Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 25, Number 269, Decatur, Adams County, 14 November 1927 — Page 1

a WEATHER ■Lpo-wris probable IKqht and Tuesday. |Kb.’ibly mixed with Hqvv fluries in north icu Tuesday. Co'K r Tuesday and in |W r!h part tonight.

I S EXPLOSION TAKES! SCORE OF LIVES

SEEK CAUSE OF I FIRE WHICH TOOK I f LIVES OF EIGHT ■ — I jj.e Investigations Into I Sire \t Indianapolis Sunday Are Under Way ■ ... I-,— lartment hotel IS SCENE OF FIRE I Nov. 14. lUP> Five I j B , n < were un<|i r way unlay ■ roared'through the ■ the Graystone Hotel in ■ HH <1 -triet early yestei- ■ ami took eight lives. ■ ;.!-•«> injured 12 persons. S was only S7.(HH>. most of ■ , voter. Broken windows ■ only external evidence of ■ the tragedy. R. dead: ■ Kd t arn Allen. 54: Mrs. Erma I . Miss Elizabeth linsselle ■ '9' • ,,ssil ' >’■ Campbell, 3S; Miss ■ A! I'm •. 4S; Miss Stella Kimber- ■ Halil Rawlings, 1); Roy ZimmerB V.ctims Become Excited ■ Bn cxeept Ruth Rawlings were B f4mi-vi of tbe apartment building. and her Mrs. B' ' 1 . . had 'm en guests of the ■ . Tbe m tio-r left 'without B r because tin' latter pleadB *c -i.i iso sleepy she wished to K overnightK Hl ? ■ chief Jesse A. Hntsell said B m- would have been killed if ■ - I-. of mind had been kept. All I \i<!ims were fatally burned running frantically through B blazing halls. If they had closed ■ of their apartments, and ■ . . < d in their rooms, they probB MBh would have escaped death. B B!: ■ est iz.it ions were being made by I chief Hutsell, Chief of Police B M Worley, Fire Marsha! AI- ■ Hoe-ton, City Building t'ommi•>I ■' !/i W A. Osborn and Coroner C. I Keever. ■ ■Tin- most seriously injured was I If. Weishaar, a city fireB Two other firemen, Lieut. I Tyner and John F. Fairhead. I - bss seriously hurt. Os the olhet ■ ' in the city hospital, five sufferB Hd t'.- ir injuries in jumping from I l!l>ws of the blazing building and | other four were burned. ■ | i'it'i Chief Hutsell believed the fire I dm- to carelessness. His theory I Mras it originated in rubbish at the I of the elevator shaft, crept I ■pw.ird slowly to tbe second floor | i lien was fanned into a roar on I Ml’> third floor, sweeping along two I Malls. I I O hem. city building commissioner, ■ ( ptonzht the fire might have been in I All five investigations were | with reports of fire haz- ■ Mtn — made by tenants. The freight I it was said, was blocked I ■with rubbish and the exits- wore de- | ■clared to be insufficient. ■ AUTO THIEVES | AT WORK HERE I Ed Ahr’s Car Stolen In Decatur; Oscar Ehrsam’s Car Taken At Monroe Automobile thieves had a busy day Sunday in Adains county. A Dodge coupe belonging to Ed Ahr. of this city, was stolen from in front of his residence at the National Hotel, on First street, some time after 11 o'ckek last night, and a Ford coupe, .belonging to Oscar Ehrsam. residing in Monroe was stolen from in front of —k his home at noon 'Sunday. Mr. Ehrsam heard some one start I his car, but thinking it was his son I he did not look out to see. Later in I the afternoon Sunday, his son came into the house and Mr. Ehrsam asked I him where the car was. When the eiI tier Ehrsam iearend that his son did I not have the car he Immediately notik fled Sheriff Harl Hollingsworth of this city. . Several residents of Monroe saw a man get into the Ehrsam car and drive away Sunday noon, but no one could I give a description cf the thief.. The Dodge coupe belonging to Ed Ahr was stolen some time after 11 I o'clock last night, Mr. Ahr stated The car was parked on First street about 11 o'clock last night and when -Mr. Ahr started to get the car this morning it whs gone. No clue has been secured as to who stole the auto.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Vol. XXV. No. 269.

president pays honor to dead

• - ♦ w A" .. . » . ; -... : I nWllllllll ™..~-

President Coolidge (center), fianked by Secretary of War Davis (left), and Seerettiry ol the Navy Wilbur, piticing wreath on tbe Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery, Washington. din ing Armistice 1) tv observation.

