Indianapolis Times, Volume 43, Number 9, Indianapolis, Marion County, 21 May 1931 — Page 1

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NATION’S AIR FLEET ‘WARS’ OVER CHICAGO 700 Battle Planes Fly in Formation for Review Before Commandant. CITY UNDER ‘ATTACK' Biggest Crowd in History of Illinois Metropolis Sees Maneuvers. BY ARNOLD B. LARSON United PreM Staff Correspondent CHICAGO, May 21.—The nation’s greatest peacetime air armada swept out of the north today and “attacked” Chicago. The battle planes—almost 700 strong and manned by the army’s crack fighting pilots—streaked fifty miles along the Lake Michigan front in war array from Waukegan to Gary. The heavily armed bombers, speedy pursuit ships and fighting attack units passed in review before the air corps commandant, General Benjamin Foulois, at more than 100 miles an hour, and then fell to “dog fighting” over the lake off Navy pier, giving the massed thousands in Grant park an idea of what might happen to their city if a real war came. Mobilized in the air shortly after dawn from five city and suburban airports, the air fleet formed in battle squadrons northwest of Chicago, roared northward to Waukegan and turned southward for a straight sweep of fifty miles, past the exclusive north shore suburbs to Navy pier that juts a quarter of a mile out into the lake. Pier Is “Point of Attack” The pier was the official “point of attack” in the war maneuvers to enable the army to determine how quickly it can assemble its air strength in event of hostilities. Past the pier roared the 700 planes, alternate squadrons high to obviate the possibility of mid-air crashes, then past the Stevens hotel, where General Foulois with his staff review the fleet from the roof. The bombers wheeled back from the south, the pilots of the twin motored ships pulling the throttles wide open as they swooped on the navy pier to unload their cargoes of imaginary bombs. Higher and farther out over the lake, some of them “in the sun,” pursuit and attack groups dived toward the seemingly unwieldy bombers to turn back the “enemy” that sought to blow up the lake front. The smaller attacking planes held their triangle formations perfectly as they wheeled and dived around the “hostile” planes, theoretically firing hundreds of rounds of machine fire into the fuselages of the bombers. Planes Return to Dayton Machine gunners who manned the pivot weapons in the cockpits of the bombers replied to the firing with just as much simulated enthusiasm. Most of the air fleet, after the review, swung eastward across the lake and started for Fairfield air depot at Dayton shortly after 9 a. m. From the air, the lake front from Lincoln park on the north, to Jackson park, on the south, slightly more than 100 blocks, appeared black with spectators and automobiles. The entire length of Grant park was a solid mass of people with only here and there splashes of green grass in sight of the pilots and newspaper men riding with the fleet. Overworked traffic policemen said it was the largest crowd they ever had seen in Chicago. RALSTON IS RECEIVER OF FARMERS TRUST Indianapolis Realtor Is Named by Superior Judge Weir. Boyd M. Ralston, Indianapolis realtor, today was named receiver of the Farmers Trust Company, by Superior Judge Clarence E. Weir. Weir named H. Nathan Swaim, park board attorney, and Charles W. Richards, attorney, as counsel to work with Ralston on the receivership. The bank was closed May 4 on vote of board of directors and at a preliminary hearing earlier in the week, bank officials and Weir expressed the confidence that the bank would meet obligations to alf depositors. Today, Weir said he did not know whether this would be accomplished but “had every confidence in these men and believe they will be able to bring this about.” DENY RESORT ROBBERY French Lick Hotel Attaches Brand Report as False. By Times Special FRENCH LICK, Ind., May 21. Attaches of the French Lick Springs hotel today labeled as false reports of “wholesale burglary” of the hotel's rooms, and said a sneak thief had stolen approximately S2OO from one guest’s room. They scouted as ridiculous an account appearing in the St. Louis (Mo.) Globe Democrat that three St. Louisans were robbed of $1,300 and that a woman was robbed of SIO,OOO in jewels. Hourly Temperatures 6a. m 45 10 a. m 57 7a. m 47 ll a. m 58 8 a. m..... 53 12 <noon).. 57 9a. m W Ip. m 58

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The Indianapolis Times Fair tonight followed by increasing cloudiness, Friday continued cool, possibly light frost in exposed places tonight.

VOLUME 4a—NUMBER 9

Here’s Your Poppy!

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Miss Neva E. Dye (left) and Mrs. Edna Werkhoff preparing for the American Legion’s Poppy day sales Saturday.

