Hammond Times, Volume 1, Number 238, Hammond, Lake County, 27 March 1907 — Page 1

in TUB WEATHER. Threatening; followed by generally fair late tonight and Thursday f cooler. j: YOL. 1, NO. 238. NIGHT EDITION. HAMMOND, INDIANA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1907. ONE CENT PER COPY. "SILENT" SMITH DIES II JAP POVERTY SLEY TALKS THEN' Aft). s

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TO AFFLUENCE John Robinson, Local Gambler, Rich But He Don't Know It. IflMTsTFORTUflE

lawyers Out Here Yesterday to Search for Heir Whose Real Name Is Detcher. "When John Robinson, a -well known Hammond gambler, reads his Lake County Times this evening he will know for the first time that he has fallen heir to $80,000 or $90,000 a3 a result of the death of an uncle by the name of Detchen. John Robinson is not the real, but the assumed name of the lucky man who, for several years has lived In this vicinity and has had the ups and downs that come to the men who live from the profits of games of chance. Robinson's uncle, whose name Is also M.-ii. aiul who lives in some town In Illinois, died at the age of DO years after a short Illness. t.jt-i, v iicic to Search for Him. Yesterday two lawyers came out from Chicago and made inquiries for Detchen, which is Robinson's real name. They of course, did not know that he was going under an assumed name and might have given up the search without locating him here, if one of his associates, Ike Hermes, had not known his real name and was also aware of his uncle's name and fortune. Robinson is a character. At one time he was worth in the neighborhood of $50,000, which he had won from gambling. At various other times in his life he Is said to have made a fortune. But he would no sooner make a killing than luck would go against him and all would be lost. Now Down and Out. . At the present tfma- he Is said to be - down and out, and "three or four days ! ago he. left llummond.feeling very blue at his continued poor luck. He left this city for Indiana Harbor, where he generally hangs around the Sunny Sheath saloon. A telephone message to this pTace failed to locate him, however, and the proprietor there said he had gone to Chicago a day or so ago. Robinson is said to be one of the sharpest and cleverest gamblers in the country. At poker and other card games he is so tricky that his work Is said to be nothing short of astonishing. His friends say that if he would keep his tricks to himself Instead of showing them off to his friends he could win any amount of money from them and they would never know how he did it. Makes Occasional Sorties. Occasionally when he gets hard up he is believed to make trips to parts of the country where he is not known and there, by sharp work, makes enough money to stake himself again when he returns to his old haunts. It is believed that the difficulty in locating him now is due to the fact that he is out on one of these raids of his and will not return until he has a good sized bank roll. When he does return it will be to find himself a wealthy man, but none of his friends believe he will keep his money long. There will be a few wild plunges. He may double his for tune, but in the end he will be a penniless man. He has lost the sense of value of things, say those who know him. $S0.000 or $90,000 means simply an opportunity to plunge. "When that is gone he has lost but little, for outside of the fact that the money would provide the comforts of life, It means nothing to. him. TEAMSTER LOSSES HOUSES ; THINKS THEY'RE STOLEN John Itattialrh's Tract Disappears from Shed Where It lit Vut I'p Purina Driver's Sojourn la Saloon Animals valued at About $4tH. John Batusich, a teamster living at 119th and Center street. Whiting, be lieves his horses were stolen yester day while he was at Gary. Batusich had taken a load of grain to Gary and after delivering it ha hitched his team In a shed standing near the saloon lie went inside and remained for about an nour. nen ne came oui nis horses and wgon were gone and a search failed to. reveal their whereabouts, this happened shortly before 7 o'clock and If they were taken it must have been done before the eyes of several passers-by. Batusich drove back, to Whiting in a hired vehicle and thought possibly he would find his team at his home, but in this he was disappointed as they were not there. An effort was made last night to locate the team which is worth about $400, but no trace of them could be found. The horses are both blach and one has a white star on the head and the other has a white spot on the left hind leg. There is said to be a movement on foot now to organize a Citizens' Protective association at Gary for such purposes as locatlncr stolen torses and

