Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 40, Number 61, 21 January 1915 — Page 1

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s RIC AULA VOL. XL.," No. 61. Palladium and Bun-Telegram Consolidated. 107 RICHMOND, IND.; THURSDAY EVENING, J ANUARY 21, 1915: SINGLE COPY, 2 CENTS

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AFTER FORGERY CADI SELLS FLEES COUNTRY Hagerstown- Man Uses Fath; er-in-law's Name in Deal For Property in India napolis.

TWO BANKS MAY LOSE Friends Believe Former , Wayne Lawyer, Whose Operations Covered State, Went to Central America. Carmen Sella, 27. of Hagerstown, a member of the Wayne county bar, is believed to have fled from the United States after forging at least eight checks, and swindling an Indianapolis man out of a piece of property valued at 700. Sells was last seen in Richmond. This was two weeks ago. Sells met some of his friends after he had cashed a forged check on a local merchant and told that be was bound for Central America. His friends think he has gone to Argentine. The young man was well known In the -'county havins made several addresses at county meetings and being associated with many people in Richmond and other towns. He was well liked and made friends easily. He capitalized on this in the past month and thus secured plenty of money for his trip. Buys City Property. His biggest transaction was the purchase of a piece of property in Indianapolis. He fcave his own note in payment and then forged the name of Milton Woolley df Williamsburg, his father-in-law, as security. As soon as the transaction was completed, he sold the property for $500, which he received in cash. He has been making his home in Indianapolis for the last year. After getting the money, he sent his wife, Milton Woolley's daughter to the home of Michael Conlff of Hagerstown with his year-old-son. Coniffs son-in-law is an uncle of Carmen Sells and lives in the family with Coniffs. After leaving Indianapolis and sending his wife to Wayne county, Sells went to Elwood where he forged checks and had them cashed by his friends. These were for small amounts but all the checks which he is known 'to have forged totaled more than $100.1 He also forged checks in Alexandria where he formerly lived, - but the amounts of these are not known. Amount Reaches $1,000. As the completion of his money raising campaign, he mortgaged a set of law books valued at $300 to two different men for all the money they would give on them. It is believed he secured about $250 in this way, making the total $850. It is said there are other ventures which would bring the amount of cash to $1,000. Sells was born and reared in Hagerstown and graduated from the high school there. He furthered his education in various ways and finally took up the study of law in the office of Joshua Allen who was then in Hagerstown. He took the bar examination in Richmond and was admitted to the county bar as a lawyer. He left Richmond in the winter of 1912 and spent the year of 1913 in Alexandria. During this time he practiced law in Elwood where he made numbers of friends. He then moved to Indianapolis where he has lived for a year. Milton Woolley, his father-in-law will not lose any money by the forgery on the Indianapolis property deal. A Richmond bank and the bank at Williamsburg both lose small amounts. All the checks were made payable at an Indianapolis bank where Sells formerly had an account. He had withdrawn this money before writing the checks. MRS. WIELAND DENIES DESERTING CHILDREN Mrs. Charles Wieland, who was accused of deserting her six children, and who will make a fight In juvenile court Saturday for their retention. made a statement today thatt he cas had been misrepresented and the alleged desertion was a trip to Dayton in an effort to get money from Charles Wieland, who deserted his family last August. The statement was made through her attorney, Paul Becket, who says he has affidavits from C. H. Taylor, a night watchman for the National Cash Register company of Dayton, and Mrs. Jennie Taylor, parents of Mrs. Wieland, thatt hey will support the Wielands. Mrs. Wieland said she had been living with her children and sending the oldest boy, aged 7, to school every day, but because of the time required to care for the others, she could not earn sufficient to support them. She says she left for Dayton the atternoon her children were found alone, and on returning here at 10 o'clock the following morning found she was charged with deserting them. She is 24 years old, having been married at the age of fifteen. GIVE OYSTER SUPPER GREENSFORK, Ind., Jan. 21. There were more than enough oysters to go round when Oliver Hatfield and John Gilmore entertained the Sycamore Threshing ring at Mr. Hatfield's home two miles west of Greensforlf. The ring gave a vote of thanks to Mr. Hatfield and Mr. Gilmore for the manner in which the supper was prepared and served.

