Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 52, Number 300, Decatur, Adams County, 22 December 1954 — Page 1

Vol. LIL No. 300.

__As Verdict Neared ; -0 BmBE • n i gjfe qHgyjFin ' ” b WBseHsf af "TER FIVE DAYS of deliberation by the jury in his wife-murder <nse, Dr. Sim Sheppard leaves the court foj luncheon on Tuesday. The jury, Released for lunch by Judge Bly|hi> at the same time, returned to bring in a verdict of second degree murder against the young osteopath after 105 hours of weighing the case.

Dr. Sheppard Convicted Os Wife's Murder Begins Long Legal Struggle To Upset Sentence For Life CLEVELAND (INS) — Dr. Sam Sheppard, labeled a “savage madman” by the verdict of a jury of seven men and five women, opened a long legal struggle today to upset his sentence of life miprisonment. William J. Corrigan, chief defense counsel for the handsome osteopath convicted of second degree murder in the bludgeon slay,ing of his wife, worked on motions will present Dec. 30 tor a new trial. The move, which the defense expects, however, to fail, will start the ball rolling on a series of actions in higher courts to avoid the results of the ten-weeks Cleveland trial which ended late Tuesday. Experts predicted it could be a year before final judgment was rendered in the courts on Ohio's most spectacular murder case. Before Judge Edward Blythin pronounced sentence. Dr. Sam, with his head held high and his j eyes flashing, declared: "I'd like to say that I am not | guilty and 1 feel this case has ! been a great miscarriage of jus- I tice. The facts in this case prove I I couldn’t have performed this crime.” Later the 36-year-old. suburban j Bay Village osteopath appeared > tittle affected by the jury's verdict which doomed him to Imprisonment for at least ten years before he can gain freedom. Guards at the Cuyahoga county■ jail said he cleaned his plate of a dinner of bologna, sweet rolls and coffee and acted “normal” I throughout the evening. He went to bed as usual at 9 o'clock Tuesday night and at 2 a. m. bedcheck was reported "sleeping soundly.” Corrigan said he would ask the court of appeals to set aside Shep-, pard's conviction if his bid fora' new’ trial were turned down by Judge Blythin. before whom he will argue his motion a week from -Thursday. “This is a vicious case.” declared Corrigan. "There are grounds for a new trial because of prejudice against the defendant, judicial error, admission of inadmissable hearsay evidence and Sam’s trial by newspaper.” The white-haired defense attorney did, however, win a partial victory in defending the man he described as a gentle healer of the sick and the wounded. If Dr. Sam had been found guilty of first degree murder, as charged he automatically would have been sentenced to the electric chair. If convicted Os first degree murder (Continued on Page Five) —■ ■■■'■ ~~ ■ ~— <QNLYj ■Ct ) I Bz Al Mho Lust

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Speculation Grows Ike To Run In '56 Party Leaders Seem Convinced Os Fact WASHINGTON (INS) — Republican speculation that President Eisenhower will run for reelection in 1956 went up sharply today in the wake of the Chief Executive’s latest stag dinner party. Informed sources reported that Gt)P leaders who attended Monday night's White House dinner departed more convinced than ever that the President will be available for a second term. The same sources emphasized that there was no evidence that Mr. Eisenhower himself made any statement of his intentions. But to some who are concerned with the Republican party’s chances in 1956 the event spelled out, "Ike will run.’’ .. . ... White House sources confirmed that the carefully selected list of dinner guests, most of whom were administrative executives or presidential appointees, were brought together to discuss the President’s desire to make the GOP a party of "progressive moderates.” But if this was the main purpose of the get-together, it conspicuously failed to include a number of “progressive” Republicans who had much to do with the original 1952 “draft Ike” campaign and his nomination and election. These early Eisenhower boosters included Sen. Frank Carlson (R-Kan.) the president’s 1952 personal political adviser; Sen. James (Continued on Page Eight)