OF PAil

Ex-Justice of the Peace of Indiana Harbor Discusses His Trip South. DITCH A " 6IAHT TUSK Sanitary Conditions Make Greatest Impression on Mind of the Traveler. Ex-Justice of the Peace Homer Ansley returned to his home at Indiana Harbor yesterday morning directly from his trip through Panama and was brimming with observations of the canal digging that he had witnessed. Having given the subject careful attention before he went there and having been favored by good fortune to fall In with a lot of good fellows, some of- them government officials, his visit there was even more profitable than he expected. The fact that Judge Ansley is probably the only man "at home" who has been an eye witness to the canal operations, and that he went there as a non-partisan and unbiased student, lends his impressions an added interest. He classifies his observations under the heads of climate, sanitation, food, labor, work accomplished, and spirit In which It is carried on. Speaking of his trip he said: "We sailed from New Orleans on one of the United Fruit steamers and on the boat I became acquainted with one of Edison's men, who was going there on a mission for his chief. We arrived at Colon, one of the principal cities, in due time and here I made my headquarters. In Colon I also met a number of government men, and together we went the route, which is nearly 40 miles, from end to end. Too Hot For White Man. "Everybody of course, wants to know about the climate down there, but it j is really the sanitary conditions that draw your first attention. The climate is too hot for a white man to last in for a number of years at hard labor. If I knew of a young man heart whole and fancy free I would advise him to go there and spend a year. It is pleasant in the shade, as there Is always a little breeze and the nights grow chilly occasionally. The sun however, is extremely hot and the frequent showers add much to the un pleasantness. "But the sanitary conditions, to them take off my hat. I only wish we had them here in Indiana Harbor. They were established by the American gov ernment, Its agents having made a deal with the government of Panama, which provides for the making of Improvements at the expense of the United States, these expenses to be deducted from the price of the canal trip. The improvements included the raising of the streets, putting In sewers and cement floors, fumigating the houses regularly, etc. "Personally, I fared well enough on the food, as I stayed in one of the best hotels In Panama, but in general it leaves much to wish for. On ac count of the frequent rains the Panamalans are unable to raise enough wholesome vegetables and none of the ship routes are direct enough to take fresh supplies there. "The 30,000 people employed on the digging are taken care of in mess houses. Of these the 10,000 whites are the greatest sufferers. In fact, the negroes hired by the government are satisfied with almost anything. These fellows are a study. They are laziness personified. We found them to' be ten times lazier than the proverbial southern negro. They get about six cents a day and some of them do not earn that much. The government takes care of them in mess houses and in the sleeping quarters, and on the whole they are well satisfied. Americans Do llraln Work. "The 10,000 Americans there are the ones that do the brain work, much of which is labor, too. They are the ones that run the big steam shovels and have the different lines of work in hand. They are well paid, too, some of the average engineers getting as high as $175 a month and liberal overtime. They are entitled to this for they do the real work. They are a patriotic sort of fellows and many of them, though dissatisfied with the conditions there, stay nevertheless for the sake of doing something and sacrificing something for their country. Nobody complains. If one is not satisfied he will keep it to himself and quietly make his departure, as "knockers" are not very well Hked. "Thus far those who have the work in hand have only begun, and although millions of dollars have already been spent, I would say that the United States government has received its money's worth, for the undertaking is a gigantic one. Furthermore, the undertaking is yet too new and the eyes of the world are too much centered oh it to permit any grafting or boodling at this time. But from now on they figure that the real work will begin. Eighty large engines arrived lately and with them about 100.000 gondolas. "One hundred large steam shovels are at work on the big ditch, as they call the canal, and of these each is able to scoop five tons at a draw either earth or rock. 100 Ton-Charge Set Off At Once. "When we arrived they showed us a place where 100 tons of powder bad

QUIET LIFE IS NOT FOR "BAT" Adjusts One Difficulty Only to be Plunged Into Another.

