Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 29, Number 10, Decatur, Adams County, 12 January 1931 — Page 1

wrATHTR ,n I W,. north port'Oh | IfMfht and TuesS colder >n north ■ p«tln n

■EGRO BURNED TO DEATH BY ANGRY MOB

b Hold Special Legislative Election In County January 22

M GIVEN [( GOVERNOR FORELECTION locrat Central Cornices to Meet in Delur Wednesday Night ECT CANDIDATE I AT MEETIN G I I A. Bosse. Democrat |v chairman, announced j il'ternoon that a joint i Ina of the Adams and [county Democrat CenIcon’initlees would be ■in Decatur, Wednesday I at eight o’clock, lor [urpose of selecting a [crat candidate for state ■cntative. The meeting L held in the court room j | court house and every ler of the Central com- [> is urged to attend, [riff Burl Johnson roll a telephone message [icruine from Governor | I estie’s office. Indian- | stating that formal [ f<»r the holding of the |l legMative election in ;>n<| Wells counties Kursdav. January 22, for jriw of electing a suc- [- tn George L. Saunders, ft the mails and that plans | be made accordingly. [tar as known the special ■n will be governed by lav/ [me as a regular election Implete election boards will [essary in every precinct in ■tut Wells county. [eeting was held in Bluffton morning to determine . tha jproceedure required and to an estimate of the cost to unties for the holding of the Estimate the Cost | estimated that the cost to Bounty will be between $2,500 8.500. The members of the In boards must be paid, meals lied, rent paid for places to lie election, election commisItinued ON PAGE FIVE) f- _ 0 Ik-Old Babv Left On Car By Mother lanapolis. Jan. 12. —(U.R> —Dels today were searching for lher who abandoned a weekpby on a street car. The Bias been named “Mary Doe" ■ven a crib in City hospital. r o Itington Editor Speaks Tonight Robert R. Hull, associate of “Our Sunday Visitor", Dgton. and well known lecwill deliver an address at lonthly meeting of the Holy society to be held this eveat the K. of C. hall. The fcs will be held at eight F and all members of the St. r Catholic church are invited lend. The meeting is not |d to members of the society. lIRCH ELECTION IIELDSUNDAY h n Lutheran Church |mes Officers at Anhal Meeting Sunday f annual election of officers I*' Zion Lutheran Church was Sunday afternoon. The varlofffners of the church were fn and delegates to the Synod f° the circuit convention and alternatives Were named, fist Boknecht was chosen lof the church, and Paul f. deacon. Other officers in- , trustee, Fred Busse; school r*®’ A. H. Gerberding and I Bucher; chairman, Oscar F»au; recording secretary, E. |°eker; janitor, Henry Krueck- ’ delegates to the Synod, r J- Keller; alternate, Fred !r: delegates to the circuit ehtion, Otto Bieberich, Grover Victor Miller and Carl 1 auditing committee, Fred an d William Goldner.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Vol. XXIX. No. Ten.