Near Major TragedyAs Truck Hits Bus GREENFIELD, Ind. (INS) —A major tragedy was averted Tuesday when a semi-trailer knocked a school bus carrying 40 pupils 160 feet. Three of the children required hosftiLal treatment and about 20 Charlottesville school pupils suffered cuts and bruises in the acci dent on U. S. 40, three miles east of lureenfield. Lions' Christmas Party Held Tuesday “Carol and Corkie". well-known T-V show, entertained the annual children's Christmas party of the Decatur Lions club at the Zion Lutheran parish hall Tuesday night. Regular business was dispensed with for the program and dinner, which was served by Lions' sons, and wives, and ladies of the Lutheran church. The ladies serving were Mrs. Herman Krueckeberg Mrs. Edgar Schmidt, Mrs Paul Jlancher. Mrs. Robert Zwick, Mrs. Harold Zwick, Mrs. Kenneth Ohler, Mrs. L. A. Anspaugh, Mrs. Richard Bemont, and Miss Irene Zwick. E. Kirby Thompson Dies At Van Wert E. Kirby Thompson. 72, of Van Wert, 0.. died early this morning at the Van Wert, O„ hospital. A native ryounty, he had lived in Van Wert'for the past 40 years, and recently retired after many years as an operator for the Pennsylvania railroad. Survivors include his wife. Cora; a son, R. K. Thompson of Wheeling, W. Va*: a daughter, Miss Frances Thompson of Bucyrus. O.; and a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Hendricks of Monroe. The late Mrs. Maude Dorwin of this city, was a sister. Funeiar services will be held at 2 p. in. Friday at the VoreKnoll funeral home in Van Wert. Friend* may call at the funeral home after noon Thursday.

One Killed By Violent Quake In California Practically All Os Eureka Buildings Damaged By Quake EUREKA, Calif. (INS) — Damage estimates soared into millions of dollars today from a violent earthquake which killed one person and injured at least 20 others in the northern California coastal community of Eureka. The quake, considered the most violent in northwestern California in a quarter of a century, struck Eureka at 11:57 a.m. (PST) Tuesday and damaged almost every building In the city. The lone fatality was Carl Wilkin&on, 42, who apparently toppled off a swaying pisr into Humbolt bay while eating lunch on the dock of the Holmes-Eureka Lumber Co. His body was found in harbor waters an hour af£er the temblor. Shattering glass and topplingbrifcks caused most of the injuries, but none of the injured was in critical condition. A young mechanic was burned in one of 10 tires reported in Eureka-after the quake. The fires were caused by short circuits in electric wiring. The temblor was centered in the Pacific ocean off Eureka. JL was felt deep in the Klamath basin of Oregon and as far south as Lake county 100 miles north of San Francisco. Several after-shocks were felt later in the day but caused no further damage. Telephone, power and gas lines were temporarily knocked out, and water pipes were smashed in several places. Authorities said that. almost every building and home in the Eureka area, whlcjt has a population of nearly 40,000 persons, showed some damage. The 75-year-old Humbolt county courthouse at Eureka developed large cracks In ceilings and stone walla and eras ordered closed. Officials fearetj it might have to be condemned. 5 Near Blue Lake, a small Community northeast of Eureka, several small boys reportedly just missed being swallowed up by a huge crack which opened in the grtund while they were fishing in. a stream. Wallace Anderson Dies In California Mrs. Amos Hirschy, of near Monroe, has received word of the sudden death of her brother-in-law, Wallace Anderson, who died Tuesday of a heart attack at his home at Hollywood, Calif. Mrs. Anderson was formerly «Miss Irene Marsh of near Monroe. Funeral arrangements are Incomplete. Mrs. Olivia Teeple, of Tocsin, Mrs. Anderson's mother, and Mr. and Mrs. Ed Hart of Fort Wayne left .last night to attend the services. G. E/s Choir On Television Friday Full-Hour Program Friday Afternoon The Aeolian choir 'of the Decatur General Electric plant will make its first, television appearance Friday afternoon, it has been announced by David Embler, direc tor, and Dan Foreman, president and business manager of the choir The choir will appear on WKJGTV, Fort Wayne, for a full hour’s program from 1 to 2 o'clock Fri day afternoon. Embler has arranged a full pro- . gram of familiar Christmas music, both sacred and secular, featuring the all-girl choir, the glee club and soloists from the Decatur plant. The choir, which was organized in 1942, will be guests on Charlie Powell’s variety program during the hour’s telecast. Due to limited studio space, only 50 choir members can be used. Choir officials also expressed regret that the organization will not be able to sing carols at the various' local homes and institutions this year, because of Christy mas falling on Saturday and preparations for the TV program taking up all spare time. The Aoelian choir was first launched by the G. E. club and the Gecode club of the Decatur plant* INDIANA WEATHER Mostly cloudy tonight, not so cold north and central portions. Thursday partly cloudy and somewhat warmer. Low tonight 18-22 east, 22-28 west. High Thursday 34-42.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, December 22, 1954.

