Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 36, Number 19, Decatur, Adams County, 22 January 1938 — Page 1

H| X XXVI. No- 191

MOVER LIMITS Sders crime k]OTWO CASES Wl. ( hid Eliminates s . Kidnaper K| Mattson Case ■ ■ s . kil!ing " r |W Mi-i ••” i ‘' a «” ,-. |,ai<l . u.iiti 'ip kidnaping , Inn.kmak H I '■' " she . ..< S'' '■ Osted - and EH<<l. Whit.' Hl| : 'i|.,| by his kidnaper L m.'Piw.a „f k ■Bo ~'(■- I><>l ■ 1 .1' ’ .H'k Oil tilt'll. . B, Jose gnai l today while ., oth.'t Russ details Sv Mon : a near HkJU> ss- •! the kill and slaying of (toss, and : in the kidnaping. l.odies of Ross Rind [Gray from tlv Wisconsin hideout. $14,400 - Minnesota ■heft- .'1 ill'- : "iiiaiuder apparused on high living and since last October. of Ross '!" . load west of i" ' minute'' H^B-' 1 ’ '. for ' ■ I'omoto Hoover : ' w.,s .••_■• -..1 h||, n lie Um' ■ y u.g only BB" :.• <1 it into Hoover said Hl^B s " ■■' bik- i shallow dttg- ■*>-’ Emil’.- Mh,,. . and held 1 v '? win!- Anders returnB^B '11. i In. ~j . -,, negotiate B^BI*' 1 *' ransom was L " night of (l.t, S Two buys l.it..i >||,. Rideout havMBI’*'"'io 1 ’*' "'io- u to a slightly larger ■' ' ; '■ s i Wis . And.‘l S and Gray. bodies were recovered MB’" I ".' night by G-men whom E® 1 ’ led over snow-covered to the Harry t>.,jj. Washburn. Wis.. ■BB H ' Was liable to find a bulon Ross in his firs . ex kß*'" 111 ' The skulls of both BB sad Gray were crushed, he ■MB A “ au "’” sy will be Perform|^B y a bureau of investigation Joseph Hennes I To Address Meeting IwX RPV ' Joseph J ' Hemes Fort feJT" deane ry CYO diretor ajid K/Sl. ’ a f slßta »t pastor here will I*l wrine't ."' enibers of the nationIthelvu.’ .° f ( atholi< ’ women when I Wa| l( . T? e boar<l meets in Fort |,^ at J, hur ’ day ' Januar >' 21, at ■BJ 1,01,0 Community Cenler, |^ m per ATure READINg3 thermometer i B Oft a. tn J. IH '« a. tn.. 11 00 a “ J 8 i —— weather H’c'h'ch 1 ' ,air "sP'tdayr'm't an Se in temperature.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

