Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 56, Number 303, Decatur, Adams County, 26 December 1958 — Page 1

Vol. LVI. No. 303.

- - FIRE RAZES TWO IOWA STRUCTURES—Fire officials investigate the still-smoldering ruins for a cause of the first which destroyed the Modernistic and the adjacent Scottish Rite buildings in downtown Clinton, lowa on Christmas Eve. An unofficial estimate places the damage at $2,500,000..

Rash Os Fires Kills At Least 56 In Nation Christmas Holiday Fires Over Nation Kill At Least 47 United Press International At least 56 persons lost their lives in Christmas holiday fires across the nation. Pennsylvania reported the greatest number of fire dead—lo, including seven children, ranging in age from a few months to 6 years. At Braddock, Pa., near Pittsburgh, three children died and four other members of the family were injured when--fire roared through their home early today Grace Fletche, 4, and a brother. Eddie, 6. suffocated. Jerry, 2 months, burned to death in his Another blaze in a home at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., killed Deborah Degnan, 3, and her brothers, Donald, 2, and Edward, 1. Paul Win- . gert, 3 died in a home fire at St. Petersburg Pa. Wealthy Family Perishes At Richmond, Va., fire swept a $150,000 Georgian home in that city’s fashionable Windsor Farms section, killing a millionaire businessman, his wife, and three of their four children. The victims were Horace A. Gray Jr., 54, owner of the Virginia Folding Box Co., his wife, Catherine, a daughter, Susan, 19, and two sons, Thomas, 17, -and Foster 13. * A fire which levelled a farm home near Auburn Wash., south of Seattle, 'killed nine members ot one family Friday. The sheriffs office said the dead were Mrs. Lavonne Hollenbeck, 38, and eight of her 11 children. The father, a daughter, Wanda, 7, and the children’s grandmother were injured. Cause of the fire was not determined. Flames believed to have started in an overstuffed chair swept an old frame house converted into apartments at Northampton, Mass., killing three persons and burning two others critlcaly. Ten occupants were saved when one of them smelled smoke and roused the others. A medical examiner identified the dead as Mrs. Elizabeth Latham, 63, Roman Karza, 45, and Edmund Kropiewski. Two persons died in fires in Michigan and one perished in Indiana. Steam Funntace Explodes At Detroit, Edward Bowman, 27, woke up early Thursday to put Christmas gifts under the tree and stoke the furnace. Pressure in the steam type furnace caused a violent explosion. Bowman was killed, and two of his six children were taken to hospitals in serious condition with burns. In New York, two airline hostesses, Janet Siegel, 22, of Arlington Heights, DI., and Nancy Curley, 23, Louisville, Ky. raced into a blazing apartment building Thursday night to rescue panic stricken Mrs. Mary Stalker 78. But flames prevented them from reaching Ann Brennan, 45, who died in the fire. Continued to page 5 INDIANA WEATHER * Partly cloudy to cloudy tonight and Saturday. Chance of rain south portion Saturday, possibly beginning southwest portion tonight. Warmer tonight. Sunset 5:27 p. m. Low tonight 28 to 35. Sunrise Saturday 8:04 a. m. High Saturday. mostly in the 40s, low Saturday night 28 to 36. Outlook for Sunday: Partly cloudy and mild., high 40 to 50.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY ■'

