Looking Back • July 1924

These century-old historical excerpts were selected from the Looking Backward feature of The Vidette-Messenger newspaper, which are part of the PoCo Muse Collection. Originally, these bits of information appeared as larger stories in the Valparaiso Daily Vidette and The Evening Messenger newspapers.

July 1, 1924

The Fibroc Insulation Company, of Valparaiso, today made payment of its semi-annual dividend at the rate of eight percent per annum to stockholders of preferred stock of the company. Business has increased in the last six months and the company is now preparing to double the volume of its production.

Edward Mitzner, former Valparaiso businessman, died yesterday afternoon in Nichols’ Sanitarium at Savannah, Mo., according to word received here. The body will be brought back here for burial.

July 2, 1924

At a meeting of the Valparaiso Woman’s Club in the high school assembly room, the members discussed plans for the acquisition of a club home. Celista “Lizzie” Boucher, club president, presented the following properties to the assemblage for consideration: Stevens and Szold properties, corner Washington and Erie; and the W. H. Gardner home, on North Washington Street, now owned by H. V. Deopker.

July 3, 1924

Telephone rates in Valparaiso and Porter County will be boosted August 1, upon the order of the public service commission, it was announced today. The order will be effective for two years, after which the present rates will again prevail. High labor and construction costs, and the fact that the Northwestern Indiana Telephone Company sustained a $100,000 loss because of sleet storm damage, was the cause of the increase.

July 4, 1924

Members of the Ku Klux Klan held a big celebration at the Porter County Fairgrounds. Beginning Thursday night, Klan members began arriving at the grounds, and continued on through the night and next morning. Many booths were arranged for the sale of novelties and for feeding the big crowd. Tiger Bull’s Wild West Show, horse racing, auto racing, drills, band concerts, balloon ascension, and talks by speakers provided plenty of amusement.

Valparaiso Junior Klansmen defeated Elkhart Junior Klansmen in a baseball game, 9 to 8. A big parade was held in the evening from the Porter County Fairgrounds to the business district, followed by the initiation of 200 candidates at the fairgrounds. Between 7,000 and 8,000 persons attended the festivities.

July 5, 1924

Misses Lois Mae Whitehead, Isabell Foster, Anita Parker, Virginia Kirkpatrick and Margaret Lunbeck are attending the Presbyterian Young Peoples’ Conference this week at Winona Lake, Ind. They are stopping at Bethany Lodge, one of the choice places at the park. They expect to see the noted photoplay, “The Ten Commandments.”

July 6, 1924

The Valparaiso National Bank has taken over all the property under the cattle mortgage held by the Lee Motor Car Company on West Lincolnway. All display cars are at present in the hands of the National Discount Company, of South Bend, which holds mortgages on them. R. B. Lee, who was in charge of the sales room, has left Valparaiso, and no receiver will be named as all available property has been seized by creditors.

At the Sunday morning service at the Baptist church, plans were launched to raise $20,000 toward remodeling and rebuilding the present church structure. For nearly a year, officials and members of the church have been planning the undertaking. Meetings will be held every night this week to bring the matter before the congregation and elicit their support. It is expected to occupy the new plant by Thanksgiving Day.

July 7, 1924 

The East Chicago baseball team refused to play the Valparaiso Durant-Stars at the fairgrounds yesterday because Walter Zock, manager of the visiting team, demanded 40% of the $.75 tickets after he had agreed to take 40% of the $.50 admissions. Fans were given their money back at the gate when Zock ordered his team from the field.

A. C. Sheets and J. Dolan tied for first in the 75-target event of the Valpo Gun Club shoot held yesterday at Sheridan Beach, Flint Lake. Each broke 67 clay pigeons out of 75. Other scores were Dr. D. C. Shurr, 63; C. Peters, 42. In the 50-target event, Ora Gray broke 46, C. E. Hershman, 45, William Hunsley, 44, O. W. Wickey, 38, R. Westergren, 37.

July 8, 1924

Recent rains have caused the layoff of a number of laborers and the suspension of the excavation work on the new three-story Elks Temple building on West Lincolnway in Valparaiso. Deep mud in the basement makes the use of wagons and trucks impossible. Work, it is said, will not be in full swing until the middle of next week.

Walter Hiltpold, star pitcher of the Valparaiso University baseball team, hurled the Gary Elks to a 5-to-1 win over the Slovak A. C. team in the final round of the Steel City Championship at Gleason Park on Sunday afternoon. He allowed five hits and struck out eight men.

July 9, 1924

Robert Bruce was found guilty of murder in the second degree by a jury in Porter Circuit Court of the slaying of Henry Turner, in Gary, on May 28, 1924. The two men are said to have quarreled over the hauling of some household goods.

July 10, 1924

The $1,000 damage suit of Charles A. Bartholomew, George Morton, L. D. Younglove, and Peter Detlefs against the City of Valparaiso, William Arnold, and E. W. Agar, to abate and enjoin continuance of a nuisance, was commenced in Porter Circuit Court this morning. The plaintiffs allege in the complaint that a large amount of garbage, rubbish, and filth, gathered off the streets of Valparaiso, are deposited on the defendant’s real estate near the premises of the plaintiffs, thereby creating a nuisance. The dump, from which the foul odors are emitted, comprise eleven acres on the road to Hebron, near the county infirmary.

July 11, 1924

Judge H. H. Loring, judge of the Porter Circuit Court, this morning granted a temporary restraining order in the Valparaiso City Dump case brought by residents living in the vicinity of the county infirmary. Certain restrictions were made requiring the city to use the dump in a way not injurious to the health of the surrounding property owners.

The Porter County Board of Charities and Corrections, named by Judge H. H. Loring some time ago for the purpose of making regular inspections of the county infirmity and county jail, have made a report of their findings to the court. The members of the board are Mabel Albe, Mrs. W. H. Lloyd, Dr. G. H. Stoner, of Valparaiso, and Clara Williams, of Chesterton

July 12, 1924

Motion for a rehearing before the Indiana Supreme Court has been filed by Joseph H. Conroy, of Hammond, attorney for Harry Diamond, convicted in Porter Circuit Court of the murder of his wife, and sentenced to the electric chair. The supreme court recently denied a motion and ordered the execution carried out on Nov. 14. If the court denies the new motion, Attorney Conroy plans to appeal to the state pardon board to commute the sentence to life imprisonment.

Wallace C. Sutter, secretary of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, will leave tomorrow for Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., to attend the National Secretary School, sponsored by the United States Chamber of Commerce and the National Secretary Association. The session will last for two weeks.

July 13, 1924

Resolutions for building over 100 sidewalks in Valparaiso, costing more than $20,000, were passed by the city council at its regular meeting last night. Petitions for sidewalks on Calumet Avenue and Hickory Street, together with certain individual ones, were stricken out while other walks in the city were ordered in.

Bernard, John, and Frank McMahon and John Dwyer, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to a charge of petit larceny in Porter Circuit Court this morning and were sentenced to six months at the state penal farm. The quartet were charged with assaulting and robbing five men on the Dunes Highway near Baillytown. Later they were picked up by Michigan City Police for intoxication and violation of liquor laws.

July 14, 1924

Gustaf Swanson, Jr., age 4 years, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gustaf Swanson, of Gary, was drowned yesterday afternoon in the Listenberger Drainage Ditch, west of Burlington Beach, Flint Lake. Young Swanson, with a boy companion, 3 years of age, was attempting to cross a bridge over the ditch when he slipped and fell in four feet of swiftly moving water. The boy was rushed to the Christian Hospital here but was pronounced dead by a physician.

The building campaign of the First Baptist Church, which has been under way the past week, came to a close last night with subscriptions totaling $25,400, or 25% over the quota. Rev. S. G. Huntington, of Indianapolis, was in charge of the services Sunday when the solicitations were made. The building will be started almost immediately and will be rushed for occupancy by Thanksgiving Day.

July 15, 1924

B. H. Wood, until recently with the McMahan-Wood Company, is establishing a milling firm at 20¼ Indiana Avenue under the name of B. H. Wood and Son. The new mill will be a flour and cereal mill of two units. The firm plans to exchange flour for wheat.

Mayor E. W. Agar, who has been active manager of the Valparaiso Chautauqua for 13 years, and for 29 years a member of the Valparaiso University faculty, is developing a unique home-coming Chautauqua for this summer. It will be made up entirely from talent taken from former students and former faculty members of Valparaiso University, which this year is celebrating its 51st anniversary. Governors, United States Senators, jurists, men and women of note in the fields of music, art, and commerce are to be on the program. The event will be held from Aug. 9 to 17.

July 16, 1924

A check forger worked in Valparaiso cashing a bad check for $2 at the M. Linkimer Store but was unsuccessful when he attempted to pass a $47 check on Joe Gross, in charge of the Bargain Leader on Washington Street. Police were notified but the forger could not be located.

July 17, 1924

Work was started this week on the $330,000 Burns Ditch project. One big dredge is working in the Dunes and another, a floating dredge, will begin work in a few days on the Little Calumet River at East Gary. The two dredges will work toward each other and within nine months there will be a flow of water into the lake from the headwaters of the Little Calumet River. The watershed is at Broadway in Gary. Clyde Walb, of LaGrange, is the contractor, and A. P. Melton, of Gary, is engineer in charge. The ditch will reclaim 53,000 acres of flood land extending from the Columbia River in Hammond east to the Porter County line.

July 18, 1924

The Porter County Bankers’ Association held its annual outing and meeting at Binyon’s Resort at Cedar Lake yesterday afternoon and evening. Following a short business session, a chicken dinner was served at six o’clock. Officers were named as follows: A. E. Wilson, Porter, president; C. J. Hobbs, Hebron, vice-president; E. J. Gardner, Valparaiso, treasurer; T. L. Applegate, Valparaiso, secretary; E. L. Morgan, Chesterton, member-at-large. Boating, swimming, fishing, and dancing were enjoyed during the afternoon and evening. Officials and employees of the banks and their wives attended.

One of the features of homecoming week at Valparaiso will be the presentation of the play, “Pollyanna,” under the direction of Miss Edna Agar. Miss Opal Williams and William Diercks, who have starred in previous plays given by the university dramatic department, will have the leading roles.

July 19, 1924

Work on the new Elks’ Temple building on West Lincolnway has been progressing rapidly during the last few weeks. Twenty employees have nearly completed the excavation work and a score of others are busy pouring concrete for the foundation of the three-story structure. According to the contract, the building will be completed by next May.

Ira C. Tilton and Frank B. Parks, attorneys for Robert Bruce, convicted of murder in the second degree in Porter circuit court on July 8, and sentenced to life imprisonment, will file a motion for a new trial early this week.

July 20, 1924

A several-months-old baby was abandoned in an automobile of two Valparaiso men parked near the Premier Theatre last night. Discovery was made when the young men came out of the show with their girls and started to get in their car. The baby was turned over to Sheriff Pennington. Today the sheriff was conferring with the members of the Mothers’ Club in an effort to find a home for the baby. If no home is found, the baby will be sent to an orphans’ home.

July 21, 1924

Assessed valuation of real estate and personal property in the City of Valparaiso increased $299,520 last year and the county total increase was almost half-a-million dollars, according to figures compiled by Porter County Auditor Byron H. Kinne. The total assessed valuation of Valparaiso is $5,927,500 compared to $5,627,980 last year. The 1924 total for the county is $31,678,410, as against $31,209,130 in 1923. This does not include assessments of corporations.

Mark Palmer, Inc., Ford, Fordson and Lincoln dealers, are today closing a deal with John Sievers for the purchase of the building they occupy on East Lincolnway. The new building was constructed for the Ford agency, and after moving into the new location this year, the Palmer Corporation liked the place so well that steps were taken toward its purchase.

July 22, 1924

Flint Lake is now standing at its normal level. The water is just flush with the top of the old concrete dam, west of the pumping station. Some time ago the company removed the temporary board on top of the concrete dam and the water has been going over the dam, besides being pumped into the new lake. Until now, the level of the lake is at a point ordered by the court in its mandatory injunction order. Besides the water that has gone over the dam, the water company has been pumping three million gallons every 24 hours from Flint Lake into the new lake as well as a million gallons daily for consumption.

Real summer weather is being dished out to Valparaiso and Porter County today. The thermometer at the Flint Lake Pumping Station reached 90 degrees. This is the third time this year that 90 degrees has been recorded. On July 20 and 21, the mercury touched 90 degrees.

July 23, 1924

At a meeting of the Northern Indiana Undertakers’ Association in Hammond, Frank A. LePell, of Valparaiso, was re-elected president of the organization. The next meeting will be held in Shelby, Indiana.

July 24, 1924

The George S. Haste building, formerly occupied by the John D. Stoner Furniture Store, will be ready for renting purposes by September 1. Mr. Haste announced today that the lower floor would be divided into two rooms and that he would maintain the upper floor, known as “Armory Hall,” as a dancing pavilion.

July 25, 1924

Rapid progress is being made on the construction of the Banta grade school building in the First Ward, and the structure will be ready for occupancy when school is resumed in September. The building has been named in honor of Prof. William H. Banta, the founder of Valparaiso High School. Including the kindergarten, 300 pupils can be accommodated. The building will cost $80,000.

James J. McGill left today for Indianapolis where he will attend a conference at which plans will be considered for the perfecting of a LaFollette organization for Indiana.

July 26, 1924

A meeting of Rural Free Delivery mail carriers of the 13th Congressional District was held in the assembly room of the Hebron Public Library building Tuesday evening. Forty carriers from Lake, Porter, Starke, LaPorte, Jasper, Newton, and Pulaski Counties attended. Talks were made by Ross Immel, of New Paris, Ind., member of the Rural Carriers’ Association. Following the meeting, a lunch was served at the Rathburn Restaurant.

Miss Mildred Dillingham, for the last five years deputy county auditor under Auditor B. H. Kinne, resigned her position effective today and will be married within the next few weeks to a Mr. Kuntz, of Iowa. Miss Loretta Reibly will take the place held by Miss Dillingham in the auditor’s office.

July 27, 1924

S. S. McClure, noted magazine publisher, whose boyhood was spent in Valparaiso and where he attended high school, visited Valparaiso today as the guest of Lewis E. Myers, and delivered a talk before members of the Valparaiso Rotary Club. He spoke mainly of his travels throughout the world and the attitude of the people of various countries toward the United States. Mr. McClure will speak at Valparaiso University chapel exercises on Wednesday morning.

Clara Inez Walkinhood, 20, former Valparaiso resident, was shot and instantly killed Saturday by her husband, Donald Walkinhood, 23, at Marshall, Mich. Mrs. Walkinhood was carrying an infant baby at the time she was slain. The child was unharmed. Mrs. Walkinhood was the daughter of Mrs. D. B. Bowman, who resided east of Valparaiso.

July 28, 1924

Miss Alice Parker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Parker, 308 Lafayette Street, has passed a rigid three-day examination in South Bend admitting her to Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. Miss Parker is one of a group of 100 honor girl students which are permitted to enter the college each year.

Wallace C. Sutter, secretary of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, returned Saturday from Evanston, Ill., where he attended the two weeks’ session of the National Secretary School at Northwestern University. There were 260 secretaries in attendance from 150 cities in the country.

July 29, 1924

The Fraunfelter China Works, of Chesterton, resumed operations at its plant with all former employees back at work. The plant has been closed for some time during which it underwent a thorough remodeling. Owners see a considerable expansion within the next year.

July 30, 1924

After visiting the scene of Valparaiso’s Calumet Avenue improvement yesterday afternoon, the mayor, city council, and city civil engineer practically agreed upon a new grade for the bad stretch of road extending from the Grand Trunk Railroad to the fairgrounds. Steps will be taken immediately to repair the road which will undergo exceptionally heavy traffic during the Porter County Fair in September.

July 31, 1924

At a meeting in Music Hall last night attended by rooming hall proprietors of College Hill and three members of the Valparaiso University faculty, preliminary arrangements were made for a “Brown and Kinsey” banquet to be given on the evening of August 13, during the university homecoming assembly. Efforts will be made to have a crowd of 1,000 present. Townspeople will be invited.

The Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company will open a new store in the Salyer building on Lincolnway this Saturday. Workmen have been busy for several days placing the room in shape to begin business. Floyd Bonnell will manage the store.

Looking Back • June 1924

These century-old historical excerpts were selected from the Looking Backward feature of The Vidette-Messenger newspaper, which are part of the PoCo Muse Collection. Originally, these bits of information appeared as larger stories in the Valparaiso Daily Vidette and The Evening Messenger newspapers.

