Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 57, Number 124, Decatur, Adams County, 26 May 1959 — Page 1

Vol. LVII. No. 124.

Pastor Os St. Mary’s Catholic Church Dies After Lengthy Illness

The Very Rev. Msgr. Joseph J. Seimetz, pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic church in Decatur for more than a quarter of a century, died at 3:45 o’clock Monday afternoon at the St. Joseph hospital in Fort Wayne. The Monsignor had been confined to the Fort Wayne hospital since Saturday, Jan. 24, when he suffered a stroke at the church rectory. His condition rerriained serious throughout his long hospitalization, although some slight improvement had been reported at times. However, the prelate began to weaken early Monday morning and his condition became progressively worse until death. He was 74 years of age. Funeral Rites Friday He was born in Michigan City Sept. 3, 1884, a son of John and Catherine Seimetz. The pastor's only immediate survivors are two sisters, the Misses Elizabeth and Christine Seimetz, both of Michigan City. The funeral mass will be celebrated at 11 o’clock Friday morning at' the St. Mary's Catholic church, with burial in the Catholic cemetery. Friends may call at the Gillig & Doan funeral home at 2:30 o’clock Wednesday afternoon. The body will be removed to the church Thursday afternoon, and will lie in state from 2 p.m. Thursday until services Friday morning. To Decatur In 1933 Msgr. geimetz was appointed pastor of the St. Mary’s church Jan. 27, 1933, by the Most Rev. John F. Noll, bishop of the Fort Wayne diocese. He succeeded his uncle, the Rev. Julius A. Seimetz, who died Dec. 28, 1932, after serving the local parish since 1914. The beloved pastor saw one’ of his fondest hopes and dreams realized in 1954, when the magnificent new church was completed and dedicated, after many years of work toward this goal. Msgr. Seimetz, a native of Michigan City, received his education in St. Mary's high school at Michigan City, St. Joseph’s College at Rensselaer, and Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary at Cincinnati, O. Ordained In 1911 He was ordained to the priesthood June 17, 1911, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Fort Wayne, by the late Bishop

Tributes Paid John F. Dulles

WASHINGTON (UPI) — East and West put aside cold war differences today to pay respects to John Foster Dulles. There was the expected tribute from the grateful world he led in the fight for peace. But surprisingly, Russia also joined in honoring the former secretary of state. Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko was flying to Washington for the funeral Wednesday. So were West Germany’s Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and foreign ministers of the non-Com-munist world. Dulles, who died Sunday of cancer at the age of 71, will lie in state in the Bethlehem Chapel of the National Cathedral for 24 hours, starting at noon today. President To Attend Rites Wednesday, with , President Eisenhower in attendance, the final rites will be conducted for the man who guided America’s foreign policy for six crucial years. Dulles will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery with military honors. The body will be taken' from Dulles’ home to the hugh Gothic cathedral shortly before noon when the Washington diplomatic corps will assemble at the church An honor guard will be posted and the diplomats will sing the book of condolences. The public then will be allowed to pay its respects by walking past the flag-drapped casket, guarded throughout the 24 hours by five enlisted men of the armed forces. The casket will rest on a catafalque in the center of the chapel, surrounded by flowers.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

lil' The Very Rev. Msgr. J. J. Seimetz

Alerding. His first assignment was as assistant priest at St. Joseph's Catholic church in Logansport. In 1920, he was appointed pastor at St. Patrick’s Catholic church in Chesterton, serving that parish until his appointment as Decatur pastor in 1933. One of the highlights of the pastor’s career was his investiture Sept. 20, 1945, as ,t,he Very Rev. Monsignor, the first Decatur pastor to become a monsignor. He was elevated to membership in the Papal household and invested with the robes of Papal chamberlain by

