Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 29, Number 260, Decatur, Adams County, 3 November 1931 — Page 1

Hther tonight eX ‘ ■th portion I generalcooler-

DNTROL OF CONGRESS IS BEING DECIDED

■TICE DAY ■ ■ram WILL I ■ HEID HERE Landis To ■■es Speaker At |Kiual Affair Hnes to \STER . S , to the tiniiil il |),iv program, ICsdL. November 11,1 Ao'ams Post ofi an Legion, were |t(wtiv. the Bev. 11. 11. fcjFcoiniiiander of the stated. LMihi. Frederick K. K>|' Logansport, naK'ui, as the Hoosier and headliner wherare given, will he al the big meeting. a; ; banquet will HMtii-' Knights of Colliinsix o clock. Dr. H. O. |o®i'riif will preside as years the Armisjice , has been a joint the service chibs in Mb. idinc the Chan r'as' ■ Again this year ■1 . and organizations, Rotary. Lions and the . ■Hos Commerce member-, attend the meeting.' meetings of the Rotary ■ clubs will be dispensed ' members will attend ; Armistice Day prodelivered the address l ■TED ON PAGE FIVE) rations i be probed iit’s Group To Sift ys of ‘lgnorance’ ■horoughly ■ton. Nov. 3 —(U.R)— A ■ wholly factual investlganav y leaguers “abysmal ; ■’ charges against PresiHfc r appeared in prospect , ■ver narrowed the field ■ to such matters “as ■eadily determined from I i ■ 'al records” in an-1 ■ the personnel of his I B authoritative sources Bl that the president does Bt the committee to hold ■or summon witnesses. ■ <d the 1932 naval budget 1 ■Hoover's economy meas--811811B 11 department were B tabooed by the presi■houncement. Bsonnel of the committee B to assure the restric- , ■red by the president. . Brnment officials, a for■ral an,| two former gov- 1 ■ ohiciais were named on 1 ■of inquiry, including: j Bodman. retired admiral, J ■wnmander of the Pacific i chairman ri'ED on PAGE TWO) j NTS SEEK : DYNAMITERS: | “ £ mtled Laborers Are In Blasting Os Aqueduct ——l *eles, Nov. 3.—(U.R)—Two £ a Pn ’Ployes were sought 1 »ert east of Owens Vai- ’ w the dynamiting of a ii i’ e *' ,os Angeles aque- 1 ch carries water 250 1,1 Owens river to the Kators learned that two , ™ er 'y employed by the 1 ’ water and power placed ‘ dynamite under the huge ' siphon at Jawbone Can- 1 bmiday night and fled into 1 v Their arrest was ex- ‘ May. 1 '~^~2^. a " ons water a * 'NUED ON PAGE FIVE) t

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Vol. XXIX. No. 260.

