Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 37, Number 11, Decatur, Adams County, 13 January 1939 — Page 1

Ixxvil. No.’t

fort To Escape hlcatraz Prison I Ends In Failure

Nabbed, Hiriou< Gangsters KJur Barker Is Shot Attempt. I TRIED IN 1 ()<i H. ' |K,. ,h ” IH ■"’•'"'I" '•> a: d of |K five ... , K, Hark-: s-;; hl'’ *<••’ fl " l"l NaYoung -" >'' :lls tol ' ,ol ’' bank. )1 ii’ir' ' yearß post office. j.anisH'ii suid Barker wus the left leg caused by his attempt «n < bunk to the K , . -.. .1 ■ In'ir way «....• know the saws .iiid Martin o ' to g--t off “the ■ 7 . planned A fog to •': • Ki un< Mb: th" fugi0ig,,.;:/. d .".id under IR ■„ Wai !••’. Johnston anthe men had been capr' ct 11 building W ..dell ■■''A !i-:oy fog enveloped ■ dop-ated in by guards. !■< nvil ■> W. : . <„ de-|,..|'ate • i'tnrls 'll get to the water, that two of then.. BarS: halted. ■H 'h- - tii-ti surrendered ' i"'' I'-qil-St and police boats the island and circled iritivi-s were 'tod .< Tine checkup ■“ led t< discovery that were missing f ro ni their |B INTEL' ON PAGE SIX) ■ols FORM ■mbineo band ■ Schools Hold First Band E Practice o! the final steps in the ■"." of a county-wide band ■ '.'' last night at the Geneva ■ auditorium when the MW-" Ulet} l)and Practice sessheld. Kt , n(1 , * 5 ma^e U P of repretn .J 01 ” all ot the rural W", i county ‘ A1 Present ,zatl °n is composed of u Pieces. rt Jonej, Berne music in- ■,, ’ dl recting the band and ■‘. ° f “ 8 activi >ies. Whch ■of mC Under the sl >PerHnd C ° Unty Rcho °l sys- ■ ’/: ( E - Striker, county ■ superintendent. ■ i ’ ,aI J ,r a<'ti. p sessions have ■ive S ° me time at the ■para, 018 in the county ■i s a '; for the or ■- 1 sessions. B-X n , w 'i' a,ter severa|

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

THREE PERSONS ARE KILLED IN INDIANA TODAY Heavy Snowfall Blankets Entire State; Three Killed By United Press Three persons were killed today in Indiana as a heavy, wet snowfall blanketed the state all the way from Lake Michigan to Evansville. Squire Veach, 58 and Ira Brown, both of Browsburg, were killed when the automobile in which they were riding crashed into a truck on route 34 two miles east of Crawfordsville. Officials Warned the accident on excessive speed over a snow-covered highway. Veach was killed instantly, his shoes torn from his feet by the impact as he was hurled from the car. Brown, believed to have been the driver, also was tossed from the machine and died two hours latein a Crawfordsville hospital. The truck driver, Russell Sillgrey of Argos. escaped injury. In Indianapois. Harold Keene, 40. was found dead in front of his home as the result of a fractured skull evidently suffered when he slipped in the snow and banged his head on ‘he sidewalk. Aurora reported three to four inches of snow whirled by a brisk wind. Evansville reported one inch, in the northern part of the state three inches was the minimum and in some sections the snow was deeper. The weather bureau forecast more snow for tonight and also for tomorrow in the northern sec(CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) ADAMS COUNTY MAN A SUICIDE Henry Meyer Commits Suicide Late Thursday Afternoon Henry Meyer, 57, well known French township farmer, committed suicide late Thursday at his farm home, northwest of Berne. Mrs. Meyer and a nephew, Clarence Meyer, had gone to the barn to do the evening milking. When they returned to the house. Mrs. Meyer opened the door to the pantry and discovered her husbands body. He had seated himself on the steps of a stairway leading to the basement, placed a 12-guage shotgun on his head and fired. The top of his head almost torn away. He had been in ill health for about two years, according to reports, and despondency was believed to have been the motive. Coroner Jerome Yager, of Berne, who investigated, stated that he would return a verdict of death by suicide. The suicide victim was born in Switzerland, December 3, 1881, the son of Henry and Lydia Meyer. He was a member of the Winchester U. B. church. Surviving besides the widow are: one son, Walter Meyer of Geneva, one daughter. Mrs. Cecil Kessler of Monroe, and three brothers, Fred and Herman Meyer of Monroe township and Ed Meyer of St. Louis, Mo. Funeral services will be held at 1:15 o’clock Sunday afternoon at (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) 0 All Hospital Beds Are Reported Filled .Housing conditions at the Adams county memorial hospital became acute today when the admittance of an auto accident victim filled the last vacant bed. o— Sons Os Legion To Meet Monday The Sons of the Legion will meet at the American Legion home, First and Madison streets, Monday evening at 7 o'clock. All members and sponsors are urged to attend this meeting.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

