Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1910 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

fIJW Per Year.

JUDGE DARROCH TO SIT

In the Joint Bridge Graft Cases Against Bader, et al. The state case against C. L. Bader, superintendent and general manager of the Winamac Bridge Co., and John F. Pettet, Fred Way mire and Charles T. Denham, county commissioners, charging them with changing the figures in the bid on the Milroy tp., bid from 51,240 to $1,400 —the construction of which bridge was proven in court to have been scaled down 35 to 40 per cent below specifications and for which Bader was convicted and sentenced to an indeterminate sentence of from two to fourteen years in the penitentiary, which conviction is now pending on appeal in the supreme court —is set for trial here the third Monday of the present term, Sept. 26. A change of venue was asked for by Mr. Bader, from the court,' and Judge Darroch of Kentland was appointed to sit as special judge. The commissioners and Bader are charged jointly with having changed the figures in this bid as first filed and as read off at the time of opening the bids by Commissioner Denham, from 51,240 to $1,400, or a raise of $l6O over the original bid. The case is likely to attract considerable attention from the taxpayers of the countv.

ALSO HAD A VICTIM HERE.

Check Forger Arrested In Lafayette Caught Tom Mallatt of Fair Oaks for $11.40 Robert Pettit, a former evangelist, of Morehead. Ky., who was arrested in Lafayette recently on the charge of passing forged checks in that city, as mentioned in The Democrat at the time, had at least one victim in Jasper county, it seems. Pettit paid T. J. Mallatt. the Fair Oaks liveryman, a $1.40 lively: bill with a check for $11.40 on the State National Bank of •Lowell, and purporting to have been drawn by Henry Christianson,.a farmer residing some three miles south of Roselawn, and in favor of Pettit, who said it was for labor that he had performed for Christianson.

Tom gave the fellow ten bones of, his good money in change and he took the train- at Fair Oaks the same evening—August 29 for Lafayette, where he came to grief a few days later in trying to get more easy money. Seeing in The Democrat of Sept. 3 where Pettit had been arrested for forgery in Lafayette, Tom became a little suspicious of the check given him, which- had been sent to Rensselaer and through a bank here to Lowell for collection. In due course of time the check was returned by the Lowell bank with the statement that Christianson had no funds there. The check had been endorsed over by Pettit to Mr. Mallatt. who in Turn endorse! it himself when giving it to other parties, and of course he had to take it up when it came back to him. He is naturally a little anxious to see that the fellow gets his just deserts, and if the Lafavette officers have not enough evidence to send him up for a term of vears where he will not prey u r on the innocent public, they are welcome to -the evidence that he has in the returned check. Mr. Christianson told Mr. Mallatt when the latter saw him a few davjs_jtgo, that Pettit had worked for him two days only and that he had paid him the cash for his work, he not giving anv check whatever.

Pettit is said to be about 35 years of age, and until he fell from grace because of his too free indulgence in liquor, was an evangelist. He told Mr. Mallatt that he had done evangelistic work in Chicago, street preaching. He had recently been employed by the £ell Telephone Co. he states. At Lafayette he is accused of passing a number of checks for small amounts which later proved to be forgeries.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

The subject of , the morning sermon for next Sabbath will be “As a Little Childin the evening the pastor will speak on “The Antiseptic Life.” Evervone welcome. •v

BRIDGE BUILDING IN JASPER.

Longest Wooden Bridge in State To Be Shortened 525 Feet. STORY OF LAST EXTENSION And What the Taxpayers Got for Their Money—Some Interesting History of the Burke’s Bridge, That for Many Years Was Called “the Jasper County Sink-Hole.”

The letting of the contract for the repairs to the Burke’s bridge by the county commissioners last week, will reduce in length that locally noted, at least, structure to 415 feet. At present it is 940 forty long, and is the longest wooden wagon bridge in Indiana. The bridge spans the Iroquois river about four miles directly north of Rensselaer, and thousands of dollars of county monev has been sunk there in "repairs” and trying to build a grade, until it became generally known throughout the county as “the Jasper county sink hole.' 7 In former years there was practically no channel to the river at that point, and the water spread out over considerable < territory on each side of what ought to have been the channel, making the muck ground soft and shaky dnd utterly unrealiable for a foundation.