! Forty Hour Devotion Will Close Tonight The solemn close of the Forty Hours devotion will take place at Ist. Mary's Catholic church at 7:30 o’clock this evening. There will be la procession with the Blessed Sacrament and a number of visiting priests will be in attendance. Rev. Father Bernard, who has been conducting the three day devotions will deliver the sermon. The service last evening was largely attended. o— TWO ALLEGED THIEVES TAKEN Sheriff Nabs Arthur Daniels, and Austin Krick For Several Thefts Continuing his drive against thie-1 very in Adams county. Sheriff Burl Johnson today arrested Arthur Daniels. 19 and Austin Krick. 16 of near I Bobo, charged with stealing chickens. The number of chickens allegedly stolen by the pair has not been announced, but those in charge of the investigation say several thefts are included. Sheriff Johnson and V. E. Pinkerton, special operatives for the Farmers Guide magazine of Huntington are conducting the probes, and ' it was indicated today that several ' more arrests were near. The two youths arrested today' are alleged to have sold a number I of stolen chickens to a farmer re-1 siding on state road 16. east of I Decatur. It was not stated whether j the purchaser of the stolen fowls I would be implicated. With the new arrests the total. number of prisoners at the Adams . county jail mounted to 14. a record ' for recent years. Sheriff Johnson I has been compelled to borrow beds and beiiclothing from the county infirmary. o Smiths Get In Trouble Hammond. Ind., Nov. 3 —(UP) — Judge Martin J. Smith in criminal cotiit heard the evidence: Harry Smith and son. Ralph, were charged with stealing an auto belonging to Percy Smith, of the Smith motor sales company. Percy Smith convinced judge Martin Smith that Harry Smith and Ralph Smith were no credit to the name of Smith, and two more Smiths went on penal rosters, father Smith from one to 10 years, and son Smith for from three to, 10 years. RALPH WILKES DIES MONDAY Mrs. John Bowers’ Son-in-Law Dies Following 10-Day Illness Ralph A. Wilkes, 39 year old business man of Kendallville, and husband of Mrs. Gladys Bowers-Wilkes, formerly of this city, died at his home at 122 South Orchard street Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Death was due to uremic poisoning with which Mr. Wilkes had been ailing for the last ten days. The deceased was the organizer and owner of the firm of R. A. Wilkes and Company, which he established in 1917. Mr. Wilkes was born on a farm northeast of Kendallville, S -ptember 20. 1892. the son of Anna Berkes and William Wilkes, both of whom are deceased. He was graduated from the Kendallville high school and later took a business course at Chicago. He was married to Miss Gladys Bowers of this city in 19|7. The wife survives. Funeral services w'jll be held Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 o'at the home on Orchard street, and burial will be made in the Kendallville cemetery. o William Klepper, Jr. Undergoes Operation William Klepper, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Klepper of this city was operated on at the Adams County Memorial hospital at one o’clock this afternoon for removal of the appendix. William, who Is a student at Purdue university, came home last Friday. He suffered from several attacks of appendictis. He rallied from the anaesthetic and was resting easy this afternoon.

Furnished Ry United Pre,.

ADAMS TRIAL | STARTS TODAY i AT FT. WAYNE Killer of Two Federal Dry Agents To I’lead Self Defense 132 WITNESSES ARE SUMMONED Bulletin Fort Wayne, Ind., Nov. 3— (UP) —Seven jurors were tentatively approved by thS State as the trial of George Adams charged with the murder of John Wilson, prohibition agent began here today. One prospective juror had been excused and one of the seven challenged but allowed to remain. No peremptory challengers had been exercises. It appeared that all of today and probably all of tomorrow would be consumed in selecting the jury. Each talesman was questioned closely regarding his views on the prohibition question by prosecutor Walter Helmke. Fort Wayne, Ind., Nov. 3. — (U.R)—George Adams went ion trial for his life here today, charged with the murder past July 22 of John Wilson, a prohibition agent. Counsel for Adams said his plea would be self-defense. Amos W. Woodcock, direct- ! or of the national prohibition i bureau, arrived from Wash- . ington to be present during the trial. Woodcock said he would not (CONTINUED ON PAGE' SIX. o GROUP RALLY IS ANNOUNCED ‘I Evangelical Women In Decatur District To Hold Conference > I ■ ■■ < 1 - A group rally of the Women’s Missionary .Societies of the Deca- ■ I tur district will be held in the First ■ j Evangelical church here, all day I Friday. ' The churches in the district are ] located at Portland, Ridgeville. I Markle, Berne, Linn Grove, Salem, . Decatur, and Van Wert, Ohio. The all-day meeting will be in ‘three sessions, opening at 10 o'clock ' j Friday morning. Topics will be I given by the various churches, and I special music will be furnished at I each of the three sessions. The convention will take place ''during the morning and afternoon, and the evening session will be open to the public. Rev. Barkman of Berne, a returned missionary will be the principal speaker. A pot-luck dinner will be served at noon and at the evening meal. Each woman of the local church is requested to bring one covered dish and one other article of food Ito be used for the dinner or supper. o DEFENSE FLAYS STATE’S CASE Simmons Attorney Accuses Jackson of Murder of Two Girls Lebanon, Ind., Nov. 3 —(U.R) — An unveiled accusation that Horace Jackson perpetrated the murder with which Mrs. Carrie Simmons is charged was • laid before the jury today by Mrs. Simmons’ counsel, who alluded to Jackson as a “perverted, abnormal, depraved person." Bringing to a climax his final arguments In defense of Mrs. Simmons, Charles Tindall told the jury that “of the 27 persons who attended the fatal family reunion here June 21. Jackson was the only one capable of committing such a crime.” After springing this sensational sunprise statement in the courtroom, a recess was called. Tindall evaded reference to the charge as he resumed his argument (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, November 3, 1931.

