Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 July 1915 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

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CHARGES AGAINST CO. SUPT.

Editors of Republican Asked to Submit Evidence of Wrongdoing. At the county board of education meeting Tuesday, all members were present except the ones from Barkley, Remington and Wheatfield. County Supt. Lamson brought up the matter of the charges against him that had been published in the Rensselaer Republican and read a number of the more serious charges made, going over the articles carefully and showed clearly (says the minutes of the meeting kept by the secretary, Trustee Hammerton of Cnion tp.) wherein same were wrong, and also showed clearly and plainly that he had worked hard for the good of the schools and pupils of Jasper county. Mr. Healey “dropped in” and made remarks regarding the matter the way the schools had been conducted and thought that some one more capable than Mr. Lamson should be appointed county superintendent. After an adjournment for intermission, Dr. Kressler was placed in the chair and motion was made and carried that all visitors be excluded from the meeting and that the matters to be discussed be kept secret, therefore The Democrat is unable to give a full and accurate report of just what was done during this secret session, but it is understood that the charges made by the Republican were discussed and the board was a unit in concluding that it was purely a personal matter that actuated the Republican in making the charges it had. However, on motion of Trustee Rush of Newton tP., a committee consisting of. Trustees Wood of Marion, Keen of Wheatfield, and Porter of Carpenter, was appointed by the board to interview Mr. Healey regarding the accusations he had made against the county superintendent, and this committee waited on him and requested him to produce all evidence he had of any wrong-doing on the part of the superintendent. The board will meet again next Monday at which time the mattei will be threshed out, and if Mr. Lamson has been guilty of any serious wrongdoing, it is understood that he will be asked to resign; if not, a resolution will probably be passed fully exonerating him from the charges made by the Republican,

Heavy Rains Interfere With Farm Work.

We are getting altogether too much rain. Rain fell practically all night long Tuesday night, beginning quite early in the evening and continuing almost without cessation until nearly 9 o’clock Wednesday. This rain made it too wet for farmers to work in the fields and beat down considerable of the wheat which had withstood the former rains. But Wednesday night, beginning shortly after 5 o’clock with a light sprinkle and continuing with perfect deluges of water at intervals through the forepart of the night, we got one of the worst soakers we have had at this season of the year for several years. It raised the water in the river to a greater height than we have had at this season perhaps since the dredging was done, and the uncut wheat fields looked as though a land roller had been run over them. The oats were also knocked down badly by this rain, and in Rensselaer in many places the sewers were inadequate to carry off the water fast enough and the streets, sidewalks and some of the basements of business houses and residences were flooded.

Vote Against Proposition to Raise Taxes to Over $6 in Rensselaer.

If Rensselaer and Marion tp. taxpayers want to raise the tax levy in Rensselaer to over $6. on each SIOO valuation, by voting a tax of $61,000, would it not be better to expend this $61,000 on our streets and highways of the township, than to give it to a private corporation? The automobile as a means of conveyance is becoming more popular all the time, and ijiore than 200, machines are now owned in this city ’ and township. By next year the number will probably reach 300. The automobile and jitney busses are seriously crippling the passenger earnings of both steam and electric railways and it is possible that some of the latter in a few more years may be abandoned entirely. Let us save our money to improve our public highways, which we can all use without having to pay anything extra therefor.

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. Levi Reynolds, trustee of Honeycreek tp., White county, was here Tuesday on business. The subsidy election is next Wednesday, July 14. Don’t fail to cftme out and vote against the proposition. John McCurtain, who was declared insane some days ago, was taken to the asylum at Longcliff Wednesday. The county commissioners and county auditor partook of a fine fried chicken dinner at the poor farm Tuesday. The county board of review finishits labors Wednesday. Quite a number of changes were made in individual and personal assessments and some changes were made in some of the townships on real estate. The record has not been written up completely at this writing and therefore we are unable to give a complete report of the changes made. Of the changes in real estate by townships, Kankakee was raised 50 per cent; Wheatfield, 40 per cent; Keener, 25 per cent; Gillam, 15 per cent, and Carpenter, 5 per cent. Marion was reduced 10 per cent, which now makes the real estate valuation practically the same in Marion as that in Carpenter. The raise made in the north tier of townships still makes the average assessments there much less of course than in the central or south end of the county.

