Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 26, Number 133, Decatur, Adams County, 5 June 1928 — Page 1

WEATHER Rain tonight, coolL extreme south portion. Wednesday partly cloudy.

ALLEGED LINN GROVE BANDITS HELD

pacific fliers PREPARE PLANE FOR NEXT HOP Southern Cross Arrives " Safely At Suva. Fiji Islands, Late Monday expect to resume flight last of week By Sir Maynard Hedstrom CP Special Correspondent Suva, Fiji Islands, June (Wednesday) — Capt. Charles Kingsford-Smith and his three companions who flew here from Hawaii in the giant monoplane Southern Cross, completing the longest ocean flight ever undertaken, probably will not begin the last stage of their epochal flight from California to Australia before the end of the week. Meanwhile it.e rout men will overhaii! the three motors of their big plane, re-charge their radio batteries and search for a suitable clearing from which they can take off for the l,7oHmile flight to Sydney. Crew Refreshed By Sleep The 450-foot field where the Southern Cross landed Tuesday afternoon at the end of the 3,100-mile flight from the Hawaiian Islands, is too small for a take off with a loaded plane although it was perfect for landing. The ctew of the plane appeared refreshed today after a night of peaceful slumber. Kingsford-Smith and his aides were tremendously impressed by the welcome accorded them by the Fijians and natives of other countries who crowded the landing field. All of the Fiji Islands seemed to be participating in the -welcome as the Southern Cross sailed down out of the blue sky and came to rr step on the green field. A sapphire sea, the coral reefs, palm trees and the sudden flight of frightened birds, added to the beauty of the lauding scene. Natives, shrieking jubilantly, rushed the defense guard which had surrounded the field as requested in redio messages from the plane as it neared the islands. Chiefs of the native tribes are eager to perform their tribal ceremonies of welcome for the flyers but first the visitors must be feted by the mayor of Suva and governor of the islands. The mayor will entertain them at a dinner tonight and tomorrow they will be given a luncheon by the governor and will be received by a gather ing of returned sailors and soldiers. All four of the men, exhausted by the rigors of their pioneering air journey, had slept soundly in their (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) PRE-CONVENTION GOSSIP ABOUNDS ' Democratic Candidates And Delegates Assembling At Indianapolis By Bert M. Demby, UP Staff Correspondent Indianapolis, June 5. — (U.R) - While democratic candidates and delegates continued to assemble here today for the opening of the state convention tomorrow, the usual pre-convention gossip floated about the city and predictions as to just what the convention will do were rife. Unlike the recent Republican convention, when there were few observers who would predict anything at all, the democratic meeting found scores of persons who were willing to predict various maneuvers. There were many who believed that Frank C. Dailey, leader in the democratic primary voting, would receive the nomination for governor. Some even went so far as to predict that his nomination would be by acclamation before the first ballot was finished. Three Other Candidates On the other hand the three other Primary gubernatorial candidates hoped to poll enough votes to block Bailey’s nomination. These three —John E. Frederick, Kokomo; Earl urawrord, Milton, and George Dale, Muncie —were active and hopeful that a wave of the convention might sweep their way. The convention proper begins to(CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO)

becatur daily democrat

Vol. XXVI. No. 133.

I Southern C ross Lands At Suva After Making Record Flight ■M __„ _ . . 1 ft rt iq »... ■•..*, if (Pr Tai -<8 ~ Ji ' Ct / J L .a .Mali ... fiwß.

I he Fokker plane shown above, and its crew of four men, landed at Suva. Fiji Islands, late yesterday, after a non-stop flight from the Hawaiian Islands, a distance ot 3,100 miles. This is the longest ocean flight ever

