Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 42, Number 71, Decatur, Adams County, 23 March 1944 — Page 1

5 t Win the War! :|se Is Chores! ,

11. No. 71

EAVY U. S. BOMBERS ATTACK GERMANY

ig British Is Prepare Beet Japs ■e To Frontier Kattle Japanese India Invasion Bly I llite'll Pre«* ■ H-r.-li fiirii- rP '| 1 "‘ 1 " ~lir ’! K,'.. r to fight the Japan-*;**--’d *!••* border. K, .. ‘ onverglng on K- state capital of ImK, three thr.i'tioiiH One Hln.olv li.k look’-n aero** K., north. a«t of Itnphal. .upj.ly !»;»*♦■ ' second to th- south, apSh.<. .t.i.-it-d India or la ■do ao And a third la ■ . i: ,..,!*■ Burma from ■nr. Kx>rt- indicate- the first ■ ~.11111111 ero-sed the fro.:-1 K. ~hlo force, acconi renegade Indian nationKhongh llt'le information ■bi., the fit st force appar- ■ ~,it.e 30 miles from Im ■ iniphal is a main highKt. r through which supK troop have been flinn-l-Kliied force* in Burma, a K*rl>- probably I* imminKere in Burma. Japanese' Ke apparently la stiffening K the line. The enemy Ku' six attacks on Brlllsh K on the Arakan penin- ■ the southern end of the ■ all attack* were repulsed Kn.se force* driving into K valley to the north are ■ with Japanese troops. Kii.in*-*- claim their force* Ke made contact with airKilled forces who landed ■ Japanese Illi* north of Bn hill*. Bapane*e have tailed In anBttempt to reinforce their ■ garrison* In the southKeific B»or enemy cargo vessels ■estroyer have been homie ■ >utik some 9o mile* north- ■ Wewak. last Sunday. ■ aittneii destioyed a fiveBnvoy in the same area, ■t and medium bomber* ■ping up their attacks on ■e haws throughout the ■ated Bismarck Archipel■k Itself waa hit with 160 I explosive* and large fire* Itart d. Itahaul. New Brit- ■> tHirnbed for the 45th lltne ■February 3. Airfield* on ■eland in the Kavleng area, ■me In for further punishI There wa* no Jap air Bis. Be Pacific land front. Amerind Australian patrol* In ■ New Guinea have joined [mile* below the Jap out■f Bogadjim. The outpost ■ 1* mile* from the big I at Madang. fican marine* in the Bt. ■a inland*, juat above New B are consolidating their f ■ The I*land* were In[three day* ago f lr my headquarter* on p-tile. m the Holomons |Pr»»» war correspondent Ea»wcl| report* a new sue(or troop* defending oar P bay Iwachbead iy» they wiped out a strong outpoat in the beachhead [ Ths American* u»ed I thrower*, artillery, mortar* Pnlng gasoline, but atilt the B*ld oat. Thea, *ay> the I Praa* correspondent. the "”• made a bayonet charg* hl»hrd the enemy. FortyJ»P* were killed he central Pacific, army, >ud marine flier* have nude ■** attack* on points in m T * >M* X OMema I) —o--MPERATURE READING lOCRAT THERMOMETER J * *"• 46 ZZZZZ 44 WEATHER • ht with minimum temp- **** 10 4*V»aa h» north ta ***** •*****•■

