Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 34, Number 99, Decatur, Adams County, 24 April 1936 — Page 1

\\\l\. No. 99.

IfflWE OF ■iMEEK TO Beil SMOKY ■week'' P r « g r a Kanned By B..«ary Kid \\ onmn < Clubs |H. naiiun.il ■anil C" 1 ' Wi " ° P "" day. I ■J;,, 1< " K. ; H sponsor ■Ki,. i:.ir.::y 111111 lh >s i iiy. |, y f) Woman s elub. ■L’: v,l "' h ° r |Kj s..' edition of the m "f |,l(> lh „ ■■ rls of D.jin,.. Thomas. Centra! K priinT’d is chairman of Hjj. w i',| be observed as day All Him. Iles of the K ■ a programs v „,,,|i with the chairBHh.’’' lit ll day .lay in 'ovations will be M.Hiil.iv Eighth grade o f (>,, allil St Joseph uil! b bil led on mm of the General fa, r the Central George Thomas Gage, assisted by the Will cOllillh’t the tour, has -c designated as and health day. W. Guy M. high s< lioo! principal. is . .ide schools in As a special feature of Kv ill.. soiiball team. will play the RoK ilea:: .<’ tin Son’ll Wald diaprimary amt general elec- . be held this year, the I students of lhe city will own Wed afternoon. rhe students < lerk t re?s 'ii . council.' of ■' a tire chief ;..ls will hold of- ••.- Friday. May a known as youth day in KA"liip. Avon Burk is election I Sa®ssioner. will he youth ■iTiXPEI, SEVEN) 111 SCHOOLS WENT PLAYS ■ — ■Act Plays To Be Giv-i Bn Tonight At Mon- ! 1 1 roe, Hartford -•<• n f a .. t pi a y 6 S po n . I gH ' speaking chussen seven rural bi K b n-hools of will . presented |B U ' the M0m,,,, ami Hartford s hi. .1 auditoriums. |^Be scauo. ’.lm .-.ontb. part '"'tnty. who participated at last Friday night, will their plays at Monroe toK Md those from the north ■ played at Monroe last "’ill go to Hanford tonight, plays will be given M* t: At Monroe; ’ Elmer" by Wartford ■rnimmm. -Rooting for ■? y Geneva; "Heir- at Law” Snil Those to lie given at ■ Dress Relteearsal" thy SB'*' Ttie Obotinate Family" by ".Something in Butler's Mil's and "Elmer" will by Monmouth. to lhe auditorium of ' 'OOI will he 111 cents whieh SK S le nol<l " r m witness all of for that evening. The piv.v HarnT fr ° m the eve “t will n^o, 10 * hft I ’’ !b!!c speaking ■at r h(> - 18 f,lr ,h<> f >"- ,i"‘ ,lle plll ’ iil ' ■''P'-aking eharf? < ’ la ‘ iS e« will °f the plays. Jr’ Roosevelt To t Br °adcast Saturday ■ Adam th<? Y< ’" nR Dem ocratic ■ t>S t fi county have rpcß, '- p <> Wthat p reß^ atl<)nal ’’eadquar■velt wniT dOllt Fran,klin D Klar ' brOa<l ' asl an address ■ a X 7 St 9:30 °' cl^k Tho ° th6 Jeffer »on ohBlfirr Director Meeting t K“? pp ’ coun ‘y at a aieetl 'ndianapolis ■ ’elfare h Bl? i Called lby the r ng ?or th ? B,r,,ction " lor th ft new work.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Holiness Group To Meet Sunday The Adams county holiness association will meet Sunday. April 2ti at 2 p. m. in the United Brethren church in this city. The Rev. O. (). Lower, pastor of the Friends church in Van Wert, Ohio, will be the speaker for the meeting. Tho program also includes special music. The announcement of the meeting was made by the president of the asso ctatlon. E. J. Fricke. The public is Invited to attend. BOTH RESCUED MEN ARE NOW IN HOSPITAL Men Entombed 10 Days Are Flown To Hospital In Halifax Halifax,* N. S„ Apr. 24.—(U.© — Dr. 1). E. Robertson, still extremely weak after the ordeal of his 10 days eintombment in the depths of the Moose River gold mine, was brought here by airplane today so his recovery could be expedited. In Victoria General hospital ho rejoined Alfred Scudding, only other survivor of the mine disaster, who was flown to the hospital yes’terday. Scadding's swollen and infected feet gave some concern and doctors feared gangrene might set in. Details of their imprisonment were obtained from a friend of Robertson. Neither man has been permitted to talk to reporters. On Easter Sunday. Herman B. Magill and Robertson, new owners of the abandoned gold mine, accompanied by Scadding, their time keeper, and another employe, de--1 scended into the mine. The sec- | end employe returned to the stirI face and they were about to. when they heard, the roar of rolling rocks and earth in the sitait. They ducked into the 141-foot level, escaping I the avalanche. Their lanterns bur|ied far several houu,. enabling them to explore their tunnel prison and discover there was no escape. Then they sat down and ■ calmly discussed their situation, | deciding that there was nothing i they could do but wait. Mine manager Henderson knew they were trapped and they de-1 pended upon him to give the alarm. This was Sunday night. At daybreak the following morning. Henderson was recruiting rescue workers who began digginga verI tical shaft. Underground, tho imprisoned lost all reckoning of time. The first night they couldn't sleep because lof the cold, and after that there | was no day, it was all night, as : they had no means of lighting their I prison. I The hours dragged by and they suffered more and more from the cold. Under Robertson's direction (he is a surgeon) they huddled together to benefit as much as possible from the heat generated by their bodies. But, nevertheless, the dampness permeated their bodies and kept them constantly chilled. The darkness was depressing and, as the hours passed, each one more slowly than the last, the nervous strain intensified. Magill was tho most nervous and he was in poor physical condition. (CONTINUED ON PAGE SEVEN) 0 DEATH CLAIMS MRS. TONNES Mrs. John Tonner Dies Thursday At Wells County Hospital Bluffton, (April 24 —(Special)— Mrs- John Tanner, fl 4, who formerly resided one mile north of the Christian AposV.lic chaurch in Adams county, died at 3:20 Thursday p- im. at the Wells county hospital after an illness of two weeks from acute bright’s disease Born in Switzezrland on Oct. 14. 1871. Mrs. Mary Ann Tonner was the daughter <?.f Christ and Magdaline Minger Lobsiger. She came to this country at the age of three years and had been a resident for 55 years of Adams county. (Her marriage took place in Adame county March 9, 1895. Surviving are the husband, two children, Sylvan Tonner and Mrs. Lee Wittwer. l»th of Bluffton, two brothers, Daniel Lobsiger, LaGrange and Earnest of Arkansas. Four grandchildren also surviveFuneral earvicee will be held at 2 p- m. Sunday at the St. John Reformed church of Vera Cruz in charge of Rev. 11. H. Meckstroth with burial in the church cemetery.