[Changes Are Made At Fort Wayne G. E. — R. M. Hartlgun, engineer of the i i Fort Wayne works e (the Genet al ' Electric company, has been named i assistant superintendent o fthe mo- > tor generator and switchgear de I partnient. It ha«t been annmtnce<rhy the Fort Wayne office, along with 1 several other changes in the pet-; 4 sonnel of thew orks. Hartlttan began work with the company in 1985. | Among the other changes was tha* of J. B. Greer, of the plant engineering department, who succeeded Hartlgan us plant engineer; (inter J. Mettler, superintendent of I the old meter division, as superin- ' tendent of the combined meter-mo- • tor division and L. F. Hemphill, secs tion engineer, as engineer for the ’ motors to be built in the new combined division. Mr. Greer was con- > nicted with the local plant for some i time. TV A OPERATION IS HELD VALID Upheld By District Court; Carry Case To Supreme Court ' Chattanooga. Tenn., Jan. 22 — (U.Pj— Attorneys representing the Tennessee valley authority and private utility interests planned to- , day to have the United States j supreme court rule on the special district court opinion which upheld . the constitutionality of the federal . government’s $500,000,000 electrical • yardstick" agency. Spokesmen for the common- . [ wealth and southern corporation. . whose president. Wendell L. Will- , kif. had suggested that the govern-' . i ment purchase private utility prop- ; erties in the TVA area, announced • that the highest tribunal would be i asked to reverse the decision of ■ the three-judge district court. I James L. Fly. general counsel ■ for the federal agency, declared i that he would "take whatever steps ' necessary to get this case heard and disposed of by the supreme i court ,this term " Thirty days are allowed for filing notice of appeal, and 60 days 1 more for preparation before presentation of the appeal. If tip’ 1 maximum time were taken by the utilities, the supreme court would receive th’e appeal late In April. I The court ordinarily hears its last ’ arguments early in May before adjourning for its summer recess ‘ about June 1. I I Fly said that he would ask the : court to fix a minimum time for preparation of briefs after the--1 power companies have given notice of appeal. The TVA. he said, is 1 ; eager to have the case reviewed i and the issues finally settled before ‘; summer. Eighteen southeastern utilities. 1 led by the giant commonwealth and southern corporation, brought j 'I the suit that resulted in the spec- , ial court's unanimous decision yesI terday. They had charged that the ;' TVA was “primarily a mammoth i power business." competing direct- ; ly with private companies to the detriment of private business. The court—composed of Circuit ! Court of Appeals Judge Florence '; E. Allen and Tennessee District . Judges John J. Core and John D. MartlnJdeclared that “these comI plaints have no immunity from lawful competition even if their ! business be curtailed or destroy- . ed." “We conclude.” the decision . j said, “that none of the complain- . ants claim to operate under an exi elusive franchise, no fraud, malice, 1 coercion or conspiracy exists; since the authority is not exceed- ’ ing its statutory power, and since the statute is constitutional, the ' competition with these complain- . ants is lawful-” Utility executives withheld com- , ment until they had had an oppor- ■ tunity to study the 10.000-word rul- • ing, but souther public officials, i TVA directors and TVA supportI ers in congress proclaimed it as ; "a great victory." Contrary to the major allegation of the power companies, the three(CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) 0 Kirkland To Present Operetta On Tuesday ; [ Kirkland high school will present the operetta, “Pickles,” P.t the school gymnasium Tuesday evening, January 25. Music between the acts will 'be furnished by the Grice conservatory of strings. o— Mr. And Mrs. Weissling To Observe Anniversary Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Weissling. of Findlay. Ohio will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary Sun- , day at their home in that city. I Their son and daughter-in-law, Mr. ' and Mrs. Ed Weissling, are former Decatur residents.

