Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 61, Number 295, Decatur, Adams County, 16 December 1963 — Page 1

VOL. LXI. NO. 295.

Damage Heavy As Dam Bursts

LOS ANGELES (UPD— Baldwin Hills area resident returned to their flood ravaged homes today thankful only three persons were killed when an earth reservoir dam burst and caused $lO million damage. A warning of nearly four hours was credited with preventing it “from becoming one of the big disasters of all time.” With these words, city atty. Roger Arnebergh seemed to sum up the feelings of City officials that most residents of the heavily populated area escaped death Saturday when a wall of water destroyed or damaged nearly 1,000 homes. However, there was a possibility the death toll might rise higher as residents and workers dug through three and four feet of mud. • A path of water, almost 40 feet wide, ripped through an area a mile and a half square with homes up to the $50,000 class. Cordon off Area Police threw up a cordon around the area to prevent looting and only residents with passes were allowed to pass. Hundreds of policemen patrolled the muddy, debris-filled area. Mayor Samuel Yorty Sunday appointed the heads of three leading universities in the area to nominate members for a blue ribbon fact - finding board of inquiry. The appointments were promptly accepted by Dr. Norman Topping, president of the University of Southern California; Dr. Franklin Murphy, president of UCLA, and Dr. Lee

U. S. Pledges Aid~To Europe

PARIS (UPI) — President Johnson pledged firmly today to keep die equivalent of six U.S. Army divisions in Europe “so long as they are needed “Under present circumstances there is no doubt they will continue to be needed,” Johnson said in a message to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization council meeting here. Johnson also pledged the “steadfast resolve” of the United States to continue defending the free nations of Europe. U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk read Johnson’s message tq the opening session, of the three-day NATO meeting. Immediately afterward, Rusk drove to the Elysee Palace for a 45-minute courtesy call on President Charles de Gaulle of France. Expresses Appreciation Rusk gave the French leader a message from Johnson expressing appreciation for de Gaulle’s recent trip to Washington for the funeral of President Kennedy., However, nothing was said about a possible new visit by de Gaulle to Washington for talks with Johnson. But today s meeting, arranged at Rusk’s request, appeared designed to infuse vzarmth into the long frigid official relations between the United States and France. • In its opening session the NATO council also heard British Foreign Secretary R. A. Butler express belief that thq West today enjoys on over-all superiority of force over the Russians. But he warned that the Russians will make “every SHOPPING DAYSLEFT V / V I ° CHRISTMAS SEALS fIgMTO and other RESPIRATORY DISEASES 0 IvALwi > : Ep Ep CHR<«TM*«U Q U i

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Dußridge, president of the California Institute of Technology. The death toll could have been staggering had the dam broken at night. “Hundreds of the 16,500 residents would have been killed,” said a policeman who helped clear the area. “Had it taken us another 15 minutes we probably all would have been lost.” Officer T.B. Mason said he and other policemen were sent to the scene immediately after a crack appeared in the north Wall of the 500-foot long, 135foot high dam. He said many residents didn’t even know the dam existed. Advanced Structure Max K. Socha, chief engineer of water works, said the dam designed by the- late R. R. Proctor, was one of the most advanced structures of its type. Proctor, who died a year ago, was a worldwide authority on earth-empacted fills, and the Baldwin Hills dam had served as a model in both hemispheres, Socha said. Although an official investigation was being held, observers speculated a series of holes in the concrete and asphalt lining, revealed after the 300 million gallons of water emptied, could have been the cause of the collapse. Subsidence caused by oil being removed by the many pumps that dot the area nearby was another possibility, as as was weakening caused by movement of the earth and cracking and stretching of the earth in the area. Whatever the cause, there were hundreds of homeless. ¥

