Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 27, Number 117, Decatur, Adams County, 16 May 1929 — Page 1

1 WEATHER Fair tou'fl ht • n d Friday. r |Bin 9 ,enip ' Sure Friday, " Bh ‘ d ,r c O e’nt;4l north and c « nt *' portion* tonight.

ZEPPELIN ABANDONS FLIGHT TO 0. S.

I BLAME human I negligence for I CLINIC DISASTER I II Two Theories Advanced By | ! Official Investigators I Late Today II DEATH TOLL NOW STANDS AT 1261 I fjcvejiiKl. May I(>.—OJ.R)II Human negligence caused Hie Cleveland Clinic disaster .uni its death toll of 126, official investigators agreed late today in advancing two theories as U><> (••iiise of 'he heavy loss of life. One official view was that live steam, escaping from a pipe left unguarded by a plumber, u.nited X-ray films causing them to explode and emit deadly nitrogen dioxide fumes. The oilier opinion, supported by discoveries made by Dr. H. L. Rockwood, head of the city investigation, held that whetever the cause of the explosion the fumes were spread through the clinic because a fire prevention door was prevented from closing by an obstruction. Chemists examining the scientific aspect of the disaster concurred in the view that nitrogen dioxide given off hy the burning films “gassed” the victims. Death Toll Mounts Cleveland. May Ifi. — U.K —The fmgI er of tragedy rose and fell over Cleveland today, counting off the dead in | the explosions and fir*? that turned I its famous clinic into a honeycomb of lethal chambers. One hundred and twenty-siv persons are dead and scores of other victims are in hospitals, some with poison I fumes in their lungs and by no, means out of danger. The city remained dazed and horr-or-stricken. Ambulances clanged through the streets, enroute to the I morgue with bodies and the funeral parlors with identified dead Firemen Stricken By Gas Hours after the calamity,, four firemen who helped in rescue work were stricken by gas poisoning. Blood transfusions were resorted to at Mt. Sinai hospital in an effort to save their lives. A tiifold investigation was underway to determine how the $500,000 ■ clinic was transformed so suddenly j at noon yesterday into a charnel house of poison gas. flames and panic. Gov. Meyers Y. Cooper ordered all slate agencies to join the investigation. Coroner A. J Pearse was to confer with all county officials to ascertain cause of the blasts and fire. An official commission was named by city manager W. R. Hopkins. Authorities agreed that the blame lay in the X-Ray storage room in the basement of the four-story brick structure and that the deadly fumes swirled from ignited X-llay film. They disagreed whether the clouds of dark yellow gas—responsible for the staggering loss of life —were nit(CONTINUED ON PAGE EIGHT) O LOCAL GIRLS BECOME NURSES Six Adams County Young Women Graduated From Lutheran Hospital School Six Adams county young ladies were numbered among the members of the Graduation class of the Lutheran Hospital Nurse's Training School the commencement of which was held last evening, at the Zion Parish Hall in Fort Wayne. Alary Helen Ahr, daughter of Mr. ai >d Mrs. Charles Ahr, residing east this city; Elizabeth Miller and Wilma Snoke, of Geneva; Marie Felber ’laughter of Emil Felber, of Berne; and Ruth Schlechter and Edith Neueusch"under, former residents of Berne, but more recently from Bluffton, were in 1 "’led among the graduates. Che chief speaker of the evening, * aH llle Hev. John Barthel, of Lincoln, linois, whose daughter, Pauline Barel, was member of the graduating class. Ihe class was comprised of twentyp". e , y ? ung nurses, who as a unit had established an unusual scholastic reco,i for the three-year course of induction. Twenty-three of the twenty’’p, Graduates completed the oourse ( | l ’. an ave rage of 90 per cent for three years work. The lowest mark 88.9 p er cent.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Vol. XXVII. No. 117.

Hospital Explosion Kills Scores HI Firemen and volunteer rescuers are seen carrying out victims of the Cleveland Clinic Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, it; which 12(1 patients, doctors and nurses died when an explosion occured in the X-ray room. Following the explo. ion gases were loosened which caused the deaths of many.

