Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 53, Number 17, Decatur, Adams County, 21 January 1955 — Page 1

Vol. LIU. No. 17.

A Fotog’s Life Is Not Always An Easy One Kill:' - /" W * 4 V"' - ■''KlpPPpii^'TteiM 5m i _/ ", a r | .J& y I timiMa '■%''■<' 3 IK/ j-uTfrfcm BmKK 1 ., vft • :.■ _S * • | Jji ||jL .. ■■>- i jß' y ‘ .. ■^^S^' ,^CS>> ' .... ■■ NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER Phil Grletxer takes to his heels in New York City as John Kerr and Peter Mahon, handcuffed together, charge after him. The pair was being booked on mugging charges when Grletxer aimed his lens, little knowing they had an allergy for cameras. Another photographer stood his ground to get this shot.

Bill Submitted For Outlawing Comic Books Indiana Democrats Introduce Bill In General Assembly INDIANAPOLIS (INS) —lndiana Democrats have had few things to laugh about politically in recent years and two of that party's senators find nothing whatever funny about comic books. Their fellow lawmakers on the Republican side of the general as aembly senate chambers presented almost as grlnU a picture in the hurryatp-walt-a-mlnute battle over toll roads. Sen. Charles M- Maddox, Otterbein Republican chairmanning the roads committee, said the toll road commission * slashing bill won't be reported out until Gov. George N. Ctaig returns from Washington. Democratic Sens. Eugene Bainbridge, of funster,' and Paul J. Bitx, of Evansville, hqpe to lower a legislative boom not on roads but books. Their measure would provide up to 1100 fine and or 90 day a in_jail for anyone, selling, giving away or lending “horror comic book, crime comic book, sexually indecent comic book or comic book portraying deeds of brutality and violence." In defining sexually indecent, the senators specified books pertaining Ito adultery, homosexuality, sadism, masochism, or other perversions. It also put the ban dn books posing male and female figures in lewd, lascivious or an>?n?nf ombraces or Showing them scantily or indecently clad. It also bans books portraying assaults, cuttings, stabbings’, floggings, eye gougings, brutal kick, dismemberment, and various forms of beating. Over in the house, the Demo crats were wearing sly grins after stealing a march on the Republicans and introducing a state gross income tax withholding bill. Democratic Reps. Otto, Pozgay, of South Bend, and Mrs. Mildred Churilla, of East Chicago, submitted a bill that would set up withholding of state gross income taxes from paychecks on the same basis as the federal withholding. The Republicans regained some part of the tax glory on a bill introduced by Reps. Grattan X Downey, of Osgood, and Russell V. Langsenkamp, of Indianapolis. Their c.o-authored effort would add $1,400 deduction to persons 65, years or older who receive all of their income from pensions or annuities. The house also passed several bills. One to bring the Morris Plan Banks of Indiana under closer supervision of the state banking department, passed 83-4; another setting standards for determining distance of tavern from schools, churches, etc., passed 91-1; and another banking bill permitting establishment of branch banks within a mile of existing banks and reduces other restrictions, passed 92-0. In one other senate bill, Indianapolis Republican Sen. Thomas C. Hasbrook introduced a measure to transfer University Park from state control to Indianapolis park board control. The park had been suggested as a possible site for the proposed statehouse office building. Behind the scene, the senate fight on the toll road issue con(Continued on Page Eight)

