Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 49, Number 155, Decatur, Adams County, 2 July 1951 — Page 1

Vol. XLIX. No. 155.

UNITED NATIONS, RED TROOPS FIGHT ON

' Tragic Crash Claims Third Life May Margaret E. Confer Dies Early Sunday; Two Still Serious Friday night’s traffic crash near the south city limits of Decatur on federal highway 27. Claimed its third life shortly after midnight Sunday morning when Miss garet E. Coater, 63. Decatur, died pt injuries sustained in the tragedy. Miss Center’s condition had been critical since her admission to the Adams county memorial hospital immediately following the accident, which occurred at 7:50 o’clock Friday evening. » ' She was the second of her family to die from the 1 crash, her sister. Mrs. Harry Fritsinger, having died at the hospital three and one-half , hours following the collision of an auto driven by Mr. Fritsinger, retired rural mail carrier of this city, and a pickup track, driven by Oscar Ray of near Decatur. " Peter Bailey, 50, of Berne, a passenger in the truck, died at the hospital at almost the same time as Mrs. Fritzinger. . Conditions Unchanged Mr. Fritzinger and Miss Rose Conter, a sister of the two women ♦ fatally injured, were reported still in serious condition at the hospital. Fritzinger suffered severe shock and fractured ribs, and Miss Conter severe lacerations of the _ face and scalp. No visitors are permitted in their rooms. ( Charles Hook and Dan Bailey, also passengers in the truck, were 1 \ reported by hospital attaches a< * improving today.. Rajr and his ' brother. Junior Ray, escaped with 1 minor injuries, and did not require 1 hospitalization. ' Funeral Wednesday _ . Funeral services will be conducted for Miss Conter at 9 a.m. Wednesday at St. Mary’s Catholic church, the Very Rev. Msgr. J. J. Seimetz officiating. Burial will be in the Catholic cemetery The body | was removed to the Zwick funeral homej, where friends may call after 7 o’clock this evening. The Rosary society and the Catholic Ladies of Columbia will recite the rosary at the funeral home at 7:!j0 this evening. I - ■ ■< { ■ ? Miss Conter was~born in Decatur Sept. 29, 1887, the daughter of Lewis and Catharine Bosse-Conter. Formerly employed at the Waring Glove Co., office in this city, She 1 was a secretary in the Fort,Wayne office of the New York Life Insurance Co. for 30 yesrs, retiring in 1949, when she returned to this city to make her home. • She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic church, the Rosary society arid the Catholic Ladies of Cobtihbla. • She is survived by two sisters, Miss Rose Conter of Decatur, and Mrs. A. A. Arnold of Fort Wayne. Bailey Rites Today Services were held this afternoon at the Gillig & Doan funeral home and at the Cross Reformed church at Berne for Peter Bailey, the other vtetirp of the crash. The Rev. C. A. Schmid officiated at the services, with tjurial in the MRE cemetery. Cpl. DeLane Bowman Wounded Second Time \ Cpl. DeLane Bowman, Decatur young man with the marines in Korea, has been wounded a second time, according to word received py Mr. and Mrs. Russell Bowman of Decatur. Cpl. flowman’s second wound was a bullet through his leg about seven inches above the knee. He. is in a Korean hospital at present, but his i wound is not regarded as critical, according to the letter received by the parents. - \ Bowman previously was wounded by shrapnel about two months ago :_M and at that time he was hospital!* L? ed for some time. He returned to the war front, however. In accordant with the present rotation sy* tem of returning veterans, Cpl. Bowman is scheduled to return here • in August. It is believed probable that his second wound may hasten his return to the states. INDIANA WEATHER j Mostly fair tonight and Tuesday, no change In temperature. Low tonight 55 to 50 north, 58 to 62 south. High Juerday near 80 north, 80 to 85 south.

