Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 26, Number 44, Decatur, Adams County, 21 February 1928 — Page 1

WEATHER l . ere »»lnfl c,oudi ' M C to’i # ht Un«t K temper..

D. C. STEPHENSON ASKS FOR TRANSFER

IIEN6EL FREED I QF CHARGE IN I MELLETT CASE | Murdering Editor I fOVRT DIRECTS I uquttal verdict I Lisbon. Ohio. Feb. 21.-<U.R)-F<* I Police Chief Seranus A. Lengel I Canton was freed today of charges I murdering Pon R- Mellett, publish E > of the Canton Daily News when , ial Judge W. F. Lones took the case ! from the hands of the jury and dieted a verdict of aequital. lie had been tried and convected previously and .sentenced to the state ( penitentiary. After he had served , several months the verdict was set aside and a new triad granted. Streitenberger Refuses To Testify The decision grew’ out of the reI ftisal of Floyd Streitenberger, former, Canton detective sentenced to the penitentiary for participation in the murder, to testify. It was StreitenMerger's testimony that convicted Lengel at his first trial. Mellett was shot dowp July 16, 1926 after he had waged an intensive crusade against Canton’s vice elements Subsequent developments implicated Ungel and the latter was charged with murder. When Lengel, was first tried,. Streitenberger implicated the police ,hies. declaring he conspired with i others to have Mellett assassinated. o Council Meeting To Be Late This Evening The regular meeting of the city council will be held this evening at 8:15o’clock at the city hall. The meeting was set an hour later them ikimu so that Mayor George Krick and members of the council could attend the annual meeting ct the Decatur Industrial Association at the K. of P. home this evening. Bids for the construction of North Eighth street will he received by the council this evening. German Bible, 200 Years Old, Presented To Adams County Woman Mrs. H. C. Buettner, of east of Decatur, posses a Bible which is 200 years old. The book was presented to her recently by her aunt. Mrs. I. W. Taylor, of Monroeville, how is the mother of Dr. Steinman, of Monroeville. The Bible is 4 inches wide seven inches long and three inches thick, and the leaves are yellow from age. Otherwise, the beak is in good condition. The Bible is minted in German. It was brought to America from Germany in 1867 and is now in the hands of the fourth generation of the family Flivver Pl ane Starts ~ On Flight To Florida Detroit, Feb. 21.—(INS)—With the thermometer near zero, Harry Brooks, chief test P ji ot of the Fortl Mot3r company, hopped off today in the Ford l livver plane in a second effort to make a non stop flight to Miami, Fla., a distance of 1,120 miles. TOMORROW IS LEGAL HOLIBAY 1 lans Announced For Observance Os George “ ashington’s Birthday There wil be no city or rural mail tveries from the Decatur postoff’ce odnesday, in observance of Washmgton's birthday, Postmaster L. A. , ra lani announced. Regular Sunday ’°urs will be observed at the local mstoffice and all deliveries will be a'wndoned for the day. , 1 has been the custom for many . ais to eliminate the mail service on t and ,he , ulin K will affect all l>n CeS ’ aceor ding to an official detl . n received by the local office. alsn*" 'n'" ecatur and Adams countv innrJ 1 , Ob9erve the Ie B al holiday toed n"’ but as tar as has been learnOn ’ 4 Otber buliness houses will be as usual for business. gnm??!’. will hol pjofathe- 1 bonor the birthday of the i? ur countl ’y. Na community 'ears u haS been arran E ed for this various Btated today hy headß of civic organizations.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Vol. XXVI. No. 41.