( How Sharecroppers Camp Along Highway -J ~ "1 i -""- 1 Pr - I > A it O - ! ! Wil '' t*. - jMSSfIi View of highway near Siketon, Mo., showing sharecroppers camping out

Here is a view of the highway mar Slketon. Mo., showing southeast Missouri sharecroppers, mostly Negroes, camping out along the road in protest against the growing movement in the cotton coun-

PETITION SENT CONGRESSMAN Cong. Gillie Acknowledges Receipt Os Arms Petition Congressman George W. Gillie, in a letter to the Daily Democrat, asks that mention be made of the receipt of a petition from Decalur people, relative to an arms embargo to fighting forces in Spain. Mr. Gillie's letter reads: “I am in receipts of the following petition which was signed by nearly one hundred residents of Decatur: “We, the undersigned, respectfully petition the congress for as long as we shall adhere to the general policy of neutrality an enunciated in the Act of August 31, 1937, to retain on our statute books the further and corollary principle enunciated in the act of May 6, 1937, extending the original act to include civil as well as international conflicts. “As you know, I am pledge to a policy of strict neutrality and am in complete accord with the views expressed in this petition. I want to acknowledge the petition but down’t know quite how to go about it. “I would appreciate it if you could make mention of it in the columns of your paper.” The local petition was circulated by Herman J. Yager and forwarded to Congressman Gillie last week _— o $2,000 DAMAGE SUIT IS FILED Suit For Damages Is Filed After Automobile Accident A suit for $2,000 damages was filed in Adams circuit court today against Albert Thiele, with Edgar Wente, by his next friend, Lydia Wente, as plaintiff. The suit is the result of an auto accident on the Marion Center road near the Adams-Allen county line last November 6. The plaintiff in his complaint alleges that Thiele was driving 60 miles per hour on the wrong side of the road with the left headlight of his car unlighted. The complaint further charges that Thiele tailed to keep a proper lookout for approaching autos and states that young Wente was riding with Ewald Koch. The complaint further states that prior to the accident Wente was a strong, able-bodied boy of 20 years, and was earning sl3 per week as a knitter's apprentice. It charges that hospitalization amounted to S2O and doctor s bill to SSO as result of the crash and that his face was permanently disfigured. The summons was issued returnable February 6,

Decatur, Indiana, Friday, January lil, 1939.

try to abandon sharecropping in favor of the employment of day laborers. Leaders of the wandering hom< less contend some landowners had evicted renters to avoid sharing crop benefit payments.

Oliphant Funeral Rites Saturday

Frankfort, Ind., Jan. 13—(UP)— Funeral services for Herman Oliphant, treasury department genera! counsel who died in Washington Sunday will be held here Saturday afternoon. Interment will be in Greenlawn cemetery here.

