Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 35, Number 70, Decatur, Adams County, 23 March 1937 — Page 1

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slues MM MI CIVIC IwiHC HERE **® rll( lion(<-l.is<-ul gSl.iniiN M;i> I’-'* 1 M Deterrent s ,n>Tlll»*‘nlS iv Iw '■■• i'"‘i“" ,Ji |Ul '■' ■' K: „n th- •" t«*M l " lildl "* ; ' -i Im. i - ..I tn- ..'•••'•■ i|! " 1 -' 1 ' would > .. , H|l> loot ~r C^K, v ',<-* t> ( J buiMil.u- «i«-. ad - Ilf I r ,.1 tho ;, to . IMm«' th- Oiigitotl tiL'Ui'Estil.iat-* t.no'o I ■to th.it> J-I5 lolly (■ a! ■ th--[SB!*>- . Ill.lke grant < ! V . ’ S( ’ the ' ,:i.:t of th- si !(.><>) i ity is fIL tw valuation of taxable JgM't.- 'a ,-■ a .■! 'i.- iio|.-ased 't..c. I'sing the ■ •» M » • 'i bool . ■!"*>■: from » school . ity :<• ;■• Same Bond Limit same Imm would ap to the civ city, except .hat ia» provides that in cases T|Bff- '••■• mi . ,uds the school in nitistruchin of a school. to th- building s's and fan,(too total Ou a $3,1000(1 project, >f 45 percent would tu 1135.1101) leaving the approximately S3O,(KU) ■BHa officials hold that the proMl comes utnle. , lassitic ation acboui bu:ld::;u therefore city would be elimited to Sg^ 1 "' donation Attorneys hold the civil city c a n Ilot j ggue to two percent of the net win |, wciuid gross $90.|V the b a n ,e as the school city. Hi- UO.oOci which the city |V* i' l outstanding bonds. The bonds ar.- paid with protits the electric department, but by the civil ( .j (y aI1(1 ■" f!u r- stand against the bond B‘“*’ er of ,ht ‘ dty No tax lev r en nia <le for several years ■ these bonds and the issue Kw " reduced front $50,000 to th the last eigln years. BP' 18 , a “ exisll,| 8 law. under Bi< “f ’ tty of Bluffton construct■P community building. This B”. ,* provideß 'hat the build ■> all Serve as a city hall, with ■J" °f the fire department and V lhc I,lay " r - water and Since DecaB®ONTINUEp ox p AQE FIVE) Os Supper g Conferences Held KncJ? h° f the four BU PP er conKh the u Dg hf,|d ln connection Btai .. u ahan vißi ' a 'ion camK" R 8 hp|d last evening at the - Approxi-i h s W “ r nt er3 ’. Baber a „a enjoyed a meal to-1 Kabas d r IStenfld t 0 Dl ' A - Ear > Kction r ° r a half hour of *“• hl V 6 ,“ hort re Ports were Ke V(rl indiv iduals who had Kof th^« eBB during tlle vißita - Bo»ln» ts drSt day ' Immediately frven' nnf 6 confer ence, the workBitted t n ' )alrß to do the work F»U n? r Fences wtn I Be u° ,ld of theße 1 k{ at fi tc be beld f* llß eve-: n“ l 6 15 o'clock.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Charges Are Filed Against C. Nelson Chester Nelson, former resident of the south part of the county, Is under **>mt bond to answer u charge of larceny at Hiehmond. lie and several other winployes of the East- 1 ern State Hospital are charged in an affidavit filed by Detective Duckett with taking a fire extinguisher and other articlee of a total value of |6o from the warerooms of the institution Mr. Nelson denies the charge land will fight the case which is set for a hearing May 24. GOTTSCHALK IS NAMED ACTING WELFARE HEAD Berne Senator Succeeds Wayne Coy, Now Assistant To McNutt Indianapolis. Mar. 23. <U.R> State Senator Thurman A. tiott-: schalk. D.. Berne, new supervisor of state institutions, today was named acting state welfare director to replace Wayne Coy, who resigned last night. The announcement of Gottschalk's selection was made by Ered Hoke, president of the state public welfare board, which met today to name Coy's successor. Only yesterday Gottschalk was named to the newly-created post of supervisor of state benevolent and penal institutions at a salary of $6,0011 a year. Hoke’s announcement said Gottschalk will serve as welfare ddector without pay. At first it was believed he was ineligible for the welfare directorship because lie whs one of the framers of the social security law creating-the position, it is illegal for a legislator to accept a job which he helped create. However, Omer Stokes Jackson, state Democratic chairman and at-torney-general. ruled that since Gottschalk will serve without pay the constitutional restriction will be avoided. Gottschalk. 54 year-oid manufacturer. now will administer the $22,000,000 annual expenditure for social security benefits in addition to the affairs of the 19 state institutions. Coy will leave soon to become assistant to former Gov. Paul V. McNutt, new U. S. high commissioner to the Philippine Islands. Gottschalk takes over the institutional direction under an executive order of Gov. M. Clifford Townsend which has not yet been made public. Townsend's order apparently marks an abrupt reversal of policy established under McNutt, who placed the penal and benevolent Institutions under tlse welfare department with the provision that their personnel ultimately be subject to th emerit system. Gottschalk, however, will be a part of the executive department directly under Townsend and said he will have complete charge of all institutional employes. This ends for the time being the merit (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) CLARK ASSERTS PLAN IS VALID Only Ex-Living Justice Says Court Reform Constitutional San Diego. Calif.. Mar. 23—<U.R) —President Roosevelt's plan to enlarge the U. S. supreme court is constitutional, the only former member of the court still alive believed. Breaking a long self-imposed silence, 79-year-old John Hessln Clarke, justice from 1916 to 1922, said in an address last night that 1 the proposal is “plainly constitutional.” Clarke, who describes himself as a “progressive with both foet on the ground,” emphasized he was expressing no opinion as to the wisdom of the plan but discussing only the “naked legal question.” j “The wise men who reamed our constitution,” he said, “may have had more confidence in the wisdom and patriotism of the congresses and the presidents which were to come after them, and less ! confidence in courts, than some | seem to have today. “Whether or not they were wise in entrusting to the congress and to the president such extensive j powers over the courts as we have i found they possess and have long exercised--are not questions which are now before us. The single I (CONTINUED ON PAQB 9IX)