Gatlin Case Leaders X' • r < — ' T& , v Top photo shows Allen H. Gwynn of Wentworth, bf. C., whose investigations resulted in the discovery of the body of Smit |) T. Petty, who is alleged to have bsen slain by his daughter. Mrs Alina Petty Gatlin. Lower photo is of Rev. T. L. I’ardue, evangelist, who accuses Mrs. Gatlin of the crime. LENTEN SEASON" PLANS MADE Special Services Planned For Ash Wednesday At K Catholic Church Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. The blessing and distribution of ashes will take place at the St. Mary’s Catholic church In this city after the 7:30 o’clock mass. As the ashes are placed on the forehead of the faithful, the priest says, ’ from dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return". The Lenten regulations were read in St. Marys church at the Sunday masses. The season of Lent continues for six weeks, terminating at noon cn the Saturday before Easter. * Easter Sunday, this year falls on April 8. On Friday evening, the first of the semi-weekly Lenten services will be held at the St. Marys church, consisting of the Way of the Cross and Benediction. On next Tuesday, there will be a sermon in the evening and Benediction. The Rev. father Charles Girardot, of Bluffton, will deliver the series of semens during the six weeks. The evening services will begin at 7:30 o’clock. o MUSICALE IS WELL RENDERED Audience Pleased With Production Given By St. Marys Chorus Choir Gorgeous in costume, beautiful in setting, and exceptionally well rendered, was the musical comedy, “All Baba and the Forty Thieves,” which was presented, Monday evening, by the St. Marys Chorus Choir, under the direction of Mrs. L. A. Holthouse. The auditorium of the Catholic high school building was filled with a meat responsive audience. Miss Florence Holthouse, in a beautiful Oriental costume of blue satin, was the narrator, and gave the Prologue and Epilogue of the play in a very excellent manner. The Prologue included a vocal introduction to the play by Mrs. L. A. Holthouse. Act 1 was laid in a forest glade outside the city of Bagdad where the hidden cave was located. The cave was used by a band of robbers as a secret hiding place for their plunders. Ali Baba was a poor wood-cu'tor, who when he saw the robbers approach the cave, climbed a tree and heard the magic words which they said be fore tire cave opened. When they had gone, Ali Baba used the mystic words, entered the cave, stole the (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE,

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

State, National And lutrrnHiloual News

GEO.HERSHMAN TO SPEAK HERE Member Os Highway Commission To Speak In Decatur This Evening The meeting of the Decatur Industrial Association at the Knights of Pytlas home at 6:30 o'clock this evening will lie a very interesting one. The annual election of members of th • board of directors will be held, always an important matter, and the address will lie made by Hon. George Hershman, of Grown Point. M. Harshman is u member of th? State Highway Commission and. in a conservation with him a few days ago a representative of the Daily Democrat was informed that he would have an important message for local people. Adams County citizens are deeply Concerned about state roads. It is known that read No. 27 is to be paved from the Adams county line north into Fort Wayne and will be built of concrete and that the road is to be continued south from Monroe, construe tion to be of the penetration. Much interest is felt here, also, in what Mr. Hershman will have to say concerning the east and west road through this county. A year ago the road was tentatively taken over and numbered seventeen, and local people were much suiptisd whn it was not inchidd in the 203 miles formally taken over by the commission two weeks ago. Mr. Hershman says he will make announcement of their plans concerning this road at tonight’s meeting Gilliom Laughs At Rumor Os Klan Revival In State Indianapolis, Ind., Feb. 21 -(lNS)—Attorney General Arthur 1* Gillium's comment today upon reports from Michigan City and elsewhere that a Klan revival under way was a laugh and an announcement that he would continue to take depositions from former leaders of the hooded order in his suit to oust the Klan from Indiana. "They won’t get very far; The people of Indiana are wiser," Gilliom said With a mass meeting scheduled for Wednesday night, the Klan was reported to be re-organ:zing in Michigan City with offers, to reinstate all for a nominal payment. ROTARIANS HOLD STATE MEETING James F. Arnold Is Delegate From Decatur Club At West Baden Meeting James F. Arnold left last night for West Baden, Indiana, where he will attend the District conference of Indiana Rotary Club and also look after business matters. Dore B. Erwin, president of the local club, was named a member of the committee on resolutions. Mr. Erwin was unable to attend the conference. Mr. Arnold will act as delegate at the meeting which convened this morning. The Mitchell Rotary Chub is host to the Indiana Rotarians, Charles O. Grafton, district governor will preside. The election of a new governor will take place at the meeting.