New suits filed: No. 8446. People's Life Insurance Co. vs. William H. Barkley; suit on note. Demand $220. No. 844 7. Francis M. Makeever vs. John Rush, trustee Newton tp.; action to enjoin defendant from closing up a road or passage way in Newton tp., leading to lands owned by plaintiff over other lands, for which he has an easement over and across. No. 8448. Charles Schleman, Jr., vs. The American Insurance Co.; suit on contract, to recover S6OO and interest on loss of house by fire on Feb. 17, last, and which loss said company is alleged to have refused to pay. No. 8449. Anna Wilson vs. Frank Wilson; suit for divorce. The complaint alleges that the parties were married Oct. 29, 1911, and separated June 11, 1915, when defendant deserted plaintiff. Cruel and inhuman treatment is charged. The parties reside in Rensselaer and the plaintiff states that she is 65 years of age. This is the fourth divorce case filed here within the past two weeks.

The Democrat has said very little regarding the fight the Rensselaer Republican is making to oust County Supt. Lamson from office. Mr. Lamson is a Republican, and it is “not our fight,” but we may have something to say in a later issue as to what we believe inspired the Repubican to begin this fight. That it is purely a personal matter so far as that paper is concerned, its readers, who have followed its course in attacking public officers and individuals whom it could not control, are well aware. The county board of education has given the Republican an opportunity to present any evidence it may have in support of the very grave charges it has made against the superintendent, and it should welcome the opportunity to make good if its charges are true. The Republican states that among the witnesses it will bring before the board next Monday are L. H. Hamilton, who was defeated by Mr. Lamson for superintendent several years ago, and Barney Comer, a former trustee of Union tp. The attacks of

THE TWICE-A-WEEK

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA, SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1915

the Republican were begun shortly after a job of printing was brought to The Democrat office which the Republican is said to have been very much wrought up over not having itself received. Whether or not any of the charges, which it says it has known of for several years but kept quiet about, are true or not, remains at this time for the county board of education to determine.

WHAT DOES RENSSELAER AND MARION TOWNSHIP GAIN?

Voters Should Consider These Matters Before Casting Their Ballots Next Wednesday. On next Wednesday, July 14, Marion tp., and Rensselaer >will vote on the proposition of giving $61,000 of their hard-earned money free gratis and lor nothing to the so-called Lafayette & Northwestern Railroad, as a donation to said road for building a line through our township and the westerly side of Rensselaer. Before casting their votes on the proposition the question of what we are to get in return and what advantages it will be to us, should be carefully gone . over by the voters. They should remember that the matter of voting aid or subsidies to private corporations—or a quasipublic corporation, as a railroad company is considered in law—has long since become unpopular in most of our states, and, quoting Mr. Brown, the chief promotor of the railroad now asking us for $61,000, there are but three states in the Union that now permit such an imposition to be foisted upon the people Illinois on our west, does not permit of the taking of money from one’s pocket against his will by this means, as Mr. Brown himself admitted when before the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce a few days ago, and he could therefore get no subsidies from the state line on to Kankakee, the

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A Case of Now You See It, and Now You Don’t.

Evidently the legal mind of the editors of the Republican is not working right. In a recent issue the Republican said that the promotors of the so-called Lafayette & Northwestern Railroad Co. MUST follow the line of the blueprint profile filed with the clerk of the circuit court; that the route could not thereafter be changed. It now says that Promotor Brown has agreed to change the line to make it more agreeable to the voters out at St. Joseph college. It would seem that Brown is almost as accommodating as the lamented Purtelle and will run his line any old place,, just so the neople vote him a subsidy. However, there is a law regarding this matter that will have to be observed or he will not get even a look in at the $61,000 that he asks for here, even should it be voted. It is probable that the editors of the Republican are taking qn too much just at this time and they might have made»a more lucid “argument’’ perhaps had they postponed ousting the Republican county superintendent, Mr. Lamson, until after they had carried this $61,000 subsidy proposition through.

Splendid Vaudeville Attractions at the Gayety Airdome.

Due to the European w’ar, foreign vaudeville people are coming to this country while American vaudeville artists are staying in the United States. Therefore we are able to book a much higher grade of actors in this class than we could under ordinary circumstances, and out* patrons receive the benefit. We are booking attractions in the vaudeville line that we could not possibly think of doing under other conditions, and some of the best talent to be found anywhere can be seen here. We want your patronage and we ask you to come out and see how much we are giving for a little money in addition to the regular reels of highclass pictures.—-GAYETY AIRDOME.

Former Rensselaer Lady Physician Dead.

Dr. Mary E. Jackson of Hammond, known to many Rensselaer people, she having been once located in Rensselaer and frequently visited here, died in a Chicago hospital Thursday. She had been in poor health for some time and had been in the hospital, where she died, for spur months. Her age was about 59 years. She leaves a husband, Dr. L. D. Jackson, arid one daughter, Mrs. Charles R. Dyer of Hammond. Mrs. Jackson was prominent in women’s organizations and social work.

