Mattoon Weekly Journal from Mattoon, Illinois • Page 1

MATTOON WEEKLY JOURNAL. WEEKLY ESTABLISHED 1865 MATTOON, ILLINOIS, SATURDAY, FOR MURDER Williams is Being Tried in Jasper County. JURY GOMPLETE Opening Statements Made by the Lawyers- Attorneys in The Case. Newton, April to Jourrnal.) The trial of Druggist David Williams of Hidalgo, for the murder William Edward Ortman, began inesday in the circuit court of Jasp county now in session in that city and it is likely that by this evening most of the evidence will have gone to the Jury. States Attorney Davidson sisted in the prosecution.

by Davidson Isley, while the defense is represented by Gibson Johnson, Fithian, Kasserman and Fithian and N. Rinehart of Efingham. After exhausting the regular jury panel it was necessary to issue. special venire for Atty jurymen, then for twenty-five additional before the requisite jury was selected. With the exception of Fred Dancy, who works on a railroad section, all are farmers.

Their names are as follows: George Davis, Harry Adkins, Thos. Strole and Fred Dancy of Wade township; Joshua Aldridge, L. T. Aldridge and Ed Hines of Fox township; John Needham and Andrew Birk of Smallwood township; Elias Moomaw, of North Muddy; Wm. Uhl of St.

Marie: Frank Gier of South Muddy; States Attorney Davidson made the statement and was answered Tale Johnson for the defense. examination of witnesses then commenced. RALPH FARIS And Not Allie Bragg is New K. P. Major.

Says the Decatur Review: An election was held Tuesday night to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Major Roberts of the Second Battalion, U. R. K. of P. The election was held at the hall of Coeur de Leon lodge.

R. D. Faris of Tuscola was elected to succeed Mr. Roberts, who is' also of Tuscola. Captain Scott of Sullivan was also candidate for the office.

Colonel S. G. Tiley of Mattoon, who 18 candiJate for sheriff of Coles county on republican ticket, was present. Other visiting members of the second battalion were Captain Swan of Mattoon, Captain Sluss of Tuscola, Lieutenants Roberts and Evans of. Tuscola, Lieutenant Good of Sullivan and Captain Cobb, adjutant general of the regiment, of Mattoon.

The latter presided at the meeting. Arrangements are. being made for -Pythian Sunday here one day tais summer, in which the lodges of Mattoon, Tuscola, Sullivan and Decatur will participate. Arrangements will be made to attend special services at one of the churches, and the members of the different lodges will have a social gathering at one of the halls in the afternoon. DIVORCE Refused Mr6: Armstrong Because of Lack of Evidence.

In the city court Wednesday afternoon Judge Henley heard the divorce suit of Mrs. Laura Armstrong against her husband, Bert. Armstrong, but refused to grant a decree owing to lack of evidence in the case. Mrs. Armstrong was the only witness, and Judge Henley decided there must be at least one other witness to corroborate her statements.

She claimed desertion as a ground for. divorce. The Armstrongs were married at De Soto, but lived at Fort Scott, Kan, up to the time Armstrong claims her husband left her, about three years ago. She, has recently been living with relatives in this city. Her attorneys, Stewart Stewart, will send to Fort.

Scott to depositions in the case, when another application for a divorce will be made. BECAME A BRIDE. Miss Nellie Magruder, who returned to her home in Croper, Tuesday after a visit with the familles of Geo. Boulware and J. W.

Brim, was married Wednesday to a Mr. George with of Shelby county, Ky. Mrs. alth has many friends here 40 will wish her much happiness. APRIL 26, 1902 DAILY ESTABLISHED 1874 TO RECEIVE Entries for Interscholastic Athletic Meet and Prepare All entries for the interscholastic athletic meet at Shelbyville next week will be received, the program of events made up and judges appointed in this city on Saturday, when the executive committee of the Eastern Illinois Interscholastic Athletic assocation will meet here for that purpose.

