Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 58, Number 19, Decatur, Adams County, 23 January 1960 — Page 1

Vol. LVIII. No. 19.

[if ■ll Ijag*»■ n-W ’ IH Ki . jfl F t * r Tt w* ;|k % J ■ VW Kt • | |®u ' jfe I l F *i ■'SJMStyjSS k. ' -* J KENNEDY ENTERS WISCONSIN PRIMARY—Sen John F. he'll enter the Wisconsin presidential primary against Sen. Hubert Humphrey at Minnesota. April 5 election is regarded by both men as vital.

De Gaulle Fires Algiers Hero

PARIS (UPD — President Charles de Gaulle has served stern warning that he will brook no opposition from any quarter to his Algerian policies, observers said today. The observers said De Gaulle put his prestige on the line by firing paratroop Gen. Jacques Massu and announcing he will inspect troubled Algeria hiiir-eH starting Feb. 5. Massu, 51, strongman of the Algiers revolt 20 months ago which tumbled the Fourth republic and restored De Gaulle to power, was the idol of the extremist Algerian settlers. The col. onia Is violently oppose De Gaulle s plan to give self-determination to Algeria. De Gaule Friday removed Massu from his posts as civil and military commander of the Algiers region. He appointed Lt. Gen. Jean Crepin to take over the posts. De Gaulle had summoned Massu to Paris after a German newspaper quoted the general as expressing fear the army made a mistake in selecting De Gaulle to lead France. Instead of aforth right denial by Massu, aU De Gaulle got was a tepid piedge of loyalty hot to himself, but to Gen. Maurice Challe, French commander-in-chief in Algeria. , The announcement of Massu s dismissal said that a d on a new post would be determinea after he meets with De Gaulle. It was evident that he would not rewas ww __ his son and daughter joined him in Paris Fridaft‘ was the toughest move yet ♦.ten bv De Gaulle against the threatened revolt against any

Churchßoard Sends Protest To Handley

The chairman rs U>e hoard* Raj a Rbss Adair, and the neaa oi Indiana aeronautics commission, SrT press release contamtag ••flagrant bhasphemy of the Holy B Dr e JE. Morris, speaking for the church board, wrote concern- > storv In the Associated Press last Staurday, carried Wavne newspapers. The story, summed up three Indiana aeronautics board mml bers concerning a proposed ban or liquor on planes. None interviewed favored the ban. One was quoted as saying the passengers might quit flying, and another that it would be as dry as the Sahara desert. The paragraph which raised the ire of the readers was a Jdrect quote from Maj. Gen. Ralph F. Steady, retired, of Brazil, com-, mission chairman, who was reputed to have said: ‘‘The next, thing you know, we will be to tell passengers to read the Bible instead of girlie magazines.” 'Die story was not carried by the Decatur Daily Democrat The letter reads as follows: “By action of the official board

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Paris "sellout” to the Algerian Moslem nationalists. The question was whether De > Gaulle could make his get-tough : policy stick. Thus far, he appeared to be succeeding. Advertising Index Advertiser > . pae * Adams Theater------ • Ass'n for Betterment of Decatur 6 Beavers Oil Service, Inc— 8 Burk Elevator Co. — * Butler Garage 5 Bower Jewelry Store — 3 D. S. Blair, auctioneer—Briede Studio 3 Citizens Telephone Co. — 6 Decatur Ready-Mix, Inc. . 8 First State Bank —« Franklin Electric Co., Inc. 5 Fairway - "V;;"' , Gillig & Doan Funeral Home — J Green Belt Chemical Co. 8 Kent Realty & Auction Cos Klenkw.-- - ® Kiddie Shop . * Rash Insurance Agency» L. Smith Insurance Agency .... 5 Smith Drug Co.—- ’• ’ Shaffer’s Restaurant J> Orville Estate 5 Teeple " B Yost Gravel Readymix, Inc. — » ZJwick Funeral Homie -< Church Page Sponsors — 2 INDIANA WEATHER Partly cloudy tonight and Sunday. Scattered snow flurries tonight. Continued cold. Low tonight 4 to 8 north, aero to 5 above south. High Sunday lows 20s north to upper 20s south. Outlook tor Monday: Considerable cloudiness and not quite so cold with some snow north.

