Indianapolis Times, Volume 39, Number 186, Indianapolis, Marion County, 13 December 1927 — Page 3

DEC. 13, 1927.

FIGHT HABEAS CORPUS PLEA WILL BE FILEDAT ONCE Counsel for Velma West to Ask Writ, Reduction of Murder Charge. DEFENSE STILL HOPES Girl Sobs in Her Cell at Prospect of Christmas in Jail. Pn United Press PAINESVILLE, Ohio, Dec. 13. A move to free pretty Velma West, confessed husband slayer, probably will be made here today, when defense counsel is expected to file habeas corpus proceedings. The proceedings, according to Prances W. Poulson, Cleveland attorney for the defense, are designed to lessen the charge to second degree murder or manslaughter and admit the girl to bail. A third purpose of the action is to force the State to bare its entire case, contained primarily in the written confession of Mrs. West, which has not been made public. Mrs. West is charged with first degree murder in connection with the murder of her husband, Edward, Perry (Ohio) nurseryman, who was found dead hammered to death last Wednesday. Defense Still Hopeful Defense counsel announced they were in no way undaunted because of Judge Marvin H. Helter’s refusal to admit Mrs. West to bond. Prospect of a Christmas day in jail, however, today brought suffering to Mrs. West. The girl was cheerful when brought into court yesterday. Her eyes sparkled. She was dressed becomingly- Then wen the judge overruled the moflon for reducing the charges, the full import struck her. She sobbed and finally collapsed. She was carried from the courtroom back to the county jail, and today still sobbed softly at the thought of the days in prison before her trial is called. Main Defense Built Powlson built the main defense for Mrs. West yesterday. He unfolded the pages of her early life, in an effort to show how the girl failed to, become acclimated to the rural community of Perry, where she moved with her husband. Powlson told how she had nearly died as the result of diphtheria and mastoidal trouble; her meeting with young West in 1925, their romance and marriage; the struggles to live on his small allowance; and finally their domestic quarrels, which led to the hammer murder. TRAFFIC DISCS ARRIVE New Signs to Be Used on Meridian and Washington Sts. Five hundred three-inch aluminum discs, donated by the Hoosier Motor Club, were received today by Traffic Captain Lester Jones of the police department. They will be put in place Monday night to mark pedestrian traffic lanes at Meridian and Washington Sts., Jones announced. The discs will eliminate pole type lane markers now in use. Put firmly into the pavement with a three-inch expanding pin, they will also be used to mark “stop” and similar deadlines and traffic directions. The installation will be an experiment, Jones said. The discs are in use in Chicago. U. S. TO SIFT DRY CASES The Federal grand jury is expected to begin its probe of liquor conditions at Muncie, and alleged political corruption there Wednesday. Charges against sixty arrested in recent raids by Federal dry agents also are to be considered. The jury today questioned witnesses in Indianapolis, Shelbyville and Stark and Martin County liquor cases.

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RENEWED TO WIN BAIL FOR HAMMER SLAYER

‘Col. House?’

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Mrs. O: O. Hammonds, secretary to Governor Henry Johnson, at whose door is laid the blame for events that led up to impeachment charges being filed against him. She is called the “Mrs. Colonel House” of Oklahoma.

Your Move If You’re a Checker Player; Ad Club Will Hold Game Contest.

WHO is the champion checker player of Indianapolis? Who is the champion tiddle-de-winks shooter of the city? These momentous questions may be settled as a result of the plans of the Advertising Club of Indianapolis to hold a “game tournament” at the Spink-Arms tonight. The tournament will be public. A small fee will be charged for each table. Any indoor game played on a table may be played during the tournament. The only requirement is that players bring their own equipment. The club will try to determine by a series of contests who is the champion checker player of the city, as well the champion chess, bridge and tiddle-de-winks players. If the party is successful, the club expects to bring to the city champions from other Indiana cities and stage state tournaments, according to Lester C. Nagley, secretary-manager. Wives of club members have arranged details of the first tournament. Prizes will be awarded. Refreshments will be served.

ARMY FLOOD CONTROL PLAN GIVEN CONGRESS Bill to Appropriate $258,960,000 for Work Introduced. WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.—A bill to appropriate $258,960,000 for flood control in the lower Mississippi River Under the plan recommended by Army engineers, was introduced today by Senator Jones (Rep.), Washington, chairman of the Commerce Committee. The Secretary of War would, un-‘ der the bill, be empowered to take charge of the entire flood contrcj project and proceed with the work as outlined in the report of Maj. Gen. Edwin Jadwin, chief of Army engineers. The bill stipulates that one of the funds appropriated by the Federal Government shall be expended in any State until that State has consented to give the control of the levees at strategic points considered important to the security of the system by the chief of engineers.

