Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 51, Number 258, Decatur, Adams County, 2 November 1953 — Page 1

Vol. LI. No. 258.

Report Death Threats Made To Prisoners 'Hi T : ' * Report Threats By Communists Made Against Prisoners PANMUNiO’M, Korea (UP) ~- I’. S. officials said today they w|ll question the 22 unrepatriatPd American prisoners of the Reds • ; intensively to determine whether Communist death threats forced them into Communism. Word leaked out Sunday that 19 of the 22 Yanks who refused to come home remained with the Reds because they were told the federal bureau of investigation first would quiz them and then execute them. . “We will simply try to find out if their choice was a free one,” one_ of the Americans who will •;.\ “counter brainwash” the victims of Red propaganda said. Reliable sources with first-hand inforination on the 22 pro-Comm ui nist Gls said only three of them actually believed in Marxist theories. '}• Fear, threats and blackmail hold the others back from their loved -ones. A .repealing and graphic picture behind the bamboo curtain which “■ _ hides 22 lonely Americans from the(r follow countrymen was drawn by sources who cannot he identified bat which have obtained firs(- ' ■ hand knowledge of life in the “prog Communist” prison camp. These sources said Red agents have yarned the Americans they will bi “pumped dry” and then ’bumped off” by the federal bureau of investigation if they return to the United States. But the Communists have promised them a life of ease, luxury and leadership if they remain hezhind the Iron Curtain. The Reds have offered them free travel and Chinese wives. Or jf LL-iI they wish, the Americans can. re-'‘K-fSt their own families to |din them and the Communists will make all arrangements. Some of the information revealed by these sources matched reports given by Cpl. Edward S. Dickenson, the 23-year-old Virginian who left the “pro-Communist" camp two weeks ago and returned to the LT. N. side. Like -Dickenson; the sources said the Americans will be sent to the United States in about five years to lead a Marxist revolution against the American government. Other developments were: 1. Indian troops shot and, killed (Tam T® Paar Kl«ht> Amelia Christen Is Taken By Death Lifelong Resident Dies Here Saturday Mrs. Amelia Christen, 80. lifelong resident of Decatur, and widow of Charles N. Christen, a former mayor of Decatur, died at 4 ~ o’clock Saturday afternoon at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Arthur Voglewede, 603 Madison street. She had been ill for five years with complications. She was born in Decatur Oct, 15, 1873, a daughter of Joseph and Anna Smith, and was married to Charles N. Chtisten Aug. | Her husband died in 1926. Mrs. Christen was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic church, the Rosary society, the St. Vincent de Paul society and the Third. Order ot St. Francis. - _ Surviving are two 1 danglers, Mrs. Voglewede of this city, and Mrs, Harold Smith of Midland. Mich.; nine grandchildren; one i great-grandchild; two brothers, Joseph and Vincent Smith, both of Decatur, and two sisters, Mrs. Lee R. Hindmah of Fort Wayne and Mrs. Margaret Lose of Milwaukee, Wis. Four brothers and ,two sis- * ters preceded her in death, Funeral services will be conducted at 9 a. m. Tuesday 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 Gillig & Doan funeral! home, where friends may call until time of the services. The Rosary society will meet at the funeral home at 8 o’clock this evening. v - + INDIANA WEATHER Partly cloudy and not quite so cool tonight. Tuesday partly cooler north and central. Low tonight 40*48. High Tuesday 56-80 extreme north, 7<K75 extreme south.

DECATUR I)A IT.Y DEMOCRAT

Greek Royalty At Annapolis MF w m -I^MF" .. g £ " ?'W /JLl’j .-J WEARING THE UNIFORM of an admiral of the Greek navy. King Paul of Greece (center) is shown with his wife, Queen Frederika, and. Adm. C. Turner Joy, Superintendent of |he U. S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. The royal couple inspected the Academy. They are making a four-week tour of the United States.

