Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 34, Number 125, Decatur, Adams County, 25 May 1936 — Page 1

S&\\lV No 1-'»-

felt COURT *SHOAINST h M BEAL BdPHilb rilM"' 11 Acts ; Bankruptcy I I Act Invalid . U.RI Th<b.ihM 1!,:! '* ulirl , h .iiiuti>mal. ~, ■ i" |^K t «h , h imiunib'll nil at , I Km*> ,,ill, " l "’’ 1 ' 11 " l " ! ’' 1 ' KJJT stibky.uil .n't to th.. n,i healing. _KXl.Ni,.'.y .nt "ns aild.nl growing li'gisla new fail'd tents. loot pun üb'il a means lilies anil other subdivisions could arnnieeinent with , oncerning bonded ailniinis s s. in the court to OLttl Tnuwell and municipal ruling. Krlfcii't r. fused to review an one phase of the SMe<i!<l legislation, one of deal acts to blessing. tßr imp '■ I" “ )Urt ruling Kvtieim' foreigners who had banks at the ■l u| gold laws were passed. - r the metal to the as Aim citizens Kt tor ■ d to do. S Sje — ■rifts Fractured ■ ■While Playing Ball saleis- ■& saeito hr lien wrist SunK aAi • ■ wlni - playing has—- ■' «■ an Ohio league team Bur. Macklin .it bat. was hit by a tall, fracturing the small finish-d the game ■-it. member. ■MEN TO I CONDUCT TOOS County Dairymen ■K(Visit Huntington K I Dairy Herds of the Adams county improvement a.ssoeiaB* a#(l tlmii dairymen friendu ■lifer u fur a dairy legume ■jj gui-.is ~f the Huntington dairy herd improvement Wednesday. May B fitlt stop will be at 9:15 at 11.-astim fa.'-m. mil" on<- of Marof the Purdue i-xi.'iision department " illianio the Ptirilm' lb partment will the group and point el interest throm’hMain emphasis will how to get and how to pwititre, especially diirm «ie,sinniner beat. dinner will he served *1 tit. at the Ray Nosker north of Huntingnist stop will be made Beatty farm. Mr. only heads the Ctternof lliintbut is state prestjfc” JT' Guernsey breedAnyone wishing inlorniution regarding get i tl touch with Ezß of 'de dairy herd imassociation or with the k tnt's office. ■FWsals Are Heard I !■ Tocsin Bank Case ■huB 11, nii ■ Ma >' 25—(Special n ” ! ioerat)—Judge W. R. Auburn this afternoon (l f attorneys in case ' f° r an agreed EjgT* 111 of •acts, inoolving excelpEJSr r " lfiport * 3 ' tiletl i>y <>i f ‘ Erec-e* t,ni ” ty Ba nk ot Decatur There are several DeK«ult t 26 " 1,3 aniong l ' le defendants E\ r t) 6 ° ne c °l lect deposEyijj , 16 stockholders, the bank Kt dta*'" ope, a t e( l as a .partnerE ge S® ction3 t 0 25 Taee® of - ’® CtS ' r6re offere d bv the ■gSE 1 '; ‘"eluding Wells county| hfeemir' 80 " towne hip and no’ B's u' aS reach “ d ' Unless the agreed upon a long I be necessary.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Is He Insane? ■ J As the state rested in the trial of John Fiorenza (above) for the murder of Mrs. Nancy Evans Titterton, mystery story writer, in her fashionable New York apartment. Fiorenza's counsel revealed that his defense will be ba.sed on the contention that the confessed slayer Is Insane. TWENTY PUPILS GIVEN AWARDS Scholastic D’s Will Be Presented High School Students Twenty pupils will be awarded scholastic “D’s” at the Decatur high school for remaining on the honor roll during each or the six weeks periods during the two semesters of the last school year. The letters will be given by W. I Guy Brown, principal of the . school, as soon as they arrive in l the city. They were not ordered until report cards were tilled for the last six weeks period. Faj'e Martin, a junior, led the honor roll for the last six weeks lof the second semester, with a I perfect record of five “A's”. Those who wjll receive scholastic “D’s” are: Thomas Andrews. Leona Bauer, Ardis Brintzenhofe. Barbara Burk, Robert Franz, Marie Grether. Ruth Grether, Walter Hoile, Al- ! bert Keller. Ruth Kimble. Katherine Knapp, Emma Marquart, Faye Martin. Marjorie Mas- | sonnee, Florence McConnell, I Rachel Mickley. Gl'adys Miller, June O'Donnell. Mary Steele, William Tutewiler. The honor roll is: A B Faye Martin 5 11 Thomae Andrews 4 <’ Leona Bauer 4 Ardis Brintzenhofe 4 0 Barbara Burk 4 0 Robert Franz 4 <> Ruth Grether 4 0 Walter Hoile 4 0 Ruth Kimble 4 0 Katherine Kna.pp 4 Flora Marie Lunkenau 4 0 (CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR) LOCAL MEN AT DISTRICT MEET Northern Indiana District Red Men Meeting At Fort Wayne J. M. Breiner, Frank Breiner and Carl Hower attended the northern Indiana district meeting of the Improved Order of Red Men held in Fort Wayne Saturday night. Twelve lodges in the district were represented at the meet- Edward (■• Harding .reat chief of records from Indianapclis was the chief speakei. Otheru who addreseed the convention were state officers- Huston Patterson, llndianapolie. H. W. Van Busick, South Bend and Glen DavisEl'khart. Registration at the convention included the names of several prominent officers ot the order. A large class of candidates received the ad".ption degree, conferred by the Monroeville team at the cloee of the meeting. The local members extended a a pec'al invitation to those present to attend the Trl-State Red Men meeting in this city on September 26. , _ , 1 Over a thousand members of Rea Men lodges in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan are expected to attend the fall convention in this city- Final plans for the aecvention will be made following the July district meeting in Lansing. Michigan.

