Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 53, Number 259, Decatur, Adams County, 3 November 1955 — Page 1

Vol. LUI. No. 259.

ATTEND WOODWARD FUNERAL MRS. WILLIAM WOODWARD, Sr. and William Woodward 111 lead the other members of the Woodward family from the last rites held for the slain William Woodward. Jr. in St. James Episcopal Church, New York, it was Woodward who was shot by his wife in the mistaken belief he was a prowler.

Seek To Pin Down Reds On German Plans Allied Attempt To Pin Down Russians On Free Elections GENEVA (INS) — The big four foreign ministers met again today in an expected western allied attempt to pin down "Russia on the subject of free elections in Germany. - : British foreign secretary Harold MacMillan presided at today's session of the conference in which Soviet foreign minister V. M. Molotov has spoken only vaguely of such elections. Molotov has shown clearly that the Kremlin would not accept any early elections because Soviet policy" presently calls for continued division of Germany. Free elections, it is assumed generally, would wipe out the Communist East Germin regime. Secretary of state John Foster Dulles, and French foreign minister Antoine Pinay lunched with MacMillan at his villa before the afternoon session. The Soviet delegate Wednesday offered a plan for unifying Germany as a neutral nation but with no provisions for free elections. The plan was based on East German proposals made public the day before. It was rejected immediately by the allied ministers. The luncheon strategy session was aimed at reaching a common stand in the face of Molotov’s expected resistance to any immediate action which might lead towards the western-demanded allGerman free balloting. The allied delegates will attempt to maneuver Molotov into the position of being forced, to admit the Soviet Union was unwilling to permit, or unable to afford, an unintimidated decision by 1 the Germans between the West and Communism. While the unification issue still was considered the dominant one of the conference, the ministers will turn to item two of the agen-da-—disarmament—next week. — Molotov is the only minister remaining in Geneva over the weekend. But on Sunday night, the Soviet diplomat will throw a gala celebration to mark the Nov. 7 anniversary of the Russian revolution. The entire diplomatic corps in Geneva has been invited. Dulles plans to return from a conference (Continued on Page Three) One Driver Killed In Two-Truck Crash LOGANSPORT, Ind. (INS) — Gene Barnard. 35; of R. R. 3, Lafayette, died late Wednesday night in Memorial hospital at Logansport of in juries suffered in a two-truck crash. State troopers said a truck driven by Barnard along Ind. 25 near Logansport' struck the rear of a disabled truck. The second truck had slid off the roadway and was mired in the •oft dirt of the berm. The crash came at a time when the second truck driver was walking up the highway to place flares warning other drivers of the hazard.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Four In One Family Dead In Home Fire Mother And Four Children Escape ELKHART, Ind. (INS) — A 47-year-old father and three of his 13 children per i a hed Wednesday night when flames swept their farm home northwest of Nappanee, Ind. The dead were Simon Slabaugh, the father; his 10-year-old son, Glen; Simon, Jr., 9. and Larry Slabaugh, 5. The father of the Amish family had fled the burning home once, but was trapped when he returned in a futile effort to save the three children. Four other children and the mother escaped safely. Six other children were not at home at the time of the fire. „ ~A 14-year-old son, Edward, raced on a pony to a neighbor's home to summon aid but the two-story house was nearly destroyed when he returned. Nappanee is about 15 miles south of Elkhart, Ind. Fire-fighters from Wakarusa and Nappanee answered the urgent summons from the horseback rider but were unable to rescue the four trapped persons. The father had fled from the flames once, then got a ladder dnd placed it against the house to re-enter the flaming structure through an upstairs window leading to the children’s rooms. Explosion of a stcfve was blamed for the start of the tragedy. Final 6.0. P. Rally On Saturday Night Final Rally Prior To City Election The final rally of the Republican campaign for Tuesday’s city election will take place Saturday beginning at about 8 p. m. at Republican headquarters. Wilbur Petrie, campaign chairman, has announced that the main talk for the affair will be given by attorney Robert Smith. Each of the candidates will be introduced and will give a short talk. Entertainment will be presented by John Paul McAhren on the electric guitar. Refreshments will be served. The public z is invited to visit the headquarters any time during the evening and meet the candidates. Petrie has announced that the party has made arrangements for drivers in each precinct. Any voter who needs a ride to the poll or who needs a baby sitter is invited to contact Republican headquarters, 3-2761, and these services will be provided. 11-Year-Old Girl Is Victim Os Fire INDIANAPOLIS (INS) —An 11-year-old girl lost her life when she ran back into her burning i home after her mother had led her to safety. The tragedy claimed the life of Gertrude E. Powell Wednesday when fire deitroyed the , family home near Bridgeport., 16 Pages

