Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 34, Number 121, Decatur, Adams County, 20 May 1936 — Page 1

Mi\Xl\. No. 12L

BIWN OF ■fISENDAND fcIINPLAN s|i(,w. SugRCSBnmn Made To < K J . ->* ■*|olidate Moves ' ' * w 111 i ... I® jar i' ■| g . , p,.; ■ w. hi Id a ■jggL., ’ ’ l|r 1'""' ■ 1 I; . 11 K| ,),.. .'.UKifS K\ t Kr (travail. st ...;r!- lit' Ssw L . ; ,. h . .| by Sullivan i ..,; Okit'lioina, : fun.!- < - Ktt ■ that -|» th'Ks i ' "<1 :. i at. t >"iniiaiits of Hairs ' th' wealth faction, ■he < ss' in a letter by Frank ■pWriSCEb ON PAGE FIVE. ■HfOUNOED ■22 TEARS AGO Spur Moose Observe ■22nd Anniversary Os I Founding '’" numbers 'Adams ■■-! Older of Moos' “I' bration held last ’■'■■ anniversary "f thcof the local lodge. of the lodge. May in. 1914 were honored services. ■Hr ' 'ifli. Moose spoke to the members banntit-t hold at the com>t thi> b t.siness session. a< t i\;ti es at the Moos" Mooselmart. Illinois. Ft'gle. ncf the Sale <>( Geneva, is a memtllN y ( . ar ' s graduating class Kt <a 1111 Atlants county studfrom the school. Moose plan to hold a in honor e.f the naming a class of candibis honor. The class will .June 23- Further plans in honor of the naming a class of candi- * ] ' S ' lonor ' The class will |y’. > 'w ate<l June 23. Further plans are to .be anlater. Ifttato' Kcelscher, newly-elected r "as in charge of the uneetBr n ser Drowned I As Seaplane Sinks One 'T’ 1, Me ” May 20—(U.R) — fl rotrn P H Senger was reported diet »■ . ant * ve ot^ers a nd the , le > rescue( i *>y the coast S oday when a large seaI 1 nnged into the ocean off 1 guai '<ismen identified the Hand " illiani Montgomery was owned by Stan!tor T yoi,thf ul Maine aviatraiwt,,’,? nce claimed the junior Wntlnental flight record. ! ‘ le cle.. ''r Wllt was witnessed by loat Lu"' the coast guard cable scene. «?’ lich 3pe<i to the s>laneiw<, * ° f 111036 aboard the, senger i? e talfen off . but the pas-1 * 4B 'ltr/' 1 1 1 f ' e< * a ‘ 3 Montgomery Mid » v and apparently '”•1

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Sought in Killing f -I K. _ Tfc ' MUF. w- X .JM Underworld haunts of three states were under surveillance by federal authorities in an attempt ,to apprehend Harlan Crouch, alleged Indianapolis gangster, who was named by an accomplice as the slayer of John R. Foster, federal revenue agent who was killed while pursuing two liquor runners. DEVOSS NAMES REVIEW BOARD John Baker, Grover Oliver Named To Board Os Review John Baker, Decatur, a Democrat and former sheriff of Adams county , and Grover Oliver, Decatur Republican, were appointed today as members cf the board of review for Adlams county by Judge Huber M. DeVoss. , The Board will meet June 1 in the commissioners room in the i county court house. Tim other three members of the ' I'.'ard serve by virtue of their ofi fices. They are: Ernest Worthman, county assessor, .president; John j I W Tyndall, county auditor, clerk.' and Jeff Liechty, county treasurer, i I According to the law two citizens must be appointed by the court. 1 They must be of different political faiths. *W i in its annual session, lasting | about a month, the board hears complaints on assessments made this spring. The beard has the right to equalize valuations made by the assess-. ors according to the various types, and other taxing units in the conn-j (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) —« Ask Death Penalty For Gang Members Indianapolis, May 20 — <U.R) The death penalty will be asked for Alfred Brady. James Dahlhover. and Clarence Dee Shaffer, Jr., captured members of the ‘‘second Dillinger gang,” Prosecutor Herbert M. Spencer announced today. They were indicted by the Marion county grand jury on first degree murder charges in connection with the slaying of police sergeant Richard Rivers. A' first degree murder indictment also w-as returned against Charles Geisking, a fugitive believed wounded during a jewel robbery at Lima, O. BUYS INTEREST FROM PARTNER Felix Maier Buys Moyer Interest In Hide And Fur Company Felix Maier today became the sole owner of the Maier Hide and Fur company in this city, purchasing the interest of his partner, Max The (partnership existed for 1 years. The company was eetabl-sh-cd here 20 years agoMr. Moyer will retire from active work and stated he has not yet decided what he will do in the fuThe company deale in waste material, hides, fur and wool- It has a large warehouse east of the Pennsylvania railroad tracks on Monroe street and has been succcesefully operated for a score of years. I Mr. Maier has been a resident o Decatur every since he became identified with the local company and will be in active charge of the I business.