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. BIG DITCH CASE FILED. Propose to Reclean Reclamation Ditch—Cost Estimated at Near Half a Million. A petition was filed in the Laporte, Superior court, Thursday, asking tor :he recleaning of the Kankakee river or Reclamation ditch. The petitioners are D. W. Place, et al. It is proposed to reclean the ditch from the B. & O; tracks to the Jasper county line. The cost is estimated at $466,600, and the yardage at five million. The Tuesbery Land Co. has also filed a petition of similar inport. Activity along this line is supposed to have been increased because of the proposed levee system which was threshed out early this spring before Special Judge Bartholomew in Starke circuit .court. However, it is said by the Place petitioners that they are not endeavoring to obstruct the work of the levee petitioners. Both the Place and Tuesbery petitions are far-reaching and practically all land for four or five miles back from the Kankakee will be affected. As yet no notice of the pendacy of the Place petition has been given.—-Starke County Republican.

MORE TROUBLE IN STORE.

“Army Worm’’ Destroying Wheat and Oats Fields Southweset of Monon. The “army worm ’ is reported to be doihg considerable damage over in the west edge of Milroy tp., and vicinity. The Monon News says that the fine oats field of George Kime, 5% miles west and miles south of Monon, has been completely ruined by the ravages of the worm, which next attacked the oats field of James Blankenship, northeast of the Kime field, and were destroying it. Blankenship called up Purdue university and it was suggested that deep furrows be plowed to stay the progress of the worm. The fields destroyed had all the heads eaten off the stalks, and the heads covered the ground. The army worm does not eat the grain, it is said, merely eating off the stalk below the head.

Lowell Man Meets Terrible Death.

Lowell, Ind., July 8. —Ed Knisley, son of Mrs. David Knisley of this city, was killed at Grant Park while working in the brick mill. He was working at the mixer and in an unknown way fell into the machine and was badly mangled. He was seen by one of the workmen but could not be reached in time to keep him from going into the machine. It was an awful accident and brought horror to his fellow workmen. The mixer is comprised of knives which are running at a high rate of speed and mangled his entire body. The body was removed from the machine as quickly as possible. The funeral was held Sunday and the remains were brought to Lowell for interment, which took place in the Lowell cemetery. He leaves a wife and his mother and brothers and sisters to mourn hit death.

Robert VanAtta Married Last Saturday.

Marion, Ind., July B.—Robert M. VanAtta, judge of . the Grant.circuit court, and Miss Eva Brady, a teacher of the Marion schools, were married Saturday by the Rev. Hugh T. Gary, of the Presbyterian church, at the home of the minister. Mrs. VanAtta is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Brady. Judge VanAtta was graduated from Indiana university. He is serving his second term as judge of the Grant-Deleware superior court.

An arm load of old papers for 5 cents.

About the Proposed County Hospital.

The county commissioners at their session Tuesday granted the petition filed which asks for the establishment of a county hospital in Rensselaer and the levying of a tax ofi'l mill on each slon valuation for the maintenance of same. The petition asks for the expenditure of not to exceed SIO,OOO for such an institution. A board of trustees were appointed as shown in the report of the commissioners’ proceedings in another column, whose duty* it will be, to meet and organize within Hi days after their appointment, elect one of their number as chairman, one as secretary and such other officers as they may deem necessary. The county treasurer will be the treasurer of the board of trustees. The trustees serve without compensation except that they are paid for cash expenditures actually made for personal expenses incurred as such trustee. This board of trustees make and adopts by-laws, regulations, etc., and have exclusive control of all money collected for the hospital and of the purchase of site and of construction of buildings, etc. They also appoint the superintendent or matron and the necessary assistants and fix their compensation, and have power to remove such appointees. They shall hold meetings at least once a month and shall keep a complete record of all the proceedings and tile a report of receipts and expenditures during the year with the county commissioners in January of each year. This board so appointed shall serve until the next general election. The law permits the issuing of bonds for the purchase of ground and erection of buildings, and permits the condemnation of ground that cannot be purchased on an agreed price. The county council may appropriate each year in addition to the tax hereinbefore provided for not exceeding 5 per cent of its general fund for the improvement and maintenance of such hospital. Just what is intended to be done to provide funds for the purchase ot a site and the erection and equipment of building, The Democrat is unable to say. We believe, however, that before this thing is ended it will prove quite an expensive proposition to Jasper county taxpayers and we do not think that there is much real necessity for such an institution here. We are within two hours or less distance of good hospitals at Lafayette and Chicago, and it is probable that many of the patients we might have would go to those places anyhow. The maximum amount asked for in the petition, SIO,OOO, will not build and equip much of a building and purchase the ground therefor. Many taxpayers when they understand the matter, will be opposed to the issuing of more bonds, in view of the heavy taxes we already have and the fact that there is some $99,000 in court house bonds still unpaid and outstanding. We think that most people who signed this petition did so without giving the matter the consideration they should, but, the order has now been made by the county commissioners acting on said petition and we shall have to make the best of it, unless the board should find that the expense will exceed the amount asked for in the petition, and dismiss the matter entirely.

