Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 57, Number 21, Decatur, Adams County, 26 January 1959 — Page 1

VoI.LVH. No. 21:

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MISSING AMNESIA VICTIM REGAINS MEMORY— Believed, since October 1958, to have been dead, James Eugene Harrison, 37, of Titusville. Fla., a victim of amnesia, regained his memory while in Phoenix, Ariz. He views a photo of his wife and children before boarding a plane for Miami where he will be united with them.

Alabama Judge Is In Court For Contempt Former Classmate Hears Evidence On Charge Os Contempt MONTGOMERY, Ala. (UPI) — An Alabama judge was tried today before an old college classmate on charges of being in contempt for refusing to turn Negro voting records over to the Federal Civil Rights Commission. In a non-jury trial that lasted not much more than an hour, the chief investigator for the Civil' Rights Commission testified that Circuit Judge George Wallace refused four times to produce the registration records in defiance of a Federal Court order. ....'J_.,'..L The Wallace side did not put a witness on the stand. If convicted of contempt as charged by the government, the jurist could be sent to jail for up to 45 days. Federal Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. recessed the case until 2 p.m. when he is expected to hand down his decision. The heart of the defense side in today’s deliberations was a statement submitted at the opening of court by Wallace. In it he pleaded guilty to failing* to deliver voting records to agents of the Civil Rights Commission. But he pleaded not guilty to contempt. In previous heatings, however, Johnson had already ruled that Wallace’s judicial position in a state court did net give him immunity from -compliance with acts and regulations of the federal government. The government brought fivewitnesses to the stand. They included the grand jury foremen of Barbour and Bullock counties and the solicitors of both counties. Among other things, Wallace is accused of swiftly giving voting records to the grand jury while they were being sought by the federal investigators. Johnson, 40, and Wallace, 39, were classmates at the University of Alabama law school and sometimes lent each other money when one was hard up. After combat service in World War 11, their paths diverged as Wallace got in the thick of Democratic politics and Johnson, a Republican, was appointed a U.S. district judge by Eisenhower. Wallace can appeal all the way Continued on page five INDIANA WEATHER Cloudy tonight with occasional light snow north and some freezing drizzle extreme south. A little colder south and extreme east.' Tuesday mostly cloudy and cold with chance of some snow south possibly mixed with freezing rain extreme south. Low tonight 5 to 150 northwest to the 20s southeast. High Tuesday 15 to 20 northwest to the 20s southeast. .Sunset today 5:58 p.m. CDT. Sunrise Tuesday y 7:57 a.m. CDT. Outlook for Wednesday: Clcndy and cold with occasional Snow flurries.. Low Tuesday night 5 to 10 north to 15 to 20 south. High Wednesday 15 to 20 north to mid 20s south.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Four-Year Extension Os Draft Law Urged Indispensable For Security Os U.S. WASHINGTON (UPI) — Chairman Carl Vinson of the House Armed Services Committee said today that a four-year extension of the -draft law was indispensable to our security. The Georgia Democrat made the statement in opening hearings on the administration’s proposed extension bill. His committee called Charles C. Finucane, assistant defense secretary for manpower, to testify first. Vinson already has predicted the committee would approve the bill quickly. Very little opposition appeared to be building up in Congress despite protests of some religious and other groups. As the hearings began, their were these other developments: As the hearings bgan. ther —Th U.S. Chamber of Commerce called for a two-year instead of a four-year extension. It said the bill also should be amended to bring about more, drafting of men between the ages of 18% and 21% because younger men “make more efficient, enthusiastic soldiers." —The National Council Against Conscription urged that the draft be allowed to expire on June 30. The council appeal, signed by 58 churchmen, educators and other leaders, said new emphasis on space age weapons made even a standby selective service law of questionable value. —Sen. Styles Bridges (R-N.H.), ranking Republican member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, endorsed the extension. He said that if the draft had not been in effect when the United States entered World War 11, Continued on page five Robert Wall Joins Steiff Os Democrat Recent Graduate Os I.U. New Reporter Robert Wall, a recent graduate of Indiana University school of journalism, joined the Decatur Daily Democrat staff today additional reporter and feature writer. * Wall, his wife and daughter, will move into the downstairs apartment at 304 North Fifth street as as decorating there is completed. o Wall served as president of Sigma Delta Chi, the Indiana University chapter of the national journalism fraternity, and also in editorial capacity on the Indiana Daily Student before his graduation Saturday. y Wall’s work will complement that of Richard Reidenbach, regular news reporter, who will continue with his regular reporting functions. Wall will be assigned most of the writing done in the past by the news editor, Pete Reynolds, whose editorial functions have grown considerably in the past few years .'Reynolds, who has been with the paper as news editor since 1930, will continue in that capacity. Mrs. Marilou Roop will continue as society 1 editor. . *

