Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 56, Number 143, Decatur, Adams County, 18 June 1958 — Page 1

Vol. LVI. No. 143.

KIDNAPED TOT RETURNED — An Ottawa cab driver ended the widespread search for 2*4-year-old Joel Reitman, shown above with his mother Mrs. Cvril Reitman, when the .child was returned safely to his Montreal home. The lad was reported kidnaped last Saturday and a ransom note, demanding SIO,OOO was found. The cab driver said a woman asked him to find a "baby-sitter” for the child and he returned the boy after hearing reports of the kidnaping. A maid in the Reitman home is missing.

Expert States Checks Signed By Red Wilson Handwriting Expert Says Alias Used In Endorsing Checks INDIANAPOLIS (UPD—A handwriting expert testified today that former highway chairman Virgil (Red' Smith endorsed the alias "V. Wilson” to three checks the state claims were part of an Indiana highway scandal bribery plot involving $1,600,000. Lt. Edwin Schroeder of the Indiana State Police, whose identification of handwriting led to the conviction of many nationallyknown forgers, matched Smith’s signature as **V. Wilson” on endorsements of three checks totaling $22,770 with Smith’s signature on other documents previously identified by other state witnesses. Schroeder also matched check endorsements by Elmer (Doc) Sherwood and William Sayer, defendants in the bribery trial, with their signatures on other documents previously identified by state witnesses. Bank President Elmer Laws of Milan, Smith’s hometown, also testified that Smith endorsed the name “Wilson" to the three checks and that the money was “deposited to Red Smith’s bank account.” Checks From Mogilner The state contends the checks were given the three men by salesman Arthur J. Mogilner in a conspiracy to bribe Smith a n d others to give Mogilner contracts with the state. Schroeder’s attorney was aimed at proving' that Smith, Sherwood and Sayer actually cashed the checks Mogilner made out to them or aliases. Witnesses familiar with the signatures of the three men confirmed the authenticity of signatures on voter registration cards, bank papers and official state records. This paved the way for Lt. Edwin Schroeder, an Indiana State Police handwriting expert, to testify that checks made out to and endorsed by “V. Wilson” actually were cashed by Smith, and that checks made out to Sherwood and Sayer actually were cashed by those bribery trial defendants. The new witnesses were put on the stand as supersalesman Arthur J. Mogilner, originally a codefendant with Sayer and Sher(Contln.ued on pa*e five) INDIANA WEATHER Partly cloudy this afternoon and tonight, chance of a few i showers north portion this afternoon or evening and in south portion tonight. Thursday partly cloudy and mild, chance of scattered showers extreme north in afternoon or night. Low tonight 50s north to 60s south. High Thursday 70s north to 80s south. Sunset today 8:15 p. m. Sunrise Thursday 5:17 a. m. Outlook for Friday: Partly cloudy, slightly warmer and more humid with scattered thundershowers. Lows Thursday night 55 to 65. Highs Friday 75 to 85.

DECATUR DAIIY DEMOCRAT ONLY DAILY NBWBPAPKR W ADAMS COUNT?

Warns Possibility Os Polio Epidemic Vaccine Program Explained Tuesday Warning that it is possible to have a polio epidemic tomorrow any place in the United States. C. Dave McKay, representative of Eli Lilly company, described the polio vaccine program at last night’s meeting of the Moose lodge. McKay’s talk keynoted the ; Moose's current program, mass pol dfo vaccination, the first session of i which will be June 26 from 3 to 7 ! p.m. at the Moose home. Salk vac- ■ cine shots will be administered by '■ Dr. William Freeby, county health officer, and special nurses. For all residents of this area, the program • will provide the shots at $1 each. ■Die only way to insure against an epidemic is tohave at least 70 ! per cent of the suspectible people innoculated, McKay stated. Nowhere in the United States has that ' group of people been innoculated with the Salk vaccine. Adams and Allen counties are among those areas in which not 70 per cent of even the most susceptible ones, the kindergarten and first-grade children, are innoculated. There is plenty of vaccine on hand now, McKay stated: the Lilly company alone has on hand 20 mil- ' lion doses to be used by October, i Formerly vaccine was recommend- ■ ed for those under 20 because the ■ most susceptible persons were in ; that age group and there was not enough vaccine on hand. Now. however, he emphasized, everyone under 40 should receive the three ’ •shots, so that the country can be reasonably sure of preventing an ; epidemic. Striking at the apathy that comes over people when there is success in the fight against a disease such as smallpox or polio, McKay pointed out that Italy and England had , mild epidemics in the last few years, while the United States has recently had three cases of smallpox in one of the large cities. Fifty years ago, pharmacist McKay said, the “bug” that causes polio, and how it works, was discovered. Almost everyone has the polio* virus inside him during his life time, perhaps several times, he added. If it stays in the digestive tract and does not enter the blood stream, it causes a mild attack called intestinal polio, which causes discomfort but leaves without any ill effects. However, if it is sent into the blood stream, it travels to a nerve, and proceeds to the spinal cord, where it commits a kind of hari kari, McKay stated. Like the Japanese suicide pilots, the virus does its damage, destroying nerve coating on the spinal cord, and is eventually killed. Just how much damage the virus causes before it is killed determines the amount of paralysis. There is nothing encouraging about the disease at that stage, McKay stated. When the scar is left, the damage is permanent. Exercising the muscles may bring back mobility if the muscle has simply not been used because of pain, and if the myelin on the spinal cord has not been damaged by the germ. There is no preventing the disease if the’germ gets to the spinal cord, he pointed out. All that can be effective after that is treatment (Continued on pare five)

