Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 31, Number 229, Decatur, Adams County, 28 September 1933 — Page 1

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TATE MILITIA JOIN CONVICT HUNT

Bnfral Sugar Company One Os Most Modern In Middle West

■movements ■OCAL PLANT WALLMODERN iflFacilit' !l "’ Rapid fldlina Has Been Wln<ta!led Here Kers to visit ■iRD- -Ml |. h l;!\ l"t th' quirk Writh nl ii.iidJini* of M| l( rh al lh< Central flompait) i- provided \ irds and midevia' instilled at ! anil H I<h lor optT■,a:i mill opens ]^K r , ts and *^K O ar.. a. J i,, v the .-a 'la |llai >• ■pt the yards. . road and truck weigh in and ar|Mr ■ • it p<'!feit I de !■ .■ • arrangii. west -mb' of the scale ::■'•■•■ :::;■•■<! and as - drh • M- '■ aalied on ■r ’at’ - driveway. ■- W'iahing ■b q.proximately a a a ’ Visible dials Bl< -r st ale house so driver of the truck or see for himself the att'nnia- ally as the ilriv s (| IP platform. Moi>- trni minute can be ■t on Ute scales. the nn'.i. lima dumps the Hvill hi- il.rrdmted into the ■ th.* modern belt ■ f,T ' o h form« part Muni Improvements for the ■ tandlm: ■ ; bee's and get--01 into the factory. M’lf-i < , field manager B* 'in commenting ■the ... : inprovements and Mb to h«- used in handling Bai. stated. ■ Dale M, Millen has spent a ■ monev in re conditioning; •torr. 1,,n a npw jo npo Biri’y yard new scales, new ■ and in fact providing the M Sugar i mtpany with the and efficient equip, ■lor receiving and handling ’ s ’o he found anv■jn the country. At heavy y* 1 expense the new yard so constructed that ■ beets tart to spoil in anv ■it they cap ] )p cut out and ■* i,llill seven or eight hours ■ Botina trouble first starts. '* " KS frequently five ■ days before beets could be ■“ after spoilage had start-i E !he Piles. E laos mo <lrrn methods of ■ operation will be used in ■-1 under the direction of ■ trained technical men of f'handing in the ind'isON PAGE SIX)’ * I • *T~ —. May’s Scores Signal league . first Game J! 140 000 000—5 71 ISO (XX) UlU—<t 14 1 e * dt and Hogan; Leonard and Second Game M *lyn !trl * and Spohrer; Benge and ly Bame « scheduled, Origan league * ln aton 14 70 Glenn. *"d SeWe " : V ’ nAt ‘ a 000 00 "P hl » 011 00 M»s and Ferr ® l, l Peterson ’> Wmen scheduled. * #rt esy City Confactlunwy

DECATUR DAIEF DEMOCRAT

Vol. XXXI. No. 229.

Evangelist 1 IL* fl I VI ■ J Aik ]MM| Rev. C. E. Bright, Anderson, who is to be evangelist at revival services at the Church of God which open Sunday night. October 1, at 7:30. Special music will be given every night. HANDLE PLANT WORKS STEADY Many of Canes Sold At World’s Fair Made At Local Factory Many of the canes sold at the world's fair. Chicago were made in Decatur at the plant of the La Fontaine Handle company, about 50,000 of the swagger Micks being shipped from the local mill. , The timber for the canes was uut and made into one inch squares and then shipped to Delphos where they were rounded and polished and sent to Chicago. William Bell of the local company secured the order and had a night force working .two weeks producing them, turning out 4,000 canes every day. More than "a two week's run was made on the ' canes. Production in the farm implement handles made by the La Fontaine Handle company is keeping up and a good sized force is working five days a week at the mill. The Decatur Tie and Lumber company which is operated by the La Fontaine company is also running steadily, employing several workmen Indications are that a steady run of the two mills will be enployed for the next several weeks, prodution depending largely on weather conditions which more or less controls the cutting of timber and the hauling of it to the local mill. Many of the farm implement handles . made here are exported and large quantities are used by American manufacturers in the making of shovels, hoes and rakes. RADIO STATION STARTS RUMOR Capt. Leach Says Station Broadcast “Purported Gun Fight” — Michigan City. (Sept. 28—(U.R) — Capt. Matt L°ach of the Indiana state police today said he , was contemplating a protest to the Federal radio commission concerning broadcast by a radio station of a purported gun fight between police and the fleeing Indiana prison convicts. He said he asked the station and a broadcasting system to make a retraction of the account , Officials of the radio station denied the entire affair. They , asserted the firing which started the false report was done by ' police. The broadcast created a sensation throughout Northern Indiana. Michigan state police called out reserves to head off the convicts In case they broke through the I supposed cordon of attacking offlI cers. Sheriff William D. Meyer- ' Ing of Cook county, took the same I precautions. Leach said he found broadcas’ers had set up portable equipment ' ’"(CONTLNrffI) ON PAGE SIX)

