Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 61, Number 227, Decatur, Adams County, 26 September 1963 — Page 1

IVOL. LXI. NO. 227.

Salesman - Burglar Nabbed In Decatur Robbery Wednesday

A magazine subscription salesman who has been burglarizing homes in between selling subscribtions, was nabbed in the act Wednesday afternoon when he broke into the wrong home — the home of city police officer Kenny Jennings at 1134 W. Marshall St. The apprehension of Richard Paul Ridgeway, 19-year-old magazine subscription salesman from Topeka, Kansas, cleared up two other burglaries in Decatur and a third on a rural route. Ridgeway was taken into custody a short time after 1 o’clock Wednesday afternoon, when an alert neighbor spotted him entering the Jennings’ home on Marshall St. Ridgeway had knocked on the front door and then on a side dooy at the Jennings’ residence, and when he found no one at home, entered the building. Seen by Neighbor He was seen, however, by a neighbor, Mrs. Harold O. (Bud) Burgett, 5Q3 N. 12th St., who called city patrolman Jennings ’ who was off duty but at a nearby service station. Jennings immediately phoned the city police and then went home, where he grabbed Ridgeway as he was leaving. .... , . The salesman had stolen $53 in billls and 85 cents in change from the Jennings’ residence. Arraigned Today The Topeka, Kansas resident was arraigned in the Adams circuit court this morning bn charges of third degree burglary and petit larceny, and his rights were read to him by Judge Myles F. Parrish. • Ridgeway requested counsel, and explained he had no funds for counsel, and the court appointed Robert S. Anderson as his pauper attorney. His bond has been set at SI,OOO. The maximum fine and sentence for third degree burglary is SSOO and one year in prison, and the maximum for petit larceny is SSOO and 1 to 5 years in prison. After appointing Anderson as pauper attorney, Judge Parrish gave Ridgeway further time in which to enter a plea to the charges. After his apprehension, Ridgeway was questioned by city police and sheriff’s department officers

James Courtney, Governor Prospect, To Speak Here Saturday Night, 8:00 P.M.

James C. Courtney, commissioner of state revenue, and widely mentioned as a Democratic candidate for governor in 1964, will open city Democrat headquarters in the Boston store building, 2nd and Monroe, at 8 p. m. Saturday evening, with a stirring speech, Carl Gerber, Democratic candidate for mayor, announced today. All Democratic candidates will be present, and will be happy to discuss city policies with their friends and neighbors. Gerber stated that every citizen who would like to meet the Democratic candidates, is invited to drop by. Refreshments Served a Refreshments will be served, and everyone will have a chance to mingle with the speaker and the candidates present. Courtney is a native of Linton, and is a member of the Methodist church there. He was born in 1905, and was graduated from Linton high school in 1922. He received his A. B. degree from Butler in 1927. He is married to the former Marguerite Higgins, of French Lick, and they have three children and 12 grandchildren. A director of the American Life Insurance Company and the Indianapolis Athletic Club, he has fifteen years experience as teacher and head of the lower school at Park school, Indianapolis. He has practiced law since 1944, when was graduated from the Indiana university school of law; he holds the LL.B, degree. Active tn Indianapolis From 1952-54 he was a member of the board of public safety, Indianapolis, and was president of the board of sanitary commissioners, Indianapolis, when the facilities were expanded, from 1956-60. Courtney is a mature, experienced administrator, and has been a member of the present state Democratic administration since

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT * ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

and admitted to burglaries at three other homes. Three Others > On Tuesday, he entered the Glenn W. Potts home, 1319 W. Madison St., and took money amounting to $8 or $9 from three piggy banks. Ridgeway had entered the home after being turned down by Potts on a magazine subscription. Potts went to the rear of the home where he was painting the outside, and Ridgeway then, entered

