Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 23, Number 116, Decatur, Adams County, 15 May 1925 — Page 1

Vol. XXIII. Number 116.

STEPHENSON TO BE TRIED FOR MURDER

WIDE SEARCH IS BEING MADE FOR MORnERER Search For Slayer Os Fort Wayne Couple Covers Middle west CLUES ARE FOUND Shack Occupied By Bicycle Bandit Located In Fort Wayne < I'tiltrd Press S. :-vl<. ) I'oit Wayne. May 15 (S>>eei:i! to Daily Di-moertif A —St arch for the layer of Mims Kalheryn llcrbers and Howard Fisher shot to death iji Fish er's ear near hero May 7. today was under way throughout the middlewest. The man sought was the bicycle bandit who terrorized motorists on roads south id’ this city and whose shack has been located. In it were lonnd cartridges similar to those in tin ■.■ tin with which the two wero killed. Clows have sent detectives to Warsaw and Goshen twice during tlie last few days, a mysterious eyciiint being seen in that vicinity. The man sought is five feel, ten nches tall. weght 140 to 1511 pounds, is red faced with sandy hair, wears cither overalls or dark suit, walks with springy step and is how ’.egged, lie has ■’eat eyes" and is about 45 years old The man. who all of the officers now' believe to have been guilty of the double slaying, lived in a two loom shad; just hack of a brick house on East Pontiac street, ex tended. lie had lived there for about three weeks. lie owned a u.-w-bk-y-. de with treaded tires and rode it a great deal. He never told his name to Lambert or anyone living in the neighborhood of the shack. When asked his name on two occasions bn turned the conversation into another channel. The man was seen to leave the shack lit 5 o'clock on the morning of the day the murdered couple was discovered on the Hessen Cassel road. He was riding his bicycle, lie has not returned to the shack since that lime. o SHIPPIh® 30189 MUST ACT next Ford Waiting For Board To Fix Price On Idle Merchant Vessels Detroit, Mich., May 15. — Henry Ford feels that the next move in the negotiations whereby he might purchase 400 steel ships from the I'nited States shipping board is up to the board, it was revealed today. Although officials of the Ford Mot t or company were extremely reticent and refused to divulge just how far the negotiations have gone, Ford's personal spokesman was very emphatic in declar ng that “it's up to the shipping board.” The Impression given out at Fold's Dearborn offices was that no offer for the fleet had : been made that the shipping board was to state what it wanted for the ships. When that step has been taken then serious negotiations may he started. The major-general of industry, the man who has accumulated what is generally believed to be the largest personal fortune in the world, s not interested in commanding the huge fleet in world commerce, 11 w.is made clear by Ford's spokesman. The general policy of the Ford Motor company, it was pointed out, has been to acquire only such properties | as would have a direct influence in the great manufacturing plants. For I instance, Ford purchased coal mines - in West Virginia and .Kentucky only, for the purpose of shipping coal to operate Ills Detroit factories. He bought the Detroit. Toledo & Iron-, ton railroad chiefly for the purpose of bringing bis coal from the mines | (CONTINUED ON PAGE EIGHT)

