Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 29, Number 190, Decatur, Adams County, 12 August 1931 — Page 1

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FOUR ARE HELD IN TORCH MURDER CASE

WIONS ■UTILITIES I ANNOUNCED Motion \ aluations ■ Taxing' Purposes ■ire Completed leiB)E('LINES ■ \KF KK <-KIH l» '■ s |.|| c \ H ilt I'l K,h banks. I’ll'*' ''ins ■anc-. hi \iini"" S'. ■~IS I'l "till the 193(1 ■L. linuri'' eoiniiih 'l Auditor Albert toclav. till' par are big U | ’ t*'"’'' 1 ■ " n Bank of H- ' IK-. $142.10(r |B. ’ i ■ ■n r n T' '■ • -'lll TeleON PAGE SIX) n ®K Funeral Is Held terras •. E. Erank : leant a' the A-t.cms County ' Hosps’,.' afterheld at 9 o , l.i, k this r ■ Burial was the St Cemetery. were ■ ' ' ,lr - ~ read ' Ea ■' S ' Thee F Harris. \\ \ Klepper. Voss w. linker e . i. w •■( • II Smith. 5.,..:: Norbert • ’ attend «-:■.."' *• ” Ml i ,!i| t Mrs. M's 1,..! Mrs |B rt a ' ■< Mrs Kl.,yd |^B^ r all| l Mi Ed Gass. Leo Way 11,.; Miss K. Hunt M r amj Antrim-. Mrs. I). [). M-. p Keller, " ' ' ail, l dauzhlw, ' l! - 'if Ohio; Mr. Andr. w umi d allt .||t Fr Bend Mr. and Mrs. of Eindlav, Ohio; ""' >■■•' Os Mon.oe- ■ " r - l: " v w ‘ Mr- |>eloras liss |h>e'*. i; Weismantel, IB*I'* 1 '*- Wosina _(,f Wankej^T. M tt-d ar : family of Ind- • Mr a '"' Ml " ■' E Etter of Mr. ami ,;. s . j| ni ( - o |. d Mrs. Cail Miller of t'haiies Lavine of Ohio. IHITH2S IMDIS LOST K Cruiser Thought ■ t Been Washed 1 10 Sea in Storm 12 <U ' R) " Four ■m.„ w 26 Persons alxiard ■;< . ' ruis, ' r " (>rnar <" "tore K houra Perdue from a ■ cut, s P , 'rred coast 8 an<l Police launches K, or X ° u,er harb °r today B” »f the craft. ■"S'"" 1 ' that the ”oat • •went m n, ', sl “ 1 » 1,1 the storm B»- 2 n e ‘? wpr ,Miy K Omar When H Wa ” leurn ■ Its i a!)pare ntly did not N j tinatlc,n ' Atlantic Bt s p r il ; | Ility 1 lity - ,hat th « Batted d h Ka 'l le,i «nd the craft B • trn PIPSB Out to sea B>-^!, IK . norl heaster also ON PAGH SIX)