GRAIN DEALERS TO MEET HERE IN CONVENTION Indiana Association To Hold Convention Here June 18 The selection of Decatur as the site of the next convention of the Indiana grain dealers’ association wm announced at the x-loae vM the meeting of the Imard of directors’ in Indianapolis. The convention, it was decided, will be hel ( | at the Country Club on Jun? 18, with dealers in attendance from all over the state. Industrial leaders in this city were desirous of having Decatur selected as the conventi»n site. Plana for th ■ meet will be stalled in the near future, ac..’,rding to the dealers here Decatur does not have a representative on the board of directors but , through the efforts of the local dealers and other industrial leaders the selection of Decatur was secured. Anr.ng those present at Thursday’s meeting was C. C. Egley, as representative of Fori Wayne. Expect Large Crowd More than 200 grain dealers and elevator proprietors are expected to attend the convention. Preliminary plans call for a luncheon and banquet at the Country club, a visit to the Central Soya Company and a motor trip through the city. Officers of the association are, G. A. Pritchard, Fortville, president; C. C. Barnes, Winchester, vice president; R. B. McConnell. Indianapolis, treasurer, and Fred K. Sales. Indianapolis, secretary. Invitations to the association to select Decatur as the convention city were extended by the Central Soya Company, the Chamber of Commerce, the city of Decatur, Avon Burk of the Burk Elevator Co., and by other organizations and several individuals. George Thomas of the Central Soy»k Cojupatiy, Roscop (Jlendening, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Mayor A. R. Holthouse received letters today advising them of Decatur’s selection. o FARM HOME IS LOST IN FIRE Henry Dehner Farm Residence Destroyed By Fire Thursday A Are at the Henry Dehner farm in Union township completely destroyed the house, most of the furniture and all of the clothes, late Thursday afternoon. The loss was estimated at $2,500 by Fire Chief Charles Robenold. The blaze originated from a spark on the roof. It had gained considerable headway before it was noticed by Mr. Dehner. He notified the city fire department, which was able to save all of the outbuildings, some of which were located within 10 feet of the house. The department was hampered by the uuavilability of the water, supply. The cistern was located I under the house and the well so close to the house that the heat from the fire prevented its use. From the small supply of water in a stock tank in the barn the city pumper truck was able to draw enough water to keep the fire from spreading. A considerable amount of valuable stock was housed in the barn. Mr. Dehner was slightly burned in an attempt to save part of the furniture and clothting on the second floor. The loss was only partially protected by insurance. Mr. Dehner is a member of the Adams county council and one of the most prominent farmers and stock breeders in Adams county. U — Rotarians, Wives Enjoy Theater Party Members o fthe Decatur Rotary club and their wives were guesta of I. A. Galver, club member, at a theater party at the Adame theater Thursday night. The theater party was held Immediately after a short business meeting at the Rice hotel. o— ——» Voting Members Os Church Meet Sunday The Zion Lutheran church will have a meeting of all voting members Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clockRev. Paul Schultz, pa-stor. requests all memhens to attend. I

