Indianapolis Times, Volume 41, Number 71, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 August 1929 — Page 1

; SCRJPPS - HOWARD \

CO-ED KILLING HORROR STORY TOLD TO JURY Snook Slumps in Chair as Coroner Points Picture of Tragedy. STRUGGLE IS DESCRIBED Alleaed Eyewitness Tells of Glimpse of Pair at Rifle Range. BV MORRIS nr If YEN TRACY I >tatf Corre.-pondept COLUMBUS, 0.. Aug. 2.—Dr. James How ard Snook heard a grue--nmo st-ory of the death of Theora Hix, his college girl inarmorata, recounted in court, today. But he shovked not the slightest emotion or interest. He sliprwd down so low he could not see the witnesses and made no effort to raise himself. Dr. Joseph Murphy, coroner, described in detail the score of knife and hammer wounds the autopsy le-ealeri and dangled Miss Hix's clothing before the jury. From the point of view of Dr. Fnook's defense, the most important development of the morning perhaps was the testimony of the coroner and a police photographer that they had found strands of hair between, the fingers of Theora.'s hand when they first, saw the body. TTair Ts Stressed This hair was described as about six inches long. The coroner thought at first it might, be a little lighter than Theora’s but he had compared it with hers and decided if was from her head. Her hair, however, was about eighteen-inches long. The hair was lost in t.he removal of the body. The defense laid much stress on this point., obviously hoping they might, be able to hint that a third person was at the rifle range the night of the murder. The coroner named the severance of the juglar vein as the actual cause of death. Homer Richter, police photographer. described the photographing, of the body and identified the pho- J tographs. The pictures included one of Dr. Snooks hands taken three days after the murder showing his knuckles bruised. Snook had said the injury came when a wrench slipped while he was working on his car. Photos Handled Gingerly The photos were offered in evidence. One of Miss Hix before her death, an attractive portrait, drew objections from the defense as did the picture of the professor's hand. Both pictures were temporarily excluded. The jury was then shown the pictures. They w ere not. a pretty sight end were handled gingerly. Earlier the jury heard Clarence R. Murray describe as an alleged eyewitness what, the state claimed w - as the beginning of the death struggle of Theora Hix. *T was driving with my boy past the New York Central rifle range. ’ he said, “on the night of June 13.'' That was the night of the murder. “I saw a man and a woman near a blue Ford coupe at the east entrance of the range. He had his arms around her waist like this 'he embraced Myron Gessman. state's attorney, to show the jury' and she had her hands on his breast like this mnd again he demonstrated on Gessman'. “Rushing Him Away" “It was like she was pushing him sway. Her hair was down around her shoulders. ‘When I came along the man let go and went around to the other side of the car and the woman went over and stood beside the car fixing her hair.” “If you saw some scuffling, why didn't you stop?" Attorney John F. Seidel, of the defense, asked on cross-examination. * i didn't think it was my business.” the witness said. Paul Krumlauf. the next witness, a clean cut lad of 16. told how he and a companion found Theora's body June 14. “We were preparing to shoot at targets when we saw the body in the' grass'' the youth said. They called a nearby farmer to guard the body while they drove to police headquarters, returning to the range with police. Ephraim Johnson. 76. the farmer, gray, bald and barked by toil, told how the boys called him. Fisher road, where the gun range is located, took its place with the famous De Hussey lane of the Hall-Mills murder ease, as a place for petting parties. Johnson said he never heard Fisher road called “shirt-tail lane. ' “Have you ever seen petting parties there?” he was asked. “Lots of them.” he said. ARREST LAO FOR THEFT 15-Year-Old Boy Is Discovered in Bedroom by Woman. A 13-vear-old boy was held in the detention home today, following his arrest Thursday for alleged theft of $1.50 and a small amount of clothing from the home of Mrs. Mary Hiatt, 1217 Pershing avenue. Mrs. Hiatt found the youth in her bedroom. He fled, but was captured by two neighsors a short distance from the house.

Complete Wire Reports o f UNITED PRESS, The Greatest World-Wide News Service

The Indianapolis Times Unsettled tonight and Saturday; probably thundershowers: somewhat warmer tonight.