I Delay Plan To Force Repealer To House Floor Report Majority Os Democrat Mayors For Skip-Election INDIANAPOLIS (UPl)—lndiana Senate Democrats again postponed plans to try to force the “right to work” law repeal bill out of committee today because the Republican floor leader was hospitalized with flu. Sen. C- Wendell Martin (R-Indi-anapolis) became ill during the weekend and his secretary said he probably would be away from the Senate chamber all week. Democratic floor leader Matthew E. Welsh, upon learning of Martin's illness, said his minority party probably would delay a blast effort until Martin’s return on the assumption that some of the Republicans who favor repeal would be reluctant to join in such a movement with their leader in the hospital. , It was the second time in a few days that a blast effort was postponed. Democrats intended to try it last Friday but cancelled plans because three of their number, proponents of repeal, were ill and they lacked strength to force the measure out of committee for a Senate showdown. The Democratic State Committee, meanwhile, met to discuss legislation and a report by state chairman Charles Skillen that 60 per cent of the Democratic mayors of Hoosier cities who answered a Skillen questionnaire are in favor of a “skip election” law to extend their terms. 40 Mayors Want “Skip" Skillen revealed the results of a questionnaire shortly before the Democratic State Committee met to discuss that issue and other pending legislation, including two “ripper" bills, the direct primary and “right to work” repeal. While the bulk of the mayors favored postponing the municipal election from 1959 to 1960, thus giving them an extra year in office beyond the four-year terms for which they were elected, the majority of the party's county chairmen who participated in the survey opposed such action by the present Legislature. Skillen said 68 Democratic mayors replied to his questionnaire. Os these, 40 favored a “skip election” law, 23 were against it, 4 were uncertain and 1 expressed no opinion. Os 78 county chairmen who replied, 42 opposed, 31 favored and 5 expressed no opinion. • Face Hard Work The report came out as legislators returned from their third week-end recess with old-fashioned Continued on page five Jurors Are Drawn For Circuit Court Juries Are Chosen For February Term Members of the petit and grand juries for the February term were announced today by Richard D. 'Lewton, clerk of the Adams circuit court, following drawings by the jury commissioners, E. F. Berling and James Gattshall. Those drawn for the petit jury are: Howard Bluhm, French township; Hugh Nidlinger, Union township; Lillard Fawbush, Preble township; Charley F. Burkhart. Blue Creek township, Logan Baumgartner, Wabash township; Virgil L. Andrews, Decatur-Washington; Alva Railing, Union township; Richard D. Clark, French township; Victor Graber, Monroe township; Hugo Bulmahn, Preble township; Anola E. Crist, Kirkland township; Vernon A. Fairchild, Root township; Harold Rich, Mon-roe-Washington township; Luther Brokaw, Washington township; Mary G. Cook, Preble township., Edwin Affolder, Jr., Wabash township; Lester Manley, Blue Creek township; Paul Erp, Washington township; Harvey L. Haggard, Monroe township; Henry J. Ehrsam, Berne; Albert Bixler, Geneva; Oscar Christianer, Root township; Frank C, Arnold, Preble township, and Eugene F. Durkin. Decatur-Root. Those drawn for the grand jury are: James R. Cowan, Washington township; Ralph Bailey, Wabash township J, Homer E. Neuenschwander, French township; Victor Bleeke, Union township; Harvey E. Caston, Preble township; Victor B. Porter. Decatur - Washington; Virgil K. Gilbert, Blue Creek township; Clark Funk, Monroe township; Arthur C. Loshe, Kirkland township; Robert T. Moran, Jefferson township; Lester Reynolds, Hartford township, and Percy J. Gould,

