Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1918 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat.

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MRS. HARRY WORTLEY IS DEAD

Passed Away Just One Month After Her Husband. Mrs. Alma Jane Wortley of Mt. Ayr died at the hospital in this city early Saturday morning from Bright’s disease, death coming in one month following that of her husband, Harry Wortley. Mrs. Wortley had been ailing for several months and since the death of her husband her decline was rapid. She was brought to the Jasper county hospital ten days ago in a serious condition. Mrs. Wortley was about fifty-six years old and had lived in the vicinity of Mt. Ayr practically all of her life. She is survived by two brothers, James A. Rimer of Benten Harbor, Michigan, and Alva Rimer of Wabash, Indiana, also her aged step-mother, Mrs. Mary J. Rimer of Mt. Ayr. Funeral services were held at the M. E. church in Mt. Ayr Tuesday forenoon. Rev. A. M. Snyder of Brook preaching the sermon. Burial was made at North Star cemetery. Because of the almost impassable condition olf the roads the body was taken from here to Mt. Ayr and thence to the cemetery by eled, the same kind of conveyance being used by thpse attending the funeral.

NO LET-UP TO ZERO WEATHER

More Snow and Wind Saturday and Sunday Causes Inconvenience. There is practically no let-up to the zero weather we have been experiencing for the past six weeks, and Saturday afternoon and night and Sunday night was quite blizzardy again. Trains became stalled on the Monon and Gifford roads Saturday and the country roads again drifted quite badly. The train north on the Gifford road got stuck Saturday noon one-fourth mile north of Moody. The work crew was on the train and shoveled 1 the train out, the task being accomplished about 7 o’clock in the evening. There weje. several passengers who remained on the train. The same place became drifted full of snow again after the train had passed and the work crew returned there Monday and worked all day and most of yesterday in clearing the track. No trains have passed over the road since Saturday. Afternoon and evening trains on the Monon Saturday got stalled in drifts north of town, but finally succeeded in breaking a way througn after several hours’ delay. Sunday Evening a (freight train became stalled at Pleasant Ridge and held the milk train, the 7:30 and the night trains at Rensselaer until Monday morning. While the mercury only got to within 9 degrees of zero Sunday night, a cold, raw wind with flurries of snow made it one of the worst nights we have had this winter and the cold wind penetrated every crack and crevice e and chilled one to the marrow. The government thermometer out at St. Joseph’s college registered 9 degrees below zero again yesterday morning. Predictions for today are “fair and slightly warmer.’’

NEWS NOTES OF THE RED CROSS

Last week the Red Cross workers finished and packed the following articles: 35 hospital shirts, 3 pairs pajamas, 4 pillows, 11 tray cloths, 17 napkins, 3 wash cloths, 2 wipes, 3 eye bandages, 4 dish covers, 1 'helmet, 8 pairs socks, 3 pairs wristlets, 12 sweaters, 100 gauze strips, 15 three-yard rolls, 100 large gauze compresses, 100 small gauze compresses, 40 sponges, 20 triangular bandages, 25 T-bandages, 2.5 four-tailed bandages, 40 abdominal bandages, 10 scultetus. The following paragraph was taken from a letter received by Mr. Spitler, president of the Jasper County chapter, from Mrs. Fauve, the state inspector at the northern Indiana Red Cross warehouse: “I wish to assure you that your organization has certainly brought the work up to a very high standard and I shall trust that you will continue this wonderful interest. Kindly copvey to your workers my ap- ’ preciation of their splendid and efficient efforts.”

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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. New suits filed: No. 8878. Maggie Kerstner Swartzell vs. Albert Swartzell; action for partition of' real estate. Sheriff McColly is still confined to his home from illness, but is talking some of leaving in a few days with Mrs. McColly for Houston, Texas, in the hope that the change of climate may be beneficial to him. The new blockade of many of the country roads by Saturday’s storm kept a great many people from attending the war conference meeting here yesterday. But still there were, a goodly number of people in town in spite of this.

