Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 46, Number 211, Decatur, Adams County, 7 September 1948 — Page 1

Vol. XLVL No. 211.

THREE ARE KILLED IN CHICAGO EXPLOSION I

West Powers < Protest Berlin City Hall Riot Demand Explanation Os Soviet Inability To Maintain Order Berlin. Sept. 7— H'Pl Th, Berio commandant* of the three western pow'i'f are drafting a latter to Maj <b-n M»-xund"i Xoikov. Bu*-ian chief here. de i * mandlng an explanation of Soviet I f "Inability to preserve order" in , the Rumina net-tor. it was report ; ad today. source* letter ragiat., Ing the formal pro ' tfjA Os the western power . the rioting yesterday at | tha Barlin city hall in the Soviet aaetor trill point out that the ■flrat doty of an occupying pow I «r” la to Beep order Mcwa of the protest came as . Garman OOnimunist leaders here J CMoanead they had broken com 9 plainly with the western sector i German administration, thus for mally eatting Berlin in two The aoetalis' unity (communist > party will have no part of the | legal city adrninistartion which I moved to the British sector last night after communist mobs stormed the city hall, the party leadorahlp announced Karl Mike leader of the com ! munis* minority in the city as sembir gtrmlalmed the formal partition of Berlin at a press con I sere nee attended by 150 allied and Ogrmxt newsmen "Tha dty assembly has proved Litho Mkl "The SED (socialist I unity) par > will have no further f; pwtlol»a“ » if the assembly stays in [the west sectors " Hd cßffged that there could be no effective administration of Her A Ila with the government situated outside the city hall and outside the Hovtet sector. The «as e nbly was in effect rhased from the city hall in the Roaafon Sector yesterday Com stormed the hall, smarted down doors. blocked a scheduled meeting of the assenv | bly, and carted off in chains a group of west sector German po lice data ed to guard tlie meet | ing. Asked If the SED would take part In the transplanted assent bly, Lithe suit! emphatically: “If thev want us. they wi I — come her' We will not go there.” Wester; commanders conferr ed on Ways of freeing 26 German police ntl I virtual captives in the city hall A dev of violence and blood tbed which officials feared might have Wasted any hope for renew ■ al of four-power adrninistartion I hire protn ise<l to have repercus- j stone In Washington. London. | Moscow and Paris The four governments mav be , called Upon to decide such grave Innes as the violation by Soviet • officers of the American 'hi on mission at the Berlin city hall’ yesterday Charging into the I mission quarters. the Russian [ (Tsrs T« I’sue sis > Money Box Taken In Garage Theft Found Author:lies today were investiga 1 flag the rash of crimes which broke J oat Inf Decatur last Friday night [| The primes ranging from grand larceny to breaking and entering, were weeded by the theft of a pood safe In Al Schmitt s garage at First and Jefferson streets. The money box believed to have, bees ta the Bchmitt safe was dis | revered by Harry Sheets, of St'S' North Third street, while he and ,x StSs sss -vere hunting outside of the ** dty. Th- box had contained approx ißMMaiy *l5O In cash before the theft. Migerprint equipment was also used tn two other larceny cases — the attemp'ed robbery of the Shame!' White and company ' r roarer j. and the theft of |49 ■ Doe*j far Dock But it was learned ~ that thi- -rime detection technique | waafceetlriK with little immediate J WEATHER a Jbetly cloudy. Occasional ahpwtrt er scattered thunderetdwns over the south portion itemht. and over most of the State Wednesday Cooler Wed (Nbay and In the north portl«a tonight.