MAYOR BANGS IS OUSTED BY CITYCOUNCIL Mayor Os Huntington To l ight Impeachment By Council Huntington. Ind. Mar. 23 <U.R) Militant Mayor Clare W. 11. Bangs mapped a battle today against his impeachment, voted last night by the city council. From his Huntington county jail cell where he has been Imprisoned since last July as result of his fight to establish a municipal utility system In competition with a private company, the fiery mayor gave notice that he would appeal the Impeachment proceedings in Huntington circuit court ailhln three days. “In the meantime 1 don't want anybody to misunderstand who Is mayor of the city of Huntington," I Bangs declared. The council found Bangs guilty | on 14 of 19 counts after they had heard a report from the state board of accounts which showed sls,- ‘ 662.11 "unaccounted for" in the 1 funds of the city's small plant which served approximately 680 consumers. Aroused by the rapid-fire action of the council. Bangs leaped to his feet, angrily accused the council-1 men of "selling out" to the North-i ern Indiana Power company and later charged they Irad "given I themselves away." Charges against the slight, bald ish 46-year-old mayor were summed I up in the 19'h count of the Impeachment proceedings which | read: "He has from the beginning of his term of office persistently I flouted the laws of the state and defied its civil court. "He has unlawfully squandered his city's funds and has brought ( the good name of the city into dis-! repute and besmirched its public j credit by securing merchandise for the pretended us of the city (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) —o JUNIOR CLASS TO GIVE PLAY Kirkland Juniors To Present Class Play March 30 And 31 The junior claee of the Kirkland high school will present the annual class p'ay, "The Antics of Andrew.” at the Kirkand gymnasium Tuesday and Wednesday, March 30 .and 31. The play will be given at 7:30 p. m each evening Admission plices wil be 25 cents for adults and 15 rente for children. The scene of the play is in a midwestern town, on a college campus. The play is built around the problems of a young student on his 21st birthday. The comp’ete ca»d of characters follows: Petunia, Andrew's darky cook — , Vera Wulliman. Andrew Browne, a senior in Cerjeron college—Henry Marshall. Jacques, his French butler and valet—Arden Byerly. Willie Waldo, his pal—Stanley Arnold. Harold Hadley, another pal—Don-1 aid Seesenguth. Althea Thorne, Miss Prunella's niece —Virginia Zimmerman. Julie Boynton. Harold’s sweetheart —Evelyn TroxelBetty Boynton. Willie's sweetheart—Eleanor Hirschey. Dean Socrates Boynton, dean of the college—Harold Shady. I leaac Zimmerman, Andrew's millionaire uncle from New Zealand — i Carl Baumgartner. Miss Prunel'a Thorne, a maiden lady in love with the dean—Dorothy Adler. Mrs. O’Flarity, a lady from the woman's club —Merle Frauhiger. Mrs. Royle, another society lady Mary Diehl. Rev. Doolittle, a man of mystery ■ —Glen Griffiths. o_ - Portland Man Held On Larceny Charge Carol Barnes, of Portland, is being held in the Jay county jail |on a grand larceny charge, following the theft of merchandise | | stolen from a number of parked i cars on the streets of that city. Among the articles stolen was a bundle of meat from the auto | of a Mutschler Packing Co., salesman, of this city. He is held in | jail, after being unable to furnish , S2OO recognizance bond.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

