Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 July 1908 — Page 1

THE TWICE - A - WEEK L-2-: - .. -2_- t .T__ .. ■ ---! - r —. •■—

Jasper County Democrat.

•1.50 Per Year.

ASK FOR OPINION

Regarding Collection of Special Assessments, AID FRIENDLY SUIT IS INSTITUTED By the City, As County Treasurer Allman Refuses to Collect Buch Assessments. Sult was filed In the circuit court Tuesday, on an agreed statement of facts, for an oplnoin regarding the duties of the county treasurer in collecting special assessments for the city of Rensselaer, such as street and sewer assessments, etc. Under the old law it had been the custom of the city to pay the county treasurer a per cent for collecting such assessments, and several hundred dollars was wrongfully paid out for such purpose before a protest was made to the city council and such payments stopped. The supreme court had held previous to this that a county treasurer must collect such special assessments as a part of his official duties, and should receive no extra compensation therefor. All this money illegally paid out here could be collected back, but no move or demand has ever been made by the council for its return, although they were asked to do so. The Towns and Cities Act of 1905 (Page 370, Sec. 207) provides that the county treasurer shall collect all city taxes in county seat towns, an<J. shall receive no other compensation than is provided in said section (extra compensation is provided in cities of the first, second and third classes. Our’s is thp fifth class) “for any or all services in relation to the levy, assessment, collection or disbursement of any of th? funds of such city, whether derived from taxes current or delinquent, or from special assessments, licenses, or other source. For their services under this act, in cities other than cities of the second and third classes, which are county seats, county auditors and county treasurers shall receive no compensation other than that allowed them by law as such county officers. And any county auditor, or county treasurer, or deputy of either of such* officers, who shall directly or indirectly, ask or receive any compensation or allowance from any city other than as expressly provided for in this sec- . tion, shall, on conviction, be fined not exceeding five thousand dollar?, to which may be added imprisonment in the state prison not exceeding one year." This ought to be plain enough for him who runs to read, but of course there is no telling what the courts may do.

SAYS “I WILL” AND FAINTS.

Humiliated Bride May Release Extremely Nervous Bridegroom. Hammond, Ind., July I.—Just after he had said, "I will," in answer to the momentous question put to him by the Rev. Father John Berg during the marriage ceremony, William O’Neil, of Whiting, fell to the floor in a faint, and panic seized the wedding guests in Sacred Heart church yesterday. The Interruption came to the ceremony in which O’Neil married Miss Maude Carrette, a popular young woman of Whiting. O’Neil wag carried to the sacristy by friends and medical aid was summoned. He is recovering to-day, and Mrs. O’Neil says that if he feels that way about it, he can take back the “I will.” The Rev.* Father Berg mentioned above is well known to hundreds of The Democrat’s readers, having been located at Remington as pastor of Sacred Heart church for a number of years.

FIGHTING COMES HIGH.

Constables Ropp and Robinson had no trouble in finding John and Harvey Cooper, Peter Theis and Charles Fish, for whom warrants were Issued Tuesday morning, charging them with committing an on Lewis Harrington last night. The prisoners occupied one carriage, the constables another just in the rear, and the witnesses yet another in the rear of the constables, forming what had the appearance of a funeral procession, and in this order they wended their way to Squire Irwin’s court to have the law’s infractions sorted, counted, sealed and labeled, and the prices marked on each package in

plain figures. The procession arrived at the seat of justice about 1 o’clock p. m., and the work was begun without further delay. Pleas of not qullty was entered by each defendant, and the evidence was not clear enough to convict any of them but Harvey Cooper, who was found guilty and fined $lO and costs to the amount of $31.60, making a total of $41.60. The evidence showed that the fight, for that is what it resulted in, took place at the school house, as a meeting was breaking up Bunday night, the defendant Cooper and some other persons lying in wait for Harrington as he came out of the school house. Cooper struck Harrington in the face And knocked him down, this precipitating a general fight, in which several persons engaged, but it was so dark that it was impossible to distinguish anyone with certainty so the court found the other defendants not guilty. Young Harrington was not badly hurt. The troublq is said to have had its' origin over Harrington's having filed an affidavit♦in Squire VanDoozer’s court at Wheatfield, against one. Long, for disturbing a meeting some weeks ago, and Long’s having been fined some sls and costs. This case will ,in all probability settle this neighborhood feud for a time at least. The fine was stayed for the statutory time.