DECATUR DATIV DEMOCRAT

Oasis Confesses ] To Acting As Spy j Press Correspondent On Trial By Czechs Prague, Czechoslovakia, July 2 — (UP)—As'ociiated Press correspondent William N. Oatis confessed at the opening of bls tfial today that he had acted as ajspy.. He told the communist| states court in Pankrac prison that he, used a number pf: Czechs jps ''informants.” “Did you carry out espionage!?" the president of the court hsked. r “Yes,” OatiS replied. Oatis, a native of Marion, Ind., and three Czechoslovak employes of the AP are being (ried on charges of political, military arid economic espionage and complicity in the murder of a ‘?zech officer. Oatis implicated a long list of western diplomats, headed by United States embassador Ellis CL Briggs,' fellow press association correspondents and ethers in spy activities. Briggs, he said, gave him information regarding former foreign minister Vladimir Cl jmentjs, now in prison charged with attempting to overthrow the communist regime. ( Oatis named Unitec States press correspondent Russety Jones and Reuter’s News agency correspondent Robert Bigio as amon£ those who spied. j (Jones was United Press bureau manager in Prague ut&il last month when he was transferred out of the country. Bigio is now in London on a visit! to Reuter's -headquarters.) As the first of the defendants to testify, Oatis spoke firmly and Clearly In Epglish. He wore a jDeat dark bl suit and stopd behind a semi-mrcular rsil. HJs testimony was translated simtjltaneousiy. . t He was not asked to pleiad to the charges against him, iwhich carry a maximum sentence of death. Oatis said both U. S. military attache Lt. Col. George L. and his predecessor, Col. -P. D. Ginder, had carried put espionage • in Czechoslovakia. ■Both kept records of all Czech army and air force officers and other military data, he said. Western newsmen furnished information to the attaches, he added. - \ J , X 1 ; . The American newsmen, standing with his hands 'his back, testified before a courtroom packed with honor and others given tickets to the trial as a', reward for special services. His three-co-defendents were (Turn To Pa<* Eight) j Long Illness Fatal H To Samuel Bertsch Funeral Services To Be Wednesday Samuel Bertsch, I 67. a resident of- Adams county for 46 years, died a» 7 a. m. Sunday |at his home ini French township Jafter a year’s illness of carcinomi. He was a member pt the Apostolic Christian church. j I’■ > He was born May 15, I|B4, a son of John and Malizzie FranksBertsch. His first wife. Rose Ann Minger, died ih 1944, and he was later married to Nellie Reimschisel. , I I' • Surviving are his wife; eight sons. Jay and Havey, both of Tucson, Ariz.. Herman of Markle,, Melvin and Laurni. both ot Bluffton, Oscar of Monroe, Leonard of Decatur and Walter, at home; two daughters, Mrs. Daniels Lantz of near Decatur/and Mfrs, ifoward Schwartz of Monroe; 16 -grandchildren; four brothers, Edward and Andrew, both of Grabill, Cornelius of Geneva and John of Berne; and four sisters. Mrs. Edward Jensen of Petosky. | Mich., and the Misses Rosie, Minnie and Freda Bertsch, all of Grabill. Funeral services will b| conducted at 1 p. m. Wednesday at the home and at 1:30 o’clock at the Apostolic Christian church, the Rev. Samupl Aeschliman officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The body will be removed from the Jahn funeral home to the where friend* may call after 6 J o’clock this evening. s. _- V \.. ;

Fifty Die In Colorado Air flash [. T; ■ I I ■ B| ■ ■Kk JuwfMl II 1 Pni r • _ M. Mtmtu It w eiia jb, a J •< <#r AERIAL VIEW (top) of the spot on 16,000-foot-high Crystal Mountain pear Fort Collins, Colo., whjei ea giant United Air Lines DC4> tore a 500-foot swath through the crashed, carrying 56 prions to their death. 1 Aboard the giant plane, enroute from San Francisco |o Chicago, were 45 passengers including a year-old child, and a crew of five. Four of the erfew were (bplow, I. to r.) Capt. J. R. Stewardesses Carol Raymond and F. M. Smith, and First Officer Harry Tower. A. P. not shown, was Flight Engineer. The plane struck just 14 minutes beftA a scheduled landing at Ddriver. All aboard were kilted. ’ d ▼ I- ' ' . .. JK < ’'. ' ■ - v-T ... - 1 - -- .J' --- -

