Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 35, Number 251, Decatur, Adams County, 23 October 1937 — Page 1

fcxxv. No- 251 1

rwo YOUTHS DIE IN WRECK

— In Persons Die Jxln Collision Os rl Train, Automobile

[imh "i -hool Pupils, reached And Bus TKver Killed As Train !r Bus. b re Wl.\X) INJURED 1 cry. 23--4U.R) : the roadside. KTaf.-ninu m n anis of two . . studied today train and i a. » !ii« h seven high student', ' ao teachers, and were killed and 19 perKta — . the stuRenwick. la.. after a dayu Mason City industries. Hk : k Ida nd Rocket, streamtrain bound from ■gi' : -r ■- Minneapolis, struck ‘Bel is at a crossing. burst, and bodies and " were strewn for 700 feet right-of-way. ■ dead Morton. 25. teacher. Don ’liy Ross. 24. teacher. Turner. 16. student, .; Aniosson. 15. student. ' :l A Hggertli. 15. student. Kelling. 15, student. S >. mans. 16. student. J Bell. 15. student. Cedar. 15. student. Simpson. 2s. driver of bus. .:.; ’-l ived cuts, brokK|ones. biiiises and other injur- ■ .-Xp-I t-d to prove fatal. , KJ. ■ n i s medical facilities required to care for them. - mini i--s b -Iliad Ktf ule as it approached the crosTh-- stud'-nts were laughing ,i . i Simpson may not aide to hear the locomowhistle A pile of brick officers said might obscured Simpson's vision the roadside. BBawin Peer, a survivor, said Bbe bus was torn in two. a all happened so suddenly." a , » T id - 1 found myself on the Bottr.l outside the wreckage.” apparently prevented on page three) IlD'e To Initiate W-andidates Wednesday special meeting of the Moose t heduled for Wednesday <>t which time a class of 25 ' wert to take the degree has -been tranferred to TuesThe change in the date necessary because of the of tile Fort Wayne degree confer the work on Wed■B) Slight Damage I Is Caused By Fire Slight damage was caused at the home of Mrs. Ellza||M Hodle. Ninth and Jackson' M ts Friday night about 8:00 Th e nre, thought to have from a chimney spark. ■ c *s" : only slight damage to the

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— High School Sponsors Circus I Appearance Here Tuesday

fP tantalizing cry, “peanuts and r rn ”■ wi'i fin Worthman Field pay afternoon and night when all the pomp and color of her sister, the United Indoor _—is, with headquarters at Peru, its appearance here. with circus amusements clowns to the trapeze act, MO* 1<!oor circus, sponsored by the t*T nr high Bch ° ol - will show at f^ ksrformanceß ' The opening perwill be held in the after--2:30 o'clock and the evenwill start at 8 o’clock. yx 3 will be opened at 1:30 and rJ? 'espeetively, for the two peryJfeT t 0 tlle tradltion ot the showthe performance will go on, gCr " eVe nt o finclement weather. ti»< lbUt * weather prevail, the wil* 8 be held in the gym, to /*■ specia ' ra'mps will be built ■ rlr ig in the animals. In either |

