Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 31, Number 109, Decatur, Adams County, 8 May 1933 — Page 1

A' K.JK|iy fa>r toin ‘ cloudiness; M\ J-h j-tunge in

HO KIDNAPERS PLEAD NOT GUILTY

0 EVELT TO BRING PRICES | FAIR LEVEL ■nt G i v e s Public Review Os Policies Munday Night LL PREVENT |pEh’! ATIVE BOOM sash ngton. May 8. —(U.R)— t Roosevelt today Hcornmilted to invoke the K>t the inflation bill if K- to restore prices to ■Rbupled this promise I assurance that he would nl a speculative K«iat "will lead us into Itßblii noi-w of bis policies H Vi Roosevelt also promthe government would ijwustry in cooperative sup"to give the in-E-rorkers of the country a jto wage return, prevent cutfcwnpetition and unduly long L so labor, and at the same each industry to production.” the question as to would use the great jre being granted by congress credit and currency and dollar, the President LA is policy as follows: fteldministration has the defi■■ctive of raising commodity ■ such an extent that those borrowed money will, on b ■ able to repay that the same kind of dollar Ewy borrowed. le jo not seem to let them get laßheap dollar that they will pay back a great deal they hot rowed. In other seek to correct a wrong M to create another worng Mpposite direction. is whv powers are being ■ the administration to pro■necessary, for an enlargeM credit, in order to correct exis - r wrong. These powers Mist-il when, as and if it may to accomplish the ■ooseveit objected to the M)vernment control” as a deK of the plan he is develop- ■ cooperattve supervision of M. He said it was "rather Brship in planning and part■to see that plans are car■rnmnnt.” he said, "ought ■ the right and will have the ■ter surveying and planning ■ industry to prevent, with ■stance of the overwhelming ■f of that industry, unfair ■ and to enforce this agree■y the authority of the gov- ■ so-called anti-trust laws ■tended to prevent the cre- ■ monopolies. That purpose ■nti-trust laws must be con- ■ but these laws were never Bd to encourage the kind of ■conipeti'ion that results in ■urs, starvation wages and Roduction." ■President expects to devote Bf his t nie this week to forBn of a measure to carry out ■-a. ■ President in his statement Biation, which was broadcast. Ber“ was reason to believe Kings are a little better than ■ (l re two months ago." When p office, he said the country Rylng by inches.” ■’try has picked up,” he said. B<is are carrying more |. farm prices me better, but |>ot going to indulge in issufTINUWD ON PAGE TWOI r he Glee Clubs To Sing At Muncie Ind., May 8 — (UP) — school organizations from f cities, and towns will take In a music festival in Ball Teachers’ college here May ries include the Tipton Boys’ Club, Morton high school and orchestra of Richmond. °n high school glee club, 'elier high school glee qlub, )r d City high* school chorus and, Berne high school girls' °ys glee clubs and the Dunchool’s 'brass quarter and Bth chorus. lcie school pupils will opep "tival tonight, with other lo'hpils providing a program

DECATUR DAIIY DEMOCRAT

Vol. XXXI. No. 109.

——l Safe Again £ I > fw n v Y| yw 1 m » ” V/ I JHk fife I * jst ■■ ’”<B hbIISIH ' Y'" ■■■■■■■■■■■■l Mr. and Mrs. Neil McMath. reunited with their daughter, Margaret. who was released by the kidnapers after a payment of ransom, said to be about SBO,OOO.