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur/ Indiana, Monday, January 26; 1959.

Snow Storm Adds New Woe To Residents Os Flood-Stricken Areas

— Statehood For Hawaii Sought From Congress Clear Sailing For Hawaiian Statehood Seen This Session WASHINGTON (UPl)—The Eisenhower administration was expected to wish "bon voyage” today to a bill which would make the eight sun-kissed Hawaiian islands the 50th state of the union. The outlook for clear sailing through Congress is bright. Interior Secretary Fred A. Seaton, the lead-off witness at IJouse Interior Committee hearings on the measure, was certain to give the administration’s endorsement to Hawaiian statehood. Congressmen who want Hawaii to follow Alaska into the union were confident of early success. They have set up a tentative timetable calling for House approval by Easter, March 29. The stiffest opposition was expected from Chairman Howard W- Smith TD-Va.T of the powerful House Rules Committee which temporarily sidetracked action on Alaskan statehood last year. Other Southern lawmakers also were expected to fight against statehood for the Pacific territory. Defense Budget Hearings A virtual parade of top defense officials trooped to congressional hearings to defend various sections of Eisenhower’s 41 billion dollar military budget against Democratic charges that it is too small. Defense Secretary Neil H. McElroy returned to secret hearings before the House defends appropriations subcommittee. Navy Secretary Thomas S. Gates and Adm. Arleigh Burke, chief of naval operations, answered questions on the Navy’s proposed $11,596,000,000 outlay before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The joint congressional atomic research and development subcommittee questioned Air Force Secretary James H. Douglas and Maj. Gen. Donald J. Keirn, assistantdeputy Air Force chief of staff for nuclear systems, on this country’s project to develop an atomic-powered airplane. The mayors of New Haven, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Detroit appeared before the Senate Banking Committee to tell how much federal money cities needed for housing and Continued on page five Mrs. Louise Brown Is Taken By Death Rites Tuesday For Monroeville Lady Funeral services will be held Tuesday for Mrs. Louise Lulu Brown, of Monroeville, who died late Friday night at the Adams ’ county memorial hospital, where 1 she had been a patient for 11 ■ hours. „ - ■ ——- Mrs. Brown was a member of ’ St. Mark’s Lutheran church at Monroeville. Surviving are her husband, 1 Samuel M. Brown; three daugh--1 ters, Mrs. Sylvester Wyss of Fort Wayne,’ Mrs. Paul Black of Convoy, 0., and Mrs. .William Smith of Detroit; two sons, Harold and ■ Robert, both of Monroeville; the ■ mother, Mrs. Adam Ehling of ! Monroeville route 2; four sisters, Mrs. Wade Mcßarnes and Mrs. Ora Bauer, both of Decatur, Mrs. ’ Arthur Thon of iMonroeville, and • Mrs. Owen Savio of Terre Haute, ■ 10 grandchildren and 10 greatgrandchildren. Services will be held at 10 a. m. • church, the Rev. M. D. Kilver ofTuesday at St. Mark’s Lutheran • ficiating. Burial will be in the : IOOF cemetery at Monroeville. • Friends may call att he Marquart , funeral home at Monroeville until 9 a. m. Tuesday, when the ■ body will be removed to the , church to lie in state until time of the services. r . :

