Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 52, Number 167, Decatur, Adams County, 17 July 1954 — Page 1

Vol. 111. No. 167.

Lead Dazed Survivors From Blasted Munitions Plant c ■ V. ■ .■» :JL’.". > «.-.»■ .•' ;.»■ >-• 1 h A RJ|UpL JM w ’“"SI ■n vT jH ■ ▼ jws 'I7&WE! I FifiEMEN, mustered from many nearby towns, lead dazed women employes through, the smoking-rubble of IM sprawling Chestertown, Md., munitions' plant wrecked by an atomic-bomb-like explosion. Four hours after the blast. 11 dead and scores of injured had been removed-from the nine buildings destroyed in the huge 40-building layout. Authorities said that two jet planes, roaring at tree-top level over the works, may have set off the initial blast. V7T f

Count 11 Dead In Explosives Factory Blast Aripy Experts, FBI Seek For Possible Sabotage At Scene CHESTERTOWN, Md. (INS) — Army demolition crews alerted national guard and state troopers today to clear the area around the wreckage pf a fireworks and munitions plant, apparently preparing to set off the remaining explosive*. ' The order was- given as the arm? experts and FBI amenta searched for possible sabotage In the disaster which took the UVea Os It persons Friday. This entire eastern shore community was rocked by the aeries of bleats which injured 50 and leveled the sprawling collection of clapboard huiHinga of the Kent Manufacturing Co., Inc. Apthorities considered removing the remaining explosives by truck but apparently decided it was too dangerous and Called for the area to be cleared this morning. The thunderous blast sent hundreds of roman candles and an awesome atomic-like _ mushroom cloud into the air, Concussions blasted out windows throughout the county seat of 3.100 and shook bouses 40 miles away. Through the night the grim task of exploring the charred remains went ph. Meanwhile, weeping friends and relatives tiled into the i ational guard armory where the Itodies, covered by khaki blankets, were marred almost beyond recognit ino . Even hardened military police turned sway from the sight as victims were identified by a wedding ring, a frozen food locker key, a fancy button. During the night, armed national guardsmen patrolled empty street? to prevent possible looting. At the plant site, demolition teams rushed tons of still unexploded powder from the scene. « FBI agent* accompanied them, admittedly searching for sighs of sabotage. Others interviewed the injured at their homes or at the local hospital. Some of the casualties, still deafened by the blast or numbed by shock from the fire storm which followed, were unable to give lucid accounts of the disaster. Others described grim acenes of horror. Some sank to their knees and prayed that more of the 3J7 persons In the plant were not killed or inured. During the day half the town was evacuated. School children were huddled in the basements of their buildings after the first blast. Streams of cars left tbe town and some mothers pushed bahv carriages across the bridge which Units Chestertown with nearby K Ingston. No official waa able to give an authoritative account of the cause of the dfaaeter. Chestertown fire chief Alex Herzberg mid he believed the first blast—which set off fires and explosions in the separate buildings - was caused by two jet planes which roared over the roof tops of the munitions factory. He said ha was convinced that the vibration set up by their nearaupersonk flight touched off the exploeioM which continued for more than two hours. NOON EDITION

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ONLY DAILY NBWM»AFtH 1N ADAMS COUNTY

Seven freed Gl's Tell Os Treatment Held Prisoner For Two Weeks By Reds FURTH. Germany ON) —An American army captain told today how he and'six sight-seeing G. I.’o were snatched behind the iron Curtain (wo weeks ago and threatened with imprisonment as "spies” unless they gave the Communists information. Capt. Jack M. Davis of Raytown, Mb., and six enlisted men includ ing two Ohioans, were freed last Thursday by the Communist Czechoslovakian government after vigorous protests by the United States. Davis eaid he and the soldiers were treated as spies and “threatened with a year or more in jail unless we gave better answers-.” Following military regulations they gave the Red* only their names, rank and serial numbers. The captain denied emphatically the Prague government’s charges that they penetrated deeply into Czech territory on their July 4th holiday trip. He declared : , A "We were sight-seeing unsuspectingly on the border when we were suddenly surrounded by about 20 Czech border guards, some of them armed, and we were snatched behind the Iron Curtain.” Capt. Davis,- who Is off a brief active service term from his Kansas City medical practice, acted a* spokesman for the group as they met newsmen in the courtroom at Darby barracks. No violence was used againet the men but, Capt. Davis said, they got a complete dose of Communist questioning and Communist food. He told of hearing a woman's scream from an adjoining cell while he was being held. After they were ceiled by the Czech border guards, the captain related, they were handcuffed. From the border the seven Americans were taken on a three-hour drive in a Czech army truck to a military Installation. 'We were taken into a room,” Capt. Davis said, -srtill handcuffed and made to sit in a row. Then the interrogation started. At no time were we threatened with physical violence or The seven men were separated forth erest of'their 11-day period of captivity and did not meet again until they were handed over to West Germany police by the Czechs last Thursday. No effort was made to coin vert Davis to Communism but another member of the group, Cpl. John F. Glasson of Oakdale, Calif., said one interrogator tried to sell him on the Red philosophy. The coporal was the only member of the group to say he had been questioned roughly. He told news-” wn that he had bejj’,abated by the Red Interrogators. Davis said they went through at leaat a half-dozen interrogation periods, some lasting up to six hour*.’ They were asked "everything' even our political views' although they did not want to know Whether we were Republican and Democrat.” <Pfc. D. Tennis of Alliance, 0.. summed up his opinion by saying: "Their best food Is like our worst." I’vt. Richard-J. Jumper of Booneville, Mls*.,i said the Reds asked him about racial discrimination tn the United States whan they saw that he waa a Negro. In addition to Capt. Devie, Gleeson. Tennis and Juniper the group (Tara T* Paas Th res)