VOLUME 11—NUMBER 71

Son of West Coast Bishop Is Chosen ‘ Nation's Brightest Boy f in Edison Scholarship Test

High Scorer!

\ * | f

Bernard Sturgis, of Butler. Ind., one of the four runners-up in the Edsion “brain contest” is shown here in the garb of a grocer boy. He has been working in a store in his home town during his vacation.

RACKETEER IS GANGJfiCTIM Victim Formerly Dealt in Dope, Liquor, Police Say, Bv United Press PHILADELPHIA. Aug. 2.—Gangland's light artillery blazed here early today, and when the smoke cleared Big Arthur Cailen. well known racketeer, was dead—his body riddled by a, hail of bullets. Cailen was slain about 3 a. m., as he was about to enter an apartment he used as a “hide-out” in Parkside avenue. Two West Philadelphia policemen, who heard the roar of guns, found the body lying in the nearby alley. They also saw a large green sedan speed from the vicinity. Cailen. who generally was believed to have retired from racketeering apparently had retumea to his old trade in liquor and dope distribution, police declared after searching his establishment. The slain man had numerous enemies in gangland, police said—so many, in fact, that authorities were somewhat at a loss to pin the shooting on anyone in particular. TAX CUTS STUDIED Mayor and Controller Meet to Consider Levies. Mayor L-. Ert Slack conferred today with City Controller Sterling R. Holt relative to the 1930 tax rate. Several items were expected to be cut making a possible total levy of approximately $1.16. The present levy 1s sl.lO. A city general levy of 65 cents will be recommended to council. Council indicated it will make further reductions in the 1930 budget. The recommendation probably will go to council Monday night. EXCURSIONS ARRANGED Railways Will Give Rates During State Fair. Representatives of all steam railrodas entering the city met today with the state fair borad and decided excursion rates of a fare and one-half for round trip tickets would prevail o nlines during the week of the fair. Several of the roads will ran additional special excursions.

WILDCAT AND Alley breweries, “beer shooting” and “needleing" are described by Mabel Walker Willebrandt, former assistant United States attorney general in charge of prohibition, in one of the articles of her series on prohibition.

Wilbur B. Huston Wins in 'Brain Race': Indiana Boy Is ’Runner-Up/ BY JULIUS FRANDSEN, United Pre?s Staff Correspondent WEST ORANGE. N. J„ Aug. 2. Wilbur B. Huston. 16. son of a Seattle (Wash.) Episcopal bishop today won Thomas A. Edison's brain race “which carries with it a scholarship and expenses for four years at the famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He achieved a mark of 92 in the Edison questionnaire—a set of questions on subjects of ethical and scientific nature which many a mature and educated man would “flunk.” Though he headed a group of forty-nine lads—selected as the “brightest” boys throughout the country—and went through the brain test with flying colors. Young Huston took his honors modestly and disappeared into the seclusion of Edison's home soon after the award. “The questions weren't, very difficult, it, seems to me,” said Wilbur. He told inquirers he had never worked to earn money for school, and had spent recent summers collecting marine biological specimens. Four other lads unexpectedly were given runner-up prizes of four years tuition in technical colleges they may choose. These boys were: Charles H. Brunissen. West Redding. Conn.; Ivan A. Getting. Pittsburgh, Pa,; James Seth. Santa Fe, ! N. M., ana Bernard Sturgis, Butler, Ind. Hobby Is Marine Biology Huston's hobby is marine biology, but he faced the vast range of Edison queries with remarkable success. His answers, however, will not be made known to a waiting world, for Charles Edison, the inventor’s son. i took his papers and locked them | away for safekeeping for the next ! ten years. j Interviewers sought from Huston I the answers he had made. But he hesitated. Asked what he had answered to the inquiry as to the most needed invention, Huston said. “I don’t want to answer that; I am afraid it might make me look foolish.” It became known that, on the question of what he would do with $1,000,000. he had said in part he would devote some of it to the parish church in Seattle. Most of the boys agreed they would devote some of this money to education and then seek wise counsel as to investment of the remainder. Many would contribute to aid of their parents. Has Studious Family Huston comes of a studious family. His father, Bishop S. Arthur Huston of Seattle, his uncle .and his j grandfather are known as careful i students and as expert plant breeders. Huston has a younger | brother and sister. Despite the difficulty of the quesi tions. none of the contestants | scored under 60—the “passing” : mark. Most of the boys agreed in j answer to the question as to w/hat they desire to do fifty years hence that they would want laboratories of their own and be free to work on scientific problems. Further—to the amusement of Henry Ford, one of the judges—most of the lads agreed the auto in the future would probably be relegated to use as trucks. Ford and Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh extremely were interested in the answers and they served with other committeemn until 3 a. m, today in “correcting” the papers and then resumed the work about 7 a. m., after a short rest. Tears Fill His Eyes Young Huston, a clean-cut lad neatly attired in blue serge, kept his composure well as he was called forward to be congratulated by Edison and the judges He was also felicitated by Mrs. Lindbergh, the former Ann Morrow, and then his companions hoisted him on their shoulders for a moment as they cheered. “I am thunderstruck,'* Huston stammered. The presentation ceremony was held on the lawn at the Edison home. Dr. S. W. Stratton, president of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. made the announcement for the committee. The other judges were Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh, Henry Ford, George Eastman of Kodak fame, and Dr. Lewis Perry, headmaster of Philips Exeter academy at Exeter. N. H.