Delegates Chosen To Child Health Meet i Mrs. D. D. Heller, president of the Adams County board of children’s guardians announced today [that 11. M. Gillig and Mrs. W. E. I Smith, members of the board had been chosen delegates to the In diana conference on child health and protection which opens Thursday at Indianapolis. The conference j will be in session for three days, with Lieut. Governor Edgar I). Busn presiding as chairman of the meeting. The Indiana conference Is the first state conference to be held ] following the national conference on child welfare to be held in Washington at the call of President Hoo- , ver. Several other persons from Adi ams county are planning to attend. ' o MERCHANTSWILL HOLD MEETING Meeting Called by Indiana Council to Discuss Proposed Sales Tax An Important meeting of the re , tail merchants In Indiana will be . held at the Lincoln Room of the Lincoln Hotel, in Indianapolis, on Wednesday, January 14. W. E. , , Balch manager of the Indiana Council of Retail Merchants has called ; , the meeting to discuss proposed , , sales taxes. Mr. Balch’s letter of ex ’ planation follows: "The meeting will convene at 10 i o’clock Wednesday morning. A thorough explanation of the puroposed I Tax on Gross Retail Sales will be ■ made by merchants qualified to disi uss this subject intelligently. The 1 meeting will adjourn in ample time i or ydu to personally call on your Senator or Representative before i leaving Indianapolis. > The proposed tax recommended > by the Governor’s Tax Commission > is the most drastic bill ever present- > ed to the legislature directed agains' retailers, it will propose a tax of; one per cent on gross sales with no | > exemptions, which means an added i I expenditure of from 16-2-3 per cent j > to 25 per cent of the retailer’s net I i profits. Under present conditions a ! > retailer cannot operate on this basis. "Remember, pleas, that the Bill contemplates taxing all retil merchants in all lines. Because of the importance of this legislation, it is i imperative that you attend this | mass meeting of merchants Wednes- > day, January 14th, at the Lincoln Room, Lincoln Hotel, Indianapolis. “You cannot protect your inters ests in any better way than by attending this meeting. We will ap- , predate it if you will advise us , that you will be in attendance. Merchants attending the meeting wilt please make their own hotl reservations.” o 1 Play Will Be Given By Church Tuesday "The Dutch Detective" is the t name of the play which the Young c peoples Society, of the Preble Luth- ■ eran Church, will present in the ' Monmouth school auditorium, Tuest day evening, January 13. The play • will be presented for the benefit of I the Monmouth high school atheltic t association. The curtain will rise on the proI duction at 8 o'clock, Tuesday night, land admission will be 35c for adults | and 25c for children. The public is I invited to see the play. r o— Roumanian Youths Return, Are Homeless 1 Indianapolis, Jan. 12. —<U.R)- —Two brothers, 11 and 13 years old, arrived here from Roumania yesterday to find that the home for which they were seeking no longer ex--3 ists. They were sent from Europe 3 by their mother, who lived with , them six years ago, and who told I them to live at the Harley Gibbs j settlement. This has been abandoned, and the two lads, George 1 and Gravel Voida, are living tempI orarily at the home of former .. neighbors. They wil ibe placed in I the American settlement. j o f Introduce Repeal Bills In Ohio i Columbus, 0., Jan. 12. — (U.R) I t ‘ Four bills to repeal the state pror hlbition laws and repeal state con--11 stltutional provisions creating the ri' prohibition department were introduced in the Ohio senate today.

Faralshed Ry Ualtrd I'rra*

AUTHORITIES HOLD SLIGHT HOPE FOR FLIERS Seaplane Tradewind Long Overdue on 2,000Mile Flight LEFT FOR AZORES LAST SATURDAY Horta, Fayal Island, Azores, Jan. 12.—iU.Rh—Ships ply-j ing the trans-Atlantic route along which the seaplane Tradewind departed from Bermuda Saturday for the Azores Islands kept a sharp watch today for a clew to the disappearance of the white craft and its crew of two. There was little hope here, however, for the safety of Mrs. Beryl Hart, red-haired pilot, and her copilot and navigator, Lieut. William ] S. Maclaren. Many ships along the overwater route between Bermuda and the Azores and beyond the mid-Atlantic Islands toward Europe reported by wireless that storms prevailed but there was no sign of the Tradewind. Horta, Azores. Jan. 12.—(U.R) —A ' strong “northeaster,” bringing | stormy weather and vicious winds,; whipped over the Azores today] (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) o Chicago Gangster Fatally Wounded Chicago, Jan. 12. —(U.R) —Pierced | by six bullets as he stepped into his automobile, James Belcastro, known as the "king of the bombers’’ and listed just three notches below Scarface Al Capone among Chicago's “public enemies.' was in | a critical condition early today at | Bridewell hospital. The two, men who ambushed Belcastro fired 12 shots, six of j which struck their mark. One, which hit him in the back, was expected to prove fatal. He would not tell who shot him. o LOCAL BUSINESS HOUSE ENTERED Lose Bros. Cigar Store Robbed of sls Early This Morning The Lose Bros, cigar store was broken into by a sneak thief Sunday night or Monday morning. Fifteen dollars in small change was the only thing missed by proprietors when checking up this morning. The thief gained entrance to the business house by removing a pane of in the rear door and then turning the lock. The robbery I evidently was perpetrated by some-1 one familiar with the store as thei thief lost no time in searching fori the sack in which the money was kept. (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) Ten Persons Slightly Hurt Near Van Wert Van Wert, Ohio, Jan, 12 —(U.R) — Ten persons were injured, none seriouusly, when a Chicago bound Greyhound bus was forced from a road east of here, during a denee snow storm, last night. The injured were brought here for treatment, then resumed the trip to Chicago. The bus was due there late today. o Scottish Rite Party Will Be Held Jan. 20 Invitations will be issued in a few days for the Scottish Rite party which will take place in the Masonic Hall, Tuesday, January 20 it was announced today. Guests at the party will include the members of the Scottish Rite in Adams Coun y, their wives and sweethearts. The party which the organization gave for the children recently, proved to be such a success that it was decided to entertain the adults with a similar affair.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, January 12, 1931.