Seek America's Recognition Os Red Conquest Britain And France Seek U. S. Support Os Indo-China Plan

GENEVA (INS) — America’s implied recognition of a Communist conquest of northern IndoChina and America’s promise not to disrupt a partitioning deal were sought today by Britain ’sand France, at the Geneva conference. French sources said these subjects were raised when British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden and French Premier Pierre Men dea-Franca conferred today with U. S. undersecretary of state Walter Bedell Smith. The French and British statesmen, who met with Smith shortly after his arrival in Geneva, reportedly planned to take up a formula by which- the United States will, in effect, support an Indo-Chinese peace settlement. French delegation officials continued to express confidence that an agreement will be reached by next Tuesday's deadline. They held this optimistic outlook despite the fallure-trf Eden and Mendes-France to break the deadlock on key issues during Friday night’s meeting with Soviet foreign minister V. M. Molotov. The Tuesday deadline was imposed by Mendes-France himself through his promise to resign unless a ceasefire is achieved in Indo-China by July 2(7. But Friday night Russia and Red China stuck to their demand that the United States must guarantee the territory won by the Indo-Chinese Reds at the conference table as well as the remaining free section of Indo-China. Mendes-France and Eden want the United States to agree to a formula which would imply that the guarantee, already promised for free Indo-China, covers the entire territory, although the formula might not say so specifically. The Communist bloc's refusal to give way thus far on any key issues is leading western delegates to fear that Russia And Red China may spring some surprises before Mendes-France's zero hour next Tuesday. Tbe possibility is not excluded that Chou En-lai may ask as the price for peace that France keep out Os tbe projected southeast Asia treaty organization. Communist sources hinted at this possibility Friday night when they told Freneh journalists that Red China will not sign any agreement if any part of Indo-China is going to be linked with the alliance, either directly or through FfUnch partlctpatfcm’r” ■; The deadlock remained unbrok en this morning after another night meeting among MendesFrance, Eden and Soviet foreign minister V. M. Molotov, Despite Eden's attempts at persuasion, Molotov clang to his demands for quick elections tn IndoChina, rejected French suggestions for a partition line and insisted again on the U. S. guarantee. - Nevertheless, an official French (Tara Ta Paa* Tbrer) INDIANA WEATHER Mostly flair today and tonight. Sunday partly cloudy and warmer with ohanee of s few afternoon showers southwest portion. High today S4-»2. Low tonight 62-70.

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday, July 17, 1954.

• ' ■ ■■■ '. . ■ ; -r —77-:-"■ j — - Detroit Dentist Found Innocent By Reason Os Insanity In Man’s Death

