Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 57, Number 89, Decatur, Adams County, 15 April 1959 — Page 1

Vol. LVII. No. 89.

- .. , . . , Residents Os Decattir Reject Sale Os Power Utility By 273 Votes

Official Returns Precinct Yes No Decatur LA 123 190 Decatur ——37 129 Decatur 1-C ' 100 114 Decatur 1-D — 104 154 Decatur 2-A — 195 156 Decatur 2-B — 61 153 Decatur 2-C ______ 98 93 Decatur 3-A - *■— 167 181 Decatur 3-B __ — 136 152 Decatur 3-C 100 95 Decatur-Root 106 83 TOTALS 1227 1500 MAJORITY -1- 273 * _ Flies Gauntlet Os Red Planes

BERLIN (UPI) — Two Soviet fighter planes flew to within 600 feet of a U.S. Air Force transport flying the high altitude route to Berlin today but made no attempt to “buzz" it as on two previous flight* The high-flying American turboprop plane, which the West would use in the event of a new Berlin blockade, was dispatched to West Berlin fr>m West Germany despite previous warnings from the Communists that the West must fly the corridors under 10,000 feet. A U.S. official said the United; States formally notified the Rus-' sians in advance by filing a routine flight plan with the Soviet delegate at the Berlin air safety center stating the flight would be made today. The official said the flight was “not provocative. We merely are asserting our right to fly to and from West Berlin at altitudes of our choosing.” The Cl3O landed at West Berlin’s Tempelhof Airfield safely. The U.S. official said the two Soviet jets joined the transport shortly after it entered the space over East German territory. “There was no harassment or buzzing,” he said. The official said it was a “high altitude" flight. It- was assumed by this that the transport flew at about 25.000 feet, which was the altitude flown by the first Cl3O the Soviets buzzed on March 27. The Soviets have insisted that Western planes remain below 10,000 feet in the air corridors between West Berlin and West Germany. They said the air above

| fVRMMMC * - I w ■■ |f iSRp £ 1 Sv <d9 B J gw ®wwK©ySf»' * t' .•• „ ~^<^V? 4 > B ■&u w PANCHEM LAMA AT PElPlNG— Brought to Red China's capital of Peiping by the men who hand-picked him to replace Tibet’s Dalai Lama, the Panchem Lama (left) is greeted with flowers and much hand-clapping on his arrival. At the railroad station to meet him is Chinese Premier Chou En-Lai (right) who will escort him to a “People’s Congress” on Friday. The Dalai Lama was enroute to a meeting with India's Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru at the hilltop resort city of Mussoorie.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

this was reserved for Soviet planes. The United States, Britain and France have insisted there is no ceiling on the corridors. The Cl3O still faced the prospect of returning to West Germany from West Berlin. The flight was made after the Soviets by word and deed warhed the United States against sending to West Berlin high-flying aircraft of the type that would be used to fight a hew blockade. The East Germans today threatened the United States with made-in-Russia nuclear bombs if any ' attempt is made to break through to a blockaded West Berlin. Western diplomats expressed fear that aggressive Russian harassment of high-altitude American flights in the Berlin air corridor would cause crashes and loss of life. The Communists followed that up today by warning that if fighting breaks out over Berlin it will become a world war that will end in the defeat of the West at the hands of Soviet atomic and hydrogen bombs. Holthouse Funeral On Friday Morning Funeral services for Mrs. May Holthouse who died Tuesday morning following a long illness, will be" held at 9 a.m. Friday at St. Mary’s Catholic church, the Rev. Robert Jaeger officiating. The Rosary society and Catholic Ladies of Columbia will recite the rosary at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Gillig & Doan funeral home.

