Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 88, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 January 1917 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

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DEATH WINS ANOTHER VICTORY

Mrs, James Defier Dies of Tuberculosis After Extended Illness. Mrs. James Lefler, who had been suffering’'from tuberculosis for the past two years, died at 10 o tlock Saturday night at the home of her aunt, Mrs. Mary E. Lowe, on south Scott street, and the funeral, conducted by the pastor, Rev. E. W.. Strecker, was held Monday afternoon from the M. E. church and burial made in the Osborne cemetery in Hanging Grove township. A few years ago there was not a mdre robust, healthy appearing woman in the country than Mrs. Lefler,'but the legacy of tuberculosis finally got in its work, and notwithstanding Mr. Lefler selected a different climate for their home, Marinette, Wisconsin, the inherited disease at last appeared and the grim reaper has scored another victory in spite of all that her husband, relatives and hosts of loving friends could do to check-mdte him. Her early death is extremely sad and the sympathy of the entire community is with the bereaved husband, relatives and friends. Nellie L. Bussell Lefler was born December 6, 1879, in Hanging Grove township, Jasper county, and died at the home of her aunt, Mrs. Mary Lowe, January 27, 1917, aged 37 years, 1 month and 21 days. Deceased grew to womanhood in the place of her birth, excepting several years that she spent in Rensselaer at the home of her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Bussell, while she attended high school. Her name is among those Inscribed in the cornerstone of the Jasper county court house. During her residence in Rensselaer she united with the Christian church, and remained a faithful follower to the end. Her faith was of the kind that made her intense suffering and pain seem light and caused her to smile/bravely throughout the long ordpal. ./On December 6, 1900, she was united in marriage to James Lefler, who survives her. Her mother, one brother and two sisters preceded her in death. A few years ago Mr. and Mrs. Lefler moved to Marinette, Wisconsin, but her affliction became such that there was no longer any hope of recovery, it was her wish that she might return here to live her remaining days among her relatives and the scenes of her girlhood. (Besides the husband, James Lefler, she is survived by her father and step-mother, Charles W. and Rosa Bussell, three step-brothers, Leonard L. Lefler of Medaryville, Anthony B. Lefler of South Whitley and Robert Lefler of Jasper county; three brothers, Royal L., Charles W., Jr., and Elvin L. Bussell; two sisters, Florence and Ella Bussell of Hanging Grove township; -two uncle, Charles and Henry Whitaker • of Hammond; three aunts, Mrs. Mary E. Lowe of this city, Mrs. Matilda E. Jacks of Jasper county, and M rs - Belle Holmes of Montana, also numerous other relatives and friends.

FORM A BIG FARM COMPANY

Murdoch*; Consolidate Management ' of About 5.000 Acres. Lafayette, January 29. —Farming and stock raising on a big scale is contemplated in the organization of th© Murdock Farms company here, with Charles E. Corey as general manager. Charles M. Murdock of Samuel T.‘ Murdock of Indianapolis and their sister, Mrs. Mary Murdock Corey, own about 5,000 acres of land in Tippecanoe, White, Newton and Jasper counties. All these farms, by the organization of the new company, will be brought under one management. The company is capitalized at |500,000. Mr. Corey, the president and general manager, is the husband of Mrs. Mary Murdock Corey and formerly was general manager of the Wallace-Hag-enbeck circus.

SPRING WEATHER IS WITH US We have had quite warm, balmyweather the past few days and the Ice and snow has practically all disappeared. Yesterday was bright and warm with a cloudless sky, and as The Democrat went to press the mercury stood at 40 in the -shade, but perhaps 55 in the sun. Monday the maximum temperature was 49 and the minimum 41,

An armload of old newspapers fo* a nickel at The Democrat office.