Supporters Os Ike's Housing Plans Battle 2 Last-Ditch Battle Plotted To Rescue Curtailed Program WASHINGTON (INS) —Bi-pan tisan supporters of President Eitv? enhower's public housing proposals laid plan* today for a last-ditch battle to save his drastically-cur-tailed program. These backers set their sights on a senate-house conference committee decision to allow the consiructlofl of only 35.1)00 dwellings during the next 12 months and to place other curbs on public housing. New York's senators Irving M, Ives (R) and Herbert H. Lehman (D) described the compromise aa “worthlees" and "terrible.” Ivea and four other committeemen refused to sign the report. Both Ives and Lehman indicated that they will ask the senate next week to return the agreement to the committee with instructions to make H more acceptable to public housing advocates. The two senators assailed a new restriction which limits publis housing to those communities as. realty BfrtwtWf Oft a fPtteral slum clearance program. The terms also proyide that each new unit of public housing can only be occupied by a family displaced by slum clearance operations. Mr. Eisenhower originally proposed a four-year plan with the building figure fixed &t 35,000 units annually. A* for occupancy, he rdcdmttWea that 'WMMr re; moved by condemnation proceedings should be given top priority a: new project*. The public bousing issue temporarily overshadowed other features of the housing legislation which- would provide a sweeping relaxation of federal housing administration credit and set new rules to make FHA's operation* ’’scandal-proof.” Under the measure, FHA would put into effect a new formula on heme buying credit to replace tha 15 and 20 percent down payments (Tara To Pace Poar) New Sheppard Case Lead Falls Through Three Bus Drivers Testify No,Fares CLEVELAND (INS) — Another lead fell through today In the Marilyn Sheppard murdej: case when three bus driver* said they did not pickup any one In suburban Bay Village before dawn on the Fourth of July the day |he pretty clubwoman was slain. The three bus drivers were ques. tioned by police and sheriff* deputies after a woman reported seeing a tall-bushy-haired man board a Baltimore-bound bue near the heme of the victim and her husband. Dr. Samuel H. Sheppard. Meanwhile, law-enforcement officers. meeting ' 'with Cuyahoga county coroner Dr. Samuel R. Gerber, are considering an offer made by Cleveland Mayor Anthony Celebrezze to have the Cleveland police department take over the 14-day-old murder investigation. Evidence is being sifted at the meetingSdth invest igators striving to unify their multi-pronged probe. n / Mrs. Sheppard was found bludgeoned to death In her, blood-spat-tered bedroom. Police chief Frank Story of Cleveland has Indicated he is againet taking the case -He eaid he doee not want a botched, hopeless case tossed tn hie lap. In another development. Dr. Sheppard hae turned over to anthoritiea a Het of suapect*. They are persons he thought might he Iwane who had been admiring his pfotty wife. ' 7

Three County Girls District Winners Three Qualify For Indiana State Fair Three Adams county girls won the privilege of representing the Fort Wayne district at the Indiana stgte fair this year in judging gnd demonstration contest at Wabish by placing first and second in tbe district contest Thursday. This is the first time in severyears that any local girls have Won top honors. v Carol Egley, daughter of iMt. and »Mra K Walter Egley of Kfrfcland township, first place winner in tbe county contest a week ago, placed second in the district. “GidTime Apple Pie" was the subject of her demonstration. Mrs. Jane Reed, Adams Central home economics teacher r.ssiated Carol in preparing for the demonstration. 'Berdella Alt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Orval Alt, of Hartford township, outranked all other contestants from twelve counties in judging baking. As in the county contest, these girls graded plain •InHter cakes and sets of utensil* for preparing such a cake. Written questions were also part of the competition. Miss Alt is a member of the Hartford Happy-Go-Lucky duh. J i Ruth Teeter, daughter Daniel Teeter of Wabasfi township, placed first in’the judging of the clothing classes, which consisted of a set of four cotton skirts and blouses, and four sets of accessories for a school costume. Jiiss Teeter is a memlier of the Cloverleaf 4-H club. Sharon Schuller, of Prelrie township, Adams county’s other entrant 4n the cloth Ing judging, plac-' ed in the upper one-fourth of the class. Adams county participated in each of the six events, with two entrants in each one. There were 12 from the district chosen to go to the state fair, and Adams county won one-fourth of the places, although there are 12 counties in the district. Those taking part not mentioned Farmers Vole Next Friday On Quotas Wheat Marketing Quota Vote Set Farmerg who will raise 16 acres of wheat or morg next year will vote Friday, July 23, for or against wheat marketing quotas in 1955. Voting place for those In the six north townships of Adams county will be at the Adams county garage. Decatur and for tbe south six townships, at the directors room of the First Bank of Berne. Voting-places will be open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. The referendum, accord in a tn

* icicivuuuui, m'coruing to Winfred L Gerke, chairman of the Adam* county agricultural stabilization and conservation committae tASC, formerly PMA) will de tehiiine whether or not the quota program now in effect will continue for next year's crop. Two-thirds of those who vote must approve quotas before they can be put into operation. The current program, which was voted on a year ago, was approved by 87 percent of the voters—39o\22l to 67,536. Gerke urges every eligible wheat grower to vole. A producer is eligible to vote if he will have more than 15 acres of wheat on his farm for harvest in 1955. In other words he can vote If he would be affected directly by quotas, which apply only .to farms with more than 15 acres of wheat. If quotas are approved, there will be marketing penalties on any "excess'' wheat *— that produced outside the acreage allotment — and the full level of price support authorised for 1965 will be available for those who comply with their allotments. If quotas are not (Tara Ta Paste Three)