,• I—s~Quiet Holiday Is Expected In City J ' ■ { t ■ No Celebration Os Fourth Is Planned > ■ .■ \ A safe and sane Fourth of July is promised for Decaturites and people of 4dams county since nothing is scheduled for the day. - \ About the only thing to becertaift of, proclaim Decatur police chief James Borders and sheriff Bob Shraluka, is that there will be a considerable number of accidents, and both officers urged motorists to [drive with extreme caution on the Fourth. Said chief Borders: “It is simply a Shatter of taking a little more time in getting to your destination. Leave early and allow -wire time to return.” ' I ' Sheriff Shraluka collaborated with the chief in his statement, and added that motorists should be wary on the highways which “are certain to be clogged with holiday traffic.” 1 [V~ businesses in Decatur will close thbir doors for tpe holiday, as will the postoffice, First State Bank, city hall, county court house. Decatug business houses will also be closed Thursday afterrioon, as is this, regular custom. Taverns, however, wrill ' remain open during the day. as will the majority of confectionary stores and theaters. There will be no issue of the Decatur Daily Democrat .on the Fourth; there will be no stirring martial no speeches. Everything is in rHdiness for a nice, quiet day. < pity councilmen will meet in tlifeir regular session Tuesday eve- ' ning, on the eve of the Fourth. No fireworks are anticipated, however, . ■ I, x . Mrs. Jennie A. Smith Is Taken By Death • 1 \ • [Funeral services were held this afternoon at the Trinity Evangelical United Brethren church at Berne for Mrs. Jennie A. Smith. 60, of Berne, Who died Saturday afternoon at the Adams county menjorial hospital after a long illness. I’SuiMvlng are a son, Cpl. Marion Smith, Camp Atterbury ;\ four alters, Mrs. Peter Bollenbacher ajpd Mrs. Floyd Myers, both Os near Serne; Mrs. Estella Deßolt of near Qssian, and Mrs. Julia Campbell dT Berne: a halbbrother, Albert Sjjopler- of Otsego, Mich., and a raster | brother, Nolan Whitehurst Os Fort Wayne.

ONLY DAILY NCWB>APtH IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, Ju1y^2,1951.

— Funeral Held Today For Stepler Infant 4 to : ■ ■ Graveside services were held this morning at the St. Luke Evangelical and Reformed church cemetery at Honduras for the infant daughter of Boyd and Frieda InnigerStepler, stillborn Sunday at the Adams county memorial hospital. Surviving in addition to the parents are two sisters, Sandra, and Lynne. The Rev. H.H. Meckstroth officiated at the servlets conducted by the Zwick funeral home. Lutheran Building. Dedicated Sunday Large Crowds View New Building Here i . ' • 3 H-' ’ i Throngs inspected the new Zion Lutheran church parish hall Sunday, foilowing formal dedication of the building in an afternoon ceremony.' More than 1,000 persons at tended the moi ning and afternoon divine services, the Rev. Edjgar P. Schmidt, pastor, stated. The Rev. Edwin Nerger of Fort Wayne and the Rev. Armih Oldsen of Valparaiso University and Lutheran Hour radio speaker, were speakers at the services. \Both emphasized the important part that cbrlstiap education plays in the complex pattern of the modern world. The key to the new building was presented to Phil Sauer, chairman of the building committee, by Clarence Bultemeier, contractor. The door to the building was operied by Henry Krueckeberg chairman of the board of Christian education of the church. Architect Leßoy Bradley of Fort Wayne, was present at the ceremony. Rev. Schmidt was in charge of the program. j i Visitors to the building were impressed with its spaciousness and adaptability. The modern fold doors used in the place of stationary partitions, permit the opening of rooms tor auditorium use and large congregational meetings* A modern kitchen is installed in the building. j . . ' I • 1 NO PAPER WEDNESDAY I As has been the custom for ' years of the Decatur Daily Democrat, no paper'wlll be published Wednesday, July 4, which is Independence Day. ’ I "11

