Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 August 1914 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

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GEORGE O. STEMBEL DEAD.

Prominent Democrat and Business Man of Wheatfield Died Friday Afternoon. George 0. Stembel, one of the best known democrats and citizens of northern Jasper, died at his home in Wheatfield about 4:30 o’clock Friday afternoon, and the funeral was held at Wheatfield yesterday at 1 p. m., several from Rensselaer attending. Mr. Stembel was a native of Ohio, but had lived in Wheatfield for nearly 30 years, He was first engaged in business there as manager of an implement, lumber and wild hay buying business, later engaging in the business for himself. He several months ago sold out his lumber yard and put up a new elevator at Wheatfield this season expecting to engage in the grain business almost exclusively. He was married Oct. 2, 1888, to Sarah E. Tilton of Wheatfield, who with seven children, Albert, Oscar, Gpover, Mary, Harry, Gilbert, and a younger one whose name we were unable to learn, survives him. His age was 59 years. Mr. Stembel was the democratic candidate for auditor of Jesper county in 1898 and made a splendid race for the office against overwhelming odds. He was one of the leaders of the democratic party in this county and was prominent in northern Jasper in Masonic, K. of P. and Modern Woodmen circles. He was a splendid man and well thought of by everyone who knew him. For many years he was a member of the school board of Wheatfield. He had been in poor health for perhaps ten years, and had been reduced in flesh thereby from a large robust man, weighing 200 pounds or more, to about 150 pounds. Practically all of this time he had been able to look after his business affairs and was about as usual. For the past few weeks he had been worse, yet his death came as a shock to his many friends all

over the county. George O. Stembel was a man of high character, strict business integrity, a loyal friend and a good neighbor. His death is a distinct loss to the democrats and citizens of Jasper county and to the town of Wheatfield in particular.

Hugh Kirk Will Drive Auto From Chicago to San Franscisco.

Hugh Kirk will leave here about Sept 1 to drive through to San Franscisco, for a Chicago club-man, a 6cylinder American underslung automobile. Three cars will leave Chicago at the same time, one going by the northern route, one by the central and one by the southern route. Hugh will drive the central route, through Denver, Salt Lake City and Ogden, and expects to make the coast in ten days. The man w*ho took Hugh to the speedway races this spring, owns the car and recommended him for the trip. Hugh is one of the best chauffeurs in this section of the country and understands an automobile from a to izzard. That he will give a good account of himself on this trip is assured.

City Council Meeting.

At the regular meeting of the city council Monday evening, in addition to claims allowed, the city clerk was directed to advertise for bids for repainting the Washington street and College avenue bridges over the Iroquois river, the city to furnish the material. No remonstrances were filed in the Webster street sewer, which connects with Makemself sewer near the cement tile factory and extends north, and advertisement for bids was ordered. Same action wts taken in the sewer running south from Rutsen street in the alley cast from Cullen street. The fire departwent was allowed $x vb for services at the Babcock & Hopkins fire.

Sad Death of Little 11-Year-Old Girl.

Little Catherine ®r.eyd, daughter of Mr. and Mts. C. J. Sneyd of Chattsworth, 111., mention of whose critical illness at the home of Ju. A. Harmon, where she was visiting, was made in Saturday’s Democrat, died about 6 o’clock Friday evening, from acute obstruction of the bowels and peritonitis. The child had been sick only a few days. The body was taken to Remington Saturday morning and shipped to Chattsworth for burial. A peculiar coincidence is the fact that Legore Harmon, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Harmon, died two years ago over a* Strawn, ill., while visiting at the home of relatives, from being hrown off a hoise.

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. Attorney J. Dunlap was in Chicago on business Monday. New suits filed: No. 8259. Julia R. Slausson et al vs. Cora A. Mason et al; action for partition of real estate. Judge Hanley and mmily and Abe Halleck and family left Monday for an auto trip to Mammoth Cave, Ky. Going via Crawfordsville and “The Shades.” They will be gone a week or ten days and will camp out each night along the way.