Girl Confesses Killing if ■■ ‘V. . -MB Rb r Clara Fish (right). 19-year-old servant girl, stated in a third confession that she killed Mis. Reba Maddux (left), 35-year old housewife of St. Louis, by slashing her throat with a razor after Mrs Maddux had administered ether in a suicide attempt and had made an attempt to slash her own throat. Later, in a fourth confession, she laid the blame for the killing on Walter Maddux (center), 35-year-old employe of a chemical plant.

TAX PAYMENTS ARE CHECKED — County Treasurer Opens Mail Before Announcing Delinquents County treasurer Ed Ashhaucher and his deputies were busy today sorting mail and entering the final payments for the fall installment of taxes which was due yesterday. A number of letters with checks enclosed were received yesterday and this morning. Mr. Ashhaucher and , Miss Alice Lenhart, deputy, worked until about eleven o’clock last night opening the mail received Monday. The checks received in today’s mail were being entered as quickly as possible. Quite a number of receipts reI inained in the treasurer's office. Mr. j Ashhaucher stated that he believed more than 85 per cent o fthe fall installment had been paid, but he would not know for a day or two how much went delinquent. The November installment of taxes amounted to about $540,000. Monday was the last day to pay without the ten per cent penalty being added. A large amount of the spring installment of taxes went delinquent last May, but much of this was paid in the past six months. TOLEDO JUDGE DENIES STORY Says He Did Not Rule Against Marion Hotel Man In Libel Case Toledo, Ohio, Nov. 3. — (U.R) — .Aroused over publication of stories ’ that he had ruled in favor of Nan Britton in her $50,000 libel suit, Federal Judge John M. Killits halted the case here today. When court convened the judge went into the locked courtroom for a brief conference with attorneys and then adjourned the session until 1:30 p. m. Next he ordered the bailiffs to i ask reporters to meet with him in his chambers. As the reporters went before the judge, they found him with stacks of newspapers in front of him and a clerk marking stories carried yesterday by a news service other than the United .CONT'NUED ON PAGE SIX) , 0 Mrs. Elmer Merriman Is Critically Injured Leonard Merriman received a telephone message last evening telling of the serious accident in which his aunt,-Mrs. Elmer Merriman formerly of this city, had been critically and it is feared fatally injured. Mrs. Merriman was riding in a car with her children when it skidded on the slippery pavement and turned over. Physicians extend no hope for her recovery. '.About three years ago, a son and daughter and a daughter-in-law of Mrs. Merriman were killed along with others when a_ big bus in which they were riding to a Grotto initiaI tion was hit by an interurban car, at a crossing in east Indianapolis.!

Chapter Is Inspected Edward Grantland, a member of ■ the National jurisprudence com- ! mittee inspected the local chapter lof Phi Delta Kappa fraternity, | Monday evening at the fraternity | hall. Other out-of-town guests were '| Jim Williams and Carl Mann of Fort Waynf and Ray Carper of Garrett. Gerald Koos was initiated into the local fraternity, and following jthe business meeting an oyster fry i was held. Plans were made for the annual Thanksgiving dance which the fraternity will give at the Decatur , Country Club. The dance will be , informal and the public will be invited. o SUNDAY SCHOOL I MEET PLANNED 'I County Convention To Be Held In Decatur November 17-18 . I A convention of the Adams Coun- .' ty Sunday Schools will be held in : ; the Zion Reformed Church in this i city, Tuesday and Wednesday, NovI ember 17 and 18. I IThe convention will o'pep Tues- ■ day evening with a Young People's conference to which all young peoI pie of the various churches in the i county are invited, and people of all ages are urged to be present. Preceding the Young People's I conference Tuesday evening a fellowship supper will be served in the I church dining hall. The supper will i be served for thirty-five cents a I plate. ) Dr. W. P. Dearing, a forceful j speaker, will deliver the address at the Young People's conference. The subject of this address will be "Cheated,” and it promises to be - one of great interest to both young ) j and old. ' I An all«lay session will be held , Wednesday at which several state - officers will be present. A 'program is being planned and special must- ' i cal numbers will be given. — o— GRAIN PRICES ) I j ARE STRONGER Wheat Prices Rise In [ i Month’s Time To Over 19 Cents On Bushel Chicago, Nov. 3. — (U.R) Wheat, the grain which spelled despair and II want for thousands of American [ farmers a few weeks ago when its i value sank to the levels of Eliza- | bethan England, today was hailed las a savior. Optimism replaced gloom I the wheat growing regions of the ■ west as farmers read reports that j December wheat was selling at : 63 cents a bushel. | In less than a month an un- ' I swerving rise had carried the I price up 19’4 to 20% cents a , | bushel from a low previously unj equalled in American grain trad- | Ing and recorded only at Liverpool j in the 17th century. The advance was attributed to ! (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)

