Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 44, Number 184, Decatur, Adams County, 6 August 1946 — Page 1

101. XLIV. No. 184

Bens confesses degnan slaying

U-H Show Opens Wednesday

Btage Set For i-H Club Show, South Festival | ■hfee Day Event To |K)pen Wednesday And | Klose Friday Night VH:i j. 1.1!), have beer. completed ■H -t.ig- -ft for Wi-dni-sday's ■5,..,! -pming ' ■ ’hr»*-day ■Mjp, .how and youth festival EK„ h. ;d in D'catur, official* in ■ announced today. ■ le'ini' judging *o* start|M|.ml.iv and tlif lity i»egan taking | ■th. .'ii.' ii f'- '“• ll iiintwphrrf. !■ „fti. ial opening U slated for KK, A Ailll 'll" ' Vent to eVettd it,.-, in I if I'.'estoik content* m 'tart pouring Into |H,.MI ', .r. ile.l tent* around iitrtlioine early tomorrow ILu and Hi- In*' perfonnan< «»« ll.■ of Magic how will be in the afternoon. ■ ■hr .Iniiax of the opening day* is scheduled for 7:30 ’.v .ln. -diy when a pel parade ■■, i... .tag...l through the downarea Score* of I anil priSCrt. BKiLio. lion, will be given youthfit- ill Illis parade, w ith a EKi ..nd «ti-iond prize also to Imwinner* in the float di|K>n. EK., u . iiiirs ..nd organizations |K already signified their InEEi.n< entering float* Judge* ■Wlii.- pel and float divisions of ■I parade will Im- Dick Ehlnger. EKI San.-t I’.hil McFaul. Clari-ln e EK-r and John Halterman. presentation of the of Magic at the Decatur EM'..,. 'ii-.-'i - hool anritorium. f >r I Mil h rickets may be secured free ' 1,1 "" ,l "' courthouse lawn. inmladc tin first day’* activl EK ll ' I'p-ning day is to be followed ■fl'*" full days of judging, exEK' 1 entertainment. ■ K>aX«-d by the drear revue at |H>ii "h and streets Friday EK' a- s io o'clock, to officially ii BBe the festival KBiimln-.1.. of youths ami adults |E ,lIH <i,y '° un, v> an< * * ,,r E ■tiding territory are expected to E ■attracted lure during various of the gala event. 0 Wells County Agent | ionservation Judge conducting Judging Rt Show Thursday | W s Smith, Well* county agriI • ••r.-il agent, has been named gE 1 ' " f ,l "' c <»»«wvation exhibits r E 11 "' lieiatnr junior-senior high L Wr"' 1 K > n ‘"a<iliim during the youth ■Kj'*#! ,hi * week. I ■rmoncement (rs Mr Smith's s- ■f ttun ’« the judge was made I BO'-iy by L. e. Archbold. UK" 1 ' county agent. Smi, i' will conduct the jttdg K "" Thursday for the exhibits By 111 ’tarted ariving at the gym Py ""‘HI Ing and will lie on disf ■* l,ir:,,| Khout Wednesday, ThursI £ an ' l Prl(la f I ■"her displays at the gymna I ■T' in a^i,,on 10 conserva* Ea !|n! hlng, canning and room ■movement exhibits, will Include L' E' l ’ n * !lK exhibits to arrive on ( B? r ,? ,ay ' lla * (ln,t a,, 'i food preI Wt ion exhibit* tn arrive Fri of (hp Kar( | ( , nlng M> W * w,l > l'e conducted hnmed L » upon arrival Thursday mom t K K ‘"'lock and that of the | ■t7 an,i f" 0 * 1 Preparations on I ■"*' *"»rting at noon. »:0o 5 , m — I ■»:<» a.m. Z !! tH I ■<» P-m. ''Z~ J? I Ct. . Bniah. L hnd Coo,er

