Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 52, Number 52, Decatur, Adams County, 3 March 1954 — Page 1

Vol. Lil. No. 52.

Call On Stricken Congressman , < -I LBL * 7LB 1- iiwTSrzCL W l|* I MRB. ALVIN BENTLEY (left) and the former wife of Ren. Alvin Bentley. Mrs. James O’Toole (right) visited the stricken legislator at Washington's Casualty Hospital seeking news of his condition on the day after he was shot down on the House floor by Puerto Rican terrorists. Mrs. O’Toole is the mother of the congressman’s three children and flew to Washington with her husband from Puerto Rico. Mrs. Bentley is an expectant mother.

Ike Opposes Any Slash In Excise Taxes House Committee Likely To Ignore Ike's Opposition BULLETIN WASHINGTON UP — The house way* and mean* committee today voted to cut in half the present 20 per cent federal excise taxes on Jewelry fur*, ccVnetiea, luggage, admission ticket* and women’s WASHINGTON. W —President Elsenhower today firmly opposed an imminent move by house tax writers to cut federal excise taxes on jewelry, furs, admission tickets, and cosmetics by about one billion dollars a year. Mr. Eisenhower announced his opposition at a news conference. Nevertheless, the house ways and means committee was ready to vote the tax reductions today. The President was asked if he ‘would veto the tax bill if it finally includes a cut in federal excise taxes. He said he knew of no question more impossible to answer than whether he would veto any piece of legislation before he knew exactly what was in it. He said that sometimes you have to swallow a dose of castor oil along with the good. He pointed out that treasury secretary George M. Humphrey issued a statement saying the government could not afford the one-billion-dollar excise tax slpsh. Mrl Eisenhower _ said Humphrey’s views were also his own. -— - —Along with the excise tax cut, house ways and means committee was expected to approve Mr. Eisenhower’s request for continuation of existing excise rates on liquor, beer, gasoline, cigarets. and automobiles. ' Extension of present rates on these items would yield the government about $1,100.000,00C a year in revenue, which wduld somewhat more than offset the — Joss to be sustained-by the reductions. Unless congress votes to continue existing rates on liquor and the other items before April 1, they will be cut automatically under a law previously passed by congress. _ . Mr. Eisenhower didn’t ask for the excise cuts. And secretary of treasury George M. Humphrey Tuesday night made clear his feeling that the government can ill afford the prospective loss of revenue. < - . , t TB Consultation Clinic March 11 A tuberculosis consultation clinic, sponsored by the Adams county tuberculosis association, will be held at the American Legion home -here Thursday, March IT, Mrs. W. Guy Brown, secretary of the Adames county TB association, announced today. - ; The clinic will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and from 1 to 3 p.m. The clinic wUI be by appoint■ment only;’ and doctors are asked to refer their patients to the clinic, which will be conducted by Dr. O. T. Kidder, of the Irene Byron sanitarium.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Retail Division ~ Plans Activities Dates Tentatively Set For Activities Preliminary plans for The year’s activities of the retail division of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce were made at a well attended meeting of local merchants at the Rice hotel coffee shop Tuesday night Cliff Brewer, head of the division, presided. ‘Here are the dates tentatively agreed on: Spring festival, IMay 17 to 22. Dollar day. August (dates to be announced) Fish fry, October 7. Minstrel show (Date to be set sometime in fall),Halloween parade, October, (6btact date to be determined.) Christmas program, starting first Saturday in December. brewer also said that other events were being discussed and would be added to the calendar of events as they materalized. He emphasized the fact that every merchant should join in “selling Devcatur as the, best place in which to trade.” One assessment of $lO per member was decided on' by the group Tuesday night. This assessment will supplant the numerous assessment pointed out, and is strictly on a per capita basis. Brewer named the following committees: Spring festival: Lyle IMallonee. chairman; Ferd Klenk; Jack Gordon. Dollor day: Robert Lane, chairman; Robert Holthouse, James McKee, Jesse Sutton, Morris Begun. _ ■ ~ Fish fry: ClarenceTwiner,chairman,Carl Gerber and all subcommittee chairmen. Halloween parade; Martin Sprunger, chairman; Ralph Habegger. George Litchfield. Richard Wertzberger, Dale iM orris se y, James Newton. Christmas program: Kenneth Shannon, chairman; Frank Lybarger, Louis Jacobs, Harold Niblick, Sen Webster, William Gass. Brewer also named permanent committees in addition to the spec ial events committees as follows: Membership: Robert Lane and ♦Ed Heimann. Advertising: David Heller, George Stultz, Richard C. iEhinger. Planning: Harry Schwartz, Marin Sprunger, Ray Heller, Ferd Klenk, Louis Jacobs, Frank Lybarter, Carl Gerber, William Gass, Jesse Sutton, Kenneth Shannon. Decatur Lions Hear Oratorical Winners James Rowley, winner, and Miss Kay: Borman, runner-up in the American Legion county oratorical contest, were the speakers at the Lions club meeting last evening. The two high school students gave their addresses op the “Constitution”. Arnold Gerke of Decatur high school, was the moderator of the program. INDIANA WEATHER ’ Partly cloudy with diminishing winds and colder tonight Thursday generally fair and cold, few snow flurries extreme north tonight and near Lake Michigan Thursday. Low tonight 10-15, high Thursday 25-32.