Quiet Day Is Scheduled For President Ike Quiet Day After Conference With Labor Secretary DENVER (INS) — President Eisenhower had a quiet day in store today as he gathered strength for bis anticipated return to Washington and Gettysburg on Nov. 11. With no official callers scheduled, he was to spend his day relaxing and walking around the eighth floor of Fitzsimons army hospital at Denver. The walking, increasing day to day, is an important pa<;t of his recovery from his heart attack of almost six weeks ago. It was less than two weeks ago that he took his first steps. Wednesday, Mr. Eisenhower conferred with labor secretary James P. Mitchell and approved plans to press for congressional action on pending labor legislation. They agreed to push for passage of administration recommendations for “technical" revisions of the controversial Taft-Hartley law, a perennial political issue. Mitchell told newsmen they will do so although he is convinced that congress will do nothing about the proposed amendments after it reconvenes Jan. 6. The secretary said there are about a dozen changes desired by the administration, including a provision which would require employers. as well as union officials who are already covered, to sign non-comritunist affidavits for bargaining recognition.— Explaining his pessimism, Mitchell pointed out that pro-union northern Democrats and anti-union southerners combined in 1954 to block action on the proposals. But, he said, Mr. Eisenhower “will continue to press for passage" of those proposed amendments, plus other pending bills which would: 1. Fix a maximum 40-hotft Week for employes of federal contractors, so that they could get time-and-a-half pay for working beyond that amount. They now are entitled to overtime tor more than an eight-hour day, but can be worked seven days a week. 2. Provide financial and technical aid to states to accelerate programs to help reduce the industrial and occupational accident toll. 3. Liberalize "workmen’s compensation benefits for longshoremen end harbor workers. Monday Is Deadline For Tax Payments Nov. 7 Deadline Without Penalty Only three full days remain for payment of the fall installment of county taxes according to a re-; minder by county treasurer Waldo Neal. Neal warned that unless the taxes are paid on or before Monday, Nov. 7, a delinquency penalty of eight percent of the amount due will be auded by the county auditor. He pointed out that the tax payment can be mailed in but it must be postmarked no later than midnight Nov. 7 in order to escape the additional penalty. The office will remain open Saturday until 4 p.m. for the benefit of those who have not yet paid their taxes. Neal stated that tax payment has been brisk and the number 6t delinquent payments is expected to be low. The office will be closed Tuesday. which is election day and is an official holiday for county offices. For the rest of the week through Nov. 12, the office will be closed in order to balance out the tax collection which ends Monday. It will re-open for regular hours Monday, Nov. 14. Lie Detector Test In Chicago Slaying CHICAGO (INS) — A 30-year-old man will be given a lie test today in connection with the slaying of three Chicago boys. He is Ed Kline who was seized Monday in a deserted Wisconsin farm house along with Charles Driscoll. 19, for investigation in the slayings of (Robert Peterson, 14, John Schuessler, 13. and his brother, Anton, 11. Driscoll was cleared after taking a lie test Wednesday. Kline, too nervous to be given the polygraph test, "will undergo more questioning before taking a test.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, November 3, 1955.

