Indianapolis Times, Volume 39, Number 10, Indianapolis, Marion County, 23 May 1927 — Page 2

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1,200 Convicts Stem Deluge Against 50,000 Lives

SPIRIT OF T. R.’ IMBUED CHARLIE, MOTHMLIEVES ‘There Was His Man’s Man,’ She Says, Recounting His Escapades. By United Press DETROIT, May 23.—The pioneer spirit of dead President Theodore Roosevelt laid the ground-work for Captain Charles A. Lindbergh's daring dash across the Atlantic, believes his mother, Mrs. Evangeline Lindbergh. “One of my most treasured messages yesterday,’’ Mrs. Lindbergh told the United Press, "came from Young Teddy. It brought to my fcnind the memory of the original Teddy and I felt like crying with joy. “What a thrill it would have been to Charlie to have been able to receive praise from Theodore, Sr.! There was his man’s man!” | Washington in 1907

I Mrs. Lindbergh explained that ftvhcn she and her husband first Jnoved to Washington in 1907, Chariie was five years old. They re- ( gained in Washington until 1917, ■nd the boy was not long in patching what she called the "Rosevelt JSpirit.” Almost as soon as Charlie was able jko venture out alone, he began sumEer "expeditions” in the woods of innesota on his father’s farm with |pnly a dog for a companion. f He built a boat and sailed back and along his "river”. 4* The future aviator’s favorite game , fcvhen young, his mother said, was tdaying soldier, garbed as a "Rough ptider.” “I’m not sure that he would like this to be known now, though,” she Interposed. In Saddle Early As soon as Lindbergh had grown enough to ride he was in saddle. *ff}y the time he was twelve years lie had begun "broncho bustin,” tnuch to his mother's worry. if "My husband had the greatest adfciiration for Roosevelt,” Mrs. Lindbergh said. "Teddy was his model.” ~ "Naturally, Charlie ' took to the Aame idol, only in a more revered %ay.” i Lindbergh’s first'treasured trophy Jkas a pistol won at the R. O. T. C., pvhen he competed with the crack fchots of the University of Wisconsin. It was about the only big interest .lie had in the university life and jTliat about completed his war dreams, 'Jor then he began to feel the "call bf the air.” | Best Night’s Rest Mrs. 'Lindbergh asserted this morning, as she reported to the Cass Technical High School and took charge of her chemistry class, that she had enjoyed her best night’s rest since Friday. The little lines that showed in her face Saturday and Sunday were replaced with smiles. "Five weeks isn’t long,” she said, referring to the time for school’s letting out, "when you’re as busy as I will be. But I guess it is a little longer, when you’re waiting for a Charlie to come home.” Phones His Mother Lindbergh called his mother by telephone immediately after rising yesterday, but the connection was not good. The telephone operator relayed his message of assurance, Mrs. Lindpergh said. 4 Hurt in Crash, 2 Badly By United Press LEBANON, Ind., May 23.—Miss Fern Smith, 16, Brownsburg, and Morris Beck, 17, are in serious condition and Mr and Mrs. John Endres, Lebanon, are hurt as the result of a Sunday auto collision near here in Jackson highway,

Picture Story of 6,150-Mile Flight in 54 Ho urs, 51 Minutes

LINDBERGH ALONE GETS $25,000 FLIGHT AWARD Famous Trans-Atlantic Plane May Be Forever Enshrined in National Museum at Washington.

By United Press ST. LOUIS, Mo., May 23.—The fruits of his victory will go to Capt. Charles Lindbergh without division among financiers of the flight, his St. Louis announced today. “The entire $25,000 prize is Lindbergh’s,” said Harry H. Knight, president of the St. Louis Flying Club and one of Lindbergh’s principal backers. “We are satisfied to have helped in the accomplishment.” Eight St. Louis men made Lindbergh’s achievement possible. The New York-to-Paris flight was his own idea, but they advanced most of the money necessary for the expedition. Lindbergh resigned from the air mail service about a year ago and started preparations for his venture. He had saved $2,000, all of which was invested, making him the largest financial contributor. Eight Men Aided Harry H. Knight, president of the St. Louis Flying Club, and Major William B. Roberts, for whom Lindbergh had worked as an air mail pilot, were the first to promise financial backing for his enterprise. They interested Harry F. Knight, father of the original backer; Major A. B. Lambert, long a friend of aviation; E. Lansing Ray, newspaper publisher; Harold M. Bixby, president of the Chamber of Commerce;

