Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 57, Number 18, Decatur, Adams County, 22 January 1959 — Page 1

fol. LVII. No. 18.

I ■ H ■> . ■ 5 jf? !

BETURNCOAT— Richard C. Corden, 31, ex-Army sergeant and one of toe 21 American turncoats who refused repatriation with other POWs at end of the Korean strife, looks out over San Francisco bay and Alcatraz island on his return from Communist China. Corden said he was “homesick, but very Impressed with-Social-ism.” He is from Providence, R. I.

Bills Favoring Labor Advance In Lower House Pro-Labor Measures Survive First Roll Call Showdowns INDIANAPOLIS (UPD — Prolabor legislation moved steadily forward in the Indiana House today with majority Democrats dominating the action as the first roll call showdowns on issues Were taken. A. “right to work” law repeal bill and a modified “union reform” measure, aimed by Democrats at taking the sting out of repeal, advanced to second reading as they came out of the House Labor Committee with recommendations they be passed. Another House bill legalizing supplemental unemployment benefits (SUB) passed second reading without amendment, although minority Republicans tried to send it back to committee. The action came a few hours before the Senate Labor Committee holds a public hearing tonight on a similar repeal bill, labeled “Big Casino” by lawmakers to signify its importance as an issue. A few Republicans joined the Democratic minority in a 76-17 roll call vote by which the House adopted the committee report recommending passage of toe repeal bill in the House. There was a flurry of debate before toe showdown. “The question is whether we want compulsory unionism to be toe law of toe land," said minority floor leader Cable G. Ball of Lafayette. “You are making toe laboring man a voiceless, faceless animal,” Rep. Owen Crecelius (RCrawfords ville) told toe repeal proponents. “There snouia be no question of what toe people want in Indiana after toe Nov. 4 election,” said Rep. William Herring (D-Linton). Before toe House showdown, two Republicans introduced a new bill providing that any strike vote must be approved in secret ballot by the majority of employes, rather than the majority of those voting, and making it a misdemeanor for non-employes to picket or act as strikebreakers, with penalties up to six months imprisonment. The authors were Rep. George Fisher (R-Leesburg) and Rep. Richard Wright (R-Win-chester). Labor Committee Chairman Sen. George W. McDermott (IlAlexandria) announced that a fair hearing would be granted to both foes and advocates of the bill and indications are that the" Session will last far into toe night. McDermott overruled toe contention of a co-author of toe- repealer. Sen. S. Hugh Dillin (DPetersburg) that no reprrsentative of the Indiana Right to Work Committee, Inc., should be permitted to speak at the hearing because of alleged violations of the Corrupt Practices Act. Will Hear Anyone “Anyone who wishes to speak -about the bill will be heard,” McDermott said. However, . that each speaker would be limited to eight minutes and that proponents and opponents would - - be heard alternately. Senators will be permitted to question any of toe speakers at any time. , The other author of toe Democratic repealer is Sen. William C. Christy (D-Hammond). A Republican rebel senator, Roy Conrad of Monticello, also has a repeal measure before the committee. Politics is running rampant : through toe repealer’s considers- < tion, practically shadowing the merits of issue itself. Both Republicans and Democrats are split on the question. 1 Lt. Gov. Crawford F. Parker, who has stuck his neck out farContinued on P»O five

