Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 48, Number 23, Decatur, Adams County, 28 January 1950 — Page 1

Vol XLVIII. No. 23.

r . . ■ t m .I i * i Um ' ■■■— l ■ 11,11 11 — SEARCHYUKONFORMISSINGAIRLINER

Pickets Blast Non-Union MinT In Pennsylvania Outbreak Follow* Lewis Agroomuwt To Roopow Nogot *a*ioe> Pittsburgh, Jaa. M — (VP) — Picketa. determined to contlaae their "n«M-oatractnowork" strike dynamited a western Pennsylvania non-anton mine today ta their es forts to halt all coal production State police Mid the pickets touched off a blast at the entrance to the Askey Brothers Coal Co., mine. South Philipsburg. shortly before midnight and returned fire hours later and blew up a truck. No one waa injured in the eiploaloe which sealed the mine f t Another bead of pickets dyna 'l * mlted a blacksmith ebop at the mine Thursday night. Police said It waa the fourth dynamiting at Pennsylvania mines within the past three days A mleeCUpple wna" wrecked by an wupMmi near Brockway Thur* (The jateat outbreak came short- ' alter t’nited Mine Workers president John 1. Lewis agreed to reopen coal negotiations with northern and southern soft coal operators In Washington next Wednesday. Despite the agreement to re same talks, reports from the coal fields indicated that moat of the rebel miners will continue their all out strike until they get a new contract. * Meanwhile new pressure *** brought upon Preaident Truman to Intervene In the coal dispute Uff" the result at a cold wave sweeping acroes the midwest. In Minnesota. 1coal supplies were reported critic j al In aeveral cities. Including Rochester. home of thjp Mayo clinic | where approximately IS hotels reported they may be forced to < low Rep Harold C Hagen. R. Minn . told the president that’ "coal shipments must be matte Immediately or there will be Intense suffering! and tragedy.” Hagen said some churches have suspended services, several schools were ready to close, and a ntimbei ot communities are out of steam coal \ “Cold ami suffering people are not Interested in your possible concern for the feeling* of a handful of coal labor union leaders." Hagen wrote "They want coal and they want It Immediately" It was believed, however that the president would not make any move In the coal dispute until as ter Lewi* and the operators meet next Wednesday. Lewis agreed to meet with the mine owner* In Washington at 2 p m . Feb. 1 after they 'suggested" that he keep a date St 10 a ni with a federal court judge on nat tonal labor relations board charge* of unfair latxir practices The mine chief told the operat or* he would meet with them in the afternoon if they so desired and would have hia lawyers lake care of the court appearance The NLRB filed the unfair labor practice charges claiming the untpn'a "willing and able" clause. tTwrw T« Foe* slat War Veteran Again Leaves Vet Hospital Mr* Minnie Teeple. SlO Clous MrrikVwas aifvfsed evening that her son. Jay Teeple. World War I veteran, walked away from Veteran's hospital. Danville. 111. The 54-year old veteran, who lost his left arm In battle In Europe In 1918. frequently has left the hospital. H* suffered shell shock and hospital attendants are fearful that he might j be strark • c,r •*"■* the high e*f. Deputy Sheriff Bob Shraluka broadcast Teeple* disappearance over the short wsve radio station thia morning. He naked that, any Information about the man be sen' so the sheriff's office, the Red Cross or to the mother's home. WCATHIR Fair and warmer today. It* ereaalng tleudmgas and warmer totdgbt. Tomorrow mostly cloudy and mild with rain or driaale beginning by afternoon or night. High today 43 to 41. Lj _ .Lew tonight Mto 4G