Ike Terms Nagy Execution Shock To Free World Says Soviet Russia Clearly Intends To Pursue Terror Plans WASHINGTON <UPT) — s*rgsident Eisenhower said today that the Soviet execution of former Hungarian Premier Imre Nagy has shocked the conscience of the free world and set back negotiations for a possible summit conference. The President told his news conference that the Soviet Union clearly intends to pursue its own policies of terror and intimidation. He said the Hungarian executions were proof that the free world could place no confidence in the words and actions of Moscow. The execution of Nagy and his fellow freedom fighters in the November, 1956, revolution was, the President said, the most shocking instance of this sort he could think of. He said it jeopardizes chances of any fruitfol discussions with the Russians. The President said Nagy and his compatriots were not guilty of evil but were only seeking to remove their country from Soviet domination. He said their execution violated good faith. This apparently was a reference to the promise of safe conduct given by the Russians when Nagy relinquished his refuge in the Yugoslav embassy in Budapest. On other issues the President said: —He could not predict under what conditions U.S. military forces might be sent into strifetorn Lebanon to help restore order. It would depend, to some extent, on the recommendations of United Nations Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold and the U.N. armistice teams in Lebanon. —The United States, before too long, will hvae rocket engines as powerful as will be needed to launch any missiles and satellites conceivably necessary He does not know the relative position of Russia and the United States in the race to perfect intercontinental ballistic missiles because most of the data on both sides is secret. —A visit to Washington by French Premier Charles de Gaulle might be agreed upon when Secretary of State John Foster Dulles visits Paris early in July. It would depend upon the wishes and convenience of the various mfficials concerned. —He firmly believes that the United States should continue aid to Poland the other Soviet satellites if it sees a good chance that this will help to weaken the ties between these countries and Moscow. Anything the United States can do to wean the satellites away from Moscow would be a great service to the free world. —He believes there is no particular need to create a special department of science to insure American progress in that fielfl. He and other government officials are constantly getting the best (Continued on page five) Fort Wayne Police 'Officers Arrested Seven Involved In Series Os Thefts FORT WAYNE, Ind. (UPD—Police Chief Mitchell Cleveland said today seven of his patrolmen and one former patrolman were involved in burglaries of firms they were supposed to be guarding. Cleveland named Robert A. Hosford, who resigned a year ago and now lives in Arizona, as the eighth man involved in the burglaries. Hosford quit after 5*4 years on the force. Cleveland said a burglary warrant would be issued for his arrest The names of four patrolmen believed to be involved in the ring were released Tuesday and three more Tuesday night. The largest crime was a SI,OOO camera shop burglary. The seven night shift patrolmen had served up to 11 years on the force and none had less than five years tenure. Cleveland said Carl J. Pequignot, 31, made a statement implicating three fellow officers and then involved three others. Authorities arrested his squad car partner, William Bowman, 44, in Springfield, Mo., Monday, while headed for an Arizona vacation. Pequignot implicated Donald G. Schoenher, 31, and Ronald Lapp, 29. They were suspended and questioned. Glenn Kantzer, William Phillips, and William Link were arrested later and Cleveland said all three admitted taking part to thefts.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, June 18,1958