Israeli And Egyptian Troops Stage Bloody Battle At Frontier

Urgent Parley Heid By Allies On New Crisis Big Three Powers Discuss Frontier Fight At El Auja , UNITED NATIONS, N. Y. (INS) —The western big three powers held urgent consultations among themselves and with UN secretary general Dag Hammarskjold today on the bloody Egyptian-Israeli frontier battle at El Auja. A British spokesman said the U.S., Britain and France were considering action, including summoning of the UN security council to prevent the outbreak of an all-out war between Egypt and Israel. Previously the three allies had steered away from recourse to the security council for fear it might complicate the situation. The British spokesman said the situation had “changed” urgently since the new El Auja battle in which, according to the latest reports, 74 soldiers w’ere killed. He said the allies were considering what steps they should take in view of the aggravated state of affairs in the demilitarized zone. The spokesman said it was “ex- ’ tfemely regrettable that the Israelites are taking matters info their own hands.” He added that “both sides should cease attacks" and observe the UN armistice. Ready To Confer LONDON (INS) — Israeli premier David Ben-Gurion declared today he was ready to meet Egyptian premier Gamal Abdel Nasser at the Egyptian-Israeli border or Switzerland to talk peace. In an exclusive questionnaire interview with International News Service he said he would propose mutual elimination of “incidents,” a non-aggression pact, and limitation of armaments at any such meeting. “I hope,” said Ben-Gurion amid the heaviest Holy Land fighting since the 1949 UN armistice, “that if such an agreement is reached between ourselves and Egypt there is a chance that Egypt would uphold it." • The premier said he preferred separate meetings with Arab leaders “but first and foremost with the Egyptians since in my view such meetings hold more prospects of mutual understanding.” Ben-Gurion accused Egypt of “repeated attacks," but added: “Our hands will always remain outstretched to Egypt.” Youth Service Held Here Last Evening Spiritual Emphasis Services Continue Decatur young people were special guests Wednesday night at the third session of Spiritual Emphasis week held at Zion Evangelical and Reformed church. The Rev. William F. Rae, guest speaker for all of the services, delivered a special address for the young people. The Rev. Stuart Brightwell, pastor of First Baptist church, will preside at tonight's services at 7:30 o’clock. The Rev. William Feller, pastor of Zion Evangelical and Reformed church, will give the prayer and the Rev. Traverse W. Chandler. pastor of First Christian church will read the scripture. The Church of God choir will render special numbers and Ronald Walton. Berne-French school music instructor, will lead the congregational singing. Men of the Baptist church will act as ushers. There will be a Saturday night service this year, it was announced, because there was no Monday night service. The week’s observance will close Sunday night with the meeting starting at 7:30 o’clock at the Youth and Community center.

Explosives Expert Probes Plane Crash All Bodies Removed From Colorado Site DENVER (INS) — Explosives expert Charles Wilson of the Wisconsin crime laboratory was to arrive in Denver this morning to investigate the mid-air explosion of a United Airlines DC-6B which crashed near Longmont Tuesday. All 44 persons aboard—including 3? passengers —were killed. Wilson was hired by United Air Lines Wednesday to find out why the giant luxury airliner exploded only 11 minutes after takeoff from Denver's Stapleton Airfield. Meanwhile, all the bodies were removed from the two-mile strip of Colorado farmline, some 30 miles north of Denver, where they and the wreckage" were scattered by the crash. The bodies were taken to a mortuary in Greeley, where the grim task of identification continued. The plane’s engines, which burrowed 50 feet into the ground, when they fell, were still smoldering late Wednesday. Wilson will join three experts from the civil aeronautics authority who flew to Denver Wednesday to investigate the accident. Neither United officios, nor CAA men would speculate on possible causes of the explosion, although W. A. Patterson, president of United, said Wednesday: “All evidence now strongly indicates that this accident resulted from an explosion in the air.” He added: “Determination of responsibility for the accident Is beyond the authority of United Air Lines alone” but promised “we will search out every possibility, however remote.” The Longmont crash was the second -within a month for United airplanes in the Colorado-Wyom-ing region. A DC-4 Aid Coach smashed into Medicine Bow Peak in Wyoming Oct. '6, killed all 66 persons aboard. Until that time, United had gone four years without a fatality. World Community Day Here Friday Observance Planned Friday Afternoon Plans have been completed by the Decatur group of united church women for world community day which will be obsereved throughout the United States Friday. The local program will be held at 2 p.m. at Zion Evangelical and Reformed church. It will open with a song by the congregation. Devotions will be led by Mrs. George Buckley and the "Lord’s Prayer” will be sung by Mrs. William C. Feller. The Rev. William F. Rae. guest minister in Decatur for Spiritual Emphasis week, will present the sermon. This will be followed by an offering. After the worship service Mrs. Lowell Smith, current chairman of united church women in Decatur, will oe in charge of the installation of new officers for the group. The major phase of world community day observance will be the collection of household linens,, goods and clothing for men, women and children. The women of all churches in Decatur are being urged to participate in this project by taking these items to the Zion Evangelical and Reformed church Friday afternoon. Mrs. Smith stated that there Is a specialneed for men and boys clothing and for denim yard cloth. She emphasized that in many parts of the world this clothing is badly needed. The clothing project is sponsored nationally by the united church women, a general department of the national council of churches. The clothing collected Friday throughout the country will be distributed through the organization to those areas where the necessities of life are lacking.