Contractors used to get all their material on the ground and then put a large force at work and try to get the “repairs" up to grade line in a few hours, while the commissioners were being hustled, to the scene to accept it before the grade should sink out of sight, as it frequently did in a night. Willows were planted along on the north and their roots have no doubt helped much to retain Jthe material placed there in later years, and it has been the south end that lias given the most

irouble since until the iroquois ditch was put through. The dredge for this cut a channel that has caused the muck land to drv out on eac’- to a great extent, and the water seldom gets outside the channel any more. The specifications for the re pairs now being made call for the cutting off of the piling on 525 feet of the north end of the bridge 8 inches below the sur face of the ground, dropping down and replacing the caps, stringers and floor planking an! then covering with 765 yards of earth and covering, the earth one foot deep with 310 yards of grav el 16 foot wide for the roadway or grade. This work will cost Jasper county at the contract price of 53.40 per lineal foot.

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY. INDIANA. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17. 1910

Above is a picture 6f “Burke s Bridge taken a few years ago showing it as it appears to-day, before the reduction in its length which is now being made. The small boy at the left is Jacob Moore of Rensselaer.

$1,785, and something will have to be done on the south end also where a “140 foot” extension was built about five vearS ago, this being in bad condition. By the way, this 140 foopextension is said to be short about 30 feejt of what the contractors got pay for. We have been unable to find the plans and specifications in the auditors office, and in fact they seem to hav .* come up missing. But it is understood that 140 feet was the length called for. Road Record Xo. 6, at page 217, in the auditor’s office, shows that the contract for this extension was let Dec. 6, 1904 to the Pan American Bridge Go., for SI.OOO. They were to have extra pay if the piling was driven beyond a certain depth but we are unable to state what that depth was to be. The same record at Page 228, (March 7, 1905) says “Extension completed and cause dropped.”

Commissioners’ Record 12 at page 570, shows allowances of 51.479.20 to said Bridge Co., for this extension. The claim was filed Feb. 27, 1905, and in said claim the contract price is aL leged to have been $1,160, and 532 feet of extra piling at 60 cents per foot, a total of s3l9* brings the bill up to $1,479. Now as a matter of fact the Pan American Bridge Co., had little to do with making-this extension. The work was done, we are told, by' S. L. Luce of Demotte. a brother-in-law of the then president of the board of commissioners, Abe Halleck. who bought the piling, put if down and paid the bills. We are told by a reliable party' who has lately examined the bridge that lie thinks the two outside rows of piling were put down full depth, but that the inside rows, under the stringers, have sunk down eight or ten inches, leaving that much space between the stringers and the tops of the piling, and that he could only make about 110 feet of the new extension. In other words, if his deductions are correct —and the gentleman is thoroughly' reliable and competent to make theifi —Jasper county' received 30 feet less in length on this extension than she paid for, and She was probably not given all the piling she paid for either., r i

Regarding the present repairs, the earth and gravel have to he hauled less than half a mile, and many well informed men say the work ought to be done for .SI,OOO to $1,200. But there was but one bid filed and that was $3.40 per lineal foot, a total of SL7B.'' for the 525 feet to be repaired.

SUNDAY AT THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

The subject of the Sunday morning sermon is “The Mission of the Christian Church.” In the evening the pastor will speak on “Dishonesty.” This will be the first of a series of sermons on “Popular Sins." The subjects for these sermons have been furnished by the business and professional men of this city. , All are welcome.

THE COURT HOUSE

Items Picked Up About the County Capitol. Attorney Frank Davis of Brook was over yesterday on court business. : ■ .■'/ '■ Prosecutor Longwell has been attending court here Since Monday. looking after divorce and Other cases in which it is his duty to make an apperance for the state. Sheriff Shirer and Mrs. Belle Marlin accompanied the three Wuerthner children of Newton tp.„ and Tommy' .‘ Antrim to the Julia A. Work training school at Plymouth yesterday. At the democratic joint-repres-entative convention for the counties of Lake and Xewt6n, field at Hammond Saturday, attorney' H. L. Sammons of Kentland was nominated to the place. The civil docket for this term of court contains eight divorce cases, and two new cases were filed this week. The Kenyon vs. Kenyon case and the Lewis vs. Lewis case, have each been dismissed and it is understood that the parties have gone to living together again. New suits filed: No. 7647. Mary A. Cooper vs. John W. Cooper; action for divorce. The parties were married Feb. 28. 1861, and separated , 1899. Failure to provide is the charge. The parties reside in Union tp. Xo. 7648. James H. Chapman vs. Mollie Gundy; suit on note. Demand $250.