AGAIN BLASTING ROCK.

A blast was fired Thursday morning under the Washington street bridge that tor? a good sized hole in the floor, and no doubt if the entire blast had been shot at one time the whole bottom of the bridge would have been torn out. This bridge should have been taken out before the blasting was done, as it will be impossible to get under it without doing it some damage. The city water main lies just north of the bridge and it will be blown up and repaired after the dredge goes through, in the course of a week or two. The .water will be shut off, the main blown up and connection made between hydrants on each side of the river to supply water on the west side until the main can be repaired. ,

HENRY MARSHALL RE-INDICTED

Former Republican District Chairman Again Faces Serious Charges. Henry W. Marshall of Lafayette, President of the Western Construction Company, was re-indicted by the Marion county grand jury Tuesday. He is charged with presenting a fraudulent claim against the city of Indianapolis for work done in repairing streets. He presented himself at the Sheriff’s office before a capias was Issued for his arrest. Michael Ryan, his attorney, accompanied him and gave bond for $5,000. The charge against Marshall is practically the same as the one against Harry P. brunaugh, an employe of his company, sentenced to state prison Monday for Mn indeterminate term. Brunaugh was charged with altering the books of the Street Inspectors and presenting the grandulent claims. He received 50 per cent of the profits as his compensation. Marshall is one of the well-known business men and Republican leaders of Indiana. He was a member of the House of Representatives for three sessions and Speaker one session. He formerly was a member of the Republican State Committee from the Tenth District, and has been vigorously defended in these graft charges by republican papers of the district, perhaps none more so than the Rensselaer Republican. It is the opinion of the prosecution and the public generally, according to the Indianapolis papers, that Brunaugh was merely a tool, and that the real grafters are yet to be tried. An indictment against Cyrus J. Clark, former County Auditor, who gave bond for $5,000, was also returned. Clark is charged with presenting a false ana fraudulent claim against the county in collecting $4,000 more than he was entitled to for making plat book descriptions. One indictment was returned by the grand jury about which there is an atmosphere of mystery. It was said that it is against some one whose name has been connected with the graft investigation, but. against whom no indictment has been returned at former sessions of the jury*. Celery plants for sale. C. R. RAMP.

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, SATURDAY, JULY 4, 1908.

THE COURT HOUSE

Items Picked Up About ' the County Capitol. The board of county commissioners will convene in regular monthly session Monday. —o— Five marriage licenses were issued last month, against 4 for the month previous, and 6 for June, 1907. —oNew suits filed: No. 7329. City of Rensselaer vs. Jesse D. Allman, treasurer of Jasper county; submission of agreed statement of facts in relation to the said treasurer refusing to collect special assessment taxes of the City of Rensselaer. The court is asked for an opinion regarding the duty of the comty treasurer. No. 7330. Benjamin J. Gifford vs. George T. Spangle; suit on note. Demand S7OO. No. 7331. Application of George W. Watson for admission of Minnie Alice Watson of DeMotte, aged 41 years, a single lady, to the home for feeble minded. No. 7332. Emmet L. Hollingsworth vs. Frank Reany et al; suit to foreclose mortgage. Demand S9OO. 4 —o — The Hodge ditch case ceased grinding Wednesday, by the adjournment of court until Monday, July 13, when the trial will be resumed. This case is going to be quite expensive for someone, and the taking of so many farmers of the north end out of the fields as witnesses at this time is a great' hardship to them. The case grows out of the cleaning of the Hodge ditch in Wheatfield tp., a year or two ago, which is familiar to most of our readers. Parties up there think the work was not done according to specifications and have temporarily enjoined the payment of the money to the contractors, which is in the hands of the county treasurer. The question of making the injunction permanent is now being tried.