COURT HOUSE NEWS IN BRIEF

Interesting Paragraphs Frqf the Various Departments OF JASPER COUNTY CAPITOL The Legal News Epitomized—Together with Other Notes Gathered from the Several County Offices. \ I • I Former Court Reporter Cl R. McFarland of Chicago spent Sunday here. * Judge Hanley went jto Delphi Monday to sit as special judge in a case in the Carroll circuit court. Attorneys W. H. Parkinson and A. H. Hopkins were in Indianapolis Friday on business in the federal court. New suits filed: No. 8726. Indiana Refining company vs. Mark J. Schroer; action on account. Demand >286.69. The farm loan organization meeting held at the court house Saturday was well attended and an organization was perfected in both Unio£ and Marion townships. The fine new Marion township consolidated school building was opened for work Monday, and the James, O'Meara, Wasson and Wood schools will be abandoned. The pupils of these schools are being transported to the new school by an autobus and school hack, driven by Worth McCarthy and Frank Morrow, respectively.

While it was reported Saturday night that former County Surveyor Myrt B. Price, who had been in a very critical condition Saturday at the county hospital, had died shortly after 5 o’clock, this report was an error and we are glad to say that he is still alive and . was believed to be a trifl<e better yesterday. A specialist was here from Chicago Saturday night to see Mr. Price. His brother, Mudge Clark Price, of Ashland, Kansas, who is a state- senator and was with the law-makers at Topeka when wired of Myrt’s critical condition,* came Sunday afternoon.

At the Republican mass meeting held at the court house Monday night present City Councilmen King and Kresler declined to become candidates for re-eleotion, and the names of Fred Waymire and Conrad Kellner were favorably considered in their stead, and it is expected they will file their declarations. The names of Fred Tyler, Elzie Grow and Emmet La Rue were considered for ward committeemen, and it is understood they will file declarations. The rest of the city administration was endorsed for re-election. -Of course, any person can file a declaration who desires to be a candidate for any office. The Democrats were to hold their mass meeting to discuss candidates, etc., last evening.

The $5,000 slander case of Ochs vs. Zimmerman," from Remington, which was set for trial in the Newton circuit court Monday before Special Judge Frank Davis of Brook, was not tried. An order had been made to take the examination of the defendant at Kentland on Monday of last week, and this order later changed to take the examination- at Rensselaer last Saturday. The defendant was here with his attorneys Saturday and the examination proceeded until questions were asked which the defendant refused to answer on the adyice of his attorneys on the grounds that the answers might be incriminating. The matter was taken up in court at Kentland Monday on the answering of these questions and the court ruled that the notice to defendant was insufficient. A change of venue was then taken from the court by the plaintiff and the case now goes back to Judge Hanley to name a judge to sit in the trial of the cause. Therefore, it wfll not ccfme up for trial until the March term, of court.

Sale bills printed while you wait at The Democrat office.

THE TWICE-A-WEEK

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1917.

STATE-WIDE PROHIBITION BILL

Practically Sure of Passing the Senate - Whenever Called Up. The indications are exceedingly good for Jhe passage of the statewide prohibition bill in the state senate, but it is probable that action may not be taken in tjhe senate until next week, after the new senator from- Lagrange, Noble and Steuben counties takes his seat. The special election will be held there on February 6, and it is practically certain that a “dry” senator will be elected. While it is not thought that this vote will be needed to pass the measure, it is deemed safer by many advocates of the bill to take no chances, but wait until the senator from this district takes his seat. The special election is called to elect a successor to Senator Green, who died of pneumonia some ten days ago. William A. Fox of Angola is the Democratic candidate and C. J. Mu-nton of Kendallville is the Republican candidate. It was thought that the new constitution bill might be passed yesterday by the senate.

WOLCOTT IN “THRIFT TALK"

Former State Senator Eben H. Wolcott, a native of the town of that name in White county, but now president of the State Savings and Trust company of Indianapolis, gave a “thrift talk” on the motograph at Washington and Meridian streets in that city Monday night, one of a series of silent talks being given on the motograph in the capital city. Mr. Wolcott’s talk was as follows: “Thrift, the antidote for 'waste. To prevent waste is - the greatest problem. Waste is the result of thoughtlessness. To think is to save/ to save is to live. Begin to think. Every one strives to preserve life, but life with poverty is unbearable. A small savings now is a seed planted that bears, the fruit of comfort and contentment in after years.”

WHY WANT FREE DELIVERY?