Roy ano James Donnelly were up at Chicago Heights, Blue Island, Hammenu and Valparaiso the latter part of the week, seeking some trace of the driving mare supposed to have been stolen recently from the former’s place ten miles north of Rensselaer. They attended the horse sale at Blue Island that RoyDilts had told about and for which place he was headed when arrested near Wheatfield with the animal he had stolen at Kouts, but no horse such as Roy's was found. They talked with Dilts in the jail at Valparaiso, but he still denies any knowledge of this horse.

Trustee Charles V. May was over from Carpenter tp., yesterday. He said they were at work yesterday trying to grade up that fearfully bad piece of road just south of the Jordan tp., line, with a road grader, but to do a good job it would seem that the road should be closed for a day or two, and a new top dressing put on and thoroughly rolled down. The road a half-mile west from this corner, at the Jordan-Carpenter line, is very good, and one can avoid the piece of bad range line road by taking it and going two or three miles south, then come back east on the north side of the old fair grounds.

Sony “Ose” Didn't Begin Threshing Earlier.

O. K. Ritchey of south of town, phoned The Democrat Monda taat he was going to begin threshing that day and that we “would know the jest.” It always rains when O. K. starts to thresh. This mle has fai’ed but three or four times in th'- past fifty years, and sure enough we got rain here and all around us Monday, quite a nice little shower falling soon after noon and another fine rain about 4:30. In fact it was showery all around us all day, and now that ♦he ice has been broken it is possible that we will be praying for it to stop ere long, for it can rai t on the slightest provocation in this section when it once gets started. Over one inch of rain fell here Mbnday afternoon. This rain and that of Sunday broke the drought of the past two months, and with the prospect of more rain to come, all nature will soon be smiling again. It came too late, however, to help some fields of corn, on the sand and clay ground, and all it is fit for is fodder, and some of it not very good for that. We saw' one field of corn Sunday over southeast of Lee that had been cut apd shocked. The rain will help the pastures, which have been barren for the past month or more and have made it necessary for the farmers to feed their stock the same-as they would in winter, it will also enable the farmers to plow’ for wheat, of which there will be a large acreage put out in Jasper county this, fall if the weather conditions are favorable. Wheat is one of the very best Paying crops we can raise, and the foreign war is sure to make it an extra good price next season.

Scott Chesnut in Trouble Again.

Prosecutor Longwell was over from Brook Monday to look after the state’s interest in the case against Scott Chesnut, who was charged with the theft of County Surveyor DeVere Yeoman’s automobile Saturday night. The facts in the case, as near as The

THE TWICE-A-WEEK

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1914

Democrat is able to learn them, are something about as follows: Saturday evening Mr. Yeoman, while at the Central Garage, had a severe attack of indigestion and Chesnut took Yeoman's car and drove him home. Returning to the garage he got five gallons of gasoline and a grass widow of Rensselaer, it is alleged, and went out for a joy ride. As near as can be learned they went up to the Kankakee river and did not return until Sunday morning. Young Chesnut is said to have loaded up pretty well on booze and probably brought some of the fluid back with him. When near Alf Donnelly’s place, north of Rensselaer, the car went dead on him and he phoned into town for gasoline, it is said.

Mr. Yeoman in the meantime had missed the car and was making a search for Chesnut. Clifford Sumner and Russell Sage went out to the scene and drove the car in. A warrant had been sworn out against Chesnut for the theft of the car and Constable Parks finally served ! t, but when he first went to Chesnut’s room at his mother's home, Chesnut declared he would kill the constable if he made any effort to get hiai Mr. Parks is not easily scared out, but it is reported that Chesnut had him covered with a Winchester, and Parks thought it best to try other tactics. He went back to the house again later and got his man and he was arraigned before Squire Irw'n, where he gave a S3OO bond with R. D. Thompson as surety, and the case was set for hearing Monday morning. Prosecutor Longwell then decided that the larceny charge might not stick, so dismissed the case and Mr. Yeoman filed another affidavit under the special statute of 1913 making it unlawful for a person to take possession of or assume control, run, drive or operate any vehicle belonging to another without the consent and knowledge of the owner thereof, and fixing a penalty of not less than $25 nor more than SSOO, to which, may be added imprisonment of from ten days to six months. Owing to the absence of defendant’s attorney, John A. Duniap, in < hicago, the case was continued to this morning at 1 0 o’clock, the bond being fixed at SIOO with d. Thompson as surety. It is understood that Chesnut's Plea will be that Mr. Yeoman told him he could use the auto, which the latter denies. The young woman who is alleged to have beer with Chesnut has a divorce case pending in the circuit court here, which may be jeopardized to some extent by her alleged action in going out with him

How Circumstances Alter Cases.