June 1, 1924

The identity of the sixteen-year-old lad killed when his bicycle collided with an automobile on the Lincoln Highway, west of Valparaiso, Decoration Day, remains a mystery. The body is still being held at the Stinchfield-Fehrman undertaking parlors. An effort is being made to trace his name through the bicycle manufacturer.

Mary A. Reibly has sold her Valparaiso residence property, corner of Michigan Avenue and Chicago Street, to Dr. J. R. Pagin, and will remodel the residence property she owns at the corner of Napoleon and Jefferson Streets, for her own use.

June 2, 1924

Summer playgrounds will open in this city within the next few days. The grounds are being put in shape, the equipment is ordered, and the director is ready to begin. One playground will be located at the Ball property and the other at Brown Field.

Members of the Mandarin Club banqueted their fathers last night at the Meg Shop in Valparaiso. Fathers and sons, numbering fifty, with C. W. Boucher and J. Earl Mavity as outside guests, comprised the group. Bruce Gordon, vice-president of the club, acted as toastmaster. Howard Eschell, Mavity, and Boucher spoke. Seventy-five percent of the membership of the Mandarin Club are high school students.

June 3, 1924

The Porter County Commissioners awarded a contract to William St. Clair, of Valparaiso, for the construction of the Beeler Road at a bid of $11,800. Arthur Rader, of Chesterton, was awarded the contract for a bridge over Coffee Creek at a bid of $7,000.

June 4, 1924

So far, no clue has been found that would lead to the identity of the boy killed west of Valparaiso on Decoration Day when his bicycle was struck by a Hammond motorist. Sheriff William Pennington today had a picture taken of the dead boy and will use it in an effort to learn the identity of the lad.

Ellen, five-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willard Herron, of Malden, was burned to death when a can of gasoline exploded and set fire to the home. The little girl and three neighbor children were playing in the Herron home. The mother went across the street to a neighbor. Helen spied the kerosene can and taking it up proceeded to pour the contents into the kitchen stove. A loud explosion followed, igniting the clothing of the child. By the time the tot reached her mother’s side her clothing was burned off. Brought to Christian Hospital, she died at midnight. The home was badly damaged by the fire.

June 5, 1924

Work on the new Elks’ building will probably begin in Valparaiso next week, it was announced today. A committee from the lodge will go Friday to Chicago to confer with grand lodge officers and submit plans and other matters for the new structure. After this has been disposed of, contractors will be called in and the contracts let.

June 6, 1924

The boy killed west of Valparaiso on Decoration Day, when his bicycle was struck by a car driven by John McGuire, of Hammond, was identified last night as Michael Norvich*, 52 West 103rd Place, Roseland, Ill. Identification was made by a sister and brother of the dead boy, who came here after reading an article in a newspaper. The two stated their brother had left home after a quarrel with his father. They were unable to explain how the boy got $60 found on his person.

One hundred and thirteen seniors will receive degrees at the annual commencement exercises of Valparaiso University, to be held on Friday, June 13, at 10 o’clock in the morning. Celista Elizabeth Boucher, a graduate of the university, and prominent in state and national club circles, will give the address.

June 7, 1924 

The building code ordinance, which came up for vote before the Valparaiso City Council last night, failed to receive a unanimous vote because Councilman Louis Gast voted against it. Gast objected to the salary provisions in the ordinance. He believed the chief of the fire department could look after the enforcement of the ordinance. The ordinance will come up at the next meeting when a majority vote will pass it.

The body of Michael Norvich, the young lad killed west of Valparaiso when his bicycle was struck by an automobile on Decoration Day, was taken to the home of his parents in Roseland, Ill., this morning where the funeral and burial will be held.

June 8, 1924

A three-inch rainfall fell here Saturday and Sunday, raising the level of Flint Lake 5 ½ inches. Many basements in Valparaiso homes were flooded, and Porter County Highway Superintendent Joseph Crowe sent men over the county this morning to determine the extent done to roads and bridges.

The Frank W. Lesch Glass Factory on South Franklin in Valparaiso was badly damaged by fire early Sunday morning and will be closed down for several weeks for repairs. The fire started in the basement and was confined to that part of the building. Two pumpers played four streams of water on the fire and succeeded in holding the damage down to a minimum.

June 9, 1924

Floyd Wilson, age 32, of Peru, Ind., was fatally injured at Beatrice, in Porter Township, when a B. & O. wrecker cable broke, letting a partly raised freight car fall on him, crushing his leg, which had to be amputated. The accident occurred about six o’clock last night, and Wilson died at 6:30 o’clock this morning at Christian Hospital in Valparaiso.

A huge airplane flown by Lieutenant O. Cook, from Kelly Aviation Field, Texas, was totally wrecked several miles east of Valparaiso on the Yellowstone Trail this morning about 9 o’clock. Lt. Cook, with Pvt. Monette, enroute to Washington D. C., tried to make a landing to visit his brother, John Cook, when a cow got in the path of the machine. The aviator tried to rise, but the wheels of the plane failed to clear it. This caught the machine, tilted the wings, and they wrecked the craft into a fence.

June 10, 1924

Coroner H. O. Seipel held two afternoon inquests. The hearings were held in the death of Floyd Wilson, of Peru, Ind., who was killed when a cable on a wrecker train broke and allowed a freight car to fall on him at Beatrice, southwest of Valparaiso, and Michael Noviak*, of Roseland, Ill., who was killed on Lincolnway during Decoration Day, west of Valparaiso, when an automobile driven by John McGuire, of Hammond, collided with Noviak, who was riding a bicycle.

June 11, 1924

“Diana of the Dunes,” who lives in the sand dunes near Waverly Beach, has filed a $100,000 libel suit in the U.S. District Court at Hammond against the Chicago American. It is alleged that the newspaper implicated her, and her husband, Paul Wilson, with the slaying of an unknown hunter whose body was found burned to a crisp on the beach. Because of the statement made in the newspaper, authorities were hunting for the couple. Diana charges that a deputy constable arrested her and Wilson. She also blames a raid made on her home due to defamatory articles in the newspaper.

June 12, 1924

The $50,000 damage case of Clyde Johnson, of Porter County, against the Lake Erie & Western Railroad, which has been on trial in Porter Circuit Court, was settled today. Mr. Johnson will receive $5,000. Johnson was severely injured in an automobile wreck near LaPorte, which claimed the life of Hebron resident John Sams. At a former trial, Johnson was awarded $14,000. The verdict was appealed by the railroad and the supreme court ordered a new trial on grounds of errors in the instructions.

Charles Padgett, connected with the Smith Greater Shows, today filed suit against K. F. Smith, owner of the shows, for $2,000 in damages. He alleges that Smith represented to him that he had a big show, and that he signed a contract with Smith to run a corn game concession at $60 per week. The bill recites that Smith had no show of note and that he has been unable to take in enough money to pay his concession. As a result, he says Smith has taken his property. He charges fraud.

June 13, 1924

A farewell party for A. N. Charamuga, who is leaving next week for California, was held last night at Bachelor’s Hall, 503 Lincoln Avenue*. The guests were J. C. Seafuse, A. Alonzo, D. E. Martin, Paul Summers, R. K. White, A. N. Charamuga, Charles W. Leigh, and Pierce L. Thatcher. A dinner prepared at the hall by Mr. Thatcher was served at 7:30 o’clock. Mr. Leigh acted as toastmaster and talks were given by the boys. Mr. Leigh favored with several violin selections.

Robbers swooped down upon Wheatfield again last night, blowing one safe at the post office, the D. D. garage, and a meat market. Not much money was obtained. Some time ago, a department store at Wheatfield was robbed but the robbers were frightened away by persons returning home from a dance before they could carry out their plans to rob the bank.

June 14, 1924

Last evening at Valparaiso’s Community Hall, the annual commencement of St. Paul’s High School was held. This is the second year of the senior high school work at St. Paul’s and there were 25 in the class. Out of this number two were graduated, Ralph Kinder and Mary Cinkoski. Rev. E. J. Mungovan presented the diplomas and gave the address. A fine musical program was given.

At last night’s meeting of the Valparaiso City Council, considerable discussion ensued regarding the width of the Ridgeland Avenue improvement. Part of the Ridgeland delegation wanted a forty-foot street, while others wanted a thirty-foot street. Those favoring the thirty-foot width wanted the additional space between the sidewalk and curb to plant shrubbery and beautify the street.

June 15, 1924

The Indiana Public Service Commission has granted the Portage Home Telephone Company of Porter County permission to discontinue business. The company has not been in operation since the big sleet storm, which wrecked its lines. It was unable to finance the rebuilding.

At a meeting of the Valparaiso City Council Friday evening, the council voted to improve Ridgeland Avenue with a forty-foot pavement instead of thirty feet, as asked for by some property owners. Freeman Street and Franklin, from Bush Street north, were also ordered paved. Curb and gutter will also be constructed.

June 16, 1924

World War veterans are backing a movement to make the Chesterton Highway from the Dunes Highway to the Lincoln Highway in Valparaiso a memorial highway. The veterans have the endorsement of other veterans’ organizations and businessmen. It is planned to dedicate the memorial road on July 4 with appropriate patriotic services. Temporary markers will be placed at either end of the memorial road in the shape of arches, and it is planned to have these up on time for the dedication. After the highway has been dedicated, the state highway system will be prevailed upon to take the road into the state system.

Bert McMahan today sold his interest in the McMahan and Krudup hardware store to Tom Benton. The new firm will be known as Krudup and Benton. Mr. McMahan has not yet decided what he will do but will probably engage in business in Valparaiso.

June 17, 1924

St. John’s Night will be observed by the Valparaiso Masonic Order by a banquet at the Christian church in Valparaiso on the evening of June 27. A prominent Masonic speaker from Chicago will give the address.

June 18, 1924

The Valparaiso Home Water Company was made defendant today in a contempt of court action filed by R. W. Lytle, owner of property near Flint Lake, who charges the company failed to obey an injunction issued by Judge Harry L. Crumpacker in lowering the waters of Flint Lake to the top of the concrete dam, by the interurban tracks, in the time allotted the company. Trial of the action will be held at the September term of court. The water company, through its attorney, Grant Crumpacker, has filed a condemnation case against Mr. Lytle, asking the right to maintain a dam at the southeastern end of the lake, and condemning an easement on the lands of Mr. Lytle that will be overflowed by such a dam raising the lake level.

June 19, 1924

Porter County Treasurer William O. McGinley today received a draft from the First National Bank of Gary in the sum of $224,862.52. The draft was in payment of the Burns Ditch bonds purchased by the bank. 

Franklin Mead, a resident of Valparaiso for sixty years, died last evening at the Christian Hospital following an operation for kidney trouble. He was born in New York State in 1854 but came to Porter County when he was ten years of age. He followed farming for a number of years and was one of the big stockholders of the Valparaiso Home Ice Company. A widow and two sons survive.

June 20, 1924

The new lake, which the Valparaiso Home Water Company is making west of Flint Lake, may be named Loomis Lake. The lake embodies the entire basin about Spectacle Lake and completely obliterates that small body of water. Considerable interest has been evidenced by residents of the city and water men since the company officials began building the new lake. The pumping of water into the new lake from Flint Lake was stopped a week ago when the dam at the northwest end of the lake showed signs of weakening. Steel supports are being added to the dam to make it stronger.

The congregation of the First Baptist Church of Valparaiso decided to enter upon a five-year building program last Wednesday, which will entail an outlay of $20,000. The plans call for a complete remodeling of the entire church building and erection of a new Sunday school room. Rev. W. W. Ayer, the pastor, announced that a substantial contribution to the project will be made by one of the members.

June 21, 1924

Mrs. Gertrude Ludington, of Valparaiso, was instantly killed yesterday afternoon when she was struck by a bolt of lightning at Waverly Beach, Lake Michigan, as she was walking from the lake shore to her car parked on the concrete road. Her daughter, Edith, was stunned by the bolt, as was Mrs. Dee Helmer and Mrs. Earl Vergin, who were in the party. A number of persons on the beach at the time were shocked.

Fred LePell, of Valparaiso, played in the tennis finals of the Gary district of Northern Indiana yesterday and won the championship, as well as silver medal given by the Chicago Daily News. Today he went to Chicago to play in the semifinals at the Sherwood Tennis Club. Malcolm Fyfe and Wayne Zerber accompanied him.

June 22, 1924

From 3:30 o’clock yesterday afternoon until midnight, Valparaiso was without electric current due to the storm, which burned up two transformers at Goodrum Station, north of Valparaiso. Churches held services with the aid of candles and lanterns. Theaters were unable to hold any shows.

The Anderson Brothers’ stores will open a new grocery in the Specht-Finney Department Store with Glen Davidson as manager. They will occupy that part of the store formerly used by the Edward Mitzner Grocery and Market.

June 23, 1924

The pumps, discharging three million gallons of water daily, from Flint into the new lake, being constructed by the water company, are again working to capacity, after a suspension while the company drove steel pilings in the dam to prevent it washing away. Heavy rains during May and June guarantees the success of the new project, according to Superintendent E. L. Loomis. Flint Lake is full and the new lake is rapidly filling up.

Rev. and Mrs. George Schutes celebrated their tin wedding anniversary last night when twenty-five members and a few friends of the Co-operative Circle gathered at the parsonage and surprised the couple. Rev. Schutes and wife were presented with a number of fine gifts, Miss Anna Mohnssen making the presentation. A program was given, followed later by a lunch in the parish hall.

June 24, 1924

The Indiana Supreme Court has affirmed the verdict and sentence of the Porter County Circuit Court in the case of Harry Diamond, of Gary, convicted of the slaying of his wife and sentenced to die in the electric chair on November 24. It is believed attorneys for Diamond will file a petition for a rehearing, and in event this is denied, will appeal to the United States Supreme Court. The trial of Diamond in the local court was sensational and attracted attention throughout the country.

June 25, 1924

Thomas and William T. Brown have filed suit in the Porter Superior Court against the Cutting Advertising Company for $800 in damages. The complaint recites that the defendant company has a sign board along the Lincoln Highway. Painters hired by the company left some cans of paint, which, seven Holstein cattle belonging to the plaintiffs, ate and died.

June 26, 1924

Oliver R. Marsh, who took a temporary job fifty-five years ago as a brakeman with the Pennsylvania Lines, was retired the other day on a pension. At the beginning, he worked on a train that operated west of Valparaiso. Later, he received deserved promotions until he had passenger runs out of Chicago.

A Chicago Checker cab, which was completely burned, is reposing in a Chesterton garage, while Chicago officials of the company are endeavoring to solve the mystery. The car was stolen in Chicago and driven to Waverly Corners, north of Chesterton, where it was burned. At first, it was believed a human body was in the car, but no trace of any could be found.

June 27, 1924

Charles Durham, East Chicago, was convicted by a jury in Porter Circuit Court last night on a manslaughter charge in connection with the death of Willie Austin during a dance in East Chicago last September and was sentenced by Judge Loring to Michigan City prison for a term of 12 to 21 years.

Army worms have been found on the farms of C. H. Peters and Schuyler Hutton in Washington Township and Everett M. Carver’s farm in Pine Township, according to the county agent’s office. The worms are of the fall variety. It was also reported that Canada thistle worms have been found in other townships.

June 28, 1924

Attorney Daniel E. and Mrs. Angela Kelly, of Valparaiso, will tour Europe this summer. Kelly will attend the International Bar Association meeting in London in July. Following this, he and his wife will tour the continent, visiting the principal points of interest in France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain. Wednesday evening at Community Hall, the Catholic Women’s Club, of which Mrs. Kelly is president, presented her with a beautiful leather portfolio and gold fountain pen and pencil at a farewell party. The Kellys will return home in August.

A bond issue of $15,000 for the completion and equipment of a joint grade and high school building at Chesterton was sold yesterday by Trustee Charles Pearson, of Westchester Township, to the bank in Chesterton at a premium of $225. The bonds bear 5½ percent.

June 29, 1924

G. Leonard Maxwell was elected a member of the city school board at a meeting of the Valparaiso City Council Friday night. He succeeds Myron J. Draper, who has served two terms. Mr. Draper was urged by the council to accept another term, but he declined. The council also awarded the contract for improvement of Ridgeland Avenue to Gerald McGillicudy at a bid of $8,000.

