Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 36, Number 306, Decatur, Adams County, 29 December 1938 — Page 1

1| XXXVI. No. 306.

t«COLD WAVE hheduled for [state tonight ■ r) , Temperatures PreL.fed To Accompany fl New Cold fl By United Press H severe cold wave with zero Bjeratuies blanketing most of ■ jtatP will hit Indiana tonight ■ Friday, the weather bureau re■ed here today. ■ o w is expected tonight follow■bv the cold snap which will ■<e the thermometer to zero part of the state and Kgbly lower in the northern ■T, note of warning to motorhe weather bureau’s forecast w ted that the cold will he (M 1 throughout the midwest, jsing temperatures were pref , f O r Saturday with generally ,rather, the bureau said, holdout some hope for relief over y ew Year holiday week-end. be first cold ware of the winmonths passed today with ternlture rising to several degrees „ the freezing point. But cloudy is presaged the snow forecast tonight. new i old wave from the Arctic g, ns rolled eastward across the tern and central plains today iging additional hardships to is already weary from four , of blizzards, gales and zero ■endures. 8. forecaster J. it. Lloyd at ■ago paid the new wave, fol■r,g In the wake of one which ■ swept on toward the Atlantic, ■d send itself by the time it ■ties the Mississippi valley. lie ■ it already had advanced into ■tana and the Dakotas. ■ the first wave moved on to ■ eastern seaboard, temper■e dropped to a minimum of 20 ■re along the Maine coast and ■: Boston. Temperatures were higher throughout the S-ssippi and Ohio liver valleys ■brief respite between the re■qXTINUED on PAGE FIVE) WOVE TO [RESIGN POST ■ Resign As Chief Os fl State Board Os fl Accounts Bdlanapolis, Ind.. Dec. 29 —tl’F' ■llliani P. Cosgrove today pro■d to submit his resignation to ■ M. Clifford Townsend, as chief ■be state board of accounts. ■be veteran chief examiner said fltas leaving his post Jan. 1 be ■oof poor health, incurred from ■ty over a recent treasury short- ■ icandal involving two board • xin Floyd county. will ask for a 30-day leave of then attempt to remain board as an examiner. H'“ over the resignation tohe said. ■his Floyd county trouble has too much of a worry," the examiner said. “I have not ■tasked to resign — I'm going ■? said his doctor had ordered ■to take a rest. ■*o field examiners of the state were indicted recently by the county grand jury for allegbeing accessories after the connection with a JI2S. 1 " 111 in the county treasurer s ,fj The former treasui er also ■b? chief deputy treasurer. Rob■a. Leist, committed suicide ■*ly before the alleged ombezz- ■*»! was revealed. ■° v Townsend had no comment on Cosgrove's decision but believed he would appoint ■oNTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)

Buys Health Bond Knights of Pythias have vol-

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

Wm *M® Protect Home from ’’fculosij

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

White House Visitor * M i if i ‘» f / j K i Jw IK- fIRH r- fe F i r .. jl ™ t ■- Georg* Cardinal Mundelein George Cardinal Mundelein of Chicago, makes another of his periodic White House visits in . Washington. The Chicago prelate lunched with the president, a personal friend. APPOINT HURST AS FIRE CHIEF Ed Hurst Is Named Fire Chief By Mayor-Elect Elzey Ed Hurst, brick mason and memI ber of the volunteer force will bo the new city fire chief. Forrest Eli zey, mayor-elefct of the city of De- ■ catur, announced today. Announcement of the appointi ment was made this mpnii’ig by Mu, Elzey. The new chief will assume his dutiers January 1. when the newlyelected and appointed city officials take over the administration. Mr. Hurst succeeds Charles Rob- , enold. local carpenter and contractor. who was first appointed to the post by Mayor Arthur R. 'Holthouse when he assumed office four ! years ago. No other change is to be made in the force at the engine house. Mr. Elzey indicated. The regular force CCONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) I Berne Mechanic Suffers Burns Clyde Sprunger, Berne mechanic,| is recovering from severe burns sustained on his hands Tuesday when ‘ a car he was repairing burst into ‘ flames. It was necessary to summon the Berne fire department to extinguish ! - he flames. Sprunger was treated at rhe office of a physician. o Government Gauge Here Is Damaged Walter Gladfelter. local weather observer, reported to police today that vandals have been damaging the precipitation guage, located at the old Yost pond In the noith part of the citv. This gauge is the property of the federal government and persons are warned against molesting it. — -o DROP CRIMINAL CHARGES HERE Insufficient Evidence Results In Dropping Ot Charges Crlmina charges against five men | were dismissed in Adams circuit court this morning upon mo ion of Prosecutor Arthur E. Vogiewede evidence to obtain a conviction was given as the reas in A eaC c h har a g S e e 'of malicious trespass against Everett Frauhiger, Ralph GHliom and Harry Wilson was the first to be dismissed. The trio had been charged as retheir landlords’ henhouse with to mtoes. and other destruction. A charge of changing auto engine .sxs.*—

