davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
BOYS PLAYING WITH MATCHES
FIRE LARGE STRAWSTACK
Wilbur Simpson Suffers Loss When
Children Start Blaze

Two small boys playing with
matches about a large straw rick
on the farm of Wilbur Simpson at
the southern entrance to Milford,
caused the loss of the straw and
also of a large rick of cOwpea hay,
Monday afternoon. The boys, Eu-
gene Murphy, small son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Eugene Murphy, and Robert
Murphy, son of Mr.. and Mrs. Viii
liam Murphy, became frightened
when the straw was fired and ran
home. The large straw rick had
been saved by Mr.. Simpson for use
in filling in his barn-yard pound.
He started Monday morning to haul
the straw, but the high winds
caused him to stop work. Earlier
in the morning he had taken off his
coat and left it at the straw rick,
and it was from the pockets of the
coat that the small boys got the
matches with which the blaze was
started. The Carlisle Fire Company
was called to the scene, hut were
unable to subdue the flames, which
in the meantime had spread to
large rick of cowpea hay Which
was also destroyed. About forty
large loads of straw and fourteen
loads of cowpea hay were burned.
Monday morning the firemen were
called to the home of Edgar Le-
gates, in North Milford, to eXtin-
guish chimney fire.
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
MILFORD MAN QUITS
STEAMBOAT FOR PIER WORK
Benjamin F, Hudson Makes Good
In Philadelphia

For seven years past Benjamin F.
Hudson, of Milford, has been in the
employ of the Wilson Line of
steamers sailing between Whining
ton and Philadelphia, with sat1sfac-
ton to himself and his employers.
Mr.. Hudson was for many years
one of the successful farmers of
lower Kent county, and retired
about twelve years ago and moved
into Milford where his family re-
sides. The life of idleness was too
strenuous for him to follow, after
a life spent in activity; so, he took
a position with the Milford and
Philadelphia Steamboat Company,
but soon took a position offered to
him by the Wilson Line, where he
has been up to this spring. He re-
signed the place after seven years
service, to take a position with the
Philadelphia and Norfolk Steam
ship Company, with his headquar-
ters at piers Nos. and 5, North
Wharves, in Philadelphia. He will
still retain his residence in Milford.
When Mr. Hudson was member
of the Delaware House of Represen-
tatives, the question of increasing
the pay of members of the Legisla-
ture to ten dollars per day for the
session came up for consideration
and he favored the bill. His con-
stituents, who were largely farmers,
criticized him for his action, but Mr
Hudson, by pencil and paper, dem
onstrated to them that ten dollars
per day was not only fair but fire.
quently equalled by farmers who
worked their farms intelligently.
He showed that his wife and him
self (they never had children of
their OWN had made more than five
dollars per day, for every day of
their. lives, since they were mar
ried. He permitted them to pass
judgment upon his and his wife's
investments, divided the total
amount by the number of days that
had passed since their wedding day,
with the result that his statement
was demonstrated. Mr.. Hudson
never had the advantages of even
public school education equal to
that of the present day; which he
regards as a handicap. He is a
firm believer in the best schools for
the best children, in the best state
of the best country in the world
Delaware.
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
FORMER DOVER POLICEMAN
JAILED FOR AUTO THEFT
John Baker Sentenced To FiVe-YeaT
Term AT Salisbury, Md.