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Ohio Is Mopping Up From Severe Floods 14 Dead Or Missing, 10,000 Are Homeless COLUMBUS, Ohio (UPD — The grim toll of flash floods which hit Ohio Wednesday rose to 14 today, with police reporting a number of persons missing and up to 10,000 homeless. A cold wave stopped toe record rainfall which dumped up to five inches of rain on toe state, but the snow and icy pavements made cleaning up operations difficult. Emergencies were declared in a number of cities, including Columbus and Mount Vernon. Schools, stores, and factories closed in many areas. Steel-hel-meted National Guardsmen joined local officials and Coast Guardsmen in rescue operations. The Red Cross set up emergency housing facilities in schools, churches, lodge halls and private homes. The worst tragedy was in Lake County in northern Ohio where five persons drowned when a boat overturned in toe Chagrin River near Willoughby Hills. The victims were three members of one family and two of toe three persons who sought to rescue them. They were Douglas Peterson; his wife, Virginia; his mother, Mrs. Dorothy Peterson; Hamilton Schivulztre and Raymond Kifer, all of Willoughby Hills.. - Schivulzter and Kifer, members of toe Willoughby Hills; Civil Defense unit, along with Coast Guardsman Carl Hardee, had evacuated the Peterson family from their home when the boat overturned. - The six were hurled into the cold waters when the boat from the Fairport Harbor Coast Guard station capsized. Reports said the members of toe Peterson family clung to a tree, but were swept away by the turbulent waters. The other two were swept downstream immediately. 10,000 Left Homeless Hardee was rescued by another boat. Other flood victims were a 6-year-old girl at Ross, a 17-yeatr-old youth at South Lebanon, and a 39-year-old Salem man who apparently was electrocuted in his flooded basement when he tried to connect an electric pump. An estimated 10,000 persons were left homeless by the flood. The worst of the flash floods apparently were over, although some of toe rivers are continuing to rise and spil over into toe lowlands. The homeless were sheltered in schools, lodge halls, churches and private homes. Hundreds of schools and factories were closed. The Highway Patrol said there were more roads closed by the high waters than they could count. The .floods.. however, were receding and traffic was beginning to move again, although the cold weather which ended toe rain left some of the roads icy. Mount Vernon Hit Hard , Mount Vernon, a central Ohio community of 16,000 persons, was hit hardest. At least 3,300 persons were evacuated there when the Kokosing River cracked a dike built after toe disastrous 1913 Ohio floods. At least 1,500 persons were evacuated in Dayton, 1,000 in Columbus, and 800 in Cleveland. A flotilla of motor boats was used to rescue 100 families in Hamilton. Dozens of other communities, including Lima. Youngstown, Akron, Vermilion. Wapakoneta, Kenton, and Bucyrus reported families moved from danger areas. The flashfloods which dumped four to five inches of rain within 24 hours were worse than the floods which follow several days erf rain because they turned small streams into rivers, blocked streets, flooded basements, and overloaded city sewer systems. Possible New Threats Today much of the water had ~ (Continued on per* eight)

Bill To Hike Assembly Pay Nearer Vote Would Give Indiana Lawmakers sls Day As Expense Money INDIANAPOLIS (UPD —A bill to give each Indiana lawmaker sls a day expense money over and above his salary moved a notch nearer to a showdown in toe House today. The bill came out of toe Judiciary B Committee, headed by Rep. William Greif (D-Evans-ville), without a recommendation -< as to whether it should or should not be passed. The measure moved to second reading, within one step of a showdown vote on passage. Greif previously advised the 150 legislators to ignore newspaper criticism of the bill as a “pay grab” and vote themselves a hike which would cost Hoosier taxpayers $137,250. If paid during toe entire 61 days of‘toe legislative session, toe expense bill would add $915 to the salary of each legislator. The 100 members of toe House and 50 members of toe Senate now are paid SI,BOO per year, a total of $3,600 for the biennial session. “It’s about time legislators stand up and forget what newspapers say," Greif told newsmen. “Legislators should treat themselves like they treat public officials.” The bill, termed by many an unabashed “pay grab,” was authored by Reps. Marion Bushemi (D-Gary) and William Birchler (R-Cannelton>. Democrats, who hold a 79-21 margin in the House, previously said |he bill was not party policy. - Only $2 m Pocket Rep. Charles Clem (D-Prince-ton), chairman es the committee, said each member of toe House was free to vote on toe measure as he wished. “Release of toe bill without recommendation means each legislator can push his own button,” Clem said in reference to voting procedures. Each legislator votes by means of buttons on his desk. Bushemi said legislators “need more money.” He said toe General Assembly “should welcome working - type people.” - “But that type can’t afford to serve now,” Bushemi said. “I my£ self have only two dollars in my pocket to last until the weekend.” Rep. Robert D. Schuttler (DEvansville), a member of toe committee, said low pay tempts legislators “to do favors for lobbyists.” He said they “would turn their backs” on lobbyists if given Continued on pa-ge five Mikoyan And Parly Reach Copenhagen Laughs Off Forced Landing By Plane COPENHAGEN (UPD — Soviet Deputy Premier Anastas Mikoyan wisecracked his way through Wednesday’s forced landing in Newfoundland of toe plane taking him back to Europe from his 16day visit to America, it was reported today." A Scandinavian Air Lines plane bringing Mikoyan to Copenhagen made a forced landing at Argentia, Nfld., when one engine stopped running and a second one caught on fire. The Mikoyan party arrived here early today without incident. Swedish navigator Sven Bergstroem said Mikoyan told him he went by steamer on his last visit to the United States in 1936. “You know we Russians believe the future belongs to the air,” Bergstroem quoted him as saying. “But at times during toe first part of my return flight from New York I wondered whether the oldfashioned steamers did not have their good sides.” When they landed, a passenger said, “somebody offered Mikoyan a piece of chocolate, but with a broad smile he refused it saying 'I think this is the occasion we should'have a bottle of something Strong, which we then had.” Another passenger, American ■ businessman J. M. Murray of New Hyd,e Park, N.Y., said all aboard were calm throughout the incident and “Mikoyan seemed to laugh about it.” • There were no demonstrations on Mikoyan’s arrival here although some had been expected He had no statement fon_gewsmen ‘ but was whisked off to the Soviet Embassy in a waiting limousine. A press spokesman said any- ' thing he had to say would be said : tonight when he addresses a meeting of toe Danish-Soviet Friend- • ship Association. It was believed he might make a preliminary report on his American visit. - i

