Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 April 1914 — COURT HOUSE NEWS IN BRIEF [ARTICLE]

COURT HOUSE 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. The White circuit court convenes next Monday. Albert Knovsky, of Demotte, will ask for a renewal of his license to conduct a saloon at that place at the May meeting of the county commissioners.

Mrs. W. I. Hoover, wife of Sheriff Hoover, accompanied by Mrs. Jesse Nichols, matron at the poor asylum, took Mrs. Emily Magers, 85 years old, to the insane asylum at Longcliff yesterday. Mrs. Magers was an inmate of the poor asylum, and was adjudged insane last week.

Another of those “nasty” cases, which have been altogether too frequent in Jasper county for the past year, was filed in the circuit court last week, the prosecuting witness being Vina Smith, a girl 14 years old, who charges Lem McCarthy, her brother-in-law, with assault upon her on March 21 last with intent to commit a felony. McCarthy resides in the north part of town and is employed on the Sternberg dredge.

An affidavit has been filed in the circuit court by Carl Steinhilb?r, a young German blacksmith of Kniman, against Janie's Davis,, also of that place, charging the latter with assault and 1 battery on the person of the former on April ? % but at this writing no arrest has yet been made. According to Steinhilber’s story the trouble was caused over remarks Davis is alleged to have made about the former’s wife; that some one had been peeking about Steinhilber’s house of nights, and a watch-charm was found at the side of the house that is alleged to have been the property of Davis. The alleged assault occurred in the store and postoffice at Kniman, and it is said to have been caused from Steinhilber’s refusing to give up the watch-charm on Davis’ demand for it. The former was beaten up considerably about the face, but alleges that he struck no blows in return.

The action of the county council at its meeting this week, in refusing to appropriate funds for the salary of a county agent after tihe expiration of the present appropriation, July 1, it seems to us is to be regretted, although it is not probable that this failure on the part of the council to appropriate funds for the purpose would mean that the office is jfp be abolished if anyone cares to take the matter into court, for it is likely that the county council could be mandated to make such appropriation. In fact, a case is now pending in the higher courts from Fountain county, wherein this same question has arisen, and it is believed that a decision will be rendered in a few weeks.

In our opinion JaSper county has not tried this matter out for a long enough period to determine whether it is a good thing or not, and it seems to us that it should have been continued for another year at least before giving it up. Perhaps then we would dot care to. Quite a number of the more progressive farmers have consulted with our county agent—who is working all of the time in conjunction with Purdue University—and are carrying out experiments in crop growing under his directidn. Especially is this true with Alfalfa and other crops comparatively new to Jasper county. Another thing that'is of vast benefit to our people, as a whole, is the interest that County Agent Barrett has aroused among the boys and girls of the county, and in the boys’ corn contest for this year he has enrolled 184 boys, who will contest for the prizes offered; and

in the girls’ poultry club, 124 girls of the county have been enrolled. This means that they will take a special interest in, these two important branches and the experience that they gain will be of inestimable benefit to them in the years, to come. J