Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 29, Number 206, Decatur, Adams County, 31 August 1931 — Page 1

■ weather lowers and local Eorstorms begmor Tues | slightly warm■gnisht.

OWERS’ INSANITY PLEA IS FRUSTRATED

■iCHWOMAN’' ■HITS DEATH lone roomer ■] ac jv, Where Twelve ■ t .|)ied Mysteriously Kakes Confession ■(ED MAN V IROMLADDER K .it, Aug. 31.— <u.R) — ■ng a six 'lays silence, I Veres. “witch land- ■ r whose shabby house ■>-. un-i.-r strange cirirces. today confessed ■led one of the men asKeral atu mpls to poison Bid failed, police announcpolin' .-aid, push\|.,l. -al old roomK„ a ladd.-r al iur-home last Mak i whose life were polu totaling $6.500. i.’th man to die in the |llls . in tho past severby police inquisitors B>. i.sday, Mak's (leal!, from a frac--a. silent prinK- . no-t. i'. deaths lost 1 calm •!•:< morning when ■ . with th. statements of MlOii witnesses. right. I've been lying -he screamed I pushed -!1‘. ladder, all right.” she Slice Solve Mystery - Pau Ralph Hart ; tin- numerous proceed ;.s which passed - discovery that Mi no cetn.-tery in Indiana added to the mystery. Hart observed that slow moving looked particularly tor pi.'.ce of the corpse 1 Heights, was arrested. |M . o ■mal Reception Ends Aisg il l’) —Japan's ■1 tribute * Col. and Mrs. ' l.iietb. <ix day pro- ■ and banquets, with a dinner in their ■ I’reini- : It. jiro Wakatsuthat nd. the first aerial trip from the United ■ io Japan w j|| ] )p f ree they please. The Linddecided first to visit the villa of United States amw. Cameron Forbes at ~ Bee Convicts Escape ■''Aug. 31.- (U.R)-Search cet t ,, ( | today for three |Mc~ who stole an auto owned ■ t.'tmatorv here am! fugitives were Albert Clark, Houser, 19. and Ernest negro. Houser had been ■ 1111,1 Was waiting for prison obtain a job for him. ISTON SAYS PARGE UNTRUE

V F >re Marshal Is Rewh'd To Be Aiding Hkphenson Petition ■'anapolis, Aug. 31—(U.R)—Al- ■ ’ H< Won, state- fire mar- ■ >ssued a statement today in he denied reports that his linked with circulation ■ 1,0118 seeking release of D. ■‘’’'l'/'nson from state prison. W South Bend News-Times, W article Sunday, said HogsM aides were circulating the ■ * ns m South Bend aiwl Mish■nn and . that jt hafl teamed s otrice was headquarters Petitioners. ■ have never seen one of the ■1 /on petitions and my office ■i, l . ake part in circulating ~n for this or any other ■ h ' "oßaton said. He added ~ re tract bin ■•'i'TINUED ON PAGE FIVE)

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Vol. XXIX. No. 206.

I Decatur Girl Joins t | Order Os Catechists | Miss Helen Hain, daughter of | Simeon Hain, will le.ave Wednesday I for Huntington where she will enI ter the order of Catechists. The order of Catechists was established at Huntington by the Rt. Rev Bishop John F. Noll and the members engage in missionary work Miss Hain is a graduate of the Decatur 1 Public high school, being a member of the 1931 class. JURIES DRAWN FOR FALL COURT Grand And Petit Juries Drawn By Commissioners This Morning Grand and petit juries for the September term of Adams circuit court were drawn at 10 o'clock this' morning at the office of Bernice Nelson, county clerk by John S. Peterson and Martin L. Smith, jury commissioners. The grand jury includes the following: Alfred Daniels, St. Marys township; Carl T. Habegger, Monroe township; Benjamin R. Farlow. Waitash township: Otto Fuelling, i Root township; James E. AnderI son, Washington township; Reuben Rinehart. French township. The petit jury includes: ■William Krueckeberg, Union township; Charles Magley, Root township; Martin Bulteineyer, Preble township; Frank Spade, Kirkland township; John H. Chilcoat. Washington township; Jesse H. Michaud, St. Marys township; D. Tinkham. Blue Creek township; Howard Gilliom. Monroe township; John Schaifer, French township; David Kauffman, Hartford township; Noal'EHingberger, Wabash township; John F. Morn- 1 ingstar. Jefferson township. Judge D. B. Erwin has not yet issued a call for the grand jury but it is generally believed that the jury will be called to investigate the alleged murder of Doras Werling last July. Joseph Everett is being held without bond at the Adams pounty jail. (t is believed probalfle that a number of other things will be probed by the grand jurors. The petit jury will be called to sit as a jury in all regular cases coming before the September term of court. From all indications the September term will he < one of the busiest in many years. Both the civil and criminal dockets are heavy with cases and Judge Erwin Instituted a policy when he assumed office of ridding the docket as quickly as possible of all cases. Hellwarth Funeral Held Funeral services were held this afternoon at 3:30 o’clock in Celina, Ohio for Edward F. Hellwarth. merchant of Celina, and cousin of Mrs. Sam Fuhiman and Mrs. J. A. Fuhrman of this city, who died at his home Saturday morning at three o’clock. Death was due to intestinal flu with which Mr. Hellwarth had suffered since Monda yevening. Surviving is his wife, and one daughter, Miss Edith Hellwarth. who has visited in this city frequently and who participated in revival service at the local Evangelical Church. Several persons from this city motored to Celina, today to attend the funeral services. Graf Goes To Brazil

