Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 57, Number 26, Decatur, Adams County, 31 January 1959 — Page 1

Vol LVII. No. 26.

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■» i Mm 3 iSoKSsfar* .. . o,JSk AGED PATIENT LED TO BAFETY— Rescue workers lead a dazed, aged woman patient from the burning Glen Ellyn Acres Nursing Home at Glen Ellyn, 111., as a /oaring fire reduced the structure to a burned out hulk. Eight patients lost their lives and 17 were hospitalized wife burns in nearby towns in the suburban area west of Chicago.

Find No Trace Os Ship After Iceberg Struck

ST. JOHN'S, Nfld. (upi) — A U.S. Navy search plane failed early today to find any sign of the Danish freighter Hans Hedtoft which struck an iceberg off the coast of Greenland with 96 persons aboard Friday. The search plane radioed its failure to find any sign of life in the area after two hours of scanning a 100-square mile area of the frigid North Atlantic, immediately south of the tip of Greenland, where the freighter slammed into the iceberg r a Titanic-type collision shortly before noon Friday an her maiden voyage. A German trawler in the area, which earlier radioed it was abandoning its search after eight unfruitful hours, decided later to remain on the scene. The trawler, Johannes Kreuss, said it would stay in the area despite galeforce winds, mountainous waves, and ice concentrations. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Campbell reported by radio at 5 a m. c s.tr that it was 60 miles from the point where the freighter struck an iceberg. It was expected to reach the distress scene between 10 and 11 a.m. (cst). Darkness Hampers Search Additional search planes were to take off from Argentia, Nfld. As the search was pressed by sea and air, Danish Premier H.C. Hansen admitted in Copenhagen, after visiting King Frederick in the early. morning, that “fear is gnawing” feat fee Hans Hedtoft had been lost wife its 40 crewmen and 55 passengers—including 19 women and six children. ‘‘Let us not give up hope, however, but trust they will ' get through safely,” said Hansen. “We cannot hide, however, that fear is gnawing on us.” The trawler Kreuss, after resuming fee search, reported feat "it still could find “no sign of a motor vessel” in the area. The Kreuss said that fee search was being hampered by high seas and darkness. When fee Kreuss reported shortly after 1 a.m. feat it was abandoning fee search because of the heavy pounding it was taking —a decision later changed by fee trawler’s skipper—it radioed that it could find “no lights or lifeboats or ship.” , . The fishing vessel had been battling 20-foot waves and ice from 4:56 p.m. Friday when it arrived in fee disaster area about 37 miles south-southwest of Cape Farewell, Greenland. In addition to fee Campbell, whose approach to the area was being Slowed by its fight wife the heavy seas, four other ships were known to be enroute to fee discontinued on page five • INDIANA WEATHER Partly cloudy and colder tonight. Sunday considerable ■■ cloudiness and cold with some snow south portions. Low tonight aero to 10 above north, 15 to 22 south. High Sunday 18 to 30. Outlook for Monday: Mostly cloudy with slowly moderating temperatures.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Complete Hearing On Valdez Appeal Court Sources Say Appeal Is Rejected HAVANA (UPI) — Cuba’s supreme military tribunal completed a hearing today on fee appeal of : convicted No. 2 war criminal Maj. Pedro Morejon Valdes and an- , nounced a verdict would be handed down later today. Court sources said fee four rebel officers agreed following fee three-hour court hearing to reject i the appeal and confirm fee death , sentence. They said Maj. Ernesto Guevara, commandant of the Cu- j bana Fortress Where toe condemned officer is being held, j would set fee execution time. The tribunal postponed indefi- ] nitely a hearing on fee appeal of Cuba’s No. 1 war criminal Maj. ] Jesus Sosa Blanco, who was con- \ victed in a trial held in fee Sports Palace and witnessed by about 30,000 spectators. - — ( It also delayed fee trials of other former Batista officers, but , reports indicated the proceedings . may be resumed sometime today. , There was no halt in fee execu- ' tions of convicted war criminals in fee provinces. Thirteen persons j were shot by firing squads Friday —eight in Victoria de las Tunas and five in Manzanillo, both in Oriente Province. Reports reaching here said all fee condemned men were either regular soldiers or members of the “private army” of Sen. Rolando Masferrer. The supreme tribunal will rule today on appeals of 28 other convicted ‘‘war criminals” in Pinar Del Rio. In addition, the rebel artny judge advocate general's, office filed charges of “treason, rebellion, sedition, desertion, malffeasance, robbery and fraud” against * 10 generals and a dozen colonels 1 in the army of ousted dictator ‘ Fulgencio Batista. The Cuban cabinet met for five 1 hours Friday night, but faded to produce its promised decree open- - 1 ing fee way for a resumption of ' gambling in Havana’s big resort f casinos. Prime Minister Jose Miro Car- J dona said m frte special commis- ' sion still was polishing fee perfecting fee law. He left no doubt, 1 however, that gambling would be ‘ {continued on page six) Decatur Lions Club Meets Monday Night The Decatur Lions club will j meet Monday night since the civic { music program has again been \ changed, Herman Krueckeberg, program chairman, said today. < Deane Dorwin will have charge < of fee program Monday night, ahd i an entertaining- time is promised 1 for all, Krueckeberg added 1 • --- -- - vJ, W—