DISCUSS STATE TAX PROBLEMS AT CONFERENCE Representatives of Fourteen Organizations in Parley Called by Bankers. Broad discussion of Indiana tax problems seeking strict application of the budget law and suggesting equitable division of the tax burden was the purpose of a meeting at the Claypool Hotel this afternoon, attended by representatives of fourteen State organizations. The tax committee of the Indiana Bankers Association was instrumental in arranging for the meeting. William C. Harrison, attorney and former secretary of the State tax board, was expected to preside. William H. Settle, Indiana Farm Bureau Federation president; C. Oliver Holmes, Indiana Bankers Association president, and Harry Miesse, Indiana Taxpayers Association secretary, were expected to be prominent in the discussions. Financial Leaders Attend Others to attend the conference included bankers’ tax committee members, Frank D. Stalnaker of Indianapolis, chairman; George Bingham of South Bend, M. S. Sonntag of Evansville, A. G. Matthews of Richmond, Jesse Eschbach of Ft. Wayne, State tax board members; Dr. G. W. Starr, head of Indiana University’s research department; John E. Fredrick of Kokomo, State Chamber of Commerce president; C. N. Carter of Indianapolis, representing Certified Public Accountants’ Association; W. E. Balch of Indianapolis, State Dry Goods Association; W. H. Newsome of Columbus, Indiana State Grange; Dan V. Simms of Lafayette, State Bar Association; Irving W. Lemaux of Indianapolis, Indiana Manufacturers’ Association; T. N. Taylor, president Indiana State Federation of Labor; Frank L. Moore of Indianapolis, secretary Indiana Real Estate Association; H. S. Morse of Indianapolis, Indiana Public Utilities Association, and W. H. Book, civic affairs secretary, Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. Open to Business Men The meeting was open to business men generally and others interested in tax discussion. Tax reform theories to be presented included that advanced by some members of the Farm Bureau Federation providing for abolishment of the general State property tax and substitution of a general corporation tax to provide State revenues. The new budget law. passed by the 1927 Legislature, requiring local units of government to operate strictly within the limits of their budgets, was regarded certain of discussion. ' CANTON IS THREATENED Nationalists May Destroy City Unless Labor Surrenders. Uu United Press HONG KONG, Dec. 13.—A dispatch from Canton today said that Gen. Li Fu Klum, commanding moderate nationalist forces, had issued a proclamation threatening to destroy the city of Canton unless the radical laborers, who seized power Sunday, surrender to him. General Li had launched a counter attack against the labor men Monday and was reported to have retaken the police headquarters building. / GRAND JURY NEAR END Investigations Are Expected to Close Dec. 31. Marion County grand Jurors today were preparing to close finally their investigation of alleged political corruption, it was understood. Several more witnesses are expected to be called before the close of the jury’s session, Dec. 31. Prosecutor William H. Remy and Special Prosecutor Emsley W. Johnson conferred with the jury during the v morning. Witnesses in routine cases were dismissed.

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

Woman Legion Head Asks Aid for Stranded Heroes

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Mrs. Julia Wheelock and Commander Edward E. Spafford.

Thousands of American Doughboys Marooned in Italy Without Funds. Bearing the distinction of being the only woman commander of an American Legion post, Mrs. Julia Wheelock, Rome, Italy, entered into the program of the three-day conference of Legion adjutants and commanders at national headquarters, 777 N. Meridian St. Mrs. Wheelock was welcomed Monday at the first session by National Commander Edward E. Spafford. Mrs. Wheelock, an American, has lived in Rome for about four years. Several years ago she was confronted with the problem of American soldiers who were stranded in Italy without funds for transportation heme. She took up the work and

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“carried on,” using her own private fortune in the project of caring for about 6,000 stranded doughboys. She built up an American Legion post and was elected commander at the Legion convention in Paris this fall The problem not only calls for work in getting the soldiers back to America, but also for caring for them in Italy. Some of the men are in such straightened financial condition that the Legion membership dues in Italy were lowered to 5 cents a year. Even then only about 2,000 out of 7,000 potential members were able to join. Mrs. Wheelock has presented her problems to the conference proper and to the committee on complaints and grievances. She hopes to get some public spirited person to outfit a special boat to take the men to America. “They will work on farms They will work any place. They just want to get home,” she pleaded.