Pass Resolution On Sewer Assessments Set Assessments On Casting Lateral A preliminary resolution pertaining to assessments to property owners deriving benefits from the Casting company lateral of the Porter-Homewood sewer was passed by the city council Tuesday night by a 4-1 vote, with councilman Adolph Kolter voting against. The nrst lateral to be added to the new northwest sewer affects two industrial plants in Decatur. The General Electric, number two plant; and the Decatur Casting Co. and Pennsylvania railroad property. Assessment against the Casting company was set at $6,275.51 and against the General Electric Co., $3,843.63, plus $170.30 for each of seven additional lots owned by the company. Standard lots deriving benefits would each be assessed $170.30 and there are 12 of these lots in addition to the two larger areas affected. Councilman Kolter in voting against the resolution said be felt the assessments against the two manufacturing concerns were out of line with the other assessments. It was pointed out, that neither plant ever had been assessed for any other sewer construction and that their assessment was identical with other property owners, plus the difference in cost of a larger tile used in these two areas. The clerk-treasurer was instructed in the preliminary resolution to give public notice by publication of the preliminary assessments and set Tuesday night. March 16, as the date for public hearing subsequent to final passage. Estimated cost of the lateral was set at $14,000, which includes additional cost of large tile on the Casting company and General Electric properties. Preliminary plans and specifications .and a profile for the new power plant lateral, also to be part of the Porter-HopieWood sewer, were submitted and afoptedaftar a heated discussion. It is the plan of city officials to have a separate lateral for the power plant. Counciimen raised the question of whether residents □f the area of the new plant could ilso tap into the sewer and it was explained that residents of tha t irea could get necessary relief by tapping into the Acker sewer. Estimates of the cost to the city will be prepared immediately by city engineer Roop and added to plans before final adoption. Approve Plans For Power Line Changes To Redistribute Power Over Cables Councilmanic approval was given to Lester Pettibcftie, supetintendeht of the city light and power department, to proceed with his plans for redistribution of power in several cables furnishing electricity to the carious parts of the city. Redistribution is said to be necessary because several lines have overloads and other lines are not being utilized to full capacity. Pettibone ..estimated the total cost. Including labor on the project, at ibout $2,700. Regular city employes will do most of the work. It was pointed out that the loads would be divided so that several rural lines would receive more electricity during peak load consumption. Several complaints have been received that some rural lines did not have sufficient power at certain times of he day to operate all of their equipment. Pettibone said work would be started immediately. Otner Council Action A petition for extension of a rural electric line signed by Rolland and Marjorie Gilliom in Root township was referred to the electric light committee and superintendent. Franklin Lybarger was given authority to erect a curb stone ailing his property line at 603 Cleveland street. Lybarger appeared before the council and said that he believed the curb was necessary so that the fill could be maintained on his yard. A petition was presented to the council by Anthony Faurote asking that a sub-division containing 14 lots, for erection of two-family homes on Twelfth street in the west part of the city be accepted. The petition was referred to the plan commission. • -• Bills against the city were read and disposed of and the council. adjourned to March 16.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, March 3, 1954.