I. FENN DIES THIS MORNING Death Ends Long Period Os Suffering For Decatur Man Today Ithamer Fenn, 66. slept quietly away into death at 8:30 o’clock this morning, Monday, November 14. 1927. at his home on North Third street, after an illness of more than a year's duration. Mr. Fenn was first stricken a year ago last August with paralysis of the throat and had been in a gradual decline since that time. While unable to recline in bed he has been up and down in a chair during this period of time, and has suffered a great deal. Sirfce Saturday of last week, he has been bed-fast and sat propped up in his bed until death relieved him of his long suffer ing. Ithamer Fenn was born August 25. 1891, in Shelby county, Indiana. Most of his life was spent in and near Indianapolis until he came to Decatur in 1915. He was united in marriage with Nettie Tague Longenberger, August 25. 1904. who survives him. Mr. Fenn has been -oprietor of a cigar store and pool i an in this city during his residence here. Surviving, besides the widow, are: five children, Harry, Fred and John Fenn of Indianapolis Mrs. Hazel Freeman, of Kokomo, and Charlotte Fenn, of Indianapolis; one step-son, John Longenberger cf Toledo, and three step grandchildren. The parents one brother and one sister proceeded Mr. enn in death. The surviving sisters are Mrs. Esther Jeffries, of Shelbyville Mrs. Emma Jones of Toledo, and Roxanna Fenn, of Marion. ‘■Funeral services will be conducted at 1:30 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, at the house, and at 2 o'clock at the Methodist church, the Rev. Ross W. Stoakes officiating. Burial will take place in the Decatur cemetery. Mr. Fenn was a member of the Eagle Lodge of Marion, and of the Elks Lodge of Decatur. oMANY ATTEND LEAGUE RALLY Epworth League Rally At Monroe Is Largest Ever Held In Sub-District One of the most out-standing young peoples events to be held in this section for some time was that of the Epworth League Sub-District convention at Monroe, Sunday afternoon. There was a total of 204 registrations from all the charges. The Epworth League from the Decatur Methodist church sent sixty-four. The Rev. R. R- Detweiler, of the First Methodist chur ch Fort A ayne gave the address of the afternoon. He delighted his young audience with his enthusiasm and striking illustrations. There were other addresses by District officers. It was current comment that this sub-district rally was by far the largest in the Decatur subdistrict. The Rally closed at 5 o’clock Sunday evening with a banqeut served by the Monroe Epworth League. Epworthians were present from Decatur, Monroe, Ossian, Fort Wayne, Berne and Bluffton.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

State, Notional And ■ Uierniiil.inal Newo

Ruth Elder Says She Will Return To Hubby Washington, Nov. 14—(UP) —Ruth Elder 1 is going back to her husband in Panama, she said today on her arrival to lunch at the White House with Charles Lindbergh and other noted fliers. But first she must complete the “Activities'' resulting from her recon* Trans-Atlantic flight attempt. She did not specify what those “activities” would be, but she said they might take “two months or six months.” She denied reports of an estrangraent between herself and Lyle Womack, her husband. Womack did not accompany her here, but planned to return to Panama from New York today, she said. BOYS 7 QUARTET PLEASES CROWD Large Audience Is Present At Service Held In M. E. Church Sunday Night Only eight seats, by actual count, were vacant in the spacious auditorium of the Methodist church Sunday evening, when the second of the series of “Pleasant Sunday Evenings for Profit" was held. The ushers were kept busy from 6:45 o'clock until the service started, finding seats for the large number of persons, At 7 o'clock the pastor opened the service with a song and prayer, after which he introduced Mrs. Bess Yeggy of Fort Wayne, who in turn introduced the youuthful members of the Harmony Quartet, of Fort Wayne. The members of the quartet were Virgil Gerber, tenor; Lorenz Yeggy, alto; Blanchard Lightner, soprano; and Eugene Gerber, bass. The beys range from 10 to 14 years of age. To say that the boys delighted their hearers would not express it. The applause that greeted them on every number was expression enough to convince the little fellows that they were fully appreciated. Though young in years, the poise of this group showed plainly that they were old in experience. They have for some time been a star attraction over radio. They have also taken prizes away from men's quartettes in the national music contest held each year at Winona Lake. Congratulations were heaped upon these little men and their director Mrs. Yeggy, while words of approval and high appreciation were spoken to the . pastor the Rev. R. W. Stoakes, for ’ bringing to the church and community the practical expression of “Pleasant 1 Sunday Evenings for Profit” o *— Berne Man Fined In City Court Here Today Emil Badertscher. of Berne, was found guilty of violation of the prohibition law, in Mayor's court in this city this morning, The case had been pending for several weeks. Badertscher was fined SIOO and costs and sentenced to serve 30 days in the state penal farm He stated after the trial that he might appeal the case. He already has one case pending in circuit court. o Solicitor Is Appointed Washington, Nov. 14 —(UP) —Eph riam F. Morgan of West Virginia I Coolidge to be solicitor of the department of Commerce.