POWDER HOUSE BLOWN UP BY FRENCH GUNS German Ammunition Depot Near Rheims Destroyed by Artillery Fire of French Army.

FIGHT IN FLANDERS French Attacks on Position South of St. Mihiel Repulsed by Forces of German Kaiser. BY FRANKLIN P. MERRICK. Staff Correspondent The International News Service. PARIS, Jan. 21. The destruction of a German ammunition depot near Rheims by French artillery, after aviators had established the range, is announced in official military dispatches from the front. A terrific explosion followed and it is believed that many Germans were killed. Following the explosion French infantrymen advanced occupying some of the German trenches. Fighting at Woevre. Hard fighting is also reported from the Woevre district between St. Mihiel and Mete. After the fierce hand to hand struggle the French have taken complete possession of the French village of La Boisselle, near Peronne. These attacks are all part of the offensive movement launched by the Kaiser's forces east of Amiens. The Germans are trying to pierce the French lines to menace the lines of communication. After a lull in the infantry operations, caused by floods, the Germans and allies are again at grips in West Flanders. A heavy German offensive movement, between the Meuse and Moselle rivers is now expected. COUNTRY HALTS TRAOE ADVANCE DECLARES TAFT " -" BMMelpsqBM . '" - Behind War Clouds Former President Sees Better World in Address at Indiana University. BY LEASED WIRE.l BLOOMINGTON, Ind., Jan. 21. In his address at the Foundation Day exercises at Indiana university today, former President William Howard Taft spoke to two thousands students, members of the faculty, alumni and friends of the university. Dr. William Lowe Bryan, president of Indiana university, introduced the former chief executive. Mr. Taft reviewed conditions in the United States and said that the country was halting in business and progress. The former president said "the hostility of the state legislatures and of congress directed against all successful investment of money without discrimination has caused the greatest burdens to fall upon the wage earners of the country the ones wh oare least able to bear them." SUES UNDERHILL OVER LAND DEAL The trial of the suit of Cory against Underhill to quiet title which was set for trial next week will not be tried until February. Attorneys, for Mrs. Cory will go to Denver to get the depositions of Harriett Cory and arah J. Anderson. The women say they purchased a piece of property above Morton park from Underhill for 11.200 of which they have paid $700. They say Underhill foreclosed a mortgage for the balance without their knwledge and secured the land.

MEN MUST SHOW HEALTH TEST TO OBTAIN MARRIAGE LICENSE

Indiana Senate Passes Bill Demanding Physical Examination Judkins Introduces Civil Service and Free School Book Bill in House.

BY LEASED WIRE. INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 21. Senator Neal's bill providing for a physical examlnination for men contemplating marriage was passed by the state senate today by a vote of 32 to 12. It was amended before passing so as to release the bride-to-be from the requirement of showing a health certificate. Workmen's compensation legislation was started in both houses today, Senator Van Nuys introducing the bill prpared by the Indiana Federation of Labor, and Representative Westfall . introducing a similar bill in the house. The Van Nuys measure provides for two-third pay in case of disability, an aggregate payment of $3,500, payment to begin one week after the workman is injured. The house bill and senate bill both provide for a state insurance fund to be made up of premiums paid by employers who receive certain legal ammunities by coming in under the law.

YOUNG CHILD DIES WHEN DRESS

Four-Year-Old Son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Reeder Lights Strip of Paper During Mother's Absence and Sets Fire to Garments Runs Into Street With Clothes Aflame.

