Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 May 1911 — THE COURT HOUSE [ARTICLE]

THE COURT HOUSE

Items Picked Up About the County Capitol ■ '% At the meeting of the county board of education-Monday C. B. Steward was re-elected truant officer. Five marriage licenses were issued last month, against 13 for the preceding month, and 10 for April, 1910. It is now in order for some one of these ardent bridge graft defenders to offer to lay out Mr. Bader’s term of imprisonment. Charles Morlan has sold the two former Capt. Burnham lots on Scott street to Harvey Wood, Sr., who,, it is reported, will build a residence on one of the lots, either for himself or his son Van. The petition in the federal court at Indianapolis to have E. V. Ransford declared bankrupt was continued five days, 1 on account of illness of one of the attorneys, and the matter will come up for hearing today. The Democrat is informed that its list of probable aspirants for the office' of county superintendent was incomplete; that Ross Dean, History teacher in the Rensselaer schools, and one or two others whose names we were unable to learn, will be contestants for the place. Marriage licenses issued: Apr. 29, Louie Otto Ricks of Francesville, aged 19, occupation farmer, to Lida Marie Spencer, daughter of Charles W. Spencer of Rensselaer, aged 18,- occupation housekeeper. Fathers o( both applicants gave consent to marriage. Married by Squire Irwin. County Commssioner-elect W. H. Hershman of Walker tp., has recently purchased an E-M-F touring car. Commissioner Stackhouse owned a fine auto for months before his election as commissioner, and both hifc machine and MV Hershman’s are paid for. So the the taxpayer need not feel any apprehension.

The jury was excused Saturday morning after returning the Powell vs. Greenlee verdict until- yesterday morning at 9 o’clock when 'the cases of International Harvester Co. vs. Pratt and Louisa Moss vs. D. R. Brown were set for trial. The former case, however, was continued by agreement to next term by reason of failure to secure an important witness.

Father Jean Marie Poujas of St. Joseph’s College, a. native of France, received his “second papers” Monday and had his name changed to John Fern. Jean in French is John in English, and Poujas is Fern. Father Fern will go to Europe this summer tt> lecture on “America and American 1 Institutions,” and he wanted a good plain American to carry along with him. Court proceedings since our last report: State vs. Charles C. Graham; motion to quash indictment sustained. William E. Moore ditch; Frank J. Donnelly files remonstrance. Myrtle Lewin vs. Wm. I. Hoover, sheriff; re-set for trial fourth Thursday. Hiram Day vs. William G. Caldwell, et al. and Z. Anson Cox, crossplaintiff, vs. same; cause dismissed at costs of plaintiffs. Jesse C. Gwin ?s. Amanda Pearl Blankenship, et al.; foreclosure of mechanic’s lein, judgffient $85.60. Medaryville Automobile Co. vs. George L. Johnson, et al.; tranI script and papers filed on change of venue from Pulaski county.

off this appeal bond. Judge Burson came over to Rensselaer to copy the language of the old bond that he might prepare a new one. it being of an unusual form, but learned here that it was to be down at Indianapolis, and went hence. A new bond was probably given, as Hathaway in his notice to Bader had limited the time ip which he must secure another bondsman in his stead.

George W. Tilton of Wheatfield has filed an application for a liquor license to conduct a saloon at that place. The application will come up for a bearing at the June meeting of the county commissioners. Just what action the commissioners will take in the matter by reason of \\ heatfield town and township not having 1.000 -population, the limit fixed in Jasper county for liquor licenses, we are unable to say. And now the legal inspiration of the Republican. Abe Halleck, admits that after carefully reading and considering the limitation features of the Proctor liquor regulation law that he has changed his mind and thinks a unit of less population than 1,000 —where such limit is fixed by •the county commissioners—is not entitled to a license. This is the position taken at the start by The Democrat, but we are free to confess that the courts may take a different view' of the question. However, county commissioners can accept our view if they wish and let the other fellows take the matter up for the “last guess.” When the charges of bridge graft were first made by Wallace Marshall The Democrat took the position that the matter should be fully investigated; that if the Winamac Bridge Co., was guilty it should be punished, and if not guilty it should be exonerated of the charge. Xo honest man could object to that position, yet The Democrat was the only paper in Jasper county that urged this course. The outcome has fully demonstrated that The Democrat was right again and that those who sought to shut off investigation by ridiculing the charges were wrong. We believe we can say without boasting that The Democrat is almost invariably right and well deserves its reputation as “The Taxpayers Friend.” The appellate court last Friday handed down a decision that is of interest to automobilists. Here is the syllabus of the opinion: 6961. Charles W. East vs. Zactaariah Am barn. Madison S. C. Affirmed. Hottel, J. (1) Though one operating an automobile has the same rights as others with vehicles in the highways, when he violates the Taw by excess speed or otherwise, that act of itself, if cause of injury, will give a right of action. One must act with regard to the rights of others or he must be responsible for damages. Case of an automobile causing a runaway, and it is held that the general verdict is supported by the evidence and not overcome by answers to the interrogatories. President W. I. McCullough and several other officers of the Fountain Park Assembly were over from Remington Monday and yesterday attending the trial of Chris Hensler against the Park association, wrho hold a lease for a term of years from Robert Parker for the Assembly grounds. Hensler bought the land on whieh the Assembly grounds are located and was trying to collect rent for the hotel building, owned by the association. Hensler wanted to know' just what rights he had and the suit is more to' determine this than anything else. When the trial came up Hensler dismissed, but the Park company had filed a counter complaint and seek to collect damages from Hensler

for the removal of the grandstand and judges’ stand from the old fair ground, which they had also leased from Parker, and determine their rights as to the hotel, restaurant and barber shop buildings. The case was heard by Judge Hanlev without the intervention of a jury.