Spotlight On Elections In Three States Politicians Watch . Tuesday Elections To Determine Trend •WASHINGTON UP — Trendwatching politicans today focused a spotlight of national interest on Tuesday’s off-year elections in New Jersey. Virginia arid New York City. New Jersey will elect a governor and a congressman. Virginia a governor and New York City a mayor. Although local issues have played a -major role in all of the hard-fought contests, political leaders from the White House down will study the results closely for a sign of gnthis to come in the crucial battle for control of Congress in 1954. Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Little Rock, Ark., and more than 10) other cities also will elect mayors Tuesday but national issues in these contests, it at all, have played an insignificant part. On form, the Republicans should have an edge in ‘both N*w Jersey races and the Democrats in the Virginia and New York City contests. An upWt in any of the races would doubtless be greeted by the 'ictorious party as evidence that the national tide is flowing its way. ’ Democrats would particularly like to repeat in New Jersey the surprise victory they recently scored in Wisconsin’s special congressional election. The Wisconsin seat had never before been won by a Democrat. The congressional vacantly at stake in New Jersey's 6thdistrict has been safely ftepublican since 193(2. The candidates are ‘Republican George L. Hetfield and Democrat Harrison A. Williams, Jr. New Jersey Republicans are confident that a recent blessing from President (Eisenhower will help carry their gubernatorial candidate, Paul L. Troast, to victory. Tlje Democrats hope that their man, (Robert B. IMeyner, will profit from the disclosure that Troast sought clemency for Joseph Fay, imprisoned labor extortionist whose links with politicians have also been an issue in the N?w York City mayoralty race. Democrat Robert F. Wagner, Jr.. is running in New York against Republican Harold Ricgelman and independent-liberal Rudolph Halley. The big oity\ has not elected a mayor on the straight Republican ticket in decades, and Republicans would like very much to hand a surprise to Wagner, who <T*r* T* war® Wtv*t Den Opens Tuesday For Winter Season The Den, youth center located on Madison street in this city, will open, for the fall and winter season Tuesday, according to an announcement today by Sylvester Everhart, supervisor. The Den, which is supported through fnnds received from the Decatur Community Fund, is for the youth of Decatur and surrounding community. The youth center wljl be open Monday through Thursday from 7 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m.. and also Saturday afternoon from 1 to 4 o'clock.

Many Clues Fail In Baby-Sitter's Case Report Many Clues In Wisconsin Case LA CROSSE, Wis.. UP — There are many clues to fate of 15-year-old baby sitter Evelyn Hartley, who disappeared more than a week ago, but so far they lead no place. “The clues haven’t jelled into any signpost . . haven’t given directions,” said Dist. Atty. John Bosshard. “We’re going in all directions.” A by Bosshard shows the case is turning on these clues: 1. The condition of th* home of Prof. Viggo where Evelyn was baby sitting Saturday night, Oet. 84, wlfrn she Wntehed. One ot her shoes was found in the basement, another in the living room; her glasses nearby, and shoe scuff marks on the rug. These have shown nothing. Bosshard said no struggle was evident. 2. Bloody prints of the side of a hand; smeared bloody fingerprints; threads sticking to blood around a basement window well, all on the house or garage next door to the Rasmussen's. The blood has been identified by the state crime laboratory in Madison a* type A. Evelyn had type A, but so does 45 percent of the population. The threads are red wool; she wore red denim slacks. 3. A pool of\blood near the Rasmussen house with hair in it. The blood was type A. The hair is known only as human. 4. Three footprints made by a type of tennis shoe not sold here for two years. A pair of old tennis shoes were found Friday on U. S. 14 about 13 miles south of here. They seem to match plaster casts of the footprints. There has been no official report from the crime laboratory if the shoes actually do match. The report, however, is expected today or possibly Tuesday. The shoes are the “hottest” clue so far. 5. A pair of bloodstained trousers found on U. S. 14. The blood is type A, the owner unknown. Other trousers and a jacket with blood stains were found by dry cleaners, but their owners have been cleared. > 6. Bipodstains on Wis. 35. These were found to be from animal blood. v ( 7. A white shirt found in a cemetery near LaCrosse and two shirts left in a Milwaukee railroad station by a man who said he was “wanted.” All three shirts “apparently have no significance.” 8. Bloodstained feminine undergarments about the size Evelyn would wear found under a bridge on U. 8. 14. Evelyn’s parents were unable to identify them positively. The blood was type A but it was menstrual in origin. *.... 9. A Negro man was being held by St. Paul. Minn., authorities. The man has been cleared of su(T*v* T* F*se Six) * , i- . I BULLETIN Fire this morning swept along one-quarter block of the business section of Celina, 0., damage now estimated by fire chief Arthur Grey at a quarter million dollar*/ Th* Celina Daily Standard said this after'noon that toe fir* started about 5:30 o’clock this morning and wasn’t brought under control until four hours later. Five cities contributed their department* to get the fire’ out, no one was injured.

I ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, November 2, T 953. ,

Benson Proceeds With Reorganization Plans In Spite Os Protests

U. N. Group To Study Charges Made By U.S. Expect Full Debate On United States' Atrocity Charges UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. UP The United Nations’ powerful steering committee was expected' to approve today full U.N. debate of American charges that thousands ot Communist-held prisoners in Korea were “killed by beatings, cold-blooded murder, mutilation and torture.” Russia wan expected to counter, the atrocity indictment wl l if charges that the United States committed mass murder of Communist POWs in Koje, Cheju and other compounds where Red prisoners clashed with U. N. guard torces. The 15-nation steering group was scheduled to take up the American charges against the Reds this afternoon. Approval of full U. N. debate, despite any Soviet objections, was a foregone conclusion,,, as was ratification of this decision by the donation general assembly, probably Tuesday. ‘ The security council, at a morning session, was to consider the Trieste dispute. It was understood the Western powers would propose another two weeks’ delay in debate in order to allow time to complete plans for a five-power conference on the'dispute. Western delegations still were mapping strategy for thfe debate on the American atrocity charges. But it was anticipated they would decide eventually to introduce a resolution calling for creation of a U.N. committee of inquiry to investigate the charges. The American case was based on a U. S. army report that listed a total of 29,815 personnel, including 6,113 Americans, as having fallen victim to the “calculated brutality” of the enemy in Korea. In addition to the issue of atrocii ties in Korea and the Trieste quesI tion, today’s U.N. schedule called for continuation of main political committee debate on Burma’s complaint against the presence of Nationalist Chinese guerrillas on its territory. Special political committee debate on the plight of the al-' most one million refugees of the Palestine war, a key sore point in worsening Arab-Israeli relations, also was scheduled. ' Craig Invites Foe Present Evidence Legislator Claims ! New Riot Brewing INDIANAPOLIS UP — Gov ernor Craig today invited one of his bitterest foes, Rep. Merrett R. Monks R-Winchester, to present him with evidence the legislator claimed he had that a “riot was brewing” at the state reformatory. ‘Monks, at an informal meeting of the house penal committee Sunday, said he had a ’’pipeline”' into the reformatory and state prison through which he learned of an impending* disturbance. He blamed Craig for unrest at the Pendleton reformatory, and renewed his demand that the governor resign. “I would be very happy to receive any such' information,* Craig said. *1 think If Monks has a pipeline it’s his duty as a public official to inform me of it” The governor expressed doubt, however, whether anyone had a pipeline into the institutions. Only throe other members of the 16-man committee showed up for the gathering in a statehouse corridor, and none of them supported Monks* resignation proposal, ah though they admitted all was set (Tons To Fag* Right)

McCarthy's Group Continues Hearing Include Testimony From Jailed Spy NEW YORK, UP —Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy’s permanent investigations subcommittee opened , week long hearings today that will include testimony from imprisoned atom spy David Greenglass conreining possible Russian theft of the United States’ radar secrets. 1 Members of the Wisconsin ReI publican's staff questioned eight i witnesses behind closed doors in preparation for McCarthy’s arrival i here Tuesday to take over the in- , vestigation at the federal courthouse. An aide said all of the hearings would be closed and Greenglass would be the only fitness t identified. The executive director of the subcommittee announced in Washington this morning that Green- • glass Would be brought here from the federal penitentiary at Lewisburg, Pa„ *Friday. McCarthy announced in Los Angeles Sunday that the chief witness Tuesday Will be a suspended security official of the army’s top loyalty screening board who is suspected of Communist affiliations. McCarthy announced two weeks ago he intended to question member* of the screening board to find Mnt why employee who otgapisAsensltlve posts al the army signal corps Ft. Monmouth, N. J., radar laboratories were cleared of charges of disloyalty “in the face of convincing- evidence.”- He indicated Julius Rosenberg, an executed associate of Greenglass’, may have set up a Soviet espionage ring at Ft. Monmouth. ; The senator was scheduled to speak in Monroe, Wis.* today and arrive in New York Tuesday for resumption of hearings pf the senate permanent investigating subcommittee which he heads. ; >Among other questions the man would be asked, McCarthy said, was why the board, which handles clearance of army employes for security work, had reversed lower boards which, he said, had found “clear-cut evidence” of Communist activities. - “Our present plan is to have all the members of the board beforp our committee,”, he said. 4— —< — Clean-up Days For Decatur Next Week Fall Clean-up Here Starting On Tuesday November 10, 11, 12 and 13 have been designated as clean-up days in Decatur, Floyd Acker, street com’missioner, and Mayor John Doan announced today. During the tour days, Oity em ployes will pick up all rubbish and cans, placed in container*. The final day of the clean-up will be Friday, November 13. \ Tuesday, November 10, opening day rubbish collections will be made in tire zone number 4. This area is north of Monroe street and west of Fifth street. Collections will be made Wednesday, November 11, in fire ward number 1. This area is North ot Monroe street and east of Fifth street. F Ward 2 will get attention of the collectors Thursday, November 12, and this territory is south of Monroe street and east of Fifth street. Final day’s collection Friday, November 13, will be in ward number 3, which includes the area south ot Monroe street and west of Fifth street, All residents of the city are asked to cooperate and place their rubbish and cans*in non-returnable con tainers at a location where they can be seen by the collectors. The clean-up drive is a semi-an-nual affair and a week in the spring and a week in the fall are devoted to the collection of all rubbish. There is ao charge for the work, street commissioner Acker said, and the only request is that residents have their rubbish ready on the day designated for their area.