effort” to close this gap. Butler saiid the Soviets di d .not favor major concessions to the West. Nor, he said, did they - want any big showdowns with the West. He urged that the West should maintain contacts with Russians but said he had no illusions about early agreements or early solutions to East-West problems with Moscow. Main Threat Butler said the main threat from Communist China is not one of military aggression but of encouragement to action against the Chinese. He said the Red Chinese also appear determined to avoid a clash. President Johnson’s message, in pledging America’s firm resolve to continue U.S. commitments to the defense of Europe, said: “This constancy reflects not merely the community of ideals and culture which binds us to Europe. It reflects also my country’s awareness that its security can be assured, its interest and values can be furthered, only by a close partnership with Europe in common tasks. Johnson said the first of these tasks is creation of a balanced defense posture for NATO, including both nuclear and conventional forces which would enable the alliance to deal with aggression "with the force appropriate to the threat. “To NATO’s continuing fulfillment of, this task, I pledge my country’s will and resources,” be added. Johnson called on the other members of the alliance to share the defense burden and expressed assurance that this would be done. He urged the NATO partners to assume responsibilities “commensurate with their resources” in defense, aid tg underdeveloped nations, and trade. “That is what partnership in a vigorous Atlantic community means and requires,” he continued. "To this end we welcome the emergence of a Europe growing in unity and strength.” Johnson’s message reflected, a continuation of the late President Kennedy's policies toward NATO—assurance of continued U.S. commitments to the de-* sense of Europe, coupled with an appeal for the European nations to assume a larger share in these and related tasks.

Smith Milk Co. Plant Damaged Here By Fire Operations at the Smith Pure Milk Co., 134 S. 13th St., were continuing as normal this morning, despite a fire Saturday evening which inflicted several thousand dollars "damage. Ralph Smith, Jr., said this morning that damage had been initially estimated at $2,000, as one room in the building was completely destroyed, and two ethers werp heavily damaged. The blaze broke out in a store room at the rear of the building, according to fire chief Cedric Fisher. Fisher said today it is believed defective wiring in the store room caused the fire. Water Damage Also The store room was demolished, and a rest room and the office were also heavily damaged, by both fire and water. The fire department received the call at 8 o’clock Saturday night, and battled the blaze for more than an hour with two ■ trucks at the scene. Fisher said the building was enveloped in smoke when firemen arrived, and gas masks were needed to enter the plant to get to the source of the blaze. Many Attracted The smoke and sirens brought numerous persons to the scene of the blaze, causing a traffic problem. Smith said this morning that the company Is continuing operations on a normal scale this morning. All the smoke-damaged merchandise was returned to Fort Wayne, and a fresh supply of milk, cream, etc., was received for deliveries today. Frances V. Uleman Is Taken By Death - Mrs. Frances V. Uleman, 67, of 228 North First street, died. Saturday evening at the Adams county memorial hospital following an illness of five months. She was born in St. Anthony, 0.. Feb. 5, 1896, a daughter of William and Sophia Diller-Well-man. Her husband, Herman Uleman, preceded her in death in 1838. ----- Mrs. Uleman, an employe of Wall’s Bakery before retiring two years ago, was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic church, the Rosary society. Catholic Ladies of Columbia, American Legion auxiliary, and the Women of the Moose. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Leona Morris of Los Angeles, Calif., and Mrs. Dorothy Dryer of Decatur route 5; two brothers, Sebastian Wellman of St. Anthony, 0., and Phillip Wellman of Ft. Recovery, O.; two sisters, Miss Roe Wellman of St. Anthony, 0., and 'Mrs. Eleonore Crampton of Celina, 0., and three grandchildren. . ' Funeral services will be conducted at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary’s Catholic church, with the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Simeon Schmitt officiating. Burial will be • in the Catholic cemetery. Friends may call at the Gillig & D o a n funeral home until time of the services. The rosary will be recited at 7:30 o’clock this evening. Mrs. Clara Murray Is Taken By Death Mrs. Clara Murray, 71, former Decatur resident, died at 12:30 p. m. Sunday at the home of a daughter. Mrs. Edward (Jane) Trott, Wheaton, 111. She lived in Monrovia, Calif., until May of this year, when she moved to her daughter’s home. Born in Adams county, she was a daughter of William and Wilhelmina Hockemeyer. Her husband, Vaughn L. Murray, preceded her in death in 1955. Surviving in addition, to Mrs. Trott are two other slaughters, Mrs. Mildred Saal of Pasadena, Calif., and Mrs, Kathryn Behnke of Lancaster, Calif.; one brother, Herman Hockemeyer of Root township; two sisters, Mrs. C. L. 'Hannah) Scheumann of Ossian route 1, and Mrs. Louise Stoppenhagen of Preble township; eignt grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren. * Funeral services will be held Thursday a afternoon at the Forest Lawn chapel in Glendale, Calif.