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Area Rent Director In Decatur Thursday John E. William*, area rent director. will be stationed at lleeatur fxiwt office Thursday, arriving here at 9:80 a m latndlords and tenants are requested to present their problems to the director during hta visit to th l * city Thursday. Partial Report Reveals Heavy Quake Damage Northern Shore Os Dominican Republic Partially Isolated Ciudad Trujillo. Dominican He public. Aug. •—(UP!—Horrified 1 easants who lived through the earthquake and tidal wave on the northern Dominican shore described it today a* a thunderous upheaval which ripped open the earth, sent up sulfurous fumes nnd churned the Atlantic into a feemy. Fragmentary report* from the stricken northeastern shore disclosed an exceptional geologic disturbance of frightful majesty. Thousands of peasants fled into the woods and hid while the earth continued to shiver spasmodically long after the first violent quake early flunday afternoon. v In San Juan, on nearby Puerto Rico. seismographs recorded more than small quakes In the West indies Icetween Sunday afternoon and last night. The town* of Matanzas and Villa Julia Molina at the head of Eacocesa bay were reported virtually flattened by the tidal wave. Person* reaching here Irom Matanzas said there wenmany casualties. Four persons were reported dead Broken communication* delayed a check on casualties, end the toll may run much higher. Before the earthquake, witnesses said, booming submarine explosions of great intensity were heard. They compared them to descriptions of atom Ist mb explosions. Then the quake hit. Buildings collapsed. Hallroad tracks were twisted like strands of steel wire. Roads were torn up. Villagers passing a sleepy Sunday afternoon in the excessive heat Jumped up and ran for open country. Next came the tidal wave. With a swelling roar it rolled (Turn To Paso I. Column 3)

County School Head Voted SI,OOO Boost Fix Superintendent Salary At $4,300 Salary of the Adams county school superintendent for 1947 has been fixed at 14.300 p*r pf ‘ feetive January 1. it l» aa been announced following a picnic meeting of the township trustee* at Berne. * The salary was I hmm ted (1.000 from the 1946 wage without a dissenting vote from the 11 trusti-ea present at the meeting, according to reports. D. C. Wagner, truelee of Wabash township. wa>.i unable to attend the session Ih-cuimc of illness. The event was held at Lehman park Sunday, replacing the regularly scheduled Saturday meeting in this city. At leaet 10 or 12 vacancies remain in the rural school teaching staffs with the opening of achoul less than a month sway, Lyman L. Hann, county m'hool superintendent, revealed In discussing with the trustees the school opening. Final plans for the beginning of the 1940-47 term are expected to be made In the next regularly scheduled meeting of the trusfees, to be held August 31 al the courthouse.

Byrnes Makes Bitter Attack On Molotov Misrepresentation, Dictatorial Tactics Charged To Molotov Paris. Aug. «- <UP> —Peace conferee* touuy headed into a stormy showdown on the two third* voting rule, marked by a bitter exchange in which secretary of state James F. Byrne* charged Soviet foreign minister V. M. Molotov with mlsreprlhlentation ami dictatorial tactics and Soviet supporters hinted the fate t f the conference might hinge on the issue. Byrnes challenged Molotov to print his attack on ine Soviet foreign minister's tactics in the Russian press—a challenge which Molotov Immediately took up. coupling It with a denunciation of British and American newspapers and a general denial of Byrnes' accusation. Molotov then led the rules commission of the peace conference Into a first class crisis by demanding that a two-thirds commission vote be required in recommending the two-thlrds rule to the peace conference. After a long, confused session of wrangling over the way to vote on the two-thirds rule — whether by a simple majority or tWiMhirds — the commission ad Journed in frustration until 9:30 p m. (3:30 p. m. EDTi. Chairman Paul Henri Spaak insisted on adjourning, but as the hour wore on proposed a night meeting Instead of the one-hour recess he had suggested. Application of the two thirds rule to the commission vote would give Molotov a virtual veto over the British proposal to which Russia objects—a proposal that conference decisions be sent forward to the council of mlnist ers in two categories, those receiving two-thirds votes and those receiving a simple majority. Dmitri Manulisky of the Vkrains, speaking in behalf of Molotov's demand, said solemnly that this was "one of the most <Turn To Page S. Column 6> O

Nominal Levies For Poor Relief Funds Working Balances In All Townships Nominal levies for the township poor relief funds for 1947 are pro posed in the schedule of estimate* prepared by Thurman I. Drew, county auditor, based on the requests filed by the trustees. The levies in the 12 townships will raise approximately 86,558.36, figured on the net valuations in the respective townships, Mr. Drew said. All of the townships have a working balance and estimates of reserve* at of the year will lie sufficient to carry the town ships through another year with the moderate levies proposed, the auditor explained. In Washington township, which Include* the city of Decatur, a levy of three cent* on each 8100 of taxable* I* proposed. This levy will produce about 82.457.11. The township has a balance of 820.615 and expenditure* next year are estimated at 812,000. Levies prd)Hr*ed in the other townships and the amount the levies will rise on taxable valua Hons, follow: Blue Creek, IC. 812L95; French, Ic. 8135.67; Hartford, Ic, 8137.48; Jefferson. 3c. (325.78; Kirkland, ic. (153.54; Monroe. 3c. (1,399.19; Preble. Ic. 8172.98; Root. Ic. 8215.38; St. Mary's. Ic, (155.09; Union, le. (124.92; Wabash, (c. (1,159.27; Washington^3c, (2.457.11. Auditor Drew will certify the pro|>osed levies with the county budget, which is being prepared this week.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY,

