Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 April 1912 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

$1.50 Per Year.

MRS. PARKISON DECLINES TO TALK

Returned Hone Wednesday Night But "Has Nothing to Say" SHE GOT HER NOTES BACK jy -V- '[<■ ' r 'i •. •-• •.\ •-v According to Chicago Paper and Mr. Fleming Will Not Be Prosecuted. - * ! • __ % • The sensation created in Rensselaer by the publication in Chicago papers of Mrs. Aida Parkinson’s having beqn inveigled into a Mexican land deal and the alleged theft of Che $.19,000 in. notes she 'had signed therefor which were i still in her possession pending her return to Rensselaer to consult her lawyer here before turning them over, 'has subsided to some extent,' although still one of the principal topics of conversation on. the streets. Mrs. Parkinson, who is the widow Of t r ae late Addison Parkinson, returned home from Chicago Wed-' nesday night but declines absolute-’ ly to have one word to say to the press here regarding the affair, even declining to say whether or hot she recovered her notes. The following paragraph in a yesterday’s Chicago paper, however, which is practically the only mention made since Tuesday morning, indicates that she did recover the notes: Fleming Escapes Prosecution— Paul Fleming, who was arrested -in. Sioux City, lowa, Monday evening, i will not be brought baqk to Chi-, cage to answer charges brought by Mrs. Aida F. K. Parkinson, a widow of Rensselaer, Ind., who alleged that Fleming obtained her personal notes for $19,000 in an irregular land transaction. Mrs. Parkinson recovered the notes when Fleming \ was apprehended by a private detective agent and ihas decided to 1 atop proceedings. In the Chicago Examiner’s account of the alleged theft of the notes, a Mr. O’Shaugbnessy is men-' tioned as Mrs. Parkison’s Chicago j attorney and in her story to the l police officers .he stated that both ! Fleming and O’Shaughnessy accompanied her to the station where Fleming held the hand-bag in which the contract and notes were,’ while she stepped to the window to buy her ticket to Rensselaer, j O'Shaughressy fs said to be the Same party to whom the unsold lots' and unplatted ground in the Commercial Club addition were transferred lai't fall and who is connected with the match factory people in the “Rensselaer Home Building Co:,” a corporation formed about time of said transfer. The Examiner’s report of Mrs. Parkison’s story in this connectionstates: “You see, I came to Chicago ten days ago foi a shopping trip and was not thinking of making any investments at al‘l. But when I went into a beauty shop in South State street I met Mr. Fleming. He was introduced to me as a wealthy land agent and real estate man from the south. He was real nice looking and well dressed, and I supposed he was all that'"they said he f was. Anyhow, he began to tell about a fine estate he had in Mexico which he said was on the market and going at a bargain. J j “I became so interested that I decided to invest and I had the notes made out. There was one one for $2,000 payable in ten days., one for $2,000 for thirty days, 3. $5,000 note for six months, $5,000 for one year and one for $5,767, or $19,767 in all. , ■ - “Well, after those notes were made out, and this was after I saw Mr. Fleming several times, I , decided, after all, I would not make the purchase until I consulted my attorney in Rensselaer. He approved of that and accompanied me to the Union, station at 9 o’clock last Saturday night. “My purse was ih my handbag, andl was fumbling for it when Mr. Fleming handed me a $lO bill and told me to buy the ticket with that. I did so and gave him my handbag to -bold until I made the purchase. * “The notes were in that handbag but I never for an instant suspected they would be tampered with. My Chicago attorney, Mr. O’Shaughnessy, was with us in the depot and he ' accompanied me tp the 1 ticket window, where 1 bought my ticket. Mr. Fleming was standing just where I left him when I tftrned away from the window and held the bag just as he had received it. He handed it to me . with a simile when I wewt back to him and he and Mr. O’Shaughnessy

walked clear down to the car with me. “I never once thought to look in tbat handbag until I was miles out of Chicago. Then all of a sudden. I felt impelled to look and see if those notes were safe. You may imagine my consternation when I found they were gone. I turned everything out of that handbag and searched it thoroughly, but it was no use. The notes were gone. “I am sure those notes were in the handbag. I placed them there carefully and they could not have fallen out. Also Mr. Fleming vfas the only one who held that bag after I placed the notes in it. He ought to be able to explain about them.”