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Vol. XXIX. No. 190. ‘

i Paulding Youth Probed | — John Woodwer, IS, Paulding, I Ohio, was questioned this morning in connection with the stabbing of I Virgil Krick by an unknown asI sailant Saturday night. Woodwer 'came to Decatur from Fort Wayne (Saturday afternoon, but told Sheriff Burl Johnson a coherent story of his whereabouts Saturday and verified his statement. Woodwer was released at noon today and ordered to leave the county at once. He said that he iesided at Paulding but had been with a circus most of this summer, leaving the big tents at Colorado Spring, Col., about two weeks ago. 4-H CLUB SHOW OPENS AT BERNE Displays in all Departments Feature of Opening Day I The 4-H Club and Extension Exhi- | bits of all Adams County 4-H Clubs i opened at Berne, today, for a three l day session. Exhibits of calves, pigs ‘ and girls sewing, canning, baking, .and food preparation will be held during the three days nd premiums will be awarded for the best exhibits. The 4-H Club barrows which are being exhibited with the calves- in I the Berne Hardware company building will be judged today by F. W. Shanklin, state club leader for boys ; club work. The girls 4-H Club exhibits will be held in the Community Auditorium. A feature of the three day meet will be a parade at 2:30 o’clock Thursday afternoon when all 4-H Clubs of the county will parade as club units. The girls demonstration teams will put on their work Friday morning at the Community Auditorium beginning at 9 o'clock to which the public is invited to attend. County Agent L. E. Archbold and Miss Erma Gage. County 4-H Club leader, are in general charge of the exhibits. CLARK PLANS NOT SUBMITTED Committee Fails to Follow Custom. Orr Tells Attorneys Indianapolis, August 12—(UP) — Plans and specifications for the George Rogers Clark Memorial to be erected at Vincennes have not been submitted to the state board of accounts in accordance with the usual practice, according to Lawrence F. Orr, chief examiner as the board. f Orr held a letter from the comp-troller-general at Washington which inferred that the memorial, technically, was not a federal project, but an Indiana undertaking. Orr said he understood it was a common practice that plans for the state buildings he filed with the board of accounts. Oir's announcement came after he received a letter from Frederick E. Schortemeier. attorney for the Indiana limestone interests, who are fighting the decision of the federal George Rogers Clark commix(CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) About 400 Picnickers Leave on Excursion Between' 350 and 400 persons, young and old, left Decatur at 6 o'clock this morning on the special Nickle Plate train, for Toledo, Ohio, on the annual Methodist Sunday School excursion. Several persons from Bluffton had already joined the excursion when the large sixteen car train arrived in Decatur early this morning. Additional excursioners will be added to the list at Pleasant i Mills, Willshire, and Ohio City, Ohio. The special train this year contained IS cars, one of which was a commissary car. The train will be placed on the siding near Wai bridge Park at Toledo, Ohio, and the members of the excursion party will spend the entire day in Toledo. The park contains many , Interesting sights, with the large zoo and playground. The train will leave Toledo at , 5 o’clock ((IST) this evening, Arriving in Decatur about 8:30 o’clock (CST).

Furnlkhtd By I nit rd I‘renn

Michigan Death Car Jib ' jBQWBO 1 < i ? ' 4 ’ The fire scarred automobile in which Vivian Gold. 15. of Cleveland; Anna May Harrison, 17, of Cleveland; Thomas Wheatley. IG, a senior at Ypsilanti High school, and Harry Lohr, 18. also a student at tliat school, -were found beaten and burned to death, on a lonely road near Ypsilanti, Mich.

DEATH CALLS TOCSIN WOMAN Sarah Sowards, 67, Dies Monday Night; Heart Ailment Is Cause — Mrs. Sarah Davison Sowards,: 67, died at 7:30 o'clock Monday evening at her home one mile west of Tocsin, following an illness of heart trouble. Mrs. SowardsUwasr the widow of the late John McKinney Sowards. Mrs. Sowards was born near Tocsin on November 3. 1803, the daughter of John and Rebecca Jane McKinsey Davison, and was I a lifelong resident of the jimmunity. ' She was united in marriage to John Sowards in 1885. and he preceded her in death about twentyone years ago. Surviving are five children and two step-children. The children are Elida Campbell of Gary; George Sowards, Peru; Harry Sowartls. Waynedale: Mrs. Cecil Hamilton. Tocsin; Seth Sowards at home. The stepchildren are Mrs. Cressie Walker, Tocsin and *W. H. Sowards, Tocsin. Four brothers and one sister survive: Mose, Henry, and Joe Davidson who reside with their sister near Tocsin; (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) SEEK TO FREE LIFE TERMER Other Confesses Crime but .Court Refuses to Grant New Trial Washington, Ind., Aug. 12 —(U.R) —A new appeal for freedom of Clinton Brooks, who was sentenced to life imprisonment when con-, victed on a charge of robbing the Jasper. Ind., bank, will gain the support of Sheriff John Bowman, who is convinced that Brooks was not implicated in the robbery, the sheriff has announced. Since Brooks was convicted James Brink has confessed that he and Oral Farley, Wheatland, committed the rolibery, Bowman said. Both were shot fatally during a bank robbery at Dayton, O„ but Brink lived several hours, and purportedly gave a complete confession of the Jasper robbery, (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) Makes Test Trial Indianapolis, August 12—(UP) — Clessie Cummins' Dlesebpowered truck in which the Columbus, Ind., inventor is attempting to run from New York to Los Angles without an engine stop, passed through here last night. Dave Evans, who drove another of Cummins' Diesel machines in the Indianapolis 500-mile race last Memorial day, was pilot He had lite disel racer in the truck for exhibition.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, August 12, 1931.