Indiana Senate Near Showdown On Work Repeal One Os Controversal Bills Facing Action By State Assembly INDIANAPOLIS (UPI)—An Indiana Senate showdown on the “right to work” law repeal bill may come Monday, 25 days after minority Democrats launched a campaign to start it on fee road to enactment. Majority Republicans, none too proud of the possibility they may not be able to fend off fee repeal steamroller, have delayed action about as long as they can. They have sponsored two public hearings lasting a total of about eight hours, and they have resisted two formal bids by Democrats to pry fee bill out of committee. Members of fee General Assembly took a weekend respite from legislative worries, well aware feat several major headaches await them when they return Monday, including “right to work.” Each house has at least a dozen bills which have already caused considerable commotion. Senate conflict Monday was expected to center around fee “right to work’,’ repealer. House fireworks could erupt over a “fair trade” bill placed on the calendar for third reading. Most observers would rather not speculate on the fate of fee “right to work” repeal measure <SB1) which has taken the major share of toe headlines since it was introduced by Sens. S. Hugh Dillin (D-Petersburg) and William Christy (D-Hammond) during fee first day of business Jan. 8. Christy Would Blast The controversy over repeal of fee 1957 law began when Lt. Gov. Crawford Parker, presiding officer in fee upper chamber, “loaded” fee Senate Labor Committee wife seven Republicans and held Democratic representation to only two members. Sen. Nelson Grills (D-Indianapo-lls), a member of the committee, predicted the bill would be reported out Monday. He said the Republican majority on the committee will recommend that toe repealer be killed and the Democratic majority will recommend it be passed. Christy said he will make another attempt to blast the bill out if the committee does not act. Sen. George MoDermott (R-Al-exandria), chairman of fee committee, has remained silent on his plans. If moved out of committee, fee bill would face a stiff fight on fee floor where it must pass second and third reading. The House already has moved past second reading two measures (H 866 and HB6) which would repeal “right to work.” But Democratic leaders in fee lower chamber are holding the bills from a final House showdown, apparently waiting to see what happens to repeal efforts in the Senate. Oppose “Fair Trade” The “fair trade” measure <HBS) has generated much organized opposition since it was introduced on Jan. 9 by Reps. William F. Condon (D-Greentown) and Joe A. Harris (D-Carlisle). It received a favorable committee report and passed second reading without’ much tremble. The bill would allow any prot Continued on page six; Three Hammond Boys Killed In Accident Auto, Truck Crash Friday Afternoon United Press International Three Hammond boys were killed in one of Indiana’s worst 1959 traffic accidents when their car collided wife a truck as they drove to school to pick up their report cards. The deaths of Richard Gardner, 16, his brother, Loyd, 18, and their cousin, Donald Gardiner, 19, were among five recorded the samfe day. But all fee fatalities occurred before fee 6 p.m. starting time for counting weekend deaths. Indiana State Police had no record this morning of any Friday night or overnight fatalities. The other Friday victims were James R. Budde, 24, Bargersville, killed in a two-car crash on Ind. 144 west of Franklin, and Victor L. Packer, 22, North Liberty, injured fatally when his car rammed a stalled truck in old U.S. 30 near Knox. The Packer accident occurred Thursday night but the victim died early Friday. The Gardner boys were killed on a Hammond street when their car skidded on a patch of ice into fee path of a truck driven by Harris DeYoung, 25, South Holland, Mich. ' rx- ... ; ;v ■

