Hammond Times, Volume 3, Number 216, Hammond, Lake County, 2 March 1909 — Page 1

I" 1 HI Ii i IMfl " EDITION VOL. m., NO. 216. HAMMOND, INDIANA, TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1909. ONE CENT PER COPY,

WEATHER. Partly cloudy and posatbly threatestna; today and Wednesday.

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TIMES

LiYEB ACCUSED OF STEALING

Harry Phillips, Once Prominent Chicago Lawyer, Goes From Bad to Worse and Is Now Hunted Fugitive From Justice. RELATIVES LOST LIVES III FIRE Former Attorney Takes to Drink and Is Now Accused of Membership in Brass Stealing Gang Breaks (hit of the Miller Jail Last Night and Escapes. (Special to The Traxa) Miller, Ind., March 2. Once a wellknown Chicago attorney, enjoying a practioe worth thousands of dollars a year now under arrest at Miller on a charge of grand laroeny and wanted at Chesterton under a similar charge. Such Is the history of one Harry Phillips, well-known in Gary where he was at one time employed as night clerkjanitor for the Gary hotel. Phillips was arrested at Miller yesterday by Marshal Klopf, who held a warrant charging the ex-attorney with the theft of several hundred pounds oif railroad brass, which it is alleged Phillips has been disposing of for several weeks. The stolen property is said to belong to the J. J. Lynch Construction company. OXCE PROSPEROUS. Phillips was a Chicago attorney for almost twenty years and until a few years ago . maintained luxurious office apartments in a Dearborn street building. Members of his family lost their lives in the Iroquois theater Are, and Phillips started drinking heavily shortly after that terrible catastrophe. Business reverses added to his misfortunes and a small fortune was wiped away in several bad investments. Phillips came to Gary while the town was young and thought to earn enough money at the Gary hotel with which to gain admittance to the Indiana bar and open a law office in this city. He failed to do this, however, and for the past year has been more or less of a wanderer. WA.HTED OX SERIOUS CHARGE. The Chesterton charge is even more serious than that under which Phillips is confined ia the Miller lockup. He is wanted in that city on a charge of stealing two carloads of coal from the Lake Shore railroad. Strange as it may seem, Phillips devised a scheme whereby he secured possession of way and freight bills covering the two cars of fuel and had them reconsigned to himself at Gary. Once in this city the coal was shown to two Gary coal, men, John McKadden of the Gary Coal company, and J. J. Farrell, both of whom, believing the coal to be the property of Phillips, who advanced a plausible story, agreed to purchase the fuel. It is not known as yet how Phillips se cured the freight receipts and waybills covering the shipments. HAS SOX IX CHICAGO.

Whether Phillips, if captured, will be j he will not be disturbed in his operaturned over to the Miller or Chester- tion by a bayinR, howling, dog. The ton Justices for preliminary examlna-i wn,f tYlakB niJO ,

tion is still a matter of conjecture, and i an investigation will probably be made today to ascertain which county has the strongest case against the former Chicago lawyer. Phillips is about 50 years of age, and, it is undertsood. has a son living somewhere in Chicago. Phillips stayed in Gary about six months, most of which time he worked as night clerk in the Gary hotel. He was known to be a habitual drunkard and for this reason was discharged. He then worked about the office and barns of the Gary Surply company until a few weeks ago, when ho left the city. CAUGHT IX THE ACT. Phillips was caught in the act of taking the brass and tools from the construction camp of the Lynch company, who are engaged in grading for the Chicago, Lake Shore and South Bend railroai. He was taken to the police station, booked on a charge, of grand larceny and locked in a cell. Marshal Edward Klopf of that city, who effected the capture, then retired for the night. Some time during the night the theory is that several of Phillips' companions swooped down upon the jail, filed off the lock and then the bars in the cell. Phillips will be remembered better, probably, because of a little dog he called "Xellle," which often guarded his prostrate body as he lay in a gutter or alley saturated with liquor. Phillips came to Gary from Hobart, where he is said to have practiced law for a number of years. Marshal Edward Klopf organized a posse this morning of about fifteen men and they will scour the woods In an attempt to locate Phillips, as It is believed that he can be found in a cave or hut or some place of concealment with his companions near Miller.