Airliner Carrying 23 Passengers Has Narrow Escape From Shooting

National Cost Os Living Is Up Slightly Living Cost Edges _ Up Slightly During Month Os November I WASHINGTON (INS) — The labor department announced today that the national cost of living edged up one-tenth of one percent in November. The increase was due to the fact that new model automobiles commanded steper terms from dealers than the old 1954 models. The labor department said that in mld-November the cost of living index was 114.6 percent of the average in the years from 1947 through 1949. This was three-tenths of one percent lower than November of last year, but 12 and six-tenths percent higher than June, 1956, just before the outbreak of the Korean war. The slignt rise in living costs reversed a previous three months decline. The all-time high in tire index was 115.4 percent of the 1947-49 average, recahed in October 1953: Meanwhile, labor secretary Jatnse P. Mitchell announced that the take-home pay of factory workers was at an all-time high in November. A worker with three dependents had an average of $68.69 a week to spend in November, 52 cents more than in October, and $8 cents, more than the previous record reached in December, 1953. Also at a record level was the buying power of the average factory pay check, A worker with a family could buy two percent more goods and services than a year earlier. - More than one million railroad workers would have taken a one cent an hour cut in w'ages if their pay had still been adjusted to the living costs index. However, the 15 non-operating rail brotherhoods scrapped their escalator wage clause a few weeks ago. Mrs. Aryness Joy Wickens, acting commsisioner of labor statistics, said that except for terms on new model autos, the cost of living index would have declined about one-tenth of one percent from October to November. She pointed out that, for persons not buying new cars, the overall living cost shaded down very slightly. City Council Meets In Brief Session Request Is Filed To Change Street Name . The city council Tuesday night instructed city attorney Robert 3. Anderson to draw up an ordinance changing the name of Scheiman street to Park View Drive at the request of several residents. A brief discussion of the legal difficulties involved preceded the action. The council met for only onehalf hour last night, and will meet in special session next Tuesday to clear up old bills before the new year. Councilman Don Gage asked the mayor to take action to replace the stop sign at Tenth and Washington streets, and the mayor instructed Clyde Johnson, superintendent of city streets, to see that it was done. Mayor Doan stated that he, councilman Ed Bauer, and chief of police James Borders would make an on-the-spot investigation of parking conditions on Adams street, as one complaint has been received concerned the plan for no parklpg on one side of thee street.-

Highway Proposal Made By Governor Use Toll Road Costs As Matching Money INDIANAPOLIS (INS) — Indiana legislators today considered a proposal of Governor George N. Craig for use of toll road constructing costs as federal matching money to enlarge the Hoosier highway system. * Craig, In addressing legislative leaders, satf this would eliminate the proposed two-cent hike in the state gasoline tax and finance double tracking of Roads 31, 41, 52, 37 and 67. Twenty - seven governors are pushing a provision in the new highway law appropriating $25 billion for interstate construction that would permit toll road expenditures to be considered as federal matching funds, according to Craig, who said: "Why use the Indiana taxpayers’ money for matching when we can use other people’s? The northsouth toll road has been proven feasible. The second east-west toll road across southern Indiana connecting St. Louis and Cincinnati would make the Illinois link feasible and assure the midwest of a fast, safe means of transportation between those two big cities. This at| ties in to the' national defense program. k , “This program would sdlve Indiana’s road problems for all time with no burden on the taxpayers. It is the only way we can get back the two cents the federal government levies on every gallon of gasoline our motor vehicles consume.” .<?■ BULLETIN Yost Construction Co. of this city was low bidder on the proposed northwest elementary school when bids were opened this afternoon at Decatur high school. The local company was low with a bid of $235,000 on the general contract and also was low on a combined general, plumbing, heating, electrical and ventilating contract with a bid of $330,629. There were three bidders for the general contract. The school board and Supt. W. Guy Brown were still studying the bids late this afternoon and had no official announcement at press time. Sustains Demurrers Filed By Plaintiffs Judge Rules Against City In Complaints Judge Myles F. Parrish Tuesday afternoon sustained the demurrers fileaUy the plaintiffs in the four damage suits filed last June against the city of Decatur in connection with alleged damages to properties near the new diesel plant here. In substance this means that the court held that proper notice prior to the filing of the damage suits was given the elty by plaintiffs when written notice that suits were being filed was delivered to Mayor John Doan. The suits entitled Alva Buffenbarfcer, etux; Jerome Gaskill, etux; Emil Blenz and Dorotfiy Hienz and Joseph E. Kitson, etux., seeking present and future damages to their properties because of alleged vibration from the newly installed diesel power plant in the northwest part of the city, were filed by Oliver FT.' Eggers, Fort Wayne attorney. On September 3, the city, through its attorney, Robert 8. Anderson, filed a .plea in abatement alleging that proper notice was not given to the city. Plaintiffs then/ filed demurrer to the abatement plea and arguments were held October 14. - Yesterday’s Adams circuit court ruling - upheld the demurrers, which indicate the fotar damage auil hearings will continue. City attorney Anderson has not indicated what the city’s next legal step would be. .

