Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 29, Number 258, Decatur, Adams County, 31 October 1931 — Page 1

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IHICKEN THIEVES SENT TO PENAL FARM

Kalman is It st auto i ImiLY HURT Htabie Leorge MassKc pies Today FolKing' I’riday Mishap IK'S SKILL K l> i’RACTI’REh K, Her. v hurl ,J 10:30 <• clock when he yas | )V uiiloniolnle |M.:, i ,I. ills! solllh K ir l ' ulioik! crossing. M -sonee died at |K i 1 ' iinty Memorial h (> o’clock this urred Friday • .:n. •I.i ’. • • iiri\ en ‘ .11. her. Adams L hhau< lu r had l k' ... 1.C12 him to the ■ - K ■ ompaii'.-d and Mrs. ('evil i. Wim ■ visibility none B: -'.no. walkii. ' ■ iir'o, his automobile ilie Erie tracks. - missed the ' 1 due Io Ihe o> 'll streets that the and Illi' itiiuk Mr Massone.., o> tiie pavement. ar stopped itnMr Massonee was to the Adams County ■ he I''al. where Im died morning. No bjinie was BW to the driver of thej e. Sr.. was born | 'cmust 8 1859. He ■ a son of Mr and Mrs. Thomas and | le < ame j 0 ( | le wl,fn ,!e was 1S ■’NT IM 'I IS ON PAGE FOUR) ■nderson Bank Closes ■ <*-■«■ Ind.. 0,.t. .11.— (U.R) !■ Citizens flank of Anderson! ■ closed |,y order of its board ■rot,., .■„ i iy S|atp Bank Ciin) of its affairs. ■To Revoke Licenses ■diana.polis. Oct. 31 — (UP) ■’ lses of persons convicted of ■‘ l,>; w| ,i;.. intoxicated will be re- - Ira Sliobe, deputy secretary Ihe o.der becomes effecB next Monday. ■".'l r the present system per- ■ fo| i'ietvil of intoxicated driv- I ■ *re given hearings on revocaB ot ■'reuses before the chief ■T 1 ' ih ,he state auto license de■iment. f ITTON BOOK IS DEFENDED |owded Court Room Is feature of Libel Suit t ase In Toledo roledo. (>., o^~7l._ (U .R)_ Nan tons book, "The President's ?" ler ’' was defended today as tie confession of her purport- ., * affalr with the late Preslwarren G. Harding at the a J? r $ 50,000 Hbel suit against • Munk, Marion, Ohio, hotel •per. h7 u ttorneys Ho "Kht to place an >'oritatlve construction on her S , S they prepared to re- ,<. > T lng excer Pts from the before a federal court jury audlen ce composed only of mi k-i’ li,ton 18 seeking damages unk who admitted retailA copies of "The Answer to ’The | n ™ ts DBU * cht " r ”. In his ho- -.^^ stan, t. The “answer" de'c°N’TLNUED ON PAGE FOUR;

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ________. ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY ’ — -

Vol. XXIX. No. 258.

New XV hite Sox Owner “ """ I * A Meet J. Louis Comiskev sole owner and new president of the Chicago White Sox baseball club. His father. Charles A. Comiskey, who died last Monday morning, left no will, and liis vast estate passes to his son in full.

PREBLE BANKER IS APPOINTED Clarence Smith Named On Group 1 Executive Committee Clarence R. Smith, cashier of the Farmers State Bank. Treble, was named a member ot the executive committee of 'group one of the i Indiana Banker's (Association, at the annual meeting held at Auburn , Friday. iH. M. Casebeer. chashier ot the ] City National Bank of Auburn wa< | elected president of the organization. Oscar 11. Buesching of Fort Wayne was named secretary. The 1932 meeting will be held in i Fort Wayne. Over 100 bankers and their wives from Adams. Allen. D'Kalb. Huntington, Kosciusko. Lagrange, Noble Steuben Wells and Whitley counties were at the chamber of commerce dinitii* room at noon for a luncheon served by the women of St. Mark's Lutheran church. Members living in DeKalb county ami their wives ; received the visitors. Music for the i (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX, o Two Autos Collide i ■ Two cars, one driven by S. L. Fonner. local insurance agent ami the other driven Uy Charles Ready of Connersville, crashed in a head on collision north of the first bridge on the Fort Wayne road last night at ten o’clock. Mr. Ready evidently did not know of the turn in the road just over the bridge. Neither man was injured. The front of the Ready car was completely demolished. ’(’he en gine was driven back to the dash board. The other car also was damaged. Neither car turned over. Mr. Ready carried insurance on his automobile. o John H. Walters Dies John H. Walters, 77, former, school teacher of this city, died at ■ the home of his son-in-law Dr. John Searles in Muncie, according to word received by relatives here today. Mr. Walters formerly lived in this city and is well known here. His wife attended the fiftieth anniversary of the local Methodist Episcopal church last Sunday and was visiting in Fort Wayne at the time of his death. Surviving is the wife, three daugh tors. Mrs. Dorothy Searles of Muncie, Mrs. Marguerite Clark of Oberlin, and Helen ot near Nashville, Tenn., a brother, Frank Walters, and a sister. Miss Belie Walters both of Shippensburg, Pa. One son ■preceded him in death. A nephew. C. L. Walters of this city, also survives. Funeral services have not been completed.