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

1 Ims Zone Banquet Here Tuesday Hight Lions International Fast President Here Edward H. Paine, of Michigan City, past president of Lion* International. will he the principal speaker are gone banquet of Lions club* to be held at the K of P home In this city Tuesday evening at 7 o'clock, with the Decatur Lions club as host The event wllj also be observed _kl ladles (lights with . wives "or sweethearts of the Lions as guests Phil Sauer, president of the De- ; catur < luA, will lie the presiding officer. _ Clarence D. Eberhart, of Blppus. gone counselor, will ral| the meeting to order, followed by singing and the Invdratlon by the Rev Robert J. McDanel. Fort JKagne. Ltona state chaplain and club singing, with Rev MrDanel as the song leader, accompanied by Mrs McDanel at the piano. E R. Waite. of Wabash IJon* I International counselor will act a* toastmaster. Fred J Anglin Lees burg, cabinet secretary. will call the roll of clubs, anil the host president will give the address of welcome Rev McDanel will I then present a groyp of musical ' selections, followed by the Introduction of Donald D Poulson. Etna Green, district governor, by l**H<A Baumjtartner. Huntington. deputy district governor. Gov. Poulson will introduce Mr Paine, who will deliver the principal address of the evening Clubs which are members of Zone A are Decatur. BippU*. Bluffton. Geneva. Huntington. Monroe vllle. Ossian and Roanoke. Rural Mail Carrier 1$ Killed By Truck - - Georg?. Conn, Jr 52. a rural mail carrier was killed/ when a truck struck hia ear on Ind. 35 Ed Gunther. Royal. CftUM er. Ware Hat **<l i»y police an driver ot the truck. Purchase 01 Machine Studied By Officials County Auditor Moy Buy New Machine - Although no definite action waa taken, there's a’distinct possibility the county auditor's- office might acquire an additional machine. this one to reduce the duplication of «<ort M»d the~”niefce«r of chance Two repreaentatives of the Burroughs husinees machine company were present Friday in thecani misstoners' room In the courthouse to demonstrate to the commissionera and the county council their machine which will prepare tax duplicates as well as treasurer's receipts. simultaneously Currently this work Is done in two different operation*: the auditor's office prepares the duplicates, the treasurer* office, after recelvIng these duplicate* prepares ifee receipts. There was no apt description given of the machine other than to state that it had h multi-purpose keyboard. Ono office said that jojt press a button, jump hack quickly, watt for the macihno to stop smoking, then pull out the completed tax billing “Better tbaa an abacus." bo said -- —-

Laanii uiraenrreea OfLHeTennOn Murder Charge Alleged Fort Wayne Killer Freed After High Court Ruling Columbia City. lad.. Jan. 39— (UP)—Robert V Christen. 39. Denver. Colo., one of three men convicted in a bisarre aeries of four Fort Wayne sex slaying*, was free today from a life term in prison. Christen waa ordered released after serving nine mouths In the Indiana state prison by Judge Lowell L. Pefley. who sentenced him last April in Whitley cirenM court after a jury convicted trim of killing Mrs. Dorothea Howard. I wife of a soldier at Baer field. The Indiana supreme court on Jan. 4 ordered a new trial tor Christen. ruling that he waa conffleted on insufficient evidence. Pefley dismissed the murder charge on motion of prosecutor James Mddle, who told the judge the state had no additional evidence to support a new trial i ■ Christen attended the hearing at which the charge was wiped off the book*. He smiled happily and said he waa going back to Denver Immediately ~‘ He was one of four men Involved . in the strangest legal tangle in Indiana history. They were charged in *the IM4-5 slayings of Mr*. Howard. Aqua Kuteff. Welhelma Haaga and Phyllis Conine After two- years of fruitless effort* by Fort Wayne police to solve the crimes. Ralph Lobaugh ot Ko. homo walked Into the poHee stat km io 1»47 and confessed the Howard. Knseff and Haaga slaying* Ou hl* plea of guilty he was sentenced to die In the electric chair, but when the-other men were Implicated in the xlayingT lobaugh received stays of execution and stilt await* death in the alafe prison Chrisleq, and Charles Dodson. Memphi*. Tenn., postal worker, j were indicted for murder in Mr* Howard * death hut charge* were dropped against Dodson and he wa* the state's star wltnes* against christen 1j.t.1 Franklin Click. 30. Fort Wayqe celery* field worker, con* : fessed the Kuveft. Haaga and Co- ' nine slaying* and wa* sentenced to death In the Conine case He now awaits execution When thy supreme court order (Twra TW Pace rtv*l Minister's Fate To Go To Jury Today Complete Evidence In Pastor's Trial Benton. 111., .’an 2k - H’Pl— A jury or 11 men and one woman will begin deliberating today on whether a former clergyman -Waa. guilty of carrying on an affair wilh a 14-yeacold girl. Janie* L. Pettit. 52. sal calmly in the Franklin county circuit courtroom a* prosecution and defense attorney* summed up their case* Nearby Mt bl* accuser, a pretty, soft-spoken girl who claim* she is six months pregnant as result of the alleged Illicit relationship with Pettit. Pettit, formerly pastor of thu Baptist church at nearby Thompsonville, denied yesterday that he had carried on the affair. He I* with statutory rape He alab denied the glrTs charges that she had worked in his borne as a maid. She had told the court previously that they had relation* in the house about "a doten times" last summer. When defense attorney S M. Ward questioned him about the girl’s statement that he had fed her beer. Pettie replied: “I never kept intoxicating liquor " Pettit's wife of 22 yean testified to declare her complete “faith" In her husband The couple has a son In tbe grmy and Pettit ha* a dangh tef by a pcevlou* marriage. Pettit. w4o resigned as minister after the charges were tiled against him last September, testified that he bad aeea hl* accu*er in the com panv of other men. including a married man, and that. th« girl bad told him once that aeveral boy* had '"bothered her " Pettit, who ha* been true on bond, ha* been working at a mine office .