CITY COUNCIL APPROPRIATES SHARE OF COST C o u n c i I Appropriates $62,200 As Share In Plant Improvement The city council Tuesday night appropriated $62,200 as its share of the cost of the new Improvement a.t the Decatur light and power company plant. The PWA has made a grant of $49,800 for the improvement, which will total $112,000. The city’s share will be taken from two sources. An amount of $31,107.30 will be taken from the electric light current cash fund and $31,092.70 from the electric light depreciation fund. As soon as the contracte are signed with the companies to whom they were awarded and by the city officials and approved by the state PWA. the city can make a demand upon the PWA for 25 per cent of the government's share. This will amount to more than $12,000. Included in the $112,000 will be $9,450 contracted for the addition to the building at the plant, and an estimated $13,000 for piping and foundations. Contracts awarded by the council and approved by the PWA ,are: General Electric company. 2,000 KWH turbine, $51,500; and ' switchboard panel, $1,849; Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing company, condenser, $19,755 and dual driven exciter, $4,740. None of the money will be raised by taxation. The improvements have been made necessary because of the increased business enjoyed by the local plant in the last two years. o STATE LIONS MEET CLOSES I Michigan City Man Elected Governor Os Northern District Delegates to the Lions chib etate convention held in Fort Wayne Sun-; day. Monday and Tuesday returned| last evening after casting votes in the election of state officers of the. club during the afternoon session. Those elected were J. P- Flint, of [ Crawfordsville, governor of the , southern district; Edward H Paine. | Michigan City, governor of tfce northern district; F Arthur Schack, Fort Wayne. &?ng leader and Waij ter Shirley, Indianapolis, treasurer. Pain?, governor-elect of the northern district of which the Decatur organization is a (part, won the office from Harry S. Taylor, of South Bend, after a close race, only two votes separating the candidates. The official delegates from the local club were Dr. E. Burt Mangold chairman; Merle Ellenberger, Glenn Hill. Andrew Appelman and Lloyd Cowens, club president and ex-offi-cio member. Other club membere attended the sessions of the conven(CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) o ——————— Poland Exposes Alleged Nazi Plot Warsaw, May 20—(UP) Poland's new government today exposed an alleged Nazi plot to separate upper Silesia from Po'and and join it to Germany. The cabinet ordered that 118 members es the Nazi party in upper Sileeia, known as the national socialist German workera movement, be tried for conspiring to execute the plot. The trial, at which sensational evidence will be introduced by the government, will open at Kattowitz on June 2. oAdams Theater Plans For Amateur Contest Amateur entertainers from Decatur and surrounding territory are invited to participate in an amateur contest to be held on the stage of the Adams theater Friday, May 29. Cash prizes of $5, $3 and $2 will be paid to the three winners. x . Bob Roberts, well-known northern Indiana master of ceremonies, will stage and conduct the show, and will enlist the aid of the I audience through applause to! select the winners. Any individual or group possessing any kind of talent or entertainment is invited to enter the contest. Application may be made in person or through the mail to the Adams | theater.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, May 20, 1936.