Just why there are many people in Rensselaer who want free city mail delivery is inconceivable. It certainly will not be beneficial to the business man, as every “drop” letter he mails at the postofflce will cost him. just double the postage that it now costs, or two cents for each ounce or fraction thereof, where it now costs but /one cent. Perhaps ninety per cent of thte drop letters are mailed by business firms, and they will be hit hardest, although every person in the city who has occasion to mail a letter to some other resident of the city must pay two cents postage where they now pay but one. However, it will provide a couple of jobs on the government payroll.

NEWLYWEDS VISITING HERE

Former City Marshal W. R. Shesler, who has been employed in Hammond for the past year or two, and Mrs. Hettie Henkle, formerly of Rensselaer, but since the death of her father, Robert Dowler, has been residing with a sister at Williamsport, were married at the M. E. parsonage in Williamsport last Thursday evening and came to Rensselaer Saturday for a few days’ visit-with friends. They left here yesterday for Hammond where they will visit his daughter and fajnily for a few days and then go upon a farm near Decatur, Michigan, which Mr. Shesler owns. The many friends of the newlyweds extend congratulations.

LUNCH, MARKET, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3 Given by Monnett G<uild, beginning at 11 a. m. Public invited. LUNCH MENU Vegetable soup 5c Ham sandwiches ... . 10c Ham sandwiches with potato Chips . .■.• •. . ... .. ....... 15c Gingerbread or doughnuts. .... 3c Pie, cake or coffee. . 5c Two doors east of postoffice.

4>ATE BlftTH ANNOUNCEMENTS January 26, to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Booth of Union township, a daughter. January 30, to Mr. and Mrs. W. O. Williams of near Aix, a son. For 'Rent—Good 5-acre truck farm in Walker tp., with nice 8room house, outbuildings, etc.; cash rent.. Enquire at The Democrat office. „ if

SWITCHMAN KILLED AT MONON

Body of E. L. Hamilton Cut in , Two Beneath Cars. Edward L. Hamilton of Lafayette, a welLknown of the Monon railroad, was killed at Monon last Thursday nigfrt when he fell from a moving train. Ten freight cars passed over. his body, cutting him in,, two. »- Mr' Hamilton was standing on top of a cut of ten cars when a switch engine backed into them, throwing him ’to the ground beneath the cars. He was dragged about 400 feet before the cut of cars reached the derail and stopped. After the cars left the track a column of the water station was knocked down and two switch stands broken. Mr. Hamilton was 50 years old and is survived by the widow, his mother and two sisters.

HERE THERE and EVERYWHERE

Announcement is made by the Baltimore Sun that owing to the increased cost of paper and other materials that the Sun will be 13 cents per week after February 1, an increase of 3 cents over the present price. Captain Jack Crawford, noted scout and writer, is dying of pneumonia at Woodhaven, New York. Captain Crawford was known as the “poet scout,” and his stories have been read with avidity by the youth of America for the past forty years.

W. -A. Northcott of Springfield, Illinois, former liteutenant-governor of Illinois and at one time head of the Modern Woodmen of America, died at Excelsior Springs, Missouri, of heart disease. Mr. Northcott was president of the Inter-Ocean Casualty company.

President Wilson Monday vetoed the immigration bill passed recently by congress, because of its literacy test provision. It was the second time that President Wilson had vetoed an immigration bill for the same reason and similar bills were vetoed by President Tafft and Cleveland. Mrs. Rebecca Train, aged 96 years, 3 months and 14 days, died at Winamac last Wednesday. She is survived by six children and a large number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, She was born in Butler county, Ohio, in 1820, and had lived in Pulaski county for over seventy years. The delinquent tax list in .Lake county occupies over nine pages of the Lake County Times, or sixtyfour columns of twenty-two inches in length, a total of 1,400 inches of advertising space. And this does not include those delinquent for city taxes, of which iHammond occupies eighteen columns and East Chicago four columns. •