CONTSACTS LET FOR BUILDING SIX ROADS IN COUNTY Close B i d di n g Features Macadam Road Letting Here This Morning ELEVEN BIDDERS SEEK CONTRACTS Contracts for building six macadam toads in French, Wabash, Jefferson. Bine Creek. Union. Knot and Monroe townships were awarded by the county commissioners in session this morning. Dennis Striker was awarded th° contract for the Beer road in Monroe township. Chris Eicher was awarded the contracts for the William Fox and Rufus Huser roads. Bieberieh and Arnold were awarded the contracts for the Fuelling-Barkley and the William Wendell roads. John W. Karsch was awarded the contract for the Luginbill road in Blue Creek township. Eleven bidders filed bids on the six roads and close bidding marked the letting. In one case, there was’only a sl4 difference between the low bidder and the next man to him. The bids on the roads follow: Beer Road, Monroe Township Chris Eicher, $3642; Bieberieh and Ainohl. $4097; John W Karsch, $4,038.60; Dennis Striker, $3600; C. Mathys, $4250; Vernon Macarty. $4.801.26; Jim A. Hendricks, $4565. Fox Road. French Township Christ Eicher, $3850; Phil Sauer. $4200; Biebetich and Arnold, $3948; Dennis Striker, $3900; (’. Mathys. $4.200; Jim A. Hendricks. $4425. Fuelling-Barkley Road, Union Twp. Phil Sauer, $5755; Bieberieh and Arnold, $5384; Verticil Macarty, $6.500; Jim A Hendricks, $5997; C. W. Killing. $5523. Huser Road, Wabash Township Chris Eicher. $4800; Bieberieh and Arnold, $5884; John W. Karsch. $4.986.57; Dennis Striker, $6533.12; C. Mathys. $6300; W. -M. Striker. $5200. Luginbill Road, Blue Creek Twp. Chris Eicher. $3910; Bieberieh and Arnold, $3897; John W. Karsch, $:!,- 883.21; W. M. Striker, $3900. Wendell Road, Jefferson Twp. Bieberieh and Arnold, $3855; C. Mathys, $41157.69; Smith and Baker, $3936’ The woik of improving these roads will star! as soon as tlie bonds are sold. Tlie roads are about one mile stretches and all of them will lie improved witli macadam. Get Bids On Trucks Bids on eight different makes of trucks were filed with the county commissioners today. The commissioners intend to buy two trucks and this afternoon they were busy hearing the dealers explain the specifications, etc. Bids were received on ton. ton and one-half and two ton trucks, and at 3 o’clock, all the dealers had not yet had an audience before the board. , „ , Bids were also received for supplying the county buildings and institutions witli coal, but the contract had not been awarded at 3 o’clock. o— —— Two Forgers Sentenced Shelbyville, Ind., June S—(U.R) Thurman Smith. 25. Indianapolis, and Miss Katherine Statler, 21, Springfield. 111., were sentenced to two to fourteen vears iu prison on forgery charges here. They were accused ot defrauding local people.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Mate, Nntiounl And Inlrrnutlouul News

Gasoline Leak Stott Os Ocean Flight

St. John, N. F„ June 5. —(U.R)—A leak in a gasoline tank today delayed refuelling of Hie monoplane Friendship, scheduled to start this morning on a trans Atlantis flight. Miss Emlia Earhart, Boston social worker. Wilmer Stultz, her co-ptlot, and Lou Gordon, mechanic, were up at dawn to supervise the fuelling. But at 7:30 A M. (EST), a leak that had been revealed yesterday in one of the big (dane’s tanks had not been repaired. Tlie Friendship still was at her moorings in Trepassy Bay. with four drums of fuel waiting to be put aboard —o— —— Former Postmaster At Tocsin Is Sentenced Virgil Kreigh, former postmaster at. Tocsin, appeared before Judge Thomas Slick, in Federal court at Fort Wayne, Monday, and entered a Idea of guilty to a charge of embezzlement. Tlie court sentenced Mr. Kreigh to serve 2 years in tlie federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kan. Mr. Kreigh was llien released on bond with orders to appear at Fort Wayne next Wednesday to begin his trip to the penitentiary. Veteran Publisher Dies Maxwell, Ind., June S—(U.R) -W. M. Mess, veteran Indiana newspaper publisher and founder cf the* first daily paper at Linton, is dead here of heart disease. o ALLEGED DEPUTY SLAYER ON TRIAL John Burns, Accused Os Murder Os Deputy Sheriff, Faces Jury Lafayette, Ind.. June 5 (U.R)—Opening statements by prosecutors today featured the trial of John Burns, accused of the murder of Deputy Sheriff Wallace McClure. McClure and another deputy, John Grave, were found slain after they had started from here to take Burns and Samuel Baxter to the state reformatory at Pendleton. Burns and Baxter were under sentence for automobile banditry. Baxter is still at large, but Burns was captured here two weeks ago, when he returned after traveling about the country for almost three months after the deputy’s bodies were found. He denied that he and Baxter murdered the officers. The charge against Burns is first degree murder in connection with McClure’s death but courtroom observers believed, from the line of questioning the state used on jurors, that the death penalty would not be asked. Six hours were required to select a jury yesterday afternoon and the prosecutors were expected to consume most of this morning’s session with their opening arguments. * Introduction of evidence was not expected to start until late this afternoon. o Ministerial Association To Meet On Wednesday The Ministerial Association will meet Wednesday morning at 9:30 o’clock, in the Old Adams County Bank.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, .lune 5, 1928.