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, January 22, 1959.

Nation Reeling Under Worst Winter Storm; Deaths Mount -Hourly

All Os County Rural Schools Still Closed Above Flood Stage; Lines Are Repaired All rural schools in Adams county remained closed today due to the extremely bad weather conditions that have existed in this community and area since Mondaynight. Louis Landrum, weather observer for Decatur, stated today that the St. Mary’s river was 16.37 feet as of 7 o’clock today. Landrum stated that the flood stage for the river is 13 feet. Wednesday the river was reported at 7.15 feet. It was reported that the Wabash river and the St. Mary’s river Which runs from St. Mary’s, Ohio, are both running into the St. Mary’s river. In St. Mary's, Ohio, the river is reported at' its highest level since 1913. =- The Citizens Telephone company and the city light and power corrtpany reported today that all lines are being repaired as soon "as possible, and that most lines are now to use. A check with toe two companies late Wednesday afternoon and early today, included the following details: The telephone company stated that of 13,279 telephone poles in Adams county, only six were reported down. Two of the six were east of Decatur on U. S. 224, and the remaining four were scattered" about the (county. Seven crews from the telephone company have been working on the lines and are expected to have all lines in the community restored soon, barring a late change in the weather. The 17 lines to Fort Wayne, which included four lines down, were restored into operation by 1:30 o’clock Wednesday afternoon. Two crews handled toe repair, but ran into trouble when returning to Decatur. Small limbs had fallen onto the lines causing small breaks, forcing the crews to repair toe broken lines. The lines to Berne are reported in good condition. The company reported that eight or nine breaks in the lines developed Tuesday night, but that they were reported repaired. Continued on page five Funeral Rites Friday For True B. Riley Adams County Native Dies At Fort Wayne True Bl Riley, 54, of 4803 Winter street, Fort Wayne, a native of Adams couhty, was dead on arrival at St. Joseph’s hospital in that city late "Tuesday night: “ He was born in Blue Creek township Oct. 31 1904, a son of Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Riley, but had lived in Fort Wayne for a number of years. Mr. Riley was an- employe of Sears Roebuck & Co., and a member of the Calvary Presbyterian church. Surviving are his wife, the former Faye Dimmler; two sons. Don Riley of Indianapolis and Clifford Riley, at home; one daughter, Carol, at home; seven brothers, toe Rev. Vernon Riley and Norris Riley of Monroe; Dale Riley of Bobo, Wilmer Riley of Pleasant Mills, Merle Riley of Blue Creek township, and Nolan and Alton Riley of Fort Wayne, and two sisters, Mrs. William Brown'and Mrs. Glen Rupert of Monroe. One brother preceded him in death. — Tuheral services will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Friday at toe D. O. McComb & Sons funeral home, the Rev. Laverne Sandy officiating. Burial will be in Greenlawn memorial park. Friends may call at the funeral home until time of toe services.