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY -■i" ' - i

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday, January 31,1959.

Burglary Ring Smashed With Four Arrests; At Least 50 Acts Admitted \i ‘ ‘ jj. .. Vi , . - - ■ ■ , * c. ,* ;

i Plan Nuclear 1 Utefr Blast To Tap Oil Reserves First Shot As Part i Os Problem To Show Peaceful Atom Use ! WASHINGTON (UPI) — The Atomic Energy Commission today announced plans to blast open ’ wife nuclear explosions what may ' be fee largest untapped oil reserve in the world. Tie first shot, part of the AEC’s 1 Plowshare program to demonstrate peaceful uses of atomic explosives, is expected some time in ; fee fiscal year starting July 1. A ; tentative site has been picked in northwestern Colorado. The commission outlined fee project in its 25th semiannual re- | port to Congress. The report disclosed no spectacular advances in civilian atomic power and men- , tioned weapons only briefly. The AEC has scheduled no weapons tests for fee new fiscal year. It does, however, expect to conduct Plowshare experiments starting not earlier than late sum- ; mer. Can Recover Oil The commission said nuclear explosions can break up huge masses of oil-bearing shale so that the oil can be recovered. It . added that shale deposits in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming “are , believed to be fee largest untapped oil reserve in this continent if not in the world.” Tie three-state reserve has been estimated at 3,000 billion barrels. The report said fee AEC and Bureau of Mines have reached . “an inter - agency cooperative’ , agrement” in connection wife the shale project and that the oil in- . dustry will be invijted to partici- ! pate. Tentative plans are to use a nuclear device equal to 10,000 tons of TNT. It would be fired at the end of a 1,450-foot tunnel 900 feet deep in a mesa situated in the Maghogany Zone of the Piceance Creek Basin in Garfield County, Colo. —- Tie project would cost about $1,500,000, not counting fee explosive. The AC has $7,500,000 in its new budget for Plowshare. Other Teste Plan Another oil recovery project has been proposed for fee Athabaska tar sands of northeast Alberta. Tie Richfield Oil Co. of Los AnContinued on page five Activate New State Police Post Sunday Walter Schindler Named Detective INDIANAPOLIS (UPI) — The newest Indiana State Police post will be activated Sunday in Lake County in a ranch - type brick building at Schererville along U. S. 30. Post commanders will be First Sgt. Stephen Ranich, Highland; Det. Sgt. Paul Hinkle, Hobart, and Cpls. Ralph Johnson, Gary, and Lester Sheridan, Crown Point. Their promotions are effective ’sunday. Troopers assigned to fee post post are Ernest Bajusz, Hammond; Jerry Conners and Anthony Vicari, Lowell; Joseph Rogowski, Griffith; Edward Slivka, Crown Point; John Vanco, Cedar Lake; Robert Vinovich, Highland; Joseph Voich, Dyer, and Robert Ayres, Upland. Other promotions to fill existvacancies include Cpl. Edward Raholin, Elkhart, to first sergeant at South Bend post, succeeding Ist Sgt. John Moo, LaPorte, transferred to Dunes Park district; Cpl. Walter Schindler, Berne, to detective sergeant, and Ttooper Robert Fortner, Fort Wayne, to corporal in charge of motor carrier inspection at Fort Wayne post; Trooper Harold Jackson, Brownsburg, to corporal at Putnamville district, and Sgt. William L. Fox, aid to Governor Handley, to first sergeant .at Indianapolis,