ALF M. LANDON SEEMS CERTAIN OF NOMINATION Observers Believe Only Political Miracle ('an Stop Landon Washington, May 25— ((J.R} — Gov. Alf M. Landon of Kansas Is -so close to the Republican nomination today that many observers believe only a, political miracle could stop him now. The miracle most discussed would be a well-managed coalition of other GOP candidates in an effective stop-l-andon movement. There would be a touch of the miraculous about such a coalition because of the differences separating most other Republican factions. Trailing laimlon in the race toward Cleveland, where the Republican national convention will meet June 9, are Frank Knox of Illinois, Sen. William E. Borah of Idaho, Sen. Arthur 11. Vandenberg of Michigan and Sen. Lester J. Dickinson of lowa. There are darker horses than some of those. Sen Frederick Stelwer of Oregon has been named keynote speaker for the GOP and thereby becomes a presidential possibility. Former presi- ' dent Herbert C. Hoover still io | the nominal leader of the Republican party and must be counted ' among the potential nominees although la,st week he announced in Chicago that he was not a candiI date. If the miracle came to pass, I bringing Knox, Borah, former President Hoover and the other potential nominees together in an anti-Landon movement supported by such eastern leaders a.s Charles D. Hilles of New’ York and J. 'PONTTNUEn ON PAGE FOUR. CHURCH SCHOOL OPENED TODAY Increased Enrollment Reported In Vacation Church School i A total of 210 students registered ■on the first day of the Decatur Va- | cation Church school, which opened : this morning in the Central school. I This number -Is an increase of 20 over last year's registration on the first day of the schoo', known as the Daily Vacation Bible School. Flag-raising exercises at 8:30 thle morning opened the four week term of the school. Worshipfl pat riot iam art appreciation, nature study and l-ible training are Included in the curriculum of the classes. Classes will be held in the imorninge from 8:30 untfl 11:15. The organization of both boys and girls eottball teams from students of the upper classes will be a feature of the school thle year. The Rev. Charles M Prugh Is dean ot the school. 0 — Lions To Nominate Officers Tuesday All Lions are urged to attend the weekly meeting at the Rice hotel Tuesday night. Nomination of officers for the coming yeox will be conducted 1 during the bus! ness session. — o — Regular Legion Meeting Tonight The regular meeting of Adams post number 43 of the Amerli an Legion will ibe held at the home at Madison and First streets tonight at 8 o’clock- All imembere are urged to be present. Neighbors Assist Bereaved Family Mrs. C. O. Manley died last week leaving the husband and 13 children and with the farm work neglected because of the illnees of wife and mother. Today a number of neighbors met at the Manley farm with tractors, teams, drills and every thing necessary and by this evening will have the beets, beans and corn planted and the work entirely caught up. Mr- Manley is farming 160 i acres and this will enable him to continue w with hte work. WEATHER I Generally fair tonight and Tuesday, except poaalbly showers central portion early tonight; warmer central and north Tuesday.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, May 25, 1936.

