Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 55, Number 299, Decatur, Adams County, 20 December 1957 — Page 1

Vol. LV. No 299.

TWISTERS WHIP TRI-STATE AREA— Tornadoes, ripping through Illinois, Missouri and Indiana left at least l 2 dead, more than 200 Injured and huge damage in a dozen communities. Above, rescue workers at Wood River, Hl., just across the Mississippi from St. Louis, search wreckage of a grocery store where an elderly man was seriously injured.

I Begin Task Os Clearing Away Storm Debris Tornadoes Hit In Three-State Area On Thursday Night By JERE COX United Press Staff Correspondent Authorities in three states today * faced the mammoth job of clearing away the ugly scars of tornadic devastation in the wake of two days of death-dealing twisters that left more than 1,000 persons homeless. At least 14 persons were known dead in the weather onslaught across Arkansas, Illinois and Missouri. and more than 200 persons I were injured. p A fresh outbreak of tonjadic ■< “ violence Thursday night swept southwest Arkansas and southern Illinois, following up a wave of twisters the night before that spread heavy destruction in downstate Illinois and Missouri. Two Negro women were killed Thursday night in a tornado near Waldo, Ark., and several persons were injured. The Red Cross declared the district a disaster area. Several Others Reported Other twisters hit the communities of Elkville, 111, near tornadoblasted Murphysboro, and Waltonville, 111., near Mount Vernon which aso suffered earlier tornado damage. The twisters Thursday night caused minor damage. Murphysboro, the hardest hit by the rare late December twisters, reported nine known dead. National Guard officials earlier had reported two additional unidentified victims, but local authorities said that report apparently stemmed from communications difficulties. Other tornado victims included one each at Mount Vernon and Sunfield, 111., and at Farmington, Mo.» Stories Include Bain r Heavy rains pounded the tornado swept Midwestern communities Thursday, hampering the search for more possible victims. In Washington, the government announced it has designated six counties in Missouri' and five in Illinois as disaster areas as a result of the widespread tornado damage. ■ In Murphysboro, Sheriff Howard Cheatham said 178 were injured in the storm. Two of the injured continued in critical condition. “There’s no telHng how much damage is done," Cheatham said Thursday night. He said between 100. and 150 homes were demolished and at least that many more damaged. About 300 persons were homeless. About 150 of the homeless spent the night in Red Cross shelters at a hospital gymnasium, the courthouse and a Masonic hall. The rest moved in with friends and relatives. No Health Danger "No telling how long we’re going to have to care for the homeless,’ Cheatham added. "It was the poorer section that it hit the hardest and most of the homeless are indigent people.” There was no immediate health vootlnurC ..u • INDIANA WEATHER Fair and colder tonight. Saturday fair with moderate ° temperatures. Lows tonight generally in the 30s, highs Saturday about 45 north to 55 south. Sunset today 5:23 p.m. Sunrise Saturday 8:02 a. m. Lows Saturday night around 40. Outlook for Sunday: Partly cloudy and mild, highs in the 50s.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTI

11 Miles Os Roads Built During Year Report Is Made By Road Superintendent Eleven miles of new highway have been built in Adams county during th? past year, Lawyence Noll, highway superintendent, stated today. Seven miles of the new highway were constructed using money derived from the state gasoline tax and the remaining four miles were constructed under contract through federal aid. Wabash township has three miles of the new blacktop, Washington township has two miles and the other two miles were constructed in Root township on the Williams road, through federal aid, the department contracted and built a new road from Salem south to route 118. The department has also resurfaced and resealed 36 miles of old blacktop. Nine hundred feM of bituminous concrete have been laid east of Decatur on the road leading to Saddle lake. Noll stated thpthis trucks dumped a total of 48 ,000 tons of stone on gravel roads needing repair. A total of 27,000 tons of gravel were used in road construction. The highway department is equipped with eight road graders which have graded a total of 19,417 miles of gravel roads, keeping the county’s rural roads in a good state of repair. Seven of the county’s graders are capable of grading 15 miles per day and one new underbody grader, which was recently purchased, can smooth 70 miles in a day. Three new snow plows with instant hitches will speed roadclearings. A new back hoe will allow two men to put a trench across a road in one-third the time it takes seven or more to do the job by hand. Concrete tile to the extent of 568 feet has been laid and has eliminated the need for many of the small bridges scattered throughout the county. Fourteen bridges were refloored, reinforced and .repaired. Noll stated that there are approximately (, Continued on Page eight) Dollars Distributed By Casting Company Distribution Made Here To Employes The Decatur Casting company distributed approximately 81,300 in silver dollars Thursday to its employes, as well as a Christmas food bag, ham and a two-pound decorated tin of assorted chocolates. The Casting company will close today for the Christmas holidays, and will reopen the week after Christmas with at least three days work already scheduled. The annual distribution of silver dollars is based on the length of continuous service with the company, starting with one dollar for those employed July 1, 1957, or thereafter. Five silver cartwheels plus one more for each year over one year were given to all other employes. The largest gift tfas 841. Each gift was enclosed in an individual white bag with red lettering. Donald McDaniel, president ; Peter E.» Rentschler, vice presto dent: Peter R. Rentschler, secretary and general manager; Glenn Mauller, superintendent; and Clarence Fishbaugh, resident manager, made the presentations.

Decatur Stores Open Evenings for Christmas Shoppers

Wiretap Trial Os Hoffa Ends In Hung Jury Conspiracy Trial Os Teamster Chief Ends In Hung Jury NEW YORK (UP)—The federal wiretap conspiracy trial of teamster chief James R. Hoffa ended in a hung jury today with the defense charging that "coercion” had been attempted on one of the jurors. The "coercion” charge was made by Hoffa's attorney, Sol Gelb, shortly before Federal Judge Frederick Van Pelt Bryan dismissed the jury when it /ailed to reach unanimous agreement on a verdict. During the course of Jte JEB hours of deliberation the jury sent several notes to the court requesting explanation or clarification on points of law and legal terms. At 11:20 p.m. e.s.t. jury foreman Mrs. Lillian Doren sent a note to Bryan saying there was one lone hold-out in the jury. Advice Sought “After all our deliberation, we have 11 jurors in accord,” the note said. "We have one juror who will not give credence to circumstantial evidence. Please give us advice.” Bryan asked the jurors what they wanted explained. Mrs. Dor-, en said “he' wants the clarification" and named the . juror. Gelb immediately rose and branded the action “unprecedented." “This was the open fingering of a juror,” Gelb shouted. “This was a gold-fish bowl trial. It was coercion of a juror.” Bryan then explained the meaning of circumstantial evidence and the jury retired for further deliberation. At 12:50 a.m. they sent a note stating they could not agree on a unanimous verdict. Hoffa, president-elect of the 1,-300,000-member Teamsters Union, immediately was congratulated by about a dozen union men who stayed with him through the night to await a verdict. U.B. Plans New Trial U.S. attorney Paul W. Williams, obviously disappointed at the outcome of the trial, said he would bring Hoffa and his two co-defend-ants to trial again on the same charges. _ ' “There certainly will be another trial,” Williams said. “I shall retry this case at the earliest practicable time.” Hoffa, 44, along with Owen Brennan, president of Detroit teamster Local 337 and Bernard Spindel, a professional wiretapper, was charged with illegally tapping the telephones of union officials in the teamsters Detroit offices from 1953 to 1957. Miss Marie Kolter Is J/ Reappointed To Board Miss Marie Kolter, R. N., director of nursing at Parkview memorial hospital in Fort Wayne, has been reappointed by Gov. Harold W. Handley to serve a three-year commission on the Indiana state board of nurses’ registration and nursing education. Miss Kolter, daughter of Fred Kolter, secretary of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, was first appointed to the board in 1954. She was elected secretary of the board in 1988 and president in 1956. The board is the legally authorized accrediting body for all schools of nursing in Indiana.

Decatur, Indiana, Fri day December 20,1957.

Warn Russia Military Might Posing A Grave Threat For Americans

Ike Returns From NATO Parley Today To Prepare America For Sacrifices To Meet Red Challenge WASHINGTON (UP)-Presfdent Eisenhower returned from the NATO summit conference in Paris today to prepare the American people for the sacrifices necessary to meet Russia’s challenge to a missile-jittery world. The President’s plane, the Columbine HI, landed in a drizzling rain, after a flight of 21 hours and 19 minutes over the great circle route from Europe. Hie big ship bucked 80-mile-an-hour headwinds, delaying his arrival by three hours and necessitating an extra refueling stop at Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland. Col. William G. Draper, the Columbine pilot, said the unscheduled refueling stop was made to be on the “conservative side.” He said that at the time there was a very bad weather forecast for Washington. - -■ ,The President, described by associates as “roaring around like a rocket" after the jam-packed’ week of talks with NATO leaders in Paris, apparently was well recovered from the mild stroke he suffered here earlier this month. Many Greet Him Dressed in a blue top coat with a blue-figured silk scarf at his throat, he stepped jauntily down the ramp and, smiling broadly, waved his brown hat. He was greeted by Vice President Richard M. Nixon and a big delegation of government officials and diplomatic representatives. Also waiting to welcome him home was the President’s daugh-ter-in-law, Mrs. John Eisenhower. She received his first greeting—a kiss and a “glad to see you.” Nixon, then stepped forward, shook handd with Eisenhower and said “Welcome home, sir." After chatting with Nixon tor a minute or so, the President went down the line shaking hands with the Cabinet members and diplomatic representatives. Faces Some Criticism Before getting into his limousine for the drive to. the White House, the President turned and waved at the delegation. (Continued on Page Five) Auction Graduate R tes Held Today Diplomas Are Given To 72 Graduates The semi-annual commencement exercises of the Reppert school of auctioneering were held this noon at the Decatur Youth and Community Center, where 72 graduates received their diplomas. The diplomas wefe presented by Dr. Roland Reppert, following a banquet. Homer Pollock served as chairman and introduced Cols. Clyde Wilson, Ray Elliott and Guy Petit, who each gave brief congratulatory addresses. The commencement address was given by Col. Q. R. Chaffee dean of the school, who stated that the group of students was the finest he had seen in 20 years. He urged the students to keep their ideals high and to always render a little service beyond that for which they are paid. Thursday, the Chamber of Commerce sponsored a farewell program during which each of the students was presented a key to the city. Cliff Brewer, president of the Chamber of Commerce, served’as chairman and introduced Louis < Jacobs and Robert Heller, who presented the students with the keys.

W - - - * Church Services A Feature Os Holiday Buiness To Cease On Christmas Day Special Christmas programs and services in Decatur and area Churches will be the main highlights of die annual Christmas observance heye. Many of'the Protestant churdtoes will feature their Christmas programs Sunday and others plan special services for Christmas Eve. St. Mary's Catholic church and Zion Lutheran church have slated services for Christmas day. The Lutheran service will be at 9 a. m. Wednesday. The church also plans pre-Christmas programs on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings. At the Catholic chur'ii, a solemn high mass Will be celebrated at 5:30 a. m. on Christmas'. This will be followed by eigh* other masses, the final one to r,i a high mass at about 10:15 a. m. The complete schedule of fhristmas programs and services for the churches is available in the regular church section of the Decatur Dail*Democrat and many of the churches have been anaouneing - the -full -programs of their congregations. Last-minute Christmas, shoppers were expected to crowd Decatur stores during the final shopping days. For the convenience of their customers most retail stores are remaining open tonight, Saturday night and Monday night. They will also be open until 5:30 p. m. the day before Christmas. Another feature of the Christmas observance here will be the annual Yuletide dance for teenagers, to be held at the Decatur Youth and Community Center Monday night under the sponsorship of the American Legion Post 43. The Keynoters orchestra will provide the music. (Continued on Page e’.fbt) New Folding Chair Presented To Center Bank, Bag Service Presenting Chairs A total of 436 new folding chairs will be given to the Decatur Youth and Community Center this week by two Decatur firms, and the center will now be only 200 chairs short of total capacity. J. Ward Calland, president of the Memorial Foundation, Inc., and Dick Linn, center director, said today. * The First State Bank of Decatur is presenting 300 chairs to the center, and Bag Service, Inc., is presenting 136 chairs, A truck from Bag Service will pick the chairs up at Marion and deliver them, possibly this next week. The center at present has only 350 chairs, and when a musical program or other large affair is planned, it has been necessary to rent chairs in Fort Wayne for SBO to SIOO each time. There will now be a shortage of only 200 chairs for the maximum attendance possible in the center auditorium. It may be possible to borrow enough chairs now from local lodges and funeral homes, at least on a temporary basis. ' Linn stated that the new chairs would be stacked in the auditorium for the time being. Double deck shelves will be built in the storeroom to handle the doubled load of chairs without crushing the bottom chairs. Good Fellows Fund Previously Reportedss2l.33 Rotary Club 6.65 Loyal Order of Moose 10.00 Catholic Ladies of Columbia-5.00 T0ta15542.98

Living Costs Resume Rise In November Consumer Prices Again Increased In Month Os November WASHINGTON (UP) — The cost of living resumed its rise in November. The government reported today that consumer prices bounced up .4 of 1 per cent to a new record high. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said its consumer price index for last month soared to 121.6 per cent of average 1947-49 prices after having levelled off in October for the first time in 13 months. The index has hit record peaks in 14 of the last 15 months. It was 6.1 per cent higher today than when the spiral began in February, 1956. Most of the November increase was attributed to an 11 per cent rise in the price of new cars over the month, the bureau said. The hefty jump in the cost of new autos more, than offset a 3 per cent drop in the price of food. The increase means wage increases of 4 to 5 cents an hour for 960,000 Wotkersi n the steel, aluminum and meat packing industries, about 100,000 aircraft and other workers will receive 1-cent-an-hour raises. Ewan Clague, commissioner of the BLS, said he expects the index will show little change when December prices are calculated. He said the index should show a downturn in January in reflection of the downturn in business activity. In a separate report, the Labor Department said the purchasing power of factory workers’ take home pay declined by 0.7 per cent because of the rise in consumer prices. Purchasing power slid 3.3 per cent compared with last November. The take home pay of 13 million manufacturing workers dropped by 20 cents because of fewer working hours. The work week slipped to 39.2 hours a week. A worker with three dependents received about $74.91 take-home pay each week in November, the bureau reported. Barbara Kalver Is Winner Os Contest Speech Contest Is Held By Rotarians Miss Barbara Kalver, a senior in the Decatur high school, won the annual speech contest of the Decatur Rotary club, held during the weekly dinner meeting of the service club Thursday evening at the Youth and Community Center. Miss Susan Custer was awarded second place. Other contestants, all from Decatur high school, were Judy Lane, Ken Eliasson, Jane Wass and Janice Voshell. Miss Kalver will represent the Decatur Rotary club in the group contest, which will be held within the next few weeks. Trophies from the club were presented to Miss Kalver and Miss Custer by Roy Kalver, club member and father of the winning contestant. The contestants were introduced by Glen Rekeweg, a fellow student. Judges were J. Ward Calland, Robert Heller and Gail Grabill. Deane Dorwin, speech instructor at the Decatur high school, was a guest and spoke briefly on the contest. Theme of this year’s contest is "What Can I Do.” with the speakers stressing their plans and vocations for their adult life. Gail Grabill, vice president, conducted the meeting in the absence of Robert Smith, president. ’• '■■■" 11 " r “ ■-

Intermediate Range Thor Fired Thursday Successful Test Is Held By Air Force CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (tIP) —Missilemen expected to take a breather today, now that they have successfully fired three of this country’s biggest ■birds.'' There were still unconfirmed reports of an Atlas shoot to wind t up the week, but an informed source said the big intercontinental missile would not be fired again until after the first of the ’ year. ? The firing of a Thor Thursday left only the Atlas visible in its tower at the Cape. Small missiles , such as the Snark and Bomarc, which do not stand in service ' towers, were believed in launch- ’ ing areas at the test center. It was also reported that anoth- ‘ er Vanguard satellite - carrying ' rocket had been placed in its service tower, but was not ex--1 pected to be fired until after the new year. The intermediate range 'Dior put on a breathtaking show Thursday. The white missile was fired a few minutes before 3 p.m. e.s.t. and rose higher and higher into a clear blue sky until it .wg> just a dot streaking southeastward out over the Atlantic. It was one of the prettiest daylight shoots in some time. | . The Defense Department announced afterward the missile had . flown “its prescribed course and landed in the pre-selected impact > area.” I Miss Mayme Terveer Dies This Morning r H - • - —- Decatur Lady Dies After Long Illness Miss Mayme Terveer, 80, a I member of a pioneer Decatur i family, died at 9 o’clock this ' morning at the Mari Garde nursing home in Toledo, Ohio. ! She had been a patient at the nursing home for the past 16 1 years, following a fall here in 1 which she suffered a fractured 1 hip. She had been bedfast since suffering the fall. She was born in Decatur April 3, 1877, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard J. Terveer, and had never married. Miss Terveer, prior to her accident, worked in the office at the Adams county memorial hospital, and for many years prior to that time was an employe of the Charlie Voglewede shoe store in this city. Miss Terveer was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic church in this city. Surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Anna Voglewede and Mrs. Minnie Holthouse, both of Decatur, and a number of nieces and nephews. Mrs. Frances Terveer of this city is a sister-in-law, and C. R. Uhl of Toledo, and William Dowling, of Gary, are brothers-in-law. Two sisters, Mrs. Emma Dowling, who died Nov. 15, and Mrs. Clara Uhl, and a brother, Bernard T. Terveer, preceded her in death. The body will be returned to the Gillig & Doan funeral home ; in this city. Funeral arrangements have not been completed, but services probably will be held Monday morning at St. Mary's Catholic church. , Grand Jury Inspects County Buildings The grand jury appointed by the Adams circuit court will tour the county buildings today with the purpose of inspecting and reporting on existing conditions. The courthouse, jail, county garage and county home will be the primary targets of the*trip.

Secret Report Warns On Red Military Might Secret Report For White House Issues ■ Grave Warning Today i BULLETIN I WASHINGTON iIF - Defense Secretary Neil H. McElroy disclosed today the administration will ask Congress for about one billion dollars extra to finance stepped up defense spending in the current fiscal year. WASHINGTON (UP) - A supersecret report prepared for the White House warns that Russian military might poses so grave a threat to the nation that nothing short of an all-out defense buildup can stave off "catastrophe," it was reported today. The Washington Post and Times Herald said the Gaither Committee report pictures the nation "in the gravest danger in its history’' " and “moving in frightening course to the status of second-class power” • In gseopyrighted story,* the newspaper said that eveff i *with the enormously more expensive military buildup recommended this country cannot match Russia’s missile might before 1960 or 1961. At the same time, it said, the report shows that America lies exposed "to an almost immediate threat from the missile-bristling Soviet Union.” The report indicates there can be no thought of a tax cut, that the national debt ceiling must quickly be lifted and that possible tax increases ought at least to be explored, it said. The report, which took six months to prepare, was compiled by a committee composed of the nation’s top business, financial, scientific and educational leaders. The Post called it the “first across the board survey” of the relative strength of the free and Communist world. Many of those who worked on the report “were appalled, even frightened, at what they discovered to be the state of the American military posture in comparison with that of the Soviet Unicm,” the newspaper said. It said they urgently recommend a huge increase in military spending from now through 1970 and for many other costly, radical measures to prevent “what otherwise appears to be inevitable catastrophe.” It said the report was presented to President Eisenhower at an extraordinary session of the National Security Council Nov. 7, four days after the launching of the second Russian Sputnik. Some of those attending the meeting, it said, felt the President “was fearful that publication of the gloomy findings...would panic the American people into going off in all directions at once.” The Post said that as a result of the Gaither report Eisenhower “has begun to change his thinking." The President told the Security Council meeting he “would like to do the things called for in the report” but had a “nagging fear” the American people would balk at paying the bill, it said.

Six Cents j '