Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 54, Number 175, Decatur, Adams County, 26 July 1956 — Page 1

Vol. LIV. No. 175.

ACTRESS’ SON IS WITNESS

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PVT. JOSEPH A. MORAN, son of film actress Thelma Ritter, enters the coartroom at Parris Island, S. C., to testify in court martial of S/Sgt, Matthew C. McKeon in drowning of six recruits. Moran is „ from Forest Hills, N. Y.

, Severe Storm Hits Decatur Last Evening

The worst electrical storm in years, accompanied by more than two inches of rainfall, struck Decatur at about 7 o'clock Wednesday night and did unaccountable damage to the power and light system. More than a score of television sets were knocked out by the severe lightning which accompan- ® led the storm, y Firemen answered six calls from SO o'clock Wednesday afternoon until ® o'clock this morning. Actual Uro did little dalnage but transformers and television aerials and sets suffered damaging blows from the storm. Water fell so heavily that sewers were temporarily clogged up and several_rtreets were flooded until about midnight. Most of the storm had abated by 11 o'clock last night and light and power employes worked the clock around and still had numerous transformers to re- ~ . pair. - Power to .ths Central Soya Co. was knocked but and workmen still were repairing that line at noon today. Soya has been drawing more than 500 kilowatts from the city utility and this service was out. The company’s own generating plant however, was furnishing power so that work could continue. Light and power servlce was off temporarily in several parts oFthe city and with the tailure, basement sump-pumps did not work. Many residents reported flooded basements. For a time the police radio was out and communication between county and city police officers and headquarters was eliminated. Total amount of damage was believed to be many thousand dollars, but an accurate estimate could not be made today. JThe long day for the Decatur fire department started yesterday afternoon at 3:30 o’clock with a call along the Erie railroad tracks to assist in controlling a grass Are. First night call came about 8 o'clock when the department made a run to the Dent school house east of Decatur where lightning had struck a pole and transformer. Light and power service in the area of the school was knocked out temporarily. At 9 o’clock, a call was answered to the Sheets apartments at 233 North Fourth street where lightning struck a television aerial and damaged the television set. At 9:40 o’clock a call was answered to Five Points where a transformer near the church had been knocked out by •the electrical storm. Lightning again struck about 10 „ o'clock at the Sam McDonald home on Grant street and the aerial was completely torn off the house. The McDonald television set was almost completely destroyed and part of the room was torn away. Many (ContmuM on 81 xj INDIANA WEATHER Partly cloudy and rather warm tonight and Friday. Scattered a thundershowers north portion Friday. Low toniqht 66-72. Hiph Friday 86-91. Sunset 8:04 p. m„ sunrise Friday 5:39 a. m.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Union, Steel Leaders Still 1n Negotiation Negotiators Meet J On Settlement Os Long Steel Strike NEW YORK (UP) — Union and industry steel negotiators met for nearly three hours today but have “not yet reached agreement’’ on wording of a new contract to end the 26-day steel strike. Both industry negotiators and representatives of the United Steelworkers agreed to meet again at 1:45 p.m. OST. David J. McDonald, USW president postponed a 1 p.m. scheduled meeting of his union wage policy committee until Friday. This appeared to forestall any announcement of a settlement today. Both industry and union spokesmen said the delays in reaching a final draft of the contract “does not mean any new snag." They said the contract still was being written. The negotiators staged their marathon night session, the first since the strike began 26 days ago. in renewed effort to end the walkout of 650,000 steelworkers. It was reported that two prominent figures in President Eisenhower’s cabinet had personally brought pressure to end the strike which already has cost an estimated $1 billion. The night session strongly Increased hopes for a settlement. At Pittsburgh last week. John A. Stephens, vice president of U. S. Steel and chief Industry negotiator, told reporters that “when we go into night sessions, you know a settlement is near.” After Wednesday night’s recess? Stephens was asked if negotiators had hit a bad snag. “If we had,” he replied, “we would not be re turning in the morning.” The agreement, when accepted, will be followed almost immediately by a steel price increase of between $8 and >lO a ton. according to informed industry sources. The axerage price of steel now is $l3O a t0n...„ s| An increase in steel prices is almost certain to touch off priee increases in the products of other on Page Six) s ■ Mrs. William Herber Dies At Minneapolis Word has been received here of the death Tuesday evening at a hospital in Minneapolis, Minn., of Mrs. William Herber. 32, following an illness of six months. Survivors include her husband, a former Decatur resident; a son. William, and a daughter. Catherine, be hefd Friday at Cliffton. N. J., ■Mrs. Berber’s former home. Funeral services and burial will