PLANS COMPLETED FOR BEAUTIFUIJESIOEIICE Leo Wolf WiX Erect Attractive Residence in Homewood This Spring.

BUILT OPPOSITE THE PARK Arrangement of Mansion Will Be First of It3 Kind in This Locality. Architect J. T. Hutton of Hammond has just completed the plans for the $12,000 residence of Mr. Leo "Wolf, which is to be built on South Hohman street, opposite Harrison park. It will be remembered that Mr. Wolf paid the record-breaking price of $6,000 for 100 feet of Hohman street frontage. The property was purchased from Attorney Peter Crumpacker and was the last of the Hohman street park frontage. The building of the Wolf house will complete the row of beautiful houses that now adorn this thoroughfare. The house will be of brick, with a slate roof and copper gutters. The arrangement of the house is entirely new in Hammond architecture. The front entrances leads to a large reception hall and directly in front of the door is a wide stairway, leading to the upper floors. Arrangement Attractive. On the right' of the main reception hall Is the musio room, to the left is the library. In the rear of the library Is the dining room, with a south exposure. This room is finished with large beamed ceilings. The kitchen is on the same side of the reception bail, as the music room and connects with the dining room by means of a large roomy butler's pantry. On the second floor are three large front bedrooms. The floors are to be of pine with oak borders. In the rear of the second floor are two back bedrooms and a sewing room. There will be a large front veranda, with j a concrete floor, which will extend across the entire front of the residence. Mr. Hutton announces that the work ' of building the new Wolf home will commence Immediately and it will probably be ready for occupancy' before the summer is over. ADDS TO HAPPY FAMILY mmmmm-mmimmmmmm M Supt. Kasper of Lake Front Zoo Reports Five New Wolf Cubs. Five wolf cubs were born yesterday' at the lake front park zoo, and, acocrding to latest reports, "mothers and children are doing fine." The mother wolf seemingly thinks more of the young ones than of any other litter. Joseph Kasper, who is in charge of the eoo, will not keep any of the cub wolves, and is only waiting for somebody to come and help themselves to a pet. "For a watchdog, a domesticated wolf is unsurpassed," said Mr. Kasper this morning, "and anyone wanting such an animal can have one by applying at the park. The young animal, if reared away from the mother, will be one attached to the master and to nobody else. A wolf in a . house or business place as a watchdog is unsurpassed. It will make short work of any bursrlar Tf nnp flnrl hf xvav intrt a nlanp. and will put a burglar to flight sooner than a pack of dogs. The mother wolf at the park is rather squeamish about her young and we have had to isolate her from the coyotte. She won't even bear to look at htm, and consequently we have had to put up a board fense to separate the two. BILL PASSES HOUSE TIMES BUREAU. AT STATE CAPITAU Indianapolis, Ind., March 2. Tht second Sunday baseball bill passed the house today by a vote of 56 to 39. It will now go to the governor for signature. The Tomlinson bill is up in the senate today. Are Still SufferingJohn C. Camp and Christ Prohl, who were in a party of nine, eight of whom were Injured in a runaway last Sunday, are still suffering from their injuries. To their list Is added the name of Genevieve Camp, the three-year-old daughter of Mr. Camp, who suffered a sprained wrist and fractured elbow on the same arm. Mrs. Prohl and her six-months-o!d baby and Mrs. Camp and her two other children are also more or less Injured, without being in a serious condition. Messrs. Prohl and Camp, who are most seriously Injured, were able to be out of bed today, but it will be some time before they will be able to be arcund.