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

ROY HALL TALKS TO QUEST CLUB — Central Sugar Co. President Speaks To Fort Wayne Club Friday Roy Hall, president of the Central Sugar Co., spoke to the members of the Qu st club, •»! Fort Wayne at their meeting he'd Friday afternoon on the subject of “What’s Back of the War in the Orient?” “The undeclared war now going on between China and Japau has a most definHv economic background”—raw materials. trade bases, expansions for livelihood.— and in addition to these, there are present, as there always have been present, political, radical and social causes.” the speaker stated. Mr. Hall said that the first reason for the conflict is Japan’s dire need of raw materials; second, Japan’s hemmed in people, irked for a place to live under the sun; third, a militarism resq-iisible to a small 'industrial group and to a new class of bureaucrats; fourth, a feeling that Asia or the Orient is for the Asiatics or the Orientals; fifth, a sense that in view of the present world conditions, now is an opportune time for Japan to further its program of expansion, and sixth, there is awakening in China ta an fntens- nationalism feared by Ja pan. “To appreciate the present Si-uo-Japanese situation we must look back some 50 years when a peasant handicraft society was awakened; when East became West,” Mr. Hall said. ' “We have had during the past few decades, much writing regarding the acclaimed miracle of the transformation of Japan into a modern state. “Recently the stories have been mostly about the aggressiveness of Japan. If it were not for the general irritation that this aggressiveness burdens the world with, and the fear that we opine from the possible effect of an irrepressible militarism, or the present precarious international relations. Japan would be viewed with pity. “Japan is in a bad way and for much the same reason that China, Europe and America are troubled. I Japan has performed its act upon the stage ~ life; a prodigious one, it not a miraculous one, and now it is beginning to pay the price. The effects of industrialism are cumulative and in Japan they have begun to tell. o - - G. E. Club Dance Next Friday Night I The G. E. club dance, yesterday announced for tonight, is scheduled for next Friday, October 29, club 1 officers stated today. Duke McGirk and his 10-piece orchestra of Fort Wayne will furnish the music. G. E. employes, their families and invited guests are urged to attend , the dance.

event the show wi'l be complete in every detail. As is the custom in outdoor circus engagements a noon pa-ade will be held through downtown Decatur. The Scottish bagpipe band will parade. Moulded into the performances will be 25 acts, including aerialists, clowns, equilibrists and bareback , riders. Vendors of the customary popcorn, peanuts, crackerjaek and ice cream will be on hand to furnish the added bit of color customary to a circus. 1 The Decatur high school band i will appear at both performances, j' Acts In the circus are comprised of t those which have only recently fin-; 1 ished the annual summer tour. Un i view- of the enthusiastic response i with which the circus was greeted < upon its initial appearance here in t 1933, even larger crowds are expect-j j jed tor Tuesday's performances. t

TAX HEARINGS • HERE MONDAY State Tax Board To Conduct Hearings On Levies In County A representative of the state tax board will conduct a hearing here Monday on the tax rates tentatively approved for six taxing units, and a petition that the county wel-1 I fare department levy be raised. I | This will be held in County Auditor John W. Tyndall’s office’ in the | | morning and afternoon. The county welfare’s budget was I set by the board at 12 cents. The | county council reduced this to 12 1 cents and this rate was approved by the county tax adjustment board. The welfare department filed a protest against the reduction. asking that it be replaced in order that more state and federal funds be made available. This would apply to every taxing unit in the county. Three corporate towns or cities are over the $2 limitation fixed by the 1937 state assembly. These rates were approved by the county tax adjustment board, but the law makes it mandatory that the levies be examined by the state board in an effort to reduce them to the $2 limit. The maximum levy of $2 does not include payments on bond principal and interest or the county welfare rate. Decatur, Berne and Geneva have levies of more than the limit. Three townships have levies over the maximum of $1.25 for unincorporated units, less the rates tor bond retirement and county welfare department. The townships are St- Mary’s, Hartford and Jefferson. The total rates as approved by the tax adjustment board, the eliminations due to bond and welfare levies and the balance which may be considered under the tax limitation law in the six units are: Elimin- BalUnit Total ation ance Decatur 12.47 .31 $2.16 Berne $2.76 .32 $2.44 Geneva $3.28 .55 $2.73 St. Mary’s $1.79 .19 $1.60 Harftord $1.91 .71 $l2O Jefferson $1.83 .37 $1.46 Due to the fact that all county rates, some school, library and other rates are included in the total levies for these units, all officials who were concerned with the making of the budgets applicable to any of these six units, have been notified by County Auditor Tyndall to appear at the hearing i to state why their rates should I I not be reduced Lehman Cow Makes New Official Record Peterborough, N. H„ Oct. 23 —A new record, exceeding the average of the Guernsey breed for her age and class has just been completed by a two year old cow. Happy Boy’s Charity 416755 of Decatur. Indiana, tested and owned by P. B. Lehman. Her official record, supervised by Purdue University and announced by the American Guernsey Cattle Club, is 9788.0 pounds of milk and 459.7 pounds of butter fat in class GG. _o Autos Damaged In Monmouth Collision Four automobiles, including two new' ones, were badly damaged at 11:30 o’clock Friday night in a collision in Monmouth. According to reports, Nevin Miller of Monmouth was backing out of an alley. Adam Diehl, of Fort Wayne, attempting to avoid the Miller car, swerved and struck one driven by Ralph Moore of Muncie, who was pulling a second new car. Dr. Diehl and his wife, riding with him, suffered minor cuts and bruises but occupants of the other cars escaped injury. Sodbusters Hold October Meeting The Sodbusters 4-H Club meeting for October was held in the Menroe high school building recently** The meeting was ca'led to order by the president, Elmer Nussbaum. Mrs. Helen E. Mann instructed the members in the keeping of their record books and discussed the products which the club members will show at the 4-H club exhibit today. All members were urged to finish their project work,

