Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 February 1909 — Page 1

VOL. XLI.

Demand McCoy’s Release.

Suit will be Instituted at once In Michigan City to have Tom McCoy released from prison on' a writ of habeas corpus. The proceedings are to be brought under the decision rendered by Attorney-General Bingham to Governor Marshall. Attorney George B. Haywood not'fied his law partner Thursday to file the suit at once. Mr. Haywood said: “We are going to try this matter in the courts as soon as possible. Warden Reid of the prison, who is a state official, will be as anxious as anyone to have the question that has

arisen settled, and we hope that the Supreme Court will pass on it as soon as the case reaches that body.’’ It will be interesting to know whether the Supreme Court will sustain Governor Marshall or Warden filed. However that may be, the release or confinement of McCoy is in the hands of Governor Marshall and he haß already indicated his willingness, in fact, he directed McCoy’s, release against the recommendations of the pardon board; but Warden Reid refused to obey the orders on the ground that the Supreme Court bad ruled About ten years ago that the indeterm inate sentence repealed the effect of the good-behavior time allowance. While McCoy would miss only a few months imprisonment by being freed, the sentiment of the people here is that he will serve a short enough sentence for his disastrous crime if he serves the fwull three years. The case proves that a few people of Jasper county were decoyed to vote for Marshall last fall when they were warned not to vote for James E. Watson for governor as McCoy would be freed if he were elected, but to vote for Tom Marshall and the perpetrator of the crime which worked hardship jupon hundreds of people of this community would receive the full measure of his punishment. Sooner or later the prophecies of the false prophets must or must not come true, and when they don’t come true, the common etiquette for the false prophet is to make plenty of excuses. Such is the usual custom of those endowed with prescient minds.

Aged Couple Married.

Thursday afternoon at the court house occurred, the marriage of Levi N. Paye and Eliza J. D&nn, both of Chicago. Rev. J. C. Parrett performed the ceremony. Tbe groom was seventy-two years old and the bride Sixty-one. The bride was a gracious old lady whose hair was whi' e and the groom was gray haired veteran inventor. Both were very active old people. Although they were old, their hearts yyere young and they appeared to be as much in love as any young couple with visionary ideas of married life. Each had been married once before and their former spouses are now with the “spooks.” They had evi-' dently found married life a very satisfactory proposition as each seemed delighted that they were again entering on a newly married career. The meaning this has to the young people will depend upon their point of view. To some who believe that “an old fool is the worst of fools," {the example of this venerable old couple is not likely to be emulated. But, those who have had it indelibly Impressed in their minds to heed the advice and example of older ones “who always know better by experience” —if nothing else— are likely to materially increase a certain line of business in the county clenlrs office. The Republican extends [congrautlations and wishes them a long and happy married life, which is equivalent to wishing that each may become centenarians.

Fire Thursday Afternoon.

'• ■ Henry Shirey, the Monon night agent, who resides in William Turner’s property on east Vine street, Is out most o* his- winter’s meat supply by the fire route, and is fortunate not to have been burned out of a home. He was smoking meat in the summer kitchen and about 3:80 Thursday the building was discovered on fire. The company was called out and succeeded in preventing the flames from setting fire to the house. Mr. Shirey had about $26 worth of meat ruined, and the building was probably worth about $75. Mr. Shirey Is positive that the fire in the building waa almost out and aa the largest of the hams he waa smoking is missing he holds to the theory that the fire was of incendiary origin.

THE RENSSELAER REPUBLICAN.