Nominations Opened To Select Queen Os Decatur Centennial

Nominations for the queen of Decatur's Centennial were opened today. A nomination blank appears on page 3 of today's iasue of the Decatur Democrat and will run ea« h day this week. The noininutl ji carries 100 votee and may be filed by the nominee or her friends. However, 100 votes will he counted for only the firet nomination entered for each con-' testant. In other words, only 100 voles may be obtained by each individual before the election begins. , There -Is no charge for entering candidates and it is the wish of the committee that as many candidates ( be entered as Iposßlble in order to: Insure the election of a representative queen for the Centennial celebration. The queen will receive $25 in the form of a letter of credit, good at any store in Decatur. The two runnereup will be named attendants. Votes for the election will be obtained through local stores. The first purchase of 50 cents will en-

LIST CLASSES OFHORSESHOW l Classes, Prizes For Horse Show Centennial Week Announced — Classes and prizes for the horse show to be held in connection with Decatur’s Centennial celebration from August 2 to 8, inclusive, have been announced by the horse committee. The Gold Medal colt club ' classes are to be determined when the colts are weighed in in July. The open show for Belgians is: Pure bred mares, three years and over. Pure bred mares under three years. Grade mares, three years* and over. I Grade mares under three yeans. Suckling colts, pure bred mares, I pure bred studs; grade mares and grade studs. Geldings any age. t Pure bred mart 1 and colt. Grade mare and colt. Get-of-sire. three animals of any age. Prizes in Belgian classes will 1 be: $5, $3, $2 and sl. The stud classes are: four i I years and over; two years and under four years, and under two i years. These prizes will be SB, , $6, $4 and $2. The open show for Percherons will be: Maj-es, three years and over, and mares under three years. Suckers, mares and studs. Geldings, any age. Mare and' colt class. Get of eire, three animals. Prizes for Percheron classes will be: $5, $3, $2 and sl. (Stud classes of any age ca.rry prizes of SB. $6, $4 and $2. The Ed Neuhauser trophy will be awarded to the owner of the best pure bred Belgian mare in the show. INFANT FOUND DEAD IN AUTO Artist Is Questioned Concerning Body Found In Her Car Rochester, Ind., May 25 — fU.R) —A confession from Mrs. Elba Riffle Penwell, 31, artist sculptor, that she killed her infant child and left the body to decompose in the rear of an automobile was claimed today by J. M. Nye, Pulaski county prosecutor. Winamac, Ind., May 25.—(U.R> — State and local authorities today questioned Mrs. Elda Riffle Penwell, 31-year-o!d artist and sculptor, in connection with the death of an infant child whose body was found in a repossessed automobile she formerly owned. The baby, apparently strangled, was found in the rear ot an automobile store at the Duggleby Motor sales garage. The body was decomposed and burned so badly that neither the sex nor age could be determined. The automobile was repossessed last Tuesday after a check Mrs. I Penwell had given the company as I payment on the car was returned because of insufficient funds, autht orltles said. ’ A Bilk stocking, found wrapped! in the package with the child’s body, was believed the death weap(CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX)