..... .. > Historic Jet Flight Completed Sunday Transcontinental Jet Service Is Launched LOS ANGELES (UPD-Break-fast at eight in Los Angeles and |unch at noon in New York was a fact today in a nation shrunk in half by jet-age passenger service. The historic American Airlines flight , was . completed Sunday night from west-to-east in 4 hours and 3 minutes and from east-to- . I west in 6 hours and 22 minutes, despite fierce head winds on the return leg. The inauguration of the nation’s first transcontinental jet passenger service was made with g sleek, four-jet Boeing 707 —a 4-million-dollar plane nearly half as long as a football field. .. The passenger list read like a ' who’s who of the worlds of entertainment, industry, sports, arts ' and religion. One hundred and ' twelve passengers made the flight both ways. Poet Carl Sandburg dedicated the 707 in New York before the beginning of its westbound flight. “We salute the intelligence and the daring ofman that has wrought this strange and blessed device, now so familiarly known as the passenger jet plane,” Sandburg said. ■ “And don’t we all know this is only a beginning and a promise." , Takes Off Late .The eastbound flight began Sunday at the Los Angeles International Airport. Gov. Edmund G. (Pat) Brown’s wife, Bernice pressed the button that started the engines. Roaring aloft 15 minutes late Continued on page five St. Mary's River Continues To Rise River Level This ' Morning 18.52 Feet The depth of St. Mary’s river continues to rise above theoretical flood stage, according to the latest reading by weather observer Louis Landrum. The theoretical level of flooding is 13 feet and Monday morning at 7 o’clock the mark was 18.52, a gain of 1.16 feet above Friday’s reading. It was 17.36 on Thursday. A slight accumulation of snow, .15 inch, fell on Decatur last night, Landrum said. Other aspects of the wintry weather found the street department salting the city roads Sunday and Monday, easing the traffic hazard of slippery streets. Crews were out Sunday at 1:30 p. m. and finished Monday morning. The electric trouble of last week has been cleared up by the light department. No further damage to poles and other outdoor electric materials has been reported. The Citizens Telephone Co. reports that the line between Decatur and Van Wert has been repaired after service was interrupted last week by the ice and snow. Monsignor Seimetz Condition Critical The Very Rev. Msgr. J. J. Seimetz, pastor of the St. Mary’s Catholic church, still remains on the critical list and no change has essentially developed although oxygen is being administered, according to his attending physicians at noon today. A mass was held at the St. Mary’s Catholic church today at 8:15 a.m. for his recovery. The mass was reported to have been well attended by hjs many friends and church members. Msgr. Seimetz suffered a stroke early Saturday at the church rectory, which affected his right side and his speech. The pastor was rushed to the St. Joseph hospital in Fort Wayne Saturday morning for further treatment.

