Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 44, Number 166, Decatur, Adams County, 16 July 1946 — Page 1

XUV. No. 166

IEIRENS SAYS DEGNAN MURDER PLANNED

nen Fight In jweToSave |>A Measure Eek Resolution To End Battered Bill ■o Solon Conference Ba«binEi»n. July 16—(UP) — K a lininlstration today won Itu major test on the senateDPA renewal bill when voted. 211 to 64, to send K measure to a senate house Mfereni e for revision. Mi non came after adminlstraK leaders in the house voiced Hfidem e that senate house conKe* would work out a "satisKory " hill and avert a second Kodeiifi.ll veto of legislation Io Kve OPA until next July 1. Kfep Clarence J. Brown. It., 0.. Kirlieaded an unsuccessful Re Klhan fight to defeat the move Kend the hill to conference. He Kgiii. instead, to get Immediate Km- consideration of the batBed senate hill. Bfwo influential Republicans— Bp< Jesse P. Wolcott, Mich., . Billing OOP member of the ■use hanking committee, and Brl (' Michener, Ind. — Joined ■ministration forces In urging Bt the measure be sent to conBence. ■Before packed galleries, chairBn Adolph J. Sahath, I)., 111., of B house rules committee led off e administration drive for pastee of a resolution to give the Il to senate house conferees at l<e for an attempt at resolving llferences In-tween the two inches of congress. Pro-OPA congressmen hoped e conference would strengthen • senate legislation enough to In President Truman’s approval id avert a second veto of leglslion to extend OPA until July • >M7. Sahath warned that ’’unless mething is done, we will have situation in this country that ill lu- troublesome." “Labor simply cannot get along ith Its present wages with the •«t of living rising 2o to 30 permt In the last few weeks withal OPA." he said. He expressed hope that senate mtse conferees could agree on a ill that would halt the "extrardinary and outrageous price Inreases that have occurred in rcent weeks." He said "prices have gone up '« to so percent in the last few reeks" as business made "trenerjdous profits they do not iced." iMtme Republican mem tiers feel he house should vote immediate--1 on whether to concur in the '•■nale measure. Still others feel h»t the house should send the neasiire to conference but only tfter instructing the house con- • tees. Although the senate version is ostensibly a revision of the house •pproved measure to extend the OPA until July 20. it In In r-slity a brand new hill. It would "•niinue OPA until July 1. 1947. !, «t with virtually all foodstuffs, •rsins and other commodities

(Turn Tn Pr». *. Cnlnmn «l o— Howard Hughes Is Reported Better B«»*rly Hill*. Calif., July !«.- * I’l-Airplane designer Howard Mihea wa* taken of» the critical lIM today and for the flrat time in / hour* haa taken ailid food, hie coelom announced. The famous filer and movie proWer wa* gj ren a j,i fJO( | trßng . a«ion iaat night to help a condign of moderate anemia. Although * ‘*Pt little during the pant 24 «'■». his position haa become leM M nful, Dr. Verne R. Mason, hla <hlef physician said. ’ O * MoCRA ‘r thirmomctir TtMRERATURK READINGS 800 •••’’■ st ~~~ r *'* P-m ..... si ~ Weather Partly cloudy, occasional wawar north and central perWedneaday and in oatoX.”^ W ’ M ~u N#t «> cool northwest nemuy ’ *’"'•***• W,rwer Wed-

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Confesses r - William G. Heirens

Report Pearl Harbor Blame On Commanders Long-Waited Report Os Probing Group Not Yet Completed Washington. July 16 — (UPt — A majority of the Joint emigresfinal Pearl Harlmr committee was reported reliably today to have agreed that primary blame for the Dec. 7, 1941. naval disaster should be placed on the two top army and navy commanders sertXig In Hawaii at the time. Although the committee's longawaited report is not yet completed. informed sources said that eight of the ten committee members believe Adm. Husband E Kimmel and Lt. (ton. Walter C. Short must hear responsibility tor lack of preparation for the Pear) Harbor attack. Committee members taking this view included all six Democrats on the committee and two of the four Republicans. The committee majority. It was said, will emphasize the responsibility of Kimmel and Short, rather than linking the disaster directly to the complacency of the nation as a whole or to the alleged lack of sufficient warnings from the state department, army (Turn To Page S, Column 7) -O