At Inquiry Into School Blast Irr |ii| , p -2 j M.J, ■ - ■ ■ ” 'Wjfe y'j % -- J .jß’k r V" XuA ’

One of those who testified before the military court of inquiry held to determine the cause of the New London. Tex., school disaster was Joseph Watson, one of the few students who escaped from the explosion with slight injuries, ('apt Zachariah Coombes of the Texas National Guard is standing next to him.

DAMAGE SUIT FILED TODAY Plaintiff Asks S3OO Damages As Result Os Auto Accident A suit seeking damages of S3OO | aas been filed by Bernard Kruse i -gainst ('. M. Ellsworth. Luella Ellsworth and the Riverside garj age, as the result of an accident I occurred on U. S. highway i 27 south of Decatur, October 6, 1937. The plaintiff’s car was operated by his son, Clarence Kruse, at the time of the accident It is alleged that the defendant's wrecker was "parked on the edge of the highway with the door standing open and extending over, , a portion of the highway and was in the process of removing a damaged automobile from the highway.” It is further alleged “that the . truck was not receiving or dis- ■ charging passengers or freight, ■hat the defendant negligently and carelessly failed to place red flags i at any place to the north or south of the truck. "That at the same time, the plaintiff's automobile was operated in a careful and prudent manner, and was forced to turn to the left in order to pass the parked truck lof the defendant. That before the Iriver of the plaintiff s automobile was able to proceed back to the east side of the highway and . around the truck of the defendant, I [ I in automobile driven by V. T. I (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) O CLOSE SCHOOLS HERE TOMORROW — : Public And Parochial Schools To Observe Holy Week In City Schools of the city will be dis- , missed Wednesday afternoon for the observance of Good Friday and Easter, local school heads announc'j ed todayWalter J. Krick, city school superi intendent, announced that the Decatur public schools, including the high school and the grades, will be dismisse-d tomorrow afternoon after individual Easter programs. Classes will be resumed next Monday afternoon. The Catholic schools will be dis- | missed tomorrow afternoon, but I classes will not be resumed until j Tuesday morningRev. Paul W. Schultz announced 1 that the usual Saturday religious class of the Lutheran schurch would not be held this Saturday in observance of Easter. Schools of the county have not set any closing date in observance of Easter, with trustees of the various townships designating the closing time. Children of all of the schools have been urged by their respective lead- | ers to attend the Three Hour services at the churches on Good Fri(day.

catur, Indiana, Tuesday, March 23, 1937.