Senate Group Kills Postal | Rate Increase Committee Drops j . Bill Favored By Pres. Eisenhower WASHINGTON (UP) — A senate post office subcommittee today killed the bill to raise postal rates. The subcommittee abandoned the bill, requested by President Eisenhower, as both houses sprinted toward adjournment by the week’s end. The house had passed a measure to raise postal rates by 430 million dollars. Speaker Sam Rayburn said he thinks congress will quit for the year some time Friday. The senate was hitting a faster clip for the time being than the house It passed a $3,770,000,000 foreign aid money bill, a $2,100.000,000 military building measure, a =51,500,000,000 rivers and harbors bill, and several other pieces of legislation in quick succession. The social security liberalisation bill made progress toward enactment when senate-house conferees agreed on a final version. Both houses were expected to complete action on it and send it to the White House today. Among bills doubtful of passage was one providing loans and grants to areas suffering from chronic unemployment and industrial distress. The senate passed it but its prospects in the house were dim. House passage of the 156-mi|lion-dollar Fryingpan-Arkansas reclamation project in Colorado also was in doubt. lative dump were measures to encourage private development of atomic power. One would exempt from public utility act restrictions utilities wheih band together to build and run non-profit research and reactors. Another would provide government insurance for private atomic power plants in event of disaster. A parliamentary snarl threatened the controversial housing bill. Monee members balked at a provision of the senate version which the senate apparently believed it had eliminated. Senate banking committee staff members said the disputed provision, involving housing units for the elderly, was left in the printed versi on by mistake. The foreign aid appropriations bill went back to the senate for concurrence It had been approved by a house-senate. conference committee which arrived at the $3,770,000,000 sum by splitting the difference between House and Senate figures. The military construction bill replaces one vetoed by President Eisenhower because he felt spending (Continued on Pags Six) Des Moines Taken Over By Marines Reservists Stage Surprise Maneuver DES MOINES (UP) — A marine reserve sergeant and 51 companions took over Des Moines for 15 minutes late Wednesday, forcing all local television and radio stations but one off the air. They had no official authorization. The reservists, who had attended their weekly meeting Wednesday night, said the purpose of their “mission* was to blacken the city prior to a simulated A-bomb attack. They carried dummy rifles and hand grenades with them. Reserve officials indicated that no disciplinary action would be taken against the group, who kept their plans from officers. Led by M. Sgt. Don E. Plato, members of the 20th rifle company took the filter center of the ground observer corps, the civil defense headquarters, the (element. the water plant, and an em-, phone company offices and equipergency unit of the air national guard. In addition to these activities, . the marines raided KRNT-TV and radio, WHO-TV and radio, KWDM radio and KIOA radid’ Stations in Des Moines, They also silenced WOI-TV and radio station in Ames, lowa. # . Broadcasting and telecasting was discontinued for a brief period of time. Plato said they failed to silence one remaining radio station in Des Moines, because the door was locked, and the men didn’t want to cause any property damage. A squad of 10 men “captured” the 124th fighter interceptor »qwd(Ooamm on raws ■»)

ONLY DAILY NKW«*AFKR IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, July 26, 1956.

Italian Luxury Liner Sinks After Ramming; Dramatic Sea Rescue 7,’" 1 ■ —~- = —; y—"*"■*■■»•«*■ —■ : ’T Y"'’” > ?”• . ■ ■}' ’ 'V* -• ? , * ‘' - v " •'> ■- . - ■ m--. - , „ ~ „ — --

1 Prosecution To Complete Case On Sgt. McKeon Doctor Slated As One Os Government Final Witnesses (PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. (UP) — The prosecution ends its case against S-Sgt. Matthew C. McKeon today. It is expected to portray him as a drunken drill instructor impulsively leading’his platoon into a swamp where six drowned. One of the final government witnesses scheduled to testify in the march-of-deathcourt martial is Navy Lt. R. J. Atcheson, the doctor who gave McKeon a blood test for intoxication. , Testimony of Atcheson and introduction of the results of the “Rogen’s test” tor intoxication.-in-dicated that the government might try to prove that McKeon was drunk when he ordered the reerhits into the muck and ebb tide of Ribbon Creek. The “Bogen’s test”, used by the navy to indicate degrees of alcoholic conspiration in the blood, showed a*result of "1.5” when McKeon wae tested at midnight last April 9. The march began around 8:30 p.m. There has been no testimony that McKeon drank any*, thing during the march. He was arrested immediately afterwards. A reading of 1.5 is considered to be borderline where a person might be passing from sobriety to a condition where he is “under the influence.” A reading above 1.5 usually is considered to indicate some intoxication. The 15 figure means that the test disclosed 1.5 milligrams of alcohol per cubic centimeter of whole blood. Chief defense counsel Emile Zola Berman protested bitterly against the law officer's admission of the test evaluation into evidence Wednesday. Berman said it was a test for intoxication. He declared McKeon is not charged with drunkeness, nor even with being under the influence of liquor. “The introduction,” he said, his voice booming over the courtroom loudspeakers, "is intended to establish proof of a major offense not included in the charges.” With the government finishing its case, the defense was expected to begin its testimony Friday or tuontMiuM on Fage alx) Border Clashes On Israel's Frontiers Sharpen Tension Along Frontiers JERUSALEM, Israeli Sector (UP) — A series of border clashes sharpened tension along Israel’s frontiers with three neighboring Arab states today The most serious trouble spot was along the Jordan border. Several persons were reported wounded in sporadic exchanges of small arms and mortar fire Wednesday. The injured included two United Nations truce observers who rushed into the fighting to try to arrange a cease Are. A Jordanian member of the U.S. truce team was also wounded by angry villagers at Beit Surik in "Jordan when he stopped to examine casualties. He was identified as as a Capt. Baghouti. Israeli sources said the shooting began across the Jordan border when workers found a grenade planted under a barrel at the Village of Mavasseret Yerushalayim near the border. A U. N. mixkd armistice commission arranged a cease fire in that Area. But firing again broke out later in the day. Other serious skirmishes flared along the Israeli-Jordan frontier, and scattered instances of gunplay developed along Israel's borders with Syria and Egypt

Heavy Rainfall In County Last Night Severe Damage To Property Reported Rain, varying in amounts from a half inch in the southern part of Adams county to almost four inches in the north, in the span of about two and a half hours Wednesday night, gave Adams county one of its worst soakings in years. The rainfall Just north of Decatur was recorded unofficially at 3.9 inches and the gush of water washed out roads and did some ’ crop damage. Lightning, which was heavy throughout the county, accompanied the summer storm and did more property damage than the water. r Several farmers who were ques- ’ tioned this morning said that little damage was accorded the corn and bean crops. Some uncut wheat in parts of the county was damaged by the rain. Thestorm cut off the communication system of the sheriff’s department and made the work of sheriff Merle Affolder and his deputies Charles Arnold and Roger Singleton, doubly difficult and at times dangerous. * Calls flooded the county department convening cut-offs of light and power and also seeking information concerning damage following several severe blasts.of light- ' ning. , - s ' Many county roads were flooded 1 for several hours and U. S. highway 33 and 27 northward was made 1 hazardous for travel by the heavy 1 rainfall and the fact that trucks ’ and automobiles were forced to r stop along the roadway. The sher- ! iff's department received calls for help from motorists whose vehicles had gone into ditches. ’ One bridge, east of St. John’s church in Root township, was 1 washed out by the force of the water current. Neither the county 1 sheriff’s or highway departments 1 of the city police received any re- ! ports of personal injuries. Chicago Polio Total , Continues To Mount I Set Up Emergency Clinics In Chicago CHICAGO (UP) — More than 100 emergency clinics were expected to inoculate a half a million persons within the next two weeks as Chicago’s polio total continued to mount. Dr. Herman Bundeson, board of health president, announced that several Chicago area hospitals will administer Salk anti-polio vaccine, in addition to 50 inoculation centers. "We’re fighting against time to get the-children immunized before the peak polio season arrives in early August,” Bundeson said. ‘We can lick it if the people cooperate with the inoculation pro- ' grauh.” The highest one-day count this year was reported as 28 more victims were struck by the crippling disease raising the year’s total to 328. The death of a 19-month old infant increased the fatal roster to nine since January. At this time last year, 45 cases and two deaths had been reported. About half of the 1.2 million children In Chicago in the eligible age group have already ben inoculated in schools or by private physicians. Health officials said there is (Continued on Page Six) County Polio Victim Home From Hospital Eugene Heimann, of Decatur route 4. has returned to his home from the Lutheran hospital in Fort Wayne, where he underwent treatment for polio. His condition is reported satisfactory. His four-year-old daughter, Unde. is reported recovering from a mild c-atfe of polio. . - I

Hodge Pleads Not Guilty To 46 Indictments ► Former Auditor Os Illinois Freed On Bond Os SIOO,OOO SPRINGFIELD, 111. (UP) —Ex- ; state auditor Orville E. Hodge • today pleaded innocent to 46 in- , dictments charging him with embezzlement ot $637,000 in state . money. Hodge sat silent and unsmiling through his arraignment in circuit court and rose-only to nod his agreement when his attorney entered the innocent plea. ,Judge DeWitt S. Crow set Hodge’s bond at SIOO,OOO, which was put up by Nathan Strum, a professional bondsman, and William C. Henry, a Lake Springfield neighbor of Hodge. Hodge's attorney, Arthur M. Fitzgerald, asked and was granted 30 days in which to withdraw the.plea and enter motions to quash the indictment. Before the plea. State’s Atty. George P. Coutrakon said he thodfeht Hodge was “covering up” for someone else in the investigation. He said he did not know who Hodge was “shielding" but that he expected “new names” to eott er the case before long. The indictments also charged > Hodge with forgery, and operatr ing a confidence game in the s huge check case involving his of- > fice. They contained a total of . 276 counts. r As Hodge entered the historic ? Sangamon county courthduse for his arraignment, a newsboy stood s on the courthouse lawn shouting, “Why Hodge stole; read all about it.” r Hodge arrived at the courthouse } in a dapper blue suit and blue tie. He was accompanied by Fitzgerald, Strum, Henry and William Ryan, a politician friend. The former auditor surrendered in the sheriff’s office, then went to the third floor courtroom in an elevator. A crowd of about 100 persons was in the courtroom and jammed the jury box. Crow called the court to order at 10:10 a. m. CDT. Hodge sat at (Continues an Pa*e Five) Higher Temperature Forecast For State Warm, Humid Air Returns To State By UNITED PRESS Warm and humid weather returned to Hoosierland today after a three-week absence and threatened to send temperatures Into the 90s. Sub-normal readings slowly dissolved as the mercury headed toward a peak of 85 to 90 today and 88 to 93 Friday. It appeared the temperature would pass the. 85-degree mark at Indianapolis this afternoon for the first time rince July 2. It nearly did Wednesday when it advanced to 84. A low of 70 in the Hoosier capital early this morning was the warmest minimum temperature recorded since July 2,* Another warm night was In store. The weather bureau forecast lows early Friday would range from 68 north to 72 south. The outlook for Saturday was fair and a little cooler north, but partly cloudy and continued warm and humid south and central with scattered thundershowers. Earlier this week, a five-day outlook indicated a cooling trend was tn sight for Sunday. Whether this will extend downstate or be confined only to the north portion was problematical. Wednesday highs ranged from 84 at Lafayette and Indianapolis to 88 at Evansville. Lows early today ranged from 63 at South Bend to 72 at Evansville.

Indiana's G. 0. P. /J W e Ka 1 Delegates Meeting Elect Officers For National Convention INDIANAPOLIS (UP) —■ Any hint, that President Eisenhower might not seek reelection appeared taboo today as Indiana delegates to the Republican national convention met to elect officers. GOP leaders said they were so certain the 'President would continue in good health and make the race that there was no need for the 32 Indiana delegates to discuss whom else they might support. State chairman Alvin Cast, one of the delegates, summed it up: “I'm not in favor of discussing anything as to whom we’re going to support if the President doesn’t run. I’m definitely sure he’s going to run.” That left the meeting of party leaders who will cast Indiana's 32 votes at the Aug. 20 San Francisco convention, pretty much a cut and dried affair There was even little disagreement seen in the election of officers. Governor Craig, one of 16 atlarge delegates, was expected to be named delegation chairman. Delegate H. Dale Brown, 11th district GOP chairman and afeop factional thorn In Craig’s side, said he wouldn’t fight that. “If thi governor wants to be chairman of the delegation and a majority want him to be, then it's all right with me, Brown said. Delegates were illkely to discuss the attempt to boom Massachusetts ' Gov. Christian Herter for vice president in place of Richard Nixon. But observers saw little chance ’ that they would deviate from the ' GOP state committee’s solid sup- ■ port for Vice President Nixon. The Indiana delegation will be in sharp contrast to its 1952 coun- * terpart. That year, all but two Hoosiers remained solid for Sen. ’ Robert Taft for the presidential 1 (Continued on Page rive) Ample Steel Supply At General Electric Employes Assured Os Ample Supplies Decatur business men were elated today to learn the contents of a letter written by Lisle Hodell. Fort-Wayne, general manager of all general purpose component motor department factories of General Electric, of which the Decatur plant is a part, to employes assuring them that the department had raw material for many weeks of work despite of the present-steel strike. The letter was mailed to aM the workers, who are preparing now for their two weeks’ vacation period which starts Friday, to furnish them with correct information concerning the General Electric stock pile. Rumors to the effect that the steel strike might cause a lay-off of workers following the vacation period were stopped by the communication. Several hundred local employes will start their vacations Friday. ' leaving only a small office force and plant protection men op the job. Each vacationer has been assured of work on Ms return. The 1 Hodell letter is as follows: i “Dear Fellow Worker: “In a few days we will be shutt- ! -ing down for our annual vacation, and l am sure we all look forward ’ to this period of rest and relaxa- ' tion. • ' “To me it is always a delightful 1 time when we are freed from our 1 responsibilities of work and can en- 1 joy being with our families and 1 friends. For me. I look forward to ' having my children and my grand- 1 children home and we will have a ' glorious reunion together. “I know each'of you have some 1 plans too, and I do hope your vacation will be most enjoyable and 1 that you will take every precaution J to make it a saft ope. < (Ooaunuea On Page Flv«)

Six Cents

Sinkj Shortly 11 J After Last Os 1,635 Removed $29 Million Italian Liner Is Rammed By Vessel In Atlantic NANTUCKET, Mass. (UP) — The 29-million-dollar Italian luxury liner Andrea Doria, rammed by the Swedish liner Stockholm, sank today in the Atlantic Ocean 45 miles south of here a little more than an hour after the last of her 1,635 passengers and crew members were removed in a dramade fog-shrouded rescue operation. The big Italian liner slid beneath the waters of the Atlantic at 10:09 a. m. EDT, The coast guard reported that she sank in 225 feet of water. Shortly after the collision the 3-year-old 29,083-ton liner began to list to starboard. Within a few hours she went down by the bow, only her fantail visible, and minutes later she disappeared beneath the waves. At least four persons were reported*to have died as the “result of the tragedy which occurred at 11:20 p.m. EDT Wednesday while the Andrea Doria’s passengers celebrated at a “last night out’’ party. The huge black-hulled liner was to have arrived in New York ± . today. American navy experts were baffled as to why radar equipment aboard the liners did not prevent the accident which wiped out the Italian liner. Within 10 minutes after the 12,600-ton, white-hulled Stockholm knifed into the starboard side of the Andrea Doria other ships in the area, called the “Times Square of the Atlantic," began to respond to SOS calls. The Andrea Doria was unable to p>jt down its own life boats and its passengers — among them many notables including the mayor of Philadelphia—had to scramble down cargo lines and nets to reach rescue boats. The French liner lie de France turned back in its course to Europe to carry out the bulk of the rescue operations, which attracted a score of liners, freighters, transports and coast guard vessels. The French liner picked up almost 1,000 survivors, the military transport Thomas 165, tie commercial vessel Cap Ann 168, and the Stockholm several huiidred. The Andrea Doria’s skipper, Capt. Piero Calamai and 19 of his men were ordered to leave the ship by the Italian ministry of merchant marine about 9 a. m. EDT. Within an hqur the liner was almost completely submerged. • . All survivors were being brought to New York where Red Cross and health officials set up emergency facilities to care for the scores of cgses of shock and minor injuries. At least seven seriously hurt survivors, one of whom died later, were plucked - (Continued on Pavo Six) Donors Needed For Blood mobile Visit Donors are still needed for the bloodmobile unit’s visit to Decatur next Monday, according to an announcement today from the local Red Cross office. ■ 9 Because of the great number of usual contributors who are on vacation, the number of donors for this visit is drastically low. Still needed are 30 donors between 11 and 12 o'clock Monday, and 16 donors are needed for the 12 to 1 o’clock period. From 1 until 2 o'clock, 11 donors are. still needed and 31 are needed for the 2 to 3 o’clock session. Twenty-one contributors are also needed, 3 until ‘SzdS o’clock Persons desiring to be scheduled at any of these times are asked to contact Mrs. Ed Bauer, Mrs. Joe Hunter er Mrs. Wanda Oelherg at , the Red Crees office.