Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1915 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat

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JASPER COUNTY’ TAKES ACTION

Committee Appointed On Dixie Highway to Represent Jasper County. Thomas Follen, Albert E. Weigle, David Boyle and George D. Franklin of Lafayette, were here Monday, with others, to interest our people, in the Dixie highway project. C. H. Peck of # Remington, came over with them, and a meeting was held in the court house and the commissioners asked to appoint a committee of three from this county to act with similar committees from Boone, Clinton, Tippecanoe and Lake counties, to work for the proposed highway from Indianapolis along the old “Bluebook’’ route to Chicago. The commissioners appointed City May,or C. G. Spitler, Attorney E. P. Honan and C. H. Peck, as such committee. The i state officials heretofore appointed to act on the committee to locate this highway, will meet in Chattanooga, Tenn., on May 20 to officially locate the route, and strong efforts will be made by local committees to have the route go through Lebanon, Frankfort, Lafayette, Wolcott, Remington, Rensselaer and Hammond. Boosters of what is called the central route, running from Indianapolis through Logansport, Rochester and South Bend, on the old “Michigan Highway,” will also put np a strong claim for their line. It is claimed that the route through Rensselaer js considerable shorter than the central route, and it is hoped that we may be successful in landing it here.

Another Fine Rain Fell Sunday.

Another splendid rain which was quite general in scope, fell here Sunday afternoon. It was showery all forenoon, and at about 2 p. m., it started in with a nice steady rain which continued practically all afternoon and at intervals during the night. It was the first rain we had had for about ten days, and came in good season to do an immense amount of good. Crops of all kinds are growing splendidly and all nature is smiling at its best. In town the lawns are looking fine, trees are all leafed out and everything is as pretty as a picture, while a drive out through the country makes one feel that this old world is not such a bad place after all, and that there are worse things than living upon a farm.

May Fete By City Schools.

The Rensselaer city schools will hold a May Fete on Friday afternoon, May 7, in Milroy , Park. The exercises will begin at 2 p. m„ unless the weather is unfavorable, in which case it will be postponed to the following Monday at the same hour. There will be rhythm games, folk dances, gymnastics, tw# May poles, and the crowning of a May Queen. The performance is open to the public without an admission fee. Home-made candy and small cakes will be on sale on the grounds to defray the incidental expenses. The work is under the direction of Miss Stover, the music supervisor, assisted by the grade teachers.

Auto Performs an Unusual Stunt.

John Bicknell’s Oakland touring car performed a peculiar stunt about 11 o’clock Friday night. The car was standing by the curb near the Model restaurant and John went -to crank it up to drive home. The machine was in reverse gear and when the engine started, the car began backing diagonally across the street toward the court house yard. Mr. Bicknell had the ilFesence of mind to climb up on the car and before he succeeded in shutting off the power barely missed striking a telephone pole and had backed over the curb onto the sidewalk and over the coping into the court house yard. The car was not damaged to any extent by its peculiar stunt.

Hours Increased by Monon.

Lafaj r ette, Ind., May 3.—The 60b men employed at the Monon railroad shops here received word today from President Kurrie of Chicago, that the working hours of the shops would be increased from forty to forty-five hours a week. The shops had been shut down for a.week, and before the shutdown the employes had been working seven hours a day, and quit at noon on Saturday. The Monon is now doing a large freight and passenger business, and the officials say that the time of retrenchment has passed. The travel betvreen Chicago and French Lick is so heavy that some of the passenger trains are being run in two sections.

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 Emmet Laßue returned Friday from Huntington where he had been in the interest of Len McCarty. Squire Dickinson, Ellis Jones, C. H. Peck, J. H. Gilbert and Trustee Porter were among the Remington visitors in town Monday. Attorney John Greve, Trustee Clifford Fairchild, Al Knovisky, Daniel Wolfe and David Gleason were down from Demotte on business Monday. The big dredge at work on the extension of the Iroquois river drainage scheme, is now close to the coal road railroad bridge, just north of Foresman.