Funeral services have not been completed.

Furnished Hg I nitvd Pr«M«

Library Group Elects Indianapolis. Oct. 31 —(UP) — Miss Ethel Baker. South Bend, was named president of the Indiana Li- . brary association at the annual con ( vention here. She succeeds Luthler Dickerson, Indianapolis. Other officers elected are: vice president, James A. Howard, Hammond; secretary, Miss Jane Kitchell, Vincennes; treasurer, Miss Lois Rinco, Anderson. Mrs. John F. Drenneman, Columbia City, was elected president : of the Indiana Liberary trustees association, which met with the other organizations. A. S. Mitten, Scoti land, was elected vice president and George Bridwell. Bloomington. ■ < retary. Those elected to the executive board are Arthur Fisher, Gary, retiring president; Mrs. C. A. \rmlield. Elwood; Mrs. Charles Stanley. Albion, and Mrs. Roy AdI ney, Lebanon. —— ——o MONROE YOUTH EXPIRES TODAY Mervin Hahnert, 16, Dies Following Emergency Operation Friday Mervin Hahnert, 16 year old Monj roe high school student, died at 11:- ; 30 o'clock this morning at the Adams County Memorial Hospital following a major emergency operation he underwent late Friday night. I'li ■ boy became ill Thursday evenl lng and wak brought to the local , hospital late Friday wdiere he un- ■ derwent an operation for strangu- ■ lation of the intestines. Th ■ boy was a junior in Monroe high school and was well known in Monroe and in this city. He was 1 born in Monroe, July 3, 1915, the son of George Allred and Eliza Johnson-Hahnert, both of whom ■ survive. Surviving are four brothers, HerI man of Fort Wayne; Donald of |Hartford City, Howard and Calvin, both at home, two sisters, Alta of ! Fort Wayne and Loma, al home. The boy was a member ot the Monro Methodist Episcopal church The body was brought to the Lobensteln and Doan Funeral Parlors and will be taken to the Hahnert home in Monroe, this evening. Funeral services will be held Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock at the home and at 2 o'clock at the i Monroe Methodist Episcopal church with Rev. E. M. Dunbar, pastor, officiating. o- . Lions Will Nominate I - - Members of the Decatur Lions Club are asked to meet in the Lions Den In the basement of the Chris--1 tian church Tuesday evening at 6:15 o clock for the purpose of nominating officers. Ralph Gentis, president of the club urged that every member be present.

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday, October 31, 1931.

SEN. WATSON IS BERNE SPEAKER Indiana Senior Solon Speaks At Non-polit-ical Meet Friday More than 300 men attended the meeting of the Berne Chamber oi Commerce at Berne last evening, about 125 mnmbers ot the Fort Wayne Chatrtber of Commerce being guests at the meeting. U. S. Senator James E. Watson was the principal speaker at the meeting. He discussed foreign relations and communism and made an interesting talk. Members of the Chamber of Commerce from Portland, Bluffton, Hartford City, Winchester, Union City and Decatur also attended the meeting. It was held in the Berne Auditorium. Besides Senator Watson, J. B. Wales, manager and industrial engineer of the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce, B. F. Meyer president of the Fort Wayne chamber of commerce, J. K. Moring, also of Fort Wayne and Senator T. A. Gottschalk of Berne spoke. A musical program was given by the Berne Male chorus and the winner was served by the Ladies Aid ociety of the Cross Reformed church. O. F. Gilliom, president of the Berne Chamber of Commerce presided as toastmaster. The meeting was one of several interesting meetings held by the Berne Chamber of Commerce this year.