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

BUSINESS RISE i IS PREDICTED FOR NEW YEAR Government Economists Forecast Prosperous New Year Washington, Dec. 29.—-(U.R>-The government’s chief economists forecast a prosperous new year for the nation today in a year-end survey of business conditions. The bureau of agricultural economics, which charts trends in industrial as well as agricultural I production and consumption, said prospects were good for continued recovery. The fall pick-up in industrial production and consumer demand recovered more than half of the ground lost in the 1937-38 recession, its survey said. The bureau reported a “marked pickup" in building activity and substantial increases in steel, automobile and textile production. Factory payrolls have increased and unemployment decreased according to works progress administration and American Federation of Labor reports. , “Consumer purchasing power increased materially In recent months," the bureau said, “and some additional improvement is in prospect. However, no sensationally rapid advance should be expected in the near future. "The rise in industrial production that began last summer has continued for six months, and considerably more than half of the ground lost during the recession has been recovered." Industrial production in November was above the 1923-25 average, according to latest reports. The increase from the low point of last summer was said to be due principally to increases in consumer goods. The bureau said that steel inventories have been built up and that the volume of output in iron and steel may decline some, although a resumption of purchases Uy automobile manufacturers, and new buying by railroads and the construction industry should pre(CONTINUED on PAGE FIVE) WRECK liras ARE IMPROVED Victims Os Wells County Accidents Better; One Still Critical With but one exception, persons injured over the holiday in Wells county auto accidents, which claimed the lives of two Adams county persons, were reported improved today. Mrs. Edwin Habegger, of near Celina, Ohio, wife of the former Adams county minister who died from injuries received when a car wrapped itself around a tree on state highway 118 in Wells county Monday, was reported improved. Their sou, Orlyn, who was driving, is also reported improving at the Wells county hospital. Mrs. Habegger received several fractured ribs and severe bruises. Young Habegger received severe head injuries and his condition for a time was serious. Another son. Arthur Dale, who received a fractured leg, was reported to be getting along fine. Mrs. Selma Lannert, of Monroe, who is confined in the Wells county institution from injuries sustained in a wreck on state highway 124 in which her sister, Miss Mary J. Sprunger of Berne, was killed, was reported improved. She is suffeing from head injuries. Lee Wittwer, who was dri^" g “ his wife, both of near Bluffton, their son, Larry, and Mr. and Mrs. Armor Fisher of Petroleum, are ‘ all reported improving. Charles Fisher, 17, who received chest injuries, is the only me of the victims who has not shown improvement. His condition was reported as still critical. West Virginia Man Heads Auctioneers French A. See of Buc'kahannan, West Virginia, was elected president of the 34th semi-annual term of the Reppert School of Auctioneering today. Other officers chosen were Marolv Neal of Bownsburg, vice-presi-dent and Bryan A. Steinmetz of Springfield, Ohio, secretary. The class began work in earnest today with Inspiring talks given by tit. Col. R. S. Johnson, Rev. H. W. Thompson and Q. R- Chaffee.

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, December 29, 1938.