Mrs. Walter Smith Is Taken By Death Former Resident Os City Dies Monday Mrs. Lillian A. Smith. 49. of 1032 East Washington boulevard. Fort Wayne, and a former resident of Decatur, died at 3:50 o'clock Monday afternoon at St. Joseph's hoapital after an illness of 11 months She was born in Frank. 0.. but moved to Decatur when a small child, going to Fort Wayne 17 years ngo. She was a member of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Surviving ara the husband. W. M. Smith: her mother. Mrs. Frances Bogner of Decatur: a daughter. Mrs. Helen McDonald and a son. Robert Renolds. both of Fort Wayne: four sisters. Mrs. Mary Lharnon of Decatur. Mrs. Bertha Gruber and Mrs. Sam Novick of Ft. Wayne, and Mrs Jack Homefof Akron, tt: four brothers. Otto. Leo and Richard Bogner, all of Decatur, and Albert Bogner of Loa Angeles. Calif., and two grardchildren. Funeral services will he held Thursday morning, at a time to be announced later, at the Cathedral. The body will be brought to Decatur for burial In the Catholic cemetery. Friends may call at the Jule Schone funeral home in Fort Wayne after 7 o'clock thia evening.

Mead Scores | Gross Laxity | On Contracts Expensive Gifts By Midwest Munitions Combine Revealed Washington, July 15— (UP) — Washington representatives of a midwest munitions combine unde r senate scrutiny passed out 350 silver vanity sets and other expensive "expediting" gifts at Christmas time, the senate war investigating committee was told today. Allen It (tollman, key executive in the 16-firm syndicate, said he never was told who received the lavish presents at Christinas time In 18942, 1943 and 1944. Hut. he added. he didn't think It was "morally wrong” If some of them went to government employes "Even government workeis are human." he added, “flood will can be greatly helpful to get the competitive effort out of them," (tollman's earlier testimony brought from chairman James M. Mead. I).. N. Y . of the committee a statement that the inquiry has disclosed “gross laxity on the pait of the government in scrutinising applicants for war contracts." He said the committee will recommend careful scrutiny of such applicants in the future. (tollman said that besides shipping gifts to the capital for distribution by representatives of the flints, he also sent money to lie spent on other presents. Committee consel George Mead er suggested that some of this money well might have purchased liquor. "What would you say about giving a case of scotch to a general?" he asked. "If it has been done." (tollman replied. "It should not have been done." "What do you think of giving a silver vanity set to the wife of a general?" he was asked. "I can say our vanity sets ate beautiful," (tollman said, "and it would be good taste to glr.- one to anybody." He said they normally would sell at 325 to 350. (tollman disclaimed knowledge of the case of scotch which a Chicago army officer testified was given to members of his staff one (Turn To Page 6. Column 4)

Lt. Spangler Riles Held This Morning Funeral Held For Air Crash Victim The hody of Lt. Maurice E. Spangler. 22. Decatur B-25 pilot who 1o«t his life last Thursday In a Mississippi plane craah. was buried here today with full military honors. The color guard and firing squad of Adams Post 4.1. American la-glon. under the direction at post commander Floyd B, Hunter, conducted the military portion of the rites. Six ex-servicemen—three sailers and three soldiers, ail former Decatur Catholic high school classmates of Lt. Spangler— Leo Hackman. Leo Ulman. Robert Bolinger, Elmo Rumschlag. Ted Bolinger and Leo Brown—served as pallbearers. 2nd Lt. E. Prothero. of Miami, Fla., who served as military escort for Lt. Spangler’s body, which arrived here Sunday morn Ing from Keesler Field. Miss., attended the aertkes with members of the family. The Very Rev. Msgr. J. J. Seimetz was celebrant at the requiem high mass, held at it a. m. in the Ft. Mary's Catholic church, of which the young man was a member. Burial was in the Decatur Catholic cemetery, with the legion exemplifying final military rites at the graveside. Lt. Rpangler. who had served in the U. S. army air forces since January, IMS, was killed near Lyman. Miss., with three other soldiers when their bomber crashed during a heavy electrical storm

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, July 16, 1946

A Boon In Bubble Gum isgg , JL> J'lT—ff n—-"L • i-aUr hm iH/- > kJ ixS.> ®MSbI 1L .SrßiuWi A WEEKLY SALE of bubble gum in this Detroit neighborhood drug store puts the nylon stampedes to shame. The proprietor refused to change the price on the popular confection.