UEIEI1 DRUGGIST SELLS OUT

Harry Weis, Brother of J. W. Weis, Buys Out Stock in Well-Known Business House, After Owner Has Had It 17 Years. in STAT 19 YEARS OF AGE Veteran Druggist Will Take Well Earned Eest For His Health Brother Who Bought Him Out Re ceives the Congratulations of His Friends Today. One of the youngest big business men in Hammond today is Harry Weis, who succeeds his brother, Joseph Weis, in the drug business. The deal, by which the- younger man takes over the older man's business, was consummated yes terday, It having been pending for some time. Joseph Weis will retire from business temporarily, and will take a well earned rest after his seventeen years of work in his profession. However, he emphasized this morning that he will lay off only temporarily, and that next fall will in all probability find him as busy as ever again, although not along the same line. Harry Weis, who by the way, has voted in only one presidential election has received the congratulations of many friends for making the business venture. '". Registered Pharmacist at 19. Harry Weis was a registered pharmaclst at the age cf 19, he having been graduated from the Chicago College of Pharmacy of the University of Illinois. He spent practically twelve years in the drug business and is an old hand in the game. Under his regime he will continue to give the efficient service, which the Weis' drug store has given in the past. Both Joseph and Harry first began their career in the Sehacher drug store. Later Joseph opened a place at 101 West State street, which became known by everyone who knew anything of Hammond. Three years ago he opened his new place, across the street, where the business is now located. Since going into the new place, the drug store has been one of the largest in the county and has enjoyed a good patronage. SPECIAL SESSION? 110! Gov. Marshall Denies Story That Has Been Floating 'Round. Indianapolis, Ind., March 2. A rumor that Governor Marshall might call a special session of the legislature to enact laws that are still pending when the session adjourns next Monday was denied by the governor last night. The rumor found clrcultion around the hotel lobbies. "Nothing but the most urgent necessity would Induce me to call a special session of the legislature." said the governor, "and I do not now know of any such necessity "at this time." Death of J. Vevia. Joseph D. Vevia, 53 years old, died Monday evening at 5:40 at his home, 424 Oak street. The funeral will be held on Wednesday. Funeral services will be held at All Saints' church at 10 o'clock in the morning. The body will be shipped over the Nickel Plate to Valparaiso for burial. Mr. Vevia was born in Windsor, Can. Waves Do Damage. Superintendent Jacob Kasper of the pumping station and keeper of the lake front park has put several men to work to clear the park of the layer of sand which the waves of Lake Michigan have washed there this winter. The sand is washed to a thickness of three feet in some places, and is spread from the bath-house to Lake street. It will take several weeks to complete the work. Editor Woodcock Here. Editor Woodcock of the Lowell Souvenir was in Hammond on business last night. Mr. Woodcock has secured the publication of the Lowell telephone directory and will have the machine compostlon done by The Times linotype department.