PLANNING FOR SURVEY WEEK

Seed Stocks and Labor Needs of Farmers to Be Ascertained. County Agent Stewart Learning is one of the busiest men in Jasper county making plans for this county’s part in the state-wide “Seed Stocks and Labor Survey Week,” February 4 to 9. In addition to having this county to look after, because of the valuable work he has done in this county, he was chosen leader for the district, composed of Jasper, White and Newton counties. Meetings will be held in every county in the state before the date of starting the survey, when plans will be made for this work. Jasper was one of the first counties to hold such a meeting and to make plans Ifor the survey. At these gatherings township leaders are named and they, in turn, select community leaders for every two square miles in the townships wherein they reside. These community leaders make the actual survey, visiting every farmer in their respective sections and obtaining answers to given questions. When the resired information has been, obtained, the cards are returned to the county headquarters where they are kept as a sort of information bureau. The figures then will be tabulated for the county and for the entire state. Thus, a farmer who is short of seed corn for the 1918 planting season may find out who has a surplus. If no one in the county possesses it, he will be able to find out who in the nearest county does and at what price it may be purchased. Similar methods will be employed for seed for all the important crops and with the labor supply, the boys’ working reserve being used as widely as possible. This survey will be the most comprehensive ever undertaken by any state and is the first big step in Indiana’s 1918 food production program. It will ascertain the exact needs of Hoosier soil tillers and provide a system by which these needs will be filled. Through this plan, it is hoped, the state will be able to solve its own Agricultural problems. The work is being done through the Purdue agricultural extension department and the United States department |of agriculture.

MEETING OF COMMON COUNCIL

Talk of Erecting a Coal Dump at the Monon Tracks. At the regular meeting of the city council Monday evening all members were present but not much business was done outside of allowing the regular grist of claims. The question of purchasing ground and erecting coal sheds—or a coal dump, rather —at the Monon tracks, was referred to the water and light committee and superintendent of the light plant. It is understood that an effort will be made to interest Jasper county and St. Joseph college, the two largest consumers of soft coal other than the city; in the project, the idea being to erect an elevated dump and individual bins where

THE TWICE-A-WEEK

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1918

cars of coal can be dumped into the respective bins and thereby save the expense of shoveling, the bins to be built up high enough to permit the loading of wagons or trucks by dumping direct from bin to wagon. Also to erect an elevated dump at the light plant for dumping the wagons in the same manner there. The city uses from forty to fifty cars of coal a year. If the other parties can be induced to go in on the project it is thought that the initial expense would not be burdensome to either and the saving in labor would soon wipe this out. Scales could also be put in tfor weighing the cars and the shortage, which now amounts to several tons on each car, caused by coal being stolen in transit, could be determined and the railroads be held for the amount. As it now is this loss falls on the consignee.

NOTICE TO REDMEN There will be a meeting of the Red Men Friday evening, February 1. Important business, and to make arrangements for the district meeting. All members urged to be present.—Advt.

FARM AND STOCK AT AUCTION

I will offer at public sale on February 15, my farm of 160 acres, well improved and well kept up by stock. It is not a run-down farm. I will also offer horses, cattle, hogs and farm implements. For terms on farm write me or Fred Phillips, Rensselaer, Ind.—J. W. FAYLOR.

