Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 36, Number 305, Decatur, Adams County, 28 December 1938 — Page 1

■ • XXXVI. No. 305.

Bench claim |ICE BOLSTERS I ITALIAN FORCE — Wench Newspapers As- ■, rt Mussolini Prepares 9 For War :■ Dec. 28- <U.P) —French asserted today that ■ ..'. i.ussolitii was speeding up K ... Hilary program in pre- >* lk , n for "coming events." w -,. alleged that Mussolini 9 preparing to call up large ,^9 bFrS of individual army and reservists to be ready Jan. 31. was putting the (i n a war footing and was in 2 up defense production to maximum, particularly as rewar munitions. red hv a series of an inspired denials of ear « reports about Italy's and activities in connection an Italian drive for conces s f-om France, the new spa- ■ certintied their campaign of French people against ahead. H : .. newspaper Oeuvre asserted ■ Mussolini was preparing to ■ the threat of a inoslem upagainst Great Britain in K, Prime Minister Neville . •in showed readiness to Mj-.v' Fiance against Italian th-■-nial" which were believed to ■ inspired were published re. Mj-ng yesterday’s repoits that ■„,. troops were massing on French Somaliland frontier. Pri mier Edouard Daladier’s ■reaching visit to Corsla and ■s would take the form of a' of strength and ■ Cha•■.u.-rlaili had been asked ■stop off at Paris on his way ■Rom® to visit Premier Musso ■ next month. it was noted that with the series of de11.- government announced th' navy dispatch boat ON PAGE THREE) ■UNGIL HOLDS BAL MEETING ■esent Ci t y Council i ■Holds Final Session 1 Tuesday ■he final meeting of the present | ■conni i] was held last evening ■1 Mayor A. R. Holthouse presid- ■ receipt from the First State ■h for the payment of $25,000 for ■ bonds purchased by the electric ■trtment of the city plant was fl? placed on record. The bonds ■ being registered by the U. S. ■•ury. The electric department ■ lias $95,000 and the water d<‘■tnent. $5,000 in bonds. . Ml appropriations alnoiii:’(I ■:•'> ll.'-77 for the city were allow- ■? the state board of tax com■iloners. The funds were divided I ■follows: Garbage contract $127; ■* operating expense, street de■toent, $ 150; materials for ■’■s. $1,600. ■>ial approval of the assessment ■on the Acker sewer was dejßn until Friday, December 30. Samuel Acker petitionr” SPl ver, also filed a remanagainst his assessment. were made by the engin■«l'l last night Mr. Acker Floyd and attorney Ferd Litterer. ■ represented Mr. Acker, petithat their assessments be The matter was left in the ■> of the street and sewer comand a motion made that the ■»ittee file its final report by ■Amber 30. sewer was built by WPA la- ■ the property owners paying share for the material. Only was filed against the ■jwnents. were allowed by the council ■ the session adjourned

- < ■ Buys Health Bond Pythian Sisters have vol-

ed purchase of a $5 health bond, W. Guy Brown, chairman of the Christmas Seal drive, announced today. Proceeds from the health bond fund are used to aid in the fight against tuberculosis and to provide milk for unde rnourisbed children.

ft! o Pro Jed ■"Nome from ■w«i t

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Rotary Speaker f DU Hk th John T Taylor, captain of detectives of the Foil Wayne police departtm nt, and a graduate of the FBI national police academy at Washiigton, will speak on "Modern Methods of Criminal Investigation” at the weekly meeting of the Decatur Rotary chib Thursday evening at the Rice hotel. ARREST THREE FOR BLACKMAIL PLOT ON COSTER Two Men, Woman Held As Suspects In Drug Swindle Case New York, Dec. 28 — (U.R) — Police held a woman and two men today and sought five more persons. all on suspicion of having blackmailed F Donald Coster, the swindling president of McKesson and Robbins. Inc., who killed himself when he was exposed as Philip Musica, an ex-convict. The prisoners, belligerent and uncommunicative, were Mary Brandino, 37; her brother. Joseph. 61. and Walter H. Cragg. 56. a disbarred lawyer Imprisoned in 1914 for embezzling a client's funds. The other suspects were not named. Together, they were believed to have extorted most or all the $150,000 a year that CosterMuslca swindled from his company. The three were held on federal charges of using the malls to defraud and “conspiring with others to extort sums of money from Philip Musica." They were among the few persons who knew of Coster-Muslca's IF-year masqueride, during which he invaded Wail street with the profits of bootlegging, won the confidence of financiers and organized the third largest drugs firm in the country. Cragg submitted peaceably ta arrest. Miss Brandino was defiant whe® taken from her home to Sheepshc-ad Bay police station. Her brother followed to learn why she was arrested. He was informed that he, too. was wanted. He reached to the floor and pick’d up a cuspidor for a weapon and Miss Brandino flung her handbag at a policeman. Disannad, Brandino ran to a back room, I nicked up a board and advanced, swinging it. Again disarmed, he was questioned and locked up as was his sister. It was reported that Miss Bran(CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) WRECK VICTIMS ARE IMPROVED Mr. And Mrs. Lloyd DeBolt Both Showing Improvement The condition of both Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Detßolt, who are confined to the Adams county memorial hospital suffering from injuries sustained In an auto-train accident December 12, was reported improved today. George Geisler, aged Van Wert farmer who is confined to The hospital with two rifle bullets, fired from the gun of an unknown assai - ant last Thursday night, Imbedded in the back of his head, was also retwo bullets are lodged back of Ins ear and the fact that he lost consid erable blood during two nights and a day that he lay on the flour of his home before he was found. Took Holthouse, of east of C itv who suffered a fractured ja and other injuries in a crash was released from the hospl tai lats Tuesday-