THE FUTILITY OF periodic “drives' * in ‘ihe border towns while corruption of the officials and stupid departmental jealousies exist is pointed out by Mrs. Wittebrandt in her remarkable revelation of legal smuggling across the Canadian frontier.

Don't Forget This Series of 24 .Articles Starts Aug. 5.

INDIANAPOLIS, FRIDAY, AUGUST 2. 1929

Puzzlers! Wizards' Questions to Boys Would Make College Students Ponder, Say University Chiefs,

By I vitf and PrcAR NEW YORK, Aug. 2.—Thomas A. Edison’s questions of chemistry would make a first year college student scratch his head, while a diligent high school student might be able to pass the physics quiz, university savants agreed today. The test comprised fifteen ques tions on technical subjects of physics, chemistry and mathematics, eighteen on general intelligence, twenty on ethical matters and problems designed to test the intelligence of each youth and one conconcerning the writing of a letter to an imaginary employer. Here are a few samples: “If you are marooned alone on a tropical island in the south Pacific without tools, how would you move a ten-ton weight, such as a boulder. 100 feet horizontally and 15 feet vertically? “If you were to inherit $1,000,000 within the next year, what would you do with it? “Who was Jenny Lind?” “If some acquaintance of yours unfairly accuses you of cheating, what would you do?” “Assume the increase In any colony of mice to be such that the number doubles every three months, j How' large will the colony be at the end of three years if we start with a pair? “Who wrote ‘Treasure Island?’ “What place in our daily lives do you think the automobile will have 100 years from now? “Is the relation of capital and labor reasonably fair? “When do you consider a lie permissible?” | “Which one of the following would j you be willing to sacrifice for the | sake of being successful—happiness, comfort, reputation, pride, honor, health, money, love? “Give a. brief statement of what you hope will be a. typical day for you when you are 50 years of age. SOLDIERLOSES LIFE NEAR FORT War Veteran Believed Struck by Big Four Train, The body of Supply Sergeant Joseph Rooney, 38, Company G, Eleventh infantry regiment, Ft. Benjamin Harrison, a World war veteran, was found today between the main tracks of the Big Four railroad, one-fourth mile east of the depot at Lawrence. Coroner Charles H. Keever said the man died of a fractured skull. It was believed he had been struck by an outbound train Thursday night, for he had been dead several hours, Keever said. He was removed to the post morgue while authorities tried to communicate with relatives at 212 West Eightyfourth street, New York City, the man's home. Fort records showed Rooney was bom in Ireland and enlisted Nov. 21, 1914, in Company F, Eighth infantry, with which he served overseas in the World war. He re-en-listed in Company F, Twenty-sev-enth infantry and a year later joined the Eleventh Infantry. All of discharge papers designated his character as a soldier as "excellent,” Rooney was unmarried. HOLE CAUSES ACCIDENT Woman Injured When Car Strikes Faulty Paving. Mrs. Elmer Culbertson, 2039 Ruckle street, was suffering today with broken ribs received when an auto in which she and her husband were riding with Dr. T. W. Leonard, of 2109 North New Jersey street, ran into a hole in the paving on Sixteenth street at the first alley west of Central avenue. Thursday night. The hole, about three feet wide and fourteen inches deep, made in the pavement by a construction company, was unlighted, according to witnesses of the accident.