POODLE ISST0LEH All Hegewisch Mourned and Sought, But Pet Is Finally Located In Hammond. The quiet life is not for Batling Nelson, even when he Is rusticating so to speak in the more or less peaceful precincts of Hegewisch. No sooner does he fight It out with the Chicago municipal government, to preserve the name of Hegewisch to his native burg for future generations, than he loses his dog. But as all's well that ends well It is to be hoped that this last blow will soon be forgotten for the Hammond police have succeeded in locating the animal and restoring it to its owner. The missing dog, which set the entire village of Hegewisch by the ears, is a French poodle. He was stolen from a saloon while in company with his master. When the fact of his dis appearance became noised abroad, searching parties were organized, but John Nelson, a brother of the world famed pugilist, constituted himself a searching party of one with the result that the dog was recovered with in less than twenty-four hours after the disappearance. Honor Due to Two. And thereby has Officer Frenck astute sleuth of the local pellce force, added fresh laurels to his brow, albeit the brother of Bat deserves some little credit for the recovery of the bowwow. With the instinct of a second Sherlock Holmes, John upon undertaking the search for his brother's missing pet, visited the saloon from which the said pet vanished. He got a clew that involved three "fellows." The bartender gave him the clew and described the suspects and John started out with determination Inscribed upon his classic features. His search led him all over the village of Hegewisch and he finally landed a clew that the culprits might live in Hammond. Yesterday afternoon he visited this city and poured forth his troubles into the sym pathetic ear of Officer rencK. The latter assured young Nelson that If the poodle was in Hammond he would find him, dead or alive .and that once found, he would capture the animal or yield up the festive ghost In the attempt. To make a long story short, by 3 o'clock in the afternoon Frenck had located his quarry. Batling Nelson was so overjoyed at the recovery of his pet that he refused to prosecute the thieves, but he incidentally let drop a hint about what he would do In case the theft was repeated. been planted and the charge fired at once. I am not an expert on the power of dynamite, but I took their word for It that 100 tons were fired at once, and the result seemed to show it. "Yes. the great Culebra cut is all that has been said and written about it. They have gone 100 feet and they are still digging. In its neighborhood most of the work has been done, although they are working all along the line. "These are only a few of the impressions that I received on my ten days visit. One days visit would furnish a theme for conversation for the average person for a week. I am not sorry. I madatke trip,

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-Berryman in THE PATH OF THE STOR Hegewisch Experiences the Greatest Damage Hammond Gets a Share. HOUSE IS BU11 001 Smokestacks Topple and Signs Fall Streets Are Littered With -. - Debris. ''. " ' The storm which swept over this this region yesterday caused considerable damage in various parts of the city and its envirrons. As reported in this paper yesterday the damage at Hegewisch is greatest. There, three iron smoke stacks 200 feet high were blown down endangering the lives of several men and injuring Michael Novowski, whose, shoulder was broken. Hammond streets in many localities were littered with branches broken off from trees and on the business streets signs were torn down and there were other indications of the town having been storm-swept. Tt the Standard Steel Car company's plant, a large portion of the fence was broken down and the scaffolding on some of the buildings was blown away. Jesse Ewing is building a two story house at the corner of Conkey avenue and Marbel street. His building was blown off the foundation and he will have to reconstruct a portion of It. Workman's Narrow Escape. One of the workingmen at the coal storage plant, who happened to be on top of the building was surprised by the suddenness with which the storm struck the building and was blown against some scaffolding to which he clung until he could get his breath and then climbed to a place of safety. In Black Oak lightning struck a tree so near the house of Sam Poison that the house seemed to be filled with Are but no one was injured. It Is reported that several "trees were struck by lightning and some uprooted by the wind so fierce was the storm in this neighborhood. THE ENDLESS "ENDLESS CHAIN" Another Series of Letters Breathing Religious Frenzy Being Circulated by Crank. Some person who is evidently suffering from religious mania, has started an endless chain letter containing a prayer and declaring that whoever fails to copy and send the letter to nine other persons within as many days will experience some great misfortune, while the person who com plies with its provisions will be at the expiration of the stated number of days, be the recipient of untold bless ing. The letter purports to be sent out by "Bishop Main" and some copies have been received in Hammond. One of recipients turned over the letter she had received to The Lake County Times in a desire that the futility of the "endless chain,'" which has been exposed as a fraud time and again, be further exploited. The present letter asks no donation, and is evidently written by some harmless crank. The prayer it contains is as follows: "Oh, Lord Jesus Christ we implore thee, O Daniel's God to have mercy on all mankind keeping us from all evil and taking us with Thee through all eternity. Amen." FOR RE XT A few spacious, well lighted, fvell ventilated office rooms and suites on the second and fifth floors of the Hammond building as soon as the work of remodeling:, which Is now goiiK on, can of completed. 1'lans are nor- on exhibition at the offices of the Hammond Realty company.

Washington Star.

