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BLUFFTON A Good Place To Live VOLUME LXXIH CZ) Colorful Decorations Planned for Streets of Business Section Messiah Concert December 12 to Mark Opening of Music Program With Christmas only three weeks in the offing, traditional pre-holiday activities and preparation for the Yuletide are beginning to take the venter of the stage in the Bluffton community. An appropriate setting for the ‘Christmas shopping season, already under way here, will take definite shape this week with the erection of colorfully illuminated street decora tions in the downtown district. The street decoration program is spon sored by the Bluffton Business Men’s .association. To accommodate Christmas shop pers, Bluffton business establish ments cooperating with the business men’s group will remain open on Thursday afternoons until Christmas, and until 9 p. m. on the evenings of Christmas week. All stores will close at 6 .m. on Christmas eve, however. Messiah Presentation Opening musical event of the holi day season will be the presentation of Handel’s oratorio, “The Messiah,” at 2:30 .m. Sunday, Dec. 12 in the Bluffton High school gymnasium. Appearing in the annual rendition will be the Bluffton College Choral society and featured soloists from outside the community. Accompani ment will be by the Bluffton college orchestra. Rehearsals are well under way throuout the district for pageants and programs marking the Christ mas observance of churches, and other groups w’ith announcement of the schedule of offerings to come later. Christmas vacation for Bluffton High and Grade school pupils will begin at noon Thursday, Dec. 23, with classes resuming their work on Monday morning, Jan. 3. Bluffton college’s holiday recess will start with the close of the regular classroom schedule on Fri day, Dec. 17, with students returning on Tuesday morning, Jan. 4. Funeral Tuesday For Mrs. Nettie Fancher Funeral services were held Tues day afternoon in the Basinger fun eral home for Mrs. Nettie Mae Fancher, 76, who died at 10 a. m. Sunday in her home at 504 N. Main street. She had been ill five months. Daughter of Enoch and Mathilda Clark, she was born October 18, 1872, in Liberty Center. She was married to Frank Fancher, Nov. 29, 1888, and the couple became resi dents of Bluffton in 1911. Mr. Fancher died in 1937. Mrs. Fancher is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Gail B. Mumma, with whom she resided here a sister, Mrs. Mathilda Hewitt, of Vermil lion, and a brother, Ralph Clark, of Midland, Michigan. Mrs. Fancher was a member of St. John’s Reformed church. Rev. V. C. Oppermann, pastor of the St. John’s church, officiated at the funeral services. Burial was in Maple Grove cemetery. Bluffton Student In College “Who’s Who” Miss Jean Ann Steinman, daugh ter of Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Stein man of South Lawn avenue appears in the current edition of “Who’s Who in American Colleges,” a publi cation listing outstanding students in the nation’s educational institu tions. One per cent of the student body of each college is eligible for listing. Miss Steinman, a senior in the conservatory of music of Baldwin Wallace college, Berea, will present her graduating piano recital next March. She is prominent in cam pus activities, being president of Mu Phi Epsilon, honorary music or ganization, member of the college honor society and a member of Beta Sigma Omicron sorority. Wilhelm Amstutz II Graduates At O. N. U. Wilhelm Amstutz II, son of Mr. :and Mrs. Wilhelm Amstutz, of Bluff ton, an electrical engineering gradu ate, was one of 93 seniors who com pleted their work at Ohio Northern university at the end of the fall •quarter, last week. Pre-Christmas Events Herald Holiday Season •, a Observe 57th And 62nd Anniversaries Of Weddings Here ]yjR. and Mrs. D. C. Bixel will mark their 57th wedding an niversary at their home on South Lawn avenue, Friday. No special observance is planned. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Geiger, south of Bluffton marked their 62nd wedding anniversary on Thanksgiving day with a family dinner. Present were all their children, Mr. and Mrs. Allen Geiger, Orrville the Harry Geigers of Lima and Miss Martha Geiger at home. MAN HIT BY AUTO DEAD ON ARRIVAL AT HOSPITAL HERE Charles Hammer, 85, Fatally Injured in Accident Tues day Night Struck by Car While Walking on Highway near Home on Route 69 Charles Hammer, 85, struck by an automobile near his home near Ada early Tuesday evening was pro nounced dead upon arrival at Bluff ton hospital a short time later. He is the father of Mrs. Rhoda Win gate and Mrs. Opal Wingate, both of Bluffton. The accident occurred when Ham mer was walking along Route 69 near his home a mile north of Ada and was struck by a car driven by Justin Klingler, 40, of Ada, Rt. 3. The injured man was removed to the hospital here in an Ada ambu lance. The state patrol