Receives W ord Os Death Os Brother Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Holsapple this morning received word of the death of the latter's brother. W. L. Lundy, who died at 11 o’cock Sunday night at h's home in Anderson. Mr Lundy celebrated his 90th birthday anniversary ast October. Funeral services wi! ibe held at : 3 o'clock at the First Christian church in Anderson Wednesday afternoon. Burial will be made at Fort Recovery. Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Holsapple will leave Wednesday morning for Andenson to attend the services. GROUP HONORS FATHER HENNES CYO Members Pay Tribute To F'ather Hennes, Present Gift Membera of the Decatur CYO. in their regular meeting last night at the Catholic high school auditorium, paid tribute to Father Joseph J. Hennes, moderator of the organization and leader in its organization and development. Father IHennes, who was instrumental in locating a chapter of the Catholic youth organization in this city, under the St. Mary's parish, and a leader in social and athletic activities for the youths of Decatur, was presented a fountain pen i desk set by James Murphy, Jr., president, in behalf of the club. Father Hennes leaves for Fort j Wayne on April 1. when he is to assume his duties as athletic direcJ tor of tlie Fort Wayne deanery CYO. Father Joseph J Seimetz, pastor I of the St. Mary's church will temporarily assume the office in the I local CYO. held by Father HennesDelegates Elected Five delegates to the district CYO | convntion to be held in Fort Wayne during the month of April were a'so elected at last night's meet. They are Paul Murphy, Mary Margaret Voglewede, Margaret Wertzberger. Charles Omlor. Jr., and Ag nes Wolpert. The members also decided to sponsor a dance at the Catholic high auditorium on the night of Friday, April 2. Lowell Myers and his orchestra from Fo"t Wayne will furnish the music. Admission to the dance will be (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) Special Savings Saturday — Students Day Plan to do your Spring and Easter shopping in Decatur this Saturday! City - wide Students Day — the day in which students of the Decatur High School will serve as clerks in the local stores—will afford you double opportunity. Local merchants present large selections of new Spring merchandise and will offer attractive bargains for this special trade day. Watch the Democrat Thursday and Friday night for the special savings.