Offers Russia Chance To Join Atom Control - - - Western Powers To Offer Reds Chance To Join Agreement UNITED NATIONS, N. Y. (INS) —Morehead Patterson, the U.S. representative in the UN disarmament commission, said today the western powers are offering Russia another opportunity to join in a nuclear weapons control agreement, but not at the cost of free world security. Patterson, industrialist turned diplomat, sat through 19 closed - door sessiqps in London recently as spokesman for the Eisenhower administration, while the U. S„ Britain, France and Canada tried—and failed —to budge Russia from her uncompromising position on global disarmament. On Tuesday afternoon, the full 12-nation disarmament commission will convene at UN headquarters to take up the London report. The document is in effect a dismal reaffirmation that the eight-year deadlock holds no hope for solution unless and until the Soviet Union drops the demand for an immediate and unconditional prohibition of atomic weapons. • Patterson "laid it on tbe line” in London-to Soviet delegate Jacob Malik and will fio so again in the full coifitnlssion meetings. Ths president of the American Machine and Foundry company, dubbed “a tool of Wall Street” by Malik, in an exclusive statement told this correspondent: "T'he meeting on Tuesday is not ar give-away show of U. -S. or British nuclear secrets and weapons. We are going into that meeting to give Russia another chance to join the west in seeking agreement on a fool proof plan for tbe control of nuclear weapons and balanced reduction of conventional armaments and armed forces.

“However, w« do not intend to apologize to the Soviet Union for having better and improved hydrogen bombs and assorted types of atomic weapons, or for refusing to risk free world security by naively accepting any Russian boobytrap disguised as a plan for the immediate prohibition of nuclear weapons. “We do not intend to gamble with our national safety anymore than we would ask or expect Russia to sacrifice security for the sake of agreement with the west. "But what we are asking and trying to do is to find safe ground for collective agreement on the (Tnr» Ta Pace TSree)

Hite Treasurer Os Citizens Telephone Monthly Meeting Os Board Held Friday S. E. Hite, retired Decatur businessman and long time director of the board ofthe Citizens Telephone Co. was elected treasurer of that board Friday to succeed the late C. E. Bell. William H. Bell, son of C. E. Bell, an officer of Bellmont Trucking co. of this city and Security Cartage Co.. Fort Wayne, was named to the board to fill the vacancy made by the recent death of bis father. The action was taken at the regular monthly meeting of the board utility held at the home of, the chalrtnan, Deo Yager on South Second street. A resolution relating to the late Mr. Bell's service to the Citizens Telephone Co. was read into the records of the company. He had served as a member of the board of Citizens since 1934. succeeding the late B. X. Ehlnger and he had served as treasurer since 1936. Mr. Bell also served as manager during World War II in the absence of Charles D. Ehlnger, while the latter Was in the U. S. army.

Flanders Asks For McCarthy Censure Will Seek Censure Vote From Senators WASHINGTON (INS) — Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy (R-Wis.) today shrugged off a bid by Sen. Ralph E. Flanders (R-Vt.) to have the senate censure him for conduct “unbecoming” a member of the senate. Informed that Flanders intends to ask the senate Tuesday to act on his new maneuver—he formerly wanted McCarthy stripped of his committee chairrhanships—McCarthy told newsmen: "I frankly have no concern with what Flanders says or doeM. I’ve got much more important work to ; do." Flanders said Friday he feels he . can plek up more votes by moving to censure McCarthy. He said he will insist on a roll call vote and stressed that his new resolution “will permit a clear cut vote on McCarthyism." ! Pointing out that "several vefry distinguished members of the seni ate" opposed his earlier resolution, which has been bottled up in the rules committee, because it In- ’ vaded seniority rights, he said: "By every standard, this new resolution is in keeping with the procedures by which the senate historically has disciplined one of its members when ha has violated basic codas ot'stXfcs.** ”* -•’’W On Tuesday, Flanders said, he will ask the senate to approve a resolution stating: “The conduct of the senator from Wisconsin .r. Is unbecoming a member of the United States senate, is contrary to senatorial traditions, and tends to bring the senate into disrepute, and such conduct is herby condemned." McCarthy told newsmen he expects another showdown Tuesday too — this one over a motion by Sen. Charles E. Potter (R-Mich.) to drop all members of the senate investigations sub co m m 111 • e’s staff July 31 except those confirmed in their jobs prior to t(iat date., t t The motion—on which McCarthy blocked a. vote Thursday by refusing to honor the proxy vole of absent Sen. John L. McClellan (& Ark.) — would enable members of (Twra Ta Pare Tkree)