The Whole TRUTH Told About PROHIBITION

By Mabel Walker Willebrandt

TROOPS GUARD LEAVENWORTH AFTER RIOT One Convict Is Killed and Three Injured in 7-Hour Revolt. PRISONERS LOCKED UP Mexican Rice at Noon Meal Brings Dispute Ending in Violence. Bit United Press LEAVENWORTH. Kan., Aug. 2.Troops at Ft. Leavenworth, including crack machine gun squads, were prepared today to cope with any further outbreaks a*. Leavenworth penitentiary where one prisoner was killed and three others w ere seriously injured in a seven-hour riot. Armed guards patrolled the cellhouses. All prisoners were locked up as officials searched for weapons and explosives. The convicts went supperless Thursday night and breakfast less today. ( Men working in kitchens were hot allowed out of their cells. Details of the rioting, which began at Thursday’s noonday meal, were yet to be learned. Officials refused to give out information. None from the outside has been allowed within the prison walls, Warden Thomas B. White said an "official” statement would be issued later in the day from Washington. Trouble had been brewing for some time. Last week a prisoner I killed the foreman of the laundry. A quarrel occurred in the shoe shop Thursday. Prisoners Were Sullen The prisoners were sullen as they were marched into the mess hall at noon. At their plates was Mexican rice. They had complained several times about this dish. Plates began to fly. Windows were broken. Men confined to cells tore up their bedding and sought to wrench the bars. Guards began to fire into the rioting mob. Mike Martinez. 38. a Mexican, sentenced from Texas, was killed. n. The prisoners’ shouts and the rat-tat-tat of the guns could be heard in Leavenworth, although the penitentiary is a mile outside the city. No Guards Killed Hundreds rushed to the prison. The gates'were closed. None were allowed to communicate inside. Anxious wives and children of the guards begged in vain for news from within. It was hours before they learned no officials nor guards were slain or injured. Nearly 3.800 men are doing time in the penitentiary which, according to officials, has accomodations for only half that many. There are only 110 guards. When the riot became serious, White said, guards were ordered to fire on five most obstreperous of the convicts. Os the three who were injured, he said, one is in a serious condition, but probably will live, while two suffered only minor injuries. None of the guards was injured. The dead convict, he added, was killed as he stood at a window hurling missiles at a guard below. White gave no reason for the uprising. Blame Overcrowding Bv United Press WASHINGTON, Aug. 2.—Overcrowding. lack of sufficient work to occupy the inmates, excessive heat and word of riots in eastern penitentiaries were ascribed today by Stanford Bates, federal superintendent of prisons, as the reason for the insurrection in the Leavenworth (Kan.) federal penitentiary Thursday night. Making public a complete report of the incident, the immediate cause of which was said to be a complaint about rice served with the- noon meal Thursday, Bates said it is evident that Warden White and liis guards acted creditably and forestalled what might have been a much more serious outbreak. A check-up has shown, he said, no men escaped, no guards were injured, no guns were found in possession of inmates and “from the point of view of the prisoners, the insurrection was entirely futile.” “The Leavenworth prison was designed to accommodate, at the most, not over 2.000 prisoners and the population today is 3,770,” Bates’ report said.