March Os Dimes To Be Held In January Foundation Launches Three-Fold Program The National Foundation, which in January conducts its 1959 "March of Dimes,” has embarked on a three-fold program to aid stricken children suffering from polio, arthritis and birth defects, all three crippling diseases. The Adams county chapter of the Foundation, recently reorganized under the chairmanship of Mrs. Roy Kalver, has announced its new board of directors which will direct the affairs of the health group. They are M. J. Pryor, vicechairman; Herman Krueckberg, treasurer; Mrs. Jerome Keller, secretary, and Mrs. Fred Corah, Richard Linn, Mrs. Robert Lane, Mrs. Leo Curtin Mrs. Chalmer Deßolt, David Macklin, Louis Jacobs, Dr. William Freeby, Mrs. Robert Worthman, George Auer, Donald Stafford, Robert Chappius, Thomas Allwein, Lyle Mallonee, Mrs. Robert Holthouse, Mrs. Joan Keller, all of Decatur. From Berne are M. Habegger, Mrs. Sherman Stucky, Claren Neuenschwander; from Geneva, Mrs. Dale Biery, and from Monroe, Gene Hike. Mrs. Leo Curtin has been appointed county drive chairman and will conduct the campaign outside the city of Decatur. George Auer is the Decatur drive chairman and will be assisted by Mrs. Robert Lane, in charge of the “Mother’s March." Gerhard Schultz, in charge of the bowling sweepstakes the teen age council, directed by Richard Linn, special sports events, directed by Hugh J. Andrews and Sister Almeta, Mrs. Robert Worthman will be in charge of school coin cards. In Berne, Clareu Neuenschwander will be in charge of school coin cards. The March of Dimes will need $65,000,000 to launch its all-out attack on “the three faces of crippling”—arthritis, birth defects, polio. Despite the decline in reported polio since 1955, more people were paralyzed in 1958 than in 1957, due to the fact that severe epidemics occurred in areas where many children had not received the three Salks shots. As for arthritis, 30,000 patients a year are children Research will be started that will eventually help all who suffer the pain and distortion of this disease. The Foundation wants to help victims of congenital malformations, which are called birth defects. More than a quarter of a million such infants are born each year, or one out of every 16 births. Next year 8,000 children with certain defects of the spinal and skull caused by diorders of the central nervous system will be helped. Continued on page five Four Babies Born At Local Hospital On Christmas Day Two boys and two girls will have the honor of sharing Christ’s birthday each year. Four babies were born Christmas day at the Adams county memorial hospital, according to officials there. The first baby born, a boy, is the son of Leroy and Barbara Haugk Bulmahn of route 2 and was born at 2:12 a.m. At 8:54 a.m., Ralph and Lena Mae Ramsey Scott of Woodburn became parents of a seven pound, five ounce girl. John and Ireita Rumschlag Girod of route 6 are parents of the next baby which was born at 4:11 p.m. A girl, the baby weighed nine pounds and six ounces. The last child was born at 8:15 p.m. to Robert W. and Marjorie Cole Clark and weighed eight pounds and seven ounces. Born at 12:33 a.m. today, the daughter of Noah and Barbara M. Schwartz Schwartz narrowly missed being a Christmas baby.

New Plea From Soviet Russia To Conference Western Diplomats See New Plea In i Gromyko Message MOSCOW (UPD—Western diplomats said today Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko’s Christmas Day speech to the Supreme Soviet appeared to contain a new Russian plea for a round-table conference of major powers. They noted that, while Gromyko's speech contained the usual attribution of sinister motives to the West and threats of universal destruction if the Berlin crisis touches off a world war, It also contained an expression of readiness to “hear and discuss any Western ideas” for a Berlin settlement. While it appears for the time being at least that Russia is standing firm in its demand for an end to the four-power occupation of Berlin, Western observers believed a compromise might be possible if the Western powers submit counter proposals rather than reject the Red plan out of hand Wants A-Test Ban “. If they do not show themselves willing to negotiate, these observers said, in Gromyko’s words Berlin “might become another Sarajevo, resulting in history’s worst holocaust.” His reference to Sarajevo concerned the Serbian town where the assassination of in Austrian archduke in 1914 provided the spark that set off World War I. Gromyko said also that Russia is ready at any time to sign an agreement with the United States and Britain to end nuclear weapons tests “without any reservations and preconditions." (American officials in Washington said Gromyko’s statement was merely a rehash of Russia’s offer of an “immediate, unconditional and perpetual” ban on tests with no provision for a control system to enforce it. This idea had been rejected repeatedly by the West.) Before Gromyko spoke, the Supreme Soviet had confirmed the appointment of Alexander M. Shelepin, a young Communist Party official, to replace Gen. Ivan Serov as head of the Soviet security system. Serov, whose resignation was announced Dec. 8, is believed now to hold a high army post. Limit Nuclear Tests Gromyko said Russia would be willing to agree to a limited number of nuclear tests for peaceful purposes within the framework of a general ban, provided that the number of Soviet tests “should equal the number of tests made by the United States and Britain combined.” “The total number of explosions for every year should be agreed on and limited in advance,” he said. \ The foreign minister accused the West of trying to use proposed safeguards against surprise attack as a means of spying on the Soviet arsenal. Can Satisfy Curiosity “We can satisfy their curiosity in one respect,” he said. “We can assure them once again that the U.S.S.R. has enough up-to - date arms, both in quantity and quality, to provide the country with reasonable safeguards against any encroachment.” He said Russia would be willing to scrap its arms “immediately after the Western powers agree to sign a treaty on appropriate disarmament measures.” An East - West conference on means of preventing surprise atContlnued on page five 1

Decatur, Indiana* Friday, December 26,1958.