The ten-millionth Ford Touring Car turned out at the Ford Manufacturing Plant at Detroit, Mich., passed through Valparaiso this morning enroute to San Francisco. It was accompanied by fifty other cars. Members of the Mark Palmer Agency here met the advance guard of the parade at Westville. The next stop is at Chicago Heights, Illinois.

June 30, 1924

The Valparaiso Durant-Stars defeated the Fort Wayne Kips at the fairgrounds here Sunday by a score of 14 to 4. Buck Weaver, old White Sox player, and Kopko, led the local batting attack with three hits each. Ray Knight pitched for Valparaiso.

One hundred candidates were given the second and third degrees in the Knights of Columbus lodge at a big meeting held Sunday in Gary. Grand Knight Edward O’Meara and his staff from the Valparaiso council exemplified the second degree and District Deputy Michael Geraty and staff from Chicago the third degree. Fifty members from Valparaiso council attended. Valparaiso and Chesterton furnished twenty of the candidates. A banquet for five hundred followed in the Gary Commercial Club rooms. Captain H. I. Norton, of Gary, and T. P. Galvin, of Hammond, were the speakers.

Looking Back • May 1924

These century-old historical excerpts were selected from the Looking Backward feature of The Vidette-Messenger newspaper, which are part of the PoCo Muse Collection. Originally, these bits of information appeared as larger stories in the Valparaiso Daily Vidette and The Evening Messenger newspapers.

May 1, 1924

Three sets of surveyors are now engaged in laying out the State Dunes Park, east of Waverly Beach, on Lake Michigan. Surveyors are also working surveying the lots in the Stockyards subdivision. According to reports, there are 104 houses on the beach and only one is said to be on the right lot.

Valparaiso University baseball team was defeated yesterday at the university ballpark by Columbia College of Dubuque, Iowa, by a score of 5 to 1. Errors on the part of the locals accounted for most of the visitors’ runs.

May 2, 1924

The school census of Valparaiso just completed shows a big increase over last year. There are a total of 1,737 children between 6 and 21 in the city, as compared with a total of 1,616 last year. The First Ward has the most children, 529, closely followed by the Third Ward with 526.

The Valparaiso University Club was organized last night at a meeting held at Hotel Lembke. A board of directors was elected as follows: E. D. Hodges, Fred Moltz, John Van Ness, Jack Bennett, O. F. Helvie, A. N. Worstell, Coach Shadoan, Dr. E. H. Powell, Dr. C. L. Bartholomew, and Dr. H. B. Hayward. Dr. Bartholomew was elected president; Mr. Helvie, secretary, and John Van Ness, treasurer.

May 3, 1924

By the signing of documents today, the litigation involving Valparaiso University, the Valparaiso Realty Company, and the Cook Laboratories, was settled today, and the lease from the Valparaiso Realty Company to the Cook Laboratories of the university buildings was canceled. As a result, the university will retain the use of the buildings and they will not be turned over to the Cook Laboratories for industrial uses.

The Junior-Senior prom of Valparaiso High School was held at Elks’ Hall. A Chicago orchestra furnished music. Harold Shurr, President of the Junior Class, and Dorothy Goodpaster led the grand march. Guilford Dye and Virginia Kirkpatrick handed out the programs. Virginia Fisher and Gertrude Jesse presided at the punch bowl.

May 4, 1924

Cecil Gordon, 24, an automobile salesman for the Grantham Motor Sales Company at Gary, was killed by a fast Pennsylvania flyer at a grade crossing between Crown Point and Hebron Friday afternoon. Gordon was returning to Gary from Hebron where he had called on a prospective customer. The body was taken to Crown Point by the train crew.

The Wheeler Athletic Club defeated Hobart yesterday by a score of 12 to 0. Billings and Tofte lead the Wheeler attack, the latter’s three doubles drove Carlson and Werner from the mound. William Peters pitched air tight ball for Wheeler. Bloch and Clinedinst of Valparaiso were also in the lineup for Wheeler.

May 5, 1924

Attorney Thad Fancher, Crown Point, was probably fatally injured, and Frank Cockran, a companion, also of Crown Point, was shot in the foot, and numerous other persons were beaten and robbed by a gang of holdup men, who raided the Halfway House, near Cedar Lake, late yesterday. Fancher was shot in the back as he attempted to throw his pocketbook out of a window. Three persons, members of the gang, were arrested by Lake County officers at the Beaver Dam Ditch when their automobile was wrecked. They were A. J. McCabe, John O’Malley, and Miss Anna Tulkey, all of Chicago.

Melvin J. Stinchfield, Jr., assistant engineer for the state’s department of conservation, has filed his resignation to become effective Thursday, in order to take charge of the engineering staff of the Walb Construction Company of LaGrange, Ind. The Walb Company has the contract for the Burns Ditch in Porter and Lake Counties.

May 6, 1924

W. B. Forney, sheriff; W. W. Bozarth, prosecutor; A. J. Fehrman, treasurer; Dr. A. O. Dobbins, coroner; William Morthland, surveyor; W. E. Atwell, south district commissioner, and Elias D. Cain, center district commissioner, were the republicans successful in today’s primary election. Democrats who were successful were Ira C. Tilton, prosecuting attorney; William O. McGinley, treasurer; William Black, sheriff; Isaac Jones, south district commissioner; and William Domke, center district commissioner. The closest race was between William Morthland and Floyd McNiece for the republican nomination for surveyor, Morthland, winning by three votes.

May 7, 1924 

William Morthland defeated Floyd McNiece for the republican nomination for surveyor at Tuesday’s primary election by five votes, according to figures compiled by the canvassing board. Morthland was ahead of McNiece on the face of the returns by three votes.

Charges of murdering Attorney Thaddeus Fancher, who died last night in Mercy hospital, Gary, from the gunshot wound inflicted during the daring holdup of the Halfway House, near Cedar Lake, Sunday night, will be placed against the three alleged members of the bandit gang, who were arrested shortly after their auto was wrecked at the Beaver Dame ditch. Two of the men are members of the famous McErlane gang from Chicago. They are Alex McCabe and John O’Malley. The woman arrested with the two men is Mrs. Ann Tulke, of Chicago.

May 8, 1924

Will R. Wood, of Lafayette, won the republican nomination for congress at Tuesday’s election over William F. Hodges, of Gary, by a majority of 5,000 in the district. Hodges carried most of the other counties in the district.

May 9, 1924

Valparaiso University has opened up a night school course in shorthand and typewriting for the convenience of students who are unable to go to school during the day. Prof. Myers E. Zimmerman, head of the stenography department, is in charge.

May 10, 1924

At a meeting of the Valparaiso City Council last night, an ordinance was adopted taking the Alpen Subdivision into the city. The building code ordinance was discussed at great length and a clause inserted providing for the appointment of a building inspector.

In Porter Superior Court yesterday, Judge Harry L. Crumpacker issued a mandatory injunction against the Valparaiso Home Water Company in the action brought by R. W. Lytle. By order of the court, the company is given twenty-eight days in which to lower the level of the lake seven inches, which will bring it to the level of the dam. At the present time, the water company is pumping water into Spectacle Lake at the rate of four million gallons per day.

May 11, 1924

Morell Ford, prominent farmer residing near Boone Grove, was perhaps fatally injured Saturday night when his car was wrecked near Graceland Cemetery on the Valparaiso-Kouts Road. He was brought to the Christian Hospital.

Republicans and democrats named new officers at the annual reorganization meeting held Saturday. E. L. Loomis was named county chairman of the republican central committee; Mrs. C. W. Boucher, vice chairman; E. J. Freund, secretary, and E. J. Gardner, treasurer. Democrats named E. M. Passow, chairman; Mrs. Raymond Sherburne, vice-chairman, and John D. Stoner, secretary-treasurer.

May 12, 1924

Morell Ford, Boone Grove farmer, injured in an automobile crash near Graceland cemetery Saturday evening died at Christian hospital this morning of his injuries. Surviving are a widow, Mayme, and sons Kenneth and Harold.

Approximately 100,000 copies of the summer bulletin of Valparaiso University have gone into the mail addressed to students in the central states. President H. M. Evans said the many inquiries received by the school each day indicates the attendance will be larger than in previous years.

May 13, 1924

Twenty-one purebred Porter County Holsteins were inspected for the state Holstein sale to be held at Crown Point on June 26. The committee consisted of Tom Grant and Lake County Agent Barnes, C. W. Newman, state Holstein association president, and John Newman, of Marshall County. The Porter County consignors are Harry Pierce, Warren Dillingham, Edward Ohlfest, Frank Bushore, Tom Keene, and Arthur Hanrahan.

May 14, 1924

A. L. Barker, residing in the Kankakee River region, claims to have killed sixty wolves since last fall. Mr. Barker avers the wolves have killed many dogs in the Kankakee section and have done considerable damage to livestock and poultry as well as game life. He declares that his kills have appeared to have diminished the wolf hordes that infest the region.

May 15, 1924

Floyd R. McNiece, present county surveyor, who was defeated on the face of the returns in the primary election by William E. Morthland, by five votes, today filed a petition in the Porter Circuit Court for a recount of the ballots cast for surveyor. Kelly and Loomis represent Mr. McNiece.

The broadcasting station at Immanuel Lutheran Church has been assigned the call letters WRBC, World Redeemed by Christ, by the Department of Commerce at Washington, D. C. The New York Herald-Tribune has written to the local station requesting that the newspaper be supplied with an advance program to be given over the local station.

May 16, 1924

Sixty-eight boys and girls will receive diplomas in the annual graduation exercises to be held at Memorial Opera House on May 22. Harry G. Hill, of Indianapolis, will deliver the address. The annual baccalaureate address will be held at the Baptist church on May 18 with Rev. W. W. Ayer giving the sermon.

Fifty thousand dollars in Sandy Hook Ditch bonds were sold today by Porter County Treasurer William McGinley to Fletcher American Bank, of Indianapolis, at a premium of $1,235. The bonds bear six percent.

May 17, 1924

A nine-run rally in the seventh inning enabled Columbia College to defeat Valparaiso University baseball team, 12 to 6, in a game played at Dubuque, Iowa, yesterday. Columbia batters made eight hits in the inning, including a home run.

The Epworth League of the Valparaiso group held its annual spring rally in the Methodist Episcopal Church parlors. Delegations were present from LeRoy, Chesterton, Michigan City and Wanatah. Supper was served at 7 o’clock. Speakers included Rev. Elmer Jones, of Michigan City; Rev. R. S. McCutcheon, of Griffith; Esther Kirkpatrick and Harvey R. Klockow, of South Bend.

May 18, 1924

The Valparaiso Durant-Stars baseball team defeated the Chicago Red Sox Sunday afternoon at the fairgrounds by a score of 3 to 0. Knight pitched for Valpo and allowed three hits. Buck Weaver played third for Valpo and accepted six chances without an error but failed to get a hit. Knight’s single accounted for two of the locals’ tallies.

The fate of Harry Diamond, sentenced to the electric chair for the slaying of his wife on Feb. 14, 1923, near Hammond, was in the hands of the supreme court today. His attorneys filed replies to briefs by the state in the appeal to the supreme court. Diamond, on trial said his chauffeur shot his wife. The state brought out evidence that Mrs. Diamond bequeathed her husband $20,000 in a will made out a few days before her death. Diamond has been in Michigan City prison following his conviction in Porter Circuit Court, to which court the case was venued from Lake County.

May 19, 1924

A truck owned by the Merchants Dispatch Company, of Valparaiso, stolen in Chicago yesterday, was found by Chicago police while the thieves were in the act of unloading the cargo of merchandise. George Lambert and Rolla Hitesman were in charge of the truck at the time of the theft. They had gone into a business house for additional merchandise, and when they came, out the truck was gone.

May 20, 1924

Stanley Turkoski, residing on Valparaiso R.F.D. 2, was taken to Mercy Hospital in Gary yesterday after suffering from serious injuries as a result of a tumble from a motorcycle at the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks at Gary’s 15th Street. He was said to have fallen twice from his motorcycle.

May 21, 1924

Miss Alma Nehring, of Valparaiso, is among the graduates of the Lutheran Hospital Training School at Fort Wayne. Commencement for the school is to be held this evening. Mrs. Hattie Quinn and Miss Berniece Collins left today for Fort Wayne to attend the exercises.

Valparaiso High School football players were presented with letters and monograms this morning at exercises held in the high school auditorium. Coach Shadoan, of Valparaiso University, spoke. Those receiving letters were Fred LePell, Harold Pulver, Arthur Shinabarger, Fred Wittenberg, Herbert Douglas, George Douglas, John Lowenstine, Harold Gustafson, Hubert Miller, and Russell Dillingham. Monograms were presented to Harold Shurr, Allan Brown, Fred White, Harry Lytle, Wilford Ebersold, Dayton Stanton, Harry Tousley, John Erler, Robert Hart, and Reuben Henson.

May 22, 1924

Ben H. Urbahns, of Valparaiso, former treasurer of Porter County, was nominated for treasurer of state on the republican ticket today at Indianapolis. Urbahns’ nomination came on the first ballot. Ed Jackson was nominated for governor. Former senator A. J. Beveridge addressed the convention.

Miss Ruby Wood, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Wood, of Hebron, was united in marriage on Wednesday at Hebron, to Rev. A. T. Moore in the presence of thirty guests. Rev. J. T. Alken, of the U. P. church, officiated. The couple will live at Coulterville, Ill.

May 23, 1924

The last stumbling block for the Burns Ditch, which will drain a large area of land in Lake and Porter Counties, was removed today when Porter County Treasurer William O. McGinley sold the bonds for the construction of the drain. The First National Bank of Gary, the only bidder, bid the face value of the bonds, $224,862.52. The Walb Construction Company, of LaGrange, which has the contract, will begin work at once.

Sixty-eight seniors received diplomas in the annual graduating exercises of the Valparaiso High School held at Memorial Opera House last night. Harry G. Hill, of Indianapolis, made the address. Superintendent C. W. Boucher presented the diplomas.

May 24, 1924

The Valparaiso City Council, at a meeting last night, adopted an ordinance annexing the part of the Forest Park addition as recommended by the city planning commission. The council also passed an ordinance making it a violation to keep goats within the city limits. A penalty of $50 is provided in the ordinance.

Lincoln Highway, east of Valparaiso, from the Malone Turn to the school, has been closed to permit the state highway commission to apply an asphaltic penetration top. Motorists detour down Hungry Hollow Road to Flint Lake Road.

May 25, 1924

Valparaiso University defeated St. Viator College at University Park on Saturday, 4 to 0. Hiltpold pitched a wonderful game for Valparaiso, holding the Kankakee boys to one hit. Harris, of Valparaiso, clouted two doubles and a triple and scored three runs.

The trial of James O. Malley, alias Johnny O’Reilly, charged with the slaying of Attorney Thaddeus Fancher in the holdup of the Halfway House, between Crown Point and Cedar Lake, has been venued to Porter County from Lake County. Fancher was wounded on May 4, 1924, and died the following day.

May 26, 1924

A lad about fourteen years of age was killed sometime Sunday night when he fell from a Chicago & Erie Railroad passenger train between Boone Grove and Kouts. Another train stopped and picked up the body and carried it to Huntington. Coroner H. O. Siepel was notified and ordered the body brought back to Porter County. An inquest was then held, and an attempt made to learn his identity.

Chris Bliss will open his new Valparaiso establishment on North Valparaiso Street this Wednesday. He has remodeled the old bakery building and has installed a modern grocery and delicatessen.

May 27, 1924

The Indiana Supreme Court has set June 12 to hear oral arguments in the case of Harry Diamond, under sentence of death for the murder of his wife. Diamond is now in prison at Michigan City following his conviction in Porter Circuit Court.

May 28, 1924

Three Porter County high schools have been rated as first-class schools by the state board, according to word received today by Porter County Superintendent of Schools, Fred H. Cole. The schools are Liberty Center, Wheeler, and Chesterton.

May 29, 1924

Howard Fishburn, of Valparaiso, democrat, and William Lidke, of Chesterton, republican, have been named civilian members of the Porter County Board of Review by Judge H. H. Loring. Porter County Assessor Fred Marquart, Treasurer William O. McGinley, and Auditor B. H. Kinne are other members of the board. The court will meet on June 2 at the courthouse to review the assessments.

The Valpo Durant-Stars defeated the Chicago Webers at the fairground yesterday by a score of 7 to 6. Knight pitched for Valpo but was handicapped by the fact that his teammates made eight errors behind him.

