Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 62, Number 12, Decatur, Adams County, 15 January 1964 — Page 1

VOL. LXII. NO. 12.

Crashes Plane In I Bizarre Suicide

SHAWNEE. Okla. (UPI)— Robert Lawson, 43, returned, to his alma mater Tuesday to die in a bizarre suicide plan by crashing a rented plane into the administration building while his student son looked on. “I’m going to build a monument,” he radioed shortly before he hedge-hopped across the campus, nosed his Cessna 150 into the wall of Shawnee Hall at Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) and died in the flaming wreckage. Lawson’s 22-year-old son, chael, one of the 1,356 students at OBU, stood about 100 yards from Shawnee Hall. — unaware of his father’s suicide plans—when the tragedy happened. About 300 students in the hall taking semester final examinations at the time escaped injury. Dude Howard, tower operator at the Shawnee Municipal Airport adjacent to the OBU campus, was the first to find o*t Lawson’s reason for the visit At 11:40 p.m., Lawson radioed the airport: “I’m not kidding. Call |®BU and evacuate the admirSstration building.” “You’re kidding,” Howard told him. “afcr again.” “I’m not Kidding,” Lawson called back. “Evacuate the ad ministration building at OBU. I’m going to build a monument.” Then, Lawson asked to talk with airport manager Fred Reese, who had taught him to fly. " - -...... Reese recalled ’that Lawson had been in a mental institu-

East Digging Out Os Snow

By United Frew htenifheil Bitter cold nipped stormweary Easterners today and sent temperatures tumbling below freezing across the South' land. The weather - connected death toll reached at least 140. Sub-zero temperatures knifed into New England and nearzero readings were reported southward to the Carolina highlands. Florida citrus growers burned smudge pots and old tires to ward off the crop-crip-pling cold. The mercury hovered one degree above freezing at Tampa, Fla., but dipped to 26 at Jacksonville, Fla., and 24 at New Orleans, La. The same clear skies that kept temperatures crip during the night were expected to help a warming trend later in the day, with some melting of the East’s massive snow drifts pre dieted in sunny areas. Most highways were clear but slippery through the Midwest and East. Some secondary roads were still treacherous and side streets in some of the nation s largest cities were still snowclosed. The high death toll was attributed in part to exhaustion and over-exertion while stormbound Easterns shoveled, swept, pushed and otherwise struggled to dig out from one of history s K Firs! State Bank Reelects Officers The First State Bank of Decatur increased its capital by ceived a good report on 1963 business, and reelected officers in its 81st annual meeting Tuesday, Herman p. Krueckeberg, executive vice president, announced tod Selected directors were Gerald W. Vizard, chairman of the board- T. F. Graliker, president of the bank; H. H. Krueckeberg, executive vice-president ; Ea n L. M. Busche. The bank declared a 20% stock dividend, increasing its capitalization from $250,000 to $300,000, adding strength to the capital structure of the bank, Krueckeberg explained. Resources increased by $1,024,732.30 in 1963, a very good increase, he mentioned. During the year the walk-up window, open from 3 until 5:30 p.m. on Wednes- . day and Friday afternoons, was opened. There are 30 full-time and three part-time employes in the bank. Other offiers. not board members, include Earl Caston, assistant vice president; William R. Lose, cashier: A. J. Heimann and Robert T. Boch, assistant cashiers.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

tion in 1961. Reese employed all the psychology* he had ever read or heard about in trying to talk Lawson out of his planned crash. “I tried to stall him, but after a minute or two he would catch on,” Reese said. Finally, Lawson said, “I’ll give you five minutes, and then I’m going in.” Police worked frantically to evacuate the eight-year-old administration building, Thurmond Hall. The building was Lawson circled for the final approach. Evacuated students watched as the plane headed across the campus for the last time. About 100 yards from Shawnee Hall stood Michael Lawson —unaware of his father’s plans. Police armed with highpowered rifles and service revolvers fired at the plane in an attempt to down the craft before it reached its destination. The plane approached the campus for the last time at 1:18 p.m. The craft hopscotched over several buildings and then smashed into the third story of Shawnee Hall—a building that was used as the administration building when Lawson attended school here 24 years ago. Half of the plane entered the building. Hie other half hung outside. Then the plane burst into flames and the tail section fell to the ground. The room that the plane entered was — as Lawson would have wanted it — empty. It was not until later that young Lawson learned that the man in the plane was his father.