Friedrichshafen, Aug. 31.—(U.R) The Graf Zeppelin flying steadily southwest on its non-stop journey to Natal, Brazil, passed Villa Cisneros, Rio de Oro, at 5:20 a. m. C.MT today (12:20 EDT) according to reports received here. The Graf was approximately 1,200 miles south of Gibraltar when it passed Rio de Oro, Spanish possession on the west African coast. There were 13 passengers abroad including Herbert S. Siebel of Saginaw, Mich. They paid SI,OOO for the round crip. The Zeppelin carried a crew of 44. Fireman Loses Life Lafayette, Aug. 31. —(U.R) — Elmer <K. Vick, 41, a fireman here for 13 years was killed w-hen his auto was struck by a Wabash passenger train at a local crossing. Firemen from Pern, Logansport, Gary anil Crawfordsville were expected to attend funeral services Tuesday.

Furnished By I. tilted I’rvxa

MANY CHILDREN HOLDING JOBS ADULTS HELD — Reports Show Children ! Are Pushed On Market Monthly By Thousands URGE RETURN TO EDUCATION Washington, Aug. 31 —(U.R) —Ap-1 proximately 6.000.000 adults are; out of work today while thousands 1 of school children are being push- I ed month after month into the; labor market, the labor department's children’s bureau has reported. Statistics of the bureau were for 1930 and covered less than, half the nation. They showed that in the area surveyed, 103,000 children of 14 and 15 years obtained employment certificates during 1930, one-third less than in 1929 as a whole. In some localities, however, there was an increase in the number who sought jobs. The report came shortly after President Hoover's organization on unemployment relief had announced a program to persuade young men and women- to remain in school. This plan is to be inaugurated Wednesday with the first of a series of four radio broadcasts. President William Green of the American Federation of Labor has been selected as first speaker. The relief organization, headed by Walter 6. Gifford is moving forward in its effort to coordinate unemployment relief and at the same time find jobs for those out of work. Wide adoption of the‘‘California stalalization program” has been ICONTI'IT’EII on °AGE TWO) — o Informers Are Ousted Washington Aug. 31—1UP)—Elimination of paid informers in prohibition enforcement so far as possible was announced today as a new policy by Federal prohibition director Amos W. W. Woodcock. The announcement follows Woodcock's recent order against the use of women as decoys or spies in enforcement of the prohibition laws. oTwo Brothers Victims Os Airplane Disaster Gary, Aug. 31—<U.R) —Two brothers were victims of an airplane crash near here. Clarence Han, son, 27, was killed, and James Hanson. 26. Chicago, suffered critical injuries. James, owner of the plane, was taking his brothers for a ride when it went into a tailspin) STATE TROOPS SEEK FIRE-BUG Texas Town Has Fire Epidemic; Guardsmen Get “Kill” Orders Kilgore, Tex., Aug. 31 —(U.R>— State troopers, under orders from Brig.-Gen. Jacob F. Waters, to “shoot at the waistline and don’t come to me and say you missed," patrolled Kilgore streets today, seeking to prevent further incendiary blazes. A week ago nine buildings burned. including two of the churches In this boom oil town. In each case evidence of incendiarism was found. Yesterday there were two more fires. Gen. Walters, in. command of the militia ordered here to close the east Texas oil fields under martial law, answered by sending 36 men into the streets with positive orders td shoot any suspicious character who failed to obey a command to halt. Squads of militia were mobiliz(CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) __o Almost Dies Because He Refused To Beg Hammond, Aug. 31-^LUP) — Ben Wynn, 26, a farmer living near Woolworth, Wis„ collapsed from starvation on a sidewalk here. He told hospital attaches he was too proud to beg and had been unable to obtain work.