Each town in the association will have representative present, whether it have a member of the committee or not. Special trip rates have been arranged with the Big Four from all towns between Paris and Pana and a big crowd, and a successful meet seem to be assured for Friday of next week. SENT HIM HOME Charleston Board of Health Wouldn't Keep Sanders. Supervisor Sutherland informs us. that Charleston Board of Health only kept Albert Sanders of North, Okaw, the man who had been exposed to smallpox, in the pest house a short time.

They, thep vaccinated him and sent him home, putting him aboard a Big Four train and sending him through Mattoon. Mr. Sutherland says he protested vigorously, but the Charleston authorities paid no attention to his protests. DRIVEWAY Not Suited to Tastes of Mrs. Dora of of This City.

CUBA Mrs. J. W. Dora arrived home Wednesday from Cuba, where she and her son, Waldo, went to visit another son, Claude. Waldo decided to re main while longer, but Mrs.

Dora says she took an immediate dislike to the country and its people as soon as she landed, and it took her only a day or two to make up her mind to return home. Mrs. Dora says her greatest dimculty, and one whieh decided her that it was best to return to the States, was her inability to make the natives understand what she wanted. Part of the time her son Claude accompanied her on visits to different parts of the city and then everything went smoothly enough, as Claude has learned the Spanish language perfectly and speaks it like a native. But the moment he was called away to his duties, and she was left to make her way alone, she became lost so to speak, and had a hard of it.

After one or two days struggling with the Spanish language, Dora gave it up, and prepared to return home, which she did by the return steamer. WHAT JIM SAYS. Jim Rardin says the organization of the county, board was a short hair victory and it means a figat for John Marshall for circuit judge next spring. EIGHT NEW MEMBERS. At the meeting of the A.

0. U. W. Wednesday evening eight new mombers were initiated. C.

A. Leach rereigned as master workman, and Har ry Shrock was elected to all the Va cancy. Mr. Lawson was elected ad guide in place of Ernest Stark weather. KNOCKED DOWN For $77.50 Was Old Building That Cumbers New Library Site.

After standing on the northwest corner of Sixteenth street and Char leston avenue for more than a generation- -it was built over thirty years ago- the old frame residence building that occupies part of what is now the new library site will be moved ere many more spring rains can soak its shingles. Yesterday evening it was sold at public auction on behalf of the board of public library trustees. The competition was not keen and none present seemed to be prompted by any old associations of sentiment- to send the purchase price soaring. The old house, pump and all its appurtenances were knocked down' to Evelyn Boyer for the sum of $77.50 a provision of sale being that purchaser shall move it from the lot at Her earliest convenience, and that convenience be constrained to be very would early, Such interfere part of the building with the work of digging out the foundation for the new library, will be removed next week, and then there may be a little formal ceremony of "turning the first sod" in the work that will be mem orable in Mattoon's history. BURST A BLOOD VESSEL.

Mrs. Margaret Goode, living on the Dry Grove road, burst a blood vessel Shone of her confined lungs to her Tuesday bed, but evening. is: getting along nicely. She is the mother of Mrs. Vintcen Aye of this city, LOOKING WEST IN From Superintendent John THE VOTE Of the Counties Comprising Warner's District in 1900.

As an aid to guessing on the congressional vote of the congressional district known as the "Warner District," of which Coles county is a part, The Journal has looked up the vote on congressman in the different counties making up the district in the election of 1900. We find that the total vote of all the counties on congressman in 1900 was as follows? 30,427 .26,810 1,097 ..58,334 In guessing it should be taken into account that 1900 was a presidential year, while this is what is designated "off year." Each person paying subscription to The Journal is entitled to one guess for every 50 cents paid. tf ODD FELLOWS Appointment of Sussessor of Grand Secretary Miller Today. A meeting of the finance committee of grand lodge, I. F.

of Illinois is being held in Springfield today, the special purpose of its call being the selection of a successor to the late James R. Miller, grand secretary. The appointment will hold until No vember, when the grand lodge will elect a secretary. John H. Sikes, who has been assistant grand secre tary for fourteen years, has been considered by many a8 likely to be I chosen as grand secretary during this interim term.