LOCAL MAN TELLS ABOUT LINDBERGH (Contlnued - From Page 1) head-on in the air and were forced to take to their parachutes to save I their lives. "White apparently hit an air pocket,” Young said. ”His plan dropped and crashed into that driven by Lindbergh. Both men hopped off and landed without injury. "The first we knew of the accident was when another cadet came into quarters and said that Charlie had had an accident. W'e thought at first he had broken a landing gear or something like that. That was in 1923, shortly before Lindbsrgh completed his course. Big “Farmer Boy” Lindbergh was never one of these showy boys who wanted everyone to know he was a pilot, Young explained. One day a crowd visited Lambert Field, St. Louis, which the Missouri National Guard maintained as aero headquarters. Some walked up to a greasy mechanic working on one of the planes. "Where can we find Capt. Lindbergh,” one of them said. The mechanic turned and grinned a bit uneasily. "I’m Capt. Lindbergh,” he said. Lindbergh was just a big “farmer boy” in every sense of the word, Young explained. He cared nothing for girls. His sole life was wrapped up in aviation. “And right now, in Paris, though he is grinning and bearing all this publicity and adoration it’s hurting him worse than anything that ever happened to him,” Young concluded. “But It won’t affect him one bit." Another Knows Him Another Indianapolis man who knew Lindbergh is Capt. John W. Zeigler, senior flight commander of the 113th Observation Squadron, Indiana National Guard. Captain Zeigler, who met Lindbergh in St. Louis two years ago, described the Atlantic flier as one who lives only for aviation. Lindbergh was a good flier then, Captain Zeigler said, and was always thinking of ways to better himself. He cared nothing for publicity, the local officer declared. All talk about him being a fool" and a dare-

Earl C. Thompson and .T. D. Wooster Lambert, business men.

Lindbergh’s patrons were unanimous in disclaiming any of the glory when news of success reached them. It was Lindbergh’s idea and Lindbergh's achiecement, they said. Now they are busy making plans for a giant celebration to welcome Lindbergh home. No definite plans have been formulated, but they are determined that St. Louis’ welcome shall outdo that of Paris and New York. Plane to Museum? They are also considering plans for turning the good will value of the Spirit of St. Louis, Lindbergh’s plane, to the best advantage of future aviation. No one plan has been agreed upon as yet. According to Bixby, the plane will be shipped to New York and flown back here by Lindbergh. From then on, disposal of the ship is uncertain. One suggestion is that the plane be turned over to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington where it can be a memorial to the mile-stone it marked in aviation. Another its that it be displayed here in an especially constructed memorial building. Still another suggestion is that the Spirit of St. Louis be turned over to the Missouri Historical Society for display. Title to the plane is held by a corporation which bears its name, Spirit of St. Louis.

devil leave the impression that he is reckless, the officer said, but the fact is that he is young and he has all the nerve in the world. 30 AUTOS TAKEN OVER WEEK-END Police Kept Busy Tracing Thieves. Police today were searching for thirty autos with a total value of $19,400, stolen over the week-end. Five other stolen cars have been recovered. Patrolmen attending the 7 a. m. roll call today, the first since the storm last Wednesday night, were given license numbers of the stolen machines. Police have been working twelve-hour shifts in the storm area up to today. Detective Chief Claude M. Worley, sent his auto squads with reinforcements into the field with orders to find the cars and "bring in the thieves.” Worley said it is the largest total of autos stolen over a week end in more than a year. Several auto theft rings, including an interstate gang working here, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Chicago, were arrested recently, but new gangs seem to be constantly springing up, Worley said. Ninety per cent of the owners who visited headquarters and reported cars stolen in the past fortyeight hours, admitted they left theirs unlocked, Worley said. SIX HURT IN WRECK Two Sections of California Limited Crash In Arizona. By United Press CHICAGO, May 23.—Five or six persons were injured, none seriously, when one section of the California Limited crashed into another section standing on the tracks a few miles west of Flagstaff, Ariz., officials of the Santa Fe Railroad here told the United Press. "None was killed and the meager reports we have show that none of the five or six persons injured are seriously hurt,” J. D. Morrison, an official, said.