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesd ay, August 6, 1946.

ft May Be Safe, But It’s No Fun • j| jL WITH THE NUMBER of cues of polio on the increase in .Minneapolis. Minn. area, health officials have cautiom-d parents to keep their children at hopte That's Just what’s happening above, and take it from them, one's own yard is confining.

Start Judging 01 4-H Girls Exhibits 250 Girls Entered In Show Contests Judging in the 4 II girls canning clothing ami room Improvement portion* of the 4-H chib show and youth festival thl* week were in full swing late thl* afternoon at Decatur Junior-senior high school gymnasium Mr*. Opal Whiteman. Muncie home economists, wa* conducting the Judging, assisted by Ml** Anna K. William*. Adams county home demonstration agent, and several memlter* of 4 II club* from van ions parts of the county. thl* evening, five winners in each of five canning clgMi-s. five clothing ela»*e* ami one room improvement class were expected to he determined and ready for the final selection of several outstanding winner*. A grand champion was to be selected in all of the five clothing classes, in addition to a reserve champion, who was to lie accorded the honor of being second only to the dress revue winner on Friday night. In addition to the dre«» revue winner, who will wear the costume which she entered in the contests, a number of girls will be selected to place their respective entries in the contests at the annual state fair, which Is to he held in Indianapolis starting August 31. Approximately 250 girls from the various 4-H clubs In Adams conn ty had entries in the contests today and were to receive blue, red and white ribbons. desTg|iaHnx excellent, good and fair creations, respectively, with the five winners in each class to be selected from (Turn ’Io Pa«» 4. Column 4) 0 No Second Street Parking During Pet Parade Wednesday Police Chief Ed Miller stated today that no parking will lie permitted Wednesday evening from Five Points to Jack*on street on Second and from First to Second streets on Jackson. Thiri ruling was made to allow free movement of the pel parade to lie .itarted at 7:30 o'clock. Officens have been instructed to start clearing the street an hour earlier. The parade will form at the jail, move west on Adam* to Second, irnrth on Second to Jackson, east on Jack*on to First, north on First to Marehall, wcot on Marshal! to Second and then return south on Second to JeHemon, where It will be disbanded.

Butler Funeral To Be Here Thursday Funeral service* for Mr*. Herbert Butler, who died Sunday night at Rochester, Minn., will be held Fhursday afternoon at 3 o'clock at the First Methodist church here, with Dr. M <>. Lexter officiating. Burial will Im- in the Decatur ermI i-tery. Big Public School Enrollment Seen 1946-47 Term Will Open September 3 Another big enrollment if not the largest in the city’s history I* expected in the Deiatur public M-hoolrt next month when the 194647 term Is opened, Walter J. Krick, city ochool superlnti-ndent. stated today. Enrollment in the public schools han been inoiuiliiig l.lgher each year, he said, with an Increase of 16.) student* shown in the system for the 1945-16 term over that of the 1941-42 term. While additional student* are picked up frequently in the higher grades, most of the annual boost luw Iteett brought about by the Increase in kindergarten and primary grade enrollment.’. For instance, the kindergarten claosM started in the 1940-11 term had an enrollment of 69. Last year the enrollment wa- 115. hi 194'1-41 the first grade raster Included 79 ttamcri and last year 109. The kindergarten registration Jumped 55 to 85 in one year, last year's record* di»cliß<-. Mr. Krick also announced a tentative calendar for the 1946-47 term, a* follows: September 3 School open*. October 24-25 Teachers convention. November 2*29 Thanksgiving (T trn To Page ’>. Col tmn I) o c Craft Shop Exhibit Here During Festival The summer recreation craft »hop, operated all summer at Worthman field m part of the city's recreation program, will bo located In the Scout exhibit tent on Madison street during the 4-H chib show and youth festival, it was announced today. In addition to displaying craft work done during the summer, the •bop will lie In active operation, with the boys and girls making further exhibits during the threeday show. Miss .Madeline Spahr, craft supervisor, will be in charge of the exhibit. W. rthman field will be closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons.