Catching his dress afire while play-' ing with a strip of burning paper, which he had ignited in the kitchen stove while alone in the house. Roy Reeder, aged 4, son of M. and Mrs. Richard Reeder South Fifth street, ran screaming from the house, a human torch, about 7 o'clock last, evenincThe child's flaming clothing illuminated the dark street as be fled. He died about 3 o'clock this morning at Reid Memorial hospital. Two-thirds of his little body was charred from the flames. Mrs. Reeder, while preparing her husband's supper went to the home tf a neighbor to get a pail of water, leaving Roy alone in the kitchen. He promptly took advantage of his mother's absence to "play fire." Rushes Into Street. .When he fled to the street his agonized screams and the flames from FOX ADVOCATES DEATH PENALTY IN STATE LAWS "I hope the bill abolishing capital punishment, passed in the state senate yesterday, will be defeated In the houBe." This was the surprising statement made today by Judge Henry C. Fox of the Wayne circuit court, dean of all active Indiana jurists, having just celebrated his seventy-ninth birthday; surprising because Judge Fox frankly admits that he would not pronounce the death sentence on any man or woman unless the jury in its verdict provided that the convicted person pay the extreme penalty for his crime. "In such an event," said Judge Fox, "I would of course do my duty and If the accused had had a fair trial I would not in any event enter any petition for a new 11181." ' -Lawyers Realize Stand. Judge Fox says that he appreciates the- fact that attorneys- realise he will not, on i his. own' volition, pronounce the death sentence on any person who waives trial by jury and throws himself upon the mercy of the court, and this is the reason why a "number of murderers in recent years have appeared before him and have entered pleas of guilty. "I believe in hanging when the crime justifies such punishment, which quite frequently is the case, but of my own accord I would never sentence any person to death. Let some one else do that," the veteran jurist remarked. "The reason why I am opposed to the abolition of capital punishment !s because I believe it would be a travesty on justice to sentence a man convicted of a cold-blpoded, brutal and premeditated murder to live Imprisonment, only to have him pardoned or paroled In a few years. In other words, there are some crimes which hanging is none too good a punishment for." STORY CHEATS JUDGE Fox Claims 1836 as Year of Birth. "I almost passed up a birthday yesterday," said Judge Fox today. "If it hadn't been for a newspaper story I would have forgotten it entirely. As it Is I see I am cheated out of twelve months. I was born January 20, 1836, which makes me seventy-nine instead of eighty." The judge said he did not celebrate the occasion in any way as it is not a custom in his family to observe birthdays. Senator Fleming of Fort Wayne, Introduced a measure to give certain retired public school teachers a pension. Senator Van Nuys announced today that under the legislative rules a saving of from $5,000 to $7,000 in the cost of printing bills would me effected by having all bills printed so as to save space and cut down the paper expense. Representative Judkins introduced a house bill creating a state civil service commission, and another providing free school books for children of the state. The bill making it, compulsory for county commissioners to appropriate money for the use of county agents was defeated in the house this morning. The farmer-legislators . who had been expected to support the measure, voted against it. The house extended an Invitation to United States Senator Robert L. Owen of Oklahoma to address a joint session of the legislature next Tuesday.

FROM BURNS CATCHES ON FIRE

his burning dress aroused the neighborhood. A woman living near the Reeder home was first to reach him and at the risk of setting her own clothing afire succeeded in extinguishing the child's flaming dress. The sorrow-stricken mother was soon at her baby's side and carried him to the home. The little fellow was removed to Reid hospital as soon as a physician had been summoned. The physician realized as soon as he bad examined the child that there was no chance for his recovery. Both parent . were prostrated today over the unfortunate occurrence. Reeder is employed as a section hand on the C. & O. railroad. Their home is outside the city limits, near M street. The child will be buried at Earlham cemetery tomorrow. Funeral services will be held at the Jordan, McManus & Hunt chapel at 2 o'clock. TEACHERS DRAFT BILL TO PROVIDE UNIFORM PENSION Giles Gives Synopsis of Proposed Law Framed by Indiana Teachers Association Members. Superintendent Giles of the Richmond public schools announced today that a teacher's pension bill drafted by commitees of the Indiana Teachers association and the Indiana Towns and Cities Superintendents association, was soon to be introduced in the legislature. Mr. Giles gave out a synopsis of the new bill today. Its principal provision are retirement for teachers because of disiabilities after twenty-five years of service, and the voluntary -retirement of teachers. who have served thirty-five years. To provide pension funds in the various school units, -which would be all cities with pdpulatiqns of 5,000 or more, counties and each normal school teachers would be assessed on the following basis : First fifteen years, $10 a year; next ten years, $20 a year; next ten years, $25 a year; next five years, $20 a year. Board Directs System. The teachers pension system would be under the direction of a board composed of the state superintendent of public instruction, state auditor, state attorney-general and two members appointed by the governor. Pensions would be paid as follows : 25 years service, $350 a year. 26 years service, $375 a year. 27 years service $400 a year. 28 years service $425 a year. 29 years service, $450 a year. 30 years service, $475 a year. 31 years service, $500 a year. 32 years service, $525 a year. 33 years service, $550 a year. 34 years service, $575 a year. 35 years service, $600 a year. 36 years service, $620 a year. 37 years service, $640 a year. 38 years service, $660 a year. 39 years service, $680 a year. 40 or more, $700 a year. This bill would replace the ineffective teachers pension law now on the statute books, which the Richmond school board refused to recognize despite a vigorous demand on the part of quite a few local teachers. The school board was principally opposed to the law passed two years ago because it permitted a teacher to retire voluntarily after having served oniy twenty years, unaer tne new bill the voluntary retirement limit is increased to thirty-five years active service. PICKELL SAVES $370 FOR SCHOOL BOARD Classes and Teachers Lose Little Time in Shift to New Term. Methods introduced by Principal Pickell of the high school will save the school board almost four hundred dollars. The advisory system has made it possible for all the pupils to have their class schedules completed before the close of the present term. Only one-half day will be last between terms, the pupils being excused this afternoon to allow the teachers an opportunity to prepare iheir records. School will be in session tomorrow, and the new term will begin Monday with all . classes started and lessons assigned. Superintendent Giles complimented Mr. Pickell on the efficiency of the new plan, s'aying that it was remarkable how smoothly 775 pupils, including one hundred new pupils from Garfield school had been handled. The daily pay roll of high school teachers is $185, and heretofore it has always taken from two to three day? between terms, during which time the teachers held no classes but were busy arranging the schedules of the pupils. This time has been saved this year, and figuring that two days' teaching. time has been saved,-it amounts to a .saving of $370. - -

