Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 March 1902 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

si.oo Per Year.

ABOUT THE COURT HOUSE.

Item* of Interest Gathered In the Office* and Corridor* of the County Capitol. Marriage licenses: March 17, Frank Fenwick to Annie Worthy. Appellate Court Minutes: 4,224. Joel F. Spriggs et al vs. state ex rel board of commissioners Jasper county, Jasper C. C. Appellant’s petition for oral argument (8). The tax-ferrets have x placed nothing on the “omitted tax duplicate” since our last report, three weeks ago. Tax-Ferret Spitler is the principal man in charge of affairs here now. —o— New suits filed: No. 6302 John A. Smith vs. John L. Smith ; action to recover on note. Foltz, Spitler & Kurrie, attys. No. 6303. Augustus Reeser vs. Charles Fleming; action to quiet title. Foltz, Spitler & Kurrie, attys. —o— At the February, 1900, term of court, a short time before the clerk’s office was to be turned over to a democratic official, Judge Thompson took the bar docket out of the clerk’s hands and solicited bids for printing the same of the Republican and the Journal, not inviting The Democrat to enter the list of bidders. Last year, after calling the Judge’s attention to his oversight (?) of the previous year we were invited to put in a bid and were awarded the contract at 39 cents per page—the price the year previous was 45 cents. This year the Judge evidently didn’t want The Democrat to get another chance at it, and gave the job to the Journal at 40 cents per page, without going to the trouble to invite competition. The work during the year we bad the contract was done in a most satisfactory manner and mnch better than the previous year, and The Democrat was at least entitled to the courtesy of being allowed to put in a bid on the work. Here is a little example of the “business” methods of “Honest Abe’s” bankrupt court: The brick street improvement about the public square was accepted Oct. 18, 1901, and the contractors filed a bill for the amount due from the county, $5,954.25. This claim has been continued by Abe and his ; cohorts from term to term since that time. The county council was not asked to make an appropriation to cover the coat of this improvement at its regular meeting in September nor was it called in special session until this month, when, in making various other appropriations, the sum of $6,300 was asked for and granted for this purpose—s34s.7s more than it would have taken to have paid the claim Nov. 1, as the contractors are entitled to interest on the amount from the date the improvement was accepted. Even then Abe continues the claim again, and it cannot possibly be allowed now until April 7. The commissioners met for the March term on Monday, the 3rd, and were in session several days. The county council met Tuesday, the 4th, and made the appropriation. Even though they had dilly-dallied along with the matter for months and refused to call the counc 1 together to make the appropriation, there was not the slightest excuse for again continuing it another month and putting the county to an expense of about $35 more for interest on the claim. The claim has got to be paid and the money to pay it has been lying in the county treasury all these months, drawing not one penny of interest for the county. Over a year has passed and gone since the “tax-ferrets” last begun work in this county. During this time a few thousand dollars has been placed on the “omitted tax-duplicate,” and the name of each man, who has been “caught” by these “sleuths” has been published in The Democrat. We ask our readers who have followed this matter closely, how many of the people “caught” were, in their opinion, intentional taxdodgers? Under the terms of the contract with these “ferrets” they

’ B^j KgP DR. MOORE, Specialist, HBMORHORDB. ’ wombs. Office First Stairs West of Fendig’. Drug Store. Phone a s i. RENSSELAER, IND.

receive one-half of all the money collected, and, as only about onefourth of the money collected belongs to Jasper county proper, Jasper county is out about 25 cents on every dollar collected by this plan, and scarcely a one of the generally believed-to-be professional tax-dodgers have as yet been caught for a penny. In fact, nearly all of the money found owing has been from the best and most respected citizens of the county. It is a notorious fact that not a person high up in the councils of the dominant political party has been called upon to contribute a dollar to this “cause.” For over a year the tax-payers of Jasper county have furnished rooms in the court house, for the “tax-ferrets.” They have also paid the expense of the heating and lighting of these looms during this time—and considerable of the “ferreting” has been done at night—in addition to going down into their pockets for the extra 25 cents which the county is out on each dollar collected. In addition to this, the county assessor has been called on to assist them in their work, and for his services the tax-payers have had additional expense to bear. For months past little if anything has apparently been done, the “ferrets” busying themselves in work from other counties which they have brought here for checking up because “Honest Abe” furnishes them comfortable quarters, free rent and free heat and light II is time that this dilly-dallying was stopped. If the “ferrets” have anything more to “discover” in Jasper county, let them discover it and get out. If not, let them get out anyway. Jasper county tax-payers have furnished them free quarters long enough.

CAME BACK TO FIX IT UP.