Traffic Problems Discussed By C. C. i Officers, Directors Meet Monday Evening Warning signs of a "stop light ahead" and general traffic problems were discussed at a meeting of the officers and directors of the Chamber of Commerce last tvening. Paul McFaul, executive secretary of the organization, stated today, Dan if. Tyndall, chairman of the chamber's highway committee, suggested that steps be taken to have a warning sign erected near the Monroe street river bridge on U. 8. route 224. notifying drivers that there was a “stop light" at the Monroe Second street crossing. Mr. TynHall emphasized that truck drivers coming from the east and driving west on U. 8. 224. had difficulty In stopping their large trucks when the red, or stop light changed at the Second street intersection. Mr. McFaul stated that the chamber would take up the matter with the state highway commission, as the traffic lights are under the supervision of the state. Other traffic and parking problems were discussed at the meeting. No definite plan for acquiring additional uptown parkin* space was formulated. The offerof I. A. Kalver of turning additional space north of the sale barn and north of Monroe street, over to the city for a parking lot (Turn To Page 1. Column •*

Chicago Patrolman Relates Capture Os Degnan Murderer

(Editor’* note: Traffic patrolman Abner T Cunningham. Jr. 36. assisted In the capture of Wil Hain Heirens. 17, who had admitted the kidnap-slaying of Suzanne Degnan. Cunningham, an officer for three years, is from Chillicothe, Missouri. He is married and father of three children. He ha* studied law and plans to take his liar exams in October. In the following dispatch he tells how he felled Heirens with three flower pots) (By patrolman Abner T. Cunningham, Jr.) Chicago. July 18— (CP) —The way 1 did It was a little unusual I was in a bathing suit and knocked him out with three flower pots. It happened on a Wednesday. It was my day off and it was pretty hot so I suggested to my wife. Edith, that we take the kids to the Morse avenue beach. We stayed at the beach a few hours and were returning about 5:15 to our home, a few blocks from the beach. I was wearing swimming trunks and shoe*. As we walked along I saw three men run out of a hotel, a few blocks from my home. Being a police officer, I suspect-

Parking Lines Are Repainted In City Second street in Decatur was partially bhxk«-d off throughout most of the day today, as the state highway crew repainted yellow parking and cross walk lines through the city on federal road 33. —o Six Kidnapers Are Nabbed Al LaGrange Four Youths, Two Girls Under Arrest LaGrange, Ind., July 16—(UPt — Four youths and two girls, all heavily armed and the alleged kidnapers of a Chicago cab driver, were captured today In a dense woods southeast of here after an all night vigil by law enf<>)rcemen| officers anti civil lans. State police, FBI agents. Grange county authorities and city police from Goshen. Ind . and Wabash. Ind., began beating through the undergrowth at dt wn and arrested the six deeperados without a shot being fired, stale police said. The cabby. Charles Smith. 34. Chicago, touched off the search when he escaped at Rome City, Ind., last night after being held prisoner for nearly 15 hours He was not harmed. Lt. Blaine Schang. commander of the state police post at Ligonier, Identified the six as Lloyd Rudolph Payne. 22, Rockmart. (Turn Tn P«ae «. Column T»

ed something was tip. 1 tan up to them and asked if anything was wrong. One replied “we're chasing a burglar He just burlarized a room in this hotel So I took up the chase with them. One of the men wa- detective Constant Tiffin. The other warned me that the suspect had a gun. I ran after him after lie disappeared between two apartment buildings. A janitor came out of one building and said that a guy had shoved a gun into hi* stomach and told him to get out of the way. I was unarmed but figured I'd better try and stop this fellow and capture him before he did some damage Some people started following me when they saw me chasing the man. Incidentally. 1 lost my shoes in chasing him. I turned and shouted for them to stay away, that the man was armed, and they had better get out of the range of fire. A woman came out on a second floor porch and asked me what I was doing. I shouted that was a police officer and was chasing a burglar. “Here he Is up here on the (Turn To Page J, Column 7)