The body will arrive in Frankfort today. Nine federal officials in Washington made plans to attend Oliphant’s funeral. They included his <’.ose associates in the treasury department. o GEORGE A. BILL DENIES CHARGE Muncie Manufacturer Answers Stock Manipulation Charge Indianapolis, Jan. 13 — (U.R) — George A. Ball, multimillionaire fiuit jar manufacturer of Muncie,; Ind., today asked federal court to appoint a special master in the $5,00C.000 damage suit filed again.-t him and the Ball Foundation over alleged violations of the securities exchange act. The suit is said to be the largest filed in connection with SEC violation since the act went into effect five years ago. In asking for a special master to report findings in the case, Ball made a blanket denial that he was guil’y of stock manipulation as, I charg'd in the suit brought last ' November by Robert R. Young , and Allan P. Kirby, both of New York, and the Seaboard Com-I patiy, Ltd. The action was an outgrowth i of the sale by Ball and the Fotin- | datlon of stocks and bonds of the Allegheny Corporation. which then was a parent holding company of the former Van Sweringen railroad and real estate empire. Ball and the Foundation were accused of engaging in trading allegedly designed to raise the market value of the securities. The plaintiffs charged that as a I result of the alleged stock activity, they were “induced to purchase" securities at excessive I prices, resulting in damage to them of $5,000,000. Counsel for Ball asked for the special master as a supplement to his answer to the charges. The motion explained that issues in the case were complicated and would require examination of (CONTINUED ON PAGE EIGHT) Decatur CYO Plans Dance On January 20 The Decatur CYO will sponsor a dance at the Knights of Columbus hall Friday night, January 20, Robert Coffee, CYO president, announc-1 ed today. Tlckeets for the affair will be on sale soon. Admission will be 35 cents per couple and 20 cents single. J A well known orchestra will be en- i gaged for the event.

FRANK MURPHY STATES VIEWS Assails Sit-Down Strike; Hopkins Hearing Ended Washington. Jan. 13 — (UJV — Former governor Frank Murphy of Michigan, told the senate subcommittee in connection with his nomination as attorney general today that he never condoned the sit-down strike and that he “believed we had it conquered.” Murphy was the third major appointee to appear before the senate committee this week. Hearings on the nomination of Harry Hopkins to be secretary of commerce were concluded today. Felix Frankfurter stated his qualification fo>- appointment to the supreme court yesterday. Murnhy made his formal statement to the committee which had already approved his nomination. Hopkins Testifies Washington, Jan. 13 — (U.R) — Harry L. Hopkins, former head of th 1 ' works progress administration, said today the senate made “a great mistake" last year in rejecting a proposal to outlaw politics in relief. Hopkins, testifying before the senate commerce committee in defense of his nomination to be secretary of commerce, admitted lhat some WPA officials and employes in various states had en(CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR) DISPUTE OVER RELIEF FUNDS New Deal Backers Battle Proposed Cut In Relief Funds Washington, Jan. 13—(UP) —Administration supporters, fighting to prevent President Roosevelt’s first rebuff of the session and a $150,000,000 cut in his request for relief funds, charged today that houseconservatives sought to prevent a record vote on the works progress deficiency bill. Debate on the deficiency measure brought a dispute between supporters of President Roosevelt’s request' for $875,000,000 to carry the relief agency through June and ec’onomy advocates who reported a bill cutting the appropriation to $725,000,000. By an unusual parliamentary device the measure was reported by the house appropriations committee in such a manner that a roll call vote can not be obtained on the issue of the $150,000,000 eduction. “This is an absolute innovation,” charged Rep. Clarence Cannon, D., Mo., “and its only effect is to prevent a record vote in the house ” Cannon said he would demand a teller vote and warned members (CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR)

Great Britain Informs Italy Os Intention To Back France To Limit In Case Os Trouble