“Sim the cattle dealer,” came back from lowa Thursday and was very busily engaged in centering with the McCoy’s. We did not learn whether he was after cattle or drafts this time, but it is apparent that the McCoy’s had him in a rather tight place or he would not have come back to try and fix the matter up, which is generally supposed to have been his mission. We are, therefore, constrained to believe that Sim did not use tl e “honest, careful and painstaking” sagacity, which accomplishment the Apologist credits him with-being noted for as <ounty commissioner, when getting away with this draft. Later: It was reported yesterday that the McCoys had effected a settlement with Sim. but whether they got the cash or took a second mortgage on the lowa land, which is in Mrs. Dowell’s name, we are unable to learn. Of course the whole thing concerns republicans high up in the party, and, for political reasons, as much is kept from The Democrat as possible regarding it. Sim is still, in town as we go to press, Friday afternoon.

CONTRACT IS LET.

Lodge, I. O. O. F., has let the contract for their new building to Rush & Warren on their old bid of last year at $8,400, and the building is to be completed by September Ist next. The building is te be connected with their present structure on the east and will be 84 feet deep by 28| feet wide, same height and same general architecture as the present structure. /The stairway leading to The upperfloors is to be on the west side, where the stairway now is leading to the rooms over the commercial State bank, the stairway being a partnership stairs with the bank people.XAt the north end of the new building a boiler room for a heating plant, 20 feet and 8 inches by 25 feet and 6 inches, one story in height, is to be erected, but the Contract price does not include boiler, only the building for it.X This structure will be a credit th the city and we are pleased to announce that it is now sure to go up this season, as the matter had rather been hanging fire owing to the high cost of building material.

George Murray will pay the highest price for eggs, commencing with this date.

Rensselaer, Jasper County, Indiana, Saturday, March 22, 1902

Corn, 54c; oats, 41c. Morocco is talking electric lights. One week from to-morrow is Easter. F. L. Grimes has been appointed postmaster at Asphaltum, this county, Mrs. lines’ millinery opening will be on Friday and Saturday of next week. Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Moorhead of White county, were in the city Wednesday. Will Reynolds returned Monday from a few days visit with friends at Brookston. Round Grove tp., White county, will build $22,345 worth of gravel roads this season. Remember T. W. Ward’s public sale next Tuesday, 5 miles southeast of town. John Hack, the Lowell bridge and gravel road contractor, is in Florida for his health. The official call for the democratic county convention appears elsewhere in these columns. The Francesville Tribune is publishing an interesting write-up of that town by the pupils of the high school. A. B. Cowgill, the undertaker, has got moved into his new quarters, two doors north of The Democrat office. The republicans hold primaries to-day to select delegates to the county convention which meets here next Monday. Miss Mary Hordeman returned Tuesday from a few days visit with friends and relatives at Lafayette and Delphi. Miss Nellie Boiggrain of Vernon, Jennings county, has been engaged as trimmer for this season by Mrs. L. M. lines.

the Indiana senators voted for Mark Hanna’s ship subsidy steal, notwithstanding nine-tenths of their constituency is against it. Mr. Matt Zimmer of Walker tp. was in the city Thursday on business. Mr. Zimmer is preparing to build a new house on his Gillam tp., farm. New pensions: Michael Austin, Wolcott, Mexican War, sl2; George W. Cowger, Monticello, original, $6; William H. Dike, Wolcctt, increase, sl7. Suit has been filed in the White circuit court by Frank Spencer, a nephew, to contest the will of the late Dr. William Spencer, who left an estate of SIOO,OOO. Our people in cleaning up their yards should be very careful about fires. Rensselaer has had no fire of any kind for four months, and we want to see this continue. We are sorry to note that C. E. Mills, who has been confined to the house several weeks from illness, is not improving any, in fact is worse at this writing than he has been at any time. Isaac Colborn and family left Monday for Ocalla, Florida, to remain several weeks. Mr. Colborn owns several thousand acres of timber land in the vicinity of Ocalla. —Goodland Herald. V The Senate has confirmed the appointment of the followingpostmasters in this vicinity: W. E. Peck, Remington; M. C. Reiter, Rochester; A. H. Leist, Michigan City; A. W. Little, Valparaiso. Miss Gertrude Thompson, a very competent trimmer, of ChicaSo, has been engaged by Miss lary Meyer for the spring season It is a pleasure to Mitw Meyer to be able to offer to the ladies of Rensselaer the services of so highclass a milliner. Bro. Dunghill of the Brook Reporter, says regarding the teleghone situation in that town: ome people in a position to know, say that the Halleck people will pay the SSO for a franchise and put in an exchange here, but we doubt very much if they will.

