Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 29 November 1935 — Page 1

i

“While we cannot build walls around ourselves and hide our heads in the sand, we must go forward with all our strength to stress and to strive for international peace.” —President Rooseveit,

THE POST-DEMOCRAT

“Modern government has become an instrument through which citizens may apply their reasoned methods of prevention in addition to methods of

—President Roosevelt.

VOLUME 16—NUMBER 44.

MUNCIE, INDIANA, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1935.

PRICE: FIVE CENTS

MUNCIE PUT ON THE DEAD BEAT LIST

—— —- —— — — — _ * .

Terrible Crime oi Violence Shocks the City To Its Core

White Woman Assaulted by Colored Man GOV. M NUTT

Identified by Victim as Transient Camp Resident—Withholding Name of Victim Missplaced Mercy—Suggested Secrecy of Court Procedure Does Not Meet With

Approval in Muncie.

A twenty-five-year-old colored- man from Washington, D. C., a transient camp resident, is in jail charged with criminal assault on Mrs. Albert Harper, of Whitely. Mrs. Harper was on her way to church a week ago Thursday night, when a colored man, whom she identifies as Brown, overpowered her and dragged her to a secluded place in the park, beat her unmercifully in the face when she resisted, and perpetrated the assault. Local police arrested Brown, after the transient camp management had discovered that he was absent from the camp at the time of the fiendish assault, and that Brown’s account of his whereabouts at the time failed to check with records, which disclosed that he was not at the camp when

it happened.

Brown was taken to police headquarters, where the victim, thirty-two, white and the mother of three children, identified him as her assailant. Brown was taken at once to the state reformatory at Pendleton, in order to prevent a

possible lynching. Mistaken Kindness

Probably with the mjstaken idea of protecting an estimable lady from undue publicity, the local daily newspapers withheld her name, while giving a complete ac-

■ <U' t"hi n irl w i wm.u}»-

PROMISES AID TO RED CROSS

of the arrested Negro.

The Chicago-Examinef Tuesday carried the story, under a Muncie dateline, giving all the names, which after all is the proper manner to handle news, and of course the Herald-Examiner, a real newspaper, would have rejected the story if it had been submitted by its Muncie correspondent, a local

reporter in the vague and partially informative manner, in which it

was published here.

News is pitiless, and terrible. So is the law. If the negro Brown is to be tried by a court of law the

+4++*—mime -K-rmtplalning witness rmrst arppenr-

against him in open court. Therefore it was mistaken kindness to cover up the identity of the victim of a horrible crime. Sooner or later this good woman will undergo the ordeal of taking the witness stand to testify against the

defendant.

Any attempt at secrecy now, no (Continued to Page Six)

America has Spoken In its page, “America Speaks,” the Star Sunday published another symposium by Doctor Galloop, the world famous inventor ot a system of discovering the trend of public opinion by the simple process of reading people’s minds. V The good doctor must have been scrutinizing the crystal sphere intently, for America “spoke” Sunday quite emphatically in favor of President Roosevelt, which shows that the great inventor realizes that the only way he can keep his page going is to frighten the Republican bosses occasionally. , There will be plenty of time, however, for this notable spokesman of American opinion to change the forecast frequently between now and next November. This great country has several kind of people and Doctor Galloop is most of them. He has been busy this week studying the movements of black cats and inspecting used tea leaves and will announce Sunday who the Republicans of America want to nominate for president of the United States next year. In advance of the doctor’s prognostication, the PostDemocrat offers the thought that it doesn’t matter much who the Republicans want—they will have to take what they get. For some reason or other, Senator Borah of Idaho seems to have captured the imagination of the bulk of the party, but he wears his hair so long, and has such a nasty look in his eye, that the rulers of the Grand Old Party are afraid to risk him. Hand-picked delegates to the Republican national convention will be carefully chosen, with sealed instructions to take orders. The most notable example of order-taking was the nomination of the later Warren G. Harding in Chicago fifteen years ago. Only a small percentage of the rank and file of Republicans Wanted Harding. In Delaware county, for instance, where progressive Republicans abound, Harding trailed all other Republican candidates in the primary, receiving only a pitiful handful of votes. Yet while the national convention was in an uproar and in an apparent deadlock, three “tired business men” held a secret meeting in the Blackstone hotel and nominated Harding. Jim Watson, Hosierdom’s glorified messenger boy, was sent for and was ordered out to' carry the news to the master mechanics. Thus Harding became the candidate and ultimately the president of the United States. It doesn’t take an Institute of Public Opinion to inform Delaware county who the Democrats will nominate next year. The delegates will consider but one name — Franklin D. Roosevelt, who will be easily elected by a grateful republic, that has outworn its old system of voting blindly for boss-picked candidates.