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LABOR TROUBLE GROWS AS MORE STRIKES START National Guard May Be Mobilized In Southern Indiana REPORT THOUSANDS WORKERS ARE OUT Strikes of coal miners, steel workers and automobile laborers ' spread through eastern states and ■ the mid west today, culminating in I in disorder, rioting and, in Indiana. threat of mobilizing of national ' guard Wage and hour demands were the cause of most of the strikes. t | Several thousand soft coal miners in western Pennsylvania tied , up every shaft in sijs counties and I forced the shutdown of many mines . in four others. , Three plants of the Weirton Steel Company, at Weirton, W. Va., Steubenville. 0., and Clarksburg. W. Va.. were closed, with 13,000 men on strike. Every milje of the H. C. Frick Company, a subsidiary of United 1 States Steel, was shut down four days before the NRA code was to have become effective. At Princeton, Ind., a riotous con-' ditp>n was reported, with union 1 workers breaking into the homes of non-union employes of the Francisco and Somerville mines. Governor Paul V. McNutt answered a plea that it was "just plain riot" ' by ordering national guard troops i to stand by. At Edgewater, N. J., 1.200 striki ers from the Chester, Pa., plants .. of the Ford Automobile Company i marched in upon 1,000 workers and tried, by "peaceful persuasion" to! *?CON : nNURD ON PAGE TWO) KIDNAP TRIAL NEARING CLOSE Attorneys Argue Urschel Kidnap Case Before Jury Today Oklahoma City.-Okla.. Sept. 28— (UP)—The fate of Harvey Bailey. : Albert L. Bates and eight co-defend-ants in the famous Urschel kidnap ing was argued before the grand jury today. The assortment of gangsters, farmers and Northern business men ■ fated possible life imprisonment ; for a crime due to become historic. Defense testimony closed abruptly when Bailey and Bates, who with George (machine gun) Kelly are ■ the accused leaders in the $200,000 ■ ransom plot, chose to gamble on ; silence. The offered no defense. Arguments started at 9:30 iA. M. on the ninth day of the sensational trial in the fortified federa building. The government was alotted four hours to secure convictions in the first test of the new Lindenberg!) kidnaping law. The combined defense was given five hours to plead ■ its case. Over the whole drama still hung I the menace of reprisals or rescue i attempts from outlaws yet uncapjtured. Federal agents, machine gun armed, guarded prisoners and prosecuI tors alike. Extreme precautions were taken, both here and in Memphis where Kelly and his red-hair-ed wife, Katherine, were confined. , Federal guards accompanied (CO NT IN UENO ON PAGE SIX) o To Read River Stage At Berne Berne, Sept. 28—(Special)— H. M. Reusser, official local weather observer, has completed a device whereby he is able to make the VVa- < bash river stage readings. Mr. Reus-1 ser has been working on the measurement device for some time and today demonstrated it. Readings are taken on the Wabash river bridge on U. S. 27 three, miles south of town. At noon today . the river was at the 12-foot stage. | Sunday, when the measurement was first made the river was at 5.1 foot stage. The recent downpour ; has sent the stream over its banks and tributaries are overflowing. I

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, September 28, 1933.