John Baker, former Chief of Po-
lice of Laurel, and of Dover, was
sentenced to five years imprison-
ment in the Maryland Penitentiary
by Police Justice Louder T. Hearn,
at Salisbury, Tuesday night, when
he pleaded guilty to the theft of an
automobile belonging to his brother,
Ollie Baker, of Laurel, which he
was also accused of having tried to
sell.
Baker was sought on a warrant
after the theft of the machine and
made a spectacular escape from his
home several weeks ago when Off
GERS went in search of him. Leap
ing from a second-story window,
only half clothed, he spent the night
under a hedge and later returned to
his home, procured clothing and es-
capped in the stolen machine.
He was captured Monday night
after a thrilling chase by Sergeant
Rawleigh of the Maryland State Po-
lice force, in which the lives of
Baker and the policemen were risk
ed several times.
When the policeman sought to
place him under arrest Baker struck
the officer and hurled him from the
running-board of the machine in
which Baker was seated. Baker then
fled and Sergeant Rawleigh requisi-
toned another car and started in
pursuit. The chase led across the
city and after sighting the fleeing
man, Raleigh fired number of
shots intended to bring the fugitive
to stop. They failed of their pur-
pose and Rawleigh's driver put on
speed and succeeded in arriving
CONTINUED on page y
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
COL. TANNER AGAIN
HEADS FERRIS SCHOOL
Changes To Be Made At Institu-
tiOn For Separation OF Younger
And Older Boys.

The board of trustees of the Fer
ris Industrial School reappointed
Colonel A. E. Tanner, superintend-
ent OF the institution. at the regular
monthly meeting. held last Thurs
day afternoon. On July l, his reap
pointment will take effect, and will
mark the second year of his super
intendency.
Colonel Tanner will commence eff
fecting a change in one of the poll
cieG OF the school by segTegating
the younger boys from the older.
He has dropped for the time any
thought of going to Salisbury, Md,
as head OF new military academy.
When Colonel Tanner went to the
Ferris Industrial School, last sum-
mer, there were about 65 boys. Now
the enrolment is 107, ranging in
ages from to 18 years. He has
cOntended that it is detrimental to
the aims of the school to have all
the boys housed together After dis
cussing the matter with the board
OF trustees he was authorized to
make the changes.
DOrmitOrieS for Smaller Boys
With very little cost, rooms in
the school building that have not
been used for anything important
will be converted into dOrmitOries
for the younger boys. This will
necessitate the organization of a
separate unit for boys 8, 8 and 10
years of age. This will also make
room for any increases in the
schoo! enrolment
Another change to be made will
be the establishment of a siX-weeks'
summer school for the younger and
retarded high. school students. This
will leave sufficient boys for carry
ing on farm operations. Hitherto.
all the boys were sent to work on
farms during the summer Colonel
Tanner is of the opinion that the
small boys are of hardly any use on
farms and that schooling for six
weeks in summer would do them
more good and assist them in their
studies when they become of high
school age. The retarded older stu
dents will also be given the oppor-
tunity to improve in their studies.
No appointment has been made
by Governor Robinson yet to fill the
vacancy caused by the resignation
OF Walter Powell, of Dover. AIr.
Powell rendered his resignation last
week to the governor, and as far as
could be learned no reason was
given.
DR.. w. H. Kraemer, president of
the board. presided Others present
were DR.. L. Heisler Ball, J w Nc
Coy, and Colonel Tanner.
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
.SUPERTNTENDENTS
MEET HERE TOMORROW
Prominent Educators Will Assem-
bic In Milford High School For
All Day Session.

In response to a call issued by
Assistant Superintendent OF Della
ware Public Schools. John Shilling.
of Dover, thirty acceptances have
been received to attend a State
meeting of the Public School Super
intendents and Principals, to meet
and discuss with other prominent
educators, tomorrow, Saturday,
April 10th, 1926, at ten o'clock a.
m, in the High School Building in
Milford
The discussions will embrace
High School Courses of Study and
Diplomas" Another important sub
ject will be "How To Get Public
Health Nurses for the Public
Schools"
DR.. A. T. Davis will be one of the
speakers and take part in the dis
cussiOns.
Luncheon will be served in the
Community Building by the Domes-
tic Science Department of the Mil
ford Public Schools.
This will be a meeting which will
do much towards shaping proposed
high school work in the future for
the children; and, incidentally, cor
rect fundamental errors in high
school education as now conducted.
Those who have a living interest
in public school education, would
be greatly helped by attending both
the morning and afternoon sessions.
There will be an exhibit of the
work of all departments of the local
school in the same room where the
meetings will be held.
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
Meating Next Thursday At Ocean
View Will Be Of Importance To
Lower End Of State.
SIX FOOT CHANNEL
Report Submitted Suggests Chin
cOteague-Delaware Bay Project
Be Completed.