Peter Van Lear Dead.

Peter V'an Lear, who has been taking treatment in. a Chicago hospital. for some time for cancer of the stomach is dead and -his body was to be brought here on the 11:05 train last night. From the meager information sent it is supposed he died- some time Thursday. No time for holding the funeral has been set at this writing. The death of Mrj Van Lear has been expected at almost any moment for several days', ihis condition having been considered hopeless by the hospital doctors since they first made an of hsi case.

Celebrate Golden Wedding.

Mr. and Mrs. "M. Y. Slaughter of southeast of town celebrated their golden wedding Wednesday. They were married fifty years ago in Indianapolis, and have lived for the last thirty years in Jasper county, in the neighborhood where they now reside. Owing to the bad condition of the roads not many of their eight children could be present. Those in attendance were Mrs. Ben Smith and husband of Hoopeston, 111., and Mrs. C. P. Miller of Goshen. All had a good time and enjoyed the big dinner, which was a feature of the occasion

Would-be Knape Murderer Has Relatives Here.

oei.ti :vwuoi«, woo crea-teci a sensation a few days ago by claiming to be the murderer of Dr. Helene Knabe of Indianapolis a few months ago, is a relative the Nichols’ of Jasper county. Young Nlcholi., who is a deserter from the U. S. Navy, was arrested at Portsmouth, N. it., -a few days ago while drunk, and he told the police that he was the murderer of Dr. Knabe, claiming that, at the instigation of a man by the name of Knight, who gave him $l |t SOO to do' the job, and that he. had since spent the $1,500 for booze. His story was utterly refuted by navy officers and his relatives, and Thursday he admitted that his story was a fake. *■ Nichols is about 21 years of age and is a v son of Wallace Nichols, deceased, who formerly lived ne&r Rensselaer. John L. Nichols of Barkley tp., i£ Ihis grandfather and “Doc” Nichols-of Rensselaer, is a great uncle. He also has relatives in Lafayette.

Remembers the Tennessee Winter of ’64.

R. M. Moore’s statement in Wednesday’s Democrat regarding the past winter in. Tennessee having been the. coldest since 1864, brought back old memories to N. S. Bates, who was with the Union army camped about Nashville during that memorable cold winter. Mr. Bates well remembers the privations of the soldiers.. The snow was knqp deep and firewood was very scarce, on account of the proximity of the enemy. He and his tent-mate had provided a small fireplace in their dog-tent and one night w*h en they had run out of fuel aind Mr. Bates got so cold that he couldn’t sleep, he got up and. taking a small sled that he and his comrad had made, went out on a secret foragitng expedition: (after fuel. He found a lot of cedar ! posts over near a house about a i mile i fr,om camp and' loaded his sled down with them. After he had got the posts securely tied on he looked about a 1 bit and found one lone hen left in the henhouse, and with a few brief passes he deprived biddy of her -head and started back to camp w’th both fuel and food. There j was crust enough on the snow to bear up the sled and its load, and it was quite comfortable for sev- | eral days thereafter in the Bates tent. The chicken stew didn't t go bad with the inner man, either.

THE TWICE-A-WEEK

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA. SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 1912,

COURTHOUSE NEWS IN BRIEF

Interesting Paragraphs from the Various Departments * _ OF JASPER COUNTY CAPITOL The Legal News Epitomized—Together with Other Notes Gathered from ' the Several County Offices. 1 B. F. Fendig, the druggist, is the latest to file a mechanic's leln against the match factory. Ben’s claim is $11.35. The April term of court will convene Monday, on which date the grand jury will also meet. The petit jury is called for the third Monday of the term. Sheriff Hoover, who left a few days ago for Goldfield, Nev., to bring 'back Win. T. Beahler, on order of the court, is expected back tomorrow! or Monday, providing the trains are not delayed by washouts and toe has no trouble in locating his man, ——o—Notwithstanding the decision in the Wbeatfleld liquor license application, the board of commissioners in Pulaski county this week refused to grant Fred Timm of Cast- township a license because of the fact that the township contains less than one Thousand inhabitants, the same ground that the license was refused Tilton of Wheatfield by our board of commissioners.