Byron Dodds went to Decatur for short visit. PARTY Given by Miss Kate Powers a Nice Affair, The party given by Miss: Kate Powers at her home on Moultrie avenue Tuesday night was one of the prettiest affairs of the season. The crowd of young people present had a most enjoyable evening playing various games, which WAS called the "molding contest." Each guest was given a piece of wax, and a card on which was printed the name of an animal. The holder of the card was to mold the animal named out of the piece of wax. The game afforded much amusement, and many grotesque figures were produced by the amateur sculptors.

John Fitzgerald and Miss Teresa Savage were awarded the first prizes, and Miss Bertha Hoffman and Richard Harris were given the booby prizes. Nice refreshments were served, and all voted that they had one of the most delightful evenings in their lives. FARM HOUSE BURNED. all the family's wearing apparel. The house was insured for $575, not half its value.

There was no insurancce on the contents. BEAUTIFUL DODGE GROVE The old home on the Samuel Roland farm, four miles north of Cowdep, Shelby county, was destroyed by fire yesterday. totally, James Jones is renter of the farm and his family occupied the house. While some furniture was saved from the first floor, everything in the second story was lost. This included nearly E.

Miller's Historical Sketch CORNER STONE Of New M. E. Church at Paris Laid by Elder Whitlock. It is Methodist day over in Paris today. Edgar county's capital has not witnessed the laying of a Methodist corner stone for nigh half a i century, and that is what is being done today, Presiding Elder Whitlock.

of Mattoon, taking the most prominent part in the afternoon's ceremonies, laying stone and making the address of the day. Rev. E. B. Randle of Danville and Rev.

Clar-: ence Reed, pastor of the Paris church also take part in the ritual of the The new church building is of very handsome design, and when completed will cost about as much as Mattoon's new Methodist church. It stands on the corner of Court and Alexander streets, is constructed entirely of blue Bedford limestone, and is approximately 100. feet square. main tower is 90 feet in neigat. The seating capacity, inclusive of the balcony, is 1,200.

The old church, now in course of demolition, was erected in 1855, and will be used for the last time in a special service this evening. MILITARY Band Ball, at Fitzgerald Hall a Big Success. The ball given Wednesday evening Fitzgerald hall by the members of the Military Band was one of the successes of the dancing world in this city. large crowd was present and the music was all that could be desired. We understand that the boys did quite well financially.

SATURDAY APRIL DECATUR PLAN How that City Managed the Eternal Hitchrack Question, The Decatur Review says: Mattoon, in most, respects, quite an enterprising and modern city, is having considerable excitement over the hitchrack question. Farmers in Coles county are writing to the Mattoon papers, telling them that all the farmers want is for some one to put up good, stout hitching racks at a convenient place where the team can be securely tied while the farmers are transacting business in the city. It is the same old question that was played out in Decatur twenty years ago. It would seem that there is a good opening in Mattoon for an auditorium feed barn, which, by the way, is a distinctively Decatur institution. There are feed yards in other cities, but Decatur seems to be the first city to have covered over the feed yards and made huge barns in which hundreds of wagons and teams could be sheltered from sun and rain.

They have been a big success here. At least no feed yard has yet been a success until it was covered, and the farmers are never heard more to object to paying for sheltering their rigs in the covered Ten or fifteen cents is a small sum to pay for the protection of the roof and the safety of the things in the wagons and buggies. DEADLY FOUNTAIN. The deadly soda fountain exploded at Fairland, killing a man and maining two children. CEMETERY I GOLD AT HOME Hog Raising in Old Coles Beats Mining in Klondike.

Tom Smith is smiling and the pork packers trust isn't causing him any octoputal nightmares. Yesterday he sold ninety 250-Ib-hogs he owned and the price he got for them was at the rate of 7 cents a pound--a little business deal that brought him in $1,575. While Chicago quotations are higher than that for choice hogs, it may be put down that no such price has ever been received in these parts before in this generation. Hog raising in Coles county is more profitable than gold digging on Cape Nome in these days of republican prosperity. REMAINS Of Mrs.