Snow, Sleet, Ice Bring New State Hazards Upstate Rivers Are Still In Flood Stage As Hazards Increase United Press International Snow, sleet and freezing rain brought new weather hazards to Indiana today while last week’s flood crisis spilled over into a new week. Treacherous driving conditions developed over a central and south central area this morning when an ice storm glazed highways and streets. Snow Tell in Indianapolis and northward. Northern Indiana got a similar dose of snow and freezing rain Sunday, adding to weather woes that have plagued the area most of this month. • y — The Wabash and other rivers upstate remained in flood stage as ice gorges slowed the runoff from Wednesday’s heavy rains. Downstate, a southwestern area braced for crests' "of "file" Ohio, Wabash and White Rivers. The Ohio crest, heightened by torrential rains in Ohio and Pennsylvania last week, was expected to move downstream this week.rolling past Evansville about Thursday at just about flood stage. Hazleton Crest Due The Wabash was expected to cause, littletrouble—downstream between Terre Haute and Mount Vernon, although many acres of bottomland will be flooded. The White River fork crests were moving toward the main stream, with a top level of about 25 feet expected at Petersburg Wednesday and 26% to 27% feet at Hazleton late Wednesday, or early Thursday- 7116 expected level at Hazleton , was highest since 1950, when many families were evacuated. Pigeon Creek receded in Warrick County after mile-wide, area between Evansville and Boonville early in the weekend, forcing nearly a dozen families from their homes, . The Weather Bureau reported 19 inches of snow on the ground today at South Bend, 3 inches at Fort Wayne and 1 inch at Indianapolis and Lafayette. Warmup Due Later Temperatures reached highs ranging between 32 at South Bend and 50 at Evansville Sunday, then dropped to overnight lows ranging from 10 art South Bend to 36 at Evansville. Highs today will range from the low 20s to 40, lows tonight from 15 to 30, and highs Tuesday from the mid 20s to the upper 30s as a colder trgnd develops. The weatherman expected occaCenblnued on page -five Vercil Hoblet Dies Unexpectedly Sunday Heart Attack Fatal To Blue Creek Man Vercil Hoblet, 61, a lifelong resident of Blue Creek township, died unexpectedly at his home of a heart attack Sunday afternoon. He was born Oct. 8,1897, in Mercer county, Ohio, the son of John and Olive Tinklam Hoblet. Mr. Hoblet was a member of the Union Evangelical United Brethren church In Willshire. Surviving are his widow, Bertha Burnett; two daughters, Mrs. Carl Christner and Mrs. Gene Duff of Willshire; two brothers, Homer Hoblet of Decatur, and Kenneth Hoblet .of Rockford, O.; a sister, Mrs. Ethel Bebout of Willshire, and his mother. Services will be at the Union Evangelical United Brethren church Wednesday at 2 p.m., the Rev. Richard Ward officiating. Burial will be at the Willshire Cemetery. Friends may call at the Zwick funeral home after 7 p.m. Monday until 1 p.m. Wednesday, when the body will be removed to the church to lie in state until time of the services. ’ '“v -

Virginia Assembly To Meet Wednesday Last-Ditch Fight On School Integration RICHMOND, Va. (UPI) Gov. J. Lindsay Almond, in a formal proclamation to be mailed today, ordered the Legislature to convene at noon Wednesday in a last-ditch bid to head off school integration In three cities. In his call for a special session of the Legislature, Almond did not announce a specific program, but informed sources believe his recommendations will include some form of tuition grants to provide private schooling in the affected areas. The mailing of the proclamation was a formality. Actually, Almond alerted the 140 legislators Sunday night to come to the Capitol to pass some sort of stop-gap program and shore up the state’s segregation defenses. Nine schools in Norfolk. Arlington and Charlottesville are under federal court decrees to admit a total of 30 Negroes next Monday. Chances for final delaying appeals were considered remote. • Federal and state courts last week struckdown Virginia’s "massive resistance” laws including one under which Almond last fall closed schools in Norfolk, Charlottesville and Front Royal to circumvent integration. Front Royal, under orders to admit 22 Ngroes to Warren County’s only high school, apparently chose to mark time and wait on the General Assembly for guidance. Authorities in Norfolk, Arlington and Charlottesville were preparing to go ahead with integration if necessary. $150,000 Damages 1 Sought For Death Widow Os Traffic ; Victim Files Suit A complaint for wrongful death ’ has been filed in the Adams cir- ‘ cuit court by Alice Mae Beitler, ) widow of Howard Beitler, of . Berne, who died of injuries sust tained in a car and truck collision . near the Tuckahoe Inn April 17, 1958. The complaint, seeking $150,000 ; for damages, is against the Adl ams county board of commission--1 ers, Wendell L. Abbott, Gerald ! W. Vizard, and Mabel I. Vizard. " The complaint alleges that as the Beitler auto approached on : U. S. highway 27 at the intersec- ‘ tion from the south, the Adams county highway truck operated by Abbott failed to stop at the . stop sign and failed to yield the right of way to another vehicle. Also listed in complaint against the Vizards, the defendants -were charged with carelessness and negligense in erecting and maintaining the sign which read “Tuckahoe Inn,” and that the I sign obscured and obstructed the view and vision of travelers on the highway approaching the intersection from the south and east. - ~-™-. According to the complaint, the . sign was 14 feet east of the traveled portion of the roadway and 110 feet from the south of the center line of the Winchester . road and that the framework was ! approximately 9% feet high and 6% feet wide. Howard Beitler died of the In1 (Continued on page eight) ; Blast In Louisiana : Takes Seventh Life ■ MONROE, La. (UPI) — A Missouri Pacific Railroad freight de- ' railment that resulted in a series [ of fires and explosions resulted in , its seventh death today. , Woodrow Mooney, 45, Little, La., died from burns received Friday night when a tank car exploded. Mooney and the other victims were members of a railroad crew drying to clear wreckage. Fifteen > other rail workers and 52 spectators were injured, some critically, when the car exploded.

