Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 23, Number 81, Decatur, Adams County, 4 April 1925 — Page 1

Vo l, XXIII. Number sl.

BANDITS STAGE DARING HOLD-UP HERE

i Gerald Chapman, “Ace Os Bandits” Convicted Os Murder

I NOTEO GUNMAN I SENTENCE!) TO HANG JUNE 25 I Verdict Reached At 10:30 M. Today; Sentence Passed Hour Later BRAVADO AIR REMAINS Super - Bandit Slouches Against Pillar As Sentence Is Pronounced i United I’m* Scrvler) Hartford. Conn., April I (Special l<> Daily Democrat) (it raid Chapman must hang by the neck until he is dead. The death sentence was pronounced upon the “prince of bandits’’ here today after the jure which heard the evidence in his trial for the murder of Policeman James Skelly found him guilty. The jury's verdict was returned at 10:30. Within an hour all formalities had born dispensed with ami Judge Jennings sentenced Chapman to the gallows. Thus organized society finally made its claim upon Chapman. the super-bandit, safe cracker, mail robber and jail breaker. Tie- man who lias been the terror of police for years, when he was not known to he behind -bars, today sat in a cageThe air of bravado remained. lie slouched against a pillar as (Continued on page two) NEW LAW AIMED AT“SCALPERS" Selling Os Tickets At More Than Stipulated Price Is Law Violation in an effort to stop "scalpers’’ front obtaining a corner ou tickets for athletic contests and theatrical entertainments and selling them at higher prices than stipulated, the recent session of Indiana General Assembly passed a, new act and it has been approved by the Governor to become a law at once. The act is Senate enrolled act No. 313 and it makes it unlawful “to sell or offer for sale." tickets for admission to any performance, exhibition, theatre, concert hall, circus, common show, contest, game, race. fair, entertainment or other place of public amusement or recreation any price greater or less than the price charged for the tickets at regularly authorized places of sale. Persons found guilty of violating the act shall be fined not less than $25 or more than SSOO. I lie placing of the selfing for "less” in the law makes it unlawful for merchants and other persons to sell tickets for performances for less than 'he original price when sold in connection with an advertising plan. It is not stated, however, that it is unlawful to give tickets away, so it is believed by authorities that contest tickets to such events as state basketball tourneys and the like will remain legitimate. Senate enrolled act No. 276 directs that when a person shall have been convited of deserting his wife or child or children and leaving her or them, without reasonable means of support, and shall have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment at the State Farm, Reformatory or State Prison, tlm hoard of trustees shall Place him at productive employment. His wages after deducting to cost to the state shall be paid to the clerk of the county in which his dependents live for their support. The act has been approved.

DECATUR DARY DEMOCRAT

North Ward Pupils Give Play Before Large Crowd

The pupils of the North Ward grade school were greeted by a 1 capacity audience at the high school auditorium last night when thej | ■ tag< d the school's fifth annual play. The youthful actors more than made good in the production and to say that the targe audience greatly enjoyed the play is putting it mildly. I The title <>f the play was "The l.itte New Year." Elaborate cos,umes had b-‘en made tor the play and the manner in which the children tie.ed their roles showed that • the North "Wurd teachers had put in I many diligent hours of work with i the children.

The play opened with a processionlal of all of the characters in full ■ costume. There were groups of i characters representing the holidays ' ind charaet* ristic features of each j month of the year. For January i there was a little girl dressed in ■ warm clothing and, carrying her 1 skate-; for February theT* was a boy U'nnHnuwi nn page ihr#->« To Pile Plans For Street Improvements April 7 | Orvnl Harrnff, city engineer, stated this morning that he would file plans for the improvement of Jefferson and South First streets with the •ity council next Tuesday evening. These two streets wi.l be improved with brick this spring. The Jefferson 1 street improvement will run from 1 First street to the Pennsylvania railroad. west of Seventh street. Cement walks and curb will also be installed street. —- o — County Commissioners Will Meet Next Week The county commissioners will n,wt next Monday at the auditor's office, it being the regular April ses>>i< n. On Mon lay routine matt* i s will be disposed of and on Tuesday hid-: will be received for the const!.tc ion of the Mills, macadam road i-- the town ' i Monroe. The road is tr:..s than one-half mile in length and ibe estimated cost of th 1 improvement is Jl.l.t'e.'-! CHILD DIES AT HOSPITAL HERE Appendicitis Causes Death of Wanda L. Tumbleson, Os Fort Wayne Wahda Louise Tumbleson, aged four, daughter of Mr. and Mrs D. H. Tumbleson, of Fort Wayne, and granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Steele, of Pleasant Mills, died at the Adams County Memorial Hospital last evening, where she bad been rushed from Pleasant Mills with a severe case of appendicitis. Little Miss Tumbleson was visiting with her grandparents last week when she became seriously ill and, on advice of her physician, she was brought to the local hospital. All eflorts to save her life were futile and she died at about 7:30 o'clock lust night. She was born February 28, 1921, at Fort Wayne, being the second child in the family. One sister, aged 8, and the father and mother survive. Funeral services will be held from the Pleasant Mills Methodist church, Monday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock. Reverend Overmeyer, of Fort Wayne, and Reverend Shipley, of Pleasant Miills, will officiate. Burial will take place at the Mt. Tabor cemetery near Bobo. o — Geneva Water Company Is Authorized To Issue Stock Indianapolis, April 4.—The public service commission today authorized the Geneva Water company of Geneva. ! Indiana, to Issue $40,000 in capitol stock for the erection of a new water | plant and system.

