Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 52, Number 298, Decatur, Adams County, 20 December 1954 — Page 1

Vol. Lil. No: 298.

Still Ponder Dr. Sam’s Fate ' WXwMffifW w. 09 Bi * *' |B . iM V - ~i i ■■ ■ '’'Jill r ® t H 'WSI3I ’■ wB < ■ <JP* g teJsawMl ■ WyilKai v '■■ ■ - -. -W ®**whr jaBWWI wgMHetf '. / ■ ♦ JFw • ■ 9 u WITH MORE THAN 30 HOURS of deliberation behind them the jurors in the wife-murder trial of Dr. Sam Sheppard arrive at Cleveland's criminal court in a snow storm to. begin their third day of consideration of the case.

Sheppard Jury In 4th Day Os Deliberations Jurors Plod Into Fourth Day; Hung Jury Is Possible CLEVELAND (INS) — The jury debating the fate of Dr. Sam Sheppard plodded into a fourth afternoon of impasse today. The deadlocked panel of seven men and five women, verdictletfs after 74 hours of sifting and evaluating 2.000.000 words of testimony nnd 213 bits of evidence, quit for lunch. Veteran court observers said presiding Judge Edward Blythin might possibly declare a hung Jury late tonight. . which would mean a retrial for the accused wife-killer. The pale ■ faced defendant returned to the smoke-filled courtroom at 12:05 p.m. for the ninth time tensely-expectant. He has been waiting prayerfully at his crossroads waiting for the jury's "direction” which decides his fateful- path. An air of expectancy hung over the dirty little room where the jury wil lannbunce whether Dr. Sam goes to the. electric chair, to prison for terms ranging from one year to life, or home a free man. The panel appeared compeltely composed and seemed disinterested in the man who sat less than ten feet from them awaiting their pronouncement The. .big clock on the back wall between the two draped flags In the badly-lit courtroom stopped at 10:53 a.m. A mechanical difficulty set the buzzer from the locked jury room buzzing and touched oft a false alarm that "the verdict is coming In." Dr. Sam studied the panel as though it was a composite pa tient, trying to take Its "pulse" which could affect his life. Judge Edward Blythin, who spent the morning presiding at another first degree murder case, declared after a period of great silence and pencil fiddling which built up the tension in the court: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have now reached the noon hour and you will now repair with the bailiffs for your luncheon and re turn here promptly at 1:15 p.m. Have no communication with anyone except the bailiffs and even in that respect only-on matters outside this case." The seven men and five women renewed their fourth morning of debate at 9:10 a.m. At that time, the Jurors had been debating the case'for over 72 hours. Before they were locked up Sunday night, the jurors had debated indecisively for 24 hours and 15 minutes over a 56-hour period since receiving the case last Friday morning. Judge Blythin snld "I’ll hnve a little conference with counsel and perhaps decide where we go from here” If the jury failed today to reach a decision in the longest criminal trial In Ohio history. The jurist was not. however, inclined to let the trial wind up without a verdict. He said: ,i "I don’t think the fact that they sit down for three or four days is (Continued on rage Bight)

•.. 4 r DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT . ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Indiana Highways__ Reported Slippery Continued Cold, Snow In Forecast INDIANAPOLIS (INS) — Indi ana roads were slippery and cold temperatures probably will prevent thawing today. A snow blanket, which reached a depth of 16 inches in South Bend covered the state. A number of fatal accidents were caused by the treacherous roads but the total was less than expected. Additional snow and continued cold was predicted for tonight. The forecast for Tuesday was partly cloudy and not quite so cold. .. State safety officials urged drivers of automobiles to use tire chains and to be sure that headlights, windshield wipers and defrosters are in top condition. It was pointed out that tire chains cut stopping distances about halt and give four to seven times more starting and climbing traction. The highway slaughter mounted during the week-end. Two youths were injured fatally when their automobile and a truck collided head-on 3.3 miles south of Akron on 'Road 19. The victims were Jerry Patrick, 18, of Akran. and James Burke, 15, of Disko They were riding In a car driven by their cousin. Jack Burke, 20, of Akron, who suffered head injuries. ' Clyde C. Koughn. 27, of Fort Wayne, was killed while demonstrating a used car for Mrs. Laverna Widriey. 44, of Fort Wayne, who also met death. The automobile failed to round a curve on a temporary section of roads 24 and 30 at the east edge of Fort Wayne. State police found a hobby horse, a Christmas present for a child, in the demolished car. Mrs. Mabel Irene Brumley,' 63, of Richmond, died when a car driven by her husband, Ralph H. Brumley, 66, skided on slippery road 3 eight miles southwest of Greensburg and collided with another automobile. Brumley and the driver of the other car, Donald E. Shafer, 23, of near Indianapolis, suffered minor injuries. The state highway department issued the following roads bulletin: "Heavy snow over the week-end left roads slippery in many places in northwest Indiana. There also are scattered icy spots in the Fort Wayne district. In central Indiana as far south as a line through Terre Haute, Vincennes, Bloomington and Columbus. “South of this line state roads are clear. All roads are passable but drive carefully.” SHOPPING >