Lindy Jr., and His Forebears a '■ ■" 1 ijri I v I w I Mt \ . X " $ I ■! JII/ L I* . j k A 1 'lK£riik 4 Au w t - Charles A. Lindbergh, Jr., son of the flier, is shown above at the I Morrow home in Englewood, N. J. The infant, just seven months old, j is shown with Mrs. Anne Lindbergh, hi- mother, and Mrs. Charles Long i Cutter, his great-grandmother, forming four generations.

RIFT APPEARS IN REPUBLICAN I SENATE RANKS 1 I Nejdl Forces Are Still Muffed at Election of Senator Hartzell LEGISLATURE CONVENED TODAY — Indianapolis, Jan. 12. — (U.R)—ln-] surgcncy in republican senatorial i ranks had begun to threaten today, to prove embarrassing for the ad- ] ministration during the current session. Both houses convened at 2 p. m., today. First intimations of the rift came ] ] last week when a group under lead- > ership of Lieutenant Governor Edgar D. Bush effected election of ] Lee J. Hartzell, Fort Wayne, a; 1 president pro-tem, over the veteran James J. Nejdl, Whiting. Most active in the insurgent' group is Senator Charles L. Strey. Wabash, who has threatened to demand an investigation of the highway department. At the outset there appeared nearly as much danger of rough water for administration measures in the republican senate, as in the democratic house. (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) o TARIFF MEMBERS I ARE CONFIRMED Henry P. Fletcher And Two Other Appointees Are Confirmed Washington, Jan. 12—(UP) —The Senate today without a record vote confirmed the Nomination of Henry P. Fletcher of Pennsylvania to be chairman of the Federal Tariff commission. The nominations of Thomas W. Page, Virginia, and Jesse L. Coulter North Dakota, as members of the commission, also were confirmed. Shortly afterward the nomination of Alfred P. Dennis, Maryland, as a member of the commission was con firmed. Borah Opens Fire Washington, Jan. 2—(UP) —Senate progressive republicans today opened fire on President Hoover's new tariff commission. Led by Senator Borah, Repn„ Idaho, the progressives sharply crltized what he termed a surrender of the “ancient prerogatives” of congress in framing tariff bills. Democrats let It be known that they would concentrate their attack on the nomination of Edgar B. Brossard of Utah.

Two Persons Killed In Auto-Train Crash — Terre Haute, Ind., Jan. 12.—<U.R) I —Two persons were dead today, two others in a hospital with ser ions injuries and a third slightly injured, as a result of an autotrain crash here Sunday morning. John E. Jobe, 20, driver of th 1 ; car, and Mary Wilson. 23, died in a hospital yesterday' Condition of j Elmer Ballinger, IS. and Eilene I Searcy, was reported as serious by ! hospital attaches. Thelma Greiner i was released after receiving treatment for her injuries. The accident occurred on a | | grade crossing north of Terre [ i Haute. Occupants of the car said they did not beliebe Jobe saw the ’ train in time to stop. o SHORTAGE SEEN IN ANNUAL CROP P’-outh Exnected to Cause Shortage in Hay Yield, Forcing Extra Sowing The unusually dry summer of 1930 has created a situation in respect to hay and pasture, the full significance of which may not be apparent until the spring of 1931. states County Agent Archbold. There have been heavy losses of the spring seedings of | clover, mixed clover, timothy and I alfalfa. Such heavy losses will certainly be reflected by reduced hay yields •'nd many farmers will need to ; sow special emergency crops. Even in regions where the drought has I been less severe, there will be | farmers who have lost their spring ; seedings and who will be forced :to use some emergency crops to i nrovide hay for the summers of 1 1931 and 1932. The emergency hay crops fall Into two classes: those that should I be seeded early and can be harvested early, such as oats; and there to be seeded about corn planting time and harvested in late summer, such as Soy beans and Sudan grass. To farmers wishing information regarding other crops or varieties among those previously named, best suited to our soils and climate, the suggestion is made that they consult with the county agent. — o Tire Prices Lowest In Trade’s History! Akron. O„ Jan. 12. —(U.R)— Reduction of tire prices to the lowest . levels in history of the industry . was announced today by manufacturers. The reductions ranged from 6V» : to 11 per cent on first class mer- . chandlse and 7% to 12 per cent on second grade tires.