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

Aided by 1,000 Free Negroes, Work in Shifts to Exhaustion. BATTLE M’CRAE LEVEE Protection Dike Built on Stale Bread. Bu United Press NEW ORLEANS. La., May 23. Twelve hundred convicts today are heroes of the McCrae levee battle —a contest in which man pitted his strength agairtst the elements at seemingly hopeless odds. The prisoners may win. engineeers admitted today, after they had insisted Bince Thursday that the wall of the Atchafalaya River would “go out at any moment.” Result o{ the superhuman efforts of inmates of the State Prison farm at Angola, aided by approximately 1,000 free Negroes, is a barrier of sand bags, thirty feet high and almost as wide. Water sloshed near the top of the temporary levee, but so far the dyke had held back a flood which threatened to inundate parts of six parishes Inhabited by 50,000 persons. Ate Stale Bread Dirt, sandbags, and gravel occupied every available corner of every available boat which reached McCrae in the last two days. There was no room for adequate food for the convict army. But they Rte stale bread without complaining, worked in four-hour shifts, and then dropped in exhausted sleep. The levee now holding back the Ataohafalaya at McCrea is really a protection dyke, hastily constructed when the main levee and a first, emergency levee gave way. The permanent levee caved in first, throwing the waters against an emergency barrier. First liCvee Gone Then the wall, which is now depended on to save territory between McCrae and the Mississippi River and south, was consttucted. The first temporary levee has been washed out. Flood waters of the Atclwfalaya combined With water from tiie Big Bend break and were creeping toward St. Martinville in St. Martin Parish. The flood will reach ten to fifteen more villages In the day, engineers said. Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover was in Baton Rouge today, conferring with members of the rehabilitation commission.

$120,000 DEFICIT IN BANK CLOSING Embezzlement Arrests Expected at Terre Haute. By United Press TERRE HAUTE, Ind., May 23. Discovery of an alleged $120,000 shortage in the accounts of the Union Savings & Loan Association, according to T. D. Barr, deputy State examiner, led to the appointment of a receiver for the corporation today and institution of an embezzlement investigation by the prosecutor's office. Barr indicated that a written confession of falsification of records was in the State’s possession and that embezzlement arrests woul probably follow. Joseph Mulliken resigned as secretary of the corporation last week soon after the shortage investigation. Simultaneously Kate M. Long, assistant resigned. Muncie Gets Confab By Times Special MUNCIE, Ind., May 23.—United Commercial Travelers of Indiana will hold their 1928 convention here, the Chamber of Commerce secretary has been advised.

LINDBERGH GET MEDAL OF HONOR (Continued From Page 1) sleep, sprinkled his interviews with words of praise for Captains Nungesser and Coli, lost attempting the flight on which Lindbergh succeeded. He called on Mme. Nungesscr, mother of the missing aviator, to offer his sympathy; appeared on a balcony at the United States Embassy to assist Ambassador Herrick in draping a French flag before the eyes of enthusiastic thousands and placed flowers on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Won’t Fly Back Lindbergh set at rest rumors that he would return to the United States by plane by pointing out that “there isn’t any reason to fly back now.” He said he intended to return soon by boat. The landing field at Le Bourget, where Lindbergh’s plane "Spirit of St. Louis” dropped to land at 10:21 Saturday night, presented a sad appearance in daylight. It was littered with torn hats and clothing lost by the frantic crowd that welcomed the American and officials estimated the damage caused by the rush at 30,000 francs. Ten persons were so seriously injured they had to be treated in hospitals. The former air mail pilot may fly over Paris in his sturdy one-man Ryan monoplane to satisfy the demands of the public for a chance to see him in air.

Thousands View Plane The plane was inspected by thousands at the field yesterday. It nestled between two great passenger planes in a hangar and rows of soldiers with fixed bayonets guarded it while the crowd streamed past the door. The reception to Lindbergh, both popular and official, was one of the most remarkable since the war. It was the reception of a ruling sovereign, accorded to a boy almost no one in Paris had heard of two weeks ago. A crowd started gathering at the American embassy, where Lindbergh was taken from Le Bourget field, before dawn, and all day throngs greeted the flier. Foreign Minister Briand ordered the American flag flown foreign office —an honor paid seldom to another nation. Minister of Marine Leygues, Pierre Godin, president of the Paris Municipal Council, and scores of prominent officials called at the embassy and President Coolidge, Secretary of State Kellogg and Premier Mussolini of Italy and King Alfonso of Spain sent congratulations Others Call General Girod, president of the aviation group of the Chamber of Deputies, sent the invitation to the aviator to visit the chamber. Ambassador Claudel, who represents France at Washington, called, as did A. M. E. Leroy, head of Briand's staff, the government’s congratulations. William Tilden and Francis Hunter, American tennis players, and Jean Borotra and Rene Lacoste, French net stars, came together to pay tribute to a fellow sportsman. Raymond Orteig, donator of the $25,000 prize for -the first flier to make the trip between New York and Paris without a stop, called, but found Lindbergh still asleep. Plane Unhurt Lindbergh arose early and motored to Le Bourget, accompanied by the military and naval attaches of the American embassy and escorted by officials of the Surete Generale. Arriving at the airdrome at 11 a. m., Lindbergh hurried toward the hangar where his Ryan monoplane, spirit of St. Louis, had been sheltered after the dramatic landing at 3:21 p. m. (Indianapolis time) Saturday, 33 hours and 30 minutes out of New York. The American’s long strides out-