Co. Supt. Lamson received a letter yesterday from Homer Arnold, son of Charlie Arnold formerly of Barkley tp., Jasper county, but now located in Michigan, in which Homer stated that he would attend Indiana University this spring. Marriage licenses issued: April 30, Barney Jungles, son of Michael Jungles of Kniman, aged 28 Feb 18 last, occupation farmer, to Mabel Karch, daughter of Frederick Karch of Walker tp., aged 22 Sept. 2 last, occupation teacher. First marriage for each. Married by Rev. Lowell E, Morris in the clerk’s office. The suit of Aaron Lopp vs. Isaac V. Speck for services in the care of the old man during the last days of his life has been compromised out of court. The amount to be paid by the compromise is nine thousand dollars. This with the gifts will total about; twenty thousand dollars which will leave Mr. and Mrs. Lopp in very comfortable circumstances. The legal firm of Fraser & Isham were the legal advisors of Mr. and Mrs. Lopp throughout the trial.—»-Fowler Tribune. (

The last few days for paying the spring installment of taxes were quite busy ones in the county treasurer’s office. Monday, the last day, was the biggest day, and, while the amount received has not been totaled at this writing, County Treasurer Fell deposited $18,790.79 on that day and had a number of payments by mail to be added to this amount. The receipts for the four days ending Saturday were: Wednesday, $lO,994.05; Thursday, $13,735.54; Friday, $11,827.98; Saturday, $12,-5-98.39. '

Word was received here Sunday by relatives of the death at 7 o’clock that morning, at Longcliff, of John W. Hurley, who had been in the asylum there for some time, he having been sent from Barkley tp. The body was brought here on the 10:36 a. m., train Monday and taken direct to Aix, where the funeral, conducted by Rev. C. W. Postill, was held. Burial was made in the Prater cemetery, Mr. Hurley was 59 years of age, and hi-s death was caused from pulmonary tuberculosis. He was a widower and left no children. At the meeting of the county board of education Monday, C. B. Steward wms re-elected truant officer for another year. Thie contract for pupils’ examination manuscripts was awarded to J. D. Adams & Co., at $£.35 per 100. The school enumeration, with three townships still out, showed a gain in each of the ten townships reporting, the total gain being 112. Remington and Wheatfield towns show a slight loss, and Rensselaer a slight gain. All the township schools will close this week except Keener, Kankakee and Wheatfield, which will close next week.

The county commissioners met in

THE TWICE-A-WEEK

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA, WEDNESDAY. MAY 5, 1915

regular session Monday and were still grinding yesterday. Following is a report of the first day’s proceed, ings, except the allowance of claims, which was the principal business of the first day: ’ The contractor in the Zick stone road system in Walker tp., having taken no steps to comply with the order of the board at its March session in ordering him to comply with the specifications for said road, the board now orders that said contractor appear on the first day of the June term and show cause why his contract should not be forfeited. The auditor was directed to mail contractor at Medaryville, Ind., a certified copy of this order. In the Henry W. Marble et al, petition for highway, petitioners present receipt of Kate M. Ott for the $25 damages allowed her, and the auditor was directed to issue notice. The official reports of the "wet” and “dry” elections held in Keener and Wheatfield tps. last Saturday, ■was filed and the vote was as given elsewhere in this issue of The Democrat. Albert Knovinsky of Keener tp., was granted a liquor license for one year, dating from May 5, 1915.

Mother of David McConahay Dead.

Monticello Journal: Residents of Idaville were considerably shocked Sunday morning when it was announced that Mrs. Moses McConahay had died during the early morning hours. As nearly as can be learned her death occurred between 4 and 5 o’clock and was the result of heart failure. At 4 o’clock Mrs. McConahay awoke and told her husband that she would get up. He suggested that she had better remain in bed a while longer, which she did. At 5 o’clock he awoke and when he attempted to awaken Mrs. McConahay was horrified to discover that she was dead. Although she had been in poor health for some years, Mrs. McConahay seemed as well as common when she retired Saturday night and was ap- , parently in her usual health When she awoke at the hour named on ' Sunday morning. Consequently her | death can be explained on no other theory than heart failure. Deceased i was about sixty years of age and had ■ resided in Idaville the greater part ' of her life, and was quite well known .to many people of the county. Be- , sides her husband, who is a veteran of the civil war and a member of . Tippecanoe Post, G. A. R.,there are surviving her three sons, David, of , Rensselaer ; Alonzo, of Monon, and Alfonso, of East St. Louis. The fun- ' eral will be conducted Tuesday at |2 o’clock p. m., from the Church of [ God in Idaville, the service being | followed by interment at the Idaville cemetery.