ffprst snow storms. Most of the deaths were reported in New England, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York — the area hardest hit when the massive storm barrelled across the Mississippi River Sunday. Pennsylvania had 22 deaths, Ohio 21 and New York 18. New England counted at least 27 dead, with Rhode Island reporting 11 and Massachusetts 10. Many public and parochial schools that closed when the storm made highways impassable were scheduled to open again today. Airline and bus traffic shifted into high gear as runways and roads were cleared and salted. A two-day water pollution crisis ended at Buffalo, N. Y., Tuesday after tests showed no bacteria in water mains. The crisis developed when huge chunks of ice blocked the city s . water intake pipes in Lake Erie. Residents had been warned to boil water. All Os Schools In County Now Opened The school situation was normal again in Adams county today, as all schools in the county were open for classes this morning. For most of the schools, today was the first day of classes since dismissal last Friday. None of the schools in Adams county, with the exception of the Decatur public and Catholic schools, were opened Monday or Tuesday, due to the heavy snowfall and drifting conditions which closed most county roads. The public schools in Decatur held classes as usual Monday and Tuesday, despite a large number of absentees. The Catholic school held classes Monday morning, but sent all students home at the noon dismissal, and remained closed Tuesday. Buses Run Today Buses for the schools were all making their regular runs today, titgftway srrpervrsor Lawrence Noll reported all buses were able to “get through’ this morning—for the first time, this I week. Noll reported this morning that all roads in the county were opened bv Tuesday evening, many for one-lane traffic only. Highway crews worked through the night : again last night on the roads, 1 and are now beginning the task of widening the one-lane roads to > the normal two lanes again. Noll said the road conditions : following the snowfall Sunday ni"ht and Monday morning were . “the worst I have ever seen.” t He said his crews moved huge , piles of snow from the roads Mon- - day and Tuesday, and explained that on the Piqua road, about a

Dr. John F. Young Is Jaycee Speaker | Dr: John F. Young, assistant superintendent of the Fort Wayne community schools since 1962, will be the main speaker at the annual distinguished service award banquet of the Decatur Jaycees, it was announced this morning by project chairman Wayne Roahrig. The annual banquet will be held Wednesday, January 22, at Villa Lanes, at which time the recipient of the Jaycees’ distinguished service award will be announced. The affair will begin at 6:30 p.m. Roahrig reminded all Jaycees that they have received their invitations, and they must be returned to him by Friday, Januard 17. A committee of local business and industrial leaders is presently at work to select the community's outstanding young man — between the ages of 21 and 35 — during 1963, to receive the D. S. A. award. The first two disinguished service awards presented by the Javcees went to John G. (Jack) Heller and Eugene Ziner. The D. S. A. banquet will feature “Junior Chamber of Commerce Week” in this city, as proclaimed by Mayor Carl D. Gerber. U. S. Jaycee List Monday, the U. S. Junior Chamber of Commerce announced its list of 1963’s ten outstanding young men of the nation. The national organization’s choices included U .S. Sen. Birch E. Bayh, Jr., of Terre Haute. The U. S. Chamber’s list included two congressmen, two film producers, a mountain climber, a Negro lawyer, an engineer, a mayor and a professor, all of whom will be honored at a televised ceremony January 25. Dr. Young, the main speaker for the banquet here, was born and raised on a farm in Huntington county, is married and the father of four daughters, aged eight through 14 . His professional experience is quite impressive, as is his list of travels throughout the world.

