Indianapolis Times, Volume 41, Number 195, Indianapolis, Marion County, 25 December 1929 — Page 1

Yule tide Happiness Tragedy m m Death Sorrow a m Poverty Riches

By United Preen SPRINGFIELD, 111., Dec. 25.—A dying mother received a Christmas gift in the shape of the presence of her son at her bedside today. The son is Victor Benettl, Staunton, convicted of violating the federal dry law, who was sentenced to serve three months and pay a fine of SI,OOO. He had served two months of the sentence Tuesday when he received word that his mother was dying at Staunton. When the facts were presented to United States District Judge Louis Fitzhenry he amended Benetti’s sentence to two months and freed him. so that he could spend Christmas day with his mother. mum By United Press ST. LOUIS, Dqc. 25.—Due to Chief of Police Joseph Kerk, a majority of 765 destitute families in St. Louis were a little happier today than they might have been. Gerk’s call for help to aid the suffering families, made after a survey revealed the extent of poverty in several city districts, had been answered. * Food, clothing, checks, cash, coal and toys poured into various precinct police stations as radio stations joined in seconding the police chief’s plea. Among the items contributed today were 250 baskets of food, ten sacks of potatoes, cash amounting to $1,200 and foodstuffs from butchers, bakers and grocers. “It’ll be a happier Christmas for me, too,” Gerk said. man Bn United Preen C CHICAGO, Dec. 25.—Mrs. J Charles Rizzo's chief Christmas present today was a ninepound baby boy, born on the stroke of midnight Tuesday. a m m By United Preen ST. LOUIS, Dec. 25.—A 5-year-old girl, suffering from burns received in an accident, probably was the happiest child in St. Louis this Christmas day. She had her wish Tuesday night. Santa Claus came to see her, spending half an hour at her bedside to a hospital and leaving her toys. Doctors said the girl, despite the torment from her burns, had called for Santa all day Tuesday. The hospital staff arranged for Kris Krtagle’s visit. a a a By United Press CHICAGO, Dec. 25.—Chivalry staged a comeback early Christmas morning on a loopbound elevated car, because one lone male merrymaker felt it was a. good time for all the women to sit down and all the men stand up for once. “Merry Christmas, everybody,” called the cheery gallant, as he boarded the car. “Let’s give the ladies a Christmas present and let them have the seats.” There was a scurry in the packed car as all the men rose and offered their places to the women. Dazed conductors said it was the first time that had happened in years. a a a B'i United Prcse WOODSTOWN, N. J., Dec. 25. —When Santa Claus arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Quirk he found seventeen stockings. The latest arrival is Carl, three weeks old. R is the largest family in South New Jersey. a a a Bu United Press CHICAGO. Dec. 25. — There was no Christmas celebration in the Henry Steinbrenner home here today. Where the bedecked fir tree was to have stood was a tiny white coffin; a purple mourning wreath had replaced the holly wreath on the door. Steinbrenner and his wife had planned a real holiday for their little daughter Dolores. Saturday he brought home a miniature automobile. a present from Santa. Dolores fell while playing with it. Tuesday she died of internal injuries. a a a Bu United Preen CHICAGO, Dec. 25.—Violent death cast a pall of grief over several homes here on this gladdest day of the year. With their automobile loaded with Christmas gifts, Frank Novak and his wife Lillian started across the Chicago, Milwaukee & St, Paul railroad track at Waukegan. A train struck the car, killing Mrs. Novak and injuring her husband probably fatally. A train ran over George C. Lehman, 23. and he died in a hospital just as Christmas day was beginning. FEAST ON ROAST PIG Havana Children Will Get Presents Jan. 6. Bu Unitrd Press HAVANA, Dec. 25.—Cuban children celebrated Christmas eve by feasting on roast pig. instead of the American turkey, and looking forward to Jan. 6, the “day of the magic kings,” for their Christmas presents. Christmas is the feast-time, but. according to tradition, the presents are not given until kings’ day.

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The Indianapolis Times Mostly fair tonight and Thursday; rising temperature Thursday.