Coater Plot Suspect? tn J ■ ') J |||kl Walter H. Cragg Suspected of extorting money from the late F. Donald CosterMuslca, the indicted president of the drug firm. McKesson & Robbins, Inc., Walter H. Cragg, above, a disbarred lawyer convicted of grand larceny in 1914, has been charged specifically with using the mails to defraud. FORMER LOCAL RESIDENT DIES Chris Bieberich Dies This Morning At Home In Oklahoma Chris Bieberich. 85, a native of Decatur, died early this morning at his home In Venida, Oklahoma, according to word received here. Death was attributed to complications. The deceased was born here August 10, 1853, and is well remembered In this city and community. Surviving besides the widow, Barbara Buerher-Bieberich are the following children: Otto of Kirkland township, Mrs. Clara Anker of Decatur, David Bieberich of Indianapolis, Clarence Bieberich of Dover New Jersey; Ed of Ven.ua, Mis. George Hoffert of Fort Wayne. Two children are deceased. Two brothers, Dan of Fort Wayne and William of Adams county, three sisters, Mrs. Gustav Miller of Fort Wayne, Mrs. Emma Brandt of Adams county and Mrs. Susan Dilling of Fort Wayne. 22 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren also survive. Six brothers and one sister are deceased. The body left Venida this afternoon at 1 o'clock and is expeeted to arrive at the Zwick funeral home bore Friday morning. Funeral services have not been completed. o Former Warren Town Clerk Is Sentenced Huntington. Ind., Dec. 29 —(UP) Kenneth Cook, 31, former town-clerk-treasurer at Warren, has until Jan. 9 to arrange personal affairs before beginning a two to 21 years prison sentence on two embezzlement charges. Cook was sentenced yesterday by Judge Otto H. Kreig after he pleaded guilty. Judge Kreig also fined Cook $25 and disfranchiesed him for five years. JOHN WIBEL IS TAKEN BY DEATH Aged Wells County Resident Dies After Long Illness John Wlbel, 87, died Wednesday at his home, four miles north and three miles east of Bluffton of infirmities of age. He had been in falling health for several years, but had been seriously ill only the past three weeks. Mr. Wlbel was born May 25, 1851 in Miami county This marriage was to Margaret J. Mills, who is deceased. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Lola Wasson, north of Bluffton, and Mrs. Estella Fry, of Lansing, Mich.; a son, L. E. Wibel, near Craigville; 12 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Two sons are deceased. Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. Friday at the Lancaster Chapel church, of which Mr. Wibel was a member, in charge of Rev. Charles Moore. Burial will be in the Murray cemetery.

TABULATE BIDS FOR SUPPLIES Auditor Compiling Bids For Highway Maintenance A tabuation of the 1939 highway maintenance blds filed and contracts awarded at the special meeting of the Adams county commissioners. is being made by Adams county Auditor John W. Tyndall. in only some of the instances were contracts let and in these cases, the quantity of inateiial was left blank to be determined if and when needed by the county highway superintendent. The stone and gravel bids were awarded to “all bidders”, with the determination as to which would be he cheapest and beat- delivered In each part of the county, left to the highway superintendent at the time of the purchase. Bids filed and accepted, together with the price of the material FOB quarries or plants, but without the delivery prices are: Erie Stone company; stone. 95 cents ton; gravel. 60 cents ton; Chris Eicher, 95 cents a ton; stone screenings 55 cents a ton; John W. Karch Stone company, stone, 95 cents a ton; screenings, 55 cents a ton; Dick Tonnelier, stone, 95 cents a ton; screenings, 60 cents a ton; Meshberger Brothers, stone, 95 cents a ton; screenings, 55 cents a ton, and Lybarger Brothers, gravel $1 a yard (FOB Adams county). The bid of the Krick & Tyndall company on drain tile at prices beginning at S3O per 1,000 feet for four inch tile was placed on file, to be odered If needed. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber company, bidding on Goodyear tires, and the Porter Tire company bidding on Firestone tiros, were given the tire contract at list price less two per cent. Other bidders were: Eastern Indiana Oil & Supply company, Centuy tires, discounts, 20 per cent, five per cent, and two per cent, Peter Kirsch & Son, Pennsylvania tires, discounts of 25 per cent and (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO)

NEW OFFICIALS TOTAKEOFFICE

Newly-Elected Public Officials Take Office This Week End With but two days remaining before the first of the new year, newly-elf cted public officials In city, county and townships were today pi eparing to assume the duties o’- their respective offices. Judge-elect J. Fred Fruchte, Democrat, will be sworn in Saturday by retiring Judge Huber M. DeVoss and will assume his position on ihe bench that day, although the first official business probably will not be transacted until Tuesday, January 3. Judge Huber M. DeVoss will go to Indianapolis Friday to be sworn in as state appellate judge, northern division. Judge Harvey Curtis of Gary will administer the oath of office to Judge DeVoss. Judge Curtis is the other member of the appellate court from the northern district. Other county officials will assume office officially at midnight Saturday. Arthur E. Vogiewede, who was re-elected to the office of prosecutor, 26th judicial district, has already been sworn in by eountv clerk G. Remy Bierlv. as has Sheriff-elect. Ed P- Miller. Ernest Worthman, who was reelected county assessor was sworn in this morning by retiring auditor John W. Tyndall. Township trustees and members of advisory boards have also been sworn in for the greater part by iCONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) Henry Lawson Dies Os Heart Attack Henry Lawson. 71. a retired carpenter, and a lifelong resident of Ohio City, Ohio, died of a heart attack Wednesday while assisting in butchering at the L. W. Michaels home in Ohio City. Mr. Lawson had made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Michaels since the death of his wife several months ago. Surviving are two brothers, James of Lima, O. and Elmer of Toledo, Ohio. Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. (EST) Friday at the Ohio City Lutheran church. Burial will bo in Woodlawn cemetery near Ohio City.