title the purchaser to 50 volt* For each 50 cent purchase or fraction thereof aft-rwarde, 50 votes will be given. Only stores which purchased Centennial bonds will have the balX'ts. The queen, to qquallfy, must Hie between the ages of 17 to 30 inchiI sive, and unmarried. She must he a resident of Dncatur. During the first week of the content. all of the candidates will be considered. tAt the eml of the first i week all but the highest 20 will be : eliminated. At the end of the second ' week only the highest 15 will be J left in the race. At the end ot the i third week only the highest 10 will ■ be considered. The voting will begin Monday, June 1, and uvntinue until iinidnight i Saturday. June 27. Nomination blanks should lie • mailed or brought to the Centennial Queen editor in this ofifee. Letters i containing nomination blanks and > mailed later than Saturday at mid- ■ night will not be considered.

Automobile Jumps Curbing Saturday An automobile manned by an unidentified driver, reported to be traveling at a fast pace, jumped the curbing at Memorial park Saturday 1 night at 8 o’.clock and ran up on the lawn. Knocking over a .small poet and grazing a larger one, the driver finally regained control ot the auto and returned to the street. Children playing near the post had just left the spot. The driver left before police were called to the scene. It is thought that the driver lost control when he crashed the Nickel Plate railroad tracks at too great a speed No damage was done to the park law’n. . ROBERT MEYER IS FOUND DEAD Native Os Switzerland Found Dead At Home Os Brother — Robert Meyer, 73. native of j Switzerland and well known Adi».ins county, fanner, was found dead in bed Sunday at the home of his brother Henry Meyer, in French township, where he had been residing. County Coroner Robert Zwick stated that death was due to coronary thrombosis and determined the time of death as, 10:45 Saturday night. The deceased was born in Argau. Switzerland on March 7. 1863, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Meyer. When but a small boy the parents moved to this country, leaving Robert in his native land. Robert, a mute since birth, was left in Switzerland, to further his education in the mute school there. At the age of 16 he joined his parents in thin country. Both parents are now dead. He established bis residence in Adams county 51 years ago. Survivors include four brothers, Henry and Fred, of Monroe, Ed, of St. Louis, Missouri, and Herman. of Monroe. One sister and five brothers are deceased. Funeral services will be held Tuesday afternoon at 1 o’clock at the home of the brother, Henry, two miiles south and three miles went of Monroe and at 2 o’clock at the Christian Apostolic church, near Vera Cruz. Burial will be made in the church cemetery. The body was taken from the iJahn funeral parlors in Bluffton this afternoon to the home where it may be viewed until time for the funeral. o Joseph Kaehr Is Slightly Better The condition of Joneph Kaehr, injured in an auto accident last Tuesday, was reported to be slightly better today, according to the attending physician. His condition is still serious, he stated. STORES CLOSE SATURDAY May 30 in observance of DECORATION DAY Remember to do your shopping THURSDAY and FRIDAY Watch the advertisements of the local merchants for special Week-End Bargains.