Civic Section Plans For Petunia Beds At the meeting of the Civic Section of the Woman’s Club last evening, extensive plans were made for planting petunia beds for the Centennial celebration. < The ladies are planning to hold a garden contest and ask the cooperation of all the citizens of Decatur. Anyone desiring to enter the contest is requested to call Mrs. Delton Paeswater. Mrs- George Rentz has been elect- 1 ed chairman of the flower committee and assisting her are Mrs. Chester Mclntosh, Mrs. Lawrence Green Mrs. G. T. Burk and Mrs. Dave Ad- 1 ams. The section a’eo voted to give SSO to the Girls Rand to be used for the purchase of new uniforms. o COLLEGE YOUTH SLAYS PAL AND TAKES OWN LIFE Brilliant Williams College Freshman Crazed From Over Study Williamstown, Mass., May 20. — (U.R) —Lewis J. Somers, 19. brilliant Williams college freshman, resorted to murder to make himself courageous enough for suicide, authorities believed today. Somers killed one classmate, wounded another, and killed himself with a mail order pistol last night. He was given to over study and this was believed to have warped his mind. The shooting stunned this quiet college community and the prominence of all three youths involved added to the tragedy Somers was the son of a Meriden, Conn., attor-: ney. His bullets killed Robert Paul Henneberry, 19. son of George Henneberry, wealthy Chicago printer, and wounded William H. ' Hartz, Jr., 18, also a son of a: i wealthy Chicago business man. Henneberry was shot through' the back of the head as he read' in his dormitory room. Hartz, who | was in the room when Somers | walked in firing from two pistols, suffered shoulder and foot wounds which were described as not serious. Somers then placed a gun I at each temple and pulled the trigI ger. One gun jammed but the other | didn’t and he toppled over backi wards. Lewis J. Somers, his father, was ! expected here today. He said recent letters from his son were ' ‘strange and hard to understand." He expressed the belief his son had "suddenly cracked” under the strain of seeking to retain the honor ratings he won in preparatory school. Similar views were expressed by school officials. Students whisper ( ed that Somers had twice before attempted suicide —once with a knife after the fraternity rushing season last fall and again with a noose flung over a pipe in a shower room. There was no author!(CONTINUED ON PAOE FIVE) 0 Public Invited To Hear Dry Speaker The general public Is invited to attend the meeting at the First M. E church tonight at 7:30 o’clock Col. Frank B. Ebbert. Washington D- C., prominent dry leader, will speak on "How the drys stage a comeback” No admission will be charged.

Mayor Proclaims Saturday, May 23, As Poppy Day Here With Saturday, May 23, designat- “Many of the city's young men ed as Poppy Day, Arthur R. Holt- were called into the armed services house, as mayor of Decautr, today & „ me of then) were called upon issued a proclamation urging all . citizens to observe the day by wear- the.r lives in that sering memorial poppies in honor of vice, dying with thousands of other the World War dead. brave young Americans upon the The sale of poppies in this city battle fields of France. There, over will be sponsored by the ladies aux- their graves, a .little flower spiang iliary of Adams post number 43 of up and bloomed, nature s tribute to the American Legion. The poppies the heroic dead. It was the poppy, will be on sale all day Saturday, and their comrades as Americans to Proceeds of the sale, which is na- wear a poppy in their memory, one tionwide go to the aid of disabled day of each year. On Saturday, May veterans’ of*the Wor’d War 23, the American Legion and the The Mayor’s proclamation is as American Legion auxiliary will disallows: j tribute these memorial poppies in "When the United States was our city. plunged into the World War in 1917, "Therefore, I Mayor of the City the City of Decatur responded to of Decatur, do hereby proclaim Satthe natP'n's call in a spirit of ex- urday. May 23 to be Poppy Day in I alted patriotism, The citizens of the the City of Decatur, and I urge that city offered their efforts and their a’l citizens observe the day by wearmeans in the nation’s defense serving the meiT.brlal poppy in order Ing and sacrificing in the national that the inspiring memory of those cause. The City of Decatur holds in who made the highest patriotic proud memory its part in the great sacrifice during the war may be national effort which brought vic-1 recalled to every mind. | torious peace in 1918. “Arthur R. Holthouse, Mayor.

