Indianapolis Times, Volume 39, Number 191, Indianapolis, Marion County, 19 December 1927 — Page 9

Second Section

500 WORKERS HIRED TO AID IN !L RUSH Postoffice Is Prepared for Annual Ordeal of Holiday Season. HURRY,'-IS BRYSON PLEA Windows Will Be Open Till Noon on Monday After Christmas. An army of 500 extra postofflce employes today was added to the 1,200 regular Indianapolis postofflce force to handle the annual Christmas mail rush. Additional employes will be added from day to day as necessary. The extra employes, many of whom are college students, will be apportioned among the various postofflce departments, some serving as window clerks, some as mailing clerks, truck drivers, carriers and in various other capacities. Most of these employes were sworn in Saturday in the United States civil service offices by Henry M. Trimpe, secretary. Frovide Aids for Mailers Three large tables were placed in the postofflce lobby to facilitate weighing and stamping of parcel post packages. This helps to eliminate long lines of Impatient Christmas mailers at the regular windows. Postmaster Robert H. Bryson expressed himself as being highly satisfied with preparations to handle the huge volume of Christmas mail. With the hundreds of extra employes, the postofflce should be able to expedite the dispatching and delivering of mail, he said. Bryson renewed the plea to postofflce patrons not to wait until the laat week to mail Christmas packages and letters. Open Till Noon Monday The postofflce will be open until noon Monday, Dec. 26, because of Christmas coming on Sunday. One delivery will be made throughout the city Dec. 26 to prevent congestion of the mails, although it had been planned to make the day a full holiday for postal workers. The general delivery, parcel post receiving, registry and stamp sections will be open until noon that day. Rural carriers will make their regular deliveries the day after Christmas. Classified stations will be open until noon. Special delivery section tfill be open all day. Practically all postal workers will be ofT duty Christmas day, only such employes as are necessary to prevent out-bound mail from congesting the office being on duty. SUSPECT IN KENTUCKY MURDER IS HELD HERE Father-In-Law Hacked to Death; Man, Woman Under Arrest. Sheriff F. N. Blair of Marion County, Kentucky, is expected here today to take Lawrence Hendren, 22, and Mrs. Emma Taylor, 19, back to Lebanon, Ky., where Hendren will face a charge of murdering James Sprinkles, 62, his father-in-law. The pair was taken into custody by city detectives Sunday at 603 S. Meridian St. Both admitted their identity and were held on vagrancy charges until the Kentucky officers arrive. < In notifying the Indianapolis officers to be on the lookout for them, Sheriff Blair said • that Sprinkles had been approached by Hendren with a demand for money to remarry, although his wife, Sprinkle’s daughter, had been dead less than a week. Sprinkle refused and was found dead at his farm Dec. 12, with his head hacked by a hatchet. All his money had been taken. Hendren Is said to have appeared In Lebanon with money and persuaded Mrs. Taylor to leave her husband and flee •with him. Officers traced their car to Louisville, where it was abandoned. MAYOR IS WITNESS Kokomo Executive Before Marion County Grand Jury. Mysterious activities of Deputy Prosecutor John L. 'Niblack and grand jurors in calling witnesses in the political probe were ended today. Niblack left Indianapolis Friday with ten subpoenas and orders to bring witnesses before the jury this morning. , First witness today was James Parker, Bremen, Ind., believed once to have had D. C. Stephenson's black boxes. Harry Hogsden, former Klan klarago, now in the real estate business at Valparaiso, and Mayor S. E. Spurgeon of Kokomo, former Klan klaliff, also testified. The questioning was said to be along lines supplied by D. C. Stephenson, former Indiana Klan dragon, now serving a life murder sentence in the State prison, and J. G. Julian, former business associate of Stephenson. They testified, last week. It was understood the Jury was attempting to get at facts said to surround signing of various contracts by politicians in return for support of Stephenson in elections. Jurors are expected to close the political investigation this week.

Entered as Second-class Me'.ter at Postofflce, Indianapollo.

Second Major Disaster Takes Toll of U- S. Submarine Fleet

Htic ia me coast guard destroyer Paulding, which stru ck the S-4 and sent the submarine to the bottom. The Paulding, badly damaged by the collision, was barely able to reach shallow water close to Bhare, and is now resting on the bottom. In the background at the left can be seen the U S. S. Tucker standing by.

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While submarine tenders, with divers and pontoons, hurried to the scene, United States Navy destroyers stood by off Province „o>vn, Mass., over the spot where the U. S. submarine S-4 went down Saturday with her crew f forty men after being rammed by a coast guard destroyer. This photo, taken from an airplane, shows the boats on the surface; 12 0 feet belov. the center of the patch of open water between them lies the stricken submarine, the fate of her crew still unknown.