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

' -w . I Hotanans Hear Paper On Cabinet - Making Herman .1. Yager, icirett.rj of the Decatur notary chili, gave an instruc live paper on the hikloiy ami origin I of cabinet making and th marmfac | lure <>f furniture at a inectin. 1 ’ of the dub lust evening. The art of cabinet and furniture making dates back to the beginning of hie world and Mr. Yager's interesting paper brought out (that the kings who ruled the old coun- | it les Is fore the coming i.f Christ were (owners of wonderful hand carved fur- ! ilium. His tall: was interesting and I < diieational. ('. (". Pumphrey, gave an , 1 tx< < lleut llve-miniite talk on one of the ethical points of Rotary, bringing out the value of service. i “THE TATTLER" ii ISCOMPLETED II Catholic High School Annual Oft' Press Today; Contains 150 Pages t' _ . I I "The Tattler," year hook of the De- ’ catur Catholic high school, is b<- : ng 1 completed today and will be ready for distribution tonight. The book ’ contains about 150 pages, including photographs 01 the students, teachers. school. clitin h and stories of the 1 various activities of the school year. I E.irl Christen, who has been employed at the Daily Democrat office fori 1 several yetns. and who sa member of | the graduating class this year, is edi- ' tor of the ptihllt al ion. f ( Gerald Mylott has acted in the <a pacity of business manager lor "The Tattler." These two young men. and j their staff of assistants have publish-1 ed wiiut is regarded as the best annual the school has over han. The fSture*section Ts* the alhtetie Section of the bank. Individual photographs of the Decatur,Catholic state cliamp 'ion basketball team, which placed I fourth in the national Catholic lourI I , 1 ney, together with records id' the l team and individual players, are InI eluded in the sports department. The book also contains literary accomplishments, social activities, church uctiv ties and several other features. Three hundred and fifty , books have been contracted for. They will be sold in two different bindings. The leather-hound books will sell >'or $1.5(1 and the paper covered ones with 1 the gold letters, will sell for si,oo. The annual is a net t and accurate publication and considerable work lias hern done, by the entire staff in an effort to publish the best hook that the school has ever had. The hooks w 11 be sold by various members of the staff. The sale will start tonight. Cedric Voglewede, assistant editor and a member of the junior class, also has assisted greatly in the publication of the hook. It is highly probable I that he will receive the appointment as editor for next year, hut as yet no official announcement has been made. TO ATTENO MEN'S MEETING SUNDAY Men From Reformed Church J I Os Decatur To Attend Ft. Wayne Meeting i < About one hundred men and young , men from the congreg.ition of the , Zion Reformed church of this city ( are planning to attend the Men’s Con- , grass of the Fort Wayne Class's, Synod of Midwest Reformed church. , tij be held in St. John’s Reformed , church, corner of West Washington j Boulevard and Webster street, Fort , Wayne, next Sunday. Many women , from the local congregation will accompany the men and attend services to be held at the Salem Reformed , church. . There will be no service's in the ‘local Reformed church Sunday, with ! the exception of Sunday School, which | ( will be held at 8:45 o’clock. The , pastor, the Rev. A. R. ' ( will attend the services in Fort i Wayne, also. , Men and young men from the six1 (CONTINUED ON PAGE SEVEN)

BRANDS HAWKINS REORGANIZATION PLAN AS FRAUD Lew Wallace, Attorney For Bankruptcy Trustee, Seeks to Block Plan HAWKINS (JETS STAY Court Extends Date For His Return To Indianapolis Until May 25 X———— Iml anapolis. Ind., May 15. (I’nited Press.I —Branding plans for the reorganization of the Hawkins Mortgage company of Portland, Ind., as a framluli nt attempt to mislead stockholders, Lew Wallace, attorney for the inn tee in bankruptcy for the company, started proeeidings in federal court today to block the reorganization program. Wallace filed a motion to dismiss a petition for a stay of the bankruptcy proceedings tiled recently by the llawkin's reorganization lommiltee. Judge Baltzell sat May IS for hearing on the motion. If he sustains the motion plans of I .Morton Hawkins, former president of ; the company, for rebuilding hi loan j 01 ganization will be shattered. The reorganization plans called for the rehabilitation of the affiliated I loan societies of the Hawkins company hi cities throughout Indiana. ’Ohio and other mid western states. Hawkins was ordered returned to I Indianapolis to stand trial for fraudj ulent use of the mails by the I’nited ■ States circuit court of appeals in Cincinnati Illis week. Twelve rornvwe rrfHr-.-rY nf the-Hawk ins company and its allied loan so det es are under prison sentences for fraudulent use of the mails. Their cases are now before the I'nited States circuit court of apeals at Chiengo. Cincinnati, 0., May 15. (United Press.i The Cincinnati branch of the Welfare Loan society will not join the proposed merger id’ subsidiaries of the defunct Hawi, ns Mortgage Loan company, it was asserted today. Ralph E. Clark, attorney, said the local stockholders were not interested in the merger and court action would (CONTINUED ON PAGE SEVEN) COMMENCEMENT HELD AT BERNE Class Os Twenty - seven Graduated From Berne High School (Special to Daily Democrat) lierne, May 15 Twenty-seven young, people. 12 young men ami 15 young laities, were graduated from the Berne high school, and received their diplomas, at the annual commencement last night. A fair crowd attended the commencement. The class address was given by Dr. Frank W. Stanton, of Xenia, Ohio. Dr. Stanton is a .Methodist minister, and a notable spaakor. His address, which he delivered last night, was, ‘‘The claims of the Twentbietb Century on young peop'e." He spoke of the opportunities that are present for tiie young people now. and how to confront and meet them. Following the speech. Dr. Amor. Rut - sser president of the school board, presented the graduates with dip lomas. Those graduating were: Judsoin Erne. Rufus Liechty, Orlando Stauffer. Henry Gillom. Leo Gillom, Merlin Ellenberger, Myron Lehman, Rolandus Liechty, Robert Fox, Noble Schindler. Letser Lehman. Mires Mich and, Ruth Schleclite'r, Velina Opligcr, Ruth Van Der Smissen, Gladys Schindler. Ruth Stucky, Edith Neunschwandor. Dorothy Wittwer, Evangeline Rohrer, Vera Schug, Rada Habegger, Lucille Baumgartner. Mabel Braun. Dorothy Sprnnger, Neola Habegger, Verona Snyder. The class day exercises were held yesterday afternoon.

