Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 35, Number 78, Decatur, Adams County, 1 April 1937 — Page 1

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Syalists Pushing insurgent Forces tßack On Cordoba

1 I'riM'P' * XB'"'*" ,n m ”' <s ,o JK. Rehd < apilal I •»- \®aia IRaton. Apnl 1- (L'P>o< state Cordell Hull that ,he United has no °* |^Km 9 any mternational at t ‘ me l^K> c r -wM. Louis | |' - . unluitii Spoilt today, toward Burnisuii' !,ie tlf southern 111 Ilin (lefelith'l " l Madrid. * U,H trained 0,.v.i ■K . ■ Flam is. rel.ei might .Madrid ago if he strategy has been ~ on fronts so that they van- > and Valencia The on Hui are muv-s the :: .., where the loyalists have holding th- m beating them bac k a qu.-stion whethei Musso aoept tile loss of prestige by defeat Oi the Italian j or wolll.l send in enough to ■jMsTiyVEI. |->N PAGE FIVE) 1 DECISION ■TO COME SOON ■■ Mision On New Federal Waxes Likely Within ■ Six Weeks *£' ■ ' dJ.P.I i’-ci shall be I.,ilam- <1 as planbe -Hade within the next lhe I nited Press was informed today. Higher taxes ami additional nr.isM ,aXea would be likely new of revenue the r.evt few weeks per treasury will report to the bureau i h*- extent to which ale matching expend!- i and budget officers will ■ die information before Mldent Roosevelt. The best Innow is that the treasury | int I1(lt | )an (eky over the jHj ai,l)i ' 3 which jeopardize bud ■“lancing plans. ■"tse factors are an unexpected ■below estimates in tax coliec ■ and the development of ag■uiral and other programs sot Mr. Roosevelt did not budg t Plans for next fiscal year Democratic congressional ■wship uniformly dislikes the a tax bill But the decision ■* n| ore with Mr. Roosevelt "Uh them. Some observers an administration move- ■ toward economy in action of ■ “ use agr^cullu >’e committee ■*' n 8 one of the Roosevelt tenantry proposals. The have required ON PAGE TWO) 'Payment Service Representative Here * vlson - district interviewer, Rotative of the Indiana state service in thia county, - In Decatur at the city hall urday for the purpose -of reg- ■ ng workers who are interested | iu?.?'" 8 pr,vate employment, ! ews will be from 9:00 a. m‘W noon. Inga government agency, no barged applicant or employ-

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Leaves Decatur /■I IK .. b.. *** JHII Rev J J Hennes The Rev Father Joseph J. Hennes for seven years assistant pastor at the St Mary's Catholic church in this city, left Decatur this morning ; for Fort Wayne, where he will assume his duties as director of CYO activities in the Fort Wayne deanery. DAMAGE SUIT ON TRIAL HERE SIO,OOO Damage Suit Being Tried Before Circuit Court Jury — The regular pane! of the Adams circuit court composed of six men and six women is hearing a SIO,OOO damage suit, venued here from Allen county. Damages are sought by Frederick Miller. SO, and Paul Depgler, as the result of injuries sustained when !he was struck by an automobile i driven by the defendant at or near i the intersection of Hanna and Wali lace street in Fort Wayne, January 26. 1934. Fort Wayne physicians were called to the stand this morning to testify as to Miller’s condition. Mr. Mil'er himself also testified I He stated that he sustained a frac-, I Hired finger, and injuries to his hand, leg, face and head. He alleged that the head injuries resulted lin permanent impairment to his hhearing and eyesight. On cross examination, attorneys for the defendants attempted to break down his testimony with the raising of the question as to whether his impaired hearing and eyesight might not be due to his advanced years. The regular panel of the jury was accepted after a short examination this morning. The jury is: Roeella Mettler, Berne; Ida Nussbaum, Berne; Bertha Eaton, Root townCCONTINI’ED ON PAGE THREE) . N ... —■ O MUNICIPAL TAX LAW IS UPHELD Municipal Utilities Tax Upheld By State Supreme Court Indianapolis, Apr. 1. — (U.PJ —Municipal utility property is taxable by the state today as result of a decision handed down by the supreme court. Municipal utilities valued at approximately $31,000,000 are affected by the court’s ruling. The city of South Bend had obtained an injunction preventing collecting of state taxes on its waterworks plant. John F. DeHaven, St. Joseph county treasurer, appealed this Injunction to the supreme court with the assistance of the state tax board. The court dissolved the injunction, whiclt had prevented collection of taxes on $13,238 revenue of the South Bend waterworks. The' court also held that the title of the act concerning assessment of municipal utilities is faulty, a claim ! made by the state tax board when , it intervened in the case. Subject to state taxation under! the court decision are 266 municipal utilities in Indiana. The Tax In Decatur The 1936 tax. payable in 1937 on 1 (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) I