Michael Moran Brought Here for Burial. The remains of Mrs. Michael Moran, who died in Arcola Tuesday morning, were brought to Mattoon today on the 1 o'clock train, and taken to Calvary cemetery for burial. Mary Cault Moran was born in Mayo, parish Kilcomen, Ireland, December 27, 1852. She to this country early in girlhood.

For a number of years she lived west of Mattoon on the McFall farm, and was well known throughout the community. She was 51 years old. A large crowd of friends accompanied the remains to this city. The following gentlemen from Arcola acted as pall bearers: Thomas Monohan, John Sullivan, Fred Grant. James Simmons, Mike Cunningham and Mike McCafferty.

Dr. Molin of East St. Louis was in the city last, night, assisting in conferring the degrees on a number of new candidates in the A. 0. U.

W. 26. DEMAREE OF OLD AGE Col. Jesse Harper, the Great Greenbacker, Dies in Danville. KNOWN IN NATION Ran for Congress in This District and for GovernorOriginal Republican.

Special to The Journal. Danville, April Colonel Jesse Harper is dead. The well known politician, orator and author of earlier days succumbed to a complication of troubles due to old age, dying last night at the home of his son, Almer Harper, in this city. For several years past his. health was not good and during past few months it had been frequently critical, He was near 79 years old.

He voted the first republican ticket for president ever nominated and for near thirty years consistently sup ported the party, but it was as a national leader of the Greenback party that his name became land His first vote was cast for Birney and Hale on the Abolition ticket in 1844. Jesse Harper was born on June 21, 1823, in Rush county, Indiana, and moved to Illinois and this city in 1872. He was then a lawyer of considerable reputation. In Indiana he had become widely known as a republican politician, who attended the birth of the party. In 1856 he cast his vote for Fremont and Dayton, voting four years later for Lincoln and Hamlin.

In 1864 he was a presidential elector from Indiana on the Lincoln and Johnson ticket. But his in Illinois was what him into wider popular notice. Coming to this city in 1872, ne took a prominent part in politics right away. He assumed the editorship of old Commercial. He was one of the founders of the Danville News.

He was one of the most active Orr ganizers of the Greenback party in this state and was nationally dominant in it while it lasted. He was a Greenback candidate for congress from this district in the days when it included Coles and Champaign counties, but was defeated by Jo. Cannon. Later his pary nominated him for governor of Illinois. In the Greenback national convention held in Indianapolis in 1884 he strong candidate for the nomination for president, receiving 100 votes on the first ballot.

He was for many years considered the strongest speaker in his party in the west. He was keen in satire, possessed of shrewd common sense, a versatile teller. of stories, and inimitable in homely anecdote. Jesse Harper's personality and talents were notable in- his day and generation. As lawyer, editor and politician he succeeded in keeping himself in the popular mind.

He was also the author of a number of books and pamphlets, most notable of which are "The Millenium Age" and "The Destructive Influence of Civilization." OLD SOLDIER James Land, Veteran of Civil War, Dies in Shelby County. In the Shelbyville Baptist church at 2 o'clock this afternoon the funer. al of James A. Land was held. He died Wednesday afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs.

Zack Smith, in Holland township, Shelby county. He got his feet wet at the township election last month, a cold followed which developed into pneumonia, the cause of death. James A. Land was born in Ohio 82 years ago. He came west to Charleston in his young manhood and there he enlisted in Company Fiftyfourth Illinois volunteer Infantry in December, 1863, and served till the close of the war.

He was married three times and leaves two children and a number of step-children. INSURANCE Company Being Promoted by McCulloch and Moore. A general insurance and real estate company is being talked of, and will have offices in the as soon as it is ready for occupancy. R. W.

McCulloch and G. W. Moore are promoting the Interests of the new company. They were in Humbolt this afternoon on business connected with the new concern. APPENDICITIS EPIDEMIC.

Charleston seems to be suffering from an epidemic of appendicitis. STORE.