Decatur, Indiana, Friday, May 15, 1925.

EVIDENCE PILES CP MRS. HELEN CEISEN-VOLK New York. —Evidence on which an indictment charging homicide will be sought against Mrs. Helen Auguste t'eisen-Volk. former German Red Cross nurse, who conducted a "baby I’aim.” was obtained on Monday. May 11. by the assistant district attorneys conducting an investigat'on into the deaths of twenty-three infants in (lie place in the last fifteen months. Mrs. Geisen Volk is held on |:15.(m0 hail.

SHEPHERD TRIAL TO OPEN MONDAY Both Sides Ready For Opening of Sensational “Germ Murder” Case Chicago. May 15 —(United Press)— With both sides announcing readi ness. Judge Thomas J. Lynch of the criminal court today cleared his docket in preparation for the sensational Shepherd "germ murder" trial scheduled for Monday. William D. Shepherd, charged with killing his youthful ward. Billy j McClintock to obtain the M< C• intock | fortiine, said today he was supremely i confident of acquital. Mrs. Julie Shepherd, his wife, who ( was cleared by the grand jury of any I connection with the death of Hilly dr, his mother, said: "The hand of God saved mo from this despicable plot and He will save, my Dari.” W. W. O'Brien, one of the defense attorneys, declared no effort would be made for a continuance. "We are ready,” he said. "We’ll take the first 12 men called for jury service if the state accepts them." George E. Gorman, first assistant state’s attorney, will have active charge of the case. He will be assisted by several aides. State's Attorney Robert E. Crowe, who personally directed the prosecution in the famous Leopold-Loeb murder case, will ( act in an advisory capacity. Officials estimate it wilj take from} two to four weeks to select a jury ( ami three to four weeks for the trial. Acting on a decision of all the judges of the court. Judge Lynch has barred telegraph instruments, typier writers and photographers from the court. A largo anteroom has been turned over to the press, where many j telegraph wires are being installed. Like Hu' Leopoid-Loeb trial, admittance will be by card. The state charges Shepherd inoculated Billy with typhoid fever germs. A coroner’s jury also held that action should be taken against Shepherd for the death of Mrs. McClintock. Mrs. McClintock died from bichloride of mercury poisoning. The coroner’s jury hehl Mrs. Shepherd was an accessory to the alleged murders but the grand jury exonerated her. — — o —— George Bernard Shaw 111 London. May 15— The Yorkshire News says today that George Bernard Shawls ill and confined to his home. Weother Indaina: Fair ton ght; Saturday Increasing cloudiness, probably becoming unsettled by night; not much < han'<• in temp ’ atn