Mendes-France Urges Assembly Ratify Accords Premier Pleads For French Ratification Os Paris Accords PARIS (INS)—French Socialist Jules ifoch summoned up the mushroom-shaped shadow of a hy-drogen-bomb blast and it seemed to hover over the national assembly debate *bn West German ’ rearmament. However, premier Pierre Men-des-France suddenly interrupted Moch’s dramatic appeal for rejection of the Paris accords in an attempt to dispel the menacing image of thermonuclear war. Mendes-France disputed Moch’s claim that ratification of the accords would lead to a worening of east-west relations and possibly end in a hydrogen-rockeHbomb duel between the U. S. and Russia. Moch, who has deserted his party on the ratification issue, based his argument against the accords on the thesis that a German army was unnecessary in age whett push-button, "total war" was possible. _ When the Socialist deputy asked the premier to declare he would do his utmost to avoid "any dangerous consequence” of ratification, Mendes-France said bis government stood by his proposal to start talks with Moscow by May. But the premier appealed for ratification on the grounds that it would aid chances for east-west negotiations while rejection would end the possibility of such talks, which then "would be without object” Mendes-France, throwing all his skill as a parliamentary speaker behind the treaties restoring Sovereignty to a rearmed West Germany, told the assembly: "If' we reject the agreements there will no longer be the possl s bility of a big four meeting. The only remote hope would be a meeting of the big three or big two without France.” The youthful premier entered the debate apparently to counteract the effect on the deputies of Moch’s appeal fo| rejection of the accords. The Socialist, a former minister of interior 4vho gained a reputation Yor ruthlessly suppressing Communist demonstrations in France, lost a son in a Nazi torture chamber during World War 11. He is an implacable foe of German rearmament in any form. But Chis morning he based bis appeal on the terrors of what any future war would be like. (Continued on Page Four) • William F. Reemer Dies Last Evening Funeral Services Friday Afternoon William F. Reemer. 66, of Andrews, died at 8:50 o'clock Tuesday night at the Huntington county hospital In Huntington following a stroke suffered a week ago. He was a native of Allen county but had been an employe of the Huntington county highway department so? 17 years until his retirement last March. Surviving are his wife, Olive; two daughters. Mrs. Wilford Plasterer of Decatur and Mrs. Harold Bunker of Huntington; three grandchildren; two brothers, Ben Beemer of Bryan. 0., and Edward Reemer of Andrews, and two sisters, Mrs. Clyde Thompson of Huntington and Mrs. Year Howell of Wabash. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p. in. Friday at the Deal funeral home In Andrews, the Rev. O. S. Crain officiating. Burial will be in Riverside cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 o'clock this evening.