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

COMMITTEES TO HANDLE ANNUAL FAIR ANNOUNCED Decatur’s Annual Fair To Be Held From August 2 To 7 Dee Fryback. president of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, to ’ day announced committees to con-, duct the third annual Decatur Free Street Fair and Agricultural show. I The show, first held in Decatur in 1936, will run sit full days, August 2 to 7. inclusive. The board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce will serve as the executive committee for the fair. The committees, as named by Mr. Fryback, are as follows: Finance- Roscoe Glendening. Free acts Will Linn, John L. DeVoss and Dr Ben Duke. Concessions Dee Fryback. John L. DeVoss and James Elberson. Decorations Robert Helm and Herman Kruckeberg. Program J. Ward t’alland and E. W. Lankenau. Music Will Bowers. Roy Kalver and Walter Gard. Publicity and advertising —Pete Reynolds, Jees W. Rice and Dan Tyndall. Agriculture and livestock—H. P. Schmitt. Lights—George Stults. Streets Ralph Roop. Past Fairs Successful Fairs of the past two years have been highly successful, both from a financial and entertainment standi point. Sponsored by the Decatur Cham-i bet of Commerce, the business leaders of the city and farm leaders of the county have cooperated in making the fair one of the finest . in notheastern Indiana. Many of the preliminary plans have already been arranged by the i I executive committee. Dee Fryback. concessions chairman, stated today that many requests have already been received for space during fair week. X. OF P. PLAN FOR LUNCHEON Luncheon, Third Rank Initiation Are Planned Next Week Plans for the luncheon and third rank initiation, to be held at the Knights of Pythias lodge next week, will be completed at the regular weekly meeting of the ord-, er tonight. Tentative plans call for a fish fry luncheon to open the session at 6 o'clock next Thursday evening.! The luncheon will tie served in the dining room, and will be open to all Knights of Pythias. Pythian Sisters, members of their families and guests. Tickets for the luncheon are selling for 35 cents and may be secured from members of either organization. Following the fish fry, a class .of candidates will complete initiatory work and be conferred with the rank of knight. The work will; 'be conferred by members of the I local rank team. Invitations have been extended ;to members of Willshire, Ohio; . Ossian and Fort Wayne lodges to, attend the event. Those unable to attend the banquet, may attend the meeeting at 7:30 o'colck. 1 A short program is also being aranged for the luncheon, which will be announced later. The meeting is in charge of W. F Beery, 1 chancellor commander and members of the entertainment committee. All members are urged to attend the meeting tonight to complete the plans. o Schmitt Re-Appointed To Welfare Board The re-appointment of H. P. Schmitt as a member of the Adams i. county board of public welfare was announced today. Appointments to this board for four year periods are made by Judge Huber M. De- j Voss. First appointments to the board were made by Judge Huber M. De- ' Voss on March 27. At that time the appointments were "staggered" so all of the terms would not expire at one time. Mr. Schmitt was given a one-year term In 1936. Members of the board are W. Guy Brown. Decatur, Mrs. Nathan C. Nelson, Decatur, Elmer Baum-1' gartner, Berne. Democrats, and ' Mrs. Doris Relcheldeffer, Geneva, and H. P. Schmitt, Decatur, Repubj Means.