The expeditionary force of General Pershing, sent into Mexico several months ago in pursuit of Villa and his bandits, has been ordered withdrawn and it is expected will cross the border into Texas the latter part of the present week. Headquarters will be established at El Paso with a force of 12,000 men from where any threatened section of the country can be reached quickly. - . • * / ____________ ' A notice of condenmation, sent out by the state board of health, has been posted on the Medaryville school building. The order forbids the use of the building for school purposes after this year. Residents of that community have been considering .a new building for some time, and this order seems to make it a necessity. A site in the northwest part of town has been agreed upon, we are informed, and the school township and the civil t#wn are expected to join forces in j/aising sufficient funds to put up a modern structure. —Pulaski County Democrat. . ■

I will have for sale at the Clyde Davisson sale January 31, one mare 8 years old, one cow, corn planter, wagon, set of harness, all in good condition.—JOS. MOOSMILLER. Ideal Account Files, $1.50 each.— The Democrat's fancy stationery de* partment

GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

TelegraphicJleports From Many Parts of the Country. SHORT BITS OF THE UNUSUAL Happenings iqfethe Nearby Cities and Towns —Matters of Minor Mention from Many Places. MAY GET A FEDERAL POSITION Thomas E. Knotts Withdraws From Gary Mayoralty Contest, Gary, January 28.—The belief is expressed by local politicians that Thomas E. Knotts, former mayor, who’ suddenly withdrew from the race for the Democratic mayoralty nomination in favor of Harvey J. Curtis, the only other candidate, Is soon to get a federal appointment, either the position of United States marshal for the district of Indiana or the- consulship at Onfuegos, Cuba, near a plantation that Knotts bought several years ago. Knotts says he quit the race when he seemed to in the lead, for the good of the party and, because the campaign would be too long. The only other reason he asserts is that his family objected to his taking part in the turmoil that constantly marks Gary politics. It is also pointed out as significant that Mr. Curtis, who formerly was city attorney and connected with the state Democratic machine, has been paying several out-of-town visits lately. He visited Indianapolis and then, it is said, he went to Washington in the interests of Mr, Knotts* candidacy. Gary Democrats have been expecting some federal recognition since the November election. The Republican majority was calculated at 4,000, but Hughes carried Gary by only ninety votes. Knotts and his friends took (bn active part In the election and the Gary Democrats have been demanding recognition from the White House, inasmuch as Hammond, normally Denjecratic, went heavily for Hughes. Hammond’s patronage is the solicitorship of the United States treasury, held by Lawrence Becker, former mayor.

SMALLPOX INVADES IDAVILLE

Monticello, .; January 28. —The smallpox situation at Idaville is serious, and Dr. R. B. Morris, sec-, retary of the county board of health, has. asked the commissioners to appropriate a sufficient sum to handle the expense of quarantining the diseased ones. There Is $250 available for Immediate use, but it is clalhied that this sum is inadequate to cover expenses. One man has been breaking quarantine and, according to the authorities, will be prosecuted. Joseph Bird, an immune, has been employed to patrol the quarantined district, and Dr. Goodwin Will assist Dr. Morris in the care of the cases.

BODY BLOW TO CROWN POINT

The creation of a court in Gary will be a body blow to the business of the Gary & Southern traction line, as it is estimated that at least seventy-five per cent of the traffic on the lihe is in relation to court business now transacted in the two courts of Crown Point. If the new court is established, and all indications say that it will, the busines's between the two cities will cease to a great degree and the traffic will necessarily stop. Nothing will be left in a transient way for the interurban, excepting the marriage couples—and this industry is threatened also by eugenic measures in the legislature and one of them may become a law. Some have already prophesied that it will only be necessary to run a few trains each day, and others '■ of a more pessimistic makeup think that eventually the road will have to be abandoned entirely for want of business. The loss of the court to Gary will damage Crown Point considerably more than is realized at present—especially if she is not given a criminal court- —and sometimes the chances for this seems to be quite remote, regardless of the fact that at present the measure is going uninterrupted through the legislative hopper.—Crown Point Star.