Attorney Frank Foltz and C. C. Warner attended the trial brought by the Wren children., wlho formerly resided near Francesville, against the guardian of their estate, Wm. T.. Beahler, formerly of near Remington, at Kentland Tuesday. Beahler is claimed to have defrauded the children from a large part of their estate. Sheriff Hoover left Wednesday for Goldfield, Nev., in y/hicb place Beahler is thought to be located, to arrest him and bring him back to face the music.

The county auditor, at the meeting of the commissioners Monday took up them the alleged “dog” scalp on which the county paid a $lO wolf bounty to Richard Peterson of east of Roselawn, in Jasper county, a few weeks ago. Peterson, it will be remembered, sold the pelts to B. S. Fen-dig for $3 after having the scalp punched by the auditor and filing his cl&im for the bounty. Fendig sent the pelt to a Chicago fur dealer who pronounced it a dog pelt and worth but 25 cents. Considerable discussion has arisen over the matter and Peterson, when asked to refund the bounty, refused to do so, declhring he had seen and killed too many wolves to be fooled about this one, and the fact that ae went to a fur dealer here and sold the pelt would convince anyone that he was honest in his conviction that the pelt was that of a wolf. The auditor secured the pelt Mr. Fendig, to whom it had been returned, and showed it to several different pities versed on wolfology, including C. W. Bussell, .i. W. Childers, Sbeiby Grant and others, and none would 1 say it was not a wolf .pelt. That is, that there was no wolf about the animal, although all thought perhaps it was a cross between a dog and a wolf. |On this showing and the conviction!of the commissioners that it was | eligible to the bounty, the matter ; has been dropped. * No one locally seems to have j been particularly to blame for the I discussion that had arisen over the matter. Mr. Peterson seems to have been fully , justified in his position, and the auditor, who dpesn’t pose as an expert on wolves, was not to blame as he relied on Peterson’s affidavit. Fendig evidently thought the animal was a real wolf or he wouldn't have bought the pelt. The kid-glove experts in Chicago who pronounced it “dog” may have never seen any j real live wolves 4n their life exJeept those of the two-legged var-

iety which infest the Windy City. So everybody seenre to have been exhonorated by our local wolf experts and Mr. Peterson can go ahead killing the animals as fast as he can get in gunshot of them and collect the bounty as long as Jasper county continues in the wolf bounty business. Commissioners court proceedings: Frank E: Rupert ditch; report approved, expense account ordered paid, supt. allowed $43.89 and cause dropped. George Davisson ditch; same order, supt allowed $44. W. H. Wbrtley ditch; time extended to. May term for making report. -i.y Attica, Bridge Co. awarded contract for new bridge in town of Remington at $837, and F. M. Williams awarded contracts for four new bridges in Kankakee tp., at $664, $647, $622 and $623, respectively. H. W. Marble stone road-.; A. Halleck allowed $260 as part of attorney fee in said cause. George Naroinga petjtidn for gravel road in Keener tp.; election set for April 30 for voting on proposition. (Same order in Charles E. Kersey gravel road. Joseph Kosta petition for vacation of highway; report of viewers recommend vacation of same. H. Zacher, Frank Zacher and Gustave Zacher remonstrate and board appoints John Remm, Frank Tillett and James Stevens as reviewers, to meet April 20. T. M. Callahan petition for highway; T. F. Maloney, F. W. Fisher and Wrii. Fitzgerald appointed viewers, to meet April 20. Geo. Putt petition for highway in Carpenter tp.; notice and petition sufficient and cause continued for objection. In matter of new registration law, the board appoints the ing inspectors: . Barkley, East .John Hayes' Barkley, West .... Grant Davisson 1 Carpenter, East ..William Broadie Carpenter, West ..... .Moses. Sigoi Carpenter, South .....James Lock Gillam . .John Ryan | Hanging Gtove ....Joseph Stewart' Jordan ... ... ... . .Frank Nissiusj Kankakee .. . .Thomas F. Maloney, Keener C. O. SpencerJ Mgrion, No. I. ... .. . .N. S. Bates ji'gcion, No. 2 W. R. Nowels Marion, No 3. ..Joseph Luers Marion, No. 4. ..... . . Joseph Nagel Miiroy ... .G. L Parks Newton ..John Nowels Union, North... .Chas. Harrington Union, South Chas. D. Lakin Walker ... . .F. M. Hershman Wheatfield .... .. . . ,H. E. Remley

“WHEATFIELD GOES WET.”