Well! well! well! the Republican is running a voting contest. But we are not going to write to the postoffice department and endeavor to get it stopped, as the Republican has done with every voting contest The Democrat has conducted here, but will have to look up some of the old files of the Republican and re-read some of its “weighty editorials” of a couple of years ago against all such contests, directed against The Democrat. But THIS contest, understand, is being conducted by the Republican, and is perfectly legitimate, even though some of the “prizes” would make a horse laugh, such as the "match factory” addition lot, etc. This particular contest is being engineed, we understand, by some outside parties, for the Republican. We know nothing of the gentlemen in question but The Democrat’s experience with such men has not been very satisfactory, as they would do things which we could not countenance, and in the last contest conducted by this paper in which any contest man” •was interested, we had to kick him out before the contest was half over with and finish it up ourselves. j ,

Kankakee Tp. Democratic Ticket.

Following is the full democratic ticket recently nominated in Kankakee township: Trustee—John Finn. Assessor— —J. B. DeArmond. Road Supervisors—lst dist., Luther Albin; 2d dist., John Schrieber; 3d dist., William Davis; 4th dist., Marion Davis. Advisory Board— N. Rasmussen, John Behles; J. Moyer.

Birth Announcements. Aug. 7, to Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Gowland of north of town, a daughter. Aug. 8, to Mr. and Mrs. Sam Scott of north of town, a daughter. Aug. 8, to Mr. and Mrs; Frank Haskell of Rensselaer, a son.

GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

Telegraphic Reports From Many Parts of the Country. SHORT BITS OF THE UNUSUAL Happenings in Distant and Nearby Cities and Towns.—Matters of Minor Mention From Many Places. Refuse to Call Subsidy Election for Purtelle. Richmond, Ind., August B.—The \\ ayne county boarfl of commissioners today refused to grant the prayer of one hundred petitioners of Wayne and Boston townships, to call special elections to vote on the question of subsidies for the Richmond and Hamilton Traction Company's proposed electric line. The commissioners based their action on the ground that the law was not mandatory. It was said following the meeting that signers of the petition would begin action next week to mandate the board to call special elections.

Farmer Near Francesville Meets Violent Death.

Herman Abler, a i&rmer aged G 2 years, residing a few miles west of Francesvike, was killed Friday evening while returning from Francesville where he had been with a load of oats. He was driving a team of mules, and one of the lines became entangled in the harness, Mr. Ahler attempted to climb down the front of the wagen, on the pole, to straighten it. In some way he slipped and fell feet foremost, frightening the team, which lunged up beside a tree, and the life was crushed out of him’ between tLe animal and the wagon pole.

A boy, who was with him, gave the alarm land the body of the unfortunate man w'.s removed, the team not running far. Mr. Ahler was one of five brothers, four of whom have met v,ith violent deaths, one being killed by K ghtning and t \o killed jn railroad tracks. He is said to have often expressed the belief that he. too. would meet with a violent death. He leaves four sons and two daughters, the late M;s. T. M t’allahan of Rensselaer, also being a daughter. ”, he funeral was held Monday at Earl Park, where other members of his family are buried.

Auto Burns While Owner Fishes.

