Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 34, Number 309, Decatur, Adams County, 31 December 1936 — Page 1

o |. XXXIV. No. 309.

)ne Os Decatur’s Most Prosperous Years Ends Today _

ear Os 1936 Marked By ivic And Industrial growth; Centennial Is .'illy Celebrated. parties TONIGHT k e year of 1936. one of the most [come to a close at midnight to-1 Hit. The new year of 1937 will be ush■d in mid a swirl of parties. bo‘h blie and private. rhe annual charity dance, spoilby the Tri Kwppa sorority, l j be hied at the Decatur Country ; ,b. The B. P. O Elks lodge will Id the annual New Year’s Eve ! ice. for members only, tonight.! addition to these, numerous priIf parties are being planned(mt business houses will be cloeall day tomorrow. New Year’s . The new year will be ushered promptly at midnight with the wing of whistles, headed by the nicipa' plant, and by ringing of Cheaters, restaurants, confectioner and similar places of business sbe open at least most of Friday. e poet office, First State Bank (public library wi! close all day. i mail deliveries wi’l be made. 1 the lobby will be open for conlience of the lock box owners, e Daily Democrat will print the mal New Year’s edition at noon day. fbe year ending tonight has in ay ways been outstanding in the fs historybe greatest celebration ever held Decatur was staged in August, tn the city observed its 100th

thday with a magnificent Centen- I I week program. leligious, civic and fraternal orlizatioiMS joined with city officale gage a eeveu-day program never la’led in a town of this size, leeatur enjoyed splendid indusII expansion during the year just ling. The General Electric comly added large numbers of em yees to its force, the building gram of the McMillen interests i further carried out, the M ayne Felty company moved i’s plant to I city, and other industries of the F expanded and enlarged their litiese during the year. p the way of private enterprise. By retail stores of Decatur were ■odeled and enlarged, led by The Later store, and private citizens Lructed many new homes, in Inion to remodeling many others, [he electric department of the ■ Hght and power plant enjoyed I biggest year in 1936 in point [production, Mayor A. R. Holtfee stated today. Kilowatt pro[tion will exceed 9,000,000, the Bor said. [he increased business is a reition o fthe heavier schedules I added employment in local in■try and a general return to betI conditions in the community, ■he addition to the power plant [completed and the 2.000 K\V H [h. turbine will be tested next pday, the mayor stated. The Irovement cost about $119,000. [which $49,800 will be paid by I government, through a PWA pt. The plant will be in po® 1 ’ [ to cares or needs of industry, peeping with the growth of the It appears that 1937 will be a r of action, exceeding in many rs the progress of 1936 and we uld all roll up our sleeves and P put Decatur forward during next 12 months. The oppor |itv to build one of the finest Innunities in the country is. [<-." Mayor Holthouse stated. o— — WEATHER Fair tonight and Friday: slightly colder extreme north portion tonight. ROW’S BABSON [N 1937? I [That's what everyone is pking. is he bullish or parish? Roger W. Babpn has almost a hundred hr cent record for getting pc answers right to all the I?, bothersome questions ponths in advance. I This newspaper has se[ured exclusive use of Mr. ribson’s “Business and financial Outlook for p 37.” Watch for it in the leinocrat tomorrow.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

J " Heiress Takes Life [WWt i I w ? j & JS! t Mrs. Dorothea Carson Apparently despondent over an ill-feted, love affair. Mrs. Dorothea Peterson Carson, attractive Chicago heiress, committed suicide by drinking a poison high-bajl. William Carr, an advertising salesman who was witli Mrs. Carson when she died, told police that her despondent mood had ensued when he told her he was unable to marry her at the present time. Mrs. Carson, a divorcee, I once before had attempted suicide.

