Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1911 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

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BADER CASE TO BE ARGUED

Before the Supreme Court on Next Tuesday DECISION PROBABLE SHORTLY In the Noted Bridge Graft Cases From Jasper County In Which Winamac Bridge Co’s. Head Was Convicted Last April.

The supreme court has set the trial argument in the case of Charles Bader against the state of Indiana, from Jasper county, for Tuesday, April 25. This is the case of the man who constructed bridges in Jasper county and was convicted of defrauding the county in constructing them several thousand pounds lighter than the contract called for. He made a showing to the Governor that he had a good cause for appeal, and the Governor paroled him pending appeal, for which he was criticized by some of the papers of the state.-—lndianapolis News.

From the above it will be seen that there is a prospect for a decision In this noted cases ere lo ng. It has been a year since Clinton L. Bader, superintendent and general manager of the Winamac Bridge Co., was found guilty of presenting a false and fraudulent claim to Jasper county in payment for a 70-foot span steel bridge across the Howe ditch in Milroy tp., it being shown ni the trial that no attempt was made to follow the plans and specifications for the bridge and that the structure was scaled down more than one-third in weight of material from that provided in the specifications. Bader was found guilty and after Judge Hanley had convinced himself that there had been a systematic steal of this character made by this company on all the bridges it had erected here —as shown by a private engineer whom the Court at his own expense hired to make an investigation—Bader was sentenced to from two to fourteen years in the state prison.

Sheriff Shirer started with the prisoner for Michigan City, but stopped off at the latter’s home in Winamac and remained there several dayte until the attorneys, by what has since been reported to have been false representations, went to Governor Marshall and secured a parole, pending appeal to the supreme court. Sunday afternoon, four or five days after the sheriff had started to prison with Bader the latter brought the sheriff back home, safe and sound, in his automobile.

There was considerable criticism of the course of the sheriff, who made affidavit that Bader’s attorneys had told him he had five days to take Bader to prison, judge Hanlev had both the sheriff and Bader’s Rensselaer and Winamac attorneys cited for contempt of court and the former was fined SIOO. The attorneys denied that they had so advised the sheriff and on this plea they escaped a fine. There has been some talk of an action to recover from the bridge company the amounts that , Jasper county has been swindled out of which was later shown by an examination by Prof. Smith, head of the Purdue University engineering department, to have been considerable on every bridge it had erected, The Democrat first urging that such action be taken, and the Republican, just on the eve of *he last election, shouting “here, too.” But. nothing has ever been done. t and soon after the election Bader’s attorney was made county attorney, so if suit was now brought we would have the spectacle of an attorney bringing suit for one of his clients against an--eSher-ef-hisef renter - - - - As it now stands the interests of the taxpayers in this case — seeing that justice is done —must be looked after wholly by the prosecuting attorney - while their county attorney is representing the thief who robbed them!

DOGS QUARANTINED.

In White County and Jasper and Pulaski May Be Asked to Join. Dr. Goodwin, county health officer, received a report this morning from the State Board of Health, concerning the three sheep heads sent there from the Conn farm. All three showed decided traces of hydrophobia. Dr. Goodwin has declared a dog quarantine for the county, to become effective Monday, April 24. He is thinking some of asking Jasper and Pulaski counties to join in the quarantine, as there have been mad dogs found at large in-both of those counties, and there is no doubt but the whole district in the triangle formed bv Rensselaer, Winamac and Monticello is infected.— Monticello Journal.

RANSFORD IS SOLVENT

Assets Exceed Liabilities By Four Thousand Dollars, It Is Said. The Democrat is informed that- the invoice of the Ransford Department Store shows an excess of assets over liabilities of four thousand dollars. That is, the assets are $16,000%nd the liabilities but $12,000, in round numbers. ' The Geddes Shoe Co., one of the heaviest creditors, has filed a petition in the federal court to throw Mr. Ransford into involunta>y bankruptcy, but has put up no bond, and the store was opened yesterday for business once more. The hearing is set lor April 28, and pending the hearing the store will be open for business, as usual. The bankruptcy proceedings will be contested. With so large a business to look after and the, in a measure, neglecting his legitimate line in real estate transactions, Ransford has got in rather close financial quarters, but it is 'hoped the trouble is but temporary and that he will be able to get from under with considerable property left. He is sacrificing his stock to meet creditors’ claims, and if the report we have of his condition is correct he will soon be on 'his feet again.

GENE VISITS HAMMOND.

Railroad Promotor Offers “Company’s” Notes to Stockholders Who Lost In Bubble.