Albert Jones, the grocer out at Wolcott, and George Doctor of this city had a queer experience yesterday while fishing on the Tippecanoe down at the mouth of Big Creek. They had gone there in Albert s big touring car and left it in a convenient place not far from the river bank. After fishing awhile Jones concluded he wanted a smoke and went up to the car for a cigar and i.latch. After lighting up he dropped the match thinking the fire iwas out and went back to the sport on the river. Hearing an explosion soon after he and Doctor who were on the opposite side of the river looked up only to find the auto enveloped in flames. There happened to be a couple of buckets of water standing by the car and by hard work and the use of the water the interior of the car was saved. Three tires were ruined and the paint and varnish was badly scorched. The lubricating oil on the machine and the dead grass under it had made a hot blkze.

George says he does not know whether he waded or swam the river or just naturally jumped over it. He so excited he couldn’t tell, but he knows the water was mighty deep. | An emergency man was called iropr Lafpyette to take the car into that city for repair and a Wolcott man was called to carry them home. Jhe boys then kept on fishing and caught a string of seventeen nice ones. This was some consolation for their bad luck.—-Friday’s Monticello Journal.

DEMOCRATIC PLAN

For Sftecial Registration in Indiana Is Unsuccessful. Indianapolis, Ind., Aug. 7. —The plan of the state committee to hold a special registration in every county in September has failed. Reports received.at the democratic

headquarters, which started the movement, showed today that only 23 of the 92 counties have filed petitions for a registration in September The petitions must be in by August 14. The counties in which petitions have been filed are Allen, Cass, Dearborn, Dubois, Elkhart, Fayette, Fountain, Gibson, Huntington, Jennings, Knox, Lake, Laporte, Lawrence, Madison. Marion, Miami. Pulaski, Randolph, Switzerland, Tippecanoe, Vanderburg, and White. It is protjhble that a few petitions will be filed by the republicans.

Prominent Barkley Tp. Farmer Dead.

John N. Baker, who has been in poor health for the past few months, died at his home in Barkley tp., about 8 o'clock Sunday morning. The funeral was held yesterday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock from the house, conducted by Rev. W. G. Winn, and burial made in the Prater cemetery. Mr. Baker was a native of Miami county, where he was bora near Peru, Dec. 1(<, 1851, but had lived practically all his life in Jasper county. His wife died six years ago, and one son; James R. Baker, was killed while employed on an electric railroad at Pontiac, 111., about two years ago. He leaves seven children, Bruce, Glenn, Pearl, Caroline, Ruby, William C. Baker, and Mrs. George R. Kimberlin.

Mr. Baker had been in failing health since last February and for the past two months had been unable to do much of anything. A postmortem exaniination was made Monday and it was found that he was suffering from a fatty degeneration of the liver, which caused his death. John N. Baker was well known in Rensselaer and vicinity and was a highly respected farmer. He had hosts of friends who will be sorry to learn of his death.

Another Old Resident Passes Away.

Dewitt C. Hopkins, an old and well known resident of Rensselaer for niany years, died Sunday morning at the home of his son, L. A. Hopkins, near Markle, Ind, aged 93 years, 3. months and 3 days. The body was brought to Rensselaer Monday evening and the funeral held yesterday afternoon from the Presbyterian church at 2:30 o’clock. Rev. C. W. Postill conducting the services, and burial made beside his wife in Weston cemetery. Mr. Hopkins was a native of Ohio, but came to Jasper county in 1851 and located on a farm. He later moved to Rensselaer and engaged In the milling business which he followed for many years. His wife died eight years ago, and three sons survive him, Nehemiah of Surrey, Caleb A., of Delphi, and Levi A., of Markle. He resided in Rensselaer until recent years, since which he has made his home with his children.

Ed Oliver Building Fine New Home at Newland.

Bon Smith and his gang of cement workers have been employed for the past three weeks on the cement work on Ed Oliver’s new mansion at Newland. This is really a remodeling and enlarging of the present house and when completed it will be tl]e finest farm house in Jasper county, covering with the porches, 43x62 feet. There are two basements, one 16x30 and another 20x26; a sleeping porch 10x20 and one porch around the house 120 feet in length, a part of which is 20 feet wide, the floors of which are reinforced concrete. The design is of bungalow style with stucco finish outside. A hot water heating system and waterworks and electric lights will be installed. There are two bathrooms, and the entire house will be modern in every respect. The remodeling will cost from $7,000 to SB,OOO.