PHYSICALLY FIT MUST SERVE

Local Board Certifies Class One Men for Military Service. 'phe local exemption board put n Monday and yesterday examining a part of the men who had previously been placed in class one through the questionnaires. Three divisions were established. Division one is composed of those who are physically fit and qualified for general military duty; division two is composed of those who are able and qualified for special or limited duty, and class three is those who were foufid to be physically unfit. Following is the result of the work of the board up to noon yesterday: Division One James H. S. Ellis. Jr., Rensselaer Ray Donald Anderson, Rensselaer D. D. Dean, Rensselaer Leslie Zellers, Fair Oaks Emmet M. Laßue, Rensselaer Jesse Grimm, Gifford Harold Leo Fidler, Jordan Clarence W. L. Knouff, Rensselaer Arthur Murray. Wheatfield William E. Marlin, Rensselaer Horace Louis Charais, Jordan Osie Arehie Dondlinger, Wolcott John W. McCarthy, Rensselaer Livingston Ross, Rensselaer Guy C. Peek, Rensselaer John A. Utterburg, Rensselaer Frank A. Garvin, Rensselaer Division Two Wallace Miller, Rensselaer, R-2 William A. Zink, Rensselaer Lottis S. Franklin, Wheatfield Thomas Swart, Demotte Clarence Earl Garver, Rensselaer John Israel Reed, Rensselaer James Kriz, Rensselaer Frank John Boes, Tefft Division Three Henry W. Cords, McCoysburg Geo. Wm. Barnhardt, Remington Wm. Hampton Minniear. Rensselaer Crawford Lytle l Bates, Remington Herman Goepp. Mopdy Preston Henry, Parr Charles Elbert Casto, Fair Oaks Clarence E. Armstrong. Wheatfield Jesse F. Heath, Remington Solomon Yoder, Fair Oaks Elijah Cunningham, Parr Herbert C. Hammond, Rensselaer Frank Potts Louis Anthony Miller, Rensselaer Tom Stevens, Parr, R-l Turpin Brown, Goodland

HARRY BIGGS PASSES AWAY

Body Will Be Brought to Rensselaer for Burial. A. J. Biggs of this city received a telegram Monday announcing the death of his son, Harry Biggs, at Canyon City. Colorado, on Sunday, January 27. The son had gone to Colorado some four years ago for the benefit of his health. The cause of his death was tuberculosis. He was about forty years of age and is survived by his Wife and a five-year-old daughter, besides his. father, A. J. Biggs, and sister, Miss Mildred, of this city, one brother, Frank, of just west otf town, one sister in Indianapolis and Miss Nell Biggs, Red Cross nurse in a base hospital in Kansas. Tlte body will be brought here for burial, although at this time it is not known just, when the funeral will be held. • .

GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

Telegraphic Reports From Many Parts of the Country. SHORT BITS OF THE UNUSUAL Happenings in the Nearby Cities and Towns—Matters of Minor Mention From Many Places. AUTOS ARE STOPPED BY SNOW Thirty Lexington automobiles from the Lexington automobile factory at Connersville, on their way to Chicago in charge of factory Superintendent E. B. Brown, reached this city Saturday night where the party of drivers spent the night at one of the hotels. When the string of machines reached Montmorenci -yesterday morning after leaving this city to continue the journey they were compelled to turn back to Lafayette on account of the impassable roads that were blocked with snow drifts. One of the cars had to be left in a farmer’s barn on account of a twisted steering rod and the rest were stored in local garages until such time as the roads become cleared for traffic. — Lafayette Journal.

CAUGHT UNDER LOAD OF WOOD

Scott Clark of Near Mt. Ayr Passed Away. Friday. Stott Clark, a well-known farmer residing three miles west of Mt. Ayr, died Friday morning as the result of injuries and exposure the previous Tuesday when he was caught under a load of wood that upset. Mr. Clark and his hired man were leaving the timber with the wood when one side of the sled ran onto a stump, upsetting the load on Mr. Clark, who was walking on the opposite side of the sled. His leg was broken and he was pinned to the ground. He remained in this position for some time before he could be released and in the meantime the injured leg was frozen. This caused an infection resulting in death Friday morning. Burial was made at Morocco Sunday and because of the heavy snow the funeral cortege was composed entirely of sleds. Mr. Clark was a brother of Theodore Clark, former superintendent of the Jasper county poor farm.