OIL COMPANIES ARE CONVICTED OF CONSPIRACY Major Midwest Oil Firms Are Convicted By Jury Today Madison, Wis., Jan. 22 —<U.R)~ Major midwest oil companies wore convicted today of criminal charges of conspiracy to raise and fix gasoline prices at the end of a 16weeks trial here in U. S. district court. A jury of farmers and small town business men returned the verdict after deliberating about nine hours. Trial of the oil companies began Oct. 4. The jury reported to Judge Patrick T. Stone that Its verdict was ready at 9:30 a. m. today. During the fololwing hour defendants, ' their counsel, their wives and spectators packed the court room, awaiting the verdict handed down at 10:30 a. m. The verdict applied to the entire 116 companies and 30 defendants l left in the case from an original 24 companies, 56 individuals and three trade publications, indicted by a federal grand jury which began its investigation almost two' years ago. The government's greatest antitrust trial of its kind in history was terminated when Hiram Nelson. 65. a retired telephone company manager who served as format! of the jury, made its report to Judge Stone. i The jury was discharged promptly after it had been polled and the court received motions after the verdict. Judge Stone entertained defense motions for arrest of judgment, a 1 new trial, and to set aside the (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) o Moose Plan Initiation Next Tuesday Evening Members of the local Moovie lodge are planning initiation ceremonies and a banquet at 'he lodge home Tuesday night at 8 o’clock, bomplete plans will be anikwurffW Monday. TOCSIN BANK'S REPORT FILED Hearing To Be Held At Bluffton Feb. 21 On Final Report Bluffton. Jan. 22 — (Special! — The final report of J. F. Meyers, as receiver for the Bank of Tocsin has been filed and Judge Deck- : er has set the date for a hearing on the report for Feb. 21. In Ms summary of transactions in bringing the trust to a close, the receiver charges himself far the beginning of the period cov- i ! ered in this report with $4,587.60 cash, overdrafts of $471.14 and notes inventoried of a face value of $37,081.80, a grand total of $42,140.34. Credits are claimed as follows: Overdrafts charged off. $471.14; , notes charged off as shown by petition and court order, $27,958.86; loss of $9,082.74 on notes sold pursuant to the receiver's petition ; and court order. S4O as the best offer on notes of a face value of $9,122.74: bringing total losses on notes charged off. notes sold at loss and discharge of overdrafts, to a total of $37,512.74, and leaving a balance of $4,627.60. A further credit of $419 78 is taken for the payments made to' certain creditors to equalize them with others paid 50.5 per cent total distributions, leaving a final balance of $4,207.82. Expenses totaling $601.34 listed, leaves for distribution the sum of $3,606.48. This balance, it is set out. will permit a distribution to claimants ' of record amounting to 7.44 per I cent of their claims. On the basis of the above figures creditors of the bank will have re- j celved in all distributions 57.94 per cent of their original claims. ’ The Bank of Tocsin receivership proceedings date from May 11. 1925. o Snyder Funeral Services Sunday Funeral services will be held at J the First M. E. church in Bluffton I at 2 p. m. Sunday for Amos W. Snyder, former manager of the Berne Equity, who died at Ills home in Bluffton Thursday evening. Survivors other than the immediate family include four brothers: Henryof Pleasant Mills; John of Geneva; E. Snyder of Berne and Jess Snyder of Muncie.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday, January 22, 1938.

Boston Mayor Gets Film Offer « < ... > Although the offer was tempting. Maurice J. Tobin. Boston's new youthful, good-looking mayor, turns it down. The "offer", a film bid. was tendered by Cecil B. De Mille. screen producer, shown with Tobin in th» mayor's office in Boston city hall.

TWO CHAIRMEN ARE APPOINTED Birthday Ball Committee Named; Broadcast This Evening Ralph Kenworthy and lyiuise HaubSid today were named cochairmen of the committee on arrangements for the Birthday /Ball for the President by John L. DeVoss, chairman of the affair, to be ,- Held uwxa Saturday at the Decatur, Country club. The co-chairmen will name other members of the committee next week. A meeting of the arrangements I and the ticket committees has been called for Wednesday night at 7:30 o'clock in the office of Mr. DeVoss. Tonight over all Columbia Broad- , casting system network stations will be a special program, broad- ! cast for the national Birthday Ball i Committee and to be known as the i “All Star Infantile Paralysis Cam- | paign.” This will be from 9:45 to 10:30 o'clock CST. Included on the program will be the following stars. Bob Ripley (Believe It or Not); Frank Parker (tenor); Lucy Monroe (soprano); Gabriel Heatter (commentator); | (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX)

Remember Two Years Ago? Below Zero Weather Here

i For those who this morning arose r from their beds to bewail the Ixtn-don-like pea soup fog ani disagree- . ably damp weather, it would be well to remember back on January 22 of 1936 when Mother Nature i loosed another one of her freakish elements on the city and com | munity. This morning it was fog that greeted Decatur citizens —two years ago it was a whistling, whirling wind. This morning at 8 o’clock it j was 34 above zero—two years go at the same hour it was about eight above. But this evening when the temperature hovers around 30 above, it is well to remember that , two years ago, it was falling to 20 below. Citizens well remember January ; ’ 22, 1936 as the first day of an extended period of cold, cold days, in which furnaces ahd stoves were worked to capacity to maintain even a partly comfortable home. Suddenly at 10 o’clock in the morning, when Decatur residents were still congratulating themselves on the moderate temper-1 atures thus far in the winter, the “worst cold wave in recent years’’ j struck with all its fury. By 1 o’clock in the afternoon, i the temperature had dropped to five degrees above zero, and was ' still rapidly falling. Huge drfTls of snow on city streets, county and state highways gave a vivid warn-' Ing of what was to follow. With conditions steadily growing worse, by nightfall school children were marooned in their school houses in the rural sections, prac-j tically all roads were impassable

