Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 30, Number 1, Decatur, Adams County, 1 January 1932 — Page 1

I WEATHER Mnai'i, probab v turnSang t 0 sno * Friday gMlcht or Saturday. WNut much change in ® temperature.

POSTAL INSPECTORS START BOMB PROBE

BUSTLES AND i JELLS GREET ■EW YEAR HERE ■2 Welcomed by Many ■rivate And Religious Watch Parties ■liday is OBSERVED HERE citizenry whoopthe okt year and ■Jtert 1932 early fins niornfcjßwith a sigh of relief andl rav of hope. Numerous i IMIcIi ptirties were held in j ■ citv; several churches| services last night and JHpiv young people attended a ■Hk at the Decatur Country i hibShile others attended dances ■ nd Social functions at Fort' fayft. Peru and Huntington. At AbAtlit last night 1931 was helpMpit of existence by the ringing t church Hells and the Mowing of ictory whistles. Toda' -was one of the warmest 'ewjYear’s days on record in InRain has fallen almost mKuouslv since early There was some hope; weather and snow before I flßnd of the week, but weather said the drop in ternwould be very slight and to the most northern part ’ t Se state. RSBnoss was at a standstill toBB The Daily Democrat was ■Bht dat noon. A few local MB remained open until 10 MMk this morning and at that ■Kludge D. B. Erwin adjourned j MBs circuit coprt for the rest' sSEees at the court house which■ ■K open today included the I |r®s office; treasurer's office office. There was I any place in the : HB Cigar stores were planning i Hjfcsing during the afternoon. JMpi local theatres announced mg pa nr srr> ■rance Guard Arrives TcYlo, Jan. I—(UP)—The1 —(UP)—The ad#cbjguard of Japanese troops ttving on Chinchow, Manchuria, the Taling river today to frouiter the last remnants of ■ fipese defenders. » Although expecting a heavy fight i in. Jiro Tamon. commander of e Japanese brigade, apparently and little opposition in his drive I ward the Lone Manchurian city I fl held by the Chinese, Guilty of Bigamy dpntersville, Ind., Jan. I—(UP) I Vwj Little, freed of bank rob- ■ fry llharges when victims of a iamHown, Ohio .holdup failed to jjyy him. pleaded guilty to a liraty charge here and was sen1a two to five years term idiana state reformatory, it was learned, 'was maray IS3O, without obtaining from Mis. Betty Shouse tom he married in Ken--1928. 4 IRE LAW ISHELD VOID utors Elected In Take Office To- ' Under Ruling polls, Jan. 1. —(U.R) — >rs recently elected in 13 ilrcuits took office today tit of a supreme court tlch held the prosecutors | 3d by the 1929 legislature ational. ling was the last 1931 >f the high court. v was passed with the inntlon [of making election of ■ ’oaecutora uniform throughout e state It provided that the 13 ■unties where prosecutors w-ere 1 be elected November, 1930, lould eliminate the elections and ■» incumbents retain office for ujz re , aT law prosecutors take lc4 a year and a mont h after arose over the 1929 the count,es involved MpiNUED ON PAGE SIX)

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Vol. XXX. No. One.