President Eisenhower Defends Adams, Says Relations Imprudent

Senate Passes Labor Reform Bill Tuesday Overwhelming Vote In Senate Cheers Labor Bill Backers By United Press International Speaker Sam Rayburn refused to say today whether the Senatepassed labor reform bill has a chance of clearing the House. Raybum told reporters leaders ■ will try to get the bill, or something like it, passed by the House. But he did not challenge newsmen's predictions that any general labor measure is likely to wind up gathering dust to the House Labor Committee. Other congressional news: C onstr net ion: The House Armed Services Committee approved 32-0 a bill to authorize $1,743,000,000 in military construction. The total was 29 million more than the administration a shod. Hawaii: The House Interior Committee voted to defer action ' on Hawaii statehood until it considers a controversial reclamation ' biU on winch the House has reReorganirstion: Sens. Margaret Chase Smith (R-Maine) and Henry M. Jackson (D-Wash.) said the administration drive to streamline the Defense Department is depriving Congress of information it wants from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The senators complained to Defense Secretary Neil H. McElroy about a move to do away with congressional liaison posts for the separate services and centralize them in the Defense Department. McElroy said the administration intent is to curb inter-service rivalry. Taxes: The Senate tackled a controversial bill to extend a batch of excise taxes. Four Yost Workmen Hurl Near Portland Vehicle Forced Off Road, Hits Culvert Four workmen for the Yost Construction company were injured, one of them seriously, Tuesday morning when their station wagon was forced off the road by another vehicle and hit a culvert near Portland. The injured included William Brown, 26, route four, Decatur, who had a chip fracture of the right ankle and was admitted to the Jay county hospital; Otto Baker, 45, route three, Decatur, driver of the vehicle, knee lacerations; Vernon Krugh, 38, route four, Decatur, multiple body bruises; and Billy E. Reinhart, 26, Preble, a sprained right ankle and lacerated nose. I Baker told George Scott, the Jay county sheriff, that his vehicle was forced off a county gravel road three miles south and one mile east of Portland. The auto, which is owned by the construction company, hit a culvert head-on and was demolished. Loss was estimated at SSOO. The men all were enroute to the site of the new Boundary Pike bridge, which the construction company is building for the county. All four of the men were taken to the Jay county hospital for examinations. Three of the men were released following treatment, and Brown's condition is listed as satisfactory. ' Professor Emeritus Os I.U. Dies Tuesday INTERLAKEN, N. Y. (UPD— Dr. John A. MacDonald, 81, professor emeritus of clinical medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine, died to his home here Tuesday. He was a former Indianapolis physician and once headed the Marion County (Ind.) Medical Society.

City Council Meets Here Tuesday Night Regular Meeting Is Held By Coucilmen Usual city business, including oral and written petitions, line extensions, reading of bills, and reports from tße committees, accused the Decatur city council Tuesday night. Attorney Lewis Lutz Smith appeared for Mr. and Mrs. Clark W. Smith, Oscar Lankenau, and Mr. and Mrs. Noah Steury to file an abstract of a subdivision of seven acres, with 14 half-acre lots, with the council. The plat was referred to the city planning commission. The seven acres lies between the Oak Ridge addition, the city limits, and highway 224 west of Decatur. Clark Mayclto and Deane Dorwin appeared to discuss the possibility of action on diverting the flow of storm water from the sewer in section A of the Stratton Place addition. After a heavy rain Friday, the sewer backed up into many of the basements. The matter was referred to the street and sewer department and city engineer to join with Dorwin and Mayclin in a survey of the problem. Peter Koenig appeared to complain about three chuck holes in 13th street where Elm street ends. A-The holes were around closeout [valves of the water department. The matter was referred to that department for action. Koenig also stated that he had read that it was illegal to burn garbage in an open container in Decatur, and that he wished to report a person who had been doing it for five years. He was referred to the city health department, and (UontinuM on Page Six) Scattered Rain In County Last Night Heaviest Rains In Southern Portion Cloudy skies and occasional drizzle which brought scattered, but heavy, showers to Adams county last night, cleared this morning, leaving an approximate average of .61 inches of rain. Heavy overnight, rainfalls of 1.5 and one inches were recorded in Wabash township to Geneva by Jack Hurst and on the Jacob Sommer farm. Here and in Hartford township, where the Ivan Huser rain gauge recorded .5 inches this morning, the Wabash river had been receding very slowly. The extra rainfall appeared to have little other effect upon the flooded rivers and ditches to the area, except to leave more rain to be carried off fields still flooded from last week’s downpours, which sent heavy flood crests rolling info southern Indiana. In Decatur, the St. Mary’s river stood at 13.82 feet this morning, almost below flood stage; the night’s rainfall of .38 inch, measured by Lewis Landrum, was not likely to affe,ct this much, according to the government weather observer. Elsewhere to the county, measurements showed that the heavier rainfall was scattered, as lows of less than one tenth fell at the Mrs. Bonnie Zimmerman farm, .2 in French township, on the Harold Moser farm( and .3 on the Nimrod McCullough farm in St. Mary's township. The rest of the Adams county picture looked like this this morning: in Preble, township, .8 inch fell at the Arthur Koeneman farm. Cecil Harvey reported an additional .60- inch rainfall, to make the total June precipitation on his Root township farm stand at 8.4 inches. In Union township, Erwin Fuelling recorded the second highest rainfal to the county, 1.2 inches. Capping off the weather ' nicture, half-inch rainfalls were recorded at these four farms: *the Ben Mazelin farm in Monroe township, the Austin Merriman farm in Blue Creek township, the Ivan Huser farm in Hartford township, and the Harley Reef farm to Jefferson township.