Frigid Air Clamped On Much Os Nation New Cold Wave In Majority Os Nation United Press International — Frigid air clamped much of the ! nation east of the Rockies in a new cold wave Saturday, during I temperatures to nearly 30 dei? grees below zero. The wintry sting was felt mainly in the northern plains, and the upper Mississippi Valley, but the thermometer also fell below zero in the Great Lakes region. Bismarck. N.D.. recorded a low of 29 degrees below zero, and fee Weather Bureau reported lows of from 10 to 25 degrees below throughout Minnesota, the Dakotas and Montana. Tie cold snap leapfrogged the central plains states, leaving temperatures unchanged in that area. Light snow and rain fell on other parts of the nation Friday and early Saturday. Snow flurries were reported in fee Great Lakes region, New England, toe northern and central Rockies and parts of the ' western plains. Spotted areas of light local rain 1 around fee nation included the states between the Carolinas and Louisiana and western Washington and Oregon. Meanwhile, southern Illinois and Indiana residents watched’ the angry Wabash River, which had j already flooded between 10,000 arid 15,000 lowland acres in fee two states. The Wabash River was ex- _ peeted to crest early Saturday. ’ ' . ' •: " ] m Russia Announces Military Force Cut Western Experts Discount Action LONDON (UPl)—Western military experts discounted the Soviet Union’s loudly proclaimed demobilization of 300,000 troops today as meaningless—if true. Such a cut still would leave the Soviet bloc with more than four million men under arms and Communist troops in Europe still would outnumber Allied forces by 4 to 1. NATO sources said the Russians have 22 divisions in East Germany and 60 divisions in satellite Europe and western Russia, all equipped with - modern weapons and vehicles. Atlantic Pact forces total 20 divisions. In addition, the sources said, the Russians have an 800,000 man air force and 2l),000 operational aircraft, mostly jet-powered. Gen. Lauris Norstad of the United States, fee supreme Allied commander in Eruope. has been pleading for a 50 per cent increase in his troop strength so that he could face the Russians wife 30 divisions. However, his pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Western military sources in Paris said Russia apparently cut its troop strength in line with the Soviet program of streanjlining armdd forces for nuclear age warfare, while diverting needed manpower to farms and industrial plants. The Soviet announcement in Moscow Friday also said 41,000 Soviet troops had been withdrawn from East Germany during fee past year. Decatur Ministers Not To Meet Monday - Ministers in the Decatur area are asked to take note that a meeting of fee ministerial association will not be held Monday. A new date for the regular meeting will be determined later. St. Mary's River Continues To Rise St. Mary’s river rose to 15.47 feet, compared to Friday’s mark of 14.72, weather observer Louis Landrum reports. The Saturday reading at 7 a.m. puts the river nearly two and a half feet over the theoretical floo<j slhge. No rain or snow'was reported Friday. P

