Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 52, Number 173, Decatur, Adams County, 24 July 1954 — Page 1

Vol. Lil. No. 173.

r J Dr> Sheppard Takes Stand At Inquest 1 I Mill -or B TMFlWWIr*fi: Iftl ’" • • ' H UNDERGOING blistering croßfreiamination, Dr. Samuel Sheppard (right), answers.questions put to him by coroner Samuel R. Gerber on the second day of the inquest into the brutal slaying of hie wife Mari- ! y “- ® Bay Village, Ohio, osteopath denied that he had had illicit relations with a nurse to whom he had given.a watch and said that his wife had never objected to his friendship with, the young woman.

Texan Admits Slaying Girl At Indianapolis Confesses Murder Os Young Girl In Indianapolis Hotel ST. LOUIS (INS) — A foot-loose Texan who claims he was married six times says he strangled a pretty Clinton, Ind., girl because she "squawked” about his drinking. Victor H. Lively. 32, of Beaumoot, Tex., arrested near Clayton, s Mo., a St. Louis ouburb, confessed the July IC murder of Miss Dorothy Poore, IS-year-old June graduate Who went to Indianapolis, lad., seeking work and found Lively and death, * The girl’s doubted-up body was found jammed Into a dresser drawer in six-floor room in Indianapolis’ celebrated Claypool Hotel. The bizarre murder case was '“marked by » nation-wide search for a mysterious "Jack O'Shea" a ficticious name under which the last known occupant of the murder room registered. When investigation indicated that "O'Shea” was Lively, a pick-up order for the Texan was broadcast and his arrest on U. 3. highway 66 followed. Lively at first denied the slaying but confessed when police began matching bis fingerprints with four prints found in the hotel death room. The Texan said he was “bumming" his way to his mother's house near Beaumont when he was picked up. He told police he met Dorothy and a girl identified only as puth at a hamburger stand in Indianapolis the night before he killed — her. Lively said he lured the girls to bis hotel room by promising to w help Dorothy secure employment. He said Ruth left but Dorothy stayed while he began drinking. Lively’s confession said Dorothy began to upbraid him about the drinking and he “blacked out" anil j- when he came to the girl was dead. The killer said he then stuffed the girl's nearly nude body into the dresser drawer und fled Indianapolis. y Dorothy’s badly decomposed body was discovered last Sunday morning. Lively told detectives he has a police record as a sex offender and also had been in trouble for luring young girls to hotel rooms, where he forced them to strip and walk around the room naked. Police said Lively w|ll be returned to Indianapolis when extradition papers arrive from Indiana. ' They said Lively would not identity the six women to whom he said he had been married. Question Companion INDIANAPOLIS (INS) Indianapolis police today questioned a girl companion of Miss Dorothy Poore as they sought to iron out conflicting statements about, the pretty June graduate's slaying. Detectives questioned Miss Ruth Marie Taylor, 23, again after the confession of Victor H. Lively, 32, mentioned a girl named “Ruth” had accompanied Dorothy to his (Iwra Ta Face Ms) NOON EDITION

*• DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT i. -?■ V < 7- ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER in ADAMS COUNTY - _

Sheppard Denies Intimacy Charge Coroner's Inquest To Resume Monday CLEVELAND (INS) — Officials Investigating the mysterious bludgeon murder of a prominent osteopath’s wife who knew of her husband's association with a pretty hospital technician, returned today to the major mystery in the case: What happened to the T-shirt Dr. Samuel Sheppard was wearing just before the murder and which has not been seen since? Dr. Sheppard, 30, underwent five hours of vigorous questioning at an Inquest Into her death Friday. He denied being intimate with a technician forme?!? employed at the privately-owned hospital run by himself and his two doctor brothers, Richard and Stephen in suburban Bay Village. The technician has been identified as Miss Susan Hayes, 23. 4»ow working for a Los Angeles hospital. Mrs. Marilyn Sheppard's bloody, hacked-to-death body was found early July fourth in her bed in the family’s fashionable Bay Village home. She was 31. Dr. Sheppard, quizzed shortly after the murder, told a rambling, confused, hesitant and vague story of grappling with “a dim white fprm” he said apparently killed his wife, an expectant mother. The osteopath also told of chasing the murderer out of the house onto the "Sheppard private beach where he was struck down and regained consciousness with the waters of Lake Erie lapping about his head. . Bay Village police shortly thereafter labeled Dr. Sheppard their "number one suspect" in the case. Still unexplained is what happened to the T-shirt witnesses said the doctor wore shortly before the slaying. Dr. Sheppard was naked to the waist when police questioned him shortly after the murder. Dr. Sheppard, wearing dark glasses and a neck brace, could shed no light on the T-shirt mystery during his inquest testimony. He suggested the killer took the garment, having some use fdr it. The doctor's stem composure broke as he heatedly denied sleeping in the same room with Miss Hayes, being Intimate with her and that his wife once demanded a divorce. He admitted, however, that he kept company with the comely technician while he and his wife were in Los Angeles last March to attend a medical.meeting. The Inquest was continued until Monday.

