Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 56, Number 295, Decatur, Adams County, 16 December 1958 — Page 1

DECATUR DAIIY DEMOCRAT J ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY ______

Vol. LVI. No* 295.

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May Seek Ban On Union Funds For Campaigns Ike Administration May Seek Further Fund Restrictions MAT SEEK BAN WASHINGTON (UPD—The administration is considering asking Congress to impose further restrictions on the extent to which labor unions can spend their members’ dues to influence the outcome of presidential and congress ional elections, it was learned today. Informants said Labor Secretary James P. Mitchell discussed the idea with Republican congressional leaders at the White House Monday. They said Mitchell is leaders at the White House Monday. They said Mitchell is trying to draft legislation aimed at limiting the extent to which labor unions can spend funds for political purposes under the guise of education. Mitchell secretly advanced his proposal in the wake of recent public complaints from many Republicans that labor leaders played a key,role in the sweeping Democratic victory in the Nov. 4 congressional elections. These Republicans. have accused labor leaders of using union funds and union-paid manpower to promote political causes and election campaigns to which many of their rank-and-file members do not subscribe. These Republicans would like the administration to focus public attention on this issue by recommending some restrictive legislation, even though they admit it would have almost no chance for enactment in the new Congress. Driver Killed When Truck Crashes Tree DELPHI, Ind. (UPD — William E. Pruitt, 42, Fowler, was killed early today when his truck failed to round a curve on Ind. 25 two miles east of here, skidded down an embankment and struck a tree. INDIANA WEATHER Mostly cloudy north, partly cloudy south and warmer this afternoon. Partly cloudy and not so cold tonight with chance of a few snow flurries in the extreme north. Low tonight 15 to 23. Sunset 5:22 p.m. Sunrise Wednesday 8:00 a.m. Partly cloudy with chance of snow flurries near Lake Michigan Wednesday. High Wednesday in the 20s north to the 30s south. Low Wednesday night near 20 north. mld-20s south. Outlook for Thursday — Partly cloudy south, cloudy north with occasional know flurries near Lake ■ Michigan, not much temperature change. High around 30 north, to near 40 south.

Jurors Chosen In Valdez Murder Case Charged In Murder Near Chattanooga Jury members were chosen Monday in the common pleas court in Celina, Ohio, for the trial of second degree murder filed against Gregory Prados Valdez, 36, who is charged with the murder of Jesse Gomez, a transient tomato worker, last August. The Mercer -county sheriff’s department was contacted today. Officers reported that members were chosen Monday morning, and that the jury members were taken to the site of the killing near Chattanooga, Ohio, during the afternoon. Deputy sheriff Scott was the first witness called to the stand. Scott was the deputy who found the murder weapon a few miles from the fatal shooting a few days after the murder occurred. Lupe Callejos, 24, who was reported to have helped Valdez make good his escape from the scene of the fatal shooting, is also to be tried for murder in the Celina court. The shooting was said to have occurred when arguments broke out concerning the distribution of a pay check between Gomez and Callejos, who had previously worked together near Berne. The son of the plant manager notified Mercer county authorities that a fight had broken out, and when sheriff Bruce Barber arrived, he found Gomez dead, and Callejos gone. Gomez had been hit with two bullets from a .45 automatic. Gomez died about ten minutes after the shooting, according to Celina authorities. Continued on pas® flv® A Children Guests Os Decatur Lions Annual Christmas Party Held Monday Hundreds of Decatur children, guests of the Decatur Lions, enjoyed the annual- Christmas party at the Zion Lutheran parish hall Monday night. William Troxell, ventriloquist, and his little friend Danny O’Grady, entertained the group after dinner with songs and jokes. Troxell was introduced by Dr. J. E. Morris, entertainment chairman. Mike Stonestreet, tiny entertainer, son Os Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stonestreet, and grandson of W. M. Bumgerdner, then sang "Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," and "Little Sandy Sleighfoot.” Afterwards Santa Claus himself appeared and handed out gifts to each child, the boys’ from one box, and the girls' presents from another. Herman Krueckeberg, program co-chairman for the evening, announced that a good collection had been made for the Good Fellows club.