Notice OF a meeting of more than
passing Importance to residents of
lower Sussex County. and particul-
arly those residing along RehOboth
Bay. has been issued by Col. Earl
L. Brown, Engineer in charge of
this district. The notice is very eX
plicit and details the purpose of the
meeting in full. AS a matter of
public information the notice as re-
ceived this week by the Chronicle
from United States Senator Thomas
F. Bayard is published in full. 1t is
signed by Col. Brown, and follows:
Notice is hereby given that
public hearing will be held in Red
Mems Hall. Ocean View, Delaware.
on Thursday. April Is, 1926, at 100
P. NJ, to consider the proposed i'm
prOvement OF Waterway from Chin
colleague Bay, Va, to Delaware Bay,
Delaware in compliance with
resolution adopted by the United
States House of Representative
Committee on Rivers and Harbors,
requesting a review of the report
on the Waterway submitted in
House Document Numbered 12S,
SiXty-Seventh Congress, second ses-
sion, as provided for in the River
and Harbor Act of March 2, 1919.
I'm the above named report the
chief of engineers recommended the
dredging of a channel feet deep at
mean low water and 40 and so feet
wide from ChincOteague Bay, Va, to
and including RehObOth Bay, at an
estimated cost of SILL 900 for initial
work and $4,000 annually for main
tenance. provided, however, that the
State, County or other responsible
local agency will construct, MAIN
tain, and operate such drawbridges
as may be deemed necessary to re-
place the fixed bridges across this
section of the Waterway, and by an
extension OF the north jetty at the
entrance to BrOadkill River and the
construction of new south jetty at
that point, at an estimated cost of
S75,400. This hearing will be held
with a view to determining whether
any modification of the recommen-
datiOns made therein is advisable
at this time.
Interested parties are invited to
be present or to be represented at
the hearing. While for accuracy of
record all important facts and ar
guments should be submitted in
writing, oral evidence will also be
heard"
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
STATE HEALTH BOARD
TO FIGHT DIPHTHERIA
Serum For ImmunizatiOn OF Child
rem viii Be Supplied Free

Starting in Sussex County, and
working nOrthward until the entire
State has been covered, DR.. c. A.
Sargent, the new field agent in
charge of health work among chill
dren, will begin his campaign in
Sussex County to rid the State of
diphtheria.
According to plans made, the
State Board of Health by whom DR..
Sargent is engaged, he will strive to
interest Parent-Teachers AssOcia-
tions, and all other community
groups in the need for immunizing
children from this disease. Last
year there were thirty children who
died from the ailment, who might
be alive today if they had been i'm
munized against the disease.
In order to fight the ailment thor
oughly, it will be necessary for DR..
Sargent first to apply what is
known as the Shick test, which will
determine whether the child is i'm
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
STATE COURT PLEADTNCS
ARE TO BE SIMPLIFTED
State Judges Hold Conference To
Formulate New Rules

All the State law judges, which
includes Chief Justice Pennewill
and Judges Rice, Rodney, Harring-
ton and Richards, held a conference
Tuesday in the Supreme Court room
with members of a special commit
tee of the Delaware State Bar Asso-
citation on the subject of simplified
pleadings for the state courts.
The last Legislature passed bills
on the subject, but it is left with
the judges to prepare the rules put
ting the simplified pleadings into eff
feet and this was the purpose of the
conference this week. Members of
the bar committee at the conference
were Robert H. Richards and Will
liam S. Hilles, of Wilmington, and
Henry Ridgely and James H.
Hughes, of Dover. Several other
members of this committee from
Wilmington and Georgetown were
unable to attend because of illness.
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
SENIORS WIN ANNUAL
Defamation CONTEST
Florence Lyons And Bernard Ireland
VIII Represent Milford In Contest