9 Connolly Has A Woman Rival

Chicago. Feb 21. —(INS' —“One-eyed” Connolly got into the coronation of King George without an invitation, witnesses every heavyweight fight and Kentucky derby by “crashing the gate” but “Martha” has gone Connolly one better. Martha crashed the gate at the most exclusive dinner held in- Chicago in the last ten years. Martha got into the dinner, limited absolutely to pilots, given to “Slim” Lindbergh by his airmail pilot buddies in their “barracks” here lost night. Who Martha is or was no ono seems to know. As Lindy and his buddies were eating sandwiches and coffee there came a fumbling at the door and in stepped Martha. She wore a brown cloth coat with fur collar, helmet hat. Her big brown eyes (opened wide when she saw Colonel Lindbergh. Lindy rose to his feet, glanced askance at his buddies dho in turn g’anced askance at Martha. "Gee" she finally broke the silence. •‘You’re really better looking than

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, February 21, 1928.

Illinois Man Plans To Skip Rope 15,000 Times On 58th Birthday Evanston, 111., Feb. 21. — (INS) — Charles Levere, who will be 58 years old tomorrow, plans to celebrate the occasion by skipping rope 15,000 times for a new world's record. The event will be staged in the North Shore hotel here, where Mr. Ix»vere makes his home. Qn his last birthday he skipped the hemp 12,000 times without a miss. o Banks To Close Wednesday All three banks in Decatur will lie closed all day Wednesday, February 22. in observance of Washington’s birthday. o TO PAVE FORT WAT NE HIGHWAY State Highway Commission To Pave Road No. 27 North Os Here Plans for paving Federal road No. 27. from the Adams county line north to the city limits of Fort Wayne were expresse din a letter received by th? Allen county commissioners yesterday from the state highway commission. The road is naw paved from Decatur to the Adams county line. At present, the road commissioners are undecided whether to let the present Federal road enter Fort Wayne on I-afayette street, the present entrance, or change it to Anthony boulevard. The Question will be decided soon, according to the letter, and the paving project wil Iget underway this spring, it is thought. IMMUNIZATION IS BEING URGED Educational Week Concerning Diphtheria Being Held In County “Educational Week.” recommending the immunizing of children against diphtheria, was started in the county yesterday. The pupils of the Catholic, Lutheran and public schools in Dec atur were shpwn the film, “Pre- ■ venting Diphtheria,” at the Cort I Theatre yesterday. The picture told I the story of father who refused to take advantage of the simple treatment of toxin-antitoxin by giving it to his children and who shortly afterwards contracted diphtheria. It, also, quoted the fact that twenty thousand children die every year from diphtheria. Dr. Teal and Miss Gibbs, of the Indiana State Health Department, have charge of the work in this county. Today, the film is being shown in the Lutheran schools of the county. Tomorrow forenoon, at 9:30 o’clock it will be shown at the Monmouth at 2 o'clock, at the Pleasant Mills school, and at 8 o'clock tomorrow night, at the Kirkland township community building. The parents of the children who are attending these schools are urged to make it a point to be present and see the film. Parents who were interested enough yesterday were present at the 2:45 o’clock showing.

your pictures." A slow blush mantled the bronze features of the flying colonel. "Thank you.” he murmured finally. Then Pilot Dab Everett spoke up. “How’d you get in here’ Really, you know’ —you mustn’t. It is not being done—er—.” "Sure, you’re giving m<? the gate. I didn't expect to be invited in but I just made up my mind I was going to see Lindy or bust. He’s better ’ooking than any of his pictures. Now I’ve seen him I guess I’ll be rambling on. Anyway, my name is Martha. Goodnight.” And she was gone. o ' Fourteen Persons Lose Lives In Australian Flood Melbourne, Australia, Feb. 21. — (U.R)--Fourteen persons wtere dead today and many were missing in what were believed to be the worst floods in the history of Australia.