NOW “COME UP OR SHUT UP.”

Regarding the assessment of fees due the Republican editors for publishing legal notices, and which were not reported for taxation, the Republican says: "This money was largely for publishing ditch notices and had never been allowed and much of it may never be collected. The Board unanimously voted that it was the sense of the board (Board of Review) that the items of fees due as cited by Mr. Babcock were not of taxable value and they refused to enter thgm upon the assessment sheet.” The law fixes the rate for legal publications, and if the Republican editors charged no more than the legal rate—which we presume they did not—-there is no '“allowing” or disallowing to be done by anybody, except as a mere matter of form in some cases, and they must be paid in full. The Democrat has some fees due it for legals that it values at 100 cents on the dollar, and if the Republican considers its fees of so little value —many of which are in the same ditch causes as our own—we have a proposition to make to them: We will pay them cash down 50 per cent of the face of these fees that the board of review held were of “no taxable value.” Yes, we will do better still: If the Republican editors .will duly assign these fees to us we will pay them 75 per cent of their face valine, cash in hand! This offer is made in good faith and we stand ready to back it up with the actual cash, gold, if the Republican editors would rather have that kind of money. We will also agree to turn in for taxation all these fees which remain uncollected March 1 next, even though the Board of Review should later cut them off the list as beihg of “no taxable value,” In our nearly 20 years experience in publishing a newspaper we have never heard of a printer losing a dollar in fees of this kind. Anyhow, we are willing to take the chances, and if the Republican trio think the above offer a bluff they have only to “cgjl” it to see how quickly they get the money in their hands, - - Subscribe for The Democrat

Extract from Fletcher Boyd's IFill %»NOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that L Fletcher Boyd, of Naw Bedford of the State es Msmcha(tote, being of Mmd mind aad memory, do make and pubthh this to be my het will and tettamrot, hereby revoking all former wills aad cocndls diereto, by me to any time made. Aa to all my property and estate, seal and penoaal, of which I shall dm ached and pose eased, or to which 1 shall be entitled to the linw el my de re sis, 1 give, devise, bequeath and rfispoee thereof is |lm l*kfi**r following? FIRST—I hereby direct the cMcutors of this wiU to pay all my just debts aad funeral expenses out of my estate. SECOND—Te my beloved step-daughter, Agatha Wyckhof. I give, devise and bequeath the sum of twenty million dollan, ($20,000,000.00) provided she comply with the following conditions: (a) That one year after my deause she return to her mother’s estate ia Shropshire, near Wye, England. which I have refitted for her occupancy, and there live and reside. (b) That she be accompanied by my aster, Mrs. Mary Armistead, who shall serve ia the capacity of chaperon and guardian kt a period of not less than two yean from the limo of establishing her residence in Castle Wyckhof, or until she has been married. (c) That she be accompanied to England by not lass than three or more than six young lathes of America of about her own age, the even name of each of whom shall be the same as her own, Agatha. Each of these young ladies to be given a generous monthly allowance during their stay to the castle which is not to exceed two years. In England each of these young ladies must be known by the full name and title of my step-daughter. The Honorable Agatha Wyckhof, and should any one of them divulge her true name er character she is to return to America to once, and her allowance is to cease. Should any one or more of these young ladies be married hsx stay to Castle Wyckhof, she is to be paid as a dowry a sum equal to her allowance for the period of two years, and in addition is to be provided with suitable wedding garments and her expenses be paid from my estate. (d) In the event that anv one of these young ladies be married during her residence to Castle Wyckhof, then my sister. Mrs. Mary Armistead, shall invite and secure another from America who shall comply with the conditions as above named. (e) it shall be the ditty of my sister, Mrs. Mary Armistead, to invito to Cattle Wyckhof during the stay there of these young ladies, unmarried young men at England of good character and sarij who may wish to become suitors for the hand of my step-daughter in marriage, no more than two to be guests in the castle to the same time and none to be allowed to remain longer than six weeks. (f) Under no conditions shall any of these said unmarried young men or any other person of England be advised ia any manner as to which of the young ladies at the castle is or is not the real Honorable Agatha Wyckhof. (g) Should say step-daughter in anv manner indicate to any of the said young men nests to the cattle that she is the real Honorable Agatha Wyckhof er in any manner disregard or violate or fail to comply with any of the provisions of this my last will and testament, the sum of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000.00) willed and bequeathed to her under there conditions. 1 then give, devise aad bequeath this same sum for the purpose of endowing a hospital in my native town of New Bedford, in the state of Massachusetts, and under such conditioas I gpve. devise and bequeath to my said stepdauxhter a monthly allowance of one hundred and fifty dollars ($150) to be paid her in quarterly installments during her lifetime. 1 snake these provisions that my step-daughter may be guarded aad protected from the attentions of all marriageable men mercenarily inclined, and in order that she may wed happily in her native land. How the unusual conditions of this will were carried out is told in "The Real Agatha" a deliciously humorous story by £dith Huntington Mason, which will bo Printed in these columns.