Judge Vurpillat of the Pulaski*, Starke Circuit Rules In Favor of Applicant. The Geo. W. Tilton saloon license application case, venued this county last tail, was tried at Knox last Monday before Judge Vurpillat and resulted in favor of the applicant, Tilton. As soon as a transcript is filed here with the auditor, as we understand the matter, the case will be referred to! the county commissioners at „thelr next session and a license granted. The question at issue was whether Wheatfield? having less than ],- 000 population, was entitled to a saloon though the township voted “wet,” when 1,000 was fixed as the limit by the commissioners, and the comrryssioners held they were not. Tilton appealed to the circuit court wlhe're Geo. O. Stembel, who- with others was opposing the license, took a c-hange of venue and the case was sent to Starke county. Speaking of t)he decision, the Starke County Democrat, says: The case of George W. Tilton vs. George O. Stemibel, et al., venued to 'this courts from Jasper county, was tried before Judge Vurpillat Monday. The case' wag an appeal from 1 the Jasper county;, commissioners and involved the important question of whether a board of commissioners had the right to refuse to grant a liquor license in a township where the population is less than the number fixed by the board (in this case 1,000) in limiting t'he number of saloons, Tilton applied for a license in Wiheatfleld township, but was refused on the grounds that the township had less than a 1,000 irfhabitants. .He appealed tfhe case’ and won on the contention, that the new liquor law was not a prohibitory act. If it. were tihe county commissioners by •their own act could mdke “dry” territory “wet” and “wet” territory “dry.”

Card of Thanks.

We desire to publicly express our heartfelt thanks to the neighbors and friends for their kindness and sympathy during the illness and death of our beloved husband and father.—Mrs. Lyman Ilarce and Children.

GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

Telegraphic Reports from Many Partsof tha Country SHORT BITS OF THE UNUSUAL Happenings in Distant and Nearby Cities and Towns— Matters of Minor Mention from Many Places. Maibauer' Was Acquitted. William Maibauer of Medaryville, \Vho was arrested at South Bend last "week, charged with being a “white elave” trafficer, was tried in the city court in that place and was acquitted because there was not sufficient evidence produced to prove the charges against him. He was given hiß release and is now at home The many friends of his aged parents axe glad to know that the young man has been acquitted of the very serious charges preferqed against him.—Francesville Tribune.

Panhandle Conductor Loses Both Legs.

Edward Moon, Panhandle freight and extra passenger conductor, lies at St. Joseph hospital at Loganßport with both legs cut off below the knees as the result of falling beneath his train at Reynolds at 11:45 yesterday monring. He was in charge of the east bound State Line local coming towards this city. At Reynolds they were doing some switching and Moon was running along side of a cut of cars to release an aireock, when it is supposed he slipped and fell under the train. The accident was witnessed by other members of the crew, who went to his assistance and called Dr. E. A. Bush of that town. The engine and cabin car were detached from the train and the crew made a hurry run ts Logansjjort with a clear rdg'ht. of way. They arrived there 'about 12:50 artd the injured man *as taken directly to St. Joseph hospital, where both limbs were amputated. Dr. Bush accompanied the injured man and while the trip was being made put bandages on the limbs to prevent hiih from bleeding to death. Moon began working for the Panhandle as a brakeman in 1882, was promotqd to conductor in 1890 and was made an extra passenger conductor in 1911. A report froyn the hospital late yesterday afternoon was that the attending physician feared that Moon wjould not withstand the shock. The trip from Reynolds on the train and then the long ride in the ambulance were a severe ordeal for one so badly injured to go through although he stood it heroically and retained consciousness until placed on the operating table.—Wednesday’s Monticello Herald. 1 i Later reports state that the limbs were amputated above the knee and that Moon will recover.