Notice to Correspondents. The Democrat desires to call the attention of its correspondents to the fact that their items must be sent in earlier in order to secure insertion a*, the time intended. Yesterday noon we received three batches of carrespondence but were unable to get them in type for this issue, therefore they will appear in the Saturday items intended for the Wednesday Issue should be mailed so that they will reach us not later than Monday night or early Tuesday morning, and for the Saturday issue not later than Thursday evening. We always have so much other copy on press day that it is almost impossible for us to get everything in type that is received on the day we go to press. Please bear this in mind and see that your items are mailed a little earlier. We are anxious to receive items from our correspondents regularity, but we cannot do the impos-sible.:—-The Democrat.

Demotte and Wheatfield Both Vote “Wet.”

In the local option elections held Saturday in Keener and Wheatfield townships, the “vt'ets” were” victorious by increased majorities. In Keener fewer “dry” votes were cast than there were signers to the petition calling the election, but 32 voting “dry” to 157 “wet.” In Wheatfield,. where the “drys” had felt more confident of winning, 150 “wet” votes were cast to 93 “drys.” This was quite a gain for the “wets” over the last previous “wet” and “dry” election there, when the “wets” won out by only 10 votes. At the former election in Keener the “wets” were successful by only 25 votes.

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GAYLORD LONG WINS FIRST

In Oratorical Contest, But Rensselaer Was Third on Track Meet Events at Monticello. The following report of the high school events held at Monticello last Saturday is taken from the Monticello Journal of that city: In the triangular track meet held here Saturday, Delphi carried off the honors, winning 42 points to 37 for Monticello and 29 for Rensselaer. The relay was also won by Delphi. The largest number of points taken by a single contestant was also won by Owens of Delphi, who had 13 points to his credit. Heath of Monticello, followed with 10, and English of Rensselaer, had 9. Events were won as follows: 100 yard dash—lst, Owens, Delphi; 2d. Matthews, Monticello; 3d Heath, Monticello. Time 10:4. Discus throw—lst, Julius, Delphi; 2d, Rinker, Monticello; 3d, Hemphill, Rensselaer. Distance 96:4%. 50 yard dash-—lst, Matthews, M; 2d, Owens, D; 3d, Rotruck, M. Time 63. The first result gave Monticello second place but the decision was contested and the winners of the 2d and 3d places ran the distance the second time with the above result.

High jump—Ist, Coomey, D; 2d English, R; 3r, Heartt, M. Distance 5:4%. 440 yard dash—lst, Julien, D; 2d, Miller, D; 3d, Warren, R. Time 55:1 120 high hurdles—lst, Heartt, M; 2d, Heath, M; 3d Padgitt, R. Time 18 2-5. 880 yard run—lst, Warren, R; 2d, Inskeep, M; 3d, Lakin, R; Time 2:17 3-5. 220 yard dash—lst, Julien, D; 2d, Heath, M; 3d Miller, D; Time 24:3. Shot put—lst, Rinker, M; 2d, Babcock, R; 3d, Julius, D; Distance 43:8%. Running broad jump—Ist, Owens, D; 2d, Wilson, D; 3d, English, R. Distance 18:9%. Pole vault—lst, English, R; 2d, Hemphill, R; 3d, Helton, M. Distance 9:9. Both Rensselaer men were experts in this event and were almost equally matched. 220 yard low hurdles—lst, Swaim, R; 2d, Heath, M; 3d, Roach, D. Time 29:1. Relay race—lst, Miler, D; 2d, Swaim, R; 3d, Heath, M. Time 4:2 Luther Ellis of Wabash college refereed the events.