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur Indiana, Saturday, October 23, 1937.

Auto Crashes Kill Five In Decatur The tragic death of the Durbin brothers brought the death toll of | persons killed In auto and train crashes in this city to five this year. One man was knocked down by an auto on North Second street; two men died from injuries received in a crush nt the Erie railroad traffic signal. Accidental deaths from auto, train and other wrecks of Adams county people and those killed in [ the county during 1937 number | about 20. It’s one of the worst I records in history. OLD BUILDING WILL BE SOLD Central School Building To Be Sold To Highest Bidder The Central school building will be sold to the highest bidder, it was decided at a meeting of the city school b.-'.'trd Friday night. The use of WPA labor was rejected. A report was filed by the apprais- i ers, Charles Roibenold and Herman j Ehinger, on the value of the building and the cost of the wrecking. The appraisal was S3OO and the school board must obtain at least this amount from the wreckers. The school Liard Friday night appointed Herman Ehinger as the third member of the labor wage scale committee, which will set minimum wage scales so rail workmen on the new PWA school house, but will not apply to the wreckers. Other members of this board are C. O. Van Horn, of Fort Wayne, ap-r-.inted'by the labor representatives in the state, and Mr RobenoM, appointed by Governor M. Clifford Townsend. The board will meet in the next few days. A. M. Strauss, of Fort Wayne, architect for the building, submitted more detailed plans of the new school. These- were examined by the board and some changes recommended. Mr. Strauss is revising the plans and will return in a few days. The final plans will not be adopted for about three weeks, it is believed. o Evansville Girl Killed By Truck Evansville, Ind.. Oct. 23—Lillie Irene Barnet, 8-year-cld daughter of Mrs. Helen Barnet, was killed instantly late yesterday when struck by a coal truck ‘driven by Buster I Newman, 21, as she was returning home from a mail box near her home. The victim was accompanied by a girl friend, Catherine Fark, 6, who ■ told authorities “I tried to hold her back but she ran in front of the truck.” Newman was not held. - » —o WEATHER Much cloudiness tonight and Sunday; not so cold Sunday, frost or freezing general tonight UFFELNIAN IS ONE NOMINEE St, John’s Teacher Nominated For Chairman Os Conference W. lE. Uffelman, teacher at the St. John’s Lutheran school north of this city, has ibeen chosen as a nominee for the office of chairman of the northern Indiana Lutheran teachers’ conference, it was announced at the closing sessions of the convention held late Friday in Fort Wayne. The election of officers will be held at the 1938 convention. The exact meeting p'ace will be announced in two or three weeOts. Gary and Hammond are the most likely convention sites, it is reported. Another local man was nominated for an office in the organization, Herman Neilsen being one of two candidates selected for the office *of assistant secretary. Mr. Uffelman's oppenent is Theodore M. Kosche, at Gary and the other candidate for assistaont secretary is Edmund Bunsold of Napoleon, Ohio. Ben Schultz, also of this community, took part in the sectional meetings, held as a part of the conven- ( tion.