Sister Os Decatur Woman Dies Saturday Mrs. Ruth Alice Sorgen, 73 sister of Mrs. Effie Allison of Decatur, died Saturday at the home of a son I Elmer Sorgen, four miles northeast! of Monroeville. Surviving are three sons, Clar- j erne of Fort Wayne; Carl of Monroeville and Elmer of near Monroe- [ three daughtg£s,. Mrs, HfJiQ]_ Allison ’of this city; Mrs. Ruth Myers for Fort Wayne and Mrs. Olga Hart of Dixon, Ohio. Funeial services will be held Tuesday afternoon at 1:31) o'clock ((’ST) at the home of Elmer Sorgen and at 2 o’clock at the Monroeville United Brethren Church. Rev. G. R. Champlal:. wil loffi.iate, assisted by Rev. D. K. Finch. Burial will lie made in the Monroeville I. O. O. F. Cemetery. MONROE WOMAN DIES SUNDAY Mrs. Catherine Gage Dies At Home of Son Early Sunday Mrs. Catherine Victoria Stults Gage, 80, mother of Anna E. Elsworth of this city, died at the home of her son. John R. Gage at Monroe, Sunday morning at 2:15 o'clock following a stroke of paralysis. Mrs. Gage was - born March 3, 1853 in Washington township, Adams county, a daughter of Jacob and Lucinda Stults. On January 12. 1881, she was united in marriage to James G. Gage, who preceded her in death June 6. 1919. Five children were born, two of whom died in infancy. Surviving are Dr. James Lesly Gage of Indianapolis; Anna E. Elsworth of Decatur, and Jahn R. Gage of Monroe Two step sons, L. H Gage of Berne; Albert Gage of Decatur, sev en grandchildren, four brothers John Stults. Wesley Stulis, James Stults and Lee Stults, all of Deca-; tur, also survive. Mrs. Gage was converted to God whe tishe was 16 years 4f age and united with the Methodist church. She lived a consistent Christian life. Funeral services will be held at the First Evangelical church in this city Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock with the Rev. M. W. Sundermann officiating, assisted by Rev. E. M. ; Dunbar. A short service will be held at the home near Monroe at; 1:30 o’clock. Mahatma Gandhi Is Released Today Poona, India. May B.—(U.R) - The Mahatma Gandhi was released from prison by British authorities today at the start of his three weeks’ fast. The slight, almost emaciated leader of Indian nationalism, who, his friends fear, may not survive the fast, was set free after more than a yesr in Yeravda jail for reI fusing to abandon his civil disobed-l lence campaign. |

State. National And lateraailounl New«

CONVENTION AT PORTLAND MAY 9 Pythian Sisters Will Hold Annual Convention At Portland The twenty-thiru annual convention of the Pythian Sisters will be held in Portland, Tuesday, May 9. The convention will be in two sessions, morning and afternoon. The morning program will open at 9 o’clock, closing at 12 noon for lunch and the afternoon session will begin at 1:30 o’clock. Nina Mills of Marion is district deputy grand chief, and Mrs. S. E. - Shamp of this city is the assistant district mistress of records and correspondence. A large number of members of the local Pythian Sister orga.: ization p an to attend the convention. Following is the complete program for the day: Morning Session, 9 A. M. Registration. Call to order by the district deputy grhnd chief, Nina Mills of Marion. Opening song, “America.” Prayer—Beatrice Silvers. Introduction — Grand and past grand officers. Welcome address - District mistress of records and correspon-1 dence. Nellie Crebb of Portland. Response—Laura J. Wise of Mar(CONTINI'EI> ON PAGE THREE) | FIVE PERSONS KILLEDSUNDAY Auto Accidents Cause Five Deaths In State Over Week-End Indianapolis, May 8 (U.R) —, Automobiles killed nt least five i persons in Indiana over the week end and injured many others. A bright sun and early summer temperatures attracted thousands of motorists to the highways. The dead: ! ' Private Raymond Thomczak. 24. Fort Benjamin Harrison. Hayden Perry, 30, Indianapolis. ! Mrs. Leila Hodson, 38, Indianapolis. .Mrs. Verna Walters. 58. Muncie. Frank Vitale. e 39. South Bend. Private Thomczak was one of four soldiers riding In an automo- ] bile which overturned on state Road 67. Two of the others were injured. Perry was killed when his auto- j mobile collided head on with another machine in Indianapolis. Mrs. Hodson was run down by I an automobile while on her way to work. Five children were left ornhans by her death. • s Mrs. Walters was killed when , , the automobile in which she was I I ♦♦♦♦ ♦♦ • ♦ ♦••• •' •• • 1 | (CONTINUED ON FAGM THREEJ,