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Five French Workers Killed In Explosion Strassbourg. Frame. Sept. 7. <1 Pl Five workers were killed and two gravely injured today In an explosion at Saarwellingen dynamite works. 15 miles Northwest of Saarbruecken One building was leveled and others were badly damaged. City Schools Open, Gain In Students Shown Net Increase Os 26 Pupils Shown Here Opening Day More than l.lud Decatur boys and girls left summer's joys behind them this morning and flo< ked har k to school. Having registered last week, the students began classes as usual today, and a full schedule was In effect. At the Lincoln grade school. 137 children were enrolled in the kindergarten. 20 more than last year Grades one through six had 567 students as compared with 543 last year. One hundred fifty two boys and girls were enrolled In the Decatur junior high s< hool. and 3i>s in the senior high, totaling 457 students This is a drop of 18 from last year's junior-senior high school enrollment. Total enrollment in the Decatur public schools was I 161. a gain of 26 over last year. Walter J Krick. city superintendent of school*, emphasized that the figures are incomplete as yet. since some students were slow in registering. Following is a breakdown of the enrollment figures according to grades: Kindergarten. 137; first grade. 99: second grade, lol; third grade 108; fourth grade. 8(1; fifth grade. 96: sixth grade. 83. Total for the Lincoln school. 7'4 Junior nign venom seventh grade. 73; eighth grade. 79 Senior high school freshmen. 82; sopho mores. 77; juniors 69; seniors. 77 Total for junior senior high school 457. Total for grade and high schools. 1161 Students at the Ca'holic schools do not have to appear until tomorrow. and registration figures will probably be released then. At Berne, students were enrolling this afternoon, but regular classes will not begin until toinor row Rural schools were In session today but final registration figures will not be completed beI fore tomorrow Mrs. Thomas Kern Dies This Morning Funeral Services Friday Afternoon Mrs Mary Estella Kern. 75, wife of Thomas Kern, died at 5:45 o'clock this morning at her home. 664 North Third street Death, at tributed to complications, followed a long Illness Born in Decatur July 21. 1873. a daughter of James M and Mary Catherine Summers Archbold, she was a life-long resident of thit leity She was married to Thomas Kern May 17. 1894 She was a memi.-r of the Bethanv Evangelical I'nited Bre thren church Surviving in addition to her hus band are four daughters. Mrs James Stalev. Mrs Bernice John son and Mrs Margaret Mi haud all of Decatur, and Mrs Marcella Armstrong of Elkhart: two sis ten. Mrs Jesse Swarts and Miss Jennie Archbold. both of Decatur; seven grandchildren and one greatgrandchild One son and one bro i ther preceded her In death Funeral services will he held at ! I 30 pm Friday at the home and at 2 o’clock at the Bethany Evan | gplical I’nited Brethren church, with the Rev F .11 Willard offlcl atlng Burial will be In the Deca ■ tur cemetery The body will he removed from the Black funeral hntne to the reeldeme where friends may call after Ipm Wed 1 neoday