OML.V AAILV MCWRPAPBR ADAMUi COUNTY

s— — • Decatur, Indiana, Saturday, January 28, 1950

Sios Arms Pact I?“- ' ♦ GREAT BRITAIN became the first country of the eight member* of the North Atlantic alliance to sign a bilateral agreement with the U. 8.. aa British Ambassador Sir Oll»er Pranks hlkiis the agreement aat»iue -truth terms of eooperaltou hetwoen the n,untries in using U. 8 fund* and aiding each other. The V. 8.. France. Norway. Belgium. Luxembourg. Italy. The Netherlands and Ih-nmark are the other signatories.

Chicago Fire Fatal To One, Five Hurt Couple Questioned On Origin Os Fiic Chicago. Jaa. 2* —tUPI—A 34-yuur-old woman died and at least five other persons Were Injured today in an apartment house fire, on Chicago’* near north side The outiuuiK was only a few d<*>rs from the garage where Al Capone's gangster* machine gunn ed seven" other molmters against a wall in the famous Valent lni >j Day massacre" in 1*29 The dead woman. Mrs. Helen! Ford, wa* found unconscious In. her second-floor- Imdrwtm alongsiile : her S-year-old daughter. Sandraj Lee Both had been overcome liy' smoke. . j Fin-men removed them to a nearby hotel lobby where they! revived the daughter. Mr*. Ford* died: Sandra Lee wa* blinded by the smoke, but recovered her sight; slowly after treatment. She murmured to a nurse that she had come here r few days ago from Indianapolis, physicians said, but they could not question her until I she recovered from shock. Many of the ihjurml were hurt I when they jumped from the flam Ing structure. Police seized John Hjertherg.l 44. and his wife. Katherine. 3». for questioning concerning Hie: origin of the fire but both were intoxicated and Incoherent, police Mid. and were for the I night Constantine "Kontos. 39. discov ! ,T*rw Te Fane Ffltet Keep Close Tab On Margarine Prices Oleo Manufacturers Are Put On Notice Washington Jan W—fCPI— Oleomargarine manufacturers were on nbtk-e today to cut prices after < federal taxes are repealed or face a congressional Inrestigatlon Ben Guy M Gillette. D.. la . said hla senate agriculture sub-commit tee will keep a_ ckife. watch on margarine prices to see what hap pen* once the federal levle* are lift 'ed. " "It is probable there might be investigation* ta the field of- oleo 1 prices.” he Mid. “after We see what changes- if any—follow enactment of the repeal taw." Differences in senate and bon*» , versions of the oleo tax repealer. 1 are nqw being resolved by a joint 1 senatFhouee conference committee ' Conferees expect little difficulty In reaching an agreement on a com 1 promise. Both bills would eliminate the 1# cents a pound federal levy on color J ed oleo and one-fourth cent lax on naeolored margartos -J