“TAG-YOUR-SHOVEL-DAY” TODAY

Nation's School Children to Aid in Conserving Fuel. The United States fuel administration, co-operating with the school officials of Indiana, have proclaimed January 30 as “Tag-Your-Shov-el-Day.” On this day tags, representing a shovel, and bearing suggestions for saving coal, are to be tied to practically every coal shovel in the country by the schodl children. Like the proverbial ‘‘string around the finger to remember by,” these tags will act as a constant reminder to everyone to use his coal carefully. The public schools of Rensselaer have received enough tags for this work and the children will be busy today in their spare time at tagging the shovels. Give them a hearty welcome when they come to tag your shovel, and by all means read the suggestions on the tag for the conservation of fuel. They are as follows: 1. Cover your furnace and pipes with asbestos or other insulation; also weather-strip your windows or stuff cracks with cotton, 2. Keep your rooms at 68 degrees (best keat for health). 3. Heat only the rooms you use all the time. ,: v 4. Test your ashes by sifting. If you find milch good coal, there is something wrong with your heater. See a furnace expert. 5. Write to the maker of your furnace or stove for practical directions for running economically. 6. Save gas and electric lights as much as possible—-this will save coal for the nation.

FANCY PRODUCE MARKET.

January 29.—Get the top price. Bring us your produce. We are paying today the following prices: Eggs, 50c; hens, 20c; springs, 20c; old roosters, 10c; ducks and geese, 17 c; turkeys, 18c tp 23c; butterfat, 50c. Have some duck and goose feathers for sale. Our place of business will be closed on Mondays until further notice. —C. E. PRIOR.

FUTURE PUBLIC SALE DATES The Democrat has printed bills for the following public sales:. Tuesday, February 5, John V. Lesh and R. Kresler, at the latter’s farm 3 miles east of Rensselaer. General sale, Including 14 houses, 37 head of cattle, 15 hogs, farm tools, etc. Friday, February 8, Paul Samuelson, U mile east of Gifford. General sale, including 5 horses, 7 head of hogs, (farm tools, household goods, etc. Tuesday, February 12, Parmer Wiseman, on the Clay Harris ranch, 4 miles west and 1% miles north of Fair Oaks. General sale, consisting of 26 head of cattle, 39 head of shoats, seed corn, timothy hay, chickens, implemenre, ’some household goods, etc. Wednesday, February 13, Ernest Asher, 1 mile east and 1 mile south of Wheatfield. General sale, Including 13 horses, 19 head of cattle, 21 hogs, chickens and ducks, 200 bushels seed oats, corn, farm tools, etc.

LATE BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS

January 25, to Mr. and Mrs. Otto Ritter of Barkley township, a daughter. January 25, to Mr. and Mrs. Gaylord Parker o<f east of town, a daughter. January 25, to Mr. and Mrs. John Horton, Jr., a son. January 26, to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Rhoades, a son. January 28, to Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Rowen, a son.

LIVES ON FAMOUS RENDEZVOUS

Where Jesse James Is Said to Have Secreted $60,000. David Nowels of near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, came the last of the week for a week’s visit with relatives and old friends. This is his first visit here in twenty years. Mr. Nowels is a son of James Nowels, who used to live over in the edge of Newton township, south of the Elizur Sage farm, and where he was horn. His father died when David was but one year old, fiftyfour years ago, and he was brought up by W. D. Sayler. His mother died five years later. He was the only Child. His wife is a sister of Mrs. A. C. Pancoast of Newton township. They have no children. That part of Oklahoma where Mr. Nowels resides is now thickly settled, but in an early day it was a pretty wild country. It is quite broken with considerable timber. Mr. Nowels has- eighty acres of timber on his farm and in this timber is a large never-failing spring. In an yearly day this timber was a rendezvous for bandits and highwaymen, and rumor has it that Jesse James secreted on this farm $60,000 stolen from the Independence (Kansas) fair grounds when he and his gang of “bad men’’ were terrorizing that section of the country. Mr. Nowels says that he has found plenty of evidence that this timber was a rendezvous in the early days in the shape of cartridge shells, both loaded and discharged, a corral where stolen animals were kept, etc., etc. It was rumored that Frank James, a brother of Jesse's, who, Mr. Nowels says, was on the iarm several different times since he has owned it, looking about as if searching for some landmark, had offered SI,OOO >fr information leading to the location of a certain tree with a horseshoe imbedded therein. Mr. Nowels cut this tree himself—not knowing then that it was the tree that Frank James was searching so in cutting it up he sawed into a horseshoe, over which the wood had grown, completely concealing it. He has some faith in the story of the $60,000 loot being buried on his farm, but of course, does' not know -where to search for it, and if it is there and is ever discovered, it will be by accident, as Frank James, perhaps the only member of the bandit band other than his brother who knew where it was buried, is now dead. Some wheat and quite a bit of cotton is grown in Mr. Nowels’ section of the state, and the latter crop especially was good last year and brought a high price. Both oil and gas have been struck there in big paying quantities and as high as $206 per acre is being paid for oil leases, * together with a royalty on all oil taken out. More wells are now being put down and the land owners will be in clover if the supply is as great as. it is thought to be. \ Mr. Nowels will leave Thursday for his home.