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HAMMOND OBJECTS

TO AJ1IPR01SE Rumors Reach Citv That Ambitious Lawyers at Capital Are Busy. The rumor spread over Hammond rapidly this morning that the men who have been fighting Hammond's court fight at Indianapolis had agreed to a compromise with the Gary crowd by which both the Hammond and the Gary bills will be passed over the governor's veto. As nine out of every ten lawyers in Hammond are unalterably opposed to any measure of compromise, there were a number of angry lawyers in the city wherever the story was given credence. The Hammond lawyers say they have Gary beaten to a frazzle and there is positively no sense in a compromise. They intimate that if Gary does not get a court now it will never get one and a compromise would be simply playing into the enemy's hand only to be laughed at after the bills finally go through. Ever since the meeting of the Lake Country Bar association was McCrackenized and Gary pulled out saying that it would show the Hammond crowd where to get off, the Hammond attorneys say they would never compromise. They would rather see both bills beaten. Have Compromised f Lately, however, there have been rumors to the effect that the Gary and Hammond men have compromised. The reason for the compromise is said to be the fact that some of the Hammond lawyers are really, at heart, friendly to the Gary project, and then there are several judgeships to be distributed. As soon as Hammond heard the report William J. Whinnery, who is known to be opposed to a compro mise, was sent to the capital. This morning D. J. Moran, an anti-com promise, man, circulated a subscription among the lawyers asking them to raise enough money to pay the expenses of Edward Simons to Indianapolis to take hold of the "fight to the last ditch." The passage of the Gary bill in the senate is pointed to as one of the ef fects of the compromise, as is the decision of Bowser to let the Hammond Din go tnrougti the senate. It is ex pected, however, that the compromise business. If thsre is such a tMng7will be stopped when Whinery and Simons get to Indianapolis. SINGULAR FIND OH PRISONER Edward Eastridge, Arrested for Beating Board Bill, Has Prayerbook. A man arrested for beating a board bill was arrested in Hammond last night, and the police, in searching him found a prayer book on his person. The man was Edward Eastridge, who is charged with fraudulently attempting to evade the payment of a bill to Mrs. Grindle. It is understood that the young man has paid $6 on the bill and only owes $18, but Mrs. Grindle became nervous for fear that he would leave the city without settling up and had the young man arrested. He was picked up by Officer Frank Shine on a warrant. The trial was set for March 6. James Clark was picked up by Officer Miller charged with being Intoxicated. He was released on the representation that he would do better. The East Chicago police report that a bicycle was stolen from there. The Hammond police have been furnished with a description of the missing wheel. Y CASE ON TRIAL Coal Dealer Seeks to Enjoin Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Ever since 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon the time of the Lake superior court has been taken up with the case of Hardy vs. -the Pennsylvania railroad. The case is one in which W. C. Hardy of the Union Steel company at Indiana Harbor seeks to enjoin the Pennsylvania railroad from building safety gates at the Michigan avenu" crossing. Hardy claims that the gate, if constructed, would interfere with the means of egress and ingress into his place of business. One of the arms of the gate, he alleges, would project into the doorway of his office. It is not know how much longer the trial of the case would take. The court room is filled with witnesses in other cases. Prosecuting Attorney Chas. E. Greenwald went to Valparaiso today and will confer with Judge W. C. McMahon regarding the date of the beginning of the Gagle murder trial, which Is set for next term of court. Misses Prest and Haines, public stenoghphers. Tapper Block, phone 1802. 1-12L

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IDS HEW SPRIG ITER

Dr. J. T. Clark Will Ship Famous Water " Found Near St. John to the Ham mond Market, and Thinks He Has Bonanza. BUYS PR1V1L1GES FROMTHE OWNER St. John "Spring Hill Grove" Water Known for Miles Around for the Curative Properties That It Pos sesses and Springs Is a Landmark In Lake County History. Dr. J, T. Clark, of the Hammond Pure Water Supply company, believes he has discovered a spring water which he believes is superior to any spring water that has yet been put on the Hammond market and as a result may abandon the Knotts' mineral spring water, which comes from a spring on Spring Hill Grove. St. John. Dr. Clark was at St. John yesterday, where he se cured an option from William Koehle, the proprietor, for the privilege of the water. In the meantime he will have an expert make a chemical analysis of the St. John water, and, if it is found to be what it is represented to be, he will put it on the Hammond market. Is Known for Miles Around. The St. John spring, Irom which the Spring Hill Grove .takes its name,Js known for milesaround. Of late years Spring Hill Grove has come to be known as the most popular picnic place in the country, and thousands of people who atetndid the picnics, have wandered to the foot of the hill, where the spring is situated, and drank from 1 the cool fresh water. But even in former years it was known as a landmark and in the early days of the history of St. John it was often the only water place for miles around. The hardships of the pioneers would have been many times greater but for this natural supply of water. There were few wells and in times of drought they went dry. while drive wells were unknown. Not only was the houseold supplied, but the cattle as welt were driven far distances In order that they mlght quench their thirst. Theodore Brinker was the first owner of the spring, and latter sold it to August Koehle. The latter put a pump on the place and was largely responsible for its popularity. He had the water examined and was assured that It was pure spring water. A STRUGGLE FOR GOLD Theatrical Company Composed of Local Talent Starts on RoadThe "Struggle for Gold" company has been organized in Hammond under the guiding hand of George Varmett, and has already started out on the road. The company played at Whiting on Sunday night and at Indiana Harbor last night, and it is reported that the mfmlxrs of the company are finding the struggle for gold quite successful. Manager Vermett has booked Laporte, Michigan City and a number of onenight stands in the Calumet region. The production and company is financed by an East Chicago man, who believes he will make a lot of money out of it, Thre are seven in the cast and Walter Lowery is the leading man. PLAIT NEW SCHEME Trades and Labor Council Discuss Weekly Meetings. ; Weekly meetings of the Lake Couni ty Trades and Laor council may be held hereafter. The new by-laws pro- ; posed at a special meeting last Sunj day are adopted, thus doing away with I the semi-monthly meetings. It is further proposed to hold two of these meetings in Hammond, one in Gary and one in East Chicago. The amalgamation of the northern Lake county cities was alos Informally discussed, and many of the delegates expressed a favorable opinion for the amalgamation. The business of the Lake County Trades and Labor counoil has grown in such proportions, that it was thought advisable by many to hold more meetings than two a month, and also that at least two of these meetings should jbe heid In other cities than Harmnnd.