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, August 31, 1931.

Went to Death Together ' a. fef I I gay pP-tT 3 **! I • KajL J w’w-’ r kl. 1 * U. ■ - *ft i ' i KB j iwwmnMilmimwiiflMWwmwiiißi wf - This is the latest picture of Mrs. Asta Eicher and her children, Harry, Anal lei and Greta, of Park Ridge, 111., whose bodies were found' in a shallow near the garage owned by Harry F. Powers, alias j Pierson, at Quiet Dell, XV. \a. Powers has confessed that he murdered ' Mrs. 1 Eicher and her children. ..

FRUITS WANTED I FOR CHARITY Church-Women To Can Fruits, Vegetables For Winter Aid The United Charities of this city would like to have as many donations as possible of plumbs, pears, apples tomatoes or any fruits or vegetables that may be canned. Arrangements have been made ' with the various ladies societies of local churches to can all that is do- ’ nated. It will then be stored and saved for use next Winter, a step ! in preparation of taking care of the , needy and hungry. If you have extra potatoes, corn I onions or any vegetables that can be stored and kept, the local char-1 ity association will appreciate donations. Please leavd what you have at the city hall on Monroe street and officials of the board will see that it is taken care of. Later a call for clothing and 1 wearing apparel will be made but those in charge feel it is too early for that. Plans are being made to have everything ready to take care of deserving persons who require fuel, food and clothing. Just at this time the important thing is to secure fruits and vegetables for canning purposes. “Won’t you please assist?; the committee asks. — o - ■ -— ■ Farmer’s Body Is Found The liody of William Pitzenber-1 ger, aged farmer who disappeared | from his farm home five miles north of Van Wert. Ohio more than three ‘ weeks ago was found in an old well of an abandoned farm home near his home, Sunday night Mrs. left his farm home several weeks ago and authorities had been unable to locate him. His body was discovered Sundaynight in the old well of an abandon-1 ed log house, four miles north of] Van Wert. Permission Is Granted Indianapolis, Aug. 31—(UP)—Major general Dennis Nolan, comman'kier of the First corps area, with headquarters at Uolumbus, O„ gave authorization for use of army field kitchens near Clinton for relief of needy Vermillion county families, in a letter received at the state : house today The letter was in reply to an appeal by Mayor Henry Owens; Clinton, and George Bihsham, Red Cross official.

Sharpshooters Go After New York Gang Killers Flagstaff, Me., Aug. 31. — (U.R) — Two veteran Maine guides who “generally hit what we aim at" are hitting the trail to New York to I help police clean up some of these I baby killing gangsters. Temporarily idle until the hunt- 1 ing season opens, they decided it i was a duty imposed by good citizen-1 ship to give the police the benefit I of their marksmanship. So. with rifles under their arms i and packs slung over their should-, ers, they will board a train for the I city here today to stalk criminals i lin the city streets. | They are Allie W. Deming, 42, of' this town and Fred York, 43, of I I Stratton. They have already writ.ten Police Commissioner Edward P. Mulrooney that they are coming, but said “we don't want to tell I about that until he gets it.” NEW VIOLENCE IS PROBABLE Kentucky Mine Area Stirred By Addiational Deaths Sunday Harlan, Ky., Aug. 31.(U.R)—Renewed violence in labor troubles which have gripped this coal mining dis- | trict was feared today as a result iof new outbreaks in which two I men were killed and three wound- | ed. Two shootings occurred last night (after the district had remained comparatively calm under martial law ever since the shooting from ambush of deputies and mine guards last spring. On one, Deputy Sheriff Lee Fleener shot and killed Joe Moore, 40, t nd wounded Julius and Jess Baldwin, brothers. Fleener said the men started firing at him when he i stopped his car at a highway soup I kitchen. Julius Baldwin was shot in the head and was believed dying. (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) —o —— Violence Claims 12 Indianapolis, Aug. 31. — (U.R) — Twelve persons lost their lives in Indiana over the week-end as the result of violence, it was shown in a United Press survey today. Ten of the fatalities were blamed on auto accidents, four of these occurring at railroad crossings. One man died in a plane accident, and a woman was killed by a street car.

State. National And International New*

DRAIN CASE TO BE HEARD HERE Special Judge Kister To Open Hearing September 9 In City The 'Wabash river drain case, in which remonstrators are attempting to prevent petitioners from causing the drain to be executed will open in Adams circuit court, under Special Judge Henry Kister, Princeton, Indiana, appointed by Governor Leslie, Wednesday, September 9. The case which is entitled William Fennig, et al, ex parte, petition for drainage, has been carried over a number of years with many legal points cropping out from time to time. Finally after a special appointed judge refused to accept jurisdiction I in the case, Judge Kister was named by the Governor. The case will take about 50 days to try, it is estimated by those interested Judge Kister wrote Judge Erwin recently asking permission to bring a stenographer with him, but Judge Erwin declined, stating that Miss (Anna Smith, regular court reporter would be available during the hearing and that if the regular court consumed all of Miss Smith’s time a special reporter would be named here. All expenses for the hearing will be paid by Adams county except the special judge who draws $25 a I day from the state. Judge Erwin stated that during (the first week of the hearing, the I special case would be heard in the | court room, but that after that ■ arrangements would be made to move the case to some other room, ! probably the auditorium of the I Library. LOCAL PEOPLE IN ACCIDENT Mr. And Mrs. George McGill Hurt When Car Fails To Stop Mr. and Mrs. George McGill, 310 North Second street, this city, were injured when a car driven! by Mrs. D. M. Archer of Fort Wayne in which they were riding collided with a car driven by ■ William C. Geake, former mayor I of Fort Wayne, at the intersection i of Oxford and Hanna streets. Fort ' Wayne, at 9 o'clock Saturday i moriCng. | Mrs. McGill, who is 60 years of 1 age. suffered a fractured hip and her husband, aged 65. suffered torn ligaments in his hand. Others who were injured were the driver, Mrs. Archer, aged 35. who suffered a fractured collar bone and Mrs. Elmer Archer, aged 63, of Fort Wayne, who sustained an injured shoulder. Mr. Geake was uninjured. Mr. Geake told Traffic Sergeant Paul Leuenberg of Fort Wayne that he was driving west on Oxford street and upon crossing Hanna street, a boulevard, failed to stop, colliding with' the ear driven south on Hanna street by Mrs. Archer. The four injured persons were taken to the St. Joseph’s hospital in Fort Wayne. o — Mishap Claims Twelve Madrid, Aug. 31—<U.R> —Twelve passengers in a motor hus were killed today, five were gravely hurt, and 32 others injured when the bus turned over on the road I between Lugo and Santiago in the Province of Lugo. The bus was in service between Romeria and Santa Maria De! Burgo. The vehicle was travelling rapidly and was heavily loaded. It turned over on a curve and plunged down an embankment. Seven passengers were killed instantly. I o Three Die In Mishap Rensselaer, Aug. 31.—(U.R) —Three Chicago persons were killed and tw-o others injured probably fatally in an auto accident near here. ! Mrs. Arthur Brandenburg and her five-year-old son died instantly. •Her father died while being brought I to a hospital here. Another son of Mrs. Brandenburg 1 and her motjier suffered critical iqI juries. They were In Jasper county . hospital.