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, December 16, 1963.

President Johnson Signs $1.2 Billion College Aid Bill, Praises Measure

Convictions For Contempt Reversed

WASHINGTON (UPD — The Supreme Court reversed today contempt convictions in Fairfield, Ala., -of two National States Rights party officials who were forbidden to distribute bandbills and hold a meeting. The court cited lack of evidence. . ~ The two who won the reversal are Edward R. Fields, party information director, and Robert Lyons, youth organizer. The party is a segregationist organization. *— The court cited two recent cases where convictions have been reversed for lack of evidence. The action was in the form of a brief order. There was no signed opinion. A much broader issue had been presented by the case: Whether a court order involving free speech and assembly can be tested by disobeying it or whether it must ’be appealed through legal channels. But the court did not ’deal with this ’question. ■ Lack of Evidence The Justice Department, as a friend -of - the - court, had Icy Cold Maintains Grip Over Indiana By United Press International The season’s A first icy cold wave held Hoosierland firmly in its grips today with little or no letup of below-zero temperatures seen all week. The icy weather at least indirectly contributed to at least four weekend dehths in the state, three of them small boys. Lafayette reported an overnight reading of 7 below zero and Indianapolis had 6 below. Terre Haute had 6 below at 7 am., and an hour later the mercury had dropped one notch to 7 below. The five-day forecast for the period through Saturday called for temperatures up to 20 degrees below normal central and south, heralding more belowzero readings. * "Some” moderation was forecast for the middle of the week central and south, followed by another frigid air mass. Precipitation throughout the state this week was not expected to average more than one-quarter inch, mostly in light snow about Tuesday and again Wednesday and Thursday. South Bend and Fort Wayne reported light snow this morning. It was the third consecutive day of below-zero temperatures in Indiana. Sunday morning's overnight lows were 5 below at LafaVette and 4 below at Indianapolis. At Evansville, the overnight low this morning was 1 above. It was 6 at South Bend, 5 atFort Wayne, 1 below in the Cincinnati area and 6 above at Louisville. Temperatures Sunday were mostly in the teens around Indiana, ranging from a frigid 10 at Lafayette to 12 at Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, 14 at South Bend to 23 at Evansville. INDIANA WEATHER Fair and quite cold tonight. Tuesday cloudy and cold, occasional light ' snow likely north portion. Low tonight sero to 8 below, high Tuesday 12 to 24. Sunset today 5:22 p. m. Sunrise Tuesday 8 a. 'm. Outlook for Wednesday: Partly cloudy to cloudy and slightly warmer. Low Tuesday night aero to 12 above, high Wednesday 15 to 28.