VOLUME 41—NUMBER 195

DR. SNOOK IS KEPT IN DOUBT OF HIS DOOM Slayer of Co-Ed Eats His Yule Dinner Unaware of Fate. COURT DENIES APPEAL U. S. Tribunal Last Hope of Ex-Professor in Fight for Life. BY HARRY WILSON SHARPE United Press Staff Correspondent OHIO STATE PENITENTIARY, Columbus, Dec. 25.—Unaware that his doom is sealed, insofar as the Ohio courts are concerned, Dr James Howard, Snook, former university professor, under sentence to die Jan. 31 for the murder of his co-ed sweetheart, Theora Hix, sat down today to what may be his last Christmas dinner. The bald, bespectacled ex-profes-sor was not advised, in keeping with the spirit of Christmas, that the state supreme court Tuesday refused to reveiw his case—that only the United States supreme court or possible eexcutive clemency stand between him and the electric chair. “I'll tell him after Christmas,” Warden P. E. Thomas said. “I’d rather not spoil the day for him.” So at noon Dr. Snook, once head instruction in veterinary medicine at Ohio State university, seated himself with four other doomed men and partook of the prison’s Christmas menu. It consisted of roast pork, gravy, oyster dressing, apple sauce, candied sweet potatoes, celery, blackberry pie and coffee. E. O. Ricketts, chief of Snook’s counsel, will advise the former pedagog Thursday that the supreme court denied his appeal and that his only recourse and possible salvation is the United States supreme court, or possibly the federal court. To carry his case to the federal court Snook would have to claim a violation of his constitutional right of fair trial. Snook’s wife Helen, who stood by him during the ordeal of-his trial and has visited him thrice weekly since his incarceraton n death row, was to be permtted to see her husband later today. She will not be permitted to bring him food, however. None of the prisoners in death row is permitted to receive gifts of food—ten-pound baskets—as are other convicts. Tonight Dr. Snook and his companions in impending death, will be given Christmas socks, containing popcorn and candy. Each will be given a few stogies, too, but Dr. Snook does not smoke. Today merely was another day for the former professor. He arose at 6:30 a. m., as usual, ate, was permitted to exercise briefly, then retired to his bunk where he read or chatted with his cellmates.

YULE SOFTENS JUDGE'S HEART Youth's Sentence Suspended After Robbery. Bu Cnlti and Press OKLAHOMA CITY, Dec. 25. Judge G. W. Clark, whose year brought him in contact with many men charged with bank robbery, was noted for sentencing them drastically. Endiee Pine came before the judge today, charged with robbing a drug store. “Five years in the Granite reformatory,” pronounced the jurist. Eddie stood there a moment. Tears began to streak down his face. His parents were in the room. Part of tflteir support depended on the boy. There were the shouts of children outside and a wreath of holly could be seen through the courtroom window. Judge Clark talked in an offhand manner. "I used to be a 16-year-old boy and stole apples,” he said, glaring away from Eddie. “I thought it was smart. I never got caught. Boy, I shall suspend your sentence.” Eddie bawled out loud now. So did his parents. “Go on home and have a good Christmas. Hereafter, be a boy that your parents can be proud of,” Judge Clark summed up. fingering his wooden gavel. ELEVATOR FIRM FORMED Organization of Central States Cos„ Is Completed Here. Organization of the Central States Elevator Company was completed here Tuesday with filing of incorporation papers in the office of the secretary of state. One hundred shares of stock at $lO and 10,000 shares at SSO will be issued, according to the plans. Purpose of the company is to buy and sell farm products and to engage in any activity in connection with manufacturing or marketing of by-products, the incorporation papers said. Among the incorporators were Frank Am, Montezuma, and Oliver Little, Terre Haute.

And Here’s Wishing You a Merry, Merry

Happy day! Everybody should have all the hosiery, kerchiefs, toys, knick-knacks and turkey knee bones that they wished for! So it’s really a happy day—for it’s Christmas. The Old St. Nick has put his reindeer in the bam until 1931. And while we’re wishing you a Merry Christmas, here’s a heap of folk in the photos below that are celebrating Christmas in their own way as the camera caught them in the city’s byways and they're wishing you the “merrymerry” too. In the top left photo is the -Christmas party held for

' x — — “ ' - ~ , COVERED BY SNOW - Mai. Mav Bel—“J

GRIEF ARRIVES IN WAKE Ozark Woodcutter Finds Good Fortune Costly. By United Press LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Dec. 25. The blessings of being an Ozark woodcutter who legally is proved to be alive, are not without their drawbacks. Take Connie Franklin, who returned in the flesh to Mountain View, Ark., and became the character actor in a courtroom drama which has passed into mountain folk lore. Tuesday night be made his first appearance in vaudeville here at a reputed salary of SSOO a week. Connie once was an inmate of an asylum for mental deficients here. Now r he was behind the footlights, a figure of romance, playing the old time tunes on his harmonica. The act was a “wow,” too, although Connie was not intimate with such vaudeville nomenclature and wras only playing as he had played often before in mountain isolated cabins. Then word came that his former wife, Mrs. Albert A. Rogers, had brought suit for half of these fabulous earnings. Mrs. Rogers asserted Connie deserted her and their four children five years ago, leaving them impoverished. The wife lives near Stuttgart. Ark. Three Killed in Building Crash Bu United Press TOULOUSE. France, Dec. 25.Three persons were killed and many injured today when a partly constructed building collapsed.