17-Year-Old College Boy Confesses Strangling Os Six-Year-Old Degnan Girl

Increase Made Here In Hospital Budget Hospital May Face Deficit Next Year Superintendent Florence Mehtensteiger of the Adams county memorial hospital informed the county commissioners Imlay that the hospital might face a ll..turn deficit next year, based on the SH3.IHM) budget riled with the board last week. Receipts at the hospital are expected to run about 18.000 a month. Miss l.ichtenslelger explained, tot aling approximately 198,000 for the year. The difference between the budget of estimated expenditures and receipts consequently would cause ii 117.000 deficit. If expenses of operation were in line with appropriations asked in the budget County auditor Thurman Drew estimated that it would require a six cent levy on the taxable property In the county to raise the dlffernce betw-en Income and disbursement*. For the past several years the hospital ha* not received any funds from taxation, the expense of o|M-rating the institution being off set with sufficient Income from patient* and services rendered by the hospital. Increased costs of operation and lioosts In wages for nurse* ami other attendants at the hospital, were explained a* reason* for increasing the budget. The third floor of the hospital lias been closed to patients due to the lack of nurses. The county commissioners were working on the county budget today and hope to complete their job tills afternoon. It is likely that an increase will be necessary in Hu- county * h-vy. since the gem-r-(Turn To 6. (*<»liirnn O (i Missouri Contest Primary Highlight Truman Purge Effort Holds Chief Interest By I'nlted Pres* Voters of the fifth Missouri congressional district decide today whether President Tritmaii is right and Hep. Roger <’ Slaughter is wrong, or vice versa. The contest between Slaughter, outspoken foe of .Mr. Truman'* legislative program, and Enos Axtell for the Democratic nomination from the fifth district highlighted today's primary elections In six states and overshadowed the sen atorial contest in Virginia where veteran Harry F Byrd Is opposed for renoinlnatlon for the first time since his initial election in 1933. Other stales holding primary contests today were West Virginia. Kansas, Arkansas and New Hampshire. President Truman himself named the stakes in the fifth district contest when he endorsed Axtell for the nomination and commented that if Slaughter is right in opposing the chief executive * legislative program, then I’m wrong. Atell is backed by the powerful Pendergast .machine and the CIO political action committee. Despite this, however, there are no big odds on the outcome of the election. If Slaughter wins, many of his vote* may come from Republicans seeking to embarrass the President. Missouri law does not forbid Republicans from voting in a Democratic primary. Mr. Truman must take the role of an interested bystander In the election since he cannot vote against Slaughter himself His home I* In an adjoining congressional district. A senate seat Is also at stake in the Missouri primary, hut Sen. Frank P. Briggs, successor to Mr. (Turn To Pag* 5, Column «>

Proposed City Levy Doubles Present Rate Decatur Civil City Tax Levy For 1946 85 Cents Per SIOO Based on an 887.93181 budget' covering next year's estimated op . eratlng expenses. Decatur'* civil city tax levy for 1947 figure* 1 85 cent* on ea< h 1100 of taxable*. 1 an Inerease of 43 cent* over this i year's 42-cent rate, 11. Vernon AurI and. < lerk treasurer, who compiled i the estimates, stated today. i Mist year's budget on which Hie city is currently operating totaled »85.(MW. The 42-cent* levy will produce approximately 827,- ‘ 450. compared to 855.834.40 from ' the proposed 85-cent rale on the ’ city's net valuation of 88,182.048 I Increases In the police, fire and street department* largely account ' for the lu>o*t In the proposed levy ’ and also In the budget's total. »J Mr Aurand explained. Salarle. of t firemen and policemen will Imi boosted 8I« a month-and a higher f labor scale is also prevalent in the street depart moßi. The reI quests in the three department* I total 883,528. . An addd cost is the expense of • conducting the primary and getter al elections in the city next year I An appropriation of 83.oo« Is asked ’ in the budget to cover these two election*. The city's general fund balance WM 830.138/11 on July I. whi<h included 811.000 transferred from Hie electric department to buy the new fire pumper, to be delivered in Decell ber The appro prlation of 811.000 is included in the fire <|e|Ktrlment'|* requests, hut is off set by the transferred balance in the general fund Reducing th)- budget total to 855.53140. credit I* taken for revenue received by the city other titan from property taxes, gasoline and liquor taxes and coal battling Augmenting this revenue, the water department will donate 82.700 and the electri. department. 87,500 to the general fund The latter donation Is in addition to the 111.000 truck grant and 85. mm (Turn To Page 4. Column «» o Plan Treasure Hunt During Youth Week I 41 Decatur Stores Participate In Hunt Forty-one local store* will provide a treasure hunt for 411 club and youth week visitor*. It wae announced today by Paul McFaul, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce. Numbered tickets and instructions for the treasure hunt will be available at the information Ixvoth on the northeast corner of th<» court house yard. Tickets will be given out each day and the cooperating store* will have corresponding number* in their windows. Complete rules will he given to the vtoßors with the numbers. Parth'ipating etore* Include: Wall's Bakery, Zwlek Furniture .Store; Stewart's Bakery: Niblick and Co.; I.ee Hardware Co.; I.ankenan's: Holthouse Drug Co.; .Morris and Co.; Equity Store; Smith Drug Co.; Newberry Co.; Economy Store; Goodyear; Stuita Home Grocery; Pumphrey Jewelry Store; Douglas Store; Cal E. Peterson Clothing Co.; Arnold and Klenk; Gerber's Market; Al Bcavem (Tydolt; Edwards Studio; Commercial Print Sh »p; Bower Jewelry Store; Shoe Store; HolthoueeSchulte Clothing; Kohnc Drug Co.; v't'uru To Fags z. Column 4)

