Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1920 — COURT HOUSE NEWS IN BRIEF [ARTICLE]

COURT HOUSE NEWS IN BRIEF

Interesting Paragraphs From tin Various Departments OF JASPER COUNTY CAPITOL Legal News Epitomized —Together With Other Notes Gathered by Us From the Various County Offices. Attorney D. Babcock was over from Goodland on business yesterday. County Agent ’Learning returned 'home Tuesday from a few days spent at Lafayette. I Mrs. Nelle Tritt-Schaffer, home service secretary for the Red Cross, returned Sunday evening and commenced her duties again Monday morning after spending a few weeks at her home in Union City recup- - erating from her attack of influenza. Recorder Scott has been kept mighty busy of late, recording the numerous transfers of real estate that have been made this month in Jasper county, perhaps the greatest number of February transfers ever recorded in the history of the county. Former Trustee R. E. Davis was down from Kankakee township Monday. He reports that the large store room, and stock of general merchandise at, owned by M. Anderson, was destroyed by fire last Thursday, with an estimateu loss of $7,000 to SB,OOO. The residence at tße .rear OT the buildt ing was sawed.

A petition has' been circulated in 'Newton townahi p asking for the consolidation of the schools. Of the 70 patrons of the schools in the township 43 signed the petition as well as 8 taxpayers of the township who are not patrons, which means that a new consolidated building will be erected this year. The building will be located on the Rensselaer-Mt.' 'Ayr road, at Bowling Green, it is understood. Marriage licenses issued: Feb. 23, Casper Belstra of Demotte, aged 24 July 5 last, farmer, and Grace DeFries, also of Demotte, aged 19 April 30 last, housekeeper. First marriage for each. Feb. 23, John Arvid Isterberg ot Rensselaer, aged 33 Oct. 17 last, farmer, and Halsie Belle Gordon, also of Rensselaer, aged 24 Oct. 6 last, housekeeper. First marriage for each. * Feb. 24, Simon Sipkema of Demotte, aged 24 Jan. 23 last, farmer, and Anna Douma, also of Demotte, aged 24 Nov. 9 last, housekeeper. First marriage for each.

Under the 1919 amendments to the automobile license law, it is necessary to have a license for trailers attached to cars, no matter what the carrying capacity of the trailer may be. Trailer fees are based on the carrying capacity of the car to which the- trailer is attached, and not to the trailer itself. The minimum fee is $3 for a car of %-ton capacity and less than 3-4-ton, and is graduated on up to $25 for a car with a carrying capacity of 7 tons and less than 10 tons. Last yea£ little or no attention was paid to tins law in Jasper county, nad perhaps the same is true in other counties, but as the license fees now all go to the state—to the highway department —it is more than likely that the prosecuting attorneys will be especially instructed to watch up evasions of the trailer license law. The penalty for viqlation of this law is a fine not exceeding SSO.

The musket said to have been given to Alexander Selkirk when he was put ashore on the island of Juan Fernandez, 400 miles off the Chilean coast, has been going the rounds of British museums. It was Selkirk’s adventures upon which was based De Foe’s famous story, "Robinson Crusoe.” The musket is inscribed with the name of “A. Selkirk Lar&o, 1771.” It was purchased by Randolph Berens for $6.25, hut the owner has insured it for SIO,OOO. Selkirk owned a tavern near Clapham, but died in 1721 at sea as a lieutenant aboard a naval vessel.