T HIi iTTE Peace Congress Held in New York Invites Local Delegates. H. B. SMITH GETS Event Will Be Distinguished By Presence of Eminent Foreigners as Well as Americans. The question is up to Hammond whether iwoisUuijsnjd the National Arbitration and Peace Congress or not. The congress is to be in session in New York from April 14 to 17, for tho purpose of advocating the peaceful settlement of international disputes. H. B. Smith of Hammond, who Is the second national vice president of the International Hod Carriers and Buildings Laborers' union received a letter yesterday from Charles Sprague Smith, the chairman of the committee on labor of the Peace Congress inviting him and two more delegates If possible to attend. In Inviting these delegates to the Congress It Is thought that they will return as disciples of the master learers in the peace conference and at home disseminate their teachings. Andrew Carnegie is the president of the Congress and is trying hard to make it one of International bearing. Distinguished Speakers Will Attend. Representatives of various European countries are to make addresses, among tnem: at. Hon. James Bryce; Baron D' Estournelles de Constant (France); Baron Descamps (Belgium); and rep resentatives or Uermany. Among the speakers of this country are to be Elihu Root, secretary of state; Oscar S. Straus, secretary of commerce and labor; Governor Charles E. Hughes, of New York; Andrew Carnegie: the presidents of four or five of our most important universities; Hon. Richard Bartholdt, and other members of con gress; Seth Low; Archbishop FarleyRabbi Hirsch of Chicago; Bishop Pot ter; wniiam J. liryan and others. The congress will close with a great pub lie banquet at which addresses will be made' by President Roosevelt; governor general of Canada, Lord Gray; Rt. Hon James tsryce, bamuei uompers and others. One of the most important features of the congress will be the meeting to be held in Cooper Union Tuesday evening, April 16. to consider the relation of organized labor to the peace move ment. Prominent representatives of the American Federation of Labor are to address the meeting. President Gompers is chairman of the committee and the list of vice presidents includes many of the prominent leaders in the labor movement. The principal headquarters will be Carnegie hall. Foreign Visitors Carnegie's Guests. The foreign visitors are to be guests of Mr. Carnegie at the dedication of the Carnegie institute in Pittsburg on April 11, after which they are to attend the Peace Congress. Hammond men who have always Interested themselves In the big labor movements have received invitations with pleasure and say that they will try their utmost to have the local labor unions represented. WILL GIVE BAND CONCERT. The North Side Lutheran band Is making preparations to give a grand band concert some time in May, probably on Decoration day or before. The band is composed of nineteen pieces and is under the leadership of P. A. Schulke. The members are practicing every other night this week.

Bridegroom of Three Months, Long Known as Richest Bachelor in America Succumbs; Slump in Stocks Follows Report.

(Special to Lake County Times.) New York, March 27. News of the death of James Henry Smith, was rereceived here this morning.Hls death occurred at Kyoto, Japan, where he had gone in search of health. Mr. Smith was a director of the Hanover National Bank, Missouri Pacific railway, Hanover Safe Deposit company and Union Trust company of New York. Up to within a short time ago he was a director of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. (Special to Lake County Times). New York, March 27. Last news from Washington is that the government will retire and not merely refund $120,Q00,000 of bonds. This will place the entire amount In circulation as 16 10 BE Gil! BEAUTIFUL Improvement Association Will Award Prizes for Well Kept Premises. Tho spirit that was shown at the recent banquet of the Whiting Improvement association Is beginning to bring results. Last night a meeting of the association was held at the public library and It was resolved that $50 In prizes should be given for the beautiflcation of the city. There are to be three prizes for the greatest improvement in the premises of property owners, three prizes will be given where the greatest Improvement is shown in the premises of tenants and three prizes will be given for the best display of trees, flowers and shrubbery in the city. t All who are desirous of competing of II. S. Davidson. Mr. William Greatrake will appoint the judges in the near future. Will Organize Building Association. Another matter of considerable im portance was the decision of the Improvement association to organize a building association. The stockholders will be the members of the associa tion and some of the officials of the Standard Oil company. The organization will be perfected at once so that the building of houses will not be de layed. It is decided to have a Pick Up, Clean Up club day, the first Saturday in April and a proclamation to that effect will be made at once. This feature of the Improvement association's activity was very successful last year and the appearance of the city was greatly Improved as a result. Whiting is loking forward to one of the most prosperous years in its history and the people have all caught the spirit of the movement that will mean a larger, more prosperous and more beautiful city. HUES TO Hi ill ffl BEDSIDE Miss Blanche Culbert, Mys teriously Aroused, Gazes Into Eyes of Robber. Miss Blanche Culbert of State Line street was aroused from her sleep last night through some mysterious force and to her horror beheld the dark figure of a big burly man standing be side her. Miss Culbert did the most natural thing under the circumstances, she screamed. Her father, F. Culbert, was wakened by her voice and calling to her learn ed of the mysterious presence of the stranger, who, however, made an Im mediate escape. Miss Culbert returned home rather late in the evening, having been in the company of friends for a number of hours. Upon reaching her home she found the door open and the light out, which was contrary to her mother's custom. At first she thought something was amiss, but she hurried to her room and dismissed the thought. She went to bed and dozei off and though tired, was suddenly . broad awake. Miss Culbert saw the stranger's figure very plainly and is sure that she could identify him if she saw him again. The intruder was evidentally some person who is familiar around town. It is thought possible he knew that Edgar Arnbt, who rooms at the Culbert home, had received his pay at the Conkey plant yesterday and was after this money.