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Friday, April 24, 1936.

Rescue Fulfills Wife’s Hopes WBESifif it A 1 a WBk mH Wm * Hl / Ihhw w ■ ■ kP

I r Her confident assurance that her husband, Dr. I). E. Robertson, one !of three men entrapped in a gold mine on Moose River, would be I rescued was irealized for Mrs. Robertson, shown above, talking to her I husband via an improvised telephone just before rescuers broke through to the shaft where they were trapped.

KIRKLAND TO GRADUATE 18 High Schoo) Commencement Exercises To Be Held Saturday Eighteen seniors of the Kirkland township high school will receive their graduation diplomas at the commencement exercises to he held in the Kirkland school auditorium Saturday night, with the Dr. F. HRupnow as the speaker. The Kirkland school is the first t# complete the school term in this ' "tViinty. With most of the classes completed today the students will return tomorrow to receive their report cards and complete the final closing arrangements Baccalaureate services will he held Sunday with the Rev. Matthew Wortluman, of Bluffton as the. speaker. Those who will graduate tomori. ,w night are: Helen Edith Hirschy Irene M. Girod. Ruth Eileen Borne Ruth Me Barnes. 'Alice M. Baumgartner, Lois .Irene Mann, Eulalia M. Borne, Glarvinna F. Sullivan, Ruth I. Seesenguth, Mary Ann Wulliman, Oscar Brown. Frederick Fosnaugh, Noah Take, Freeman Stepler Charlotte J. Zimmerman. Herman Wnlliman, Otto C. Smith and Verrea I Roth. All of the county schools are to have their terms complete. with the exception of Geneva, by the end of next week, with the exercises scheduled all during the week. Geneva will not hold commencement exercises until Thursday. May 7. The dates of the other commencements: Pleasant Mills, May 2; Monmouth. May 1: onroe. April 29; 'Hartford, April 28 and Jefferson. April 30. BACCALAUREATE SERVICE PLANS Pleasant Mills High School Services Sunday Evening Baccalaureate services for the senior class of the Pleasant Mills high school will be held at the high school building Sunday evening at. 7:30 o'clock. The complete program follows: Music —“Fair Sharon's Rose” Girls quartet Invocation Rev. Smith Music —"In Paths of Peace” Vocal solo Scripture Reading Rev. Smith Music —"Building a Life" Girls duet Sermon Rev. Bragg Music —“Asleey in the Deep" Vocal solo Benediction Rev. Bragg o Suicide Attempt By Taxi Driver Fails Fort Wayne. Ind., April 24 —(UP) —Eric Skullman, 21, a taxicab driver, was reported completely recovered this morning, after police yesterday Intercepted hi# attempt to hang himself from the bans of his cell Ln the city jailOfficers • were summoned by a nearby iprisoner- Skullman was unconscious. He was awaiting hearing cn a disorderly conduct charge.