Mrs. A. B. Cowgill is visiting relatives at Rosemond7 Hl., this week. pJA son was bpm to Mr. and Mrs. L. D, Mauck of near Surrey, Wednesday. Time to oil harness; you want the best—then get Eureka of Lee, at McCoysburg. VWhile hauling freight Thursday, W. S. Parks got the nail torn off the third finger of his right hand. Valentine Bates, an old and well known resident of White county, died at his home in Monticello Wednesday, aged 70 years. New subscribers to The Democrat this week by postoffices: Rensselaer, 1; Dodge Center, Minn., 1; Kentland,!; Chicago,!. It is thought that there is a good prospect of securing the proposed new rural route out through Newton tp., although it is not probable it will be established for several months, as these matters move slowly. y»2?be cold wave arrived here Sunday and the mercury for a couple of mornings got down to within about JO degrees of zero. Since then it has warmed considerably. 'SWeather indications for today are rain; fresh northeast to north winds. K. of P’s. have the preliminary arrangements practically all completed for building their new block on the corner of Washington and Front streets this season, and it is likely that active work of tearing away the old buildings will be commenced in a short time.

Chas. Bracken and Claude Graves received a letter Monday from one of the officials of the east and west road, requesting them to be in readiness to resume work on the road about April 1, — rather a strong indication that the company means business.— Morocco Courier. Judge Hammond recently filed a petition for a rehearing in the Goodland county seat case, and the same was over-ruled Tuesday. The opinion of the Court will now be certified to the lower courts, and the Commissioners at the April term of court will set down a date for the holding of the election.—Kentland Enterprise. The publishers of the Cincinnati! Weekly Enquirer advanced the subscription price of that paper >an. 1, 1902, to $1 per year. After April 1, The Democrat will discontinue its clubbing rates of $1.50 with the Enquirer. After that date the price of The Democrat and Enquirer will be $1.60 per year. Mr. ahd Mrs. Zack Stanley returned Wednesday from a few weeks visit with relatives in Jennings county and Indianapolis. They report all the Jasper county ct ntingent happy and getting along nicely. His mother has a standing offer for her 160 acre farm of about $1,200 more than she'paid, and is thinking seriously of selling. She has another 60 acre farm besides this. The Union revival meetings at the M. E. church have continued to draw large crowds each night this week. Rev. Wharton, the revivalist, is considered by all who have heard him as the most pleasing talker that has been heard here for a long time, while Mr. Geiger, who travels with him and has charge of the singing, is another drawing card. The meetings will continue all next week at 2:30 and 7:30 p. m.

Rom Goble has bought of Mrs. Charlotte Benjamin the residence property on South Cullen street for several years occupied by Mrs. Wood, who will move into Mrs. Candace Loughridge’s house on Cornelia street. The price paid was S7OO and Mr. Goble aMumes the SIOO street assesment, making it cost him all told SBOO. X Mr. Goble will repair the property somewhat and move into it about April 1. He expects, however, to build a new residence on the site in a year or two.

BIG FIRE AT GOODLAND.

Bank, Postoffice, Burgess’ Hardware, Stein’s Clothing Store, and Toyne’s Grocery Burned. ■. /Goodland was visited by another disastrous fire last Saturday night and before its ravages were stopped five business houses were reduced to ashes. The fire started about 9 o’clock, and was caused from an explosion of a keg of gunpowder in C. E. Burgess’ hardware store, it is said, although what caused the explosion we are unable to learn. The town has no waterworks or other means of fighting a fire, and the flames quickly spread to the postofiice, Toyne’s grocery, Baldwin & Dague’s bank and Stein’s clothing store on the corner. All the buildings were old frahie structures except the bank building, which was a one story brick and the second brick business building, we believe, erected in Goodland. The Burgess stock, which was quite heavy, was totally destroyed, but most of the contents of the other buildings were saved, while the fire-proof vault of the bank rendered their loss small except possibly SI,OOO on building. The handsome Jacobs store building was immediately south of the Burgess store, but being of brick and a fire wall on the south of the latter building, was saved from serious damage. Of the buildings burned, two belonged to Gray & Burgess, two to Mrs. Blake Wilson and the bank building to Baldwin & Dague, bankers. The loss is roughly estimated at $35,000, with insurance covering the greater part. The burned district will probably be rebuilt at once with good, substantial bricks of modern architecture, therefore the fire in the end will have been a benefit to the town.

TO-MORROW’S SERVICES.

Services will be conducted at the Rensselaer churches to-mor-row as follows: At the regular Sunday School hour, Union Sunday School services at the M. E. church. 10:30 a. m., regular services at all the churches by the pastors, at which each church will extend an invitation for members. 3 p.m., men’s meeting at the M. E. church, subject “Death at a Frolic.” 4 p. m., women’s meeting at the Presbyterian church, subject “A Mother’s Prayer and a Woman’s Faith.” 6 p. m., Young Peoples’ meeting at the Free Will Baptist church. 7:30 p.m., preaching at both the M E. and Presbyterian churches, the Presbyterian services to be for church members and the Methodist services for non-christians. Rev, Wharton will preach at the Methodist church and probably Rev. Carpenter at the Presbyterian. Mr. Geiger will sing at both services.