See Temporary Relief From Severe Cold Warming Trend Out Os Plains Promises A Temporary Break United Press International A warming trend surging out of the plains today promised at least a temporary break in a record December cold wave gripping the East. The warmer weather, boosting readings an average of 10 to 15 degrees in its path, was expected to reach into the East today, although it may arrive too late to prevent damage to northern Florida’s citrus and vegetable crops. Overnight read in g a again plunged to near or below zero in the Great Lakes region and the Northeast, with below freezing weather ranging southward through the Ohio Valley into the Gulf Coast states. Atlanta, Ga., had an early morning reading of 25 degrees, while Kansas City in the warmer belt recorded a 27-degree temperature at the same time. Snow flurries swirled across the Great Lakes region during the night and into parts of the Ohio Valley and New England, with the heaviest snow falling in western New York. - Drifts Slow Thruway The weather bureau at Buffalo, N. Hv,' warned of a 5-to-10-inch snow accumulation in the area with poor visibility due to blowing and drifting snow. Speed limits were cut from 60 to 35 miles an hour on the New York Thruway south of Buffalo to the Pennsylvania border and in the Niagara and Tonawanda sections. In the northern Great Lakes, where readings again skidded below the zero mark, Coast Guard ice breakers cleared a path for freighters to return to their winter berths before the Soo Locks closed at midnight, officially ending the 1958 shipping season. The stragglers were routed through the St. Mary’s River into the lower lakes. In Chicago, which is heading for its coldest December on record, the weather bureau warned the warming trend was expected to be short-lived. A 30-day outlook from the U.S. Weather Bureau’s office in Chicago predicted more below normal temperatures for the eastern half of the nation. Record Temperatures Set Readings Monday hit December record lows of 15 above at Jackson, Miss., 9 at Nashville, Tenn., and 18 at Birmingham, Ala. The Maryvale school at Mobile, Ala., sent students home when the fur- ; nace broke down in 26-degree weather. At North Merrick, N.Y., the body of a 5-year-old boy who ran away from home Saturday after a scolding was found Monday under snow and shrubs. The boy, ’ Thomas Donohue, apparently froze to death. Weathermen said the cold wave set records in parts of the Midwest for duration and intensity. The Indianapolis Weather Bureau said “this has been the coldest •first two weeks of December on Continued On pare five Stale Taverns To Operate On CST Victory To Taverns In Fast Time Areas INDIANAPOLIS (UPD — The Indiana Supreme Court ruled today that state liquor outlets must operate on year around Central Standard Time as provided by the Alcoholic Beverage Act of 1945. The 4-1 split decision was a victory for tavern owners in fast time areas who sought to remain open until 1 a.m. CDT during the seven months the state is on “slow” time. The high court’s opinion affirmed a Marion Superior Court judgment against state and Indianapolis officials in a suit originally brought by Laßue’s Inc., Brodey’s Village Inn and several other Indianapolis taverns. A 1957 law established five summer months of “fast” time and seven months of "slow” time. Officials sought to force taverns to close at midnight, regardless of the time in effect. But Marion Superior Court dissolved a restraining order in favor of the tavern owners and entered a declaratory judgment against the State,of Indiana, the Alcoholic Beverage Commission and its officers, Marion County Sheriff Robert O’Neal and Prosecutor John Tinder, Indianapolis Continued on pax® fiva

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, December 16,1958.