May 30, 1924

Two Valparaiso University students, returning home from a visit at Maywood, Ill., were assaulted and robbed by a gang. The robbers blocked the highway, and when the students investigated, they were ambushed and beaten. After taking $27 from the students, the assailants left them lying on the highway, where they were discovered by passing motorists and brought to Valparaiso. They roomed at the Allendorf.

May 31, 1924

An unknown boy, about sixteen years of age, was killed Friday morning on the Lincoln Highway, near the Leonard School, when he was struck by an automobile. The boy was riding on a bicycle headed east when a man named John McGuire, of Hammond, also headed east, turned out for a car coming from the east. McGuire and the boy steered for the ditch, the car striking the boy and cutting a deep hole in the lad’s abdomen. It is believed the boy was bound for a lake resort.

Looking Back • April 1924

These century-old historical excerpts were selected from the Looking Backward feature of The Vidette-Messenger newspaper, which are part of the PoCo Muse Collection. Originally, these bits of information appeared as larger stories in the Valparaiso Daily Vidette and The Evening Messenger newspapers.

April 1, 1924

The State Bank of Valparaiso was awarded the $40,000 bond issue for the construction of the new grade building in the First Ward at a meeting of the school board. The local bank bid a premium of $151. Four Indianapolis banks also bid on the issue.

April 2, 1924

Attorney P. J. Bailey left this morning for Reedsburg, Wisc., where he will visit his parents. William N. and Nettie Bailey, pioneers of that part of Wisconsin, will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary Saturday.

April 3, 1924

Eugene T. Funk, Porter County Infirmary Superintendent, against whom ouster proceedings were lodged by a large number of petitioners, was absolved of charges of incompetency by the Porter County Commissioners in a finding entered today. The trial of Funk required several weeks. After the finding had been entered, Funk resigned from the position he had held for seventeen years.

For the fourth time within a year, Joe Tofte, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Tofte, is confined to his home west of Valparaiso with a broken collar bone. While playing ball at Cook’s Corners, Joe fell and sustained his injury.

April 4, 1924

Ella May Hayden, convicted by a jury in the Porter Circuit Court of manslaughter, was taken to Indianapolis today to begin her term of two to twenty-one years. Sheriff William Pennington and wife took the prisoner to that place.

Paul E. Marks was installed as exalted ruler of the Valparaiso Lodge of Elks at a meeting last night. E. D. Hodges was inducted into the office of secretary. He succeeds Herman Kreiger. The latter was presented with a gold pen and pencil by E. J. Freund on behalf of the lodge. Reginald L. Felton is the retiring exalted ruler.

April 5, 1924

Eighty farmers in the vicinity of Hebron have banded together to buy a fire truck to fight fires in the rural section near Hebron. Each farmer is subscribing $10 toward the purchase of the fire apparatus. The truck will contain two chemical tanks of forty gallons each.

Henry Lemster, 76, one of the leading building contractors of Valparaiso, died this morning. Among the edifices built by him were the Catholic church in Chesterton, and the courthouse and infirmary at Plymouth.

April 6, 1924

William P. Shadoan, coach at Valparaiso University, today denied the report circulating throughout Valparaiso that he had signed a contract with an Eastern school. Dr. Horace M. Evans, president of the university, declared that the report was false, and that he had already talked over plans with Coach Shadoan for coaching track and spring football. During his stay in Valparaiso, Coach Shadoan has brought championship teams to Valparaiso in football and basketball.

William Domke is erecting a new storeroom in Valparaiso, near the Lincoln Highway Garage, and will have it ready for occupancy on May 1. He will run a cigar and confectionery store in the new location.

April 7, 1924 

Ten teams of workers are canvassing Valparaiso today in an effort to raise $15,000 to advertise Valparaiso University. The drive is under the direction of L. D. Sampson, former alumnus of the school, who is in charge of the campaign. A meeting of the workers was held last night at Hotel Lembke.

Edward Maxwell, living in Morgan Township, south of Valparaiso, is planning on building a new country home on his farm this summer, costing $10,000. It will be modern in every way and contain eight rooms.

April 8, 1924

The Porter County Commissioners yesterday awarded the contract to Herman E. Schirr, of Westville, for five bridges, in Union, Washington, Center, Liberty and Jackson Townships. The total of the five bids was $12,700.

April 9, 1924

A jury in Porter Circuit Court yesterday afternoon returned a verdict of not guilty in the case of Trevinto Stancovich, for the slaying of Peter Piach. The case was given to the jury at 4 o’clock in the afternoon and the jurors arrived at a verdict at 10 o’clock.

April 10, 1924

At a meeting of the official board of the Christian church in Valparaiso last evening, it was unanimously voted to re-employ Rev. C. E. Burns as pastor for another year. Rev. Burns has been local pastor for several years and is not only popular with his parishioners but other congregations as well.

Valparaiso Lodge of Elks will stage a carnival for four days at Armory Hall to aid the raising of a fund of $15,000 for Valparaiso University to be used in advertising the local school. Invitations will be sent to lodges of surrounding towns to participate.

April 11, 1924

Clarence Bretsch, one of Lake County’s candidates for the nomination for prosecuting attorney, was unable to finish his speech at Hobart last night. Members of the Ku Klux Klan broke up the meeting after Bretsch launched a vigorous attack against the organization. Bretsch left the hall where the meeting was held after he saw it was folly to continue the address.

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hardenbrook, of Gary, have announced the marriage of their daughter, Miss Bessie, to Louis G. Horn, of Valparaiso. Mr. Horn is a member of the Horn Brothers’ Market of Valparaiso. The nuptials will take place after Easter.

April 12, 1924

W. H. (Bert) Dittman was named Porter County Infirmary Superintendent at a meeting of the commissioners held yesterday afternoon. He will enter upon his duties on April 14. He succeeds E. T. Funk, who resigned recently following a trial of charges of incompetency in which he was acquitted.

A petition was filed with the Valparaiso City Council last night asking that the Forest Park addition to the northwest of the city be annexed. The petition was referred to the city planning commission.

April 13, 1924

Farmer George Sage, claiming to be a farmer candidate for congress from the Tenth Indiana District, didn’t do so well in a speech in Valparaiso on Saturday. Sage, whose home is in Goodland, mounted a soap box and started to abuse the flag, the president, and everything in general. Policeman Matthew Brown broke up his meeting when he escorted him down the street.

The Valparaiso Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs are arranging for an industrial exhibit with their regular weekly noonday luncheon meetings next week. Letters were sent out today to officials of twenty local manufacturing plants asking them to prepare exhibits of their products. They will be placed on exhibition in the ballroom at the Hotel Lembke.

April 14, 1924

The name of Clarence D. Wood, of Chesterton, Republican candidate for prosecuting attorney of Porter County, was certified here to Porter County Clerk Roscoe C. Jones from the secretary of state at Indianapolis because Mr. Wood failed to file his declaration at Indianapolis as required by law. This leaves four candidates contesting for the office: W. W. Bozarth, F. R. Marine, J. S. Bartholomew, and Ambrose Faulkner.

About 50 Valparaisoans will go to Chicago Sunday to attend the golden wedding anniversary celebration of George and Josephine Wells, of Valparaiso. The event will be celebrated at the home of their son, Samuel V. Wells. Mr. and Mrs. Wells were married in Valparaiso fifty years ago. They have one son, Joseph, at Battle Creek, Mich.

April 15, 1924

George Sage, of Monticello, Ind., who was ejected from a soap box by a policeman while delivering a speech on behalf of his congressional aspirations in Valparaiso last Saturday has written a comical letter to The Evening Messenger in which he defends his action in criticizing the president and other things.

April 16, 1924

Paul Wiemuth, section foreman for the Grand Trunk Railroad, was killed this afternoon when he was struck by a Grand Trunk passenger train two miles east of Valparaiso. Wiemuth was making a survey of the tracks at the time and evidently did not see the train. Dr. H. O. Seipel, county coroner, conducted an inquest.

April 17, 1924

The $224,000 issue of Burns Ditch bonds may be taken either by Chicago or Indianapolis banks or the issue may be split up among the 50 banks of Lake and Porter Counties, according to A. P. Melton, of Gary, commissioner of the ditch. Mr. Melton offered the bonds for sale in Valparaiso last Saturday, but there were no takers. While the ditch bonds are not a direct obligation of the two counties, they are a first lien on the property affected, valued at many millions of dollars.

Bids for the construction of the new temple for the Valparaiso Lodge of Elks, corner of Lincolnway and Lafayette Street, will be opened tomorrow afternoon. One of the stipulations of the contract calls for the start of the building as soon as material can be placed on the ground, so the building can be in use late this winter.

April 18, 1924

Unknown persons last night broke the dam of the Valparaiso Water Company at the southeast end of Flint Lake and many million gallons of water impounded by the water company authorities, flowed away, according to E. L. Loomis, superintendent of the water company. The timbers of the dam were sawed away, and the dirt dug out. As soon as the break was discovered, workmen for the water company started repair operations. The company has been involved in recent litigation regarding the dam, but this was cleared up when the court dissolved an injunction secured against the company.

The Valparaiso Woman’s Club will be hostess to the 10th District Federated Clubs on April 22, at the Christian church. Sessions will be held morning, afternoon, and evening. Mrs. C. W. Boucher is president of the Valparaiso club.

April 19, 1924

A young man, about seventeen years, thought to have run away from home, was found dead in the bathroom above the New York Pool Hall at 11:30 last night. Heart disease is believed to have been the cause of death. The young man applied to the police station at 10 o’clock for lodging, and the officers sent him to the rooms over the pool hall. Later when the proprietor investigated, he found the youth dead. A bowling card found on his person was issued to Thomas Vanderhepen, of the Detroit Y. M. C. A. He had $1,850 in his pockets.

Valparaiso is to have a good baseball team the coming year, according to Manager Raymond (Deak) Austin. Manager Austin has signed Buck Weaver, former White Sox, as captain and playing manager. Others signed up are Blackburn, c; Andy Gill, 2b; Jimmy Carroll, ss; Buck Weaver, 3b; Steve Kopko, lf; Burbach, rf; Adamson and Knight, pitchers.

April 20, 1924

Walter Krashin, former Valparaiso University student, who has been working with L. D. Sampson in the campaign to raise funds to perpetuate the university, was found dead yesterday in the basement of a building at 4940 Indiana Avenue, Chicago. The body of Krashin, a University of Chicago student, was huddled in a soil-linen closet of Monnett Hall, a girls’ dormitory of the Chicago Methodist Training School. He was lying in a pool of blood. Krashin lived next to Monnett Hall. His Valparaiso address was 701 Union Street.

One hundred and sixty-eight Knights Templars and their wives sat down at noon yesterday in the banquet hall of Hotel Lembke. The knights had attended divine services in a body at the Methodist church in Valparaiso and heard Rev. E. W. Strecker deliver an Easter sermon.

April 21, 1924

Nelson J. Bozarth, Civil War veteran, and for many years a practicing attorney in Valparaiso, died last night at his home of heart trouble. He was born at Rochester, Ind., on July 14, 1849. When he was fourteen, he enlisted in the 138th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Later he enlisted in Company C, 9th Illinois Cavalry. He was wounded in the Battle of Nashville. When fifteen, he received a letter of thanks from President Lincoln for services rendered in the army. He was a graduate of Valparaiso University and the Chicago College of Law.

The Mandarin Club gave one of the best dances last night, attended by 105 couples. The decorations were carried out in Chinese effects. A ten-piece orchestra from Chicago furnished music. The chaperons were Mesdames Glenn J. Goddard, J. D. Stoner, Clarence Wilson, and C. A. Nixon.

April 22, 1924

Mrs. O. M. Pittinger, state president of the Indiana Federated Women’s Clubs, was the main speaker at the Tenth District Convention of Women’s Clubs. The convention went on record as favoring the child labor amendment; selection of immigrants at the port of embarkation; uniform marriage and divorce laws; stressing of law obedience; of law enforcement; of world peace and elimination of “Three Weeks” and other pictures of similar nature.

April 23, 1924

Construction work started today at the Elks’ Lodge on booths to be used in the carnival to be staged by the Elks from May 7 to 10, for the benefit of the Valparaiso University fund to advertise the school. Frank L. Faley, chairman of the committee in charge of the event, said every local merchant is co-operating in making the affair a success.

April 24, 1924

The Valparaiso Kiwanis Club will sponsor an exhibit of Valparaiso-manufactured products in the window of the Meagher Drug Store. Different days will be assigned to each manufacturer. The club recently conducted an exhibit at a banquet held at the Lembke Hotel.

Waggoner’s Indiana Six Orchestra has been selected by the Valparaiso Elks; lodge to provide music for the dancing at the Elks’ Carnival at Elks’ hall May 7 to 10, for the benefit of Valparaiso University.

April 25, 1924

Valparaiso will remain on Central Standard Time this Sunday while Chicago and cities in the Calumet region will go on Daylight Saving Time. Trains on the local railroads and interurban line are preparing to advance their schedules one hour.

Hebron has already started the ball rolling for a Fourth of July celebration. The Hebron Chamber of Commerce is back of the observance.

April 26, 1924

A petition was introduced at last night’s meeting of the Valparaiso City Council for the annexation of a portion of Alpen’s Subdivision in the north part of the city. Action was deferred, however, because of the possibility that a portion of Forest Park may be included in the annexation.

The Foster Lumber & Coal Company, of Valparaiso, was low bidder for the construction of the new lodge building for the Elks’ Lodge when bids were opened yesterday afternoon. The local firm bid $120,969 on the general contract; M. J. Beach & Son were low on the heating, heat control, and ventilating; Valparaiso Plumbing Company was low on the plumbing; and B. L. Carpenter was low on the wiring. The total of all bids was $149,935.

April 27, 1924

Valparaiso Water Company officials are completing the finishing touches on the creation of a lake in the Spectacle Lake water basin which will result in insuring water supply for Valparaiso for years to come. A dam 150 feet long by 60 feet thick has been constructed to hold back the water in the new area, and about 150,000,000 gallons will thus be impounded. Water will be pumped into the new lake during the rainy season, and then pumped back into Flint Lake during the dry season, thus keeping that lake at a proper level year around.

The fine farm home of W. J. Kolan, one and one-half miles northeast of Wheeler, was burned to the ground at 1:15 o’clock this morning, entailing a loss of $30,000. The flames were discovered by Mrs. Kolan, who succeeded in rescuing three children sleeping upstairs. All of the household effects were lost, however. The Kolan family took refuge in the M. L. Mosier home.

April 28, 1924

Sixty-eight will be graduated from the Valparaiso High School at the annual commencement exercises to be held in May, it was announced today. Rev. W. W. Ayer, of the Baptist church, will deliver the baccalaureate sermon, and Harry G. Hill, of Indianapolis, the commencement address.

April 29, 1924

Mrs. Catherine Jones, almost 100 years old and one of the early settlers of Boone Grove, died recently at the home of her grandson, Edgar Jones, in Wanatah. She was born in Wayne County, Ohio, in 1825. She was married to Enoch Jones in 1843, who died in 1888. Of nine children born to them, only Dean K. Jones, of Houston, Texas, survives.

April 30, 1924

Dr. E. A. Winship, editor of the Journal of Education, Boston, Mass., spoke before students at Valparaiso University this morning. Dr. Winship expressed his intense interest in the work of the university in making the school a greater unit in the educational system of the United States. Dr. Winship said that more had been done for the cause of education in the last eight years than in the fifty years preceding.

The Valparaiso High School Board of Education will co-operate with a committee of local citizens in securing the services of a competent physical director to direct playground activities during the vacation period. If the trial proves successful, a move will be made to make the employment of a director the year round.

Looking Back • March 1924

These century-old historical excerpts were selected from the Looking Backward feature of The Vidette-Messenger newspaper, which are part of the PoCo Muse Collection. Originally, these bits of information appeared as larger stories in the pages of the Valparaiso Daily Vidette newspaper.

March 1, 1924

Valparaiso High School was defeated in the sectional tourney at Gary this morning by the Whiting team by a score of 30 to 26. Failure to hit the basket was the cause of the locals’ downfall. In the first game played by Valparaiso, Hobart was defeated 48 to 8. Other scores: Hammond 29, Hebron 8; Boone Grove 18, Chesterton 13; Lowell 33, Kouts 6; Crown Point 40, Miller 8; East Chicago 23, Emerson 21.