Georgia Congressman Dies This Morning WASHINGTON (IN* —Rep. Albert S. Camp (DGa.,) died early today at Bethesda Md. naval hospital ot a liver ailment. He would have been 62 yeans old on Monday. » Five-Year-Old Boy Is Killed By Truck GOODLAND, Ind. (IN) —Five-year-old James Peterson, ot Goodland, was killed when he ran Into the path of a truck on U. S. X near hit home, late Friday. Truck driver Jerry A. Johns, of Barberton, 0., was not held.

Red Security Police Launch Arrest Series East German Reds Take Action After John Disappearance BERLIN (INS) — fled security police were reported today to have launched a wave of arrests in the Soviet zone of Germany following the disappearance of West German intelligence chief Otto John behind the Iron Curtain. 4 55 .,' 4 A West Berlin anti-Com taunt At agenry laid the arreaiM, presumably of agents known to John, were country-wide and extended into the offices of the satellite East German governtnent. The report said state security police occupied the offices of the East German foreign ministry Friday and arrested seven or eight officials. The security agents also visited the headquarters of the East German government to make arrests. The East German news agency announced this morning that nine men were given prison terms ranging from two to 13 years in a Potadam court as agents of "American < imperialism,*' but it was not known if these- sentences had any connection with the John ease. ' Meanwhile, a searching probe by West German police—designed to find out if John were kidnaped or disappeared voluntarily — turned up a West German customs official who saw him cross the border with a physician friend. The customs official said he called the attention of John and his friend, Wolfgang Wohlgemuth, to the fact that they wore headed toward the Soviet sone. He said both men laughed and declared: "That’s exactly where we want to go." Other witnesses told police Wohlgemuth was seen again in West Berlin on Wednesday, the day after John's disappearance.

International News Rervice learned thht authorities also are checking a story that John might have been drugged in West Berlin and then “conditioned" by Red psychiatrists before he recorded a statement broadcast on the Bast Berlin radio Friday night. Once behind the Iron Curtain, the report said. John was worked on by a group of psychiatrists who continuously planted the suggea tlon that he go before a microphone to read a statement claiming he sought asylum in East Berlin. A voice identified as John’s declared in the radio broadcast Friday night that he had fled from the Western zone because he had been bounded and “slandered" by "Nazis” in the West German government. A close friend of the missing Intelligence chief told International News Service that John's voice was measured and much different from his usual rapid manner of speech. A Western psychiatrist said hypnosis would not be difficult if John had been mentally depressed and if his mental defenses had been weakened by worry. Report Suicide FRANKFURT, (INS)-A Frankfurt newspaper said today that Dr. Otto John, West Gorman intelligence chief who vanished behind (Csstlaaeg Oa race Sts)

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday, July 24, 1954.

Charge Fighter Planes, Presumably Reds, Shot Down British Airliner

House Clears Way To Pass Atomic Bill Senate Is Locked In Filibuster For Fourth Day In Row WASHINGTON (IN) The house early today cleared the way for passage of the administration** atomic energy bill as the senate remained locked in a filibuster few the fourth consecutive day. Final house approval was postponed until Monday when Rep.Tom Murray (D Tenn.,) demanded an engrossed copy of the measure. This means that the bill has to be printed before it receives final reading. Before ending a 17-hour sessionthe longest in its history— the house quickly removed two formidable roadblocks that had stood as obstacles in the path otQtbe controversial legislation. The amendment was rejected, 172 to 115, that would have outlawed the White House-ordered contract for private power in the Tennessee Valley. Then the house adopted, 203 to 16#, « proposal by Rsp. W. Sher-. Ung ’Coie RN. T.,) that waUM bar the gio&lc energy commission from selling atomic power for commercial use. The house convened tat 10 a. m. Friday and adjourned at 3:14 a. m. EDT today out of respect for Rep. Albert S. Camp (D Q*..) who died shortly after midnight at Bethesda Naval hospital after a long iUncBS. (Majority leader Charles M. Hal-leck-(R Ind.,) said there will be no session today. Halleck made the announcement after minority leader Sam 'Rayburn (D Tex.,) pointed out that the Teles primaries are being held today. Rayburn said the house would, break precedent if it met on the day of a state primary. -Meanwhile, foes of the senate bill continued to mark tUne-with unabated oratory-mull a vote is taken Monday on the motion made by majority leader William F. KnowUnd (R Calif.,) to shut off debate.