Attack On Congressmen Said Part Os Plot To Overthrow Government •* . 1 ‘ <Nk t gfes 4 •*' -j-" ' . . • ... . . ......— .. .. .•. ■

Federal Jury Opens Probe Os Shooting Spree Bentley Is Removed From Critical List At Capital Hospital WASHINGTON, UP —Rep. Paul W. Shafer (R-Mich.) gave a federal grand jury today an eyewitness account of Monday’s gun attack on the house of representatives for which the government is seeking quick indictment of four Puerto Rican terrorists. Shafer gave the jury “very positive” identification of all four of the assassins. The government charged the three gunmen and their pistolwielding woman - leader with assault with intent to kill on five counts —one count for each of five representatives felled in the 30second attack. Meanwhile, the justice department considered slapping criminal charges on leaders of the tiny but fanatical Puerto Rican Nationalist party to which the terrorists belong. Informed sources said department experts believe the government may be able to prosecute party chieftains under the Smith get—the same act under wljjch, U.S. Communist leaders were sent, to prison. This forbids conspiracy to advocate overthrow of the government. The ultimate fate of the four immediately accused hinges on a courageous touch-and-go fight for life being waged at Casualty Hoapital by Shafer s fellow Republican House member from Michigan, Rep. Alvin M. Bentley. Bentley, a 35-year-old millionaire from Owosso, Mich., was removed from the hospital’s “critical list” after a restful night. But physicians said he is still' in danger. A high velocity pistol bullet. pierc-‘ ed his lung and diaphram and smashed his liver. Un4er the indictment sought by U.S. Dist. Atty. Leo A. Rover each of the four Nationalists could be punished on conviction by 75 years in prison. But jf Bentley should fail to recover, the charge would be changed to first degree murder for which the penalty would be death. i The four other congressmen wounded In the spray of bullets fired from the house gallery on Monday were not considered to be in any danger. All were reported recovering. '' 1........, Shafer was the only congressman called before the grand jury. He tola newsmen he was on the house floor at the time of the shooting and “saw most of it." “I watched it until the shooting stopped,” he said, “and then dropped to the floor.” When the shooting started Shafer was standing on the Democratic side of the house, facing the Puerto Ricans. He said that he told the grand jury that he saw all four of them firing guns and (Turn To Page Five)

'lttecUfatuM' ' ■ i (By Rev. John E. Chambers, Trinity Evangelical United Brethren Church) THE CODE BOOK “The light shlneth in darkness; and the darkness compre-hended-it not?’ —John 1:15. The ministers of the Decatur area are grateful for this another privilege of writing daily meditations for the Decatur Daily Democrat during this Lenten Season. It is our prayer that all who read may be drawn closer to the “Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world.” In war time the Bible has been used as a code book tor spies. Using the numbers of books, chapters, and verses, spies have been able to get messages through to their allies. In a much greater way the Bible is a great code book of the human spirit. Through it God gets the message t,hrpugh to us and we may receive help for every time of need. God will get His message through to us in this Lenten Season as we attend the. various means of grace in , the . church of our choice. In a world torn by war, strife, and jealousies, “The light shlneth in. .dark6esß,’’ but as .children of the day,. God will get His message to us. \ "For the darkness shall turn to dawning. And the dawning to noonday bright, And Christ’s great Kingdom shall come on earth The Kingdom of love and light.”

Resolution Passed By Council Tuesday Resolution Adopted On Property Owners Final resolution for assessment of 164 property owners receiving first and second benefits from the new Porter-Homewood sewer in the northwest part Decatur was passed unanimously by the city Council Tuesday night. Passage of the resolution and ordinance followed appearance of 28 property owners affected by the assessments, but there were only mild protests concerning the $l7O assessment per lot. Most of those attending were more interested in , how soon the assessments would have to be paid. . City engineer Ralph Roop ex- . plained that at arriving at assessments. which are $l7O per standaril sized lot for first benefits and SBS per lot for second benefits, lots . were regarded as fifteenth hundredths of an acre and that each owner was then assessed on the basis of how many standards lots and parts of standard lots he owned. The first ordinance will net the city about $15,000 of the cost of ;he construction of the new sewer and the balance will be -collected from 950 other property owners who also will be benefited by the , new sewer and its laterals. Council memoers also pointed out that the assessment included the tap-in charge for each property owner. Mayor Doan pointed out that while the ordinance placed a cash $l7O assessment against each lot, that owners would be permitted to complete payments within a . year. —’ - —LClerk treasurer H. Vernon Aur- ■ and, to whom the assessments must be paid, said that he would confer with city attorney Robert Anderson '1 concerning how soon statements ■ would be mailed to each owner and i. also- just how deferred - payments could be made. The assessment will be a lien ’ Hen against the property and until it is paid it will be so stated in abstracts involving sale and transfer of affected property. It was pointed out. Funeral Held Today For Bernard Infant Services were held at the St. Mary’s Catholic church this aftetnoon for Gail Bernard, J%fant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Bernard of this city, who died at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Adams county memorial hospital, 24 hours afte,r birth. The Vary, Rev. Msgr. J, J. Seimetz officiated, with burial tn the Catholic cemetery, conducted by the Giilig & Doan funeral home. Surviving in addition to the .par-. entsr are two brothers, Don and Jill, at home, and the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Baker of Columbus 0., and Mr. and Mrs. Ed Bernard of College Corners, O.