Katie Vukovich, Gary woman, convicted of manslaughter in connection with the killing of Andrew Yoko, in Gary several months ago, was released today under $5,000 bond by Judge Harry L. Crumpacker. Harold L. Stiles, of Gary, and Ira C. Tilton, of Valparaiso, attorneys for the Gary woman, secured her release by inducing Gary friends to post bail.

March 2, 1924

Valparaiso University basketball team lost to St. Viator College last night at Kankakee, Ill., by a score of 25 to 17. Three hundred people from Valparaiso attended the game. The defeat put Valpo in second place, with LaCrosse Normal in the lead, St. Viator is third. Columbia fourth, DePaul fifth, and Luther sixth.

Whiting won the sectional basketball tournament held at Gary by defeating Crown Point in the final game, 19 to 17. Whiting defeated East Chicago in the semifinals in an overtime, 30 to 29, while Crown Point won from Hammond, 20 to 13. In the all-tournament selections, Brown, of Valpo, won the center berth, and White in the running guard position.

March 3, 1924

The Porter County Commissioners today took up the matter of improving the Valparaiso-Chesterton Dunes Highway, with county road superintendent Joseph Crowe. Mr. Crowe announced that as soon as the frost left the ground, he would start a large force of men and equipment improving the road.

March 4, 1924

Negotiations for the purchase by the Samuel Insull interests of the Valparaiso Lighting Company, and light and power companies at LaGrange, Elkhart, and Plymouth, from the J. H. Brewer interests became known in Indianapolis yesterday. The deal, which according to reports heard in the financial district is practically completed, involves a total investment of more than $1,500,000 and forms an important link in the chain of public utility properties operated in Chicago and across northern Indiana by the Insull management and control.

March 5, 1924

Mrs. Margaret Lydickson, who owns most of the subdivision of Edgewater on Flint Lake, has sold her hotel and ground surrounding it with two cottages. H. F. Hanson is the new owner and will take possession April 1. Mrs. Lydickson is one of the pioneers of the Flint Lake vicinity.

The Porter County Commissioners yesterday awarded the contract to the Art Metal Company, of New York, for additional steel shelving and cabinet equipment for the Porter County Auditor’s Office at a bid of $724.50.

March 6, 1924

Howard Fishburn and Son have sold the Bakerite Bakery to A. Luebsch, of Chicago. The new proprietor took charge this morning. Mr. Fishburn and Son have been conducting the business for a number of years.

At Holland, Mich., last night, Valparaiso University basketball team defeated Hope College, 22 to 20. The night before, Kalamazoo was defeated by Valparaiso, 28 to 25. Tonight Valparaiso plays the Michigan Aggies at Lansing.

March 7, 1924 

At a meeting of the Valparaiso Lodge of Elks, it was voted to exercise the option for the purchase of the Lyman Dean property next to the lodge building on Lincolnway. Mr. Dean will move his plumbing business to part of the building on East Lincolnway recently acquired by the McMahan Company. The Dean building will be razed, and the space will be used for the new lodge building, which will be three stories high. The two upper floors will be used by the lodge and the lower floor for business firms.

The Michigan Aggies basketball team defeated Valparaiso University last night at Lansing, Mich., by a score of 22 to 12. It was the second defeat of the locals this season. The locals played three games on the trip, winning two.

March 8, 1924

Changes of venue in five murder cases have been granted to Lake County residents to Porter County. They are the cases of Vanetta Garner, William Garner, James Collins, and Steve Stankovich, of Gary, and Ella Hayden of East Chicago. All were indicted by a Lake County grand jury.

March 9, 1924

L. K. Wyckoff, Joseph Heinold and J. A. Warren have received gold medals in the five-acre corn contest. All three men raised more than 100 bushels per acre. Jerome Bartholomew, H.G. Warren, and A. I. Warren received silver medals, and Ralph Turner, L. E. Sutter, and S. I. Warren received bronze medals.

The Bartz Brothers, of Porter County, own the best producing herd cows in the state, according to word received by Porter County Agent A. Z. Arehart, from Purdue University. John Dinse, of Morgan Township, was second among the cow testing associations of the state with his herd, thus giving Porter County first and second places in the ranking.

March 10, 1924

Trial of Eugene T. Funk, Porter County Infirmary Superintendent, on charges of incompetency, was commenced this morning before the Porter County Commissioners. Representing Funk are Attorney Frank B. Parks, of Valparaiso, and Ralph N. Smith, of LaPorte. T. P. Galvin, Bruce Loring, and Prosecutor F. R. Marine are directing the case against Funk. Grant Crumpacker is representing the county attorney. John Brown, secretary of the state board of charities, was the first witness. He told of conditions at the infirmary as seen by him while on an inspection visit.

March 11, 1924

While bringing Ralph Watts, of Valparaiso, from Hobart to Valparaiso, an ambulance driven by Herman Pflughoeft, Hobart undertaker, skidded off the Lincoln Highway, between Ainsworth and Merrillville, and struck a telephone pole. Watts was not injured. Mrs. T. J. Watts, his mother, who was riding with him, suffered injuries to one of her legs. A Gary ambulance was called and brought the Valparaiso people to their home.

March 12, 1924

Eugene T. Funk, Porter County Infirmary Superintendent, on trial before the Porter County Commissioners on charges of incompetency, made slow progress today. Van Dolson Massey, an inmate, testified that Funk beat an inmate with a buggy whip. Three weeks later he died. Massey testified to other conditions at the infirmary including the time he saw Funk intoxicated. Girl inmates of feeble-minded institutions, which were formerly at the infirmary, were not allowed to testify.

Mrs. C. W. Boucher was elected president of the Valparaiso Woman’s Club at the annual election of the club held yesterday. Other officers were Mrs. E. H. Earle, first vice; Mrs. M. S. Campbell, second vice; Mrs. H. B. Kenny, recording secretary; Mrs. Roscoe Gaston, corresponding secretary; Mrs. J. F. Patrick, treasurer; Mrs. C. E. Barret, auditor; Mrs. C. H. DeWitt, federation secretary; Mrs. E. W. Chaffee, Mrs. A. R. Putnam and Mrs. G. W. Vann, directors.

March 13, 1924

Margaret Koensman, 17-year-old girl, created a sensation in Porter Circuit Court yesterday when she testified that Eugene T. Funk, former superintendent of the Porter County Infirmary, on trial for charges of incompetency, chained her at the institution. She ran away on several occasions because of alleged mistreatment, she testified.

The play, “Honor Bright,” was presented at the Premier Theatre last night by members of the Latin Department of Valparaiso University. Miss Edna Agar, local director, coached the principals in the production.

March 14, 1924

The Dean Plumbing Company, which sold its building on West Lincolnway to the Elks’ Lodge as part of the building site for the new lodge building, has acquired property on East Lincolnway of the McMahan Seed Company. Plans have been drawn to make the new location one of the finest plumbing shops in Northern Indiana.

The trial of Eugene T. Funk, Porter County Infirmary Superintendent, on charges of incompetency, was adjourned late this afternoon until March 25. Testimony today included depositions of witnesses who testified that when children were born to women inmates of the institution, Funk attended them as doctor.

March 15, 1924

Insanitary conditions at the Porter County Infirmary and that the superintendent, E. T. Funk, was intoxicated on numerous occasions, was given in testimony by witnesses in the trial of Funk yesterday afternoon before the Porter County Commissioners. Despite the fact that the trial was put on hold until March 25, scores of persons came to the courthouse today to attend the proceedings. They were a disappointed lot when they learned of the postponement.

Miss Thyra Sheffield, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sheffield, east of Valparaiso, is to be featured in “Thank You Madame,” annual play given by the Junior Class of the University of Michigan.

March 16, 1924

Petitions asking that the practice of tuberculin testing of cattle be abolished are being circulated as a result of a rousing meeting held recently at Hurlburt. More than three hundred farmers were in attendance. It is the contention of the protesting farmers that the method of testing has proved injurious to the herds and unjust to the owners.

March 17, 1924

The Merchants’ Bureau of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce and the officers and directors of the Porter County Better Farming Association will hold a joint banquet at the Hotel Lembke Wednesday evening. Prof. G. I. Christie, director of the agricultural extension department of Purdue University, will make the main address.

March 18, 1924

Five Lake County residents, charged with murder, have been brought to the Porter County Jail in Valparaiso, where they will be held pending their trials. The quintet took changes of venue to this county. The defendants are William and Vanetta Garner, James Collins, Ella Hayden, and Steve Stankovich.

March 19, 1924

James M. Sheldon, age 56, for ten years operator of the Hotel Spindler, now site of the Premier Theatre, died last night at his home on West Street. Before coming to Valparaiso, Sheldon operated hotels at Lansing and Niles, Mich. For the last three years, he was engaged in the floral business.

The Foster Lumber and Coal Company was the low bidder on the general contract for the construction of the new school in the first ward when bids were opened last night at the Central school. The local firm’s bid was $61,480.

March 20, 1924

Miss Anna Louise Bushore, age 32, stenographer in the law office of Daniel E. Kelly, and a member of the Porter County Bar, died this morning at Mercy Hospital, Gary, of a heart attack, following an operation for appendicitis. She was president of the Sphinx Club and Daughters of Isabella.

Eugene T. Funk, Porter County Infirmary Superintendent, today denied he is to resign his position. He stated that he is ready to defend his administration when his trial is resumed next Tuesday morning. Complainants against Funk, who is being tried on charges of incompetency, have finished their evidence which has been sensational in every way.

March 21, 1924

Arthur O. J. Kreiger, age 49 years, engaged in the real estate and insurance business in Chesterton, and for several years town clerk and treasurer, died at his home in Chesterton last night of pneumonia. He was organized as one of the Republican leaders in Porter County.

Harold Feltwell, age 17, of Hobart, was killed, and E. W. Porter, 28, of New Chicago, was seriously injured this morning when their automobile milk truck was struck by a Pennsylvania Railroad train at a grade crossing in Wheeler. The body of Feltwell was brought to Valparaiso, while Porter was taken to the Methodist Hospital in Gary.

March 22, 1924

Valparaiso’s first school of citizenship was held yesterday at Recital Hall, Valparaiso University. Addresses were made by Prof. S. C. Hoover, Prof. E. W. Agar, Dr. H. M. Evans, and Prof. F. H. Guild, the latter of Indiana University.

E. W. Porter, of New Chicago, injured in an auto-train crash near Wheeler yesterday, which claimed the life of Harold Feltwell, died last night in the Methodist Hospital, Gary, where he was taken following the accident. Coroner H. O. Seipel will conduct an inquest in the case Wednesday.

March 23, 1924

The Michigan City, Chesterton, Valparaiso, and Hebron bus was not allowed to operate on the Valparaiso-Chesterton Road today, being ordered off that road by Porter County Road Superintendent Joe Crowe because of its weight. The bus, however, was operated between Michigan City, Valparaiso, and Hebron, but had to miss Chesterton. The road from Valparaiso to Hebron is a state highway, and from Valparaiso to Westville a state highway, the rest of the way to Michigan City being over a LaPorte County highway.

Porter County Democrats met Saturday afternoon at Armory Hall in Valparaiso and nominated a county ticket for the coming election. Porter County Treasurer William O. McGinley will be a candidate for re-election; William Black, at present a member of the Valparaiso Police Department, will run for sheriff; Ira C. Tilton will contest for prosecutor, and William Domke and Isaac Jones will be candidates for Porter County Commissioner of the center and south districts, respectively. E. M. Passow was elected chairman; Mrs. Raymond Sherburne, vice-chairman, and Charles Quinn, of Porter Township, secretary, of the county organization.

March 24, 1924

Eugene T. Funk, Porter County Infirmary Superintendent, took the witness stand today in the hearing being held before the Porter County Commissioners on charges filed against him of incompetency and denied the numerous charges hurled against him by scores of witnesses. He was questioned by his attorneys, Ralph N. Smith and Frank B. Parks. Funk denied that he had even beaten Funston, an inmate, or that he had been intoxicated.

March 25, 1924

Five candidates have already filed for the Republican nomination for prosecutor of Porter County at the May primary. Those filed are J. S. Bartholomew, F. Ray Marine, C. D. Wood, W. W. Bozarth, and A. C. Faulkner.

March 26, 1924

The Foster Lumber & Coal Company, of Valparaiso, was awarded the general contract on the new first ward school building at its bid of $58,120 by the city school board at a special session Friday night. The Valparaiso Plumbing Company was given the heating; M. J. Beach & Son, the plumbing; the Powers Regulating Company, Chicago, the heat regulation; and the Van Ness Electric Company the electric wiring. The total contract figures $75,246.

A jury to try three Gary residents for murder was selected today in circuit court. Dwight Kinder, Lake County prosecutor, is handling the state’s case, and Attorneys McLaughlin and Hueston, of Gary, represent the defendants, William and Vanetta Garner, and James Collins, all charged with the slaying of William Rucker.

March 27, 1924

A building boom has hit Valparaiso. The new building, just completed by John Sievers for the home of the new Rexall Drug Store, will be opened on Saturday. Buildings to be built this summer in the city include the new $75,000 first ward school, the Valparaiso National Bank building, and the Valparaiso Lodge of Elks building. Work is now proceeding on the rebuilding of the Saran Apartments damaged by fire recently.

Eugene T. Funk, Porter County Infirmary Superintendent, on trial in the county commissioners’ court on charges of incompetency, placed a large number of character witnesses on the stand this morning. Among those who testified were Chris Bornholt, John Carlson, Fred Billideau, William Arnold, Harry Beltzhoover, and Charles Mann.

March 28, 1924

The district convention of undertakers was held yesterday afternoon and evening at Hotel Lembke with 55 members in attendance. Talks were made by E. J. Ragsdale, of Indianapolis, and Floyd Williamson, of Gary, president of the district association. At 6:30 o’clock, a banquet was served with Attorney T. P. Galvin as toastmaster. Talks were given by E. D. Hodges, chamber of commerce president; Valparaiso Mayor E. W. Agar, Rev. C. E. Burns, Wallace Sutter, chamber of commerce manager, and Joseph Kosiar, of Michigan City.

Closing arguments by attorneys in the trial of Eugene T. Funk, Porter County Infirmary Superintendent, were made today before the county commissioners. Attorneys Bruce B. Loring, F. Ray Marine, and T. P. Galvin made the pleas for the petitioners asking the removal of Funk, while Attorneys Ralph N. Smith and Frank B. Parks argued in defense of the infirmary head.

March 29, 1924

The new Rexall Drug Store opened for business in the new building on East Lincolnway in Valparaiso recently built by the Sievers Drug Company. John Sievers, senior member of the firm, started his mercantile career in 1900 when he formed a partnership with A. F. Heineman. In 1921, Mr. Sievers purchased the interest of his partner. The building occupied by the firm on South Washington Street will be operated until the expiration of the lease, which runs for two years.

The studio of M. M. Mudge, located in the new Sievers’ building on East Lincolnway in Valparaiso, was opened to the public Saturday. Hundreds of persons called at the new place during the day and night and souvenirs were given to all. The studio is one of the finest in northern Indiana.

March 30, 1924

Valparaiso and Porter County were storm swept Saturday evening and continued over into Sunday morning. Several inches of snow fell, and in the Hebron and Boone Grove vicinity, the storm assumed the aspects of a cyclone. Flint Lake is reported at its highest stage in years.

Donald McDonald, who tried to kidnap Valparaiso Policeman Robert Bryarly by driving with him to the rural section after the officer had climbed on the running board of McDonald’s machine in an attempt to stop him, was fined in Justice G. E. Bornholt’s court on a number of counts, including intoxication, resisting an officer, and receiving liquor from a common carrier. McDonald refused to stop when Bryarly hailed him and told him to drive to the station. “Station H—!” McDonald is credited with saying. “We are going to the country, where I am going to kill you.” Bryarly’s plight was discovered by Policeman William Black, who gave chase in another car, overtaking McDonald.

March 31, 1924

Officers of the Porter County Farm Bureau from every township in Porter County met at the county agent’s office here last night to hear M. J. Briggs, of Macy, Ind., talk on the wheat pool. Practically every wheat producer signed up to pool his wheat. Tonight Mr. Briggs will talk at Morgan Township, and Wednesday night at Wheeler.