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

CORDELL HULL PRAISES WORK OF CONFERENCE U. S. Delegates Gratified At Pan-American Meet Results Lima. Peru, Dec. 28—(U.R>Secretary of State Cordell Hull and other members of the United States delegation to the eighth Pan-American conference are •ompietely satisfied with the work done here tooward uniting the 21 American republics against outside aggression, it was understood today. The conference ended last night, and the United States delegates sail for home in the liner Santa Marla today. It was point- ' ‘d out tnat when the conference started the United States delegates wanted It first to point directly toward the totalitarian nations as possible aggressors and secondly to provide for regular, periodic consultation among the foreign ministers of American nations. However, the United States delegate", though admitting that the “declaration of Lima" against aggression had not named outside nations as possible aggressors and that no means had been proI vided foi consultation at specified i intervals, asserted that the declaration actually laid the foundation on which to build later an all-American solidarity edifice. United States and other delegates expressed belief that the declaration was only a start and that it might be strengthened later, to provide a bulwark against either armed aggression or political penetration. Hull, in a speech at the formal dinner with which the conference ended la«t night, said: “In this declaration of Lima lies the future of the solidarity of American republics. It rests on the history and spirit of peoples ... it will be determined, I CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE! o AUCTIONEER IS CLUB SPEAKER Quentin Chaffee Speaks To Lions Club Tuesday Quentin R. Chaffee, auctioneer and lecturer of Towanda Pa., and an instructor at the Reppert School of Auctioneering, was the speaker at the regular meetnig of the Decatur Lions club Tuesday night During the program, members of the Goodfellows club took up a collection which netted between $8 and $9. Dr. N. A. Bixler, president of the club, was in charge of the program. Mr. Chaffee spoke on methods of “getting along” with other individuals and countries, saying “the other fellow is not always as wrong as we may think he is.” He urged that as a nation, this country prepare more for peace than for war. He said that during the last 10 years the countries of the world have been preparing tor war, which "we may not want after all.” Speaking on the necessary mental attitude, he advised both individuals and countries, “stop and take stock once in a while to seo where we are heading.” Ha emphasized the statement: “If the man’s all right, the world’s all right.” __o— Civil Service Exam Here On January 14 The civil service examination for applicants for the Decatur postmaster appointment, will be held Saturday afternoon, January 14, at the Decatur high school building. In yesterday’s Daily Democrat the article stated that the examination would be held Saturday. It should have read, January 14. The hour of holding the examination has not yet been fixed. A representative from the civil service commission wil conduct the examination. Spanish War Vets To Attend Funeral All Spanish-American War veterans are asked to meet Thursday afternoon at 1 o’clock at the American Legion home from there they are to go in a body to the funeral services for Edmond Fulton, deceased member.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, December 28, 1938.

Accused Broker Visits Actress "' *■ i i ’ ■ ik I ' ■ s k 'WTT# {Mr F SBStb'jA <(''WIBLNIW''». JL I' XI * SB . * IBWII > fiKHr 8 William P. Buckner, Jr., and Loretta Young Charged with using the mails to defraud in connection with the Philippine railway bond case. William P. Buckner, Jr. wealthy New York broker, free under $5,000 bond, is pictured witli screen actress Loretta Young, whom he visited In Hollywood over the Christmas holidays. Asked if their imported engagement would be announced while Mr. Buckner was in the city. Miss Young said, "Not yet.” A federal court granted the financier permission to make a two-weeks’ visit In California for "business purposes ”