TWO INJURED IN AUTO ACCIDENT Miss Aleta Harlow And Mrs. Vernon Ralston, Os Geneva, Are Hurst Miss Aleta Harlow of Geneva, daugh ter of Albeit Harlow. Adams County auditor and Mrs. Vernon Ralston also of Geneva, were injured when the Chevrolet sedan driven by Mr. Harlow and ,an Essex coach driven by James Hendricks, of Monroe, collided at a crossroad a mile north of Monroe this morning. Mt. Harlow was driving north toward Decatur and Mr. Hendricks was driving east when the two cars collided, throwing the Harlow car against a telephone pole. Miss Harlow was thrown out of the car through a rear window and was slightly bruised. Mrs. Ralston received several painful cuts and minor bruises. Mi. Harlow and a young daughter of Mrs. Ralston’s escaped uninjured. Mr. Hendricks was not injured in the collision. Roth cars were damaged. The front axel of the Essex was broken and the front fenders weie dented. The Chevrolet was damaged on the left side and the top of the car was damaged when its struck the telephone pole. It is thought that when the car struck the pole, it was saved from being turned over into a ditch. o General Electric Men Address Berne C. Os C. Berne, May 16. — (Special)—J. L. Bouton, of Cleveland, Ohio, representative of the General Electric company, delivered an address on modern merchandising at the regular monthly meeting of the Berne Chamber of Commerie, Monday evening. A Mr. McCarthy, of South Bend, also a representtaive of the General Electric company, gave a short talk in which he stressed the' value of thorough and systematic advertising. o George Foos Is Injured In Automobile Accident George Foos, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Foos, of this city, was injured when the car he was driving collided with a Chevrolet coach driven by a woman residing at Pleasant Mills, near Monmouth, last night. Tile Foos car was headed toward Fort Wayne and the Chevrolet was coming towaid Decatur. One of the drivers misjudged the distance between the cars and they struck head-on. Neither car turned over, but both were damaged. George Foos was the only occupant of either car who was injured. He received several fractured ribs and the ligaments of his left arm were torn. ——o Crawfordsville Man Named Secretary Os Tax Board Indianapolis, May 16 —(UP)—Bert E. May, Crawfordsville, has been chosen as secretary of the state tax board to sussoed Owen Bowling who resigned to become assistant to director John J. Brown of the state highway department. May formerly was Montgomery county auditor. He has been a special field representative of the board lor some time.

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| Circus Tent Is Blown Down During Performance; 25 Persons Are Injured Vincennes, Ind., May 16. — (U.R) — Twenty-three persons were injured, none believed seriously, when a huge tent of the John Robinson circus was!] torn from its poles by a terrific wind ' during a performance here. Some of the persons were hurt by falling poles and others were crushed when they attempted to flee tlie arena. The large canvass was wafted high into tlie air and then settled upon the crowd of 2,500. Cries of women and children rent the air as they struggled from beneath the collapsed tent. Confusion followed, many persons being trampled and hostled about. Adding to the discomforts, a heavy rain descended upon the throng. Several trees were blown down near the circus grounds. Only quick action by employes of I the circus prevented a more serious accident, it was said. — o DePauw Professor Resigns Greencastle, Ind., May 16. —(U.R) — Professor L. E. Mitchell, who has l>een a member of the English faculty of DePauw University since 1919, has resigned to accept a position at the University of Redlands, Redlands, California. _ o — MORE MUSIC CONTESTS HELD Pupils Os Fifth, Sixth, Seventh And Eighth Grades Compete The music contest of the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades of the Central school was he)' 1 ’»' 3t ning at the high school auditorium This was the third event of Nationa. Music Week. The judge of the contest was Miss Hazel Gleason, Instructor of music in tlie Marsh Foundation School at Van Wert, Ohio. Miss Gleason complimented the school on the w ork and especially on the excellent I tore quality. The voices of the pupils were trained under the direction of Miss Dessolee Chester, local supervisor of music. In the 5-A, 5-B and 6-B, competition, the number, “Miss Breeze’ by Protheros, was used for solo work and Catherine Murphy of 5-B and Floyd . Ely of 5-A, were first winners; Made- ’ line Crider of 5-A and Jack Marshall of 6-B, second; Eileen Wells of 6-B , and Wendell Smith of 5-B, were third. ■ For the duet number in this compei tition, “Winter Goodbye’’ was. used. I Catherine Murphy and Evelyn Adams i of 5-B were first; Madeline Crider and Floyd Ely of 5-A, second; and Fern Zimmerman and Robert Johnson of 6-B won third. In the chorus I number, “Baby Seed Song" by Cole,' > the 5-A grade took first; 5-B second, and 6-B .third. In the 6-A competition for girl’s ' solo work, ‘‘My Garden,’’ a French ’ tune, was used and Madeline Spahr ' took first, Marjorie Johnson second. For the boy’s solo, “Around the World" was sung with James Harkless taking first and Edwin Eichorn, second. In the duet competition, ''Quesi, (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, May 16, 1929.