JOHN MUFFLEY FOUND INSANE.

Wheatfield Township Farmer Will Be Taken to Longcliff. John Muffley of Wheatfield tp., mention of whose insanity was made in Wednesday’s Democrat, was brought here Tuesday afternoon and an inquest held the same day before Squire Irwin and Drs. English and Gwin, and found to be insane and application was made for his being taken to Longcliff. Pending his acceptance at the asylum the unfortunate man is being cared for in the county jail. Mr. Muffley *is about 60 years of age, a farmer and bachelor. His delusions take the form of talking and swearing loudly, roams about, talking to himself, imagines he is foreman over a large force of men, sounds the ground and digs for gold, imagines he is the owner of his neighbor’s land and stock. He is said' to have had these delusions for some years but has lately grown worse, so that the women and children are afraid of him. He and his brother William, also a bachelor, live on a 40 acre farm left by their father and keep bach. A married sister in South Bend sends remittances often to William to take care of his brother John. The case is said to have been one of the most conclusive of insanity that the court ever had. One of the delusions the man has is that he is a bird from his waist up, and that little birds are under his skin. He will get out and flop his “wings,” it is said, and holler so loud that he can be heard a mile away. The witnesses examined at the inquest were Wm. Dittman, R. H. Morehouse, Everett Finney and James H. Gilbert.

Presbyterian Church.

The service of the Presbyterian church Sabbath morning will be given over to the administration of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Every member of the church should be present at this service. J. C. PARRETT, Pastor. __J . . Go-carts and baby carriages at wiiiiaaM’.

TO THE PUBLIC.

I have two very valuable inventions. One is “Horse Shoeing Stocks,” with which the public is somewhat familiar, the other is a wagon coupling. These articles are now being manufactured by me and sold at a good profit. It takes money however, to enlarge the business, and I have decided to organize a stock company with a capital of $15,000, divided into 150 shares of SIOO each. I will retain 75 shares for my inventions, patents and good will of the business, and offer tp the citizens of Rensselaer and vicinity the remaining 75 shares, or as many thereof as may be necessary to secure a sufficient working capital to manufacture and place the goods on the market. The stock will be sold at par value, SIOO per share. In offering this stock to the public at par, I will say, I will guarantee to each stock-holder a square deal and my earnest and untiring efforts to make this home enterprise a complete success, and I am confident that it will not only build up our city, but it will yield handsome profits to the purchasers of the stock. Respectfully,

LUTHER HEMPHILL.

CONTINENTAL INSURANCE CO.