The banquet given by the mothers of the members of the Knights of King Arthur in the Sunday school room at the Presbyterian church Thursday evening was a great success. The fathers of the boys were guests and the mothers had spared no means to make the affair a most enjoyable one, long to be remembe ed. Tables at which the boys and men were seated were .made attractive by vases of carnations and burning candles, and the arrangement at the tables provided for alternate seating of the boys and the men. The members of the Knights of King Arthur are each named after some great character in history or fiction and their non de plumes are used in the sessions of the order and cards bearing the "ficticious names were placed at the plates the bearers of the names were to occupy. They were required to hpnt up their places and the fathers were also slmiliarly required. After they were ebated, the following program of toasts and banquet was carried out: Pendragon Hon. C. W. Hanley Invocation __ Merlin Grape Fruit Our Order Ray Laßue (Sir Alfred the Great of England) Turkey Cream Potatoes Rolls Lemon Ice Cranberry Sauce Pickles Our Mothers Cope Hanley (Sir George Dewey) The Camp on the Tippecanoe _ Will Babcock (Sir Esquire William the Conqueror) Slicing Bacon E. P. Honan Ice Cream 1 Coffee Cake The Goat .Jas. Ellis (Sir Kaye) Discipline Geo. H. Healey True Knighthood L. H. Hamilton Winona ’O9 Merlin Initiation Several others, including Mayor Ellis and Jerry Sullivan, spoke in approval of the organization, and in praise of Rev. Parrett and Miss Maud Spitler, who established the castle in Rensselaer. Rev. Parrett spoke of a proposition for the boys to spend ten days this-summer at the boys’ city■ ,at Winona Lake, and it Is probable that many of the members of the order will arrange to go under the chaperonage ,of Rev. Parrett.

Mr. Harry Jacobs, a traveling salesman, of ' Monticello, and Miss Elsie Barnes, of Peoria, 111., were granted a marriage license here Friday afternoon and were married by Rev. H. L. Kindig at the M. E. parsonage at about 5:30 o’clock. Mr. Jacobs is 38 years of age and is a traveling salesman for tbe In fernational Harvester Co., and this is his first marriage His bride is a nice looking lady of 82 and they seem to be a very nicely mated pair. Mr. Jacobs expects his headquarters to be changed from Monticello to Rensselaer, in which event they win make this city their home. They will be heartily welcomed here.

Do you appreciate good music? Thiß company—Burch’s Orchestraoffers the public an opportunity of hearing the greatest variety in the concert line of any company on the road today. It Is a concert to be remembered, a concert to be appreciated by all classes, a conceit of ten people, all artists. The musical treat of the Beason. Come out and spend an evening of pleasure. It Is really a 75 cent show son 50 cents. Get your softs early. They will give one of their excellent concerts at Ellis’ opera house, Tuesday evening, February 16th. .

‘ TO CONVINCE YOU THAT OUR PRICES ARE RIGHT. We want you to exchange our dried fruit and compare it with the goods of others. The fanciest evaporated apricots grown, 10 cents a pound. Extra fancy evaporated peaches, 8 pounds for 26 cents. Extra fancy California Bartlett pears, 8 pounds for 26 cents. California Santa Clara prunes, 6 and 8 cents a pound. JOHN EGER. We are going to put in a stock of buggies and so as to make room for them we are offering the Weber wagon at S7B cash. This offer good for a limited time only. f MAINEB A HAMILTON.

K. 0. K. A. Banquet a Success.

Marriage at M. E. Parsonage.

Does Music Interest You?

ISSUED TWICE A WEEK—TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1909.

RUIN IN WAKE OF SLEET AND WIND

City and Country Enveloped in Worst Storm in Quarter of a Century. No Lights, Few P|iones and Other Troubles.