INDIANAPOLIS* WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1929

Complications Bv T nited Press CADILLAC, Mich., Dec. 25Theodore Renner married his. step-sister, Hazel Selden, here Tuesday night, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Goodman. The following relationship situations resulted from the marriage: Mrs. Goodman now is stepmother and mother-in-law to the bridegroom, and mother and step-mother-in-law to the bride. Goodman becomes both stepfather and step-father-in-law to Renner. The groom becomes stepbrother and step-brother-in-law to his former brothers and sisters and step-brothers and step-sisters. And the bridewell, figure out the other 996 complications for yourself.

SPEND HOLIDAY IN AIR Start in Airplane Late Today From New York to Florida. By United Press MITCHELL FIELD, N. Y„ Dec. 25. —May Frances and Suzanne Williams will have Christmas in the air when they start in an airplane late today for Miami, Fla. The children have been promised a Christmas tree and presents on the trip ito the south. In the Air ■Weather conditions at 9:30 a. m.: West wind, twelve miles an hour; temperature, 25: barometric pressure, 30.10 at sea level; ceiling, 1,000 feet; visibility, four miles; field, snow covered.

the actors at the Lyric theater with Mickey, the trained seal, in the center of the group. At the top right photo is Ralph Cope, 11, of 1309 English avenue, chewing on a turkey wishbone he got at the Kiwanis Club luncheon for needy children. In the lower left photo Miss Agnes Moore ia one of the numerous travelers who wended their way homeward for the holidays. She was accompanied to her interurban by Harold Ransopher. And in the center lower photo, with the wreath, is none other than our own inimitable Jean Arthur, movie actress, who stars in “Halfway to Heaven,"

FIVE ADDED TO DISEASE TOLL City's Meningitis Deaths Now Are at 22. Five additional deaths Tuesday night brought the Indianapolis spinal meningitis death toll to twenty-two today. Including the deaths, and two additional cases reported today, the total number of cases since the epidemic started, three weeks ago, is thirty-two. John Meyers, 3918 Graceland avenue, and Edward Bason, Negro, 966 Superior street, were admitted to the city hospital today in critical condition from spinal meningitis. Those who died at the city hospital were: Norman Holt, Negro, 14, of 1446 North Missouri street; Betty Hanson. 2. of 1252 South Illinois street; Melvin McCracken, 40, of 630 Spruce street; Tony George, 37, of 208 Douglas street, and Barry Smith, 16, of 2020 Valley street.

MAN HELD IN ARIZONA MAY BE KILLER BURKE

I By United Press NOGALES. Ariz., Dec. 25.—A man : suspected of being Fred Burke, j widely known gangster, was to jail I here today, awaiting word from ’ Chicago and St. Joseph (Mich.) authorities. The suspect, who gave his name as J. P. Barton, was arrested near here late yesterday by sheriff’s deputies on suspicion of rum running. was later was released.

Entered ag Second-Class Matter at Fostoffice, Indianapolis

wishing you the best of the season’s greetings. The extreme right photo brings us to “Peg” Hamilton, flagman for the Big Four railroad, at the crossing at West and Georgia streets, enjoying his Christmas dinner with “mince pie ’and” in his switch shanty. “There’s no place like home,” declares “Peg” on Christmas, “but when you can’t be home, well, you might as well be the next best place—at work.” In the lower inset-Harold Ferdinand Baldwin, 4, of Martinsville, got all loaded up with Christmas presents at Grandma’s and Auntie’s house and is on his way home to “Muvver” via the interurban.

NORTHERN INDIANA COVERED BY SNOW

Roads Again May Be Blocked, Advices to City Indicate. Reports that northern Indiana was experiencing a fairly heavy snow today and that roads may be blocked again were received here today. Rising temperature throughout the state Thursday was predicted by the United States weather bureau. A light snow in Indianapolis did not continue long, but there was possibility of additional snowfall later, J. H. Armington, meteorologist, said. Despite the additional snow, transportation facilities were operating near schedule time. Clear in lowa By United Press DES MOINES, la., Dec. 25. Christmas in lowa was clear with the temperature only slightly below freezing and in many sections there was no snow upon the ground. Bright on Pacific By United Press LOS ANGELES, Dec. 25.—Belmy weather prevailed in Southern California today with bright sunshine and a temperature that was ex-

Afterward it was noticed that Barton bore a strong resemblance to police photographs of Burke and the man was rearrested in the hills near the Mexican border. Burke, indicted by a Chicago grand jury in connection with the St. Valentine’s day gang massacre, and also charged with the murder of 1 a St. Joseph < Mich.) policeman and several bank robberies, was thought to have been en route for the Pacific coast.