North Adams Opponents Have 90 Days To Appeal

The 11 plaintiffs from the North part of Adams county have 90 days in which to appeal to the supreme court of Indiana, now that Huntington circuit court Judge Ray Ade has overruled and denied their motion for a new trial. The Huntington judge, whose ruling on July 3 dissolved the temporary injunction against the North Adams formation, overruled the motion for a new trial Wednesday. The overruling of the motion open the way, for an appeal to the supreme court if the 11 plaintiffs wish to take the case farther, but an appeal must be made within 90 days- n Judge Ade in his letter to the parties concerned explained he has made the following entry in the case: “The court being duly advised, now overrules and denies plaintiffs, Robert J. Rice, Elbert J. Fuhrman, Robert F. Carr, Russel Fleming, Leo Workinger, Walter Hildebrand, Otto Boerger, Martin Bulmahn, Ervin Fuelling, Everett Singleton, and Fred Bieberich, motion for a new trial.” Hearing Monday Judge Ade had taken the motion for a new trial under advisement Monday afternoon, after hearing arguments presented by Thomas D. Logan for the plaintiff's and Severin H. Schurger and John L. De Voss for the defendants. A motion for a new trial has been filed on July 30, 27 days after Judge Ade’s ruling dissolved the temporary injunction. The motion

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it took office in 1961. Other Candidates In addition to Gerber and the city committee members the following candidates will be present; clerk-treasurer, Mrs. Laura Bosse; city judge, John Stults; city council candidates, Harold Miller. Larwence Kohne, Clyde Drake, Dr. Ralph Allison, and Chalmer Deßolt. Arrangements for the speaker were made by Dr. Harry H. Hebble, county chairman, at the. request of the city chairman, Bernard Clark, and the candidates and city organization.

the home. Between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p. m. Monday, he entered the Bob Brasher residence on the Bellmont Road, ropte 5, and stole approximately S7O in cash. No one was home when Ridgeway knocked at the door. On Wednesday, Ridgeway knocked at the home of Bill Myers, 828 Dierkes St., and when he found no one at home, entered the building and took an undetermined amount of change.

had been filed on the grounds “The decision of the court is contrary to law,” and “The decision of the court is not sustained by sufficient evidence.” When arguments were presented on the motion Monday, the Judge immediately overruled the motion for a new trial that pertained to the South Adams plaintiffs, who earlier had asked to be dismissed from the case. There is some question as to whether or not attorney Severin H. Schurger has a client in the school reorganization case. Schurger was appointed by the school study committee as its attorney. According to the law concerning study committees, they were to, be dissolved once the plan they established received an affirmative vote. An affirmative vote was received for this county’s plan in last year’s election, but the committee was immediately thrown into the suit filed by the residents from the north and south portions of the county that fought the reorganization. The question now is whether or not Schurger has a client. An affirmative vote was received and should have dissolved the committee. But the committee has been a defendant in the suit, so is the committee dissolved or not? Schurger has been continuing to handle the case for the committee, and more than likely will continue to do so until otherwise notified.

James C. Courtney

Mrs. Frank Bohnke City Vice-Chairman Bernard Clark, Democratic city chairman, announced this morning that he has appointed Mrs. Frances Bohnke, 121 S. 11th St., to serve as vice chairman for the 1963-64 campaign. Mrs. Bohnke is the wife of Frank E. Bohnke, a member of the Adams county council. She has been active in politics for some time and was formerly a vicecommittecman. Mrs. Bohnke is also a past officer of the Adams county Democratic women's organization.

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, September 26, 1963.