9 Area Communities Suffer From Storm Many Inconveniences Suffered tn Storm « | Ice, rain, and cold bothered other communities in toe Decatur area from midday Tuesday until the present, a check of area newspapers shows today. In Adams county, Berne reported high water in many sections of town in addition to icy roads -and closed schools. IndianaMichigan lines were reported down near Bobo and north of Monroe. : Adams county residents spent more than an hour driving to Fort Wayne to work Wednesday, and Lincoln Life, for example, reported only one out of four employes was able to reach work. Couhty treasurer Waldo Neal reported that it took nearly an hour to drive from Geneva to Decatur, and that the stretch a mile or so on each side of Coppess Corners was the worst part. He stated that seven cars were in the ditch there. ___ East of Decatur on highway 224, five cars slid off the road at one place within a half hour. Wrecking services were busy all day. Rural residents south of Magley reported their electricity had been off since ip. m. yesterday. In Wells county, Petroleum, Ossian and Poplar Grove schools were closed, the latter because electricity was off. On the Bluffton telephone exchange, 98 phones were out, and many rural > (Continued on page seven) On Target Shot Made By Jupiter Missile Pinpoint Accuracy Os Jupiter Cited CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (UPD —The “on target” shot of the first production-line, combat-type Jupiter eased the Army another step out of the picture today in development of the missile. In contrast to research and'development models of the Jupiter, the missile fired Wednesday night was a “final production design.” The Defense Department said the firing and previous firings “have demonstrated the near-pinpoint accuracy” of the Jupiter’s guidance system. Ships and planes waiting in the impact area about 1,500 miles out in the Atlantic presumably saw the Jupiter’s nose cone, which can carry a devastating hydrogen warhead, re-entering toe atmosphere from space. These observers were outstanding by to determine what happened to toe cone, heated fiery red by friction generated when the cone plunged back into the atmosphere. The Defense Department said the nose cone was the “fullscale tactical version proteetd against arodynamic heating upon ro entry." Although toe Jupiter was developed by Army scientists, it will be employed by Air Force troops under a Pentagon ruling limiting the Army to short-range missiles. Although toe Jupiter has not been officially declared combatready, the missiles are scheduled for deployment to NATO troops in. MKS, • Former Decatur Man Is Taken By Death Carl G. Kelly, 37, of Geneva, and a former Decatur resident, died Wednesday afternoon in the Beatty memorial hospital at Westville, following a heart attack. Surviving are his wife, Dorothy; one daughter, Beatrice; five step-children; his mother, Mrs. Beatrice Kelly of Huntington, and a sister, Mrs. Roy Strickler of Decatur. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at toe Hardy & Hardy funeral home at Geneva, the Rev. Roy Baker officiating. Burial will be iq the Decatur cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after noon Friday.