CITY VISITED BY HEAVY SNOW Heavy Snowfall Blankets Ground; Snow To Continue Residents of Decatur arose this morning to find that Mother Nature had thrown a white blanket of snow over the entire community while they slept. Close on the heels of warm, unseasonable weather, the snowfall was a distinct shock, although weathermen had predicted a light snow or rain for today. Early this morning the fall was still slight and covered only unprotected spots. By noon, however, as the fall continued, it became evident that a fairly deep snow was inevitable. Snow packed streets, clamped down by the incessant pounding of auto tires, became slippery and made driving unusually hazardous. Walking on the sidewalks was made inconvenient, as a slight wind piled the white flakes into drifts. Although not classified as a cold wave, the temperatures kept step with the snowfall in creating a winter scene, as they tumbled from their lofty perch of the past few days. This morning at 8 o'clock the Democrat thermometer registered 28 degrees above zero and at noon was still unmoved from its position four degrees below freezing. Local residents, accustomed to the favorable weather that had prevailed here, found it hard to get used to the biting snow as they plodded down town.peeking from under low-cocked hats. Autoists. parking along curbs or other places whered rifts had formed, experienced some difficulty in pulling away as wheels slipped and slid on the covering of snow. The weatherman saw a probable continuance of the snowfall and no decided change in temperature tonight and Saturday. o ALBERT TEEPLE BADLY INJURED Adams County Man Seriously Injured In Head-On Crash Albert Teeple, of south of Decatur, was seriusly hurt shortly atler 11 o’clock this morning w’hen the car he was driving crashed head-on into a truck, just north of the Berne city limits on federal load 27. Teeple, who resides on the Noah Rich farm, about eight miles south ; on federal road 21, sustained a ; crushed left shoulder, several fractured ribs, two bones broken in his left leg at the ankle and probable ! internal injuries, the attending physician stated.

He was brought to the Adams county memorial hospital in the Yager ambulance of Berne. X-rays taken shortly after noon disclosed the extent of his injuries. Kenneth Jackson, of Niles. Michigan, driver ot the truck, escaped serious injury. Sheriff Ed P. Miller was called to the scene and investigated the accident. The truck was badly damaged and the auto was totally demolished. The blinding snow and hazardous driving conditions are considered the probable cause of the crash. Teeple is married and the father of nine children. Additional X-rays wee to be taken this afternoon »o learn more of his condition. Amish Deny Article On Embalming Dead Amish residents of near Berne have indignantly denied a national prs ss service story this week, appearing In metropolitan newspapers which asserted that the Amish, church has just recently given permission for the embalming of deceased members. The Amish assert that the church has permitted embalming for the past several years. They agree, however, that the Amish church still makes its own caskets and refuses to let the undertaker conduct or assist in conducting the funeral.

SOLONS DEMAND PROBE OF STATE BUILDING PLANS Lower House Votes Probe Os Institutional Buildings Indianapois, Ind, Jan. 13 —(UP) —The house of the legislature without a dissenting vote today approved a resolution calling for an investigation of the state institutional building program passed by the special session of the legislature last August when it was overwhelmingly Democratic. The resolution originally was scheduled to be entered in the senate by Walter Beardsley, Elkhart Republican. But instead of the bill was tossed at the house by Reps. Herbert H. Evans of Newcastle, Republican floor leader, and Robert A. Hoover ot Goshen. Both houses were late getting underway today. After the introduction of two bills the senate took a lengthy recess. The house wrangled over a $75,000 for an Indiana exhibit at the New York World’s fair, finally approving it tentatively by accepting a favorable committee report. The building program which already is under way calls for the expenditure of approximately sll,000,000 in the state's welfare insti itutions to relieve crowded conditions and modernize many facilities The state appropriated about $5. 000,-000 from the treasury surplus and the balance was contriouted by the federal PWA. After brief discussion the resolution was approved by a vote of 94 to 0. the Democrats all joining the Republican majority for a thorough airing of the letting of building contracts, the source of materials and the character of the labor employed. Hoover said that it was stipulated (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) Berne Youth Injured In Fall From Bicycle — 1 I Dan Donnelly, 14-year-old son ot , Mr. and Mrs. Mat Donnelly ot Berne is recovering from torn lig- j aments in his left shoulder suffered Tuesday when he fell from a , bicycle. 1 Monroe Man Arrested i For Traffic Violation Roger D. Bluhm, ot Monroe, is 1 scheduled to appear before Justice of Peace John T. Kelly Saturday to answer to charges of failure to stop for a preferential highway. He was arrested by 'State Police- , man Russell Prior, of Decatur, at the intersection of highways 124 and 27 near Monroe last week.