Local Taxpayers Earning More, Survey Shows NEW YORK, Sept. 25—A larger segment of Adams county’s population than ever before is now to be found in the middle and upper income brackets. The income gains of recent years have carried many of them to hew and higher levels. • • Moving Up Families who had been in the $4,000 to $7,000 category have moved into the $7,000 to SIO,OOO bracket. Their former position has been occupied, in turn, by families who had been in the $2,500 to $4,000 group previously. The facts are brought out in a breakdown of 1962 incomes, conducted by Sales Management. The copyrighted study, which shows the proportion of the population in each grouping, covers the entire country. It determines, for each community, whether the so-called “average income” is enjoyed by a large portion of the population or whether it is merely a statistical figure resulting from a balancing off between very high and very low income classes. 3% Gain Here Some 4,140 households in Adams county had disposable, cash incomes last year of $4,000 or more, it is shown. This was after payment of their federal and state taxes. It marked a gain over the preceding year, when there were 4,018 local households in the “over $4,000” brackets. The change in the one year amounted to 3.0 per cent. The comparable gain in the United States was 2.7 per cent. It was 2.5 percent in the state of Indiana. At the $7,000 to SIO,OOO level locally are 893 households, the breakdown shows, and, at the $2,500 to $4,000 level, 1,411 households. More Buying Power It all adds up, for the average family, to greater purchasing power than before. The increase in its net cash income has more than kept pace with the rise m the cost of living, according to the U. S. Office of Business Economics. It reports median income in 1962 was $220 higher, nationally, than it was in 1961,. The prices of consumer goods and services advanced only one-third that much, however, in the year, so that real purchasing power rose nearly $l5O per family. The big incomes earned today, compared with what they were 10 or 15 years ago, are attributed, in part, to the fact that nearly half of the nation’s families now have two or more wage earners. The answer is that many more married women have entered the labor force.

Plans Moving For Horse Show Plans are rushing ahead for the gala Decatur horse show October 13, Ferris Bower, chairman, said today. The show, with ten events, is sponsored to help buy Christmas lights for Decatur business areas. Wednesday night the group met at the Belmont Park, site of the show, to make plans to get the track in shape. Last Thursday the land was cleared of all fallen branches and needs to be mowed with a whilygig mower, Ed Gerber, track manager for the event, pointed out. Robert Brown, well-known area horse enthusaist, volunteered to get the area mowed this Saturday, if the rig is available. Gerber will follow right behind him with a disc, to get the track in shape. Warren Kneuss, deputy sheriff, represented that department with suggestions on parking. Cars will be parked in the center of the field, with guards at the tracks so that no autos will cross while the horses are running. Two rolls of picket fence will be installed at the curve to turn the horses; marked twine and rope will be used to separate various areas. Two large signs will indicate where the entrance to the park is, at the east end of Monroe street extended, on the southeast side of the track. Stiefel Grain Co., through Ral-ston-Purina, has obtained signs and official equipment, which is already on hand. The food committee, under Mrs. Kaye Boch, met Wednesday afternoon and made further arrangements for the food tent, which will be open for light breakfast about 9 a.m. the morning of the tenevent show.

Adams Fanners Help CROP Reach Goal At the State CROP Committee Meeting Friday, September 13, of which Oris Wright, Baltic Mills Grain Elevator, Vincennes, is chairmah, Gerald L. Wilson, Director. and Marvin Mishler, Friendship Acres Chairman, reported that the state has exceeded its goal of 600 Friendship Acres, with 625 reported from 29 counties to date. Elkhart County leads with 205, including 42 families participating in the Friendship Acres Farm, an entire farm planted to corn for CROP, with Vernon U. Miller, R. 2, Goshen managing the operation. Harrison Township, Elkhart County, set a new township Fj A. record, with 47 participants. Other counties with between 45 and 60 Friendship Acres are Adams, Kosciusko, Pulaski and Wells. Last year Adams county was second in the state in Friendship Farmers, who help the world’s needy. Organization for harvest canvasses for farm commodities is under way in 60 good agricultural counties in the state. In addition, numerous communities will be solicited by church youth groups for rice for the school children of Hong Kong. Just $4.00 will provide for one child enough rice for one good meal per day for the entire school year —2OO days. The State CROP Committee set a state goal at its last meeting (February 15) of SIBO,OOO worth of commodities and cash to be converted to commodities. At the September 13 meeting the following self-help projects were underwritten: Clover seed for Japan; dams and wells for Ghana; hand tools for Congo. Township Chairmen’s Meetings are being held in about 60 counties in September and October for general organization, setting up kickoff meetings, canvass dates, and GQOP Promotional Sunday in the churches, ' Mr. Wilson stated. Churches, farm organizations (Farm Bureau, Farmers Union, Grange, and N. F. C.), and government farm agencies work closely with this church program on the county level. Large quantities of U. S. government donated commodities are shipped to refugees and disaster victims in any area of the world where the receiving government will permit Church World Service complete oversight of the distribution.