H. F, BEERY HERBS K. P. Elected Chancellor Commander At Meeting Thursday Night W. F. Beery, local mail carrier and president of the Deca.’ur Lions chib, was elected chancellor commander of the Knights of Pythias lodge at the meeting held in the home last night. Mr. Beery succeeds Bob Shnaluka, who served the past term. Ed. Highland, local railroad star tion agent, was elected vice-chan-cellor and Will Dellinger prelate. Other officers elected were: Bob Shraluka. master of work: Joe Hunter, keeper of records and seals' George Stults, mapter of finance: W. A. Lower, master of exchequer and Jess Rupert, master at arms. Harve Lammiman and Oren Schultz were named inner and outer guards, respectively. Charles Knapp wa» elected trustee for two years and W. Guy Brown, ; trustee for three years. I An auditing committee, composed of David Adams, chairman, Charles Knapp and W. Guy Brown wa,s also appointed. The newly elected officers will be installed at a. meeting in January, to be announced at a hit date Plants were also made to hold rank initiatory work at thei next meeting, Thursday January, 7. Present officers will charge. _ HEAVY TOLL IN FLU EPIDEMIC Pneumonia Chicago. Dec. 31 ;U^' pu ,' () n ia vere ’""Xmath of holiday ex- ! epidemic, att q(>nable weathhaustion and imsnital and I er , taxed Chicago s hospital nursing facilities to< ' t j I>o oo »• '*■* “ Hospital official . t 0 trea t ' their oxygente • wken pneunionm patieaf * for up, and none was i new cases. ia i hospital The voluntary guarI placed itself und isitors from

STRIKES HARASS UNITED STATES AUTO INDUSTRY Auto Workers Threaten To Extend Strikes In Nation Detroit, Dec. 31 -(U.R) —Automobile workers, threatening to extend •‘sit-down" strikes, awaited a reply today to their fourth request for a ‘ satisfactory and permunent settlement" of labor's demands upon General Motors for collective bargaining rights among its 211,0m> workers. The sit-down strike of 1,200 i workers in Fisher body plant No. i 2. a, General Motors unit, in Flint. Mich., spread today to plant No. 1 employing 7,000 men and women. Night shift employes of plant No. 1 which has been considered a "hot spot,” sat down at 10 p. m„ the workers refusing to return to their tasks after the iunch period.' Fisher Body company officials immediately ordered the pla.nti closed and ordered that the day crew be refused admittance when it reported. The output of plant No. 1 consists of bodies for Buick and officials of that G. M. division pre-, dieted that it will be able to continue operation tor only a day or less before the supply of bodies is exhausted. Other Fisher strikes, affecting marly 10,000 workers, continued .in Cleveland, Kansas City, and Atlanta. The automobile industry also is suffering from strikes involving about 14.500 employee of tlie Pittsburgh plate glass and Libbey-Owens-Ford glass compan- , ies. Latest collective bargaining demand. which labor chiefs declare must be met if widespread strikes are to be avoided, was in a telegram from Homer Martin, president of the United Automobile; Workers Union, to William SKnudsen, executive vice-president of General Motors. "Why should General Motors longer avoid meeting representatives of their organized employes on a national scale for the purpose of entering into real collective bargaining?” Martin asked. Knudson previously had suggested that the union discuss its grievances with local plant man- ; ugers, but Martin labeled that 1 (CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR) 0 DEATH CLAIMS FRED TEEPLE Local G. E. Worker Dies Thursday Night At Hospital Fred Teeple, aged 38, employe of the local General Electric factory, died at the Lutheran hospital in Fort Wayne last evening at 8:50 o'clock. Death was caused by acute heart dilation. He had been ill for some time with infectious arthritis, and had been confined in the hospital most of the time since September. The deceased was born in Deca-; tur on November 10, 1898, "he son of Wi'llam and Ollie Hollopeter Teeple. On September 13. 1924 he was married to Miss Iva Barrone. n 1929 the couple moved to a farm ; I in St- Mary's township, seven miles , ! east of this city. I He was a member of the First Evangelical church of this city and a. member of the Loyal Order of Moose lodge. He had been an emcmploye of the G. E. for the past 12 years. ~ ; ' Surviving, besides the widow, are the father, two sons, Maurice and James; three sisters, Mr. George Davis, Albuquerque, New Mexico; | ; Mrs. Bruce Conway. Cedarville and . Mrs. Noah Sheets, Decatur. : Funeral services will be held at ihe home at 1:30 P m- Saturday , inll at 2 o’clock at the First Evan-j ,-elical church, with the Rev. George S Lozier officiating. Burial will be made in the Decatur cemetery. The body will be removed to the home from the S. E- Black funeral parlors at & p- ni. today. —o fudge Re-Appoints Jury Commissioners judge Huber M. DeVoss has announced the re-appointment of Henry F. Gallmeyer, a Democrat of Preble township, and Forest Elzey a Republican of Decatur, as jury commissioners for 1937. The men were directed to appear in court on January 2 to qualify for the office. The law requires that the jury com missloners represent the two major I parties.