lltate, Natloaal AaW lata-raatloaal Nrwa

WELLS COUNTY REPUBLICANS WANT VACANCY Adopt Resolution That George Saunders’ Seat Be Left Unfilled OBJECT TO COST OF ELECTION Bluffton, Ind., Jan. 12.—<U.R) —The republican central committee of Wells county today proposed that the chair of State Representative George L. Saunders, Dem., Bluffton, who died last week, remain vacant during the 1931 general assembly. A resolution adopted by the committee and made public by chairman John Edris, Bluffton, opposed holding a special election to fill the vacancy, because of the expense involved. Edris said a special election would cost nearly $5,000. "Our stand is based solely on economic reasoning,” Edris said today in announcing the resolution which provided that the spacial election be defaulted, leaving Wells (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) MOTHER COMES TO HELP SON —— Mother of Leo Brothers Defends Son and Says He Is Not Killer Chicago, Jan. 12.—(U.R) —A deI termined mother who contends that

her “fighting" son couldn't have ( I committeed murder "because he < ■ was afraid of guns" issued a challenge today to authorities prepar- ’ J ing to bring Leo V. Brothers from ’ ■his secret prison to charge him : openly with the slaying of Alfred ! Lingle. “They have me to deal with now and before I'm through with them they’ll be glad to quit.” declared i Mrs. Cordell Jessen, 47, St. Louis, who has come here to fight for the life of Brothers, her son, whom she I says is 29 instead of 32 as he told police. "Leo was a fighter, but not a ! killed, and he never was a crook.” > she declared hotly in defense of th? ] tall, athletic blonde whom detee- . tiv Pat Roche says is “the toughest man" he has ever met and whom State’s Attorney John A. : Swanson accuses of committing i s Chicago's most sensational gang murder. Brothers also is wanted in St. Louis, his home town, on a murder charge. “The man who committeed that CONTINUED ON P4GF FIVE) i o BERNE FAMILY IN AUTO WRECK — Christ Zurchcr Family of Berne Escape Serious Injury in Accident j .1 Several occupants of a car belong ing to Christ Zurcher of Berne received minor cuts and bruises, and the car was badly damaged in an accident which occurred on state road 27, between Fort Wayne and this city, at 6:30 o’clock Sunday evening. Mr. and Mrs. Zurcher and children Walter. Sylvan, and Ida Irene were returning to their home from Fort Wayne. A wheel loocked, the car slid on the icy pavement and hit a sewer pipe at the side of the road throwing the car into the ditch. The car turned completely over and was badly damaged. Mrs. Burcher received several ' cuts and bruises about her arms, and the children received a number ’ of minor scratches. None was ser- • iously Injured, and all were taken to their home in Berne where a phy ■ slcian was summoned to dress the - wounds. i The car was brought to a local garage for repairs.

Price Two Cents

Law Curbing Sale Os Firearms Sought Indianapolis, Jan. 12. — (U.R) — A law to curb the sale of firearms in :i I ana will be sought in the legislature by Herbert M. Spencer, I assistant city attorney. Spencer made known* his activity in favor of such a statute today, polpting to the present crime wave as showing the need for such an . act. it was stressed by Spencer that two grocers and a policeman have j been murdered here in the last 13 days and two other policemen and: a fireman wounded by bullets from i guns of bandits. PRINCIPALS MET HERE SATURDAY Held Business Meeting With County Superintendent Striker i Adams county high school prin- . ilpals met in session with County ■ Superintendent C. E. Striker in ’he ] superintendent's office in the] ' court house nere. A number of business mattera were discussed by the [ principals. | All short stories and essays en- ’ tered in the county contest must be completed by March 1. An effort is being made to have a short story and an essay entered in the contest from each of the four classes in every high school in the county, AU papers' will be sent to Indiana University for grading. The principals also decided to conduct a county scholarship contest this year. Examinations in t’je form of the ‘new type’ test, will lie J given in each different high school subject, with the student ranking highest in the subject to be awarded recognition as best student in i the county in this subject. Will Present Cantata t A sacred cantata will be present-