State-wide publicity will be keyed to a Thanksgiving canvass, beginning with CROP Promotion Sunday, November 17, and ending with Gifts of Gratitude Sunday, December 1. But each county organization will make its own decision as to the dates best suited for its individual effort. INDIANA WEATHER Fair with little temperature change this afternoon, tonight and Friday; low tonight 45-52; high Friday, 76-83. Outlook for Saturday: Generally fair and continued mild. Lows mid 10s to low 50s. Highs and low 80s. Retail Members Meet Monday A general membership meeting of the retail division of the local Chamber of Commerce will be held Monday evening, it was announced this morning by Tom Weis. The meeting will be held at 8 p.m. Monday at the Indiana & Michigan building, and all members are urged to attend. Final plans and arrangements for the upcoming horse Show will be discussed, and also discussed will be other ideas and suggestions Weis said. James Burgin Uninjured In Fall From Rail Car James Burgin, 1223 Meibers St., escaped serious injury Wednesday afternoon in a fall from a railroad car that was mot moving, Burgin fell from a Pennsylvania railroad box car around 1:45 p.m., while working near the Central Soya. He was rushed by ambulance to the Adams county hospital. He was not believed injured seriously. X-rays were taken, but it was not believed Burgin had broken any bones. Fortunately, he fell onto soft dirt, and not the tracks. He was released from the hospital after the x-rays were taken.

Exchange Student Anxious To Learn About America

“I should like to learn the American way of living and get as much experience as possible.” With these words Leonardo Gavelli, Decatur Catholic’s recentlyarrived American Field Service exchange student, sums up his ambitions for his ten-month stay in the United States. Leonardo, a 17-year-old native of Florence, Italy, completed the 6,400 mile journey from his homeland to Decatur only two weeks ago. He began his classwork at Decatur Catholic almost as soon as he arrived. He is staying with the Severin Schurger family and is being rapidly introduced to the many and varied facets of the American way of life. Quiet and unassuming, Leo says that he has found America to be much the way he expected it. “America is a super-civilized country,” he says. Americans have a good way of life—a ten-hour life.” One of the major adaptions which Leo has already piade to his American environment is eating American food—a far cry from the spicy dishes of his native Italy. “American food is very different from Italian,” he said. “It is much more sweet, but I like it — especially cake.” Leo’s English, which he considers poor, is very good and he has little trouble in expressing himself. Like many foreigners he has found that American speech includes many slang words and popular idioms that he never encountered in the classroom English which he studied in Italian schools. These words, and people who speak English rapidly, give him some difficulty but he says that after only two weeks here his ability to understand has improved. Leonardo began trying last year to qualify for the trip to America. He wrote in English a history of his life and submitted it to the American Field Service* He then filled out a long questionnaire which the organization sent him. Later he was given an interview' at the offices of the United States information Service in Florence.