Rensselaer, all of Jasper county, most of Indiana and other states surrounding it are enveloped in the worst sleet storm experienced in 25 years. According to the recollection of several it was 26 years ago this month that the country was visited by a sleet storm that ruined most of the trees here. It was a worse storm than the present one, according to many, and the crackling limbs as they fell from the trees sounded like distant cannonading. This time the sleet is probably not so bad as it was in 1883, but the damage will be much greater figured in dollars j and cents, for the reason that a quaver of a century ago there were no telephones in . the country and small cities and practically no e’ectric light plants and only about onesixth the number of telegraph wires and poles. The present storm started in at about 10 o’clock Saturday night with a fine light rain that soon began to freeze wherever it touched. By 4 o'clock Sunday morning the added weight of the frozen rain on the trees began to brake off the more fragile limbs and by 6 o’clock the limbs were falling at a quite rapid rate. The fine rain cont nued to fa’l and to-freeze almost all day Sunday and all day the noise of breaking limbs and falling tiees > was kept up. The maple trees seem to have suffered the greatest damage, and the pine trees also suffered a great de 1. Cherry and apple tress, especially the older ones, fell under their great weight of- ice and the falling'limbs and trees caught telephone and light wires and dragged them to the ground or snapped them in twain. In many cases the Ice coated wires which measures almost three-fourths of an inch in diameter and from which hun small icicles about 3 Inches long and scarcely more than an inch apart were 30 heavy that the wires snapped or broke down the poles. Early Sunday morning all the country telephone wires were out of commission : and many ts the city phones, and j throughout the day the trouble increased am' even through the night But few phones off the direct cable lines ape in working order. The broken wires—and poles of both the telephone and light system caused them to all become entangled in many places and they were frequently in such masses that the streets were almost or quite impassable. At the Main street railroad crossing the 1 swagging wires, were caught by a passing engine and all snapped in two and fifty or more wires were broken end sprung back from the track at ihe same time. On the west side of the Washington street river bridge the cross bars at ♦he top of n telephone pole that supported the heaviest cables and many loose wires were broken off and mbst all the phones across the river went out of business. In various parts of lown poles have either been broken est or dragged to the_ground. In the country in all directions the wires and poles are down, not a single phone In any direction being usable. From persons coming into town from all directions comes the word that the poles are so badly down and the wires broken in so many places that it will be almost like erecting a new telephone system to rebuild the old one. The smaller poles suffered most, of course, and this will be especially hard on the Bruner lines extending north. But many of the large poles Are down also *and the Jasper County Telephone Co. estimates its

and girl In town, without special measuring, and at very moderate prices. Do not forget to see our line. Call today. G. B. PORTER. -T » A representative from the city with all the newest and latest noveltiee in suits sad cloaks for Easter. > CHICAGO BARGAIN STORE.

loss at from $4,000 to $5,000 to the local exchange. The Wolcott exchange, which belongs to the lofcal company, Is also much damaged. This line was rebuilt less than two years ago, following a similar at a cost of about $2,500. Realizing that the demand for material will be great, Delos Thompson, president of the company, and J. J. Montgomery, the manager, went to Chicago cm the early train Monday morning to endeavor to get their order for equipment in as early as possible City Light and Water Superintendent Chamberlain and his assistants worked valiantly all day Sunday, but found that it would be unsafe and impracticable to try to start the plant Sunday night The wires were so crossed with the telephone wires that various sorts of danger would have ensued. The city maa consequently in darkness. The old kerosene lamps were brought out, but many families were out of oil. Some of the stores opened up to respond to demands to supply both lamps and oil, church services were suspended and the “early to bed” program was followed in most homes. The storm all day Sunday was accompanied by a strong wind, mostly from the east. In the afternoon Henry Amsler drove to Parr to look after s:me stock there. He provided plenty of shelter for it and returned the. e early this morning to give it further attention. He found it difficult to reach Farr on account of fallen wires and poles, and found it necessary to cut wires and to drive .down into the ditch to get across seme of tte worst places. This is miserable we-til-er for stock. Oscar Phegley was in McCoysburg Sunday, and returned on the m'lk train Monday morning. The same conditions prevailed there and he said that many telegraph poles al ng the track had fallen under their weight of ice covered wire. The Monon depot has been unable to get into communication with the outside world and, of course, the Western Union wires are down. Passengers arriving on the milk train, which was a half hour late, stated that wires and poles were down at Remington and Goodland. Warren Washburn, formerly of this city, is the manager and chief owner of the Goodland exchange The Indianapolis Star says that the storm is general over Indiana, Illinois, lowa, Southern Wisconsin and Micbigan and extending into tbe east to New York. So many wires are down that the papers are unable to ascertain. the extent of the storm, nor the amount of damage dene. It is feared that considerable loss of life has occurred, especially to small vessels on Lake Michigan. One man was killed at Hammond, being run down by a Monon train. The Tribune reports several injuries in Chicago, which city seems the very center of the storm. Chicago Is so cut off from “telegraph- communications that but little can be g’eaned of the extent of the storm at other places. It is quite probable that Rensselaer will .have no lights tonight, Monday, as workmen find the wires in worse condition ithan they were when the repair wdrk was undertaken Sunday moral np. Heavy clouds hang over the city and a fine, salt-like snow that has not altogether outgrown - the sleet elements began falling shortly after 8 o'clock this Monday morning.