Thousands Os More Indiana Acres Flooded Turbulent Wabash Continues On Spree Os Levee-Bursting By United Press International Thousands of additional acres of Indiana farm land were flooded today as the turbulent Wabash River continued a ievee-bursting spree through Knox County near Vincennes. Meanwhile, the flood situation— Indiana’s worst in years—eased all over the North Central area where crises were frequent last ; week, despite showers Tuesday which followed three rainless days. Fort Wayne got nearly an inch of rain, but most of the areas hard hit by overflows of the Wabash and its tributaries last week got little or none. Anxieties spread to the Vincennes area as the Wabash crest rolled downstream. A levee broke late Tuesday night near Oaktown, and muddy water spread over an estimated 10,000 acres of farmland, forcing 35 families to evacuate their homes. Crest At Vincennes The crest was due at Vincennes today. Barring levee breaks, the city was safe behind a flood wall. In 10 days of floods and windstorms, at least, 500 persons have been driven from their Indiana homes, more than 800,000 acres of cropland has been inundated and most of the crops ruined, and a toll of more than 20 weather-con-nected deaths has been chalked up. Rep. Cecil Harden R-Ind.) telegraphed constituents from Washington that the Agriculture Department’s disaster committee was expected to decide today whether to jnake Indiana, or parts of it, a flood disaster area permitting farmery to get land renovation grants or emergency loans. Governor asked Secretary Ezra Benson Tuesday for such a designajjpn for the entire state after f$W experts reported more than a million acres of cropland either was ruined for 1958 crops or expected to be flooded before the week is over. A few scattered showers were forecast for the state tonight, Thursday and Friday. But there were no indications of heavy rain. Few Showers Fall Besides Fort Wayne’s rain, South Bend got a shower and Indianapolis and Lafayette traces of (Continued on page five) Mrs. Charles Jones Is Taken By Death Funeral Services Friday Afternoon Mrs. Ethel Siler Jones, 75, wife of Charles J. Jones of Berne route 1, and a member of the Adams county council, died at noon Tuesday at the Adams county memorial hospital, after an illness of five months of carcinoma. She was a native of Mercer county, 0., but had resided in Adams county for 56 years. Mr. and Mrs. Jones celebrated their golden wedding ahniversary in 1950. Surviving in addition to her husband are two sons, Orval C. and Benjamin J. Jones, both of near Berne; two daughters, Mrs. Wheeler Brooks of near Berne, and Mrs. Lowell Sprunger of Berne; 18 grandchildren; 17 greatgrandchildren; one brother and a half-brother. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p. m. Friday at the Spring Hill Methodist church northeast of Berne, the Rev. Leslie Jordan and the Rev. Riley Case officiating. Burial will be in the MRE cemetery. Friends may call at the Yager funeral home in Berne after 7 o’clock this evening until time of the services.