made or attempted. The members of the crew are: Captain Kingsford-Smiti and Charles T. O. Ulm, (first two to the left!. liotli Australians, and Ifieut Harry W. Lyons and James Warner (at right), Americans.

“Home Brew For Sale," Cries Drunk; Police Find Liquor All Gone Bloomington, Ind.. June 5. —(INS) Local residents were startled to hear an energetic vcice crying ‘‘home Drew for sale here, home brew for sale ’ and promptly reported the vendee t.> the police. An investigation revealed that El/.a Sullivan, local resident, had been imbibing too freely of his own wares, in fact having none fm t her to offer for sale as a result of his own th’rst He pleaded guilty to the charge ci intoxicaCcii placed against him but denied having any heme brew for sale and insisted he did not remember his surprising ballyhoo’. MAN IS STRUCK BY ERIE TRAIN Stranger, Struck Near Glenmore, Ohio, Brought To Hospital Here Joe Piquinat, 35. whose address is unknown, was painfully injured shottly aftei neon today when he was struck by westbound Erie passenger train No. 3, about a half mile west of Glenmote, Ohio. The injuted rtiun i was brought to this city aboard the I passenger train and removed to the I Adams Comity Memorial hospital, in the S. E. Black ambulance. At the hospital, it was reported that the man was suffering from injuries to his right shoulder and right foot. It is believed that he will recover. Just how the accident occured has not been learned here. It is thought, however, that Piquinat had sat down on a railroad tie and pcssibly fallen asleep. When the train came along, be was struck by the cow-catcher. The train is due into Decatur at 12:30 o’clock p.m. CHANG REPORTED DEAD OF INJURIES Report Os Chinese War Lord’s Death Lacks Confirmation, However London, June 5. —(INS) — Marsha! Chang Tso-Lin, war lord of the northern Chinese forces and for two years , dictator of Peking, lias succumbed to the injuries lie received when the train iu which lie left tlie Chinese capital for Mukden, Manchuria, was wrecked by a bomb, dispatches received here today from various sources stated. Up to mid-afternoon the British foreign office had received no offlcal confirmation of the reports that Chang was dead. Officials were inclined to discredit the reports although they said they did have confirmation of the advices that Chang had been wounded in a bomb attack on Monday morning. I- ■ ■ —-O II ■■■ ■ mi. ■■■ Petition Filed A petition for admission of Fred Plothe to the Richmond State Hospital was filed in circuit court today. The court ■appointed two physicians to examine Mr. Plothe.