WHTI

Paul railroad, and It is understood that he still has a large Interest in the company, although not a member of tho board. The late Mr. Smith has been known as "Silent" Smith and married a divorcee three months ago. The stock market dropped off two dollars per share on the news. Ha owns one-third of all the St. Paul railroad stock, both common and preferred. No panic is expected to result.

LL RETIRE BO

the treasury has now something Ilka $900,000,000 locked up. This will relieve the money stringency and Europe will not be called upon, and It will make a big market for railroad bonds to secure circulation In placo of government bonds that will be retired. GOUBTS AGAIN DO BUS1IGJUSIISS As Yesterday Four Judge3 Are Sitting and Court House is Thronged. Of the four courts that were again in session in the superior court building today the bankrupt court proceedings were probably of the most interest judging from tho number of lawyers who tried to get a "lookin." The matter before Referee J. O. Bowers was the appointing of a trustee in the bankrupt estate of the East Chicago Hardware company, a fcorpof' ration with $21,867 assets and liabilities, amounting to $23,&18. .''- The fight for tho trustee has lasted for almost three days the names of James Clements nnd Henry Hanamari being proposed. Tho many lawyers ..jpresent representing the different claims: " could - no? f"trairwii&4i. them and finally decided on Dr. A. C. Schllker of East Chicago as a compromise. The lawyers In tho case were: Edward Wlckey, Abo Ottenheimer, W. II. VanHorne, Ferguson & Goodnow represented by J. E. Price, L. Haight of the Chicago firm of Gann & Haight and Hamilton Moses of the Chicago firm of Moses Kennedy &. Rosenthal. R The East Chicago Hardware company will continue In business as its store stock Is estimated at nearly $10,000. No definite arrangements have been made but It la thought that claims will bo paid at the rate of 60 cents on the dollar. In the superior court before Judge II. B. Tuthlll two cases were disposed of. In the case of George A. Brimmer against George Pederson he found for the defendant in the sum of $300. In the case of Clow against Mlzllwy he found for the plaintiff in the sum of $0.18. This was a suit on account. Before Special Judge T. M. C. Hembroff, the state case of Paul Vaplnskl was on trial, vaplnskl is charged with assault the charges being pre ferred by Mrs. Bessie Szerpolowskl. City Judge W. Y". McMahon dismissed three drunks preferring to lecture and admonish them instead of sending them to the county jail for eleven days. The guilty ones were J. D. Meyer, John Hart and Pat O Grady. After being out for a number of hours yesterday afternoon the jury in the state case before Special Judge T. M. C. Hembroff found Joseph Kaser of Stiglltz Park, guilty of felonous as sault upon Herbert Hammond. He was sent to the, county Jail for thirty days and was given an additional fine of $25 and. costs.. FEDERAL BUILDING ALMOST READY FOR OCCUPANCY. Architect Hutton Writes Governor Hanly That Structure Will Be Ready to Turn Over to . Federal Authorities April 10. Architect J. X.. Hutton wrote to Governor Hanly thvb.t the federal building would be retidy to be turned over to the federal authorities April 10. Some time between the tenth and twentieth of -the month government Inspectors will make an examination of the building and then it will be turned over to Postmaster W. IL Gostlin. The plans for the dedication of the building, which are being worked out by the Business Men's association of this city, indicate that the occasion will be a memorable one in the history of the Calumet region. There will be a reception and a banquet and some of the big men In the business and political world will be present as guests of honor. Some time ago an affair of this kind was given at which many of the prominent Chicago real estate and business . men were present anl they learned then what the aims and ambitions of those interested in the progress of this region were.