Six Burned and Hurt as Gasoline Tank Explodes.

Laporte, Ind., July B.—-Mrs. Andrew Dreyer probably was burned fataly, her 1 2-yeat-old daughter suffered a broken leg and was burned painfully, and four other persons were injured today when a gasoline tank on a railway motor car on the Monon railroad caught fire and exploded one mile north of Otis, Laporte county. Mrs. Dreyer’s clothes were burned almost entirely off. All jumped while s the car was in motion, the girl falling in front of the wheels which passed over her. The injured persons are in the hospital here.

Jitney Busses Threaten Car Company’s Business.

Elwood, Ind., July B.—Jitney busses have made such inroads on the receipts of the street car company here that city cars are now covering their routes once in each half-hour and even on these trips the cars are frequently empty. Business for the busses has increased to such an extent that the various drivers have formed a company and established a central office here.

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Vol. XVIII, No. 28

WIRELESS STATION SEIZED BY U. S.

Daniels Takes Control of Sayville Plant. NAVY MEN AT THE KEYS Secretary Redfield Asserts That Company Running the Concern Is Entirely German Owned—Violated Neutrality Is Charged. Washington, July 9.—The government has taken charge of the Sayville (L. I.) wireless station, the only privately operated direct means of communication between the United States and Germany. Secretary Daniels announced that Captain Bullard, in charge of the naval radio, had gone to take over the station and would continue Its operation with naval forces. Statement by Daniels. Secretary Daniels Issued this statement: “It is understood that the Sayville radio station had made application to the secretary of commerce for a license. The secretary of commerce declined to grant the license and so informed the secretary of the navy, who, after conference, directed Captain Bullard, as the expert of the department, to take over and operate the station. There will be no change, so far as the public is concerned. Messages will be accepted as heretofore. The only difference will be that naval operators instead of commercial employees will man the keys. Tho charges collected by the navy will be paid to the owning company. Orders by President. This action, which was taken under an executive order issued by President Wilson, giving the navy authority to take over "one or more” stations, was deemed necessary because of alleged violations of neutrality by ti e company’n operators. It has been charged that when the navy censors had left the wireless room for a minute or two, unneutral messages had been sent, and that only by a difficult and trying supervision could neutrality be strictly preserved. High naval officers have told Secretary Daniels that while they have no evidence that such communication has been maintained, they could not know definitely whether the station was In touch with German submarines unless the navy’s own operators were in charge of the plant. State department officials said no complaint regarding the neutrality wf the Sayville station had been received officially from the British government. They said that the state department merely had been consulted by Secretary Redfield In reaching his determination to refuse to Issue a license. Erected Since War. Secretary Redfield, In a letter to Secretary recommending that the United States take over the Sayville station, said investigation had shown that the new sending station, for which license was asked, had all been erected since the beginning of the war with apparatus mado In Germany, that the company was entirely German owned, working with stations in Germany under government control, and that Professor Zenneck, a captain of marines of the German navy and wireless expert, had been assigned by the German government to conduct experiments there. To grant a license to such a station, Secretary Redfield said, the department had concluded would be an unneutral act.

CAPITALIST IS FOUND SLAIN

Coroners Jury Unable to Solve Death of F. P. Graves of Chicago—Bullet Hole in Head. Chicago, July 9. —Lake Forest was shocked and baffled by the puzzle of the death of Frank P. Graves, lawyer, landowner and clubman, found, pa-jama-clad, in the garage behind his home in the northwestern village. A bullet had passed through the head from ear to ear. The revolver was on the floor. Graves was still breathing, but did not recover consciousness before he died. A coroner’s inquest failed to solve 'the riddle. This was the verdict: “We, the jury, find that Frank P. Graves came to his death from a gunshot wound in the right side of his head, and that shot was fired by a hand unknown.”

GERMAN REPLY ON SATURDAY

Answer to American Note on Lusitania May Be Received Some Time Today. ' Berlin, July 9.—The German reply to the last American note regarding the Lusitania and submarine warfare will be delivered by Saturday and possibly today.