REV GRETHER HEADS CLASSIS Magley Pastor Elected President of Fort Yayne Classis Os Reformed Church The Rev. David Grether, pastor of the Salem Reformed church at Marley, Adams county, was elected president of the Fort Wayne elassis of the midwest synod of the Reformed churches, at the synod's convention in Fort Wayne, yesterday. The conference is being held at the Grace Reformed church in Fort Wayne, was scheduled to close today. Other officers of the classis elected yesterday were: the Rev. It. S. Beaver, pastor of Grace Reformed church, Fci t Wayne, vice-president; and tlie Rev. Reuben Schtoer, pastor at Goshen, cot responding secretary. Tlie Rev. A. R. FledderJphann, pastor of Zion Reformed church of Decatur, and his brother-in-law, the Rev R. B. Meekstroh, of Huntington, had charges of the liturgy at yesterday’s session of the conference. o Pleasant Grove Church Plans Pentecost Service Tlie Pleasant Grove church will hold Pentecost services next Sunday. The Rev. S. O. Fink, of Fort Wayne, will be the speaker in charge and the public is cordially invited to attend. —— o DIVIDE 360 ACRES AMONG CHILDREN Mr. And Mrs. Fred Thieme Os Union Township, Reward Children For Help Fred Thieme, for many years tlie largest land owner in Union townI ship and one of the best known citizens of the county, this morning conveyed by deed to four of his children, 360 acres of as good farming land as lies out of doors. Mr. and Mrs. Thieme came in this morning to conclude tlie deal, transfer the insurance papers and recorded the deeds. The matter was not decided hastily, but was the outcome of a methodical and careful plan to raise and take care of the family. Hugo was given 120 acres, Walter SO, Amos 80 and Ernst 80, the remaining 160 acres being retained by Mr. and Mrs. Thieme and the youngest son, Max. All the farms are well improved and the boys are now residing on them. Mr. and Mrs. Thieme are also providing for their only daugh- ' ter, Mrs. Henty Selking, of Preble township, the entire matter being one of great pleasure as well ns good business. Mr. Thieme said this afternoon’ “The Lord V as heen ver y Sood t 0 us and we are thankfifl for it. The children have helped us always and we have been very happy and we are glad to thus repay them." Mr. and Hrs. Thieme are in good health and expect to enjoy their own home and those of the children many years.

