old and leaves a family. Simpson is is a single man. The barn was slightly damaged. Six horses were in the barn at the time but were uninjured.” Mr. Thomas formerly conducted a meat market at this place some time ago, and also resided in northwest Carpenter for several years, being well known to the people of this locality. The remains were brought to Foresman for burial.

Temperance Meeting. The semi-monthly meeting of the Rensselaer Anti-Saloon League will be held at the Christian church, Thursday evening, Sept. 28,1899, at 7:30 o’clock. PBOGBAU. . Son*. Scripture Reading-by Mrs, A. M. Stockton. Prayer. Song-. Address by E. P. Honan. Duet by Mrs. C. D, Martin and ——» ——v Address by Anson Chupp, “Hans SchoeUar Satisfied.” Solo, Mrs. Banes. Recitation, Mrs, Job Thornton. Instrumental music, Mrs. Mitchell and Mkm Bessie Murray. Query box conducted by Dr, A. E. Sehmaedel. Let everybody come and enjoy these exercises. ADVERTISED LETTERS. Mr. James Creviston, Mr. Willie Shingleton. Persons calling for any of the above letters in this list will please say they are advertised. F. B. Meyer, P. M. 5 Per Cent. Farm Loans. A special fund to loan on Farms for Five Years at 5 per cent, inter* est, with privilege to make partial pay ments any interest paying time. Call on or write, Commercial State Bank, No. Side Pub. Square, RenSSel&er, Ind

Agent.