Barn Burned on Lyons Farm in Jordan Township.

A barn and two cribs pn the former McCoy farm in Jordan tp , now owned by the Lyons’ of Brook, and occupied by Charles Hancock, was destroyed by fire about 10 o’clock Sunday morning, supposed to have been caused from spontaneous combustion starting in the hay, as no one had been about the barn for sometime previous. The loss is q fte a heavy one as all the hay, oats, and quite a lot of corn, one buggy and all of the harness, was consumed. The horses were saved. There was but $1,200 insurance on the property.

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Vol. XVII. No. 37

ALLIES WIN WIDE AREA ON MEUSE; LIEGE HOLDS OUT

French Forces Outflanking Germans in Belgium. BATTLE LINES ARE EXTENDED Both Belgians and Kaiser's Forces Claim Victory at Liege—loo Germans Are Executed ae Spies at Brussels. * Aug. 11. —French troops inflicted losses of 8,000 and captured 1,700 prisoners in helping Belgians fight Germans at Liege, asserts a dispatch from Charleroi to the Dally Mail.

Purls, Aug. 11.— a big cavalry encounter has taken place on the plateau east of the Meuse and it is reported to have resulted favorably for the allies. < onfirmatlon has been received of the news of a French success at Marbehan, a village of Belgian Luxembourg, half way between Neufchateau ami Arion. It Is reported that the French are now pursuing the Germans, who are retreating. All Well With French. The correspondent is not allowed to state fully what took place, but it is certain that all is well with the French forces In Belgian Luxembourg. Belgian troops did not take part in this fighting, as it occurred in the zone apportioned to the French. The net result of the operations sb fur as known is that the German advance was stopped on the line of the Meuse and outflanked in Belgium by the advancing French masses. Equally the Germans were stragetlcally outflanked by the French Inroad Into Alsace. ‘Thus the hostile flanks are menaced and the front seriously contracted. 46,000 Germans Cross Border. Paris, Aug 11.—A great battle between the French and Germans Is reported raging near Esch, on the border between France and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Whether this Is merely another clash of outposts or whether the great armies have finally ceased jockeying for position and are in a death grapple, no one can telL It is known that a German force of ■16,000 men invaded France at Esch. It may have been but a scouting party of cavalry, screening the movements of the great army corps in the rear, or it may have been the main army. Before moving across the frontier the Germans felled trees and dug trenches for temporary fortification upon which they might fall back ts repulsed. That the fighting was not all in favor of the French is admitted by the war department, which says that a French cavalry patrol encountered a German body of cavalry, supported by Infantry and artillery, near Donguyon and was routed. Strike West of Longwy. If the Germans are really invading in force they are striking the line a little west of Longwy, and their rout of a French cavalry patrol at Longayon indicates that they have passed well to the rear of Longwy, which ia strongly fortified. Yet the reports have said nothing about fighting at Longwy.

A Rome correspondent wires that Kaiser Wilhelm, who has arrived at Alx-I.<-Chapelle to lake personal command of the field forces, is assembling 1,000,000 additional soldiers for the Invasion It was at first announced that the Kaiser was on his way to Alsace-Lorraine to see to his defenses there, but if he is at Alx-La-Cha-pelle it means that the heavy blow is to be struck in the Meuse valley to the west of Metz. With Kaiser Wilhelm at Aix and Crown Prince Frederick Wilhelm before Liege, it looks as if Germany means to let the Rhine forts keep on ne defensive, and put all their strength into the effort to break open a way to Paris from the North. 1 t < French In Similar Move. The invading Germans are reported to be digging trenches, leveling trees so that ■ their artillery fire will not be obstructed and to have built wooden platforms 400 feet long for the unloading of horses and guns. Tha whole army of the lower Rhine is believed to be involved in this movement, and the battle when it encounters the French fine will be enormously Important On the Eastern frontier the French; are striking exactly the same kind of a blow at Germany. While the Kaiser is trying to cut around the French left flank through Belgium and Luxembourg and so reach Paris, the French are trying to eut the German

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