Hammond Times, Volume 3, Number 69, Hammond, Lake County, 8 September 1908 — Page 1

EVENING EDITION

AKE

COUNTY

TIMES

Fair today and probably W ednesday, rising- ternperatare southerly winds, Increasing. RJ VOL. HI. NO. 69. HAMMOND, INDIANA, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8,1908. eDNE CENT PER COPY.

SARI IT A "iFIr3 ff&fr1 Mi III IE Or n U iVl IL W II U U BUld

One Boy Is Killed And One Fatally Hurt When Their Playground Cave Falls In

SUBURB IN MOWING Contractor Rickett's Son Dead and Ex-Mayor Mott's Boy May Not Live. THE DEAD. Harry Ricketts, 15 years old, son of Mr. and Mm. Tom Ricketts, 34 Ruth street. d THE FATALLY IXJIRED. Louis Mott, 15 years old, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Mott, 530 South Ilohnian street. NARROW ESCAPE. Gerald Ellck, 14 years old, son 4 of Mr. and Mrs. F. I. Elllck, 4 34 Mason street. 4 Clifford Hudson, 14 years old, son of Mr. and Sirs. P. W. 4 Hudson, 48 Warren street. 4 Homfnood Is shrouded In sorrow today and all Hammond sympathises with the stricken families where the death an;el rapped on the doors this noon. A sand pit, a school boys' dug-out, which they were preparinjr for a warning: jsJaee next winter when they go skating In the winter proved to be a death trap, In which Harry Rlcketts was killed and Louis Mott brought to the verge of death. Gerald Elllck and Clifford Hudson though burled in sand to their shoulders had a miraculous escape. The dugout is located about a block west of Postmaster William Gostlin's house. In a sand ridge and hidden from view by shrubbery. The hole itself is about nine feet in diameter and was about four feet deep. Toward the south leading from the main hole and somewhat deeper was a tunnel in which the four boys were working. They had gone there immediately after their noon day luncheon to continue their work. From their homes they had procured shovels, and an industrious lot of youngsters they were working away to prepare their abode for next winter. Parents Knew of Dugout. None of the parents knew where the boys were, but they knew that they had a dugout and had warned them repeatedly. They hoped that with the beginning of school today, the boys would -cease tbHr activity, and stay away from the danger. They little realized that it would be the first thing for the lads to do after coming home from school. But they had misjudged the nature of a boy. Harry Ricketts was in the farthest end of the tunnel and next to him working on his knees was the Mott boy. The Elllck. and Hudson boys were nearer the entrance, and with willing hands were throwing back the sand that their larger comrades had loosed from the wall. Roof Breaks Without Warning. Without a warning, the roof of the cave gave way on all sides. Not enough time remained for a cry to be uttered. Ricketts and Mott were covered completely while Hudson stood buried to his shoulders and Ellick above the waist line. Ellick told the whole story to a Times reporter at the scene of the accident, neither he nor Hudson were excited, despite the fact that one of their comrades lay dead besides them covered with a blanket and the other in the care of Drs. Howatt and Sharrer. The two lads, it seemes didn't seem to care just then., it almost impossible that these two should be brimming with life while one of their comrades lay dead and the other almost so. Boy Tells Story. "When I saw what had happened," caid young Ellick to a Times reporter, T told Hudson to help dig me out and that I would then run for help. He helped me as much as he could and then I started to run toward the houses to call for help. When I came back he bad worked himself out and was trying to get the other boys out too." "We were getting ready to fix up a warming up place for next winter, when we go skating. We were going to leave the cave on which we were working and intended to cover the big hole with boards. The news of the accident spread like wild fire through Homewood, men, womnen and children rushed to the scene taking spades and shovels, medicine, blankets and towels with them prepared to meet the worst. Drs. Howatt and Sharrer were on the

scene immediately to administer to the injured. Ricketts was taken from the grave a corpse and Mott was unconscious. Walter Hess, another school boy and playmate of the boys in the dugout was cne of the first to arrive on the scene. He helped to dig out Hudson and the two then set out to dig out Mott. By that time people arrived on the spot among the first being Tom Ricketts, the father of the