Price Four Cents

Shocking Details Os Killing, Cutting Up Os Body Revealed By Chicago Youth Chicago, Aug 8- tl'PI Will* lam lleireti*. 17-year-old Vnlverslty of Chicago sophomore, told in a formal, detailed confession unlay of strangling slx-year-old Snzanno Degnan, cutting up her body and dropping the part* In *ewers and catch basins. Heiren*' loQg-awaited confession told in detail of the crime that *h<>< ked the nation lust Jan. 7 When the little girl was taken ' from her home and killed. He told of climbing into her room ami apparently awakening her. When *he sat tip In bed. ho said, ho strangled her. Then, he said, he fiMtk her to the basement of an apartment building nearby, dissected her body with a knife and disposed of the parts. He said he had not Intended to kidnap or kill the child, but had entered the Degnan home bent on burglary. His statement at times was confused He could remember only dis|M>*lng of the last part of the body, an arm. which he placed in a sewer. Hi* grisly story apparently was intended to indicate hi* confused state of mind Many of the d>-tall*. he said he could not remember. But he remembered that he choked th<- child in her room, and at first he said used his fingers. Then, he said, he may have used a piece of wire to wind around her neck. He carried wire in hi* pocket of tin- type found near the scene of the murder He said he threw the knife onto the elevated railroad structure a block north of the Degnan home. Then, he said, he returned to the basement, wash tip the blood he found there, and wrote a ransom note demanding 820j»W. He took the note to the Deenan home and left H In the child's bedroom, he -aid Then he boardoil an elevated train, returned to hi> room on the I'niversity of Chicago campus, and began studying for his day's classes. All this occurred before the sleeping parents were aware that their little girl hail been murdered. Heiretts spoke In calm tone*, a* if he were trying to remember. He was surrounded by three of hi* lawyers, state attorney William J Ttiohy. assistant state'* attorney Wilbert Crowley anil pollen officer* who took part in the Investigation. Hl* statement, one of the mosr. griiesomo In police records, marked the solution to a crime seldom equalled for its brutality. Stenographers recorded every word th« youth spoke. He already had admitted the Degnan slaying orally, along with the murders of Mrs. Josephintt Ross, a widowed housewife, and ex wave Frances Brown It was (Turn T-> I'ag- (. Column 5) 0 Late Bulletins Connersville, Ind.. Aug. B.— (UP)—Two hundred members of the Indiana state guard were ordered withdrawn from the Rex Manufacturing Company by Gov. Ralph F. Gates today as nearly half of the 1,600 production employes returned to work without interference from a small CIO picket line. London. Aug. 6—(UP)—lnformed observere said tonight that the British cabinet might decide at a meeting tomorrow to inform the United Nations that Britain is ready to surrender her mandate over Palestine. Rome, Aug. 6—(UP) —The Italien newt agency said today that at least 20 persons had been killed and 100 injured In a fight between police and farmers at Cacanno, town of 9,000 near Palermo, Biclly.