First Aid Stations to he Placed on All Main

Highways.

Washington, D. C., Nov. 28.— “The establishment of numerous first aid stations along our main traveled highways, with Red Cross trained persons available, is a most important contribution to the preservation of hujnan life.” This statement was made several days ago by Governor Paul V. McNutt in a letter to Admiral Cary T. Grayson, Chairman of the American Red Cross, praising the nationwide home, farm and accident prevention program launched October 1 by the Red Cross. Governor McNutt assured Admiral Grayson that the Indiana Highway Commission would do everything in its power to assist the Red Cross in establishing highway first aid stations in Indiana. He wrote: “My already great interest in the humanitarian program of the American Red Cross is further stimulated by the ifecent announcement of its plans to conduct a nation-wide program of home, farm and highway safety. Indiana One of First “It is particularly gratifying that you have chosen Indiana as one of the first states in which to organize the highway safety movement. The establishment of numerous first aid stations along our main traveled highways, with Red Cross trained people available, is a most important contribution to the preservation of human life. Our State Highway Commission has already pledged its hearty cooperation to the officials of the Red Cross in carrying out their plans. “I am glad that you are organizing the safety program at this time. There is urgent need for such a program conducted on a great national scale. The American Red Cross is admirable qualified to do the job well. The great service that has been -given by the Red Cross in Indiana and elsewhere in times of great disaster, its splendid cooperation with the efforts of public officials to alleviate distress in the great emergency throught which we have been passing, and now its entrance into an additional field of public service cause me to wish for it the utmost success in the membership roll call now about to be held throughout the country. It should, and I am quite sure will, receive wholehearted support.” In the few weeks the program has been under way in Indiana, locations for 73 highway first aid stations have been chosen. The majority of them are being established in filling stations, reports to national headquarters indicate. According to present plans most of the stations will be in operation on or before January 1. Complete First Aid Kit Each station must be equipped with a complete Red Cross first aid kit, and in addition at least one person with first aid training is required to be in attendance during the hours the station is open. The following Indiana Chapters have announced selection of first aid station sites: Cass county, two stations; Clav county, two definitely planned with possibility of two more being established later; Elkhart, five stations; Fort Wayne, five stations; Goshen, three stations Howard county, eight stations Huntington county, one station; Indianapolis, fifteen stations; Johnson county, two stations; Miami county, four stations; Putnam county; two stations; Terre Haute, eight stations; Tippecanoe counay, six stations, and Wayne county, five stations. The home and farm phase of the accident prevention program is also going forward in the state. At the present time 52 Indiana Chapters have appointed committees to arrange for this work. These committees, composed of the leading citizens in each community, are busily collecting home (Continued On Page Six)

0. W. Storer of the Muncie Banking Co. Buys Local Bonds Wild Scramble of Muncie and Out-of-Town Bidders for Coveted Bonds at Least Prove That the Deoression is Really

Over.

The depression is really over. Bond buyers flocked to the city hall Friday morning in a mad scramble to purchase a. $81,265 block of city funding bonds bearing 4*4% interest, offered for sale at 10 o’clock Friday morning. With Controller “Bob” Parkinson calling signals, the prize package was pulled out of the air amidst a crowd of contending aspirants by O. W. Storer of the Muncie Banking Co. with a bid of $6583.50 premium on the total issue. The bonds offered for sale by —8 — ■ , , ' Vj forcing Muncie credit to be sold

a $221,000 issue authorized laatr V , . \ . i_. , , . * Although

spring hut wlrch was appealed o . . ...

* , , , , , . . Muneie was AAAI

from by local hanking officials .

toast, all obligations against the

outside bidders. the bonded credit

from coast

and referred to the state tax board for final action. The tax hoard completed their hearing on the remonstrances by allowing $81,265 to be sold. The bonds were issued to raise funds for the city to buy new automobiles for the police department and improve various streets throughout the city. The issue was purchased by the Muncie Banking Co., to yield 3.4 per-

cent.

Redemption of the bonds against the city is to be made at the rate of $4,000 each six months beginning with June 15, 1940, and continuing until 1950. All bonds are subject to the $1.50 tax limitation law passed by the state legislature in 1931. Almost two years ago, this provision was considered as a huge “flaw” in the security of city bonds by banking institutions of Muncie. It may be remembered that twrt “y«aFA a*fo Oils coming January, the city offered $100,000 of bonds for sale with which to secure funds to carry on CWA projects inaugurated by the federal government. It is also to be remembered that no bidders were available in Muncie at that time although the city’s credit was several hundred thousand dollars further away from bankruptcy than it is at present. The $1.50 tax limitation law which does not make it mandatory for the city to redeem such indebtedness but merely places the debt as a moral obligation against the city, was used at that time as an excuse for all bankers to set tight on their bulging surpluses. This one little provision was an “out’ for the banking institutions of Muncie to escape the embarrassment of

< i!y were being promptly met, and the city treasury remained in balance in spite of decreased tax rates, the city administration was forced to peddle the $100,000 of GWA bonds to a Chicago financial institution, the C. W. McNear Co. The money which was received ffom the sale of the CWA issue brought to Muncie one of the finest municipal swimming pools in Indiana, a flood prevention wall protecting all properties in the western part of the city, new log cabins in the parks, a radio broadcasting system for the police department, permanent bleacher seats for the Sunday baseball entertainment at McCulloch park, removal of the dangerous and useless street car rails within the cRy, improved traffic light regulations, and numerous other

M

ary every individual of i! lvti>nrip. Yet, these bonds two years ago were snubbed by so-called city beneficiaries, the banks, and today the same institutions go “hogwild” to purchase city bonds for the purpose of paying bills contracted for by the city administration in advance of any legality. The citizens of Muncie can again note an example of politics in our banks. Two years ago, the bonds were offered by the Dale administration and the improvements received from the sale of these bonds were a lasting credit to the administration. This credit was resented by the banking officials and they turned “thumbs down” on the purchase with a squeai that the said bonds were subject to the $1.50 tax limitation law when di-

(Continued to Page Five)

Standard Oil Company Stops Credit oi City For Failing to Settle

Pure Food Guard

Instruct Agents to Demand Cash for Gasoline and Oil Until $800 Account is Settled —Other Commercial Claims of Various Dealers On the Unsatisfied List.

MARTIN L. LANG

Probably the most titled man in the employment of the State government is Martin L. Lang, of Elwood, whose principal title is “Chief of the Division of Chemistry” of the state board of health. He is the state food and drug commissioner, the state commissioner of weights and measures and as chemistry chief has super-

^ermanent improvement^ enjoyed vision of the bureau of sanitary

Aj&gttwermg, the TupBHT o'|»4airy products and health laboratories of the state health board. In other words, it is “Marty” Lang who supervises the policing of the food production plants and retailers to see that the Indiana pure food and drug laws are not violated. His engineers guard the water supplies and watch the sanitary equipment of all communities to make sure that disease prevention is a reality in Indiana. Meeting places, theaters and even the tourist camps come under the watchful eyes of health board in-

spectors.

In 1933 someohe with an idea that “Marty’ didn’t have enough to do, assigned to him, as commissioner of weights and measures, the job of administering the first (Continued On Page $ix)

Well of all things! The Indianapolis division of the Standard Oil Company has put Muncie on the dead beat list and in a note to its eight managers here and presumably to the 192 managers of the Indianapolis division, has ordered that no further credit be extended the city and that no deliveries of gasoline or oil shall be made except on a cash basis. The notification was designated as a “Shut-Off Order,” a rather blunt way of telling a whole city what public utilities are occasionally called upon to tell private individuals—“pay up or we’ll shut off your light, gas, water or telephone service, “as the case may be. Included in the order was a notation that the city owed the company $800 and urged that local agents do their best to collect it before extending any further credit to the city of Muncie, the finance department, board of works, fire department, police department or park department.

Should Pay Up

This accentuates what the PostDemocrat has been urging continually, that commercial claims against the city should be paid promptly and are debts just as binding as those of city officers and employes who have been having a hard time getting their

wages this year.

The Standard Oil company is a rather large commercial yistitution itself, and it has evidently aitopted the ’thedry that even citieA are not preterred debto.rs, and that Muncie must pay up if she expects

further credit.

The Standard is not the only gasoline and oil company that holds claims against the city. Just exactly what attitude the other companies will take, in the face of this abrupt ultimatum, is un

Murder oi Pete Levy Stirs Meoiories oi Local Police Feud

known, but the city will be in a bad shape if credit is wholly with-

drawn.