urged lack of evidence as the basis for disposing of the case. The case was unusual ' because Fields and Lyons—advocates of white supremacy—drew the support of the Justice Department and two prominent civil rights groups. Their appeal was argued by the American Civil Liberties Union and the National .Association for the Advancement of Colored People filed a brief in their behalf. The two had scheduled a meeting in a private hall in Fairfield on Oct. 11. 1961. Earlier they were giving out handbill announcements containing anti-integration statements. Fairfield has ordinances barring the holding of public meetings and distribution of . handbills without a permit. Padlock Building Under the ordinances, the city obtained an order from the Jefferson County Circuit Court prohibiting the meeting and any further distribution of handbills. The police padlocked the building. Fields and Lyons went to the stlte before the scheduled time 1 to tell those who came that the ' meeting had been rescheduled in a public park in nearby Lipscomb. While there, Fields handed out some copies of the “Thun*derbolt,” which contained no reference to the meeting. Both men were arrested and convicted of contempt on the ground that they had disobeyed the court order. John Custer Fourth In Contest Finals Although he finished fourth in the state finals of the Legion oratorical contest Saturday afternoon, John Custer, Decatur high school senior, ."did a fine job in representing the city of Decatur,” according to his speech instructor, Tony Kelly,. Custer placed fourth in the state contest at, Terre Haute Saturday, which was won by John Showalter, a senior at Te’re Haute Garfield. Patty - Hayes, Brazil high school sophomore, and Robert Mitchell, Hammond Morton senior, were named second and third, respectively, by k the five-judge panel Kelly said *his morning that the local young man did a “finejob”, and explained that in the state finals of such a contest, only ”a fine line separates first from the fourth place." Wins Scholarship For his efforts, Custer, the son of Mr. and Mrs. D. Burdette Custer of De.catur, received a fourvear tuition scholarship to Indiana University, as did the other three finalists. Showalter, who will compete fn . the regional contest April 6, at Louisville, received a $l5O cash award for his winning oratorv. Attending the contest, in addi- , lion to Kelly, were Mr. and Mrs. Custer, Mr. and Mrs. D. Burdette ) Custer. Jr., and children, and Mr. and Mrs. Noah Steury. j Contest on TV The state contest Saturday was held in the studio? of Terre Haute television station WMHM-TV, before the Jive-cameras. Custer had won the right to participate in the jdate finals of the American Legion contest by winning the Adams county con-, test, the fourth district finals at Auburn Nov. 18, and the zone eliminations in Aubhrn Dec. 3. A member of three athletic teams at his school, the 17-year-old senior was the fourth Decatur - high school student to make it to the state finals, and the first since 1958.

WASHINGTON (UPD—President Johnson today signed into law the $1.2 billion college aid bill and said it is proof the nation plans to give its youth “all the education they deserve." t The President, who signed the legislation at a ceremony in the White House Cabinet Room, termed it “the most significant education bill passed by the Congress in the history of the republic." The new program provides -for grants and loans tc help build college classrooms libraries and laboratories. But Johnson warned that the job is far from finished. He urged Congress to take prompt action on the rest of. the administration's education proposals, particularly aid to primary and secondary schools, and government support of adult education programs. In a tribute to President Kennedy, who waged a long fight for the bill, Johnson said “there was no topic closer to his heart." He said the bill was a monument not only to Kennedy, but “to every person who participated in passing it.” The President used about 50 pens to sign the bill, passing them out afterward to congressmen and educators attending the ceremony. The first two went to Sen. Wayne L. Morse, D-Ore., and Rep. Edith Green, D-Ore., the managers of the bill. The three-year program is designed to meet an expected “tidal wave” of college students in the 1960-70 decade. A major part of the late President Kennedy’s education request, the bill would authorize the first broad assistance program for the nation’s colleges since the land grant act of a century ago. If used to the limit, the $835 million in direct federal grants and $360 million in low-interest loans could generate up to $3 billion in new construction on the campuses of 2,100 public and private colleges, universities and technical institutes. Colleges will have to match federal grants two to one. and supply at least one-quarter of total project costs when seeking the 50-year loans. The program ' will be open to privately endowed and churchconnected institutions as well as publicly owned and financed schools. No funds will be spent on chapels or divinity schools, nor on sports arenas or other buildings to which admission would be charged. There also are limitations on use of the $690 million earmarked for grants to help build undergraduate academic facilities. Classroom buildings under that part of the program will have to be designed for instruction in the sciences, mathematics, engineering and modern foreign languages. Religious Subjects Out The $145 million reserved for post-graduate facilities and the entire loan fund can be used for buildings designed to teach any non-religious subjects. The bill also allocates 22 per cent of the undergraduate grants for public junior colleges and semi-professional technical institutes. « The program will be administered by the U.S. Office of Education, which will allocate funds on the basis of priority lists submitted by state educational agencies. Rash Funeral Rites Tuesday Afternoon Funeral services will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Winteregg-Linn funeral home for Joseph A. Rash, well known Decatur man, who died suddenly last Thursday while visiting in .Florida. The Rev. William C. Feller will officiate, with burial in the Decatur cemetery, where military rites will be held, by the American Legion. The Modae lodge, of which he was a charter member, will conduct memorial services at 7:30 p m- today at the ■funeral home, where friends may call until time of the services.