Dean Ready To Compromise On Korean Parley U. N. Envoy Willing To Compromise On Admitting Neutrals PANMUNJOM, Korea, Tuesday UP — United Nations envoy Arthur H. Dean was prepared today to compromise with the Communists on admission ot neutral nations to the Koreak: peace conference but a Red spokesman predicted the offer would be rejected. Dean, personal representative of secretary of state John Foster Dulles, said he might attempt to break the deadlocker preliminary talks by proposing that “certain neutral nations” attend the fulldress conference. ."h The Reds have stymied the preconference discussions by insisting that neutral countries, in addition to participants in the Korean war, be admitted. Communist correspondent Alan Winnington. who usually reflects official Red thinking, considered Dean’s compromise “even worse” than other Allied ideas on the conference. •4< to my Vkw that nar sidd nUI nefer accept it," Wfnttttifftoa said. Winnington protested the Allied insistence that a time and place for the conference be decided on first. “How can ypu talk about, time and place without first deciding who should attend?" the London Daily Worker correspondent said. A high U. N. source said Dean had not decided whether to officially present his compromise plan to Red negotiators this week. The eighth session of the preliminary talks was set for 11 a.m. (8 p.m. Monday EST.) The "source said “it will depend on how things go” at today's meeting whether Dean' would formally propose the idea first mentioned to newsmen as a "trial balloon" to test Communist reaction. Dean told newsmen after a fruitless 1 hour and 33 minute session Monday that the Reds were stalling the preliminary talks. He said their “inflexible attitude leaves doubt in our minds that you really want a political conference. bnlted Rations and South Korean sources warned that time is running out of South Korean Presdent Syngman Rhee's threat to unify Korea by his “own means" if the conference does not accomplish this condition by Jan. 27. Rhee’s “own means” might be (Tar* To P*«e Slx> Charles Merryman Dies In Louisiana Native Os Decatur Dies Early Sunday Charles <A. Merryman, «8, retired business executive and a native of Decatur, died Sunday at 2 a.m. in Bastrop, La. A son of the late Judge James T. and Mrs. Merryman of this city, Mr? Merryman was born in this city in January, 1885. He war graduated from Decatur high school, n.jsw . 4 ; For many years he was engaged in the lumber business in Arkansas and the southwest. Three years ago hej retired from a subsidiary' of the (Humble Oil Co., which he represented in Bastrop. He is survived by hl* wife. Ethel, one son. Comdr. Charles A. Merryman, Jr., of New Orleans, La., an instructor in navigation at Tulane (University; one daughter, Mrs. Russell Pyer of Uttle Rock, Ark., ohe sister, Mrs. June Quinn of Oak (Park, ni. He was » brother-in-law of Avon Burk of this city, . Funeral services will be held Tuesday afternoon and burial will be In Bastrop. /