ed again this year by music students in all the county high schools The cantata will again be given at the Berne Mennonite Church. Music teachers of the county met Saturday afternoon to discuss preliminary arrangements. o JOHN THOMPSON OIESTODAY Decatur Resident Succumbs After Long Siege of Tuberculosis John Thompson, 52 for many years a resident of this city, died at his home, 219 North Eighth street, at 3 o’clock this morning. Death was due to tuberculosis, from hich the deceased had suffered j ince last March. He was bedfast ’or the last three months, and dea?h I as expected for the past several [ days. Mr. Thompson was employed at the local General Electric plant until his illness last March. He was a member of the local Moose Lodge, and the American Insurance Union of Fort Wayne, for many years. The deceased was born at Paulding, Ohio, March 14, 1878, the son ' | of James and Elizabeth Thompson. Thirty years ago he was united tn marriage to Emma Bowers- Stal-1 ter, who survives, together with two I sons, Forrest and Raymond Thompson, and a step-son, Dorus Stalter, of this city. One grandchild and 4 step-grandchildren also survive One daughter preceded the deceased in death. Surviving are one ETA.As ET les Thompson of Mansfield 0., and three sisters, Mrs. Belle Hulse, of Union City, Mrs. Lettie Mann and Mrs. Alma Albright, of Fort Wayne. Funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the home on Eighth street. Rev. B. H. Franklin, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, will officiate and burial will be made in the Decatur cemetery. o Bar Association To Meet In Lafayette Lafayette, Ind., Jan. 12. — (U.R) — The Indiana Bar Association will hold its 1931 summer meeting in Lafayette, according to announcement here by Dan W. Simms, chairman of the local delegation.

YOURHOME PAPERLIKE ONE OF THE FAMILY

MISSOURI MOR CHAIN HIM TO SCHOOLHOUSE Confessed to Attacking Young Woman Teacher; Schoolhouse Burned CROWD OF 4,000 STANDS AND LOOKS Marvville, Mo., Jan. 12. (U.R)—A mob seized Ravmond ] Gunn, negro who confesssed Is'aving a voting woman Teacher, todav. marched him lour miles to the schoolhouse where the crime was committed, chained him to the roof, set fire to the building land burned him to death. The roof of the one storv I structure where Gunn admitted | attacking and slaying Velma Colter I 20. was saturated with gasoline from automobiles of the mob. A torch was applied. Flames enveloped the negro. A crowd of several hundred stood in silence watching as he died in the blaze. Gunn was seized by the mob as ]he was being taken into court | here today to plead guilty to the I murder of Mi-s Colter. He was half led, half dragged r our miles fiom Maryville to the school house. Handcuffs were ieit on him during the trip. The negro pleaded repeatedly for mercy. K The mob was a noisy one as it marched toward the school house, until it neared its goal. Then it became silent. The directions for the execution were given by leaders in subdued voices. Gunn was marched past (he gulley in which he lay in wait for Miss Colter until her classes were dismissed on the afternoon of Dee. 19. Then he was led into the schoolhouse, where he had sneaked that afternoon to seize the 1 young woman, attack and kill her. Shingles were ripped from a section of the roof. The bare rafters formed an improvised stairway on which Gunn was led to the top of the roof. A heavy chain was brought. It was looped around the negro's body and fastened to the rafters. Gunn had steeled himself for the ordeal he knew awaited him at the end of his death march. He didn't say a word and offered no resistance as he reached the schoolhouse and preparations were made to burn him alive. i He lay down on the roof at the orders of mob leaders and waited to be chained. He made just one movement, that to adjust his coat under him so that he would be more comfortable. I CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE> o_ Senate Employes Announced Today Indianapolis, Jan. 12. — (U.R) —A partial list of employes in the state | senate as announced today, folj lows: Harold Ziss, Evansville, roll clerk; Mrs. Darle Leach, South Bend, engrossing clerk; Miss Marie Backmeyer, Richmond, minute clerk; Miss Margaret Stilwell, Vincennes, journal clerk, and Mrs. J. 11. Gaither, Shoals, head of the engrossing room. I NATH. STR AUSS DIES SUNDAY Noted Philanthropist Dies In New York at Age of 82 Sunday New r York, Jan. 12—(U.R) —Nathan Strauss, widely known philanthropist, merchant and leader of the American Jewry, died! yesterday in his apartment at the hotel San Remo of heart disease and high blood pressure. He was 82 years old. Strauss had been in failing health since the death of bis wife last May, and had been confined to bed for (he last two weelw. Outstanding accomplishments of his long and noted career included the establishment of pasteurized milk stations, where pasteurized milk was sold at below cost, his relief work during the panic year of 1893, hie world war work, which Included the sending of a ship(CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)