The public also will be permitted to attend the funeral ser vices. However, only a comparative few will be admitted. A large section of the 2,818-seat cathedral will be reserved. Presbyterian Ritual, Clergy Although Washington cathedral is an Episcopal church, the funeral services will follow the ritual of the Presbyterian chyrch to which Dulles belong i ’fend will be conducted by Presbyterian clergy. The surprising acclaim that Dulles received in death from Soviet officials contrasted sharply with the vitriolic flood of denunciation they poured on him in life. The Communists, frustrated by his firm stand against Red expanson, often called him a “warmonger.” Gromyko even kept up the Soviet attack on Western policies until shortly before it was announced he would attend Dulles’ funeral. He exchanged bitter words with Secretary of State Christian A. Herter at the Geneva foreign ministers’ meeting. But once the Soviets made up their minds to join in the tribute to their free world adversary, the abuse quickly changed to acclaim for a respected foe. Moscow radio described Dulles as “an outstanding government leader.” Soviet Deputy Premier Anastas I. Mikoyan called the former cabinet member “a great statesman” and sent the condolences of the entire Soviet government.

the late Pope Pius XII. The investiture rites were conducted by Bishop Noll in 1945. An appropriate celebration was held here in 1936 to commemorate the pastor’s 25th jubilee year in the priesthood. Msgr. Seimetz was further honored for his loyal and devoted work to the church by being named dean of the newly-formed Huntington deanery May 1, 1957. Keenly interested in the welfare of the children of his parishioners, his foremost thoughts were of the Catholic high school and the St. Joseph elementary school. Under his guidance, the school system gained wide renown for its educational features and has ranked well scholastically for many years. New Church His Goal However, the crowning touch of his long devotion to his church and his people must have come in those days in May, 1954, when he celebrated the first mass in the beautiful new church, and the formal dedication of the edifice. The first mass was said Sunday May 2, 1954, a First Holy Communion mass for children of the parish. The dedication ceremonies were held May 31 of the same year, with Bishop Noll preaching the dedication sermon. The new church replaced the old which had served the St. Mary’s parish since 1873. The old building was razed in early ■949, and services were held in the school auditorium until completion of the new church. Ground was broken for the new church March 12, 1952, and it was completed slightly more than two years later. Retoil Stores Open Thursday Afternoon Decatur merchants will remain open Thursday afternoon because of the Memorial Day holiday this week, according to an announcement from Ferris Bower, retail division chairman of the Chamber of Commerce. The stores, . usually closed on Thursday afternoons, will remain open until 5 p.m., in most instances, in agreement with the chamber rule, which stipulates that when a holiday occurs during a week day, the stores will remain open the extra half day on Thursday. 1

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, May 26,1959.

Civil Defense Head Lions Club Speaker Hard work and thorough cooperation by the leaders and workers has paid off to m&ke the Adams county civil defense unit one of the most effective in the state, Jack Gordon, county and area ,director, and a member of the governor’s five-man advisory committee, told the Decatur Lions club Monday night. Boy Scout Jerry Cornish, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerdie Cornish, led the Lions in the pledge of allegiance. Next week’s speaker will be the district governor, who had to postpone one meeting because of a heart attack suffered a month or so ago. All Lions are urged to be present. Gordon passed out handbooks explaining the emergency uses of civil defense, which include pre-, paredness for flood, bombing, radioactivity, orr war damage. I The Decatur businessman explained how the county organization has been established, and that the 23 amateur radio operators are the keystone of the communications system during emergencies. Sheriff Merle Affolder has organized an efficient group who Will help move the huge influx of refugees expected in case major cities are bombed—Adams county will be expected to take care of approximately 23,000 additional persons, ana move the rest in orderly fashion through the county. This requires a large, efficient and trained group of men. At least one member of every family should be trained in first aid by taking the regular Red Cross course, Gordon stressed. A number of persons have already completed the courses, which are held two or three times a year. Every member of the family should know what to do in case of fire, floor, or tornado: homes, garages, and yards should be kept clear of burnable rubbish; electrical and heating systems should be checked for safety; fuels and flammable liquids should be stored in safe containers outside of the house; fire extinguishers and garden hoses should be properly located for fire fighting; every member of the family should know the general! first aid rules; necessary first aid supplies should (Continued on page eight)