of the First Christian church Decatur, Indiana, we are writing; this letter in reference to an Associated Press release concerning Indiana’s refusal to outlaw liquor on plane flights. In this story, carried on Saturday, January 18,i960, by both Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette and Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, the commission chairman of the Indiana Aeronautics Commission, Ralph F. Stearley of Brazil, Indiana, Major General Air Force, retired, was quoted as saying, The | next thing you know, we will tell passengers to read the Bible inI stead of girlie magazines.” | “We are not taking issue with the type of literature read by airplane patrons, nor are we, at this time, taking issue with the consumpaion of alcoholic beverages on airplanes, but we are ardently condemning the flagrant blasphemy of the-Holy Bible. • - “Since news stories of this sort are ammunition for anti-Christian i forces in other nations, it is difficult for us to understand how you ; or your administration can amdone utterances so far beneath the dignity ot public office. “We trust you will accept this as a protest and take whatever action you deem necesary to prevent a reoccurrence of this type of thing.”

Democrats Conduct Campaign Kickoff WASHINGTON (DPI) — A flock of Democratic presidential hopefuls, here for the party’s 1960 campaign kickoff banquet, whipped up lots of talk today but little apparent new support. Seven Democrats "most often mentioned” for the presidential nomination plus former President Truman address party colleagues at the SIOO-a-p*ate dinner tonight. Jdlai E. Stevenson, the unsucSful 1952 and 1956 Democratic nominee will not attend. But his “shadow” candidate status still was a topic of talk among party leaders. “I take him at his word — I don’t think he’s a serious candidate today." Paul Ziffren, Democratic committeeman from California, said of Stevenson. But backers of other aspirants lobbied openly for support among committee members, governors and other Democratic leaders here for the banquet and a twoday national committee meeting. Sen. John F. Kennedy (D-MassJ and his attractive wife entertained committee members at a reception in their Georgetown home. Friends and supporters of Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey (D-Minn.) and other hopefuls were hosts at less formal gatherings. Speaking tonight in two giant banquet rooms at the SheratonPark Hotel were Truman. Kennedy. Humphrey, Senate Democratic Leader Lyndon B. J (Tex) Sen. Stuart Symington (Mo.), and Govs Edmund G. (Pat) Brown (Calif.), Robert B. Meyner. (NX). and G. Mennen Williams (Mich.).

Two Persons Killed In Indiana Traffic United Press International Two fatalities in the early hours of the weekend marred one of Indiana’s safest traffic weeks in years. , Before an Indianapolis area accident Friday night and a Ripley county wreck early this morning, a period of nearly five full days went by with only one fatality reported throughout the state. Edward Gale Baker, 1«, Aurora, was killed early this morning in Ind. 101 three miles south of Milan when a car he was driving missed a curve, swerved out of control and struck a tree. Alton G. Allen, 21, Aurora, riding with Baker, was injured but not seriously. Both were thrown from the car. Mrs. Elizabeth Graham, 42. London Shelby Co., was killed Friday night in U. S. 421 in southeastern Marion county when a car in which she was riding with her husband skidded and overturned. • ’ Mrs. Graham and her husband. Daniel, 43, were headed home from work at an Indianapolis industrial plant when the accident happened. Mrs. Graham was hurled from the car and her body landed on the graded right-of-way of a new interstate highway under construction. —— - - - Liner Lands Safely At Pittsburgh Today PITTSBURGH Eastern Airlines Super-C Constellation carrying 27 passengers and a crew of five landed safely at Greater Pittsburgh Airport early todav after circling the field for nearly three hours with an apparent faulty nose wheel.

ORLY DAILY NEWSPAPER TN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday, Jon. 23, 1960