Pays Life * on Gallows for Killing

RusseM Beitrel Philadelphia Man Is Hanged for West Coast Murder. Bv Ur.itrd Press SAN QUENTIN PRISON. Cal.. Aug. 2.—Russell St. Clair Beitze! of Philadelphia was hanged at the penitentiary at 10:04 a. m. today for the slaying of his paramour, Barbara Mauger. Beitzel hid his emotions by solitude as the hour of his execution drew. Prisoners who had been sent out to work for a couple of hours were ordered back to their cells so all would be auiet around the prir-s* when the man who ended a clandestine romance with a bullet walked up thirteen steps to the gallows. Beitzel protested his innocence in an even voice when Warden James B. Holohan went to his cell in the death house. The condemned man again blamed his plight on “framed evidence” and told the warden in the confidential tone he has used for several weeks that “Miss Mauger is still alive.” The girl's body was found in the ravine of a Los Angeles park and Beitzel was convicted after short deliberation by the jury. BUS DRIVERS ARE CRITICISED Disregard for Others Scored as Chauffeur Goes to Jail. Sharp criticism of bus drivers, “who think they own the streets,” accompanied the fine and jail sentence imposed on Allen Stranz, 25. of 320 East Vermont street, bus driver for the Peoples’ Motor Coach Company, by George Henry, judge pro tern., in municipal court today. Stranz was found guilty of assault and battery and reckless driving, fined $25 and costs, and given a tenday jail sentence on each count, the sentences to run concurrently, however. Appeal was to be taken under SSOO bond, Stranz’s attorney said. Stranz was alleged to have been driving on the left side of Ft. Wav-ne avenue at New Jersey street, preparatory to making a left turn south onto New Jersey, when his bus collided with an automobile being driven northeast on Ft, Wayne avenue by Mrs. Minnie McHenry of 1523 Central avenue, slightly injuring Mrs. McHenry. The accident occurred June 19. “This is one of the most vicious cases of reckless driving I’ve seen,” Judge Henry declared. “I'm not prejudiced, but some of these bus drivers seem to think they own the streets.” Deputy Prosecutor Charles Karabelle also had harsh words for bus drivers who, he said, “have no regard for pedestrians or other motorists.” Karabelle and B. F. Stattler. defense attorney, interrupted each other so frequently the court admonished them to quit their wrangling. Hourly Temperatures 6a. m 66 10 a. m 73 7a. m 68 11 a. m 75 3a. m 70 12 (noon).. 75 9 a. m 72 1 p. m..... 68

MRS. WILLEBRANDT also tells the inside story of the permit scandals which allowed the country to be flooded with industrial alcohol diverted for beverage purposes in another article of this great series *n the inside of prohibition.

EulereJ as Second-Class Matter at PostoHice. Indianapolis

ZEPPELIN IS NEAR AZORES IN TRIP TO UNITED STATES; STORMS ARE LEFT BEHIND Strikes Fast Pace and Ts Making* Up for Time Lost in Rough Going While Passing Down Rhone Valley WEATHER PERFECT FOR FLIGHT Wireless Apparatus Functions Normally and l-luge Airship Constantly Communicates With Land Stations. B.>- I nitM Prr?* The Graf Zeppelin, with fair weather and favorable wind?, wa? pushing across ihe Atlantic in the vicinity ot the \zores this afternoon, headed for Lakeliurst, X. J., on her journey iroin Friedrichshafen, Germany. The Graf Zeppelin sent a wireless message this afternoon saying she expected to pass near the Azores about 4 p. m. this afternoon. The report, if authentic, indicated that the Zeppelin was av eracing ninety miles an hour since leaving the coast of Spain at Cadiz at 10:50 p. m. Thursday.

REDS REFUSE CHINESE PEACE Russia Demands Old Railway Status. MOSCOW. Aug. 2.—Russia has rejected Cliina's proposal for a conference to settle the current Chinese Eastern railway dispute and has demanded the Mukden government establish the “status quo ante” in Manchuria in connection with the road. Leo Karakhan, assistant commissar for foreign affairs, in charge of eastern affairs, has rejected flatly the written proposal from Chang Hsueh-Liang. young dictator of Manchuria, that the dispute be settled by an immediate conference between the two nations. Karakhan demanded, first, that Mukden agree to the appointment of a soviet manager for the Eastern Chinese railway and. second, that she accept a formula indicating the seizure of the road by Chinese authorities recently violated the treaties between Russia and China. EXCITEMENT OF FAN CAUSES HAND INJURY A Swings Arm. Smashes Glass Bowl on Ticker During Game. Enthusiasm over a baseball game got the better of Harry O'Brien, 35, of 4620 Keystone avenue, as he watched a telegraph ticker tape’s report of the contest in the Edwards hotel billiard parlor Thursday afternoon. O’Brien swung an arm. .and his hand smashed the glass globe over the telegraph instrument. Lacerations on the hand were treated at Indiana Christian hospital. PLAN LICENSE CHECK First Police Inspection Begins Aug. 25. First checkup of drivers’ licenses will be made the week beginning Sunday. Aug. 25. when state police will wage a statewide safety campaign, Robert T. Humes, chief of state police, announced today. Six points will be emphasized in the campaign. Humes said: Drivers’ licenses, headlights, tail lights, horns, brakes and stop lights. Because of the impossibility of issuing the new drivers’ licenses as raipdly as applied for. state police have not attempted to make a comprehensive check-up of them, except in cases of accidents. Graft Accused Cleared Bv United Pte . EVANSVILLE. Ind.. Aug. 2.—L. L. Roberts, prominent attorney, has been found not guilty in circuit court by Judge C. P. Bock, on charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and being an accessory before the fact in connection with aj million dollar sewer graft here.