Hawks Sets Record Chicago Aug. 12 —(UP)— Capt. Frank Hawks set a new New YorkChicago flying record today when he arrived at Municipal airport at 9:59 A. M. cst. four hours and four minutes after, his takeoff from New i York. Hawks' time between the two cities was eight minutes less than j the record established a week ago I by J. Goodwin Hall, New York bro ker who made the flight here in four hours and 12 minutes. The speed flier was Enroute to Hqt Springs. S. D. to attend tne _ great council of American Indians He was expected to attack the Chi-cago-New York record on his return trip. o SEEK CAUSE OF INTERFERENCE Electricians Working to Find Seat of Radio Trouble The electrical interference which fhas disturbed radio reception in Decatur for the past two days, is being investigated by the local Light and Power Company. The distrubance has been noticed by local residents for several days, and two linemen from the local power plant have been working to discover the cause of the interference. The men started checking up on | various lines in the city Monday land continued throughout Tuesday and today. This is the worst interference in three years, local business men have stated. The disturbance three years ago was found near Preble, west of Decatur, John Keiss, one of linemen, stated today. iWork will continue until the cause of the trouble is found and corrected. o Grocery Raided; Burned Oklahoma City, Aug. 12 (UP) — Raiders looted and burned the R. O. Williams grocery today, after hauling away an undetermined quantity of groceries. Awakened by the starting of a truck engine parked at the side of ■the grocery, Miss Mary Bradley, who lives near the grocery, discovered the store building was in flames. A moment later an explosion tore out part of the small buildings walls o Would Buy M ater Plant Indianapolis, Aug. 12 — (UP) — A proposal that the city of Washington, Ind., take over tie water system there and issue bonds in payment, was made to the Public Service commission by Mayor John W. McCarty. McCarty pointed out to commissioners that the city has been able to pay nearly all governmental costs of operation of its municipally owned electric plant, and with other city officials asks permission to issue bonds against the utility, rather than against the city.

ROOF NEARING | COMPLETION Federal Building Work Is Progressing Rapidly, Swimmer Reports The roof on the Post Office building. corner of Liberty Way and Third street will be completed this week, Theodore Swimmer, superinItendent for Anderson and Company, general contractors on the job stated today. Work on completing the walls has been delayed a few days due to the fact that all ‘he stone is not here. The contractors are waiting on the front cornice stone and when this material is received it will be only a few days until the main walls are completed. The outside giading and approach work to the building will beein next week Mr. Swimer stated. The plaster work on the inside will also start next week. An Indianapolis contractor has the roofing job. A built-up roof will be placed on the building. There will also be tile used in its construction and opper gutters and valleys will be used. Mr. Swimmer stated that he thought the building would be ready to turn over to the government about November 15. The government will then install furniture and fixtures. BOOTLEG GAS PROBE STARTS Williamson Links Former Indiana Official with Big Syndicate Indianapolis, August 12—(UP) — Two former office-holders, one of Indiana and the other from Illinois, I are suspected of having been Ifltk- | ed with the gasoline bootleggers of Northern Indiana, and prosecution will be sought against the Indiana man. Floyd E. Williamson, auditor of state, has revealed. Investigation of the large-scale bootlegging activities has hampered first by the Indiana man. whose prominence threatened officials off the track, and later by treachery of an Illinois investigator who was secretly working with the illicit traders, Wiliamson charged. Prominence was first given the gas bootlegging activities last win- i ter with detection of several branches of the bootleg syndicate. Settlement was obtained on delinquent gas taxes from these companies, but no criminal prosecution was undertaken. Motorist Is Killed Washington, Aug. 12.—(U.R) —An argument over parking space in front of the fashionable Wardman Park Hotel ended today whci'. Joseph H. Diggs, negro dcorman, shot and killed William F. Norman, 45-year-old lawyer, formerly of Chattanooga, Tenn. •