He was a teasher and ooach atRockcreek high- school from 1946 through 194*. and then went to Middlebury high school, where he served as a teacher for three years , and superintendent of schools for seven years. From 1956 through 1958 he was an instructor at Purdue University, before becoming superintendent of the Plymouth community schools. He served there until 1962, when he became assistant superintendent of the Fort Wayne community schools. Dr. Young participated in the European seminar in comparative education during the summer of 1961, and visited schools and universities in such countries as Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Italy, Switzerland. Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands, England and Scotland. Behind Curtain 1 He also spent three weeks behind the “Iron Curtain” where the youth activities of the Soviet tlnion were studied. His educational background in-. cludes a B. S. degree from Manchester College in 1942, where he majored in biological sciene; a Master of Arts degree from Northwestern University in 1947; and a Ph. D. degree from Purdue University in 1958. He also attended Indiana Technical college, the University of lowa, and Ball State Teachers college. In ,1956. Dr. Young was selected bv Purdue U. as one of the two educators in the state of Indiana for advanced studies. INDIANA WEATHER Partly cloudy tonight and Thursday. Not quite so cold most sections tonight. Low tonight 10 to 20 north. 17 to 26 south. High Thursday mostly in the 30s, Sunset today. 5:45 p.m. Sunrise Thursday 8:04 a v> m. Outlook for FYiday: Partly cloudy and ho important temperature' changes. , Lows 15 to 23. Highs in the j 30s. > mnroe‘"street tended in Root township, snow was piled nearly 12 feet high to open the road. Continue Removal : Noll stated crews Would con- ■ tinue the tesk of improving the road conditions and praised his men for their excellent work. Monday, the highway department was unable to begin cleart ing the roads until afternoon, as > the wind was blowing the roads full of snow behind the snow i plows. Most of the work Monday r was devoted to emergencies, such * as getting medicine for both people and farm animals through ‘ the snow, removing "hung up” - vehicles, etc. Six snow plows l were on emergency call through t the day, Noll said. “

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Wed nesday, January 15, 196 4.

Panama Will Resume Diplomatic Relations To U. S.; Plan Negotiations

Sheriff Department. Files Annual Report Sheriff Roger Singleton and deputies Harold August and Warren Kneuss traveled a combined total of 60,808 miles during 1963, making investigations of traffic accidents, of larcery and vandalism; serving various court papers, collecting delinquent gross income tax; taking prisoners to different institutions; returning prisoners from far-off points to this county, and various other duties, according to the annual sheriff’s department report. The total number of traffic accidents on the county’s highways and roads investigated by the sheriff’s department was higher than in 1962 , 221 as compared to 174, but fatalities and total property damage were lower than in 1962. Os the 221 accidents, 57 of them involved personal injuries, with the rest involving only property damage. Three persons were killed in traffic mishaps during ‘63, *one less than 1962. Damage Down Property damage from the 221 accidents in 1963 -amuonted to $127,499.15, while the 174 mishaps in 1962 resulted in $33,600 in property damage. The three men of the department made some 50 traffic arrests and 85 adults were arrested for other reasons such as public intoxicatiort, larceny, etc. Some 39 juveniles were taken into custody and referred to the juvenile court during the year. Sheriff’s officers investigated a total of 83 cases of breaking and entering, larceny, vandalism, etc. The Adams circuit court issued 754 writs which were served by the sheriff's department, involving much paper work for the office and many miles traveled. Papers Served The court ‘"papers served were as follows: subpoenas, 105; notices, 206; summons, 310; citations, 19; attachments, three; executions, 16; judgments, one; orders to appear, two; habeas corpus, one. In addition, 12 delinquent grass income tax warrants were served, collected, satisfied and returned to the warrant section of gross income tax division- at Indianapolis. The department made 11 trips to the Indiana state farm to deliver 13 persons to serve sentences, and two trips to the Indiana reformatory to deliver two ether perisoners. Other Trips There were eight trips made to tije Richmond state hospital, five to the Fort Wayne state school, four to the Indiana Boy’s 'school, two to the Norman Beatty hospital, four to the Veterans hospital in Marion, and one trip to the Father Gibault school, in the southern part of the state. The department made 10 other trips out or the county to return prisoners for trial in this county. Six persons were returned here from Fort Wayne, one was returned from Hartford City and one from Anderson. There was also one prisoner returned from Chicago, 111., and one returned from Fort Knox, Kv. During 1963’s 12 months, there were 201 prisoners lodged in the Adams county jail. To those prisoners, 2,085 meals were served. < \ .pfad 'Parr,”Bi, former Dc- — catur resident, died this morning at the South View rest home at Bluff ton, where he had been a patient since 1960. The body was removed to the Winteregg-Linn funeral home, where friends may call after Tp-to- Thursday. Funeral arrangements have not been completed. Two Hoosiers Among Evacuated Americans - WASHINGTON (UPI) — Mr. and Mrs. George Burch, French Lick, Ind., were among .Americans evacuated from revolt-rack-ed Zanzibar, the State Department said Tuesday night.