Kilis Estranged Wife, Then Commits Suicide Peoria, 111., Jan. I—(U.R) —Ernest Deck, 65, a tailor, came here to effect a New Year's eve reconciliation with his wife, Elizabeth, 66. When he failed he shot and killed her and then committed suicide. Deck came here from Chicago hopeful of settling the differences ■with his wife from whom he had (been separated for 12 years. When they could not agree, he drew a revolver, shot the woman, fired wildly at his daughter, Mrs. Mary Hammond, and then shot himself. o FARMERS SIGN TO GROW BEETS ■ — Interest Grows In Opening Local Sugar Factory For 1932 Run Farmers are responding in a splendid way to the appeal to contract for beets the coming year nnd thus help in reopening the factory here. The solicitors report good cooperation and believe they will He able to secure the required acreage within the next , few days. Every business man and J every citizen is urged to boost. [ The plant at Blissfield; Michigan was operated this year on a plan I similar to the one proposed for i here and those who have visited I there report every one well satisi fied. . Otto Wagner, chairman of I the committee of farmers there here replied to a letter fiom Adolph Schamerloh of I’nion township, answering several inquiries, as I follows; Riga, Mich., Dec. 26 Adolph Schamerloh, Decatur. Ind. I Dear Mr Schamerloh- . I received your letter and will ; say the Great Lakes Sugar Co. has [ been meeting its obligations aci cording to contract. The man the beet growers hired [ has been sending out reports to the growers every two weeks showing beets delivered and sliced. sugar and pulp produced and prices received, etc,, which seems ; to satisfy the growers. Delivery of beets hps been controlled by the fieldmen Issuing tickets to cover sufficient loads daily to keep the scales from beI ing crowded. We were also rei quired to pit about one-third of (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) o H. L. Confer Takes Office H. L. Center assumed his place as t.easurer of Lake county this morning with his son France Center as chief deputy. Mr. Conter retained four of the old clerks and ' deputies so that the office will operate smoothly. France and family have tented a residence at Crown Point and reside there while Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Conter will continue to reside at Gary. The first act of the new treasurer was to discharge the tax ferrets who have been working in Lake county the past year. o Shepherds Celebrate New Years Day Early Wellington, N. C„ Jan. 1 — (Friday)—(United Press) — Some two hundred shepherds and fish--1 ermen on the Chatham Islands, •414 miles southeast of here celebrated the arrival of 1932 today while milkmen In the United States were making the rounds on the last day of 1931. This small British colony in the southern Pacific was the first place in the world to welcome the new year for when the bell in the little church on Hanson Island pealed out midnight the great boom of Big Ben in London struck twelve, noon, and 7 a. m. risers in New York were just throwing back the covers. The Chatham Islands are the nearest point to the starting line of time. This starting line is the admiralty’s date-line. It is made to curve east and west of the 180th Meridian in such away that it lies always in the ocean. The Chatham Islands lie just to the east of this line. From the islands the New Year is now racing westward along the equator at a speed of 1.000 miles an hour. By the time New YorkI ere are gathering to welcome it most of the islanders will have cured their headaches and will be | preparing for New Year's day dinner.

mate, National And International New,

Bomb Explosion Kills Two WM»nrtilMhrm axe. KUKRI _ * i tIE* ' rfwOT « i i I' IL* i 11 W w I' , Two of seven bombs, mailed at the Easton. Pa., postoffice, exploded when opened, killing two postal' leiks and critically wounding a dynamite expert. Mailing of the Inmhs was believed to be part of a nation wide plot to kill Fascist leaders in America. One of the parcels was addressed to Generoso Pope [ publisher of the New York Fascist newspaper II Progreso. Pope is known as the "sand king” of New' York and is a personal friend of Mayor Walker. Ano'her package was addressed to Emanuele Grazzi also I a prominent New Yorker. Photo shows the wrecked section of the postoffice. Inset on the left is Emanuele Grazzi and on the right is Generoso Pope.

FIRE LOSS IN 19321 s LOW Damage Done By Blazes In City Estimated To Be About $3,000 Tlie 1931 fire loss in Decatur is estimated at J 3.090 by Jack FYiedt, ' chief of the local fire department in his annual report to be made to the city council next Tuesday. This loss is less than half of the estimated loss for 1930. A year ago the loss by fire was I placefl at $6,798. ( Chief Friedt in his report shows that 36 fires were reported during tlie year. Sparks from chimneys were listed as the chief causes ol z the fire, explosion from oil stoves coming third. There were 26 fires caused by sparks from chimneys. The 1931 loss is divided $2,000 on buildings and SI,OOO on contents. Value of buildings on fire was placed at $71,315 and that of [contents at $35,800. Insurance carried on the buildings was placed at $62,9rt0 and $19,700 on contents. The fire loss is one of the lowest in recent years and probably one of the lowest in the state in cities of 5,000 population or more. Chief Friedt is well pleased with the showing and urged the public to exert the same careful efforts in eliminating fire hazards as that displayed last year. CONSTRUCTION WORKCONTINUES Decatur. Has Much Completed Work During Year of 1931 Public construction work kept ifp duiing 1931 and what improvements were made in Decatur were almost all of a public nature. Heading the list of new construction is the new post office building representaing an expenditure of more than $55,000 by the government. Work on the building was begun last March. The building was dedicated December f. The Yity of Decatur is carrying through two worth-while improvements. At a cost of more than $27,000 the first circuit of the new electrical distribution system is being rebuilt. This Improvement will be completed within the next 60 days and all the big electric light wire poles on Second street, south from Marshall to Adams street will be removed. The finishing touches are being put on the remodeling of the city hall building on Monroe street and the offices of the city clerk and city treasurer will be moved down stairs in the new quarters shortly after the first of the year. Tlie improvement, together with furni(CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX)

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

t Decatur, Indiana, Friday, January 1, 1932.