STATE LIQUOR LAWS STUDIED BY COMMITTEE Dry Forces Appear Before Investigating Commission Indianapolis, Dec. 29 — (U.RJ - Represertatives of churches, civic groups and the general public today appeared before the governor's special commission studying Indiana’s liquor laws. In contrast to yesterday's testimony, in which the slate laws were described as generally good, today’s witnesses were exnected to demand widespread changes and assert that the present act is rife with many evils. Those appearing at the commission’s initial session were representatives of the beer and liquor Industry. They were hi agreement that the controversial beer Importer system should be abolished but asserted that otherwise the present law was satisfactory A suggestion that independent ln"estigators, partly financed by | tavern owners and employed by temperance groups, be hired to check on liquor law violations 1 was made by Rabbi Elias Charry of Indianapolis, a member of the commission. Edward Ogle, representing the oackage liquor dealers, was testifying when Rabbi Charry asked If the industry would be willing to contribute for these semi-offi-cial Investigators who would renort to the state excise department. “You mean spies?” Ogle asked That would be getting back to prohibition. I think all enforcement should be by the state excise depaitment and it should bel given et ough money to do the | work thoroughly." Elimination of all outdoor advertising. including billboards and notices on public vehicles such as taxis and busses, was recommended by Lenhardy Bauer, secretary of the Indiana wholesale liquor dialers’ association. He also urged that the number of liquor pertni’s be reduced and the standards of responsbiilty for those receiving licenses be raised. Indiana’s law, Bauer said, is ■ fundamentally sound so far us it applies to spirituous liquors. G. Bai ret Moxley, president of the Keifer-Stewart Drug Co., Indianapolis, said that Indiana’s liquor laws encourage the moderate use of alcoholic beverages and claimed that many other states ar? modeling their statutes aftei Indiana's system. Speaking for the drug industry, he said that drug stores do not approve of window displays, dealer advertsements or any encouragement to consumers to purchase .JONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) o Let Contract For Post Office Work Notice was received at the Decatur post office today that the contract for repairing the approaches. installing new handrails and doing pointing work at the local office had been awarded to Henry L. Grohne of Decatur, 111. The contract price is given at $5,228. The bids were received by the U. S. treasury at Washington several w'eeks ago. Work is expected to start within the next 61) days. o INITIATION AT K. P. TONIGHT Decatur, Bluffton Candidates To Receive First Rank The first rank will be conferred on a class of 12 from the Bluffton lodge and a class from the Decatur lodge at the regular "meeting of the Knights of Pythias lodge this evening at 7:30 o'clock. Following the meeting, refreshments are to be served the members and candidates. This will be one of the largest classes to receive initiatory wotk recently. All members of the lodge have been urged to attend this evening. The Decatur lodge is now writing membership as part of the diamond anniversary campaign being held over the country. This campaign, in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the k>dge in the United Stalos, is to be further explained this evening by members of a committee which attended a district meeting last week at Bluffton.

To Get TV A Po8t? ■ j u J Senator James P. Pope Defeated in the November vote for re election, Senator James P. Pope of Idaho is said by capital obseravrs to hav» the inside track for the position of chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority. He wouil succeed Dr. Arthur E. Morgan, deposed head.