DEATH CALLS ‘ ARTWEMHDFF Local Young Man Dies Early Today; Former D.C.H.S. Athlete Arthur Raymond Wemhoff, 25, well known Decatur young man I and former Catholic high school [ athlete died at tl e Adams County Memorial hospital at 2:20 o'clock (his morning of obstruction of the I bowels, following two operations :he underwent. Mr. Wemhoff became ill last Sunday, October 25, and underwent an operation Sunday noon. Another operation was performed at 5 o'clock Friday evening from which he never recovered. Mr. Wemhoff had been assistant manager of the J. J. Newberry store at Coldwater, Michigan for the past 6 months and came horn-' : Sunday with his fiancee. Miss ConI stance Morgan of Coldwater, for a short visit with his parents. Peritonitis developed before the first operation. Sunday. The deceased attended Decatur Catholic high sciool for three years and was prominent in athletics, being a member of the Commodore basketball *;am that won honors in; nations' tournaI ments at Chicago. He "as gradnj ated from the Northfield, Vermont high school. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the ‘CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX)

OIL AND GAS MEN ORGANIZE Indiana Concerns Will Fight “Gas Bootleggers” And Salesmen Indianapolis, Oct. 31 —(U.R)— Organized petroleum dealers will fight gasbline bootleggers and what they term "sellers of adulterated oils,” State Auditor Floyd E. Williamson today said he had been informed. Williamson said he was told the oil dealers will demand an audit of gasoline tax collection books and appeal to Attorney General James M. Ogden to prosecute bootleggers and collect back taxes due. (Mie of the leaders of the program is Sam T. Hurd, secretary of the state code committee of the American Petroleum Institute. Williamson said Hurd has appeared before him on several occasions to appeal for leniency for dealer members of his organization who had been found evading gasoline (CONTINUED ON PAGE 81X1

I Three Americans Are Back In Civilization Balboa, Oct. 31 —(U.P.) — Three I American adventurers returned to! civilization) today after a six l month's isolation on a tropical , island which they described as the “Capital of Paradise." Paul Stadwick of Huron, S. D.,! Elmer J. Palliser of San Diego, | Cal., and Gordon Bra.wner of i Springfield. 111., returned to Balboa!, aboard the U. S. S. Sacramento— , delighted at being rescued and tin- , harmed by their six months' sojourn after their yawl had been i smashed in the tropical islands. They had plenty of ft>od, plenty J of sunshine and a great holiday i < during their six months on Cocos : Island, tiny island 550 miles off th- Panama Canal zone. , The three men. clad only in the most meager garments as their clothinfc was worn to tatters on the island, were held aboard the : Sacramento —the rescue vesseI—(CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR) NO HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION Informal Parades Are Expected But Program Is Not Made For the first time in several years Decatur will not have a parade or community observance of Halloween, official observance being plann od for tonight. Masqueraders are expected to appear on tHe streets tonight and the police will permit those who enjoy Halloween pranks to carry on their program, as long as destruction of property and safety are not erHlaireered. The past few weeks many masquerade and Halloween parties have been given in the city. Last year and for several years previous I a Callithumpian parade was held in the city, but this year no steps were taken to have a community celebration. The event last year was I sponsored by the G. E. band of the General Electric company of this city. Boys are warned not to damage property tonight and others are cautioned not to do something which would make traffic unsafe. The police will countenance innocent fun and merry-making, but will not permit vandalism.

SEES TURNING POINT IN PANIC Optimism Rules Following Improvement In Credit Situation Washington. Oct. 31. — (U.R) — President Hoover's optimistic announcement of an improvement in the credit situation served today to bolster confidence and strengthen the growing belief that the country has turned the corner toward recovery from the business depression. Hoarding of money has ceased, the President said. Bank failures are diminishing. Withdrawal of gold to foreign countries has slowed down. Prices of wheat and cotton are rising. To these signs, other officials added an increase in the general commodity price level in the past three weeks, a noticeable pickup in retail trade, a steadying of the stock market. The turn for the better has come, as was anticipated, since the president announced his financial relief program consisting of the NationCredit Corporation as an immediate agency to clear up the jam of frozen bank assets and long-time to strengthen and broaden the credit structure by congress- . --.. . . — (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) o Rumors Being Traced Evansville, Ind.. Oct. 31—(U.R)— Charles Mazey, chief Indiana operator of the United States secret service, was en route here today to confer with operatives who have been investigating false rumors concerning the condition of local national banks. It was reported that anonymous calls have been made to several large depositors, resulting in heavy withdrawals.