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, November 14, 1927.

Man Collapses After Killing Daughter’s Best Girl Friend By Mistake Valparaiso, Ind., Nov. 14. — (UP) — Norman Tierce is under tlie care of a physician today following ills collapse Saturday night when he discovered that instead of a burglar, he had shot and killed his daughter's best friend. Miss Mildred Gratton, 17. Miss Gratton, u|x>n returning from a dance, had found her own home locked and tried to crawl into a window at her chum's home nearby. A falling window .shade awc.kened Tierce, who seized a revolver and tired at tIW dim shape in the window opening, killing the girl instantly. Tierce immediately gave himself up ‘o authorities, but was not held and no charges have been placed against him. o HOLDUP STAGED AT OSSIAN TODAY Three Young Bandits Hold un Filling Station Proprietor; Get $lO Bluffton. Nov. 14 — (INS) —Three i young men in a Nash automobile held ' up J. S. Newlin, propi ietor of the Stanl dat'd Oil filling station at Ossian, ten I miles north of here, and obtained $lO in cash this morning at 6 o'clock. ■ Driving up to the staticu, the three ; youths made it thoroughly known to 1 Newlin, who is an aged man. that a holdup was in progress, demanding ‘ that he give them all his money. One of the bandits held him at the point ■ of a gun. Newlin had $lO on his person. The • bandits took the mone.. and fled north ■ on the state road. In almost a second . Newlin had turned in the alarm. Newlin rushed into his office and returned with a gun. He fired at the fleeing bandits and the bandits returned the fire Newlin was not struck by the bullets. O —i | Rev. Coil To Preach ’ Special Sermon Tonight Tonight, the Rev. A. A. Coil will t speak at the Christian church revival on the subject, "Why I Am a Member of the Disciples of Christ.” While all the Rev. Coil’s sermons are very interesting, this one will ■ be the most interesting of the entire ’ series, it is said. Sunday night, the pastor, the Rev. 1 Harry W. Thompson, substituted for • Rev. Coil, who has been unable to t preach for the last several days, due - to a severe cold. > o — THANK OFFERING ' SERVICES HELD 1 Appreciative Audience Lisi tens To Address At Zion i Reformed Church :- The Thank Offering services at the - Zion Reformed church last night were I. attended by an appreciative and atf -entive audience, which listened with y the greatest interest to Dr. A. V. r Casselman’s address on the “Moslem r World," together with interesting i- pictures of Bagdad and of the Old i- Bible -city of Babylon, witli its many t excavated ruins and the Euphrates river. Baghdad, the classic <ity of n the Orient, is now a mission field of s. the Reformed church under the J leadership of Dr. and Mrs. Calvin e Staudt and Mrs. Warner Lentz. The r pictures that Dr. Casselmann showed j- were taken on his trip through the t Holy Land, which tour he made recently. While crossing the desert on his way to Baghdad in a high-power-ed machine in company with four others, they met witli an accident ir in which the other four were inr stantly killed. Dr. Casselmann escaped'with injuries and was brought . S to the English military hospital at Baghdad. I The total thank offering boxes, together with the plate offering was s $337.06. Os this amount, tW<3 !Wo--0 man’s Missionary So iety boxes II yielded $192.66; Girls' Guild, $105.70; '* Mission Baud, $13.53; and plate ofe feting $25.17. The U. M. G's. society box totaled sl7, and when all other boxefs are handed In the total will reach about $350. 1- Mrs. O. L. Kirsch presided at the a services last night. Dr. Casselmann a-1 will speak at Magley Reformed { church to-night.