Detroit Speech Climaxes Truman Tour PRESIDENT TRUMAN, speaking before a crowd which pa< ked Detroit's Cadlllai Square laiuu ln -1 Ills campaign for election in a laibor Day attack on Republican* as "rea< tionaries" whose -u< < iit i November would endanger American democracy. Mr Truman's daughter Margaret, -its behind him as he speaks.

County Council In Review Os Budgets Two-Day Session Is Opened Here Today The Adam* county council convened today for a two day sessionduring which they will review gov eminent budget* totaling more than $721,000 The budget* are: county government, $325,110; county hnapitalj $100,525: welfare department. i 52U1.440. and the highway depart-1 ment. $12*315. Final action on the budget* will not he taken until Wednesday Henry Itehner. chairman of the council. Mated that the member*; would review every appropriation request and determine what reduction* could he made. Itichard Pruden. executive sec retary of the Chamber of Com merce. I* attending the annual meeting and will submit the recommendation* of the chamber* tax committee to the council These recommendation* were published last month and embrace cottsidera-, tion of the hospital’s request for approximately $46,000 of tax funds over and above hospital income for next year'* operation of the institution. Mr Dehner said that groups or individual taxpayer* were welcome to appear before the councilmen and make recommendation* for or again*t contemplated appropriation* Elmer Baumgartner. < hairman of the Adams county welfare department. will appear before the councilmen Wednesday morning to ex plain the request for an increased rate for the department's budget The department is seeking a IS cent rate, compared to the current 13-cent levy Reside* .Mr Itehner. members of the council are. Julius Schult*. Leon Netienschwander. Otto Hoff man. Charles Jones. ('hr l * Stahley and William Kruetzman The hit ter will he unable to attend the meeting because he is seeking hav* fever relief in Michigan The contemplated hospital's deficit call* for an 11-cent lew for next year. The county'* general rate I* figured at 49 cent* and the welfare department's IS rents No levy i* made for the highway denurtment, a* it operate* on revenue from the state gasoline tax Commissioners Meet In Monthly Session County commissioners John Aug* burxer. John W Blakev and John Chris’ener met in monthly session today, devoting the forenoon to checking and allowing of claims Few Items were scheduled on the commissioner** calendar for the September session A Joint meeting with the county coun< il will lie held thi* afternoon, pertaining to appro, prialion* asked fn. in the budget A later meeting will he held by the commissioners to sign the contract with Yost Construction com pane for the repair of the wood covered bridge near Ceylon In Wabash township County attorney Ed A Bosse is preparing the agreement.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, September 7, 1948

$35,000 Fire Loss At Fortville Monday Fortv tile. Ind .Sept 7 fl’Pj I i Three business establishment* lay!' I gutted today as the result of a fir<; i which swept through a building ; yesterday. causi.tg damage estima'ed at s3s.mm. Fire fighters from seven cities, i including Indianapolis, Anderson ami Noblesville, rushed to the I scene Three men were overcome by smoke as tin- blaze. started by l an explosion, raved through the - three story building. Authorities Busied By Holiday Wrecks Three Persons Hurt In Four Accidents Four traffic accident* which sent three persons to the Adam* > unity I memorial hospital with Injuries and damaged pru|>city to the ex , 1 tent of sl.2mt kept ci’v ind county ' law enforcement authorities on the run over the long l.ilor Bay ' weekend A tomato truck driven by Wil liam Lee Itingger. 25. of Bluffton route 4 crashed into an atttomo'dle driven by Hoy Foster, ol Angola, at 5 pm Monday eight miles south of IH-catur on I' S 27 Foster's i' wife. Belly Jane. 23. wax taken to the hospital for treatment after suffering laceration* of the face , and knee, and shock Ringger told sheriff Herman Bowman the brake* on hl* truck failed The truck was damaged to the extent ' 'iof SSOO and damage to the auto was estimated at s3ou Consider h able damage to the load of tomn , tors was also reported Mrs Matilda Everhart. 7». of Huntington, was hospitalized for| arm and leg bruises and lacera ' tion* of the body and face, and Tommy Sullivan, eight, was treat ed for a nose injury when the auto mobile In which they were riding, got out of control one mile east ■ Jof Decatur on V. S 224 and skid , *•' ded off a bridge into a creek The ! car was driven by Mrs Ben S< hriner. s's. also of Huntington • who was uninjured Sheriff Bow | man estimated damage to the auto . at s3o<>. and it took two wrecker* . a full hour to haul the car from . the creek Autos driven by Imvid Schaadt. 75. of Celina. O. and Verma Doherty. 54. of Geneva, collided Monday evening at the junction of state road ltd and C S 27 Ham age totaling $45 was reported by the sheriff None was injured City police reported an accident at Monroe and Thirteenth street* i Mondav evening at 7:30 In which, i property damage estimated at $75 >1 was Incurred The autos were | driven by Joseph U Ungo. of f West lAfayette. and Richard S ’! Walters, of Markle A line of car* ’■ had stopped for a stop sign, hut II Walter* was unable to brake bis 'auto in time He crashed into the rear of the Lingo machine damag-l ' ing bis front grill considerably '|Lingc Is a professor of traffic ' safety at Purdue university 1 Several Arrested fn an effort to prevent holidav r traffic accidents before they might ' happen, local authorities made, (Tara Ta Paa* Twa»