1 I 4 Irwin Kills Self I To Avoid Capture Man Wanted In 12 States Kills Self Mt. Airy, N.J., July 2.—(HP)— Warren Lee Irwin, who kidnaped a 17-yearold girl and held her captive two days, cheated the largest [armed posse in New Jersey histo y yesterday by killing himself in a.poi*son ivy patch. Irwin, 27, had been wanted in 12 states for murder, rape and kidnaping but the search became i ifensified when he abducted Cifolyn Jane Barker, a bride-to-be, In Washington, D.C.. Thursday night, « He made good his boast t lit he never would be taken alive by firing a .38 caliber bullet into ha| left temple about midnight Saturday after eluding 300 FBI agents btate police and farmers. Two men ip a light plane shotted Irwin’s body yesterday in thick underbrush about 10 miles fr< 'fii the place, where the kidnaped Lindbergh baby was found killed 19 years ago and only 100 yatdd frbm where Irwin had abandoned Miss Barker Saturday morning.as state police closed in on him. Sara McKee, agent-in-chaige of the Newark FBI office, said | Irwin obviopsly had doubled back through the woods to the poison ivytpafch after the poshe had left the raindrenched area. | | Miss Barker, hospitalized, in Washington, was too to be told Irwin had committed sbicide. Only her parents were permitted to visit her. > [ Irwlb became an habitual 'criminal at the age of 20 after his father, a post office employe, compiltted suicide in a Nebraska. jail [while awaiting trial on mail theft charges. He was wanted for the rapt-slay-ing of Mrs. Adeline a 37-year-old housewife, in a Michigan cornfield and for questioning in slaying of Robert Hajhke, 24, a Warrep, Mich., filling statin t attendant. Only 11 days ago, as police H ranted him, Irwin , kidnaped Doris Myers, 43, a stenographer n his home town Os Detroit and ma h - her drive him to Idwa. From thdrle he moved eastward to Washington. He slipped up oil Miss Barkfer and her fiance, Lawrence Gilbeft \l9, as they talked in an autopibbile parked on Washington’s fJffair Thursday night within sight o the Washington Monument. Gilbert had given Miss Barker an engagement rihg only a few minutes before Irwin stuck a gun in his ribs and told him to drive to Virginia* ■ ' Hi ' •

Ordered To “Kill j J While Leaders Attempt ‘ ~ : zr To Arrange Armistice i ■. . ■ I i:: •• :