The greatest genuine bargain event hff the history of Rensselaer, the eleelng out of the entire stock of the Chicago Bargain Store at a sacrifice to retire from business. ' » GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS! Before you buy that new dress or waist, call and see G. B. Porter’s line of dress goods and white walstlnga.

The Indeterminate Sentence Law.

The discharge of T. J. McCoy from the penitentiary has resolved itself entirely into an interpretation of the indeterminate law, the point at" issue being' Whether that law repeals a previous law that granted a diminution of the time for goed behavior. The Rensselaer paper that during the campaign exhibited such a marked fear that the election of James E. Watson wopld mean the release of McCoy before the three year expiration is now in great straits to explain the apparent desire of Governor Marshall to fall into the trap set by the McCoy attorneys to procure McCoy’s release. The opinion on which Marshall based his order for release was rendered by the attorney-general, who, to be sure, is a republican, but the governor was not bound to accept a -question of such magnitude as settled without considerable investigation and without consulting the board of pardons that has during the past ten years bumped into the good behavior question innumerable times. Had tjhe case of McCoy only depended on tbe opinion, and had there been no other time within the past ten years when it had been tried there might have been some wood reason for the governor Writing his instruction without consulting the pardon board, all of whom were unquestionably familiar with the ruling of the supreme court to the effect that the present law made void the good behavior cut off. The apparent zeal felt by the governor in this matte*, either for McCoy or for his attorneys, was evidenced by the fact that he directed in the last paragraph of his letter' to Warden Reid that this applied to the case of T. J. McCoy and never mentioned another case, although there are many othe 's of the same kind. The pardon board is for this purpose. Any person sentenced for an indeterminate period needs no inducement for good behavior. He has hope of his release as soon as the minimum period of his sentence is passed, and he would well know that any vicious conduct ou his part would destroy any possibility of favorable action by the parole hoard. No other inducement is nece saiy. A convict is not going to flirt with the indeterminate sentence law. The sentence of from one to three years means just what it says, and the parole board should have en ire jurisdiction over the length cf the sentence within the minimum and maximum periods. And it looks awkward for a newspaper to undertake to defend the action of either the attarcey-g nertl or the governor that would write an opinion and order a release without consulting those officials, the parole board and the warden of tbe penitentiary, whose business it would be in the interest of the state, to be familiar with the laws relating to those matters. Especially would it be awkward to defend this action, and to argue in favor of its wisdom, if the party doing so, had only a few months back, been so much concerned for fear the political opponent of this governor should do precisely what his champion later did.

Our Prophet Gets “Peanutty.”

The editor of the “peanut stand,” the harper of peanut politics, the slippery eel of political waters, whose party’s emblem, which so fittingly represents a certain megaphone oi that party, the jackas3 and a rooster, a crowing assinine ensign for the people before election and for whatever money stands for after e’e tlon, eloquently proclaims that Theodore Roosevelt will go out of office March 4th the most unpopular president that ever occupied the presidential chair, and his prescient mind bombastically notifies the public that the publishers who agreed to pay a dollar a word for Roosevelt’s African hunting trip stories are likely to be stung good and proper. It is a lamentable fact that Roosevelt does not know this. If he bad only possessed wisdom enough to consult the blatant, little Jerkwater journalist about his policies, he might have left the office more admired than a Lincoln, a Washington, or a Jefferson.