State, National And luleruatioiiui Newa

TREASURER IS ‘BUSIEST MAN' Taxpayers Rush Office Asi Deadline Approaches For Fall Taxes — The county treasurer’s office was a busy place today, many persons , calling to pay their fall installment I of taxes and the Balance due last Wednesday was $227,000 ami al- i though the totals for Thursday and Friday were not available today it was stated by Miss Alice Lenhart, deputy treasurer, that more than $150,000 remained unpaid today. Monday, November 2 is the last day for paying the fall installment without the ten per cent penalty being added. Receipts today will be heavy and many of the large checks from the railroads and utilities will be received in the mail today and Monday. These will mak.e up a great part of the total due. Robert Meibers, cashier of the Old Adams County Bank and John Wechter, county treasurer-elect were assisting County Treasurer lEd Ashbaucher and deputies in the collection of the taxes today. The office will remain open until six o'clock Monday evening tor the convenience of taxpayers. Q Gets Title Directory J. L. Ehler, manager of the Adams County auto license bureau in this city, is in receipt of a certificate of title directory, issued by Frank Mayr, Jr... secretary of state. The directory makes it possible for managers of license bureaus to trace original certificate of ownership and to provide duplicates where necessary. JAPAN PLANS NEW INVASION Troops May Move Into Russia, Japan Authoities Threaten Tokio, Oct. 31—(U.R) —A movement of Japanese troops northward from Manchuria into Russian territory is impending, according to a Nippon Dempo News i agency dispatch received here today from Mukden. The report of the concerted ad-1 vance followed an| exchange of I notes between Tokio and Moscow I In which the soviet government claimed it was "strictly neutral in the Manchurian controversy between China and Japan.” The dispatch reported three soviet officials had departed from Harbin, a Russian center in Manchuria. for Moscow on receiving word of the impending Japanese troop movement. White Russians in Manchuli and other points in Manchuria are withdrawing to Harbin, the dispatch said. While Japan apparently was | (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) — CHARGES TRUST LAW VIOLATIONS Illinois Packing Concern Charges Illegal Sale Os Cans Indianapolis, Oct. 31. — (U.R) — Charging violation of the Sherman anti-trust act. the Cereal Food Company, an Illinois packing concern, today filed suit in Federal court here against the American Company, asking $450,000 damages. The complaint alleges that the American Can Company, througlv a secret agreement, sold cans to the Van Camp Packing Company, Indianapolis, “at prices substantially less than the prices at which the defendant was then openly offering this same type of cans to plaintiff and other producers. Van Camp was buying the product, a sanitary can, at prices only 80 per cent of those charged smaller packing firms, the complaint I I charges. The reduction was so great, the | complaint alleges, that other pro-, Iducers coud not pack their goods | UONT'NUED ON PAGE SIX) I

