Indianapolis Times, Volume 38, Number 272, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 February 1927 — Page 1

Home Edition Joy, the greatest of all sensations, will be offered readers of The Times.

VOLUME 37—NUMBER 272

So The People May Know

The Beast Becomes Bloodthirsty

The politicians lost their first fight to retain the Barrett interest on the floor of the House of Representatives today. They had a majority of the committee. The bill as now amended protects the people. It can be amended again before final action. The politicians will not give up easily. See your legislators and demand the passage of House bill 120 in its present amended form. Crooked politics in Indianapolis is asking crooked politics in Indiana to hand it SBO,OOO a year. That in plain terms is the meaning of an effort by J. W. Ebaugh of Marion County to continue, to the end of their term of office, the illegal and unauthorized .graft on Barrett law funds by county treasurers. • It looks innocent when put into legal verbiage, this amend ment which Ebaugh is pushing through on a measure which |vould give back to the people the interest on Barrett law trust funds. He only asks that treasurers in office and*those now elected, be permitted to retain this interest for their elected terms. In reality he is fighting to give the former treasurers of this county a legal defense to suits which may force them to disgorge this unearned money. The machine looks upon this office as its greatest pride. The Barrett law collects money for street improvements. The treasurers of this and other counties, charged with no other duty than depositing these funds in a bank, hiring cheap clerks to keep accounts, have collected the interest on these and put it into their own pockets. Where it went from there, no one knows. The machine does perhaps, but it will not tell. The boss knows, beyond peradventure of a doubt. The interest in this county on those funds amounts to SBO,OOO a year, more moqey than is paid to the President as his salary. The job, under the machine and under this system, is the best political job in the United States. It would pay the salaries of eight Senators or six members of the cabinet and leave almost enough for a Congressman. No wonder that the machine is fighting because there has been challenged in court the right of' every former treasurer to take this interest. If the public wins those suits men who have held that job will be forced to disgorge hundreds of thousands of dollars. The present mayor is a defendant in these suits. The brazenness of the machine is shown in the temerity with fchich this Ebaugh, come from no place and going nowheres, proposes that .a measure which will make these treasurers put that interest into public funds shall not apply until the terms of the present treasurers of the counties shall have expired. The boss is rather powerful. There are still important bills before the Legislature. This is the one he wants. This is the one he will trade everything to gain—and which his Governor will sign if passed. If there was ever a time when commercial and civic organizations should rush to the rescue of the public, it is right now. Shall the beast of machine politics be legalized in its loot and prey? If you happen to know any member of the Legislature, now is the time to kick and kick hard. House Bill No. 120.

WOMAN CITY EMPLOYE HELPS PAY BOOST OVER Democratic Senator Resents Lobbyist’s Plea to ‘Help the Boys’—Measure Passes by 27 to 18 Vote.

Charges that a woman lobbyist urged his support of the salary boost bill for the Indianapolis legal department "for the sake of the organization” were made from the Senate floor today by Senator Thurman A. Gottsehalk (Dent.). Berne. The bill provides for an increase in the salary newly appointed Corporation Counsel Scnuyler Hass to $6,000; city attorney to $5,000. and assistant city attorney to $4,000. It was passed, 27 to 18. All Marion County Senators supported the measure and only three Republicans voted against It. "This bill is an imposition,” Senator Gottsehalk declared. “I was approached by a woman lobbyist in regard to it and she said that the extra SI,OOO salary raise would help take care of the organization. Evidently she-didn’t know that I was a Democrat. I see no reason why we should pass bills just to ‘take care of the boys.’ Surely I cannot think that the Legisature's business is to boost salaries so as to increase eampaijh funds.” Denies Charges GoLschalk later told a Times reporter that he referred to Miss Cuba Edwards, Crawfordsviile, now employed in the legal department offices at the Indianapolis city hall. Miss Edwards was in the Senate chamber until after the bill was upassed. Asked if she was lobbying for it she said “Yes,” although she Is not a registered lobbyist. She denied that she had said to Senator Gottsehalk the things he charged, but admitted that she had urged him to vote for the measure. Party Fight The matter developed into a party fight. Senator Howard A. Cann (Rep.), Frankfort, explained his voting with the minority members against the bill ‘‘in light of the re4fent occurrences in this city." He TTferred t.o Mayor John L. Duvall firing Alvah Rucker from the corporation counsel job, following the local utilities merger, which Rucker was fighting to prevent. Terming the bill a "salary grab,” Senator Sam Benz (Dem.), English, declared he was representing 86 per

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cent of the Indianapolis taxpayers when he voted against it.