SKEER PLEADS GUILTY TO BANK ROBBERY TODAY Fort Wayne Youth Pleads Guilty To Robbing Kokomo Bank Mar. 27 GETS 2 TO 1! YEARS Second Os Trio To Plead Guilty; Northern Held For Trial In .lune (t’nllcd Press Service) Kokomo. Ind.. May 15. Thaddeus ( Skeer, 2:1. of Fort Wayne, entered a , plea of guilty to hank robbery and com pin.' y in circuit'court lien- today. I'pon recommendation of police officers and local hankers, Judge Marshall suspended 10 to 21-year sentence on robbery charge and ordered Skeer committed to the Pendleton reformatory from two to It years for conspit acy. Sheer’s confession was largely responsible for Harry Pierpont's conviction two weeks ago and for recovery of stolen money and bonds. Earl Northern of Indianapolis, third man hehl for robbery of the South Kokomo bank March 27, is scheduled for trial early In June. o M uch-Arrested M u ncie Man In Custody Again Indianapolis. May 1:5. Court Asher of Muncie, who boasis that he has been arrested more t'mes than any i other bootlegger in Indiana, fell afoul of the law again today. A her was arrested by Ever.-tt Rolliiuum. a isrnkey at the city prison, who said Asher tried to force hi-, auto into the curb. Rollinson suspected A her of being a holdup man and arrested him with difficulty. A gun was found in his pocket. Asher was charged with speeding, vagrancy and carrying a concealed weapon. The last time Asher appeared in local court he was charged with an attack on Joe Huffington, K. K. K.. leader of Evansville, at a hotel here. The else was dropped a few weeks ago. WAGING BATTLE ON MOVIE TRUST Eyes Os Millions Os Movie Fans Center On Meeting At Milwaukee Milwaukee. May 15—The eyes of millions of movie fans from Wagon Wheel, Ariz., to Punxsulawney, Pa., are. today centered upon this city, where is being waged a super-strug-gle to make the world unsafe for the movie trust. Theater owners and motion picture producers are winding up preliminary plans for a grim battle which will at tempt to make it impossible for a ;’.lni trust to dictate what picture shall be shown in theaters over the world. Leading the light are "outlaw" companies which say that although they may film the great American masterpiece, the trust will bar exhibitors from accepting it, became the theater owners have exclusive contracts with the trust. The theatre owners at the Convention of "The Motion Picture Owners of America" and the “Independent Producers and Distributors' association" are just as anxious to do some trust busting, they say. Sidney Cohen of New York, is one of the leaders of the movie makers (CONTINUED ON PAGE SEVEN) SNAIL'S PACE TOO SLOW t London May 15—(United Press) j While following a snail afong a railroad track to study Its habits. i Professor Thomas Waddington of the Kettering Naturalists* society, was killed by a train. - ■

County Agent First To Renew His Membership L. M. Biischc, county agriculture agent, wtis the first p< rson to renew I his member hip in the Imuctur Indus ; trial Association for the year 1‘)25. Il< I sent iu les renewal to Frame Conter, secretary, yc isrday. The annua) campaign for renewal of members will b< gin next week. William Linn, chairman of the l ommiltee. being In charge The paid-up membership on January I, 1!<25, was 186, und it Is hoped that at I bast 20<« persons will join this year. Individuals, business und professional men and women tire invited and urged to join and to lend their support in the bigger Decatur program as sponsored by the association.

ELECT DISTRICT M. E, OFFICERS — Rev. Light Elected ViceChairman Os Ft. Wayne District Conference The Reverend Somerville Light, pastor of the First Methodist Epfecopal church of this city, was elected vice-chairman of the Fort Wayne district conference at a meeting of th? pastors and stewards of that body yesterday. Dr. W. W. Wiant. of Fort Wayne. superintendi'Ut of the I'otr Wayne, district, was elected chairman of the conference. The Reverend Preston I'olhemus, of Ossian, was elected s-ecretary treasurer. and the Reverend John (’. White of Simpson <hureii. Fort Wayne was elected district reporter. The session yetserday lasted all day and devotional services were hi Id bet w e n bus! ness sessions. The Reverend ('. E. Smith, of Mar lan. was in charge of the owning dvotional si-rvices. The Rtrverend I) 11. Guild, of Garrett, welcomed the m-w pastors to the Fort Wavne district and the Reverend J. I”. Lutey, of Mun roeville, gave the re popse. Short ad dresses by the Reverend 1,. (1. Jacobs, of Fort Wayne, Reverend C. B. ('roxall, and a short sermon by Reverend Light, of this city, were included in the morning services. A dinner was served by the ladle.-; of the First M. E. Church. Talks by several pa tor and lav-I men were included n the afternoon session. Dr. George I. Birney. of Ch v. land a noted evangelist who wa- in the city on business, attended the se siou and ad dressed the Conference on "Evangelism”. The Reverend F. Shipley, of Pleasant Mills, gave the closing prayer. After the devotional services a Ims iness se: sion was held. Reverend Light came to Decatur several weeks ago. taking the place of the Reverend U. S. A. Bridge, who liecame Wabash district superintendent. Reverend Light was formerly superintendent of the Richmond dis trict. - o —-*