Nine Persons Die In Fire At Nursing Home Eight Patients Die In Fire; Fireman Dies After Attack GLEN ELLYN, 111. (UPI)-Of-ficials today tentatively blamed faulty wiring for a fire which took the lives of nine persons, eight of them elderly patients, when it turned a nursing home into* an inferno of smoke and flames. Seven of the dead in Friday’s fire were invalids who were crushed to death when flames collapsed fee roof minutes after firemen arrived. The eighth fatality was an aged patient who died en route to a hospital and the ninth was a volunteer officer of fee suburban fire department who died from a heart attack while fighting the fire. Officials said fee 25-year -old stucco building, built in the style of an Italian mansion, had passed a fire safety test in July but feat as recently as last week it had undergone repairs for overloaded electrical circuits. Glen Ellyn Fire Chief James Brody said his department considered the nursing home “the most potentially fire - dangerous building in town.” Brody said the flames had a "good start” by the time fire- ’ arrived. Smoke and fire spread from the second floor while firemen were hampered by having to connect to a fire hydrant almost^ half-mile away. Benson Cuts Income Os Nation's Farms Parity Formula Is Revised By Benson WASHINGTON (UPI) — Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson has sliced about 60 million dollars from fee potential 1959 income of cotton farmers, and uncalculated millions from fee possible income of dairy, rice, tobacco. and peanut farmers. This was revealed when the Agriculture Department released its monthly farm price report Friday and at fee same time set fee price support rates for 1959-crop cotton. It was all done through revision of the formula by which farm parity prices are calculated. The revision covered the index of prices paid and received by farmers. These two figures are used in computing parity prices of farm product?. .Set At Fixed Figure The revised figures reduce parity prices for farm commodities about 3 per cent. Parity is fee price needed to put commodities sold by farmers on a par wife the cost of things they buy. Theoreticaly, it is a “fair return” for their products. Support prices for many crops are set at a fixed pecentage of parity. Thus, a lower parity price, about 1 1-3 cents. The support rates for cotton were based on the new parity price. They were 30.40 cents a pound for growers who produce under choice A, or fee regular acreage allotment program, and 24.70 Cents a pound for growers who elect under fee choice B program toincrease toeir acreage by 40 per cent Other Supports Cut The new support rates were roughly about 1 cent a pound or $5 a bale lower for choice a growers than they would have been without the new cut in parity prices. For choice B growers, fee loss was about .85 cent a pound. Assuming a 13 million bale crop this year, this loss could be around 60 million dollars. Under Benson’s new parity method, the formula also showed feat dollars-and-cents support rates on dairy products, rice, tobacco, and peanuts probably would range 2V4 to 2V« per cent (Continued on page six’)

Leaders Embroiled In Missile Dispute McElroy Statement Hit By Symington WASHINGTON (UPl)—Defense Secretary Neil H. McElroy and Sen. Stuart Symington were embodied today in a missile dispute which shaped up as one of those fights in which both sides are partly right. At issue was McElroy’s statement that the United States will have an operational intercontinental ballistic missile squadron ready for action by July. “Not correct,” said Symington. The Missouri Democrat coupled his comment Friday with fee charge feat fee administration is “jeopardizing fee security of the nation” by letting Russia get a lead in IGBMS in a year or two. He said administration leaders may have fee right to make feat decision, but not fee right to mis- , inform fee nation. Both McElroy, and Symington made their during hearings of fee Senate’s combined preparedness subcommittee and space committee. McElroy was a witness Thursday. Symington, long time critic of administration defense policies, is a committee member. Symington injected his comment oq McElroy’s statement while executives, of fee Defense Department’s space program were testifying feat they could use more money — without actually recommending that President Ei- : seohower’s defense budget be increased. Some defense officials, who screened McElroy’s testimony and Symington’s blast, said feat in fee give and take of committee questioning McElroy erred. The defense chief said, in answer to a question, that a squadron of ICBMs would be operational in July at Camp Cooke in California. An operational ICBM squadron will contain 10 launchers for fee 5,000-mile missiles. These sources said McElroy should have said, in answer to fee question, feat an ICBM squadron will have operational missiles by July—not 10, perhaps, but a . few. _ ’ ■ Or he could have said fee United States will have an operational squadron next January which, these sources said, is the full ready date. Eight Men Die In Explosion On Boat Two Women Injured By River Boat Blast HELENA, Ark. (UPI)—An oil slick and some debris today marked fee spot on the Mississippi River where eight men were killed and two women injured Friday when the boiler of their boat exploded. The 50-foot log-loading boat was pulling into the riverbank about 20 miles downstream from here. It was going to load logs consigned to a Helena firm on barges feat were standing by. One of the women who surfived the blast, Negro cook Ceo 1 a Hutchison, said feat then, “all of a sudden I hear...boom!” She said she went to fee aid of fee other woman, Mrs. M. G. Weeks, whose husband was fee junior owner of fee boat and was killed in fee blast. She found Mrs. Weeks unconscious. Weeks was secretary and general manager of the Choctaw Transportation Co:, the Greenville, Miss., firm that owned fee boat. A part owner of fee firm, Robert Pugh, identified four deckhadns and the pilot of fee botd, all Green ville men, as among fee other victims. He said they were pilot Cecil Smith, Charlie Anderson, Dennis Vickery, Albert Barnes and Frank Mooney. Pugh said payroll records showed that the two others could have been Joseph Barnes and Jerry Barham, both of Greenville. But he said he was not certain Barnes and Barham were aboard.

