The Bluffton news. [volume], December 02, 1948, Image 1

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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.