LEGION PLANS DECORATION DAY SERVICES HERE Annual Services Will Be Held Here Saturday Morning Decoration Day services will be held Saturday morning. May 30, , with Adams post mmiber 43 of the American Legion conducting the services. The service will open with the procession to the Catholic cemetery at 8:30 a. m. At 9 o'clock, the procession Will proceed to the Maplewood cemetery. At. 9:30 o'clock, the Legionnaires will parade from the home to the Monroe street river bridge, where services will 1 be held. From the river, the pro--1 cession will parade to the court ' house monument. The American Legion ': will present a concert on the court house lawn at 9 o’clock, and at 10:30 the Decatur Girls’ band will play a concert program. In compliance with the custom which has prevailed for several years, memorial services at the Catholic cemetery, will foe held at the grave of Daniel Costello, and at the Maplewood cemetery at the grave of Harvey James. These are the la,st veterans buried at the respective cemeteries. The order ot parade and line of I march follows: Colors. Pest chaplain Floyd Hunter and nost commander Dee Fryback. | Firing squad. American Legion drum corps. Veterans ot World War. Veterans of Spanish-American War. American Legion auxiliary. I Boy Scouts. American Legion City band. School children. Decatur Girls band. E. F. O’Brien is general chairman for the services. Other Legion members who will assist are: V. J. Borman, color sergeant; color bearers, Otto Gase, Henry i Faurote; color guards, Albert Mil--1 ler and Leo Ehinger; commander of firing squad. Hubert Cochrane; | chaplain, Floyd Hunter; post commander, Dee Fryback; parade ' marshal, Paul Saurer. | o Berne Commencement Exercises Tonight Commencement exercise® for the seniors of the Berne high school will be held tonight at 7:30 in the Beßrne auditorium. Dr. Walter Wileon, of Kansas City. Missouri will deliver the commencement address, speaking on “Why Sit Still." Superintendent of schools E. M. Webb will ipresent the class an<| Hiram Lie.ty, president of the board of education will present the diplomas- A total of 36 boys and girls will graduate from the southern school this year. Baccalaureate services were held in the Berne Mennonite church last night, with the Rev. C- A. Schmid, pastor of the Reformed church delivering the address, “Pressing toward the Mark." DEATH CLAIMS DECATUR WOMAN Mrs. Chalmcr Hower Dies Saturday Night Os Complications Mrs. Mary Ellen Hower. 54. died at her residence at 803 North Third street. Saturday evening at 8 o'clock. Death was caused by complications and follow’ed a several months’ illness. The deceased was born February 1, 1882, a daughter of John D. a,nd Theresa K. Bixler-Meyer of Vera Cruz. She came to Decatur about 38 years ago where she resided until the time of her death. She was a member of the Pythian Sister organization. In 1928 she married Chalmer Hower. Surviving besides the husband are one sister, Mrs. Huber DeVoss of this city and one brother, Charles Meyer of Niles, Michigan. A sister, Mrs. George Henneford of Fort Benton, Montana, and the mother preceded her in death in 1931. Funertal services will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the residence with Rev. C. M. Prugh in charge of the services. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery. | The body will be removed from I the Black funeral home this afternoon and may be viewed by friends and relatives after 7 o’clock this evening.

25 Black Legion Members Facing Murder Charges

Cult Death Victim ■Y*!' i>, W ■ WILLj JM I Charles M. Poole, young Detroit WPA worker, whose bullet-riddled body wsa found in a ditch outside of town, is shown above. He is said by police to have been “exe- , cuted" by a. weird cult of blackrobed, hooded terrorists known as the Black Legion because he beat his wife. SERVICES ARE ‘j HELD SUNDAY Adams Post Os Legion Holds Annual Memorial Services I One of the largest crowds in 1 r several years attended the memor- • ial services at the Zion Lutheran ’ church Sunday. This service is sponsored each year by the Ad- . •, ams post number 43 of the Amer- > lean Legion for members of the Legion and Auxiliary, ex-service men and veterans of the SpanishAmerican war. , I The veterans and ladies march'i ed to the church in a body, pre- , I ceded by the colors. Mrs. Karl Krudop sa.ng “My Own America.” ' i The Rev. Paul W. Schultz, pastor of the church, preached the ' annual sermon. He used as his ' text: "Render therefore to all ' their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom cus- ’ tom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor." Excerpts from his sermon are: 1 "At first Memorial Day was set ' aside in honorable memory of the soldiers who died in the Civil I War. but today it includes the soldiers of all wars who have . fallen in the service of their country. In our loving thoughts today ■ we shall also include those legion members who have passed on since the conclusion of the last great war, and also the Civil and (Spanisih-American wax veterans. “It is fitting and proper that we honor their memories and speak a few words of exhortation to the living. It is a good and laudable custom for our nation to visit the silent cities of our soldier ■ dead, in a special way. at least once a year, in order that we may never forget the price they paid. And any flowers tve shall place upon their graves in the coming I days, may htey be placed in token i that they amd their sacrifices may never be forgotten. “We shall not debate today • whether our country's participation in the last great Whr was ■ needful, just and beneficial to our . American people. We realize so f fully today that the hue and cry • of pa.st yeans ‘to make the world • safe for democracy’ was an idle . dream, for directly in contrast to i democracies the war helped to > establish one dictator after another, and the end of this is not 1 yet in sight. i "I am also bringing such a thought to your remembrance for rmVTTNUFT* nN PAGTC FTVBD Q • ' American Legion Area i Conferences Planned Word lias been received by the local American Legion post of the • area D conference of the Legion , national rehabilitation committee i in Wilwaukee, Wisconsin on June - j 6 and 7. iA similar meeting will be r held on June 13 and 14 in Louls--1 ville, Kentucky- The meetings are open to all Legion members.