The voters of Decatur voted down the sale of the electric utility by a majority of 273 votes, 1,500 against, 1,227 for, in Tuesday's balloting. The election was non-political in nature, as the parties jwere split wide open on the ballot. Most precinct leaders in both parties op< posed the sale. A citizens committee, whose spokesman was Robert Gage, and which included numerous Democrats as well as Republicans, led opposition to the sale. Another committee, whose spokesman was Lowell Harper, favored the sale, as did a group called "Country Cousins” led by Dr. Arnold Spiegel. The first precinct reporting was 1-C, the jail, at 7:15 p.m. AU the results were known by 8:30 p.m., just 1% hours after the polls closed. A higher vote than expected, went to the polls, for a total of 2.727 of the city’s 4,411 registered voters. Os the 11 precincts, only four voted for the sale; those, who vote at the court house, including Stratton Place: Decatur-Root, in the north end of the city; the precinct around the diesel plant; and the precinct that votes at Worthman field. 55% Oppose A total of 55% of those who voted opposed the sale, and 45% favored selling. Precinct by precinct, the people voted as foUows: 1-A, 123 yes, 190 no; 1-B, 37 yes, 129 no; 1-C, 100 yes, 114 no; 1-D, 104 yes, 154 no; 2-A, 195 yes, 156 no; 2-B, 61 yes, 153 no; 2-C, 98 yes,

Announce New Space Victory

Castro Fifing To Stales For Visit HAVANA (UPD—Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro flies to Washington today for an 11-day visit to try to curry American favor and win financial support for his revolutionary regime. Maximum security precautions were set up in the American capital. The bearded, 32-year-old rebel leader, whose forces overthrew Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista last January, was scheduled to arrive at Washington Airport in early evening. More than a dozen advance agents, including bodyguards, were flown ahead to the American capital to set up security precautions against possible attempts on his life by Cuban exiles, including relatives of the hundreds of “war criminals” executed by revolutionary firing squads. A group calling itself the Anticommunist Movement of 'Die Americas announced in Washington it would protest his visit by parading 75 pickets with antiCastro signs in front of the White House two hours before Castro’s arrival. Castro was invited to the United States by the American Society of Newspaper Editors to address its convention in Washington Friday. His visit is unofficial, but he will meet with high U.S. officials. Acting Secretary of State ChrisStates was invited to the United Cuban premier at lunch Thursday and Vice President Richard M. Nixon will entertain him at his home Sunday. Washington officials hoped his visit would pave the way for a better understanding between his government and the United States. Castro will leave Washington Monday to speak at Princeton University in New Jersey. He will arrive in New York Tuesday for several television press interviews and speaking engagements before leaving Saturday to speak at Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; and Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. He will ehd his U.S. trip by flying to Montreal to accept a gift from the children of

Canada to the children of Cuba.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, April 15, 1959.

93 no; 3-A, 167 yes, 187 no; 3-B, 136 yes, 152 no; 3-C, 100 yes, 95 no; Decatur-Root, 106 yes, 83 no. Voting percentages in each precinct were: 1-A, 70.49% of 444 registered voters actuaUy voted; 1-B 53.37% of 311; 1-C, 57.84% of 370; 1-D, 57.58% of 448 ; 2-A, 68.28% of 514; 2-B, 60.11% of 356 ; 2-C, 63.66% of 300 ; 3-A, 68.07% of 520 ; 3-B, «4% of 450 ; 3-C, 61.32% of 318; DecaturRoot, 49.74% of 380. City’s Statement Mayor Robert D. Cole made the following, statement this morning: “The people of Decatur have chosen to keep the city-owned utility in the special city election authorized by city-sponsored petition after the passage of resolution 100. As mayor, I will be happy to do my very best to carry out the will of the people. A special meeting with city council members and the city attorney will be called as soon as possible to work out the very best program of rejuvenation of the lines and purchase of the power. I hope everyone with a workable plan wiU present it to me. Sub-Station Offered “The General Electric Company branch at Philadelphia contacted the office this morning to set up a meeting to give the city prices on sub - stations. Purchasing power will save the city a tremendous amount, compared to generating it. . “At the same time this morning, a group of rural users appeared, and stated that they are already circulating i a petition to be taken from the Decatur franchise. “The city will attempt to meet

VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. (UPI) — American scientists announced jubilantly today they aj> parently had achieved a new space triumph with the automatic ejection of the space capsule from the Discoverer II satellite. The Advanced Research Projects Agency of toe Department of Defense said that analysis of radio beacon and telemetry (radio) signals from Discoverer II received since 6 p.m. c.s.t. Tuesday “indicates toe capsule did eject from the satellite as pre dieted.” ARPA said that several reports of visual sighting and radio con- 1 tact from the capsule were being carefully checked to determine the probable landing area in the polar region. Discoverer H's capsule—capable of carrying living organisms in space—failed to eject on radio command from toe ground Tuesday because of a malfunction in a timing device. But the automatic mechanism within the 1,600-pound polar-orbit-ing vehicle ‘was pre-set to unload the capsule on its 17th pass around the earth, and today’s brief report strongly supported ARPA’s hopes of returning the multi - million - dollar little package from the globe-girdling satellite. “If it did work (as toe announcement indicated), toe capsule probably came down in ojf near the Arctic,” an Air Force spokesman said earlier. The satellite is expected to continue its circling of the globe for about 30 days. INDIANA WEATHER Fair and warmer tonight. Thursday partly cloudy and warmer, showers likely by night. Low tonight in 40s. High Thursday mostly in 70s. Sunset today 7:23 p. m. CDT. Sunrise Thursday 6:07 a. m. COT. Outlook for Friday: Turning cooler central and north portions with scattered showers and thundershowers over entire state. Lows 45 to 55. Highs 55 to 65 north and central to the 70s south.

every situation in such a manner as to best benefit the people." Problem Reviewed In reviewing the electric problem, the mayor pointed out that when he came into office, he immediately asked the electric utility for a report. This report, filed in April, 1956, by L. C. Pettibone, showed that numerous and expensive repairs were needed. The city then called in an independent engineering firm, Con-soer-Townsend, to survey the actual repairs needed. They then took this report to bonding agents to find out if bonds could be sold to finance the" project. These agents reported that a rate increase, averaging $2.50 per meter per month in the city, would be needed. The city had already asked Indi-.ana-Michigan to survey the lines, and offer them a price. The price was $2,102,300. A contract, calling for an election, was signed. A resolution was passed, a petition circulated and presented, and an election authorized. After an argument with the county over the staging of the election, and the appointment of the appraisers, the election took place Tuesday. Flying Bank Robber Arrested In Mexico MEXICO CITY (UPD—Frank Lawrence Sprenz, Ohio’s flying beok robber and one bf the FBl’s 10 most-wanted criminals, was en route to the U.S. border today in the custody of Mexican police. 5 Sprenz, 29, of Akron, Ohio, was arrested Tuesday when he returned from a fishing trip to Cosumel, an island off the Yucatan Peninsula. Two American companions, apparently tourists, were held for questioning at Merida, Yucatan, but their names were not released. Sprenz was flown here and hustled into a car /or the trip to the border, where he will be deported for illegal entry and turned over to U.S. officials. The Interior Ministry refused to say which U.S. entry point he was being taken to.

Asks Death Penalty For Connie Nicholas

’ INDIANAPOLIS (UPI) — The state called for toe death penalty for Mrs. Connie Nicholas today as the murder trial of the little divorcee neared toe jury. Deputy prosecutor Francis Thomason said the Bible set forth the punishment and that the 45brunette was guilty of first-degree murder in the slaying of business executive Forrest Teel. The case was expected to go to the jury about 2:30 p.m. c.s.t after final instructions from Judge Thomas J. Faulconer. Defense and prosecution attorneys made their final arguments in this fifth week of the trial this morning. Mrs. Nicholas wept and bowed her head as Deputy Prosecutor Judson Haggerty pictured her as a woman who “lived it up” and then tried to solver her problems Vith a gun. * The state pictured Mrs. Nicholas in its final arguments as “judge, jury and executioner” of Teel. Defense' attorney Charles Symmes asked for acquittal on grounds Teel was killed in the front seat of his white Cadillac in a struggle ter the gun which Mrs. Nicholas had drawn in a threat to kill herself. Another defense lawyer told the jury: “She was deeply in love with this man—and she still is. The heartbreak she has suffered is incomparable.” > Thomason, a tight-lipped Midwesterner who had Mrs. Nicholas near collapse during his crossexamination earlier this week on the witness stand, began his final plea to the jury In dramatic fashion. “And she left him there alone to die,” he said quietly. “In that