ASSESSOR RESIGNS.

W. Ward, who recently traded his farm in Jordan tp., for a brick and tile factory at Rantoul, 111., and expects to move there in a few days, filed his resignation as township assessor, last Saturday. A petition containing about 100 names of both democrats and republicans was filed with the auditor requesting him to appoint Frank Welsh in Mr. Ward’s place, but no action had been taken in the matter of appointment up to the hour of our going to press. SThe regular annual meeting of tne assessors will be held next Friday, and we understand the appointment will be made in time for the appointee to meet with them.

ITS ONE MISSION.

Monticello Herald: The Rensselaer Sentinel is the greatest travesty of a newspaper of any publication which reaches the Herald. Wretchedly printed and composed, it does not seem to have any mission in the world but to spit venom and hatred at its successful opponents.

List your farms for sale with me. I can sell them. Frank Cooper, 2024 Hovy street, Indian* apolis, Ind. ts.

Vol. IV. No. 50

THE BOYS GO FREE.

Young Fred Hemphill and Charles Clift, arrested for the unprovoked assault upon young Kaub, and who were to be tried last Friday before Squire Fay of Parr, were tried here before Squire Burham and a jury Monday and acquitted, Squire Fay deciding that he bad no jurisdiction in the case and sending it back. Fred Parcels, who had previously been arrested on the same charge and plead guilty and was fined $2 and costs, shouldered all responsibility for the assoult and Hemphill and Clift claimed not to have touched Kaub at all. On this evidence the jury acquitted them. The consensus of opinion seems to be that the boys ought to have been given a small fine on general principles, as they admitted being along and the assault seems to have been premeditated by all of them. However, it is said that young Kaub was “not the fellow they were after” —a case of mistaken identity. It is said that sometime in the evening they were in Cooney Kellner’s ’ saloon and Cooney ordered them out. This made them very wroth and it was decided to “lay” for Cooney. The night was rather dark and rainy, and, when young Kaub came along with an umbrella close down over his head, they thought it was Cooney and acted accordingly. Young Guy Peacock, who was also with the crowd and left town with them the same night, has not returned at this writing, and is supposed to be still running.

PAY FOR A FRANCHISE.

Dixon & Jessen, owners of the telephone exchanges at Brook and Morocco, have asked to have canceled their old franchise at Brook and a new one granted, which has been done. The new franchise is for a period of 10 years, and Messrs. Dixon & Jessen are to pay SSO per year for same until the exchange reaches 300 phones, after which an additional $25 is to be paid for each additional 100 ’phones or fraction thereof. The rate charged for phones is to be $lB per year for business houses and sl2 per year for residences, except that where a business man has a phone at his place of business and one at his residence, the rate for the two phones is to be only $24 per year. In addition to this very desirable rate, all patrons of the exchange are given free service to the patrons of their phones at Morocco, “ Foresman, and Mt. Ayr, or anywhere else that the lines may be extended in the future.

REPENT, ERE TOO LATE.

We have thus far failed to observe the “two old pards,” the Apologist editor and the CowPuncher, at any of the special church meetings now in progress. They ought to attend, perhaps they might learn something about that commandment which says “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” And the one immediately proceeding it should be pasted in their hats to refer to when making out claims against the county.

MORE CHANGES.

Since our last issue the following subscribers to The Democrat have notified us to change the addreM of their paper: Levi Miller, Cerro Gordo, 111., to Decatur, 111. Abraham Miller, Wheatfield to Blackford. Thomas Shew, Rensselaer to Remington. Marlon Cooper. Gifford to Blackford. C. W. Baker. Francesville to Streator, 111. Ralph Lewie, R-R-l to Pleasant Grove. Edward Hely, Chicago to Motion. William Cooper, Kniman to Virgie.

BLACKSMITHING.

For Blacksmithing and Repair Work go to Fred Hemphill and Abe Wartena, successors to Danford Bros., opposite the Hemphill livery barn, and the King hitch barn. The beet of work in our line guaranteed. Horse-shoeing and plow wbrk a speciality.

A Severe Cold For Three Months.

The following letter from A. J. Nusbaum, of Batesville, Ind., telle its own story. “I suffered for tbree months with a aevere cold. A druggist prepared me some medicine, and a physician prescribed for me. yet I did not improve. I then tried Foley’a Honey and Tar, and eight doses cured me.” Refuse substitutes. Sold by A. F. Long.