Hammond Times, April 18: Eugene Purtelle, spectacular financier and promotor, whose northern Indiana traction bubble was picked last fall when he was thrown into the hands of the receiver, was in Hammond today making a number of calls on persons with whom he had business relations in the past.

Apparently Purtelle believes the nest eggs which he had in the shape of a traction line on paper and the concomitant free publicity has not been spoiled by age, despite the fact it lay on the ash 4ieap where the heat of indignation and the chill of public disinterest touched it alternately. While in Hammond today Mr. Purtelle said he would give the company’s notes to the stockholders who lost their money because he went into bankruptcy.

Because of the fact that the public cannot connect the idea of Mr. Purtelle and a successful northern Indiana line, the news that the stockholders Who are holding the bag are to get" the company’s notes instead of „dividends, is not causing any wild excitement in the Hammond stock market. -, When Purtelle and his dreamlike first hit the bumps last fall several Lake county citizens held a number of conferences, at which the question of making the line a reality was taken up. Some of the interested citizens were stockholders, and they did not care to venture any more. The whole project died a natural death.

Kainit- in 125 lb. bags, only $13.00 per ton. —Maines & Hamilton. ___ Some one has said the Lord might have made a better berry than the strawberry, but he didn’t. You can get the best strawberry plants for this part of the country of N. S. Bates. You can benefit by his experience. ■*

THE TWICE-A-WEEK

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA. SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 1911. _ - . ; / . *

THE COURT HOUSE

Items Picked Up About the County Capitol Argument in motion for a new trial in the Condon will case from Newtrfft county will be heard today. C. F. Stackhouse and J. P. Simons, who were selected as federal jurymen in the court at Hammond, went there Wednesday.-' . - ' _ / ; _ The Hon. John E. Osborn of Decatur county is beingffioomed by rhe democrats of the Sixth district for state chairman, to succeed Stokes Jackson, recently elected sergeant-at-arms of the lower house of congress. The old suit of Stephen Thayer vs. Patrick Hallagan, which grew out of the Sim Dowell, et al. cattle stealing case here several years ago, was dismissed in the Benton circuit court Monday. Thayer not appearing. He sought damages because his land was attached by the Hallagans. Owing to defective indictments, all the old cases against A. E. Kirk, the former Parr druggist charged with illegal sales of liquor, were dismissed by the prosecutor Wednesday and six new affidavits filed by the prosecutor covering the same alleged illegal sales. Up to yesterday morning the marshal had slaughtered 19 dogs in the city, found without muzzles, and their carcasses were thrown in the fire boxes underneath the boilers at the light plant. Dog owners 'should remember that there will be so “monkey business” about the enforcement of this dog muzzling ordinance. The Hawkins will case in Benton county, the decision of which in the lower court was recently reversed in the supreme court and sent back for new trial, has been compromised among the various heirs and the big estate, consisting principally of valuable farm lands about Earl Park will be divided up satisfactorily, and the lawyers will fail to get onother big slice of the property. The crow bounty bill of Representative Brown of Monon, passed by the last legislature, seems to leave the matter with the county councils as to whether the ten cents per head bounty shall be paid. It says the county councils “may appropriate.” No appropriation for the purpose has been made in Jasper county and we do not how our county council will look at the proposition.

New suits filed: No. 7723. Jesse C. Gwin vs. Amanda Pearl Blankenship, et al.; action to foreclose mechanic’s lein. Demand SIOO.

No. 7724. Hiram Day vs. William G. Caldwell, et al. and Z. A. Cox, cross-plaintiff, vs. same; action to foreclose mechanic’s lein. Demand S6O by Day and $450 by Cox.

No. 7725. Samuel Smith vs. Patrick Hallagan; action for damages for conversion of one black horse named “Jim,” of the alleged value of S2OO. The Republican says it wrote a letter to Attorney-General Honan for an opinion regarding the 1,000 population limit of the Proctor liquor regulation law, and that he declined to give an Opinion; that, he does not care to assume the responsibility, saying it is a matter for' the county commissioners and county attorney to decide. Now The Democrat wrote Mr. Honan April sth regarding this same matter, knowing that it was scarcely his province to give an opinion to private individuals or newspapers, but taking a chance

at Securing an opinion. He replied that he could not give out an opinion except to public officers, and referred us to the county attorney. There was no effort on his part apparently to side-step the question, but a mere reiteration of what we al-

ready knew, that it was not the custom of his office to give out opinions to every Tom, Dick and Harry who might write him. Therefore, as we already knew who the county attorney had said, we made no mention of his letter.