Xew cases in Juvenile Court: State vs. Chester Lamphear, charged by affidavit of Charles J&t Steward with having on Oct. 17. 1909. opened a mail box and taken out a letter containing a check for 55.37 belonging to Ike Kingnia. and on Jan. 13, 1910, a letter and check belonging to same party of 55.71, and on May 2. 1910. a letter and check for 56.07 belonging to George Hum- ! stra. Said defendant is alleged

to be but 13 years of age, and 2 delinquent child. State vs. Roy Koepkey; affidavit by same party. Defendant resides in Rensselaer and is 14 years old. Is charged with being delinquent, in that he is incorrigible. knowingly associates with vicious and immoral persons, is growing up in idleness and crime, wanders about the streets at night, uses vile, obscene, vulgar, profane and indecent language, and is guilty of indecent, vicious and immoral conduct. Doings of the circuit court since pur last report: “ State of Indiana vs Clinton L. Bader, Fred Way mi re, John Pettet and Charles Denham; cause set for trial third Mondaly. Defendant’s file motion to quash affidavits, and state

asks and is granted leave to file amended affidavit. Defendants held in present bond until Sept. 14 for prosecutor to file amended affidavit. Sept. 14, amended affidavit filed., Defile separate motions to quash; motion overruled and defendant Bader files affidavit for change of venue from the court. Change granted and court appoints William Darroch of Kentland as special judge to hear and determine said cause.

The town of Remington vs. Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Ry. Co.; supreme court opinion filed reversing said cause and new trial granted. Lowell H. Kenyon vs. Daisy D. Kenyon; cause dismissed, costs paid.

Frank B. Ham vs. W. N. Dicks; cause dismissed at plaintiff's cost, Ann Cain vs. Mark V. Murphy, et al.; sale of real estate reported to Jesse L. Brady for $5,4 85.90, less $275 accrued interest; deed presented and approved. Commissioner allowed $100; S. C. Irwin, $25; Foltz & Spitler, SIOO. Malinda J. May vs. Henry Timmons, et al.; court finds lands not susceptible to partition; James F. Irwin appointed commissioner to sell same, he to file bond of $4,000; C. J. Dean and J, M. Wasson appointed appraisers. Sale ordered, 1-3 cash, 1-3 nine months, 1-3 eighteen months. S. C. Irwin allowed SIOO.

Union Trust Co., vs. Marion I. Adams; set for trial Second Saturday. E. C. Kesler vs. Seth 8., and Clayton Moffitt; continued for term. Matilda Ahlgrim, adm., vs. Edward W. Lakin; judgment and foreclosure for $52.90. Roy Willey vs. Cornelius Sayler, et al.; judgment quieting title. Emil Beaser vs. Hiram Drulinger, et al.; judgment quieting title. James Nixon vs. Seth 8., and Clayton Moffitt; continued for term.

Grace M. Lewis vs. Irwin Lewis; action for divorce;, cause dismissed at plaintiff's cost and parties authorized to withdraw complaint and cross-complaint. William H,„ Tilton vs>. John Finn, et al.; cause dismissed, costs paid. In the matter of petition for adoption of Samuel C. Hoshaw by John L. Kinzie; court finds petitioner should adopt child, who was 6 years old Sept. 9, 1910, and his name shall be known as Samuel C. Kinzie, and he shall -inherit same as if natural child of petitioner. Stephen H. Howe ditch; superintendent files final report and is discharged. Report shows due Gilmore $2,475.05, due Supt. Price $140.34, due Halleck $125. J. W. Heilscher ditch; petition of C. I. & S. Ry. Co. overruled; allowances as set out in report. C. I. & S. Ry. Co. file motion for new trial, overruled and appeal granted to supreme court. • Michael Delehanty ditch; .cause ordered docketed and 10 days given for objections. Date of docketing Sept. 15.

IN DURANCE VILE.