“Charles the First” Rests After Flight By United Press SEA CLIFF, L. 1., May 23. Meet Charles Lindbergh Hurley. He arrived by air at the Glen Cove Community hospital soon after Charles Lindbergh arrived in Paris, and his proud papa, Detective Gordon Hurley, who was a flying sergeant in the A. E. F., and his equally proud mama, agreed there was but one name for him. Charles Lindbergh Hurley was resting Sunday after his trip.

distanced the photographers who snapped him as lie hurried on toward his plane. After a quick inspection, Lindbergh was satisfied that it was in good trim, despite the exuberant manhandling of the welcoming crowd Saturday. “I found the plane in better share that I had expected.” Lindbergh told the United Press. “I was afraid the crowd would tear It to pieces. “Did you see the crowd? It was terrible, wasn't it? They took some souvenirs, but I shall have the ship fixed here and the work will start today, and I hope to be able to fly around Paris a bit. “I don’t know whether I shall take the plane back to America. That will be decided in a few days. I peeped at the motor and it looked perfectly good to me. I don't think it was a bit damaged by the flight.” Most of the watchers were school girls and debutantes who made scrap book collections of newspaper accounts of Lindbergh’s arrival and then brought the books to the embassy hoping that they could get the flier’s autograph. Lindbergh likes Paris and has developed a weakness for French pastry. He refused champagne and even cigarettes, explaining that he never smokes. During the dinner at the American embassy to which Ambassador Herrick invited his personal staff and their wives. Lindbergh undecidedly examined a tray of French pastry. Then he chose one of the most elaborate confections. “Mad” About Pastry That one tasted good to Lindbergh. After a moment's hesitation, the young man who brought letters of introduction with him so he wouldn’t be lonely, enquired of Ambassador Herrick; "Do you suppose I could have another?” He could and did. The Leviathan of the United States lines probably will bring Lindbergh home. The big ship is due to sail from Cherbourg. May 31, and although Lindbergh has not decided on the length of his stay, he probably will be aboard. “I am awaiting definite instructions from San Diego (headquarters of the company which built the Ryan plane), before deciding to dismantle the plane and ship it home,” Lindbergh said. "I hope I can take it with me on the same boat.” "When he visited Le Bourget and saw the trampled fences and the battered building in which he finally found refuge and then was shown the spot where he alighted, Lindbergh said, referring to the riot; "I just missed it.”

“Divine Genius and Simple Courage” By United Press WASHINGTON, May 23. “A boy of divine genius and simple courage.” That is how Charles Lindbergh impressed Myron T. Herrick, ambassador to France, who welcomed the aviator in Paris. Herriek, in a message to President Coolidge, said a deliberate search could not have brought forth any one better fitted "to represent the youth, the intrepid adventure of America, and the immortal bravery of Nungesser and Coll."

SLEET HIS TROUBLE, NOT SLEEP Valiant Charlie Had to Climb to 10,000 Feet to Escape It. By United Press PARIS. May 23.—Lack of sleep didn’t bother valiant Charles Lingbergh on his flight from New York to Paris, but sleet provided plenty of trouble, he told newspapermen. The plane, with the pilot s seat sunk so low that periscopes alone enabled him to see, kept the wind from blowing onto his face and thus prevented sleepiness. Lingbergh said. “I encountered sleet in mid-At-lantic.” lie said. 'Sleet forming on the front of the wings of a plane is capable of forcing it down in a few minutes, but when 1 struck the storm I was able to get above it quickly.” He flew ten hours in continual rain, sleet and fog, and had to ascend to 10,000 feet to get above It, he said. Danger in Landing “One of the greatest dangers I faced was in landing at Le Bourget Field, when the crowd almost overwhelmed me," he said. Lindbergh paid high tribute to Charles Nungesser and Francois Coli, missing French avaitors. “The Frenchmen’s task was harder than mine.” he said. "Conditions flying westward are bad, whereas everything was in my favor except the sleet storm. “Nungesser possibly hit a similar storm. Morever, the weather was terrible when he started. Airplanes were down all over the eastern United States. Alight on Icefield “Nungessor also may have been forced to alight on the ice fields of North Newfoundland, in which case he didn't have a chance in a thousand. “I steered by dead reckoning because I had no hand to spare to use a sextant.' I used an earth induction compass and made the Irish coast within three miles of the place I had planned to arrive. Lindbergh said he flew across France by sight rather than by map. “I had studied the geography and topography of the section,” he said, "and knew such features as the Seine and the location of towns easy to identify. I saw Paris far away. I had heard much of the bright lights of the city, and they guided me. “The landing field was well lighted, but I flew over it several times to make sure it was Le Bourget, and also to study a suitable place to drop, as I was afraid of hitting the crowd. Gasoline Estimate “I started with 451 gallons of gasoline and used twelve gallons an hour.” The rate of consumption for the 33-hour flight would mean a total consumption of 396 gallons, leaving fifty-five gallons. As a matter of fact, fifty gallons remained. Lindbergh's estimate was exceptionally close, considering that he had not measured the amount remaining.

27,000 Columns of Lindbergh Stories By United Press NEW YORK, May 23.—Before Charles Lindbergh left for Paris he thought his mother might like to have some newspaper clippings for her scrap book. So he ordered Walter Hyam & Co., a New York clipping bureau, to watch the newspapers for anything that might be printed about him and send the cllippings to his mother. Hyams & Co. estimated today that more had been printed about him than about any other single story in history. Their estimate was that 27,000 columns of newspaper space were devoted to his flight to Paris. Which will make Mrs. Lindbergh quite a scrap book.

MAY 23, 1927

WORLD RECEIVES NEWS OF FLIGHT IN SIX MINUTES Correspondents Scatter With First Plans —Hemisphere Vigil 33 Hours. By United Press NEW YORK, May 23. —The flight of Charles A. Lindbergh to Paris presented to newspapers a problem in news coverage never before faced, for it was something that never had been done before. How well the problem was met was shown by the fact that three minutes after Lindbergh landed Saturday night at Le Bourget Airdrome, near Paris, the cable an-| nouncing his arrival was in the United Press offices in New York in less than another minute was in San Francisco, and in two minutes had been delivered to points as far away as Buenos Aires, in South America. Arrangements Started To do this, arrangements were started the moment the plans for this years trans-Atlantic flights were announced. Special correspondents were stationed in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, in Ireland. England, and France. There were nineteen such correspondents on the Irish coast, a like number in the Seine valley of France, and practically as many in England. In all more than 100 were engaged. When Lindbergh started, each cor respondent was notified, Previously each had received descriptions of his plane for identification. To New York Oflic* The Commercial Cable Company, the Radio Corporation or America, the Western Union Telegraph Company and the Independent Wireless began gathering reports and transmitted them to the New York office of the United Press. Ships at sea, coastal stations of the Navy, the Coast Guard, the lighthouse service, the international ice patrol and the radio and cable companies took up the watch. Through the more than thirtythree hours Lindbergh was in flight stations and newspaper correspondthe network of wires, cables, radio ents never ceased work. Landing, Then “Flash” Then Lindbergh landed. The word was "flashed” direct from the field to Paris and thence over land wires and cable to New York. Then it went to tho United Press leased wire system to every corner of the country. It was telephoned to radio stations and announced on the air while bands played and special programs began. In theaters United Press bulletins were read to audiences amid wild cheering. First to Millions Millions, from waifs to the President, and Mrs. Evangeline Lindbergh in Detroit, the flier's mother, thus received their news of the flight first by United Press. Newspaper records show it was probably a world record for the rapid communication of news. LEGION SESSIONS LARGE State, National Heads Culver Meeting Speakers. By Times Special CULVER, Ind., May 23.—Post commanders and adjutants, Indiana department, American Legion, closed their two-day conference here Sunday evening. The sessions, attended by 800 persons, were the largest held since Culver Military Academy began the event eight years ago. Speakers included Paul V. McNutt, State commander; Brig. Gen. L. R. Glgnilliat, commandant of Culver Academy, past Indiana Legion commander; Herbert Mooney, Ohio commander; Howard P. Savage, national commander; Daniel Sauers, Americanization director; Charles Mayo, national commander "Forty and Eight.”