Authorize Rural School Addition ■ 1 ■

BOND ISSUE IM HARTFORD TWP., IS AUTHORIZED —_ State Tax Board Gives Auditor Power To Receive Bids COST OF ADDITION PLACED AT $30,000: Indiiinapolis. Inti., May 16. — (U.K Authorization to advertise for and receive bids for repairs I to the central hiuli school build-11 ing, Hartford school township, ( estimated al $30,000. was given to Albert Harlow, Adams county auditor, by the state lax board today. A hearing on a remonstrance to the proposed bond issue for the im-1 | movement mentioned above was held here on May lb, by Walter G. Bridges, special representative of the state tag board. Daniel Studler, trustee of Hartford township, and his advisory board, recently took steps to build an addition , to the Hartford township central . school building, after a petition sign- , ed by a large number of taxpayers of the township had been filed with ; them, and after the state school in- , spector had made a report in which , he said improvements would have to be made in the building or the school's commission would be endangered. Remonstrance Filed A remonstrance, signed by 114 taxpayers, was filed with the county auditor, the remonstrators claiming that the proposed expenditures was (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) o I. U. Band And Military Department In Controversy Bloomington, Ind., May 1G —(UPI— The Indiana University band and the Institution's military department are engaged on a heated controversy which lias resulted in the resignation of Mark Hindsley. Bloomington, director of the musicians for four years. According to the musicians, the 11. O. T. C. group sought to make Ihq band a purely military organization. WABASH RIVER STILL RISING More Rain Falls In South I Part Os County; Temperature Falls Sharply While Decatur and the northern part of the county were out of the storm area, severe rains were reported north and south of here last night, causing rivers and streams to rise to new high marks. The rains apparently did not cause the St. Marys river to rise, and several of the flooded areas were reported to be almost out of water. The flood waters of the Wabash river near Geneva went over Federal highway No. 27 late yesterday after- ; noon, and the water was still rising slightly this mining. It is thought that the crest has almost been reached, and that the federal road will be dry by Friday A strong wind was aiding in the water recession, and many inundated fields in the northern part of the county were much shallower today than yesterday. Most of the flooded fields were pasture fields and little crop damage was reported in the flood. The heavy lains have, retarded farm work considerably, and, unless there are several days of sunshine, farmers fear that corn planting will be almost as late as it was last year Very little corn has been ulanted so sal' in Adams county, according to reports from all parts of the county, and farmers say that it will take several days of sunshine to condition the fields for plowing and planting. The temperature dropped several degrees last night, and fear of frost was expressed. The strong wind added to the cold in this community and fear was expressed for truck patches, which so fat have been able to survive the unseasonal spring weather conditions. ’

I'nr ■il.li.-.l Hr lulled Press

Cleveland Policeman Rescues 21 From Fire, Then Loses Own Life Cleveland, Ohio, May 16. -(U.R) — Patrolman Ernest Staab made the supreme sacrifice in the tragedy at the Cleveland Clinic here yesterday, which cost the lives of several scores of persons. Staub was one of the first to run | into the blazing clinic. He ernerg- I ed carrying a man near death. | Staab went back again and again. • Some sail he carried 21 persons I from the building. He drove a .police car into the rear yard of a i hospital, helped carry in those rescued, and collapsed. He died several hours later. SMALL CYCLONE STRIKES INDIANA Damage Estimated At Several Thousand Dollars Caused Near Milford Milfoid, Ind., May 16—(UP)— May 16 —(UP) —Damages estimated at several thousand dollars were incurred by a minature cyclone which strutk near here last night a check today revealed The wind, said to have been of terrific force, razed small structures and dwelling, destroyed crops to a small degtee, and killed much livestock. Residents said the wind appeared to dip to the ground and then bound away again much in Ihe manner of a huge rubber ball. No Injuries were reported. —_o . Institute On International Relation Opens At Capital Indianapolis, May 1.6 (UP) —Educators, business men, and the clergy — Three hundred of them —Interested in international relations registered today for tlie opening session of the midwest instiute on international relations here. A state board meeting of the Indiana council on International relations, under whose auspices the meeting was held opened the three-day conference. o Industrial Association Os Monroe Elects Officers Monroe, May 16—(Special)—The Industrial Association of Monroe met in the school-house last Friday evening, for a short meeting and banquet. The dinner was served by the M. E. Ladies Aid society, after which the election of officeis was held, and the officers were elected as follows: president, Otho Lobenstine, who succeeds James Hendricks; secretary and treasurer, F. C. Sanders, who fills the office vacated by Charles E. Bahtier. During the banquet, interesting addresses were given by E. W. Busche and Rev. Willia ms. The Industrial Association has been doing a very beneficial work in Monroe, am! hold meetings on the second Tuesday of each month. 0 — Shot Two Inches Above Heart; Only Slightly Hurt New Albany, Ind.. May 16—(UP) — Carl Smith, 26, shot two inches above the heart, drove his automobile a Sew hours later and, apparently was only slightly hurt. He was at a loss to explain why he was shot or by whom. The bullet struck a rib deflecting it through the flesh and causing it to come out under the left arm. 0 Boy Is Burned When Brooder Stove Explodes Berne, May 16—(Special)—Jerome Hawbaker, 10. son of Mr. and Mrs. diaries Hawbaker, residing south of Berne on U. 8. highway No. 27, was painfully burned Tuesday, when a kerosene stove in a podltry brooder house exploded. The blazing kerosene was hurled over the boy s face and clothing. ' The lad's older brother, Walter, star of the Geneva high school basketball team for the last few years, succeeded in extinguishing the flames and pre vent tlie bums front becoming more set ions. Although the Ixiy’s face was burned so badly that his eyes were swollen shut, his body was not burner so seriously and It is thought thal he will recover.