Mat?, National And Intrruatlonal Newn

HOOVER SEEKS NEW SURVEY ON UNEMPLOYMENT i President to Lend Aid of Government During Winter Months BLANKETS TO BE PROVIDED (Copyright 1931 by United Press), Wtisllillt’loil, Aliy. 12 ’U.R) Federal coopent lion to feed. Hie hungry next winter will: be undertaken bv President Hoover on a scale to be determined bv a survey now being made, according to a high j administration source today. | President Hoover is represented as abhorring the thought, of large numbers on the borderline of starvation while the country is overflowing with more food stuffs than can be consumed. A search is on for some plan whereby this food surplus can be turned into needy channels, it is stated. Chairman Fess of the Republican National committee, after discussing the situation with Mr. Hoover I said federal aid would be provided I if necessary to prevent suffering. | He expressed hope however, that I local agencies would be able to meet the relief demands. Two conditions are imposed by the president, it is understood. ; One is that local communities must exhaust their own resources before outside aid is extended. Secondly, relief must not take the form of a “dole" a point which is strongly emphasized by officials. Just what is a dole and what is not depends partially upon the point of view. For the moment, the plfrase is used to damn any plan which is not favored. The administration is ready to draw on 1,600,000 army blankets and; .CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) GARY GAMBLER IS RELEASED W. C. Flanagan Says no Ransom Was Paid to Insure Freedom Gary, Ind., August 12 —(UP) — William C. Flanagan, middleaged gamble who was kidnaped last Friday as he took his dog for a walk, was freed unharmed early today on the outskirts of Gary. Flanagan, who was reported by police to have ended cut-throat competition among the steel city’s gamblers by organizing a syndicate, was unshaven and tired when released at 3.30 A. M. but said he was “feeling o. k.” - He swore no ransom was paid for his release but hijs attorney. J. Glenn Harris, who had been negotiating with the kidnappers, said: “We haven’t paid out a dime — yet.” Other than to say that he had been blindfolded all the time since he was abducted, and that he believed he had been held somewhere within 35 to 50 miles of Gary. Flanagan refused to discuss his abstfice. It was repot‘ed he was released when he and Harris agreed to pay (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) o ‘ Consulate Is Bombed Pittsburgh}, August 12—(UP) — Bombing of the Royal Italian consulate her early today was believed by detectives to be the first blow in an anti-fascist campaign here. The explosive apparently had been placed under the porch of the three story brick building housing the consulate offices. The porch was wrecked. The first floor was damaged badly and nearby buildings shaken. No one was injured. Damage was estimated at $1,500. Q Flour Mill Destroyed Salem, August 12 — (UP) — Destruction by fire of the flour mills and elevator of the Cauble Milling company here, with 4,000 bushels of wheat, entailed a loss estimated at $25,000. The farmers’ produce company, adjoining the mill, likewise suffered severe damage, estimated at $5,000, but was not tiestroyed by flames.

Price Two Cents

Newspaper Is Sold Chicago August 12—(UP)—Colonel Frank Knox, .Manchester, N. 11. publisher, formerly an executive of the Hearst newspapers, became publisher of the Chicago Daily News today, according to an announcement published in the News. The announcement said that Knox and Theodore T. Ellis, Worchester, Mass, Manufacturer, had purchased the controlling interest of the late Walter A. Strong, who was publisher o fthe News at his death. CUBAN TROOPS J ARE ATTACKED . | New Fighting Breaks Out at Havana Early Today, Report Havana, Cuba, Aug. 12—(U.R)— Fighting broke out early today in the subunit of the capital as President Gerardo Machado marshalled loyal forces in an effort to suppress the revolt. A small detachment of rebels, heavily arnwd, attacked the bridge guard at the suburb of Luyano. Firing began at 2 a.m. The surprise attack forced the guard to retreat. Reinforcements from nearly patrols were rushed to the bridge. In the face of their counter-attack the rebels fled. Casualties were undetermined. Havana remained tranquil throughout the night, but reports of the clash at Luyano and renewed fighting between rebel bands and government troops spread uneasiness in the capital. A communique was issued at the presidential palace claiming ; victory for federal troops over a ‘ small rebel band in an engagement ' i yesterday near Los Palacios. Pinor, ' Del Rio province. The communique said eight rebels were slain and five were wounded in the encounter, while 11 others were taken prisoner. The dead included Gen. Francisco Peraza, one of the prominent rebel leaders, and his aide, Captain Mendez, the government report said. The eight slain brought the known casualties in the insurrec- . —— (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) o Auctioneers Give Talks Col. Guy Pettit of Bloomfield, lowa and J. W. Willis of Bryan 0., of the Reppert Auction School addressed the members of the Lions Club at the regular meeting. Tuesday night, telling of the training giv- , en auctioneers at the school. Both talks were well given and were of interest to the club members. Rev. B. H. Franklin was in charge of the . program. SEVERE STORM STRIKES OHIO Near-Cyclone Wipes Out Village, Injuring at Least Seven Lorain. 0., August 12—(UP) —A ' terrific windstorm, rushing of Lake Erie with near cyclonic velocity, twisted through Sheffield village, a hamlet five miles west of here early today, injuring at least seven persons as it leveled summer cottages and farm buildings. The injured, rushed to St. Joseph's hospital are: Miss Foberta Koembein, 17, of Monroe. Michigan, Ira Robb 51, Toledo. Ohio; Elsie Goddfried, 22; Cleveland; Joseph Trusha, Jr.. 22, Cleveland; A. J. Allison, Lorain; Leona Tladik, 21, Bedford, Ohio and Miss Ruth Klatimer, 21, Bedford. Volunteer workers were searching the path of the storm for other 1 possible victims. Authorities were (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) Diamond Gets Sentence New York. August 12—(UP) — Jack (Legs) Diamond was sentenced today to serve fonr years in Atlanta and pay a fine of SII,OOO following his conviction of conspiracy ' to violate the prohibition act and possession of an Illicit still. The sentence, handed down by . Judge Richard J. Hopkins, of KanI sas, a .“guest” in New York, was the maximum permitted under the law.