COOLIDGE STILL I STUDIES LARGE , NAVTPROGRAM Approval to Billion Dollar Plan Not Yet Given, Says President. Bit United Press WASHINGTON, Dec. 13—President Coolidge has not approved a naval building program, and reports published today that the Govemernment plans to spend more than a billion dollars on such are not substantially correct, it was said at the White House today. A naval program contemplating additional cruisers, submarines and other additions is being studied by the Navy Department, but as yet no definite conclusion has been reached, it was said. The President conferred today with Admiral Hilary P. Jones and other naval officers regarding plans and discussed with them the recent naval conference at Geneva. Details of the conversation were not disclosed. Considered by Cabinet The naval building program was considered at today’s cabinet session. Secretary of Navy Wilbur announced upon entering the session that he would ask permission to publish details thereof. Wilbur said some published figures, purporting to show the program were inaccurate. Some New York press reports characterized the program as a billion dollar plan, calling for awenty-six 10,000-ton cruisers, three airplane carriers, five fast submarines, eighteen destroyer leaders and four new battleships in five years. Wilbur is due to go before the House Naval Committee tomorrow. Congressmen with whom he talked said today their memory was faulty, but they thought the published figures were ‘about right,” as he gave them. House to Quiz Wilbur Speaker Longworth had consulted President Coolidge about the program, and told him the House wanted an “amibitious and adequate program,” but he did not specify the amounts Congress would be likely to agree to appropriate. Naval committeemen, indicated they would quiz Wilbur tomorrow on why the contract had not been let for the 6,000,009 cubic foot navy dirigible authorized some time ago. Admiral Magruder, who charged inefficiency in the Navy, will appear before the committee Thursday . SWINE MEN TO MEET Important Conferences in City Are Set in January. Important conferences have been set for Jan. 2 and 3 by Indiana swine breeders. The meetings will include a session of the Indiana Swine Breeders Association Monday night Jan. 2 at the Claypool; the Indiana Chester-White Breeders Association, also at the Claypool; the Indiana Big Type Poland China Breeders Association at the English, and the Indiana Duroc-Jersey Breeders Association at the Severin on Jan. 3.

Heads Lions

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John C. Springer

John C. Springer, Security Automobile Insurance Company manager, is the new president of the North Side Lions Club. Springer succeeded Claude C. McCoy. Samuel S. Wyly was named third vice president to succeed Springer.

FORT PRISONER ESCAPES Deserter Walks Out of Guardhouse as if Paroled. Posing as a paroled prisoner, Alfred Watson, 19, of Battery B. Ft. Benjamin Harrison, convicted deserter, walked out of the guardhouse and escaped today Sergt. Bernard McGuire, from the fort, told police Watson enlisted May &4, 1927; deserted Aug. 1; was arrested at Auburn Sept. 25 and convicted by courtrnartial Nov. 22 of desertion. He was sentenced to Ft. Leavenworth for a year and was awaiting transfer to prison. DISCUSS FUTURE ‘GAS’ Synthetic Motor Fuels to Be Topic at Engineers’ Meeting. “Automotive Fuels of the Future” will be the subject of a paper read at the meeting of the Indiana Section, Society of Automotive Engineers, Thursday evening at the Severin by T. A. Boyd, head of the fuel section of the research laboratories of the General Motors Corporation. The meeting will follow a dinner at 6:30 p. m. Boyd will discuss new synthetic fuels being experimented on in Europe.

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HEART BALM IS ASKED OF THAW BY MOVIE GIRL Wooed, Won and Jilted in 1923, SIOO,OOO Damage Suit Alleges. Bu United Press LOS ANGELES, Dec- 13.—A SIOO,000 damage suit, charging Harry K. Thaw proposed marriage to her and then left, has been filed by Miss Forest Hope Wall, former motion picture extra. Miss Wall charged the Pittsburgh millionaire wooed and won and left her at Laguna Beach in 1923. She then was 17 year old. Thaw gave her an engagement ring, wrote to her often and sent her money, she alleged. Miss Wall also asks SSOO expenses for a trip she undertook in 1926 to gain entrance to Thaw’s country; estate near Winchester, Va. She drove to Virginia at his re quest, she said, but Thaw refused to see her. The complaint state Miss Wall) met Thaw at a dance and that for five nights he was a devoted wooer. He then was alleged to have given her the ring and asked her to wait for him. At Thaw’s request she gave up her promising movie career; and returned to school, the suit de-< dared. FINANCIER DESCRIBES '■ TESTS OF LEADERSHIP Col. L. P. Ayres of Cleveland Is Contemporary Club Speaker. The four essentials of true leadership, according ot Col. Leonard P. Ayres, vice president of the Cleveland Trust Company, are a broad knowledge, courage, constant activity and ability to influence others. These were the distinctions of the true leader as given by Colonel Ayres addressing the Contemporary Club at the Woman’s Department Club Monday nightHe said the leadership of Newton D. Baker was due to his power of analysis and ability to carry through a long line of sequential reasoning; that of Herbert Hoover to his ability to separate incidentals from essentials; and that of Charles M. Schwab to his qualities as a coopera ter. Colonel Ayres was introduced by Robert .A. Adams, Contemporary Club president. He was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Adams while in the 1 city.