Berne Youth Pleads Guilty To Charges John H. Sprunger Surrenders Today John Henry Sprunger. the 21 year-old Berne youth who fled al multi suite diic.'mt aftei allegedly "fleering’ auto dealer Herman Wullimatt of $3.100. turned himself I over Io sheriff Herman Bowman this afternoon and pleaded guilty I before circuit court Judge Earl B Adam* io a charge of obtaining i money under false pretense* The court took the case under I advisement for a few days, and sprunger was allowed hl* freedom until judgment is rendered Maxi mum penalty for Hie crime to which Sprunger admitted guilt is seven years in the state reformatory Dapper, dark-haired Sprunger walked into the sheriff* office with his father. Glover Sprunger manager of the Berne Dunbar funi Bure factory, and c H Muse',man.: defense attorney Muselman in a plea to the court for lenient y. cited Spruru-t-r's youth he just turned 21 in .lune ami the fat* that he come* from a sub stant.al law al't'lin. Christian fam ily After Sprunger s ev ommunn a tion from Ills < hurt It lie. ause of the divorce he got nt Adam* circuit court, he lie. atoe embittered Muse)-1 man said, and went to Indianapolis where Io- "mingled with bad men and lived beyond bls means, leading to the offen-i-The Sprunger youth had been sought since August 3 mi a < barge of obtaining money under false pretenses The Berne lad a' that time wax alleged to have approached Her man Wulliman. Berne automobile dealer, with an offer to sell a i l nf r I•• I*"nr Tbrrri Indiana's Holiday Death Toll Is 15 Traffic Accidents Take 12 Os Lives By I'nited Press Indiana's violent death toll over the three-day laihor Hay weekend rose to 15. according to state police reports Traffic accidents took 12 lives while two othrr person* drowned and one was found dead in a river after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage State police listed the tollowing traffic fatalities John Robert Clifford. 20. Hush vilK John Lee. 14. Kentland Phillip Virgin. 14. Kentland Clarence Fuller. 54. Drumrl ;ht, Okla Harrison Taylor. 90. Indiana polls Darwin Bell. 58. Petersburg Robert Goodnight. 22. Indianapolis Jack S. Modesitt. 21. Beech Grove. ( Mrs Hazel Fisher. 50. Kokomo Mrs Acne* Myer* 35. Gaston William R Robbins 20. Wia cheater Arvine Patterson. 20. Indiana ' polt*

Blast Rocks Brach Candy Plant; 18 Others Hurt In Blast This Morning

September Term Os Court Opens Today Returning from the Mtmtnc! - vacation. Adams <ln nit court reconvened tlii* morning at 9 o'clock ' .lild.'e Fail It l.laUl* pre-Jd IK' \ large number of routine entries were made, occupying tin- larger i part of (lie morning. The court docket will Hot be railed this term, as has been the iice in the past Court will eon-j vene daily The number of case* : io he heard dining th" September term rould not be determined at | this lime. U. S. Holiday Death Toll Is Near 500 Mark California Leads All States; Drop • From July 4 Toll By I'nited Press I Holiday airiilellt* killed 492 i person* during tire three day i..i | i>or Day weekend, a final tabula . tion showed toilay Tin- death total was a shflrp 1 drop trim the all time high of 629 killer! during the July 4 holiday j this year But traffic arc.dent* took a sub ' •t.infially higher death toll than' . the 260 predi< ted try- the na'lona' I safety count il V I nitr-d I’te-- j survey showed that of the 492 1 ar I iilent victim* 302 were killed In aulomohi't* attideni- <»f lie rest. 62 drown, d and 128 riled m' misct-ilam-oii* a,,tdenl- in, I nd ■ lag almost a dozen small plan. : irashes California led all other state* with "6 fatalifie- Texas wa< . c ose behind with 'll death* I'ennsvlvaiita had 2*. North Caro lina 27. New York 2‘,. Michigan Ohio 21. and II inoi* 19 North Dako'a wa* th. , tily state with ! mil a violent death of any kind Ih-kpite the drop from the July I high Hie death toll wa* higher tnan the 456 killed during the La bor Day weekend of 1947 A survey taken for a ' typical poll holiday weekend from Am- 7 Cliiru 'l',, I'«m, 'I hrae, Western Electric Sets Strike Date Telephone Tieup Is Threatend By Strike Chicago. Sept ' rll’i \ • IMikesman for the A*w<>,iation of Communication Equipment Wmk • er* (CIO) said today that it will: strike Sept 17 against the Western Electric Co time** agreement iI reached on a new wage contract by that time Announcement of the strike date wa* mad,- by D V Harris, vice president of the union Harris said that a walkout h "could be expected ' to tie Up' ' I telephone communi-ation* through ; out the country The union claim* to represent 25,600 worker* in 45 'I states I Negotiations on a new wage con I trad have l»ern in progress sineI May 11 Thev Were lnten»lfled| about a month ago Harris »abl > they had rea, bed a stalemate but are still "on." Originally, the union asked for a 31-cent hourly wage in, rease for members Harris said that in negotiations the union ha* drop ped to a request for a 15 cent I hourly increase or more, but that , Western Electric negotiator* were standing firm on a maximum of eight • enta lai*t month, the At’ltW national • officer* selected the strike dste, but kept it a secret Harris said that the Sept. 17 date was chosen bncMM it comes at about the time when other telephone workers' ; unions are m heduied to reopen I negotiations on their wage con iTerw Ve Pane TWreet