Krick Funeral Is Held Here Today - Final Tribute Paid To School tedder Funeral services were held at 3:30 o’clock this afternoon at the First Methodist church here . for Walter J. Krick, superintendent of Decatur public schools, who died suddenly last Friday morning at Cadillac, Mich. 4 enroute home from a Canadian fishing\ trip. The Rev. Samuel Emerick, pastor of the First Methodist church, officiated. Scottish Rite funeral Services also were held. The body was removed from the Krick residence to the church at l:30o’clock this afternoon. Decatur school teachers had charge at the church from 1:30 o’clock until time of the funeral. Members of the Tri Kappa sorority, associate chapter, of which Mts. Krick is president, had charge at the residence Saturday and Sunday and also supervised the transfer of the flowers from the home to the Decatur cemetery today. Pallbearers were Roy Mumma, Dr. Harry Hebble and Gerald Cole, members of the school board. W. Guy Brown and Bryce Thomas. Decatur high school and Ltncrtlrt school ’ prlhcijikTs; Leigh Bowen of St. Petersburg, Fla., formerly of Decatnr. Burial was at Decatur cemetery. Farewell Tonight For Rev. Vichuras r \ A congregational farewell «wi 1 be extended to the RevC Ignatius Vichuras, assistant pastor for the past five years at St. Mary’s Catholic church, at the K. of C. hall this evening. Rev. Vichuras will leave tomorrow’ for Gary to assume the pastorate of St. Casimir’s church. Prior to coming to Decatur, Rev. Vichuras served' 44 months in the South Pacific as an army chaplain. Friends and members of the, igrish are invited to attend the reception for the pastor. ■ Plan Bible School At Lutheran Church Will Open Thursday At New Parish HalF The new parish hall of Zion Lutheran church, West Monroe street, which was dedicated Sunday, will be placed into immediate use with a vacation Bible school which will' open sessions Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Classes will be held Thursday and Friday of this week, and Monday through Friday bf the two following weeks, until July 20. The daily classes will he held from 8:30 to 11 o’clock with balanced Bible school courses of worship, Bible handicraft, singing, and recreation. The Rev. Edgar P. Schmidt, pastor of the church, who wjll serve as superintendent and advisor of the school, announced that the school will be' divided into four departments, each having its superintendent, secretary, and assisting teachers. The beginner comprising those children who will enter kindergarten and the first grade this fall, will be supervised by Mrs. Paul Hancher; the primary department, led by Miss Barbara Helm, will comprise those children entering grades two and three; Mrs. Karl Relnking will head the junior department, which will Include children entering the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades; and Mrs. H.H. Krueckeberg will supervise the senior department, comprising the children entering the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades All the children of Decatur, five to 15 years of age, may enroll. Children are requested to be at the church Thursday by 8 o’clock or (Tara Ta Page Six) - • ' 1 'if .

Seven Top Reds Marched To Jail To Begin Terms Four Others Fail To Appear Under Orders Os Court . New York, July 2—(UP)—Seven members of the American Communist Politburo we’re marched off to jail today, ending a threeyear legal battle to escape prison on charges of conspiring to each and advocate overthrow of the government by force. Four of their colleagues convicted with them failed to appear as ordered in federal court at 10:30 a? m. Federal Judge iSylvester J. Ryan issued bench warrants for their arrest. X The seven were remanded to jail two years, 11 months and 18 days after a federal grand jury indicted them. Judge Ryan adjourned until 10:30 a. m. tomorrow a government application for forfeit of bail of SIO,OOO each for the four men. He 'said that if they werri not present then, their ball would be forfeited. - The seven top communists, members of the U. S. party’s national board, filed out a backdoor of a courtroom in the skyscraper U. S. court house at 11:56 a. m. The last defendant through the door was tall, grayhairedL Eugene Dennis, gerieral secretary of the, U S. communist party. The smiling Dennis held his hand high I above his head and waved to friends in the spectator section. 'The four missing communists were Gus Hall, Ohio chairman of the party; Henry Winston, national organization secretary; Gilbert Green, Illinois party chairman, and ’ Robert. G. Thompson, New York (Tara To Pace Six) Report Bishop Noll In Serious Condition No change in the condition of the Most Rev. John F. Noll, bishop, of Fort Wayne, was reported at noon today. j Bishop Noll is a patient in St. Joseph hospital, suffering from a heart ailment which followed an attack of influenza Several Weeks ago. The iacrament of extretne unction was administered to hini last night by Most Rev. Leo A. Pursley, auxiliary bishop of Fort Wayne. j’ ■ ■ Mrs. Anna Gerber I Is Taken By Death Funeral Services Tuesday Morning Mrs. Anna Gerber, 78, wife of Emanuel Gerber,' died Saturday at her home in Kirkland township following an illness of three months. . I She was born in Wells county Sept. 21, 1872, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Neuenschwander. She was a member of the Apostolic Christian church. Surviving are her husband; six daughters, the Misses Edna, Katie and Josephine, all at home, Mi’s, Walter Phister of near Bluffton, and Mrs. Lewis .Sauder and Mrs. Roy Aeschliman, both of Decatur; six sons, Homer, Elmer and Obed, all of near Decatur, Reuben of near Bluffton, Raymond of Bluffton and David of pplmoffte, Calif.; 29 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Funeral serivces will be contacted at 9:30 a. m. Tuesday at the homeland at 10 o’clock at th* Apostolic Christian church. Bur* lai will be in the church cemetery. The body has been returned from the Jahn funeral home to the residence, where friends may call.