In the annual inter-class declama-
ton contest at the Milford High
School. which was held last Thurs
day afternoon, Miss Florence Lyons
and Bernard Ireland, representing
the senior class, were the winners.
These inter-class contests are
staged annually as elimination con-
tests whereby representative for
the Milford High School may be Sc
cured to enter the county declama-
ton contest. The winners last
Thursday will represent the school
at the contests held in Dover on
Friday next, April 18th. The repre-
sentatives from each class in the
high school made excellent show
ings, but after the total points were
enumerated, Miss Lyons and Ireland
were declared the winners. The
contesting teams were composed of
two members from each grade.
Those participating were: SEN
iors, Bernard Ireland and Florence
Lyons; juniors, Dorothy Davis and
Helen Swain; sOphomores, Rolly
Baker and Marie Calhoun; fresh
men, Homer Smith and Louise Man
ner.
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
STATE CONVENTION OF
The SUNSHINE SOCIETY
Annual Meeting To Be Held In Mil
ford On April Is

The Delaware Division of the In
ternational Sunshine Society Will
be held in Milford on April 10.
Grange Hall will be used. The
Alden Branch of Milford will have
a reception on Wednesday, April a.
at 8 D. M, in the Milford New Cen
tury Club House, in honor OF the
founder and president-general, Mrs
John Alden of New York. Members
OF the Sunshine Society from all
over the state are invited to the re-
ception and convention.
Special busses will be chartered
by Wilmington and upstate dele
gates to bring them to Milford
Special rates have been secured for
those travelling in that way
Members will make reservations
for the annual luncheon, with Mrs.
o. B. Ackerman, 10 East Second
street, Milford, by April TO-
Reports of the work OF the
branches throughout the state Will
be given and the biennial election
OF the officers will be held.
Miss Mildred F. Lynn is chairman
OF credentials, and Mrs. Alfred Kelly
is chairman of the nominating COM
mittec.
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
RED men RAISE CHIEFS
OF SAKIMAS TRIBE
SakiamS Tribe Had Annual Raising
OF Chiefs Tuesday

The Deputy Great Sachem of
Delaware, with his staff, came to
Milford last Tuesday and raised the
elected officers to their respective
positions with more than usual
striking ceremony. The Great Dep
uty Sachem, Charles P. Armour,
and staff trailed by automobile
from Red Cloud Tribe at Houston
and were accompanied by many
visitors. The new officers of Saki-
ans Tribe No. 10, as raised last
Tuesday evening, are as follows:
Prophet-Winfield R. Wright.
Sachem-H. W. Wilkins.
Senior Sagamore-J. H. Isaacs.
Junior Ernest Fitzger-
aid.
Chief of Records j. Holland
Prettyman.
Collector of Wampum-F. J. Ben
nett.
Keeper of Wampum-Van c. Hick-
man.
Despite the weather, there was an
attendance which comfortably filled
the hall, and evidence was shown
OF increased enthusiasm for the
work of the Improved Order of Red
Men in Milford.
1t is especially desired that with
the new term, shall start Old Num-
Der 10 of Red Men, with enthusiasts
tic attendance each Tuesday even
ing OF its members; that all shall
work to start rolling a campaign
which will place the tribe on the
front wave of PROSPERITY. 1t is es-
pecially desired to have many new
pale-faces and reinstatements of
old members brought into the wig
wan during the present term.
The next Great Council of Della
ware will be held in Milford, and
the members of Sakiams Tribe will
see that active recruiting work gets
underway at once.
The visiting Great Chiefs, with
members and visitors, were enter
tanned at a banquet at Hills Res
taurant after the work in the wig
wan was finished.
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
AGED WHITE MAN HELD
ON SERIOUS CHARGE
OF HOUSTON PARENTS
Henry Collins Held For Assault
On A Seven Year Old Kent
County Child.
ARRESTED BY STATE POLICE
Is Said To Have Confessed To
State Troopers Who Took Him
In Custody.