I SEVERAL AUTO WRECKS OCCUR ( OVER WEEK-END Two Men Arrested After Car Hits River Bridge; Liquor Found On Auto SEVERAL PERSONS SUFFER INJURIES Two automobiles were almost comnletbly destroyed and several others were s ightly damaged in week-end accidents near this city. Several nersous were injured, but none seriously. A Nash sedan, belonging to lohn Trout, of south of tills city, was ilmost completely destroyed when it stitick and went half way through the iron banister of the river bridge in the north part of Decatur, about 7 o’clock Saturday night. Mr. Trout and Fred Knight were driving south on Federal road number 27 when Mr. Trout lost control if his car. The machine skidded and struck the east side of the bridge and then darted across the bridge and tore half way through the bridge banister. Almost Goes Into River The rear wheel locked against the lower part of the steel brace on the bridge and kept the automobile from Runging into the river. Roth men were cut slightly, but neither was iniured seriously- The car was almost completely demolished. Night Policeman Burg Womack was called to the scene of the accident shortly after it oceured and confiscated a gallon jug of "white mule” whiskey, from the machine. The two men were placed under arrest ind taken to the Adams county jail. Trout was later released on* bond. (Conti.m i:n ox i*a<;i-: Fot ■<> WANT ABANDONED TRACK REMOVED Property Owners On Second Street Plan To Submit Requests At Hearing A hearing will bo held Tuesday afternoon in this city with a representative of the Indiana Public Service commission and the street and sewer committee cf the citv council. Mr. Edwards of the Public service commission will attend the meeting. The n atter of either taking up the tracks of the old Fort Wayne-Decatur traction company or accepting the offer <* the company, that of resurfacing an eight foot stretch down the center of North Second street over the tracks will be discussed at the meeting. Property owners along the street fled a petition with the council asking that the interurban ties and rails ' be torn up and the pavement put back. The tracton company offers to pay for improving eight feet of the center of the street or pay a sum equivalent to the cost, approximately ■ $3,300 to the city and let the city improve it. The property owners and the city will be represented at the meeting. 0 Walter Winkinson Breaks Arm In Fall Down Stairs 1 Walter "Sam” Wilkerson, who is f employed by the Hyland Heating and 1 Plumbing Company, received a frac- ’ Hired arm this morning when he fell 1 down the stairway of his home, the injury was dressed and "Sam" will have ' to carry his arm in a sling for a few ! weeks. ' Legion Post To Elect Officers This Evening t Post officers will be elected at a - meeting of Adams Post, No. 43, of t the Americal Legion, to be held in t Legion Hall at 7:30 o'clock tonight. All members of the post are urged '■ to attend the meeting and take part 3 in the voting. I Three Killed At LaPorte ; LaPorte, Ind., Nov. 14.—(UP) — '- Three persons were instantly killed y here yesterday when a fast eastbound r Baltimore and Ohio passenger train 1 struck an automobile at a grade crossing. The dead: Percy Carter, 41, e bis wife. Ada, and their daughter, n Betty, 3. Brakes on the auto failed d to hold. 4t is believed. The family lived on a farm near here.

Ily The t nllril I’rcKK mid luternnlhinnl Xrna Xervlee

Texan Offers Prize • c •.

j 4bb 4 . 4

— s —— Cok Win, E. Easterwood, Dallas, Texas, really man, oilers prize of SSO.(KM) to the person or persons making successful trans-Pacil’ic flight from Dallas to Hong Kong.