Three Violent Deaths South Bend, Jan. I.—(U.R)—The passing of the old year was marked by three violent deaths here. Bernard Keltner, 31, former state deputy attorney general, was killed in an auto accident on U. S. highway No. 31. His wife and Orville Kelly, 19, Delphi. Ind., were injured. Helen Gruber Soloman, 6, died | of shock from burns received when i she fell into a tub of scalding wal-' Jer being used by her mother for | : the family washing. ! j Mrs. Lucille Every, 26, committed suicide at Walkerton, Ind., a suburb by drinking carbolic acid. Explosion Is Mystery i Vincennes, Jan. I—(U.R) —A mys- j . terious explosion, of moderate in-! . tensity, shook scores of homes ■ here today. Police said the blast was felt over the entire city, but! , no damage was reported. Police were unable to trace the source of the explosion. Their I theory was that an oil well Or [ . mine near the city liad exploded. I

1931 Review Os Events In Adams County

(Listed from the files c Jan. I—Judgel—Judge Dore B. Erwin assumes office. George Shoemaker elected president of board , of county commissioners. Frank O. Martin becomes new member. Sheriff Burl Johnson begins term as sheriff. John Felly, Geneva, is new county assessor and F. V. Mills is court bailiff. Twelve township trustees start terms. Jan. 2 —George Gase, 14, killed by hit anil run driver on State Road 27, north of Decatur. Jan. 3 —Dick Heller opens headquarters in Indiar apolis as candidate for chief clerk of house. Miller Show Case company of Fort Wayne, to locate here. Jan. 5. —Schools in Decatur and Adams county open following the Christmas vacation. Case of Paul Maxwell vs. Solway Sales Corporation and H. E. Hattersley, a $50,000 damage suit, under way. Jan. 6.—Petitions for 28 road improvements presented to county commissioners. Jan. 7. —Anderson and Company, i Chicago, submit low bid of $51,900 for new Decatur post office. Jan. 14.—Democrat precinct com- j mitteemen from Adams and Wells counties meet to select candidate for state representative, to fill vacancy caused by death of George L. Sanders, Bluffton. Virgil L. Simmons, Bluffton attorney, nominated. Dillon Myers, Bluffton merchant nominated Republican' candidate for state representative. Jan. 16. —Forty-two men, students of the Reppert School of i Auctioneering, receive diplomas, i Earl H, Friar, 22, Fort Wayne,: arrested after attempting to holdup A. M. Anker. Contract awarded to Anderson and company, for building of post office. Jan. 19. — L. A. Graham, re-

1931 BOON FOR GOOD WEATHER Year Had 225 Days of Clear or Only Partly I Cloudy Weather i Indianapolis, Jan. I.—(U.R) The [past year, regardless of how it may be ajuageu economically or otherwise, was a boon period for picnics and outings. More than 225 days of 1931 were (clear and only partly cloudy, and [on 31 days the mercury soared to | above 90 degrees. The sun was I shining on approximately 120 days, 1 I considerably more than the yearly | , normal. Rainfall was not in excess 1 and was confined to concentrated periods. I Winter sport enthusiasts suffered sharp disappointments as autunilT weather extended into I (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE)

of the Daily Democrat) appointed postmaster for four year term. Jan. 22. —Special legislative election held in Adams county, Virgil Simmons elected. Jan. 27.—Plan to open Peoples State Bank at Berne, March 1. Local Legion Post to sponsor street fair in September. Jan. 28. — The Adams County 1931 tax bill smaller than 1930 bill by $7,984. Feb. 2 Earl H. Friar, bandit sentenced to serve one to five years at Pendleton. Feb. s.—Paul V. Edtvards residence damaged by fire. Loss estimated at $1,300. Feb. 10—Don Dougherty, Union City, faces charges after accident at Monroe, three persons injured. Feb. 13. — Peoples Loan and Trust Company makes third distribution. Feb. 17 —Adams Post of American Legion endorses Paul H. Graham for state commander. Feb. 26 —Adams county grand jury returns nine indictments. Feb. 27 —Commodores lose first I game in State basketball tourney. Feb. 28 — Peoples Loan and Trust company assets purchased and merged with Old Adams County bank. Decatur Yellow Jackets win second consecutive championship in Northeastern Indiana conference. March 2—Adams County Council appropriates $30,000 for Scheimann bridge. Dr. Elizabeth Burns of Fort Wayne, charged with abortion in ' connection with death of Wilma 1 Case, 17, who died Dec. 26. Mar. 3—Excavating started for new post office building. Mar. 6 —Eight employees of the Miller Show Case Co., file suits against company for collection of (CONTINUED u;,’ PAGE THREE)