Henry Collins, aged IA years,
whose home is near Houston, was
arraigned before Magistrate E. f..
Wood OF Dover, Monday morning.
or serious charge, preferred by
Mr.. and Mrs. Serenus Messick, of
Houston, and held in $4,000 bail for
the upper court The charge is the
result of what the parents say was
an attack upon their daughter, Flor
ence c. Messick. aged seven years.
Collins, a married man. was er1-
plOyed by Messick last Friday to
help him plant onions Florence
was playing about the field. helping
her parents The mother eventually
missed the child, and at the same
time found that Collins had also
disappeared. The last time she saw
the aged man and girl they were
near the poultry house.
Mrs. Messick went to the poultry
house, and looking in, she claims,
she saw Collins sitting down, and
the child on his knee. The man
jumped up when discovered, and the
mother ordered him of the prem
ises. Later she told her husband,
and he made complaint to Magis-
trate Truitt in Milford. The latter
sent Highway Policemen Ingram
and Lank after Collins. and they
brought him to Milford on Sunday.
where Magistrate Truitt referred
the case to Deputy AttOrney-Gener-
al Wiley.
After his investigation, he had
Collins arraigned before Magistrate
Wood on a formal charge of toying
with a minor According to the
state police, who took Collins into
custody, he admitted to them that
he had committed q more serious
crime than the formal charge would
indicate. The child's mother is not
so sure that this is the case.
Among those in the vicinity of
Houston who know Collins, the
aged man isksaid to have the repu
tation of not being entirely mental
ly sane.
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
HARRINGTON FARMERS
GROW STRAWBERRIES.
At Public Meeting Last Monday
Night Plans We're Laid For
The Project.

Over fifty farmers. representing
the southwestern part of Kent
county, attended a meeting at Har-
ringtOn on Monday evening to dis
cuss the prospects for growing
strawberries on a commercial scale
in that area.
Interest in this project is being
promoted by the Harrington Cham
Der OF Commerce, in cooperation
with the American Express Com
pany and several of the most influ-
ential farmers OF that community;
and every effort is being put forth
to make this plan a success. As
sistance is also being given by the
Agricultural Extension Department
of the University Of Delaware in de-
velOping this program, and the
meeting on Monday evening was ad-
dressed by Dean C. A. McCue and
Kent County Agent Russell E. Will
son.
Walter J. Paskey, one of the most
successful strawberry growers in
that section of the county, presided
at this meeting, and before intro
ducing Dean McCue and County
Agent Wilson, called upon H. C.
Miller, representative of the Amer
lean Express Company at Harring-
ton, for few remarks concerning
the possibilities for strawberry
growing in that area, and the man
ner in which the Express Company
will assist the farmers in the mar
keting of their crop.
In discussing the growing of
strawberries commercially, Dean
McCue emphasized the use of only
CONTINUED on page y
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
few CRIMINAL CASES ARE
PRESENTED In SUSSEX COURT
Grand Jury Completed Its Work In
Less Than Two Hours -.