In the evening the oratorical contest was held in the high school assembly, the following being entered: Gaylord Long and Helen Parkison of Rensselaer; Ruth Cullen and Reed Van Voorst o f Monticello, and Albert Owens and Esther Harper of Delphi. Homer Rogers of Pulaski county, Miss Mary Putham of the Logansport high school and J- A. Shock of the Lafayette high school, acted as the judges. Medals were given to Gaylord Long of Rensselaer, for the best oration, “A Message to Garcia,” and to Ruth Cullen of Monticello, for the best—read! ng. “The Li on and the Mouse.” Reed VanVoorst of the local school presented a difficult and well delivered oration on “Spartacus to the Gladiators,” and was a close rival for first place. Following the contest the medals were presented to those winning points In the meet. Monticello was well represented and a large number of medals were carried away by the local boys- in spite of the fact that the meet had been won by the Delphi representation, Roach, the captain of the Delphi track team, was presented with the cup as winner of the meet and the shield which was offered to the school winning the relay. During the program several musical selections were given by the Monticello high school and by a young women’s quartette frorp Rensselaer, both being received with enthusiasm. Rev. F. W. Backemeyer asted as presiding officer during the evening program.

Services at Slaughter School House Next Sunday.

Rev. P. 'C. Curnick of Trinity M. E. church, will preach at the Slaughter school house in southeast Marion next Sunday afternoon at 3 p. in., immediately after Sunday school. A cordial invitation is extended to all to come out and hear him.

COURT NEWS

Willis J. Imes of Indianapolis, was here as a witness in a law suit yesterday. Attorney Jesse E. Wilson of Hammond, was looking after business in court here Monday. The jury came in Monday, but the jury cases set for that day had been otherwise disposed of, and they were excused until yesterday, when the case of Norris et al vs. Warren et al came Up for trial. \ This is the last week of the April term of the Jasper circuit court.. There will be no court here again until the second Monday in geptem-

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GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

Telegraphic Reports From Many Parts ot the Country. SHORT BITS OF THE UNUSUAL Happenings in the Nearby Cities and Towns—Matters of Minor Mention From Many Places. JURY’ OUT SIXTEEN HOURS. Manslaughter Verdict i u William McCoy Case. Frankfort, Ind., May I.—The jurj in the case of the state against William McCoy, charged with the murder of John Byerly, after being out sixteen hours, returned a verdict of guilty of manslaughter. McCoy Is thirty-two years old, and will be taken to the Indiana state prison at. Michigan City. The verdict carries a sentence of from two to twenty-one years. McCoy did not display any emotion when the verdict was read. At a former trial he was acquitted of the charge of having murdered his wife on the ground of temporary insanity.

CITY HAD ALWAYS BEEN WET.

New Council Votes Against Issuing Licenses. Danville, 111., May 1.-—By a vote of 8 to 6 the Danville city council today voted to refuse licenses to saloons here. Seventy-six saloons are affected. At the township election in March the “wets” carried the day. At the city election a “wet” mayor was elected but a majority of the councilmen elected are “dry.” This is the first time in the history of the city that the town has been saloonless. The city council chamber was packed with people anxious to see what action would be taken.

Lafayette Woman Found Dazed After Long Hunt.

Lafayette, Ind., May I.—After being missed from —the homo oflrcr mother, Mrs. Margaret Werkhoff, for more than thirty’ hours, Mrs. John J. Charfen was found today roaming in a dazed condition at Buck Creek, twelve miles east of Lafayette. It was thought by her relatives that she had jumped into the Wabash river to end herdifeand the Lafayette police force and several private detectives were engaged in the search for th'e missing woman. Mrs. Charten is the wife of a Monon trainman and had been taking treatment in Chicago for a nervous disease. Thursday night, without notifying her husband, she left their rooming house in Chicago and came to the home of her mother here. She walked more than fifteen miles after disappearing from her mother’s home and is now in a critical condition at a local hospital. She can not explain why she left her home.

Schneidt Case Goes to High Court.