DEPUTY ASSESSORS BEGIN THEIR WORK

Township Assessor B- E. Escher Announces Personnel of Force. BICKNELL TO HAVE HA110ND Charles Jewell Will Be Local Man's Office Assistant During Assessment Work. The deputy assessors, working under North Township Assessor Bert Escher, began their duties this morning. The appointments that he has made thus far are: C. P. Schoon for North township, James Kennedy, Louis DeBow and William Herkner and Henry Bicknell for Hammond, with Charles Jewell for office assistant. Richard Schaaf, Sr., will canvas Robertsdale. The appointment at East Chicago is still to be made. Julius Szudzinski of Whiting has charge of that field, while F. Barker is in charge at Indiana Harbor. The man to canvass the foreign district is still to be appointted. This must be a man who can speak several foreign languages. The assessors have until May 15 in which to complete their canvass. Have New Questions. The township assessors are provided with a new set of questions to propound to the farmers for statistical purposes. The list was prepared by J. L. Peetz, state statistician. The questions differ from those asked in the past, in that they are based on the farm, garden, stock and poultry products for the year ending Jan. 1, 1909, instead of being based on estimates made by the farmers on the acreage proposed for the current year. In preparing the list, Mr. Peetz explained, he has had regard for the fact that heretofore the farmers have believed that the information they were called upon to furnish has been used dv grain speculators, and that as a result they have declined In a great many instances to give accurate estl mates of their proposed acreage. Con ditions developed, according to Mr. Peetz. which changed,the.Jht,entions o.t ' the farthers concerning acreage aft er the assessors had gathered their information in March, which interfered with the accuracy of the data, hence the figures as they finally reached the bureau of statistics were often lnBOnly personal property will be tak en up this year, and the office has been well supplied with blanks, which were sent out last week. From the Hammond office the asses sor's reports will be sent to the coun ty auditor, where the county councilmen will assemble to fix the levy for the year 1910. Hammond pays a total tax of $3,72 but Mr. Escher would not venture a guess whether this rate would be low ered or go still higher for next year. GARY PASTOR PREACHES At St. Paul's Episcopal Church Rev. Applegate Will Appear. As already annoupneed In these colmuns the rector of St. Paul's Episcopal church has secured the services of neighboring clergymen as preachers each Tuesday evening in Lent. The first of those invited is the Rev. L. W. Applegate, rector of Christ church, Gary, who will deliver the sermon at 7:30 this evening. Mr. Applegate is well known throughout this region as the successful organizer and builder of the first church in Gary and is recognized as one of the leading promoters of that city. He is well known In Hammond, having acted as financial secretary of the diocese for seevral years. The music at the service this evening will be led by the full choir. EXPECT BIG TIME The Amalgamation Question Stirs Up the People. Everything is In readiness for the meeting of the Men's club at the Hammond Athletic clr.brooms tonight. The meeting has attracted a great deal of attention and it is expected that there will be a large crowd in attendance. Many of the speakers are cocked and primed with their subjects and some interesting facts have been discovered that will have an important bearing on the question of amalgamation. The meeting will be held at 8 o'clock. It is for members only and the invited guests, except that any one who cares to attend may make arrangements to do so by calling F. I. Ellick up on the telephone and giving him his name and address. Potters Here on Visit. Claude Potter, formerly of the Hammond Elevator company, and wife, have returned to their home after a visit with Hammond relatives. Mr. and Mrs. Potter are now residents of Detroit, and Mr. Potter was formerly one of the city's popular young men-