Marion Family Os Eight Found Dead In Home Os Gas Fumes Early Today

Spears Questioned For Hours On Crash

PHOENIX, Arix. <UPI» —Robert V. Spears wanted two things — to disappear to escape an abortion trial and money for his family. The FBI has been trying for two days to find out if he sabotaged an airliner to accomplish both. He was questioned by jd* agents for hours Friday about the Nov. 16 crash of a National Airlines plane in the Gulf of Mexico which killed 42 persons. Spears had: Acess to dynamite caps, batteries, friction tape and a dynamlte cache, the makings of a home-made bomb. SIOO,OOO insurance policy I payable to his wife. _A friend. William Allen Taylor, who made the flight in Spears name and who is presumed dead Friend Takes Place Spears had bought a ticket on the Tampa. Fla.; to New Orleans plane and was believed among the 42 persons who died in the He persuaded Taylor, 58, a Tampa salesman, to take his place aboard the ill-fated craft Stxara’ desperation following his arrest last July on two counts of abortion and one of conspiracy was described in Los Angeles Friday by his co-defendant. Query Suspects In Case Robbery Here Two suspects are being questioned today in connection with safe burglary at the Blackstone Case, according to city police chief Jim Borders, as law enforcement agencies grind out the relentless process of invsetigation. „ , Christian H. Schwartz, 27, of 107 S. Seventh street, and James H Spears, 36, of Gage Apartments on Winchester street are being held at the county jail after being apprehended Frida? Spears was arrested in Fort Wayne, while Schwartz was arrested here. Information from citizens led to the arrest of the pair, chief Borders said. He also believes that the safe will be found in the Wabash river, east of Geneva, if all his data proves correct. State police and the sheriff s department are working on the safe job with the local author!ties. The 16 by 16 by 24 inch iron safe was taken from the premises at the tavern between 4:30 and 5 a m. Friday after suspects had entered the establishment through the back window and opened the back door. . Several hundred dollars was repented in the safe by the owner, along with other items, including important papers. A search of nearby county and side roads all day yesterday faded to bring any clues to the whereabouts of the safe. Charges Strikers Planning Violence CHICAGO (UPD — A Wilson and Co. official charged today that striking meatworkers plan to stage more picket line riots at Wilson meatpacking plants in Albert Lea, Minn., and Cedar Rapids, lowa. Wilson Vice President John Cockrill made the charges in a telegram to Ralph Helstein, president of the United Packinghouse Workers of America (UPWA). Cockrill told United Press International a "confidential” source had given him "substanial information” the union planned to foment the violence today. Notifies Poliee He refused to elaborate, but said he had notified police in Albert Lea and Cedar Rapids to be on the alert for more violence. Helstein labeled the charges “completely preposterous and without basis” and sent return wires to Cockrill and Minnesota

Dr. Donald A. Loomis, a Palos Verdes Estates chiropractor, said Spears attempted to extort money from him so he could escape the country without going on trial. An ex-convict with at least seven convictions ranging from fraud to armed robbery, the 200pound bespectacled Spears could expect a long prison sentence *f convicted of the charges. Faces Sentencing Loomis told investigators, “he (Spears) kept asking me for anything from $15,000 to $25,000” and warned half a dozen times that "If he didn’t get the money to •get lost’ he was going to testify against me in every way he could and try to make me look bad." Loomis, who already has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge and faces sentencing, said he received the last threat from Spears several weeks before the crash. When he later heard Spears was believed killed In the crash he voiced his belief to investigators that Spears actually was using the crash as away to “get lost.’ Spears expressed his desire to provide for his wife and two children — Robert Kenneth, 2. and Debra, 10 months — when he met with his wife in Dallas, Tex., two weeks before his capture. and lowa authorities saying he knew of no planned violence. “I did receive' a telegram making certain claims that the union had planned riots for tomorrow,” Helstein said. “Anything s possible so we checked with the ■ locals and found no basis,, whati soever for the telegram. ! “It looked like some form of ' impudent insult to me, ’ he said. Closes Plant t The 86-day Wilson strike turn- . ed Albert Lea and Cedar Rapids into armed camps in mid-Decem-f ber and spurred continuing waves of violence which have swept across Albert Lea and surround- . ing Freeborn County since then. Minnesota Gov. Orville Freeman closed the Albert Lea plant : and placed the town under martial ’ law following two days of picket line riots there in December. A federal court later ordered the 1 plant reopened and 2,500 non-union workers have been handling operations in place of the 5,000 strikers. Plan Reregistering Os Boy Scout Units Representatives of 12 Boy Scout. Cub Scout, and Explorer post units from Decatur, Monroe an<J Berne will meet Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the Decatpr high school U* plan for re-registration of the unit in March. — Four Boy Scout troops, including troop 62, sponsored by the Decatur Lions club, troop 63, sponsored by Post 43 of the American Legion, troop 67, of Berne, and troop 72, of Monroe, will have their unit chairmen, institutional representative, and scoutmaster present. Robert J. Zwick, Nelson Doty, Harold Sprunger, and Earl Harmon are the unit leaders of the above troops. Post 2068, with Elmer M. Lehman of Berne as chairman, and 2070, of Monroe, with Martin Steiner as chairman, will also be present. The six Cub packs to be represented are 3061, William F. Chris* ten; 3062, Jay Markley; 3063, Hubert Zerkel, Jr.; 3064, Leßoy Huffman; 3067. Willard Lehman, of Berne; 3072, Elmo Stuckey, of Monroe. ' — The re-registration procedure will be explained, and unit registration kits will be passed out. Questions r>n registration will be answered. Steve Everhart, assistant district commissioner for Adams county, will assist with the program. Wells county held a similar meeting in December, and it was very well attended, with many of the leaders quite pleased with the amount of information they received.