dead. He helped to dig his own son from the grave and overcome by the awful sight, he left the place a broken man. Mrs. Rickets, who also came to the scene was carried away unconscious. Mr. and Mrs. Mott, Jesse Panneborg, Mrs. Ellick, Mrs. Hudson and the two doctors worked over the young Mott With every breath the pitiful form writhed in pain for the air passages w-ere literally clogged with sand. Stewart's ambulance came to the scene at a breakneck speed, and both Ricketts and Mott were laid Into it. Homewood Is Sorrow. It was comparatively a small group that had gathered on the scene but the news was abroad In Homewood and j many a tear-stained eye followed the ambulance as it bore the precious burden toward St. Margaret's hospital. Nobody said a word and nobody commented on the accident. It seemed to too awful to put into words. The boys all attended the Washington school, and had spent their first half day in the school for the term. They have had similar dugouts last i year and different groups vied with i each other as to which could have the most complete one. They had been warned repeatedly by their parents when the latter learned of their sport, but the young fellows would always answer that there was no danger. At the time of the going to press Louis Mott was still unconscious frt the hospital with little chance to live. YET PAVE ii Business Men Sign Petition For Improvement of Indiana Boulevard. Despite the decision of the county commissioners some time ago to remacadamize only Sheffield avenue, Robertsdale still has hopes of getting Indiana boulevard paved out of the county fund. A petition to the countyicommissioners was circulated in Hammond last Saturday and in the few hours that Peter Davis, member of the board of public works, carried it around he had secured 150 signatures. The petition was signed by manv of the city officials and leading business men would like to see Robertsdale get a square deal out of the apportionment of the road fund. Indiana boulevard is the main street through Robertsdale and one of the busiest streets in Hammond. It carries all the South Chicago traffic to Whiting and East Chicago and being such a street it would hardly seem fair to make the residents along the street keep it up for the benefit of the outsiders. The petitioners feel confident that the county commissioners will take favorable action. COMPOSING R00H1 00T Strike is Inaugurated at W. B. Conkey Plant By 21 Men Today. Twenty-one men employed in the composing room of the W. B. Conkey plant walked out this noon on a strike order, their grievance being a reduction in wages from J18 a week to $16.20 and the management refusing to give them the desired overtime. The overtime rate heretofore has been one- quarter including Sunday. The strikers desire time and a half for overtime on week days and double time for Sundays. "Since the management has cut the wages and now refuses to give the new rate of overtime, the compositors walked out at noon," declared their press representative. ONE DRUNK LABOR DAY. J. L. Allen was arrested by Officer Hillrich on a charge of drunk. It did not take very long to arraign him this morning and secure from his a confession of guilt. The taxes were $1 and costs.

HAY

LABOR IS

GREAT DA

6ARYL11D Celebration There Reveals Marvels of Growing City to Hundreds of Visitors and 1,500 Workers Form a Splendid Parade. CROWDS HAMMOND ATTEND Politicians Flock to City and Spend the Day Boosting Their Chances For Election Colored Anti-Taft Meeting Is the Biggest Kind of a Fizzle. Like all events formulated and fostered in Gary, the Labor day celebration wan a gratifying success. The brawn, brain and muscle of Gary turned out to a man, and together with their brothers from neighboring- cities, made the day emblematic of the power of the working man. The parade, with fifteen hundred men marching to martial music, carrying with them the American flag and the banners of their respective trades unions, made one of the prettiest and most elaborate spectacles ever seen in the county. Parade a Mile In Length. The throng of marchers, which covered more than a mile in length, was the big event of the day. On both sides of the spacious Broadway they filled the streets from the Wabash tracks to the Lake Shore as they marched from Ninth avenue and counter-marched back to the picnic grounds at Sixteenth avenue, where the speaking and the picnic was held- The parade was witnessed by five thousand ' people, many of whom had come to Gary from adjoining cities to help in the celebration of the great day. All Locals Make Fine Showing. The various unions were garbed in attires characteristic of their trades, and there was not an organization but what did themselves proud. The lathers carried their lathes and hatchets; the carpenters their aprons; the painters and decorators in their white tousers and blue blouses; all wearing their badges and other emblems of their orders and avocations. The floats of the business men were worthy of the highest praise. Nearly all of the larger merchants had gaily decorated wagons, filled with paraphernalia, each one of which made a hit with the delighted onlookers. Hammond Band Heads Parade. The miniature army started from the place of formation at Ninth avenue, promptly at 10 o'clock, and, headed by (Continued on Page 8.) ENTERS HIGH SCHOOL Atwood, the Lowell High School's Crack Athlete, is Now Student Here. Atwood, the all round track man from Lowell, who tied Young of Crown Point for individual honors in the Lake county high school track and field meet and won for his school the third place in the meet, will affiliate with the Hammond high school this year and Insures the school the Lake county and Northern Indiana track championship this year. Atwood is the thin, wiry athlete who also single handed won a good place in the meet for his school. He is the man who upset all of the dope and deprived Crown Point of any chance it had of winning the meet. At wood is the most valuable athletic addition that has ever been made to the school. Athletes have been developed in the Hammond high school who have proven themselves veritable towers of strength to the school, but never in its history has a ready-made athlete come to Hammond who gives promise for so much. The Hammond boys are delighted with the determination of the Lowell boys to come to Hammond and he will be welcomed into the local camp this year. Atwood is good In any event which requires a lithe active body rather than strength. He is a good man in the 100-yard dash, he can make them all hustle in the high jump, he is a good filled in the 220-yard dash, he is a surprise in the shot-put, he is good for a second in the pole vault and in almost any high school company and he can jump some. He is the man who will make the Hammond team invincible this year and with the training he will get here he ought to develop Into phenom.