Warden IMMI » <*'Tl JMIII WMI v 'Mm p 1 I I M wo - B t.M. ’' I ■aaaa <»xaßß(naaaaaMHMaMMi Warden Louis E. Kunkel of the Indiana state prison at Michigan City where eleven convicts escaped Tuesday. He is holding the cotton and paper in which guns and cartridges used by the con-' vlcts were smuggled into the prison. YOUNG THIEVES" ARE HELD HERE Virgil Cook And William Lough Brought To Local Jail Yesterday Virgil Cook and William Lough entered please of guilty to petit larceny when arraigned before Judge H. M. DeVoss in Circuit Court shortly before noon today. Judge DeVoss took the case under advisement, indicating that sentence will be pronounced Monday morning. Virgil Cook and William Lough, Decatur young men arrested near Bluffton Wednesday morning after attempting to dispose of stolen chickens, were brought to the Adams county jail late yesterday as-, ternoon by Sheriff Burl Johnson. The two men have confessed to several acts of petit larceny in Adams and surrounding counties, including some thefts in Ohio. Sheriff Johnson has be»n investigating activities of the pair for several weeks. Cook and Lough sold $12.28 worth of wheat at the Willshire Equity Exchange last Friday. giving the name of Alfred Roop. They are also reported to I have sold wheat, oats and chickens at other small towns in this vicinity j in the past seevral weeks. Cook and Ixiugh are also held! responsible for the theft of tires j and swine at various places. Eight of the chickens which they attempt-! ed to sell at Bluffton Wednesday I were stolen three weeks ago from i George Cramer. Both young men have prison rec-1 ords. Cook served a term at the penal farm for petit larceny and also served a term in the Federal i reformatory at Chillicothe, Ohio, violation of the Dyer act. Lough was sentened to the PenCONTINUED TO FACE FIVE? ‘

Charles Makley, One Os Escaped Convicts, Robbed Linn Grove Bank

Charles Makley. one of the ten prisoners who escaped from the state prison at Michigan City in a daring jail delivery Tuesday afternoon, was serving a 10-20 year sen- : tence from the Adams circuit court for robbery of the Bank of Linn Grove on Thursday, March 24. 1927. Makley was sentenced by Judge Jesse Sutton. June 23. 1928, after entering a plea of guilty to the > charge of bank banditry. The Bank of Linn Grove was held ■ up by two armed men at 1:25 o'clock on the afternoon of the date mentioned above. Cashier Muri Lybarger and Mrs. Lybarger were (he only persons in the bank when ■ the bandits entered. The cashier and his wife were forced to lie on the floor while the robbers looted all the drawers and the safe. The total loot obtained by the bandits was $3,713. $1,848 of the loot was currency while sl.865 in Adams county road bonds, were also taken. The late Harl Hollingsworth, Ad-'

SHERIFF'S SON UNDER ARREST AT BLUFFTON Sheriff Bowman’s Son. Two Pals, Arrested For Holdup Effort ONE YOUTH SLUGS ATTACK VICTIM Bluffton, Sept. 2»—(UP)—James 80wan,,17, son of Sheriff Luster Bowman, Maynard Lantis, 17, son of Orve Dantis, sheriff-elect, and Gerald Truax. 18, were held here today in connection with an attempt to hold up Herman Thoma, an undertaker. Thoma was slugged on the head with a black jack. Lantis had a black jack in his pocket when he was captured by Thoma's son. Mr. Thoma and his son left the business section about 11:30 last night, walking to the rear of the Herman Thoma resilience, just a short distance fromt he postoffice. The two separated there, Herman Thoma starting toward his rear door. As he approached the door, the three youths attacked him He threw up his arms to ward off the blows, at the same time calling for help. . One blow from the blackjack struck his arm and then hit him a glancing blow in the head. William Thoma, hearing his father's calls for help, rushed back to the scene. The boys were in full flight by that time. Young Thoma chased Lantis more than two blocks through i crowds of fairgoers, finally catcli- | ing him at the Moose home. KELLY ORALLY ADMITS GUILT “Machine Gun" Kelly Admits Guilt During Three-Hour Grilling Memphis. Tenn., Sept. 28—(U.R) —Authorities made arrangements today secretly to transport George (Machine Gun) Kelly, kidnaper of Charles F. Urschel, millionaire oilman, and his wife to Oklahoma City. W. A. Rorer. department of justice agent, , gave the United Press details of the unprecedented man hunt that after weeks of fruitless trailing resulted in their capture. Kelly and his wife were given “work-outs" by department of justice agents last night. After three hours of questioning by agents working in relays, Kelly admitted orally that he was one of the Urschel kidnapers. Botli he and his wife. Katherine, agreed to go back to Oklahoma City where both are under indictment for the kidnaping and where the trial of 12 others for the same crime is nearing completion. Arrangements for their return (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)