KEEP U. S. SAFE FROM GAS MAN No 3 Head—See Puzzle Meter Sleuths to Snoop in Rhode Island Only. 811 Times Knecinl WASHINGTON, Dec. 19. You are safe from your gas man—un-‘ less you live In Rhode Island. The Federal prohibition bureau does not intend to follQW the example of United States District Attorney John S. Murdock of that State in calling upon meter readers to report evidences of liquor violation in private homes, Dr. James Doran, United States prohibition sioner, told the Bcripps-Howard newspapers today. “We have no such intention, and as far as I know the prohibition unit has never employed such methods,” Df. Doran said. “However, we are always glad to get beneficial information from any source.” Dr. Doran said that in certain States, particularly New Jersey, fire insurance companies have instructed their inspectors to report evidences of stills. So many explosions have resulted from stills, he said, that the insurance companies have adopted this as one means of cutting down losses. Information given by fire inspectors, he said, has resulted in a number of stills being raided in New Jersey. MRS. GOODHUE WORSE Hope Is Held Out for Recovery of Mrs. Coolldge’s Mother. Bn United Press NORTHAMPTON, Mass., Dec. 19. —Mrs. Lemira Goodhue, 78, mother of Mrs. Calvin Coolidge, who has been in Dickinson Hospital with influenza for more than a week, has had a relapse. Her temperature rose to 102 during the night. “Mrs. Goodhue is very ill," her doctor said. "However, her heart is good and her strong constitution gives us hope that she will recover.’ SCOUTS TO OPEN HUT Troop 69 Will Celebrate Wednesday Night With Party. Boy Scout Troop 69 will celebrate the opening of the Utley Hut, on Boulevard PI. south of Maple Road Blvd., Wednesday night with a Christmas party. C. E. Utley donated the ground. Parents of the boys made the hut possible with contributions,

The Indianapolis Times

WEST SEEKING DAM, BRIDGE FOR FRISCO

Power Lobby Takes Hand in Congress Fight for Boulder Project. BY RUTH FINNEY WASHINGTON, Dec. 19. The West will open formally its fight in Congress this week for the biggest dam in the world and the biggest bridge in the world. The first is Boulder dam, to be built on the Colorado River between Arizona and Nevada. The second is a bridge across San Francisco Bay, joining the City of San Francisco to Alameda, Oakland and Berkeley, some three miles away across the water. f For the dam, the Federal Government is asked to appropriate 6125,000,000, which is to be returned with interest from sale of power at the dam. For the bridge, San Fran.cisco is asking only Federal permission to built Bills providing for the projects have been Introduced in the Senate by Senator Hiram Johnson, and in the House by Representatives Swing and Welch, California. The Boulder Dam bill failed of passage last session by a narrow margin when Arizona Senators filibustered against it to the closing days. It is bitterly opposed by private power interests and a strong lobby has been organized to fight it this year. It is a flood control dam, but will generate a million horsepower of hyclro-electric energy. The fight against it by power interests, more than anything else, has made it a major issue in this session. This week the Senate and House irrigation committees will begin consideration of the Boulder Dam bill. ADMITS 16 BURGLARIES Anderson Boy, 16, Was Told Ransacking Homes Was Easy. ANDERSON, Ind., Dec. 19. Herschel Harless, 16, is a prisoner here today following his confession that he committed sixteen burglaries in the last three months. Total value of loot was $225. The boy told police he would knock at the door of a home and is someorke inswered, would ask if he could haul away trash. If there was no answer, he tried the door which he usually found unlocked, and enterihg the house, would take small articles of value. Harless said he started on his crime career after a companion *old him ransacking homes was easy, ' /

INDIANAPOLIS, MONDAY, DEC. 19,1927

Hie, Governor "•'A"VOO2;'’W. Dec. 19. “Governor Lowden” and “Al Smith were held in jail here today on charges of intoxication. The two men, attempting to keep each other in upright positions, were found on the highway near here by Sheriff Percy Lainson of Pottawattamie County. Asked their identity, one said: “I am Governor Low’— dent,” and the other, “I am Al Smith.”