Confessed Slayer Admits Killing, Dismemberment Os Child Premeditated

Consumer Protests Continue On Prices Livestock Prices Moke New Records By United Press Consumer demonstrations by lalMir unions, veterans' groups and women's clubs spread today as prices continued to climb. Livestock prices hit new record peaks in several midwestern stockyards, with cattle hitting an ell time high of 325.75 at Chicago, liecords also were set on cattle or hogs at East St. Louis, 111., Indianapolis. Omaha. Neb,. South St. Paul. Minn, and In lowa yards. The CIO United Auto Workers union authorized Its members to quit work for one or two hours this afternoon to attend mass meetings to protest rising prices and to demand restoration of OPA controls. Presidents of 100 (TO locals met in Hartford. Conn., to discuss the possildlity of a statewide buyers' strike. At Philadelphia CIO unions planned a mass demonstration at city hall and continued picketing stores charging high prices. The American veterans committee prepared to dump bales representing Inflated goods into Boston harbor tonight at a mock Boston tea party. Wives of AVC members In Pittsburgh continued their drive for a citywide buyers' strike. Salt latke City women's groups pledged themselves not to buy goods at unreasonable prices The Marin county. Calif, American veterans committee passed a resolution urging buyers' strikes against any commodity on which nrices are inflated. Slack consumer demand brought prices down in some cities. Butler dropped to 69 cents a pound In some Portland. Ore., scores, despite a wholesale price of 72 Io 73 cents. Grocers said Iliey were taking a loss to tiring (Turn To Pair-- !>. Column X) Hospital's Budget Not Yet Completed Shortage Os Nurses Hampers Operations Problems in relation to the operation of the Adams county memorial hospital were discussel today by Harry J. Knapp, of this city, one of the hospital trustees, in reply to the question if the "hoard had compiled the hospital's budget for 1947." Mr Knapp explained that tentative figures were being prepared, but due to the illness of Earl D Colter, president of the hoard, no meeting was held at which definite estimates could Im- listed. Tlte hospital has been faced with the shortage of registered nurses for many months. About three months ago the thirl floor of the hospital was closed because of the lack of nurses. Mr. Knapp explained. The third floor will accommodate aitout 20 patients, and the space Is vitally needed during those periods when more than the ordinary number of patients n»ed the services of the hospital. The war period brought on a shortage of nurses throughout the country and hospital trustees. superintendents, nurses, assistants and nurses aides have worked with reduced forces in nearly all lines. It was explained. Mr. Knapp said that the hospital had been operating "on a paying basis." that is. without a tax levy, hut- that he did not know what the result would he when the 1947 budget was compiled. Recently the regular nurses and attendants at the hospital (Turn To Pago 3, Column 3)

Byrnes Charges Soviet Russia With Hostility Hostility To Plan To Disarm Germany Assailed By Byrnes Washington, July 16. tl'Pt Sen. Arthur H, Vandenberg. It. Mich, planned to give his approval today to secretary of state James F. Byrnes' optimistic report that "we are on tlie road to peace." He alsi was expected to underline heavily Byrnes' p«»«Himi*ti<warning that Germany Is the key to European peace and that things are not going well there at all among the big four Byrnes < harged in a radio address last night that Russia, by being hostile to his plan for a 25year treaty to keep Germany di* armed, had created suspicion that the Russians wanted to use Germany as a pawn in a struggle between the east and the west. He also accused both Russia and France of violating the Potsdam agreement to treat Germany ae an fionomlc unit and threatened to go abend with economic cooperation with the British sone only. Vandenberg, who with Sen. Tom Connally. 11. Tex . has served as Byrnes' advisor at Ixitli foreign ministers meetings in Paris, will tell the senate hU version of the latest meeting late today. Connally U scheduled to speak tomorrow Byrnes' report to the American people was unusually hopeful ami optlmistii by comparison with thole lie has delivered after privi >us foreign ministers meetings. He saw "bright’’ prospects of being able to sign and seal peace treaties with Italy, Rotm tHun gary. Bulgaria and Fln.aml thie summer. He hopes to do It at th--21-nallon peace conference which opens In Paris on July 29 Answering critics who have accused him of compromising to get big f >ur agreement on the satellite treaty drafts, Byrnes said the agreements wen- the best human wit could obtain and implied that they were necessary to prevent a possible Irreparable break with the Soviet union. His report on the outlines of the (Turn To Pag- 2, Column 7) Church Will Honor Relumed Veterans Reformed Church To Hold Service Sunday Servicemen and women of the Zion Evangelical and Ref irme-1 church will be feted next Sunday during special ceremonies at the church. Tribute will first Im- paid in a "recognition dinner" to be held at the church at 6 p in A total of 74 invitations have been sent to men and women memlM-rs of the church and affiliated with the church, who serve-I in the armed forces. At 7:30 p.m a public recognition service will be held, with a special invitation extended io so--vice men and women of the chinch to attend Dr. Charles M. Prttgh. former pastor of the* church and now dean of men at Heidellierg university. will he the speaker. Dr. Prugh is a former memln-r of the army chaplain corps. The Rev. William Feller will be In charge of the service. Announcement of the observance was made today by Mrs. S E Leonardson. who, during th» war. published a service pamphlet and conducted other wrk for the benefit of the servicemen.