RUt'ELY RECEIVER WILL RAISE FUNDS

Judge Grants Mount Right to Issue $100,000 Certificate Notes. BY LEASED WIRE. INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 21. Federal Judge Anderson today granted Finley P. Mount, receiver for the M. Rumely company, the right to issue $100,000 worth of receiver's certificates to bear IVi per cent interest, and to be sold at not less than par. .... The money realized in this way will be used to pay $60,000 which the company .owed .on. January. 19. in wages, salaries and freight, charges. . The receiver's certificates, the court ordered, are to.be the first lien upon the company's real estate in LaPorte, Ind. The money , is to be divided, between the M. Rumely company and .the M. Rumely Products company, .the selling organization of the corporation. ROAD TAX WORK PERMITS GRAFTS COSTING $47,000 System Makes Issuance of Receipt for Small Amount of Work Rob Roads of Labor. JONES BLAMES LAWS Chamness Supports Highway Superintendent's Stand Against Plan Which Costs County Thousands. The township road supervisory and work tax system was denounced as a system of "graft" in which hundreds of taxpayers participate, every year to the loss of the county, in a comment made today b W. O. Jones, county highway superintendent. "Incompetent supervisors, unscrupulous workers, and poor methods have left miles and miles of township roads untouched for a year while the county is out,$47,883 as a result of this petty graft," Mr. Jones said. He declared that the farmers of Wayne county .were receiving credit for work contrary to law. , ... ,. Men Only .Reported. ... "The'strpervisorf vfcnow, that the law requires that a day s work for a team is no less than hauling at least a yard of gravel," the highway superintendent said. "Yet I know men who reported for work and then spent the. day in their truck gardens working for themselves. They were given a receipt by the supervisor and were given credit for $3.50 on their taxes. "Another case of which there are dozens similar, is of a farmer w.ho was sent with his team a distance of one mile to haul scoops. He did this work which should not have taken him more than an hour. Then he went around to the supervisor and was given a receipt for a day's work at $3.50. "The farmers will not let go of this system and that is the reason I cannot have more township roads put under the county road laws. Ninety-five per cent of the men who are working out taxes on the roads are farmers. "The system is to blame. In the first place it is impossible to get competent supervisors. Supervisors are elected by the people of the townships and are absolutely independent. By law they cannot work more than sixty days a year at $2 a day. A day's work consists in handing out receipts to farmers whose chief work consists of; going after the receipts. This is not; true of all supervisors. j "Not a township road was graded, j dragged or rolled. The work on them I is a few loads of gravel scattered about. The conscientious farmer does not like to work on the roads any more because of these conditions. The money all township have spent is equal to $96 a mile upkeep expense for the roads and yet miles have not been touched. "The county paid out in actual cash in the various township $27,000 which came out of the township funds. In addition $20,400 was worked out in taxes. In this the county is paying practically double what it should. The supervisor is supposed to provide a certain number of men to work with teams at $1.75 a day to load and unload the gravel wagons and scatter the gravel. Instead of this being the case, all the farmers who can get teams, bring them and load and unload what little gravel they haul. They also scatter it out themselves. These men get $3.50 a day while the teams are idle most of the time. County Trear.urer Chamness, former township trustee bore out the remarks of the highway superintendent. "It has been said and I believe it is true, that the county can take fifty cents in cash and do more with than it is getting out of a dollar in road work tax," Mr. Chamness said. He has just completed a table showing the amount of tax worked 'out on the roads in each township by the taxpayers. It follows: Abington, $478.05; Boston, $1,295.79; Center, $2,244.82; Clay, $1,007.54; Dalton, $740.81; Franklin, $2,141.51; Greene, $1,031.23; Harrison, $756.45; Jackson, $1,357.29; Jefferson, $1,647.37; New Garden, $1,238.41; Perry, $1,014.67; Washing ton $1,695.06; Wayne $2,624.09; Web ster, $870.38. COMMITTEE MEETS A meeting of the general committees for the charity concert in February was called by Chairman Henry Gennett for this afternoon at 4 o'clock. All committees will report the progress they have made in preparing for , the annual charity event.