DeVoss Sets Aside Verdict Os Jury Bluffton. Jan. 22.—A verdit for $15,000 rendered March 31, 1937, by a jury in Wells circuit court in I favor of Mathias Kramer of Fort Construction company of Fort Wayne against the Western Gas f Wayne was set aside Friday by Special Judge Huber M. DeVoss of Decatur, who ordered a new trial on motion of the defendant. The suit was based upon an alleged verbal contract of life-time employment. The unusual nature of the case attracted considerable attention at rhe time of the verdfet last year. In ordering the new trial. Judge DeVoss upheld the company's contention that the evidence did not I sustain the verdict. o Rev. Noe Prepares Radio Broadcast Memphis. Jan. 22— (U.R) —The Rev. Israel H. Noe, 21 days without food or water, rallied his waning strength today and prepared to jeopardize his chances for Mfe ;by going to a radio station and making a 15-mlnute talk. Physicians believed the physical collapse which they considered in-1 evitable was not far away but Noe pushed on with his fast in an I attempt to prove the validity of his “world philosophy" — that a' i man can do without food and live I forever.

and one teacher was nearly frozen! to death before found unconscious ' in her snow bound auto. So thoroughly were more than 300 students and teachers of Hartford and Jefferson high schools! isolated by the huge drifts that farmers and rescue workers, labor-1 ing at a feverish pace, were tin-I able to carry them to safety until the next afternoon. Hardy farmers and advanced students, adept in the art of cooking, keep the marooned kiddies, from starvation. Through tear-1 dimmed eyes and muffled plead-! ings for parents, younger students! endeavored to play games in an effort to more hurriedly pass away the night in a school building. Bus schedules were disbanded and many a Decatur resident who left town before the storm broke was unable to return home. Frozen feet, ears, noses and hands I were prevalent as visitors at a local store opening, visitors at a beekeepers meeting and other shoppers endeavored to reach their homes. Nation-wide publicity was given when Paul Sullivan, Lowell Thomas and other leading radio commentators, along with national press associations, broadcast word of the children being marooned. Meanwhile, accompanied by stinging winds and whirling snowflurries. the temperatures kept up their continued descent. For al-J most one week, temperatures hovered near 20 below. For 19 con-1 secutive days, residents suffered from sub-zero temperature, before Mother Nature took pity and brought a noticeable relief.