William T. Bryan Addresses Labor Day Throngs In Chicago

111 i a! I Pi biSfe' ill

Wllliem Jennings Bryan began his first eastern speaking tour of th campaign In Chicago on Labor day. Mr. Bryan was scheduled to make three speeches in the Illinois metropolis on that occasion. He also met all the prominent labor leaders personally and paid a visit to the Chicago headquarters of the democratic organization.

tin i anw lillilUiiU LRU I SUSTAINS HEAVY LOSS Mrs. Leo Wolf Parts With Jewels Valued at Between - v roO and $S0O. TAKES PUCE-ON HOHMM'STMisses Bag Containing Her Gems at Cedar Lake on Sunday Last. I Mr. Leo Wolf, of 21 RImbaeh avenue, the wife of one of the proprietors of Kanfman & Wolfs Lion store, had the misfortune to lone a large number of her diamonds Saturday afternoon and the loss is estimated to be between 9700 and S00. At 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon Mrs. Wolf left her home for the purpose of putting her little daughter on the south bound street car and instructing the conductor to let her off at the cornej1 of Ruth and Hohman streets. The car did not come along as quickly as she expected and she and the little girl walked south and waited for the car at the switch in front of Austgen's grocery store. Walts For Xortb Bound Car. The south bound car stood on the switch for a few minutes waiting for the north bound car and Mrs. Wolf took advantage of these few moments to pay the conductor the child's fare and instruct him regarding letting her off the car. Mrs. Wolf had in her hands a little silver bag from which she had to remove her purse in order to pay the conductor. In the bag was a piece of chamois skin in which she had wrapped four diamond rings, two broaches and a plain band wadding ring in which was engraved. "Will to Ray, 1891." There was also a $5 gold piece which was wrapped up in a peculiar colored paper and was a pocket piece which had been given her by a friend. Mrs. Wolf did not at once discover her loss. Sho went to Condit street to see a sick lady and then went to her husbands store where she sat In the millinery department for some time. On Sunday she went to Cedar Lake and it was then that she discovered her loss, when, upon looking into the bag, she saw that her chamois was gone. Mrs. Wolf does not know of any time when her jewels might have been taken from the bag by onewho would steal them. She is certain that she lost them while she was waiting for the car and her only hope of recovering them is the fact that they may have fallen into honest hands. J. T. HTITT0N RECOVERING. J. T. Hutton, who was quite severely injured in an automobile accident between Plymouth and Rochester, Ind., is back in Hammond today and is getting along nicely. His arm is -very much better, but his head and shoulder are still giving him a great deal of trouble. Mr. Hutton has been telling his many friends-f his thrilling experience and they are all congratulating him on his good fortune in escaping further injury.