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

ADAMS COUNTY | BANK IS SUED Milton Werlinu. As Coun- , ty Clerk. Files Suit Against Closed Bank Milton C. Werling. as clerk of the Adams circuit court, has filed suit against the Old Adams Coun- 1 ty Bank and Leo .Yager, liquidat-1 ing agent for the bank, seeking to j have funds on deposit in the bank J at the time the institution closed I on May 17. 1932, declared a trust ■ fund and this made a preferred; claim. Evidence in the case was heard this morning by Judge Huber M. De Voss, who then took the case under advisement His decision will he announced in a few days. The complaint alleges that at the time the bank closed in 1932, the plaintiff, as Adams county clerk, had on deposit funds total- ' ing $6,169.59. The above sum included various trust funds, according to the com- j plaint, such as witness fees, judgments, distributive shares of heirs in estates, county miscellaneous fees, fees paid into clerk’s office for various county officers, and various other, funds, all of! which are listed in the complaint. The plaintiff asks that the de- ! fendant be adjudged and declared trustee for amount of said funds remaining in their hands and assets in hands of defendants be impressed with a trust in favor of plaintiff of said sum of $6,169.59 and that he be granted such’other and further relief as may be proper in premises. Plan Festival At Taylor University A May Festival has been arranged at Taylor University, Upland,: ’ rrtday May W, the entertainment of church a:id school groups of young people. The festival will be an all-day meeting and invitations have been issued to pastors, coaches, princi- i pals and super!i tendents to accom/ pany groups of young men and women from the churches and schools to this affair. The program will include field sports and other activities. o PROMINENT MAN DEATH'S VICTIM Michael J. Wertzberber Died Early Sunday Morning at Marion Michael J. Wertzberger. age 85. Civil war veteran and a beloved resident of this city, died at 12:05 Sunday morning at the home of his daughter. Mrs. H. S. Walters, Marion. Indiana. following a stroke of paralysis last Tuesday. The body will be brought here Tuesday morning and may be viewed at the Wertzberger home,, 227 South Third c'reet after 10 o’clock and up until the hour of the funeral at 3:30 o’clock Tuesday afternoon. The Rev. George O. Walton, pastor of the Decatur Presbyterian church, assisted by the Rev. Sloan Whitsett of Marjon will be in charge. Military services will lie conducted by Adams Post of the American Legion. Mr. Wertzberger made bis home | with his daughter in Marion the past two years. A few weeks ago! 'he suffered a slight paralytic I stroke and augmented with infirmities of age had been confined to the home. His condition became ; i critical last Tuesday. Mr. Wertzberger was a native of Baden, Germany. He was born October 18. 1847, the son of , I Michael and Eva Wertzberger and , i came to this country with his par- , ents when be was two years of age. The family settled on a farm in Root township, north of Decai tur and until he enlisted in the . (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) O I ! Old Tax Receipts May Be Presented Indianapolis, May. B—(UP8 —(UP) — Receipts for poll taxes ptid the pre- , ceding year may be used until Nov. 1 in obtaining state auto and drivers licenses attorney general Philip | Lutz, Jr., has held in an opinton to ' Frank Finney, auto license director. . | Previously, receipts of the before were good uuty 1,

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, May 8, 1933.