The marathon talkfeet will halt automatically at midnight tonight, if not before. Knowland has eaid there will he no session on Sunday. The Senate will reconvene at 10 a. m. lEDT Monday. With the southern bloc traditionally lined up against “gag" rule and some Republicans opposed to cloture, it seemed certain that Knowland’s maneuver will be defeated. La Clair Sentenced To Five More Years Additional Sentence . For Escape Attempt LA CLAIR SENTENCED FORT WAYNE. Ind. (INS) — Lunch-hour bank bandit Bernard E. LaClair today had another five years piled on top of the 30 years he was given for stealing >160.000 from nine banks In an 18-month spree. The additional five-year sentence was imposed for attempting to break out of the St. Joseph county jail, July 15. Two Detroit youthar Charles Jordan, 19, and George Johnson, 18. were given five years each tor aiding in the attempted escape. LaClair, who turned to bank robbing when his Fort Wayne used car business hit the skids, was accused ot robbing banks in Indiana, Ohio, Connecticut and Maasachusette. Hla escape attempt, in which be used • phony shotgun, waa stopped when deputies bluffed him Into thinking other deputies wore covering him from behind. *

South Carolina Girl Is Miss Universe Miriam Stevenson Chosen By Judges TXXX’G JBEA.CTI, Calif. (IN) — iVHrlam Stevenson, a shapely southern belle who calls herself just an “'ordinary American girl,” was chosen the most beautiful girl in the world today at the third annual Miss Universe contest. Theoverwhelmed South Carolina coed, winner of the (Nites U. S. A., title three days ago and the first girl to win both, crowns at the contest. jubilantly offered the 32 foreign beeutifea who also sought the Miss Universe cYown the hospitality of het state and: "The biggest plate of corn pone, hominy grits and ham. hocks you ever had." tMiriam’s selection came after two unprecedented tie votes by the panel of Hollywood judges who watched the 33 rival lovelies parade theif curves in Long Beach. The judges selected Miriam and Mari* Rocha. 21, Brazil's contender for the title, in a dead heat when the race had narrowed down to five finalists. After the first tie vote, the judges went into a huddle and again failed to Agree on which girl abould get the movie contract, hew geaverUhle car. pearl neqklace and that Iromwith an Misi Vniterse titles. On the third try, however, picked Miriam, a 21-year-oM sah blonde from Winnsboro. S. C„ who is ready and eager for a chance la motion pictures.. The runners up to the South Carolina honey were blonde Maria Rocha of Brazil, Regina Ernest of Germany, Virgina June Lee of Hong Kong, and Ranhild Oiausson pf Sweden. -Miriam was ohosen the world's most beautiful girl in the clitnag to the most hectic .Nites Universe contest in history. In the final judging, , the original field of 33 International .beauties was narrowed down to 16 favorites. The new Miss Universe, a college senior who numbers tap dancing and a knowledge of French among her talents, has a 36-incb (Tara T* Page Bia)

wore Households Assessed In County Increase Reported Over Previous Year According to the report from the county asseseor'* office on taxable personal property the 0,020 householders assessed in Adame county thia year are an increase of 204 over last Accompanying thia increase far the added <137,288 In value of household goods. The average household (Meeesed this year claim* <272 In household goods compared to the *2Ol average for 1953. An even greater comparative Increaee was noted in the number of automobiles and trucks which Jumped from 6,91 S in 1953 to 9.M2 in 1944. However general value of these vehicles decreased 230,790 or from an average <470 per vehicle to <3OB per vehicle. / There were also more tractors and farm implements aseeesed this year but like the automobiles they show a decrease in value. These decreases are largely due to the lower market value of March, 1954, as compered to March, 1953. More beef cows, milk cows and Other cattle were aestweed in Adams county in 1954 than in 1953. The average value of these animals, however, has decreased from 10 to 20 dollars per animal, the assessor’* report ebows. The average value of sheep remained constant and almost 900 more sheep were asaeaeed this year as ooaxmred in 1053. Sowa and other bogs Jumped both tn number and in assessed valuation. More poultry was assessed at an (Twvb To Faaa Ota)