Scott Chestnut Languishes In Jail In Default of SIOO Bond. Scott Chestnut, a well known j Rensselaer young man of goodj appearance and capable of holding down a good position, was arrested Wednesday charged with having stolen a rain coat valued at $6 and a pair of automobile goggles valued at $7.50, from the auto of the Glidden tour press car, which stopped at the Rensselaer Garage Tuesday night. The car was driven by George H. Daubner and E. P. Andrews, j who were on their way from Minneapolis to Indianapolis. When getting ready to leave the articles were missed, and inquiry developed that Chestnut was seen to take them. He was j arrested but denied the charge, finally admitting that he had “found” the coat lying on the floor at the garage, but did not take the goggles, and they must have been in one of the coat pockets. -- The evidence of Stewart Moore and one or two other boys about the garage at the time, was that Chestnut went to the car, took the goggles and put them in his pocket and took the coat and put it in the tire room. later taking it down to the city light plant where he secreted it in the closet. With the marshal Chestnut went to the light, plant and got the coat. : / The evidence at the preliminary hearing before Squire Irwin was sufficient to bind the young man over to the court, and in default of SIOO bonds he is now confined in jail. The prosecuting witness,

WEATHER EVERYWHERE Latest observations of the United States weather bureau taken at Washington: Temp. Weather. New Y0rk........... .68 Clear Albany ....... ..62 Clear Atlantic City...... * .68 Clear Buffalo ..... ....... .64 Clear Chicago ~....'.......66 Clear New Orleans ...84 Clear St. L0ui5............64 Clear Washington .........62 Clear Washington 66 Clear Weather Forecast. Illinois. Indiana and Wisconsin —Cloudy and unsettled today and tomorrow, variable winds.

Daubner, after recovering his property, resumed his journey’, but it is said there is enough evidence to convict without his testimony', and that a new affidavit will be filed by Mike Kuhoski, the garage manager. It is reported that petty thieving has been going on at the garage for a long time, owners of transient cars being the victims, and many joy rides taken in such cars when left over night, and it is determined bv the management to break up the custom. Chestnut is a capable chauffer and a very good automobile machinist, and instead of going to the dogs as iie seems to have been doing of late, he oughtdo be holding down some good pay ing position some place. It is hoped this trouble will bring the young man back to his senses, and cause him to discard the dizzy pace he has been traveling of late.

A CLEAN BILL GIVEN

The Rensselaer School Board By the Field Examiners. The report of the field examiners who recently examined the school corporation of Rensselaer was received by the members of the school board Thursday, and it gives the board a clean bill and comemnds the management of the school affairs very highly. The report goes back to 1903, and in subimtting same to W. A. Dehority, State Examiner, the field examiners say: Dear Sir: In compliance with your instructions we have made an examination of the school corporation of the City of Rensselaer, Indiana, beginning with the fiscal year Aug. 1, 1903. We have carefully checked in the receipts from every ings of the" treasurers record, ” and source, and have verified the footthe amounts carried -forward on same, and find the balances in the two funds to be correct, as shown in our report. We have carefully summarized the amounts paid teachers, and other employe- and the salaried officers. comparing payments toTeachf ers with contracts on file and find that there has been no over-pay-ments.

Our analysis of expenditures for supplies. Shows that there has been no excessive pureha-es, or any otb•r irregularities in connection with the management of the school affairs of tfce city. It is worthy of note that interest accruing in 1907, of $21.85 was properly credited to the city by the treasurer, R. A. Parkison. Also subsequent to Jan. 1, 1908, the depository law has been strictly complied with, and all funds received, have been placed in depository banks. With reference to the amount paid out for “steam heating plant” this was to install the necessary pipes and radiators in two buildings, containing sixteen rooms, in order to utilize the exhaust steam from the city ‘light and water plant” from which service the school city pays SBOO per annum for the heating of the two buildings. We consider that the affairs of the school corporation of the City of Rensselaer, are well managed, and that the patrons are furnished with a good school.

BENEFIT FOR ORPHAN’S HOME.

The Pythian Sisters have arranged to give a benefit at the Rex next Tuesday night, Sept. 20th, for the benefit of the Pythian Orphan’s home. The program will consist of moving pictures, special music, efc, Tickets are 10 cents each and are now on sale at Clarke’s jewelry store.

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS.

'■O’ ■ - i Sept. 15, to Mr. and Mrs.: Ralph Mbore of Barkley tp. f a daughter. .

Vol. XIII. No. 46.