Little Rock Ousts Segregationists

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (UPI) — Voters threw three segregationist members backed by Gov. Orval Faubus off the Little Rock School Board Monday night. This apparently paved the way to reopen and integrate the city’s four closed high schools this fall. It was a bitter defeat for Faubus, who twice within the past few days had made television appeals warning thatmob violence might return if the segregationists lost. The governor said in his statewide television appeals that even if the seregationists were ousted he would stand firm in his fight against enforced integration of Little Rock schools. The board members recalled by Monday’s balloting wer6" M ®d “I. McKinley Jr., board president; Ben D. Rowland Sr., secretary, and Municipal Judge Robert W. Laster. Less than two week? ago they had purged 44 teachers. Denounced By Faubus The three remaining members, given in effect of a vote of confidence, are Everett Tucker Jr., vice -president; Ted L. Lamb and Russell H. Matson Jr. They had been denounced by die governor and attacked by segregationists. Complete. unofficial returns from 32 of 32 precincts, gave: McKinley, for recall 13,341, against 11,855; Rowland, for 13,691, against 11,528; Laster for 14,082 against 11,148; Tucker, for 12,105 against 13,413; Lamb, for 12512, against 2943; and Matson, for 12,326, against 11,855.

Fourth Degree K.C. Meet This Evening All members of the Fourth Degree, Knights of Columbus, ;are requested to meet at the K. of C. hall at 8:30 clock tonight to complete arrangements for the i funeral of the Very Rev. Msgr. J. J. Seimetz. Mary M. Augsburger ■ Dies Monday Night Mrs. Mary M. Augsburger, 73, of I Pandora, 0., died Monday at 11:20 I p.m. at the Adams county memor- ■ ial hospital from staphylococci en- > terities (an infection in the blood > stream). Mrs. Augsburger had been a pa- >■ tient at the county hospital since [ April 29 from injuries suffered in •/a” two-car crash on U. S. 224 east ,' of Decatur when she was thrown • from the vehicle onto the pavement. Local authorities stated . that the cause of death was not t contributed directly to injuries suf- . sered in the crash, but had devel- . oped since that time. With the . statement, sheriff Merle Affolder . stated that it would not be consid- > ered as a traffic fatality against f the county. , Mrs. Augsburger is survived by r her husband, Menno, who was also f involved in the accident. She was , married May 12,. 191 L She was a member of the St. John Mennonite church in Pandora, where services J will be conducted Friday at 2 p.m. Other survivors are two daughr tens, Mrs. L. R. (Lenna) Amstutz, t White Water, Kan., and Mrs. Robert (Wilma) Wischmeier. Omaha, Neb.; two sons. Ottis W. AugsburgJ er, Pandora, and Emmet W. Augs- \ burger, Bluffton; two sisters and five grandchildren. Friends may call at the MilfordHaas funeral home in Pandora unh til time of the services. t Six-Year-Old Bike J Rider Killed Monday ’ MONTICELLO, Ind. (UPD-Six-year-old Jeffery Huge, R.R. 5, Monticello, was killed Monday night when a car struck his bike ' two miles southwest of here. The 1 car was driven by Thomas E. Rodehan, 25, Monticello, who told I authorities he swerved in a futile effort to miss the lad.

A group of Little Rock businessmen spearheaded the fight to oust tlie three segregationist members. The committee calls itself "Stop Thinks Schools Can Open Dr. Drew F. Agar, STOP president, said “I can see nq reason why the schools cannot be opened in toe fall if the courts should rule acts 4 and 5 unconstitutional. If the courts rule otherwise, then that would be a different matter.” He referred to two acts passed in a special session of toe Arkansas Legislature. One empowered Faubus to close schools threatened with integration and the other provides for the transfer of funds from such a- closed school to another school attended by a student displaced by integration. The two acts are currently being considered by a three judge federal court. Final briefs were filed last week, and Judge John E. Milter, one of the panel, said Monday a final decision on the acts should be handed down within the next two weeks. Matson, one of toe moderate board, members, said “toe outlook toward opening our schools next fall is definitely brightened by the results of the election. That’s what we fought so hard for.” Faubus was reported in Stuttgart visiting a friend. His executive secretary, Rolla Fitch, said he may have a statement later today<