With Associate Judges Herbert l..
Rice and Richard S. Rodney on the
bench, the regular April term of
Superior Court and Court of General
Sessions convened at Georgetown on
Monday. Only six bills of indict-
ment were presented to the grand
jury who disposed of the business
in less than two hours, breaking
the record of the past two decades.
Robert Wilkerson, Jr., Little
Creek District, indicted for the lar
ceny of twenty-five chickens from
Mines F. Hastings on February IA,
this year, entered a plea of not gull
ty. The case will be disposed of
later in the week.
Ernest Brittingham and Jacob
Showell were each indicted for
stealing twenty-one chickens from
Irwin Collins, of Lewes and RehO-
both District, on February 13.
Frank Collins, against whom an
indictment of desertion and nom
support of his wife, Elva e. Collins,
was found, entered a plea of guilty
and was ordered by the court to pay
Iue SUM Vi JSu uOlldIS per WEEK 10
support his wife and two children.
Doris Lee, aged 4 years, and Dora
Ellen, aged years. The first pay
ment is to be made on April "a and
continue each week thereafter. Col
Inns has been employed in Marcus
Hook, Pa.
Frank Lightly, Negro roadster of
Virginia, who recently went on a
rampage at Laurel and robbed sew
eral men, following a "crap game" !"
was indicted for having on Febru-
airy 20. this year, committed an as
sault and battery on Carlton Crock
ett and also robbed him of a small
sum of money. Upon being arraign-
ed Lightly pleaded not guilty.
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
MTIT JURORS DRAWN
FOR KENT COUNTY COURT
Joseph Hayes Harry Hill And Har-
=. ry Davis From Tenth District

Jury Commissioners Hope and
Hopkins have drawn the following
petit jury for the regular April term
OF court convening at Dover April
10:
First district, G. Harvey Wright,
Frank Evans, Elmer D. Reed; sec
ond, Denney W. Lafferty, Richard
E. Wilson, Wilbert Raughley, Frank
L. Hardesty; third, William T. Day
EFT, Samuel NJ. Taylor, Walter Flem-
ming, T. E. Sylvester; fourth, Frank
COwan, William H. Moore, j. Frank
Smith, Harry P. Milbourn; fifth,
Robert H. Wilson, William l.. Fish
er. Grover C. Frear, John E. Con-
ner; sixth, Harry Masten, Joseph W..
Voshell, Harry Dill; seventh. Will
mer Benson, William 7. Honey,
Charles NJ. Hook, J. Dawson Clark;
eighth, William p. Jackson, Herman
Hammond, Clifford Johnson; ninth,
James o. Stafford, Joseph Masten,
Harry Raughley, Herman Griffith,
tenth. Joseph Hayes, Harry L. Hill,
Harry Davis.
Milford chronicle., 1926-04-09
BREAK GROUND FOR
CAPE MAY FERRY
Ceremonies On New Jersey Side
Were Largely Attended Last
Monday.

Ground was broken at Cape May
Point on Monday for the New Jer-
sey landing place of the New Jersey
Delaware Ferry Company from
there to the government pier in
Lewes, and on Saturday of this
week ceremonies will be held at
Lewes near the government pier for
the Delaware end of the line. The
pier has already been leased.
About thirty business men of
Lewes and RehObOth attended the
exercises in Cape May Point on
Monday
The plans for the ceremony at
the Lewes end of the line. which is
expected to mean so much both to
lower Delaware and points in New
Jersey, have not yet been COM
pleted by the local people interested
in the company, but Mayor Collins
and others will at once arrange the
program and endeavor to make it an
event OF importance to the entire
community. At the ceremonies the
officials and business men of Cape
May will be invited and will be en-
tertained while in Lewes.
The ferry line will run between
Cape May Point and Lewes. Cape
May Point is on the Delaware Bay,
while Cape May is four miles dist
ant on the ocean. Landing at Cape
May Point will be much easier than
at pier on the ocean and in ad-
ditiOn the vessels will avoid the
necessity of carrying of double
crews. which would be necessary if
they ran to Cape May itself.
Cape May turned out Monday to
celebrate.
officials of New Jersey and Della
ware, as guests of the business men
of the community and of the Rotary
Kiwanis and other civic Organiza-
tions, were present when J. Span
ucer Smith, chairman of the New
Jersey Board of Commerce and Ma
vigation, turned the first spade of
soil. The scene was lenlivened by
the music of bands and the fiutter
o: flags.
1t is estimated the ferry service
will mean saving of three hours
for traffic across the Delaware Bay.
Plans call for the operation of two
lake steamships.
The Lewes terminus is to be the
U. S. Government dock, which has
been leased.