The action to set aside the divorce decree granted to William Schneidt, now dead, was thrown out of court at Rensselaer by Judge Hanley who sustained the demurrer of the defense. The suit was brought by the first wife against the third who .is administratrix of Schneidt’s estate. Schneidt was accidently killed hy a Michigan Central train two years ago while he was employed on the Hammond fire department. The law suit was taken to Rensselaer on a change of venue. The demurrer which Judge Hanley sustained was prepared.by Attorney R. B. McAleer of the Hammond law firm of McAleer Bros. The complaint alleges that he left secretly and that, plaintiff made every effort to locate him ibut without success. He settled in Hammond, and there applied for and was given a divorce, making an affidavit that he did not know where his wife resided. Later he married again and then died, having been killed by a railroad train. He left his third wife and a child considerable property in the way of insurance and a valuable lot in Hammond. The first wife hopes to reach this property by setting aside the divorce which her husband

Vol. XVIII, No. 8

EUROPEAN WAR IN BRIEF

' Naval activities have come to '' the forefront again in the cam--6 paign. The American oil tank 5 steamer Gulflight, bound for a ' French port, has been torpedoed off the SCilly Islands, the French ' steamer Europe was sent to the ‘ bottom near Bishop's Rock, the ' British steamer Fulgent was sunk ‘ by a submarine oft Skellig Rocks. ‘ A German submarine has sunk ’ the British torpedo boat destroyer * Recruit in the North Sea. Two * German torpedo bdats sunk tho "trawler Colombia, 17 fishermen * being drowned, and were in turn * pursued and sunk by British de- * stroyers. Two German officers and " 4 4 men were rescued by the de- * stroyers. * There has been little fighting "in Belgium, and there is com- ’ plete quiet along the British front. ' The French have bombarded the ' intrenched camp of .Metz, and ‘ announces that their fife has ‘ proved efficacious against one of ' the forts, the brracks and the ' railway near by. The French occupation of tho ' summit of liartsnians-Wellerkopf ' is confirmed in a dispatch from a ' correspondent, who has just re- ' turned to Paris from a visit to the French positions there. The ' entire hill has been devasted as a result of the desperate fighting which has been going on there for weeks. German forces are to the southwest of Mltau, capital of courland, and their operations in the Baltic provinces seemingly have taken the Russians off their guard. This movement, according to the German official statement, making satisfactory progress. The British War Office announces that 2 6 men of the British fleet were killed and 53 wounded in the landing operations against tho Dardanelles between April 25 and 30. An unofficial dispatch from Athens says that 4,000 French ' troops who were landed on the 'Asiatic side returned to their ' transports after the purpose for ' which they were intended—supporting the occupation of certain point's by tjie British—had been acbmpllshed. A White Paper has been issued by the British government embody in grepOTts tending to show that the drink habit is having a very serious effect on the output of war munitions and repairs to the warships and transport services,

obtained from her in 1905 on tho ground that such divorce was obtained fraudulently and that at the time of his death she was his legal wife. The plaintiff represented by attorney J. K. Stinson was granted an appeal to the supreme court. —-Lake County Times.

Boosters Organize at Lebanon.

Ijebanon, Ind., May 1.-—At a con-, ference of citizens and taxpayers of Boone, Clinton and Tippecanoe counties here Friday, an organization was formed to/ present to the Dixie highway commission the advantages of having that highway come over the.route from Indianapolis to Chicago by way of Lebanon, Frankfort, Lafayette and Hammond. The directors chosen for the three counties represented in the meeting are: Boone, Morris Ritchie, John Herr and E. A. Brenton; Clinton, Fred S. Coulter, I). S. Maish and Walter L. Brown; Tippecanoe, George D. Franklin, David M. Boyle and Thomas Follen. The directors elected as officers: President, Thomas Follen, Lafayette; vice-presidents, W. L. Brown, Frankfort; David M. Boyle, Lafayette; Morris Ritchie, Lebanon; secretary, Albert V. Weigel, Lafayette. •••

Shively’s Friends Worried.

Washington, May 2.—Senator Benjamin F. Shively's condition continues to be a couse of concern among his friends. The Indiana Senator became an invalid before the last session of congress adjourned and. he., has not been at his office in the capitol since. When the weather is fair he has taken automobile rides, but for the most part he has been confined to his room.

Birth Announcements. x May 4, to Mr. and Mrs. Elda Stowers of Barkley tp., a son.