Wilbur Petrie New Chairman Os Red Cross Wilbur Petrie, vice-chairman of the Red Cross for the past two years, Monday night was elected chairman succeeding Earl Fuhrman, who has served for the past two years. Petrie, a member of the Community Fund board of directors, former president of Rotary and the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, has been active in Red Cross work for nearly ten years, formerly having served as county fund campaign chairman. Petrie will take office on July h Fuhrman will continue as a member of the board. Stanley Brenneman, of Berne, former second vice-chairman, was advanced to vice-chairman. Dick Heller, Jr., was elected second vice - chairman, succeeding Brenneman. Miss Glennys Roop, Decatur school teacher, was reelected secretary, and Richard Macklin, Decatur car dealer, was reelected treasurer. t New Board Members Robert Meyer and Joseph Anderson, of Geneva, were elected members of the board of directors for tliree-year terms, replacing E. M. Webb, former chairman, Lewis Lutz Smith, and Leo Kirsch. Members reelected to three-year terms were Mrs. Mildred Foley. Miss Bernice Nelson, Miss, Glennys Roop, Wilbur Petrie, Claren Neuenschwander, Mrs. Ed Bauer, Mrs. Ed Bosse, and Dick Heller, Jr. Elected for one-year terms, replacing Lewellyn Lehman, Mrs. William Noll and Art Burris, were Mrs. Henry Heimann, Walter J. Stoppenhager, and Talmage G. Campbell. Before the election of officers the committee chairmen reported. Fuhrman reported that the fund drive had netted $9,322.16 towards „ Continued on page five

Local Man's Father Dies At Fort Wayne Henry E. Leitz, 82, of 213814 Broadway, Fort Wayne, and father of Ray Leitz of Decatur, died Monday at St. Joseph’s hospital in that city. Mr. Leitz, a retired General Electric Co. employe, was a native of Collinsville, 111., but lived most of his life in Fort Wayne. He was a charter member of the-Emmaus Lutheran church and the Quarter Century club at G.E. He and his wife, Carrie, celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary last November. Surviving in addition to the wife and son, in Decatur, are two other sons, Paul Leitz, of Fort Wayne, and Edward Leitz of Westfield. N. J.; 11 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren, and one sister, Mrs. Charles Fletter of Fort Wayne. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p. m. Thursday in Wellman’s funeral home, the Rev. Erwin L. Tepker officiating. Burial will be in the Concordia Lutheran cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home until time of the services. Dore D. Anspaugh Dies This Morning Dore D. Anspaugh, 73, brother of George Anspaugh and uncle of Lawrence Anspaugh, both of Decatur, died of a coronary heart attack today at 2:30 a m. in his home, eight miles southeast of Berne. Mr. Anspaugh had been released from the Adams county memorial hospital Monday evening after being a patient there since last Wednesday. A farmer, he was born Nov. -11, 1885, in Jefferson township, the son of Noah and Emma Jane Tester Anspaugh. A lifelong resident of Adams county, he married Alta Mann, who survives, on Oct. 11. 1906. Mr. Anspaugh was a member of the E. U. B. church of Jay City. Other survivors are two sons, Ernest Anspaugh, of Seymour, and Merrill Anspaugh, of Fort Wayne; a daughter, Mrs. Woodrow (Vera) Kelly, of Geneva; three other brothers, E. J. Anspaugh. of Fort Wayne James Anspaugh, of Lansing. Mich., and Edward Anspaugh, of Mendon, 0., and 10 grandchildren. Services will be conducted Thursday at 2 p.m., at the Yager funeral home in Berne, the Revi Russell Snyder, of Huntington, officiating. Burial will be *in the Riverside cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after Wednesday noon until the time of services.

New County Fund To Boost 1960 Budget

A new county fund, and an enlargement of another, will be provided for by the county commissioners in their budget this year, effective next year, it was reported today, raising the tax rate ten cents. ■ The new fund will be a threecent levy to provide money for court house repairs. Previously, this money was withdrawn from the general fund. Last year it was necessary jo take $1,200 out for roof repairs alone. The scarcity of space, and possibly of certain office shifts within a few years, has necessitated the new levy. The fund will run for five years, 'and 'Could be used only to make repairs or new construction at the court house; for example, if a future group of county commissioners would authorize the construction of an elevator so that elderly or crippled persons could attend court sessions, or go to the sheriff’s or county superintendent’s office, it would come, from this fund. The county bridge fund, created in 1956 to replace the old BV4 cent levy that was a part of the general fund, will be increased from eight cents to' 15 cents. Under the present assessment, that would bring in about $67,500 a year. A number of bridges built in the past on county roads are now in need of repair, but cannot be repaired until there is enough money on hand in the proper fund to do so. For example, 32 county bridges have been fixed since 1956, 12 more will be fixed this year, and at least 27 others needrepairs badly, but will not be taken care of until the 1960-64 period. Three bridges must be fixed in Preble township within the next five • years, and two have been fixed since 1956, according to the figures cl Lawrence Noll, county highway supervisor. Two need

