Hammond Times, Volume 2, Number 276, Hammond, Lake County, 9 May 1908 — Page 1

FTTiTI t WEATHER, Pair tonlcht with probably llpht frost north; Sunday Increasing cloudiness and rmerj showers Sunday night. D IT I ON .VOL. n. NO. 276. HAMMOND, INDIAN SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1908. ONE CENT PEB COPY. HOPE FOR SWITCH BOARD AT CR. POINT HIGH REGARD FOB NAT U. HILL Hammond Banker Speaks in Highest Terms of Dead Man. EAGLES ALSO PLAN A BIG BADGER FIGHT BONANZA FOR NORTH TP. SALOONS "Dry" Calumet Township Means a "Wet" North Township. Farmers Interested in Outcome of Northwestern Phone Company. Committee on Entertainment is Busy Arranging Features.

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Letters in Lamphere Trunk

at LaPorte Found Yester day Show That Mrs. Gun ness and He Were Friend ly; Prisoner Excited. El WITNESSES ! EXPLAIN PLOT XTtfsecutors -Bead Incriminating Kotes Found in Trunk and Start ling Kevelations. Come to Follow Each Other in Rapid Succession, Thousands Watch Men Excavate. V ( liATKST NEWS FROM : , LAPORTE HORROR. ' (Special to TIMES) Xaporte, lad.. May 0, 3 p. in. All work at the excavating at tbe Gannett farm has been atopped pending 'the investigation 4 of other Important clues which have come to the Laporte county authorities today. These clues will be Investigated and then the work of excavation carried on. & Ko further horrors were uncovered, ao great are .the crowds that impede the work around the A Tnnu nf Sln"tJj ttio o-nsrils 4 ; -w - have to bent them back, one man was bad!- beaten Id this today. The Lake Shore railroad will run " 'na eMHRloB' tomorrow e that " rloairyaatllaeii: -, ' '" La Porte, Ind., May 9. Sixty aettera written by Mrs. Belle Gunness to Ray Lamphere and discovered in the man's trunk today reveal evidence of an astounding conspiracy for business-like murder between this terrible Borgia of the cornfields and her former farmhand. The Incriminating missives, indicate that the man and woman were in an unholy coalition to inviegle persons of both eexes to the Gunness farm on the McClung road and kill them for their money. The nature of the compact between the two conspirators is plainly set forth. Mrs. Gunness, "the wealthy widow," was, held out to masculine dupes as a matrimonial lure to draw them to their doom. Lamphere was used to attract young women of means to the same fate. Lamphere Wildly Excited. Lamphere, who Is held as a prisoner In the La Porte Jail, charged with burning Mrs. Gunness' home and killing the woman and her three children, became wildly excited tonight when he learned that his carefully hidden trunk had been found. lie talked about "confessing". The police believe a "sweatbox" examination tomorrow Mill break him down. At the close of a day which had resulted in the unearthing of the bones of two more victims of Mrs. Gunness' passion for murder Pinkerton detectives discovered Lamphere's trunk hidden under hay in a barn on John Wheatbrook's farm, six miles north of La Porte, near the little town of Springville. , Invites Him to Farm. Here is one fragamentary excerpt from one of Mrs. Gunness' letters to Lamphere, which In itself is proof of a murderous compact between the two: "Get your aweethenrt and com back and live at my farm that is provided your girl has rnongh money to make It interesting for us." A number of photographs of women and a lot of women's rings were brought to light which may be of vital importance in unraveling the farm's numerous tragic mysteries. Search for the Trunk. Pinkerton detectives under the direction of C. N. Smith have been scouting, about La Porte on secret miseslons for several days. They learned of the existence of Lamphere's trunk, and devoted themselves to a search for it. They traced it to the Wheatbrook farm and found nothing there to lead them to believe it had ever been removed from there. Still, a search of the premises and outhouses failed to reveal it. As a last resort, the detectives probed the barn loft, which was filled with hay. Hidden In a corner of the mow where the hay was deepset, they found the trunk. Without opening it they pitched It into a spring wagon and hurried with it to La Porte, where it was delivered at the office of Prosecuting Attorney R. N. Smith. Sheriff Smutzer was summoned, and the lock of the trunk was forced. The tray contained little betides letters. An examination of these missives were written by Mrs. Gun(Continued on page three.).