North Atlantic Allies ■I ... ' Affirm Determination To Stay On In Berlin

GOP Senators In Hol Fight On Leadership Rebellious Liberal Faction Seeking To Seize Leadership WASHINGTON (UPD-The Senate’s 34 Republican members are choosing sides for the hottest leadership fight the Grand Old Party has seen since the 1952 National Convention. Members of a rebellious liberal faction claimed they needed only four votes to insure success for their revolt and grab off the top leadership posts held by conservatives next month. They said they would spend the next two weeks trying to line up more supporters and putting together a slate of candidates. They were reluctant to mention names at this point but Sens. George D. Aiken (R-Vt.) and Thomas H. Kuchel (R-Calif.) figured in speculation. They mapped their strategy at a rump caucus Monday attended by 10 senators while present GOP leaders sat in on a legislative conference at the White House. Had Backed Taft Some of the White House group —notably Sens. Styles Bridges (IL N. and Everett M. Dirksen (R-Ill.) — backed the late Sen. Robert A. Taft (R-Ohio) against President Eisenhower for the presidential nomination six years ago. But the insurgent band which met in Aiken’s office included some of the staunchest supporters of the President’s legislative program. Bridges, chairman of the Senate Policy Committee, said afterwards that he regarded Dirksen as the logical man to succeed to the Senate GOP leadership vacated by Sen. William F. Knowland (Calif ). He said he personally would like to continue as policy chairman. Bridges said he still favors working out a compromise on the' dispute. “I certainly don’t want to start a new session with a battle Continued on page five James Wilson Dies Monday Afternoon Blue Creek Farmer Is Taken By Death James M. Wilson, 61-year-old farmer of Blue Creek township, one mile south and one mile east of Salem, died at 3:45 o’clock Monday afternoon at the Adams county memorial hospital. He had been ill since last March. He- was born on Henry county, O. July 9, 1897, a son of James A. and Eliabeth Gessner-Wilson, and was married to Florence Reynolds Aug. 9, 1917. They lived in Napoleon, 0., until moving to Adams county in 1936. Mr. Wilson was a member of the Zion Lutheran church at Chattanooga, O. Surviving in addition to his wife are three daughters, Mrs. Leo (Virginia Ulman of Decatur, Mrs. William (Marvel) Stader of Medway, 0., and Mrs. Robert (Imogene) Hahnert of Indianapolis; one son, James L. Wilson of near Salem; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren, and one brother, Frederick Wilson of Montpelier, O. Two sisters and one brother preceded him in death. Funeral services will, be conducted at 2 p. m. Thursday at the Zion Lutheran church at Chattanooga, the Rev. Waldo Byer officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call at the Zwlck funeral home after 7 o’clock this evening. The body will lie in state at the church from 1 p. m. Thursday until time of the services.

Delayed Fire Alarm Boosted Death Toll Fire Commissioner Speaks At Inquest CHICAGO (UPD — Sgt. Drew Brown of the fire department* arson squad said today a boy survivor of the fire at Our Lady of the Angels school said he saw two boys smoking in the stairwell of the building, and lighting matches there. Brown testified at the inquest into the deaths of 92 persons in the fire. Monday, the “blue ribbon’*- jury, actively participating in the questioning of witnesses, heard Chicago Fire Commissioner Robert Quinn say that a delayed alarm contributed “definitely” to the toll of dead, and that the first telephoned alarm on the Dec. 1 fire gave the wrbng address. Lt. James Kehoe of the police department arson squad is “working on the information” given Brown’s group by the youth, Brown testified. He said the boy "definitely states” he saw the two smokers. But Brown cautioned: "We don’t know yet if it was arson, although the balance of the evidence must indicate it was accidental.” Bay Alarm Delayed Police and fire department arson squads together have intervfowed almost 1,300 youngsters, and taken statements from almost 700, in their efforts to run down the cause of the fire, he said. In summary, Brown said: “We have found out there definitely was smoking in the stairwell. There definitely was combustible matter in the stairwell. There definitely was some delay in sounding the alarm.” Quinn supported previous testi(Continued on pas® el g-tit) Accident Victims Reported Improved One Os Victims Is Removed To Celina The Adams county memorial hospital reported today that the persons injured in the one-car accident that, occurred early Sunday morning near the south city limits, and took the life of a Wells county girl, are reported in ‘good’ condition after spending a restful night. Mrs. Connie McFarren, 17, Petroleum, who is suffering from a broken left collar bone, and slight back pain, was reported to have spent a restful night and is reported in "good" condition. A companion in the accident, John J. Roberts, 18. Celina, 0.. was released from the Adams county memorial hospital this forenoon. It was not known whether he was released to his home, or if he was transferred to a hospital in Mercer county. A third companion, the driver, Robert Jacobs, 19, Celina, was transferred to the Veterans hospital in Fort Wayne Sunday afternoon when hospital personnel discovered that Jacobs was suffering from a pelvic injury. V All three persons were injured in the accident that took the life of Martha Mitchell, 19, of near Bluffton, Sunday morning at 1:40 a. m. 270 feet from the city limits near the old Country club. Girl Scouts, Brownies Go Caroling Saturday All Girl Scouts and Brownies who plan to go caroling with the combined troops, are asked to meet Saturday at 12:30 o’clock on the court house steps. Carols will be sung from this location, after which the girls will journey to the county home and the Adams county memorial hospital to present their Christmas message in music. Following the singing, the girls, leaders, and drivers are invited to the Girl Scout room at the Community Center where they will be served refreshments.