oPETTIT SPEAKS TO ROTARIANS l Auction School Instructor Speaks To Decatur Rotary Club Col. Guy Pettit, of Bloomfield. lowa, veteran instructor in the | Reppe t auctioneering school, was the speaker at the weekly meeting of the Decatur Rotary club Thurs-1 day evening at the Rice hotel. I’he veteran auctioneer, who has been an instructor in the schoo’ for approximately 15 years, delivered an interesting discourse to the. service club members. Col. Pettit, in speaking of the class f 41 students who graduated from the auction school Thursday, stated that the Reppert school is drawing men of higher caliber every year, higher in mentality and moral character. Many of these students, the speaker asserted, attend the school, not with the aim of becoming auctioneers, but to gain the knowledge for use in other piofessions or in business. The speaker concluded by urging the Rotarians, as leaders in the community, always to remember the vastly better conditions tor living and working in this count! y as compared to other (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX)

Price Two Cents.

Chamberlain - Mussolini Conference Ends In Failure; Feel Hitler In Key Position. NO HOSTILITIES By Webb Miller, (Copyright 1939 by UP.) Rome, Jan. 13. —. (U.R) — Great Britain has informed Italy that in the event of trouble between Italy and France, Britain would be solidly behind France, an unimpeachable source revealed today. The long-heralded conference between Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Premier Benito Mussolini has proved a failure, it was indicated, and may result in virtual abandonment of Chamberlain’s “appeasement” policy and a hardening of the dividing line between the democracies and dictatorships. In reply to Chamberlain's warning. an authoritative French source said, Mussolini assured Chamberlain that he does not envisage any hostilities against France. French diplomats felt that Fuehrer Adolf Hitler holds the key to Italy’s next move. It Hitlers feels he can get anything for himself by fully supporting the Italian campaign for territorial revisions, they predict French-Ital-ian tension would soon be brought to a head. German sources here hinted that Hitler has not yet made up his mind. Mussolini's Mediterranean demands and his refusal to take his troops out of Spain proved the stumbling blocks which prevented the conference from achieving Any concrete results. It was disclosed that the Italians informed the British that Mussolini expects the Spanish war to collapse finally “within a few weeks,” after which the Italian forces would be withdrawn. Mussolini was understood to have told Chamberlain that after liquidation of the Spanish war, the situation would be reviewed again between Britain and Italy. The impression in sources close to the British legation was that if Mussolini's belief that the Spanish insurgents will be in Barcelona within a few weeks does not materialize, Mussolini will reconsider whether he should not begin to liquidate Italy's participation. A reliable source said Mussolini informed Chamberlain he believed the question of foreign interference in Spain in future would be settled automatically after the war by the will of the Spanish people themselves. That viewpoint would leave open the question of what material advantages Italy, Germany or any foreign power would gain from the outcome of the war. Mussolini was said by French sources to have assured Chamberlain repeatedly of his determination to work for peace, lending it point by his declaration that he (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) Q,

Friday, The 13th, If Superstitious, Watch Your Step — — ♦ So far as was known late today, Decaturites were still warding off the best efforts of Dame Misfortune to toss them into the throes of bad luck and were successfully passing through the purported day of evil —Friday the 13th—when, according to the more superstitious, black cats, ghosts, goblins and spirits run rampant. Decatur motorists were exercising extra caution in an effort to shun the combined evil of slippery streets and Friday the 13th and breathed a sigh of reßtef as they parked their cars in the home gapage after trips here and there. According to those believers, however, it is nothing less than sheer folly to walk under a ladder, see the moon over your left shoulder, spifl salt, etc., until after midnight. o TEMPERATURE READINGS DEMOCRAT THERMOMETER 8:00 a.m 28 2:00 p.m 28 10:00a.m 28 3:00 p.m 27 Noon 28 WEATHER Cloudy, snow tonight and probably in north portion Saturday little change In temperature.