SCHOOL HEADS EXONERATED IN TRAGIC BLAST Effort To Save Fuel Bills Blamed For Tragic Explosion New London. Tex.. Mar. 23 (U.f!) An innocent effort by the I New London school board to save j about S3OO a month by using waste | ! gas for fuel, was blamed today for I the explosion that killed 426 chll- ■ ! dren and teachers. A military court of inquiry [established that the gas accuntu-' 1 lated in a cloud in the basement ; and was discharged last Thursday I afternoon in some manner unknown, possibly when the manual training teacher threw an electrical switch to start Ids machinery. I Schoolhouse janitors tapped a line of "wet" gas belonging to the Parade Gasoline company on ord ' ers of School Superintendent W. C. Shaw, who had only a verbal agreement with the oil company and had been warned that the gas , might be dangerous. The whole school board was ad- ; vised of Shaw's action and ap ! proved it, investigators were told Dr. A. P Schock, chemist and explosives expert from the University of Texas, exonerated them all. Dr. Schock will write the official report of the inquiry. Today this busy oil community returned to its labor, drilli ing through the red clay crust of | earth for more oil and gas The [ inquiry was adjourned, martial law revoked, militiamen disbanded, and the dead, which numbered onethird of the children of the community, were buried in the same earth at which their fathers plied. Shaw, a 61-year-old man borne down with grief over the loss of ’ his own son. Clifton, in the disaster. collapsed on the witness stand yesterday as the military board gathered its final evidence. He said the school had been pay ing $250 to $350 a month for fuel from the United Gas company. When he decided to tap the “wet" j ■ gas line, as many others in the I community were doing. United Gas company representatives warned that it was dangerous but the superintendent thought they were merely trying to sell their own i gas. he said. The Parade company's line con-1 tained gas on its way back to the wells after commercial properties had been extracted at the refinery. It was worthless and not for sale. “Earl Clover, superintendent of the Parade company, told me our connection would be all right with him personally, but the company could enter into no agreements since it was not a utility,” Shaw said. There are laws in Texas against : pipe line tapping, but E. W. Regan. ; president of the New London school board, said even the churches, including the Baptist and the Method ) churches in London, were doing $ Dr. Schoc couched his verdict in gentle teims: "We all feel that the trustees of this school acted with the best (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) PORTLAND MAN HELD SUSPECT Harry Decker Held In East As Mattson Kidnap Suspect Kittanning, Pa., Mar. 23. —(U.R> - | Harry Decker. 37, arrested here j Sunday for vagrancy, was held in the Armstrong county jail today as a suspect in the kidnaping of ten-year-old Charles Mattson of Tacoma. After five hours of questioning by a federal department of justice agent from Pittsburgh, Decker was sent to jail for ten days on a auspicious person charge. Decker gave his address as Portland, Ind. His fingerprints were sent to Washington, while his photograph was to be sent to Tacoma by airplane. Kittanning officers called in the department of justice after noting a resemblance between Decker and i the drawing of the Mattson kidnaper circularized by the government. His facial characteristics, height, weight, and general description correspond with the description contained in the circular, it w r as said. Decker told officers he was in the western states last fail but had not been iu Tacoma “for years.” He said he was once a soldier in (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX)

Lewis, Chrysler Asked To Confer In Strike Crisis

MOLEY OPPOSES COURT REFORM Original Brain-Truster Opposes Judiciary Reform Washington, Mar. 23 (U.R) —Raymond Moley, the new deal's original brains truster, returned to j Washington today to warn against passage of President Roosevelt's judiciary program and urge submission of a constitutional amendment in its place. Moley. appearing as foes of the president's plan revealed belief that at least seven supreme court members concurred In Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes’ opposition to enlargement of the tribunal told the senate Judiciary committee that: 1. The judiciary plan threatens American democratic institutions with "atrophy and death." 2. It tiffords no quick solution jof “the present socalled crisis” since passage of the plan, confirmation of new justices, enactment [ of new legislation and court testI ing of this legislation could not i likely be concluded before 1939. 3. Congress would still lack fundamental constitutional powers to regulate agriculture and industry. Moley declared opposition to Mr. Roosevelt's program on three I grounds. He said: “I am opposed to this plan he- ‘ : cause 1 do not believe it will achieve the job that is iinmediate- ! ly before us. “1 am opposed to it because I believe that even if it did temporarily remove an obstacle to the | evolution of progressive reform, it (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) MUSSOLINI IN BITTER ATTACK Italian Dictator Makes Bitter Attack Against England — Rome, Mar. 23.— KU.R) — Premier Benito Mussolini struck out angrily at Great Britain today in a speech to 250,000 fascists massed in Venice square in celebration of the 18th anniversary of fascism's birth. Mussolini expressed bitter resentment at foreign press criticism and referred to "certain hypocritical, hysterical angelican pulpits.” “We waited 40 years to avenge Adowa (the Italian defeat in Ethiopia in 1896) but we managed to do it,” he shouted. "Even if the day should come when memory is weak, we are here to awaken and ; spur it. “Blackshirts, remember and prepare yourselves. This is the warning of today's celebration.” After the speech, diplomatic sources expressed great concern over the European situation. Mussolini's words were regarded as direct evidence that Italy's relations with Britian are becoming more : strained daily. The tension started when the British press and even members of the government in the house of commons began pin-prick-ing Mussolini for his harsh treatment of the Ethiopians after the attempt on Viceroy Rodolfo Graziani. Later there were jibes in the British press about his Libyan trip, where he was proclaimed “protector of Islam." While Mussolini was speaking, (CONTINUED ON PAGE 3IX) o WEATHER Increasing cloudiness, showers probable late tonight and Wednesday; somewhat warmer southwest portion tonight and extreme north Wednesday; somewhat colder southwest portion late Wednesday afternoon. o Two Autos Collide Here Last Evening No one was injured last night about 8 o'clock when cars driven by Charles Sether and Cornelius Geimer collided at the intersection of , Winchester and Russe'l etreets in the south part of the city. Both cars . were damaged from the impact of the crash.