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, April 1, 1937.

* APRIL FOOL * Today was the day of days - u at least, for the practical joker, i who slapped Ills sides with glee at the results of his Ingenious, |i 11 but mischievous inventions. If you didn't eat a piece of soup cuudy smoke an explod- | 11 Ing cigar, look in vain for an | untied shoestring, u left bund j e<l money wrench or a sky hook 1 1 then you were fortunate for , today was "April Fool's Day." | ♦ ♦ FRIENDS HONOR FATHER HENNES Tribute Is Paid Assistant Pastor At Meeting Wednesday Night Tributes from pastor, church, school, lodge and society were paid to Rev. Father Joseph J. Hennnt. ! assistant pastor of St. Mary's Cath- 1 olic church at a farewell meeting held in the auditorium of the Cath-1 olic school building last evening A puree of $223 was preeente<j to him. Father Hennes left today for Fort ’ Wayne to assume hie new duties as director of CYO activities in the northern district of the Fort Wayne diocese His appointment was announced two weeks ago by Rt. Rev, Bishop John F. No’l of Fort Wayne. Members of the congregation and other friends attended the reception and program given tor Father Hennes. The auditorium was filled and I following the musical numbere and talks by Father Joseph Seimetz. pastor, church, lodge and society representatives. Father Hennes made a short talk in which he expressed his appreciation to the members of the congregation and to the people of Decatur for their i friendlintcss and cooperation shown him. H. P. Schmitt, chairman of the j hoard of trustees spoke for the church trustees. Charlee Miller, president of the Holy Name society, represented the , society and expressed that organ!-' zaClon's appreciation of Fathei • I Hennes’ services. Robert Gage, grand knight of the I Knights of Columbus, spoke for the ! lodge Father Hennes was a member of both the Holy Name society' and the Knights of Columbus. Father Seimetz paid tribute to the ' | loyalty and services of his co-work-er and assistant and expressed the ‘congregation's thanks. Clayson Carrol, chairman of the! meeting made ths presentation of | the puree, stating that it was contributed from members of the parish and friends of the assistant pastor. Musical numbers were given by the Catholic high school male quar- ' tet, the girl's glee club and the high school chorus. . ! The appointment of a permanent assistant to Father Seimetz. will not be made until sometime in June. A temporary assistant will be sent here for the two month period, un/OONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) O WEATHER Cloudy, light rain east and south portions toniflht; becoming generally fair Friday, slighly colder Friday east portion. —o Mrs. E. T. Gregg Is Seriously 111, L. D. 'Adams has received word' from Kenyon Gregg that the latter's mother. Mrs. E. T. Gregg, has been seriously ill for the past six weeks at her home in Yuba City, Cal., Mrs. Gregg is suffering from heart trouble. A former Decatur resident. Mrs. , Gregg was one of those sending greetings to the local M. E- church during the Centennial celebration ! last summer

last summer. i Many Visit Geneva Cemetery To View An Unusual Grave

An unusual request, made 42 years ago by a dying man, is attracting hundreds of visitors to a cemetery near Geneva. The man died at the time when the question of being buried alive j was wide-epread fear. Many reports | were made of coffine. re-opened many years after interment, w’hlch j were found to be clawed on the in i side, showing that the person had not been dead at the time of burial. Embalming has since ended this fearTo eatisty the man’s request, a special vault and casket was construtced. The top of the coffin was made of a light breakable glass. Burial was made even wlththe level of the ground. Only a small cement