However. Judge Van Fleet of the >t. Joseph superior court, in decision that put ten saloons out Oi business in South Bend • and Mishawaka, said a day or two ago regarding this law: “It is to be borne in mind that one of the objects of the statute is to limit the number of saloons, according to the population and where they exceed the number to reduce them to that number, so that any doubt or ambiguity in the language of the statute should be construed to carry out the general purpose of the statute.” And the Proctor law says that not more than one liquor license shall be granted for each 500 population, which limit may be increased to one to 1,000 population by the county commissioners—which was done in Jasper county. Some attorneys here construed this to mean that a unit having, say, a population of but one, means one license and that 1,001 means two licenses. Do you believe this? Wm. E. Brandenburg of near Wheatfield, mention of whose arrest on the charge of forgery was made in Wednesday’s Democrat, has “fessed up,” it is reported, and will likely throw himself on the mercy of the court, he having borne a good reputation heretofore. His father visited him in the jail Wednesday and to him, we are told, the young man admitted the charge was true. It is said the amounts received from the forged checks will be refurtded and it is ‘hoped the court will be lenient. As a matter of fact the amount of the check on which the arrest was made, as shown by the affidavit now on file in the clerk’s office was but $22.20. It was given on the Wheatfield Bank, dated April 14, made payable to “W. J. Smith” and purported to have been given by J. C. Calloway, Court proceedings since our last report: State vs. Albert Kirk, four cases; al (Msmissed. State vs. George Miller; re-set for third Wednesday^ State vs. A. Robbins; re-set for third Wednesday. State vs. W. E. Brandenburg; set for trial third Tuesday. State vs. Albert Kirk (six cases); bond fixed at SIOO in each case with Hiram Day as surety. Defendant takes change of venue and cases sent to Newton county. Horace Marble ditch; cause submitted by agreement as to C. I. & S. Ry., and judgment confirming assessments. Lewis J. Lane vs. St. Louis & Southwestern Ry. Co:, et al.; court finds for defendants, judgment vs. plaintiff for costs. Williard J. Tilton vs. R. M. Kistler, et al.; defendant files affidavit for change of venue, and case is sent to White county. Charles G. Kissinger, et al. vs. Harry P. Kissinger, et al., commissioner reports receipts since last report of $330.64 and expenses $16.60. Court allows commissioner $lO and G. A. Williams $lO. Clerk directed to make distribution and cause dropped. Samuel Hartsell vs. Samuel H. Hartsell; commissioner files report showing al funds distributed and same is approved and commissioner discharged.

COLLEGEVILLE ITEMS.

Regular classes were again resumed on Wednesday morning with all the students except the practiced stragglers on hand. Rev. J. Lambert, Dunnington, Ind., was a ivsitor last Tuesday. B. Burger, New Washington, Ohio, F. O’Hara, Lafayette, called at the college during the week. Rev. John Toujas has been forced owing to ill health to give up his college work for the rest of the present school year. He Is now sojourning at Cleveland, Ohio. Walter Reinick has again returned to the college after spending some time at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Toledo, taking treatment for throat troubles. He has entirely recovered. The Raleigh Smoking Club is continuing in its preparation of a mintrel show. The date for the rendition has not yet been fixed, but the entertainment will be presented in the near future; -

CHICAGO MEN ASK BIG BONUS

For Establishing Their Factory in Rensselaer Want an Equivalent of About $16,000 Before They Turn a Wheel—Must Have Factory Financed or Won’t Come Here. The Chicago promoters, Messrs. A. G. Dicus, Geo. Gardener and J. J. Kartheiser, stockholders and organizers of the Gardener Automatic Fuel Feed Co., who have been negotiating with the Commercial Club for a factory site, came here day and at an open meeting of the Club in the east court room of the court house that afternoon made their proposition. ■ The promoters have evidently been reading “Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford.” Their proposition in a concise form was: The Commercial Club take SIO,OOO of treasury stock in the concern, build two buildings 40x125 with a railroad switch between the buildings, and donate 5 acres of ground. The deed to the buildings and ground to be held in escro by the Club for a certain length of time, the expiration of which time deed to lie turned over to the Chicago people. Or, build the two buildings, donate the ground and $7,000 or SB,OOO in cash.