Prepare Permits For Selling 3.2 Wine Indianapolis. May B.— (U.R) Applications and permits to sell 3.2 per cent wine in Indiana were, beI ing drafted today by the attorney general and counsel for the state excise department. The work will be completed soon so that wine may be sold along with the new beer. Wine dealers must pay SIOO for their permits. Paul Fry, state excise director, > said that no .effort .was made to set t up machinery for the sale of wine : until the beer permits were issued. LOCAL PASTOR REAPPOINTED Rev. M. W. Sundermann Is Reappointed To Decatur Church Rev. M. W. sundermann. who has served as pastor of the First ( Evangelical Church in this city for the last five years, w - as re-appoint-ed to the local pastorate at the ' closing session of the eighty-first i annual session of the Indiana j conference of the Evangelical ! Church at Kendallville, Sunday. The conference opened Tuesday ! morning and continued throughout Sunday. The assignment of ministers was read by Bishop L. H. j Seagar of LeMars, lowa, w’ho presided over the sessions of the conj ference at the afternoon program Sunday. Rev. M. O. Herman was re- ' assigned to the Berne Evangelical ’ Church and Rev. F. D. S'emen was ■ appointed to the Linn Grove : Church. Many members of the Evangelical churches in Decatur and Adams county attended the Sunday ! session of the conference which was held in the Kendallville high school gymnasium to accomodate the crowds. C. E Hocker of this citv was a lay delegate from the local church. The districts were changed to ! the Indianapolis and Elkhart districts. The Adams county churches i are a part of the Indianapolis district. Rev. R. W. Loose, a former pastor of the Decatur church was reassigned to Wabash church: Rev. J. H. Rilling to Culver and Rev. D. O. Wist* to Elkhart Oakland avenue church. Rev. C. L. Haney, who has been pastor at irOV-K—Ki. ox0 —. Virginia Cook To Graduate May 18 Miss Virginia Cook, a graduate of the Decatur high school, and a niece of Mr. and Mrs. C. O. Porter of this city, will graduate from the White Cross Hospital School of Nursing at Columbus, Ohio, at the commencement exercises Thursday evening May 18. The graduation exercies will take place in the King Avenue Methodist Episcopal church at Columbus. There are thirty seven members in tlie graduating class. 33 CHILDREN ARE ENROLLED Class of Boys And Girls Made Holy Communion Here Sunday A class of 33 boys and girls made their solemn Holy Cuunnun|ion at St. Mary's Catholic church Sunday morning, receiving the sacrament at the seven o'clock mass. The communicants, accompanied by an escort of flower and candle carriers, marched from the Catholic church building to the church, the front row pews being reserved for them. The Rev. Father Joseph Seimetz, pastor, said the mass and delivered the sermon. In the afternoon the children we e enrolled in the scapular of Mt. Carmel 1 The members of the class were: Rita Braun. Phyllis Coffee, Helen Kintz, Dolores Geels. Phyllis Ann Lose, Joan Miller. Mary Millet, Catherine Miller. Virginia Spangler, Dorothy Wemhoff. Elizabeth Kohne. Clara Lengerich. Florence Meyer, Vera Schultz. Yvonne Smith, Joan Wemhoff, Ann Cowen, Richard Brlede. Lee Edward Gage, Thomas Lengerich. Eugene Miller. Charles Rauch, Elmo Rumschlag, | «••••«••••••••*• .(COWTIMUiIt! oii PAWU THREE).