A complete new spring stock contracted many months ago, to be sold at a sacrifice in the great closing out sale. CHICAGO BARGAIN STORE. Buffalo gluten feed helpe fill the dairyman’s purse. For Malnee A Hamilton.

House Passes Option Repeal Bill.

The house passed the Tomllnsom bill to repeal the county unit local option bill by a vote of 52 to 44, Thursday. The Kleckner bill failed to pass because it lacked tbs constitutional majority, the vote being 49 to 46. The Kleckner bill is the democratic platform bill and lose the support of all the Republicans, except Representative Ratliff o( Wayne county. The vote upon the two bills followed several hours of speech making. Floor leader Garrard (Dem.) waved a printed copy of the acts of the special session of the legislature that enacted the local option law imder Hanley’s administration, declared it to be the obituary of the Republican party in Indiana. Representative Miller (Rep.) waved the printed copy of the Tomlinson bill and declared it would be the obituary of the Democratic party la Indiana. The Tomlinson bill was voted for by four Republicans—Hewig, Kliver, Schreeder and Ratliff—and fortyeight democrats, and was voted against by ten Democrats—Chrisney, Clore, Coahran,- Gottschalk, Hostetter, Madigan, Maish, Merrhnan, Morphy • and Sicks—and thirty-four Republicans. Representative Chrisney (Dem.) demanded that Tomlinson be requested to appear as he had been absent during all the debates on his bill and Representative Chrisney bad some questions he wanted to propound to the author of the bill. Representative Miller (Rep.) also made the demand. Speaker Honan declared that Tomlinson’s presence was net necessary and the author of tbe bill remained out of reach of the wrathful debaters anxious to ply him with embarrassing questions. The principal speech against the bill was made by Representatives Babcock (Rep.) of Steuben and La Grange counties, former seer eta: y to Governor Hanly. His speech was a stirring one and was applauded vigorously by the temperance people in the gallaries and tbe Republicans in the house. Representative Harris (Dem.) of Brown county, said: "I am for this bill (the Tomlinscn bi 1) because it wiTI makes it unnecessary to ’bootleg* and ‘blind tiger.* Why don’t tbe whiskey people oppose the passage of this bill? Because they know that in dry counties more whit key is sold. The people will ‘blind tiger’ until they stagger and are black in the face if the county unit is allowed to stand.’’ Representative Maish (Dem.) asked Mr. Harris if it were true that more whiskey would be sold, why the liquor people were advocating the repeal of the local option law. Harris replied: “If 1 stand here and answer your questions I will be here until doomsday,’’ and sat down. The substitution of the township and ward unit was not provided for and Representative Talbott said to the Democrats: “-Your governor said be would not sign a repeal bill unless you put townbip opion in Its place. We will see whether he wiil keep his word as you did.” The bill will go to the senate and is apt to be-defeated there by the republican majority.

On Sunday Evening.

Considering the weather, the prevailing darkness and the difficulty of travel, a very respectful and interesting audience listened to Eider Lindsay’s presentation of the subject “The Holy Spirit—lts use to man and how obtained.” This evening, Monday, Feb. 15th, Mr. Lindsay will talk upon the word “Hell”, as used and defined by the scriptures. His subject for Tuesday evening is “The Soul—What is it?” and on Wednesday evening he proposes showing from the scriptures what it is to Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Mr. Lindsay is an able and earnest expounder of scripture, and very interesting to listen to by those having a desire to understand wb&t is taught by them- and it certainly is not tim* lost to attend his meetings and hear what he has to present A Bible Class assembles each day at 2 o’clock p. m. to consider passage* that are generally little understood and discover from the scriptures themselves the correct exposition of suck Everybody is welcome and Is oordlally invited to attend the preaching services and the Bible Study.

We are making special low prices on canned good* at the present time, JOHN EGER.

NO. 45.