LINDY COMPLETES AIR MAIL JOURNEY — “Lone Eagle” Makes An-1 other Journey Os Good Will Without Mishap By Foster Eaton (U. P. Staff Correspondent) St. Louis. Mo. Feb. 21—(U.R)—Completing another journey of good will. Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh arrived in St. Louis at 9:06 A. M. today after a record-breaking Air Mail flight to Chicago and back over his own former air trail. Flying a Douglas Biplane loaded with mail, "Slim" roared over the field at 9:05 A. M. and landed a minute later. 15 minutes ahead of schedule. He left Springfield, 111., at 8:11 A. M. Lindbergh was a full 15 minutes ahead of the second plane in the Aircade which left here late yesterday and returned over the same route today. At 9:21 the second plane swooped to a landing. ..Hops Off Early Chicago. Feb. 21 —(U.R) —Col. Charles a Lindbergh, flying as plain "slim" Lindbergh, air mail pilot, took off from municipal airport here at 6:07 A. M. today on his return flight to St. Louis with air mail. Lindbergh, flying alone in a silverwinged Douglas Bi-Plane, was the first cf a convoy of Four mail pilots to leave. The "Flying Ambassador", working his old job on the Chicago-St. Louis airmail, carried seventeen sacks of especially marked mail. The load weighed 860 pounds, postal officials said. Lindbergh was to make brief stops at Peoria and Springfield, enroute to St. Louis. He said he expected to reach St. Louis about 9:15 A. M. The youthful hero of the New York to Paris non-stop flight arrived in Chicago at 7:46 last night He had made brief stops at Springfield and Peoria'enroute from St. Units with his cargo of mail. A crowd of 19,000 persons, which had been orderly until Lindburgh and M. S. escort pilots landed, broke through the ropes and surged across the field to Lindbergh’s red monoplane. But the famous flyer dodged his admierers, and even slipped away from the official reception committee of the city cf Chicago. Lindbergh escaped by boarding one of the trucks which was unloading the mail from the planes. A lone cameraman who sought to board the mail . truck as it sped across the field was pushed from the running board. FOURTH WEEK OF REVIVAL OPENS Rev. Wilson Preaches Searching Sermon At U. B. Church Monday Night The United Brethren revival entered upon its fourth week of services last night with the Rev. Roscoe F. Wilson, of Columbia City, delivering a searching message on “Elements of Church Strength." It was a straight to the shoulder message that embodied not the fear of man, but of God. Rev. Wilson made a plea for loyalty to God’s word in the life of men and women, an intelligent Christian living and real whole-hearted activity in the work of the Kingdom. The good name of the church is being honored or dishonored by the lives of every individual. he said. At the conclusion of the sermon, Rev. Wilson asked those who wanted to see and feel and know a revival to come to the front of the church after the benediction had been pronounced. He made it very plain and emphatic and in a few minutes after the pastor had given the bendiction a large number crowded to the front of the church. After a few words, many bowed at the altar for victory. It was a service of consecration that will tell, not only In the life of the churcfi, but in the lives of individuals and homes for time to come. The services tonight will be held at 7:30 o'clock, and the Rev. Mr. WllSon will bring the message. All day, there have been prayer groups at the church, beginning at 6:45 o’clock this morning. — o Protest Military Training Vancouver, B. C„ Feb. 21—(INS)--A student strike threatened today at the University of British Columbia in protest against military training.

By Th* Talted Praia and Intrrnnttonnl Nrwi Hervlve

In $250,000 Theft < A s ft ■ & ~ >? w f ! ■ - -1 * MAM "" 3 * A H „41l •WO .. . i v. » j ’ i Charged with "pul-ir g” the biggest postal robbery on record, “Pawtucket Johnnie" Conley (top), and George (Red) Savage (lower), are standing ' trial in Providence, R. 1., charged with having cleaned out the Pawtuckiet post office of a quarter of a million dollars in January. HIGHWAYS ARE BEING CLEARED Road Crews Are Removing Drifted Snow; Most Roads Passable A large crew of road workers were kept busy all day yesterday in an effort to open as many roads as possible in Adams county. Many roads have been impassable since Saturday because of the heavy snow and -strong shifting winds. Several roads have been completely opened up and the road crews are still wot king hard in an effort to establish routes to all important centers near here. Decatur-Fort Wayne road is open and Federal toad No. 27 south of Deealtir also is open. Several east and west roads are passable and work on these roads is continuing today. Most motorists have equipped themselves with chains and shovels for use in case of emergencies. Several automobiles were reported held up in diifts yesterday, but in every case reported motorists were able to dig their way through the drifts. Several schools in the county were closed yesterday because of the inability of children to attend, but it was reported that most schools were opened today with good attendance and that by tomorrow all schools would be opened. BANK RUBBER IS SENTENCED Man Wanted For Robbery Os Poneto Bank Sentenced In Kansas City Kansas City, Feb. 21.—(INS)—Carl Rogers, 57, today was tinder .sentence of seven years in the penitentiary for his confesetl part in the robbery of tlie Grain Valley, Missoni, bank last December, in which $3,000 was taken, John Miller, 40, is charged with joint complicity and will undergo a trial. Rogers and Miller, also, are, said to b ewanted in Indiana in connection with robbery. Rogers and Miilez are wanted at Bluffton, in connection with the robbery of the bank at Poneto, Wells county, last fall. Should Miller be acquitted in Kansas City, it is probable that he will be returned to Bluffton for trial. n . , The Rev. M. P. Rimmer, of Indianapolis, is in Decatur and will preach at the Church of God, on Cleveland street, Wednesday evening. He will preach at the Church of God next Sunday morning and evening, also. Rev. Rimmer was scheduled to preach at the local church last Sunday, but was prevented from coming here by the snow storm.