SHE FURTHER DEscribes the conditions in cities where the big demand for liquor makes the market most attractive to lawbreakers. She predicts hope for the future despite these conditions in one article, '‘Are the Cities Hopelessly Wet V*

lii The Times Exclusively in This Part of the State

HOME

TWO CENTS

to fund ion normally today after reported difficulty be- ! cause of static conditions. The commander, in a communica- ! tion to Friedrichshafen Thursday j night, stated he would not make up I his mind as to the course he would j take late t-oday until he was several i hundred miles out at sea. He said he would be guided in his course entirely by the prevailing weather conditions. Calm on Board Ship BY FRANK E. NICHOLSON Representative Columbia. Broadcasting Company and United Press special Correspondent. ABOARD THE GRAF ZEPPELIN, ' Aug. 2.—Our progress, retarded for 1 a while by the bad weather a'ong | the Rhone valley, was satisfactory during the night, with the five new ■ motors functioning perfectly and | pushing the dirigible along at a high j rate of speed. I For the most part, the passengers | on board were calm and confident j when the Graf passed through the I stormy area Thursday, although j women were slightly nervous when | we encountered strong head-winds ; shortly before lunch, winds which buffeted the ship about considerably for an hour or so along the Rhone. Much Stormy Weather Tt was along the same stretch that iwe encountered so much stormy weather during our last start for | the United States several weeks ago, j when we were compelled to land at Toulon, France. Our progress was j retarded for a while Thursday, but j now we are sailing along smoothly, j Our route across France and the I Mediterranean was not what Dr. ; Hugo Eckener. the commander, had ! planned. But it was necessary for 1 use to make the detour in order to a\oid a storm from the north and | east sections of Spain. 1 There was much excitement ! aboard Thursday when a water tank | located over the salon, burst., saturating the whole ceiling. This soon was fixed and our bridge games fit the salon continued. We had an excellent session of bridge during the afternoon. • Bottle Corks Pop When we left Friedrichshafen a huge crowd was at the field to see us off. Jacobim Rickard arrived at the hangar at the last minute and got on the ship just a few seconds before she was ready for the take-off. As soon as the ship was off we began to open bottles of champagne, which, of course, resulted in late breakfasts in the morning. The young German stowaway who is aboard will be deported immediately upon our arrival in the United States. He will be sent back to Germany and severely punisheo for endangering the lives of those on the ship by jumping on top of the bag from the hangar. He now is a prisoner in the crew's quarters. Strong head winds have retarded . our speed so far. BOY HURLED FROM CAR Ohio Youth Fatally Injured In FalL Bu United Press EVART. Mich., Aug. 2.—Hurled from the running board of an automobile when it swerved In loose gravel, John Goll, 16, of Lancaster, 0., was thrown against a road side stump and fatally injured The youth and his parents were vacationing at Crooked Lake. BOOZE BUYER ROBBED Liquor Arrest Is Made .After Bandit Gets $55. Andrew Holloway. 519 West Eleventh street, complained to police that he was held up early today by an armed Negro and robbed of $55 in the rear of the home of William Harris, Negro, 621 West St. Clair street, where he went with three others to buy liquor. Police arrested William Harris Jr., Negro, on blind tiger charges, but failed to find the bandit.

Outside Marion County 3 Cents