JURY ACQUITS ROY GARR FROM MURDER CHARGE Jury Deliberates Little Over Hour In Acquitting Roy Garr Shelbyville, Ky.. Oct. 23—(U.R)— The Garr boys went home today | to become living characters in a I blue grass country legend. Handsome Jack Garr and his brother, Roy. were free —acquitted of charges that they murdered Brig.-Gen. Henry H. Denhardt I whom they had brought once to ■ I inconclusive trial on a charge of | slaying their sister. Their plea | was self defense. Dr. E. S. (Doc) Garr, accused with his brothers, probably never I will be brought to trial. He is in I a hospital now. The Denhardt murder case apparently was ended for all legal purposes, but it will find a pronF ineut place among the sagas of I Kentucky’s hill country, rich in traditions about woman's honor i and the “right to draw.” In little less than one year, five characters enacted the blood-lett-ing drama which ended last night in Shelby county circuit court room before, among others, D. W. Griffith, producer of one of America's greatest dramas, “The Birth of a Nation.” On the night of Nov. 6, 1936, Denhardt, brigadier general, former lieutenant-governor, veteran of three wars and, above all. an “outlander,” went riding with his fiancee, Mrs. Verna Garr Taylor. She was reputedly the prettiest woman in Oldham and Henry-coun-ties. popular, a widow. Mrs. Taylor died that night from a bullet from Denhardt's army gun. Denhardt was called to the inquest- He refused to testify. Then the Garrs, brothers of the slain beauty, swore out warrants accusing Denhardt of murder. Denhardt was brought to trial. He said Mrs. Taylor killed herself. The evidence against him was circumstantial. The Garrs sat by sullenly as the jury announced it could not decide on a verdict. Denhardt went free—to be tried again. On Sept. 20 Dehardt went to . Shelbyville to talk to his attorneys. ‘ In the dim light of the street lamps that night he encountered the ' Garrs. Seven shots were fired, and j Denhardt fell dead at the steps of his hotel. The Garrs surrendered. Roy, eldest of the brothers, said he fired the fatal shots. Jack had no gun. “Doc” had one but insisted he didn’t shoot. Jack and Roy went to trial, and "Doc”, once a ' shell shock victim, went to a private mental hospital. The Garrs said they fired in selfdefense, because they thought Denhardt was drawing a gun. The commonwealth accused them of shooting purely to avenge a fancied wrong. The lawyers orated on “the right to draw,” "avenge the wrong," “bullets in the back," and "My Old Kentucky Home.’’ Judge Charles C. Marshall in--1 structed the jury to find Jack not 1 guilty. The jurors. 12 hardy to--1 bacco farmers, retired to deliberate Roy’s fate. The commonwealth had demanded death and the defense, pleading temporary instanity and self-defense, asked complete acquital. The jury needed but one hour and 15 minutes. As they filed into the court room, Roy sat slumped in his chair. In the galleries were four hundred Kentuckians who made a holiday of the affair. They drank, whisp- ■ ered, giggled, summarily tossed negroes out of the reserved section to make room for themselves. The spectators hushed as jury , foreman R. V. Bennett arose. ■■what is your verdict, gentlemen?” asked Judge Marshall. “Not guilty,” Bennett announced. Roy leaped to his feet smiling. His sister-in-law, Jack’s wife, threw herself into his arms and screamed: "We're all so happy! The spectators stamped, clapped, whistled, screamed “yippee!” Principles rather than facts filled the closing arguments. Attorney Gen. Hubert Meredith, acting prosecutor, said: "Roy Garr shot General Den-[ hardt not in self-defense, or be cause he was crazy at the moment. I - . I (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX).