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Candidate Judge J Fred Fruchte today announced his candidacy for th* Democratic nomination for judge of the Adam* circuit court, subject to the May 2 primary election. Contingent Leaves For Physical Exam Call Is Announced For Friday, April 7 Forty-four men left this morning for pre-induct ion i by«lcul examination* al the Indianapolis motor armory. In addition to those 44. one conscientious objector, Dale Edward LWiy, left for final type examination before being stent to a work camp, and Reuben Jacob Ringger 1-AO-L. left for Immediate induction. Robert Mill, me inlier of the Decatur police force, wa* leader of today'* group, and llermxn L<*wis Braun wa* the assistant leader. Included in todays list were four men transferred from other selective service board*. In addition, two men scheduled for examination with the local group, were transferred to other board*. The Adamo county board today aho announced that a group will go to Indianapolis Friday. April 7. for pre induction examination*. All notices have Steen nulled to men in thia contingent, hoard personnel stated. Men leaving in today's group were a* follows: RdlH-rt Francis Hill. Lester Delbert Lloyd. Harry Truman Eckrote, Clement John Baker. Glenn U-e Jone* (hAOt. Jerome Bud Widmer, Antonio Garclo, Herman Elmer Cline, Freadua Gillioni Hprunger tl-AOi. WHlia.t. Daniel Drum mond. Rotn-rt J-tMoph Rums* blag. Ray Albert Schott. Woodrow Wilson Tlnkham. Herman Joseph Miller, Thoma* Dale Biery, Joaeph Guy Mcßride. Dal - Roger Mechling. Rdbert Glenn Me-Milleti. Herman Lewis Braun. Welden Richard Stucky. Clifton Howard Am»tuts. WUbert Gustav Steele. Herttert William Hatwkina, Donald Richard Bailer. T. Merle Parr. (Turn To Pas* I. Coloma I) Mt. Vesuvius Area Flooded With Ashes Two More Cities Are Gravely Threatened On the Slope* of Mt Vexuvlu*. Mar. t3.--(l’P«—A food of a»h has descended on the slope* of Mt. Vesuvius "from the *ngry cone of ’*.* enrpting volcano Wary villagers throughout the Pompeii-Salerno are* are digging out from a virtual billiard The ash-fall varies from three to 1* Inches In depth, and threaten* to cave In the roots of homes Jeep* on one highway had to be towed through the a*h by army trucks. And on other tosd* army bulldoser* are serving *• emergency plow* to maintain the flow of traffic Eight streams of lav* are flowing from the volcano. The main •tream te driving toward a cour*e which may lead to th* destrw tion of the cltie* of Tore* Del Greco and Torre Anunciata At Ms present pace the molten man* would reach the *aa within two or three day*, th* flrst lava to do so since th* tragic *rupilon of I7«« Professor Guisepr* >“ b< ’ ® r royal Italian observatory estimates that V*suvlu* hae been emitting (Tern T* Pa«e 6. CMama »)

Reds Driving Nazis Out Os Nikolaev Port Germans Reported As Losing Grip On Big Black Sea Port By t'nlted Pre** The German army I* losing It* grip on th big Black Sea port of Nikolaev. A Moscow broadcast says Soviet assault troop* now are driving the German garrison out of the town. Many *trong point* in the hedge hog sy*tem of defense* ringing the city are reported to have b- en over-run. The los* of Nikolaev, a city of 167.000 people at the mouth of the Bug river, would deprive the Nazis of all Russian Black Sea ports except Odessa. Two hundred miles to the northw« st, other Soviet force* are moving acro*s the Bevsarabian approach*-* to Rumania on a 80mile front, fanning out along a north-south railroad. One spearhead is probing toward Balti, the railway hub for all northern Bessarabia. To the west, other Ru-sian forces are advancing directly toward Rumania. They now are within 20 mil** of the Prut river, which separate* the disputed territory of Bessarabia from Rumania proper. Far to the northwest, still other Russian force* are moving across pre-war Poland toward the key railway junction of Lwow. These new westward gain* coincide with reports of new development* in the Balkan*. For instance. Bern say* German troop* have occupied Slovakia, across the Carpathian mountain* from the Soviet troops converging on Lwow. And it appear* that both Rumania and Bulgaria may be in line for occupation. The Nazicontrolled Vichy radio claim* Rumanian premier lon Antonescue and hi* brother, the vice* premier, have left for Hitler's headquarter* In response to a < I urn To Pag* 5. Column 6) o ■ Union Good Friday Service Is Planned Decatur Churches To Hold Union Service Commemorating Chrtot’e Three Hour* on the Cross, a union Good Friday service will tie held April 7 at the First Methodiet church in thia city. Rev. William C. Feller, pastor of the Zion Evangelical and Refotsned church, and chairman of the program, announced today. Beginning al 12 o'clock with an organ recital by Mr*. Edgar Gerber, the program includes message* on Crucifixion by paitote of the participating churche*. meditation* in mimic and coagregatonal singing of sacred hymn*. • Rev. M. O. Leater, pastor of the First Methodist church, will pronounce the invocation. Mr*. Daniel Tyndall will preside at the organ for meditation* In mu*ic. Other participating miniatera In the service include: Rev DeHiert Cress, paa'or of the Nuturan Avenue fnited Brethren church; Rev George Walton, paator of the Fir*t I’rembyterian church; Rev. F. H. Willard, pastor of the Firs’ Evangelical; Rev. Dwight L. Pattenaon. pastor of the Cnion Chapel U. B. church; «ev. J 1 Trueax. pastor ot th church of the Naaarene; Rev. R R Wilson, paator of the Finst V. B. church, an J Rev. Carey R. Moaer. paator of the First Baptist church. The pwblic i» invited to attend The ctmtomary closing ot local stores and office* I* requested during the Three Hour*, the ministerial aoeociatlon stated. —p Mrs. Allen J. Vesey Dies At Fort Wayne Mrs Alien J. Ve*ey. 72. well known here, died yesterday afternoon nt St Jo*eph hospital la Fort Ways* She had not been well for a week bnt her death wa* anex pected Funeral *erv|ce* will be bold from her home Friday after nooa as 2 o'clock.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, March 23,1944