Paul Nuppnau, Sr., who has been serving as cashier of the State Bank of Valparaiso since March 1, 1899, was honored last night at a dinner given at Hotel Lembke by directors of the bank, marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of Mr. Nuppnau’s occupancy of the cashier’s job. Cashiers preceding Mr. Nuppnau were J. Hanford Skinner, John Stoner, and Leslie R. Skinner.

Looking Back • February 1924

These century-old historical excerpts were selected from the Looking Backward feature of The Vidette-Messenger newspaper, which are part of the PoCo Muse Collection. Originally, these bits of information appeared as larger stories in the pages of Valparaiso’s Evening Messenger and Valparaiso Daily Vidette newspaper publications.

February 1, 1924

The Saran apartment building near the corner of Napoleon and Lincolnway was badly damaged by fire shortly after noon today, resulting in a loss of many thousand dollars. The following families resided in the structure: Mark Palmer, Peter J. Horn, C. H. Parker, A. O. Bondy, Harry Conklin, and M. Filgiano. The fire started in a paper chute at the rear of the building. The building was constructed five years ago by Peter J. Horn, Louis, Gast and Joseph Henderlong. The building was badly gutted.

Robert Nelson, who has been a member of the Valparaiso City Police force for more than a year, handed in his resignation to Chief Charles Cook, effective last night. No one has been selected for the vacancy.

The poultry school held at Kouts was brought to a close last evening after a two-day session. There was a large attendance and exceptional interest shown in the meetings. Pleasant Township poultry raisers started a movement at the school to have a poultry show, with a possible short course in connection. The show will be held in Valparaiso and will be for the entire county.

February 2, 1924

Louis Gast, one of the owners of the Saran Apartment building, badly damaged by fire yesterday in Valparaiso, stated today that the building would be rebuilt at a cost of between $35,000 and $40,000. There was $22,500 insurance carried on the building. All of the occupants of the building had insurance except two, Messrs. Horn and Filgiano.

The Valparaiso High School Basketball team won two games at Lowell last night on the skating rink floor of the Lowell team. The first team won 27 to 17, and the second team 18 to 7.

February 3, 1924

Valparaiso High School defeated the strong Froebel High School team of Gary at University Gym last night by a score of 34 to 31. Valpo had defeated Froebel in a former game 30 to 20 but had to work hard to win last night. George Douglas, forward, scored six baskets and two free throws for Valpo. Pollizzotto led Froebel’s attack with seven baskets and two free throws.

“Eugene T. Funk has the right to meet his accusers face to face. The Porter County Commissioners have no right to discharge him until he has been proven guilty. To discharge him on the report returned by the grand jury would mean that Mr. Funk would be defamed. The fact that the grand jury returned such a report does not mean that he is guilty of the charges embodied in the report.” This was the information imparted this morning by Porter County Attorney Grant Crumpacker to several men and women who appeared at a session of the county commissioners and demanded Funk’s resignation as county infirmary superintendent. Petitions bearing several hundred signatures were presented to the board.

February 4, 1924

The Porter County Board of Commissioners have announced that it will sift to the bottom charges that have been preferred against Superintendent E.T. Funk, of the Porter County Infirmary, and have signified their intention to appoint an attorney to represent the persons who are presenting petitions, asking for Funk’s removal.

February 5, 1924

Electric and telephone lines in and out of Valparaiso were down today due to a severe sleet storm which struck last night. All over the city trees were broken down. Lincoln Highway was completely blocked with fallen telephone poles and trees. Patrons who attended the show at Premier Theatre, “The Light that Failed,” saw a real light failure.

February 6, 1924

The Porter County Commissioners have overruled the remonstrance of T. B. Louderback and 344 others, against the petition of the St. Clair Road. The remonstrators objected to the alleged inefficiency of the petition for the road, which is in Center Township. Ira Biggs, Liberty Township, and Phillip Miller, of Jackson Township, together with Porter County Surveyor Floyd McNiece, have been appointed viewers to report on the utility of the proposed road.

The Lewis E. Myers & Company suspended operations yesterday afternoon during the hour of the funeral services for Woodrow Wilson as a mark of respect for the President of the United States. Frank Marimon delivered a eulogy on the life of President Wilson.

February 7, 1924 

Immanuel Lutheran Church, of Valparaiso, is to be the first church in this part of Indiana to be equipped with a broadcasting station. The local church has been granted permission by the Commissioner of Navigation at Washington, D.C., to erect a station. Erection of the station will begin at once and completion will be inside of six weeks. The committee in charge comprises Herman Sievers, George Wyman, A. Z. Arehart, and Gerherd Schutes. Engineers at Dodge School of Telegraphy and Wireless will supervise the work.

Brunk Zitko, indicted by a grand jury on a charge of assault with intent to kill Deputy Sheriff W. B. Forney during a liquor raid in Portage Township on Aug. 28 last, entered a plea of guilty in circuit court this afternoon and was sentenced by Judge H. H. Loring to serve 2 to 14 years in prison.

February 8, 1924

General incompetency will be the charge upon which scores of local men and women hope to remove from office, Eugene T. Funk, superintendent of the Porter County Infirmary. Hearing on the charge has been scheduled for next Tuesday in the Porter County Commissioners room at the courthouse. Prosecutor Field Ray Marine, acting in his official capacity, will appear on behalf of the petitioners. A recent grand jury recommended the superintendent’s removal.

Valparaiso High defeated East Chicago High in a fast basketball game at University Gym. The score was 35 to 27. The Douglas twins, Brown, and Shurr starred for Valpo, and Benich, Spudic, and Matthews were best for East Chicago.

February 9, 1924

Residents on Campbell Street appeared before the Valparaiso City Council last night to remonstrance against the proposed widening of the street under a petition recently presented to the council. The council took no action on the remonstrance because there was nothing to remonstrate against, as the original petition had been referred to the city’s planning commission. The latter body had recommended to the council that it would recommend the complete widening of the street. This would require a new petition. The cost of the widening project is placed at $30,000.

Mrs. Katie Yukowitz, of Gary, was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury in Porter Superior Court last night. She was charged with killing Andrew Yuko, whom she was alleged to have shot in self-defense. Her punishment under the conviction will be from 2 to 14 years in prison.

February 10, 1924

Vernon Passwater, fireman, and Arthur G. Hepner, head brakeman, met accidental death in the Nickel Plate locomotive explosion at the local depot on Jan. 9, according to the verdict of Coroner H. O. Seipel rendered today. Engineer R. S. Shearer, only survivor in the engine cab at the time of the explosion, testified he took charge of the engine at Knox, and from Knox on to Valparaiso he had trouble trying to make the engine steam. While the evidence did not show it, it is believed that low water in the boiler was the cause of the blast.

All day Sunday linemen were working over Porter County repairing telephone and telegraph wires broken down by the recent sleet storm. The Western Union, the Postal, Bell Telephone and Northwestern Indiana Telephone Companies all had gangs at work, and some of the highways presented a busy sight. Great strings of lines were down for miles and poles snapped off. It will be some time before complete service is restored.

February 11, 1924

Valparaiso University’s basketball team defeated Luther College at Decorah, Iowa, 14 to 11. Valpo plays Columbia at Dubuque tomorrow, and Dubuque University the night after.

February 12, 1924

No hearing was held today in celebrated action against Eugene Funk, in which local petitioners ask that he be removed as superintendent of the Porter County Infirmary. It has been announced that the hearing was to have been held today. It was learned today that Bruce B. Loring and T. P. Galvin have been employed to assist Prosecutor F. R. Marine, in presenting the case against Mr. Funk. No charges have been preferred against Funk, but attorneys stated that by Friday of this week specific charges would be filed. It is expected a hearing of the case will be held within the next two weeks. It will require a week or ten days, it is believed.

February 13, 1924

Valparaiso University’s basketball team defeated Columbia College at Dubuque last night, 33 to 31. Beanie Harris, star forward of the locals, caged seven baskets. Walter Hiltpold, back guard of the Valparaiso team, played a fine game, and caged three long shots.

Ted Bullock, of Valparaiso, has signed a thirty-week contract with the Henry Santry Orchestra now playing vaudeville at the Palace Theatre, Chicago. When Mr. Santry and his musicians were at Terre Haute recently, he heard Mr. Bullock play, and offered him a position in his orchestra. The Santry Orchestra is one of the best in the country.

February 14, 1924

Judge H. H. Loring, in Porter Circuit Court yesterday, enjoined Chris Economus from engaging in the restaurant business in Valparaiso until an expiration of an agreement made by him with Thomas Michaels, proprietor of the DeLuxe restaurant, when the latter purchased Economus’ interest in the business. Economus will go to Chicago to engage in business.

Valparaiso University’s basketball team defeated Dubuque University last night by a score of 28 to 23, making their third-straight win in as many days. Tonight, the locals play Campion College.

February 15, 1924

The charges embodied in the recent Porter Circuit Court Grand Jury report, in which his character and general fitness to hold office were attacked, will be used as the basis for his removal as superintendent of the Porter County Infirmary. This was divulged at a meeting of the county board when attorneys for the petitioners, Prosecutor Marine, B. B. Loring, and T. P. Galvin appeared before the board and announced their intention to file the grand jury report. Porter County Attorney Grant Crumpacker informed them that a certified copy of the report would have to be filed.

Midst the blaring of trumpets and the beating of drums, members of the victorious Valparaiso University basketball team alighted from a Pennsylvania train at 3 o’clock this afternoon following a trip in which they won every game. A procession of students, headed by President H. M. Evans, marched to the train to welcome the victors home.

February 16, 1924

A romance that had its inception at the Christian Hospital was culminated this afternoon with the marriage of Mrs. Jewell Hembroff Rumney and Charles Reagan by Rev. E.J. Mungovan at the parish house of St. Paul Catholic Church. Ms. Rumney and Mr. Reagan had been acquainted since childhood, but it was not until Mr. Reagan was injured recently at Wanatah in an auto-train accident and was brought to Christian Hospital that the romance began to blossom.

Otto Boettcher, who was picked up on the streets of Valparaiso last Christmas Eve, hungry and forlorn, with his violin as his only earthly possession, and was taken in by Rev. George F. Schutes, Immanuel Lutheran church pastor, has reached his home in Germany after an exciting experience, according to word received here. Reaching New York, where he expected to find relatives to assist him, he found them destitute. He reached Germany as a stowaway, and reported that conditions are bad, and he expects to return to this country in July.

February 17, 1924

Mr. and Mrs. David Brough, prominent Boone Township residents, were drowned Saturday afternoon when their automobile skidded off the road near the John Dick home, in Porter Township, and fell into the icy waters of a creek. Mr. and Mrs. Brough were both killed instantly. Benjamin Brough, their 13-year-old son, was saved by John Dick and Brice Lantz. The Broughs were on their way to Valparaiso at the time.

Temporary removal of Eugene T. Funk as superintendent of the Porter County Infirmary, pending investigation and hearing of the charge of incompetency against him, was recommended by Prosecutor F. R. Marine in a bill filed with the Porter County Commissioners this morning. The prosecutor avers that the superintendent, by virtue of his position, has a control and influence over the inmates who are to act as witnesses in the case and, through this influence, their testimony.

February 18, 1924

George Chalabias, Portage Township bootlegger, was charged with shooting Deputy Sheriff W. B. Forney in a raid on a booze stronghold in Portage Township last August. Forney was wounded in the head, the bullet plowing a furrow through his skull. Prosecutor Field Ray Marine and Frank B. Parks represented the state.

February 19, 1924

Louis Gast announced today that the work of rebuilding the Saran Apartments in Valparaiso would start tomorrow, and the building would be placed in modern fire-proof condition. Mr. Gast returned last night from Indianapolis where the plans were approved by the state industrial board and state inspection board.

February 20, 1924

A new chamber of commerce was organized in Porter Monday evening. A committee of the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce, consisting of Walter K. Greenbaum, Thomas P. Greenebaum, Thomas P. Donnelly, and E. G. Richter assisted in the organization of the chamber.

Negotiations are under way to secure Knute Rockne, famous Notre Dame football coach, and Walter Eckersall, famous football referee and writer, to officiate at the athletic night of Valparaiso University at the Premier Theatre on Feb. 27. A trophy will be presented to the football team.

February 21, 1924

Valparaiso University defeated Adrian College at basketball last night in University Gym by a score of 35 to 33. The half ended 18 to 9 in favor of Valparaiso. Beanie Harris, star forward, suffered an ankle injury and had to be removed from the game. He will be laid up for several days.

The Sphinx Club held its fourth annual banquet last night at the Meg Shop at 13 ½ Washington Street in Valparaiso. Miss Marie Harrington acted as toastmistress. Seven members of the club orated, and their subjects were so arranged by Magdalene Gast as to spell the word Caravan, the club paper. Those who spoke were Myra Dolch, Mary Gast, Gretchen Smith, Doris Hodges, Frances Tilton, Esther Lindholm, and Jessie Reynolds.

February 22, 1924

Trial of Eugene T. Funk, county infirmary superintendent, on charges of incompetency, has been set down by the county commissioners for March 11. A formal complaint against Funk was filed today by the petitioners who are represented by Attorneys Bruce B. Loring, Galvin and Galvin, of Hammond, and Prosecuting Attorney Field Ray Marine. Frank S. Parks is defending Funk.

The Valparaiso City Board of Education today ordered the advertising for bids for the construction of a new grade building in the First Ward. It is the purpose of the board to push the matter of building as rapidly as possible. The new building is expected to be ready for the opening in the fall.

February 23, 1924

The Valparaiso City Council at its regular meeting last night received a petition signed by 150 persons asking that Campbell Street, from the Pennsylvania station to the Chicago Mica Company, be opened with a viaduct under the Pennsylvania Railroad. The petition was referred to the city planning commission.

Valparaiso High School defeated the Lowell High School basketeers at University Gym last night, 52 to 17. George Douglas, Valpo forward, caged nine baskets. The Valpo seconds lost to the Lowell seconds by a score of 23 to 17.

February 24, 1924

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Grimm and baby, of Wolf’s Corners, narrowly escaped death early this morning when their home was destroyed by fire. The baby coughing awakened Mrs. Grimm. When she awakened her husband, and the latter opened a door leading into another room, a sheet of flame confronted him. Mr. Grimm assisted his wife and child to escape by a bedroom window and then turned in an alarm. The home was completely destroyed.

February 25, 1924

The Tri Kappa Sorority entertained the Northern Indiana Chapter at the 11th annual luncheon Saturday at 10 o’clock at Hotel Lembke. About sixty were present. President Marie Timmons Windle welcomed the visiting members. Mrs. C. W. Boucher gave a fine talk. A pianologue and song was given by Miss Marian Nuppnau and Frank Wilson sang a group of three songs. The afternoon was spent in a social way.

February 26, 1924

The Indiana State Highway Commission will receive bids on March 18 for the hard surfacing of Lincoln Highway, east of Valparaiso, from that point where the hard surface now ends, to the LaPorte County line. The commission will also receive bids at the same time for the hard surfacing of the strip on the Dunes Highway, at Baillytown, which is the only gap in the Dunes Highway not fully concreted.

Valparaiso University will observe University Football Championship Night on Wednesday at the Premier Theatre. Robert L. Myers, basketball coach at Center College, and a friend of Coach Shadoan, will present the championship cup to the local team. Knute Rockne, of Notre Dame, and Walter Eckersall, extended invitations to attend, were unable to be present because of business engagements.

February 27, 1924

John LaBorn, age 65, a trackman for the Michigan Central Railroad, was found in his shanty at Porter about 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon murdered, with two bullet wounds in his head. He has been dead for two or three days. LaBorn did not show up for work Monday, but it was believed he was not feeling good. Tuesday afternoon, James Davy, section foreman went to LaBorn’s shack and found him sitting in a chair, dead. It is believed he was slain for his money. At one time LaBorn was said to have been worth $70,000 but lost in business deals. The robbers overlooked $236 which was found in a wood box.

Valparaiso University defeated Columbia College last night at University Gym by a score of 26 to 21. To date, the locals have not lost a game.

February 28, 1924

Valparaiso paid homage last night to Valparaiso University’s champion football team in exercises held at the Premier Theatre. A cup, sweaters, and letters were presented to the victorious members of the team which won the Western Interstate Conference Championship. Talks were made by M. J. Bowman, Jr., Coach Bill Shadoan, Rev. Father E. J. Mungovan, Rev. C. E. Burns, and Dr. H. M. Evans. Robert L. Myers, Center College coach, was guest of honor.