investigated the accident. Klingler, driver of the car, was not held. Surviving, besides his two daugh ters of this place is a daughter, Mrs. Lenna Fisher, residing near the scene of the accident, and two son*, Elmer of Washington state ar Warren of Albany, Oregon. Also surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Alice Tipple of Columbus and Mrs. Minnie Ferguson of Ada. Funeral arrangements are incom-, plete. Bluffton Woman's Father Dies Here Henry B. Miller, father of Mrs. Charles Dillman, with whom he has lived in Bluffton for the last two years, died of a heart ailment last Friday evening at the Dillman resi dence on North Jackson street. In poor health for 10 years, Mil ler has been seriously ill for one week. A resident of Findlay before he came here to live with his daugh ter, Miller was born in Germany. Funeral services were held in Find lay Monday. Mrs. Dillman is the only survivor. Woman Hit By Truck At Beaverdam Tuesday Mrs. Frank Coon, 44, residing near Beaverdam suffered left ankle and rib fractures Tuesday morning at 6:30 o’clock when she was struck by a truck on the Lincoln highway at the east limits of the village. State patrolmen said Mrs. Coon, a Lima Telephone & Telegraph op erator was crossing the highway and walked into the path of a vehicle driven by Eli C. Beachy, 56, of Plain City. She was taken to Lima Memorial hospital. In O. S. U. Chorus Helen Burkholder, of Bluffton, will be one of the singers in the Ohio State university chorus in pre sentation of Handel’s “Messiah” Sun day afternoon and evening at the mens gymnasium on the Columbus campus. BLUFFTON MARKETS Wednesday Morning Grain (bushel prices) Wheat $2.22 corn $1.30 oats 85c soys $2.52. Poultry—Heavy hens 33c leghorn hens 27c heavy springers 39c leg horn springers 25c. Eggs—Large whites 56e large browns 55c medium whites 47c medium browns 46c pullets 43c. Butterfat—62c. MED, SECOND OF MURRAY TRIPLETS TAKEN BY DEATH Succumbs at Hospital Saturday: Funeral Services Held Monday Three Brothers Were One of Town’s Claims to Distinction Medlow Murray, 80, one of the Murray triplets active in Bluffton community life for more than half a century, died at 1:40 p. m. Saturday in Bluffton Community hospital. In poor health for several months, his death was caused by pneumonia. Following the death Saturday, M. M. (Monroe) Murray is the only surviving brother of the triplets well known throughout the entire district. The other brother, Hod G. Murray died in September 1943. Lifelong residents of Bluffton, the triplets were the survivors of quad ruplets bom here on Jan. 22, 1868, to Joseph and Elizabeth (Deppler) Murray. The fourth brother died at birth. For many years the triplet? were one of Bluffton’s claims to dis tinction. Medlow Murray was in the wall paper and paint business here for many years, and was actively engag ed in that pursuit until he was in his seventies. His first wife, Anna Breyman, is deceased and survivors of the union include the following children: Melvin A. Murray, Dwight C. Mur ray, Mrs. Jessie Woods and Mrs. Treva Crawford, all of Findlay Dwain Murray, Ashland Clayton and Nile Murray and Mrs. Grace Amstutz, all of Bluffton. There are 15 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. The brother, M. M. Murray, and a sister, Mrs. Fred Triblehom, live in Bluffton. In 1943, Mr. Murray was married to Mrs. Minnie Patrick, who also survives with three step-children Mrs. Bess Madden, Dayton Mrs. Wava Hartsei, Springfield, and Robert Patrick, Akron. Funeral services were held Mon day afternoon in the Basinger funer al home. Rev. V. C. Oppermann, pastor of the St. John’s Reformed church, officiated. Burial was in Maple Grove cemetery. Body Of Rawson Aviator Returned Remains of Second Lieut. Malcolm C. Dailey, 27, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Dailey of Rawson, who was killed in action in Italy four years ago will arrive in Findlay, Thurs day. The body will be taken to the Barnhart funeral home in Findlay where it will remain until funeral services at that place, Monday after noon at 2 o’clock. Officiating will be Rev. Wm. Golder of Chicago, former army chaplain who conduct ed the original burial services for Lieut. Dailey at Bari, Italy. Bur ial will be in Findlay. Lieut. Dailey, who piloted a Lib erator bomber was awarded the air medal posthumously. In addition to his parents he is survived by his wife, the former Mabel Solt and a son Ronald of Findlay one brother of Findlay and sister Martha at home. All-American Girl Cagers To Play Here The All-American Redheads girls basketball team will play Beaver dam Buckeye Coaches in a game at the Bluffton High school gymnas ium, at 8 p. m. this Saturday. In addition to playing a good game of basketball, the girls, rang ing in height from five-foot-two to six-foot-four, put on a good com edy and fun show. They have a piggy-back and under-legs dribble act that will make the audience roar with