Mendes-France Indo-China's Policy Backed Wins Substantial Confidence Vote On Indo-China Policy PAJHS (INS) —French Premier Pierre Mendes-France won a substan'tiol vote of confidence today in the national assembly. The vote, based on the government's policy in Indo-China, was 310 for the premier to M 2 against. Only the Communist bloc voted solidly against the government. iMany of the more than 600 deputies in the assembly abtained, but the confidence majority was greater ' than observers had expected. The vote meant acceptance r by the national asembly of a proposed budget of about 330,000,000 for the Associated States. It put Mendes-France off to a good start in debate on the government-back-ed ratification of the Paris agreements to rearm West Germany. Earlier, Mendes-France battled for the vote in a speech defending the negotiated division of Vietnam. He Indicated the United States was "beady to grant the Associated States of Indo-China some 3400;000,000 aid next year. The premier pointed out France could not contribute such ap amount. Therefore, he said, American participation and aid in IndoChina was "imperative.” He added that as a result of talks with Dulles in Washington and late last week In Paris, “we know the United. States has no intention to weaken the influence of our country in Indo-China or to substitute their own Influence." Tire premier reported the U. S. and Britain had agreed with France on steps to set up “vigorous control” of the armistice line that* divides free South Vietnam and the Communist-run northern half of the country. The Premier also stated that: I. The French government soon would ratify the Southeast Asia treaty (Manila pact). J. The French government had requested admission to the Colombo powers and French policy was drawing closer to British policy in the Far East. 3. The free Indo-Chinese states of Laos and Cambodia needed help from India, Bruma and Thailand. Mendes-France took the floor as the deputies prepared to vote on the confidence motion which he demanded last week. The premier called for the vote of confidence after the assembly rejected his origjnal Indo-China budget, even though the deputies agreed to consider a revised bud(Continued on Page Kight) Knowland Repeats Call For Blockade Believes Effort To Free 11 Will Fail WASHINGTON (INS) — Senate Repnblican leader William F. Knowland said today he believes United Nations attempts to free the U. S. airmen held in Red China will fail and repeated his call for a blockade of the Communist-held Chinese mainland. At the same time, Knowland indicated his opposition to any deal with Peiping Involving a trade-of - the Americans for the 35 Chinese students being detained in the U. S. against their washes. The senator expressed his views in a copyrighted interview with the Magazine U.S. News.and World Report. He declared that unless UN secretary general Dag Hammarskjold succeeds in liberating the U.S. flyers held as “spies," these steps should be taken: 1. The U.S. should demand that the UN “either put on economic sanctions or authorize a blockade" of Red China. 2. If that plan fails, “I think we have the obligation to take the ac- , tion alone.” , ; ’ Meyer Infant Dies Shortly After Birth Michael John Meyer, Infant son of Ambrose and Virginia Holt-house-Meyer. 216 North Seventh street, died at 6:3ft, pm. Sunday at the Adams county memorial hospital, tour hours after birth. Surviving in addition to the parents are a sister, Angela, at home, I" and the grandmothers, Mrs. Anna Meyer and Mrs. Amelia Holthouse. Funeral services were held this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the St. Mary’s Catholic church, the Very Rev. Msgr J. J. Belmetz officiating Burial will be In the Catholic cemetery. Ollllg & Doan are in charge of arrangements.

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, December 20, 1954.