Dulles Resigns As Secretary Os Stale

Ike Announces Resignalion Os Top Adviser AUGUSTA, Ga. (UPI) —President Eisenhower today sadly announced the resignation of Secretary of State John Foster Dulles. The President, with traces of tears in his eyes and a choked up voice, personally met with reporters to tell them that the cdncerstricken secretary was “absolutely incapacitated” to carry on his administrative duties as state secretary and still make policy. The President said however that Dulles will continue as the nation’s top-level foreign consultant to the White House. Dulles was placed under additional X-ray treatment today for what appeared to be a second outbreak of cancer. The secretary of state returned from a recuperation trip in Florida only last Sunday arid was hospitalized again. The President, appearing at a highly unusual news conference in the temporary White House news headquarters at the Richmond Hotel here, said he expected to name a successor to Dulles within a few days. He said there were other government experts on foreign policy in addition to Acting Secretary Christian A. Herter who would be considered for the post. Before he makes a final decision, the President said he would discuss the matter with Dulles. Seldom have Washington reporters seen Eisenhower as somber as he jvas today. Grave-faced, he walked into the temporary White House pressroom and said simply that what be had to say would be brief and that it concerned Dulles. He went on to report that, in view of the medical findings Tuesday when doctors announced evidence of new cancer in Dulles, the secretary had “definitely made up his mind to submit his resignation.” Eisenhower, looking somewhat pale and drawn beneath his tan, went on to say calmly that Dulles’ formal letter would reach him in a day or so and he would then reply to it. Speaking of the medical report Tuesday, the President said sadly that the findings on Dulles were “not of the kind that make him

hour, she stood as a murderess.” Thomason ripped into a defense of accidental death or self-defense. “If it was self-defense, she meant to fire the gun,” he said. Seek Equipment For Civil Defense Unit Four Adams county men went to Camp Atterbury today to see if they could obtain three emergency generators, a mobile kitchen, and a 200-bed emergency hospital for the local, civil defense unit. Jack Gordon, civil defense director for Adams county, took Thurman Drew, Adams county memorial hospital administrator, and two members of the hospital board, Henry Rumple and C. August Nagel, with him. Three 75 kilowatt generators would furnish the hospital with emergency power during any kind of. attack or in an emergency. Tlie civil defense group will obtain the equipment at 5% acquisition cost. Gordon alao announced that on April 17-18 the 1959 statewide alert will be sounded. All personnel will be alerted, but only radio operators will take an active part. They will be alerted from Friday afternoon until 9 p. m. and Saturday morning until noon. Gordon, who is also fourth district director of civil defense, is one of the five-member board which is in charge of all the government surplus property available to civil defense agencies.

helpless.” Eisenhower said in an increasingly husky voice that no man of cabinet rank to his knowledge had filled his position with greater distinction than Dulles. Dulles, battling against his third cancer attack, has been secretary of state since 1953. Although 65 at the time, he has become perhaps the world’s most active traveler, covering hundreds of thousands of miles by land, sea and air in the interest of America’s diplomatic policy during the cold war. Eisenhower entertained a few questions from reporters bearing directly on the shift of command in the state department. The President ma d e these points: The effectiveness of the American presentation at the April and May conferences of foreign ministers will not be damaged by the departure of Dulles. Herter will go to both conferences because of his intimate knowledge of foreign affairs, regardless of Eisenhower's selection of a successor to Dulles. As the President prepared to leave the news conference, he turned dejectedly to the reporters with what seemed to be a trace of tears in his eyes. **l cannot tell you how really regretful I feel,” he said. Two Burglary Ring Members Face Trial Two adults of an accused fiveman burglary ring apprehended in January in connection with 150 crimes in Decatur and the surrounding area over an 18-month period, are expected to be brought to trial soon, according to auth- | orities from die surrounding communities. The Mercer county grand jury in Celina, Ohio, will be drawn Thursday and a trial date for Charles R. Johnson, 26, of Fort Wayne, a former Decaturite, being held there on first degree burglary charges, is expected to be set by early next week, according to the Mercer county sheriff’s department. Melvin Lovelette, 23, of Fort Wayne, who formerly lived in Decatur, and who was bound over to the Van Wert grand jury in March, will appear May 4 when the grand jury reviews all criminal matters. Lovelette is being held in Van Wert on two counts, larceny, and breaking and entering. He is being held in the Van Wert county jail on a $5,000 bond in each case. Johnson has a bond of $2,500 set for his release from the Celina jail on the first degree burglary charge. Another adult from Decatur, allegedly involved in the crimes, was released recently by the Van Wert authorities when the case was disposed of in the Van Wert municipal court. Two teenagers from Decatur, also involved in the five-man burglary ring, received sentences at the Indiana boy's reformatory early in January, in the Adams courity juvenile court.