Wheat Farmers Os Nation Vote Crop Controls Vote In Production Quota By Slimmest Margin In History WASHINGTON (INS)-=The nation'* wheat farmers were assured high government price supports bn their 1955 crop today after voting io production controls by the slimmest margin in history. Incomplete returns from 47 states showed that more than 73 percent of the balloting farmers approved a 12 percent cutback In acreage for 1955. This action guarantees them price supports to be set somewhere between 76 and 90 percent of parity. The final decision in the referendum was not known until nearly 2 a. m. (EDT) when North Dako--1 ta’s vote came in, showing over- ' whelming support in that state for ; the combination of strict controls 1 and high price supports. An earlier trend had indicated 1 that eastern and corn-belt farmers 1 opposing control* might build up a 1 largo enough opposition vote to r wipe out tha 1955 allotment of 55 I million acres and high supports. • ■ Two thirds of the voting fanners had to approve controls before ’ they- could become effective. The tally showed that formers in . all states except Arizona outside ths deep south opposed controls in larger proportion this year than at any time in the past. In a similar referendum last August, more than 87 percent of the balloting formers- approved controls. In two previous referendums the vote of approval was also above 80 percent The unofficial tolly showed that 105.801 farmers approved the controls and 71.303 voted against them. The tight ballot — marking the first time farmer* had tailed to approve acreage allotment* by a resounding *vot« — apparently showed farm opposition to the most stringent controte in history imposed by agriculture secretary Ezra Taft Benson on 1955 wheat parity. A high official of the agriculture

department told newsmen hie desk is piled high with protests against Benson's ruling that farmers must comply with all acreage allotments tn 1955 to become eligible for price supports on any individual crop. The balloting was marked by the largest number of disputed votes on record for the referendums. Moro than 13,000 ballot* were tCoatiawed Ob Paars Five) Wheat Farmers In County Oppose Quota Farmers Vote 52-16 In Opposing Quota Adams county farmers Joined the Indiana trend and voted against wheat marketing quotas in the nation-wide referendum held Friday. Polling places for all eligible voters were open at Decatur and Berne until 6 o'clock Friday night. Winfred Gerke, Adams county chairman of the agriculture stabilization and conservation confmittee, reported the Adams county vote as 52 against and 16 for. Gerke also stated that there were 209 farmers In the county eligible to vote, with only 32H percent of those eligible casting ballots. A year ago Adams county farmers voted in favor of the quota arrangement. All Adams county farmers who will have more than ' 16 acres of wheat for market in 1955 were eligible to cast a vote. In recent weeks, however, there i had been reports in this county of , dissatisfaction with the quota proi gnufl, which places a marketing penalty on those who grow more than their allotment of wheat, if they are members of the quota program. ' * ' * A»

Valuation In County : Is Slightlylower 1 County's Assessed Valuation 40 Million The assessed valuation of taxable property in Adams county this ,year is jiff,814,330, a drop of 1131,400 from the 1953 total, Frank Kitson, county auditor, reported today. The abstract shows taxable property as follows: Real estate, 310,795.560. X Building and improvements, $14,092,870. Personal property, $13,639,020. State’s assessments, railroads and utilities, $4,053,660. Mortgage exemptions of *1,530.670 and soldiers* exemptions of $236,110 are deducted in arriving at the net total. Last year personal property was assessed at $14,222,890. Offsetting some of the loss in this classification of wealth, is a gain of approximately $400,000 in new buildings and Improvements on real estate. The state’s assessment of railroads i and utilities is up about $92,750 over a year ago. All townships except Union, i Root and Jefferson show a loss in , personal property .values. The > town of Geneva is the only civil corporation In the county to show a net gain in this table of values. i Berne Down - ‘ 1 i Berne’s assMtoU value of all taxable property is $3,709,460, st i drop of $97,120 from the 1953 total, $3,806,670. Berne shows a gain of $66,090 in improvements on real estate, but lost $98,410 in personal property values. Decatur’s net assessable valuation is 916,216,210, a decrease of $200,000 under last year’s, due to the drop in personal property listing*. The Table pf Assessment*