Mercury Drops To Below Zero Over Indiana Area Blanketed By 1 Cold Wave In Wake Os Floods And Ice United Press International Temperatures plunged below zero in Indiana today as a new cold wave blanketed the area in toe wake of death-dealing floods and ice storms. Brisk winds shrieked across toe state, hurling more snow on toe crippled Calumet and South Bend areas, while downstate scores of streams spewed flood waters gushing from torrential rains. Hard hit by winter’s worst weather onslaught were toe populous Lake County area, South Bend, Madison and Brookville. At South Bend, seven inches of new snow posed new handicaps on the state's fourth largest city, which has been reeling under weather hazards for the past week. All Schools Closed All schools in St. Joseph County, including South Bend, were closed for toe rest of the week as a 25inch blanket of white lay across toe ground and piled into even deeper drifts, closing streets and roads. At Madison, a state of emergency was declared by Mayor William Wetzel and the Indiana 'National Guard went on duty on la 24-hour basis when Crooked Creek drove 200 families from their homes. The city’s armory was,made an emergency station. The Pearl Packing Co. suffered a SIOO,OOO loss at Madison when water seeped into the basement and destroyed stored meat after an adjacent building caved in from rushing water. At Brookville, a levee burst on the Whitewater River and forced evacuation of families in an area at the southeast edge of the city. Eight Deaths Recorded At least eight deaths in Indiana Wednesday had weather connections. Four persons died of heart attacks induced by exertion or shock in snow and flood areas, an electric lineman was shocked fatally working on power lines in toe rain, a truck driver drowned in flood water, and two persons were killed in traffic accidents on icy highways. The cold wave sent the mercury Continued on page five Big Lutheran Hour Rally February 1 Coliseum Site Os Big Lutheran Rally The ten Lutheran: congregations in the Decatur area will participate in the huge Lutheran hour rally to be held at the Allen . county war memorial soliseum Sunday, Feb. 1. at 3 p. m. according to Edgar Krueckeberg, Lutheran . hour chairman for the Decatur circuit. Dr. Oswald Hoffman, of New York City, will be the main speaker. Dr. Hoffman is! the regular speaker on the world-wide gospel broadcast, toe Lutheran Hour, and is also public relations director of the Lutheran church-Missouri synod. Special music for the services will be provided by a mass children’s choir of 1,000 voices from Lutheran parochial schools hi and around Fort Wayne and by a mass adult choir of more than 800 voices from 24 Lutheran churches from the same area. Both mass choirs will be under toe direction of Carl Schalk, music director of toe Lutheran laymeoVleaiffer Fifteen minutes prior to the rally service, which begins at 9 p.m. there will be a hymn sing, led by Leonard Ramming of Bethlehem Lutheran church. Fort Wayne. The public is invited to attend the rally. ■■

Bad Weather Takes Heavy Toll In State Eight Fatalities In Indiana Wednesday United Press International At least 25 weather-connected deaths have . occurred in Indiana in the first three' weeks of 1959. Fog, snow, sleet, rain and floods teamed up to take a heavy toll of lives from traffic accidents blamed on foggy, rainswept or snow and ice-covered highways since Jan. 12. State police reports , indicated that at least 14 traffic , fatalities in the first 17 days of the year could be credited to excessive speed on icy highways. In addition, a drowning occurred in flood waters, a lineman was electrocuted while working on a utility pole during a rainstorm, three persons were killed in a plane crash in a dense fog, and four persons died of heart attacks after snowstorm and flood mishaps. Eight fatalities occurred Wednesday as the winter’s worst weather assaulted Hoosierland. ■Lorin Rogers. 55, Seymour, stepped from the cab of his stalled truck near Madison and was swept away and drowned by floodwaters. Olive Londo, 55, Naples, Fla., was killed north of Princeton and her husband, Clarence, 55, and daughter. Lavonne, 17, injured when their stalled car was rammed by a truck on rainswept U.S. 41. Two men died of heart attacks. Raymond Holderread died at his Mishawaka home after trying to push his stalled car. Ralph Hager, 60, Elkhart, died after his car car skidded on ice but didn’t hit anything. Vernon Howard, 55, Indianapolis, a lineman for a power company, was electrocuted while repairing a circuit atop a power pole in the rain. (Continued on eight) - Mrs. Clara Fricke Is Taken By Death Former Resident Os Decatur And Monroe Mrs. Clara Steiner Fricke, 69, of Indianapolis, former resident of Decatur and Monroe, died Wednesday at the Robert Long hospital in Indianapolis, where she had been a patient one week. She had been ill for several months with cancer. She was born in Adams county April 18, 1889, the daughter •of Jonathan and Salome Steiner. The Fricke family had lived in Indianapolis since 1938, and her husband, E. J. Fricke, died in 1950. Mrs. Fricke was a member of the Church of God in Christ. Surviving are three sons, Wilbur of Dayton, 0., Harold of Fort Wayne, and Lawrence of Denver, Colo.; five daughters, Mrs. Melvin Habegger, Mrs. S. K. Bell, Mrs. Ed Hohlt and Mrs. James Howard Hinneman of Pine Bluff, Ark.; 20 grandchildren; two brothers, Albert Steiner of Newton, Kan., and Dpvid Steiner of Canton, Kan., and three sisters, Mrs. George Gleckler, Mrs. Daniel Jan and Miss Lena Steiner of Hesston; Kan.. - - Funeral services win be held at 1 p. m. Saturday at the Yager funeral home at Berne, the Rev. E. G. Steiner officiating. Burial will be in the MRE cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 10 a. m. Saturday. INDIANA WEATHER Generally fair and continued cold tonight and Friday. Low tonight 5 below to 5 above north and central to around 10 above extreme south. High Friday 20 to 25 extreme north to 25 to 30 extreme south. Sunset today 5:33 p. m. CDT. Sunrise Friday 8 a. m. CDT. Outlook for Saturday: Fair and cold, possible snow flurries extreme north. Lows 5 to 15 above, highs 18 to 28.