The promoters agreed to furnish for their share of the transaction : Five patents, some nicely printed stock certificates, and a small amount of money. (The spokesman of the Chicago concern Mr. Dicus said the amount of money was too small to mention.) The factory people further agreed to begin operations 30 days after the buildings were finished, and said they would install $7,000 or SB,OOO worth of machinery, giving the Commercial Club a mortgage on this machinery (providing the Club furnished the money to buy it with, or bought this nicely printed treasury stock). They also agreed to gve-bond to pay a certain amount out in wages after operations were begun. The concern would eventually employ from 50 to 150 men, and woukj, make a smoke-consumer, a fire-box feed for boilers using either coal or wood, and a fan. From the promoters standpoint the proposition was gilt-edged. If they made good the Club would get one-fifth (providing they bought the stock) and as the stock is for sale it might as well be the Club as any one. On the other hand, if the proposition fails, the Chicago people lose practically nothing, while the Club stands a loss of about $16,000. If the articles manufactured were of everyday usage, it would not be so much of a gamble. But these articles are more in the nature of novelties. The utility-

is unquestioned, but whether the demand is sufficient to keep a force of 100 men busy the year r6und is debatable. And in articles' of this character it should be remembered that there are many others and only practical tests will determine,which is the best.

Mr. Dicus, one of the promoters, laid particular stress on the fact that skilled labor wouty be used. This would mean importing about 100 families as there is in all probability not more than 10 men in the county that can be called skilled mechanics in* that line, if there are that many. To import skilled labor from the city to the small town means a continued lack of sufficient help or else it means as much or more money per day than the city pays. A carpenter won’t leave the city where he is making from $4.50 a day up to .come, to Rensselaer for S3OO tm~ less he is crazy. Neither would moulders nor any line of skilled labor the factory might employ, as few mechanics in the city can be made to, see the advantage of life in the small town, arid while there can be no.question about living being cheaper it .s

Vol. XIV. No. 5.

hard to make the average skilled workman look at small town life from* that viewpoint. This is usually one of the arguments promoters use: Cheaper labor. And almost invariably it fails to work. With common labor it is different, but skilled mechanics of today get the money. \\ ith labor costing as much or more and freight rates high from lack of competition, it hardly sounds feasible to establish a factory here making an article that in order to have a market must be a labor and money saver, and in order to pay dividends must be built economically. Chairman Warner asked the promoters what guarantee the Club would have that the concern would not vacate the buildings whenever they get ready.

(Continued on Fifth Page)

FAVORS CROW BOUNTY.

F. M. Lakin of Union Tp. Says County Council Should Appropriate Funds. F. M. Lakin, one of the old time democrats of Union tp., was down on business Thursday. Mr. I-akin thinks the county council should appropriate funds to pay crow scalp bounties. Twenty years ago to see a crow was a rarity in his vicinity, but they have been increasing in number right along along of late years and do much damage. Many young turkeys are swooped down upon by crows up there every year, besides they do much other damage. Hunters do not kill them because they are not considered fit for food. Consequently they have been unmolested for years and have,, increased in number until they have become a great nuisance in many localities. Making it worth while for hunters to shoot them will dimish their number greatly in a short time and it will not be long until they are driven out of the country iiy the* fulisades that will be fired at the them by hunters who will go after them for the tyMr. Lakin is considered a pretty leavel-headed man and his

judgment in this matter is no doubt correct. He came to Jasper county with his parents when but a toddling youngster, his father taking up a homestead in what is now Union township. Ihe , country here was very sparcely settled at that time and neighbors were miles away. Wolves were plentiful and a bounty of $5 per head was finally placed upon them. It is now $lO but not more than one or two scalps are brought in each year. He has had as high as S2BO worth of wolf scalps on hand at one time, from wolves he had killed, when the bounty was $5 per head. Mr. Lakin is a man who never enjoyed the advantages of an education, and can neither read nor write, but his judgment is valued in business matters, and he has amassed a comfortable competency. He is now 71 years of age, but is active and he is as strong and his argument as convincing as of twenty vears ago.

JAMES HOGAN DEAD.

Well Known Remington Citizen Dies at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Lafayette. James Hogan, an aged and well known citizen of Remington who had been taking treatment at St. Elizabeth’s hospital in Lafayette, died in that institution at midnight Sunday night from kidney troubles, aged 77 years. The remains were brought to Remington for burial. Mr. Hogan was a highly respected citizen of Remington and in quite well to do circumstances. He had never married and his property, it is presumed, will go to his relatives. Jacob Klaus, another old resident of Remington, died Sunday after a few illness aged 63 years. The funeral was held Tuesday from the Sacred Heart Catholic church.- at Remington. - Last Friday the remains of Mrs. T. J. Lock, a former old time resident of Remington, were brought to that place from Kankakee,, 111., for buriaf. The family left Remington nearly twenty years ago and have since, resided in Kankakee. ■ - *