Grace Ball McFetrich, one of the pioneer residents of Valparaiso, died at her home in Pioneer Flats last evening. Her husband, James R. McFetrich, who died in 1912, founded the McFetrich Lumber & Coal Company.

Looking Back • January 1924

These century-old historical excerpts were selected from the Looking Backward feature of The Vidette-Messenger newspaper, which are part of the PoCo Muse Collection. Originally, these bits of information appeared as larger stories in the pages of Valparaiso’s Evening Messenger and Valparaiso Daily Vidette newspaper publications.

January 1, 1924

Building operations in Valparaiso for 1923 totaled half-a-million dollars, according to reliable estimates. Sixty-nine permits were issued by the Valparaiso City Clerk’s office, aggregating $175,000. Included in the lot were fifteen residence buildings, besides a number of business buildings, garage, and remodeled homes. The two Sievers buildings on East Lincolnway, the Valparaiso National Bank building, McGill Manufacturing Company building, and a number of others are not included in the clerk’s records.

January 2, 1924

Construction of a hard-surfaced road from Fort Wayne to Valparaiso over the Yellowstone Trail is definitely included in the 1924 program of the state highway commission, according to word received from Indianapolis. It is said that part of the route will be placed under contract next month.

January 3, 1924

The case against Prosecutor F. R. Marine, Attorney Oliver Loomis, and Constable Charles Adams, instituted last September by George W. Pfiel, proprietor of a dance pavilion at Burrows Camp on the Kankakee River, was dismissed in Porter Circuit Court for want of prosecution. The defendants were represented by Attorneys D. E. Kelly, T. P. Galvin, and Ira C. Tilton. Pfiel, in his complaint for $5,000 in damages, filed by P. J. Bailey, his attorney, alleged that the search warrant under which the raid was conducted was procured by Adams under false misrepresentation; that the prosecutor knew the dance hall did not contain stills of liquor, and that Attorney Loomis went to the hall armed with revolvers.

January 4, 1924

Announcement was made today that further activity in the Indiana Dunes State Park project in north Porter County would be apparent soon by the Dunes Park Committee of the Indiana Society of Chicago. Richard Lieber, of the state department of conservation, has returned from Chicago where he said a movement is on foot to raise money to purchase 2,000 acres of the dune land for a park. The 1923 state legislature provided a tax levy that will provide $1M for the project and the Chicago Prairie Club has promised that a like sum will be raised in Chicago by wealthy residents.

January 5, 1924

Herman F. Heimberg, one of the best-known residents of south Porter County, died this morning at his home in Kouts. Mr. Heimberg was born in Germany in 1873 and came to Porter County when two years of age. He taught in the parochial school at Addison, Ill. Later he went to South Bend where he taught school and served as organist and choir leader for fourteen years. From South Bend he went to Kouts. He was prominent in farm bureau work.

January 6, 1924

Porter County received the sum of $17,854 in the state apportionment of school funds for January. The county has a total enumeration of 5,711, and the distribution is made on the basis of $3.12 per capita. A total of $2.53M was distributed in the state.

The marriage of Miss Rose Deegan, of Valparaiso, and Edward Mahon, of Detroit, Mich., was solemnized this morning at St. Paul’s Chapel, with Rev. Father E. J. Mungovan officiating. A wedding breakfast followed at the home of the bride’s father, Thomas Deegan. The bride has been connected with the Hudson Department Store at Detroit. Mr. Mahon is a lumber and building contractor in Detroit.

January 7, 1924

Valparaiso University defeated the Gary Masons at University Gym Saturday night by a score of 35 to 7. H. H. “Beanie” Harris, of the locals, caged eight baskets. Coach Shadoan’s team displayed a fine passing game.

January 8, 1924

The Circuit Court Room, the largest single room in the Porter County Courthouse, is undergoing a cleaning process at the hands of Swan Nilson and a force of men. The walls have accumulated a fine covering of soot and grime since the last decorating and renovation is badly needed.

January 9, 1924

Two heavy rains visited Valparaiso Saturday and Sunday nights and a total of three inches of rain was recorded. The rain was accompanied by a tornado-like wind in some sections of the county. The level of Flint Lake was raised 5 ½ inches. This will necessitate pumping some of the water from Flint to Loomis Lake in compliance with a recent court order fixing the level of the lake.

The Frank W. Lesch Cut Glass Factory on South Franklin Street in Valparaiso was damaged by fire early Sunday morning and will be closed down for several weeks while repairs are being made. The fire started in the basement and was confined to that part of the building. Two pumpers placed four streams of water on the fire and succeeded in keeping the damage down to a minimum.

January 10, 1924

Two men were killed at 6:28 o’clock last night when a Nickel Plate freight locomotive exploded in front of the Nickel Plate Depot. The dead are: A. G. Heffner, 23, fireman, Stony Island, Ill.; W. Passwater, 25, Fort Wayne; R. O. Shearer, 34, engineer, Stony Island, Ill., was critically injured. The freight train, piloted by Shearer, was westbound. Carroll White, telegraph operator, was preparing to hand a message to Shearer when the blast occurred. He ran to the rear of the building just before a couple of freight cars crashed into it. Sparks from the engine set fire to the nearby buildings.

Walter S. Bush yesterday sold the Lincoln Theatre on South Franklin Street in Valparaiso, which he has owned and operated for the last two years, to Charles Bailey, of Kalamazoo, Mich. Mr. Bailey formerly owned the business and sold it to Mr. Bush.

January 11, 1924

Two federal inspectors, representing the Interstate Commerce Commission, with one state safety inspector, were here today and made a preliminary examination of the boiler of the Nickel Plate engine, which exploded on the station grounds Wednesday night, causing the death of two trainmen, and serious injury to another. The federal inspectors refused to make any comment on what they found, but instructed the Nickel Plate to load the boiler, and take it to the shops and yards at Stony Island, where a scientific examination will be made to determine the cause of the accident. R. O. Shearer, the engineer, who was seriously hurt in the blast, was reported to have improved considerably at the Christian Hospital.

Cattle belonging to the Horns Brothers, housed in three cars on the Nickel Plate Railroad, which were located within a short distance of the scene of the engine blast Wednesday night, were unhurt. The cattle were to be shipped to Chicago having been in cars in the afternoon.

January 12, 1924

More than two hundred and fifty employees of the McGill Manufacturing Company, members of their families and friends, attended a housewarming Saturday night. The affair was held in the new building recently constructed by the company on North Campbell Street in Valparaiso. Dancing and card playing were the diversions.

Valparaiso University’s crack basketball team and the Valparaiso High School quintette were both victorious at Rensselaer Saturday night. The university defeated a team composed of DePaul University stars from Chicago, 20 to 18, and the high school won over Rensselaer by a count of 30 to 13.

January 13, 1924

Louis Gast came home today from Chicago where he had been in the interests of the Milk Producers Association. He reports that the organization has been active in sending out detectives to localities where milk is being shipped to Chicago, and that these detectives reported the milk received was very insanitary, and the matter has been taken up with the Chicago Board of Health today. The International Harvester says Mr. Gast gave a donation of $1,000 to help with the work, as did Montgomery, Ward & Company, and Sears, Roebuck & Company.

Two men were placed under arrest yesterday by Sheriff William Pennington, Deputy Sheriff Forney, and Deputy Sheriff Jerry Lafrentz for being involved in the shooting of Deputy Sheriff W. B. Forney in a liquor raid in Portage Township some time ago. The two men are George Chalabis and Nick Kwiatneski. They were apprehended in Gary. Brunk, Zitko, and the other members of the gang, now in custody, have admitted firing the shot which struck Forney in the head, cutting a furrow in his skull.

January 14, 1924

Quinton Cameron, of Gary, was found not guilty by a jury in Porter Circuit Court last night of the slaying of Henry Wells, also of Gary. It was charged that Cameron shot Wells when the latter went to Cameron’s room to inquire about his wife. Attorney Frank B. Parks, for Cameron, charged that Wells went to Cameron’s room and threatened to kill him.

January 15, 1924

Stamp sales at the Valparaiso Post Office during 1923 totaled $93,104.17, as compared with $76,963.89 in 1922. In 1914, the sales were $36,078.99. Money order business at the post office during the year amounted to $1M.

January 16, 1924

Valparaiso University’s victorious basketball team copped the honors from the International “Y” champions in a thrilling overtime battle, 24 to 21. “Beanie” Harris starred in the first half with five field goals. Anderson, Cadwallader, Scott, and Hiltpold, besides Harris, comprised the lineup.

The Valparaiso City Council, in a special meeting last night, re-employed Chief of Police Charles Cook and all members of the police force. A salary ordinance was adopted fixing the salaries in the same amounts as received last year.

January 17, 1924

Valparaiso University’s basketball team defeated Wesleyan College at Winchester, Ky., last night by a score of 38 to 21. Valparaiso will play Center College at Danville tonight.

In one of the most spirited elections held for the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce in many a year, six new directors were named as follows: E. J. Freund, for civic group; W. J. Morris, L. E. Meyers, and Byron Smith, industrial group, and Fred Moltz and B. L. Brenner, mercantile group. A total of 204 ballots were cast.

January 18, 1924

The building, owned by the Elks’ Lodge on West Lincolnway, occupied on the first floor by the David Poncher Shoe and Repair Shop and W. L. Stoddard Saloon, and upper floors by the Valparaiso Board of Education for overflow school purposes, was destroyed by fire early this morning. Night Clerk J. E. Harding, of the Hotel Lembke, discovered the blaze at 2:30 a.m. Four lines of hose played on the structure for four hours. The loss will be in the neighborhood of $40,000. Poncher’s loss was $1,300 and Stoddard’s was $1,500. School children of the fourth and fifth grades lost their schoolbooks and other articles.

Russell Seymour, for the boys, and Maycel Orwig, for the girls, were awarded first prizes in the annual oratorical contest of the Valparaiso High School held last evening at the high school auditorium. Others taking part were Carolyn Lytle, Mary Ellen Sheley, Avis Worstell, Harold Pulver, Byron Wright, Wayne Zerber, and Martin Wheeler.

January 19, 1924

Before a crowd of 1,500 basketball fans at Danville, Ky., last night, Coach Shadoan’s Valparaiso University basketball team conquered Center College by a score of 33 to 27 in a very exciting game. The Danville Chamber of Commerce banqueted the Valparaiso team after the game. Valparaiso plays Eastern Kentucky State Normal tonight.

Valparaiso High School basketball team defeated Plymouth High at University Gym by a score of 37 to 29. The two teams were tied at half time, 16 all. Valpo caged nine baskets to Plymouth’s three in the second half to clinch victory. The Valpo High School seconds defeated Chesterton by a count of 22 to 10. Coach Joe Brown used three teams against the north county boys.

January 20, 1924

The Nokomis Restaurant on College Hill was badly damaged by fire this morning. The blaze was discovered in the upper part of the structure. Firemen prevented the flames from spreading to adjoining buildings. The rear part of the building, and the Tokio Tea Room on the second floor, were damaged. This is the second time within a year that the building has been damaged by fire. The first blaze completely destroyed the building. L. Brown is owner of the Nokomis Restaurant.

The Casbon sisters, who have a delicatessen on East Erie Street in Valparaiso, have purchased the Wise property, corner Franklin and Chicago, formerly occupied by the Longshore grocery. The new place will be occupied as a delicatessen. The Erie Street business will also be continued.

January 21, 1924

A Chesapeake & Ohio manifest freight train, east bound, was wrecked about 5 o’clock this morning between Beatrice and Merrillville, when the locomotive struck a broken rail. Eleven freight cars piled up on the track, spilling flour and various kinds of freight along the right-of-way. No one was injured.

January 22, 1924

F. H. Hurt, of Indianapolis, state sanitary inspector, is in Porter County making an inspection of the premises where bovine tuberculosis has been found in livestock. Hurt will make recommendations as to how to rid the place of infection. Fourteen counties in the state are operating on the T.B.-free area plan.

January 23, 1924

The Sager property, including the lake, mill, grounds and so forth, excepting the residence property of the family, has been leased to Frank L. Hume, of Chicago. The lease is for a period of ten years and involves an annual payment of 8% of $64,000. The lessees are given the right to sublet the mill rights. It is understood that Hume and his associates intend to erect a modern sanitarium on the site.

Engineer Shearer, of the Nickel Plate freight train, whose engine exploded in local yards, is improving steadily at the Christian Hospital in Valparaiso and it is believed he will be able to leave the hospital within another week. The fireman and head brakeman who were riding in the cab with him were both killed.

January 24, 1924

E. D. Hodges was unanimously re-elected president of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce at a meeting of directors held at the Hotel Lembke. W. J. Morris was named vice-president of the industrial group; Fred Moltz, vice-president of the mercantile group, and E. L. Loomis, vice-president of civic group. Edmond J. Freund was elected secretary, and T. L. Applegate, treasurer. Mr. Freund is serving his 13th year as director.

The Porter County Bankers’ Association held a meeting and banquet last evening at Hotel Lembke, with 35 in attendance. Gordon Wilson, comptroller of the National Bank of the Republic, Chicago, spoke on “The Modern Trend of Banking.”

January 25, 1924

The Valparaiso University Basketball team defeated the City College team of Detroit, Mich., Saturday night at University Gym by a score of 32 to 17. A large crowd saw the game. Following the game, a banquet was served at Hotel Lembke for the team by the Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs. Louis Applegate presided as toastmaster, and toasts were given by Rev. C. E. Burns, Dr. H. M. Evans and Dr. G. R. Douglas.

The Valparaiso High School Basketball team lost to Warsaw High School at Warsaw Saturday night, 36 to 35. Valparaiso led at half time by a count of 27 to 18. A total of 18 fouls were called on Valparaiso. George Douglas was ejected from the game and his removal weakened the locals.

January 26, 1924

A large number of mules, owned by P. T. Clifford, got out of their lot, and wandered on the Nickel Plate tracks. A train ran into the animals, killing four of them. The animals were used by Mr. Clifford in construction work. The accident occurred west of Valparaiso, near where the Grand Trunk and Nickel Plate Railroads cross.

A charter was granted Saturday to Lewis E. Myers & Company Ltd., by the provincial Government of Ontario, at Toronto. The new company is a private company with a capital of $100,000. Lewis E. Myers is president and treasurer; Charles Eveleth, managing director; Floyd L. Dorsey, secretary, and Milo Bowman, assistant treasurer.

January 27, 1924

Sol Freidheim, of Chicago, is here visiting friends. Mr. Friedheim was formerly employed at the Horn Quality Market. He is recuperating from an operation performed some time ago, following an automobile accident in which he suffered a double fracture of the collar bone. He was confined in the Streator Hospital in Chicago for several months.

W. H. Settle, secretary of the Indiana State Farmers’ Bureau, will visit Valparaiso on Feb. 4 for a meeting with the directors of the Porter County Farm Bureau. In the afternoon, he will deliver a talk to the farmers of the county on the wheat pool and marketing conditions.

January 28, 1924

H. L. Gould, the new Porter County cow tester, began his duties today. He comes to Valparaiso from London, Ontario, Canada, where he was official cow tester. He is a graduate of the Ontario Agricultural college.

January 29, 1924

Funeral services for Ferd Benham, former Valparaiso resident who died Friday of pneumonia, were held in Chicago yesterday with burial in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Mr. Benham was a former Valparaiso resident, and operated a tailor shop here with his brother, Frank, on South Franklin Street. He left here thirty years ago.

January 30, 1924

The mystery surrounding the death of Miss Minnie Brooks, 15-year-old Chesterton girl, found dead behind the counter of a Chesterton bakery, was solved by the confession of a 13-year-old Chesterton boy who admitted that he picked up a rifle in the restaurant to examine it and it was discharged, the bullet striking the girl. The confession was obtained by Coroner H. O. Seipel, Sheriff William Pennington and Deputy Sheriff W. B. Forney. The boy will not be held.

The Porter Circuit Court Grand Jury filed its report yesterday and a severe scoring was made against E. T. Funk for the management of the county infirmary. The county commissioners were also taken to task for failing to supervise things at the institution. Sensational charges were embraced in the report.

January 31, 1924

Valparaiso University continued its winning streak last night at University Gym by defeating Dubuque College by a score of 43 to 18. “Beanie” Harris, “Caddy” Cadwallader, “Andy” Anderson, “Hippy” Hiltpold, “Scotty” Scott, Surface, “Pep” Peterson and “Lefty” Close, comprised the local lineup.