State, National And lateruatluuul Nevta

YOUNG FARMER | ENDS OWN LIFE WITH SHOTGUN Arthur Sipe, 27, Jefferson Township Farmer Suicide Victim BODY FOUND THIS MORNING Arthur Sipe, 27, Jefferson township farmer, was found dead in a corn field near his home this morning, with his head nartly blown off hy the shot from a 12-gauge shot: mm which wiis beside him. I Two hotties of carbolic acid were found in the man’s i Docket. The coroner’s verdiet was suicide. Sipe left his home Monday af-' ternoon, stating that he was going ‘ to the corn field to work. When 1 he did not return last evening a 1 search was instituted, but the body was not found until 7 o'clock [ this morning when Eldridge Butcher, one of the searching party ran across the body in the field. Sipe had been despondent for some time, friends said, over financial and domestic troubles. Dr. J. C. Grandstaff. Adams county coroner, -said that Sipe had killed himself atfout 2:30 o’clock ' Monday afternoon. Sipe’s father, Harry Sipe, custodian of the Adams county Court 1 House was notified at 8 o’clock this morning of the young man s death and went immediately to the home. Surviving are the widow, Sylvia Glassburg Sipe and' four children, Phyllis, 6; Mae, 5: Betty, 4; Madonna. 2. Funeral services have not yet been Arranged. As soon as Dr. • Grandstaff hel,j his autopsy (he body was ordered released. Adams Miller Testifies Adam Miller of Jefferson township and who is in business in Geneva, was the witness in the Wa- | bash river case this morning, testi-1 tying as to the benefits and damag-1 es to certain pieces of real estate. ( He also testified that a flood of two I or three years ago covered the road 1 in this section for a distance of 500 feet, making it necessary to drive over to Ohio and then back over another route to get the children I to school and that this condition existed four days. DEFICIT HITS HIGHEST MARK Federal Treasury Has Large Shortage; Revised Program Planned Washington, Nov. 3.—(U.R)—The treasury deficit reached a high of $661,120,850 today with only a third of the fiscal year gone. This would indicate a deficit of close to $2,000,000,000 (billion) for the fiscal year when the treasury closes its books next July 31. Secretary of Treasury Mellon now is considering a tax revision program to be submitted shortly to President Hoover. Expenditures for the first four months of the fiscal year ended October 31 were $1,364,750,524. Receipt:} for the same four months were about half of this amount, $703,629,673. The fall income tax collections is a major factor in slack revenues, with collections for the first four (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) Brotherhood Holds Meet The Men's Brotherhood of the First Evangelical Church held an interesting meeting in the basement of the church Monday night. T. L. Becker presided over the meeting. Following the regular routine of business, the meeting was placed in the charge of the November section of which William Linn was the chairman. This section presented a movie, “Miss Decatur’’ after which an oyster supper was served. The Brotherhood elected a nominating committee consisting of Or I val Harruff, Eugene Runyon, and ! Amos Ketchum. The election of offi-: cers will take place at the Decern-1 her meeting. |