SECRETARY BAKER BARES SECRETS

Will Have 500,000 Men in France Early This Year HEARERS DEEPLY IMPRESSED Military Knowledge Divulged Before Senate Comm it te in Dramatlo Outline of America’s War Plans. Washington, January 28. —America will have an army of half a million men in France early this year, with a million and a half ready to follow as quickly as ships can be provided to carry them —and the outlook for ships is not unpromising. Secretary Baker gave this information to the nation and to the world today, in a statement belfore the senate military committee, baring much that until now has been guarded with the army’s military secrets, in answering charges that the government has broken down preparing for war. From early morning until late afternoon the secretary addressed the committee" and a crowd, including many members of both houses of congress, gathered In a big hearing room in the senate office building. He spoke extemporaneously, beginning with details of the mammoth task of building an army of a million and a half, answering such complaints of inefficiency as were cited by Senator Chamberlain in his recent speech, and declaring that such Instances were isolated and not general. Some questions were ‘asked, and Mr. Baker from time to time had assistants go to the telephone for reports on specific questions. Then, toward the close of the day, the secretary delivered a dramatic general statement of the American war alm, telling of the coming of the allied 'missions, of the day and night conferences with men from the scene df battle in which the plans now being executed were adopted, and of success beyond the most sanguine expectations in building the army, and its industrial supports at home, transporting men across the ocean, constructing railroads in France and preparing to strike the enemy with every resource at the country’s command. When Mr. Baker closed it was apparent he had created u profound impression. Senator Chamberlain said so before he left the stand. There was no attempt at crossexamination and the chairman proposed that the secretary be given a rest, and it virtually was agreed to recall him for further examination later after the committee has completed its hearing of officers of the medical corps, aviation section and other branches of the service. While many things disclosed impressed, the committee was frankly amazed when, told that the men of thirty-two national guard and national army divisional camps are ready to go today if needed. When members wanted to know why such things had not been given publicity before; Mr. Baker spoke of the reluctance of military men to reveal their war plans and quoted German remarks about America’s advertisement of her preparations. Amsterdam, January 28.—Open demand that the German people revolt “to save themselves’’ and reference to the kaiser as “Germany's hangman’’ was made by the Deutsches Tages Zeitiing, in copies of that paper received here today. The Deutsches Tages Zeitung is the Agrarian conservative newspaper —organ of lhe landed class of Germany and, not heretofore regarded as in the slightest degree radical. Perhaps the greatest interest in the war news is Count Czernin’s speech on Austrian war aims and the statements that it was sent in advance to President Wilson have aroused the Pan-Germans and their newspapers are bitter in denunciation of the Austro-Hungarian foreign minister. It is declared that the count’s action means a break in the Austro-German alliance and the Pan-German newspaper has been suppressed for suggesting that Germany abandon her foremost ally.

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