Looking Back • December 1923

These century-old historical excerpts were selected from the Looking Backward feature of The Vidette-Messenger newspaper, which are part of the PoCo Muse Collection. Originally, these bits of information appeared as larger stories in the pages of Valparaiso’s Evening Messenger and Valparaiso Daily Vidette newspaper publications.

December 1, 1923

Dr. W. F. King, of Indianapolis, secretary of state board of health, was the principal speaker before members of the Porter County Medical Society last evening at Hotel Lembke. Dr. A. O. Dobbins was host to the society. Dr. King’s subject was: “Co-operation in Public Health.” Dr. King said the Indiana Health Department could not be efficient unless it had the cooperation of all citizens.

Porter County Auditor B. H. Kinne today announced the December distribution of fall installment of taxes collected by Treasurer J. G. Graessle. The total amount of taxes collected in the county for the fall installment was $587,117.09.

December 2, 1923

Oil in substantial quantities was found on the farm of R. W. Kellar near LaCrosse on Friday. The deposit was reached at a depth of 1,004 feet and after the drill was one foot into Trenton rock. The pit was found to be covered with oil after the bailer was run several times. A drilling company from Newark, Ohio, which is in charge of the work, has summoned an expert shooter to shoot the well with nitroglycerin to determine what it will make.

The Indiana Medicine Company, of which Porter County Commissioner H. A. Pollentzke is one of the incorporators, has opened up for business in a structure recently built on Pollentzke’s farm on the Dunes Highway, one-half miles east of Tremont. Dr. O. L. Stephenson, of Gary, and an Indian doctor will be in charge of the place. The company maintains six rooms for patients and later will erect additions to the buildings.

December 3, 1923

The Chicago Mica Company has just completed the installation of a water sprinkler system in its plant for fire protection. It will also ensure a much lower insurance rate on its property. H. G. Vogel Company, of Cincinnati, O., installed the system.

December 4, 1923

George Haste was elected commander of Chaplain Brown Post, Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), at the annual election held recently. Other officers named were B. E. Reading, senior vice-commander; Joseph Holenried, junior vice-commander; Louis Laduer, officer of the day; Jacob Mooker, officer of the guard; T. B. Louderback, chaplain; Joseph Glover, patriotic instructor; T. B. Louderback, J. N. Finney and E. M. Burns, trustees.

December 5, 1923

At a meeting last night of Valparaiso’s planning commission, plans for a new grade school building in the First Ward, on lots owned by the school city, bounded by Elm, College, Beech and Greenwich, were presented by the board, together with a watercolor drawing of the new structure. The plans call for a 148’x51’ building. The first floor will contain a community room, kindergarten, two classrooms, toilets, and cloak room. The second floor will contain four classrooms, boiler rooms, toilets, and cloak room. Herbert Erickson, architect of Gary, drew the plans and specifications.

“Mary’s Millions,” presented by the Sphinx Club last night at the Memorial Opera House, was a big success, both from an acting standpoint and from the box office. Players taking part were: Ann Murphy, Lola Albery, Louella Tofte, Frances Tilton, Agnes Murphy, Gladys Ritz, Jessie Reynolds, Geneva White, Loretta Gannon, Ann Borcyzko, Ann Tofte, Magdalene Gast, Ruth Wittenberg, Bessie Price, Ann Christy, and Ruth Montgomery.

December 6, 1923

M. V. O’Shea, head of the Department of Education of the University of Wisconsin, will be the speaker at a joint dinner of the Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs at Hotel Lembke on Friday evening at 6:30 o’clock. He will speak on the subject: “New Times Brings New Problems.” The wives of the club members will be guests. Plates are being set for 160.

The Warren family of Pleasant Township, Porter County, was prominent in the corn awards Tuesday at the International Hay & Grain Show in Chicago. In the ten ears of white dent corn exhibit, Allan J. Warren, Harris G. Warren, and J. A. Warren were among the winners. In the junior white corn exhibit, Allan J. Warren was a winner.

December 7, 1923

The school building at Hurlburt, north of Hebron, was burned to the ground at 8 o'clock this morning. The origin of the blaze was to have been due to an overheated stove. The Hebron Fire Department responded but the building was in flames when firemen arrived. The structure was built a number of years ago, and recently remodeled.

A motion for a new trial in the case of Ida Crumpacker versus A. F. Knotts and others, tried last July in the Porter Superior Court before Special Judge Will Isham, of Fowler, was filed today in the superior court by Attorney W. J. Whinery. Mrs. Crumpacker was awarded $14,300 in contribution of judgment paid by her late husband’s estate in a suit by the Manhattan Lumber Company, of Gary, in Jasper Circuit Court.

December 8, 1923

The Valparaiso High School defeated Elkhart High School 21 to 19 at the university gymnasium last evening. G. Douglas with four baskets and Brown with two baskets and six free throws led the locals’ attack. Peterson, Evans, and Stephenson played well for Elkhart. Coach Brown’s second team defeated Boone Grove, 8 to 7.

Peter J. Horn and E. V. Owens and Sons, of Valparaiso, won between $500 and $600 in premiums on hogs which they showed at the International Livestock Show in Chicago. The local men had fifty-three Duroc Jersey hogs, which averaged 295 pounds, which were purchased by Armour and Company at $11.25, or $410 above the prevailing price.

December 9, 1923

In one of the most thrilling basketball games ever seen on the LaPorte floor, Coach R. E. Schenck’s Valparaiso High School team defeated Coach Rovenstine’s LaPorte team Saturday night by a score of 25 to 22. Douglas, Shurr, White, and Brown each garnered two baskets apiece, and the same quartet bagged nine free throws. Wells, of LaPorte, scored four baskets and three free throws.

The Kilmer-Fraser Sub-Dividing Company, of Chicago, recently closed a deal whereby it became the owner of Burlington Beach, Flint Lake. Work on surveying and plotting the lots will be started at once. The company has also taken an option on a number of tracts adjoining Burlington Beach and expect to develop it into modern subdivision home-sites.

December 10, 1923

George M. Dodge will soon celebrate his 35th anniversary as manager of the Western Union Telegraph Company in Valparaiso. He was appointed to the position on Dec. 12, 1888, when he was 16 years of age. He is the oldest employee of the company in Indiana. In addition to his duties at the Western Union office, Mr. Dodge conducts the Dodge Institute of Telegraphy and Wireless, one of the largest schools of its kind in the country.

December 11, 1923

T. L. Applegate was elected president of the Valparaiso Kiwanis Club at the annual meeting held at the Hotel Lembke. Other officers are Harlow A. Smith, vice-president; Mark L. Dickover, secretary-treasurer; E. W. Agar, trustee; W. E. Brownell, Roy Wheeler, J. Earle Mavity, Wallace Wilson, Frank Mannheim, P. K. Burns, and George Rynick, Jr., directors.

December 12, 1923

Frank A. Turner was elected president of the Valparaiso Country Club at the annual meeting held last evening at the Hotel Lembke. Other officers named were John Oldham, vice-president, and T. L. Applegate, secretary. A 6:30 o’clock dinner preceded the meeting. C. W. Boucher, treasurer, reported that the club had no current debts and that all dues were paid up to the present time.

The American China Products Company, of Chesterton, has been sold to the Fraunfelter China Company, of Zanesville, Ohio, according to an announcement made today. The new corporation acquired the assets of the Chesterton concern and will distribute stock in the new company to the stockholders of the American China Products Company.

December 13, 1923

George M. Dodge’s “open house” celebration yesterday afternoon and evening in honor of his thirty-five years of service as manager of the Western Union Telegraph Company office in Valparaiso was a success despite rainy weather which prevailed throughout the day. More than 100 friends and patrons of Mr. Dodge and the company called to extend the usual congratulations. Carnations and cigars were handed out by Mr. Dodge to all who called.

By a deal consummated yesterday, the Elm Street Dairy, owned by Diefenbach & Horn, was purchased by the Church Dairy on Lincoln Avenue* in Valparaiso.

*Lincoln Avenue, previously named Water Street, is named Brown Street as of 2023.

December 14, 1923

Porter County Treasurer J. G. Graessle, Recorder John W. McNay and Commissioner H. A. Pollentzke will vacate their offices on December 31. Mr. Graessle will be succeeded by William O. McGinley, a democrat. Mr. McNay will retire in favor of C. E. Barrett, republican, and Mr. Pollentzke will abdicate in favor of C. Eugene Fifield, republican.

At a meeting of the Valparaiso Commandery, No. 28, Knights Templars, last evening, Jonathan Osborn was elected prelate of the organization for the twenty-fifth time. Mr. Osborn is 92 years of age and is active in the work of the commandery, and seldom misses a meeting. Andrew J. Fehrman was elected Eminent Commander of the order.

December 15, 1923

N. M. Amstutz, patent attorney of Valparaiso, has just received word that his client, a New York rubber company, has been declared the victor in a patent litigation instituted by a Wisconsin rubber company for cancellation of a trademark held by the New York concern. The trademark was secured for the New York company by Mr. Amstutz after three years of intensive prosecution.

The Valparaiso High School basketball team defeated the Hammond High School team at university gym last night by a score of 27 to 26. The locals staged a fine comeback in the second half, overcoming Hammond’s 19-to-10 lead at half time.

December 16, 1923

The Valparaiso High School basketball team made it four-straight wins at Plymouth Saturday evening when it defeated Plymouth High in an overtime play, 37 to 36. Coach R. E. Schenck’s squad was on the short end of a 20-to-17 count at half time. G. Douglas and White with five baskets each, and Brown with four, proved the spark plugs for the Schenck men. Kizer, of Plymouth, caged seven baskets.

Valparaiso University was declared conference football champion at a meeting of representatives of the Interstate Collegiate Conference held at the Auditorium Hotel, Chicago, Saturday. Schools represented were St. Viator, Valparaiso, Lacrosse, Normal, DePaul, Luther, Columbia, and Western State Normal. W. P. Shadoan, of Valparaiso, was elected vice-president of the association.

December 17, 1923

Henry Marquart, prominent farmer of Union Township, who was badly injured in an automobile accident near Wheeler on Saturday evening, which also claimed the life of Leonard Orwig, died yesterday afternoon in the Christian Hospital. His skull was crushed. Marquart is survived by a widow, seven children, five brothers and three sisters.

December 18, 1923

Miss Kathryn Anderson, present deputy county treasurer, will fill the role of deputy treasurer under the incoming treasurer, William O. McGinley, who will succeed John G. Graessle, beginning January 1. Miss Anderson has been deputy for the last four years under Mr. Graessle and is thoroughly capable in her capacity.

December 19, 1923

Just a year ago today, December 19, 1922, Valpoites were freezing under a temperature of eleven degrees below zero. Three inches of snow also mantled the earth. Record keepers in the persons of O. D. Mudge, E. M. Burns, and Joseph Decker are authority for the statement. The temperature at Noon today at the Farmers State Bank hovered around forty degrees above the zero mark.

The Up-to-Date Laundry, located on North Washington Street in Valparaiso, owned and operated by Gus Demos, sold yesterday by Attorney J. S. Bartholomew to Mike Savas and Peter Demanos. Demos, former owner of the business, abandoned it last summer, leaving it encumbered with claims amounting to $10,000.

December 20, 1923

The records of George T. Pearce, highway superintendent for the Valparaiso district under the state highway department, shows it cost the state $410 a mile to maintain gravel roads in this district this year. A rule next year will limit the expenditures to $320 a mile. The cost of maintaining the concrete roads was $60 a mile. This included the mowing of weeds, filling cracks with asphalt, and repairing the berm or shoulder.

Rev. Edward J. Mungovan, popular pastor at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, was honored last evening at a party given at Community Hall in honor of his birthday. Attorney T. P. Galvin acted as toastmaster. Father Mungovan was presented with a beautiful birthday cake by Master Zawadski. Mrs. D. E. Kelly spoke for the Catholic Ladies’ Club. J. J. Cronin made a fine talk on the early history of St. Paul’s. Rev. John Suelzer, of Kouts, also spoke. Rev. Mungovan made a fitting response.

December 21, 1923

Valparaiso High School defeated Froebel High School Friday evening at Gary by a score of 30 to 20. Valparaiso was erratic, and had Froebel been accurate in its shooting, the result might have been different. Shurr, with twelve points, starred for Valparaiso. Smith, Moleski, and Hatrack were Froebel’s best players.

December 22, 1923

In comparison to the amount of taxes paid, Porter County has received its share of state road funds. Porter County pays only about two percent of the road tax and has nearly forty miles of hard-surfaced road under control of the state highway commission. Lake County, which pays fourteen percent of taxes, has less than twenty miles of roadway. Porter County, on account of its location, is thus favored in the state road building program.

December 23, 1923

Deputy Sheriff Jerry Lefrentz, Frank Lunbeck, and Harry Hodsden and son, Sergeant, returned last night from Wisconsin Rapids, Wisc., where Mr. Lefrentz purchased a 320-acre stock farm. Mr. Hodsden acted as one of the agents in the transaction. Mr. Lefrentz will move to Wisconsin in a short time. The trip of 680 miles was made by automobile.

The Valparaiso National Bank building on Washington Street in Valparaiso, soon to be vacated by the bank for its new and more commodious home, now in process of construction next door, was sold Saturday to Andrew Beyer, of this city. Possession will not be given until the new bank is completed in the spring.

December 24, 1923

Bruno Zitko, the man who is alleged to have shot Sheriff W. B. Forney in the head during a raid on Aug. 28 on Zitko’s Portage Township bootleg joint, was captured Monday evening by police at Indiana Harbor. For the last three weeks, Sheriff Forney has been working in cooperation with Indiana Harbor and Gary police in the roundup of Zitko. The latter was picked out by Forney in a showup with other prisoners in the Indiana Harbor jail.

December 25, 1923

There was no newspaper printed on account of Christmas.

December 26, 1923

Farmers of Lake and Porter Counties, headed by Charles Chester, of Ainsworth, and Louis Gast, of Valparaiso, are getting ready for a big fight against the tuberculin testing of dairy cattle, which is to be compulsory after Jan. 1, 1924. It is the contention of the leaders against the test that the order does not include feeders and butcher cattle, and therefore the inoculation will not protect the dairy cattle who may come in contact with the cattle not inoculated.

December 27, 1923

Neil McIntyre, age 33, a former Valparaiso man, and adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. James McIntyre, of this city, died Monday at South Bend, of injuries received in a motorcycle accident. McIntyre was a member of the South Bend police force and was responding to a call when he collided with a fellow policeman on a motorcycle. Mr. McIntyre was born east of Valparaiso and left here fourteen years ago.

Herbert H. Tallcott, of Indianapolis, today sold his Valparaiso home at 251 Greenwich Street to Joseph Mead. The deal was made through the Charles Link Agency.

December 28, 1923

Tobias Minor, age 73, residing at 307 East Lincolnway, died last evening of injuries suffered late yesterday afternoon when he was struck at the corner of Lincolnway and Franklin by an automobile truck owned by the Philley Brothers. Minor suffered a fractured skull.

Operations have begun on the construction of a sidetrack north of Crisman, in Porter County, at the mouth of Burns Ditch, for the purpose of conveying the dredge machine of the Walb Construction Company to this point. Clyde Walb, head of the company which has the contract, has notified A. P. Melton, ditch commissioner, to this effect.

December 29, 1923

The Valparaiso City Council at its regular meeting Friday night voted four to one in favor of the city board of education erecting a new school building in the First Ward. R. C. Higley cast the negative vote against the project. The council action, together with that of the school board, smothered the plans of local citizens to erect a new high school building in the Third Ward.

Word has been received here from Harry Herrick, who recently left for St. Petersburg, Fla., to effect that he has purchased a grocery business in that city. Mrs. Herrick will leave soon for St. Petersburg to assist her husband in the conduct of the business.

December 30, 1923

Accidental death was the verdict rendered this morning by Dr. H. O. Seipel, coroner of Porter County, in the death of Tobias Minor, fatally injured Thursday night when struck by a truck owned by the Philley Brothers at Lincolnway and Franklin Street in Valparaiso. Evidence showed the truck was being operated in low gear and Mr. Minor was not thrown by the car but fell in front of the truck.

December 31, 1923

Announcement has been received here of the marriage of Miss Jeanne Willy, recently of DeWitt, Iowa, to a Mr. Orcutt, businessman of Davenport, Iowa. Miss Willy assisted in coaching members of the cast of “Cheerup,” musical revue staged early last month by the Kiwanis Club.