Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 52, Number 50, Decatur, Adams County, 1 March 1954 — Page 1

Vol. LIL No. 50.

Leaves For Inter-American Conference Ml - - l ijr S JI y” Jis SECRETARY OF STATE John Foster Dulles talks with representatives from three Latin American countries at Washington’s National Airport before boarding a plane for the tenth inter-American conference in Caracas. Venezuela. Dulles is expected to seek adoption of a resolution seeking to unify hemispheric policy against Communists in the Americas. With Dulles are (1. to r.): Senor Don Roberto M. Huertematte, Ambassador from Panama; Senor Dr, Carlos Perez De Im Cova. Minister of Venezuela, and Senor Don Matfuel Tello, Ambassador from Mexico.

I Senate Okays Nomination Os ■""Sri Warren Approval Voted By Senators, Virtually No Debate In Senate WASHINGTON, UP — The senate today confirmed the nomination of Earl Warren as Chief Justime by voice vote. B There were no audible "noes." The senate approved the nomination with virtually no debate. Senate Republican leader -WilHam - F. Knowland fCaUt) andSen. Thomas H- Kuchel (R-Calls.) < „ m.'de brief speeches > ‘ former California governor. Chairman William Langer (RN- D ) of the senate judiciary committee. who voted to report Warren’s nomination to the floor after holding it up for several weeks, K said nothing. Langer sat at his regular seat beside Knowland. Only about half the senate's 96 » - members were present. Mr. Warren has been serving under a recess appointment since last October when President Eisenhower named him to succeed the late Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson. Mr. Eisenhower sent the formal nomination to the senate early in January. The nomination was tied up for weeks in a senate judiciary subcommittee headed by Langer. -’• """""TAnger had made public 10 "unevaluated" charges against Mr. . Warren, ranging from accusations that he was dominated by a liquor lobbyist to a charge that he was a follower of "the Marxist line.” The subcommittee subsequently approved the nomination after Mr. Eisenhower, Vice President Richard M. Nixon, Knowland and others lauded Mr. Warren. Langer said earlier the senate “should" get a full FBI report on the former California governor. But when Knowland called up the t nomination, Langer said nothing Parent Funeral At Fort Wayne Tuesday Heart Attack Fatal * To Bernard Parent 1 Funeral services will be held Tuesday morning at 9:30 o’clock at St. John the Baptist Catholic " church in Fort Wayne for Bernard Parent. 58, former Decatur resident, who died of a heart attack at his home in Fort Wayne Saturday night. Mr. Parent was born in Adams county and attended the Decatur Catholic school. He moved to Fort Wayne in 1919 and since that time had been employed at the Fort Wayne General Electric. «i A charter member of St. John the Baptist church, he also was a ’ member of Post 47, American Legion and Travellers Protective Association. Parent was a member of the General Electric Quarter Century club and, 7 a World War I f < veteran. Friends may call tonight at Mun:—govan funeral home in Fort -<■ ' Wayne. Burial will be at Fort Wayne Catholic cemetery. Surviving are his widow, Edna Parent; a brother, Omer, Claire; Mich;; a •sister, Mrs. Joseph Rahrig, Fostoria. 0.. and two nieces, r Mrs. Joan Ulman and Mrs. Dreada A< Roop, both of Decatur.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Celina Bride Is Drowned In Lagoon Native Os County Drowns Last Night Mrs. Christine Pfeffenberger, 21. of Celina, 0., a bride of a little over a month, was drowned about 7:40 o’clock Sunday evening when the car driven by her husband, Alfred, skidded off the lakeshore drive on the north side of Grand Lake at Celina and plunged into a lagoon. Mrs. Pfeffenberger, a resident of Adams county until her marriage Jan. 24, was thrown into the back eeat of the ear as it overturned into approximately four and onehalf feet of water and settled in the•'Wffltt;’■thb-db&rs tightly closed. She /as unable to get nat of thevehicle. Her husband, who suffered only minor cuts and bruises and shock, was able to get out of the car by breaking a door glass. Dr. George Mcllroy, Mercer county coroner, indicated he would file a verdict of accidental drowning. - ' Authorities said Pfeffenberger apparently slammed on the car's brakes as he met another car at a bridge over an inlet-from the lagoon to the lake. The auto skidded out of control and plunged into the lagoon, overturning onto its top. Mrs. Pfeffenberger waa born in Wabash township June 25, 1932. a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Irvin T. Sprunger. Surviving in addition to her husband and parents ate a brother. Sherman Ted Sprunger, It home; a sister, Mrs. Lawrence McCullough of Monroe, and tbd*f>aternal grandfather, Nathan Sprunger of Berne. Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a m. Thursday at the First Missionary church at Berne, ire Rev. J. J. Klopfenstein officiating. Burial will be in the MRE (Turn To Page Eight) cemeter.y. The body will be brought Over Inch Os Rain Saturday, Sunday St. Mary's river“became’ a swollen stream today with 6.74 feet of water, Herman "Hi" Meyer, local .veatheh observer reported. Rain received Saturday night and Sunday morning measured 1.08 inches, Meyer said. There was a trace of precipitation Sunda" after 8 a. m., when the above jneasurement was taken. Retail Division To Meet Tuesday Night Special events plans for' the year will be made by the retail division of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce at a meeting schediSted for Tuesday night at 8 o’clock at the Rice Hotel Coffee shop, it was announced today by C. B. Brewer, - chairman of the group. All Ideal retailers are asked to .attend the session. Plans for several special events during the spring, summer and fall will be discussed. Regular events, sponsored by the retail group, also will be discussed and. committee chairmen will be named. Dates for special trading days will be discussed and Brewer has asked that qvejy retail store be represented. INDIANA WEATHER Partly cloudy tonight and 4* Tuesday. Snow flur.ri«» likely. near Lake Michigan. No important ' temperature change. Low tonight 25-32. High Tueadaj) 28-33 north, 33-38 south.