ONLY DAILY NE WSPAI’ER IN ADAMS COUNTS

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, December 31, 1936.

Temperance Forces To Hold Conference A meeting will be held in the First M. E. Church in this city, Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock, for the purpose of "Facing the Facts” with regard to liquor conditions as, they exist throughout Indiana. Those expected to attend are min-J litters, Sunday School superintendtills and teachers, president Young; Peoples' church groups, public I school teachens, leaders of men and ! women's clubs, members W. C. T. U. I and all others who are Interested in i the welfare of the people of Indiana. An agenda will be prepared and ready for the opening of the meeting at which time an open forum will also be conducted relative to' conditions and a suggested remedy, I it was announced. COUNTY MEN AT DISTRICT MEET Adams County Men At-, tend Soil Conservation Meeting A district meeting on the 1937 soil conservation program was held at Portland Wednesday. The following men from Adams county attended: Lester Adler, Henry Meyer, Alonzo Smith, Kermit Bowen. Win. Griffiths, Victor Bleeke, Winfred Gerke, Henry Rumple, Rolla Raudenbush. Wm. Patterson, Adolph Schatnerloh. E. W. Busche, Dan Studler, Ralph Myers, Wm. Rupert, Dan Kauffman, Ben Mazelin. C. W. R. Schwartz. Jesse Teeter, Homer Arnold, and County Agent Archbold. The 1937 program is based essentially on the principles of the 1936 program. There are some complications by attempts made to meet changing conditions due to the 1936 drought and by the fact that a corn limit on each farm seems desirable, in light of the high price of corn land available to the plow Iby reason of the killing of grass seedings and the fact that foreign exports do not look bright. It is expected that the township educational meetings on the program will get under way the week of January 18. From the group of men who attended the Portland meeting, edui cational tetims will be selected to explain the 1937 program in the township educational meetings. Herbert Boerger Is Removed From Hospital Herbert Boerger, Monmouth high I school student, who had been confined in the Adams county memorial hospital for several days with a brain hemorrhage, was released this afternoon to be returned to j his home. The attending physician stated that his recovery was complete. Boerger, who was a, veteran athlete at Monmouth, is not expected to be able to compete in athletics, during the remainder of the school term. —— o New Year’s Day Masses At St. Mary’s Church Masses at St. Marys Catholic church on New Year’s day will be held at 7, 8:35 and 9:45. It is a . holy day of obligation.