HJUUOND ALSO CELEBRATES THE DAY Enjoyable Picnic is Given at Douglas, Park by La"r bor's Hosts. -

Hf SEE GARY CLEBRATION Hammond's Parade Was Filled With Music and Many Uniformed Workers. Tha laboring man wore the laurel wreath In Hammond yesterday. It was his day and he made good use of It in company his family. Despite the much advertised attraction for the union man at Gary, Hammond held enough charm to keep a representative citizenship at home to celebrate. Douglas park was the scene for the merry making where a big picnic was held under the auspices of the Lake County Trades and Labor council. Parade In the Morning. The Hammond ' celebration opened with a parade in the morning. Music certainly was not lacking for the occasion, for three bands marched separate sections in the parade. Hammond made no attempt to string out its turnout with floats and consequently this overworked feature was omitted. The stage hand's union, however, would not be denied the right to ride, and so it happened that one float found itself in good company. Disbands at Car Barns. The parade began at 10:30 at Central park and went down Hohman stree, turning east on Sibley street and going to Oakley avenue. On Oakley avenue it turned north to State street, on State street west to Hohman street, thence north heading toward Douglas park. It disbanded at the carbarns. Hundreds of people lined up on both sides of the streets to watch the marchers. Street cars stood at the four corners to take the early picnickers to Douglas park and all day long the crowds went back and forth. Good Attractions. Good attractions were provided at the park to hold the crowd, principal among these being Boilermaker K. C. ball game which resulted in a victory for the K. C. by a score of 6 to 3. W. C. HARRISON TO HAVE PARTNER IN L. D. PATT0N. Wllllamsport (Ind.) Man Conies Hammond to Help Local Court Reporter. to L. Dow Patton, a court reporter from Willliamsport, Ind., has located In Hammond and will go in partnership with William C. Harrison, who has been doing the court reporting in the superior court for the past year or more. The new firm will be known as Harrison and Patton and Mr. Harrison expects that with both members of the firm employed with the work of the Hammond court they will be able to handle it nicely.

FICKLE TRAGEDY

A Former Hammond Man Shoots Woman He Loves and Then Kills Himself at Wabash in Shocking Dual Tragedy Saturday. BOTH BODIES Fl Murderer and Suicide Was Formerly Employed as Carpenter By Contractor M. A. Dickover and Was Well Liked By Many Hammond People. Woman's fickleness last Saturday caused her own death and that othe-r disappointed lover, Joel F. Baker, formerly of Hammond, and well known here In trades and labor circles. The donble tragedy took place at Wabash, Ind., Saturday night. Because Mrs. Sylvia Null Hemic did not know which of two suitors she liked best, and because she whispered soft words to one while planning to elope with the other, she is dead.' Joel F. Baker, son of a well-to-do merchant and one of the most popular men in Wabash, is also dead, the slayer of Mrs. Hernice and a suicide. Employed by Contractor. Baker came to Hammond about a year ago from Wabash where his young wife had died in 1906. In Hammond he was employed by Contractor M. A. Dickover, as a carpenter and he was well liked. He had steady and sober Lhabite and made many friends here. Abaut two months ago TTe" left "for" his former home in Wabash where he met the young widow, Mrs. Hernice. Learning that she had another suitor. Baker pressed his suit all the harder with the idea of proposing last Saturday night. The widow instead of listening to his plea told him that she preferred another man. It developed later that she had agreed" to elope with another man on the following day and that she had agreed to ride mainly because she wanted to tell him of her other suitor. What words and what arguments took place between the man and woman, nobody will ever know, for they were both found dead. Bodies Fonud In Buggy. Baker's body was found in a buggy which was standing in front of a livery stable In the early morning. Beside the man, propped up on a seat, was the body of Mrs. Hernice. A revolver yith two cartridges exploded, was found on the road beside the buggy. At 5:30 a traveling man went to a livery stable to hire a rig. In front of the barn he noticed a horse standing, with a man and woman in the buggy, both apparently asleep. He aroused the hostler, who opened the doors and the horse entered the stable. No attempt was made to arouse the occupants of the vehicle, but later the proprietor of the place, thinking they were intoxicated, sent tor an officer, and an investigation was made. Over the woman a laprobe had been thrown and when this was removed it was seen that she was covered with blood. Five bullets had been shot into her body. Baker's hat was upon his head and he was sitting in a natural position. An investigation of the afflair shows that Baker killed Mrs. Hernice about midnight and then drove about with her body in the buggy until near daylight. Holds Corpse in His Arms. When the buggy was on the main road a short distance from the town. Baker placed his arm about the corpse of his dead sweetheart, and shot himself through the brain. When found, the man's stiffened arm was around the body of the woman, and kept it from falling out of the rig. When the tragedy was first discovered it was thought that a double murder had been committed. Mrs. Hernlce's love affairs have been commented, upon lately, and suspicion attached Itself at once to a rival of Baker's for the young woman's affactions. Suspect Proves AIIM. He at once proved an alibi, showing that he had been at his home the evening before. He also declared that the woman had agreed to elope with him the next evening, and that she took a last ride with Baker to tell him of the f ruitlessness of his suit. After the man told his story, a further investigation was made, and the revolver used by Baker was found later In the bottom of the buggy. Xo Arerst Is Made. A short note was found in the buggy It read: "My God, what have I done!" and was apparently scribbled immediately after Baker shot the woman. No arrest was made and, the two bodies were taken to a local undertaking establishment. A coroner's inquest will be held today. Relatives of Baker declare that they are not certain that he killed himself, and may insist upon a