Gen. Zwicker Given Backing By Eisenhower Defends General Against Criticism By Sen. McCarthy WASHINGTON, UP —President Eisenhower today defended Brig. Gen. Ralph W. Zwicker against criticism by Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy. R-Wis. In a news conference statement the President deplored the humiliation of executive department representatives before congressional committees. The President said "real cooperation’’ between the executive and legislative branches of government would be possible "only iu an atmosphere of mutual respect.” He did not call McCarthy by name but his references were obvious, particularly when he singled out Zwicker in paying tribute to the loyalty of the officers and men of the armed services. Mr. Eisenhower said all executive officials and employes should respond "cheerfully and completely” 4 to the requests of congress am! Its committees, hutthat they should be assured of "respect and courtesy.’’ "Officials in the executive branch of the government will have my unqualified support in insisting that employes in the executive branch who appear before any type of executive or congressional investigative body be treated fairly,” he said. After reading his statement to the biggest news conference of this administration, the President under questioning went on to rap McCarthy again, without calling -his name, for- hie criticism of the state department action in taking Authority over personnel from R. W. Scott McLeod. McLeod henceforth will continue to have charge of security maters, but not personnel. McCarthy said Tuesday this order “Just doesn’t look good on the surface," and said he has asked an official ex(Turn To Page Eight) John Bright Dies Tuesday Evening ■ J* - Funeral Services Friday Afternoon John A. Bright, 73, fOrmeY Decatur businessman, died at 5:30 o’clock Tuesday evening at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Dawn Turner, at Dayton, 0. Although he’ had been in failing health for some time, his death was Mr. Bright operated a garage in this city tor many years and later owned a grocery at Monroe and Seventh streets. He had made his home with Mrs. Turner for the pasFIS months. He was born itr Adams county May 4, 1880. a son of Joshua and Nancy Mowery-Bright, and was married to Lulu Cloud March 19. 1902. Mrs. Bright died Dec. 24. 1952. <■ - Mr. Bright was a member of the First Methodist church and the Moose lodge in this city. Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Turner of Dayton, Mrs.’Janies Shepherd of Meridian, Miss., Mrs. Jefferson Young and Mrs. William Coffee, both of Fort Wayne; seven grandchildren; two brothers, Lloyd Bright of Laketon and Thomas Bright of Dayton, 0., and three sisters, Mrs. John Parrish of -near Monroe, Mrs. Marion Johnson of Ashley and Mrs. Willis Landis of Dayton, O. . ' • Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday at the Zwick funeral horpe, the Rev. Samuel Emerick officiating. Burial will be In the Decatur cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 o’clock Thursday evening until time of the services. ’