Full Confession Is Made To Kidnaping Allentown, Pa, April 24—(UP) | j —Richard Taylor, 42, Akr?.n. Ohio., will be given a hearing today on . a charge of kidnaping 10-year-old . Henry Thomas Koch, a eon of a wealthy department etore executive. Taylor will be prosecuted under | the Pennsylvania law governing kidnaping, district attorney John 1,.. I Cutschall said Police rewted that Taylor, who ' was a washing machine salesman I in Akron, made a "full confession." He admitted, according to officials that he lured young Koch into his automobile on the .pretense that he ! would show him a "fine colt." II FIREMEN HOLD DISTRICT MEET Firemen’s Association Holds District Meeting Last Night Approximately 'J(H> firemen attended the district meeting of the Indiana Firemen's association, held at the local engine house last evening. Guests were i; resent from Marion, Fort Wayne. Monroe. Berne, Bluffton and Ossian Speakers on the program were 1 Frank Miller, president, and Burley Marshall, secretary, of the Indiana firemen’s association, both of Terre Haute; Frank Steven. . ,f Marion, a member of the legislative committee, Harry Litzfield, of Fort Wayne second vice-president of the association. and Clem Smith of mdianaoolis, state fire marshall. The speakers discussed proposed legislation for the benefit of the 10,"00 members ..f the Indiana firemen's association- Both paid and volunteer firemen are included in the organization. District five includes five counI ties in this .part of the state. Ali though the association has been organized for 14 years, this is the first time that the district meeting has been held in Decatur. ,o_ — Heidelberg Glee Club To Broadcast The Heidelberg College glee club of Tiflin, Ohio, which has been touring Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania will broadcast front radio station WTAM at Cleveland from 10:30 to 11 a. nt. CST, Saturday. Richard Brodbeck, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Brodbeck of this city and Richard Vitz of New Breman, Ohio, grandson of .Herman Sellenteyer of Decatur, are members of the glee club. o May Purchase Dance Tickets At Door . Dean Dorwin, in charge of the cabaret dance to be given at Sun Set park this evening at 9 o’clock by students the Decatur high school announced this afternoon that tickets may lie purchased at the door for 50 'cents a couple or 35 cents .per portion- A few tables may still be reserved at 75 cents a. couple. WEATHER Partly cloudy to cloudy tonight and Saturday, possibly light showers Saturday extreme northwest; continued cool.