Richard And William Durbin Killed Early This Morning When Truck Is Hit By Train

“GIRL IN RED" IS ACQUITTED Margaret Drennan Freed By Jury For "Honor” Slaying” Iselin, N. J.. Oct. 23 — (U.R) — Margaret Drennan, acquitted in the ‘honor slaying’ of Paul Reeves, father of her unborn child, was a heroine to her family's neighbors in this New Jersey village today as she prepared to go to "some quiet place to forget all this and have my baby.” , The pretty, 20-year-old secretarial students expects to bear Reeves’ child in six months. To the neighbors who called at her home to show that they were sympathetic, the brown-eyed girl expressed her appreciation and said: “I’m so happy I don’t know what to do. I was sure it would turn out as it did. I want to thank everybody, so much. They've been so kind to me.” Miss Drennan was freed by a jury of 11 men and one woman, which announced its verdict to a cheering throng in Middlesex county court after deliberating three hours and 23 minutes. She was acquitted on her plea that she shot and killed Reeves, a married man and father of two young children.. at his home on the night of September 7 to resist criminal attack, which is justifiable homicide under j New Jersey law. Although she came home with j her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Drennan, to the town in which her first romance changed so quickly into tragedy, Miss Drennan said that she would remain only long enough to rest after her ordeal. Then, she said, “I'm going to take a trip, because I need to.” Young and attractive. Miss Drennan has received a number of love letters since she went to jail, be-: trayed by the flaming red jacket | she wore to her last rendezvous | with Reeves. One letter, signed, “Frank, Secaucus. N. J ." said the writer had seen her picture in newspapers and had fallen in love with her. , “The day the court frees you, you won’t have to face the world alone because, dear. I love you,” the letter said. In a copyrighted story, the New York World-Telegram today quoted Thomas McGovern. 26-year-old brakeman, as saying that he and Miss Drennan would be married Tuesday in Holy Cross church, Woodbridge. N. J. McGovern, the story said, asserted that the date was set a few minutes after the girl was freed. He was quoted as saying that he had known her six years, and that he was eager to give his name to her unborn child. While Miss Drennan celebrated, Mrs. Myra Reeves, her victim’s pretty widow, was bitterly dissatisfied with the jury’s verdict. Mrs. Reeves, who slipped out through a back door of the courtroom and went home to her two fatherless children, felt that the memory of her husband had been blackened by the verdict, that Miss Drennan had not told the truth. Faced with the stigma of an unfaithful husband, she, too, must start life anew. "Margaret Drennan got a break in court," she said, "but her conscience won't give her a break Wherever she goes, her conscience will be with her. She'll suffer — plenty!” ♦ -- ■ ■ - ■ 1938 Cars On Display Today i The automobile world is all I agog over the new 1938 mod- ; | els which in several cases are shown for the first time today. i New in style . . . new in seaI | tures . . • the new care are the I | last word in transportation. | Several Decatur automobile dealers are exhibiting the new cars today and invite you to j j visit their salesrooms and in- ■ ' spect the beautiful new cars. *

Mother Thought Os Sons 9 Safety Mrs. Sarah Durbin, mother of the two boys who w-e-re killed in the train-auto crash must have had a foreboding of the terrible tragedy which struck her home As her sons left the house, she gave the motherly adm»»iition of “Boys, be careful and watch for the train”. A few minuttes later she heard the the crash. In all probability it flashed through her mind that her sons had met disaster. She asked her son, John, Jr., to run to the crossing and see who was Injured. John found his two brothers victims of the crash. Mrs. Durbin lives at the corner of Tenth and Adams streets. 0 F. D. R. WARNS ON LEGISLATION Warns Leaders Congress Must Keep In Budgetary Limits Washington( Oct. 23 —(UP) —President Roosevelt t.~day warned administration leaders that congress must hold the new farm legislation within budgetary limits or be pre- ‘ pared to levy new taxes. The president made this statement in duplicate letters tn cltalrI man El'inson D. Smith. Democrat. South Carolina, of the senate agri- ’ culture committee and chairman Marvin Jones, Democrat, Texas, of the house agriculture e anmittee, who are drafting the proposed legislation for which Mr. Roosevelt | called a special session of congress beginning Nov. 15. President Roosevelt asked their cooperation in speeding considerations." the new legislation, which' he said should be designed for price 1 stabilization, an ever normal gran[ary supply and protection of both farmer and consumer against undue ‘ price fluctuation. o Lafayette Mayor To Head Indiana League Bloomington. Ind.. Oct. 23 —'(U.R) — Election of officers was scheduled today at the closing sessions of the annual convention of the Indiana municipal league. William N. Teal, of Lafayette, vice president of the association, was to be advanced to the presidency. Three candidates for the i vice presidency were Mayor Sidney Baker of Newcastle, Mayor j Fred L. Feick of Garrett and Mayor Alban Smith of Laporte. Indianapolis, Lebanon and Gary were among bidders for next year’s convention. o Japanese Assert Advantage Gained Shanghai, Oct. 23.—(U.R>—Japanese spokesmen asserted today that their infantry had taken key points at several places on the Shanghai front and that their army was almost ready for the final assault on the Chinese lines.