MINERS LEAVE I JOBS TODAY AS ‘ PARLEY FAILS 400,000 Miners Thrown Out Os Work, Renew Peace Efforts New York, Apr. 1 (U.R) Failure of Appalachian soft coal mine op erators and the United Mine , Workers to sign a new contract i caused 400.000 miners in a dozen ‘ states to leave their jobs today The old contract expired at mid night, making stoppage of work automatic until new terms on wages and hours are reached The ' committee of 16. composed of union men and operators, recessed , last night half an hour before the deadline, and will resume the con- ' ference today at 3 p. m. Union miners would not have worked todays nyway as they ob- : serve April 1 as "John L. Lewis day." but the walkout was in force as soon as the old contract ex-. pired Meanwhile the conferees hoped that a new contract would 1 be agreed upon goon, as the ques- , tion of higher wages was said to be the only remaining difference. About 300,000 of the miners as- i fected work in the Appalachian 1 fields, extending from central Pennsylvania to northern Tennessee. The other 100,000 soft coal wotaers were scattered through several states from Alabama to Wyoming and Colorado. Wages in mines outside the Appalachian chain are based on the eastern agreement. Until midnight, announcement of a new contract had been expected momentarily. It was frustrated when operators balked at terms of a contract drawn by a sub-commit- . tee of six. The points of disagreement were not revealed, but it was said that the disagreement was among the operators’ repre- j sentatlves John L. Lewis, U. M W. presl i dent, left the conference room I t (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) , RETIRESFROM GAS COMPANY Bertha Voglewede Retires After 20 Years Os Service Miss Bertha Voglewede, who has been in the employ of the Northern Indiana Public Service company at Decatur since January 1, 1917, retired Wednesday, after 20 years with the utility. Miss Voglewede will be succeeded as chief clerk at Decatur by John H. Barth, who has been with the Northern Indiana Public Service company since 1913, having worked in offices of this company In Frankfort, Crawfordsville. Logansport and Fort Wayne. Mr. Barth comes to Decatur with a wealth of experience in all branches of the gas business. He attended Notre Dame university and is a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus. Miss Voglewede's retirement was announced at Fort Wayne today by Thomas J. Kelly, division manager of the Northern Indiana, and -Clarence A. Stapeton, local reprei sentative of the company, j “In Miss Voglewede's retirement, we are losing a valued and loyal employe," said Mr. Kelly. "In recognition of her fine record she has been placed on the service annuity roll of the company. It Is interesting to note that in the Fort Wayne division, 10 per cent of our employes have been with this company 20 years or longer. Mr Stapleton himself is one of these I veterans.”

slab was placed over the casket. In this way. it was believed possible that should he “come back to life,” it would be possible for him ■ to break the glass, lift up the slab and step out. i Recently, it was learned by visitors to the cemetery, that the body. . could be viewed by lifting up the i slab. Because the casiket was of a i nearly air-tight construction, the; body is in a mummified condition. It has shrunken, but the bones are i still covered with skin. Trustees of the cemetery are considering some action to permanently seal the casket, a large percentage of the unwanted visitors at the grave are young couplee, viewing the body on "dares”.