FIVE INDICTED FOR PARTS IN WENDEL KIDNAP Son Os New Jersey Detective One Os Men Under Indictment New York, Apr. 24. — (U.R) The , evidence on which Ellis Parker, | Jr., son of the New Jersey detective, was indicted as one of those who kidnaped and tortured a confession to the Lindbergh murder from Paul Wendel, included charges that he was the “linger man" in the abduction. District Attorney William F. X. Gorghan of Brooklyn said today. Young Parker also supplied the handcuffs used to bind the disbarred Trenton attorney, Geoghan charged. The kidnaping, he addpd, was committed directly after a conference with othens involved in lhe case held in Parkers hotel room. Young Parker was indicted late yesterday in the case and was sought today. During the 10 days of Wendel’s . captivity young Parker was present “every night" anil "practically every day" at the house in Brooklyn where Wendal said lie was kept prisoner until he w*as taken to New Jersey and turned over to ’ the elder Parker, Geoghan said. A warrant for young Parker was sworn out today at Mount Holly. . N. J., and Assistant District Attorney Francis Madden of Brooklyn said he would ask the Burlington . county prosecutor to instruct . Chief of Detectives Parker to ar- ■ rest his own son. Two New Jersey policemen as- . signed to help the New York authorities find Parker were unable to , located him today. His wife and his father said they knew nothing of his whereabouts. The senior Parker. 65, said "I'd . be a fool to shoot off my mouth i about this case in any way. 1 hear that grand jury up in Brooklyn is investigating me, too." Wendel. a once disbarred Trenton lawyer, confessed at the height of Hoffman’s fight for Hauptmann i that it was he who kidnaped and murdered the Lindbergh baby, fori whose death Hauptmann had been | condmned. He repudiated the con- | session after Parer, Sr., had de- | livered him to Mercer county police, who charged him with the murder. The confession was extorted. he said, by kidnapers who seized him in New York, held him prisoner there 10 days, and beat jhim daily. The Kings county grand jury indicted young Parker on charges of kidnaping and second degree assault. Indicted with him were I Martin Schlossman, Hary Bleefeld. ! and Harry Weiss, of New York, and Murray Bleefeld. Harry Bleefeld’s son. of Trenton. Schlossman was arrested Sunday and confessed, police said, that the basement of his home was Wendel's prison. Harry Bleefeld. 61. was arrested Wednesday. An order for arrest of Murray Bleefeld and Weiss was broadcast today. Geoghan hinted to county Judge (CONTINUED ON PAGE SEVEN) O CHARGES FUNDS BEING MISUSED Sen. VanNuysSays Relief Funds Used To Obtain Votes Indianapolis, Apr. 24.—(U.R) —Federal relief funds are being used to line up votes in the state Democratic nominating convention, Sen. Frederick Van Nuys charged today. The senator made the accusation less than 24 hours after his arrival here to (1) investigate alleged misuse of WPA funds, (2) further the gubernatorial candidacy of E. Kirk McKinney, and (3) expedite the relief program in Indiana. He threatened a senate investigation of the vast relief set-up on the basis of his personal findings. ’ Wayne Coy, state and regional director of the works progress ad- > ministration, said he would welcome an investigation of his department. He admitted irregularities may - appear in such a large organization ■ and said he would he glad to go i into the charges with Senator Van Nuys. "I do not intend to discuss this with Coy," Van Nuys answered. “I intend to go to the top. This sort of thing must stop and I am going to see that it is stopped. In every instance where I have made an in(CONTINUED ON PAGE SEVEN)

Heavy Fighting Is Reported On Southern Front

DISTRIBUTE GARDEN SEED Washington Township Trustee To Distribute Seed Tuesday John M. Doan, Washington township trustee, announced today that garden seed would be distributed to those on direct relief in the township, next Tuesday. The need is furnished by the governor’s commission on unemployment relief to each township. With this seed the governor’s commission believes that a complete home garden can be producedOne package of seed la allowed f.-.-j- each family of four and two packages for families with more than four persons. The -packages include: one pound of stringless green beans; one half pound of Kentucky wonder beans; one ounce of red beet seeds; one of i arr-.-.t seeds: one half ounce of lettuce seed: one-fourth ounce of each of two varieties of radish seeds; one-half ounce of swiss chard; one pound of Evergreen sweet corn, and one-half ounce of turnip seed Mr. Doan announced today that no .mass garden would be (maintained (by the township this year. Last year potatoees were raised in the mass garden. Officials this year believed that the expense of hiring the work done and renting the equipment would not be worth the produce obtained. ”Tlie" township has again obtained the four acre plot owned by the Adams county memorial hospital south of Decatur. This will be divided into 35 lots. 35 by 100 feet and cultivlit-’ ed by the individual families. Q $50,000 SUIT IS FILED HERE Decatur Firm Sued As Result Os Accident Injuries A suit requesting $50,000 dam- : ages was filed in the Adams circuit i court today by Alfretta Dimmitt against Richard. Frank and Joseph McConnell and F. McConnell and Sons for injuries sustained in an automobile accident in Fort Wayne on April 29, 1934. The plaintiff was a passenger in a car driven by Alfred H. Wolke and owned by the Decatur firm. The complaint alleges that the plaintiff accompanied Mr. Wolke while he made several business calls for the local company and was returning to her home in his car when the accident occurred. She stated that he was driving the car at a “high and dangerous rate of speed." He failed to “negotiate a curve" after “disregarding warning signs” near the Parnell Avenue bridge over the St. Joseph river in Fort Wayne. The car struck a tree on the south side of tlie road. The plaintiff listed her injuries in the complaint, stating that she was compelled to remain in a hospital for 12 weeks after the accident, that she suffered numerous fractures and bruises, In addition to suffering “a severe nervous shock, completely destroying her nerves and (making her a nervous wreck.” She stated that because of the pain she is now unable to work and has lost $2,000 in wages. For medical bills, hospital expenses, pain and suffering and inability to work she is asking a $50,000 judgment for damages. A similar suit was filed in the Adams circuit court, August 9, 1934, by Miss Dimmitt. At that time she was asking $15,000. An(CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) o Pleasant Mills Alumni Banquet The aluinini association of the Pleasant Mills high school will IxeJd the annual lianquet at 8 o’clock Saturday evening at the Masonic hall in this city. George Glass, Wells county prosecuting attorney, will deliver the principal address. Officers of the association are Charles Brunstrup, president; Austin Merriman, vice-president; Leland Ripley, secretary and Joo Steele, treasurer.