Soviet Party Bosses Meet In Moscow Speculation Over Possible Ouster Os Bulganin In Ranks MOSCOW (UPD—The Communist Party’s Central Committee met today amid Western speculation it was about to oust former Premier Nikolai Bulgarian from party ranks. Last spring Bulganin was fired as premier and was succeeded by Nikita Khrushchev who is also the Communist Party leader. Bulganin has already been removed from the Presidium, or governing body, of the Central Committee. Since then, he has been linked with the “anti-party group” of former Premiers Georgi Malenkov and Vyacheslav M. Molotov, former, Deputy Premier Lazar Kaganovich and Dmitri Shepilov, former foreign minister. Observers noted that there has been no official announcement that any of the anti-party group had been expelled from the party itself. The Central Committee meeting started Monday. It was highlighted by a bitter blast by Khrushchev at Bulganin and the other anti-party members whom he called “a despicable group of Wretched splitters.” Krushchev blamed the group for attempting to sidetrack agricultural policy and opposing the interests of the people. Court House Closes Al Noon Dec. 31 Commissioners In Regular Session The Adams county court house will close at 12 noon December 31, the county commissioners announced at their regular meeting Monday with the Adams county auditor, Edward F. Jaberg. Other important business metters discussed included: the allowing of the highway claims; approval from the state of the completion of federal aid projects in Root, French and Blue Creek townships during the summer; and the announcement that county claims for the month of November will be paid December 22. The commissioners entered a verbal agreement with Walter H. Gilliom by retaining him as a consultant highway engineer in connection with federal aid highway construction and other road and ditch matters at the rate of S3OO per month to begin January 1, 1959. William Hendricks discussed a ditch problem in Monroe and Washington townships with the commissioners. The matter was referred to the county surveyor, Herman Moellering. The next meeting of the county commissioners wHI be held next Monday with the auditor to allow all claims and payrolls. Free Movie Saturday Here For Children The children of Decatur and the surrounding community are invited to a free movte to be given at the Adams theater Saturday morning at 10 o’clock as. guests of the retail division of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, Louis Jacobs, president, said today. Roy Kalver, a member of the chamber’s Christmas promotion committee, has arranged a special program to consist of an hour of cartoons. Candy treats will be distributed at the affair and again this year will be donated by Fred and Richard McConnell, local wholesalers, who are Chamber members. A reminder that retail stores are open each evening until 9 o’clock for the convenience of the Christmas shoppers, was also issued by Jacobs.