SMITH UKELT TO HAVE ECO VOTES

ON FIRST BALLOT Few Democrats In Washington Believe He Will not Get Nomination SOME SAY STRENGTH IS OVERESTIMATED By Paul 11. Mallon, UP Staff Correspondent Washington, June 5.-— (U.R) —Gov. Alfred E. Smith will go into the Houston convention accredited with about 600 first ballot votes. 134 less than the number required for the nomination. Only a few of the Democrats here believe he will fail to get the necessary two-thirds majority. These few claim his delegate strength lias been greatly overestimated. They say after the early balloting many of his delegates will drift away to other , candidates: That Smith’s bloc cannot withstand the blow of a failure to get the nomination quickly and that his managers have been misled into believing he lias a number of delegates who really will vote for someone else. A number of Democratic leaders, (VONTIM •< U PAGE .CX) LINDY APPEARS, ENDING ANXIETY Flying Colonel Reaches St. Louis Today, After Spending Night On Farm St. I ouis, Mo., Jqne 5. —(INS) —Col. Charles A. Lindbergh landed here today after a trip from Ft. Worth, Texas. where he left at 2 .o’clock yesterday afternoon. He came to earth here at 10:40 o'clock this morning. Lindbergh came to St. Louis from the Ozark regions of Missouri, officials of the Robert son Aircraft corporation told the In ternational News Service. The flying colonel spent tlie night safely, tlie official said, declining to name tlie town where he had landed. Airport attaches said his plane was intact and that tlie colonel himself had suffered no injury. Efforts to get in touch witli Lindbergh were fruitless. The colonel was working on his plane and refused to make a sttaement on his flight. As usual, he was uncommunicative about his travels. However, it was learned he had spent the night witli a farmer, but the flier refused to say who the farmer was or where the farm was located. The trans-Atlantic ace also refused to say whether or not he made a forced landing. Bad flying weather, however, led of ficials of the airport here to express the opinion that the flyer had de scended on the farm rather than risk a dangerous trip in the night. Later, it was learned Lindbergh had spent the night on the farm of T. C Lewis, 45 miles southwest of St. Louis He had landed because of darknesi and bad flying condition. Lindliergh'i companions. Major Lanthier and Col Breckenridge, his attorney, were lef at the farmer’s house.

II X The United Preu nnd luirruulluual s,n> Service

Man Claims Pretty Girl Took Him For A Ride And Forced Him To Walk Home Gary, Ind . June 5. (INS)— Claiming a pretty girl look him for a ride at three o’clock In Ihe morning and not only compelled him to walk back, but took $25 away from him in addition, Joe Salazer, of Aurora. 111., told police u story in which the usual order of procedure was reversed. In addition to losing his $25 and having a long walk home, Salazer is suffering from two .22 calibre bullet wounds, inflicted he said, by two male accomplices of the woman. Police are skeptical of the story and are bolding Salazer under bond. OLD HOME WEEK • CHAIRMEN NAMED Plans For Event Are Furthered At Meeting Os General Committee At a meeting of the general committee of Old Home Week last night, F. M. Schirmeyer, general chairman, appointed chairmen for the program, music and concession committees. The men appointed are: C. C. Schafer, chairman of the music committee; W. I’. Schrock, chairman of the program committee, and Herman J. Yager, chairman of the concession and entertainment committee. Dr. Roy Archbold was appointed a fewweeks ago as chairman of the invitations committee. These men will organize their committees and report Thursday night. A meeting will be held at the Decatur Industrial Association rooms at 7:30 o’clock. Twelve members of the general committee attended the meeting last night and much enthusiasm was shown by them. Each one expressed the desire to go on with the plans for the celebration and asked that the chairman appoint his committees. The duty of tlie program committee will be to arrange a schedule of events for the week, combined with an agriculture or livestock exhibit. The finance committee plans to collect all pledges and subscriptions in the near future and it is the intention to have all the money on hands before the work of getting out the invitations and the advertising and issuing invitations is started. It was reported that about 2,000 names of former residents of tills city and county had already been sent to French Quinn, secretary, a number being published in the Daily Democrat. The names are coming in everyday and the invitation committee will get out the Invitations as soon as the finance committee reports its work. —o Evansville Man Returns Home To Find His Wife Married To Another Man Evansville, Ind., June s—(U.R)—Clarence5 —(U.R)—Clarence Lamb, 35, a 1928 Enoch Arden, has quietly left Evansville, to permit his former wife and their 11 year cld daughter to enjoy happiness found after he left them nine years ago. For the first time since 1919, Lamb came to Evansville a few days ago, looking for his family. The daughter, Louise, lie found attending school. Before returning home, lie bought hetnew dresses, toys and candy. But there was no reunion with the former Mrs. She had obtained a divorce a few years ago and married John Drury. Lamb, Informed of th# situation, wished the couple and his daughter happiness, and left for Texas, from whence be had returned to Evansville.