Price Two Cents.

{Occupation Os Important Ethiopian Town Expected Momentarily; Northern City Occu- • pied. FINAL DRIVE Rome, Apr. 24— (U.R) —Heavy fighting begun at dawn directly south of Sasa Baneh. important . fortified town on the southern j front in Ethiopia, local military 1 officials were informed today. i Tlie occupation of Sasa Bnm-h ■was expected shortly. The capture of Jijiga was said to he likely early next week. One of the major engagements on the southern front was expected to result in the storming of Sasa Baneh where the Ethiopian I troops are led by Waliel) Pasha. : Turkish hero of the Dardanelles in the World War. An even greater battle would result at Jijiga where tlie Italians must cross an open plain leading , to the Ethiopian oaves and entrenchments on the heights which slope to the Ogaden desert. Capture of Jijiga, would lead to the capture of Harrar, which is poorly * defended, and then Dire Dawa on ; the railroad. Near Dessye Rome. Apr. 24 — (U.R) — Italian troops in northern Ethiopia,.in a ■new thrust toward Addis Ababa. . have occupied without resistance the town of Worra llu, 37 miles southwest of Dessye on’the main i road to the capital, an official | communique said today. The occupation was effected by ■ na,tive troops from Eritrea, the 1 | communique said. ’ Marslial Pietro Badoglio, in the communique—No. 194 of (he warsaid that troops on the eastern front were advancing in al! sectors. One column, moving north on the Ethiopian strong point of Sasa Baneh. occupied Ga.bre Hor. :30 miles south of Sasa Baneh, | after taking God-Adde. 1(1 miles to I the east of Gabre Hor, Badoglio I cabled. He said that Italian airplanes ' bombed Ethiopian defense lines at I Sasa Baneh and Daga Modo, west ! of (Sasa Baneh on another ca.ravan route. Italian newspapers reportied Wednesday that Italians had 1 “surrounded” Daga Modo. Heavy irajns of the last few days appear not to have slowed the Italian advance materially. Recent excitement over the ex(CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) Yost Brothers Are Awarded Contract Indianapolis. Ind., April 24—(UP) —Contracts for nine projects, cons, ing $172,984. were awarded today by the state highway commission. They included: Adams County—Bridge -over state road 224 over Holthouse ditch, one mile west of Decatur and a bridge over William Smith ditch, one tenth miles north of state road 124 Yost (Brothers, Decatur, $18,120. LECION PLANS SPECIAL MEET Adams Post To Hold Comradeship Meeting Monday Night Members of Adams Post No. 43 of the American Legion are planning a “comradeship" meeting for ' their regular meeting next Monday in their new Legion home, it wax announced today by those in ’ charge. An old fashioned house warming ’ will be held with several Legion notables in attendance. Among those from this district who aro expected to attend will be Edgar , M. Lorber, of Columbia City, fourth L district pajt commander. Several others are expected, in- ’ eluding the Rev. Fred Hill. I.a---1 Grange, present Fourth district - commander. Special entertainment 1 is planned, with free eats being • served. 1 The committee in charge: Walter Gladfelter, chairman; James Staley s and Joe McConnell. The member- - ship drive now being conducted -by the members will be discussed, a All ex-service men are invited to attend the meeting.