Decatur’s First Mayor Dies Today .....wge *■ F 'r 7 ” yjHI v*. Judge James T. Merryman

Hint New Meeting Os Allied Leaders Churchill To Make Broadcast Sunday Washington, March 23—(CP) — —The big question 111 London und Washington, today ia. nrbat'* to !«- done about the Atlantic charter? Questions of territorial settlement, especially In Rus.'la and Poland, have become *o confused that most diplomata aay a near meeting of Allied leaders is necessary ■Prime Minister Churchill has caU-j ed for a clarification of the prin- i clploa of the charter. Anti **»m.- circle* believe that undersecretary of stat*- Nteninias may sound out the posalbllity of a big-three conference during hie coming visit to London. Secretary of state Hull has just restated American adherence to the principlag of the Atlantic charter. But he says he *oon will make a radio address about pos»H»l” charter adjustments In the light of wartime development*. Churchill will speak to the British nation Sunday. He 1s due to loheard at 3 p. m.. CWT. and the talk will be short (Waved to the United State*. On both *id«w of the- ocean, critics are suggesting that Britain. Russia and the Vnlted State* are compromising charter (Turn To Pag* 3. Column S) <, Judge Fred Fruchle Seeks Renomination Incumbent Judge Is Democrat Candidate Judge J. Fred Fruchte today announced that he would be a candidate for the Democratic nomination for judge of the Adam* circuit court, subject to the decision of the primary election on May 2. Judge Fruchte is concluding bis flrst term as judge. He waa elected tn 1936 and took office on January 1. 1939. The office of judge Is a aix-year term A resident of this county all hi* life. Judge Fruchte was born in Preble township, the aon of Ito lace Lewi* Fracbte He lived and wurked on his father * farm until 1902. when he moved to Decatur. He was admitted to the Adam* county bar in !»•«. following hia graduation from the Indiana Col lege of Law. Indianapolis, and began lhe practice of taw in thia city He formed a partnership with Ferd L. Litterer. attorney of this city, which araoctation continued until he was elected to the bench. Judge Fruchte is • member of the Zion Evangelical and Reformed church, the Knight* ot Pythias lodge nod is widely known throughout the county and In Northern Indiana judicial circle*.

Third Soldier Dies Os Carbon Monoxide Indianapolis. March 23 (I'Pi— A California soldier I* the fourth victim of canton monoxide gas which fill’-d a parked car near EliZMbeth last Sunday Stale police say that Alex Dolmatovs died today In a New Albany howpltal. Two cither soldiers and a 17-year-old girl were found dead in th” car, and Ixilmatoss was found tinconscious. The men were stationed at Fort Knox, Ky. Prominent Geneva Druggist Dies Today J. A. Long Dies At Home This Morning J. A. Ixrng. 74. prominent druggist of Geneva and one of the leading citizens in that cosnmunlty. died at 7:30 o'clock thi* morning at his home, following at, Hines* of c omplications. Mr. Ixmg had Is-en in ill health for a fmv month* and was confined to hi* home. H” retired from bu»lnt*s the firat of the month and sold hl* drug store Ling prominent in Democratic party circle*. Mr. Lmg took a keen interrat in community affairs and was known thniughou’ th"! county. He entered the drug store hue!ness more than 30 years ago and waa associated for a number of year* with the Lie C. D. Porter, hueband of the famous Litnbertoat author, flene Stratton-Porter. Mr. Long wa* a registered pharmai ist and chrtnlat and when he was araduated from Purdue university he attained the highest grad” ever given a student. Hl* record •still stand* at the university, it was stated. The deceased wa* torn in Bluffton. Fob 22. IX7O. He la survived by the widow and two children. John of Gen*-va and Howard Ling of Detroit. Funeral service* will lie held Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Well* and Hardy funeral home in Geneva. Burial will be in the Fairview cemetery at Bluffton Prominent Anderson Attorney Is Dead Indianapolis. March 23 —(t’Pl— A widely-known Anderson attorney, sa-year-old Willi* Eilta died last -night In the Methodist hospital at Indianapolis. SUN* served as a deputy secretary of state in lx#3 and waa judge of the Madison superior court for three terms Since 1923. he waa president of the Anderson loan company. WASTE PAPER Please have yaur bundle* of waste paper and magazine* and prepared tin cane ready for the Boy Scouts to load on the city trucks by I eetack Saturday morning.