New Sit-Down Strike Wave Spreads Through Plants Os General Motors Affiliates

OPERETTA CAST i IS ANNOUNCED North Ward Pupils To Present Annual Operetta Friday Night The Early Bird Catches tho Worm" is the name of the operetta to be presented by the pupils of the j North Ward School Friday evening at 8 o’clock in the Decatur high school auditorium. Tickets have been on sale the past week and may be purchased from any of the pupils or teachers. Children under 12 years of age will be admitted for 10 cents and adults i 15 cents. The play is divided into two acts. In act 1 the barnyard is all a flutter as President Rooster comes to make I a nation-wide broadcast to the henI coops of the land. He warns his i feathered subjects of the wiles of the Fox, and tells them that if they are wise, they will catch their worms early. Act 2 opens just before dawn with the fowls asleep on their .perches and Goosie asleep on his box, holding an alarm clock he has found on a junk pile. An entertaining plot is brought to 1 light as the play develops- A happy j j crowing, honking quacking and I clucking ends this exciting story of i I poultryland. Following is the complete cast of j ' characters: President Rooster —Jimmy White1 hurst. First Lady of Poultry Land—Hel- ! en Barber. ) Goosie Waddles —Billy Bromer. Dr. Quack —Don Eicher Egg Plant—Joan Hamma. Pirate Hawk—Roger Staley. Kite—Richard Knapp. Fox—Rk hard Saylors. Little Foxes —Medford Smith and Roger Gent is. Quintuplets —Anna Marie Steury, June Teeple. Norma Jean Wilson. Ellen Hart. Jane DaileyPages— Everett Hutiker, Mickey May. Bantams — Billy Freeby. Bobbie Boknecht, Richard Gunder. Junior ! Myers. Hens —Karlann Striker, Virginia! : Hutker, Jane Maddox, Kathleen Mci Connell. Shirley Barber Dorie Richi ards. Roosters — Roger Knapp. (Billy ! Robinson, Jack Harker, Richard I Cramer, Amos Bauman. Janies Hart. (CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR) o Only Slight Damage Is Caused By Fire Firemen were called to the Boyd Rayer residence on Fornax street last night at 9 o'clock, when sparks from the chimney started a small roof fire. Only slight damage was done. HOLD SERVICES FOR MURDERED Funeral Services Held Today For Two Murdered Women New York, Apr. I—(U.R1 —(U.R) —Joseph Gedeon sat tearless in custody of two detectives today while the Rev. John Sheedy, a friend of the family, conducted funeral services for his wife and daughter who j were strangled to death Easter i Sunday. The little upholsterer exhibited j no signs of emotional stress during I the 20-mlnute Catholic service for ! the murder victims ■— Mrs. Mary Gedeon, 54, and Veronica, pretty 20-year-old artists’ model. More than 5,000 persons jammed both sides of the street in front of the funeral parlor where the services were held. Inside the small chapel there I were about two dozen mourners I including Gedeon, Mrs. Ethel Kud ner, sister of the slain Veronica, and her husband. Joseph; Jean Karp, artist model friend of Miss Gedeon, Robert Flower, former ■ husband of Miss Gedeon, and Stephen Butter, Jr., a Wall street messenger with whom Miss Gedeon had her last date. Detectives who accompanied Gedeon to the funeral and who act- | ed as his guard at the burial serI vices at Yonkers, N. Y„ said that i (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)

Suspect Arrested in Mexico City. Mex., Alejandro Pompez of Key West, Fla., will be extradited to New York, where he will face questioning in connection with a "racket" clean-up drive, and for possible tieup with the Charles Mattson kid nap-slaying. GIVES VERDICT i IN GIROD DEATH Zwick To Term Eli Girod Fatality Accidental Death Coroner Robert Zwick stated today that he would return an accidental death verdict in the death of Eli A. Girod, local tinner, who ' was killed Tuesday night when bit: by a Berne hatchery truck. Coroner Zwick. who opened his investigation on lhe night of the fatal accident, stated that he was 1 unable to find any evidence ot' ( criminal negligence on the part of I ' the driver of the truck. Walter i Nagel, 31, of Berne. Unless unforeseen evidence is uncovered, the verdict will absolve the driver of all blame in the death. Coroner Zwick stated that Bill I Twig, local resident living in the ' Homewood addition, who offered the victim a ride home, shortly before he was killed, was unable to advance any theories regarding the accident. Twig told Coroner Zwick that . he did not know of the accident until the following morning He stated that after leaving Girod out of the car, he immediately pulled away to go to his home. He stated that he remembered passing a truck, which might have been the one that run down the victim. First reports that Girod had Just stepped from around the rear of the Twig auto, when he was hit. were found to be false. Reports that Nagel did not see Girod were also found to be untrue. Nagel told Coroner Zwick that he did see him a moment before the truck hit his body, but that , he was unable to avoid striking him. Body Thrown Ten Feet Mr. Zwick stated that marks about the scene of t!< accident, gave evidence of the body being thrown about nine or ten feet. This, he stated, indicated that Nagel was not traveling at an unusually high speed. No eyewitnesses were found, though several persons, attracted by the screeching of the truck’s brakes, arrived on the scene immediately after the accident. The injured man, according to reports, was not at first thought seriously hurt. Internal hemorrhages and blood clots are thought to have (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) 0 Decatur Young Man Injured In Wreck Bernard "Mongo" Meyers of Indianapolis, formerly of this city, was Injured in an auto accident in Indianapolis this afternoon, according to word received here by relatives. The young man Is a son of Mrs. Clara Meyers of West Madison street and has lived In Indiananolis for a number of years. His sister, Miss Mary Meyers left this afternoon for Indianapolis. The extent of his injuries and details of the accident were not known.