FAITH CURE FAILS r 1 111 ■" •• 'v ■■ ' ,

MISS ORPHA BROOKS Galesburg, 111. —Too much church and school work was blamed by a i ' coroner’s jury for the death of M’-‘ I , Orpha Brooks, *!), of Galesburg. 111.. ■ . whose body was found in a gas filled room. Witnesses at the inque-t told how she had worried over what she considered her loss of faith when -he was obliged to return to wearing glasses after her failing eyesight ,:p ' parently had been cured by a "divine healer" evangelist in his crudely con- , strutted taliernacle at Galesburg. WEEKsTo QUIT ~ CABINET SOON l I Secretary Os War Weeks To Resign As Result Os His Recent Illness Washington. April 4. — John W. Weeks, secretary of the war since the beginning of the Harding administration and close friend ami political ad- ' visor of President Coolidge will resign from the cabinet as a result ofi the mild stroke which he suffered on Wednesday. Though Weeks’ condition was re--1 ported much improved today his family has persuaded him to give up his . official duties it is said. It is con- j sideied likely the resignation wiil not. be formally announced until the President has had sufficient time to choose a successor to take over the war department. Meanwhile Dwight F. Davis, assistant secretary of war will carry on at Hie department in the absence of Weeks. Severe Earthquake Felt In Mexico; Damage Done I Mexico City, April 4. — (United Press. I — A severe earthquake was I felt at Chalchihuites last night and ' several houses collapsed, say dis- ‘ patches from Durango. I The tremore threw the village into 1 a panic and many boarded trains in 1 an effort to flee the quake. 1 Others in an effort to escape rush- ■ ed the church of San Pedro, damaged windows, pews and doors in their ■ mad panic. I o ! Attempt To Stop Sale Os Dodge Brothers Co., Fails Detroit. Mich., April 4. — (United j Ptess).—John Duval Dodge, eldest son of the late John F. Dodge, failed in his first attempt today to stop the ! sale of the Dodge Brothers, Inc., to Dillon. Read and company, when his petition for a temporary injunction was refused in circuit county court . by Judge Harry J. Dingemau. Judge Dingeman, however, signed . an order requesting that Dodge’s stepmother, Mrs. Matilda R. Dodge, widow and executrix of the late John , F. Dodge, appear in court Wednesday and show cause why an injunction should not he signed. Dodge’s petition was to restrain Mrs. Dodge from ‘‘selling or encumb- . ering any of the assets of the estate of Anna Margaret Dodge, deceased.” The petitioner claimed he had a | fifth interest in (he estate.

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday, April I, 1925.

LAST DAY FOR CANDIDATES TO ENTER PRIMARY i'Republican Ticket Expected To Be Filed Late This Afternoon G. O. P. WORKERS BUSY Party Leaders Working To Fill Ticket Before Time Limit Closes With only a few hours of “grace” r.maining to silo declarations of candidacies for city offices. It was under stood that the republican organization would file a ticket at the zero! ! hour, near five o’clock this evening. i p to 2:30 this afternoon not a 1 i single republican had filed, but Eras I tus l’i ilzlnper, city chairman, L. A. , Graham, county chairman and other ; r. publicans were busy scouting around I trying tn li 1 the ticket and get the l consent of republicans to "accept" ; the nomination. Among the names mentioned for , I lie repuidicun nomination for mayor today was that of Avon Burk, of the Burk R evator Co., and President i of the Decatur industrial Association. ?dr. Burk is an active republican and | has taken an interest in the affairs | of his party for some time and from what could be learned this afternoon, the “higher ups" hail aggreed on him ■.nd were trying to get him to file for the office. No names, were mentioned- lor city ; clerk and city treasurer. It was stated that James 1.. Kocher, present conn cilman from the second ward would (Continued from I age line) —o—"DIDN’T HAVE CHANCE" z Hartford, Conn., April 4.—(United Pres.) —’The prejudice in the minds of the jurors is so great that they didn't convict the man who committed the murder, but j they convicted Gerald Chapman, the super-bandit, the arch-criminal, solely on his past record," said Chapman in his precise, cultivated tone as he and Judge Groehl, his counsel, met in the dungeon after court had recessed. "I really did not think that I had a chance.” SIX MASKED MEN HOLD UP MEETING Rob Forty Men Os $20,000 In Cash And Jewelry At Chicago —_ Chicago, April 4 —(United Press) —I Several suspects were rounded up to- : day iu the search for the half dozen : men who last night robbed forty men attending a meeting of the Showmen’s league of America of approximately $20,000 in cash and jewelry. The meeting was in full blast when the masked men stepped in, lined up the members and ordered the collection for their capacious bag. President Fred M. Barnes lost SB,OOO in cash and jewe/ry. The fat little bandit who led the robbers heat Leon A. Fereniak, at- I torney for the league, for arguing. : Walter Driver, President of the Dri- [ 1 ver Brothers Tent company, also was i beaten. While the looting was going on a i, score of women were attending a meeting of the ladies’ auxiliary of the league on the oor below. Weather ■ Generally fair tonight and Sunday; ' i somewhat colder tonight In south . portion.