Price Two Cents

EX-KLAN DRAGON SEEKSTRANSFER TO REFORMATORY Fears Punishment At Prison For Testifying Against Governor Jackson PETITION SIGNED BY HIS ATTORNEYS Indianapolis, ln<l.. k‘‘b-2L-— UNS) Declaring that D.C. Stephenson feared punishment heeause of his testimony against Governor Ed Jackson in the governor's i ecent bribery conspiracy trial, attorneys for the former grand dragon ot the Indiana Ku Klux Klan today petitioned Governor Jaeknn to transfer Stephenson from the state prison at Michigan City to the state reformatory at Pendleton, Indiana. The petition was signed by Lloyd O. Hill and Paul B. Newman, who have represented the former political dictator ot Indiana in a number of court actions. He consulted with these attorneys here on Feb. 13 while he was deciding whether he would “tell all” during Jackson’s trial for a 1 eged attempted bribery of former Governor Warren T. McCray, which ended in a court-instructed verdict of acquittal under the statute of limitations. "For Humane Reasons” The petioners pointed out that the petition did not seek any decrease in the sentence of life imprisonment Stephenson is serving for the murder of Madge Oberholtzer, Indianapolis I young woman, but merely asked “that I the said David (’. Stephenson lx 1 transferred from one’ place of conI finement to another, away from and out of the custody of Warden Walter lit Daly and Deputy Warden H. G. Claudy for humane reasons. "David Stephenson was called to | the witness stand in the Jackson trial at 9.30 A. M. on Feb. 13. 1928,” the petition said. "He refused to answer the questions propounded) until he had been given an otpportunity to consult itrs attorneys, not that he d«s’red to be advised as to his constitutional rights, as was represented, but that lie was in fear of what would happen to him if lie testified against the chief executive, when he was returned to (he Indiana state prison, where he would lie placed in the. hands of the servants of the chief executive of the state ’111(1 those who held their places of employment at the will of the chief executive.” o -— BULLETIN Washington, Feb. 21.—41NS)—Harry F. Sinclair nui’ti-'mii-lionaire oil magnate, William J. Burns and his son, W. Sherman Burns, president of the detective agency of that name, anti 11. Mason Day, an official of the Sinclair oil company, were found guilty late this afternoon of contempt of court by Justice Siddons, of the District of Columbia supreme court. The contempt charge grew out of the Fall-Sinclair conspiracy trial and directly out of the employment of private detectives to shadow the jurors in the case, as the result of which a mistrial was declared. 0 TO AID NEEDY AT BICKNELL Decatur Baptists To Send Cash And Clothing To Miners’ Families The Biptist church last Sunday received a distress call from the Baptist pastor of Bicknell, Indiana, asking for financial help and old clothing for hundreds of distressed families in that mining distret. The miners have not worked since early last year and the relief committee of the city is aiding more titan 500 families in destitute need. The Rev. Mr. Osborn, the Baptist pastor, aisks for help for their own people. The Deacons of the Decatur Baptist church are asking that old clothing be brought to the church Wednesday evening and it will be shipped promptly to the needy ones. This is an appeal especially for the members cf the Batist church, but any one disposed to help can have a share in the work. Any usable old clothing will be appreciated.

YOUR HOME PAPERLIKE ONE OF THE FAMILY