Bell Ringers Monday At School Assembly ts member* of the student body of the Decatur high school and Decatur Cathultc Schools complain Monday of hearing bells ringingit will be perfectly understanding. For at 9: IB o'clock that morning, in the high school auditorium. W. Guy Brown, principal of the Decatur high school states, a group of bell ringer* will entertain at an assembly program. The public Is cordially invited to attend. Brown added Sprunger Appeals Peeping Tom Term Appeal Filed Here In Circuit Court The case of the “peeping Tom." i caught in the act Thursday night : by |H>Uce. sentenced and Jined Friday by Mayor John Itoan. is due i tor auotiier public airing this time in Adam* circuit court An appeal bond of |lm> was post ed for Calvin Sprunger. of Berne, by members of his family, and the case will be tried in circuit court ala later date Sprunger. who signed a crinfe* sion of hl* guilt. »», sentenced on ■ the charge* contained in an affl- . i davit bearing the prosecuting attor- : Iley's seal, and de-tlyered to the county jaH with a 3May sentence The defendant Friday was fined 450 and cost*, the maximum fine for Such a penalty, and sentenced ; ;o .id day* irt the county jail. The maximum sentence which could have been imposed" was SO days. C. H. Musselman, Beene attor -iiey. has been employed as counsel tor Sprunger and will defend him in circuit court action. At Friday s hearing before Mayor Doan, city patrolman Dale Death described tow Sprunger was caught in the *< ii of peeping through the bathroom window of a residence on Master Drive Deputy sheriff Hob Shraluka. the other arresting offfeer, though not taking t.hyj>tand , Th court, corroborated Death* remark* They told of the little box Which Sprunger carried, better to reach ' the window, how he wa* standing there, his chin resting on his folded arms so preoccupied with the work' at hand that he didn't even hear the officers approach Sprunger was released from the (Twee Te Fuel Ttoeeli - * New Job Insurance ■ Claims On Decrease Indianapolis. Jan 2S - ifPl — Initial job insurance claim* In Ind !la«a dropped if percent last weak 'from the preceding week, the stale employment security division said today Director Everett L. Gardner an nounced yesterday that recalls to work have exceeded layoffs in most section* Claims from newly unemployed Hoosiers dropped to 7.37 W list week There were 3.330 claims 4hn_wMk. ending Jan 14. ,