Liken Case Os Ellingson Girl To Leopold-Loeb Case

NEW INFANTRY HEAD . - 1 3 Or ■HL • '*i MB, MAJ. GEN. ROBERT H. ALLEN Washington. I). (’. — This photo 1 .shows Maj. Gen. Robeit 11. Allen, who j succeeded Maj. Gn. C. S. Farnsworth. ; retired, as chief of tin- infantry, U. i S ’ :i 1-1,1 > ’ INSTALL DEVICE TO UNLOAD BEETS Sugar Co., Socks to Encourage Growers To Haul Beets To Factory in order to unload the beets, which the farmers haul to the factory, as quickly as possible and to encourage others to haul them, the Holland-St. j Donis Sugar company v.i.l install a modern automatic dumping machine I of the Robbins type at the south <nI trance to the yards on Ihe east side of the road. The hoist, which is of the latest type and similar io (hose installed at other large beet sugar facti orics, raises the wagons or truck* of : beets and dumps the beets into a I hopper. The beets are then elevated ■ into a pile. The dumping and hoisting machine can unload a wagon or truck ' of beets within throe minutes. FormerV. the farmers and beet growers Juul Ito shovel the’beets off the wagon, i taking much time and labor to do it. In connection with the dumping j machine, a new 20-ton automatic ' scale will be instated near the device land the beets will lie weighed at j the same time they are being unloaded, whicli I; another convenience arranged for the beet growers. Last year approximately 7.0)0 tons of beets i were hauled to the local factory. The company pays the farmers u bonus J of SI.OO a ton for hauling the boots I to the factory and the management , wishes to encourage the han ing of the beets direct to the factory. With I the installing of the new unloading I device it will not be necessary for . the farmer to haul the beets through | the factory yards us the hoist will lie J ocated near the entrance to the ' factory. General officers of the Holland-St. I Jjouis Sugar company including ('. ;M. McLean, of Holland, Michigan, genera) manager of the company; James McLean, superintendent of the Holland factory; B. F. Arendt, of St. Louis, Michigan, general superintendent of the company, and E. Stiff, general engineer, were in the city yesterday it)'conference with John Carmody and Will Simpson of the local factory. The men left this morning for their homes. James Boyd, Former Adams County Man, In Sanitarium Word has been received by Adams county friends that James Boyd, for many years a resident of St. Marys township, is lu a very serious condition. His mind is affected and he has become so violent that it was necessary to place him in an Ohio sanitarium. He lias made his home with a daughter at Lima for several years but has visited here each year j about fair time. Mr. Boyd is a vet I eran of the civil war and is nearly I ninety years old.