BOOM STARTED TO PUT McNUTT IN WHITE HOUSE Frank McHale Named Unanimously For Committeeman French Lick. Ind.. Jan. 22-XU.R) --Indiana Democrats, through their highest policy-forming body — the state commltee — today started a campaign to place former Gov. Paul V. McNutt in the White House in the 1940 election. In the first open session of the I state committee in recent years, a iconclave of 75 Democratic party leaders chose Frank McHale as i Indiana's national democratic comI mitteeman. who In accepting j asserted that "we hope to see Paul . V. McNutt president of the United States." This statement followed his unanimous selection for the national committee post in the presence I of Gov. M. Clifford Townsend and I almost every leader of importance in the Indiana Democratic party. McHale's election, reportedly the ; result of an agreement between McNutt and party leaders after the ; 1936 election, was greeted with I silence by Governor Townsend. But his most intimate advisor, Alex Pursley of Hartford City. I chairman of the fifth district, said ! that the Indiana Democratic organization through McHale “can further the ambitions of former Gov. McNutt by placing him at the head I of the ticket in the 1940 election. ’ sponsored by us," meaning the ■ state committee. Pursley’s remarks were construed as being the sentiments of Governor Townsend in the opinion of those present in the small, i white-walled room in this famed • resort, meeting place of Democrats since the turn of the century. As was suggested prior to the meeting, the statehouse organizai tion functioned in high gear. Thomas Taggart, son of the late i senator, who has served for seven . I years as national committeeman. abruptly resigned. State Chairman Omer Stokes Jackson thanked him cordially for his service to the party. Dick Heller. Townsends . executive secretary, submitted a resolution accepting the resignaI tion, which was adopted. Pursley nominated McHale to (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) O McNUTT ENDS TOUR OF CHINA Leaves Shanghai On Way To Report To President Roosevelt Shanghai. Jan. 22—<U.R) —- Paul V. ' McNutt, American high commis- ; sioner to the Philippines, left in I the cruiser Augusta today for Manila. on his way to Washington to report to President Roosevelt on Japanese activities in China and the Philippines. It was planned that the Augusta should make the Shanghai-Manila run at full speed, arriving early Monday, and a record was expected. eNutt will board a Pan-Amer-ican Airways Clipper Jan. 29 for' the United States, and will proceed on to Washington. McNutt, after flying to Davao. ’ in Mindanao Island in the Philippines to investigate Japanese infiltration, came to Shanghai to talk with Admiral Harry E. Yarnell, commander-in-chief of the United States Asiatic fleet. Yarnell is an expert on Philippine affairs. But McNutt’s visit turned into; an almost continuous two-day ser- 1 ies of conferences not only with; Yarnell but with American Consul | General Clarence E. Gauss, leading American residents, American missionaries and prominent for-; eigners. McNutt spent part of this morn | ing at the American consulate gen-1 eral. receiving visitors, and then | boarded the navy patrol vessel; Isabel, Admiral Yarnell's flagship, for a final talk with the admiral. The Augusta sailed at 2:20 p. m. In a final press conference McNutt said that he could not add to , his original statement that he came here to talk to Admiral Yarnell on Philippine problems. He made it i plain that his contacts with mem-, bers of the American and general foreign community here were un- . official. However, leading Americans took occasion to acquaint him with I what they regard as the serious I problems confronting American i business in Shanghai and expressed belief that McNutt's impressions would be conveyed to the (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX)

Pat Miller Dies Friday Night Os Accident Injury I

INTEREST PAID IS ANNOUNCED Interest On State Deposits In Unemployment Fund Listed J i Indianapolis. Jan. 22 — Interest earned On Indiana deposits in the I 1 unemployment compensation trust j \ fund of the federal treasury | : amounted to $124,901.93 during the I three months ending December 31. according to tentative advice reI celved by Clarence A. Jackson. 1 director of the state unemployment compensation division. ‘ i This amount will bring the total ' interest received by the state to $365,536.22 since the first deposit , was made in 1936. “At the present time,” Mr. Jack-1 1 son said, “nearly $22,500,000 has; been deposited by the state divi- ■ 1 sion with the federal government. | "These funds will be available ' for the payment of benefits to ' eligible workers in the state who | become unemployed after earning | $lO subsequent to March 31 of this ■ year. “Employers subject to the Indi-1 1 ana law are reminded that failure 1 '! to pay their December payroll contributions before January 31 will result in their having to pay virtually double tax.” Mr. Jackson added. "Under the law. employers are subject to a federal tax of 2 per cent on their annual payroll for I 1937. However, they are allowed ito deduct monthly contributions I to the Indiana division, up to 90 I per cent of the amount of the federal tax. "Federal returns for 1937 are due I not later than January 31. 1938. : The Indiana December contribu-; tion report is due by January 29. Employers are cautioned to retnem- ! ber that state contributions paid ‘ II after the federal returns are requir-1 ■ ed to be filed cannot be deducted from the amount of the federal I tax. Consequently, those who do | not pay their state contributions promptly will be subject not only ; ' to the state rate for 1937 of 1.8 per ' cent, but also to the full 2 per cent j federal rate. "Employers are also cautioned ■to remember that the December; state report should be made on the (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) o James Moses Injured In Fall On Sidewalk James Moses, prominent resident of this city, is suffering from a bruised face, which he encountI ered when he fell on the sidewalk ; near the Kirsch cider mill on Third ; street Thursday afternoon. Mr. Moses, who will be 87 years old | next Wednesday, was walking and stumbled over the driveway curb. He fell face forward and struck I the cement walk. His face is discolored and bruised, but he was I able to get about today and came up town this morning says that : “he bet Tommy Farr didn’t have any worse looking face after his fight with Jimmy Braddock." 26 Adams County Students In NYA Indianapolis, Jan. 22 — (UP) — There are 6,192 students in secondary schools in Indiana who are working part-time on national youth administration projects, it was ani nounced here today. Total monthly wages amounting to $21,666.00 are paid these students from NYA | funds. Projects operate tn 661 secondary schools. They are initiated and su,p- --; ervised by school officials, and are j selected on the basis of need, and are enabled to earn money suffi- ' cient for the purchase of their i books, c'othing, lunches and car-. I fare. Employment of students on NYA I projects in grade and high schools in Indiana by counties includes; Adams, 8 schools, 26 students. o — ■ Special Service At Presbyterian Church A special service of reconsecration will be held at the local Presbyterian church next Sunday morning. At this service the roll of the members of the church will be called and each member will be given a membership certificate booklet by the session of the church. James C. Moses will be honored at the worship hour as being thi oldest living member to unite with the • church.