laughter. In nine seasons, the Redheads have played a total of 1,581 games against the best men’s team in America, Mexico and the Philippine Islands. A new world’s record was estab lished in the 1947-48 season when the Redheads played 202 games in 195 days, including seven double headers. BUSINESS MEN MEET Meeting of Bluffton Business Men’s association this Wednesday night in the council chamber. Election of officers and consideration of propos ed legislation to come before the meeting. THE BLUFFTON NEWS A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, DEC. 2, 1948 Engulfed in a raging blizzard w’hich swept the northern plain states ten days ago, Richard Berky, formerly of Bluffton, driving on a highway between Sioux Falls and Freeman, South Dakota, was forced to abandon his automobile at the side of the road and seek safety in a passing transport truck which weathered the storm and reached safety after a perilous trip. Word of his experiences was re ceived here the first of the week by BY HARR.Y U HALS Editor’s Note—Thia a Every thing else failing, the Hilde brand family got in touch with the town marshal. TO marshih never had coped with evil spirits, declared that he couldn’t even see them, let alone arrest them or serve an evic tion notice and advised the Hilde brands to go to law about it—see the justice of the peace. The justice was unable to find any thing in the Ohio statutes dealing with evil spirits or witches, that being a development the legislature apparently had neglected. Then he remembered hearing, when a child, about an old colonial superstition and how the colonists tried their witches. They weighed them against the Bible. The only thing to do, the judge decided, was to weigh Nancy E^ans “against the Bible” and if she were a witch, that would tell the story. The idea was to rig up a big pair of scales, put Nancy on one side of the balance and the Bible on the other. If Nancy were guilty the Bible would outweigh her and Nancy would go up and the book down. If Nancy went down and the Bible went up—well, then the accused witch was innocent and no witch at all. Witchcraft Trial So the judge got a long hickory pole, fastened a sling on each end and balanced it on a tall stump under a big elm in the middle of town. Then he fixed the time for trial ait noon the next day and invit ed the whole citizenry to attend. They were going to try Nancy Evans for being a witch. Long before next noon everybody in the village was there—most of them expecting the book to go down and Nancy to shoot upwards as if shot out of a cannon. Bethel had heard much about Nancy Evans. The judge put a Bible in one sling and Nancy in the other and delegat ed several men to hold each “weight” even until he said the word. And there was a word, a formula for that—the judge thought a mopient (Continued on page 8) Ebenezer Chorus At Riley Creek Church The Ebenezer Men’s chorus will give a sacred concert at Riley Creek Baptist church, Sunday night. The chorus is directed by Waldo Hof stetter. Mrs. Vinton Bucher is pianist. The chorus will appear in connection with a singspiration serv ice in the church, it is announced by the pastor, Rev. Robert Turner. Post Office Urges Importance Of Early Christmas Mailing one of a series of articles to appear in the Bluffton News dealing with early Ohio history. Others will appear in forthcoming issues. Witchcraft And Wizardry The Hildebrand family, who lived in Bethel, Clarmont County, in the early 1800s, tried every’ simple home remedy recommended to expel the evil spirit out of Fanny, eldest daughter, just turned nineteen. Noth ing seemed to work. Fanny w’as bewitched. Off and on during the day she w*ould scream, tear her hair, fall on the floor and wiggle around something horrifying. Far in the night the girl would waken with a start, begin to yell and have another spell which kept the whole backwoods family awake the balance of the night. Fanny was bewitched. There had been some gossip about Nancy Evans, daughter of another old family down the dirt road and many persons had declared that Nancy had “powers.” Yes, Fanny Hildebrand was bewitched and Nancy Evans must have done it. Evil Spirits Former Bluffton Man Abandons Car at Roadside as Western Blizzard Rages his parents, Prof, and Mrs. H. W. Berky of Spring street. ^oung Berky, who was graduated from Bluffton college last spring is teaching in Freeman Junior college and he and his wife live on the col lege farm near Freeman. He had gone to Sioux Falls, 45 miles distant to get plumbing parts for his house and was returning when the storm struck almost with out warning as he was some thirty miles from home. Residents of the Bluffton district this week were urged to plan to mail their Christmas greeting cards and packages just as early in the month as possible. The appeal from the Bluffton post office pointed that an even heavier flood of Yuletide mail is expected this Christmas, than