Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 55, Number 149, Decatur, Adams County, 25 June 1957 — Page 1

Vol. LV. No. 149.

.ANNOUNCE “NO FALL-OUT” WEAPONS ' Ji? SOME OF THE NATION'S top atomic scientists (1. tor.). Dr. Ernesto O. Lawrence; AEC chairman Lewis L. Strauss; Dr. Edward Teller, and Dr. Mark M. Mill, chat together at the White House after visiting President Eisenhower. They told the President that the U. S. now is able to make nuclear weapons with essentially no radio-active fall-out. '

Mixed Reaction By Governors To Ike s Plan Eisenhower Urges More Functions By State Governments WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (UP) — The nation's governors buckled down to discussion of state problems today but national issues and politics appeared to be holding tile center of the stage. President Eisenhower’s proposal for_a joint federal — state “task force’* to carve out areas in which the states should assume more functions now performed *by the federal government drew mixed reaction. Democrats generally spurned the idea advanced by Eisenhower Monday night. Most Republicans were enthusiastic but even the GOP governors refrained from promising any massive reversal of the trend toward greater power in federal governmentGov. Earnest W. Me Farnalodf Arizona, a Democrat, called the proposal "just another one of those studies. We’ve had lots of studies but nothing ever comes of them." MpKeldtn Feels Similarly Even Gov. Theodore R. McKeldin of Maryland, a Republican, said he is “convinced that nothing will be done about it.” The governors planned to hold a round table discussion of state government operations today. Gov. Stephen L. McNichols of Colorado, a Democrat, predicted Monday that his party would nominate a new face not now visible on the national scene as its 1960 presidential candidate. - » On the Republican side, Senate GOP Leader William F Knowland (Calif.) said California Gov. Goodwin J. Knight was all wrong about Knowland’s chances for winning the governorship next year. Education Also Discussed Knight had said in effect that Knowland could not win if he does run and might split the California GOP so badly the state would be lost to the Democrats. Education came in for conference discussion. Gov. Thomas B. Stanley of Virginia attacked Eisenhower's federal school aid program as “totally unwarranted.” Gov. George Bell Timmerman Jr. of South Carolina outlined his plan for a "pilot” school which would run year - round with onefourth of the students on vacation during each quarterOther grousing over federal intervention in state functions was heard during the day in discussions on highway and school problems. But New Jersey Gov. Robert B. Meyner told his colleagues “we have to give up some of our rights to get this tremendous job done.” Retail Division To Meet This Evening Members of the retail division of the Chamber of Commerce will meet tonight to work out plans for the monthly promotion campaign started several months ago. beveral new activities will be discussed, Robert Lane, chairman, stated' and all members of the retail division who have subscribed to .the promotions are asked to attend the meeting at the Chamber of Commerce offices at 7:30-o’clock tonight.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Swapping Os Wives Turns Into Tragedy Man Slays Former Wife And One Son TERRE HAUTE (UP)—A wifeswapping turned into tragedy today when one of the husbands went berserk with a shotgun, killed his former wife and their 11-year-old son and wounded two persons, one of them their 9-year-old daughter. Police said Mrs. Alma Martin, 36, and her son. Jack Whitaker, 11, were killed in a bedroom of their fashionable $40,000 home and her daughter Regina, 9, was shot and wounded seriously as she begged for her life. Mrs. Martin’s . new husband also was wounded. Officers identified the assailant as Thomas Whitaker. 39, former husband of Mrs. Martin. Whitaker vanished after the shooting and was sought many hours later by a posse of 20 heavily-armed state, county and city officersPolice quoted Stewart Martin, 40, a prominent Terre Haute businessman who operates a photographic supply store, as saying Whitaker was angered because his and Mrs. Martin's children were given to the custody of their mother when they were divorced in 1956. Couples Best of Friends Friends of the Martins and Whitakers said the two couples were the best of friends and spent many evenings together before the couples were divorced last year and Whitaker, a truck driver, married Mrs. Martin last December and Martin married Mrs. Whitaker last April and took her and the Whitaker children to live in a new home in a luxurious residential area in the suburbs. Martin told newsmen this story of the shootings: Martin heard a noise about 1:45 a.m., arose from his bed and went to the rear of the house where he found Whitaker removing hinges from a door. Whitaker was carrying a double-barreled shotgun. Armed with a revolver, Martin and Whitaker fired at least a dozen shots while Martin called to his wife to take the children in a bedroom and lock the door. Martin said he thought Whitaker was "after me.” Mrs Martin telephoned the sheriff’s office before she locked herself in the bedroom. Martin withdrew to another part of the house and Whitaker broke into the bedroom where his ex-wife and his children were hiding. Hears Plea For Life Martin heard shots and heard his step-daughter Regina scream, “Don’t kill me, Daddy, I’ll go and live with you.” He said he heard Whitaker say, "AU right, you’U live.” Whitaker left the slaying room but returned later and fired a blast at his daughter, inflicting a wound in her arm which physicians said may require amputation. Then he found Martin and shot him in the leg as Martin grabbed at the weapon. When police arrived in answer to Mrs. Martin’s frantic caU, they found Martin crawling wounded to a neighbor’s home for help. Whitaker’s car was found a quarter of a mile away at a dead end road Searchers , beat through a wooded, brush-covered area looking for Whitaker. Two families related to Mrs. Martin asked for police protection when they learned of the tragedy. They said Whitaker, had threatened them. Threatened Him Twice Martin said Whitaker threatened him and other members of his family twice last weekend in per(C<m«uiue4 oa Page Five)