Hundreds of thousands of poppies were incased in boxes today as members of the American Legion and the auxiliary looked to the annual sale Saturday throughout Indiana. Proceeds from the Poppy day sales are used-to further the re-

NEW YORK BEER BARONSTABBED Powerful Gotham Figure May Lose Life. By United Press NEW YORK, May 21.—Vannie Higgins, one of New York’s most powerful beer runners and racketeers, was taken to the Polyclinic hospital today in a critical condition from knife wounds. Higgins’ assailant was unlocated and he refused to tell police who had stabbed him. The racketeer, who heads a widely feared gang in Brooklyn and who formerly was associated with Jack (Legs) Diamond, was taken to the hospital in a taxicab from Long island. Although suffering intensely from three deep gashes in the chest, Higgins consented to talk with detectives long enough to say he had been stabbed in Flushing, L. I. “My wife knows who did it,” he said. Police, searching for the racketeer’s wife, feared she may have been kidnaped or killed by the same enemy who attacked her husband. She has not been home since early Wednesday night. Higgins was known to police as one of the bigger “business men” of the underworld. He owned a fleet of taxicabs, had a chain of restaurants in Brooklyn and was interested in several night clubs. FROST ISJORECAST Cool to Continue Friday With Rain and Cloudiness. Warning of frost in exposed places tonight, was issued today by the weather bureau. Cool weather is to continue through Friday and increasing cloudiness may be followed by rain, according to the weather bureau. TYPICAL U. S. FAMILY TO BE HEARD ON AIR NBC Will Interview City Residents at Home on Sunday. America’s typical family—the Browns of 4144 Carrollton avenue—will “go on the air” on a nationwide hook-up Sunday morning. Mr. and Mrs. Merrill J. Brown, their daughter Louise, 15, and son John, 13, who were chosen by the American magazine as “the typical American family,” will be interviewed by two staff men of the National Broadcasting Company, Inc., in their home on Carrollton avenue, from 11 to 11:30 (C. S. TANARUS.) Sunday morning. Stations on the NBC-WJZ network will carry the interview.

Creditors Galore, But No Money, Says Vanderbilt

By United Press LOS ANGELES. May 21.—Cornelius Vanderbilt Jr. is “broke” and can not pay SII,OOO judgment entered against him. He testified before a court referee. His assets, he said, are S4O in his pocket and possibly S7O in New York and Nevada banks. But he expressed willingness to share them with Edward J. Ralph, former newspaper man, and his other creditors. Vanderbilt admitted that his wife was not dependent upon him, and that he had hundreds of other creditors. In fact, thousands,” and that he lived in a Sutcliff (Nev.) cabin, which belonged to a friend. Ralph had obtained a judgment on a libel complaint in which he accused Vanderbilt of calling him a “spy from his enemies.” Judge Arthur P. Wills did not enjar an order against Vanderbilt for payment of the judgment.

lief program for disabled soldiers by the legion and auxiliary. Miss Neva E. Dye, 725 North Pennsylvania street, and Mrs. Edna K. Werkhoff, 3360 North Meridian street, state secretary of the auxiliary, are among the women sorting poppies that will be offered to Mr. and Mrs. Citizen.

HIGHWAY CHIEFS FAVORROGERS Enjoys Patronage Despite Conspiracy Charges. Ralph Rogers, Bloomington stone contractor, whose trial for conspiracy to loot the state highway department on stone contracts resulted in disagreement of the jury, will continue to enjoy department patronage, it was admitted by state highway officials today. In contrast, Director Richard Lieber of the conservation department announced several days ago that he will readvertise for new bids on a stone contract for his department on which Rogers was low bidder. Meanwhile, Attorney - General James M. Ogden laid plans for the retrial of Rogers. In the closing arguments Earl Stroup, deputy attorney-general prosecuting the suit, pointed out the difference in the two state departments’ views of Rogers guilt. Since indited last March with William Sayer, Bloomington, former state highway district superintendent, Rogers has continued to find high favor in the department he is charged with looting. He has been awarded thousands of dollars in stone contracts and a $300,000 construction contract was given a firm in which he owns half interest. GAS KILLS AGED PAIR Elwood Couple Asphyxiated by Faulty Heater in Sleep. By United Press ELWOOD, Ind., May 21.—Ephraim Rummel, 78, and his wife Emma, 69, were asphyxiated by gas escaping from a water heater at their home here today. They were found in separate bedrooms, and indications were they had been overcome while asleep.

NAB SUSPECT HERE IN $200,000 FRAUD

A year’s search of two continents for an alleged Chicago “big-shot swindler” mded in Indianapolis today. Captured by Indianapolis police after a relative had seen him in a downtown restaurant Louis S. Gottlieb, 52, was to be turned over to Chicago authorities today to face a charge of embezzling $200,000. Gottlieb, who has been living at 728 South Illinois street, and had taken office space as an attorney in a downtown building, denied, following his arrest Tuesday night, that he was wanted at Chicago. According to police, authorities of two continents have searched a year