Truman Plans Vigorous Fight On Republicans Assails G 0 P. In Series Os Speeches Labor Day Holiday Ln Route Witli President Tru ( man Sept 7 tl'l'i President Truman returning today from a, khakeslown run through Michigan: and into Ohio, planned a vigorous, hare knit, kle battle against the Re publican* in what lie termed "the ino*t itoporXant political < ampaifi i sine the Lincoln Ifougla* de bate* " , Mr Truman set the pace for hi ’election campaign ve*ferday when he made seven he*, a. i ll* ing the Republican* of everything from "plain outright bribery'' of the eleitorate to bowing to the wishe* of "a lot of lobbyist*" Hi* double barrelled attack he van early in the morning at Grand Rapids. Mich, and ended late at night at Toledo. I) . where he compared Hie campaign with the Lincoln |h>uglas debates. Mr Truman was due baik In I Washington at 11 15 am today j He will remain in the Capital un I til Sept 17 when he will start an extensive campaign tour that will take him to the west coast and into the southwest The Pre idem told hi audience'ill Michigan, where lie vl-ited near Iv all the mal'ir production cen , ter*, tliat thev were heating onh the beginning of a long li*t of | Idisterlnc atta, k* on the Itepubli - ian bolder slop, parti* tilarly in con gres*. He lulled the *mh coneres* "do Hiothinr "backward'' and "worst He completed the whirlwind tour of Mulligan with a spec, h in Flint wlo-re he took the Repuhli iians to task for distributing lltera tur,- suggesting that taxpayershare wlh the GDI’ campaign treasury the fruits of the tax cut ! passed by the Repuldi, an-cotl trolled congte-s I think that i* one of the mint outrageous thing* I ever heard he said "I tliink it I* plain out ' i Ight bribers '' In everv Hpee, h lie hammered at the record of congress and th, Taft Hartley labor law which he , ailed a dangerous weapon pla. ~l tn the hand* of corporation* to the detriment of labor \t Detroit where lie «poke to a joint \FL< I<> rally of 125 mm per sons, he warned worker* "If vou get an administration and a con 4 I urn I«» I'affr Tw«» To Ask Funds For Drainage Projects Available Funds Reported Depleted With all available f ind* depleted some 125 o',,' mu-' I* appropriated i bi the county council and the Imurd of county commissionera if several dra naze proje. t* now planned ate to income a reality, county sur , leior Virgil Bowers said todav I "! shall ask the county council and the commissioners for these additional approptiailons in their spe< ial session, to t-e called around Sep em’-er D' in mv opinion there i- no quest.on hut what these funds sill ta* approved The authorities have never failed to lake note of the necessity of it tn the past and II think they'll go along with It this. time Mr Bowers declared Several |woje< ts Involving the. < net rue i h,n of new ditches or the < leaning and repair <d exMiM drain* have already been process ed through the surveyors office i Mr Bowers explained but the let-1 > -Inc of contraets will be held up ' until the ne -eeaary funds rune i throuch Mr Bowers t-aMd his confidents lists Te f«a» »wel