DEFENDANT IS GIVEN VERDICT Joseph McConnell Given Jury’s Verdict In sl,375 Suit A jury in the Adams circuit court at 12:-<5 o'clock thia afternoon returned a verdict for the defendant in the uuit to collect $1,375, brought by Mrs. Anna Smith Chllcote against Joseph L. McConnell. The jury was given the case at 11:10 o'clock this morning and deliberated a total of about one hour Time was taken for lunch. Evidence in the case was concluded Tuesday afternoon. The i arguments were made by the attorneys thia morning followed by the instructions to the jury, read by Judge Huber M. DeVose. Mru. Chilcote alleged on the stand Tuesday that on January 20, 1932, she withdrew $l,lOO from the bank and gave it in trust to Mr McConnell to safeguard for her. At that time she was living in the McConnell residence, paying half of the expenses. Mr McConnell was acting an administrator for her first hueband's estate and as guardian for her three children. Mrs. Chllcote alleged that she did not request the return of the money until last year when Mr. McConnell refused to pay then She exhibited the receipt in testim.'Niy which Mr. McConnell had given her for the $l,lOO. She requested that interest be given her on the money. Mr. CcConnell testified that he repaid Mrs. Chilcote. on September 2. 1932, in the presence of hie wife and daughter, both of whom verified the allegation on the witness stand. He said that Mrs. Chilcote returned the receipt to him at that time CONTINUED ON PICK FIVE' O AARON KIPFER DIES TODAY World War Veteran Dies Today At Indianapolis Hospital Aaron Kipfer, 39, World War veteran. died at 1 o’clock this afternoon at the Veteran*' hospital in Indianapolis after a four years' illness of encephalitisThe deceased was born in Wells county, a son of Mr and Mrs. Daniel Kipfer. He married Mary Steffen in October. 1921. Surviving ar? the fatheV; the widow and f. ur children. Joseph, Doris. Eunice and Aaron. Jr., all at 1 heme, five miles west and two miles south of Monroe. One daughter is deceased- Brothers and sisters I surviving ar? Al.na, Lucinda and Oda Kipfer, all of Berne; Mrs. Joe Myers and Reuben Kipfer. Vera Cruz; Edward and Obed Kipfer. Bluffton rural route. Funeral services have not been definitely arranged, but will be held at the Christian Apostolic church, of which the deceased was a member- Burial will be made in the i .church cemetery. The b.-dy will be returned to the home this evening WEATHER Generally fair tonight and Thursday; except unsettled northwest tonight; rising temperature tonight except extreme southwest; warmer Thursday.