WITH SUDDEN REVERSAL MAYOR URGES DISPATCH IN IMPROVEMENT WORK Robbins Becomes Convinced Public Demands Better Streets and Improved Sewer System and Instructs Works Board to Initiate Proceedings for Extensive Paving on Several Main Thoroughfares.

CONTEMPLATED PROGRAM WILL CALL FOR $120,000 Council's Attitude Promises Order for Improvements Over All Remonstrances Should Opposition Bind Hands of Board Plans for Viaduct at North Twelfth Street Delay North End Sewer. -

BRITISH NEWSPAPERS DENOUNCE ZEPPELIN RAIDS OF GERMANS Globe Again Attacks United States For Not Protesting Against Aggression of Teutons. BY LEASED WIRE. LONDON, Jan. 21. The evening newspapers give a great deal of space to editorial comment on the raid written in the United States and cabled here. The Evening Standard says: "We have to confront the German notion of warfare, which is contempt for the law of nations. America has not been slow to see that this tends to the martyrdom of civilians." The Pall Mall Gazette says: "We are none the less thankful to feel that the conscience of the American people has been aroused by the mad actions of Germany. With that on our side, questions which have arisen between America and England can be more easily settled." "By "Questions" the Pall Mall Gazette mean the shipping controversy and the case of the steamer Dacia. The Westminster Gazett says: "An eloquent impression has been made on. neutral 'nations by. Germany's irjgnuuiness. - . The Globe says: "Is it not time that the protest in the interest of. humanity came from neutral states? We have ceased to look to the American government, which is so occupied with its own affairs, that it has not time to denounce the most flagrant violations of the convention to which America in common with all other civilized countries are signatories." BUYS VACANT LOTS EAST OF ELEVENTH Edwin H. Cates completed the purchase of a building site Oh the south side of Main 6treet east of Eleventh street today from Rebecca Dulin. The consideration was $10,500. The lot, which is now hidden by a billboard, extends from the building on the southeast corner of Eleventh and Main streets, to the garage, a frontage of sixty feet. It has been vacant for about ten years, since the buildings there were destroyed by fire. Mr. Cates said today he did not know what use he would make of the property. The lot is regarded as one of great value since the march of business eastward. PUBLICITY WORKERS TO BOOST CONCERT . The general committee of the Char ity concert will hold a meeting at 4 j o'clock on Thursdav afternoon in the!