Warming Trend In Indiana Cold Wave December Sub-Zero Cold Wave Is Broken United Press International A week-long spell of the worst sub-zero December cold wave in Indiana history was broken today, but below-freezing temperatures continued in all but the extreme southern portion. For the first time in eight days the mercury failed to skid to zero or below. Lowest overnight temperatures reported to the Indianapolis Weather Bureau were 4 above at Lafayette and Goshen. Fort Wayne had a low of 6, Indianapolis 8, South Bend 11, Evansville 17. The lowest official reading in the blistering cold wave was 19 below zero at Wabash last week. Weather officials said the first 15 days of this month “comprise the coldest first half of December on record at Indianapolis since 1871, averaging about 15.5 degrees below normal.” “The moderating trend beginning today will conclude a string of 10 consecutive days in which the mean temperature did not exceed 16 degrees or the maximum 25 degrees at Indianapolis, with the lowest mean occurring Dec. 9—2 above zero,” the report stated. Today’s high, was expected to climb to the low 30b in the southern. portion, and to near 40 Wednesday. Elsewhere in the state, afternoon highs in the low and upper 20s were predicted, Evansville reported a maximum of 26 Monday, apparently the highest in the state. A few snow flurries were expected upstate today. South Bend still had 8 inches of snow on the ground this morning, Goshen 6, Fort Wayne 3. Indications were that the warming trend would continue at least through Thursday. Meanwhile, a rash of fires continued. One blaze leveled three stores on the town square of Hope, near Columbus. A fire captain was killed while battling a blaze in Michigan City. Samuel D. Johnson Is Taken By Death Funeral Wednesday For Decatur Native Samuel D. Johnson, 72, of Rome City, a native of Decatur and veteran railroader, died Sunday afternoon at the Veterans hospital in Fort Wayne, where he had been a patient three months. Mr. Johnson, last telegraph operator and station agent for the G. R. & I. division of the Pennsylvania railroad at Rome City before the station was closed, retired from the railroad in 1951. He also served as postmaster at Rome City from 1931 to 1935. He was a member of the Rome City Masonic lodge, of which he was a past master, and the American Legion post in Wolcottville. He served 16 months in France in the Army signal corps during World War I. Surviving are his wife, the former Edna Engle, to whom he was married Dec. 19, 1908; three sons, Kenneth of Fort Wayne, Hiram of Texas City, Tex., and Leo Richard Johnson of Anaheim, Calif.; two daughters, Mrs. Howard C. Reick of Kendallville, and Mrs. William Hensch of Houston, Tex.; a sister, Mrs. Eliza Hahnert of Monroe; a brother, Cyrus Johnson of Morgentown, W. Va„ and 11 grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. Wednesday in the Williams funeral home at Wolcottville, the Rev. Ralph Davison officiating. Burial will be in Orange cemetery, with military rites by the American Legion. The Masonic lodge will hold twilight services at 8 o’clock this evening.

Reject Soviet Ultimatum On Quitting City Remain tn Berlin Despite Threats Os Soviet Union PARIS (UPI) — The North Atlantic Allies reaffirmed solemnly today the free West’s determination to remain in Berlin regardless of Soviet threats. At the same time, they rejected Russia’s one-sided repudiation of international agreements on the isolated city. However, they kept the door open for East-West negotiations on Germany as a whole, though not on Berlin alone. They did so in a brief joint declaration pledging the entire 15nation NATO alliance to support Berlin and reject the Soviet ultimatum to the West to get out. The declaration was drafted by a six-nation group consisting of the United States, Britain, France. West Germany, Italy and Canada. Won’t Bisk War Agreement on the broad outlines of the declaration was reached by the NATO council this morning after U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles told the 15-nation group that the Soviets would not risk war over Berlin. Addressing the NATO council's opening session, Dulles was quoted as saying in essence "I am quite certain the Soviet Union will not risk war over Berlin. Therefore, we can proceed with confidence.” Although the declaration indicated the West’s willingness to negotiate on Germany with the Soviets, it did not set any date for the talks or propose whether they would be in the form of a summit meeting, a foreign ministers’ gettogether or simple diplomatic talks. Authoritative sources said the NATO statement set out the broad outlines of the reply the West plans to send to Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev’s note of Noy. 27 calling-on the Western Allies to get out of Berlin. Say AU Agree The Western powers will begin at once drafting their reply to Khrushchev with active aid of the West German government, the sources said. It was expected to be dispatched to Moscow between Christmas and the new year. Before beginning the 2% hour closed session, the Council heard a “tough, hard-hitting” speech by its president, Dutch Foreign Minister J.M.A.H. Luns. Conference sources, said Luna told the council that Western abandonment of Berlin would amount to “abdication by the free world.” Delegates leaving the secret meeting said there was "complete unanimity” on the decision that the West should reject Russia’s demand for the conversion of Communist-encircled West Berlin into an undefended “free city.” They said the United States, Britain, France, West Germany, Canada and Italy were appointed to a committee which will draw up the formal declaration on Berlin. Earlier today, authoritative diplomatic sources said the pact, despite its unanimity on the questions of Germany and Berlin, has developed “alarming rifts” .on Continued on page five

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