ALF LANDON IS FAR AHEAD OF SENATOR BORAH Gov. Hofl'inan Wins Place As Delegate To G. O. P. Convention Trenton, N. J., May 29— (U.R)— Gov. Harold G. Hoffman, whose activities in the Hauptmann ca.se were made a campaign issue, ran fourth today in a field of five candidates for four places as dele-gate-at-large to the Republican national convention. Although he trailed three other New Jersey Republican leaders, Hoffman had a sizable lead for the fourth place over the man who raised the Hauptmann issue against him — former representative Franklin W. Fort, friend of former president Herbert Hoover. Gov. All' landon forces claimed the election of their entire slate of 32 pledged delegates. Thie voting was entirely separate from presidential preference in which Landon ran nearly 4 to 1 a,head of Sen. William E. Borah of Idaho. Returns from 1,711 of 3,580 districts in the preferential voting gave: Landon 176,836; Borah 46.792. In the contest for delegate-at-’arge, all pledged to Landon, returns from 2.720 gave: Walter E. Edge 175,774; Edward B. Duffield 164.621: Edna. B. Conklin 155.283; Hoffman 141,949; Fort 98,605. The preference primary had nothing to do with the election of sn] OEra tes to the Bentublican and Democratic conventions. But the full slate of delegates pledged to j T andon, some with margins of 4 to 1, seemed safely in over the I nartial state nlcdged to Borah. Tn »So Democratic prime,nv. I Dwi-Mont Roosevelt was a=su r ed of a’l the state',? votes at the naennvent'nn because all can- | ! ■’ , a n +nq n’Ara to him. His j ->nme was not entered in the Demnnra.ttc nreference primary, where Fol. Henrv Breckinridge, anti-new Oea,t lawver. was the only candl--1 date. Breckinridge was receiving a light vote on the basis of nartial returns. In a number of precincts. (CDNTTNTTED GN PAGE SIX) ■ -0 Simmons Heads Groun To Arrange Meeting Indianapolis. May 20 — (U.R) —! The Democratic state convention arrangements committee today was headed by Virgil M. Simmons Bluffton, fourth district chairman. Other members of the committee named by Omer Stokes Jackson, state chairman, included Henry O. Goett, Indianapolis. 12th district chairman: Alex M. Pursley, Hartford City, fifth district chairman; Mm. Sanford Trippett, Princeton, seventh district vicechairman; and Miss Eudora, Kelley. Nashville, ninth district vicechairman. The committee will select the keynote speaker, permanent chairman and other officers of the ' state Democratic convention which ‘ will be held at the state fairgrounds June 16. ADAMS COUNTY MAN MISSING Burley Drew Is Reported Missing Since Last Saturday City and ccunty authorities have f been asked to aid state police in investigating the mysterious disappearance of Burley T. Drew, 29, 1 well known Adams county man, ’ who has been missing since Saturi day afternoon. Thurman Drew, local insurance . man and brother of Burley, was the s last (person to have authentically . seen the missing young man. Bur- , ley, who has been working in Fort ’ Wayne in the insurance business tor the past week, was brought to ’ this city from Fort Wayne by the , local man. \ Thrman Drew stated that he had s left his brother out of the car near the Cloverleaf Creamery, about 2:39 t P. M. He states that he saw him enter another car, in hitchhiking f to Geneva to visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Drew. j I When a girl friend at Piqua, Ohio t called the Drew family, on Monday .. evening, inquiring of his wherer shouts the family became worried. B T hev notified authorities laat night. c Other persons report his being 6 seen on the road to Fort Wayne. Officials and the family fear foul I (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX)

New Coal Control Bill Is Introduced ii Senator Guffey

Blackmailer? i .. ’V fSilv nJ Charges filed by Al Smith, Jr., son of the former governir, that he had been blackmailed out of $20,009 by three men who threatened to expose an alleged affair with a pretty blonde stenographer ended in indictment of A. Henry I Ross, lawyer, above, and Max ! Krone, private detective. RESOLUTION IS APPROVED Council Approves Resolution For Lights On First Street A preliminary resolution to erect iornamental lights on First street I from Monroe to Rugg streets was approved by the city council Tues-, day night. Any objections to the improve-1 'ment will be heard Tuesday night, June 2, in the city hall building. A petition signed by Harve Sudduth and others for a street light between Monroe and West streets was referred to the electric light committee. j Forest Elzey, chairman of the. park committee, reported that the | j furnaces at the Hanna-Nuttman ( 1 city park have been destroyed by vandals. Long poles, which the | city park committtee had placed • beside the furnaces for free fuel, were used to pry down the brick walls of the furnaces. Mr. Elzey reported that workmen are now mowing the grass in the parks. The tables and benches 1 are being painted. All will be in readiness to open the city parks Decoration day. Mr. Elzey also stated that plans are being drawn up for the landscaping of the east side of the water works park. Mayor Holthouse, as president of the board of works, reported I that the Decatur Castings company had been contacted in regards to ■ dumping dust on the city dump on ‘ North Second street. The Castings company agreed not to haul the fine dust to the dump. A sludge made up of sand and course dirt will be hauled to ’ the dump. A certain amount of 1 dirt is necessary to cover the trash discarded there daily. ’ This committee also reported ’ that Willard McConnehey had been ‘ engaged to keep the dump in order. A petition by the water depart--5 ment that it be given credit for s the redecorations on the city hall f for its share of the rent was apt fCONTTNUEP ON PAGE STX) 5 Central School Play Will Be Repeated 1 “The Girl In the Fur Coat,” which r was given by the Central eighth 9 grade recently in the Decatur high 1 schorl auditorium, will be repeated ! in a matinee performance at the ’■ St- Joseph auditorium Friday at 1:30 o’clock. 0 Tickets are on eale at 10c for adn’ts and children. The play was succeesfuly given I' several weeks ago and those who ■ have not seen it are urged to atK tend. " The proceeds are to be used to j; purchase new uniforms for the DeI catur Girls band.