Rash Os Plane Crashes Sends Toll Mounting 23 Killed In Past Two Days; Seven Reported Missing By UNITED PRESS A veteran ship’s captain who turned his hand to flying and two Detroit residents were kiUed in separate plane crashes Monday. Their deaths brought to* 23 the number of persons killed in a rash of airplane accidents during the past two days. Seven other fliers were ntissing. Authorities today-sought possible , survivors in the crash of two Navy twin-engine attack planes which i collided and went down in the Atlantic near Norfolk, Va. The planes carried four crewmen. T The crash occurred Monday as the two AJ Savage attack bombers were returning to Norfolk Naval Air Base from a routine training flight. Witnesses said they saw no parachutes. Coast Guard. Navy and civilian boats and helicopters and other planes joined in the search. The names of the plane’s occupants were not immediately released by the Navy Find No Trace In the Southwest, about 25 planes engaged in an air search for a missing light plane carrying peared Sunday en route from Albuquerque, N.M., to Fort Worth, three Texans. The plane disappeared Sunday en route from Albuquerque, N.M., to Fort Worth, Tex. The search planes from New Mexico and west Texas ranged across the mitsing plane’s probable line of flight Monday without turning up a trace of the craft. Aboard the downed plane were Owen S. Curran Jr. and Pete Fry Jr., both of Fort Worth, and John O’Neal, Wichita Falls, the pilot Killed when his plane crashed in the fog at Mitchell Field in Milwaukee, Wis., was Capt. Magnus Johnson, 60, a Great Lakes freighter captain for more than 30 years. Detroit Man Killed Johnson had rented a light plane at Indiana Harbor, Ind., after his ship docked there. He had planned on flying to Milwaukee to visit his wife at their home in suburban Shore wood. Two Detroit men were killed in a fiery crash of their single-engine private plane near the Ohio-Michi-gan border. The victims were Ralph Dean Fagg, 51, Detroit, president of the Kraft Welding Co., and Lyle Hutton, 40, one of his salesmap and pilot of thfe plane. The Ohio highway patrol said the crash occurred when Fagg tried to make an emergency landing at Toledo National Airport. The plane lost a wing while banking for a turn and it crashed in flames into a barn.. Earlier, 14 persons were killed in the crash of a Western Airlines plane near Port Hardy, B-C. A tailfin wedge left in position on takeoff was blamed for the disaster Sunday. Also killed Sunday were three Illinois men whose plane crashed on a wooded farm lot in Kentucky. INDIANA WEATHER Partly cloudy tonight and Wednesday with scattered showers and thunderstorms likely by afternoon or night. Warmer Wednesday. Low tonight 57-63. High Wednesday in the 80s. Sunset 8:17 p. m., sunrise Wednesday 5:19 a. m.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, June 25,1957