Sen. McCarthy Quizzes Army Doctor, G. I. Closed Hearing On Army's Security Precautions Today WASHINGTON. (UP) — Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy's senate investigating subcommittee, with all tour Republican members and one Democrat sitting in, today questioned an army doctor and a recently discharged GI on whether they signed’loyalty oaths on enterihg service. Witnesses at the closed hearing’ on army security prejeauttaas were Pvt. Martin Belsky, 25, New York, a' doctor assigned to Murphy General hospital at Waltham, Mass.; and former Pvt. Sidney Rubenstein. 23. discharged last month after serving at Ft. Banks, Winthrop, Mass. The army has said Belsky was denied- the officers commission usually granted tq army doctors because he refused to sign a .loyalty oath. Rubinstein told reporters last week he signed sueh an oath. Neither witness would talk to newsmen before going into the hearing. The new chapter in McCarthy’s feud with army secretary Robert T. Stevens opened as senate Republican leaders vigorously denied published reports that President Eisenh.ower has urged GOP members of the subcommittee to attend all hearings in order to prevent McCarthy from running a “oneman show.” Sen. Karl E. Mundtyß-S. D-, 3 member ‘of flie si?bCortrtnittee , ’who attended today's hearing, said the reports w-ere "completely and totalljY wrong,” and were “planted by some irresponsible source or cooked up.” At today’s hearing were Mundt, McCarthy, Sen. Everett M. Dirksen, R-111., Sen. Charles E. Potter. R Mich., and Sen. John L. McClellan, D-Ark. Sen. GOP leader William F. Knowland also told reporters there was no foundation for the reports Mr. Eisenhower made detailed recommendations to senate leaders for “reforming” the McCarthy subcommittee’s investigating tactics, Mundt, second-ranking Republican on the subcommittee, said in an interview that he is confiden the kind-of "irritations” that de veloped during McCarthy’s recen one-man questioning of Brig. Gen Ralph W. Zwicker not be repeated." It was Steven-’ charge <Turu To !'»»» Eight) LATF BULLET/NS WASHINGTON, UP— The spring series of atomic tests in the fat* Pacific has begun with the explosion of “ant“ atomic device,” the atomic energy commission announced today. The tests are expected to continue for some weeks and to include later the explosion of the latest model hydrogen bomb. WRIGHT, Wyo„ (UP) — A ground party radioed today it had reached the wreckage of a Western Airlines Convafr which crashed three days ago, and there were no survivors among the nine persons aboard.

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, March 1, 1954.