Cold Blankets Eastern U.S., Hits Florida United Press International Cold blanketed the eastern United States today while Florida farmers fired up their smudge pots in a desperate effort to save the state's winter vegetable crop. The mercury dipped to 36 in Miami and 19 in Gainesville Friday to mark the coldest Jan, 22 in Florida history. The U.S. Weather Bureau issued a dreaded twoword forecast: “Little change. The weatherman predicted lows of 38 today along the tourist-jam-med “Gold Coast” from Palm Beach southward, with lows of 33 expected inland. Citrus growers said stiff winds prevented any damage to Florida’s fruit crop, but vegetable farmers said there “definitely. . .was some damage” to the state’s multimillion dollar winter vegetable harvest. Georgia expected its lowest temperatures of the year—a chilly 15 degrees above zero. Readings as tow as 10 degrees below zero were common throughout the Dakotas and almost the entire nation north of the MasonDixon line reported temperatures below freezing. . The bureau said temperatures would warm slightly today oyer the northern and central Plains, but the eastern half of the nation could expect at least one more day of the bone-chilling cold which followed a cross-country storm earlier this week. The storm claimed at least bb lives through traffic accidents, freezing, asphyxiations and heart attacks, with 12 dead in Nebraska, nine in Florida and 7 in both Kansas and New York. The usually balmy southern states of Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Tennessee all reported death? from freezing or fires. Springfield. Mo., braced for its worst weekend of the winter. A broken gas line left 80 per cent of the city’s homes without heat and city officials said repairmen probably couldn’t restore heat before Monday. In Los Angeles, health officials said the flu epidemic appeared to be abating. But so many teachers were home sick Friday that school officials had to double up 700 classrooms of children. The bi.ireaii predicted more snow flurries today for northern Minnesota into northern Indiana and through the Great Plains from Montana into Nebraska.

Three Decatur Boys Named For Jamboree Three of five Decatur boys who will attend the national Boy Scout jamboree in Colorado next summer have already been named, Sylvester Everhart, assistant district commissioner, said today. Dan Heller, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Heller of Limberlost Trail, will represent troop 61. sponsored by the Decatur Rotaiy club Heller is one of two Eagle scouts active in Decatur, and when he achieved that rank was one of the young men in the district to receive the honor. Rotary troop will send a second scout, but he has not yet been designated. Charles Martindill, an active member of troop 62, sponsored by the Decatur Lions club, will represent that troop at the fourth national jamboree. Daniel Durkin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Durkin of 616 Mercer avenue, will represent troop 63, sponsored by Post <3, of the American Legion. Duridn’s older brother attended the Washington jamboree several years ago. , Troop 65, sponsored by the Trinity E. U. B. church, has not yet named its representative. Every Decatur troop will be represented at the eVent, which will draw 50,000 boys from every state. The . jamboree is already oversubscribed.

Los Angeles Trial In Weekend Recess LOS ANGELES (UPD — Dr R. Bernard Finch, surgeon, tennis player, lover and accused wife slayer, can be assured of some time in jail should he get off on a murder charge. In three weeks of trial with his mistress, Carole Tregoff, 23, the 42-year-old doctor has: —Admitted he stole two Automobiles in his flight from the Finch home after his wife was shot to death July 18. —Argued that he and Carole hired an ex-convict to fake divorce evidence against Mrs. Finch —but not to kill her. —Been accused of forging his wife’s name to a $3,000 check. . Trial In Recess —Committed ' malpractice by leaving his wife to die. even if the shooting was accidental as the defense will claim. The trial was in recess during the week end. Prosecutor Fred N. Whichello expects to conclude the state's case by Tuesday night or Wednesday and then it will be the turn of Finch and the reahaired Carole. With the bulk of the prosecution case in, neither the doctor nor Carole seemed particularly worried. They were smiling and relaxed at the end of Friday’s session. This correspondent asked Finch about playing tennis at the exclusive Racquet Club In the nearby Palm Springs resort owned by Charles ("Seventh Heaven”) Farrell. Won Doubles Tourney “Oh, yes, we won their last invitational doubles tournament,” Finch said. "I played with a friend. Give my regards to Charley when you see him.” The state still had to produce witnesses to tell about Finch's arrest in Carole’s Las Vegas apartment the day after the killing. Also scheduled to testify about Finch’s home life was the Protestant minister who married him to Barbara Jean, 33. Defense Attorney Grant Cooper made no effort to combat testimony that Finch took two cars in his flight from the scene of the slaying, abandoned one by chance in a policeman’s driveway, and drove another to Las Vegas. Cooper even told one owner: “Dr Finch offers his apologies.” I Two Army Pilots Die As Copters Collide MINERAL FALLS, Tex. (UPD —Second Lt. Jerry L. Burton, 23, Inglefield, Vanderburgh Co. Ind. was one of two Army pilots killed Friday when their helicopters collided in the air north of here. The other victim was Capt. Ronald S. Elwell. 31. Tulsa. Okla.