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ams county sheriff at the time, assisted by a large number of bank vigilantes and officers of surrounding towns and counties, conducted an extensive search immediately following the holdup hut the bandits, apparently aided by accomplices, made good tlieir escape. Makley was arrested at Hammond, Indiana, early in June, 1928, along with two other men and two women, all alleged members of a hank handit gang, wanted tor many Ixank robberies in several states. One of the women, Makley's sis-ter-in-law, was released because of insufficient evidence. Eddie Meadows was turned over to Lafayette authorities for the murder of a policeman -luring a bank robbery there. Mrs. Makley was later rearrested and taken to Lafayette on the same charge. Robert Wheatley and wife. Gladys, were claimed by Lake county officers on charges of conspiracy with intent to commit a felony.

Farßlake4 »/ I'Bllrd Frew

65T0 75-DAY CAMPAIGNIS EXPECTED HERE Lifting of Beets Is Scheduled To Be Started Next Week EIGHT HOUR SHIFTS WILL BE OBSERVED "The opening of the sugar mill next monjh is Just the climax of the farmers' and growers' efforts of the past four months," L. E. Snyder, general superintendent of the plant stated this morning in commenting on plans for the opening of tlie sugar processing campaign. "Tile principal thing to be considered is the growing of the beets, entailing more iahor, effort and meaning for more revenue than the processing campaign," Mr. Snyder stated. Mr. Snyder views the beet sugar business from the standpoint of the grower and the importance of having sufficient acreage to operate a mill the size of the Decatur plant. This year, despite some tall off in acreage, due to bad weather conditions, the is expected to be sufficient to assure ; a 65 to 75-day campaign. The lifting of the beets, scheduled for next week, depends largely on weather conditions, company officials stated. It is hoped that work in the fields will begin about next Wednesday and that beets will be hauled to the mill in sufficient quan- , ities, enabling the mill to begin process operations during the week of October 9th. Eight-Hour Shifts The Sugar company officials are; waiting for word from Washington relative to the code regulating beet sugar mills. Mr. Snyder stated eight-hour shifts would be observed wherever possible and that he expected the factory and yard force to be increased one-third over former years. On that basis it 200 men were formerly employed during the campaign, the number this year on an eight-hour schedule would be increased to 260 to 275. From the time beets are brought in and the plant begins operations, an emergency exists in the processing of the crop, because it is perishable. The code will consideration this emergency and allow for schedules permitting conCONTINVEP TO PAGE FIVE - Wilbur May Fined For Stealing Coal Wilbur May, Oak street, entered a plea of guilty to petit larceny before Mayor George Krick in city court Wednesday evening. He was fined $1 and ostes and sentences! to 60 days in jail. The Jail sentence was suspended during good behavior. May was arrested Wednesday evening for the theft of approxh mately half a ton of coal from the Erie railroad yards, just east of the freight house. HUGE CROWD AT BLUFFTON FAIR One of Greatest Crowds In Fair’s History Attends Wednesday Bluffton. Sept. 28 —(Special)—A tremendous crowd, estimated by veteran fair goers as higli as 40,000 surged over the Midway of the Bluffton Free Street Fair and agricultural exhibit Wednesday night. Typical street fair weather is forecast for the remainder of the week and crowds breaking all pre- ‘ vious records are anticipated. Eight high school bands from as many cities will march the streets Friday and compete in a spectacular music festival with a concert of the combined bands featuring the Friday night program. Great interest is being manifested in the horse pulling contests Middleweight contests will lie held FTiday morning and heavyweights Saturday morning. Scores of Decatur and Adams ■■ county residents were among those enjoying the sights of the fair Wed- ( nesday and today.