Holiday Traffic Deaths Piling Up At Record Rate Across Nation

Drive To Block Alford Seating Slowing Down Some Os Liberals In House Backing Down From Action WASHINGTON (UPD — A drive by some House liberals to block the seating of Dr. Dale Alford, the Little Rock segregationist who beat Rep. Brooks Hays (D-Ark.) in a controversial write-in campaign, appeared today to be slowing down. Some of the liberals who had been expected to support the blocfcAlford move were backing away from it. A compromise was reported possible under which Alford would be allowed to take his seat while <juick disposition was made of the election complaints against him. A parallel move to deny Alford recognition as a Democrat — and thus to restrict his prospects of eventual advancement to a committee chairmanship or some other position ot power in the Hoose - —continued to attract strong support among Democrats from outside the South. This question will be settled in a Democratic caucus on the day ’ before Congress convenes: Whatever the outcome, it is considered almost certain that some member on Jan. 7, opening day of the session, will rise to challenge Alford's right to a seat. However, prospects , that the House will uphold this challenge were dimming. Such a challenge would be in line with the 3-2 recommendation of a House committee which heard, but did not rule on, a Little Rock publisher’s charge that Alford illegally won the election through a conspiracy involving , Gov. Orval Faubus.

78 Families Aided By Good Fellows Christmas Cheer, Is Spread In Decatur “Our plea ‘Help us help others have a Merry Chirstmas’ was answered by many and by their generosity, the Good Fellows club was able to aid 78 families or 343 persons,” a club spokesman said today. “The gratitude and thanks of those helped makes it a worthwhile cause. “While the Delta Theta Tau sorority takes charge of the club, it is only the kindness and support of others that make it a success. “The Good Fellows club thanks the following: “The Decatur Daily Democrat for publicity; those contributing money, the city of Decatur for two trucks and drivers, Schwartz Ford Co. for truck and driver and Teeple Truck lines for truck and driver. “The Decatur public and Decatur Catholic schools for canned food, all organizations and groups for the treats and toys and any person or group for their contribution. “Toys and clothes donated by the following: Goodyear, Bowers Hardware, Klenk’s, Smith Drug Store, Holthouse Drug Store, Western Auto, Firestone, Gambles, Murphys, Newberrys and Blackwells. “Food donated by the following: Smith Pure Milk Co., Gerber‘s Super Market, Stewart’s Bakery, A & P store, and Kroger store. "To each of you ‘Thank You’ for being a Good Fellow.” Good Fellows Club Previous total 8769.41 Rotary club —x 10.00 Jani Lyn 5.00 Change in boxes .... 16.75 Total.. 5801.16

Costly Christmas Death Toll In State Traffic Deaths Top Holiday Death Toll United Press International Indiana was in process today of chalking up a costly Christmas Weekend accidental death toll. By early today, at least 14 fatalities had been counted since the four-day holiday period began Wednesday night. Included were 9 traffic deaths, 2 hunting fatalities, 1 fire and 1 drowning. The worst mishaps claimed four lives near Michigan City early on Christmas Day in a 3-car pileup on U. S. 20. Six other persons were hospitalized, four d them in critical condition. Killed were Juan Castaneda, 25, Chicago; his expectant wife, Lydia, 25; their one - year -old daughter, I Trinidad, and William Jadynak, 17, Crown Point, a passenger in the second car which caused a headon collision. Seconds alter the smashup a third car crashed into the wreckage, but its driver escaped unhurt. Other Christmas day traffic victimes included Harold Boyles, 42, Fort Wayne, and his wife, Sylvia, 52. and Harold Strong, 41, Columbus. • The Boyles met death when their Win ran off Ind. 102 in Noble County and smashed into an embankment. Strong was injured fataftly near New Castle when his car was hit by a New York Central Railroad freight train. He died a few hours later in Henry County hospital. Julius T. Ruch, 66, suburban Indianapolis, was killed early today in 1 a two-car crash near his home. The toll included three other teenagers. Larry Hart, 19, Westport, and Robert Louis Kuhn, 12, South Milford, were killed in separate hunting accidents. Linda Antrim, 14, Liberty, drowned while skating in Whitewater State Park near Liberty when she plunged through thin ice. Four-months-old Anthony Hardgrove, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Hardgrove, New Castle, suffocated early Thursday while sleeping with his parents. Wednesday night, Charles Reihl, 67, South Bend, was killed when fire caused by an overheated oil stove destroyed his small home near South Bend.