The largest and one of the best American companies writing fire and wind-storm insurance on city and farm property. Farmers, before renewing your insurance see the Continental’s most liberal contract. Any limit you wish on horses and cattle. In case of loss we pay on adjustment without discount, all at the same price that smaller companies will agk you. See that your insurance is written in the Continental. Call at my office any time and let m» show you. The same office the Continental has been represented in for years, Room 4, 2nd floor, I. O. O. F. building. A. J. HAMMON, Agent. Successor to J. F. Bruner. WANTED—Good city residence property to exchange for splendid farm. Must take quick action. Write or see me. < B. F. FERGUSON.

NOREVOLT;ONLYRIOT

Mexican Foreign Secretary So Characterizes the Ruction Down in That Republic. ALL HATCHED IN THIS COUNTRY Grievances of the Rioters Economical, Not Political Anarchist Literature Supplied Ignorsuit Men Says It Is Real Rebellion Again at Diax. Mexico City, July 2,—ln a statement made to the Associated Press on behalf of the Mexican state department by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Gamboa that official said: “In order that the absurdly exaggerated reports regarding the recent trouble in northern Mexico may be corrected, and in compliance with your request, I am giving you access to certain official correspondence which will prove that the contention of the Mexico state department that the recent troubles bad no political significance are well grounded.” A number of telegrams and official documents was thereupon shown the correspondent of the Associated Press which set forth the following facts: What the Dispatches Showed. That the recent attacks on the villages of Viegca, T-as Vacas and Palomas were made by small bands of malcontents, who were driven to deeds of desperation by lack of work, consequent hunger, and an enmity towards the local officials. These men had been supplied with literature of an anar. chistic and inflammatory nature by A agitators in Los Angeles, California. San Antonio, Texas; Austin, Texas, and St. Louis, Missouri. Id no instance had a representative man led the attacking parties, nor had the largest group of raiders numbered more than sixty men, and the trouble is practically over. Hatched in the United State*. Continuing Gamboa said. “As you have seen, these attacks have all been made on villages near the boundary line which separates the United States and Mexico by small groups of unemployed and ignorant men of the lower class. It seems that gome of them i came from the United States side and it is claimed it ia a conspiracy hatched on that side. For that reason. Mexico maintains that all of the raiders are guilty of common crimes and those caught on Mexican soil will be tried for such, while of those apprebendel in the United States Mexico will ask their extradition as we would of any criminal guilty of the crime of arson, mtirler or robbery. Mexico Was Taken Unaware* “Mexico was taken completely unawares by the attacks, and for that reason asked the co-operation of the United States in preserving the neutrality laws. The government and the people feel deeply grateful for the manner in which the co operation Inis been given, even though the trouble is of such minor significance. That is the plain truth regarding the co-calted revolutionary movement”

TROUBLE PROMOTER HOPRFCL He Oom Not at All Xgrwi With Fork ogn Secretary Oamhoa Austin, Tex.. .Inly 2.—While the paper, it is alleged, has paid all expenses to date the organ of the Max Icun junta in this citv has been forced to suspend because of the refusal of the union printers tn handle the copy and the pressmen to print the paper. The editor of the publication. Thomas Labrada is most optimistic regarding the present uprising in Mexico, "rhe present revolution in Mexico,” declares Labrada. is most optimistic regarding people are displeased ar tbe» present president and his system or government and the way their liberties are curtailed. “The people have had no voice in the government, and where they have tried to protest at the elections they have been fired upon. I believe the present, revolt will gradually grow in strength and succeed, but should it fail we will try again and again. The next place* tile revolutionists will attack will he Torreon, Coahuila. In three months there will be a tremendous growth of power and I Itelieve our success is not far off. “Even the soldiers will come over to onr side. They are not like your American soldiers, who can walk the streets like men. They are as mules to he driven in the streets and be tied up nt night. They will be on our side in this fight. The government pays them next to nothing, and they have to pay for their own equipment out of the pittance they get” ; .... The poultry houses of B. 8. Fendig and Wm. Murray will be closed on July 4tb. No poultry will be received and no other business transacted on that day. ' B. S. FENDIG, WM. MUIUUT.

Vol. XI. .No. 19.