FUTURE PUBLIC SALE HATES The Democrat has printed bills for the following public sales: ’ Wednesday, January 31, Clyde Davisson, 8 mile® north and miles east of Rensselaer.:- General sale, consisting of horses, cattle, hogs, farm tools, etc. Tuesday, February 6, W. AShook and 11. E. Gifford, on the David Blitstein farm, S miles north r.nd 3 miles east of Rensselaer. Joint stock sale, including 10 head of horses, 29 head of cattle,' 23 head of hogs, etc. Wednesday, February 7, Levi M. Miller, 1 mile south and 11 mile west’ of Parr. General sale, including 10 head of horses, cattle, hogs, farm implements, household goods, etc. Thursday, February 8, Earl Haniford, at Gifford. General sale, Including eight head of horses, cattle, chickens, farm tools, etc. Tuesday, February 13, James E. Lamson, 7 miles southwest of Rensselaer. General sale, including 7 head of horses, 20 head of cattle, farm tools, etc. « V Tuesday, February 13, Frank Garriott, on Thompson farm, 1 mile east of Fair Oaks. General sale, including horses, cattle and farm tools. Saturday, February 17, W. F. Hayes and Sam Scott. Stock sale, on what is known as Frank Hayes farm, 6% miles north and 2% miles east of Rensselaer, consisting of 3 head of horses, 27 head of cattle and 14 head of hogs.

MORE ABOUT THE RYAN DITCH

Kokomo, Ind., Jan. 26, 1917. -• To the Landowners of the Pinkamink Valley: I have read with much Interest the article by Mr. Lewis S. Alter, engineer, published in The Jasper County Democrat on January 10, 1917, and also the public statement by a number of interested land owners in the same issue, and I entirely agree with Mr. Alter in his conclusions as to the best and cheapest method of draining the area in question. I am interested in the , project and as I am owner of land by contract in the Gifford marsh this article is not Influenced by any outside interest. I might make reference to the fact which was brought out in the article published by C. S. Head, R. C. Yeoman and Devere Yeoman, that I am one of the engineers who surveyed the Ryan ditch last year and have been over, the entire route of the proposed Rya«i ditch lateral No. 77 and the Gifford ditch from beginning to end. I would like to call the attention of the public and especially the interested land owners to a few of the facts brought out by our survey and not mentioned in our previous article, and also to some calculations made by me at that time in regard to, the cost of this work by draining the marsh area and all the territory north of it. Stump slough and Cypress creek, down the Gifford ditch and also cutting a channel through the rock ledge on the south to care for the territory not affected by the Gifford ditch and comparing this cost with the cost of the proposed Ryan ditch. The figures on the cost for the Pinkamink route, or Ryan ditch will be taken from the old report which was later set aside by the court on motion of the petitioners, although no longer an issue the figures given therein will serve as a comparison of cost for the two routes in question. Beginning at the same point as reported by the drainage commissioner for the Ryan ditch we found that measuring along the Gifford route from station 0 to where the sama enters, the Iroquois river to be the same distance as measuring along the Pinkamink route from station 0 to where same crosses the C. & W. V. railroad, south of Pleasant Grove. The distance being 1,04 6 stations, or 19.8 miles. The total length of the proposed Ryan ditch down the Pinkamink route was 1,362 stations, or 25.8 miles, the Gifford route being the shorter by 7.7 miles, besides’ the digging would be in sand, clay and muck, while the Pinkamink route would have to be blasted through five or six miles of solid rock, which everyone who is familiar with the country knows to be there only a few feet under the surface and in many places the water in the Pinkamink is flowing over outcropings of this rock. The outlet of the Gifford ditch in the Iroquois river is eighteen feet lower than the present bed of the Pinkamink at the C. & W. V. railroad bridge south, of Pleasant Grove. As stated in our previous article a. ditch caff be constructed, on the Gifford route on a grade of two feet to the mile and get into the marsh at the C. • & W. V. railroad bridge north of Newland with a ditch twelve feet deep. Now from the fact that the ■marsh is practically level as was shown by our survey, the muck at Tailholt bridge is Just six inches lower than the muck just south of William Hershman’s on the north side of the marsh, and from the fact that lateral No. 77 enters the Gifford ditch only a few hundred feet above the railroad bridge and it being on the north and west edge

Vol. XIX, No. 88