during the last preceding holiday rush when new records were established. All packages and cards for out-of state delivery should be mailed be fore Dec. 10 to assure delivery be fore Christmas day. Cards for local addresses should be in the mail at least a week before Christmas Day. i Parcel post packages cannot be accepted unless they are stoutly wrapped and weigh less than 70 pounds. Also, they may not be more than 100 inches in length and girth combined. Former Resident John Steiner Dies Suddenly John L. Steiner, 74, former Bluff ton resident, died suddenly of a heart attack at his home near Wapakoneta, Tuesday afternoon at 5 o’clock. He was stricken while working in a cornfield where his wife found the body. His brother Menno of Ft. Wayne died suddenly of a similar ailment two weeks ago. The body is at the Brookhart & Siferd funeral home in Wapakoneta where services will be held Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock. Burial will be in Zion Mennonite cemetery west of Bluffton. Born near Grand Rapids, Mich., April 29, 1874, he was the son of Peter* and Anna (Leatherman) Steiner and lived near Bluffton as a young man. He was a former school superin tendent in Beaverdam, Rawson and Liberty township and the southwest district of Hancock county. Later he became a farmer near Uniopolis. Surviving are his wife, the form er Geneva Schlosser two sons Lor en of Vincennes, Ind., and Harold of Harrisburg, Pa., and a daughter Mrs. Frank Williams of Lima, to gether with six grandchildren. Also surviving are two brothers Enos P. of Bluffton and Noah N. of Tuleta, Texas, and two sisters, Mrs. Edw. Sommers, Spokane, Wash., and Miss Anna Steiner of Orofino, Idaho. Pictures At Union Service Sunday Night A program “Christmas Blessings,” is announced for the union service Sunday night to be held at St. John’s Reformed church at 7:30 o’clock under auspices of the Bluff ton Ministerial association. The service will be illustrated with natural color slides portraying scenes, depicting the biblical nar rative of the Christmas story. College Cagers To Open Here Tuesday A veteran Bluffton college basket ball team will open the 1948-49 sea son this Wednesday night in a tilt with Bowling Green university’s high-geared aggregation at that place. Following the Bowling Green as signment, the Beavers will appear here next Tuesday against Wilber force State in the only home ap pearance to be made by the team be fore the holidays. Wilberforce teams long have been one of the favorites of local fans, and this year’s visiting aggregation is touted as one of the fanciest col ored outfits representing the school in many a season. With The Sick Mrs. Munson Bixel of Cherry street, a surgical patient in Bluffton hospital, is reported improving. Condition of M. M. Bogart of South Main street, medical patient in Bluffton hospital is somewhat im proved. Force of the gale made it impos sible to continue in his light car which he abandoned at the side of the road and sought shelter in a big transport truck bound for Sioux Falls which managed with difficulty to break through the swirling snow. When travel on main highways was resumed two days later, the South Dakota State highway depart ment recovered Berky’s automobile buried under a five foot snow’drift. Some of the roads in the area were covered with 10 feet of snow as the result of the storm unusually early in the season and said to have been one of the worst in recent years. ZIMMERLY WILL HEAD RICHLAND TOWNSHIP AAA Bluffton Area Farmer Elected Committee Chairman in Mail Voting Monroe Township Names Oliver Basinger Hefner Heads Jackson Twp. Melvin R. Zimmerly was elected chairman of the Richland township AAA committee in re-organization following mail balloting this week. In addition to Zimmerly, the Rich land committee is made up of Melvin S. Hilty, vice chairman William Amstutz, third member Wayne Zim merman, first alternate and Willard S. Jennings, second alternate. Zimmerly, as chairman, succeeds Walter Schaublin. Monroe township members are Oliver Basinger, chairman Clarence A. Hetrick, vice-chairman Vernon L. Burkholder, third member Ezra Bucher, first alternate Elmer W’ood, second alternate. In Jackson township committee members include Harold Heffner, chairman Walter A. Fleming, vice chairman Ross V. Anspach, third member David L. Obenour, first alternate Harry L. Weaver, second alternate. Enos Burkholder, 77 Bluffton Native, Dies Enos Burkholder, 77, born in Bluffton on February 21, 1871, died last Saturday afternoon at Lima St. Rita’s hospital, after an extended illness attributed to a heart ailment. Burkholder had live in Lima for the last 20 years. In addition to his widow, Emma, he is survived by four sons, John Burkholder, Perrysville, Pa. Albert Burkholder, Lake Worth, Fla. Ralph Burkholder, Lima and Ray Burk holder, Miami, Fla. a daughter, Mrs. Wal’d, Miami, Fla. three brothers, John and Samuel Burk holder, both