Ruth Hollingsworth To Take Office As Recorder Friday

The only woman on the Democratic ticket in the general elec- ' tion last November was Mrs. Ruth | Hollingsworth, who will succeed Walter Bockman, Friday, as Adi ams county recorder. Mrs. Hollingsworth claims two records in the primary campaign in which she was successful in a field of five. She was the first perj son to announce her candidacy and travelled the greatest distance ' campaigning, more than 1,400 miles. She was born September 22, 1895 lin Hartford township, the only ■ daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John P. Shoemaker, a prominent farm family She attended Hartford township schools until 1912, when her family moved to Geneva and she enrolled in the Geneva high school. Through her employment in the office of the Geneva Milling and 1 Grain company from the time of leaving school until 1926 she gained a large acquaintance with residents of the south half of the county. Her marriage to the late Hail “Spot” Hollingsworth, formerly of Jefferson township took place December 1, 1926, shortly after his . election in November to the office • of sheriff of Adams county. They ■ moved to Decatur in December of the same year. During Mr. Holl-;

GIVE SPECIAL PRAYERSTODAY FOR POPE PIUS Vatican Officials Assert Condition Not As Serious As Rumored Vatican City, Dec. 31 — <U.R> — Special prayers in which 16 cardinals participated were offered for Pope Pius’ recovery today at the Basilica of St. John in Lateran, ' "The Cathedial of Romo." The prayers were offered on I lite occasion of a service conimeinI orating the IGOOtii anniversary of | tile death of Pope iSt. Silvester 1. The pope's sister, his slster-in-i law, his nephew, Count Ratti: members of tile diplomatic corps, representatives of King Victor ' Emmanuel ajid the Italian foreign j office and provincial and other authorities attended the service. , Cardinal Marcheti-Selviaggiani, i vicar general of Rome, celebrated i muss, assisted by the other card- . inals. After the mass the Sistine choir sang music arranged by Maestro Lorenzo Perosi, “Oremus Pro Papa,” the prayer always offered for the pope. Then there -was a special prayer for • the health of the pope, for the prosperity of the Roman Catholic church and for world peace. At the Vatican, it was said that the pope passed his most comfortable night in 10 days and that he maintained tile improvement noted yesterday. Partial relief of the pain in his left leg. swelled by varicose veins, continued, it was said. His condition was so much improved, it was said, that it was even possible lie might be |aj)le to receive his sister and his nephew and niece later today to (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) 0 MADE MILLIONS ' ON MUNITIONS Robert Cuse Admits Company Makes All Types Os Arms Washington, Dec. 31. (U.R) Robert Cuse, president oi Hie New Jersey company which has been licensed to export arms to wai torn Spain, filed a sworn statement a year ago indicating that his company was prepared to furnish to all comers anything in the munitions line from a percussion cap to a battle ship, fully equipped and ready for war. The statement was brought to light today as an aftermath of the furore created when Cuse took advantage of the technicality in this country's present neutrality laws which permits shipment of implements of war to Spain simply because that country is engaged m hostilities only within its own borders. Cuse was pictured in the statement, filed in Washington Nov. 29. 1935, almost as another Zarahoff who amassed millions in Europe through his traffic in arms and munitions. Disclosure of the extent to winch (CONTINUED ON PAGE

. ■■ - ! Ruth Hollingsworth ingsworth’s four years ns sheriff ■ they resided in the county jailMr. Hollingsworth in 1931 Joined the state police force and Hie family moved to High street, in Decatur. Shortly after Mr. Hollingsworth> death on January 30, 1933, the family moved to the P resen residence at 323 South First street. She has been interested in poliI ~ j (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO)