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WILL B i Building Contractors of Lake County Get a Bump When Calumet Region Carpenters Decide to Ask for New Scale. CHICAGO CARPENTERS MAKEJHE TROUBLE Local Union Men Are Forced to Com pete With Workmen Getting Chicago Scale of 6614 Cents, When They Themselves Are Only Getting 50 Cents Per Hour. Lake county building contractors and. those who would like to see a re turn of the building activity of a year or two ago are wondering what will be the effect of their raising the seals of wages from 50 to 56 V4 cents an hour April 1. In spite of the fact that the business interests of the country are trying to nurse the nation back to its normal prosperity and there is retrenchment on all sides, the carpenters have taken the opposite course and have decided to give themselves 12 V per cent in wages. i They justify their action in the following manner: The Gary contractors have made it a practice Jo hire Chicago, carpenters." yT!it -an.J even softie of the contractors in East Chicago, Indiana Hs.rbor and Hammond, have said that they would rather pay the Chicago men the 60 cents an hour they demand than to pay the local artisans 50 cents. That being the case, the carpenters in the Calumet region, or rather In the Lake county council, put their heads together and decided if the contractors, who have just come Into the region, feel that way about it the local craftsmen might as well raise their wages to the old Chicago figure of 56 cents an hour. Raise Effective April 1. The raise was made and will go into effect April 1, in time to give the contractors an opportunity to figure on it. Some of the owners of Hammond property have been considering the building of costly business blocks whlla materials are cheaper, but should there be a general advance in wages at this time they say it would put a stop to many building projects. The contractors have all acquiesced to the raise, but many of them are chafing under the necessity for so doing. They say that, while industry ia dead in other branches and the workingmen are glad to get anything at all to do, the carpenters in Lake county vote themselves a 12 per cent rais9 and get away with It. There Is now, and in the future thera will be, an enormous amount of building activity as the cities of the Calu met region grow and they maintain it is of greatest importance that indus trial peace be assured and the seal of wages in the crafts be maintained, at something like a reasonable figure. Sow a Poor Time-. These same contractors say that If the raise in the scale had been authorized when the building activity was at its helghth and everyone was making a lot of money it would not be so bad, but to come at the present time there is question as to the efTect it will have on the various building projects now in contemplation. Where the Hammond carpenters wer getting $4 a day, they will now get $4.50. The Chicago men are now getting $4.80, according to the statement of a well-known Hammond union man. In addition to this the building season has been so expended that the complaint that a carpenter can work only about six months of the year is no longer founded in fact. In Gary thsre are carpenters who have worked practically every day throughout the entire winter and do not lose any more time at that season of the year than they do In the cum. mer time. The bull ling of Gary has undoubtedly complicated the local labor situation. The demand for union men has been so great that it was impossible, early In the history of the r.ew steel city, to supply the worklr.grren from this region. Enter Chleng Market. It became necessary to draw on tho Chicago labor market and this madIt necessary to raise the scale cf wages to some where near the Chicago scale before the offer of employment was attractive enough to t mpt the Chicago men to go to Indiana Harbor and Gary. The creation cf a Isirge class of foreign union worklngrren has also had the effect of causing trouble in the lo gical labor organizations.

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