Price Two Cents

Mystery Death ■Ha . ■I JI Philip A. Koehring, 55-year-old manufacturer of Milwaukee, who was found shot to death in his car just off the highway near Maunston, Wis., Sunday. Police are searching for a “hitch-hiker" who, | they believe, slew and robbed Koehring after begging a ride. J.L.RENNEIL GIVES ADDRESS Art School President Gives Talk At Meeting In This City J. L. Renneil, president of the Fort Wayne Art School, delivered an address before members of the Woman’s Club and their guests, | on the subject of “How to Under-1 stanq a Picture," Monday evening, j The Art Department of the club sponsored the program. Mr. Renneil criticized the public in its understanding of pictures and said that the average person reads a little more from paintings than is really there, thus attempting to compliment the painter on i his accomplishments. The speaker told how a painter collects material for a picture.! finds subject matter, and then how he must eliminate the undesirable things or his painting will lack discrimination and will appear confused. The interest in a picture comes from the way various parts attract, he stated. Mr. Renneil said that a person’s individual taste determines his liking or disliking of various paintings, and the only way to improve one's taste in art is to spend a great amount of time observing the works of art really considered worth while. (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) o Official Board Meets -f /The Official Board of the First Evangelical Church will meet Tuesday night at seven o’clock. o — Taxpayers To Meet There will be an important meeting of taxpayers at the Monmouth school house Thursday night, Nov-1 ember 5, at 8 o’clock. One of the chief topics to be discussed at the meeting will be the signing of petitions calling for a special session of the Indiana General Assembly for the purpose of passing tax relief measures. All property owners are asked to attend the meeting. ■ o Whitesell Is On Air Prof. F. D. Whitesell, former pastor of the First Baptist church of this city will be on the air over radio station WMAQ every morning this week at 7:30 o’clock. o Commissioners Adjourn The county commissioners adjourned this afternoon, completing what routine matters were before the board. The bonds for the Myers and Sheets macadam roads were signed by the commissioners.; The road docket for the year was! cleared and no action on any road! project was taken at the meeting ! There was very little business to] transact at the meeting. I

YOUR HOME PAPERLIKE ONE OF THE FAMILY

VACANCIES TO BE FILLED IN 5 DISTRICTS Democrats Confident Os Control; Leading Now By One Member 3 GOVERNORS BEING NAMED Washington, Nov. 3 -4U.R) —Voters went to the polls in scattered localities today to register decisions that may determine which party is to control the house of representatives next month. Jouett Shouse, chairman of the Democratic national executive committee, predicted the Democrats would arrive for the meeting of congress December 7 in numerical control. Ine line-up now stands Democrats 214: Republicans 213; Farm-er-Labor, 1; vacancies, 7. Five vacancies were to be filled in today’s elections. One in New Jersey will be filled Dec. 1. a week before congress meets. The remaining one in New Hampshire will l>e filled in January. In several contests the Hoover administration is an issue. Two major figures in the Democratic party. Gov. Franklin I). Roosevelt and his one-time sponsor, former Gov. Alfred E. Smith, have collided over a constitutional amendment in New York state. It concerns a $20,000,000 11-year reforestration program, backed by Roosevelt and both political parties. Smith has been speaking strongly against it. Though Smith denies a break with Roosevelt. they have joined in a test of strength which may have fmI 'portant bearing on Roosevelt's presidential chances. Mostly however, the elections , are of minor importance and sigi nificant only as they register a mood among the voters, foreshadowing in part what political form the reaction to the Hoover administration and the depression may take next year. There has been a general inclination among national politicians Ito let politics remain adjourned until the country turns seriously I /CONTINUED ON PAGF THREE) —o Joint Board Meeting The Adams County Board of Children’s Guardians and the Ad- | ams County Board of Charities held j a combined meeting at the Decai tur high school building. Monday evening. Mrs. D. D. Heller .president was in charge and general discussions were held, giving plans for the coming year. •Several new members were welcomed to both boards. Visit Wemhoff Home A numbpr of the members of the Knights of Columbus marched in a body to the George Wemhoff home on North Eightli street last evening to view the body of Arthur Wemhoff, well known Decatur young man whose death occurred Saturday. Mr. Wemhoff’s funeral will be held Wednesday morning from the St. Mary's Catholic church. WATSON PULLED INTO ARGUMENT Love-Feast Disrupted By Dispute Over Office Os Postmaster 'Crawfordsville. Ind., Nov. 3 — (UP) —Vigo county republicans zealous suppoit of one of their members for postmaster of Terre Haute dlsrputed the first G. O. P. love feast in the new sixth district here last night. Senator James E. Wat son, who was to be the principal speaker, was the unwitting victim of the unscheduled debate. As Watson was preparing to celebrate the 37th anniversary of his I election to congress and his 67th | birthday anniversary. Terre Haute | republicans accosted him. They de- : manded that Hugh Cuthbertson, i Vigo county chairman, be mimed I (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)