ARE BOUND TO GET FRANCHISE

Hub Has Heretofore Been Obdurate Chicago Company Looks Like Main Stumbling Block. Crown Point, Ind., May 9. (Special.) The farming community surrounding Crown Point is on the alert and watching the outcome of the latest steps taken by the Northwestern Telephone company to . secure a franchise from the town board of the county seat to operate to such an extent that it will be possible for the farmers' telephone company to establish a switchboard there. The Northwestern Telephone com pany is a mutual organization maintained by the farmers of Cedar Creek, Hanover Center, St. John and Ross townships, having lately put a line into Merrillville. It is for the accommodation of the farmers and Is opposed by the Chicago Telephone company. It is the plan of the newer company to eventually take in all the farming region and ultimately also the cities. Crown Point is the first town in which the company has been balked. Despite repeated petitions it has not yet suced a franchise' permitting its entrance into Crown Point. . Fears Disfigurement of Streets. Crown Point is putting forth the argument that the new poles and wires would disfigure the streets, which, in the estimation of the Northwestern people is an argument on the line of the stingy father who said: "Let us not eat bread for the crumbs may drop on the floor." Some of the business men fear that it would necessitate the installing of two phones, forgetting, according to Northwestern people, that they would thereby be put in touch with a . territory which is now out of reach by the Chicago Telephone 'company. . . . . ; - the- Nc-rtbwesterrr Yclept RS" - is about to take mere drastic measuresf-f and an attorney has been retained who has already expressed his opinion that the Chicago Telephone company, as a common carrier operating under the laws of Indiana, would have to handle the messages of the Northwestern Telephone company in the event the town board of Crown Point refuses to grant a franchise. BEGIN WORK MONDAY American Maize Products Concern to Rebuild Their Plant. Work on rebuilding the starch house of the American Maize Products company at Roby, which was destroyed yesterdy noon by an explosion which was followed by a fire, will begin next Monday. The facilities remain limited to one death and four casualties. Of those injured, Gust Baker of Hammond, who lives on the north side, had probably the strangest experience. Baker was in the building sitting against the north wall and taking his noonday lunch. The explosion pressed out the wall and hurled Baker through the air landing him in a slough more than fifty feet away. For a moment he ' he was beside his senses, though unharmed and able to walk. Picking himself up he ran out of the slough and headed for some timber south of the plant when he was stopped by the workingmen who saw him. Three hours after the explosion the management was making arrangements to rebuild the wrecked building and work will begin next week. THEIR SEASOfj BEGINS Hammond Baseball Team Starts Games For 0 For Summer. , The Hammond baseball team, under the management of Manager Clarence M. Eder, opens its season in Hammond tomorrow at Harrison park by playing with the Joe Long Colts. This being the first game of the season for the big team and the Junior team having already played a series, the latter team has a seeming advantage which ought to result in a very good game. The following Sunday's game will be played out of town and will be with either Lowell or Elgin. The Hammond baseball team wishing to make a formal bow to the people of Hammond, has arranged to give a May party on Thursday, May 14, A general invitation is extended to the public, the proceeds of the party to be used in defraying the expenses of the team.

JOHN DYER'S REGARD FOB HIM

Death of Prominent Former State Official Comes at Great Surprise to Hammond. The death of Nat U. Hill, former treasurer of this state, came as a surprise to a great many Hammond, politicians who are acquainted with him, but more than any of the others, John W. Dyer is exceedingly sorry to hear of the death of the man who defeated him for the nomination for the treasurership. Mr. Dyer had a very high regard for Mr. Hill, both as a politician and as a man. He says that he is a hard fighter, but is always fair and has a faculty for making and keeping friends. His loyalty to his friends is one of his most splendid characteristics. Mr. Dyer "says that instead of Ignoring each other in the campaign for the nomination, both he and Hill used to get together after a day's work over the state, and in one of the Indianapolis hotels they would talk things over. Hill would say, ""Well what have you done today Dyer." Dyer would tell about how he had knocked down some of Hill's fences over at Elkhart or at Marlon, and Hill would say, "Well, I guess I will have to go back and put them up again." Hill and Dyer were the two principal candidates and a man by the name of Milligan was next in the race. One day Hill said to Dyer, "Well John, if I can't get the nomination I want you to have it. I don't want i that man Milligan to get it through. You and, I are in the race for the fun of it, but Milll gan really wants the job.' - Hill was a great campaigner and he finally defeated Dyer for the nomination. Dyer, however, had a world of respect for his antagonist and after the the -cxmye n.tlojnhejiid all ii his-power H - sc T 'R?iBaiiIjir.wa X man of fine personal habits and he is surprised that he succumed to his recent illness. TOWNSHIP PRIMARIES ON Hot Fight Among Quintette of. Democrats For Plum. The wild scramble for the democratic nomination for trustee of North township began at 1 o'clock today with five entrants. The primary balloting will last until 9 o'clock and the result will be announced in the democratic club rooms at the conclusion of the voting. The candidates are John C. Becker, John Prohl, Pat Reilley, James Trost and John Ebert and from reports on the outskirts, Prohl is running- like wild-fire. James Trost seems to be making a strong race in the city of Hammond and all of the candidates claim confidence in their nomination. NEW DEPOT THROWN OPEN EARLY MONDAY MORNING. Beautiful Station To Be In Use for 6:13 Train Xext Monday Monlng. The new Nickel Plate and Lake Shore depot will be opened to the public Monday morning at 6:13 when the first train will stop at the new station. Agent Duffner makes this announcement so that the public will know where to go to the trains in the future. The opening will not be marked by any ceremonial excepting that of a general handshaking between the public and the employes of the road, who together have suffered all of these long years for the want of better depot facilities, but who are now congratulating themselves on the splendid building which is now to be the home of the railroad. ERIE'S HISTORY ROMANTIC. For sixty years Erie has been one of the leading stocks on the New York Exchange list, says the "Wall Street Journal. Its history is one of the romances of American finance. Even one chapter of it, as related a generation ago by Charles Francis Adams, made what is perhaps the most absorbingly interesting essay ever written by an American writer. Erie is one of the. three stocks the other two being Northern Pacific and Reading which have caused more big speculation,' more sensational deals and more tremendous convulsions In the stock markket than any or all of the other stocks put together. It is really the veteran of the stock list It has seen other stocks come and go, crossing and recrossing the speculative arena, enjoying a brief hour or two of sensation and then fading away, but It still remains as active as ever. However decrepit the Erie railroad may be as an investment proposition, there is no doubt about the extraordinary vitality of Erie stock as a speculative factor.

Important Meeting to Be Held Tonight by Associated Building Trades Council to Get Ways and Means For Finish Fight.