Admits Taking Some Money From Wallet Fort Wayne Youth Confesses Theft Sheriff Robert Shraluka and state police officer Truman Bieri< have completed a probe Into the disappearance of about $l,lOO in cash and checks from a wallet belonging to James Taylor, following an automobile mishap eUt of Decatur several weeks agp. 6on- i session of removing some money from the pocketbook before re- , turning the checks to AJ Taylor, proprietor of the Calhoun lounge, Fort W’ayne, was made by George , Malerick. 21, Fort Wayne beverage truck driver. Malerick told police officers that lie found the wallet near the scene of the mishap on U. S. highway 224 when he stopped his car near the place of the accident to look at the damaged automobile. He said that he removed about slls in cash and then several days later returned the' checks to the Fort Wayne tavern. James Taylor, a son of Al Taylor had closed the tavern the night of the accident and had placed the receipts in his wallet, later coming to Decatur. He was injured in -the accident and taken to the Adams county memorial hospital. After regaining consciousness, Taylor relaized the wallet was missing. Malerick returned to Ms rooming house in Fort Wayne and later returned to checks to the tavern. He denied at first, knowledge of any cash. Following several interviews with Shraluka and Bierle, the Fort Wayne man yesterday admitted that he had appropriated slls in cash from the wallet. He offered to make good on that amount or any “reasonable amount” the Taylore decided was in the wallet. Originally James Taylor had said there was more than S6OO in cash ' involved. The question of jurisdiction if ' criminal proceedings were started arose. The pocketbook was found In Adams county but the finder returned to Fort Wayne and apparently the general opinion is that any criminal act in connection with taking the money probably would have taken place in Allen county, before he returned the checks. The Taylor, Malerick and an insurance company are presently workipg on the matter and Sheriff (Turn To I’nae Wive) Spring Festival Is Planned May 17-22 Use Os Streets Is Granted By Council The city council Tuesday night granted permission for the retail division of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce to use three uptown streets for the annual spring festival scheduled for May 17 to 22, inclusive. Lyle Mallonnee and Ferd Klenk represented the retail group and told of their plans. The council authorized use of Madison street from Second to Third streets; Liberty Way, from Second to Third street, provided an open lane is maintained for access to the post office, and the south side of Madison street from Second to First street and including the city’s easement to the river. Merchant representatives agreed to keep the center open on Madison street, for an emergency fire lane and the spokesmen also said that the festival had been agreed on by all retailers and other Chamber members. The event is an annual affair and includes exhibit tents and concession stands. Several rides also -are placed as intervals to give the festival a touch of street fair flavor. 'Request to use Madison street from Second to First was made because of the possibility of having a farm implement show in connection with the festival. This aspect of the program will be decided later.

Price Five Cents

Eisenhower, Other Leaders Marked To Die Monday’s Shooting Portion Os Plot To Assassinate Leaders (Qppyright 1954 By United Press) , fIIJW YORK.UP — The shooting of five congressmen in Washington on Monday was part of a plot to overthrow the United States Government by the assassination of its leaders. Private advices to the United Press from San Juan, Puerto Rico, said today that among those marked for death in the plot were President Eisenhower, secretary of state John .Foster Dulles and FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover. The advices from Puerto Rico said the federal bureau of investigation has alerted its agents to the possibility of further outbreaks of violence by fanatic Puerto Rican Nationalists. In addition to Mr. Eisenhower, Dulles and Hoover, there is said to be a plot to kill Gov. Munoz Marin es Puerto Rico, who now is in the United States, ahd Antonio Fernos-Isern, Puerto Rican commissioner tp the United States, Dulles now is in Caracas, Venezuela,, as head, of , the American J ielegation td the Itrtev-Amarieaa 'Conference. Unusual precautions save been taken to assure his safety, Including a bullet-proof automobile for his transportation. The persons charged with the protection of Mr. Eisenhqwer took additional precautions shortly after the shooting in congress earlier this week. There was no indication that the projected assassination of Mr. Eienhower, Dulles, Hoover and the Puerto Rican leaders was scheduled to have taken place slmultane- - jusly with the shooting in the lottse of representatives. Thus the peril, according to U. P. advices, still remains and the possibility jf further attempts at assassinaion is the reason for the FBI alert. (Turn To Page »»*> Mrs. Ralph Hobbs Is Polio Chairman Decatur Lady Mamed County Chapter Head Mrs. Ralph Hobbs, of Mercer avenue, was elected chairman of the Adams county chapter of the National Foundation for Infantile Paradis, Inc., at a dinner meeting of the chapter and volunteer workers of the March of Dimes Tuesday evening at the Fairway restaurant. .. . Mrs. Hobbs, who was chairman ~ of the March of Dimes campaign this year, succeeds Pete Reynolds, city editor of the Decatur Daily Democrat, who has been chairman foi a number of years. Other chapter officers named last night were M. J. Pryor, manager of the Decatur office of the Northern Indiana Public Service Co., vice chairman; Herman Krueckeberg, cashier of the First State Bank, reelected treasurer, and Dick Linn, associated with the Black funeral home, secretary. Edgar Britton, of Indianapolis, Indiana representative for the national organization, spoke briefly -at the meeting, discussing the vaccine test program to be undertaken this year, and the care of patients. Britton stated that Indiana will participate in the field trials of the new vaccine, although the exact counties have not yet been . determined. , Britton also announced that the , Indiana March of Dimes has so far . exceeded last year's campaign by 10 percent, putting Indiana over the million dollar mark for the , second consecutive year. Mrs. Hobbs also stated that • i complete report of the MOD In i Adams county probably will ex* . ceed $5,500 for this year, an excellent record.