The excessive drain on the city’s finances, due to an unnecessary number of employes, has impaired the city’s credit and that is had for the community. Impairing City's Credit Nothing is gained by creating jobs where extra services are not needed. The first of the year is coming and a New Year’s resolution should lie made by the mayor to reorganize the system of ignoring claims long overdue. The credit of the city must be maintained at all hazards. The ctiy needs ample credit making possible the purchase of necessary supplies, rendering it unnecessary' for creditors to serve notices sim(Continued to Page Six)

State Police Were Here Looking for Willard Carson When Local Officers Took Them for Bandits—Man Looking for Them May Have Been Murderer of Anderson Policeman, is Police Theory. It has come to light that the man the state policemen were looking for in Muncie several weeks ago when they were arrested and one of them slugged by local police, was Willard Carson, a man who killed his own father, and who may possibly be the assassin who shot down Policeman Pete Levy in Anderson a few nights ago. Carson is a known killer who has evaded the law for several years. On the occasion of the grotesque arrest of the state policemen the same day that a finance company was held up here, the state officers had been directed to come here, where thy expected to scure information regarding extortion notes written by Carson. Carson Looked For Captain Leach, of the state police, consideres Carson as a likely suspect, in the Anderson police killing, and his men are again on Carson’s trail. Apparently the feud between the state police and the Muncie police has been dropped for the time being. However the fact remains that the state cops were here on legitimate business when local officers took them into camp as suspects in a stick-up that had just been pulled in Muncie. Now here is a story that is something like the cat that ate the rat

that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built, but is about as coherent as many of the hot air discourses of the present day. It is a story of “ifs.” A Bunch of Ifs IF Carson was the man who killed Pete Levy at Anderson; and IF the state policemen had no! been bothered when they were here several weeks ago, and IF the state policemen had caught Carson, instead of being caught themselves, would Pete Levy be alive today, instead of a long time dead? The subject is being freely dis-

cussed in various state police barracks and the decision finally arrived at is “That what is to be, will be,” which absolves everybody from blame, except the assassin who shot down poor Pete Levy. (Continued to Page Six)

Lie Detector

Covington, Ind., Nov. 29.;—“Was Lahr your partner on the theater job at Attica?” “No.” With uncanny accuracy, the lie | detector of the Indiana State Po- { lice Department fluttered and went into mechanical spasms, as Haven Buck attempted to shield the alleged participants in a theater robbery at Attica on the night of November 11. The scene was in the office of the sheriff at Covington, and the victim is alleged to have been one of the participants in the burglary. Subsequent investigation following the work of the lie detector has proven, according to Lieut. Don Kooken of the State Police Department, that Ralph Lahr did participate in the robbery. When Buck answered “no,” the pulse indicator on the graph showed definite fluctuations and at the same time the breathing registi'ation showed restrictions, which otherwise went along evenly in the answers to nine questions. Police are now seeking the whereabouts of Lahr.

The Chain Stores Very few people have any conception whatever of the powerful influences back of the great combinations of na-tionally-distributed stores handling commodities that are needed daily in the homes of the rich and the poor. “Five and ten” millionaires have advanced to the bik Vmaire stage and when you say it with a billion “money talks” through a loud speaker. The argument is used that the great chain distributors, buying from a common center, in huge quantities, are enabled to obtain commodities from wholesalers and manufacturers at prices less than those quoted to individual stores and that the differential is passed on to the ultimate consumer. Probably this is true, in a limited sense, but the question arises as to the final solution of a problem that affects all people alike. Carried to its logical conclusion, it will only be a matter of time until independent merchants are wiped out, and others of modest means who contemplate merchandising as a livelihood will hesitate before they buck a million dollars with a dime. Senator Frederick VanNuys, who performed the great public service of relegating Jim Watson to private life, has ,£aekled this problem at its source, by advocating national legislation that will restrain super-distributing agencies from discriminating in prices, invoking the antitrust law to enforce fair dealing. In other words wholesalers and manufacturers will be compelled to sell commodities at the same price to all buyers, as law and common sense dictates. Ultimately if the chain system persists one huge combine, or merger, will control the distribution of the common necessities of life and by reason of overpowering wealth will dictate national and local policies and will exer-cise-autocratic control over the lives and property rights of all citizens. • . In some mining districts in various parts of the country, “company stores” dispense all necessities to employes, thus reducing working people to the status of slaves to the bookkeeping department of the company store. The word “regimentation” has been used largely by those opposed to the social security program of the government, but those complaining are the captains of the army of “regimented” dollars which sweeps resistlessly along, threatening to destroy the bulwarks of liberty. It is a question for Muncie and all other communities to decide—whether they shall meekly accept the “company store” idea and permit a huge money bag to order their lives, or stand as a unit in defense of local enterprise rather than submit to remote control. The Post-Democrat may invite implacable hostility and possibility destruction by championing the rights of the under dog, but somebody must speak for the “little fellow” and a count of noses shows us little fellows form a tremendous majority.