Commercial club rooms to hear reports j to be issued to finance it. also suggestof the committees. j ed that the bpard initiate proceedings Rev. . S. Lightbourn. chairman of to provide these improvements. This the publicity committee of the Music is a plan of action, the board rarely

Association called a meeting of his committee on Wednesday afternoon at the. Commercial club rooms and arranged for a newspaper campaign to be waged the week before the concert. Articles by the directors of the various organizations which will take part in the program will appear In the press of the city and every effort be made to give the public complete information regarding the coming local event. BOND ACTS FOR CITY Enemies of Tuberculosis Hold Convention. INDIANAPOLIS. Ind., Jan. 21. Dr. Frank B. Wynn of Indianapolis, president of the Indiana State Medical Society today welcomed the Indiana society for the prevention of tuberculosis which opened it's state meeting in the Claypool Hotel, present from every Delegates were section of the state. Among the speakers at the afternoon session of the society were Sherman Kingsley of Chicago, director of the Elizabeth McCormick Memorial Fund, Dr. B. L. Sensenick, South Bend, and Dr. C. A. Hartley, Evansville. Dr. S. Edgar Bond attended as delegate from the Anti-tuberculosis i societv of Richmond.

Asserting that while he had at first opposed the floating of a bond issue to provide for a number of permanent improvements, he bad ascertained that there was a public demand for O better streets and alleys. Mayor Robbins today recommended to the board of public works that an improvement program be mapped out at once so there would be no delays in starting the work as soon as the weather permits. The board responded promptly to the mayor's suggestion, and before today's session had been adjourned City Engineer Charles was ordered to prepare plans and specifications for the paving of the following streets: Fifth Street, South A to North A. Fort Wayne avenue. North A to North D. Sixth street, outh A to Fort Wayne avenue. ..Seventh street, Main to South A. Ninth street. South A to North E. North Slxteneth, Main to North F. North A street. North Fifth to North Sixteenth street.

Bond Predicts Regret. Although Mayor Robbins made a radical change in front concerning the permanent improvement bond issue, which the city council has endorsed. City Attorney Bond still stands pal In his opposition to the plan. After the board had adjourned he remarked: "They will live to regret the day they ever did this." At the suggestion of City Engineer Charles the board decided not to outline any plan for sewer improvements until the street Improvement work is under way. The most important sewer the: board . contemplates constructing Tfch Mr. Charles estimates will be in tne neignnorftood of $50,000. It is to relieve the strain on the storm sewer In South A street, which runs as far west as Sixth street, thence south to the river, and the storm sewer in South C street, which extends west to Eighth street, thence south to the river. This section of the city is always flooded when there is a heavy rain. It has not been determined whether property owners can be assessed for a share of the cost of putting down this contemplated storm sewer. Require $120,000 Issue. For the improvements contemplated it is estimated a bond issue of $120,000 will be required. Plans for a large storm sewer in North E street, from Twenty-fourth to Twelfth street, will not be drafted until some decision is reached concerning the construction of a subway at the North Twelfth street railroad crossing, because this sewer would extend north along Twelfth street to the river, and the city desires to make the two improvements at the same time. The board will at once approach the railroad officials with a proposal to construct a subway, but it is anticipated that the railroad will oppose such an improvement. The board thinks it probable that it may be three or four years before the subway can be provided. The widening of North Third street is another project which has practically been abandoned for the time being and the board is inclined to postpone paving that street until some definite decision is reached on the question of widening the thoroughfare. Mayor Urges Action. Mayor Robbins in announcing to the board today that in his opinion there v;as a public demand for an immediate inauguration of a public Improvement policy, even though bonds had pursues, in nearly every instance act ing on proposed - improvements only when they are petitioned for. "It is my opinion that the people want to see as much of this work done (Continued on Page Two.) Weather Forecast FOR INDIANA Fair tonight. Somewhat colder northeast portion. Friday partly cloudy. Temperate , Noon .20 . Yesterday . . . Maximum v. 27 Minimum 21 tr-.f'AL Fair, and . .continued . . cold tonight. Friday. Increasing, cloudiness becoming unsettled. GENERAL . . CONDITIONS: Winter weather prevails .over .Canada and the United States east of the Rocky roouni tains north of the thirty-fifth parallel with temperatures, of. 16 degrees below zero at. Winnepeg, Manitoba, and 12 degrees below, xero at Devil's Lake, Minn. Warm weather prevails over western Colorado with a temperature of 52 degrees at Denver. A snow storm is forming west . of. the Mississippi which will . cause .unsettled . weather during the next twenty-four hpurs. W. E. MOORE, Weather For

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