United Press International PANAMA CITY, Canal Zone (UPl)—Panama agreed today to resume diplomatic relations with the United States, and the two countries agreed to negotiate “all existing matters” at isste within 30 days. Within hours of the agreement, the American and Panamanian flags were raised simultaneously on brand new and separate flagpoles in front' of Balboa High School in the Canal Zone. Student demonstrations over flying both flags in front of the high school set off last week’s rioting that resulted in death for 21 persons and injury of almost 500 others. At the height of the rioting, Panama broke off relations with the United States as a result of the differences over the U.S.-controlled Canal Zone. Reached in Talks The agreement to resume relations and to negotiate was reached in talks sponsored by the inter-American peace commission sent here by the Organization* of American States (OAS). About 1,500 students and faculty members watched the flagraising ceremony this morning. There was some grumbling among the students about the move, but others made clear that “we have nothing against the Panama flag—all we wanted was to get the American flag back up.” Reaction seemed to be mixed. None of the students would give their names because as one said:’- “If we make any trouble now we’ll be shipped back to the States.” Schools Open

Schools in the zone opened today for the first time since last Thursday’s rioting in Panama which was touched off when Panamanian students sought to raise their country’s flag in front of the Balboa school. Their move 'Came after students there, in violation of the Canal Zone governor’s order temporarily banning the flying of the American flag, raised the Stars and Stripes* and refused to take it down. The old flag pole was* cut down and two new aluminum poles were put up on either side. Three-man groups of uniformed ROTC students marched down opposite but parallel sidewalks to the new poles. Then, when the command “raise the colors” was givgn by a saber saluting ROTC officer, the two flags wer’e run up simultaneously. There was a flicker of applause. The agreement did not refer directly to Panama’s demand for revision of > the 60 year-old treaty under yfhich the United States operates the Panama Canal. The United States was understood to have objected to such a reference. But Panama accepted the agreement, considering it to imply that the canal will be discussed since that is the main outstanding issue. “The Inter-American Peace Commission has invited the parties (the United States and Panama) to reestablish diplomatic -relations as quickly as possible,” a brief communique said in part. . “The parties have agreed to accept this invitation and, as a consequence thereof, have agreed to begin formal negotiations which will be initiated 30 days after diplomatic relations are reestablished by means of representatives who will have -sufficient- -power —4© • cbse.usswithout limitations all existing matters of any nature which may affec the relations between the United States and Panama.” The peace commission, a five-natioh group, was sent.. here Saturday by the Organization of American States to try to put a stop to a wave of antiAmerican violence by armed mobs in Panama. Army Secretary Cyrus R. Vance charged in Washington Tuesday that at least 10 agitators trained in Communist Cuba had been arrested and are being held by Panamanian authorities. The charge was denied here and in Havana.

\<? ■■■<-. ;: au....-fy ' ” ®? T W »* : tI » * Txgy 'A Tj ; TmEmfe'. •«• ax« /<f ~< j g : U i - ic /**t, BIG CITY SLOWED TO CRAWL — New York’s traffic was slowed to a crawl as the city dug out from under the heaviest snowfall in three winters. The- stalled car, right,, prevented the following autos and buses from proceeding on a service road < adjacent to the Grand Central Parkway. Buses opened doors and passengers started walking. Owner of car at left is in real trouble; Jie has been buried by a snow plow.

Progress Reported On Kennedy Plaque

Progress toward erecting a plaque in the memory of the late president John F. Kennedy in the Youth and Community Center, was reported this morning by Judge Myles F. Parrish. The Adams circuit court' judge said at noon today that he has already received $47.50 l in 22 voluntary contributions. As yet, no solicitations have been made by Judge Parrish. It appears now that nearly S7OO will be needed by the committee to purchase a beautiful bronze portrait plaque, which will be put on the wall at the Youth Center, where the late president spoke while still a senator. Judge Parrish contacted the E. L. Ponader Co. in Fort Wayne recently in reference to purchasing a memorial, and received some information from the company in addition to a cataloque showing memorials that may be obtained. Have “Favorite” At present, the committee is favoring a 24” by 36” cast bronze portrait plaque, which would show a 14-inch high head and shoulders of the late president. The Ponader company gave a cost of $685, which would include appropriate wording on the plaque and its installation to the wall in the Youth and Community Center. The choice has not yet been made definite, but the plaque mentioned above is the one “we would like to get,” according to Judge Parrish. The same size plaque could be purchased at a" cost of $345, but would not include the portrait of President Kennedy. Hope To Finish Judge Parrish urged anyone wishing to contribute to the cost of the plaque to contact him or any other member of the committee as soon as possible. The committee hopes to have the neia aseftsr #»<*£££» as according to the Ponader company the portrait plaque would require six to eight weeks to complete. ■?,. Checks soy the memorial plaque should be made out to the “John F. Kennedy Memorial Fund,” Judge Parrish said. Checks may be mailed to Herman Krueckeberg at the First State Bank. In addition to chairman Judge Parrish, other committee members are E. E. Rydell, vice chairman; Sylvester L. Everhart secretary; Krueckeberg, treasurer; and Melvin H. Tinkham. publicitj chairman. The committee wa s appointed by former' mayoi Donald F. Gage in December oi last year.