Price Two Cents.

Prominent Decatur Man Dies In Hospital At Huntington; Driver Os Truck Released. FUNERAL MONDAY Patrick G. "Pat" Miller, 38, of ' this city, died last night at 8:30 ! o'clock in the Huntington county hospital from Injuries sustained in i an auto accident Thursday night lon the Fort Wayne-Huntington ! road. Death was attributed directly to a multiple skull fracture. The deceased was born in Adams county March 17. 1899. the son of Mathias and Mary ('. AckermanMiller. He was an employe of the local General Electric plant for the past 11 years. He was a member i of the St. Mary’s Catholic church. 1 Fraternally he was a member of | the Knights of Columbus and the | Holy Name society. Surviving, besides the widow. Helen Schlegel-Miller, are two i daughters. Eloise and Katharyne. I both at home. The mother, of near I Decatur and the following brothers i and sisters also survive: Francis and Bernard, both of Fort Wayne; I Mrs. William Lichtle, Mansfield, Ohio; Edward, Scottsburg; Mrs. Lee Meyer. Mrs. Anthony Gase. Charles and Peter, all of Decatur. A sister. Mrs. Leo Ulman, is deceased. Funeral Monday Funeral services will be held Monday morning at 9 o'clock at the St. Mary's Catholic church, with the Rev. Joseph J. Seimetz officiating. Burial will be made in the St. Joseph cemetery. The body was returned to the ' S. E. Black funeral'home last night : from the Huntington hospital. It j may be viewed there after 7 o'clock i tonight until time for the funeral. Both Mrs. Miller daughter, i Eloise, who were riding with him | at the time of the crash, escaped with cuts and bruises. William Peterson, 51, Fort Wayne, driver of the other car. which sideswiped j the Miller auto, was released from i jail after paying a fine of $lO and costs for driving without an oper--1 ator's license. Huntington county | authorities have indicated that ' they will absolve Peterson of i blame in the fatal crash. The accident occurred three miles north of Roanoke as the local party was enroute to Huntington. The Miller auto was almost comI pletely demolished. REPORTS FINE PROGRESS MADE — Rural Electrification Committee Reports Fine Progress Committees in charge of the rural electrification program, being carried on in the south six townships of Adams county, today expressed their satisfaction with the progress made so far and the cooperation given them by the farmers eligible for the improvement. The last of a series of meetings in the past several days will be held at the Salem church Monday night after the church services aje over. Every one in the county interested in the rural electrification program is urged to attend, and those in the immediate community , have been extended special invitations to be present at the meeting whn the plans will be explained. The Adams county group is joining with Jay county in order to have a sufficiently large group of potential consumers to make the ' program economical. Members of the committee StatI ed today that special advantages will be obtained by farmers, who enroll in the program immediately, as the price for tapping onto the lines will be higher after the program is begun. This is a part of the national program to electrify the farm homes of America to furnish a more satisfactory living for the families and to perform the work on the farm more economically. By large groups of farmers banding together, it is going to be possible to bring the lines into the country at a cost which will not be prohibitive. Through the REA, it is possible to obtain low interi est bearing government loans to I finance the projects.