Price Four Cents

Accumulation Os Corn Starch Dust Believed Cause Os Blast Early Today Chicago Sept 7 il l-i An explosion followed by fire ripped 'hroiigh the sprawling Bruch can dy plant today ki ling three p< r mm* and Injuring I* other* Company official* said ‘hat 32 persons were In the builidng will'll the blast tore gaping hoes ill the wall- at Otie end of the jdant early today A < heck showed that 11 got out unhurt, ami that all had been a< < minted sot, a company spok' <- mat: said Two non were killed outright in the explosion and a third tiled I i a hospital Two other worker* were in critical condition and were expe. ted to die The plant employs a full force of 2 I, ll ' workers, but the day shift had not reported for duly wlieti ’li,- exp'osion strewed the ■ iirroiin ling street* with debris and shattered windows through out the vl< Inltv Fit,'men brought the flame* under control after .-. 90 minute battle Tlu-y said the ,-xplosioti in , tilted 111 a starch making ma < Lm" Mo-t of the damage was < I'llflned to two rtsiiii- on the top floor of the tlnee story building which Occupies all entire Isdck The twi> rooms were filled witli debris several feet high. I and firemen said It might lake several hour* to leant whether there are any more dead Thank God this happened )>•>- , fore th,- day>hift < ante to work ' said file commissioner Michael 1 Corrigan "If ft had happened aft- r 'i o', I,h k II would have been one of the greatest di-aster* In re, ent year* Janies Unlmititio amp his a- , sist.int. Fred l.ind-trom said they had been al work alaiut 15 minute* in the first f oor tna, hine -hop when fl "-hook 'ln- whole building Th-te w.isn't anv warning at nil no smell or vibration or any- ' thing Imburtino *aid Os the Is Injured, three were released front ho-pital* after 'trea'ment Many however were burned Serioltslv Corrigan said he heli- led the blast resulted from an a< cumu l.ition of < orn starch dust. Fratui- i.oetferie dtvi-ion tech rd, a supervisor of the National ft arch <‘o . said that star, h dust explosion* can <*, ur with the same violence as blast* from otli er type* of dust I'nder some condition*, lie said, the sta'ii eleetri, il < harge* tak en on ',v dust parti, 1,-* in the sir in, rea •• and may be released bv a q,.itk m Hie .nr He recalled that a starch plant at Indlanap,,T„r„ V„ I'sar TH reel Local Man's Mother Dies Last Evening Mr* G W Blocker 77 of Dome*i tic. died Monday evening at tho Well* counts- hospital alter a three week* Illness of heait trouble Surviving are five *<m«. in-lading Xlvfn Blocker of De,atur. i< daughter: 16 grand'hildren and 17 greatgrand' hildren Funeral services will lie held at 2 pm Thursday at the West Missionary ihurch at Berne, witli burial in the MRE cemetery The body will l.e returned from Lie Jahn funeral home to the residence this eve ning Funeral Thursday For Sailor Veteran Funeral servic* will l>e held Thursday for St ■ Paul J Baumgartner. a native of Im-atur. who was killed in action in the Pa, ifi.late in 1941 He wa* a son of Mr. and Mrs Emil Baumgartner, of Fort Wavge Services will be held at 3 pm. Thursday at the <’ M Sloan funeral home in Fort Wayne, the Rev. ; C C Frrd offi taring American legion Post 47 will conduct military iltes and member* of the naval , reset ie battalion *>9 will art a* pall'■•srer* Friend* mav cal! at the , funeral homo after noon Wedno*i day