Fnrnlahed By United Freu

CORONER JURY ABSOLVES GIRL AFTER KILLING 17-Year-Old Girl Forced To Kill Man Who Shot Her Father GIRL TELLS STORY OF FATAL SHOTS Elgin, 111.. May B.— (U.R) —Pretty ; Loretta Schmitz, 17-year-old Plato ! Center higli school girl, was absol-, i ved of blame by a coroner’s jury! ' J today for shooting to death the farm hand who killed her father. The girl retold the story of how site shot Oliver Day, 53, at his own command with the shotgun with which a few minutes before ■he had killed John Schmitz, pros-1 1 perous dairy farmer. She had ac-, i companied the killer to his room! in the Schmitz farm house under j • threats of death and disrobed at Day's orders. ;. ■ "I pleaded with him not to shoot i me, telling him I would do any-1 | thing," the brown-eyed girl calmly' told the jury at an inquest in a : mortuary here. "He finally told me he had changed this mind and I must shoot him,” sue said. “I pulled the trigger once and the gun . didn’t go off. Day threw - off a safety lever and I shot him. He I cursed because 1 fired too low.” Loretta said Oliver Day, who had : worked on her father’s farm for 15! years, brandished a gun and shout- ■ ed: , "I’m going to kill you all.” ■ Schmitz grapped with him and ■ ■ was shot dead. Mrs. Schmitz re- . ceived a blow on the head. Then the farm hand broke into Loretta's ’room. i i i o ! Senate Committee Votes Energy Tax Washington May 8(UP) The ■ i senate fina-x-e committee today | voted to impose a two per cent tax . on the producer of domestic and . ■ commercial electric energy and a . . one per cent t.ix on the user of industrial energy. , The transfers would go into es- , feet September 1, 1933. ri) _ BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM GIVEN Services For Decatur Seniors Will Be Held Next Sunday Night Baccalaureate services for the ' , graduating class of the Decatur ' ■ high school will be held at the i Methodist Episcopal Church Sunday night, May 14. at 7:30 o'clock. Rev. C. R. Unman, pastor of the First Christian Church, will deliv- 1 er the sermon, the subject of which will be. "Giving Mountains i Away." Following is the complete program for the evening: Prelude Organ Invocation Rev. M. W. Sunderman Hymn Congregation Scripture Lesson. Joshua 1:1-9 Rev. G. O. Wal'on ! i Praver . Rev. C. Perry Gibbs I Selection "Fairest Lord Jesus” Choir Sermon. "Giving Mountains Away” ...... Rev. C. R. Lanrnan [ I Hymn, “Lead On, O King Eternal” . Congregation Benediction Rev. C. M. Prugh Postlude Organ , Gas Prices Cut Indianapolis, May B—(UP) —Gasoline prices were reduced front 2.2 to three cents a gallon today by i major companies operating in Ind- ! 1 ana. The cut was first announced j by the Standard Oil Company. o Eastern Star Will Observe Anniversary The fortieth anniversary of the founding of the Decatur chapter of I the order of the Eastern Star will be celebrated Thursday evening at [the Masonic hall. The charter members will !>■ the honored guests. A six o’clock banquet will be followed by a program on which D. E. Smith of Fort Wayne, the first : worthy patron or the Decatur chapter. will be the principal .speaker. Special music and a pageant called “Love’s Service” will be given. I Many guests from other cities are expected, t t

Price Two Cents

Reappointed --iry I W 'Hr , d ■Hr Rev. M. W. Sundermann, pastor of the Decatur First Evangelical Church for the past five years, was reappointed to the local pastorate at the concluding session of the church conference held at Kendallville Sunday. FULL IS ANNOUNCED Complete Program Given For Harry W. Thompson Reading The complete program for Harry W. Thompson’s first public reading of poetry has been Completed. The reading and musiq will be held tomorrow evening in the Catholic school auditorium at 8 p. m. The program is sponsored by the Alpha Phi Delta fraternity and Decatur church organizations. The program will be operred by music from the boys choir of the Zioti Reformed church. Mr. 'Thompson will then read the following poems: “Ambition" Harry W, Thompson "Modesty” Harry W. Thompson "Life” Paul Lawrence Dunbar "Distraction” Harry W. Thompson "Signs of Spring” Harry W. Thompson During the intermission Paul M. Saurer will sing a vocal solo, "Friend of Mine" and another selected number. The second part of the program will be of a more serious nature. It follow’s: "The Rod" James Whitcomb Riley "Words” Harry W. Thompson “When All is Done" Paul Lawrence Dunbar "Retrospection” Harry W. Thompson “Old Gold" Harry- W. Thompson “Teach Me to Love” Louise Knight Wheatley The program will be closed by a quintet from the Catholic church composed of Clayson Carroll, Elmo Smith. Patti Briede. Leonard Myers. and Fred Foos. They will sing “Ave Maria.” Mr. Thompson gave part of his program to the Internationa! Bus(CONTTNTTED ON PAGE THREE) LOCAL MEN AT ANNUAL MEET Decatur Men Attend Benjamin Franklin Highwav Meeting James Elherson, president of the Decatur Cham'ber of Commerce. C. ('. Pumphrey. W. A. Lower and Dan Tyndall, comprising a committee of road boosters, motored to Leßoy. Ohio today to attend the annual meeting of thv Benjamin Franklin highway association. A meeting of tlie Ohio State association, Ahich has promoted the routing and building of the Franklin highway, will be- held in connection with the national meeting. Officers will l>> elected and plans made to carry the request for a national routing of the Benjamin Franklin highway to officials in Washington. The proposed route runs from Atlantic City across the country to the Pacific coast. From Van Wert west the route follows stat - ? road 16, passing through Decatur and then west to Huntington. Several men from Huntington and Wabash planned to attei d the meeting today. John Conners of Wabash Is the national president of the organization. It is likely that a man from : Ohio will be elected head of the i ussooiatlou for the coming year. ‘