Price Five Cents

No Big Scale Action On Front; Ridgway's Acceptance Os Reds' Proposal Expected Tokyo, Tuesday, July 3.—(UP)— United Nations and Communist troops fought grimly on today with orders to “kill the enemy” while their leaders attempted to arrange’ a cease fire A message from UN supreme commander Matthew B. Ridgway, accepting a Communist proposal for a meeting in the Kaesong area, was expected shortly, X But an Bth army spokesman said that meantime: ' . "Our orders have been to kill the enemy wherever we find hlni. These orders have riot been changed.” ' I l' “Mercilessly, annihilate the_ enemy and shoot down his planes,” the North Korean Communist radio „ admonished Red troops. A Red communique said 1,900 UN troops were killed or captured on the western front Saturday and Sunday. Both the North Korean - Pyongyang radio and the Chinese Communist Peiping radio opened a propaganda campaign intended to show that the United Nations were seeking the cease fire—which Russia first suggested—because of the failure of allied military operations. Hong Kong leftist newspapers suggested at the same time, that if cease fire talks were held the Communists would try to broaden them to include real peace talks. Allied artillery and planes kept up a drum fire of death all along the front while patrols stabbed into > the enemy lines. 7 . 1 It was predicted at headquarters that Ridgway's reply to the Communist suggestion for a meeting near Kaesong might be sent between 6 and 8 a.m. today (2 and 4 p.m, Monday CST>. - ' Ridgway, it wasi suggested, would accept the Kaesong area as the jjieeting place: But he was expected also to suggest that talks begin sooner than the July 10 to 15 period suggested by the Communists. There was no big scale action on the front. The ivar as a whole seemed petering put, But men Were still I dying and the Sth army spokesman said UN forces would keep killing Communists until an actual cease fire order came. : -v fl “Our orders have been tri kill the enemy wherever we find him,” ths officer said. “Despite the prospect of armistice talks, these orders have not been changed nor do we anticipate any phange ... “We have the superior fire power and we are going to continue using it to the fullest advantage.” There were indications at Bth army headquarters that the UN command intends to use air and artillery to the utmost to impress upon the Communists, thpt the allies have plenty of punch to continue the war if cease-firp talks fail. However, authorities; at i headquarters were reported to feel that an armistice stopping the war along the 38th parallel would be a "most satisfactory victory” for the UN. Ridgway, supreme UN commander, probably will reply within 24 hours to the Communist acceptance of his offer to discuss a ceas&fire. He apparently was awaiting Washington approval of the reply. T& Washington, western diplomats expressed the hope that Ridgway could get the armistice talks started sooner than July 10. UN diplomats in New York also were coneerned over the possibility of delay. A Moscow dispatch reported com . fidence there that a cease-fire could be agreed upon quickly once the opposing generals meet. But it predicted that a political settlement would prove much more difficult. Communist acceptance of Ridgway’s offer was broadcast late last night by radios Peiping and Pyongyang. It was signed by Kim II Sung, premier and commander in chief of North Korea, and Gen. Peng TehHuai, “commander of the Chinese volunteer forces” in Korea. ■ ' WO x V