Two Persons Killed In Blast In Generating Plant Near Chicago

Chinese Reds Say Proof Os Spying Evident Indicate Chinese May Bargain For , Release Os Yanks TOKYO (INS) Red China said today Dag Hammarskjold would find proof of U. S. espionage “beyond a shadow of a doubt” on his visit to Peiping, but indicated tire Communists might bargain for the release of 11 captured American fliers. Radio Peiping, quoting an editorila in the Tientsin newspaper Ta Kung Pao, said the UN secre-’ tary-general would be shown evidence incriminating the U. S. airmen. The Communist broadcast said Hammarskjold would also sense the “angry” feeling of the Chinese people over the asserted American espionage in Red Chinese territory. However, the propaganda blast offered a slight hope for release of the fliers in a statement saying that if Hammarskjold listens to Peiping’s plea for “easing international tensions” it “will be good.” Presumably, the plan for easing tensions would be admissiorf of Red China to the tIN. Stuay Tactics UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. (INS) —UN experts studied Communist tactics today In an effort to anticipate the arguments and legalistic angles 'Red China Premier Chou En-Lal might throw at Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold. Hammarskjold's aides expect the wily Chou will do his best to wring some profit for the Communist world out of the secretary general’s attempt to win freedom for- 11 imprisoned American fliers and other UN personnel. They are basing their plans on the premise that Hammarskjold's sole purpose is to gain liberty of the Americans and to find out how many other UN soldiers are beingj. held prisoner and bring them home also. The aides at UN headquarters* In New York are keeping in constant touch with their chief, who(Continued.on Page Eight)' Emil Brandt Dies Suddenly Sunday Funeral Services To Be Wednesday Emil F. Brandt. 54-year-old farmer of south of Willshire, 0., died suddenly of a heart attack shortly before noon Sunday at the Zion Lutheran church at Chattanooga. O. Mr. Brandt, an elder at the church, .was assisting in serving communion at the church when stricken. He died Within a few minutes. He was born in Blackcreek township May 1, 1900, a son of Lewis J. and Marie Schultz-Brandt, and was married to Myrtle Pierstorff Jan. 25, 1930. Surviving in addition to his wife ore a brother, Lewis Brandt of Wapakoneta, O.; a sister, Mrs. Stanton Dailey of Willshire; two half-brothers, Carl Brandt of Fargo. N. D„ and the Rev. Frank Brandt of Oak Harbor. 0., and-a half-sister, Mrs. Mary Altenbernd of Wolverton, Minn. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the home, two miles south of Willshire, and at 2:30 p.m. at the Zion Lutheran church at Chattanooga, the Rev. Waldo Byers officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The body was brought to the Zwick funeral home, where friends may call after 7 o'clock this evening. The body will then be returned to the residence, where friends may call after 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

26 Persons Killed In Airliner Crash Only Six Persons Survive Crash NEW YORK (INS)—Huge navy cranes were to attempt today to lift the smashed fuselage of an Italian airliner from the bottom of Jamaica bay where it crashed Saturday with a loss of 2(5 lives. Only six persons—four Americans, an Italian and an Iranian—survived the crash. Sunday divers the body of a 12-year-bld Italian girl from the icy waters, the ninth body recovered since the tragedy occurred. Seventeen additional bodies are believed entombed in the crushed wreckage of the four-engine DC6B 20 feet below the surface of the bay. The big airliner made three attempts to land at fog-shrouded Idlewild airport Saturday afternoon. On its fourth approach it struck an off-shore pier and split apart in a flash of flame, setting fire to the pier. After several hours of search Sunday navy divers located the wreckage, broken into three pieces on the floor of the bay. A bulkhead prevented divers from entering the cabin, but they reported seeing a human hand lying limply against an unbroken window. The only body recovered Sunday ■ was -that of Rosalie IVUgo, who was flying to Chicago for a reunion with her mother after a three-year separation. Four Persons Hurt In Two-Car Crash Two Cars Collide Sunday Near Poe Four, persons were Injured, including one Monroe man, In a twocar collision at 1:55 p. m. Sunday two miles south of Poe in Wells -county. • The cars, driven by Edward Shoe, 37, of route 1. Ossian, and Walter Koehlinger, 42, of route 10. Fort Wayne, collided at an unmarked county road intersection, and Shoe and his three passengers were injured, two of them seriously. as their car was knocked off the road. • Shoe was thrown from the car against a fence post, and suffered severe cuts and bruises of the head and face, a broken left arm. and four fractures of the left leg between the knee and hip. His son, Thomas, 12. had a torn spleen, fractured right wrist, and other cuts and bruises. Roth father and son were taken to the St. Joseph’s hospital in Fort Wayne. Oscar Ray. 41, of Monroe, a passenger In the Shoe vehicle, suffered cuts on the top of his head, while Westley Shoe. 14. had a broken arm. Ray and Westley were sitting on the right side of the car. while the two most seriously injured were sitting on the left side, one driving, the other in the rear seat. Sheriff Raymond Durr. of Wells county, and state trooper Ted Biberstine Innvestigated the accident. Good Fellows Fund Previously Reported >556.02 4 P’s Club Central Soya Co. 10.00 Mr. & Mrs. R. C. Hersh- 5.00 Tom Haubold. j - 1.00 Mrs. Anna M. Voglewede.. 5.00 Mr. & Mrs. C. E. Hocker.. 5.00 Mr. L. E. Clase 10. do Mr. & Mrs. Frank C. Rowley 5.00 Joan Wemboff 2.00 Mr. & Mrs. C. L. Y05t...... 10.00 Mr, & Mrs. 6. J. Buckley.. 5.00 A Friend 5.00 Change In Boxes 4.50 TOTAL >623.52 INDIANA WEATHER Mostly cloudy occasional light snow north and east tonight and along the northern boundary Tueeday. Not quite so cold Tueeday. Low tonight 1219 northeast, 18-22 southwest High Tueeday 28-34.