YOUR KOME PAPERLIKE ONE OF THE FAMILY

BROTHERS ARE HELD ON BAIL OF $200,000 Kidnapers of McMath Girl Are Arraigned Before District Judge $60,000 RANSOM MONEY RECOVERED Provincetown, Mass.. May B—(U.R) Two Harwich brolh- , ers who allegedly were involved in the kidnaping and ransoming of 10 year old Peggy McMath today were ordered held in bail totaling $200,000 for hearing Mav 22. District Judge Robert A. Welsh set bail at $100.0(H) each for Kenneth Buck, 28. jobless chauffeur, and his brother Cyril, 41. garage proprietor, when they were arraigned before him in a crowded courtroom. Kenneth pleaded not guilty on charges of kidnaping and extortion. Cyril pleaded not guilty to an extortion plot. Previously it had been reported that Cyril, allegedly an unwilling accomplice, j would be charged only with being an accessory after the fact. Cyril served as intermediary in negotiations which led to the re- [ turn of Peggy to her father, Neal ; C. McMath, prosperous boat builder, last Friday, three days after she was abducted by Kenneth from the Harwich village school. $60,000 ransom paid by the father, was recovered in Kenneth’s home. Wilh his daughter suffering no ill effects from the kidnaping, and the $60,000 ransom all recovered. McMath issued the follow- ’ ing statement late last night. “I hope that Kenneth will be ' treated severely and that Cyril will be given ever, consideration and will be treated lightly." McMath echoed what appeared to be the almost universal feeling of the townspeople of the Harwiches. as well as the year-round residents of Provincetown and the rest of Cape Cod. Forty-year-old (GONTTNT’ED ON PAGE TTTPEF' WOMEN TO MEET AT FORT WAYNE Missionary Society Will Hold Annual Convention Thursday The 35th annual co’v°n ion of the Women's Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Churches in the Fort Wayne district will be held at the First M. E. Church in Fort Wayne Thursday. May 11. The conference will be an all day and evening meeting, opening nt 10 o'clock (DST) Thursday mornirg. Devotional, educational and social phases will be emphasized. i The guest speaker will be Mrs. 1). B. Brummitt, of Chicago, national vice-president. Other speakers will appeal on the pro gram, and musical selections will be given. Mrs. Seth Painter of Monroeville is the district president and | Mrs. F. F. Thornburg is the conference president. Mrs. Fled Mills of this city is one of the vicepresidents; Mrs. Clyde Butler will take part in the program of the day. singing a special musical selection;' Mrs. C. D. Lewton is chairman of the press committee and Mrs. E. N. Wicks is the district Mite Box secretary. (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) —o Former Geneva Resident Dies Berne, tad.. May B—(SpecialB—(Special to Democrat)—Herbert Drew, 46, well known in Adlams county and a former resident of Geneva, died at 7:30 o’clock Monday morning at bls home in Richmond. Death was due to a heart attack. Dr. Drew was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Drew of Geneva, who ’survive. H operated a shoe store ■ at Richmond. Surviving besides the parents gre a sou George of Richmond and a sist'-.r .Mrs. Morris Wells of Gei neva. The body will De returned >e Geneva where funeral serv 1- ' be held Wednesday, \