Price Two Cents.

Gov. Murphy Calls Auto And Labor Leader In Conference; Couzens Makes Statement. NO INTERFERENCE — By United Press Tension eased slightly in strikeharassed Detroit today fallowing a concilliatory statement by Mayor Frank Couzens and the announcement by Gov. Frank Murphy at Lansing that he had asked Walter P. Chrysler and John Lewis to confer with hie tomorrow. Couzeias informed the United automobile workers union whose members are on strike in plants of the Chrysler corporation, that police would not interfere in “peaceful” sit-down strikes. Homer Martin, president of U A. W., had threatened to call a general strike in Detroit Martin made “no comment" on Couzens’ statement and said ha would go ahead with p’ana to hold a mass meeting of Union sympathizers tonight. Lewis, whose committee for industrial organization is sponsoring the Chrysler strikes, was believed ready to attend the Lansing conference Chrysler, chairman of the automobile company’s board, was ; reported as having accepted. Police, meanwhile, evicted 1,106 sit-down strikers from the buildings of three companies in Chicago. The evictions, carried out under a 75I year-old statute making it a crime . to withhold property from its rightful owner, were accom-plished withi out resistance. In Providence. R. I. more htan 85 i retail stories employing more than ! 6.iM>o persons reopend for the East- , er trade after a one-day shutdown to avert a threatened sit-down - strike. The stories reached an agreement with the C. I O. to increase j wages, the increases ranging from ■ five to ten per ent, to reduce worki ing hours and to meet other unI ion demands . ' At Branford, Conn., 700 employes of the Malleable iron fittings comi pany returned to work after a twoweeks strike when the management. , I announced it would rcognize the ’ C. I. O. Union for purpose of colI lective bargaining. The Segal Lock company closed [ its doors “until further notice” at . Norwa'k. Conn., because 400 ern- , ployes refused to accept a five per ! cent wage increase Plan Conference J Detroit. March 23—<(UP) —Gov. Frank Murphy prepared today to . ■ meet on neutral ground tomorrow ( With the two key men in Detroit’s .; labor troubles in an attempt to settle the Chrysler corp, strike. . John L. Lewis, chairman of the • committee for industrial organizaI .. — (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) 0 I 1 Junior C. Os C. Directors To Meet The board of directors of the De- • catur Junior Chamber of Commsrce i will meet tonight at 7 o’clock at the - -Rice hotel. All members are urged - to attend. ( o PROPERTY SOLD AT HIGH OFFErt » Hower Grocery Building ’ Purchased By John Baker On High Bid On a bid of $2,825 John Baker, ■’ former Decatur merchant, purchased the M. E. IHower grocery building offered at auditor’s sale again last evening at 4 o’clock. Mr. Baker had originally bid $2,-5-00 on the property during the mamrning session of the bids. Edgar Mutschler by Attorney Fred Fruchte placed a higher bid of $2,800 before the bids were closed last evening and the higher Baker offer followed. A total of $2,156.59 was charged against the building, including the school fund loan, interest and def linquent taxes. Three other properties, including t the Hower home, and farms in Blue r Creek and Monroe townships, failed - to bring an offer and were purchast ed by the county, as provided by i law. After appraised the properties s will be advertised and again offered f for sale at not less than the appraia|ed value.