Judges Are Named To Serve For Callithumpian Parade

E. W. Lankenau, chairman of the judges committee for the annual I Halloween celebration, the Callij thumpian parade, today announced ■judges to serve during the gala affair next Thursday night, October ■ 28. Two judging stands will be erect-| ed, one in front of the court house 1 |on Second street, and the rther on ! North Second street, near Monroe, j Judges who will award prizes for I individual and group costumes are as follows: Mr. and Mrs. Herman Ehlnger, Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Ashbaucher, Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Carroll and Rev. and Mrs. C. M. Prugh. Judges for the band and drum corps will be Carl C. Pumphrey, Dr. |

Price Two Cents.

Brothers Are Killed As Train Hits Truck At Adams Street Crossing Os Pennsylvania. FUNERAL TUESDAY Two Decatur youths were killed this morning at 3:38 o’clock when the truck in which they were riding was struck by the new Southland, through passenger train on the Adams street crossing of the Pennsylvania railroad. They were: Richard George Durbin, 20. who died of shock in the Adams county memorial hospital before he I could be treated. William Max Durbin. 14, Richard's brother, who died instantly . of a skull fracture. The older boy was a driver -for the Blue Creek dairy of this city, and he was assisted in the delivery of milk by the younger boy. Richard had just picked up his brother at the home of his mother, three blocks from the crossing. The accident occurred immediately after. No Witnesses There were no eye witnesses, as far as is known. As reconstructed by Night Officers Roy Chilcote and Adrian Coffee, and Adams County Coroner Robert Zwick, the boys, driving east, were struck by the north train. The truck was lifted into the air and over the steel and cast iron base of the wooden gates, sheering off the wooden gates, but not touching the metal. The truck came to rest on a coal pile between the gates and the tower house at the northwest corner of the intersection. Although the truck is a total wreck, the motor was still running and the panel lights and radio lights were burning when the officers investigated. The younger boy was thrown out of the car onto the coal pile. Richard was still partly in the car. Train Had Slowed The train was piloted by Thomas Church of Fort Wayne and the conductor was C. F. Jenkins, also of Fort Wayne. Due to the fact that the train must slow to /) miles an hour to drop mail at the Pennsylvania station here, Walter Gard, agent, said the train was traveling between 20 and 25 miles an hour when it crossed Adams street. The train was able to stop in less than a train length. Dr. M. F. Parrish, formerly of Monroe and now of Sturgis, Michigan. was a passenger on the train, i and gave first aid to the older boy. He pronounced the younger boy dead when he found him. The boys were the sons of John Durbin, who died at the Adams 1 county memorial hospital here December 5. 1936 as the result of an automobile-log wagon accident at fCONTTNT T FP ON PAGE THREE) I — — O— New Sidewalk On S. Second Street I A new sidewalk is being huilt on • the west side cf Second street, : south of Jefferson. The new walk ' runs from the second building to > the old frame structure that is now ’ being torn down. The old walk has ■ been entirely torn up and the work of laying tlje concrete remains.

Fred Patterson and Herman Krueckeberg. A total of $154 In cqsh prizes will be presented to winners wf various divisions in the band and drum "corps. and the individual costume i classes. Parade At 7:30 The Callithumpian parade, will start promptly at 7:30 o’clock Thursday evening. Dee Fryback, president of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, sponsoring organization for the Halloween celebration, will act as general chairman for the affair. He will be assisted by the C. C. directors and other business men appointed to [various committees.