I San Francisco. April 4. (United Press.) -By meins of X-ray photo j graphs of the "jazz girl’s" skull, the 1 defense today wiil try to establish an ! enology between the Loeb-Leopold, case ami that of Dorothy Ellingson. ' Methods similar to those that saved the millionaire sons from the I gallows will be introduced by attorney* reptesenting the girl who killed ■ her mother. According to testimony of Frank-1 lin W. McCormick, radiographer, there: is a marked similarity betwen abnor-I rnulitles shown in the skull pictures of Leopold and Dorothy, particularly) as to the cavity which contains Hie , pituitary glands. j Itorotliys' declaration that she is sane ami her obvious eagerness 10l wreck her case by her outbursts of temper, will be used by her lawyers; to prove she is -as mentally irresponsible today as when she shot her mother. Manager Os Gas Company Here Wins (’ash Prize > Will O'Brien. !:•< ;.i manager of th •! i Northern Indiami Gas and Electric company, won secund prize in n < > :iI" 1 ' held bi h- company among tin* n sident manttgers in the Date. The sec-ind prize amounted to sh’>su and i was given to him for sellli g the send li -t rnrubi .• .if gas rurgos for t.- .rotith. Bluiltu’i w.is l awarded first nr'so | - " ’ Scores Os Women Drown W hile l leeing From Bandits London. April 4 -Scores of women | were drowned at Kin Teek Wan. in tlie province of Shen-Si, while trying 1 to escape from bandits who plundered and set tire to tlie town, according - ’ to a Central Nows dis[>atcli from ' | Tien Tsin. I The women lost their lives when I a ferry boat on which they had taken refuge, sank. Hundreds of others were abducted by tlie bandits. The state | ■ mililia from Nan Yang refused to I light and stood quietly by while the ' robbers were at work. The bandits tinuiiy were dispersed by men from two adjacent villiages. I o— — MONROE SENIORS TO STAGE PLAY Will Present “Bashful Mr. Bobbs” Next Thur day And Friday Nights “Bashful Mr. Bobb-." is tlie title of a play to be given by the senior class of the Monroe high school at the high school auditorium at that place next Thursday and Friday, j April 9 and 10. The play is divided into three acts and three scenes. ’ Each act is given a sub-title as follows: Act I. "Was He A Burglar?" act 2. "A Human Butterfly”; act . ‘‘Thieves and Bridegrooms.’’ The i play takes place in tlie living room of a country boarding house. It starts iu the late afternoon and continues a little later iu tlie second act ami the final act is late on the night of I Hie same day. The cast of characters is as follows: Katherine Henderson, a young wife . Beatrice Urp j Frederick Hederson. her hits- ', baud Geor gsSmith I Mrs. Wiggins, the landlady | Goldie Martz Obadiah Stump, a fresh, country product Orley Walters r Frances Whittaker, an athletic | 1 girl Edua Rayl - Rosalie Otis, :i society bud > Chrystil Sells Mr. Robert Bobbs, the hashful one Sylvan Rupert 1 Jean Graham, a Delaware peach Lillie Snell 1 Marston Bobbs, anything but r bashful Harley Ehrsim Celesta Vanderpool, of the "Movies" Margaret Striker ' Julie, her French maid from Paris. Ky Mardelle Hocker

Price 2 Cents.

TWO UNMASKED MEN ROB LOCAL CONFECTIONARY Got SSO In (’ash And $25 hi Checks At Wertzebrger Confectionary EARLY LAST NIGHT Proprietor And Son Covered With Revolver While Place Is Looted The Dodge coupe, stolen from Dr. (’. 11. Price, of Geneve, yesterday evening, and in which the bandits who held up the Vertzberger confectionary here last night, are believed to have escaped, was located in Fort Wayne this afternoon, according to word received here by Sheriff John Baker. Two uninaskt <1 bandits held up and robbed Btirnev Wertzlierger and his son, (.harles. in their confectionary ern West Monroe street, at 8:15 o'clock Friday evening, getting about in cash and about $25 in i checks and certificates of deposit. I'here were no customers in the confectionary at the I'inc of (lie hohrn. Ihe bandits escaped in a Ford sedan. which was parked on the corner of Monroe and ’I hint street with the motor running. An accomplice was said to be i v. >ii : ng in Ihe car. Nir lit Policeman SophlK Mr-lchi was notified of the hold-up shortly after it occured. bid when he arrived they had made good their escape. At noon today, a farmer residing near I tConiinned On Page Fonrt MOOSE TO ELECT OFFICERS SOON Important Matters To Conic j Up At Meeting- Tuesday Evening i The annual election of tile local lodge of tlie Loyal Order of Moose will lie hold next Tuesday evening as a part of tlie regular meeting, and plans for a good time are being made. A luncheon will be served and. besides tlie election, other matters of importance will come up. All members who can be there arc requested to lie present. Tlie lodge lias more than four hundred members and is one of the most prosperous in tlie city. While they own their own home on Third street they are already discussing plans for an extension or for a new building and it is probable this proposition may gain headway during the coming year, WaltcrWilkenson. who lias served as dictator during the past two years will retire as soon as the new officials ate installed. o Henry Thomas Expects To Resume Work Soon — Henry Thomas, veteran cigar man and bead of tlie White Stag Cigar company here, who lias been ill for several weeks, was down street this morning looking rather old fashioned and expects soon to be back on the job. He suffered a nervous breakj down about two months ago and was seriously ill for several days. For a month past he has been taking treatment at Dayton. Ohio, from where he has just returned. o 'Son-in-law Os “Uncle” Joe Cannon Is Dead Danville, ill., April 4 — (United ! Press) — Ernest E. Ldasure, son-in-I law of "Uncle" Joe Cannon, former j speaker of the national house of representatives. died here last night from heart attack. Leasure, 61, was a bunker. His wife and two daughters . survive.