Five C ongressmen Shot C. • ' As Trio Opens Fire In House This Afternoon

Eisenhower Is Still Opposed To Tax Cuts Opposes Increase In Exemptions On Personal Incomes. WASHINGTON, UP — House speaker Joseph W. Martin Jr., said today that President Eisenhower is still opposed to increasing personal income tax exemptions. The Massachusetts Republican made the statement after a tax program discussion at the White House. Martin and the Republican leaders of the house and senate devoted a good part of their weekly legislative meeting with Mr. Eisenhower to mapping the mechanics of getting administration tax proposals through congress by the end of this month, Martin said the house leadership expects to have tax legislation on the floor within two weeks. Many congressional Democrats are driving for a hike in income tax exemptions. But they are on notice they .may. run into a residential veto even should they win tee day in congress. i Treasury secretary George Humphrey said Sunday night that unless there is a “drastic” change in the economy he will urge Mr. Eisenhower to veto any bill to raise exemptions. — Humphrey, who approves “a selectivereduction" In excise taxes. participated in the White House conference. Martin and senate GOP leader William F. Knowland said Mr. Eisenhower took no position today regarding excise taxes because he did mot know what the house ways and means committee .Will recommend. After Martin said the President was “opposed” to increasing personal income tax exemption rates, he turned to White House press (Turn Tn Pace Tw») Millon U Edgell Is Taken By Death Funeral Services To Be Wednesday Milton U. Edgell, 86, retired St. Mary’s township farmer, died at noon Sunday at his home seven miles southeast of Decatur follow.ng an illness of two yearsMr. Edgell served as road super-visor-for St. Mary’s township tor 20 yeaYs and was also a precinct committeeman for many years. He was born in Darke county, 0., lan. 10, 1868, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Elliott, but at his life in Adams county. He was married to Clara Smltley April 10, 189.9, and they celebrated their xolden wedding anniversary five years ..ago. ----- —-- — „ Surviving in addition to his wife ire six sons. Jesse of Monroe. HaryH. of near Decatur. Harley,A. of Van ■■ Wert, 0., Russel E. of near Decatur, Fred W. of Berne and Vernon of Kingsport, Tenn.; three daughters, Mrs. Brice Roop of Decatur, Mrs. Homer Maloney of near Decatur and Mrs- Otto Kirchner of Fort Wayne; 20 grandchildren: seven great-grandchildren; a halfbrother. Edward Elliott of Argos, "iifd tiree half-sisters, Mrs. Susan Buckmastei’ of Lowell, Mrs. Amanda Kelley of Northern Michigan and Mrs. Nellie Studebaker of South Bend. Three sons and two daughters preceded him In death. Funeral services will be'Conducted at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Edgell residence and at 2:30 p.m. at the Mt.. Hope Nazarene church near Salem, the Rev. Romaine Wood and the Rev. Kenneth Swan officiating. Burial will be in -the Mt .Hope-cemetery- -The -body will be returned from the Zwick funeral home to the residence, where friends may call after 7 o’clock thia evening.

Seven Persons Burn To Death In Hotel Workers' Quarters Destroyed By Fire LIBERTY, N y Y„ UP—lnvestigators poked through charred ruins today to determine the cause of a flash fire that killed seven persons and burned or injured 26 ethers in the wooden employes’ quarters at the, GrosSthger Hotel, famed Catskill Mountain resort. The flames demolished the three story frame building early Sunday while the resort's 900 guests, including heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano and his family, continued to sleep, unaware of the disaster. Fire chief Dewey Borden of Liberty said the fire apparently started in an entry-way and spread up the stairway, cutting off escape of employes sleeping in the building. Damage was estimated at 130,000. The seven who died were trapped in rooms near the “ third floor landing. The rest of the occupants leaped from the burning building in their nightclothes. One of the dead was an expectant mother who was -trapped by tee flames. Her husband also died Steen he rushed back into Che building in ail* attempt to rescue her. One of the injured )was in NEiUcal condition from bucns and a fractured leg suffered when she leaped from her flaming room. Marciano, here to. train for his next championship bout June 17, hit- infant daughter and his mother Lena, slept through the commotion. Few of the guests occupying 20 buildings scattered over the 750acre resort said they heard anyhing. Most of them are here for winter sports. Lenten Schedule At St. Mary's Church First Service Here Wednesday Evening The Very Rev. Msgr. J. J. Seim£tz, pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic church, has announced the schedule 'for the Lenten services. Four priests from Fort Wayne parishes and Msgr. Seimetz will exchange services Ip a circuit series. Services here will include Tuesday, March 9, the Rev. Joseph Crowley, of St. Peter’s Catholic church, “Judgment;” March 16. tee Rev. Ralph Larson of St. Joseph's Catholic church. “Time and Eternity:" March 23, the Rev. Dennis Dennihan of,St. Jude's parish 'The Reality of Sin;” March 30, the Very Rev. Msgr. John Nadolny of St. Pgulie parish. “The Two Kingdom’s,” and April 6, Msgr. Seimetz, "Prayer," The local pastor will deliver hi‘ sermon March 10 at St. Paul’s March 17 at St. Jude's, March 24 at St. Joseph’s and March 31 at St Peter’s. Msgr. Seimetz will klso give the sermon at the Ash Wednesday service here, Services will begin at 7:39 p. m, Wednesday. Ashes will be distributed Wednesday after the evening serivce and at the 7:30 a. m. Mass. The Way of the Cross and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament are scheduled for 7:30 p, m. Friday. ■ ■ o ... Former Decatur Man Dies As Logansport Lewis C. Zintsmaster, 71, former manager of the Miller-Jones shoe store in this city, died at 6 o’clock Saturday evening at his home in Logansport. Surviving are the following children: Mrs. Vernon Frauhiger of Decatur, Dick, serv tog with the army in Germany, and Harold. Donald', Shirley and Jerry, all at home. Funeral »erviees will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Logansport, with graveside services at a Huntington cemetery at 12 noon Tuesday.