Price Two Cents

New Measure To Replace Act Invalidated By Recent Decision Os Supreme Court. FEW CHANGES Washington, May 29 — (U.R) — (Sen. Joseph F. Guffey, D., Pa., today introduced in the senate a new coal control act, shorn of labor provisions which the supreme court held to be unconstitutional. The new act, confined entirely to price-fixing of coal in interstate commerce, was referred immediately to the senate interstate commerce committee. It was considered possible that congressionaj action on the substitute law might be completed this session without delay in adjournment. Guffey said the bill merely made such changes in the invalidated Guffey act as were ‘‘necessary to meet the views of the court.” “The labor provisions in the 1935 act have been wholly eliminated.” he said. “The bill deals solely with congress’ undisputed right to regulate interstate commerce.” A companion bill, written by Rep. J. Buell Snyder, D.. Pa., was prepared for introduction in the i house by Rep. Fred Vinson. D„ Ky. Aside from eliminating all labor provisions from the outlawed act, Guffey made few alterations in his substitute legislation. The new bill provides for an increase of from five to seven members on the national bituminous coal commission to be established in the interior department. It al.so contained a revised preamble, |reading: ' “Be it enacted by the senate I and house of representatives of : the United States of America in | congress assembled, that regulaI tion of the sale and distribution lin interstate commerce of bituminous coal is imperative for the protection cf such commerce; and that there exist practices and I methods of distribution and marI keting of such coal that waste the coal resources of the nation, and disorganize, burden, and obstruct interstate commerce in bituminous coa.l, with the result that regulation of the prices thereof and of unfair methods of competition therein is necessary to promote j interstate commerce in bituminous coal and to remove burdens and i obstructions therefrom.” Guffey told the senate when he introduced the bill; “It will be recalled that four members of the court held that the price fixing provisions of the act of 1935 were valid. The majority of the coudt held that the price fixing provisions of the act could not be considered apart (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) JOSEPH KAEHR IS CRITICAL Condition Os Man Injured Tuesday Is Reported Critical Joseiph Kaehr, well known farmer of near Monroe, injured In an auto accident Tuesday noon was reported to be in a critical condition this afternoon by the attending physician. “Mr. Kaehr is delirious and in great pain. No examination is possible as long as he remains in such condition,” the doctor statedHe was reported previously as 1 suffering from three or four fractured ribs and .possibly a broken back by .hospital attaches. Raymond Kaehr, 19 year old son of the injured victim and driver -et ■ the car, was released from the local I hospital late yesterday after he had been treated for minor injur--1 les1 George Schultz, local salesman, 1 driver of the other car in lie col- ' i lie-ion, was unable to assume his 5 duties today. He is confined to 1 i his home with a scalp laceration. r Fort Wayne Turners 1 Club Is Destroyed j Fort Wayne, Ind., May 20—(UP) —The club house of the Turners 3 country club near here was destroy- .. ed by fire late yesterday. Damage I was estimated at $4,000.