MS EMPLOY RADIOSIGNALS Safety Device Uses Shortlength Waves. Bn United Press WASHINGTON, Feb. 18.—A safety device by which signals between trains may be sent by short-length radio waves has been invented in Germany, the department of commerce announced today. Under the new system, each train would be equipped with sending and receiving sets. Warning signals would be sent whenever the train reduces its speed or stands still, by means of a direct connection with the air brake system. Another train following on the same track would receive the signal, its reception automatically reducing the speed as long as the radio warning continued. MABEL NORMAND BETTER Bil United Press SANTA MONICA, Cal., Feb. 18.— Mabel Normand, famed comedienne of the screen, who has been fighting for life in a hospital here for the past forty-eight hours, has successfully passed the crisis of an attack of pneumonia, her physicians announced today. SLAYS DIVORCED WIFE Bn United Press DETROIT, Mich., Feb. 18.—While his 11-year-old daughter looked on, Stanley Plskorski, 39, yesterday shot and killed his ftivorced wife, Helen, and turned the gun upon himself, suffering possible fatal wounds. Argument over return of an insurance policy caused the shooting, Plskorski told police.

Entered aa Second-Class Matter at Postoffice. ludlananohs

MITES SUFFER ON FEE GRAB Amendment to Exempt Present Treasurers Is Blocked. BARRETT FIGHT GOES ON House Against Permitting SBO,OOO ‘Steal.’ The Marion County Republican political machine failed to rescue its county treasurers, present and incoming, from a bombardment on retention of Barrett law fund interest in the Indiana House of Representatives today. Disciples of the organization in the House failed to go down the line with Representative J. \V. Ebaugh, Indianapolis, who made desperate efforts Thursday and today to keep

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This picture shows refuse dumped on the south bank of Fall Creek near ciianging the course of the stream. Ferry is shown standing on the lino the company encroached

vhat amounts to approximately SBO,000 of public money in the pocket i of treasurers. Foiled In their effort Thursday to slip an amendment to the BabcockBorns bill which would have exempted present and incoming county treasurers from the provisions of the act which compels county treasurers to turn the interest collected into the fund for the retirement, of the bonds, a divided committee report was handed down today. Both committee reports recommended that a clause be added to provide that pending litigation on the collection of the interest would not be affected. The majority amendment retained j the exemption feature -which started, the fireworks Thursday.

They Grab It Here Contention on the part of Ebaugh that the bill affected the whole State brought from Speuker Harry G. Leslie the pert rejoinder, “It may, at that, but this is the only place where they ‘grab’ the interest.” "The people of Marlon County have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars,” declared Mrs. Ella V. Gardner,- Indianapolis, in speaking for the minority report, "because our county treasurers have taken this money and placed it to their own account. This Is a splendid time to start a very gooS work.” Representative 'William Dentlinger, Connersville, who stopped the “railroading” of the amendment Thursday, explained the working of the Barrett law. He told the members of the House that some of the members of the committee had made claim that "candidates In the last election were under the impression that they were entitled to this money.” ’ Dentlinger also charged that the use of the money for interest bearing purposes had become so bad that banks could not meet, the principal at time of maturity because not enough money was held on hand by the treasurer to meet them. Contrary to expectations Representative William 11. Harrison, Indianapolis, spoke against adding the exemption clause. Recalls a Pledge "The treasurer-elect (Clyde Robinson) does not want this Interest —he said so in his campaign—and I can see no reason to exempt him,” said Harrison. "This money belongs to the people of Marion County, and I want to see them get It.” It has an open secret that the Robinson influence had held the bill in committee from Jan. 21, when the bill was first Introduced, until Feb. 17f and was only reported out on demand of Representative William C. Babcock. J. W, Ebaugh, Representative from Indianapolis, came to the rescue of his amendment and seemed to make but little impression on his fellow members. He contended that the amendment was needed to ‘‘legalize the tying.” "The money does not belong to the treasurer neither does It belong to the city,” declared Representative John W. Scott, Gary. Scott made the point that the interest money belongs to the contractor who does the work. > At this point Speaker Leslie told the House memUfers that ho had been a county treasurer for four years, “and .1 never kept & cent" of the money, either.”

INDIANAPOLIS, FRIDAY, FEB. 18, 1927

GAS FIRM OVER LINE, SAYS CITY Board May Order Company to Shovel Back Refuse on Stream Bank. The Citizens Gas Company may have to shovel back ashes and cinders they have dumped into Fall Creek near Northwestern Ave., fr<jm the Langsdale plant. J. E. Ferry, park engineer, charges the company dumped cinders and other refuse twenty-six to sixty feet over the line set by the park board in 1914. as the boundary of the creek. This practice is filling up the creek and causing it to cut into the north side bank, he declared. Kirk Unaware C. 1.. Kirk, company manager, said he did not realize the company was encroaching on the rights of the park board. ‘•We will do what is right in the matter,” he said. “Anything that the park board says to do will be done. If they decide that we should take out what has already been dumped we will do it and stop dumping our refuse there.” “The park board has a right to stop this ash dumping.” City Attorney John K. Ruckelshaus said. “They have the right as abutting property owners to stop the dumping, which ia unsightly and a nui-

sancs. The board has the right to [ set the line in 1914 to keep unsightly 1 things from park property. Action Promised According to Ruckelshaus, tho board of works also has a right to kick about the dumping of ashes in the creek. The refuse has been dumped from twenty-six feet to sixty feet beyond the line set by the park board for a ; distance of about two hundred yards, j In some places the ashes are seven ; to eight feet deep. At one place 1 they extend almost to the center of the creek causing the creek to cut into the north bank. Park board members inspected the place today and immediate action will be taken, according to John E. Milnor. president.

MUNCIE EDITOR TO GETHEAIG U. S. Supreme Court Acts in Dale Case.

Times Washinoton Bureau. IMZ New> York Avenue WASHINGTON, Feb. 18.—George Dale, Muncle, Ind., editor, will get another hearing before the United States Supreme Court. The editor, who is asking that his appeal from a contempt of court jail sentence be heard, conferred with Supreme Court Justice Butler, yesterday. Butler, in charge of appeals from the Indiana district has instructed the Supreme Cours clerk not to send back to Indianapolis the transcript and mandate to the State Supremo Court, which would put Dale In Jail. The justice *Llso recommended that Dale have a lawyer present Monday when the Supreme Coprt reconvenes, to move formally that Dale’s appeal be reinstated. It was thrown out by the court, because of an incomplete record six weeks ago. * Dale has not decided who will make the appeal for him. lie probably will remain here until Monday. EXPECT MERCURY DECLINETONIGHT 10-15 Above Is Forecast — Warmer Saturday. A cold wave will drive the mercury down to 10-15 above tonight, according to the United States Weather bureau forecast. However, the cold spell is not expected to linger long, says Meteorologist J. H. Armington. Rising temperature Saturday afternoon is predicted. Cloudy weather will prevail tonight and Saturday in the central portion, probably fair and moderately cold over the State Saturday. For .the first time this month the thermometer stood at normal, 27 degrees, at 7 a. m.

MOORHEAD BILL LOSES LAST HOPE Republican Leaders Complete Wreck of Move to Elect P. S. C. FAIL ON AGREEMENT So aSenator Hopelessly Submits to Fate. The wreck of the Moorhead bill, designed to oust the present public service commissioners and providj for direct election of future commissioners, was completed .today In a conference of Republican leaders in the Indiana Senate. Senator Moorhead announced after the conference that the leaders, who already had turned thumbs down on the elective provisions, could not agree on a provisions for appoint-

Northwestern Ave., which Park Board Engineer -I. E. Ferry charges is fixed for Citizens Gas Company dumping ground in 1914. He charges forty feet at this point.

ment by the Governor with confirmation by the Senate. About all that will be left of the bill If amendments to be proposed on second reading are adopted will be somo minor sections providing for j regulation of holding companies, it \ was. pointed out. Moorhead said he would call the bill up for second reading this afternoon. With the prospect that the amend- 1 ments to : e offered practically kill- i lng the mea3ure, will be accepted, it seemed certain that the public serv- 1 ice commission would ride through 1 this session of the Legislature intact, j The Cann bill, the other serious at- • tempt to abolish the public service 1 commission, wns overwhelmingly de- \ seated In the Senate. Opponents of the commission are attempting to persuade various Senators to introduce another measure which would oust present commissioners. but have been unsuccessful. CONQUERDISEASES 8Y1950-FRANKEL Doctor, Insurance Official, Says Possible. Bu United Press , BOSTON, Feb. 18. —Almost every disease prevalent today will be conquered by medical science by 1950, in the opinion of Dr. Lee K. Frankel, vice-president of a large life insurance company. "What a number of years ago were regarded as communicable diseases of the first order today are extinct in the United States,” he said. "By investing millions of dollars annually, we have been able-to study the causes of the diseases which not so many years ago cut deep into the rank of humanity in every State in the Union. t j “In the past ten years there has not been a single case of cholera, typhus or yellow fever reported in this country. In the past year not a single death has occurred in this country from smallpox, that dreaded malady of fifty years ago. “We know today with the knowledge we hav% that thdre are certain diseases that can be completely and i forever eliminated. In ton or twenty j-ears we expected not only to have conquered every disease, including cancer, but to have found preventatives for most of those ravaging mankind today.”

rOUTH GETS LIFE TERM *'Vincennes*, ind., Feb. is.— Tom Klllion, 19, of Lawrencevllle, faced sentence to life Imprisonment today for killing Henry Fiscus, a farmer. He was convicted by a jury at Lawrenceville Thuvsday. Killion pleaded he shot Fiscus in self-defense. HOOSIER FAVORED Bn T ulted Press _ _ WASHINGTON. Feb. 18.—Nomination tS the United States tariff commission of Lincoln Dixon of Indiana, Sherman J. Lowell of New York and Edgar B. Brossard of Utah, were reported favorably to tha Banat* today by tha Finance Committee.

Outside of.Mmrion County 12 Cents Per Week. Single Comes

RELIGIOUS COLONY OUT FOR PROFIT Zion City Offers Parcel of Realty for Sale in Valuable Area. Bu United Press ZIQN CITY. 111., Feb. 18.—Wilbur Gleen picturesque leader of the Zion Church, Is mixing business astuteness with gospel teaching to the advantage of this little religious colony. Twenty years ago the 2ion Chflrch was formed here. Several hundred families came In. There was an Immediate enactment of religious laws, of “blue” nature. Zion City became famous. But at that time the North Shore, of which Zion City is a part, was becoming famous as one of the choice residential districts for those Chicagoans who preferred to live outside of Chicago. The “Gold Coast” was extended from just north of the loop and big country estates were sold for subdivision, the owners taking over farmland still farther from the metropolitan area. Zion City, the religious colony, was gradually hemmed in by palatial country mansions bordering on the lake shore. The pressure has become too great and Voliva, through his attorneys, has announced thut a choice parcel of the religious community is to be offered for sale.

BRYSON’S FL'TURE US POSTMASTER STILL UNSETTLED Senate Committee Pressing Indiana Senators on Local U. S. Pium. Times Staff Corresnondent WASHINGTON, Feb. 18.—The contest ovor the Indianapolis postmastership now appears to be a waiting game with Robert H. Bryson still ir. possession. With only two weeks left of the Senate session, only a sudden chango of front on the part of Indiana’s Senators would secure Bryson's confor his second term. There is no Indication that President Coolidgo will yield to what is believed the Indiana Senators’ real desires. expressed or unexpressed, and withdraw Bryson's natpe. Postmaster General New is unyielding behind the latter. Representative Updike of Indianapolis, who asked for a civil service examination for the place more than a year ago, and was turned down by New, who recommended Bryson's reappointment, pointed out today that wishes of all other Indiana Congressmen for such examinations have been quickly honored. Representative Johnson got an examination and anew appointment for Terre Haute; Representative Rowbottom. for Evansville; Representative Purnell, for Kokomo, and Representative Vestal, for several townfi, to mention only a few instances. . Updike said this bore out his original contention he is being unjustly treated. He reiterated he has no personal objection to Bryson. If the latter keeps his Job until March 4, when the sixty-eighth Congress ends, he will keep it until next December, at least, as he holds office until a successor Is appointed. The Senate will not meet again until December.

TRAFFIC POLICE ARREST TWENTY 18 Disregard Stop-Go and Preferential Streets. The balmy breezes late Thursday gave motorists a desire to breeze right by "stop and go” signals and preferential street signs, police aald. Officers atatloned at Intersections arrested seventeen men and one woman on those charges. One alleged speeder, W. H. Zaiser, 23, of 6730 E. Washington St., was arrested. John Strack, 39, of 625 Eugene St., was charged with driving while Intoxicated. '

THREE CENTS SAUBf TWO CENTS

SLAVER OF ALEXANDRIA POLICE CHIEF KILLED 01 ANDERSON OFFICER Young Chemist After Hiding All Night Found Under Bed —Shot When Move Is Seen as Gun Threat. RAID FEAR CAUSES TRAGEDY Served Papers in Divorce Action While Redistilling Alcohol. By Larry Sullivan | Times Special Correspondent ALEXANDRIA, Ind., Feb. 19.—George Schraauss, 26, expert chemist and medical student, who shot and killed Police Chief Opal F. Hughes, in a gun battle Thursday night at the old Alexandria hospital and hid his body iu a wooden clothes box, was shot and killed himself early today by Patrolman Walter Hepler of Anderson. llepler w’as one of a dozen Anderson police who came here to hunt the slayer.

After shooting the officer, Schmauss hid in the basement of the hospital, where he lived with his mother, Mrs. L. F. Schmauss. Police flooded the building with tear gas. In the confusion, Schmauss left the basement, secured a ladder, climbed to at) attic unobserved and from there reached tho roof of the hospital, where he spent the night. Karly this morning he left the roof and went to his bedroom, hiding under the bed. • Ur Ylor Bed Hepler entered the room alone and commanded Schmauss to climb out. Schmauss obeyed, hut Hepler misinterpreted a move as a threat to reach a gun. fired nnd missed. Hepfer said that Schmauss then stood tip. “Schmauss had been described to me as a small man. When ho stood up he looked as big as a mountain. He reached again as if to get a gun and I fired three more times." Schmauss collapsed and died in a few minutes. ' He was unarmed. Chief Hughe* had gone to the mffitpital Thursday afternoon to serve a citation for SSO attorneys’ fees in connection with a divorce suit filed by Schmauss’ wife, Mrs. Marie Underwood Selimauos of Muncie, which ho had refused to'pay. Hughes, it Is believed, came upon Schmauss as he was operating n still for refining of denatured alcohol and Schmauss thought the officer wns raiding the place. A gun battle followed. Hughes shot Schmauss In the face, firing five times in all. Schmauss fired but once, wounding the officer over -the heart and causing Internal hemorrhages. The wounded officer rushed out Into the street to call help. Rushes to Street Rarl Clovis, a newsboy, said he saw Schmauss rush out Into the street and drag Hughes back into the hospital. Clevis ran to town and notified officers. The boy said Hughes collapsed on the street, but was still clutching a smoking revolver. Alexandria police searched the building for nearly an hour for Hughes. Then one of the officers casually lifted the lid of a clothes box in the summer kitchen. Under a pile of old rags, Hughes’ body was found, face downward. • Hidden While Alive? It was believed he was placed in the box while still alive. However, the officer’s topcoat had been removed and It Is thought that Schmauss had examined Ills victim, and having studied medicine realized Hughes would die In a few minutes. Tho rest of the hospital was not thoroughly searched until about 4 this morning, when a squad of Anderson police arrived to Join In tho hunt for Schmauss. Police today found Schmauss' gun at the hospital hidden on s shelf behind some magazines and the officer 8 revolver In an empty water cooler. I The gun battle between Hughes j and Schmauss took place In a pasj sage between the hospital and an an- ! nex. Police said they found evl- | dence that- after hiding Hughes’ body, Schmauss had taken a bucket of water and washed up tho blood stains. Police found a 100-gallon distilling apparatus and seized a quantity of alcohol. They believe Schmauss for month* had been redistilling denatured alcohol, using his expert knowledge in chemistry. His acllvlj tea, however, had not beene suspected.

Brilliant Student Schmauss was a former student at Notre Dame and attended a medical college at Chicago. He was known as a brilliant conversationalist. He was the son of Dr. L. F. Schmauss, killed several years ago in an automobile accident. Meanwhile, Alexandria prepared to pay tribute to the dead officer. Hughes’ body will He In state Sunday. Funeral service* will be Monday with the Rev. IT. H. Wagner of the Christian Church, and the Rev. A. F. Hogan of the First Methodist Church In charge. Burial will be In Odd Fellows’ cemetery here. Hughes was appointeed chief a year ago. Hapfer was exonerated of any oriminal charge by Coroner Karl Boll* of Madison County. Bella bald

Forecast Partly cloudy tonight and Saturday, colder tonight; lowest 10-15; warmer Saturday afternoon.

Hepfer fired in self-defense, fearing an attack by Schmauss. Schmauss' mother with whom he lived alone, was in Indianapolis at the time of the shooting. WIFE IS PROTECTED Mrs. Schmauss Feared Husband Would Come to Her Home. Bu Time* Special MUNCIE, Ind., Feb. 18.—Prior to word that George Schmauss, slayer of Police Chief Hughes at Alexan drla, had teen slain by on Anderson patrolman, police here guarded the home of Mrs. Marie Underwood Schmauss, divorced wife of Schmauss. Mrs. Schmauss had feared her husband would come here after (he shooting. FARM BILL FATE WILL RESTWITH COOLIDGE TODAY McNary - Haugen Measure Awaits Executive After Passing House. Bu United Press WASHINGTON. Feb. 18.—The Me-Nary-Maugen farm relief bill goes to its fate today. Having teen approved by Congress, the measure now goes to President Coolldge, who Is represented as rendy to exercise his veto power. With the bill slated for delivery at the White House late this afternoon, the President must approve or veto it before Wednesday, March 2. The MU completed Its final legislative stage last night with passage by the House after one of ths most turbulent sessions In recent years. Speaker Lungworth announced the vote as 214 for tb 178 agnlnst, with one member voting present, but a check on the ballot showed the vote’ to he 210 for to 176 against, a majority of thirty-four. The entire Indiana House delegation agnln voted for the hill last night, exsept, Canfield, Democrat, of Hatesville, .Canfield, was nbsent but was paired for the bill. This again puts the Indiana delegation Including the Senators solidly on record for the legislation and agnlnst the administration as nil members of the delegation voted for It last year. Additional cheeka und tabulations might again change the vote, hut the result cannot be altered. The rocheck showed 112 Republicans, 94 Democrats. 8 Fnrmer-Laborltes snd 1 Socialist joined hands In passing the Mil. One hundred and six Republicans and seventy Democrats voted ngalnst the measure, with Representative Strong (Rep.l, Pennsylvania, answering "present.” Opponents of the Mil offered approximately 100 amendment*, but the farm bloc defense defeated every one.

Assembly Today

Both houses convcntd at 10 a. in. adjourning at nogn until 8 p. m. HOI’SK Minority committee report on hilt taking Barrett fund Interest from county treasurer* accepted. Amendment delaying effectiveness of measure until 1930 rejected. SENATE Holmes eugenics bill on third reading. Indianapolis corporation counsel pay boost hill passed. Reciprocal HUto license bill np for passage. Establishment of State psychiatric hospital to he considered. HOURLY TEMPERATURES 6 a. m...... 28 10 a. Si 7 a. tn.u.*. 27 U’ 9- 24 la. II tnoonk •••• 14