Billie Sol Estes Conviction Upheld

AUSTIN, Tex, (UPI) — A Texas court of criminal appeals today upheld the conviction of Billie Sol Estes on swindling charges and ruled he mustserve eight years in the state penitentiary. The three-judge court upheld the verdict of a jury at Tyler, Tex., in a 22-page unanimous decision. Estes, former agriculture ty coon from Pecos, Tex., was charged specifically with swindling a farmer, T. J. Wilson, in a $94,000 deal involving anhydrous ammonia fertilizer tanks. Estes, now living in Abilene, Tex., also is under a 15-year sentence by a Federal Court on his conviction on fraud and conspiracy charges. The federal, conviction is under appeal. Estes and Wilson signed a contract on March 2, 1961, involving 75 tanks of 500 gallon capacity, along with mobile mounting and applicating equipment, and for 65 similar rigs oi 200-gallon capacity. Wilson agreed to pay Estes $121,850 and made a down payment .of $27,350 that left a balance owed by Wilson of $94,500 payable in monthly installments of $1,575. Snow Removal To Continue Thursday Snow removal in the downtown area of the city was nearly completed at noon today, according to street commissiaher Bernard Clark. Street department workers were concentrating on the area of First St., from Jackson St. to Monroe St., and around the St. Mary’s river bridge this afternoon, to complete the snow, removal in the downtown area. partment have been putting in many more hours than the normal eight-hour day since Sunday's heavy snowfall. Many Hours Beginning Sunday night, crews worked nearly 20 consecutive hours, according .to Clark. Hie crew worked until around 5 or 6 o’clock Monday evening and until 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Clark said. In addition to the city's equipment, a truck from the Yost Construction Co. and another from Decatur Ready-Mix were in use by the street department. Snow removal will continue Thursday,, Clark said today, and the crews will be concentrating . mainly on the streets around the churches in the City.

SEVEN CENTS

The state charged that Estes falsely represented to Wilson that he was buying the property and it was to be security for the mortgage, in much the same manner that a person buys an automobile. The state said, however, that Wilson was in fact not purchasing the property and it was not security for the debt. A state court jury took 127 minutes to convict Estes on Nov. 7,1962. after Prosecutor „ R. B. McGowen warned, **lf you acquit Billie Sol Estes you are doing one more thing to turn our way of life over to the crooks and hucksters.” The trial lasted 17 days and the sentence was two years less than the maximum. Estes, now 39, was freed in bond awaiting appeal of the decision. Estes still has pending against him four more federal and state indictments containing more than 30 counts of theft swindling, mail fraud, My statements and criminal aim trust violations. Historical Society Meets Next Tuesday Gerald R. Durkin, president ol the Adams county Historical society, announced today that the first 1964 meeting of the organization will be held at 8 p. m. Tuesday at the Decatur public library. . The nominating committee, cot* sisting of the trustees and official historian, will submit a list of candidates to be voted on as officers for the coming year. Registration of members for the ensuing year will also be held. Herman H. Krueckeberg, executive vice president of the First •State Bank-,-will preset the pro- - gram for the evening, a showing of colored slides and a description of his tour of Germany last summer and fall. His lecture has been especially prepared as a fol-low-up of the one given to the society Oct. 29 by L. M: Busche, covering some phases of the same country. Mr. and Mrs. Krueckeberg and their son toured extensively, both in East and West Germany. In Berlin, they visited on both sides of the wall and had ample opportunity to observe the bouyant es- . feets of a free economy as opposed to the lack of progress found in a state regulated regime. The public is invited to attend Tuesday’s meeting. There is BO admission charge.