At Least 16 Killed , In Bridge Collapse | Skin Divers Search Wreckage Os Bridge VANCOUVER, B. C. (UPD—Skin divers today searched among the twisted wreckage of a partially completed 16-million-dollar bridge that collapsed Tuesday carrying at least 16 men to their deaths. The bodies of the 15th and 16fli victims were recovered early this morning after an all night search. Skin divers continued . their search below the serface for at least two other workers still unaccounted for. Twenty survivors of the tragedy were hospitalized but none was reported critically injured. One of the survivors said he believed the weight of a 180-ton mobile crane that was perched near the end of one of the sections was too heavy for the temporary pier to support. The huge crane was driven < close to the end of a new section 1 a few minutes before the thundering collapse. The crane topped into Burrard inlet as the section 1 fell. i ‘The force of. the first section giving way bent a cement pilon ' by about 10 degrees which dislodged the second section. Damage was estimated at three million dollars and engineers said the collapse would diflay completion of the bridge by about six months. A full investigation into the disaster got underway today. Moments after the collapse, hundreds of small boats rushed to the scene to pickup survivors and bodies. One boat picked up five bodies which were swept several hundred feet away by a swift current. Other boats conducted an all- night search along the shore from bodies washed up on the beaches. Files Petition To Appraise Utility Petition Is Filed By Town Os Monroe The town of Monroe has filed a Detition in Adams circuit court for the court to appoint three disinterested freeholders to appraise the utility property of Monroe. This was the next step the town of Monroe must take in selling the power facilities to IndianaMichigan. Judge Myles F. Parrish will now appoint three men to make the appraisement, and these men must give the report to the board of trustees of Monroe, within 15 days of their* apnointment. The Monroe town board adopted a resolution last Friday evening to sell the town’s power distributing facilities to Indiana-Michigan. This decision followed fc a straw vote of Monroe residents, which is reported to have favored selling, 173 to 9. Indiana-Michigan has offered $56,000 to Monroe for the system, and to give the town free street lighting until 1960. A copy of the resolution will be orinted in two newspapers, stating if 100 taxpayers of the town file a petition within 30 days, a legal such a petition is not filed, the referendum may be required. If uublic service commission will review the sale and rule on it. If the sale ‘ is made, IndianaMichigan will continue to buy oower from the city of Decatur until July 1, 1959. This is necessary because Monroe’s contract with Decatur is a yearly one, and dates from July 1 of one year, to July 1 of the next, and 30 days notice must be given to terminate the contract. Veteran Richmond Physician Is Dead RICHMOND, Ind. (UPDServices will be Thursday for Dr. Charles S. Bond, a retired physician who practiced for 58 years in his native Wayne County and died Monday night eight days after observing his 102nd birthday.

Six Cento

Admits Lack Os Prudence In Incident Declares No Doubt Os Sincerity And Integrity Os Aide WASHINGTON (UPD — State Republican leaders discussed the Sherman Adams case today and some of them said U has “hurt” the party. WASHINGTON (UPD— The White House said today that Sherman Adams did not violate Federal Trade-Commis-sion rules when he passed FTC information on to Bernard Goldfine. WASHINGTON (UPD — President Eisenhower agreed today that Sherman Adams had been “imprudent” in his relations with Boston industrialist Bernard Goldfine. But he said he needs Adams as his assistant. The President opened his news conference with a prepared statement in which he said: “Admitting the lack of that careful prudence in this incident that Governor Adams yesterday referred to, I believe with my - whole heart that he is an invaluable public servant, doing a difficult job efficiently, honestly and tirelessly.” This, the President said, was “all that I can, all that I shall say” about Adams. Voice Is Stern He brushed aside a query whether he would respond to some Republican demands to fire his chief White House aide. In response to that question, the President said he considered his prepared statement what was demanded and needed and expected of him. Eisenhower’s face was flushed and his tone was stern as he read the statement at a rapid pace. He said he had dictated it because he wanted it to be taken down exactly as he intended. Reading from 5 by 7-inch cards on which it was typed in large letters, Eisenhower led off by saying: “The intense publicity lately surrounding the name of Sherman Adams makes it desirable, even necessary, that I start this conference with an expression of my own views about the matter.” Couldn't Be Bought He told, the 257 newsmen that "anyone who knows Sherman Adams has never had any doubt of his personal integrity and honesty." “No one has believed that he could be bought,” the President said. But Eisenhower said “There is a feeling or belief that he was not sufficiently alert in making certain that the gifts, of which he was the recipient, could be misinterpreted as to be considered as attempts to influence his official actions.” ' "To that extent he has been, as he stated yesterday, imprudent,” Eisenhower declared. Adams testified Tuesday before a House influence - investigating subcommitete that Goldfine gave him vicuna cloth for a coat; loaned him a rug for his rented Washington home and paid bills at hotels in New Hork, Boston and Plymouth, Mass. Adams denied that he exerted any influence on Goldfine’s behalf before government agencies but acknowledged that if he had to do it over again he might have acted “more prudently.” The President said today that “The utmost prudence must necessarily be observed by everyone attached to the White House because of the possible effect of any slightest inquiry, suggestion or observation emanating from this office and reaching any other part of the government” “Carelessness must be avoided,” he added. “I Need BUn” Eisenhower then said that his "own conclusions on the entire episode” were that: “1. I believe that the presentaiCoottouea <m rtx) .