Furnlahed By United Presn

NEW OFFICERS GREET FRIENDS AT COURT HOUSE I Werling, Wechter, Striker Assume New Duties; All Are Well-Known TERMS BEGIN THIS MORNING Milton Werling, clerk o£ Adams circuit court; Dennis Striker, commissioner of third district and John Wechter, treasurer of Adams county, assumed their respective offices today. Werling, elected a year ago succeeds Miss Bernice Nelson, who was appointed county clerk when hetfather, John E. Nelson, died while in that office three years ago. Miss Nelson was 21 years of age at the time of her appointment and was the youngest clerk ever sworn ' into office in Indiana. She and her J sister, Mrs. Marcella Uhrick, dep- | uty, have established a fine record: in the office and each year are| ranked by state accountants with' a high grade of efficiency. Miss Nelson will continue for the present as deputy clerk under Mr. Werling. Werling was sworn into office Thursday night by County Attorney H. 1;. Heller, act- ; ing as a notary public. Mr. Wechter today succeeded Ed A. Ashbaucher. who served as i county treasurer the last four > years. Mr. Ashbaucher who suffered a breakdown several weeks ago 'was able to be out today for a short time, the first time in six weeks. He turned the keys and books of the office over to Mr. Wechter. Mi. Wechter stated that tor the present he would reside on his farm in Blue Creek township and would drive to Decatur each day. Miss Alice Lenhart, who served as deputy treasurer under Mr. Ashbaucher will continue to serve un- | der the new regime. Mr. Striker, who resides three i miles south of Monroe, today beIgan his duties as county commissioner, succeeding George Shoemaker, for nine years a member of the board. Mr. Shoemaker was! president of the 1931 board. The three new officials are all well-known in Democratic politics, having served the party in several general election campaigns. —— o I Auxiliary Is Growing Indianapolis, Jan. I—(UP) —The Indiana American Legion auxiliary 1 starts 1932 with a membership of I approximately 10,000, the largest ' ever recorded on the first day of a year, it was announced by Mrs. Ruth Innis, department secretary. AUTO TRAGEDY CLAIMS NINE All But One of Family Drowned When Car Sinks In River Chicago, Jan. I—(OP) —The new year brought tragedy today to two families virtually wiped out when nine of a party of ten were trapped and drowned in their automobile which plunged into- the Calumet river. The only occupant of the car who survived was Jacob Schiller. 29, Coopersville, Mich. Those drowned were his wife. Senea. 29; his three children, Alverna 5, Louise, 3, and Shirley, 7 months; John Postman, 38, New Era, Michigan., his wife, Reca, 38; and their children Mildred, 11, Howard, 8 and Clarence, 3. Schiller has |>een employed as a shipkeeper on a freighter tied up in the Calumet River. His family and the Postman family came to Chicago to spend the holidays with him. Postman was Schiller's broth-er-in-law. The family were returning to Schiller’s ship where they had been staying. In tlie heavy rain, Postman, who was driving the car, lost his way. When he sought to turn, the wheels slipped on the muddy narrow road plunging the machine into the river. Schiller managed to open a door and sought futilely to rescue his (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX)