Price Two Cents

Seriously 11l * f nF -4 I T 1 ' \ Professor Edwin B. Frost, veteran director of the University of Chicago's Yerkes Observatory at Green Bay, .Wis., and one of the • world's most eminent astronomers, is critically ill in a Chicago hospital. Professor Frost, who is 65 and blind, collapsed Monday while working in the observatory and was brought to Chicago. DAILEY GIVES ~ SUDO BOND Says He Was Sorting Sheep; Trial Is Not Definitely Set Stanton Dailey, who was arrested Wednesday night by Sheriff Burl Johusop on a charge of a grand larceny in connection with the alleg- 1 ed theft of sheep from the Samantha Young farm south of Decatur | was released on bond of $1,500. The I bond was reduced from $2,500 to $1,500. Dailey stated Friday to a reporter of the Decatur Democrat, that he had no intention of stealing the Young sheep. He said that he went with the two Mexicans to the Young farm, which wadjoins his father's farm and drove all the sheep to his ' father's land and that he sorted out his sheep and then drove the Young sheep pack. I I —-— (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) o DEATH CLAIMS JOSEPH PEEL Jefferson Township Resident Dies This Morning at 9:30 o’Clock Joseph M. Peel, 70. Jefferson township prominent Adams County farmer and Democrat died at 9:30 o'clock this inornimg of cancer ot the stomach, after a long illness. A post mortem will be held late this afternoon it was stated. Mr. Peel was born in Franklin County, Ohio, the son of William and Elizabeth Peel. He came to Adams County in 1860 and for the last 20 years lived east of Berne. He was united in marriage to Carrie Cook. • Surviving are the wife and the following children: Mrs. Pearl Lelchty of Fort Wayne; Mrs. Elizabeth Fogle of Berne; Mrs. lantha Huffman of this city; Mrs. Jessie Cline of Geneva; Mrs. Emma Hanni of Scott, .Ohio; Mrs. Lena Linton of Berne; Mrs. Elma Hirschy of Wapakoneta. Ohio; Florence, at home, William of Fort Wayne, Sterling of Wren, Ohio. One daughter, Mrs. Charles Heare of this city, preceded him in death. Funeral arrangements have not l been made. < t o France May Purchase Cotton From America t Paris, Oct. 31.—(U.R)—-The minis- , try of commerce advised the United Press today that discussions are ( proceeding in the United States , aimed at import French purchases , of cotton which would be used as , , a reserve for cotton stocks. , The government is not officially 1 ( involved In the purchases but fav- . ors the plan which Pierre de Pas- j quiet, adviser to the recent visit; I of Premier Laval, is negotiating on | I behalf of private banks. I

YOUR HOME PAPERLIKE ONE OF THE FAMILY

TWO MILLERS, THOMAS MARTIN PLEAD GUILTY Judge Erwin Gives Two 90 Days; Father Gets 190 Days At Farm COURT SCORES PETTY THEFTS Chicken stealing and petit larceny in the southern part of Adams county received a severe hlow this afternoon when three confessed chicken thieves were sentenced to penal farm sentences by ■Judge 1). B. Erwin. Everett Miller, t 2, Ceylon, was sentenced t<r six months in the state farm and fined S2O and costs following his plea of guilty. Frank Miller. 18, Ceylon, son of Everett, was sentenced to three months in the penal farm and fined $lO and costs. Thomas Martin, 18, Wabash township, was sentenced to three months in the penal farm and fined $lO and costs. The trio was arrested Friday morning following a search of the Miller property at Ceylon and the cases were transferred to Adams circuit court from that of Justice of Peace James Barr in When arraigned the men all | pleaded guilty and asked for leniency. Judge Erwin scored the men for their petty thievery, and plainly told them that he was “not in sympathy with any person (CONTINUED ON PACE SIX. 0 Smith Denies Split With Gov. Roosevelt New York, Oct. 31.—(U.R)—Former Governor Alfred E. Smith has denied there is a "terrible break between himself and Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt. With the denial. Smith accused W. Kingsland Macy, republican state chairman, of trying “to create the impression in the public mind” of such a break. The former governor’s comment came during an address last night in which he carried his fight against a reforestation amendment to the state constitution before the voters of Brooklyn. Roosevelt has spoken in beljalf of the amendment and Macy has urged its adoption. Smith first expressed his opposition in a Tammany hall meeting a few weeks ago. Os Macy, and the alleged break between the two democratic party leaders. Smith said: “Os course, it is not (that there is a terrible break between us because of that amendment) and Macy knows it is not so.” Smith cited the 11 paper mills on the marginal lands between Adirondack Park and the forest preserve, charging they "denuded their lands." “TTiey won’t reforest,’ 'he said. They won't plant a single tree. Where are they getting their pulp? From Russian and Canada. “When I hear Macy talk about conservation it is one of the most laughable things in our public life." PHONE MERGER IS APPROVED 11 Indiana Telephone Concerns Permitted to Merge Assets Indianapolis, Oct. 31.—(U.R)—Organization of the Indiana Associated Telephone corporation by merging all telephone fifrms, was sanctioned by the Public Service Commission by a 3 to 2 vote. Companies involved in the merger are the Lafayette Telephone Company. Home Telephono Company of Wabash. Home Telephone Company of Elkhart county, Fayette Telephone Company, Greencastle Telephone Company, Putnam Count.v Telephone Company, Royal Center Telephone Company, Laporte County Telephone Company I and the Liberty Telephone Util--1 It les Company. j The order provides that separl (CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR)