Indianapolis Times, Volume 36, Number 220, Indianapolis, Marion County, 24 January 1925 — Page 1

Home Eiditiora ETHEL —SHe will be in The Times nefxt week. Watch for her.

VOLUME 36 —NUMBER 220

KIND-HEARTED CONDUCTORS REFUSE TO PUT ‘BROKE’ REPORTER OFF

By ROSS H. GARRIGUS. m BOARDED a street car Friday afternoon with nary a nickel —er, I mean 7 cents, and I rode. Like most Indianapolis citizens, I always thought a conductor would stop the car and throw a fareless passenger off, or call police. I was prepared in the emergency to appeal to some kind-hearted passenger for the necessary nickel—l mean 7 cents. One car—l won’t mention the line —1 boarded, worked this stall, walked back later and gave the conductor a penny, and got a transfer.

MERCURY IS STATIONARY FOR FORTY-FIVE MINUTES BY MOON’S TRICK ON SUN

WAY TO INCLUDE TWO STATE UNITS IN BUDGET SEEN? Highway and Conservation Commissions, Now Separate Taxing Bodies, Affected. GAS TAX THREATENED Money Now Collected for Special Purposes Would Go to General Fund. Inclusion of highway and con, servative commission disbursements under the coming State budget was regarded Asa certainty today when it was learned the attorney general’s office orally had informed the budget committee “no obstacles to such action exist now.'* _ ~ A way has been sought to put the money collected by the two commissions under special taxing laws into the general fund to the end that all State money would be under central control. Attorney General Gilliom met this morning with the budget committee and it is understood, elaborated on the subject which has been discussed from time to time, f The appropriation bill, prepared by the commission is expected to be introduced next week. Both the highway commission and the conservation body are strongly opposed to having their departments regulated under the budget and have quoted from numerous statutes to uphold their contentions. The highway commission has argued such action would nullify the gasoline tax law, through which a great portion of the commission's funds are derived. The law spfcciflc(Tum to Page 11) LAND SINKS INTO OCEAN Part of Inhabited African Coast Submerged, Dispatches Say. Bu United Press LISBON, Portugal, Jan. 24.—Four thousand square meters of inhabited land have been suddenly submerged in the Atlantic Ocean at Port Alexandre, Angola, Southwest Africa, according to dispatches from Loanda. r Port Alexandre is a port of ing ground in the Portugese colony of Angola, about forty miles from Great Fish Bay. GANGSTERS LOSE APPEAL “Egan’s Rata’* Members Denied Plea for New Robbery Trial. Bu United Press CHICAGO. Jan. 24.—Nine members of "Egan’s Rats,’’ notorious St. Louis gang, sentenced to twentyfive years in Federal penitentiary for robbing a mail truck Staunton, 111., were denied their appeal for a rehearing and freedom on bail at & hearing today before Judges Samuel Alschuler and George T. Page. NO PAY FOR WILLOUGHBY election Contest Will Hold Up Salary, Says Auditor. Lewis Bowman, State auditor, has announced that he will refuse payment of salary claims of Benjamin Willoughby, Supreme Court judge, until the election contest instituted by George A. Denton, a candidate for the post, defeated ty Wiloughby by one vote is settled. Willoughby’s claim is not yet filed. Denton recently served notice of his “election” on Bowman, indicating he would r claim the salary. He has taken the oath of the office but has no certificate fiom the Governor. ■ Baldwin Block to Be Sold j udge Sidney S. Miller in Superior Court Three, today accepted the $67,000 cash bi<J of Thomas Monohan. eontractor, for the ninety-lne-y*ar lease of the Baldwin Block k Bldg., N. Delaware and E. Market Tne property was part of the

The Indianapolis Times

SOLAR Clips

SHE office wag suggested the eclipse story start off: ✓ “Pickpockets throughout Indianapolis generally were disappointed today ” • • • A straphanger on an Illinois street car told his neighbor coming downtown this morning: # “My kids smoked up the front window. Darned near burned up the curtains.” • • • Any one with a smoked glass this morning had a bunch of friends who were willing to profit by his thoughtfulness. * The sun was visible from only a few downtown street corners this morning. • • • IOTEL guests deserted lobHbiea and went to the top _____ floor to view the eclipse. • • * We know now there is one way of getting some folks ap early. • • • Many persons put on their colored glasses as they left home so a* to be ready wherever they were. e ... Curious faces peered out of many windows looking eastward from downtown buildln”’*.

Those, who have not washed windows since the recent smog found a smoked glass unnecessary. * * • Fire escapes were popular resorts for department store employes early today. • • * Pedestrians took a few steps, stopped, and gawked for fear they wound miss V'-mething. • • * Capt. Herbert Fletcher at police headquarters soon became aware that if an emergency call came in he would have to run to the pressroom on second floor where most of the squad were viewing the eclipse. ' * • • policeman was seen looking through a smoked glass, while motorists honked for. the semiphore. • • • Eight observers crammed themselves in a space of small dimensions at Kentucky and Capitol Aves. where rays of the sun clipped through. Several busses left late. • • • A young woman at Ae Burford office ,on Meridian St., rushed forth with her smoked glass, took a squint, rushed back to the office, handed the glass to another young woman, who, in turn rushed forth. *e4t:., etc. • • • A survey from the fire tower on the Merchants Bank building ■ showed interested groups on top of Ayres store, the Occidental building, the Fletcher Savings and Trust, Claypool and other buildings. ■* • • On top of the Claypool a large crowd, representing two-thirds of the United States, gathered and shared smoked glass or yellow spectacles. Boston, Oklahoma City and Minneapolis were among the cities represented. * • • An Irvington woman was seen gazing at the eclipse through smoked glass and holding a chicken in her arms. Attention between the sun and hen was divided. She explained she had heard chickens would go to sleep during the eclipse and she was giving ,the prohlem personal attention.

IKE' STECHER, CHAUFFEUR FOR GROVER BERGDOLL, ARCH DRAFT DODGER, SURRENDERS. TO PHILADELPHIA POLICE-HAIR NOW GRAY

r=r-pTILADELPHIA, Jan. 24. I I I The inside story of the sen--1 sational escape of Grover Cleveland Bergdoll, the world’s most famous draft dodger, has been given to the Government by Eugene (“Ike”) Stecher. Bergdoll’s former hauffeur and companion, who surrendered to Federal officers here Friday. The possibility that Bergdoll himself might be planning to surrender was seen as Stecher, who aided the escape and has since been a fugitive from justice.

This is what happened: First I boarded at Tenth and Pennsylvania Sts. I hopped on in haste, took off a glove and, smiling confidently, reached into by overcoat where tickets always snuggled. No ticket. Well, that’s funny, I pantomimed. I unbuttoned the coat, and dug hopefully into my Jeans. Nothing jingled there. “Can you beat that?” I muttered, and glanced up under my eyebrows at the conductor. He was whistling softly. “Got on without my purse,” I said hopefully and prepared to jump. i

Indianapolis Citizens Gather on High Hills and Building Tops to View Phenomenon —Darkness Does Not Reach Expected Density. Under favorable weather conditions and with skies surprisingly free from smoke, the eclipse of the sun, 93 per cent total, put on an early morning performance to a large and enthusiastic Indianapolis audience today. . Marked effect on the temperature due to the eclipse of the sun today was noted at the weather bureau here, according to J. H. Armington, meteorologist. Temperature Stands at 33 At 7 a. m., sunrise, the temperature was 22 degrees above zero. At 7:4 it was 23 degrees. Then came the maximum period of the eclipse and temperature remained ary for forty-five minutes. As the shadow of the moon passed away from the sun’s surface the temperature jumped rapidly and at 3 a. in. 27 degrees was recorded. With the exception of the dash Mars made toward the earth last summer no phenomenon of the skies has attracted so much general interest since the "visit of Halley s comet fifteen years ago. All Indianapolis was out to watch th moon slowly creep across the path of the sun's rays until only a thifi crescent at the bottom remained

Mm mm. ‘ ir-' ‘ '• IH

IHE TIMES photographer snapped this picture of the eclipse with his camera set to open the shutter Jnly one-thou-sandth of a second. > visible, and then pass -on across until Old Sol again shone with his usual brilliancy. Every known device for gazing was used, smoked glasses, automobile goggles with colored lenses, army field glasses with the lenses smoked, exposed photograph plates (Turn to Page 11) CROSLEY TO HEAD DRIVE Disabled Veterans Plan Uniform Fl.tg Decoration. y O. D. Crosfev has been named chairman of teams to be organized to effect uniform flag decoration sponsored by the Disabled American Veterans of the World War, Veterans o t Foreign Wars and Spanish War Veterans. His assistants are Albert Pauley. George T. Becher and William Jones, representing the three organizations. Team captains: Charles R. Edwards, Fred J. Byers, Robert J. Byroad. Freeman D. Munson, J. A. Richardson, H. C. Moore, George M. Lazarus. Grover Shinn, C. B. Mabrey and Georgs. H, Byrum. A joint committee of the veteran’s organizations is at work on a detail plan of education concerning the object of the campaign.

trict attorney’s office and surrendered, He waa arraigned on the indictment which charges him with aiding Bergdoll’s getaway and released on SIO,OOO bail. Bergdoll escaped while the two Army sergeants who were supposed* to be guiding him here were playing billiards in his mother’s home here, Stecher said. • Stecher drove him too Chicago and the two went to Ganada. They took a train to Winnipeg and then, passing through Montreal and Quebec, took a boat to Liverpool. From Lorfdon they crossed to Hol-

INDIANAPOLIS, SATURDAY, JAN. 24, 1925

~ “Want to ride on up town?” I nodded. Without moFe ado, he jingled the young cash register on his Uelt and dropped in the—7 cents in the box. Two fellow passengers smiled sympathetically. When I got off, I thanked the conductor again. ” ’S all right.” v “Does it happen very often?” “Sure. But we always get it back.” This would never Ao. As the “broke editor” of the Times I had an assignment to be thrown off a street car.

FOLKS, THIS IS ETHEL!

1 \ .v i

MISS ETHEL HAYS OHIS la Miss Ethel Hays, artist, and expert on the modern flapper. She is the creator of “Flapper Fanny,” ultramodern young /lady who expresses some ultra-niodem ideas on things in general. On either side of the picture of Miss Hays are portraits of Fanny.

HEAVY JOBBERY TERMS Five Men Sentenced Ten to Years by Collins. Five men were sentenced to ten to twenty-one years at the Indiana State Reformatory , on robbery charges today by Criminal Judge James A. Collins. , , Edward Tate, 23; Oliver Jackson, 25, and Morris Watkins, 27, wejre fined SIOO and costs and sentenced, for the alleged theft of $55.5,0 in a drug store hold-up. Fred Meyer received a simildr fine and- sentence for Holding up a filling station attendant.* ) ;■: . John Lewis, 24, colored, was fined and sentenced for holding; up ,of Daniel Thomas, colored, and jobbing him of sl6. SUES TO GET SALARY Former President Asks Receiver Be Named for Company. A. Smith Bowman today filed suit in Superior Court Three for appointment of receiver for the CartinhourBovman Company, 933 N. Capitol Ave. Bowman charged that he had been president of the company and member of the board of directors, until July 1, 1924. Suit charged that It was agreed that he should receive SBOO a month salary. > Bowman also asked judgment of $2,100 for back salary and a reedver be named to • dispose of tbs company’* assets and close the bustness. Officers of the company had no statement to make. I | ... *■■'■■■ ' HOURLY TEMPERATURE 6 a. *i 32 10 a. m 33 7 a. m...... 22 11 a. m, 37 B'a. m 34 12 (noon) .... 41 9 a. m 37 1 p. m 48

laud and then went over the border Into Germany. From Stecher’s story It was learned definitely for the first time that the buried "pot of gold,” the pretext by which Bergdoll obtained his temporary release form disciplinary barracks was a myth. Stecher, when questioned after leaving the district attorney’s office, would not comment on this famous leg<&id, but William C. Lynch, hi settled the point, v | v

Fanny will appear In The Times every day, beginning Monday. She is a most charming young person. Says she: “Many an auto driver is faster than his car. ’ Also that “Only lazy men send kisses over the telephone.” But Miss Hays is not responsible for Flapper Fanny alone. She draws most charming and “snappy]’ pictures of modern youth.

' Oh, dinner’s on the blink The beans fell in the (1),. Then ma got (2) And yelled at (3) ) Who said, “Go hire a (4).. (1) Place to store dishes while attending movies. (2) Perturbed. (3) Person who thinks he is the head of the family. _ (4) Large hall with room enough to skate on rollers. “Lumber Jack” to Talk Sherman Rogers, “The Lumber Jack Orator,” will be principal speaker at a special banquet of the Indianapolis Optimists Club Wednesday evening in the Lincoln-, His subject will be “Your Sije, My Side and the Right Side.” Rogers may broadcast his speech.

“I’m tired of being a fugitive,” Stecher told George W. Coles, Federal district attorney. “My hair has grown gray with worry since I Helped Grover escape. I want to take my medicine.” Stecher had traveled here from Germany under the assumed name of Frank J. Jacobson. He appeared .on the verge of a nervous breakdown and his manner w*e fidgety. His hair, as he said, had turned gray, although he is

Neajt time I tried at College Ave. and Eighteenth Sts. I-thought I’d try the attitude of: "I haven’t any money —what are you going to do about it?” The conductor was a little fellow with a gray mustache and spectacles. He looked up at me when I defiantly told him I had no money. He turned his back on me. I rode to town. Out < to McCarty and S. Meridian Sts. I went next. “Sorry I forgot my pursed’ The conductor, who was red headed, opened the door —to spit. "Sorry I’m broke,” 1* repeated.

These also will appear in The Times next week. Be sure to make the acquaintance of Flapper Fanny and of all the other up-to-date young people who will com* to you through The Times. They will be the talk of the town. Don’t miss them.

$500,000 , APPROPRIATED * Four Road Pnwcts Included in County Program. County Council today approved $500,000 additional appropriations for county institutions and four road improvements. One of the big items was $62,000 for fifty-five voting machines. Roads to be improved are: Jansen, Swails, Mann and Thompson! JUDGE FACES CHARGES Protest Filed at Washington Against Illinois Federal Jurist. Bu United Press WASHINGTON, Jan. 24.—Charges against George English, Federal judge tor eastern district of Illinois, wefle filed with Speaker Gillette today by four citizens of East St. Louis, 111. Nature of the charges was not announced. Charles A. Karch, former United States district attorney in English’s court, was one of those who presented the, charges. SENATOR ATTACKS STONE Charges Attorney General Had Part in ’Outrageous Affair.’ Bv United Press WASHINGTON, J*n. 24.—Fight against confirmation of the nomination of Attorney General Stone to he a Supreme Court justice was brought to the floor of the Senate today by Senator Heflin, Alabama, Democrat. Heflin charged Stone had acted in a suit for the J. P. Morgan interests in a Delaware court which, he said, was an outrageous affair.

lowed by a similar step on Bergdoll’s part, could not be learned, but the former companion -chauffeur, admitted that he had seen Grover at Eberbach, Germany, a little more than a month ago. Stecher said, however, that he had not been closely associated with the draft dodger for the last three years. Stecher declared he had been opposed to the escape when it wan

Entered as Seeoifd-class Matter at Postoffice, rPIXT/Y ClTT'XrrriC! Indianapolis. Published Daily Except Sunday. A VV U lo

“You no got any money?” he asked in broken English. i .. I nodded. Again he opened the door. This time it was to let on passenger*. So I rode. At the elevation, crews changed. I handed him a cigar. “Much obliged.” “That 1 * al) right.” I met the cheeriest fellow of all on an E. Washington street car. I gave him a cigaret in payment. "I’ll let you ride a mile for one of ’em every day,” he told me.

MIIW WITCH IH AWE AS ECLIPSE THROWS BELT OF HGHT ACROSS HATIOH Scientists in East Report Perfect Observations Made of Phenomenon Not to Be Repeated in This Country for Many Years. ZONE OF TOTALITY EXTENDS FROM MINNESOTA TO COAST Throngs in Cities Gather in Parks and on Skyscrapers to Watch Moon Shut Off Sun’s Light—Experts Use’ Airplanes and Dirigible. / . '/ I By FRANK GETTY fr. . United Press Staff Correspondent HEW YORK, Jan. 24.—Watched by millions, the sun went into total eclipse behind the dull, slate colored disk of the moon today and its flaming corona in the blackness of the morning sky furnished part of the ctmntry* with a thrill not to be repeated for 200 years. Weird shadow bands race dacross the earth as an almost complete darkness fell over a stretch of the country from Duluth, Minn., to Montauk Point, N.*Y. It was nearly night in the stretch of territory letween 85 and 120 miles wide, over which the moon’s shadow raced eastward at the moment when the eclipse became complete.

The greatest mobilization of sci entists that ever watched such a phenomenon trained telescopes and cameras on the eclipse for thirteen large observatories in the path of the moon’s shadow, while millions of lay observers braved zero weather to watch the passing of the moon across the sun. Perfect Observations Dr. S. L. Boothroyd, astronomer ,in charge of the observatory of Cornell University at Ithaca, N. Y., reported conditione for observing the phenomenon were perfect. “The sun’s corona, flaming around the edge of the moon at the moment of totality, was beautiful," Prof. Caroline Funess of Vassar said. “Long streamers shot out, assuming unusual shapes such as have not been observed hitherto. “We saw but few ’pror linences,’ the jutting knobs on the moon’s edge observed in previous eclipses. “All the exposures taken were most satisfactory.” This report was ,the first flashed along the wires which connected the great observatories of the east, after Prof. Harlow Shapely, astronomer at the United States weather bureau, at Buffalo, notified his collegues weather conditions had been unfavorable there. At Ithaca, N. Y., Dr. Boothroyd. looking through the great telescope of Cornell Observatory said the program of this great “two ringed circus of the skies” was performed in excellent manner. “There waa a drop in temperature of five degrees,” Dr. Boothroyd said. “The mysterious shadow bands were noticeable both before and after the eclipse. Time of totality was a few seconds late. The corona was won(Tum to Page 11)

20, 1920. Bergdoll dashed from the house, jumped into his touring car, in which Stecher was sitting at the wheel, and told Stecher to drive off. Stecher carried out instructions, but, he claims, protested against the flight. Meanwhile, the two Army sergeants were playing billiards in the palatial Bergdoll residence. Bergdoll told “Ike” to drive toward the Baltimore pike. Then began the journey which carried Bergdoll and Stecher through Winnipeg. Montreal, SSuNt i?irnd n mo c£ nd ° n ■WSbs&u

.: Forecast PARTLY cloudy tonight and Sunday. Somewhat warmer tonight with lowest temperature about 30. Colder by Sunday night.

CLOUDS HINDER U. OF C. TESTS Instruments Unable to Get Eclipse Data, Bv United Press IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich., Jan. 24. —Dense clouds obscured the heavens today during the time of the solar eclipse, preventing even i superficial study of the phenomenon . by astronomers of the University of Chicago. Four of the fastest cameras in the world had been rigged up on a sky patrol so constructed as to follow ths earth’s rotation. The apparatus, valued at $600,000, failed to get anything of scientific interest, it was said. The expedition will disband today and return to Yerkes Observatory. Prof. O. J. Lee, in command, said the next eclipse would be visible in Sumatra Aarly in 1926, but that he was uncertain whether an expedition would be sent. i ■ CYCLONE IN AUSTRALIA Town Razed by Strong Winds, Report to London Says. Bv United Press LONDON- Jan. 24.—A severe cyclone has razed the town of Roebume, western Australia, and done, $5,000,000 damage in the village and adjoining territory, according to dispatches here today. There is no mention of loss of lifs. Lippincott’s Gaziettere lists Roebourne as a town of 300. SIOO,OOO WEDDING HELD Wealthy Chicago Girl Masried to Dayton (Ohio) Sportsman. , Bu United Press CHICAGO, Jan. 24.—1n a setting of splendor unequaled in Chicago history, Miss Loretta Hines, daughter of a millionaire lumberman, to day became the bride of Howell Howard, wealthy Dayton (Ohio)) sportsman. The wedding was held in the Holy Name Cathedral here,at a coat esli mated at SIOO,OOO. Cardinal Munde lein read the service, a rosary from Pope Plus XI adorned the bride and