Six Cent!

Wafers Recede But New Snow Adds To Woes At Least 118 Dead In Floods; Damage Over SIOO Million United Press International A snow storm swept out of the Midwest into the East today, bringing new woes to residents of flood devastated sections of Pennsylvania and Ohio. Up to five inches of snow was expected at Meadville in the hardhi t northwestern Pennsylvania flood region. Three to five inches of snow blanketed western-Penn-sylvania Sunday, including four inches at Erie, and one to three inches fell in the south portion of—■ the state. Although floodwaters receded rapidly in Ohio and Pennsylvania after four days of destruction, the new snow hampered utility workers trying to restore power andplug breaks in gas and water lines. - - Lesser snowfall amounts hit northern Ohio and rain fell in some southern areas, slowing the efofrts of flood victims in their struggle to cleanup properties and resume normal living. — Close Mine Hole Rescue workers at Pittston, Pa., closed a gaping hole in the Susquehanna River through which floodwaters poured into an anthracite mine, trapping 12 miners underground. There was little hope the miners would be found alive. Damage in the seige of snow storms and floods which began last Tuesday climbed to more than 100 million dollars. Floodwaters forced more than 25,000 persons from their homes and more than 100 persons died in weather-connected accidents. A United Press International count showed at least 118 persons died in floods, traffic accidents on icy roads, overexertion and tornadoes. Ohio had 19 weather-caused 1 deaths, Wisconsin 17, Michigan 14, • Illinois 13, New York 10, Indiana • 9, Pennsylvania 8, Kentucky and f Kansas 5 each, lowa 4, Missouri - and Oklahoma 3 each, Minnesota, i New Mexico and Texas 2 each, , and Washington and North Dakota 1 apiece. ) Snow amounts ranging from two . to 12 inches pushed across the northern tier of states from the i Rockies to New England Sunday, and a band of freezing rain slicked highways in Missouri and ’ Kansas. < 1 Cold Air Moves East A cold air mass following on ! the heels of the snow sent the I mercury plunging to 17 below zero ‘ early today at Lone Rock, Wis., ‘ and 15 below at Wausau. Wis. Temperature drops of 20 degrees or_more were common in the Cenvontlnuetl on page five I ; Schools Return To : Schedules Today ’-—Alt County Schools Reported Reopened [ Schools in the Decatur area ’ have apparently returned to nor- , mal Monday after a week of in- [ termittent operation because of snowy and icy weather. Good attendance was reported at Adams Central, Monmouth, and Pleasant MiHs, with a couple of busses being 3-5 minutes late at each school. Slippery conditions made careful driving a prerequisite, although most roads were passable. —. In the Decatur public school system, superintendent W. Guy Brown said that “normal'’ is the i word throughout the cifty. Attendance and "late-comers” are as usual. The Union township buses, curtailed last week for three days, returned to full operation today. Brown said that although the Union township pupils had limited service last week, many came to school via personal transportation.