Price Two Cents.

Authorities Extend Their P r o h e Os Terrorist Group In Michigan; Surface Is Only Scratched. TO OTHER STATES Detroit, May 25—(U.R) —Murder warrants charging 25 members of the hooded and robed Black legion with the death of (’haj'les A. Coole, 32, were issued as authorities extended their investigation of the Itand's terroristic activities through every populous center of the state. Thirteen of the warrants were issued against men already under (arrest for the slaying of Poole on the night of May 12, and 12 were “John Doe” warrants. Ela,ch warrant charged conspiracy to kidnap the 32-year old WPA worker who "knew too much about the Black Legion," and each charged his wilful murder as he stood before the hooded group in |a deserted west side park. Wayne county prosecutor Duncan C. McCrea, whose investigators are inquiring Into every phase of the band's subversive activities, said that "we have sufficient evidence to support the contention that the 13 men were present when the conspiracy to murder Poole was entered into." "The others either were present at the meeting or on the way to the meeting at which Poole was killed," he added. “The fact that some of the members were prevented from arriving at the road- \ side where Poole was shot down I because of an open drawbridge. ' does not qualify the murder i charge in the slightest.” The suspects will be arraigned before Judge Ralph W. Llddy this afternoon. They include Harvey Davis, "Colonel" of the society and alleged leader in the death plot; Dayton Dean, Unban Lipps, Ervin D. Lee, George C. Johnson, Paul R. Edwards, Edgar Baldwin, Iziwell Rushing. Hershell Gill, John B. Mitchell, Thomas R. Craig and Jack Bannerman. James R. Lorrance, held as a suspect, was released over the week-end. From two official sources came indications tha,t the exhaustive investigation of the band would be extended state-wide, and possibly to adjoining states where reports of floggings and beatings trickled in. McCrea said he would seek federal aid in breaking down the secret activities of the hooded band. Attorney General David K. Crowley disclosed lie was consld ering a state-wide grand jury investigation into the legion whose membership has been linked to (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) O - Adams County Woman Is Burned Sunday Mrs. Noah N. Schrock, of north of Berne, waa severely burned early Sunday morning when a gasoline etove in the kitchen exploded. Mra. Schrock was attempting to light the oven of the stove, when fumes from a leaking jet ignited. She was severely burned on the right, hand. Burns on the head and face also proved painful- She was taken to a physician's office where her injuries were dressed. SEEK SPEAKER FOR EXERCISES County Grade School Commencement Set For June 13 Efforts are now being made to select a speaker for the annual commencement exercises for the eighth grades of the county, it was learned today from county school superintendent C. E. Strfker. A total of 269 pupils from eighth grades of 45 schools are eligible for graduation. Graduates will include students from 37 one-room schools, six consolidated schools and two schools with two teachers. The date of June 13 has been definitely decided upon for the commencement, which will be held In the Decatur high school auditorium following preliminaries at the Central school building. Grades ot the students ar“ being > tabulated and diplomas prepared for presentation on that night.