Expect France To Devaluate Franc Markets Closed By Order Os de Gaulle PARIS (UPD — Premier Charles de Gaulle cut short a Christmas vacation in the country and returned here today for economic talks which are expected to lead to devaluation of the franc. De Gaulle was closeted with his cabinet’s financial and budget experts on his return, a few hours after a surprise decree had shut down financial markets throughout France for the day. The premier is expected to call a full session of the cabinet Saturday to discuss the situation. The order closing the markets did not affect the nation’s banks, which opened for business as usual. Paris banks reported “no abnormal activity” as a result of the devaluation report. “None of our clients has shown any nervousness today as a result of these reports,” one banker said. Official sources said the markets were shut down to “avoid any inopportune reaction to the, decisions which are being studied by the govemhient.” The markets, normally closed on Saturdays and Sundays, will not reopen until Monday at earliest. The government apparently planned to use the time to work out its fiscal decisions without the risk of panicky speculation on the franc. Business quarters believed the decisions under study included a ConttmMd oo p*S« Hv«

Third Os U.S. Air Carriers Still Grounded Striking Pilots Consider Federal Proposal Os Truce United Press International About one-third of the nation’s air carrier fleet remained grounded today while striking pilots considered a federal truce proposal to end a walkout against American Air Lines. A spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Assn, said only that the proposal still was being studied. ■Hie truce plan was offered Tuesday 'by Leverett Edwards, chairman of the National Mediation Board and promptly accepted by the president of American Air Lines. The pilots’ strike against American began last Friday, shutting down the air line in advance of the Christmas holiday travel rush. A company spokesman said if the pilots accepted the truce plan, American could not resume full operations much before Sunday, although some flights could begin immediately. Mechanics Accept Offer Meanwhile, twin walkouts against Eastern Air Lines entered tjieir 33rd day and appeared destined to continue through the Christmas holiday. Striking mechanics voted to accept a new contract offered by Eastern, but negotiations with flight engineers, also chi strike against the air line, remained deadlocked. George Brown, president of the Miami, Fla., local of the International Association of Machinists, said he doubted if machinists would cross the engineers’ Continued on page five Farm Home Badly Damaged By Fire Delmus James Farm Home Is Damaged Considerable damage resulted to the Delmus James farm home, located on route six, Christmas eve, from a fire that originated in the kitchen. The Decatur fire department was called to the scene at 9:50 p. m. Authorities stated today that the Decatur fire department answered three calls Christmas eve and Christmas day. Only one of the fires caused considerable damage. -r • • The fire at the James home, which is owned by Glen McMillan, and located approximately % mile west of U. S. 27 south of Decatur, gutted the kitchen and caused considerable damage to the rest of the home. The fire was believed caused when a fuel oil stove ignited, shot the flames upward, helping the Decatur and Monroe fire departments to control the fire before it managed to get completely out of hand. The furniture to the bottom floor was taken from the house but did receive some smoke and water damage before firemen could remove it from the burning home. The roof also received heavy damage. The James family had left earlier in the evening to spend the Christmas holiday in Kentucky with relatives. With the help of the state police, the James were notified of the Incident near Rushville, and returned to Decatur. The rooms on the first floor received water and smoke damage, but it was not known by the firemen the extent of any damages to the second floor. At 10:50 o’clock Christmas eve, the department was again summoned," this time to the comer of 11th and Washington streets in Continued on page five