MASTER PLUMBERS E Strong Statement Concerning the Strike Status Is Issued Today By Building Trades Officials and Important Meeting Is Scheduled for Tonight. At a meeting to be held this evening by the Associated Building Trades Council, ways and means will he dis cussed to enter Into a fight to the fin ish against the master plumbers who are still Ignoring the Plumber's Union, which Is now out on a strike. The Associated Building Trades Council has voted its undivided support for the plumbers, in their fight and it is owing to this turn of affairs that the sltuaton takes on a different aspect. While the Trades Council is not committing itself today as to what the ultimate results will be if the fight is carried to a finish, it would seem that all building may be stopped. In order to bring about a settlement, the Associated .Building Trades Council held a meeting in the middle of the Week and. appointed -a committee , , composed of John'MeyerJ. of the plasterer's ; local, H." ,F. - Smith of t the buildingxlaborers and WJ T. Ginn of the painter's, who is also secretary of the council, to meet with a committee to be appointed by the master plumbers. The Trades Council sent out notices to all the master plumbers notifying them of the action taken by the Trades Council and set last night as the time when the conference between the two committees should have taken place. It was understood that both committees should be vested with full power to act, the Trades Council hoping that the matter would be settled last night. Ignored by Master Plumbers. The master plumbers having failed to appoint a committee to meet with that of the Trades Council the officials have issued a statement regarding the plumbers strike, which follows below: At the last regular meeting of the Associated Building Trades Council, a committee was appointed to arbitrate the trouble now existing between the Plumbers and the master plumbers. The committee proceeded by notifying each party to the trouble to meet them for this purpose and when they meet the Plumbers local answered by sending a committee but the master plumbers entirely ignored the notices sent by them by the secretary of the council. "The committee appointed by the council to adjust this difficulty consisted of John Meyer of the plasterers local, H. P. Smith of the building laborers, and W. T. Ginn of the painters who is also secretary of the council. Refuse to Arbitrate. Owing to the fact that the bosses have refused to even try to arbitrate this matter with the council, the committee has called a special meeting of the council for tonight to arrange and devise plans for entering upon a desperate fight with the bosses as they have shown themselves very unfair all along in this trouble by refusing to arbitrate and by publishing false statements regarding the trouble. . As to one of their recent statements made by Mr. Campbell, that the plumbers were returning to work, we will say that the statement is absolutely false except in the case of Jas. McQuaid, who has deserted the ranks of the union and went to work. Get Undivided Support. The Building Trades Council voted to give their unanimous support to the plumbers. The following crafts are affiliated with the council: Bricklayers, Teamsters, Carpenters, Hod CarTiers, BuUding Laborers, Lathers, Painters rfnd Decorators, Plumbers, Steam Fitters and Gas Fitters Plasterers, Electricians and Sheetmetal "Workers. These organizations have about twenty-one locals and they have a combined membership of over 2,400 in Lake county, according to the statement taken from the records by the secretary, Mr. Ginn. GOOD ATENDANCE AT TEACHERS' INSTITUTE. The teachers of Calumet and North townships met in Joint session this morning for their regular monthly institute. In connection with the Institute the teachers of North township were also presented with their salary for the past month. Owing to the nice weather today the session was well attended.

ARB1TRAT

DAVE HIRSCH A BUSY MAN

D. E. Boone Stand Good Chance of Being Elected to State Presidency. One o the busiest, men these days is Dave Hirsch, who is chairman of the entertainment committee of the local lodge of Eagles. The state convention of the Eagles which is to be held on the 13th and 14th of this month is only a few days off and consequently the extra ordinary hustle and bustle on part of Dave Hirsch. The entertainment that he has planned so far includes a fish supper at the White house, on Wednesday evening, which is to be followed by a ball with a vaudeville Intermission. Barnie Young's band will be in evidence whereever the Eagles will be and consequently the band will be at the supper and play at the ball. Smoker and Vaudeville. On Thursday evening there will be a smoker and vaudeville in the club rooms and Dave Hirsch intends to go into the timbers tomorrow to look for a badger with the object to provide a badger fight for Thursday night. The decorating of the club room will begin next Monday evening and will be followed by the decorating of the White house dining room and hall room. "D. E. Boone's campaign for state president is coming along in fine shape, Judging from the returns that are coming in from the various aeries over the state," said F. D. Cooley, president of the Hammond Aerie. Boone's Chances Good. The local lodge has sent out circular letters all over the state booming the prosecutor for the office and all indications point toward Mr, Boone's victory in the convention. George Kussmaul wishing to help the local lodge has offered his spare room adjoining his cigar room as gathering secftndary headquarters. , This place will also be used In addition to- the club rooms as a registering room for the visitors. ' - RRIGGS Iff THE TOILS West Hammond Man Ar rested as Suspicious Character. "Jocko" simply can't keep out of It. Joseph, alias "Jocko" Briggs, who was twice tried for murder the -first time being convicted and sentenced to hang, and in the second trial acquitted has now been arrested as a '.'suspicious character." When locked up at Central station he threatened to have everybody on the police force discharged. The ex-West Hammond man hasn't been heard from for some time, when his escapades made him the most notorious character ever seen In these parts. PIONEER DIES SOUTH OF HAMMOND. Fred Kuhlman, one of the pioneers of Hammond, died this forenoon at his home, southeast of town on Kenwood avenue, opposite Oak Hill cemetery. Mr. Kuhlman was 79 years old and is survived by his wife and three children, John F. Kuhlman, street commissioner of Hammond; Jacob Kuhlman, who lives on Kenwood avenue, and Mrs. William Bartel of Wisconsin. The deceased for the past nine months has been ailing and took a decided change for the worst last night. The funeral arrangements have not yet been made. Mr. Kuhlman was born in Warnhoff, Germany, in 1829. Before coming to America' in 1869, he served in three different wars in the old country. He was discharged from the army with honor and distinction and then turned westward to make his home in America. He first settled down in Blue Island, where he became a contractor in loading sand and having worked two years at this he moved to Globe Station, where he bought a farm where he remained until 1902. Since 1902 he has been living in his newer home In Kenwood. While in Blue Island Mr. Kuhlman was for a short time road commissioner. The funeral will take place Tuesday afternoon at one o'clock at the house. Services will be held by the Rev. Theodore Claus and interment will take place at Oak Hill cemetery. AT TOWLE'S SUNDAY, MAY, 10. T1IE MAN FROM MEXICO." "The Man from Mexico" will be seen for the first time In Hammond at Towle's opera house, Sunday night. This is the play that made Willie Collier so famous as a comedian and has been pronounced by press and public to be one of the best farce-comedies on the road this season.