Six Cent*

Fifth Suspect Being Sought By Authorities 50 Burglaries In Decatur And Area Admitted By Gang A five-man burglary ring consisting of three adults and two teenagers, all residents orfformer residents of Decatur, have admitted to approximately 50 burglaries in Decatur and the surrounding area which have occurred during the past two years, according to police chief James Borders and sheriff Merle Affolder. Charles R. Johnson, 26, Fort <>Wayne, Melvin Lovellette, 23, Fort Wayne, both former Decatur residents, one 17-year-old, and one 16-year-old, are in jail in Decatur and Fort Wayne on the charges of second degree burglary. Another local resident has not been arrested as yet according to the authorities, but is believed to be in the area. His name'will be released as soon as the arrest is made, Affolder said. Johnson and Lovelette are being held at the Fort Wayne jail, while the two juveniles are being held in the Adams county jail. Charges of second degree burglary have-been 4Ued against the adults and charges of juvenile delinquency have been filed against the youths. Chief Borders and sheriff Affolder stated that 26 burglaries in Decatur and Adams county have been cleared up. All have admitted to burglaries in Adams, Allen and Hurttington counties, and several in Ohio. Several other counties surrounding the Decatur area were also victims of the ring. The five-man ring was broken when Johnson was picked up Wednesday night on a tip, and booked on investigation of burglary.Lovelette was picked up the following day. A third young man is being sought by the authorities and is expected to be jailed within the next few days. The local-authorities stated today that it could not be estimated the sum of money and merchandise taken by the five-man ring, or of the property damage caused in all the breakins and burglaries, but that the estimate would be several thousands of dollars. Buildings, safes, homes, gas, and all incidents involved would have to be considered before an estimate could be given. Although only 26 burglaries were cleared in this county, sheriff Affolder said that approximately 50 would, be cleared in the surrounding counties. Officers conducting the investigation were police chief James Borders, sheriff Merle Affolder, and the Carpino, Lake, Morrisey, and Johnson, all members of the Fort Wayne police department detective bureau. Burglaries cleared up by the five-man ring include: H. P. Schmitt Packing company; Linn Grove Elevator; Clauser Furniture store, Berne; Red§weg Grocery, Magley; Stuckey Furniture & Hardware. Monroe; Yost Construction company, Decatur; Adams Central high school, Monroe; Coppess Corners, Monroe; Blackwell department store, Decatur; Victory Bar, Appelmans West End restaurant, Miller’s Grocery, Sprunger Implement company; Wertzberger Confectiopery, (twice); Local Loan company; Stop-Back news stand; Raver’s Grocery: Decatur Youth and Community Center; Decatur high school. The following homes were also included in the (lumber of break- - ins: James Parrish, John Chilmte, Albert Grote, Eugene Arnold. Joe Elzey. Margaret Carlisle, and Robert Mutschler. ’ All law enforcement officers in the area are continuing their (Continued on ps*e eix) ~■ v-a"