CAMERA CLUB IS ORGANIZED Constitution And ByLaws Adopted Tuesday Night The constitution and bylaws for the Decatur Camera club were ndoptded at an organization meeting held Tuesday night in the city hall. Included in the constitution is a provision that the club will meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The club accepted for its permanent headquarters the second floor of of the building on North Third street which Dr. Palmer Eicher occupies for his office. Preceding the business meeting, a print competition was held, with first prize going to Mrs. Margaret Melchi. Honorable mention was given to a picture submitted by Don Gage. The next meeting of the club is to be held at 7:30 o’clock in the new headquarters January 9. An invitation was given by the club to Julius Baker, New York City photographer. to speak at the next meeting. He Is now visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Baker of this city. There will be a print and enlargement competition at the next meeting. An entry fee of five cents will admit the submitting of three contact or small enlargements of minature negatives. A fee of 10 cents will admit the submission of one enlargement. These will be used to purchase prizes. The subject for the next competition will be "pets.” The club voted to have three classes of memberships; full sutaln(CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) — O — PREBLE GROUP 10 GIVE PUV Walther League To Present Play At St. Paul’s Thursday, Friday The St. Paul’s Walther league of Preble will present the play “Down on Abbie’s Farm, Thursday and Friday nights at 8 o’clock at the St. Paul’s school. Music will be furnished by Joe Geel’s family. Admission will be 15 and 25 cents. The cast Is as follows: Abbie Bulger, an agricultural j widow —Leona Koeneman. Fleda Carlson, a Swedish maid | —Olga Schuelar. Aunt Bessie Bulger, a resourceful spinster—Mrs. Arthur Bleberich. Marie Pyton, a young lady out for a lark—Leona Wefel. Grace Monroe, also out for the same lark—lrene Weber. Les Tansey, a bashful farm hand —lrvin Hoffman. Kenneth Boyd, a young man | with an alias—Alvin Macke. Owen Conway, another young man with an alias —Gilbert Hoffman. Sary Bulges, a simple country maid—Eldora Schuelar. Yimmy Yudelson, a Swedish —— i '•CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) i

Skaters Active As Ponds Freeze Over The lake in Bellmont park and the ponds near the Krick-Tyndall I tile factory are popular places these ! days for skaters. Previous to the drop in temperature yesterday, the lake in Bellmont park was frozen over and many children and grownups enjoyed skating there. 1 Skates were in demand and with freezing weather predicted for the next several days, lovers of the silver blades are anticipating a week-end of skating on the ponds. o CHECK FORGER IS GIVEN FINE H. L. Cleveland Is Fined And Given Suspended Sentence H. L. Cleveland, local aluminum salesman, plead guilty to a charge of issuing a fraudulent I check and was fined $1 and costs and given a suspended sentence of JO days in jail this morning when arraigned before Judge Huber M DeVoss in Adams circuit court. Cleveland was arrested on a charge c,f issuing a fraudulent cheek on the First State Bank hero to Jesse C. Sutton, local jeweler, for $24.75. in payment for a watch. Cleveland admitted passing the following fraudulent checks in Berne, tr. Shell filling station $lO. to Citv Lunch $lO, to Hap's Place $lO. He also admitted the following fraudulent checks in Decatur: one ro the A&P for $lO, one to the A&F for sls. Economy Store $lO. Holthouse Schulte & Co. $6, B. J ' Smith Drug store $lO and Appel- ! man's S2O. Cleveland was ordered to make restitution on all of the checks. o Kokomo Family Is Rescued By Firemen Kokomo, Ind., Dec. 28—(UP) — Firemen early today revived six members of the family of Rev. Allen Rice, Methodist ministe- here, who were over come by fumes from an overheated furnace. Prompt use of an inhalator was credited with saving all of their lives. Rice is the son of Dr. Merton ! S. Rice of Detroit, an noted platform speaker. 0 C. Os C. Directors To Meet Thursday The board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce will meet at the office of the president. John L. DeVoss, Thursday evening at 7:30 o’clock. All directors are urged to bo present, o New Year’s Eve Dance At Elks Home Saturday 1 The annual New Year's eve dance will be held at the B. P. O. Elks home on North Second street Saturday night, with dancing starting at 10 o’clock. Admission to the dance which in confined to mernJ bers only, will be $1 per couple. Members planning to attend are ‘ asked to make reservations at once.