Price Two Cents

[Murdered Man’s Wife To Aid Innocent Man | Vincennes, Aug. 31 —(UP)—The wife of George Pond 62, today prepared to go to the aid of Jesse Locas, who, she said, is serving a life prison term in Illinois for a murder she contends her husband confessed a few moments before he died. Mrs. Pond, together with Mrs. , Anna Smith, who said she also heard the confession, said they were prepared to go before the Illinois pardon board in an eft'oit to obtain Lucas' release, o BRIDGE PIERS ARE COMPLETED! Scheiman Bridge Will Be Completed Early In Winter, Belief Work on the Scheiman bridge, north of Decatur in Preble township.is progressing rapidly, County J Surveyor Ralph Roop stated today. The center and south piers have been constructed an-l are ready for steel work. The north pier will be completed Tuesday. With the piers constructed and the abutments in, the remaining I steel work will be placed as rapidly as possible it was said. The bridge will be completed early in the winter. is is believed. The base work, which is of ce- ■ ment. all will be done before cold i weather sets in it was pointed out. I and the steel work can be done! in cold weather without any danger: to the safety of the bridge. Surveyor Roop stated that the] work on the construction of the i Krick drain, south of Decatur would | start this week. Charles Arnold, contractor started today to haul tile I for the project. The Erie railroad company, which does its own drain work already has started on its | share of the Krick drain, Roop said. o Bystander Struck By Bullet From Gangster New York, Aug. 31.— (U.R) —For the third time in recent weeks gangster sniping at an enemy across a street crowded with women and children have wounded an innocent bystander. The latest victim is Jennie Ballantino, 18, shot in the wrist by a wild bullet from the customary “big black sedan." The intended victim went unscathed. o Quake Toll Is High Karachi India, Aug. 31 —(UP) — Fear that many villages were wiped out with a huge loss of life increased here today with meager reports of destruction by earthquake in Baluchistan. TRUCK BIDS UNDER FIRE Trust Company Bids On Sliding Scale Objected To, Claim Indianapolis, Aug. 31—<U.R)—Objections to the Indiana Trust company’s bid on trucks for the State Highway Commission were silenced today by Omer Manlove, of the state highway department, with his explanation that the manufacturer’s proposal was “regular in every way.” It has been charged that the Indiana Trust Company’s representatives had offered a "sliding scale," bid on trucks to be traded in by the highway departments. Manlove defied the allegation, | He said the trade in price had been fixed in the bid for every truck to I® exchanged. Tabulations today showed that 35 bidders for the heavy truck, contracts made proposals, ranging from $1785 to $6254 for a single truck with trade in allowances of from nothing to $406. There were 36 bidders in the light truck division. Prices ranged from $666 to $1,828. o BULLETIN Los Angeles, Calif., Au a . 31 — (U.R) —Three bandits cut their way into the Security First National Bank here today and escaped with $52,000 after imprisoning 10 employees. The loss was covered by insurance.

YOUR HOME PAPERLIKE ONE OF THE FAMILY

“KNEW RIGHT FROM WRONG” DOCTOR SAYS Other Bodies Sought Near Death Chamber Os Love Salesman ARRAIGNMENT IS CONSIDERED Clarksburg, W. Va.. Aug. 131. — (U.R! — The insanity deifense, for which police claim | Harry F. Powers, matrimonial agent accused of slaying I two women and three cnild--1 ten, and his counsel were pre- , paring, was believed shattered with a psychiatrist’s announcement today that Powers “knew right from wrong.” As the state prepared to bring the former soldier and ex-salesman to trial for the quintet of killings, belief grew stronger that at least one more body lay at the bottom of a well 30 feet from the garage where the others were believed "executed” on an improvised gallows. I Elk Creek, which flows near the garage, was being dragged in search for bodies of others of the 115 women who police said were infatuated with the pudgy but drapper mail order Romeo. i Dr. Edwin E. Mayer, University lot Pittsburgh psychiatrist, who serI ved in the Harry K. Thaw case i w-hen the Pittsburgh slayer or Stanford White sought his freedom, aninounced after a long conference i with Powers that he “was on the I border-line of insanity but knew right from wrong." Powers refused to discuss the five slayings with which he is accused, apparently sensing he might be incriminated. Dr. Mayer said, but show-ed no reticence in discussing other matters. Powers admitted today, police said, that the fifth victim, whose body was recovered Saturday night, was Mrs. Dorothy A. Pressler Lemke, 45, Worcester, Mass. The other victims were Mrs. Asta Buick Eicher and her three children, Greta, 14; Harry, 12, and Anabel, 9. “Powers told me he was born and reared on a farm and went through public and high schools," Dr. Mayer said. “He said he was a good student. “He told me he attended Ames agricultural college and studied automotive engineering in a- Kansas City school. He worked for the International Harvester. £oriipany in Missouri, Minnesota and lowa. He held numerous other (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX. Accord Is Completed Rome, Aug. 31—(UP) —The accord between the Vatican and the Italian government has been completed. it was announced today, and has been approved by Pope Pius XI and Premier Mussolini. The text of the accord was printed privately. It was sent to the members of the College of Cardinals. many of whom are at l|eir summer residences. Their appi/,val is not necessary, however, as the Pope took full responsibility tor the negotiations. o REPORT REBELS CUT OFF AID Chinese Rebels Accused Os Cutting Dykes In Flooded Area Hankow. Aug, 31.—(U.R) —Reports that communist armies cut dykes along the flooded Yangtze river to swamp pursuing government troops ' and drowned thousands of natives were received here today by the Kuo Min agency. Continued rains in the flood area and storms approaching typhoon ! velocity caused many deaths during the past few days and added to the suffering of survivors fighting hunger and plague. First official statistics issued by the public safety ‘ bureau here said 163,000 houses in the Wuhan area were submerged and 762,000 people affected by the floods. Os this number 66 per cent were said to he destitute and home(CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)