The n*t value of all taxable property in the county subdivisions for this year, with mortgage and soldiers* exemptions deducted and the state's assessments added: Townships: Blue Cree"k, $1,505.000; French. $1,737,500; Hartford. $1,816,580; Jefferson, $1,456,950; Kirkland, $1,934,160; Monroe, $2,813,500; Preble, $2,468,080; Root, $2,708,340; St. Marys. $1,930,460; Union, $1.7f6,390; Wabash. $2,102,220; Washington, $3,178,880. Berne, $3,709,450; Decatur-Root. $2,055,110; Decatur - Washington. $8,161,100; Geneva, $1,116,650; Monroe, *301,440; Monroe-Wash-ington, $42,530. These valuations will be used in estimating tax rates in the bud-, gets that are being compiled now for 1955 operation of local government units.

Requests Case Be i Presented To Jury Decatur Youth Asks Grand Jury Action I Charles R. Johnson, Decatur - youth who is accused along with ) two others of stealing an automo ■ bile in Fort Wayne July 6 and > taking it to Delphos, 0., yesterday I requested that bis case be presented to a grand Jury. Johnson mads the-' request through his attorney, D. Burdette Custer. Paul E. Taylor of Monroe ville, who is alleged to have taken parj in the theft made the same request through his attorney. * Robert Grim of Decatur, the ’ third youth allegedly involved in the theft, told federal district Judge Luther M. Swygert in the . U. 8. court yesterday that he was unable to secure a lawyer. Grim .< requested that the court appoint one for him. The court has ordered Joseph ' Leah, U. 8. attorney, to Investigate Grim’s inability, to pay an attorney before one is appointed. Leah has etated that a federal grand Jury will probably be called early in the fall. Disposition of the case will be postponed until that time.

Price Five Cents

British Claim Evidence Shows Liner Attacked Three Americans In List Os 9 Persons ’ Presumably Killed HONG KONG (INS) — British authorities announced officially to* day that ‘'substantial evidence'* showed two fighter planes — presumably Communist—shot down a British airliner which crashed in the South China Sea Friday. Nine persons, including three members of an American family are missing and presumed lost in tbe crash. Nine others, three of them Americans, were rescued but one, a Chinese woman, died later in Hong Kong. In London tbe British foreign office announced that its charge d'affaires Jn Peiping, Humphrey Trevelyan, had been instructed to deliver a strong protest to the Chinese Communist government. The foreign office said Britain was satisfied that the fighters could have come only from Chinese Communist' territory. An unofficial but Informed source in Hong Kong said today that the four-engine Skymaster airliner was attacked by red-nosed planes tiring incendiary bullets. Reliable sources said the British, government has asked Chinese Communist officials if any of the missing persona were taken ashore at tbe Red-held island of Hainan, only 30 miles from the crash scene. The survivors were plucked from * the South China sea under the noses of the Reds Friday by an American PBM patrol bomber and a royal air force Sutherland “flying boat. Hospital officials said one of the American survivors, *P. S. Thacher of Stonington, Conn., was undergoing an operation following the discovery of "a foreign body" near his spine. However his condition was not regarded as serious. The other five Americans aboard the airliner were members of the E. F. Pariah family of lowa Park, Texas, Mrs. Parish and her sixyearold daughter, Valeria, were % rescued but the fate of Parish and

two other children is not known. The plane ditched about 30 miles from the Red-held island of Hainan. The spokesman said the airlines was a "considerable” distance from Hainan when it was “attacked.’* The British refused to reveal details of the note which was being sent to charge d'affaires Humphrey Trevelyan in Peking for delivery to the Chinese foreign ministry. The foreign office indicated, however, that it was a stiff protest demanding indemnities. Peru Woman Killed In Two-Car Accident COLUMBUS, Ind. (INI —Mrs. Lillie Carson, 38, of 'Peru, Ind., died late Friday of Injuries suffered' in a two-car accident at U. 8. 31 and Dunu Road,\two miles eaat of Columbus on Tuesday, _ More Economic Aid For Southeast Asia WASHINGTON (IN) — informed, sources said today the administration is considering plane to give more economic aid to southeast Asia in an effort to oembat anticipated Communist subversion in that area. These source* said a study Is -being made of unused foreign aid funds Ln the hope that some interim assistance could be given these countries until Congress is able to act. . INDIANA WKATHBR Meetly fair today and tonight. Sunday partly cloudy and a little warmer. High today 8088. Low tonight 60-05 north, 65-70 south