Seek To Reach Trapped Miners

COAIJIROOK, South Africa — (UPD — Drillers tried today to sink an emergency airshaft into the Clydesdale coal mine, hoping that some of the 400 to 500 miners trapped in a gas-filled shaft 6qg feet underground may still be alive. Using a special drill rushed here from Bechuanaland. they tried to drive a hole 14 inches in diameter down to the chamber where the miners were trapped, about a mile from the entrance to the pit. Any survivors could get air, water and food through the emergency shaft while other arrangements are made to Bring them back to the surface. ’ Threatened By Cave-Ins The shaft where the men were trapped was believed to be filled with methane gas — l the “fire damp” all coal miners fear. While the drill sank steadily toward its goal, diggers braved the threat of new cave-ins in an effort to tunnel through a mile of

MARION. Ind. <UPD—AD eight member* of a railroad sectton hand * family were found dead from gas fumes in their home today. and a coroner's report said they hnd been dead about M hours A bakery truck driver, stopping to collect for a week's supply of bread, discovered the tragedy when he opened the door of the gas-filled borne of the Frank Copp family on Marion's north side when nobody answered his knock. Driver Norman Me Farren saw the body of one of the Copp children lying on the living room floor in front of a gas spaee heater. He smelled the fumes, rushed to a telephone and called police. Then he discovered the bodies of Copp. 38. his wife. Car lee n. 30, and their six children ranging in age from 3 to 12 in various parts of the house where they apparently had fallen unconscious from the fumes. Coroper Honry Alderfer of Grant County pronounced death due to asphyxiation. He said the family probably died Thursday night. Firemen tore down a gas stove flue and found it clogged with carbon deposits they said had collected over a period of years. Mrs. Edith Pfifer, a neighbor of the Copps, said the family had been ill the last few days and thought they had a mild case of influenza. The thn'e older children had been out of school. Mrs. Pfifer said she last saw members of the family about 1 o’clock Thursday afternoon, when one of the children came next door to tell her Mrs. Copp had'fainted. Alderfer said that it appeared the gas fumes bed made the family ill several days ago and slowly poisoned them until they were overcome. Charles Harris, principal of Washington Orede School, said he tried to telephone the family to find out why the older children were absent from school. But he said he got no answer and, knowing they had been ill, thought the family might be at a doctor’s office. The Copp children were James, 12; Jack, 10; Jerry, 8; Mary, 5; Herbetta. 4, and Tree la, 3. . McFarren. a driver for the Omar Baking Co., found the bodies about 8 a.m. c.d.t. He said he was in the habit of collecting from his regular customers on Saturday mornings and that he usually opened the door and called "Omar man!" when his knocks went unanswered. The Copp home is a small frame structure in the north part of Marlon. I Cupp was employed by the Nickel Plate Railroad. Officers said the house was filled with gas fumes and the family apparently died before anyone could get out to seek help. Grant County coroner Dr. Henry Alderfer pronounced all eight dead of asphyxiation. NOON EDITION

rubble blocking the mine. An estimated 8,000 tons of coal and stone lay between them and the trapped men. . “It's sheer heU down there,*’ one of the diggers said. “While we work to clear the rubble, wo can hear the roof cracking. Water In Shaft Water and foul air in the tunnel also complicated the work of the rescuing crew. In some places, water was six feet deep, rising within three feet ol the ceiling. . - The number of men trapped in the mine was uncertain. After first announcing that six white men and 500 Africans were trapped by a cave-in Thursday, the Clydesdale management said later onlv 400 Africans were involved. Unofficial reports said, however. that the time cards of 500 African miners are missing from the labor office which receives the miners’ cards at the end of each working day.

Six C«nh