Air Force Transport Is Missing In Yukon Wilds, 44 Persons Are Aboard

New Cold Wm Is Headed To Midwest To Cover Much Os Nation By Sunday Chicago, Jan 2« —(VPI — A new wave of Arctic air surged over the Canadian border today and forecasters Mid it would cover a wide portion ot the nation by tomorrow night. •-i The cold front swept Into the Pacific northwest and the northern plains .Just ,-B* Mtulberly breexe* began ptuhiug temperatures upward from the w<> martt in the midwest Ught snow accompanied the cold Into Montana. Idaho, eastern Oregon. northern Nevada and North Dakota dropped to -IP at Dickinson. N. D . -12 at Lewistown. Mont. and -3,. at Spokane Waah. As Chicago, however, the mercury registered 2" degrees above yesterday Forecaster* said the cold would to she Great Lakes by Sun day evening. .. —, ' It threatened to cause considerable hardship at .DqiRI.lL.. Minn, where AFL steam corporation employes were considering a strike that would cut off heat to downtown buildings nnd three hospital* At SUllwater. Minn., stalwart eitlxen* said they didn't mind the cold, however. Wearing straw hat* and earmuffs —they traveled on skis. Nibsleds, snowshoes and dogsleds fast nigtCt to attend an outdoor Ice cream social They ate 15 flavors of Ice cream at a picnic spot decorated with balloons and Japanese lanterns. Illinois and Indiana resident* anxiously watched the rising Wabash river which once* more wa* threatening to fhaid their homes ' River expert*,, howt ver. said the I threat wasn't-as serious as during! the extreme high water two week* ■ | N*» w Yorkers wore work today as’ Hu* nwrrury st-mid brlow fretting after a freak heat j wave earlier this week Induced j girls to sunbathe in swimming suits| ( rarv T« !••«» Kivel New Castle Is Hit By Wafer Shortage Schools Dismissed Early By Shortage New Castle. Ind . Jan 2S (I*l’l New Caotle'a 2O.iHK> resident* u*e<i water sparingly today a* engineer* sought .to learn the cause of a week-long shortage. Water pressure dropped from a normal 92 pound* to around -fit' pounds cutting the supply from the municipal water plant to a trickle In the city's faucets? Some 4.000 pupil* in IQ schools were sent home early yesterday to conserve water. Mayor Harold Meadow* said new washer* wm installed on pump* at the plant last night and engirt errs thought it might improve the situation. Bitt Meadow* Mid the cky-had faced an eventual water shortage since 1937. _ . "The emergency is not over." he Mid. as the pressure improved Engineer* deliberately held the pressure below normal to conserve water tn case of a serious fire There were no fire alarm* since the crisis began. The situation wm helped by use ot two wells at the strike-bound Chrysler s Corp plant Meadows Mid be didn't know wh,( *L effect would he if the Chrysler plant reopened and the city had to give up the plant * well. The tow preMure hit hardest the tap* above ground-floor level. Drum* were filled with water at Henry county hospital to supply upstairs patients, "and industrial firms cut their use of water Meadows appealed by radio to townspeople to mvc water .Strangely, the shortage hit the «T«eu-T» Feoe Mst

DixiecratsTo Battle Civil - Rights Issue President Truman In No-Compromise Stand On Program Washington. Jan. SS —(CP»— President Truman's blunt, uocompromise stand on his civil rights program provoked southern Democrats In the senate today to pledge a fight to the finish on the issue. But one bouse southerner. Rep Brooks Hay*. D . Ark., said that Mr Truman's position still had not die couraged his hopes for an eventual compromise of the racial rights battle. Mr Truman told his new* cots ference yesterday that there can be no room for compromise on hi* civil right* program Tpe administfatloh. he *atd. would stand on Ms last civil rights message to con gross Setv Richard B Russell. D Ga. a spokesman for the Divie bloc. In- i dicated that the southerner* sre ready to filibuster all civil rights bifl* that reach the floor. 1 Elsewhere tn congress. e IFNiinh* Sen Styles Bridge*. * N. H . ranking GOP member of the ' senate armed service* committee. said I' S. military leaders undn 1 fmously'favor productton of the H>] 1 bomb. President Truman i* weigh-j ' ing the questton of whether or not to make the deadly *<> far lie has refused to dis< us* It tiles, Sen Guv -M. Gillette. IL, la . served notice on oleomargarine I manufacturer* that they would : face a congressional investigation •If oleo price* rise after federal f taxes are repealed He said the public experts-a price drop from I the ending oleo tax repealer < DP « • Chairman Pat MeCarran I -aid hi* senate judiciary conimtttCU ha* improved the house version ot the displaced person* bill, but it is I "still far from perfect.” He added that he would bring up “grave 1* sue* of public policy'-’ when the measure comes before the senate next. week. The senate measure Wohld let another 115.<H«> refugee* enter the nation Atomic Rep Janie* E Van Zandt, U Pa . pressed hi’ drive to ban atomic investigations by rhe house unAmerican activities com milfee. The atomic energy act. he said reserve* such inquiries for the joint congressional atomic energy committee. Continue Effort To I . Avert Phone StrikeNationwide Strike Feared Wednesday Cincinnati. O . Jan IS — tl’Pi--i Joseph A Belrne. president ot the communications workers of Ameri- ■ ca (CIOL will fly to Washington late today to continue effort* to avert a threatened nationwide > *trih<- by 150.U00 telephone worker*. Belrtie. who conferred here yesterday with William N Margoli*. > assistant director of the federal , Conciliation service, said the situa tion unchanged" He said the telephone workers would be "free to strike” .Wednesday If „ no agreement is reached with the American Telephone and Telegraph Co., on new contracts Asked It be felt encouraged after meeting with Margolis. Beirae replied : "I'm always encouraged to talk to Bill." Margolis, who returned to Wash ington by plane after talking with Belrne. said no attempt was made to settle grievances in the prelimi nary discussion and parried all other question* from reporter*. The stage to set for a strike Feb ' I when the CWA contract with regional telephone companies ex - pire* Th* union S demanding pay ■ - ' tTwve Ta Fun* •**>