• .. .... ■L* — ~ ■ M| Jt QB* t 1 It. UNSTOPPABLE WATER: On the right side of this street stand homes. On the left, all that is left are the pads where the homes were before the Baldwin Hills Reservoir Dam (background! burst tossing houses and automobiles like toys onto the crest of an unstoppable flood tide. The arrow points to the .huge crack in the dam. At least 2txi home were reported destroyed. (Nea Telephoto*

Sinatra Kidnaping Case Wrapped Up

LOS ANGELES (UPI) — The kidnap case of Sinatra Jr. Appeared virtually wrapped up today and the J9-year-old prepared to resume his singing engagement at the Lake Tahoe gambling spa where he was abducted. The FBI remained mum concerning the details of the capture of the three kidnapping suspects Friday and early Saturday, but recovery of nearly all of the $240,000 ransom paid by Frank Sinatra Sr. was announced by the federal agency. The young singer’s manager . in Stateline, Nev., said Sunday night Frank Jr. was en route back to resume the engagement. But his mother, Mrs. Nancy Sinatra, said earlier he would not reappear there until Tuesday night. ‘ Early Sunday, Frank Jr. left his mother’s exclusive Bel-Air home yvhere he returned early last Wednesday morning after being released by the kidnapers. His father’s Hollywood spokesman jsaid the young man returned to his Hollywtxxl apartment Sunday. The families of the two 23-year-old suspects arrested for the Sunday night kidnaping prepared to "do everything possible” to help them. * The arrest of Barry Worthington Keenan, scion of a wealthy Los Angeles area fam- • ily, and Joseph Clyde Amsler, 23, Playa Del Key, Calif., were announced by the FBI shortly after midnight Friday. The third, believed to have 1 been the leader of the 'trig, John William Irwin, 42, Hollywood. was arrested ih Imperial Beach. Calif., Friday morning and held by the FBI in nearby San Diego, Calif. He was expected to be returned to Los Angeles today. ■ All three were arraigned before dawn Saturday. Assistant U.S. Atty, Tom Sheridan said

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a federal grand jury charge was expected within three ’•weeks. He said the multiple charges were expected to include kidnaping, conspiracy to commit kidnaping. possession of ransom money, interstate transportation in aid of racketeering and possible extortion. All three were held in lieu of $50,000 bail each although Keenan's T a nri 1 y indicated they would post bond. Attorneys have been retained for both young men and were to have visited them Sunday. Mother Os Decatur Pastor Dies Sunday Mrs Mahala Martin, 90, of New Haven, mother of a Decatur minister, died at 3:10 p.m. Sunday at the Lutheran hospital in Fort Wayne, where she had been a patient three days. Mrs. Martin was a member of the Uniontown Christian church. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Margaret Kumfer of Roanoke, and Mrs. Don Mcßride of Zanesville; seven sons, the Rev. Sylvester Martin, pastor of the Nuttman Ave. United Brethren church in Detatur, The Rev. laike Martin of Kokomo, Roscoe Martin of Monroeville, Waldo Martin of Fort Wayne? S. E." Martin of New Haven. George Martin of Warren, 0., and Willilam Martin of Kendallville: ( two sisters, Mrs. Hettie Hollopeter of Gary, and Mrs. Roxie Warner of Orlando, Fla ; a brother, Frank Dister of Beaumont, Tex.; 38 grandchildren; 96 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchil-dren. Funeral services will lx l held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday* at the Elzey home tor funerals, Waynedale, the Rev G. R. Brittenham officiating: Burial will be in Greenlawn memorial. p ark. Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p.m. today.