M. E. CHURCH IN FAVOR OF MERGER (Strongly In Favor Ol I nilication With M. E. Church South Chicago, May 15. The Methodist l-lpiscopal church is overwhelmingly in | favor of unification with the Metho dist Episcopal church, south, according to results of nation-w de votes ..nnounced today by 11. J Wade, secretary of the general conference of the former body. Thirty-seven annual ministerial conferences of the church voted 3.556 to 311 for unification with the southern branch and the lay electoral vole in the same conference was 2.309 to 71 for combining forces, Dr. Wade reported. The ministers and laymen disagree, according to the report, on whether layment should be admitted to annual conferences. By a vote of 2,418 to 1.292 the conference ruled against I the. proposal, and the lay electoral [vote in the same conferences was 1.943 •(> 375 in favor.

Price 2 Cents.

TRIAL OF FORMER KLANLEADERSET TO OPEN JUNE 2 Stephenson And Two Aides Enter Pleas Os Not Guilty To Charge QUASH MOTION FAILS Ex*Grand Dragon Shows Signs Os Nervousness For First Time ( I ’llitOil Pi t ' Service )

Jiulittntipolis, May 15 — (Special to Daily Democrat) I). I Stepheiison, former grand drttgI mi of the Indiana kn khix klan, |and his two aides, Earl Klenck and Earl Gentry, will stand ; trial on a murder charge for j the death of Miss Madge Oherholtzcr. a young educational worker. l itis was made certain today when the trio, standing before Judge Collins in criminal court, cnlt'rcd pleas of not guilty to Hit* charge against them. Eflorts of their attorney to Have them from hearing the indictment, read in open court and entering their pleas in person failed. Tlie pleas were entered after a motion to quash the indictment, filed by Eph liiinan. chief defense attorney. had been overruled by Judge Col'ins. Prosecutor Remy insisted that the requirements of the law in first degree murder be carried out to the letier and the three men were brought before the bar of the court to make their fdea Judson Clark, deputy prosecutor, read the indictment charging them with first ilegroo murder for ’he death of Miss Oherhoßz<t. Stephenson, clean shaven and noliihbly pale, flanx-vd ocmsionajly to eat ii side an 1 showed signs of nervousness for the first time since his fight to escape trial began Klenck smiled throughout anti seemed the least affi'cted of the three Gently kept his eyes focused on a spot on the ceiling above Judge ColI tins’ head. After the indictment was read in it? I the three men entered their pleas of not guilty. Judge Collins set June 2 as the date for the case to go to trial. CUT-OUTS CHOSE OFCOMPLAIHTS Police Chief Warns Os Arrests Unless Motorists Close Cut-outs The police department has received many calls lately in regard to open cut-outs on automobiles in this city. Chief of Police Reynolds stated today. Many people have reported that they have been awakejied from their sleep by the roar of motor ears at night anil I the practice is becoming very annoying. Ch es Reynolds stated that If the drivers of the < ars do not take warning and close their mufflers, arrests will ho made. The new stat eautnmiblle law requires the mufflers to be . closed at all times, both in the city < al al country. According to tile new motor law. every machine parked in city streets or on a public highway after dark 1 must display a )'ed tail light, no mati ter if the car is parked by a bright. ' street light. Hal Ayers, of Portland, 1 state motor policeman states that this section of law undoubtedly will work > ( a hardship upon motorists and he haa r no enforced It yet. awaiting orders *’ from state headquarters. It has lieen q I the rule in most cities to allow motortsts to park their cars in city streets s where there are street lights without leaving the tall lights burning.