THIRSTY MIGRATE FROM GARY

Hammond and East Chicago Liquor Dealers Expect to Do a LandOffice Business While the saloonkeepers of Indiana Harbor, East Chicago and Hammond sympathize with their less fortunate neighbors in Calumet township, who may be refused the right to renew their licenses they are aware of the fact that an exceedingly dry Calumet township means an exceedingly wet North township. In. fact, if the saloons in the adJoining township are gradually froced out of business and the population Increases at the rapid rate that has char acterized the growth of the city the past, there is sure to be an enormous migration of thirsty souls from the Steel City every night In the week, and especially on Saturday. Boozers Will Migrate. The Chicago, Lake Shore and South Bend interurban will probably be compelled to put on a whiskey limited Saturday nights to accommodate the extra traffic. East Chicago is the first stop on this line and so the saloons there are expected to do rushing business. "The First Chance" and "Tour Last Chance" are expected to be the names of two of the dozens of saloons of various kinds that will be opened up on the the North township line. In fact the saloonkeepers In North township are expected to do a rushing. business In the next two years and the only difference to the Gary man with a thirst will be the fact that the street car company will collect a 10 cent toll on every "bun" he has. aiay Start Saloon Colony. Some magniflent saloons will be compelled to move over the township line and a saloofi colony across the township line Is one of the possibilities of the future. " ' South . Chicago will not. get. much of the business for the reason that it Is too far away and 'then "the fare Is 10, while It will be. only B cents to j;et to the Indiana wet shops. That means a difference of one beer and sometimes it takes but one boysr more to put on the finisihing touches. If the Gary remonstrance holds it is likely that there will be at least $100,000 a year of Gary money in this township. MYSTERY UNREVALED Post Mortem Over Miller Victim Shows Death by Suffocation. The mystery surrounding the death of the unknown man who was dragged out of the Grand Calumet river at Millers yesterday by Marshal Edward Klopf, deepens. The body remains still unidentified and upon closed investigation yesterday, it developed that that the clothes which seemingly belonged to the drowned marr were not of his size. The coat and vest were too small for the body,"although they were of good, material. The remains have been removed to Wild's undertaking establishment at Hobart where a post mortem examination was held last night.. The evidnece showed conclusively that the man died of suffocation. His stomach was empty. Chief Martin of Gary yesterday received a message from Valparaiso that a man has been missing there since the beginning of this week who at the time of his disappearance had $170 In his pockets. Undertaker Wild will keep the body for some time in order to await identification. ANOTHER OLD SETTLER DIES AT HIS E Ernest Schutt 67 years old, one of the earliest settlers in Hammond, died yesterday afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Ii. Schultz, 248 Oakley avenue. The deceased has been sick for some time and leaves but one child, his daughter. -- The funeral has been arranged for tomorrow afternoon when services will be held at the house by the Rev. Theodore Claus of the German Lutheran church. Interment will take place at Oak Hill cemetery. BURIED AT E0SS STATION. Mrs. Katherine Wirth of Highlands, who died yseterday morning at the home of her son, .will be buried Monday at the Ross Station cemetery. Funeral services will be held at the house at 11 o'clock. Excursion May 10 via Michigan Central to Chicago, 30 cents round trip. Train leaves 8:55 a. m., returning same day.