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GIANT DIRIGIBLE TURNS BACK AS MOTORS FALTER Trip Abandoned After Airship Had Progressed Down Coast Os Spain START MADE AT 5:54 A. M. TODAY Friedrichshafen , Germany, May Hi. <U-R> The Graf Zeppeilin has abandoned her hip to America because of motor trouble and is returning here, it was officially announced lo- | night. . . the Graf Zeppelin, with LS passengers and a crew ol 11. [had started at 5:54 a.m. on her second trans-Atlantic voyage and had progressed favorable down the Mediterranean coast of Spain before the trouble developed which caused her to turn back. Changes Its Course Paris, May 16.—<U.R) Latest reports from the interior of France today indicated that the Graf Zeppelin changed the course of its flight from Field richsliatfen, Germany to the United States. At 7:55 a. m. today the giant airship was sighted ovei Bourg and then made a sharp turn southward. Hying down the Rhone valley. At 10:55 she was sighted over Valence, far to the south, Hying at a height of 1.900 feet and still heading south at a great speed. It was believed here that Commander Hugo Eckener found a storm center on the route he had planned to take, causing him to abandon it and to follow the Loire valley because of tlearer weafher. < The Graf Zeppelin flew low ovS>r Nimes at 11:40 a. m. and turned southwesteward towards Montpellier and Perpignan, near the Spanish liord er. Her indicated course would taL% her clear of Marseille. The Zeppelin was following th.? same course she took on her last flight to America. Unless Dr. Eek- ■ ener decided to fly north of the Pyrenees, which seemed altogether i improbable, his course would lie along the Mediterranean coast of Spain, south of Gibraltar and out over the . northern tip of Africa toward MaI deria. When the Graf Zeppelin reached Nimes. slie had flown about -Illi miles in six miles and 45 min. or an average of a little better than 60 miles an hour. The Graf Zeppelin passed the coast over the Mediterranean at Palavas les ' Flots, 10 miles from Montpellier, at ’ 7:10 a. m. est. and c mtinued along (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) i o Fuelling Church To Confirm Class Sunday Confirmation services will be held at the Fuelling Lutheran church in s Adams county on Sunday, May IS. A . class of four will be confirmed. The members of the class are the Misses i Florence Sauer, Elvira Hockemyer and Lorinda Hockemyer and Theodore • Hobrock. o THREE FARMERS ARE ARRESTED Prohibition Agents Ra i d Farms Os Prominent o Farmers Near Bryant Portland, May 16—(UP)—Three prominent farmers residing near Bryant were arrested on charges of violating s the prohibition law, Wednesday, following raids on their farms by fede eral prohibition officers. Those arrest- ’• ed were Henry and Frank Welsch, broII thers, and Edward Snyder. H The three men were taken to Fort a Wayne and lodged in the Allen county r jqil last night, to await a hear.ing bee fore William D. Remmel, U. S. com- ’• missloner, today. Henry Hartnagle and Peter Gable were ordered to appear '' before Commissioner Remmel today, 11 also, but were not arrested. '1 All of the men operate up-to-date ?- fauns in this county and their arrests e came as a surprise. s Several barrels of mash is said to e have been found on Snyder's farm, d It was said that federal agents bought it liquot from the Welsch brothers Tues- ' day.

f OUR HOME PAPERLIKE ONE OF THE FAMILY