Report Soviet Espionage At Iceland Bases I Report Accurate Russian Spying On American Activities WASHINGTON (IN8) — U. S. 1 military intelligence agencies are ’ reported investigating today accounts of apparently accurate and 1 speedy Soviet espionage on American armed forces activities in ' Iceland. 1 Workmen on construction pro1 jects in Iceland are said to have ' told government sources that information about what is being ' done on the bases bounces back 1 with amazing speed from a Soviet ' woman propaganda broadcaster. Agents are also said to be look- ■ ing into whether Russian gasoline, I traded for Icelahdic fish, is being relied upon by power plants or 1 other local utilities serving U. 8. s air bases on the northern island. • On the Soviet broadcasts, an informed source said a workman re- ’ counted how the -Russian woman, r whose program is carried in Eng- • lish and is apparently beamed at 1 the workers in Iceland, once reported that a light was out at a r U. S. (jaje. * ~ ’ The workman, he is quoted as • having reported to their amaze--1 ment, found 'that the Russian propaganda broadcast was correct. They speculated that the information must have been sent from a secret Communist radio station and probably was relayed to Moscow from a Soviet ship at sea. The American workers have told also about uncanny accuracy in the propaganda broadcast about ships leaving U. S. ports for Iceland. Details are reportedly given out regarding what is in the ships' cargoes, and when the vessels will arrive. On the reported use of Russian oil, air force and navy spokesmen said their services do not procure any oil on Iceland, so that the bases would not be dependent on Russian-oil —shipped to the island under a petroleum-for-fish arrangement. The senate internal security subcommittee, however, has heard testimony that while the Russian fuel Is not used at actual bases, it does supply Icelandic power stations, a shut down of which would at least inconvenience U, S. armed forces. Samuel Nakaslan of the Washington board of trade, testifying before the subcommittee, said(Continued on Page Eight) Mrs. Simon Gibson Dies This Morning Funeral Services Wednesday Morning Mrs. Simon Gibson, 66, a lifelong resident of Adams county, died suddenly of a heart attack at 16:30 o'clock this morning at her home, 1110 Elm street. She was born in Adams county, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lenhart lyeimenstoll. Mrs. Gibson was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic church. Surviving Are her husband; Simon Gibson; five sons, Albert Baumann of Monroe, Waldo Bau mann of Geneva, Ernest and Ervin Baumann, both of Decatur, and Clarence Baumann of Linn Grove; one daughter, Mrs. Viola Bolsemman of Decatur; 23 grandchildren, and one sister, Mrs. Cora N«uenschwander of Bluffton. Funeral services Will be held at 9 a.m.. Wednesday at St. Mary’s Catholic church, the Very Rev. Msgr. J. J. Selmetz officiating. Burial wll Ibe in the Catholic cemetery at Monroeville. The body was removed to the Gillig & Doan funeral home, where' friends may call after 3 p.m. Tuesday. The Rosary society will meet at 7:30 p m. Tuesday to recite the rosary.