- -JI National Guardsmen To Training Camp Four From Decatur To Camp Grayling Sfc. Stanley Mcßride, Cpl/ Doyle Arnold, Cpl. Raymond Worden, and Pvt. Roger Pollock, of the supply section of Service Co. 292 Infantry regimept, Indiana national guard, will today join 8,000 other members of the 38th infantry division at Camp Grayling, Mich., for 16 days training. The 1954 encampment, fourth at the large, heavily wooded Camp Grayling on Lake Margrethe in north-central Michigan, will stress small unit training, weapons fir ing, and development of leadership and combat efficiency on all levels. Advance details began leaving July 14. The Decatur boys, left last night, as a part of the supply section which will set things up at Camp Grayling for the rest of the 293rd regiment. The main body of troope. traveling by military convoy and commercial bus, will leave more than 60 Hoosier communities in the early mornjng hours of July 18. Training highlights this year will include special chemical, biological, and radiological Instructions, and extensive small arms, mortar, and artillery firing. The annual division review, with Gov. George. N. Craig and Other state officials as guests, will bo July 24.,' ' Service company is stationed at the Fort Wayne armory, together with headquarters company and company M of the 293rd infantry regiment.

Price Five Cents

Unwritten Law Is Upheld By Jury Verdict Dr. Kenneth Small Acquitted In Death Os Wife's Lover > ALLEGAN, Mich. (INS) — The "unwritten* law” was upheld again today when a jury found Dr. Keni noth Small, Sl-year-oid Detroit . dentist, "not guilty by reason of limnity" of the murder of his i wife’s lover. . i A jury of 11 men and one woman i deliberated only five hours. Small, a handsome dentist, ehot i to death suave, smooth-tai king : New York industrialist Jules Lack, 45, when be surprised his wife 1 playing cards with Lack and other . friends in a lavish summer "cottage" on the shore of Lake Michigan at Allegan May 29. Small slumped in his seat and , broke into tears when the verdict . was read. An overflow courtroom crowd ex- . ploded into cheers, whistling, shouting and applauding the ver- • diet. Bailiffs worked 10 minutes to quiet the crowd, many of whom, were hugging their neighbors and yelling words of congratulations to the dentist. < T»tWlfyt»g for the defense in an effort to save from putoKmdnt the man she so recently betrayed, Mrs. Edith Small, 30, stripped her heart of its innermost secrets as she admitted that she was unfaithful to her husband, the father of her children. The pretty wife and mother fled the courtroom several times when pictures and color slides of happier family days wereflashed <m a screen set up in front of the jury box. Small, in a farewell note written to hie wife when her admitted defections drove him to the brink of suicide, described his spouse as "a wonderful wild beauty to me that stirred my emotions and made me quiver and shako." ; ’ Despite a verdict that Small was ineane when he pumped bullete into the man who cuckolded him, Judge Smith refused to sign committment papers which would send Small to • state mental institution.

Allegan county prosecutor Dwight Cheever asked the judge to sign the papers shortly after the crowd wae quieted down. Chief defense attorney Leo W. Hoffman objected saying be wished to secure a writ of habeas corpus which Would give Small hie freedom. Judge Smith said he would rule on the motion and objection “in a i few days'' and the now-smiling , dentist was remanded to the couni ty jail for the night. ! During the trial, Small told the jury the murder followed a series Os futile endeavors to coax. Lack to leave Mrs, Small alone. The defendant related how he " called Lack in New York and plea* , did with him to stop breaking up , the Small family. Lack's reaction. , Small testified, was a refusal in , "a voice like honey,” followed by laughter ae -the philanderer hung up on him. Small's wife contributed her share of lurid testimony to the exciting case, which made newspaper page-ones .from coast to coast. Small's attorney said they felt tfihy Scored "a- major victory over the prosecution When three at-ilv» ’ psychiatrists called to the stand tmnlfled that Smail wm "severely depressed” when he went gunning for Lack, found him and "hot him, to death. Under Michigan law. -a person "severely depressed” is not responsible for his actions and incapable of'committing a crime of any kind. Two mental specialists called by the state, however, contended that Small wm only "slightly de- - preseed'' and was, therefore, to bo held accountable tor the murder. Opinions of the (throe poychla/ trioto for thd defense tonnod the baste of moving, hupaseioned pleading by Small's attorney, wbo begged for a verdict of "not gulWy (Ceatlaeed ea Pace Few)