Dalai Lama To Make Public Appearance

NEW DELHI (UPD—The Dalai Lama will make his first public appearance in India Saturday and thereby deny Chinese Communist and Soviet charges he was "kidnaped” and is being held under duress, it was announced today. The charges were repeated Tuesday night in Peiping by Red Chinese Premier Chou En-lai and the Communist-sponsored Panchen Lama. Two Taipei newspapers, die United Daily News and the China News, meanwhile reported major fighting in the Chinese province of Tsinghai adjoining Tibet and said tribesmen there had revolted against Peiping. The China News, qiioting Nationalist intelligence reports, said, "The vast desert frontier is burning with freedom fire.” It reported anti-Communist elements had cut the main highway leading from the Psinghai capital of Hushu to Lhasa, with the Red army almost cut off in Tibet and large-

Six Centt

Expect Herter To Be Named As Successor WASHINGTON (UPI) - Administration officials said today they expect Undersecretary Christian A. Herter to be named secretary of state within the next few days to succeed John Foster Dulles, who has resigned because of his losing struggle against cancer. It has been generally under stood that the 64-year-old former Massachusetts ..governor. who has been 5 acting secretary since mid-Febru-ary would step into the job if Dulles had to quit. Some officials still conceded an outside chance to some other possible nominee — particularly C. Douglas Dillon, undersecretary ut state for economic affairs. Has Powerful Backing Dulles, whom the President has said he will consult on a successor, is known to rate Dillon extremely highly. However, Herter has powerful backing on Capitol Hill, including the already expressed support of the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, J. William Fulbright (D-Aric.). Herter, according to his aideS, was notified Tuesday of Dulles’ intention to resign and the fact that the President would make the announcement this morning. The acting secretary, who served eight years in Congress and four years as governor of Massachusetts, also was advised that there would be no announcement of Dulles successor for a few days. • The President, in announcing Dulles’s r resignation in Augusta this morning, noted that other government experts on foreign policy would be considered before a final decision is made on filling the post. Resume Radiation Therapy Before Eisenhower made his announcement at an unusual news conference at Augusta, Dulles’ associates considered his resignation was virtually inevitable, pariticularly after a possible new ma[lignancy had been discovered in his neck. The State Department disclosed late Tuesday that doctors had begun radiation therapy at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The announcement said the” new growth was located at the “lower cervical vertebrae.” The grim development came a little more than two months after a hernia operation disclosed that the 71-year-old diplomatic warrior had been afflicted again with abdominal cancer. It was announced Tuesday that Herter would lead the American delegation to the Paris meeting April 29 of Western foreign mir isters to prepare for the May 11 Geneva meeting with Russia on Berlin and Germany. - No Surgery Contemplated In addition to Dillon, others whose names have cropped up from time to time in speculation concerning a possible successor to Dulles are Gen. Alfred Gruenther, former supreme Allied commander in Europe and now president of the American Red Cross, New York investment banker and foreign affairs expert John J. McCloy and former New York governor Thomas E. Dewey.

ly dependent on airborne supplies. The public appearance of the Dalai Lama was considered significant because of new Peiping charges almost certain to anger anti-Peiping elements in India. One charge said certain Indian political leaders were trying to sabotage IndiaoCommunist China relations. Official sources said the Dalai Lama would bless the tea planter town of Tezpur when he arrives Saturday en route to his exile in Mussoorie 130 miles north of New Delhi. Hundreds of Buddhists were expected to attend the ceremony. Peiping Radio announced that Communist leader Mao Tse-tung made a major speech today on international affairs and Tibet and it was believed certain the Chinese Communist Peoples Congress starting Friday would devote much of. its time to the Tibetan rebellion. No details of Mao's speech were released.