Five Persons Are Killed By Gas Explosion Two Others Escape Serious Injury tn Philadelphia Blast up — Five persons were Yllled and two others miraculously escaped serious injury in a savage explosion that rocked a crowded residential neighborhood Sunday night. The dead, three of them youngsters, were trapped as the blast ripped apart two adjoining threestory buildings and created a panic in the neighborhood. The total injured was 26. The dead were identified as: Isadore Pearlman, 43; Mrs. Fannie Rudolph, 54: Marie Marone, 16; Bruce Schwarts, 9,-and Salvatore Baldino, 6. The two persons saved when the falling rubble created a shield for them were Marion Nixon, 42, and 17-year-old Ruby Mosely, who chatted and joked with her rescuers as they fough| their way into the 'smashed telephone booth Where she was trapped. She asked for a cup of tea at one point, and firetnen passed her a cup of water, She chided them, and said, “When" I ask for a cup of tea, I want a cup of tea." The violent explosion that sounded like a bomb” hurled tons of debris across the' narrow residential street and stampeded 150 patrons at a nearby theater. The wrecked buildings contained a ground floor luncheonette and t jewelry store, and each had apartments on the second and . third floors. .. _ - ' The more than 50 families made homeless by the blast, which was attributed to a leaking gas pipe in the basement of one of the buildings, were removed to nearby schools where the Red Cross set up emergency shelters. William C. Schnepf Dies Last Evening Prominent Farmer Is Taken By Death William C. Schnepf, 66, prominent Adams county farmer, died a: 6:30 o'clock Sunday evening at his home, three miles northwest of Decatur, following an illness oi three years of complications. ' Mr. Schnepf farmed at Rock Rj-pids, la., for many years, moving to Adams county in 19$», operating the McMillen stock farm north of the city until a few years ago, when he purchased his own farm. Mr. Schnepf was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church. He was born th Sioux county. lowa. Oct. 14, 1887, a son of Chris ar.d Dora Peran-Schnepf, and was married to Stella Oddenburg, Jan. I, 1914. Surviving in addition to his wife are three daughters, Mrs. Melvin Sikkink of Maquoketa, la.. Miss Dorothy Schnepf. at home, and Mrs. William Olson, Jr., of Park Fortst, 111.; seven sons, William F„ Wayne L. Kenneth V. and Jack E. Schnepf, all of Decatur; Roger H. Schnepf, stationed with the U. S. army at Fort Sheridan, 111., and Dale A. and Stewart P. Schnepf. at home; 13 grandchildren. and two brothers. H. P. Schnepf and Fred Schnepf. both of Rock Rapids, la. One sister is deceased. Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a. m Wednesday at the Zwick funeral home and at 10:30 a. tn, at the Zion Lutheran church, the Rev. Edgar P Schmidt officiating. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery. Friends may call at th* funeral home after 7 o’clock this evening. 4 : •W