If , County Commissioners v Rule Adverse to Saloonmen Struggle Will be Re- . newed and Carried to the Highest Courts.

HOPELESS PROSPECT IN PRESENT COURT Loss of Tally Sheet Makes No Dif ference in Result and Attorney Gallion at Gary Is Circulating Paper to Secure Counter Petition Names. LATEST IN GARY FIGHT. , Lomi of tally sheet will nuske bo difference In result. If saloon men lose In commissioners' court esse Trill be fought to end In higher courts. Attorney Brace of Crown Point knocks oat Inst prop from under Gary saloons. Counter petition Is being circulated In Gary for use In state or federal courts. ' It Is now the firm conviction of the impartial man who has been watching the remarkable fight at Crown Point In which thehlquor dealers of Calumet township have exhausted every resource . in . their effort-to defeat the leSS. ""' " ' '' ' " First It ras thought that the situation cauld be saved by securing "the withdrawal of the names of the remonstratprs. It was found, however, that the law had been too carefully framed to be evaded In this manner and no withdrawals could be secured after the remonstrance was filed. 'First Argument Knocked out. .Next it was decided to contest tha signatures on the remonstrance on the ground that the names had been secured fraudulently, but yesterday the commissioners sustained the demur of Otto J. Bruce, the attorney for the remonstrators, to the throwing out of certain names on the ground that they were not bonaflde and there is very little left in this plan of defense. Yesterday when the tally sheet was found to be missing and it appeared for a time that there would be no' evidence left of the fact that the vote at the last election was but 339, the liquor dealers thousrht that at last thev had found a means of defeating the remonstrators. Ilruce Gets in His Work. It seemed that through the kindness, connivance or negligence of some one, a means had been found to evade the law which gave the majority of the voters of a Garyless Calumet township the right to force ou the saloons in the same locality two years later when its population has been increased a hundred-fold. But Attorney Otto J. Bruce demonstrated to the satisfaction of the commisisoners that the remonstrators do not have to allege, neither do they have to prove that the highest aggregate vote in the township at the last election was 339 votes cast for secretary of state. "Showed'' County Officials. Mr. Bruce showed that the commissioners are bound under the law to take Judicial notice of the result of the elections and If they do not already have reliable information, secured at first hand, regarding the result, there are several sources of information. One of these is tha official record of the election which is filed at the office of the secretary of state. As soon as this decision was reached the attorneys for the liquor dealers discovered that they could not rely on the loss of the tally sheets as a means of evading the remonstrance; It Is a peculiar fact that these records, for which a search was made high and low, mysteriously reappeared in the clerk's office and may now be inspected by any one who cares to see them. Was Seen Last Week. According to the testimony of a county official and several others, he saw the tally sheet last a week ago when a test of some voting machines was being made at the courthouse. The work of examining the signers of the remonstrance and the workers who secured the power of attorney from many of the voters of Calumet township. Is still going on. The attorneys for the remonstrators and the county commisisoners went over a list of 101 names, according to Attorney Bruce, and none of the names were thrown out. There was no dispute as to whether the power of attorney had been se- ( Continued on page C)