Earl D. Colter Dies Sunday As Hospital Prominent Decatur Resident Is Dead Earl D. Colter, 63, of 348 Winchester street, prominent Decatur citizen and operator of the Adams County Lumber Co. until his retirement in HM6, died at 5:40 o’clock Supday morning at the Adams county memorial hospital. Death followed a serious illness of only a few days, although he had not been in the best of health for several years. Mr. Colter was for years a highly active member of the First Methodist church, having served as chairman of the board of trustees, an active member of the official board and a Sunday school teacher. He served on the board of trustees of the Adams county memorial hospital for 10 years, during which time he was president of the board. Fraternally, he was a member of the Masonic lodge and the Scottish Rite. He was a veteran of World War I, serving with the 25th company of the 20th army engineers, enlisting at Indianapolis Dec. 15. 1917. and receiving his discharge June 10, 1919. He was born in St. M*ry’« township Sept. 14. 1890, a son of Henry and Ellen Kennels -Colter, and was married to Alma Bowers Dec. 29 18J1. - 1 f |. Surviving in addition to bis wife are three sons, Richard B. Colter of Monroe. James R. Colter of Decatur and Van Thomas Colter of Indianapolis, and four grandchildren. Three brothers preceded him in death. Funeral services will be conducted at 1:30 p. m. Wednesday at the Zwick funeral home and at 2 p. m. at the First Methodist church, the Rev. Samuel Emerick officiating. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery, with Adams Post 43, American Legion, presenting the flag at graveside services. ‘Friends- may call at the funeral home after 7 o’clock this evening. The casket will not be opened at the church. The Scottish Rite, led by S. S. Geake, will conduct rites at the funeral home at 1 p. m. Wednesday. ■ '• ... \ Commissioners In Monthly Session Pay Some Workmen Twice Each Month County highway and surveyor’s crews will be paid twice a month Instead ot once a month beginning January 1, as a result of action sioners this morning in regular taken by Adams county commissession. Court house clerical workers, however, according to county auditor Frank Kitson, will continue to be paid once a month. County health nurse Marie Felber submitted the following report of her activities during October: Miss Felber completed hearing tests in Hartford, Pleasant Mills. Emanuel, St. John’s, St. Paul’s, Zion, Geneva, Bobo, Kimsey, Meunsterberg, Lincoln and Adams Central schools. She “ attended state nurses convention at Fort Wayne on Oct. 1-3. The state highway department has announced ita approval of five mile* of road work in the county that, was completed through the use of funds under the FAS (federal aid secondary) law, providing that the federal government will contribute toward the improvement of rural roads. The roads are: 2.2 miles of road 82 In Root township, north from the Piqua road; 3.1 miles of road 10 in township, west from U. 8. highway 27. The law provide* that the cost of the improvement will be split between the county and the government, work to be done under the supervision of the state.' approval, juris- • \' Twm Te Pag* Right*

’ Price Five Cents

SCS Regional Offices Out In Ag Reshuffling Secretary Benson Announces Decision At News Conference WASHINGTON UP — Agricuk ture secretary Ezra T. Benson said today be is going ahead “immediately" with plans to put his controversial agriculture department reorganization plan into effect. He announced the decision at a news conference and said it had President, Eisenhower’s blessing. A memorandum released simultaneously declared the seven regional office* of the soil conservation service “are abolished.” It was this part of the reorganization plan that had attracted the most fire. Benson’s memorandum said “the state offices of the soil conservation office are hereby given greater responsibility for the program’s formulation and execution, and the regional offices are abolished.” Critics asserted that liquidation of the regional offices would reduce effectiveness of the federal ' sdll conservation program. Benson denied M and said th* service can operate "ntore dfffcteiitiy- withonr ’ them. x A house subcommittee on go£ ’ ernment operations, which t had scheduled hearings on the ''plan later this month, immediately began arranging for earlier hearings —possibly this week. Subcommittee chairman George Bender R-Ohio had asked Benson to delay the reorganization until congress studied the plan, reformed of Benson’s decision today. Bender said “nothing should be done until t we have bad public hearings." The state SCS offices are feder-ally-staffed and, hereout will be under direct supervision of headquarters here. The regional offices —at Upper Darby, Pa.; Spartanburg, S. C.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Lincoln, Neb.; Ft. Worth, Tex.; Albuquerque, N. M.; g and Portland, Ore. — employed about 1,000 employes. Most of the regional administrative officers are to be dismissed and the' technicians will be assigned to state SCS offices or transferred to Washington. Benson said his decision was taken with “full knowledge and approval of President Eisenhower.” Chairman George D. Aiken RVt. of the senate agriculture committee said Benson’* move was “the right thing.” “If he had delayed It, members of congress would have been getting telegrams out of the graveyards in another month,”’ Aiken said. Some congressmen, chairman Clifford R. Hope R-Kan. of the house agrlcalture committee among them, had suggested Benson delay declaring the program effective until congress could study it. But Benson said “the plan has unusually wide approval. There has been very little opposition — much less than anticipated.” Aiken said he had received protests from only 11 of 2,200 soil conservation districts in the nation “and messages of approval now exceed” the protests. Rep. Frank M. Karsten D-Mo., another ' subcommittee member, charged “Benson has paid so little attention to farmer* that he would not know whether there is opposition or not.” Sen. Milton R. Young R-N.D., who repeatedly has called for Benson’s resignation, said he was “greatly disappointed.” He said testimony of agriculture officials indicated the move to abolish soil conservation districts “will nave little, it say, money.” Rep. Albert Thomas D-Tex. commented that Benson “just sign-; ed hi* death warrant•” Rep. Carl T. Curtis R-Neb. had urged Benson to hold the plan In abeyance until th* aubcommittee could study it. Asked what should •Tosb To Fasts n**>