REALTOR IS DEAD Edson T. Wood, Sr., Promoted Apartment Projects. Edson T. Wood, Br., 59, native of Indianapolis and identified with the real estate business here for more than a quarter of a century, died unexpectedly this morning at his home, 4310 N. Pennsylvania St. He had suffered from heart attacks and was ill for the last three days, although not considered serious. In recent years, Mr. Wood and his son, Edson Jr., had promoted several large apartment house projects, four of which ere in Irvington and the latest on N. Pennsylvania St. Their offices are at 124 E. Market St. He was a prominent member of the Indianapolis Real Estate Board and on the appraisal committee. He belonged to the Columbia Club, Woodstock Country Club, Ancient Landmarks Masonic Lodge, the Scottish Rite and Shrine. Mr. Wood also was a member of the Second Presbyterian Church. He is survived by the widow, two sons, Edison Jr. and Gaylord, Hollywood, Cal., and one brother, Herbert, Indianapolis. CUT OVER POOL GAME Hall Employe Sought by Police— Victim in Hospital. Peter Louis, 35, of 3536 Speedway Rd., was held at city hospital on a vagrancy charge after he was stabbed in the left side during an argument at a poolroom at 47 S. West St. Sunday. Louis told police that he had an argument with an employe. The employe fled after the cutting and police were unable to locate W"},

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Here is how a submarine looks after It has been rammed and sent to the bottom. The boat is the submarine S-51, sunk by the steamer City of Rome off Block Island two years ago in an accident remarkably similar to the one that caused the loss of the S-4. The picture was taken in the drydock at the Brooklyn navy yard; inset is a closeup of the wrecked prow of the ship.

MAN IN HUNGER ADMITS ARSON No. S Head—See Puzzle Brazil Resident, 80, Set Fire at Home. Bu Times Soeoial BRAZIL, Ind., Dec. 19.—George Parrish, 80, is iree today despite his confession that he set fire to his home in the hope of collecting $l,lOO insurance so that he could pay a mortgage and with the remainder of the money spend the rest of his life in comfort. Tearfully the old man tola authorities that for a year preceding last Thanksgiving day he had not had sufficient food, but on the holiday a neighbor invited him to his home for two meals. Parrish said his only income was from earnings at doing odd Jobs. He said that when he received 35 cents for work, 25 cents was spent for a jar of apple butter and 10 cents for bread. The home of Parrish was found burning last Thursday night. Blazing kerosene-soaked paper was discovered at twenty-two places In the house. Authorities refused to make Parrish a prisoner and he is now at the home of a daughter, while next steps In the case are under consideration. AIR taxi 7is planned Indianapolis to Be Terminal of State-Wide Service; Indianapolis will be the terminal of a State-wide airplane taxi service, according to H. C. Brooks of Indianapolis and Robert Shank of Huntington, W. Va. Brooks and Shank have leased seventy-five acres of the old Watts farm, west of Kessler Blvd., between Lafayette Pike, Twenty-Fist St. and Tibbs Ave. for use as an airport. The lease is for five years. A school of instruction for commercial pilots is contemplated. Construction of hangars at the Hoosier Airport of Indianapolis, will begin this week, they announced. They have the agency for the Travel Air Company, airplane builders, for Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky and part of Illinois. > Divorce Defendant Arrested Bt! t'nltrd Preen COLUMBUS, Ind., Dec. 19.—John S. Crump, wealthy local man, was arrested here Sunday night on an intoxication charge after his outomobile crashed into a wagon drawn by a team of mules and driven by Frederick Winter, 23, living near here, seriously Injuring Winters and killing one of the mules. Crump’s wife is suing him for divorce and

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Here are the officers of the sunken S-4, all of whom went down with their ship. Above, left to right, are Lieut. Joseph McGinley and Lieut. Commander Roy Jones; below are Lieut. Graham Fitch (left) and <* Lieut. Donald Weller.

NORRIS OPENS FIRE ON HEARST EXPOSE

Publisher ‘Without Honor/ Scorching Open Letter of Senator Says. Bn United Press WASHINGTON, Dec. 19.—Senator George Norris (Rep.), Nebraska, issued an open letter today declaring an analysis of William Randolph Hearst’s recent Mexican expose articles and his subsequent Senate committee testimony “lead to the Inevitable conclusion that you are not only unfair and dishonest, but that you are entirely without honor.” Hearst newspapers recently published documents purporting to show, among other things, a plot of President Calles of Mexico to bribe four United States Senators. This led to a Senate investigation, which today was in recess, pending investigations by detectives into authenticity of the documents. Norris’ letter, one of the most scathing documents ever issued by a United States Senator, charged Hearst with “making an attempt not only to besmirch the character of some of our own officials and journalists,” but also “trying to excite an animosity and a hatred on the part of our people against the Mexican government.” Holding the Hearst documents are forgeries, Norris charged Hearst realized withholding of the Senators’ names in his original publication “must Inevitably lead to the appointment of an investigating committee.” Such documetns have been “peddled” in Mexico for a long time, Norris claimed, saying they were available to the Ku-Klux Klan to /

Second Section

Full Leased Wire Service of the United Press Association.