Reds Agree To Secret Talks

GENEVA (UPD—The Big Four; foreign ministers agreed today to begin secret sessions on the Berlin and German questions Friday when they return from John Foster Dulles’ funeral in Washington. After more than two weeks of propaganda recriminations that got the conference exactly nowhere, Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko agreed to join the Western foreign ministers in private man-to-man talks on Friday. I Gromyko agreed to this during a private session today with British Foreign Secretary Selwyn Lloyd just before all the ministers took off for Washington to attend the Dulles funeral. Gromyko yielded after a week of Western pressure for secret talks. §ut he did so only after declining a chance to get such negotiations going at once on the flight to Washinton. Bi Step Forward He turned down an invitation from Secretary of State Christian Herter to accompany the Western foreign ministers on the American’s plane for the trip to the U.S. capital. But he did accept an invitation to fly back here with Herter Thursday afternoon. Gromyko's decision, apparently ordered by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, marked the biggest step forward since zßussia agreed to take part in the foreign ministers’ conference in the first

Bib' Jr. * ' |L mb JI " ’’Oil <gr mP wßP** aHB h jft AI L fIIAOI ■ • Earl Fuhrman Wilbur Petrie , NEW RED CROSS CHAIRMAN—WiIbur Petrie, prominent Decatur oil and gasoline distributor, was elected chairman of ihe Adams county chapter of the American Red Cross at the annual meeting Monday evening. He succeeds Earl Fuhrman, of the Schafer Co., who is retiring from the chairmanship.

v Six Cents

fixing in Root, six have been fixed, and two will be repaired this year. In Union township one has been fixed, one will be fixed 1» the next five years, and three will be fixed this year. In Kirkland, three have been fixed since 1956, and four will be fixed in the next five years. In Washington township, one will bq fixed this year, three in the next five years, and three have been fixed since 1956. In St. Mary's, one will be fixed this year, one in the next five years, and two have been fixed. In French township, one will be fixed this year and four have been fixed, with none known to need fixing soon. In Monroe township one will be fixed this year, and six will need fixing during the next five years, and none have been fixed since 1956. In Blue Creek three will need to be fixed after one is repaired this year, and four have been fixed there since 1956. In Hartford township three need to be fixed during the next five years, and one has been fixed since 1956. In Wabash four have been fixed. In Jefferson one needs to be fixed, two have been fixed, and two will be repaired this year. The highway department has been quite busy fixing pipe drains since the first of the year—more than $5,000 in pipe alone, not including labor, has been installed in that period. Two meri are employed full-time on the job. Three bridges were scheduled to be fixed in Union township on road four; one has been fixed temporarily, but funds will be transferred from the others so that tire bridge on the tile mill road can be fixed up again. Many of the ditches in the county have been dredged depeer, undercutting the bridges and necessitating repairs, | the commissioners explained.

place. I The first two weeks had been logjammed with semi-public sessions loaded with propaganda and counter-propaganda. Neither • side got anywhere. But the West believed that in secret session—with few advisers present and no outsiders — true bargaining could begin. Gromyko chose to play his tactical card today in his talks with Lloyd, who has been playing the role of intermediary between East and West on most occasions. Only Monday, after a fiery plenary session, Lloyd had appealed to Gromyko for "constructive” moves and less recimination. INDIANA WEATHER Partly cloudy and humid with scattered showers and thundershowers and little temperature change tonight and Wednesday. Low tonight in the 60s. High Wednesday mostly in the 80s. Sunset today 8:02 p.m. Sunrise Wednesday 5:22 a.m. Outlook for Thursday: Showers and cooler north. Showers and thunderstorms central and south with continued warm and humid. Lows 60 to 70. Highs in the 60s north to 75 to 85,central and south.