Price Two Cents

Guarded W Jr A- - S <' i • A r Ail 1 wll “h '■ I w 1 ■r Mrs. Joseph B. Long, one of Chicago's most prominent society matrons, was being closely guarded by police Wednesday, after she received an extortion letter demanding a large sum and threatening her Hfe if she notified authorities. Mrs. Long inherited a large fortune from her late husband, a Chicago manufacturer. GROSS INCOME FIELD MAN HERE Earl Miller of State Tax Division Confers With J. L. Ehler Earl Miller, field man of the Indiana gross income tai. division, was in Decautr today for a final conference with J. L. Ehler, manager of the local automobile license bureau branch, before the start of the October tax payment period next Monday. Mr. Miller attended a meeting of all gross income tax division field men at the state house Monday, September 25. where Governor Paul V. McNutt was one of the speakers. Details of handling the scores of thousands of October payments were discussed. The new blanks to be used in October were distributed and the changes from the July blanks were pointed out. July blanks are not to lie used in making October payments, according to Mr. Miller. Those who have supplies of the old blanks have been asked to distroy them and use the new forms designed for greater convenience to the taxpayers and a minimum of expense in the state house office. Among the facts .brought out at the Indianapolis meeting was that all money now being collected will go to the schools of the state next January, along with all paid in during the July collection period. For this reason, payments are being requested from every person who owes the state, regardless of the amount. Many taxpayers have requested the privilege to pay quarterly so that tlie amount of their payment next January will not be greatly increased, it was announced at the meeting. As in tlie July payment period, automobile license bureau branches are tlie central contact points in each community. Adequate supplies and complete service for the tax payer are available at each branch. Alleged Hoarder Pleads Not Guilty New York. Sept. 28 — (UP) — Frank E. Campbel, first United States citizen to make a court test of federal laws against gold hoarding. pleaded not guilty today to an indictment charging him with failure to report $200,000 .worth of gold bars nominally in his own possession.

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NO TRACE HAS BEEN FOUND OF SHERIFF NEEL Three Companies Os Militia Join In Intensive Man Hunt REPORT TWO SEEN NEAR OTTAWA, ILL. Michigan Citv, Ind., Sept. 2X <U.R) Three companies of the state militia were ordered todnv to join tlie limit for 10 desperate felons who broke from Indiana State prison as hope for immediate capture of the men virtually was abandoned. The national guardsmen were . ordered to’ assemble at Deep River. Ind., a tiny crossroads hami let not far from Chesterton. Ind., where the last authentic sighting of tlie fleeing criminals was reported. A foot-by-foot search of 1 the area north to the state prison here was planned. Principal object of the careful hunt was Sheriff Charles Neel, j Corydon. Ind., kidnaped hostage of a group of the convicts. Authorities ire almost certain Neel has been slain or wounded and tossed aside in some- isolated sector. There has been no trace found of the peace officer since a group of convicts commandeered his automobile outside the prison and forced the sheriff to accowpany them on their escape attempt. Failure to locate any escaped convicts In the several localities where they were believed surrounded forced prison authorities to the conclusion the men had made a successful break for freedom. i The search is to be concentrat- ! ed now in gang hideaways of sevi eral midwest cities where it is known tlie escaped men have connections. An elaborate trap based on information supplied by a convict tipster failed today. Tlie convict told officers he believed the men were hiding in an abandoned shack near here. The shack was 1 surrounded and searched but none ! of the men was found. In the confusion attendant on the search an 11th Michigan City convict calmly placed street dress over his prison uniform and walked through the gates to freedom. Members of Co. C, 113th Engineers. Indiana National guard, returned to the state police barracks at Tremont today after abandoning their search for a group of escaped convicts reported hiding in woods near Walkerton. The troops surrounded a six mile area and searched the swampy ground thoroughly before agreeing that .lie convicts were not there. Two Are Seen Ottawa. 111., Sept. 28 (U.R) — Sheriff E. J. Welter announced today lie had obtained information (C’ONTINTTED ON PAGE FIVE) WATSON ATTACK STIRS MIDWEST James E. Watson Makes Strong Attack On Roosevelt Policies Chicago, Sept 28 —(UP) — Midwest political circles stirred with speculation today over possible implication* of a strong attack on President Roosevelt and his policies made by former Senator James E. Watson of Indiana. In some circles the address made at the Hamilton Club before a large republican group including members of all factions was regarded as the opening shop of a persistent campaign by Republicans to regain ground lost with the last election. Others felt- the Watson speech was the first move in a campaign to build up the former Indiana Sena- | tor as a Republican Presidential candidate in 1936. Watson attacked Mr. Roosevelt on the ground he had failed to fulfill campaign promises for sound money and adltearence to the gold standard, reduction of tariffs and government expenditures. He also criticised the Democratic farm relief plans, the methods of the NRA campaign and other features of Roosevelt policy.