Give The United Way Mental Health Goal Less In Community Fund Drive

The Adams County Mental Health Association, which has presented a budget request of $750, SIOO less than last year, is another of the ten agencies in the Decatur community fund drive. The association’s request is part of the $28,993 goal of this year’s drive. The county mental health organization is supported by the community fund drives .of Decatur, Berne and Geneva, plus some income from miscellaneous sources. It is a member of the Indiana Mental Health Association and about half of its budget is used for work done in conjunction with that organization. It is also a member of the national mental health association. The state and national association carry much of the load of serving mental health patients and the county organization works closely with them. The county association offers a variety of services. When mental health strikes it aids the families of the stricken and gives advice about where to obtain treatment. When a county patient returns home, the mental association helps him to find a warm welcome, a job and follow-up medical care. Throughout the year the association carries on a campaign of public education to relieve fear of mental illness and to let the public know what to do when mental illness strikes. Much of the work done by the Adams county Mental Health Absociation has not required a lot of funds from the treasurery. Adams county is very-active in the Christmas gift program. In 1962, 830 Christmas gifts were gathered and wrapped in Adams county and delivered to the mental institutions of the state. The gifts, the work and the cost of delivery were all donated. The association's Adopt-A-Pati-ent program has also been well accepted in the county. In this program members of the association volunteer to write to the forgotten patients in mental hospitals. This, also, requires no funds except what the people in the program pay for themselves. On April 20 of this year the association sponsored a Minister and

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“FAMILY” PORTRAIT— Leonardo Gavelli, Decatur’s newest American Field, Service exchange student poses with three members of his new American "family,” the Severin Schurger's. Lower left to upper right. Phillip Schurger. Frederick Schurger, Leonardo and Mrs. Schurger.—(Photo by Mac Lean)

Finally, last May, he was notified by letter that he had been chosen for the trip. Later letters included instructions for the journey to America. At the start of the trip he went from Florence to Rotterdam, the) Netherlands, where on August 30

A HELPING HAND— Nursing care for mental health patients can be provided by aiding the Adams county Mental Health Association, one of the ten agencies in the-De-catur Community Fund drive. Teacher Mental Health workshop. Dr. Robert Lehman, formerly of Berne and Decatur, and now professor of psychiatry at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, Kentucky addressed the group and pointed out what they could do in the fight against mental Illness. He made no charge for his services. The Gold Lady program is another service offered by the county association. These women assist in local mental health cases and pay their own transportation costs and out-of-pocket expenses. It is because of the large amount of volunteer work by its members that the association was able to submit a budget request for less than they received last year. Smitley Funeral To Be Saturday Funeral services for Thurman Smitley, 54, a native of Jefferson township, who died at 3:30 a m. Tuesday morning, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Yager Funeral Hopie in Berne, not on Sunday a; the heading read in Wednesday's paper.

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he boarded the “Seven Seas,” and began the first sea voyage of his life. “It was a very long trip,” hesaid, “but it was wonderful. I didn’t get seasick at all.” The ship arrived in New York on | September 9. Leonardo was quite (Continued on Page $)

Public Education Cancer Weapon "The American Cancer Society’s number one weapon for saving more lives from cancer now is public education. We must put this weapon to broader and more effective use if we art to curb the toll of needless deaths being caused by cancer in our state.” These were the words of Mrs. Doyle Collier, chairman of the Adams county unit of the American Cancer society, as she outlined the new publicity program upon which the chapter will concentrate its efforts in the coming months. Jn doing this the Adams county unit will be cooperating in a statewide public education plan scheduled for the fall and winter months. Mrs. Robert Krueckeberg, public education chairman, appointed the following people to help in the public education program: Mrs. Jim' Engle, junior and senior high schools; Mrs. Roy Kalver, press, radio and theater; Mrs. jack Gardner and Mrs. Robert Krueekeberg, clubs and Mrs. Kenneth Gaunt, employee education for firms with more than ten employees. Miss Marie Felber, service chairman, reported on new trends in service to cancer patients. w Sho also announced that Dr. Norval Rich has attended a doctors' sym-» posium on "Cancer Detection" and that Dr. John Spaulding will attend a similar meeting in November on "Detection of Oral Cancer.” It was pointed out at the meeting that Hoosiers are developing neiv cancers at the average rate of 35 each day and that more than 13,000 new cancer cases will appear in the state during this year. There are now 1,200,000 Americans alive today who have been cured of cancer. This year about 177,000 additional Americans will be saved from cancer. It was also announced at the meeting that any group wishing to have an educational film on cancer may contact Mrs. Doyle Collier or Mrs. Robert Krueckeberg to make arrangements.