Price Four Cent|

Shocking Details Os Degnan Death, Two Other Murders In Chicago Revealed (Copyright. 1946. by the ITiited I T ess I Chic ago. July 16 d'l't William Gc- rge Heirens. 17 year-old college aiudent, has admitted iliat the slaying and diememlierinent of six yearold Suzanne Degnan was premeditated planned as the safest and easiest way to collec t ransom from her father, the United Press learn-c-d from reliable- sources today. This was only one of the shocking details in the youth'-- brief oral admissions, revealed exclusively Icy the Unlrecl cress ye«-rr.«ay. Dint he- kidnaped and killed little Suzanne and also killed two women— Francrw Brown, a former Wave, and Mrs. Josephine Ross, a housewife The- latter slayings were committed in a mad frenzy which swelled up in the youth's twisted mind when the women surprised him In attempts to burglarize their apartments. The youth showed the same violent reaction June 26 when ho wrestled four policemen after they caught him attempting to burglarize- another apartment. He was felled by three- (hewer |>ois in the hands of a reokte cop. The- United Press sources said that the youth, a jcowerfully-bullt University of Ch ■ ago s cphomore, was attempting to mck<- a deal with the state- to put .- full confession intee writing in exchange for a life sentence instead of the- el<-<-Hie chair Heirens catne Into court today for arraignment on 29 burglary, assault and robbery c 'larges. Ilia attortieeys, saying they c-arne Into p sses-ion of tin- Indictments only yesterday, asked a continuance. Criminal court Judge- Harold G. Ward gave Heirens until \ttg. 11. when he will hear motions which Heirens' attorneys may fib-, ot on a plea. From Ills brief oral admission* and facta and <-v de-nce* gathered by the police in their inve-stiga-tlona, it now I- possible to present a rounded st -ry of the youth's ci line*. Heirens. who began when he was nine years old. attended a movie with a college* friend and a girl t.ie night of Jan. 6. Afterwards, he rode the elevated lines to the Northside and walked a few blocks to the neighboilioodo ot the Degnan home. Heirens had been a delivry Icoy fra liquor store- in the- section, .i North Side residential area Ho knew the home 11-- thought tliero was money there. The child's father. James, earned 37,5 m a year, although the youth thought ho was a wealthy man Heirens had "spotted" the child and her bedroom previously whileburglarizing another home in tho area. After reaching the Degnan home, shortly before 2 a m. on the morning of Jan. 7, he picked up a small ladder In the yard lie placed the ladder against u rear wall of the Degnan home and climbed through the kindow of the child's bedrcMiin. She was sleeping. He threw a sack over her head, picked her up and carried her on his shoulder down the ladder and into an alley. Near the mouth of the alley, th*’ c held woke- up and cried out. Heirens apparently had not Intended to kill the child at that moment. intending to wait until he-n-ached a nearby basement with which he had become familiar during his work as a delivery boy. But he feared discovery tho same fear that earlier had motivated the shooting and knifing ot Mies Brown and the rtrangulation and knifing of Mrs. Rom. So. in the quiet of the early winter morning, he strangled the child with his hands, within a few yards of her home. There now remalnej the body. Ito feared that it might be found too quickly unless he disposed of it completely. He carried the Icody to the basement, located in au (Tura To Page 3, Column I)