UN Secretary Back To UN Headquarters Delays Departure Until Next Tuesday UNITED NATIONS, N. Y. (INS) —Secretary gerremt Dok Hatffffiar' skjold returns to UN headquarters today to prepare for his post-New Y'ear's trip to Peiping to discuss release of captive UN personnel. llammarskjold was scheduled to arrive about 2 p.m. EST from Stockholm, where he was admitted to the Swedish academy of libterature and also talked with Red China's ambassador about his “mission to Peiping." The UN chief will launch on his return intensive consultations with his top advisers to lay the groundwork for hie meeting with Red China Premier Chou En-Lai about freeing 11 U. S. fliers and other UN POWs. Before leaving he also will confer with such key UN. diplomats as U. S. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., British Delegate Sir Pierson Dixon, French Ambassador Henri Itoppenot and India's Arthur S. Luff. llammarskjold has been forced to change his original plan to leave on Friday on the first leg of his 12,000-mile trip to the Red China capital, which he had hoped tc reach before the end of the year. - ' He now plans tentatively to leave around Dec. 28 and confer for one, or two days in London with foreign secretary Sir Anthony Eden and possibly prime minister Sir Winston Churchill. The .UN chief had planned to confer with Eden on Christmas Day and then fly directly to New Delhi to talk to prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. But the Indian government advised Hammarskjold that Nehru was visiting Indonesia and would not return to New Delhi until Jan. 2. Hammarskjold is understood to . feel that a conference with Nehru before the Peiping meeting is highly Important, particularly since the Indian statesman carries great weight with Chou. _____________ "* Suspend Business On Christmas Day Stores Will Close For Christmas Eve A general suspension of business will mark Decatur’s observance of Christmas Saturday, Dec. 25, a survey today indicated. • Practically all business estab, lishments, industries and offices, public and private, will be closed the entire day, with only a few exceptions. . Dwatur retail stores, which have been open six nights weekly since last Wednesday to accomodate holiday shoppers, will close at 5:30 o’clock Friday evening in order that owners and employes alike may spend Christmas Eve with their families. Offices in the county court house will close at 11:30 a. m. Friday for the balance of the day. Law offices will also close at noon. The post office which has had a tremendous rush of Christmas mail, will close Its windows at 12 noon Friday, and be closed all day Saturday. The lobby will be open until 5 p. m., and also open on the usual holiday schedule Saturday. Special delivery mail and any Christmas packages will be delivered Saturday. The selective service office will be closed all day Friday, and will close at noon the following Friday, Dec. 31. The Dally Democrat will not publish an edition Saturday, and will print its Friday edition at noon, both this week and next. The Decatur Catholic schools closed today, and the Decatur publie schools and rural schools will close Thursday morning or noon, ail to reopen Monday, Jan. 3.

Plane Unhit, . Flying Over Target Area Northwest Orient Airliner Narrowly Escapes At Formosa TOKYO (INS) — A Northwest! Orient Airlines plane, carrying 23 passengers, narrowly escaped accidental fire from Chinese Nationalist anti-aircraft guns today over a practice target ground on Formosa. The plane's pilot reported he saw three shell-bursts, moving progressively closer to the big fourengine DC-6 just after taking off from Taipeh for Okinawa and Tokyo. ; The plane was undamaged and most of the passengers were apparently unaware of their momentary danger from the exploding shells. e When the plane arrived in Tokyo this evening, airltne officials at first refused to elaborate on the incident but one of them said: "It was clearly a case of mlatak en identity.” ~ I-ater, Paul Benscoper, operations manager for Northwest in Tokyo, explained that the plane flew pver the target area in a mixup over dates for target practice by the Nationalists who are on constant alert against a ipbssible Chinese Communist raid. Benscoper said he wanted to clear up any possible misunderstanding that the fire might have been intentional. He said Nationalist authorities customarily inform airlines officials of the dates for target practice so they can avoid the area. However, he said a notice was received by North west -that there would be target practice from Dec. 16 to Dec. 18, and the next notice was received tonight saying there ' would be practice again from Dec. 23 to Dec. 25. He said Northwest was not informed that target practice was scheduled this morning. Benscoper added: "During the days on which target practice is announced, we fly our planes on a wide detour to avoid any danger of being bit by mistake. Other planes do the same.” The plane captain, Walter Bullock of Lakeview, Minn., said he spotted three shell-bursts, progressively closer to his big craft as it was still climbing after taking off from Taipeh. Bullock said the first shell exploded about five miles from the plane when it was at an elevation of 6.500 feet this morning. Bullock said: "I was not sure whether It was really a shell burst because the visibility was poor but the second burst, five minutes later, this time, only one mile away, made me sure.” The third burst was spotted nine minutes later to the rear of the plane. Bullock queried by radio an air force 047 flying in the same area but the .pilot was unaware of the shell-bursts. Bullock reported he kept his plane on course, adding: "I was not too worried about it but I would sure like to know (Continued on Page Eight)

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Five Cents