Six Cent*

Floods, Snow, Sleet, Biller Cold Over U.S. At Least 46 Deaths Reported In Nation From Severe Storms United Press International Floods, snow, sleet, rain tornadic winds and bitter cold hit the nation Thursday with its worst onslaught of the winter. Deaths attributed to weather conditions mounted hourly. A United Press International count showed at least 46 fatalities, including nine in Indiana, eight in Illinois, six in New York, four each in lowa, Wisconsin and Kentucky, three in Ohio and Missouri, two in New Mexico and one each in Kansas, Michigan and Oklahoma. In addition to the Ohio toll, five persons were missing and presumed drowned in Ohio's worst flood in two decades. Thousands were left homeless by the floods. and damage was in the millions of dollars. The five missing were tossed into the raging Chagrin River in a rescue operation. At Buffalo ,N.Y., a grain boat was ripped from its moorings by gale force winds and flood cur. rents and sent crashing into the main span of an important bridge. The bridge was a complete loss. Flee Before Floods In Connecticut, an ice jam sent the Housatonic River spilling over its banks at New Milford, flooding several buildings. At Sharon. Pa„ the Shenango River forced hundreds to flee their homes in the worst flood in the community’s history. The river, swollen by two days of rain and a 2,000-foot ise jam below the city, spilled over more than a dozen blocks. Flash flooding in the Buffalo, N.Y., area was described as one of the worst in the section’s history. Combined flood and wind damage ardund Buffalo was expected to run close to 10 million dollars.-- -- g ---- - In the New York City area, two ferry boats brushed each other in fog on the Hudson River. No one was injured. : At Madison, late Wednesday, a group or school children waded to safety thrugh the rushing waters of a flooded stream when their bus stalled on a bridge. Minutes after the children had reached safety, the bridge buckled. Blizzard Hits Michigan Flood, wind and rain damage was equalled by the snow and bitter cold which swept the interior in blizzard-like proportions. What was described as a full scale blizzard raged in the northwestern part of Michigan's lower peninsula. Manistee, Mich., was among the hardest hit and only the main streets could be kept open. Roads into the area were impassable. A snow storm, which earlier laid down from five indies to a foot or- more -of snow from New - Mexico to Ohio, diminished in size Thursday, but not in intensity. A full scale blizzard raged through the night in northwestern Michigan and snow-s t a g g ere d South Bend, Ind., received an additional seven inches to bring its snow cover to more than two feet. Flash Floods Break Out Elsewhere, a clash of mild winds from the south and cold in the north triggered death-dealing (Continued on pa®e eight) *<r NO CONCERT TONIGHT » The Adams County Civic Music Association was notified this afternoon that Stan Freeman, scheduled to appear here tonight in the series of fall and winter concerts, has been unable to make travel connections because of weather conditions, and cannot reach this city tonight. . f Hence, the scheduled concert has been cancelled.