Reports Say Mattson Family Paid $28,000 Ransom Money For Return Os Kidnaped Son

COLD WEATHER FOR NEW YEAR Freezing Spell Brings Sudden End To Balmy Weather (By United Press) Winter delivered an old-fashioned freezing spell today to greet the New Year. Frigid winds surged over the northeastern quarter of the United Stat 's to end a year marked by record cold waves and droughts and climaxed by the dizziest display of all. First severe drops in temperature last night ended a day in which some cities sweltered in near-lndian summer temperatures, while others a few hundred miles away dug out of six inches of enow. Temperature drops ranged as high as 40 degrees in lowa, and ended the unseasonable weather blamed for a. severe epidemic of influenza in Chicago and MilwaukeeGovernment forecasters predicted j "much colder" weather today and •onight in New York. Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, .Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin. lowa, Missouri, and Minnesota, ' and continued cold in the Dakotas and Nebraska. Kansas and New Jersey may have more warm weather. There will not be much snow or rain to increase the always-eevere traffic hazards of New Year’s Eve. the forecasters said. Chicagoans set aside their topcoats and got out their overcoats again after three days of recordhigh temperatures. The thermomet-i er shot to 60 degrees in Chicago yesterday, ana set high temperatures in Indiana. Missouri, lowa, and other parts of Jlionis. In Minot, N. D, it was 20 degrees below zero. Two inches of “spring” rain fell in Rockford, 111., while Sioux City, la., dug out of six inches of snow. A sleet storm wrecked electric connections in 13 Dakota communities, stopped street cars in Omaha, Neb-, and caused heavy damage in parts of Minnesota. A tornado caused $50,690 property damage near Cumberland, la., and high winds damaged communications near Canton, 111. An airplane dropped flares to g-iiide boats through ice floes on Lake Monona at Madison, Wis„ to rescue Jack Woodward and Robert Maigle, marooned in a leaky boat. Seasonable cold will prevail in tlie midwest and east at least through Friday, Forecasters said.l Women Os Moose To Meet Friday The senior regent asks a’l Women of the Moose to meet at the home Friday at 7 p. m. to go in a group to the Fred Teeple home. .Q

MEYER FUNERAL RITES FRIDAY Services Tomorrow For Jonas Meyer Os Vera Cruz Jonae Meyer, 67, retired farmer of Vera Cruz, died at the Richmond State hospital Wednesday evening from pneumonia. H ■ had been seriously ill for five days but had been ' ailing for several years. He was born on what is known as the Meyer farm. November 28. 1869 the son of Peter and Elizabeth Moser MeyerHis marriage to Miss Mary Rich took place September 19, 1894. Six children were born to the union, five of whom survive—with the the widow. They are Joel, Mrs. Li'lian Reynolds, Reuben, Mrs. Anna Croy arid Walter all of Vera Cruz- One son, Peter, preceded. Seven grandchildren survive. Brothers and sisters surviving are Albert of Bluffton, David of Bluffton Jacob of Vera Cruz. Mrs- John Wineland of Vera ciuz. Mrs. Louis Baumgartner, Vera Cruz, and Mrs. William Frauhiger. One sister, Bertha, preceded. Funeral serviee will be held at the St- John's Reformed church at Vera Cruz Friday afternoon at 2:00 o’clock. Burial wi’l be in the mausoleum of the Fairview cemetery at , Bluffton.

Fasts Over Slaying hKw X w I t- » ( W ♦ • / / . S. J. Bris Slaying of his wife by burglars' on Christmas Eve caused S. J.| Bris to go on a "hunger strike" | which he vowed to keep until the murderers were apprehended.; Physicians forced him to partially ; break his fast after six days. A resident of Wheeling, W. Va., Bris ; is the father of five children. JOELHABEGGER Monroe Township Resident Wins Scholarship To Purdue Joe l Habegger. an employee of the Steury Brothers farm in Monroe township, has been awarded one of the four SSO scolaruhlpß to the Purdue winter short course, offered by the Pure Milk association of Chicago. Mr. Habegger wrote two essays for the contest which were entitled: “iA Proper Breeding Program For a Dairy Herd." and "How To Obtain a Clean Herd". He also kept the dairy part of a farm record book. For six months , he kept a twice-daily temperature and quality record of milk produced on the farm. Mr. Habegger has accepted the scholarship and will enroll in the dairy production course, one of the > four offered in the annual eight l week's short course. The scholarship is cash. The local county agent’s office did not learn the names of the three recipients of tlie SSO scholarships. Mr Habeg:- r was named an a'.terin the county ‘■•say contest for t.ie eight weeks short course. This contest was won by Lawrence Beckmeyer of Root townhip. it pays the $lO tuition fee required for the

(CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) — O Title To Decatur Landmark Is Sold ' A transaction was completed in the Adams circuit court late this afternoon which transferred the title of the old Philips home on North First street to E. Burt, Martha and Alice Lenhart. The sale of the property for SBOO was approved : by Judge Huber M. DeVoss. The home is a frame building ' standing the second houre from the 1 corner north of Monroe street on the east side of North First street. It is believed to lie the oldest home I in the city. Mr. Business Man~ This Newspaper Says: You Are Indited To Thousands Os ho Jf CS g customers | ! f 1f 1 I |

Price Two Cents.

No Official Confirmation Is Given Os Payment But Intimates Say Mony Has Been Paid Out. VARIOUS REPORTS Tacoma, Wash.. Dec. 31—(U.R) — A source close to the Mattson family told the United Press today that Dr. William Mattson has paid the $28,000 ransom for the return of his kidnaped son, Charles. 10. The source said the family expected the boy to be returned home shortly. Payment of the ransom was not confirmed immediately from official sources. It was not learned whether Dr. Mattson dealt directly with the kidnaper who carried Charles from the Mattson home Sunday night, or acted through an intermediary, but it seemed certain the money had been paid. The cash reportedly changed hands either late last night or early today. One report was that Dr. Mattson delivered the ransom when he drove awny from his beautiful ' home, overlooking Puget Sound, in a battced old car. Several officer® accompanied him. Where they went was not known, but there were reports he had been instructed to use a car of "special" type when he kept his rendezvous , with the abductor. There were other mysterious ; ♦ rips from the home. Close friend® i ind relatives came and went at all hours through the nieht. Lights hinged in all rooms. The activity ■was the greatest since Charles was taken. Reporters, who have watched I the house a,nd the Mattsons con- ; stantly since Sunday night, noted | that members of the family were more cheerful and tiiat the tense atmosphe-e of yesterday was I gone. Some neiwms believed Charles nlreadv hart heen re’ea«ed a.nd was slipped into the house last nt*hL Th-re was co”firmatlon of this rumor, however, and the sreneral belief was that he would be released later in the morning. Pesnite their cheerful altitude members of the family maintained wecrecy on all phases of the case and refused to discuss the possibility the boy’s safe return was ' assured. Dr. Matt«on accompanied bv his eldest son, made two frantic trips ■in the family automobile yesterday to undisclosed places. Th n n ft was Indicated that be had chosi en an intermediary to represent ' him in negotiations with the bearded man who snajched the curly haired boy from thlie Mattson living room Sunday night. It was believed the intermediary would be either Frank Neal, an attorney, or Paul H. Sceva, manager of the Rainier National park company, both close friends of Dr Mattson The father, the T*nftrd Press - told, borrowed money that ('CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)

Will ABANDON TRACTION LINE Abandonment Os Indiana Railron'l Line Ordered January 9 Indianapolis. Dec. 31. — ( U.R) Abandonment of interurban seri vice of the Indiana railroad at midnight January 9. was ordered today as result of unsuccessful wage negotiations. The order was issued to Bowman Elder, receiver for the Indiana railroad since June. 1933. by Judge Herbert E. Wilson in Marion county superior court room 5. The Indiana railroad operates linos from Indianapolis to Terre Haute. Indianapolis to Dayton. 0., by Way of Newcastle and Richmond; Indianapolis to Peru byway of Kokomo; Indianapolis to Bluffton byway of Anderson and Muncie. and a connecting line between Muncie and Newcastle. It also operates under lease traction lines from Indianapolis to Louisville, Ky.. from Fort Wayne to Peru, and Fort Wayne to Bluffton. to comprise the largest electric railway operation in the country. * The leased lines were not included in the court order hut railroad officials said it was problematical whether they would be kept I (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)