Fries Four Coot*

American, Canadian Flanes Search For Missing Airliner In Yukon Region Whitehorse. T. f,. Jan » *■ (CP)' — Airmen of two nation* flew over rugged mountain* and marshland* today, anarv kiM far a V. 8. sir force transport plane *iasing with 44 persona almard Royal Canadian air force piano* criss-crosaed the desolate 40* mil - stretch between here and Fort Nel son* B C . and I 8. plane* from Alaska were to joint the search lo day Ground crews patroled the Alaska highway. The C-54 vanished flight from Anchorage. Alask^^p' l Great Falls. Mont. In military personnel on carried a woman and a 3H old boy Among the flood ing operaXlons basdßsere those ot ground signal sighted by a V 8. air force unconfirm ed reports of an*x pl,Mkm * nd wl low* of smoke. Alnwst 30 pl|he» ffew under the flickering Ajm*B' s ftoreaito Hftt night but R • A F wine cenunan del j M sutw-HaSii »aid ”notmtnr i was seen r»«'!»>Miiig a downed plane" 1 The niissto* craft * last moot, said tt had /leared the totty S'. " Elia* mountalk range an-d was head ~ nd soolbriuu toward* the P foot peak* of the northernmost . Rocky Mountain range. "If the plane crash landed and all aboard are alive, no we should I suffer from cold or hunger.' sn air i force spokesman said. The plane - carried ("hi pounds ot emerency ra linns and arcHc survival gear The area where the plane dtMp peared has been the ''ice-box' of western Canada for more than a month Temperature* hung nowi than 30 degree* tielow tero ~ The Watson Imke region lies nev the border of British Columbia and the Yukon territory. JJB mile* east of here The area has IMJW toot ', I-eak* rising in a saw toothed row from heavily-timbered snow pack ed terrain ' . ? , Roval Canadian "air force search ■ er* were checktag reports of an ,v plosion and billows of smoke at Minto. 9t' miles south of here Air mep *»M the report was absolutely sit bout confirmation " The K C A F was inveeii gating a report that a large plane flew tow over Vlmy. Alta . 41 mile* north of Edmonton Sutherland said. a report o' ground signal flares seen by a C t ~ pttot probably could he traced to a l Tara Te Faae *l*l (Shelbyville Woman Killed In Accident Rushville Ind . Jan 28 — (VP) — Cleo Antle. 35, Shelbyville, was kill - ed today when the automobile ill which she wa* riding w ent out ot ' control and overturned on Ind* ft west of here The driver of the car. Elvira Robbins. 50. aad Mary Parahey 32. both of Shelbyville, were injured. Th-)r were taken to Shelbyville's max>r hospital ' ; Lsrf..Staie pol ice Mid the aceideut. was due to a tire blowout. John D. Hoopengardner Dies At Fort Wayne Funeral arrangements have been completed tor John D Hoopengardner, who died Friday In the Lutheran hospital. Fort Wayne. Mr Hoopengardner was a native of Decatar attending the puhltr*" schools here Following hto marriage to Augusta Arnold, he moved to Fort Wayae Surviving are the wife, three sisters. Mr* Hope Vrteh. Keystone. Mrs Lawreace Smith sad Mr* Frank Coulter both of Fort Wayne, and two brothers. O G Hoopengardner. Waco. Tex. and Fred, of Fort Wayne Funeral services 13* p m Monday lit the Sloan funeral home by the Rev Dale Stackhouse, with burial in the Ptoasaat Dale cemetery