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN AbAMS COUNTY

j Salary Statements Filed By Officials State Law Requires Filing Statements All but a few of the elected officials serving Adams county during 1954 have filed the statements of salaries and fees required by state law. The deadline for the statements, which were filed with the county auditor, was last Saturday. The statements list the statutory salaries as well as per diem compensations and other fees. Purpose of the filing is to provide information for future legislatures in establishing fair and adequate salaries. The statements of statutory eal ariesf and compensations include county treasurer Waldo Neal, sl,840 salary and $1,306.95 fees for a total of $3,146.95; county surveyor Herman Moeiisring, $2,000 salary and $1,098.49 compensations for a total of $3,098.49. County recorder Mabel Striker, $1,200 salary and 1L640.36 fees for a total of $2,840.36; county clerk Edward Jaberg, $1,840 salary and $2,696.15 fees for a total of $4,536.15;. county auditor Frank Kitson. $4,200 salary and $l5O fees for $4,35(7. Amounts paid to various employes of court house offices include $2,800 to treasurer's office employes; $2,100 to employes of the recorder’s office; $1,065.83 per month ‘to hoard of education employes; $3,120 to the highway superintendent; S9OO to the janitor of the highway department office; $1.65 per hour to highway department mechanics and $1.25 per hour to other highway labor; $2,700 to court baliff Sam Bentz; $3,060 to court reporter Roitiaine Raudenbush and $1,500 to probation officer C. ft. MnaeimkH. County commissioners Lewis Worthman, Harley Reef and Otto Hoffman each received $1,252.42. Leon Neuenschwander, Chris Stahly, Rufus Huser, Julius Schultz, Henry Dehner. and William Kruetzman of the county council each received $l9O and C. P.ljones of the county council earned $165. Township trustees who filed Include H, D. Moser, Jefferson, sl,570; Emil Stauffer, Hartford, sl,540; August Selking, Root, sl,714.6(7; Ed, Autnann, Prbele, sl,540;. L. A. Mann, Wabash, $1,755; Noah Neuenschwander.’ Monroe, $2,180; W. L. Linn, Washington, $2,201.10; Floyd' L. Meyer. Blue Creek, $1,540, and Fred Bittner, Union, $1,425, Local Man's Brother Dies At Elida, Ohio George T. Kocher. 72. of Elida. 0.. brother of James L. Kocher of this city, died suddenly Thursday morning at his home, according to news received here. Formerly of Bluffton. he married Martha Engeler of that city, a sister of Ed F. Engeler of Decatur, who survives. Two children also survive. The are Donald Kocher of Lima. 0., and Mrs. Marjorie Slierof. of Athens. O. Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock at the Davis funeral home, Lima. Burial will be at the cemetery at Lima. **l'* 1 '* - — ; Serial Story “Doctor, At The Crossroads” is the title of a new serial story starting in today's Daily Democrat. The problem of a young doctor and whether he should remain in- a country town is the plot kroUnd which Elizabetn Seifert lias written her novel.

Four Convicts Still Holding Out In Prison Conferences Held Under Background Os Drawn Weapons - BOSTON (INS) — Two face-to-face conferences under the tense back ground of drawn pistols failed today to obtain an unconditional surrender of four rebel convicts now in the fourth day of a Charlestown state prison mutiny. A seven-man committee of civic and religious leaders and a fourman group headed by warden John J. O’Brien talked with the rebels through a window of the besieged Cherry Hill isolation building. Two uniformed state police, escorting the groups, stood in the courtyard with drawn guns. The mutineers levelled their three weapons during the dramatic parleys. A list of grievances -was handed to the committee to be laid before Gov. Christian A. Herter. The chief executive said he had no comment, adding that anything would have to come from the prison after the committee meets again with the rebels. The rebels — Theodore Green. Walter Balben, Fritz Swenson Jr., and Joseph Flaherty — still held five guards and six “unwilling" convicts as hostages. For O’Brien the meeting was the first time he has confronted the rebels since they holed up In the galley section early Tuesday morning. "rs Earlier, the rebels, speaking through their new leader. Balben, were said to have offered to end. the revolt On a promise that they would not be returned to solitary confinement and would be accorded the normal privileges permitted other convicts. The Rev. Edward Hartigan and Dr. Samuel Merlin, allowed free access to the Cherry Hill stronghold, went to the rebels at 8:07 p.m. and tried until 10:20 p.m. to reason with them but without sue cess. Fr. Hartigan and Dr. Merlin also carried back to the convicts, the warden’s rejection of their of fer, to end the revolt for a premise they would not be returned'to soli lary confinement The priest and physician were undismayed -and continued their efforts to convince the mutinous convicts of the hopelessness of their situation. O’Brien spoke to 562 other in mates over the prison broadcast ing system, commended them for the way they have behaved and promised them extra privileges The prisoners, who have been confined to their cells for three days during the emergency, were told they will have an additional exercise period in the recreation area today, but asked them to remain away from the Cherry Hill section. Executive councilor Patrick- J. McDonough, who conferred with the four convict leaders, took to the state house for presentation to Governor Christian A. Herter a list of their grievances. The convicts had designated McDonough as the only mediator they would deal with and the councilor promised he personally would place the list on the governor’s desk'for the chief executive’s consideration. Fr. Hartigan said he still had “every hope" that the convicts (Continued on Page Eight) ''

Decatur, Indiana, Friday, January 21, 1955.

Chinese Communists Give Families Right To Visit Prisoners

Relatives To Yisil Airmen Al Own Risk Government Warns Men's Families Os Perils Os Trip WASHINGTON (INS) — The U. S. government was disclosed today to have told relatives of Americans Imprisoned in Red China that if they wish to accept the Communist Invitation to visit their kin they must go at Jheir “own risk." The official telegram notifying families of the prisoners of the "ostensibly humanitarian offer” by the Chinese Communists also noted that the Red gesture seemed to be "designed primarily to achieve political purposes.” Relatives were, warned that the U. S. does not have diplomatic relations with the Peiping regime and that “it therefore cannot extend the protection and facilities to its citizens who may enten.Communist China that are normally provided in other countries." State and defense department officials disclosed today that no steps will be taken to prohibit the families from visiting Red Chum but aaid they “are not being encouraged to go.” The defense department already has sent messages to the relatives notifying them of the Peiping offer to let them visit the men giving them permission to make the trip if they desire. A state department official said the U.S. could not encourage such a trip because this government cannot guarantee the safety of any Americana who may enter Red China. This official expressed doubt, however, that any relatives who might decide to go to China would be in danger because of the wide publicity surrounding the Communist offer. A government official said that although a decision to allow the relatvies to go to Red China has been made, it has not yet decided what route the relatives would take. If they decide to make the trip, the relatives presumably would go to Hong Kong and" then fly up to northern China where the men are being held. » The state department previously (Continued on Page Eight) Slight living Cost Decline Reported Steady Decline In Foodstuff Prices WASHINGTON (INS) — The government announced today that the cost of living declined again in December to bring average eonsumeriirices down to the lowest level since May, 1953. The labor department’s cost of living index edged down threetenths of one percent from midNovember to mid- December to 114.3 percent of the 1947-49 average. The main reason was a/ continued decline in food prices./ The index has now gone doWn steadily since July, except for a slight rise in November due to'the fact that new model autos, then just on the market, were selling for more than old 1954 models. Living costs were one - half of One percent lower in December than in the same month of 1953, and one percent below the alltime high of October, 1953. INDIANA WEATHER Snow north and rain south this afternoon, ending west half this evening and east half tonight. Saturday cloudy with few snow flurries north. Partly cloudy south. Little change In temperature. Low tonight 15-25. High Saturday 28-32 north, 32-38 south.

Three Persons Dead In Car-Truck Crash Two Badly Injured Near Kendallville KENDALLVILLE, Ind. (INS) — Two persons fought for their Ifves today in Kendallville hospital after being critically injured in a cartruck crash which killed three other persons. Dead .in the Thursday night crash were: Clyde Johnson, 58, R. R. 2, Kendallville. Miss Jessie Johnson, 19, R. R. 2, Kendallivile. ~ Doyle Strange,’ Sr., 30, Kendallville. Critically hurt were Mrs. Clyde Johnson, widow of one of the victims, and Bill Gundrum, 26, R. R. 4, Albion. Less seriously injured was the truck driver, Claude Laverne Miller. 40, of ,R. R. 2, Bryan, Ohio. Indiana state police said that a car owned by Strange, and believed to be driven by Johnson, swerved onto the wrong side of~U. S. 6, four miles east of Kendallville, while while rounding a curve, and collided headon with the truck. Judge Parrish Is Speaker At Rotary Juvenile Problems Discussed By Judge Judge Myles F. Parrish, judge of the Adanm circuit court, was the guest speaker at the weekly dinner meeting of the Decatur Rotary club Thursday evening. Judge Parrish, who began his second six-year term on the Adams countv court Janaary 1, delivered an interesting discussion of the problems of juvenile delinquency. The jurist pointed out that juvenile delinquency is not a new problem. that the world has been confronted with it through all the years of history, back as far as the days of Adam and Eve. The judge pointedly denied that today’s generation, is any worse than the youngsters of previous (generations. Great strides have been made in the United States ini recent years in combatting delinquency, the judge said, citing the formation of juvenile courts the nation, and efforts at reformation of the youth rather than mere punishment. In closing, Judge Parrish urged close cooperation of homes, schools and churches in solving the problem of juvenile delinquency. Robert Smith was chairman of the program. Homer Arnold, former Kirkland township farmer and —now manager of the Decatur Ready Mix. was introduced as member of the club, with the Introduction made by Joe Kaehr, club secretary. During tire meeting, contributions were made to the March of Dimes campaign, totaling nearly enough to flii one at the large placards. Apartment House Damaged By Fire /The apa rt m enurffous« <^Wtied by Don Hakes av'ffie corner/son ahd'Eifth streets was damaged" in a fire which broke out at about 11:30 a. m. today. Firemen estimated damage to the three family dwelling amounted to about $2,000, Much of the damage was caused by fire and water. Probable /cause of the fire was defective wiring. The blaze and damage Was limited to the second floor and attic of the house. Decatur firemen spent an hour and a half bringing the fire under control. The lafiie house was damaged by fire a few years ago. Former President Os Servel Is Dead EVANSVILLE, Irtd. (INS) . - Former Servel president W. Pan. Jones, 63, died in Evansville St. Mary’s hospital Thursday of a heart attack.

Chiang Calls Cabinet Into Special Meet Nationalist China Announces Fall Os Island To Reds TAIPEH (INS) — Chinese Na tionalists warplanes blasted Com rnunist shipping anew today ovei a 400-mile stretch of the Chins Coast and claimed a total of 6( Red vessels sunk. The Nationalists pressed the air strikes in the face of the lost of Yiehangshan island to Commun Ist amphibious troops iavi 60-houi death struggle. A reported 750 Nationalist de fenders of four-square mile Yi changsban, some 200 miles nortt of Formosa, were apparentlj wiped out. A defense ministry communique said; “The small groups of gallant de fenders on the tiny island outpost, armed with light weapons, held out against the full dressi Communist attack for more than 60 hours. “Their heroism reflects great credit to the armed forces of Free China." With the fall of Yiehangshan, Generalissimo Chiang Kai - Shek called his cabinet into emergency session at Taipeh. There were rumors that Chiang and his advisers _ discussed a reported American plan to use IT. S. warships to evacuate an estimated 10,000 Nationalist troops from the Tachen islands which lie eight miles south of Yiehangshan. A Nationalist spokesman, however, denied that any such plan was under consideration and said the small off-shore islands will be defended “to the death." The Nationalists said that the conquest of Yiehangshan was costly for the Reds who hit the island last Tuesday. A Nationalist announcement ' "'V (Continued on Page Eight) Wells County Man Is Badly Injured Charles McFarland Injured Thursday Charles McFarland, 77, of Bluffton route two, is in critical condition at the WelL county hospital suffering from a skull fracture and internal injuries received In an automobile accident in Adams county Thursday afternoon. The accident occurred at 3:55 pith. Thursday on a county road five miles west and a mile and a half north of Bferne. The car, driven by McFarland, collided with a car driven by Chester Isch, 35, of Bluffton route four. McFarland apparently became excited he approached a bridge. He slammed on his brakes and skidded on loose stones, turning sideways. The Isch car, coining Irani t ecUoßr-htt-bro'gfr-' "sTcIeZ Phillip Isch, seven-year-old son of the driver, was Injured with severe lacerations. Another son, Michael, four, who was also a passenger. was not Injured. Isch sustained a bruised nose and a cut on the left hand. They werfe treated by a Berne physician. * Sheriff Merle Affolder and state trooper Walter Schindler, who investigated the accident, estimated the total property damage at about, $5(70. Another accident occurred at 6:45 p.m. Thursday three miles east of Monroe on highway 124. Sheriff Affolder Investigated with state trooper Gene Rksh. A car driven by Clifford Brown, 40, of Decatur route six, was turning left into a drive as Calvin McKean, 39, of route four, driving a ton and a half truck, attempted to pass. The cars sideswlped, causing S3OO damage.

Prisoner List UNITED NATIONS, N. Y. (INS) — The eleven U. S. flyers jailed by Red China as spies, and whose relatives the Communists have said can visit them, are: Col. John K. Arnold Jr., Silver Spring, Md. Maj. William H. Baumer. Lewisburg, Pa. Capt. Eugene J. Valdi, Clayton, N. Y. Capt. Elmer F. Llewellyn, Missoula, Mont. r > Lt. Wallace L. BrOwn, Banks, Ala. Lt. John W. Buck. Armathwaite, Tenn Airman Steve E. Kiba Jr., Akron. O. Airman Harry M. Benjamin Jr„ Worthington, Minn. Airman John W. Thompson, Orange, Va. Airman Daniel C. Schmidt, Portland, Ore. Sgt. Howard W. Brown, St. Paul, Minn. Four other American pilots seized but not sentenced by the Reds are: First Lt. Lyle W. Cameron, Lineoln, Neb. —— - First Lt. Roland W. Parks, Omaha, Neb. Capt. Harold E. Fischer, Swea City, lowa. Lt. Col. Edwin L. Heller, Wynnewood, Pa. The two U. S. civilians imprisoned as "spies” by the Reds are: John T. Downy', New Britain, Conn. Richard Fecteau, Lynn, Mass. Five Persons Dead In Tenement Fire Six Others Injured In Fire In Chicago CHICAGO (INS) —Five persons were killed and six others injured early today in a tenement fire on Chicago’s southwest side. Firemen recovered the bodies of a man and a woman from the ruins of the four-story building. Three other bodies were seen in the flame swept structure. Two persons jumped from windows oj the flaming tenement and at least'a dozen were assisted down ladders by firemen and bystanders. The two victims whose bodies have been recovered have been identified tentatively as Mrs. Helen Zlgouris, 60, and James Mitchell, 67. One of the persons reported missing and believed dead in the blaze is Mrs. Zigouris’ husband, James, 70. Favor Increase In Stale Gasoline Tax Commissioners Ask Support Os Yager County commissioners at a special problems of the coming year voted to write to state representative Luther Yager asking him to support the bill which would raise the gasoline tax two cents. The commissioners stated that the increased tax would give Adams county about JJOO.OOO additional funds for road x construction and maintenance. They pointed out that it would make possible the 'blacktopping of 12 more miles of county road each year, which would mean that a total of 20 miles could probably be surfaced yearly. Frank Singleton, county highway superintendent, and Walter Gilliom. engineer, today were preparing the applications for aid from the federal bureau of public roads. The aid which permits Adams county to build six miles of road will be given with the approval of the state highway commission which administers the money.

Offer Chance To Visit Men In Captivity Offer Is Made By Communist China To U. S. Families UNITED NATIONjS, N.Y. (I^fS) —The United Natiofe# disclosed today that Communist China has offered to allow families and relatives of the imprisoned American airmen and civilians to visit them in captivity. The disclosure said the Peiping government “would provide facilities for relatives” to visit tl\e 11 flyers and tw r o civilians jailed as “spies,” and four jet pilots taken prisoner during the Korean war. Informed observers expressed Belief that the Chinese Communist offer indicated the Peiping regime may release the American prisoners som time in the near future. The announcement stated that the offer had been made by Chinese Communist premier Chou En-Lai to secretary-general Dag Hammhrskjold during their conferences in Peiping which begau Jan. 6. Belief was expressed that the invitation for relatives to visit the U. S. captured men may include other UN personnel taken prisoner during the Korean conflict. A total of 2,850 UN personnel captured during the Korean war still are held by Red China. Os this number, UN sources estimate about 500 are Americans. Sen. William F. Knowland, (R-Cal.) has charged the Reds hold as many as 800 Americans. The announcement, ’ which was made simultaneously in Peking, said that the Red Cross Society of Communist China “would make all the arrangements necessary.” Presumably the relatives would have to pay their own expenses at least until they reached Red China where, the announcement indicated, the Red Cross would take over. On the basis of previous U. S. policy, It was considered unlikely the American government would underwrite the travel expenses, though with state department clearance for the trips, already announced in Washington, the government probably would do what it could to expedite the journeys for any relatives desiring to go. The statement said: “As is being announced this morning (N. Y. time) from Peking, Premier Chou En-Lai during his talks with secretary general Dag Hammarskjold indicated that the government of the People’s Republic of China would provide facilities for relatives to visit those United States personnel who had been convicted and those whose cases were under investigation if they should wish to do so, and that the Red Cross Society of China would make all the arrangements necessary.” Informed sources at UN said that Chou's offer waa-j.elayfid~.im.- —. nieffia'tely” to the U. S. by Hammarskjold during his talks with Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge after the UN chief returned from his mission to Peiping Jan. 13. Details of the bid were kept secret for more than a week pending consultations between Hammarskjold and secretary of state John Foster Dulles and Lodge. IT was learned that Hammarsk* (CorrMnluieid on Page Six) Band Booster Fund Previously Reported $670.47 Yost Ready mix 20.00 Karen Zimmerman 3.00 TOTAL $693.47 Contributions can be made by sending any amount to Band Booster fund, care of Hugh J. Andrews, principal of Decatur high school. All money received will go toward th6 purchase of new uniforms for the Decatur high school band.

Five Cents