Cost Os Living Clifribs To New All-Time [High During Month Os May

Drop Charge Os Treason J On Nickerson Convict Colonel Os Carelessness With ’ Missile Secrets HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (UP) — (A John C- Nickerson Jr. was convicted today of self-confessed charges that he was careless with the nation’s rocket-missiles secrets, but the Army withdrew an accusation that the officer betrayed his country. Nickerson, 41, could receive up to 30 years at hard labor and heavy fines on ad/the 15 counts but the guilty plea would be a factor. His civilian attorney, Robert K. Bell, said the defense would call 14 witnesses “who we think are all important to us.” ■ These include Dr. Werhner von Braun and Ernest Stuhlinger, former German scientists who have worked with Nickerson on the Jupiter intermediate missile at Redstone Arsenal here. It was Secretary of Defense Charles E. Wilson’s order to allot missiles of the Jupiter class to the Air Force that led to Nickerson’s indiscretion with defense secrets. He contended the Army was "best qualified in that field. Attorney Bell said the trial probably still would go partly into closed sessions when the defense witnesses testify. Their only contribution will be to provide mitigating circumstances,/such as his motives, since his guilt is established. A general court-martial spent only 15 minutes in the jury room before returning with the formality of a "guilty” verdict- The rest of the trial was devoted only to determination of the sentence against Nickerson. I The withdrawal of the more serious charge of espionage, which also contained two perjury counts, and the guilty plea all came in the first hour and 20 minutes of the heralded trial. PlKup 3rd pgh: The defense Road Scandal Jury To Report Thursday 1 Marion County Jury Will File Report INDIANAPOLIS (UP) — A Marion County grand jury which has investigated phases of the Indiana highway scandal for the last two months will make a "final” report Thursday morning. Prosecutor John G. Tinder said the jurors will present a report to Judge Saul I. Rabb in Marion ' Criminal Court in connection with investigations made since early May when the jury indicted four ' men on criminal charges A legal move to have indictments dismissed against Harry Doggett, Greensburg, former chief aide in the right-of-way division of the Indiana State Highway Department, was rejected Monday. , Judge Scott Aj- McDonald refused to throw out the indictments against Doggett, who is charged with conspiracy to embezzle public funds. Doggett asked dismissal of the charges on' grounds he was forced to give self-incriminating testimony to the grand jury. Doggett will be arraigned Wednesday on two counts. Attorneys for Doggett, former highway chairman Virgil (Red)IContianad oa Pace Five) Swimming Pool May Reopen Wednesday Two broken valves at the municipal swimming pool have caused a temporary shut-down, Hubert Zerkel, Jr., pool manager, said today. It is believed the repairs wil be completed late today and if so, Zerkel stated tliat regular hours would be observed Starting Wednesday. The pool was closed all day Monday and today. ’ ,

Nationalist China Alerts Fortresses Heavy Bombardment By Communist Guns TAIPEI (UPT—Nationalist China alerted its offshore island fortoday, for a possible Comnwist Chinese invasion following the heaviest Red artillery bom* bardment in nearly three years. The defense ministry said "several” civilians had been killed and at least 20 others injured in the bombardment. It was feared military casualties would run higher. The vest pocket war between the Communists and the Nationalists flared anew Monday night when Red artillery on Amoy pounded the Quemoy Island group with 9,395 rounds. About 180 houses were leveled on little Quemoy, only three or four miles from the mainland. The overall casualties and damages Were heavier than the Nationalists suffered at the height of the "little war” in September, 1954 An air of tension grew rapidly in the Formosa Straits and in Taipei itself, and all military forces were alerted for a possible Chinese Communist attack from the mainland on the offshore islands. Press reports in Taipei said a strong Nationalist task force composed of planes and warships were ordered to patrol along the Red Chinese coast watching Red movements. The Chinese Nationalist batteries on Quemoy and Little Quemoy returned the Communist fire which broke out at dinner time Monday night. There was no official reports on casualties inflicted by the Nationalists. Boost Pay Os Stale Highway Employes Pay Increases By Budget Committee INDIANAPOLIS <UP) — The Indiana State Budget Committee raised the pay of 464 employes of the State Highway Department Monday night by a of $634,864 a year. The wage hikes, involving most engineering employes from chief engineer Carl Vogelgesang on down, affected aR except 14 persons in the engineering division of the highway department. A new salary schedule was outlined, including raises for subprofessional assistants from a range of $155 to $341 to a range of S2OO to $350 a month. The committee also approved a SSOO annual salary increase for Joe McCord, director of the Department of Financial Institutions, and S3OO for Charles Bryant, a deputy secretary of state. Most of a ‘ $7,605 appropriation restored from funds previously ordered cut in the present fiscal year allocations went to the Indiana Boys School The restoration raised to $1,729,885 the amount restored from a $2,661,641 sum pre-, viously ordered withheld in a money-saving gesture by the 1957 Legislature. S The committee also: Approved spending SIOO,OOO for architect engineering fees on a new maximum security unit «t Norman Beatty Hospital at WestApproved SIOO,OOO for roof repairs at the Indiana World War Memorial in Indianapolis. Approved $1,488,000 for rehabilitation of a laboratory and home economics building at Purdue University. Approved $232,000 for land purchases at Ball State College at Muncie. Approved SIOO,OOO for music building equipment at Ball State. Turned down a request for $26,000 for extra bedrooms in staff cottages at the New Castle State Hospital. Turned down a request for salary increases for the executive secretary of the Indiana Board of Public Harbors and- Terminals, the director of the state library, the executive secretary of the State Board of Medical Registration and Examination, the director (Ceatiaaaa •• Pa«e Five)

House Voles More Funds To Postal Dept. Extra 133 Million Dollars To Prevent Cutback In Service WASHINGTON (UP) — The House has voted an extra 133 million dollars to keep the nation's mail service running along without cutbacks next year. The total was $16,500,000 less than the $149,500,000 Postmaster General Arthur E. Summerfield asked for but apparently was enough to satisfy the mail boss. Rep. Gordon Canfield (R-N.J.) said Summerfield assured him the Post Office Department would be able to get along with the reduced amountThe new funds, if approved by the Senate, will boost to a record $3,325,000,000 the total available for mail operations in the fiscal year beginning Monday. Summerfield had warned, of a series of postal cutbacks, including Saturday post office closings and suspension of Saturday deliveries, if the additional money was not forthcoming. The cost of some special mail services will go up Monday to produce an estimated 28 million dollars a year in postal revenues. The price of a special delivery stamp goes up from 20 to 30 cents and charges for registered and insured letters and money orders also go up. " The Senate Monday approved a $457,152,600 money bill to operate the Interior Department and related agencies next year after adding $900,000 to the measure. The 81-to-O vote sent the measure to a joint Conference Committee to thresh out differences with the House version. The Senate added $500,000 to the measure to aid states in reforestation of lands included in the soil bank and $400,000 for the Independence Hall Historical Park in Philadelphia. The overall bill was $2,756,000 larger than the House version but was $58,037,100 below the President’s original requests. Sorority Project To Assist School Benefit Gasoline Sale Over Weekend Members of Epsilon Sigma and Xi Alpha lota exemplar chapters of Beta Sigma Phi will devote their time .and energy this coming weekend to earn enough money to purchase needed equipment for the Vera Cruz school for retarded children. The group will join forces with the staff of the Parkway 66 service station, located at Nuttman avenue and 13th street, in sponsoring a benefit gasoline sale, also commemorating the second anniversary of the operation of the station. Tickets, priced at sl, may be purchased from any of the sorority members, and can be redeemed Friday from 12 noon until 8 p. m., and Saturday from 6 a. m. until 10 p. m- Each ticket entitles the holder to a dollar’s worth of gas, at regular price, and sorority members will be on hand to wash windshields, and to sweep out the Inside of each car presenting a ticket. Mrs. Bill Schulte, newly elected president of the Epsilon Sigma chapter and chairman of the project, has announced that lubrication tickets will be sold at the station. Each of the 32 sorority members participating in the benefit will be assigned certain hours to work, with three girls working a two hour shift. Children are invited to accompany their parents to the station either of the days, as clowns will be on hand to distribute candy and balloons. Other special attractions are being planned for the two day affair, and it is hoped that the benefit will become an annual project

New Pastor The Rev. J. 0. Penrod, newly assigned pastor of the Trinity Evangelical United Brethren church, his wife and two sons will move into the Decatur parsonage next Monday. Rev. Penrod, pastor at Albion for the past five years, succeeds the Rev. John E. Chambers, who has been assigned to Lafayette. Rev. Penrod is a graduate of Manchester College and the United Seminary at Dayton, Ohio. Thunderstorms End Heat Wave In East ■ Temperatures Still Soar In Far West » By UNITED PRESS Severe thunderstorms broke the i year’s second heat wave in much i of the East, but temperatures continued to soar today in the West. New York City was soaked by Vi to % inch of rain Monday night. The storm also dumped more than 1 inch of rain at Flat Top, W-Va., % inch at London, Ky., and up to % inch at Cleveland, Ohio, and over most of western Pennsylvania. A windstorm ripped the community of Leechs Corners, Pa., 90 miles north of Pittsburgh, Monday night, destroying two homes and uprooting scores of trees. No injuries were reported. In California, federal and state forest rangers issued new fire warnings as the state baked in an early summer heat wave. Readings climbed to 85 at San Francisco Monday, and the weather was made more uncomfortable by a record smog. Oakland recorded a high of 99 to tie an all-time June record. Temperatures in the Central Valley included Red Bluff and Sacramento 106, Stockton 105, and Bakersfield 109. Forecasters predicted some relief for the central California coast today with morning and evening fog, but readings again were expected to soar into the 100 s in the Central Valley. Volunteers in Minnesota battled to prevent the Crow River from spilling over .dikes from Delano to Dayton, where the river empties into the Mississippi. The Crow hit a record 17 feet at Rockford, Minn., and Red Cross officials predicted much of the area along the river might be in for “serious” troubleThe Crow and the flooded Minnesota rivers already have inundated miles of cropland. At Mankato, along the Minnesota, farmers said the floods have washed (Coatlßncd oa Pas* F»ve> Hirschy Recovering From Painful Bruises Al Hirschy, of route L Monroe, is still recuperating at his home irom painful bruises on his left shoulder, arm, and side, suffered when he was hit by a falling tree while working for the county surveyor’s office. Decatur Lions Club Holds Family Picnic The Decatur Lions club completed its year’s activity with a family picnic at Hanna-Nuttman park Monday evening. Following a hearty meal served by Jay Markley, Roger Gentis, Frank Lybarger and Ralph Smith, the adults played bingo while the children enjoyed games.

Food Prices Lead Rise In Living Costs Means Wage Boosts For Nearly Million k r i Workers Os Nation WASHINGTON (UP)—The government todafteported the cost of living climbed to an all-time high last May for the ninth straight month. The Labor Department said the May consumer price index was r 119.6 per cent of the 1947-48 averr age. The index was .3 of 1 per cent i above April and 3-6 per cent high--1 er than May, 1956. » The rise in living costs means - wage boosts for nearly one million ». workers with “escalator” wage . contracts tied to the cost of living. Food prices spearheaded the rise i in living costs with a .7 of 1 per » cent increase between April and - May. Prices of fresh produce and meat went up seasonally. The - price of services was up .4 of 1 per cent but the cost of commodities went down by the same amount, the two changes thus cancelling each other in the index. Durable goods prices were down .6 of 1 per cent and soft goods down .2 of 1 per cent. Ewan Clague. commissioner of the department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, predicted that food prices will rise for the next two months, then drop in August. Be e said durable and soft goods prices li should go down while services - continue to rise for the remainder • of the year. V Clague said the cost' of fresh • fruits and vegetables is in step • with last year’s increases but there > are "some signs” that they wiß 1 celling each other in the index. • hit a peak below last year's. - The department also reported that the pay after taxes and the ■ buying power of factory workers ) continued a decline that began last r January. He attributed this to a 1 shortening of, the work week and • the rise in the cost of living between April and May of this year. - The factory worker’s earnings : after taxes dropped 17 cents in 1 May to $74,47 a week for a worker with three dependents and to $67.68 1 a week for a worker without de- • pendents. I 5 Clague said about 750,000 work- • ers in metal industries will re- - ceive around 4 cents an hour more s because of today’s higher indexf These industries are basic steel, • iron ore mining, aluminum, metal container, and refractories. • Another 115,000 employes in the ‘ meat-packing industry will receive • a 3-cent an hour wage hike. In • the aircraft industry, 83,000 will ! get a 2-cent an hour boost while another 22,000 will get 1 cent 1 more an hour. 1 Clague said "an upward press ’ on food prices is quite apparent” 1 for the next two months but that autos and household appliances ‘ face a drop. k 1 Use New Entrance To County Hospital ~ A new entrance to the Adams county memorial hospital will be I used, starting Monday,/until the completion of the new office and reception room which will be built on the front of the hospital, Thurman Drew, hospital manager, said this morning. A blacktop path has been con- , structed around the south side of - the hospital to the present wait- ; ing room. This will be lighted at . night by floodlights, so that vis- ; itors may use the entrance. The roof of the new rear addition will be poured Friday, Cal Ypst, of Yost Construction company announced, and work will start Monday on the new entrance. Bricklaying has been completed already tq the level • of the third-floor windows. k - - I . I ■ . _ BULLETIN LONDON (V) - The U. 8. formally proposed today that American and Soviet armed forces be reduced in three successive stages to a level of 1,768,666 men each.

Six Cents