Savage Aerial Battles Reported, Brunswick, Other Areas Attacked

J. T. Merryman, First Mayor Os Decatur, Dead Prominent Decatur Man, Former Judge, Dies This Morning Judge James T. Merryman. S 9. flr*>t mayor of Decatur ami judge of the Adam* circuit court from 190 S-14. beloved and widely known jurist of this city, died in peaceful sltinilier at hl* home, 4i', N. Second rtr et. at about 10 o'clock this morning. Confined to his home for »everal months, the aged jtirist was rational almost up to the last minute. Yesterday the family noticed that h« was growing weaker and kept vigil during the night. This morning. ju»t a ft w minute* before be was carried away in the sleep of death, he talked with memlier* of hl* family. His grandson. Dr James .M Burk, wa* called and a* he held hl* grandfather's hand, the last <l>reath of life flickered from hla Ihml/ On the threshhold of 90. ’he long life of Judge Merryman i* closely a»-<M-iated with the found Ing of Decatur and It* early developin' nr. When Decatur wa* incorporated as a city in IM2. the communl'y turned to him and elected him mayor It was during his administration that the first ordinance was pawed prohibiting the construction of frame or wooden Imildlng. on Second street. l»cislation which was badly needed following th” deslrnctloii of the Second street bu»lne«s section l>y the dlsasrioti* fire in I".' Born in Washington township. I Oct. 1,18 H. a son of Chari”* W’-sl-y and Mary Archbold-Mer-ryman. Judge Merryman was rear’d and spent hi* entire life in this county He wa* horn In a log cabin and the ownership of the farm continued In the hands of the Merryman children. Compl-tinK hi«’ common school education. Judge Merryman attended two years' |tri-|>uratory school under Profeowir Wright, who wa* a graduate of Vale univeralty. Gifted with fine talent and mind, he began to teach school at th- age of 16. remaining in that (Turn To Pas* X. Column Si American Hospital Area Is Attacked Plainly Marked Area Bombed By Germans Anxlo. Italy, Mar 23. — il'Pi — Angered doctors and nurse* say only a miracle kept the casualty toll so low In yesterday's German attack on the American hospital | area below Rome. They point out that the death . list of five, with 11 wounded, could | euaily have been higher because »o many patient* were crowded In the small hospital district. Lieutenant Isabel! Huffman of Danville. 111., describe* her experience a» spraying shrapnel whizzed into her tent: 'At! the patients bit the dirt,"' ehe say* "My ward boy yelled 'hit the dirt' and I hit It. I got up liefore the she'ling stopped. The tent was full of hole* and shells wen■till bursting everywhere The [ patients were quiet and composed, though Moat of them were daaed The only two bit in my camp were killed ' Firat Li*ut*oant Msurtotta Shoenxakei of Winlold. Kan. th* chief nurse, was in a foxhole when sheila bracketed her tent 10 frat away. "The explosions stunned m*." aha i Ta PHI A Caiama 21