Red Cross Campaign Opened Here today First Reports Made As Drive Underway Contributions to the 1954 Red Cross fund have started to come in, according to Mrs. Joseph Oelberg, executive secretary of the local ißed Cross chapter. The fund drive opened officially today. The first five to report were volunteer workers in the rural areas. Contributions were turned in by Karl E. Ray. Washington township section 34, 315; Mrs. Oscar Geisel, Washington township section 7. 346; J. J. Yost, Washington township section 23, 310; Mrs. J. J. Yost, Washington township section 24, 33.50, and Rollie Crozier, Union township section 15, 315. Other volunteers in the rural areas have also turned in first day reports. A day by day tabulation of contributions will he made by Mrs. Oelberg. . The Rev. Lawrence Norris, general chairman of the county campaign, is planning to place a chart In the window of the Decatur DaHy Democrat office. The chart will show campaign results. Commissioners In Regular Session Monthly Meeting Held Here Today. The counfy commissioners met for their regular session this morning In the office of the county auditor. Payment of bills was reviewed. (Ivan Zeigler, of Hartford township, appeared before the commissioners about a ditch in that township. The commissioners will view the ditch Wednesday afternoon when they will also Inspect ditches in Root and Kirkland townships. An appeal was made by Mary Gage about a road on the township line between Union and St. Marys townships. The commissioners turned down a request by a Bluffton firm to install a candy vending machine in the county court house. A report was made by Miss Marie Felber, county health nurse. On the agenda for this .afternoon's session of the commissioners was a discussion of a water softener for the county home, blacktopping of a road -in St. Mary’s township and a petition from the county agent’s office to change recreation funds. They were also to receive blds on five tens of fertilizer for the county home. • Rhee Tells Os Plan For UnHing Korea Warns On Uniting Koreans By Force SEOUL, Korea., UP—President Syngman ’Rhee observed the 35th anniversary of his country’s bloody revolt against the Japanese today by warning he will send his army north to nullify the “shameful surrender" that was the Korean armistice. Rhee’s speech in Pusan highlighted a day of demonstrations throughout Korea in commemoration of the 1919 uprising against the t Japanese occupation. “We shall surely join hands with our brethren and march up to the borders of our ancient homeland,” Rhee told 30,000 Koreans who stood in a driving rain at Pusan. Rhee's speech was recorded and rebroadcast in Seul’s plaza and tens of thousands of students paraded through the street! in an orderly demonstration that stopped traffic. Some officials expected that Rhee would use his speech to announce South Korea’s decision to ■" (Turn To Pace Five)

Price Five Cents

Girl And Two Men Fire From Public Gallery Michigan Solon Is Seriously Wounded By Volley Os Shots WASHINGTON UP — A girl shouting “Free Puerto Rico” and . two men opened fire with pistols on congressmen in the House of Representatives chamber today and wounded several. The following members of the House were wounded: Rep. Alvin M. Bentley R-Mich. serious wounds in the chest or stomach. Rep. Ben F. Jensen R-lowa, back wounds. Rep. Clifford Davis D-Tenn., wounded in the right leg. * Rep. George H. Fallon D-Md., hip wound. Rep. Kenneth A. Roberts D-Ala. leg wound. The three assailants —who identified themselves as Puerto Ricans —fired from a public gallery overlooking the chamber. The woman shouted; “Free Puerto Rico." Some members dropped to the floor and ducked behind chairs as -the fusillade*-described by one as sounding like the popping of a string of firecrackers —rang out. Five members were hit as an estimated 20 shots were fired. Rep. James E. Van Zandt R-Pa., wrestled a pistol away from one of the assailants as he attempted to re-load. Then all three were quickly grabbed by Capitol police, turned aver to Washington police and hustled to local headquarters. The girl identified herself as - Lolita Lee Bron and said she and / her two men companions were Puerto Ricans. One of the men said his name was Rafael Cancel and said he came from Puerto Rico. The office of Puerto Rican Commissioner Antonio Fernos - Isern said it could not immediately identify either of the two names. The shootings recalled the attempted assassination of former President Truman on Nov. 1, 1950, when two Puerto Rican nationalists tried to storm Blair House (TeVB To Page Eight > Mrs. Fannie Jackson Dies This Morning Funeral Services Thursday Afternoon Mrs. Fannie Jackson, 88, a lifelong resident of Decatur and vicinity, died at MtOS,jr’clock this morning at the Adams county memorial hospital. She had been in failing health for several years and seriously ill for the past week. ■ ■ ■. — • She was born in Lima, 0., Oct. 23, 1865, a daughter of George and Adaline Standiford, and was marled to Elzey W. Jackson Oct. 22, 885. Her husband died Feb. 17, 1944. Mrs. Jackson was a member of the Calvary Evangelical United Brethren church, east of Decatur. Surviving are five sons, Harry E. Jackson of Fort Wayne, Rolla R. Jackson of Decatur, Artie L. Jackson of near Decatur, Nyle A. Jackson of Dayton, O. and Dewey S. Jackson of Crestline, O.; two daughters. Mrs. Walter Koos and Mrs. James Baker, both of Decatur; 21 grandchildren; .34 greatgrandchildren, and one brother, Frank M. Standiford, of Delphos, O. Three sons are deceased. Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a. m. Thursday at the Zwick funeral home and at 10:30 a. m. at the Calvary Evangelical United Brethren church, the Rev. R. R. Loose and the Rev. William C. Feller officiating. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p. m. Tuesday.