Premier Faure ✓ Wins Another Assembly Vote Vote Os Confidence In French Assembly On Election Plans PARIS (INS) —French premier Edgar Fame won another vote of confidence today as the national assembly backed his plan to hold national elections next month instead of next June. With the 98 - member communist bloc deciding to vote with the government, Faure's motion to dissolve the present assembly by Jan. 2 was passed early this morning by 1? g tally of 330 to 211. The election of a new assembly will be held probably no later than Dec. 18, ‘ unless the advisory upper house of the parliament is able to delay action on the measure. For the fourth time in a month the Radical Socialist (moderate) premier gambled with the life of his eight-months old government in the divided assemblyand won. The last three times-within the past 17 days-the vote was on a constitutional question of confidence. ■ ' . . - The first three times Faure wen grudging support for his reform programs in Morocco and Algeria. Today, he staked the cabinet on his desire to have a new assembly —and hopefully a less divided one —take up the Implementation of those programs and other pressing foreign and domestic issues. The communists-who have been bitter foes of the government on virtually all issues-made it evident that they were votiffg in favor of the early elections and not expressing confidence in th? government. Proclaims Dec. 1 Safe Driving Day INDIANAPOLIS (INS) —Gov. George N. Craig has proclaimed Thursday, Dec. 1, to be safe driving day in Indiana, conforming with a nationwide day designed to give death a holiday on the highways. The campaign will begin Nor. 21 and continue through Dec. 10. Indiana had the second worst record in the nation during the inaugural safe driving day last year. 4-H Recognition Dinner On Tuesday Present Awards To . County 4-H Leaders The annual 4-H recognition dinner will take place Tuesday at 6:30 f>. m. at the Decatur Youth and Community Center. It will feature presentation of awards to 4-H leaders. Main speaker will be the Rev. H. H. Wester of Huntertown, whose talk will be on “Strengthen Thou My Hands." Louis Jacobs, chairman of the retail division of the Chamber of Commerce which sponsors the banquet, will serve as toastmaster. Dinner music will be presented by Larry Merriman of Blue Creek township. He will play the piano. Entertainment will be presented by the “Four Bows,” a musical ensemble including Carol and Richard Kaehr of Kirkland township and Ned Kipfer and Eileen Baumgartner of French township. Awards to the women 4-H leaders will J>e presented by Miss Bertha Landis, county home demonstration agent. Leo Seltenright, county extension agent, will make the awards to men leaders. The Rev. A. E. Givens, of kerne, ministerial association representative on the county extension committee, will give the invocation.

Six Persons Sought For Baby Kidnaping Witnesses Tell Os Abduction Os Baby EAST MEADOW, N# Y. (INS) — Four women and two men were hunted today as suspects in the kidnaping of the two-year-old son of an air force sergeant. Two women told Nassau county police Wednesday they saw four wohien and two men, all Negroes, abduct the baby Monday. The names of the two informants were withheld by police. Nassau detective chief Stuyvesant Pinnell assigned 100 detectives to the hunt for the suspects. •Pinnell said the witness related that she was sitting outside the supermarket when Stephen Damman was picked up by a man in ■the group and carried off. Stephen's mother was shopping in the store when he disappeared. The witness said that moments before the child was carrieu oft, one of the women in the group had stationed herself a" the market door, as if acting as a lookout. Another woman wheeled the carriage and all six rounded a nearby corner. The carriage later was found around that corner. The witness said she assumed the six were domestics and that one of the group was emplo'yed a: the child’s home. When Informed of the new evidence, Sgt. Jerry Dam man, 26. broke down. He had hoped that the child would be found somewhere in flie neighborhood. Lesler Zehr Dies On Hunting Trip Local Man's Brother Is Dead In Canada Lester Zehr, 44, of rural route 2, New Haven, died, apparently of a heart attack, while on a hunting trip near Spanish, Ontario, Canada, with his brother, Weldon L. (Jack) Zehr, of near Decatur. According to sketchy reports received today, the New Haven man failed to return to his hunting camp Monday night, and a search was immediately started. Reports did not state when his body was found, 'but his family received word of his death Wednesday evening, presumably from a heart attack. Mr. Zehr operated the Zehr general repair at Gar Creek. He was a member of Sol Bayless lodge 359 F. & A. M., and a 32nd degree Mason. He also formerly served as a deputy sheriff in Allen county. Surviving are his wife, Inez; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Amos B. Zehr, former residents of Decatur, now living at Harlan; one daughter, Mrs. Betty Herberger of Fort Wayne; two sons, Lester Zehr, Jr., of Maples; and Darwin Zehr, at home; two grandchildren; three brothers, , Norman Zehr of New Haven, Thurman Zehr of Perry, Mich., and Weldon L. Zehr of route 4, Decatur, and one sister, Mrs. Neva Elliott of Fort Wayne. The body will be returned th the E. Harper & Son funeral home at New Haven. Funeral arrangements have not been completed. State Draft Quota For Navy Is 540 INDIANAPOLIS (INS) —The Indiana navy recruiting office announced today that the state has a November quota of 540 men in a nation-wide call designed to bolster ranks by 56,000 seaman by next June. Hoosieriand will be expected to contribute 1,120 men in the seven month period. The draft is the navy’s first since World War 11. INDIANA WEATHER Meetly fair and colder tonight. Friday fair and warmer. Low tonight 18-25. High Friday mid 40s.

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Bloody Battle Reported In Middle East P-' ? Heaviest Fighting Erupts Since 1949 Palestine Truce JERUSALEM (INS) — Israel announced today that it ousted all Egyptian troops from Israeli soil Wednesday night near El Auja in a battle in which at least 74 men were killed or captured and scores wounded. The heaviest noruer fighting since the 1949 Palestine truce erupted at 10 p.m. (3 p.m. EST) and Cairo said it raged for 17 hours until 3 p.m. (8 a.m. EST) today. Egyptian premier Gamal Abdel Nasser was quoted by Cairo as saying “this is an excellent demonstration of the genuineness of Ben-Gurion’s offer of peace talks.” Israeli premier-designate David Ben-Gurion Wednesday offered to talk with Arab leaders to try to effect a peace settlement. Arabs indicated their rejection and the attack on Egyptian positions followed Wednesday night. Cairo claimeg that Ip a_ppunter- .. attack it had ejected Israeli forces from Egyptian soil in early afternoon. The Egyptians said the Israelis hurled 3,000 men in a regiment against only 100 Egyptians holding a post "near” the frontier created by the UN armistice. Cairo called the attack "cowardly aggression” and said that 70 of its men were killed or missing. It claimed Israel suffered 200 killed, wounded or captured. The Jerusalem government said that only four Israelis were killed. Israel said that its troops were part of a regiment which killed 50 Egyptians and captured 40 at the military post of Sabha which Israel claimed was on its side of the international border crossing through the El Auja demilitarised zone. The Israeli government acknowledged that 19 Israelis were wounded in the attack fought under a brilliant moon south of El Auja, or Nitsena. The exact position of the troops late today was not determined because the Egyptian army in a communique claimed that in a counterattack its forces had retaken a strategic hill position at Sabha. The Israelis ridiculed this claim, saying that their forces ousted the Egyptians from what they regard as Israeli territory, but withdrew from a portion of Egyptian soil which they said they had to invade in order to knock out the advance Egyptian position. The battle area is a traditionally strategic zone commanding caravan routes from Ismailia to Beersheba. — Ruins of an old Turkish fort dom- ~ inates the countryside and it was here that Britain’s famous World War I Field Marshal Lord Allenby fought a vital battle. Sabha is nine miles south of the city of El Auja, or Nitsana, and an Israeli spokesman said that the Egyptians set up two hill positidns, each occupied by about 50 men, dug in behind bafbed wire and supported by heavy mortar batteries and artillery detachments. Egyptian Premier Nasser was quoted in. Cairo as saying the Egyptians occupied the two strategic hills In the area because “Israeli forces abandonee* the disguise of policemen and were occupying the demilitarized zone of El Auja.” To the north, along the disputed Gaza Strip border, Arab and Israeli artillery dueled across the truce line this morning, according to the Cairo report. The Egyptians confirmed the loss of 50 of their troops and said the attackers numbered 400. According to“ The ’ Israeli announcement, the Egyptian force, believed to be about a battalion in strength, was routed from Israeli territory in the demilitarized zone. The international border runs (Cea*lan«4 aa Paso Three)