of Bluffton and David Burkholder, of Lima. Funeral services were held Tues day in Lima. Burial was in Maple Grove cemetery here. Ex-Deputy Sheriff Dies At Beaverdam A. J. Lutterbein, 54, former state game protector in this area and a former Allen county sheriff, died last Wednesday evening at his farm home three miles west of Beaver dam. Death was caused by a heart ail ment and followed an eight-hour ill ness. Son of Henry and Mary (Ogles bee) Lutterbein, he was born in Ot tawa, February 23, 1894. He was married to Myrtle Crawford, who survives. Other survivors include three sons, William H., Beaverdam Lieut. Richard W. Lutterbein, Ft. Knox, Ky., and Max at home. Lutterbein served as deputy sher iff for six years and as game pro tector for three years. He was a member of the Beaverdam Lions club. Funeral services were held Satur day morning in the Beaverdam Methodist church, of which he was a member. Rev. L. Dow’ Fauver of ficiated. Burial was in Woodland cemetery, Beaverdam. CARD OF THANKS I W’e wish to express our thanks "to all those who extended aid and sympathy in the illness and death of our beloved mother and grandmother, Mrs. Nettie Fancher also Rev. Op permann who officiated at the funer al and all those sending flowers. The Gail Mumma Family BLUFFTON A Good Place To Trade NUMBER 33 NO BLUFFTON AREA DRAFTEES IN FIRST PEACE TIME CALL Selective Service Inducts Eight Allen County Youths at Lima Hancock County Call Takes Four: Inductees to Serve 21 Months Registrants in the Bluffton area escaped induction calls when the first groups drafted from Allen and Han cock counties under the new selective service law left for camp during the last week. Inducted for 21-months service in the army under the peace-time draft were eight men from Allen county and four men from Hancock county. Allen county draftees were sworn, in at Lima army recruiting station headquarters last Friday, and the Hancock county group was inducted at the same place on Monday. One From Jenera Among the four Hancock draftees was Daniel O. D. Redick, of Route 1, Jenera. Two of the other three were Findlay residents, and the fourth lived on Findlay Route 5. Of the eight Allen county draftees, five lived in Lima two on Lima rural routes and one on Route 1, Elida. Those taken in the first draft call under the peacetime conscription act are among 499 Ohioans ordered to report at 12 induction centers. Draft Eight Years Ago Just eight years ago, November, 1940, the first draftees were taken from this area under the 1940 Selective Service act. The new conscription act provides 21 months of active duty in the army. Following that, if qualified, draftees will be transferred to the reserve and will be required to serve in it for five years, unless discharged, earlier. However, if after serving 21 months they wish to continue serving on active duty under a voluntary extension of at least one year, or in an organized unit of the reserve for at least 36 months, they are to be relieved of further liability for ..service in the reserve component except in time of war or other national emergency. Protestant Revolution Exhibit Shown Here The Protestant Revolution, a pho tographic exhibit prepared by the editors of Life magazine will be shown in the Musselman library on the Bluffton college campus from December 1 to 15, it was announced this week. Consisting of 24 large panels, the traveling exhibit is based on one of the recent Life articles in a series devoted to th history of Western culture. It deals with the turbulent cen tury and a half of European history from 1500 to 1650. The period was one of religious and political con flicts, and witnessed the rise of na tionalism throughout Europe. Although the exhibition makes use of many pictures and color re productions published in the Life article, the majority of the photo graphic material was not shown in the magazine. Grade School Xmas Operetta December 17 “The Magi’s Gift”, a Christmas operetta, will be presented by pupils of the Grade school Friday night, December 17 in the high school gymnasium. Births The following births at Bluffton hospital: Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Bibler, Find lay, a girl, Lynette Marie, Friday. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard McIntosh, Rawson, a girl, Kathleen Kay, Sun day. Mr. and Mrs. Daryl Carr,' Mt. Cory, a girl, Marsha Jane, Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Chas. McDougle, Col. Grove, a boy, Gary, Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Clapper, Ada, a girl, Norma Irene, Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Naas, Lima, a girl, born at Lima Memorial hos pital, Saturday. Mrs. Naas is the former Helen Maxwell of Bluffton. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Holtkaxnp, Findlay, a girl, Marsha Lynn, bom at Findlay hospital, Friday. Mr. Holtkamp is the son of Prof, and Mrs. Otto Holtkamo of South Main, street.