SOLDIERS’ HOME CROWDED

Annual Report of the Commandant Shows No Prospect of Enlargement. Lafayette, Ind., April 3-—That the Institution is filled to its capacity with an attendance of 1,400 members, and that there is no prospect of enlargement of present facilities, Is the gist of the annual report of the Indiana State Soldiers’ home, which Colonel D. B. Kehlev, commandant, has 'prepared for Governor Thomai R. Marshall. The population ..or the home has not changed materially for several years, and while the total membership is 1,400 the average daily attendance of soldiers and soldier*’ widows is ' There is not probability of any more counties providing county cottages at the home, as many counties have done, and still lee?, likelihood of the state appropriating more money top new quarters.. The adjutant’s report shows that there were 971 members present at the home on October l l* 1910, and 976 present in October, 1911. Of this number 384 were men and 662 womep. The average number of officers and attendants during the year was sixtyfour. The expenditures were: Salary and wages, $41,614.12; sub-

sistence, $70,994.61; clothing, $7,. i'41.34, domej-tics and outdoor expense, $43,697.29; ordinary reimira, $6,307.50; total, $170,454.86. The value of the home property is estimated at $670,042.71. The total ninnber of deaths during the year at the hospital and in the dormitories was 67-34 men and thirty-three women.

Presbyterian Church.

The services for next Sabbath: Sabbath school at 9:30 a. m. Morning worship and Easter communion, 10:45 a.. Evening worship at 7:30 p. m„ topic, Easter Joy.” The choir will give a program of Easter music at the evening service. Everyone most cordially invited to both services.

Sunday at Christian Church.

Bible school 9:30 a. m. - Preadhlng and Communion, 10:30 a. m. ' _kil Christian Endeavor, 6 p. m. Evangelistic services, 7 p. m. Special Easter music will be rendered at all services during the day. Morning subject, “Winning a Crown"; evening subject, Resurrection.’,’

Methodist Chuych.

This week the ‘meetings at Trinity M. B. church have been good in spirituality and decision work. The meetings are growing In extent reaching out in the country homes. Mrs. Fell is preaching heart-searohing sermons and doing much pastoral work in tbeway of reaching home* in personal work and prayer. Her work and Influence Is being felt and will be after ■the meetings close for she will be here to help care for the work. Come and give us your help and influence for Christ. Services Saturday night and Sunday. Sunday school 9:30; preaching 10:30. Children ’a meeting, 2:30, and young people 3:30. Sun* day is Easter and wo are planning and ejecting great things from our Savior. Come and enjoy these services You will be made to fee! at lipme.—C. L. HARPER, Pastor.

Collegeville Items.

During the last wdtek the regular bi-monthly examinations were held in all the classes. School closed for a week's Easter vacation Wednesday naming, and classes will again be resumed on. April 10. The Fathers will all bo away assisting in the solemnity of the Easter celebrations in various churches of the state.

At the meeting last Sunday the C: L. S. decided to render the five act drama “Hermenlgeld,” by Msgr. Cechtering of Ft. Wayne, as the commencement play for this year. It will be remembered that this play was given In the spring of 1901. At that presentation it proved Itself a great success, and they who were then the star actors now have tbe staging of the play hi charge, and another noteworthy dramatic achievement is anticipated. At the last mass meeting of the Athletic Association the college Initial J was awarded to Edward Beckman, Peter Winter, Paul Deery, Alois Reichert and John Endres for the good work that they did during the strenuous basket ball season, Andrew Sabados was elected general manager of base ball, and Frank Bertke of tennis. A strong base ball schedule is being arranged. The prospects of another winning team are very favorable. i a spite of the contrary weather conditions daily practice has been conducted in the gymnasium. ’ pitchers are in good shape, and by tcrced work after the Easter recess will soon put the team in fighting trim. The personnel of the team has no't yet been definitely selected, but from the advansja showing of the material there will be greater difficulty In choosing the proper players for the various positions than in drilling the' team into a winning aggregation.

Easter Apron Sale and Market.

The ladies of *the Methodist church will have their annu&l apron sale and market Friday and Saturday, April 5 and 6, in the former Williams furniture store buildipg adjoining the Roth meat market. Sunbonnets, useful and fancy aprons, laundry articles, fancy towels and sun hats on sale. Lunch will be served on Saturday. Sale opens each day at 10 a. m. a 6 An armful of old papers for a nickel at the Democrat office.

Vol. XV. No. t