pected to register a maximum of 80 degrees. Thousands of persons visited the ocean beaches. Fair at St. Louis Bv United Press ST. LOUIS, Dec. 25.—A Christmas that would have been white except for soft coal dust, was St. Louis’ today. A cloudless sky, but under freezing temperature, prevailed. Ideal for Christmas Bv United Press SPRINGFIELD, 111., Dec. 25. Temperatures which hovered about the freezing mark and a bright sun which played on a well-laid blanket of snow gave central Illinois ideal Christmas weather today. With practically all roads cleared of drifts, caused by last week’s blizzards, highway transportation was back to a normal basis today, enabling many to motor back to home towns for Christmas day family reunions. Greatest Snowdrift By United Press WATSEKA, HI.. Dec. 25.—Citizens of Watseka today claimed the doubtful distinction of having in their neighborhood the country’s greatest snowdrift. The drift, a half mile east of Watseka on a country’ road, is 900 yards long, 40 feet wide and of an average depth of 16 feet. SLIPS; LEG IS CRUSHED Iron Worker Falls White Attempting to Swing Piece of Steel. . Harry Jones, 45, of 2859 Robson street, structural iron worker, was in the Methodist hospital today with a crushed leg sustained when he slipped and fell while attempting to swing a piece of steel on a building being constructed at Newton and Rural streets. Hourly Temperatures 8 a. m 27 9 a. m 25 7a. m 26 10 a. m..... 25 6 a. m..... 24

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FIRST FAMILY MAKES MERRY, DES p| TE FIRE Hoovers Unmindful of Ruins of Executive Offices Destroyed by Flames. WEST WING IS WRECKED President to Take Temporary Quarters: Confusion Is Averted. BY JOSEPH 11. BAIRD Lnlted Pres* Staff Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 25, The White House sparkled with Christj mas cheer today as President Hooi ver and his family celebrated the holiday season, unmindful of the charred ruins of the executive offices adjoining, wrecked by a Christmas eve fire. As in millions of homes throughout the nation, the spirit of Christmas occupied the entire executive mansion, excluding governmental worries and minimizing thoughts of the disastrous blaze, which for a time Tuesday night threatened the day’s festivities. The five, believed due to faulty wiring or a defective flue, started shortly before 8 o’clock in the west wing of the mansion, which houses the executive offices. Before it was under control it had wrecked nearly all of the wing. Orders Lively Tune Less than a hundred yards away i the President and Mrs. Hoover were I entertaining children at a Christ- | mas eve party. The first intimation of danger came when the President was called from the room and informed his offices were ablaze. The President’s immediate thought was for the children. Learning the party was not threatened, he ordered the Marine band to start a lively tune to divert the children’s attention from the con-’ fusion. The ceiling of the office fell in arid crushed the executive desk, and water soaked a number of files containing papers of minor importance. Throughout the remainder of the wing, damage was so great as to indicate the necessity of complete remodeling. May Use Study It will be necessary for the President to assume temporary executive quarters elsewhere while this work is being done. It was too early today to determine what he will do, but he may use his private study in the White House temporarily, quartering his staff in the state department building across the street. The Hoovers, however, declined to allow the fire to sr>oil thrii* Christmas festivities. Early today the family met about the private tree on the second floor, to oped presents and exchange greetings. The remainder of the day’s program will be carried out as planned. The immediate family and a few close friends will gather around the dinner table for a turkey feast. Little ceremony was included in the plans for -the day. As there were no services at the Friends’ meeting house, where the President attends, church, the family spent the day at home. , Papers Arc Saved Another children’s party, this one! for the families of cabinet members and their immediate aids, was' planned for the afternoon. Accompanied by his son Allan} home from Harvard university, he' went directly to his office. Allan entered alone and began saving' valuable papers. He was Joined bv firemen and together they succeeded in removing all documents of importance. The fire, believed to have started in the basement of the executive offices, spread to the attic and destroyed ma/iy papers stored there. Most of these, however, were duplicated elsewhere and their loss was not considered great. - Firemen succeeded in holding the blaze in check after a brief fight and it never threatened the White House itself. The battle, how’ever. necessitated flooding the entire wing, and the resulting water damage rivaled that of the fire. The President, after supervising removal of papers from his office, retired to the roof of the mansion to watch the progress of the blaze. He was Joined later by Mrs. Hoover. w r ho had carried the party to a most satisfactorily conclusion, despite the nearby confusion. ONE SLAIN IN FIGHT Business Argument Ends in Shoot- ‘ ing; Two Are Wounded. Bu United Press ST. LOUIS. Dec. 25.—One man was slain and two others wounded arising from differences concerning the management of their cleaning business here. Tuesday night. The dead man Is Joseph Michaelson, who was shot to death in his room when his two partners called upon him. The wounded men, his partners, are Eugene M. Denny, and Clovis Denny, brothers. The Denny brothers admit the shooting, according to police, however they say that they acted to self defense. They said that Michaelson opened fire upon them when they attempted to settle their difficult;.

Outside Marlon County 3 Outs