Dry Joke Wet Bu United Press WASHINGTON, Dec. 19. Assistant Secretary of Treasury Lowman, America’s " <ry czar” was asked by reporters today if this Christmas will be wet or dry. The assistant secretary looked out of his window and stated, “it’s raining now.”

use against the Catholics and vice versa. Norris’ letter scored at Hearst papers’ suggestion that the documents were furnished by Mexicans for patriotic reasons, and suggested that “you evidently believed that if a revolution could be started (in Mexice) it would mean financial benefit for your investments in Mexico.’’

ROB 3 GAS STATIONS Standard Oil Company Is Prey of Bandits. A Negro bandit obtained $l9O in a hold-up of the Standard Oil Company station, Pratt and Meridian Sts., early today, Walter Raker, attendant, told police. A companion of the bandit sat at the wheel of an automobile in the driveway. An elderly man robbed the filling station, Northwestern Ave. and Fall Creek Blvd. Sunday night, obtaining loot amounting to $l5O, Rolland Williams, attendant, rpeorted.

Frank Mills, attendant at the Standard Oil station at Oliver Ave. and White River, said two men came in the station Sunday night and drew guns and took $lO9. They escaped on foot, he said,

ASSESSOR TO FERRET OUT HIDDENGOODS Warehouse Owners Combat Attempt to Get Names of Patrons. NOW UP TO TAX BOARD Brattain Says Property Not Now Assessed Is Worth Many Thousands. Whether an assessor can compel owners of a warehouse to disclose the owner of goods In storage for taxation purposes will be determined by the State tax board soon. Every warehouse in Marlon County except the National Terminal Corporation, 232 S. Pennsylvania St., has complied with the demand for lists of stored* goods, according to Frank Brattain, county township assessor. This company appealed to the tax board, arguing that Brattain had no right to ask it to disclose the owners. Brattain estimated butter, sugar and other commodities in the warehouse to be worth, for taxation purposes, $250,000. He said that if he could go through the place he believes he could discover “hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of taxable property.” Can’t Get Code Key “We have about one-tenth of the names of persons who have goods with this company. We have a code list of the remainder, but have been • unable to obtain the key to the code.” Company officials pointed out in a preliminary hearing to the comity board to review that* much of the goods, being perishable, is stored only a few days, sometimes being in transit. The law requires that the assessment be made upon goods as of March 1. Brattain did not take office until May 23, upon the death of Michael Jefferson. He said he discovered the assessment of the warehouse had not made until several weeks after he took office. Then he sent special deputies to all warehouses and obtained the required information from all but the National. Hold List Not Now Good The national officials contend that any list of goods now held would not be applicable, because it would not be as of March 1, and it would be impossible to supply the information as of March 1. Brattain said he would write to the owners of stored goods he has been able to ferret out, many scattered in other parts of the country, for information as to what they had stored on March 1. ‘LOCK UP,’ SAYS YEGG Note of Advice Left by Burglar Who Enters Second Story Window. “Lock the windows and we won’t come in any more," yeggmen edvised the Auto Paint Company proprietors, 31 W. Eleventh St , by a note they left after a visit Sunday night. The combination was battered from the safe and S7O taken, according to E. N. showalter, manager. The burglars climbed a pole to the second story windows, police said. It is the second visit recently to the place.

WATSON HERE SOON Senator Coming to Confer With G. 0. P. Leaders. Tangled affairs of the Republican party in Indiana await the arrival of Senator James E. Watson, who has promised to come to Indianapolis Dec. 26 for a series of conferences with Republican leaders. The Senator’s visit is expected to settle the question of the advisability of his filing his name as candidate for the nomination for president in the May primaries, to control the Indiana delegation to the national convention. Announced intention of Clyde A. Walb, State chairman, to resign before the holidays, so he might give his entire time to private business affairs after Jan. 1, likewise will draw Watson’s attention. Other pressing questions demanding the Senator’s attention include the quest for a “new deal” candidate for the nomination for governor and recommendation of a sucessor to the late Joseph B. Keallng, national committeeman, whose post is held temporarily by Dorothy Cunningham. SHIFT COUNTY OFFICE Few Changes in Personnel to Be Made by New Treasurer. Few changes in the personnel of the county treasurer’s office are expected when Clyde S. Robinson succeeds Edward A. Ramsey, Jan. 1. Robinson said he will announce his appointments Tuesday, after several days study of the office. O. R. Harris, chief deputy, who has been in the office twenty-six years and Joseph M. Hillman, In charge of the Barrett law department, are expected to be reta'ned. Bond of $450,000, required tjy law, has been filed by Robinson.