Price Two Cents.

More Than 90,000 Are Thrown Out Os Work As New Strikes Are Called Today. PLANTS CLOSED Detroit. Apr. l-(U.R) More than 90,000 automotive workers were idle today as a new wave of sitdown strikes spread through the plants ot General Motors corporation and its affiliates. With 73,400 employes out of work as a result of prolonged strikes in the plants of Chrysler Corp., the Hudson, and Reo Motor Car companies, new labor troubles tn four G. M plants and the factory of the Yellow Truck & Coach Manufacturing company, added 17,200 to the ranks of idle workers. A strike affecting 7,600 employes of the Fisher Body Corp., plant at Pontiac last night was followed today by the shutdown of the Pontiac motor assembly line of 1,100 workers due to a shortage of bodies. Similarly, a sit-down at the No. 2 Chevrolet Motor company plant In Flint forced closure of Fisher’s No. 2 plant where Chevrolet bodies were piling up. Approximately 2,000 workers were affected by the Flint troubles. At 9 a. m.. a sit-down In Yellow Truck brought about the closing of that plant. An affiliate of General Motors, it employs 6.500 workers in the manufacture of taxicabs and buses. Two brief sit-downs in other I General Motors plants were clear--1 un b for- 1 strikes were ailed. At th B-ick Motor company's No. 11 plant at Flint, 1.000 men returned to work after United Automobile Workers’ representatives had conferred with the management over alleged discriminatory transfers. Al the ClevnUnd. Q... plant of Fisher, key body plant of the vast General Motors system, workers j returned to body assembly lines I today after a short sit-down. The United Automobile Workers l of America, expressing concern over the new industrial outbreak in view of the recent strike settlement with the corporation, nevertheless refused to say whether or not the strikes had been authorized. Ed Hall, the union's 2nd vice president, hurried to the General Motors building to confer with Harry Anderson, head of GM’s in dustrial relations, over the strikes. “We understand that the strikes have resulted from the failure of plant managers to recognize the grievance machinery established in the strike settlement." Hall said. The General Motors-U. A. W. A. settlement, achieved in lengthy con ferences that followed the recent 44-day strike, pledged the union to call no new strikes for a period of six months. During the settlement negotia (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) O SAY COURT BILL LOSING GROUND Opponents Os Court Reform Assert Strength Is Gained Washington, Apr. 1— (U.R) —Opponents of President Roosevelt's judiciary program claimed today that the administration is losing ground in its own tabulation of congressional support for enlargement of the supreme court. “There would not be 35 votes in the senate for the pending judiciary bill if it were brought to a vote today," Sen. Burton K. Wheeler, D„ Mont., asserted ia surveying this week’s offensive against the measure. "The administration is not even sure of 35 votes They might get a majority if they cut the proposed increase ot justices from six to two.” Another Democratic senator opposing the bill said privately that the administration leaders checked senate sentiment on the measure some weeks ago and reported they could count on 60 votes. Later, ho asserted, they reduced their claim to 56 votes and the last poll ro suited In a statement last weekend tbst ♦’ were at least 52 votes b hi '1 the measure. Administration leaders countered that they were certain of enough (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE)