Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 53, Number 209, Decatur, Adams County, 6 September 1955 — Page 1

Vol. Lili. No. 209.

MISSING SEVEN YEARS, RELEASED l? X*. * ■ff •*"m’m A « * ' & B ■■■■ JIY’t 1 -4 ■** ■<« ; fK ~”T Oft, |L V / ' SMk 4* WT V * wL/t V fl j® FJ -W f " ; W ( fl MISSING FOR .MMIN YEARS, three Americans, including two soldiers, were released Monday by Soviet Russia. Promise of their release was made by the Russians last month and Monday the promise was fulfilled as (I. to r.) Frederick Hopkins, New York, a civilian, and privates Murray Fields, Brooklyn, and Wilfred Cumish, Amesbury, Mass., were received in Berlin by the provost marshal. Fields and Cumish had been carried as absent without leave for the seven years of their captivity.

Decatur Man Is Killed By Train Today

Alvin Loy Doster, 61, 640 Line street, assistant signal maintenance man for the Erie railroad, was killed this morning when h« fell into the path of a moving freight train. Doster and O, B. Daniels of Bluffton, another Erie employe, were on a njotor car just before the tragic accident occurred. For an unknown reason the two had failed to shift off the track on which the train approached. found themselves traveling ahead of the train at a much slower speed than the freight. Both jumped, Daniels going clear of the train and hitting only his face, causing cuts and bruises. ' Doster lost his balance as he jumped and rolled injo the path of the heavy diesel engine, which was pulling about 166 cars. One side of the engine struck and crushed his head. A foot and hand were completely cut- off. County coroner Harmon Gillig stated that Doster died instantly. The ragedy occurred just a few feet west of the crossing near the passenger and freight station. Several horrified persons were witnesses to the fatal accident. The accident victim had been an employe of the Erie railroad since 1943, and was a veteran of World War I. _ He was born in Oakwood, 0.. Jan. 23, 1894. He is survived by his wife, the former Marie Banning; a son, Glen Doster of Perrysburg, O.; one daughter, Mrs. Martha Brossia of Perrysburg, O.; one stepson, Herbert Banning of Decatur; two stepdaughters, Mrs. Robert Duff of Fort Wayne and Mrs. Richard Hendricks of Decatur; six grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; five brothers, Jule Doster of Fort Wayne, Hank, Ernest and Edward Doster, all of Latty, 0., and Lester Doster of Grover Hill, 0., and one sister, Mrs. Jesse Flint of Latty, O. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:30 p. m. Thursday at the Zwick funeral home, with burial in the Decatur cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p. m. Wednesday until time of the services. Local Lady's Father Is Taken By Death Funeral services were held at the Methodist church at Herbst today for James Patch, 89-year-old retired farmer, who died Saturday at his home in Herbst. Survivors include his wife; one daughter. Mrs. Glen Custard of Decatur, and two sons, Charles Patch of Frankfort and Clarence Patch of Linn Grove. „ Commissioners In Regular Session A meeting of the county commissioners is taking place todayin the county court house. During this morning’s session, Anthony Faurote appeared to request permission to put a tile sewer across 60 feet of county-owned hospital property in order to connect with a city sewer. The permission was granted. The commissioners are eontinulng Uvelr meeting this afternoon.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

State Records One Os Worst Holiday Tolls Worst Accident In Nation Kills Five From One Family INDIANAPOLIS (INS) — Hoosiers bowed their heads in shame today after one of the worst Labor Day holiday fatality records in the nation had been recorded in Indiana. Not only did Hoosiers participate in the bloodiest highway smashup in the United States but a state police sergeant and an Indiana national guard pilot met death in an airplane crash Monday night w-hile trying to reduce the death toll. The nation’s worst wreck occurred at Fulton, near Rochester, when five of seven members qf a South Bend family died in a madly • driven automobile which went out of control on a curve on Road 25. The air crash occurred in a soybean field 10 miles south of Lebanon and a mile east of Road 52 and the victims were First Lt. Isaac E. Shell, 34. of Indianapolis, the pilot, a radio salesman, and Sgt. John R. Miller, 35. of the Lafayette post of state police and member of the force since 1941. The plane was one of six assigned by the national guard to aid state police in handling Labor Day traffic. The plane dropped suddenly just after its crew had radioed a patrol car on the highway about a reckless driver seen from the air. At least 14 persons died on Hoosier highways during the long holiday. The total was three more than had been predicted by the national safety council, but there was some consolation because it was less than the 19 total of 1954. The speed of the South Bend automobile, just before the crash, was variously estimated at from 80 to 100 miles per hour. The car ran off the west side of the road, dashed across the pavement for 30 yards, skidded across the west berm for 48 yards and sliced a utility pole in two like a knife. The front part of the automobile was 54 feet in front of the rear and bodies were strewn for 100 feet about. The dead were Ray Charles Whittenburg, 60, a widower employed by the gas department of the Northern Indiana Public Service company of South Bend; his son, Arthur Ray Whittenburg, 18; his grandson, Joel Devon Starkweather. 16; and two granddaughters, Charlene S. Starkweather, 10, and Helen Lucille, Starkweather, 11. There was a death holiday after this terrible accident for more than 24 hours, but at least two others died in road crashes Monday. William H. Teeple, 61, of Ossian, was killed in a two car crash on Road 1 just south of Fort Wayne. He was riding with “John R. Wilson, (.Continued on Page Sit)

Violent Death Toll In Nation 579 On Holiday Traffic Toll Tops Holiday Slaughter With 423 Victims CHICAGO (INS) — The tally of Labor Day holiday traffic deaths climbed higher today but safety experts believe the threat of a record high has passed. As sheriff’s officers and highway patrolmen totaled up the weekend toll across the nation, the number of- deaths caused by traffic accidents reached 423. Another 71 victims drowned and 85 died in other mishaps, bringing the toll of all accidental deaths to 579. California led the nation with 41 traffic deaths. Ohio reported 30, Michigan 24, and 20 each in Illinois, Texas and Pennsylvania. For the holiday weekend from 6 p.m. Friday to midnight Monday. the national safety council had predicted 400 traffic deaths. Then, it was feared the highway toll would top the all-time Labor Day toll of 458 reached in 1951. But council president Ned H. Dearborn said today: ‘‘The toll, thank heaven, stayed below the all time record for Labor Day. But that is slight solace to the thousands of families bereaved by holiday accidents that resulted in death or serious injury. “And it is of slight comfort to anyone who sincerely believes that this wholesale slaughter on the highways need not and must not be tolerated. “We hope and believe that extra effort on the part of everyone between now and Christmas will hold down the year-end holiday toll." 27 Persons Injured When Train Derailed No Serious Injuries In Labor Day Crash BUCYRUS. O. (INS) — Wrecking crew workers at Bucyrus marvelled today that there were no serious injuries in the Labor Day derailment - crash of the Pennsylvania railroad's crack streamliner, the Manhattan Limited. Twenty seven persons were hurt, but only five of these were forced to remain in City hospital for further treatment of cuts and bruises. The others were released after emergency treatment The New York to Chicago streamliner plowed into five freight cars which had jumped the track just minutes before. AU but one car of the passenger train went off the rails four miles west of Bucyrus. A railroad tower operator said that “the diesel locomotive is laying way over in a cornfield.” Trains were re-routed around the accident site with comparatively slight delay in the traffic flow. Two main line tracks were blocked in the crash. Eight hours after the crash at 2:55 a.m. Monday and after ail 200 passengers aboard the streamliner had been removed, wreckers were hampered when fire broke out among the scattered cars. Bulldozens pulled the stainless steel railway coahes apart so firefighters ould work. (Continued on Page Eight) Motorists Urged To Watch Children As Schools Opened Children are returning to school tomorrow in Decatur so Mayor John M. Doan has proclaimed Wednesday as school's open day. Mayor Doan urged motorists to watch out for children who are returning to school. “Many of the younger children will be going to school for the first time," the Mayor said, “so we must anticipate that they will be frightened or confused when crossing streets. We must be extra careful until these young children can get accustomed to traffic,” the Mayor pointed out. Mayor Doan went on to alert motorists to the fact that many of the older children will probably be careless after their carefree vacations. “Remember to give them extra consideration because in the excitement of returning so school they may momentarily forget safety." The mayor asked parents of school children to stress safety to them and to discuss the safest routes to and from school. The mayor reminded parents that being a good example is probably the best way to educate children in the ways of safety.

ONLY DAILY NCWtPAPKR IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, September 6, 1955.

Chinese Communists V • Promise Release For 12 American Civilians

Egypt, Israel Are Condemned For Incident Both Countries Are Given Condemnation By UN Commission JERUSALEM (INS) - The UN mixed armistice commission condemned Egypt and Israel today for the Aug. 22 incident, which touched off two weeks of clashes along the Gaia strip'border. The Israeli foreign office announced the result of the commission's 14 hour meeting in a bullet riddled shack on the strip’s noman’s land. The commission is composed of two Egyptians, two Israelis and a neutral ■ chairman, French Commandant Francois Gloccomaggi. The commission’s meeting had been put of frepeatedly in the past week because its members were off investigating later incTdnts. The two weeks of fighting, which for a time appeared to be spreading into full scale war, left more than a hundred killed and wounded on both sides. The clash which started it all was at New Mefalsim, two weeks ago Monday. Four. Egyptians and two Israelis Were killed. The foreign office spokesman in Jerusalem said ’ the commission condemned Egypt for its attack on an Israeli patrol making a routine reconnaissance that day in open country along the armistice line. The Arab forces also were hit tor shelling an Israeli settlement. The commission then adopted an Egyptian resolution condemning Israel for subsequently attacking and occupying an Egyptian position and turning Israeli batteries on other Egyptian posts. The commission chairman was reported to have found it difficult to judge which side fired first. But the fact that the Israeli patrol was driving in open country and the Egyptians were located in a well fortified hill position indicated the Egyptians had attacked first. Frank E, Ashbaugh Dies At Fort Wayne Frank E. Ashbaugh, 76, musician and music instructor, died at ' 4 p.m. Monday at his home in Fort * Wayne after a long illness. He 1 taught music and band at the De- ' catur and Monmouth high schools a number of years ago. Surviving are his wife, Mary; a 1 step-daughter, Mrs. Everett Zellers of Fort Wayne; a sister, Mrs. Maude Morrell of Ottumwa, la., ' and one grandchild. The body was removed to the D. O. McComb & ’ Sons funeral home, where friends may call after 7 p.m., today. Alfred H. Deam Dies ; Saturday Affernoon I Funeral Services ’ Are Held Today ' ' i Alfred H. Deam, 68, of Fort < Wayne, suffered a heart attack i Saturday afternoon in that *city < and was dead on arrival at the Lutheran hospital at 12:40 p.m. < Saturday. < Mr. Deam retired in 1952 after 1 35 years of service with the Wayne i Tank & Pump Co. in Fort Wayne. Surviving are his wife, Edna; i two sons, (Ralph Deam of Adams i county and Russell Deam of Fort t Wayne: a daughter, Mrs. Mildred Bevington of Fort Wayne; nine ; grandchildren; a great-grandchild v 1 and four sisters, Mrs, Ruth Wil- ( Hams and Mrs. Clifford Hakey, both of Decatur, Mrs. Herman Fre ( she of Kendallville and Mrs. Ray i Booher of Sturgis, Mich. i Funeral services were conducted th|s afternoon at the Klaehn fu- 1 neral home, the Rev. S. P. O’Reilly i officiating. Burial was In the De- 1 catur cemetery. i

Today Is Political Day At State Fair Governor Dedicates Farmers' Building INDIANAPOLIS (INS) — Many of Indiana’s major politicians were in glad-hand action at the Indiana state fair at which “Governor’s and legislators' day” was observed today. The weather remained ideal, fair Ind cbol, and a huge crowd was expected. The attendance Monday was 111,772, compared with 105,292 on the corresponding date last year. Governor George N. Craig took the spotlight in dedicating the new $450,000 farmers' building this morning. Two 16-year-old youths were victors in the public speaking contest Monday and will receive an educational trip to New York and Washington. They were Fred W. Reubeck, of Southport, and Beth Ann Kirkpatrick, of Fowler. Miss Carol Whisman, 19-year-old Tipton bank teller, whose hobby is raising horses near Cicero, won the 4-H colt judging division’s showmanship award. She also captured the blue ribbon in showing a two-year foal and another entry in the produce division. A Greenwood father and son combination, swept six of the nine first places in the Rambouillet sheep class. ' Oren Wright, captured the champion ram award, reserve champion ram, runner up champion ewe and grand champion fleece in the wool show. His son, Newton, won the top award for the Champion ewe in all classes and minor honors. The Russian farm touring group greatly admired the champion i ram, Victo, during a showing at the Ohio state fair, according to the father. Winner of the SIOO cash award and a $35 tuition exemption at Purdue University for outstanding (Conttnueq on t-uce Five) Ike Boom Is Fanned By Vice President Pressure Mounts On Eisenhower To Run DENVER (INS) — The “Ike in ’56” boom, fanned by Vice President Richard Nixon, promised today to reach prairie fire proportions in Denver before the week is out. The mounting pressure on President Eisenhower to seek re-elec-tion will hit a peak Saturday when 48 Republican state chairmen invade the summer capital to discuss campaign strategy with him. Nixon caime out of a conference with Mr. Eisenhower Monday, brimming with confidence that the President will run for a second term. Republicans closest to the President, he said, are more optimistic than ever before that he will heed an urgent call to duty and again lead the party ticket. Nixon also gave a surprise pat on the back to Senator Estes Kefauver (D-Tenn.) who he said is the most underrated Democratic presidential possibility, and wrote off Senator Joseph R. McCarthy (R-Wis.) as a factor in the 1956 campaign. Meanwhile, President Eisenhower called a Denver conference to examine the “serious problem” of building the physical fitness of the nation’s youth. Nixon will preside at a two-day meeting 6f some 80 leaders in sports,; education, and government sheduled for Sept. 27-28. The conference is a follow up to the President's July luncheon at the White House for a group of sports figures. Nixon, who cited Mr. Eisenhower’s health as one reason why he is sure the Chief Executive will run again, declared: “The people who know the President —and want him to run—are more optimistic than they have been at any time since the inauguration that he will run again.”

Mystery Man Is Hos Potato In Reds' Release One Os Released Admits Hes Not American BRRItTN (INS) — An international mystery man who fast-talk-ed his way out of a Soviet prison by identifying himself as an American became a political “hot potato” to U.S. army authorities today. Authoritative sources said that the man who calls himself “Frederick Charles Hopkins” admitted to army counter intelligence corps questioners that he was not an American citizen. But army authorities refused to divulge his nationality, if they know it, because they don’t know what to do with him. They are afraid the Soviets might demand that he be returned to Soviet captivity on the grounds he was not an American and therefore the United States army has no right to keep him. One high ranking army intelligence official told International News Service “we are dotfig everything possible to solve the problem.” * The man who calls himself Hopkins was released by the Russians in the post - Geneva conference wave of cordiality that the Russians have been displaying toward the United States. He and former army privates Murray Fields, 36, also known as Feingersoh, of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Wilfred C. Cumish, 39,. of Amesbury, Mass., were released in Berlin Monday. Fields and .Cumish had been held for more than seven years, both disappearing while on occupation duty. U. S. officials in quick questioning of Hopkins found out thalt he was not an American citizen. The brown - haired, mustachioed Hopkins was too vague when pinned down about details of New York City, which he claimed was his home, and about purported relatives. Hopkins still is under guard in the alrmy hospital, along with Fields and Cumish. One American official who took part in the first questioning of the trio Monday said Hopkins appeared to speak with a “slightly Slavic accent, which is difficult to place hut appears to be a bit Polish.” The U. S. official present during the interrogation said Hopkink was the most talkative and eager of the trio. His sharp brown eyes snapped alertly as he asked ques(Continued on Page Eight) * Kirkland Township Resident Is Dead Funeral Wednesday For Emanuel Gerber Emanuel Gerber. 85,“died early Monday morning at his home in Kirkland township following a long illness. Mr. Gerber was a member of the Apostolic Christian church. Surviving are six daughters, the Missed Edna. Katie and Josephine Gerber, at home, and Mrs. Walter Pfister, Mrs. Louis Sauder and Mrs. Roy Aeschliman, all of Adams county; six sons, Homer, Reuben and David Gerber of Wells county, Elmer and Obed Gerber of Adams county, and Ray Gerber of Bluffton; '3l grandchildren; six greatgrandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Lyria Steffen of Adams county, and two brothers, Gideon and Joseph Gerber of Bluffton. Funeral services will he conducted at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the residence and at 2 p.m. in the Apostolic Christian church, With burial in the church cemetery. The body has been returned from the Jahn funeral home to the residence.

Flash Flood Threat In Texas, Mexico Tropical Storm Is Reported Easing Off BROWNSVILLE, Tex. (INS) — Heavy rains threatened flash flooding in the Rio Grande River valley of Texas and Mexico today as tropical storm Gladys diminished inside Mexico. The storm, packing winds of 50 miles an hour, struck the Mexican coast about 150 miles south of Brownsville, Tex., Monday night. Squalls witfi winds of 40 miles an hour extended as far north as the middle Texas coast and high winds, rain sqaulls and high tides were expected to continue throughout today. Mexico City, although not hit directly by the storm, suffered the worst damage. The Mexican capital, several hundred miles south of where Gladys hit the coast, was drenched for three days by bucket rains touched off.by Gladys. Flood water as high as seven feet covered low lying districts. Some 20,000 working class families were driven from their homes and at least two children were drowned, and many other pefsons were missing. Shipping was interrupted, as far north as Corpus Christi by high tides as much as four feet above normal. Shrimp' boats scurried back to port and the weather bureau at New Orleans alerted ships (Continued on Page Six) County Councrlmen ' Begin Budget Study ' The county council today began ■ a two-day session to consider budget appropriations in Adams counI ty for 1956. It is assumed that no action will be taken today other than the detailed study of the various budgets. Cuts or approvals will be determined Wednesday. The total budget requested by county offices, if approved, would mean that $357,532 must be raised by tax levy. This would result in a county tax rate of 84 cents, a big increase over last year’s rate of 53 cents. The council Is also considering Decatur’s civil city budget which, if okayed, would cause a $1.40 lew to raise $148,260.97. School budgets and township buflgets are also being studied. Forest Fires Rage . Through California More Than 50 Fires In Widespread Areas FOREST FIRES RAGE SAN FRANCISCO (INS)—More than fifty forest fires were reported raging over widespread areas of northern and central California today, destroying thousands of acres of timber and numerous summer homes. A major blaze in the central part of the state got out of control in the Sequoia national park east of Fresno and threatened the General Grant grove of virgin redwood trees, one of which is known as the oldest living tree. The state forest service reported the situation was the worst since 1950 and said about 65,000 acres of .timber and brushland were charred over the holiday weekend. A combination of low humidity and high temperatures which made forest areas dry as tinder was blamed for the flurry of weekend fires. ~ In the northern part of the state in the Klamath national forest lightning set twenty fires. Another major fire was raging near Weitchpec on the coast north of San Francisco, ‘burning more than 11,000 acres. INDIANA WEATHER Fair tonight and Wednesday; Cooler Wednesday. Low tonight 50-55 north, 55-60 south. High Wednesday 75-80 north, 80-85 south.

Price Five Cents

Early Release Is Pledged By Chinese Reds Announcement Made Following Parley Os Ambassadors GENEVA (INS) —The Chinese Communists announced today that li2 of 41 American civilians held in China soon will be released. Chinese Communist Wang Ping Nan informed American Ambassador U. Alexis Johnson that nine Americans who had applied for exits permits can now z leave the country. He added that two others who had not applied for permits also could leave. Release of a 12th American was promised within two or three), months. Wang and Johnson met. for two hours and 25 minutes today. After adjourning until 10 a. m. Saturday for further talks they issued this statement: "At a meeting today ambassador Wang Ping Nan informed ambassador Alexis Johnson that the following American citizens who applied for exit permits may flow depart: “Mies Emma Angelina Barry; . Ralph Sharpies Boyd; Mrs. Juanita Byrd Huang; Robert Howard Paker; Howard Lischke Ricks and wife; Miss Eva Stella Dugay (sister Theresa); Mrs. Nadeshda Romanoff; and Miss Irene Romanoff. "Ambassador Wang also informed Johnson that applications for exit permits had not been received from Bishop James Edward Walsh or Mrs. Peter Huizer, but exit permits will be granted at any time they apply. "With regard to the case of Charles Sydney Miner, ambassador Wang stated that it would still require two or three months to complete settlement of the affairs of the companies for which he is a representative. In Washington, ilia state de-* partment gave this information on the background of the 12 Americans: Emma Angelina Barry is a Ift-year-old girj who was born in China. Her mother is White Russian and her father an American. Ralph Sharpies Boyd was born in Washington, D. C„ in 1891. He has been a representative of the North American Syndicate in Shanghai. Juanita Byrd Hwang has been a southern Baptist missionary in Shanghai. She is married to a Chinese. Mrs. Hwang was born in Mt. Olive, Miss., in 1908. Robert Howard Parker was born in Philadelphia in 1873' and has lived in China since he was about 10 years old. Parker is a retired businessman reported to be in Shanghai. Howard Lischke Ricks was born In Bascpbel, Wis., in 1889. He was manager of Bill’s Motors in Shanghai. Mrs. Howard Lischke Ricks is his wife. Miss Eva Stella Dugay is a Carmelite nun under the name of Sister Theresa. She was born in New York in 1893. > Mrs. Nadeshka M. Romanoff is a White Russian married to an American seaman. She is a natural tsad American citizen and believed to be in Harbin, Manchuria. Irene Romanoff os her 15-year-old daughter. Bishop Janies Edward Walsh is reported to have been a Mary Knoll missionary in Shanghai and director of the Roman Catholic bureau. He is a brother of Judge 1 William C. Walsh, Cumberland, Md. Mrs. Peter Huizer was bora in Walcott. Ind. Her maiden name was Marcella Eileen Munstermau. Mrs. Huizer Is 39 years old. She ie reported married to a Dutch citizen who was manager of the Bank of America in Shanghai. Charles Sydney Miner was born (Continued on Page Five) „