Price Two Cents

New Record Is Set Greencastle, Ind., Jan. I—A1 —A new record for the num'ber of Rector Scholars enrolled at DePauw University has been established, according to i eport made by Dr. Henry B. Longden, diiector of the Edward Rector Scholarship Founds-1 tion. A total of 609 students are j attending DePauw University with this scholarship paying tuition and fees. | Two f om Adams County are scholarship students. They are Lawi rence Masser of Geneva and How- . ard Reynolds of Decatur. COMMISSIONERS PLAN MEETING Dennis Striker Takes Place On Board Today ; To Organize The counly commissioners will meet in special session Saturday for the purpose of organizing and electing a president of the board. Dennis Striker, will take office as commissioner from the third district, succeeding George Shoej maker. The other two members I of the board are Frank O. Martin I and Alfred Reppert. Following the organization meet- | ing the commissioners and County Attorney Henry B. Heller will go to the County Infirmary to take the annual inventory of personal property at that institution. August Gallmeyer and Frank Heiman have been named appraisers. The regular meeting of the commissioners will be held next Monday. It is likely that the 1932 road building program will get under way at the January session with the presenting us petitions i for road improvements. The commissioners will also appoint a member to the board of trustees of the Adams County Memorial hospital next Monday. Mrs. T. J. McKean's term expires this year. BUMPER CROPS IN LAST YEAR End of Year Finds Agriculture in Better Shape Than Year Ago By T. R. Johnston, Purdue University. Written for the UP. Lafayette, Ind., Dec. 31. — (U.R) — I Bumper crops and prices so low [ that they might be called well-nigh disastrous. This describes the year of 1931 for the farmers of Indiana about as well as anything. Nevertheless, the end of the year finds agriculture in the state in a better position than it was five or six months ago. True, this feeling of optimism is not abundant or overwhelming, but lit is there just the same, due to the rise in the price of wheat, anjl the better market for poultry and dairy products which have offset the price of hogs and cattle, which have reached new low levels. Also, the family on the land, entrenched by crops from orchard, garden and field, with plenty stored in the cellar in fruit jars, in the “smoke house" and in the outside storage pits, generally with plenty of fuel and other necessities, finds itself considerably better off than the family in the city, especially if the wage earner has been thrown out of work or suffered a wage reduction. And, most farmers have taken into account this situation, in developing the feeling that the farm isn't such a bad place to live after all, even though it isn't a good place to earn money. Farmers, however, find little solace in the disparity between prices of things they have to sell and the things they have to buy, although this disadvantage tpay he decreasing. (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) Masses Celebrated Three masses were celebrated Rt the St. Mary's Catholic church this morning in observance of the feast of the Circumcision, a holy day of obligation. The masses were said at five, seven and nine o’clock. The Rev. Father J. A. Seimetz. pastor delivered a New Year’s message and inspiring sermon at the seven o’clock mass.

YOUR HOME PAPERLIKE ONE OF THE FAMILY

FOURTEEN SENT THROUGH MAILS; OTHERS SOUGHT Anti-Fascist Plot Is Hinted; Others Blame Communist Party NATION-WIDE PROBE STARTS Washington, Jan. I.—<U.P.)— Postal inspectors have started their nationwide investigation to determine the source of 14 deadly bombs revealed in widely separated cities. The bombs already have proved fatal to three men at Easton, Pa. Postal inspectors now at Easton believe the bombs found during the past 48 hours to be the result of a national terrorist plot. Several othets believe them to be the result of an antifascist plot. Bomb experts with the New York police department attributed the plot to communists. Here in brief are the developments in several cities in which bombs have been reported, all believed to be a part of the plot which killed three when it was discovered in Easton: New York: Police learned five bombs had been sent by express Dec. 29 from this city to Italian officials in Chicago. Detroit, Cleveland and Youngstown. O. Chicago: Three bombs reported. One addressed to Oscar Durante, vice-president Chicago school board and editor of a pro-fascist paper. It was exploded by police. One addressed to the Associated Press turned over to police. One addressed to Italian consul, intercepted Easton, Pa.. Charles V. Weaver, expert examining bombs which hart killed two postal employes, died of injuries received when one exploded as he opened it. Cleveland: Bomb froqi New York delivered to Count Cesar Buzzigradenigo, Italian consul. Police exploded the bomb. Detroit: Police exploded one bomb addressed to Count Ugo Berni Canani, Italian consul. Youngstown: Police exploded another bomb sent to Dr. Attilio Rasapepe, Italian consular agent. Washington: Special police guard posted around Italian embassy ar. request of the state department. Most of the deadly packages were addressed to Italians with known sympathies with the regime CON’t'INUED ON PAGE SIX. — Theatres Are Bombed Kansas City, Mo., Jan. I—(UP) Theater bombing disorders here renewed here today after a lull of sev al weeks. An explosion, termed by police the result of a deliberately placed bomb, wrecked the lobby of the Baltis theater, cracked the walls and caused damages estimated at $5,000. j — -Se.- -0 — PROTESTS ANY SYSTEM CHANGE I. H. S. A. A. Head Is For Present Athletics Association Government Lebanon. Ind., Jan 1 —(U.R) —A. protest against the proposal that high school basketball coaches refrain from counseling teams during games was registered here by Floyd McMurray as lie retired as president of the Indiana High School Athletic Association control board. McMurray branded the plan ns ‘’educationally unsound and with no pedagogical background," Coaches are leaders and teachers, he said, and, if not fit to direct team play, should be removed by school The proposal for coaches to withdraw from the bench after games begin was made by William C. Wirt, Gary school superintendent. on the contention that if thov took no active part in contests, it would encourage initiative and resourcefulness among players. McMurray took the view that, “greater initiative is required In (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX)