Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 56, Number 87, Decatur, Adams County, 12 April 1958 — Page 1

Vol. LVI. 87.

H i J|lz^jg^^ggg^fc. .. , . , ■ • \^^^^WWnMjSßwWßlßW^^> ; ' • ■ „ OfefF- " CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE GOING DOWN— Some 350,000 tons of dirt, rock and concrete are helterskelter over the Pacific Coast highway at Santa Monica, Calif., as result of this new slide, the top of which you see. Besides ruined fencing and landscaping, swimming pool of the swank Pacific Gardens apartment-hotel is endangered.

Look Into Sale Os Evansville Homes $20,000 Worth Sold For $705 To Student EVANSVILLE, Ind. (UP) — A special committee began today to look into the sale of $20,000 worth of homes for $705 to a Purdue University student who now wnats the former owners to pay him rent. I The Vanderburgh County Bar Assn., which appointed the committee, said the group will try to “right a wrong” if the sales aren’t legal. It came as a bewildering shock to the three families involved to learn that the student, Morris Esche, 30, the father of three children,, had bought the homes out from under them at a sheriffs sale on Jan. 3, 1957. Mrs. Juanita Malin, the widowed mother of nine children, was informed she no longer owned her SIO,OOO home because she failed to pay a SBO grocery bill. Esche, who bought her home for $l5O. demanded rent from her Thursday. The other two cases came to light Friday. Mr. and Mrs- Orlin Songer, an unemployed couple who built their $4,000 home with their own- hands, discovered they lost their home because of a $l7O debt they assumed from a former son-in-law. “We weren’t able to keep up all the payments because we weren’t working,” Mrs. Songer said. “But nobody told us we would lose our home if we didn't pay." Esche picked up die Songer place for $475. I ■> Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mills said they lost their $4,000 home over $7.56 in court costs on a bill they already had paid. As in the other two cases, Esche bought their home at auction, becoming the legal owner a year from the date ot the sale. t Mills said the first knowledge * he had that his home was no longer his came last Sunday when he found a note from Esche, saying “I bought your home at a sheriffs sale Jan 3, 1957. I want you to start paying rent or give up possession." Esche had said earlier that he didn't “want tp take advantage of anybody” and had simply hoped |o realize a 10 per cent gain when the families bought their homes back. Mrs, Malin’s plight, meanwhile, aroused a great deal of sympathy from townspeople who offered to make small contributions to help her and the seven children still in her care. An attorney, James Lopp, took over her case and announced plans to appeal to the student's “conscience.” I Doubt as to the legality of Esche’s purchases was expressed by his attorney who said if the families involved had not been notified in person or by registered mail of the impending sale, the auction may not have been valid. Report New Layoffs ' Up Nearly 80,000 WASHINGTON <WNew layoffs of workers covered by unemployment compensation rose by nearly 80,000 during the first week of April, but the Labor Department said this did not indicate any major surge in unemployment. The department’s Bureau of Employment Security said further layoffs in the auto industry in Michigan, New York, California, Indiana, Kansas, Ohio, Texas and 11 other states were an “important factor” in the increase. NOOiTEDITION

DECATUR DAIIA DEMOCRAT WLY DAILY NEWBFAFER IN ADAMS COUNTY - . - - ..-....1 ... . ■ ... - ..

United States To Reject Red Mad Rush Plan Officials Say U.S. To Insist Careful Plans For Parley WASHINGTO N(UP)-U. O. officials said today the United States will reject Russia’s latest “mad rush” proposal for an EastWest summit meeting. They said the United States intends to stand by its position that any summit conference must be carefully prepared to insure chances of success. The Russians put forward a plan Friday calling for a U. S., British, French and Russian ambassadorial meeting in Moscow next Thursday to set only the time, {dace and composition of a foreign ministers meeting. The foreign ministers session would be held no later than mid-May. Waste Into Bonanza WASHINGTON (UP) — The Atomic Energy Commission has found away to turn its nastiest liability, deadly radioactive “wastes,” into a bonanza. It is too early to appraise the dollar valu of this bonanza, but there are those who believe it will soar to billions annually in years to come, it conceivably could be atomic energy’s biggest boon By convertising the radioactive waste products of atomic fission into powerful' tools for medicine, industry, and research, the commission simultaneously has found a safe way of “disposing'’ of some of the dangerous Materials which until now were considered obstacles to development of a bigscale atomic power industry. Decatur Teams Top Forestry Project Leaf Identification Contest Held Friday Teams from the Decatur high school swept all honors in the 4-H FFA forestry project leaf identification county contest held Friday at the county extension office, judge Art Parrish, district extension forester, said this morning. First place honors went to the team of Lois Gerke and Ann Lehrman, which scored 650 points in the quiz and left judging. Miss Gerke scored 333 points, including 100 on the quiz and 230 in identification, while Miss Lehrman scored 100 on the quiz and 210 on identification of 25 types of leaves. Second place went to Barbara Bleeke and Janice Allison, who scored 617 points. Both first and second place teams will go to the district meet, to be held at Auburn April 28. A third Decatur team, Linda Sexton and Carol Norquest, placed third, scoring 583 points. Three teams from Adams Central and several from Berne also took part in the contest. The Decatur team was coached by, William Journay, Adams Central by Martin Watson, and Berne by Eugene Sprunger. District winners will go to the state contest, which will be held at the state fair grounds the day before the state fair opens in August. The state fair board wjll judge the contest, and the winning team will receive a fine plaque, with the high-point contestant earning a trip to Washington, D. C.

Psychiatrist Says Whitaker Was Sane Testifies Man Sane Soon After Slaying TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (UP)—A psychiatrist has testified that accused "wife-swap” slayer Thomas Whitaker was sane a few hours after he allegedly murdered his former wife and two children- I Psychiatrist Norman Silverman said Friday Whitaker was “definitely" sane when he talked with him in his jail cell a few hours after the June 25, 1957, murders. “Whitaker was definitely not a psychotic at hte time of the shoot- ’ Ing,” Silverman said in testifying as a prosecution rebuttal witness. Silverman quoted Whitaker as ' saying, “I shot my ex-wife and the children on the spur of the moment because I didn’t want them to live With Stewart Martin.” The murders climaxed a wife-swap between Martin and ' Whitaker. ‘ Whitaker, 38, is charged with ’ first degree murder in the death ‘ his daughter, Regina, 9, in the Martin home. Whitaker’s former wife, Mrs. Alma Whitaker Martin, ’ 36, and his son, Jackie, 11, also died. The defense rested its case prior to Silverman’s taking the stand. The psychiatrist said that while there was such a thing as temporary insanity, it did not develop suddenly and recovery was not rapid. He said he had never heard of anyone suffering temporary insanity and “recovering in one day.” Silverman quoted Whitaker as saying “he got his gun and some shells and put them in his car” on the night of the slaying. “He stopped at a tavern,” Silverman said, “and had a drink of whiskey and drove around. He got to the Martin house, exchanged shots with Stewart Martin and then found himself in a bedroom where his ex-wife and his two children were ” I Following a weekend recess, the prosecution was expected to call more rebuttal witnesses before three court appointed psychiatrists testified. All Os Galesburg Is Picketed By Union Picket Entire City In Union Protests GALESBURG, 111. (UP) — The entire city of Galesburg was picketed Friday by members of the Teamsters and Machinists unions. For nearly two years locals of the two unions have been picketing the automobile dealers and garages here in an effort to organize their employes. But the unions began picketing the whole city Friday after Galesburg and the Galesburg Chamber of Commerce joined in the spreading "You Auto Buy Now” campaign to push sales as an antirecession programThis campaign, the unions charged, was an effort to “beat” their picketing. The unions posted pickets at all major highways leading into the city protesting the “buy now” campaign. They also placed pickets in front of the Chamber of Commerce office. The Galesbhrg Register-Mail in a front page editorial termed the picketing of the entire city “ridiculous.” Such action, the newspaper said, “results from irresponsible leadership.” The picketing of the garages and automobile dealers here began after the unions claimed a ma- 1 jority of the employes wished to be organized. But the unions refused to assent to a new vote by all employes of the dealers and garages.

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday, April 12, 1958

Juvenile Court Must Determine Future Os Lana Turner Daughter

Slate Budget Group Visits Institutions Announces Action On Building Funds And State Salaries INDIANAPOLIS (UP)—The Indiana State Budget Committee completed a two-day tour of Hoosier institutions Friday and announced action on proposals ranging from classrooms to salaries. The committee visited the Indiana Reformatory at Pendleton, Ball State Teachers College at Muncie, New Castle State Hospital, Whitewater State Park, Richmond State Hospital and the Soldiers and Sailors Children's Home at Knightsville. H The committee approved $1,150,000 for Purdue University for completing a General Science Build ing and another $185,000 for new water supplies at the Lafayette campus. It approved $2,294,629 for a music building addition at Indiana University, plus $185,000 for heat for that building and Ballentine Hall, a new classroom building and hiring an architect to plan a two million dollar addition to the power house. committee approved a $6.-| 000 annual salary for Mrs. Georgia Schneider, superintendent of Indiana Women s Prison. Her present salary is $4,800. Other salary action formalized the salary structure of the Forestry Division of the State Conservation Department. Forestry superintendents were divided into two groups based on “responsibility.” One group will receive salaries rangifig from $275-$350 per month and the other from $350$425. Nursery superintendents will receive the $350-$425 per month rate. It rejected requests to increase minimum salaries for county welfare officials by forcing counties to increase scales- p ■ Other action approved included: $4,865 to repair coal handling equipment at Norman Beatty Hospital. $1,300 to repair kitchen equipment at Madison State Hospital. (Continued on pa-ge six) Funeral Monday For Mrs. Archie Smith After Long Illness After I Long illness Funeral services will be held Monday for Mrs. Edith Marguerite Smith, 46, wife of Archie Smith, of 1034 Schirmeyer street, who died at 12:40 o’clock Friday afternoon at the Adams county memorial hospital. She had been ill with complications for two and one-half years. She was born in Wren, 0., Sept. 7, 1911, a daughter of William and Della Swoveland. Mrs. Smith was a member of the Union Chapel Evangelical United Brethren church. Surviving in addition to the husband are her mother, Mrs. Della Swoveland of Wren; one son, Larry Smith, stationed with the army at Fort Bliss, Tex.; .a stepson, Lewis Smith of Decatiir; a stepdaughter, Mrs. Wanda Pottios of Decatur; three brothers, Doyt Swoveland of Niagara Falls, N. Y.. Dorse Swoveland of Van Wert, 0., and Capt DeLoyd Swoveland, with the Air Force in France, and six sisters, Mrs. Erma KOppel of Rockford, 0., Mrs. Breen Dellinger of Burbank, Calif., Mrs. Catherine Rich of Kokomo, Mrs. Alma Sheets of Fort Wayne, Mrs. Doreen Clifton of Columbia City, and Mrs. Ruth Sheets of Wren. Two sisters are deceased. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at the Black funeral home, the Rev. Paul D. Parker officiating. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 o’clock this afternoon until time of the service*.

Asks Federal Probe Os Hearing Filins . Violations Charged By Union President ’ WASHINGTON (UP)—AFL-CIO President George Meany has called for a federal investigation of theaction of thp National Association of Manufacturers in giving television stations films of the Senate Kohler hearings. Meany sent a telegram to Chairanan John T. Doerfer of the Fed--5 eral Communications Commission ■ Friday charging that the NAM ■ “violated both the letter and the • spirit” of FCC regulations by • (baking the films available for ■ broadcasting without disclosing - who paid for them. The NAM has said kinescopes ’ of the Senate inquiry into the ’ United Auto Workers strike ' the Kohler Co. were used f as public service shows by 28 stations. A spokesman indicated the ' association paid about $12,000 for ' the kinescopes. , The hearings by tne Senate Rackets Committee produced charges of violence by both the company and union. “Your regulations,” Meany told Doerfer, “wisely provide that stations shall identify those who furnish any program involving the discussion of public controversial issues.” The NAM bought the films from the Dumont station in Washington which provided “live” coverage of the hearings. Record Snowfall In Northeast States Eight-Inch Snow In South New England By UNITED PRESS Sunshine greeted most of the nation west of the Rockies today while the rest of the country said good morning to spring snows and rainRain and drizzle fell from lower Michigan south to Kentucky and eastward to Pennsylvania, while New England received another dose of snow. However, the heaviest overnight winter precipitation fell in Colorado and New Mexico. Nighttime snows fell at Grand and Las Vegas, N.M., giving the latter a total of nine inches. Spring got its signals mixed Friday and hit the nation's Northeast with record-breaking, eight-inch snows. A blimp at South Weymouth Naval Air Station, Mass., collapsed under 11 tons of snow as it was being towed into a hangar. No one was injured. Connecticut highway crews dragged out snow plows they hoped to forget about until next winter, and two college baseball games were called on account of snow. A Hartford, Conn., weather bureau employe termed the whole situation “very unusual.” Wet, mushy snow piled up eight inches deep through southern New England and broke a 53-year-old record for snowfall so late in the season with 3 7 inches at Hillsgrove, R.I. Funeral Held Friday For Novachcoff Girl Private funeral services were held Friday for Karen Novachcoff, one-year-old granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gail Ainsworth, of Decatur. The child, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Novachcoff of Fort Wayne, died Thursday morning at the Children’s hospital at Butlerville following an extended illness. Services were at the Tom Mungovan funeral home in Fort Wayne, the Very Rev. Msgr. John Bapst officiating. Burial followed in the Catholic cemetery in Fort Wayne. Also surviving are one brother, Michael; and a grandmother, Mrs. Earl Novachcoff of Fort Wayne. INDIANA WEATHER j Mostly fair tonight and Snnday, with a little warmer Sunday. Low tonight 34 to 88. High Sunday 55 to 68.

Ag Department Is Scored On Burned Reports Charges Deliberate Department Effort To Suppress Replies WASHINGTON (UP) — Rep. Henry S. Reuss (D-Wis.) has accused the Agriculture Department of a “deliberate attempt to keep secret coYnments by farmers that might not support Secretary (Ezra T) Benson’s policies.” Department officials admitted to a House Investigating subcommittee April 3 that it had burned 2,500 copies of a report it didn’t like on why farmers are going to the city. It turned over to the investigators a few copies that escaped the flames. The officials said the report was destroyed because it contained “misleading” quotations from comments of 125 farmers, selected from 2,700 who answered a department questionnaire. Reuss, a subcommittee member, asked to examine the remaining 2,575 comments. But he said acting Secretary True D. Morse told him Thursday their contents must be “treated as confidential.” "I certainly cannot accept the wherein Mr, Morse says I may look a the questionnaires butj not breathe a word of their content to a living soul,” Reuss said in a statement Friday. He contended the comments were “public property,’’ and “are of value and interest to Congress and the public.” He said the confidential label amounted to an “iron curtain.” Reuss said Morse’s statement was “interesting in the light of” a Benson speech at San Bernardino, Calif., Thursday “bragging” that the department was reporting on the farm situation Mrs. Fanchon Yoder Found Dead At Home Funeral Services Monday Afternoon Mrs, Fanchon Yoder, 74, a lifelong resident of Decatur, was found dead at 2 o’clock Friday afternoon at her home, 215 North Fifth street, where she lived alone. Death was attributed to a coronary occlusion. She had visited with a neighbor until about 4 o’clock Wednesday afternoon, and returned home. Time of death was placed at about 6 p.m. Wednesday, as Wednesday evening newspapers were found on her porch. The Rev. Virgil W. Sexton, pastor of the First Methodist church, went to the Yoder home Friday afternoon and failing to receive any response, called police, who found Mrs. Yoder’s lifeless body. She was born in Decatur April 27, 1883, a daughter of Millard Rachel Rice. Her husband, Amos Yoder, died Oct. 13, 1943. Mrs. Yoder was a member of the First Methodist church, the W. S. C. S. of the church, the Order of Eastern Star, Rebekah lodge, and was a past president of the Decatur Garden club. Only surviving relative is a nephew, Newell Rice of Columbia City. Two brothers preceded her in death. Funeral services will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Zwick funeral hqme, the Rev. Virgil W. Sexton officiating. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 10 o'clock Sunday morning until time of the services. Secretary Brucker Is Indianapolis Speaker INDIANAPOLIS (W — Secretaryof Army Wilbur Brucker will speak at an Armed Forces Day Luncheon here April 14. Armed forces personnel and civic leaders were invited to the luncheon.

Geneva Girl Named Girl Os Limberlost Miss Joy Everhart Winner Os Contest Miss Joy Everhart, the 16-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ted Everhart, and a junior at the Geneva high school was crowned the “Girl of the Limberlost 1958” at the 6th annual Limberlost land party held at the Geneva school Friday evening. Miss Everhart is 1 an honor student at the Geneva t high school and has won acclaim > a as vocal soloist. In a recent state t contest, she was given a superior i rating. Miss Everhart was presented a > gift of a necklace by Miss Sonja • Yoder, the “Girl of the Limberlost 1 1957.” Miss Yoder, last year’s win- ■ ner, represented Adams Centra'. 1 high school. Runner-up to the new queen was Miss Sandra Stevens, daughter of . Mrs. Lloyd Fisher and a senior at i Decatur high school. Miss Stevens ! presented a ballet dance with I background music by Stravinski. . Third place went to Patricia Kathleen Liby, daughter of Mr. , and Mrs. William Liby, of route ! 1, Berne,and a senior at Hart- • ford Center. Miss Liby presented 1 a piano solo entitled the “Song of the Gondolier,” by Henry Lavina. <• Other participants for the title J of the Limberlost queen were Linj da Raudenbush, the daughter of t Mr. and Mrs. Harry Raudenbush i and a senior at Berne-French high school; Ramona Ann Worman, the j daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul » I Worman, of route 2, Bluffton, and ; a senior at Petroleum high school, and Doreen Beery, daughter of i Mr. and Mrs. Robert V. Beery, route 2 , Decatur, a senior at Monmouth high school. Judges for the contest included Robert J. Fink, Shelbyville, executive secretary to Gov. Harold Handley; Mrs. William D. Eir horn, of Fort Wayne, presidentelect of the Gene Stratton Porter club, and Mrs. Wayne Miller, of Fort Waynd, president of the Limberlost Girl Scout council of Northeastern Indiana. The Geneva Lions club served a ! fish supper from 5 until 7 p.m. before the contest. During the contest, the contestants were judged on beauty, personality, charm, and talent. Otis Buckey, president of the Ge- . neva Lions club, acted as master ' of ceremonies and arranged a var- , ied program for the audience while the judges made their decision. Entertainment other than I that provided in the talent contest included numbers by the Geneva I (Continued on page »ix) Open Negotiations On Television Strike i Seeking To Settle Six-Day-Old Strike I WASHINGTON (IP) — Columbia 1 Broadcasting System officials and union negotiators gathered today ! for peace talks aimed at settling • the six-day-old strike by 1,300 raf dio and television technicians. 1 CBS agreed to resume bargain- ‘ ing sessions — the first since April 4 •— at the request of the union in--1 volved, the International Brother--1 hood of Electric Workers. A federal mediator planned to sit in on the talks in an attempt ’ to speed settlement of the dispute ! that has resulted in rescheduling • some TV shows. 1 CBS executives have taken over the jobs usually performed by the 1 striking cameramen, sound engi- ’ neers and film projectionists to keep the network on the air. Union officials viewed the renewed talks as a hopeful sign, but it appeared likely today’s meeting would be largely a “get reacquainted” session. The IBEW technicians walked ' off their jobs at seven CBS-owned I or operated stations last Monday. ’ The cities affected were New I York, Chicago, Boston, Los An- ; geles, San Francisco, Milwaukee and Hartford, Conn.

Six Cent*

Coroner Jury Frees Cheryl In Stabbing Juveline Hearing Set For April 24 For Cheryl Crane HOLLYWOOD (UP)—Lana Turt ner was in danger of losing her i daughter, Cheryl, today even • though her shattering performance • on the witness stand won the girl a “justifiable homicide” verdict , at an inquest in the knife-slaying of Johnny Stompanato. A juvenile court must determine 14-year-old Cheryl’s future .at a hearing set for April 24, at ' 'which time Lana is expected to make another off-screan appear--1 ance. Judge Allen T. Lynch had two ■ possible courses: ' 1. He could turn Cheryl over to i authorities for criminal prosecution since the inquest’s verdict i was not an order to the court. 2. He could rule Cheryl a ward >of the court and determine . whether the girl should be in cusI today of Lana or Stephen Crane, f the girl’s father, or be sent to a detention home or some religious l ’ or private home for girls. Brother Dissatisfied ■ WOODSTOCK, in. (UP)—Johnny 1 Stompanato’s brother made it 1 clear Friday he is not satisfied 1 the “whole truth” came out when - Lana Turner testified before* an 1 inquest into the hoodlum’s death. • Despite Miss Turner's story and . the jury’s verdict of “justifiable f homicide,” the brother, Carmine , Stompanato, added that he had no hopes of “clearing ’ my brother’s name.” I “I'm at a dead end and I can’t . afford to fight these people,” the I Woodstock barber said- “She (Miss Turner) has got more money, one of the greatest law- . yers in the world, and the <_Lief j of police of Beverly Hills, Calif., working for her.” Stompanato buried his brother here last Wednesday, saying then he did not believe the actress’ 1 14 - year -old daughter, Cheryl • Crane, could have gotten the better of his combat-trained brother—- ■ even with a knife. “All I want is the whole truth, to clear my brother s name, and - Im not getting it,” Stompanato - said Friday. Beverly Hills police promised > him a full investigation into the . Good Friday slaying, he said, but , now it looks like they “made up t their minds right from the start that Johnny deserved to die.” He said * you’ll never convince me” of Miss Turner’s testimony that the former bodyguard tor Mickey Cohen shook her and threatened to mutilate her if she tried to leave him. “She lied right from the beginning that he was chasing her to England and to Mexico. She sent him the money to join her,” Stompanato said. “How the hell can you believe her when she’s on the stand?” Carmine said he would not re--1 veal his own theories as to cirI cumstances surrounding his brothr er’s death. He ruled out the pos- ! sibiiity that Cheryl Crane was in ■ love with Johnny and Miss Turner was jealous, a charge made by - an unidentified man at the in--1 quest. "Johnny liked the girl, but he . was always kind to people,” he said. "I know the girl didn’t even , feel that her mother loved her.” t „ ! ” ~ ~ ■ Historical Society : Will Meet At Berne A history of the Berne school and selected movies of the Berne centennial, which show early city ’ history, will be a part of the program of the Adams county ’ historical society at its next • meeting, Tuesday, April 29, at 8 ’ p. m. at the Berne-French town- ’ ship school, Ernest J. Stengel, vice-president, said today. 1 E. M. Webb, superintendent of 1 the Berne-Frgnch school, will give the history of the sch«.. system. Special music will be provided. All members of the 1 society are urged to attend, and guests are welcome,