INTENSE COLD SPREADS OVER i MANY STATES U. S. Forecaster Says Cold May Continue For Week Indianapolis, Dec. 28—(UP) —The weather bureau announced today that a severe cold wave, colder than was the last one would come down from Canada and hit Indiana some time this week-end. (By United Press) e The most severe cold wave of the winter stretched icy tentacles i toward eastern seaboard states today and penetrated even sections of the deep south. Intense cold already had spread over the plains states, the lower Missouri, Mississippi and Ohio river valleys and the Great Lakes region. Blizzards raged across the upper Michigan peninsula and In parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania and upper New York. U. S. forecaster J. R. Lloyd of Chicago expected that the cold would cover every portion of the | country east of the Rocky Mountains by tonight. He said great masses of polar air still were sweeping southeastward from the Mackenzie river basin and that the cold might not abate for a week. Zero readings were reported from the Rockies to Michigan and a line of near zero temperatures stretched northeastward from Pennsylvania across New York into northern New England. Temperatures reached the freezing point In portions of southern Texas and were sub-normal In Florida. The , Pacific coast was the only section of the county to escape the cold. Toledo, O„ a city of 300,000, faced a threat of a water shortage. High off shore winds had blown so much water of the Maumee river into Lake Erie the water department was forced to draw upon emergency supplies • stored iu reservoirs. The river is the city's only source for water. Its stage dropped six feet yesterday and the city’s intake was cut to nearly one-fifth of normal. George Schoonmaker, city cn- ' gineer, said the threat of a famine had subsided but warned citizens to economize rigidly. “We still may be forced to cut off the water completely at any hour to assure a fire protection emergency supply,” he said. At least three persons died as a result of the cold and strong winds. Two aged men died of heart attacks caused by over-ex-ertion in attempting to walk against a 66-mlle an hour gale at Buffalo, N. Y. A young factory worker froze to death in an alley in the industrial section of Muncie, Indiana. Lloyd predicted additional snow today for the plains states and for extreme southern sections tonight. He said temperatures would moderate slightly in a few scattered sections of the south tomorrow but they would drop In the upper Missouri valley, southwest and east. (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) STUMP OF AGED TREE UNEARTHED Tree Stump, 60-75 Years Old, Dug Up In Monroe Street A tree stump, 60 to 75 years old j and preserved in its original state, ; was dug up this week by workmen ■ laying the sewer for the new filling station on Monroe street next ■; to the Niblick store. Phil Sauer, contractor in charge of the work, stated that the stump • was located fojir feet underground and was as hard as it originally I was. The trunk of the tree, which was found lying beside the stump, was practically rotted away. The sewer there is known to be ' more than 50 years old. Thus the I tree stump and trunk are much oldI I er, having been covered when Molt- ) roe street was first built. Three logs, planks and other evidences of pioneer times in the city were uncovered by the workmen enI gaged in building the sewer line for i the new station. The work is being i done by the owner of the new sta.- ■ tlon. ; Added to the handicap of digging down to the sewer, workmen have ■ been forced to undergo tne hard- . ships of extremely cold weather for i outside labor li» laying the sewer >| line.

Five Officials Os Defunct Finance Company Guilty

COLD WEATHER TOCONTINUE Temperature Hits Eight Above Zero Mark Last Night The latest and first severe cold wave of the season, which struck the city Monday morning continued to hold the city in its grip today, after setting a new low temperature mark last night. The lowest mark reached by the Democrat thermometer last night was eight degrees above zero—the lowest mark of the season At 8 a. m., the thermometer had risen to 10 degrees above zero. Although the weatherman has seen possibilities of “not so cold" i temperatures tonight and Thursday, no immediate relief is expected from the icy wave that suddenly swept over the commuulty this week. As if to corroborate the old adage that it is an ill wind that blows no good, garage men and workers are benefiting greatly from tho cold spell. Scores of cars are pushed each morning as batteries or other mechanisms fall and sluggish motors v, ill not respond to the touch of the starter. Coal dealers feel that they are [ getting their first “break” since the winter of 1935-36, as the head of • the house throws shovel after shovel full of coal into the furnace, stove or boiler in combating Mother Nature's more Inclement ele-. ments. Although highways in thia vicinity are for the most part In good driving condition, motorists were warned today to beware of occasional icy spots, especially on city streets. 33 ENROLLED IN AUCTION SCHOOL Total Os 33 Enrolled To Date In Reppert Auction School A total of 33 students was en- j rolled by this morning in the Rep-1 pert Auction School, Col. Fred ■ Reppert, founder of the school, re-1 ported. Several more are expected to enroll before the end of the week, Col. Reppert stated. Wires have been received from several, stating that they would arrive yet this week. The first of the public auctions will be held Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Yager building. Auctions will be held each evening during the three weeks school., Following Is the list: Fred Blosser, Dalton. O.; John J. Tolle, Hillsboro. O.; Phillip Buckman, Bardstown, Ky.; Charles Lawler, Anderson; John T. Hend-, ricks, Leslie, Mich.; W. G. Fields, Chapel Hill. N. C.; Donald S. Blair, ■ Keystone; French See, Buckhannon, K. Va.; Milford Kimble. Norfolk, Neb.; Paul H. Louden, Monroeville. L. C. Foley. Fredonia, Ky.; William Boersma, Doon. Iowa; Albert Messersmith, Monte Vista. Colo.; Arnold W. Brltzman, Columbus, Wise.; Arthur Comer, Osgood; Joe Steward, Elliston. Va.; Tommie Harlow, Bagdad, Ky.; Harold Paynter, Wallingford, Ky.; Marley I Neal, Brownsburg; Dallis B. Wai- ' lis, Walnut. 111.; Grover R. Hagerty, I ' Uniontown, Pa. Orville Miller, Findlay. O.; Ray- j inond Fleury, McLean. Neb.; Paul Stauffer, Oakwood, O.; Oscar A. | Monesmith, South Whitley; Julian DeNeve, Pompey's Pillar, Mon(CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) o TEMPERATURE READINGS DEMOCRAT THERMOMETER 8:00 a. m - - 10 10:00 a. 12 ..Noon I*’ 2:00 p. m — 19 3:00 p. m 19 WEATHER i Mostly cloudy, light snow Thursday and in north east portion tonight; slowly rising I temperature.