ID

BUGGY

XulI Investigation of the case.

I TRACK

CROSSINGS M Chicago, Lake Shore and South Bend Railway Co. Clashes With City Authorities Saturday and Tries? to Put Down Track. UNABLE TO COMPLETE JOB' Councilman O'Girr and Police Makal Intel-urban Company Return Witlil Gang of Laborers To Gary and! Pail in Their Effort to Get Coni cessions. SpeclaI to Thb Times.) East Chicago, Ind., Sept. 8. (Special, The Chicago, Lake Shore A Sooth j Bend railway, falling in their efforts to); obtain concessions from the local conn, cil, took matters Into their own hands on Saturday afternoon and attempted to steal switch-rights on Chicago itm nne, the principal thoroughfare In East Chicago With a carload of forty, four laborers, and acting: under th personal supervision of Attorney V. J. Lewis Meyer, of South Bead, they com-, menced tearing np the pavement west of Railroad avenue. The attempt to fight the city, edicts was made about 1 o'clock. The work train arrived at that hour, all the men supplied with shovels and picks, ready; to prosecute the work without delay. They reckoned without their host, how-J ever.-i-twatreet Commissioner-"-Pete'-. Stirling saw their labors from afar and hastened to the scene. Work Had Already Begun. Before he could arrive, however, tha men had turned over at least 100 yards of earth, to a depth of one foot, intend--Ing to occupy the entire north side of, the street with their switch. Stirling demanded the foreman to show his permit to tear up the streets, and was told that the men were acting under orders from the city council. About this time, : however. Alderman O'Girr, who Is al- j ways on hand when the city's Interests are threatened, appear. He denied all . knowledge of issuing such a permit and, ordered the return of the road to ltsl former condition. Attorney Meyer then took a hand in j the proceedings. He requested a priv ate conversation with Alderman O'Girr, , but was told to make any declaration ' he wished before the citizens. 'This did not suit Meyer's wishes, and h ! (Continued on piure 8.) EO II Hammond Policeman Lureat South Chicago Man Into Indiana by Ruse. Officer Hanlon arrested Ed Stokes of j 10G57 Avenue J, South Chicago, at Robyj yeserday on a charge of arson. He a! believed to have been responsible tof the fire which recently destroyed s' large number of sheds at the Roby racaS track. ' Edward Stokes was recently in tha ' employ of S. I. Shane, president of the Western Wrecking and Lumber com-; pany, who was engaged In tearing: down the old race track sheds. A few days ago the young man, who Is only 20 years of age, was discharged and he was so angry at his employer' tlpt he threatened to burn down tha' buildings which remained. That night fire was discovered andj nearly a half mile of the sheds wer burned. Stokes was at once suspected, ' and the Hammond police were notified', of the circumstances. 1 Sunday morning Hanlon played tha role of the manager of the wrecking company and asked for Stokes to coma from South Chicago and talk over tha matter of his re-employment. Young Stokes innocently walked into the trap and was arrested as soon as he arrived at Roby. He was questioned regarding his whereabouts on the night of the firs and while he admits that he did make) the threat to burn the sheds, he says that he was home and can prove It by; the other members of his family. The case against Edward Stokes does not see mto be very strong and so this morning Judge McMahon fixe dhis bond at $200 and allowed him to sign it him self. The case will come up In a couple of

I S ROW

GHARG

WITH

ARSO

"eeks.