Takes Oath G. Remy Bierly Judge Remy Bierly Sworn Into Office Judge Os Appellate Court Takes Oath Judge G. Remy Bierly, elected Nov. 4 to the appellate court, north district, of Indiana, took the oath of office privately at his abstracting firm office Wednesday afternoon. The official oath must be executed before the term of office starts; the ceremonial oath will be taken in Indianapolis Jan. 5. Severin H. Schurger, recently elected prosecuting attorney, administered the oath, and will accompany his friend to Indianapolis for the ceremony January 5. Judge Bierly took the oath of office with his hand on a Duay version of the Holy Bible, open to Psalms 146-50, while standing behind his desk. Both Schurger’s and Bierly’s hands touched the Bible during the oath. Family Present Witnessing the oath were the proud wife of the judge, Mrs. G. Remy Bierly; Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Terveer, daughter and son-in-law; Joni, Janee and Nancy Terveer, grandchildren; Miss Rosemary Spangler, Miss Mary Katherine Spangler, and Miss Rosemary Gase; Dr. Harry H. Hebble, Democratic county chairman; Gerald W. Vizard, principal of Pleasant Mills school; and Dick Heller, Jr.,- publisher of the Decatur Daily Democrat. The oath read as follows: “I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the state of Indiana, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of judge of the appellate court for Indiana, second district, -according to the best of my skill and ability; so help me God.” Governor’s Commission Before the ceremony Vizard read the commission of the judge, received from the governor and secretary of state, as follows: “The governor of the state of Indiana, to all who shall see these presents, greeting: Know ye, that G. Remy Bierly having been duly elected to the office of judge of the appellate court within and for .the state of Indiana, I therefore in the name and by the authority of the state of Indiana do hereby Commission him, judge of the appellate court, second district, and do authorize and empower him to execute and fulfill the duties of that office according to law; to have and to hold the said office with all the rights and emoluments thereto' legally pertaining for his elective term and until his successor' shall have been duly elected and qualified **to office. Given under my hand at the city of Indianapolis this Ist day of December, in the year of our Lord, 1958. * Harold W. Handley, Governor. Attest: John R. Walsh, Secretary of State. Duties Described Judge Bierly will officially take up his duties January 1, several days before the ceremonial oath. The following description is given of the office of appellate court Continued on page five

269 Killed In First 40 Hours Os Long Holiday United States May Be Headed For All Time Traffic Toll United Press Intemationial Holiday traffic deaths piled up at a record rate today, and a safety expert told motorists to stop thinking celebration and start getting scared. Otherwise, he warned, the United States may be headed for an all-time holiday traffic death toll. At 10 a.m. c.s.t., a United Press International count showed 269 persons dead in traffic accidents since the holiday period started at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Fires killed 47 persons, one person died in a plane crash, and 40 persons in other mishaps for a total of 357 deaths from all causes. California led the states In highway fatalities with 31. Texas had 23, New York State 17, North Carolina 15, Ohio 14, Illinois 13, Pennsylvania 13, Massachusetts 12 and Georgia and Michigan 10 each. The National Safety Council at .Chicago said the rate, judged by , figures for past holidays, “shows no indications of not being headed for a new all-time high for any holiday in the history of the country.” Estimate Too Low Hie record for a four-day holiday period like the one embracing this Christmas is 712, set in ' 1956. “The only way to reverse the trend,” said the council, “is for drivers to get good and alarmed at what’s going on, and stop this.” Carelessness on the highway, he warned, was an “exceedingly poor” way to mark the holiday period. The council had estimated that 620 persons would be killed on streets and highways during the holiday period between Christmas Eve and midnight Sunday. That would be 140 more deaths than the normal traffic toll of 480 during a non-holiday period at this time of year. However, the holiday was less than a day old whan the council issued the first warning that its estimate may have been too low. By Christmas night, the traffic toll was ahead of the pace set in 1956 when a similar four-day Christmas weekend saw a record 712 deaths on the highways. Speed Greatest Killer Speed was the geatest highway killer, the council reported in a plea to motorists to slow down and reverse the record-setting fatality trend. “If traffic officers can give up their Christmas, it seems reasonable to ask drivers to give up their speed,” the council said. The toll slacked off today as anticipated with most travellers already at their destinations. However, it was expected to zoom upward again during the weekend in the crush of homeward-bound traffic. A powdering of snow across the northern tier of states provided sections of the northland with a traditional white Christmas, but elsewhere skies were mostly fair and roads clear. Weathermen predicted rain for the Pacific Northwest and northern California today with scattered light snow likely from the Rockies into the northern Great Lakes. Fair to partly cloudy weather was seen for the rest of the nation with the exception of some rain over the Gulf coast region. High Fatality Wrecks Most of the highway tole came in one and two death accidents. However, there were a few high fatality wrecks. One of the nation’s worst occurred near Roanoke Rapids, N.C, where a fiery collision Thursday killed, persons, four of them Continued on page five

Six Centi