Price Two Cents.

Federal Court Jury Finds Officials Os Winchester Company Guilty Os Using Mails To Defraud. SENTENCE JAN.S Indianapolis, Dec. 28 - (U.W — Five officials of the Continental I Credit corporation of Winchester and ! ts atflliates today were found guilty by a feedral court jury on | charges of perpetrating a $1,200,- | 000 mail fraud conspiracy. They are liable to sentences ranging from 2 to 5 years in prfsI on. Federal Judge Robert C. Baltzell deferred passing sentences until Jan. 5. Those convicted were: John W. Moore. Sr., and John W. Moore. | Jr., president and secretary-treas-urer, respectively, of Continental; Ralpn S. Phillips of Toledo. 0.. former secretary-tieasurer of the Mineral Felt company of Toledo; i Kenneth P. Kimball of St. Louis. ! president of the defunct KimMurph company of Lansing. Mich, and Russell E. Wise. Union City banker and lawyer who once was I "ounsel for Continental and later I receiver for it when It collapsed • in June 1937. Moore and his son were convited on all 12 counts in their tni diclment, and the others on two I counts each. The federal government investigated Continental’s operations after its collapse revealed that over 200 midwestern banks lost more than a million dollars through the firm’s operations. A . trial witness testified that his bank failed due to its holdings of ! Continental commercial paper. The government charged that through fraudulent and duplicate receipts ou goods supposed to have been held In various warei houses purchasers of Continental paper were swindled. In the declining days of Continental, checks were kited in a last endeavor to stay in business. Among the witnesses was I Geoige A. Ball. Muncie multi-mil-i lionaire capitalist, who revealed that Continental still owed him $36,000 on a loan he once made to keep the company in business. Also mentioned in the trial as one who had dealings with Continental was former Gov. James P. Goodrich. The jury reached its verdict after more than six hours of deliberatior last night and it was (CONTINUED on PAGE FIVE) o Men’s Brotherhood To Meet Thursday The men’s brotherhood of the United Brethren church, corner of Ninth and Monroe streets, will have its regular meeting In the church Thursday evening at 7:30 o’clock. The theme for the evening will be, “Make Me A Child Again, Just For I Tonight.” The enterainment will ' consist of games and insoiratlons. Chilli soup will be served at the close of the meeting. All men and older boys' of the church is invited to attend, FORMER LOCAL MAN STRICKEN Condition Os Clay Hall Improved After Sudden Attack Clay Hall, of Muncie, formerly lof this city, became suddenly ill In the Rice hotel here last night while listening to a broidcast of a basketball game and had to be given treatment by a physician be- , fore he could be removed. Mr. Hail and Fred Kolter, a resident of the hotel, were both listening to the radio when Mr. Hall was stricken. A physician was summoned by Mr. Kolter and after being treated for acute Indigestion, Mr. Hull was placed on a davenport in the hotel. Later in the evening as he enendeavored to leave the hotel, however he was again stricken. The physician was called for the second time and he was removed to tha home of Mrs. Hall’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Parish, with whom they had been spending Christmas vacation. He was reported improved today.