Agree To Limit Deferments To Key Industries Men Under 26 To Face Draft Unless Extremely Skilled Washington. .Mar. 23 —tl'l’i — Th” war production hoard and the armed forces have tentatlv-ly approved a plan to limit Industiial draft deferments for men under 26 to those In just eight vital Indii’trle*. And even in thoae special categoric*, it i» l*-arne<l. deferment* will go only to extremely skilled and absolutely Irreplacahie worker*. A* thing* now stand, key men under 26 would Im* deferred If they were needed to produce these i-igltt war product*: landing craft, synthetic rubber and i ino-octane gasoline, high tenacity rayon, certain types of radar eqiiipm*lit, certain type* of airplane*. submarine*, tires and tube*, and last, a secret, unnamed weapon. Tightened draft restriction* and unsolved industrial manpower problem* bring up the question of a national service act. Today it Is learned that top lalMir leader*, representatives of the war and navy department*, ami one of lhe author* of the Austin-Wadsworth natioonl service bill have h*ld the fir«t of a serie* of meetings which may (Turn To I’M* *. Column 4) O Aaron Odle Dies At Fort Wayne Hospital Lifelong Resident Os County Is Dead Aaron Odle. W. life long resident of Decatur and Adamo county, died shortly before noon today at the , laswton sanitarium In Fort Wayne where he had le-en confined for the pae* two year* Death was attributed to diaihetes and complication*, lie was torn in Adam* county Nov**njtier 24. 1*54. th” son of Zethamier and Mary Andrews-Odle He t wa* ompoyed a* a miller in this city for many year* previous to retirement. He w.w* a an«aiffi>er of the First I'nlted Brethren church of thia city Surviving are two «ona; Grover | Odle of Decatur and Harry Odle of Fort Wayne, and two daughters. Mr*. Walter Sudduth of Itecatur and Mrs. James Fuller of Fort Wayne. Hix children preceded him | In death Hi* wife, formerly Celia Ann Hmitb. died In 1926 The body was brought to the Olillg and Doan funeral home and later will prolsSbly Im* taken to the Grover Odle horn*-. 230 North Beventh street. Funeral arrangements | have not been completed. Pierceton Infant Drowns In Cistern Warsaw. Ind.. March 33 —<4'Pt — Funeral services will be held tomorrow for two-year-old Ralph Kyle, son of Mr. and Mte Alfred Kyle. The youngster drowned when b« fell into a cistern at hie farvn Lome near Pierceton. —a' ■ - Business Purchase Being Negotiated Negotiation* are underway for the sale ot an up-town cate and bar. Il was learned today. The pteaent owner intends U> ret he and purchase ot the place ia beiug nrao'taied by two young men Tramter of th* lirenra will be mad* to the purchaser* a* >uon a» legal sup* ar* completed.

Boy War Savinas Bonds And Stamps

Price Three Cents

Secretary Stimson Announces Total Army Casualties For Entire War BULLETIN London, March 23 —(UP)— Twenty-seven American heavy bomber* and *i< fiahter* were lost in today'* attack on Germany. Radio Vichy reported that Allied plane* bombed the Paria area at mid day today. (By t'nlted Press) The American air force smoked out the German fighter defences today with daylight aneaults over a wide are« of the Nazi homeland. Savag,- air batllea were touched off l*y powerful American attack* on two German cities. Brunswick and another city that Is not yet Identified. Over Brunswick, about s<> Nazi fighter planes came up through a hole In the cloud* and fought a 20minute running hattie with one Fortresa formation. It waa a fierce few moment* for the I>lk bombers until a swarm of American Lightning fighter* poured into the battle and routed the enemy A considerable number of the German plane* went down In flam*-*. And one American Fortress wa* seen to blow up in a great sheet of flame over Brunswick. Over the other city. «till unidentified. nearly I<K) Nazi planes, some of them black-painted night-fight-ers. gave our Fortress crews one of lhe toughest time* they've had in a long time In addition to the two cities, American big bomber* hammered at least three air base** itiMide Germany. They struck at the Handorf bomber ba**- near Munster, the aviation station near Osnabruck. and th*- Werl aircraft park near Hamm While Germany wa* Im-liik raldeil liy ih*- heavy bomber*. American medium* struck scroa* the channel at Frame They hit a rail (-enter, about 25 miles north of Pari*, and enemy airfield in northern France. Person* along the English southeast coast can *ee great column* of smoke rising from the Calais area of northern France. Calais itself appear* to be In flame*. Tislay's operation* against Ger- ' many ere a follow-up to a powerful RAF assault on Frankurt last night. The British sent their heavy bomber* against tin- industrial city in great strength, the third Allied attack on Frankfurt in les* than a week Thu*.-it looks a* though the Allie* have pre»crib”d the knock 1 out treatment for Frankfort. The city was reported still burning from the earlier assault* sh*-li the British arrived at th” target. Ixmdott * announcement that (Turn To !'»<» 3, Column 4) *) 111, Decatur Youth Given Five-Year Sentence Charles Ray Given lowa Prison Term Charles Ray. 17. of 107 North Thirteenth atreet. has been sentenced to serve five year* in the low* atate reformatory on a charge of carrying concealed weapons. Also sentenced to a like tervn was l**w * ttoart. 21. us Jackson. Mich., who was Ray« companion In * series of crimes In the middle west. Ray previously had confee*.-d to the theft of an auto, owned by A. C. Preue*. of Berne, and stolen from a parking place on North Second street In this city January 22. The Decatur y<. i.h drove the car north of Fort Wayne, where to picked up Smart. The young men then allegedly held up the Nickle Plate garage at Hdbart and then drove to lowa, where th*y wrecked the Pteuaa auto at Mitchellville. The youac tnea then returned to Chicago by but. later *tealing another car a< Gary Returning to lowa. Ray and ttmart were apprehended by authorttAra m at attempted r<flab*ry <4 a grocery atoru at Des Mutaes.