PLAN AUDIT OF I MCKESSON FIRM Intensive Audit To Be Made In Huge Drug Swindle 1 1 ' New York. Dec. 29 — (U.R) —i < Engineers and accountants were i dispatchtd to all parts of thej ■ country today for a hurried Inven ’ toiy and audit of the 77 warehouses of McKesson and Robbins. 1 Inc., which will disclose the full damage dene the drugs firm by its. swindling president, "F. Donald < Coster.” who killed himself when he was exposed as Philip Musica, ‘ an ox-convict. The firm of Ford. Bacon and I 1 Davis, industrial engineers, sent out 60 men. They will begin inventories simultaneously Dec. 31 H and will complete their appraisals. in three days. Auditors for S. D. H Leidesdorf and company will then ' draw up a financial statement of- - and Robbins as of the year-end. They were already at : work on the firm’s books. William J. Wardall, sole trustee 1 I of the drug firm, had federal dis- 1 trie, court assign the two agencies to the job yesterday. It was said to be the biggest industrial investigation of this nature ever t attempted. Wardall said “we are taking! , ' nothing for granted. The two- ' l tirms engaged for this Investlga- ' tlon have been instructed to make ' a thorough and exhaustive check on all physical and financial 1 aspects of the situation." It was known already that the company was short $18,000,000 of its $86,510,000 listed assets; that (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) : O Would-Be Student Lodged In Prison Icy roads, inclement weather and various other reasons delayed prospective students from arriving at the opening of the Reppert School of Auctioneering here this week, but one would be auctioneer had i the best excuse of all. I Some weeks ago in answet to an ; inquiry and request, Col. Reppert ' sent a home study preparatory j course to a young man in a North Dakota city. This morning he received word from the same man expressing his l>>aise of the course and vouching for its worthiness, but apoligized for not being able to attend the classes in this city—he was an inmate of the North Dakota prison. o re M PERATUR6 HEADINGS democrat thermometer 8:00 a. m 24 10:00 a. m. - 25 Noon -• 28 2:00 p. 31 3:00 p. m - — 30 WEATHER Cloudy, snow In northwest portion, rain turning to tnow in south portion tonight; Friday generaiy fair, severe cold wave tonight and Friday; Saturday generally fair, rising temperature.

Price Two Cents.

WHIPPLE FILES AN ANSWER TO KISTER CHARGE Portland Attorney Files Serious Charge In His Answer A verified answer to special judge Henry Klster of Princeton' in the Wabash river dredge case, was filed today in the Adams circult court, by Tod Whipple, attorney, of Portland. Whipple was discharged by Judge Kilter as attorney for the petitioners and the former’s answer rev'ews the case and legal acts tak< n in the long drawn out I and famous dredge suit. It follows a series of events beginning with the filing of a peti--1 tlon by Mr. Whipple with the Jay county commissioners asking that body to min with the Adams county commissioners in the issuance of bonds in a sutn alleged to he $.10,000 I I excess of the amount needed. After this petition, Judge Kister discharged Whipple as attorney for the petitioners on the gtounds that he was not being fair to bis clients In his complaint, Whipple dates ho is “the only attorney renaming In active practice originally employed by the petitioner!."

"This affiant further states and lays Hint Homer Teeters (commisslonei of drainage) is merely a stooge and pawn—that practically all of the papers purported to be the handiwork of Teeters are pi epared in Princeton by Morgan C. Embree. That it is reported and rumored among the attaches of the Adams circuit court, that sad Morton C. Embee is acting as the attorney for said special judge Henry b later and that all documents coming from the hands of said Embree can only come from the advice and counsel of Special Judge K'ster." Possible Conspiracy "That a possible conspiracy exists between Special Judge Klster, Morton C. Embree and Homer Teeters to Inflate the available funds an unnecessary $.10,000 and to charge and divert into their own pockets all moneys possible to enhance their declining and dwindl'nr fortunes.” The complaint charges "Klster, Embree, Teeters and their stenographers” have drawn $12,374.83 1 before any actual construction has started.” It states that approximately SI7,DOC has been collected from assessments and “that the per(CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) o — 54 Are Patients At County Infirmary' Harvey L. Fontaine, superintendent of the Adams County Infirmary reported today that there are 54 patients at the institution This is an increase of 10 over a vear ago. Thirty-seven of the Inmates are men and 117 women. Mr. La Fontaine stated there were several applications for admission to the inmirmary. o — Rev. .1. M. Gibson To Speak For Plan Rev. J. M. Gibson who lives north of Decatur, has been selected as one of 12 men to speak in behalf of the Townsend old age recoveryplan. The appointment was received today from B. J. Brown of Indianapolis. state representative of the organization. Rev. Gibson expects assignment on a speaking tour in the near future. ADAMS SEEKS JUDGE CHANGE Available Judges Listed For Reckless Driving Case A list of available judges has been filed In Adams circuit court for hearing the case of George Adams of Jay county, who is charged with reckless drivifig and driving while his operator’s license was suspended. Adams recently filed a petition asking a change of venue from the judge. James J. Moran of Portland, John F. Decker of Bluffton and Hary Hilgeman of Fort Wayne were the judges listed. Adams, out on bond at present, had entered a plea of not guilty to both charges when first arraigned! n Adams circuit court. He was arrested several months ago by state Offices Truman Bierle and Earl Warnock.