YOUR HOME PAPERLIKE ONE OF THE FAMILY

POLICE ARREST TWO MEN TODAY; WORK ON CLUES Two Brothers Refuse to Admit Any Connection in Murders 40 PROBERS SEEK CLUES Ann Arbor, Mich., Aug. 12. —(U.P.)—Two men about 30 years old were smuggled into Washtenaw County jail at 10 a. m. today for questioning in connection with the torch murders of two young couples near, Willis, Mich. Officers refused to reveal the suspects names and offered no explanation beyond saying the men were arrested on information that they had been overhead quarreling over the killings in a Wayne County blind pig. The men were released when they established that their quarrel involved no complicity in the murders. Ann Arbor, Mich., Aug. 12.—(U.P.) —Twenty-four hours of questioning has failed to shake the denials of Paul Keene, 49. and his brother, Lawrence, 38, that they murdered and cremated two "teen-age" couples at dawn yesterday on a lonely road near the village of Willis. The men were back in Washtenau county jail today resting before more questioning after club-swing-ing officers forced their way through a crowd of 2,000 around the jail last midnight and took the men back to their “house on wheels" near the murder scene. The victims of the quadruple slaying were Vivian Gold. 15, of Cleveland, O., Anna May Harrison. 16. also of Cleveland, and their farm-boy escorts, Thomas Wheatley. 17, of Denton, Mich., and Harry Lore, 16, of Ypsilanti. Two score picked criminal investigators today continued raids on dance halls, roadhouses and farmhouse speakeasies within a 20-mile radius of the murder scene in the hope of tracing movements of the young couples Tuesday night before the flames of their burning automobile gave alarm of their murder. The Keene brothers, reputed moonshiner who lived in a “house on wheels" in the woods near the (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) . ————𝝾———— BULLETIN Hartford City, Aug. 12. (Special) —Frustrated in their attempt to held up and rob the Pennville State Bank at Pennville at noon today when they were frightened by a factory whistle which they thought was a burglar alarm, Lester Walker, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. William Walker of this city and j Paul Garwood, 23, also of this city were captured by a party of Pennville residents, about three-quar-ters of a mile east of that city shorly afer he robbery. A [t]hird member of [t]he [t]rio, said to have been Walker’s twin brother, driver of the bandit automobile, which was parked directly in front of the bank building, escaped. Walker and Garwood were taken to Portland, Indiana and were placed in the Jay County jail pending investigation. . ————𝝾———— BANK DEPOSITS SHOW DECLINE Totals Submitted by Controller of Currency at Capitol Washington, Aug. 12 —(UP) — Controller of the currency Pole announced today that the total resources of the 6.805 reporting National banks in the United States Alaska and Hawaii aggregated $27, 642.698,000 (billion) on June 30. this year, the date of the recent call for condition reports. This represents a decrease of $482,769,000 (million) since March 25. 1931, the date of the preceding call, then there were 6,935 reporting banks and it represents a decrease of $1,473.841,000 (billion) in the amount reported by 7.252 banks as of June 30, 1930 the date of the corresponding call a year ago.