Transient Admits Arkansas Slaying Confesses Bludgeon Slaying Os Woman BRINKLEY, Ark. (INS) — A first degree murder charge will be filed today against a 19-year-old transient worker who has admitted the bludgeon slaying of attractive Mrs. Sue Fuller of Brinkley. He is Bill Ray Willingham, an unemployed factory hand of Florence, Ala., who said his motive in the slaying was “food and sex.” Mrs. Fuller, slain Dec. 12, was the wife_ of auto dealer Milton Fuller, 31. Many aspects of the Brinkley murder parallelled the famous Sheppard case in Cleveland and, until Willingham’s confession, Fuller was a prime suspect. The slaying occurred while Fuller, an early riser, had, left his home to buy the paper and have coffee in town. According to police Chief Frank Henderson, Willingham said when he saw the husband leave the house, he entered Mrs. Fuller’s bedroom and struck the sleeping woman a fatal blow with a hickory stick. Willingham admitted taking >2O from her purse and “two biscuits” from the refrigerate/ after bludgeoning the woman. Fuller returned home and found his wife dying. His daughters. Mary Helen, 6, and Kathy, 18 months, were in the bedroom next to their mother. Willingham was captured Saturday while loitering in Foreqt City, 21 miles east of Brinkley, but his confession was not made public until Sunday because authorities feared the townspeople might lynch him. Willingham was whisked away to an undisclosed jail. Labor Federation Hits Proposed Law Denounces Right To Work Measure INDIANAPOLIS (INS) — Members of the Indiana Federation of Labor today planned a march of thousands on the statehouse if a right • to - work bill progresses through the legislative milL Speakers at the week-end legislative conference of the organization denounced the proposed law as a “forced open shop,” The legislation, which has been adopted by 17 states, stipulates that a man can be hired regardless of whether he belongs to a union.However, state division of labor director David M. 11 acmes predicted that Governor George N. Craig would veto any such bill and that there would not be enough votes in the genera] assembly to pass it over his veto. But the governor said: “I will have to first study and take under advisement any bill presented to me by the legislature before I make any decision as tp whether I sign ft or not.” Other proposals denounced in resolutions adopted by the conference were: Setting up a state labor relations board which the AFL said would be modeled after the TaftHartey act. Outlawing of strikes by state government employes in state institutions. Addition of 200 men to the state police force. The AFL charges that the force was used for strike breaking in Lake county. Measures indorsed by the conference were: Governor Craig’s suggestion that jobless insurance payments be hiked to >35 for 30 weeks. Extension of workman’s compensation benefits to life for perms nently disabled Workmen'instead of the present 500 weeks or >IO,OOO maximum benefits. Fringe benefits, collective bargaining and social security for ployee. (Continued on Page Five)

Five Cents

Blasi Rocks 100 Million Dollar Plant Huge Commonwealth Edison Plant Near Chicago Is Rocked CHICAGO (INS)—Two persons were killed and five others injured in an explosion that rocked Commonwealth Edison's 100-mll-lion-dollar Ridgeland generating plant near Chicago Sunday night. The tremendous blast in the. main room—where the plant’s five huge generators are located —demolished one unit and damaged several of the others. Damage to equipment was so great that the entire plant was forced to shut down. Company officials did not release an estimate of the damage. A Commonwealth Edison spokesman said the room — the size of several football fields — was a complete shamble.” After the explosion, there was a small fire. The blaze — fed by chemicals and electrical wiring—was put out by firemen. Names of the dead were not released immediately. The injureds>were taken to McNeil Memorial hospital in suburban Berwyn and Chicago's Pasgarant hospital.,. The plant, in an unincorporated area in Stickney township southwest of Chicago, is believed to be the Midwest’s largest generating station. It maintains a weekend crew of 80 persons. zlt was not known immediately if the blast was caused by steam or coal dust in the huge hoppers. A large force of Commonwealth engineers invistlgated the explosion scene. The giant generators in the plant handle steam at 1.800 pounds pressure. Involving temperatures ranging up to 1,050 degrees fahrenheit. The Ridgeland plant is classified as providing power to the “main distribution grid” — which means that it contributes electricity to the entire Commonwealth system in the Chicago area. The total capacity of the plant is 600,000 kilowatts. Woman And Three * Children Murdered Slayings Laid To Husband, Father PASADENA, Calif. (INS) — A Pasadena Sunday school teacher and her three children were hacked to death In their beds with a hatchet a few hours after they sang Christmas carols In a circle of family and friends. The victims were Mrs. Grace Elizabeth Betty Oilars, 43, and Randolph, 12, Janet, 9, and Martha, 7.Police laid the violent killings to the husband and father of the family, Harold R. Oilar, 43, a partner with his father in the rug business in south Pasadena. He failed in an attempt to Mil himself by opening a gas jet tn the bathroom of his luxurious brick home and now is in the prison ward of the General hospital in Los Angeles. detectives said that Oilar, a moody man who made an Intent study a metaphysics and psychology, left a series of rambling notes which indicated that he wiped out his family because Os worry over financial difficulties. One note said: "Sell out everything and pay oft debts.” A second said: ' "Only God could understand, only God could forgive.” ° A third added: "Hopeiqps, helpless, thia is the only relief for my loved ones and self. They are with God. No mors pain for me." (Continued on Page Eight)