o George Rogers Clark Commission Organized Indianapolis. June S—(U.R5 —(U.R) —Clem J. Richards, Terre Haute, today assumed the duties of president of the George Rogers Clark Memorial commission, succeeding William Fortune. Indianapolie. Friction between some members of the commission was believed to have caused tlie change in the presidential office. Fortune, at the annual meeting, dei dared that If ’’personal animosities” ■ weie to continue in the commission : he no longer wanted to be president. Thf friction, it is said, was caused I by animosity between D Frank Cui- ■ bertson and Ewing 11. Emison, both . of Vincennes. i Culberson denied that he had chargi ed that Emison made ‘'Democratic . capital” of a memorial movement in t a meeting held at Vincennes, a week ago last Sunday.

Price Two Cents

SEVERAL BANK ROBBERIES ARE BELIEVED SOLVED Three Men And Two Women Held In Roundup Os Alleged Gang At Hammond MURL LYBARGER IDENTIFIES ONE Hammond. June 5. — (INSi — Three men and two women were held here today in what police said was a roundup of a gang of bank robbers that has been operating out of HammAnd for the past two years. Six others are sought. Those held arc: Charles Meakley. 34; Edward Meadows, 35; and Lee Wheatley, 32. The women are: Mrs. Edith Owens, 29, and Mrs. Gladys Wheatley, 26. According to police. Meakley. Meadows and Mrs. Owens have been identified in two holdups. They were arrested when found riding in an alleged stolen automobile. Wanted At Kansas City The men arrested are said to lie wanted in Kansas City. The bank robberies in which police believe the prisoners participated included: Sept. 30, 1926, the $25,000 robbery of the State Bank at Portland, Ind.; March 27, 1928, the $1,600 robbery of a state bank at Linn Grove, Indiana A robbery at St. Henry, Ohio, about six weeks ago, has also been traced to the group, it is alleged. Bank robberies at Kansas City, Mo., in which the loot amounted to more than $200,000 are also attributed to the group. Lybarger Identifies One Muri Lybarger, cashier of the Linn Grove State Rank, today identified Meakley. according to police, as the bandit gang that robbed him last March. Police, also, said that tlie four SIOO bills found on Meadows were part of the loot from the hank robbed at St. Henry. Ohio. Police said that Mrs. Wheatley confessed some of the robberies and named others of the gang who participated in them. The roundup of tlie alleged robber gang came after three months of investigation. — o Third Time Not Charm Indianapolis, .lune 5. —(INSI - The third time was not a charm for Earl M Siler, drug store owner of Indianapolis. Two frightened youths held him up taking SB, at the point of trembling revolvers. He had been robbed twice befoie during tlie last six months.

CATHOLIC SCHOOL BEGINS VACATION Summer Vacation Period Begins Wednesday; Commencement Sunday The St. Joseph Catholic school will close Wednesday noon for the summer vacation. This afternoon, a musical program and a playlet by the boys and gills in the different grades was given. The annual commencement exercises of the grades and of the Decatur Catholic high school will be held Sunday evening, June 10, In the auditorium of the school building The Rev. Father Leon Dufrane. of Portland. will deliver the commencement addiess. The exercises will commence at 8 o'clock.

Mrs. Mary Hall Dies At Home Near Geneva Geneva, June s—(Specials—(Special — Mrs. Mary Hull. 86. died of flu and pneumonia. at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Frank Pontius, near Geneva, at 9 o'clock last night. She had been 111 for several weeks. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Pontius, and Mrs. Thomas Mayes, of Jackson, Michigan; and two sons. Samuel, of Pennsylvania, and, Ed of Warren. The husband, Frank Hall, died several years age. Funeral services will be held Thurso day afternoon at 1:30 o'clock at the Christian church at Linn Grove, with the Bev. Samuel France, of North Manchester, officiating. Burial will be made in the Brown cemetery, two miles south of Linn Grove.

YOUR HOME PAPERLIKE ONE OF THE FAMILY