CIRCUIT COURT JURIES DRAWN Much Interest Attached To Coining Session Os Adams County Grand Jury The grand and petit juries f’r th* November term of the Adams circuit court were drawn this morning by Martin F. Smith and E. W. Johnson, jury comissioners. The November term wil open next Monday morning, following a two weeks vacation since the close of the September term. Much interest is attached to the coming session of the grand jury, which will convene next Monday. Two cases both of statewide interest, are expected to come before the jury for an investigation. One of them is admitted violation cf the Wright prohibition law in Indiana by Attorney General Arthur L. Gilliom, and the other is the I alleged illegal omission of the names of the Democratic candidates from the official ballots in the aown election held at Berne, November 8. Attorney General Gilliom admitted that he procured a pint of whiskey and brought it to the Adams County Memorial hospital here last summer, said whiskey to be administered to his sister, Miss Emma Gilliom. of Berne, who had undergone a serious operation at the local hospital and whose condition was said to be critical. Dry leaders in Adams county and throughout thq state have urged that the grand jury make an investigation of the affair. Grand Jury Members Members of the Grand jury are: Daniel E. Lehman, of Monroe township; Alfred Daniels, of St. Mary's twonship; Oliver T. Johnson, of Washington township? Charles F. Adams, of Jefferson township; Frank Aurand. of Decatur; and John W. Cook of Wabash township. Member cf the petit jury are; Samuel J. Fogel, Jefferson township; Noah Luginbill. Berne; James D. Briggs. Geneva; William Mitchell Monroe township; Enos O. Osterman, Monroe; Bert W. B. Bears, Hartford township; Carl Koeneman, Preble township; William W. Miller, St. Marys township; CCOXTIM ED ov VACiF. !»'<>; SUNDAY SCHOOL BREAKS RECORD Total Os 143 Persons Attend United Brethren Service On Rally Day Rally Day at the United Brethren church went over big yesterday and r the Sunday school broke all former records for attendance. There were [ 443 in study classes'. The music was f furnished by the Zimmerman orchbs- ! tra, and K F. Shoemaker, of Geneva, gave a wonderful address, cmI phasizing the opportunity, responsibility and privilege that is ours today in helpng to make life count for the better and eternal things. It was a pleasing. and delightful . address and the local committee is 1 to he congratulated in having such a I speaker for the day. ] The evening attendance was also i- larger than usual and the pastor sp. ke in the evening. Another new -, feature, which began yesterday, in 4 the local church, was the church bul y letin, which will be distributed at the services for several months.

Price Two Cents.

PITTSBURGH IS SHAKEN AS GAS TANK EXPLODES Police Report 20 Known Dead With Staggering List Os Injured CAUSES OF BLAST NOT DETERMINED Pittsburgh, Nov. 1 I.—(INS) Witli the streets jammed with thousands of persons going to work a terrific explosion at the Equitable (Jas Company’s Heeddale street plant on (lie north side rocked the city lodav leaving in its wake a trail ol dead and injured. At noon, police stated the known ‘oil of dead stood at 20. but a survey by International News Serivice recounted for only 14. There were 11 bodies in the county morgue and •he hospitals reported 3 dead. There was a staggering list of injured Cause Is Unknown A huge natural gas storage tank exploded at 8.43 am., but officials if the gas company were at loss to ■xplain what caused the blast. Witnesses said the large tank, vhich stood 75 feet alxive the ground, rose high in the air and exploded. There was a puff of smoke then the sky was illuminated by a big ball >f fire and the remnants of the tank •rashed to the ground. City officials described it as ono if Pittsburgh's major disasters. There was not a building in the down•own area unshaken by the terrific 'oncussion ami a shower of window glass endangered the lives ts pedestrians in the streets. ■ -o — “Phillippa Gets There” To Be Staged Tonight Tickets have been selling rapidly and a full house is assured tonight when the curtain tises on the first act of "Phillippa Gets There” at the high school auditorium, at 8:15 o’clock. The story of the play is that of "Ira Brandon." a millionaire art collector who has just purchased a genuine "Franz Hals" at a fabulous sum. A gang of art thieves, led by Endicott Byng, are wise to this fact and furnish the plot of the play with thef'r efforts to steal the picture. Ira's daughter. Dora, is in love with Phil Carter, an actor, and Ira strenuously objects. To gain admission to the Brandon home, Phil masquerades as his twin sister. Phillippa. Amusing complications ensue. It is through the clever sleuthing of Phil Carter, Dora, and Lionel, (Dora's brother) together with Helge, the parlor maid, that the identity of the thieves is made known. o CLAIM CALLES FURNISHED CASH Washington Herald Links Mexico With Revolution In Nicaragua Washington Nov, 14 —(INS) —The Washington Herald today published a number of secret documents secured from the archives of the Mexican for 1 eign office, disclosing that the recent liberal revolution in Nicarauga was directly financed by the Calles government of Mexico. Publication of the documents creat- . ed a sensation in government circles, . where Mexico's connection with the i Turmoil in Nicaragua has long been suspected. The Herald states that . therels no question of the authenticity , of the documents, and that others will . be published from day to day until the , complete story of Mexico's “meddling’’ 3 in Nicaragua is laid hare. t The documents published today are I six in number, and consist of presih dental orders upon the Mexican treaii tury for the payments of sums aggegatIng more than $200,000 to the promoo ters of the Nicagaguan revolution, r Some of this money, the orders show. ,v was for the purchase of arms and am n motion, while other sums went for the I- expenses of "secret and confidential” it Millions sent into Nicaragua by order of President Calles.

YOUR HOME PAPERLIKE ONE OF THE FAMILY