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Cornells Vanderbilt Jr,

INDIANAPOLIS, THURSDAY, MAY 21, 1931

LIE DETECTOR FOR KIRKLAND IS RULED OUT Judge Refuses Motion of Defense for Use of Device in Court. ACCURACY IS DISPUTED Inventor of Instrument Defends It as Tool to Obtain Justice. By United Press VALPARAISO, Ind., May 21.—The “lie detector” today definitely was ruled out of the second trial of Virgil Kirkland on charges of murdering Arlene Draves, his sweetheart. Most of the morning was spent questioning expert witnesses regarding the accuracy of Leonard Keeler’s instrument which he claims detects falsehood by gauging the blood pressure of the subject. Following the testimony, during which the jury was excused, Judge Grant Crumpacker overruled two defense motions, one asking that results of a lie detector test .on Kirkland be admitted into evidence, and the other that the instrument be applied in the courtroom. Inventor Defends Device Keeler, psychologist of Northwestern university and inventor of the detector, testified that the instrument had been used in about 10,f/00 cases in eight or nine states and that “there is no question that its results are accurate.” Dr. Herman N. Bundesen, health commissioner of Chicago, said he had seen the detector used in “fifteen or twenty murder cases” and that the results show “a reasonable degree of accuracy.” On cross-examination, the health examiner said the instrument “still is in the experimental stage” and that its “chief value lies in the psychological effect on the subject.” Clarence Muhlenberger of the Northwestern crime detection school, testified that the lie detector “is accurate if handled correctly.” Kirkland’s Mother Testifies Richard Oldham, defense attorney, said Kirkland had submitted to the detector two days before the present trial began but did not reveal the results. Kirkland’s gray-haired mother testified Wednesday her son was in love with Arlene Draves, 18, whom he is charged with killing by “repeated attacks” at a Gary liquor party last autumn. At a previous trial he was sentenced to life imprisonment. “My boy couldn’t have killed Arlene,” said Mrs. Kirkland with remarkable composure. “He was in love with her. "Arlene often talked with us about marrying Virgil and came to our home and talked with me about cooking.” Leslie Confers With Ade Governor Harry G. Leslie went to Brook, Ind., today to confer with George Ade, famed Hoosier humorist, regarding the Indiana author’s program for the first night of the Governor’s conference at French Lick, June 1-3.

for Gottlieb. He is alleged to have fleeced Jews of Chicago out of their savings in a second mortgage “racket” that was supposed to bring big returns, and did, Chicago police say, until he had collected all thensavings. Gottlieb was eating in a restaurant here when he was spied by Max Lieber of Chicago, a distant relative. Gottlieb denied knowing Lieber, but the latter told police the alleged embezzler had taken $15,000 from his father-in-law. According to police, Gottlieb, after his alleged cleanup in Chicago, fled to England. He has been living in Indianapolis since before Easter, it was learned. Isidor Wulfson, attorney, with whom Gottlieb had made his home for several weeks and from whom Gottlieb rented office space in the Indiana Trust building, declared today that the swindling suspect said he had lost $90,000 in the stock market. He told me he had been traveling ail over the world and he had stayed m London a long time,” said Wulfson. Detectives were checking information from Wulfson that Gottlieb Knew and had made the acquaintance of many Hungarian residents of Indianapolis.

marchioness is dead Georgian Beauty Claimed by Death at 95; Was Royalty Figure. By United Press PARIS, May 21.—The Dowager Marchioness of Anglesey, a Georgia . beauty who generations ago was : called the most beautiful woman in Europe, died today at 95. She was bom Mary Livingston IGng. of Augusta, Ga..>daughter of I the Georgian senator, John Pendleton King. In her youth, the Marchioness was a close friend of Queen Victoria of England and a striking figure in the courts of London, Vienna and St. I Petersburg.

Put Cookies ‘Over Top ’

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“Sweets to the sweet!” Peggy Sweeney (left), 3 Hampton court, of Troop 8, and Betty Jean Heath, 4615 Broadway, Troop 45, taste the fruits of their labor after selling, respectively, 232 and 205 dozen cookies in the annual ‘cookie day” campaign.

Indianapolis has gone "cookie conscious”—spurred by hundreds of Girl Scouts who, in the last week, have sold 20,000 dozen cookies in their annual sales campaign. They are making a strenuous effort to eclipse last year’s record total of 36,000 dozen. On Saturday, the official Girl Scout “Cookie day,” the sw’eets, in the form of the Girl Scout emblem, will be on sale at booths in downtown stores and banks.

REASSESSMENT PLEA jSDENIED County Council Refuses to Set SIO,OOO for Survey. Move of John C. McCloskey, Center township assessor, to start reassessment of real estate in the township, due to alleged juggling of figures on assessor’s books, was repulsed today by the county councilmen. Council members refused flatly to allow McCloskey the SIO,OOO he sought for special deputies and office equipment to carry on the revaluation. Voting against the proposal, although members of the Indianapolis Real Estate Board asked that it be done and offered aid, councilmen said: “This is no time to start a reassessment.” McCloskey was told that it should be done in 1932, but councilmen said that if he desired to start now he would have to operate without additional deputies or funds. According to charges made by McCloskey, alterations made on the books before he took office had placed unequal valuations on real estate in Center township.

Argument Over Cattle Causes Fatal Gunplay

By Times Special WEST BADEN, Ind., May 21. Argument over a small herd of cattle was believed the cause of the slaying near here today of John M. Felknor, 68, a former of near Prospect, Ind. Felknor was shot through the abdomen, authorities believe by a shotgun in the hands of Henry Slick, 55, a farmer living two miles west of this city. A sheriff’s posse, with bloodhounds on the trail, was seeking Slick, who went into nearby hills after the shooting. Felknor left his home early today to go to Slick’s farm to return the cattle, awarded him recently in a law suit.

Wife Files Suit to End \Perfect * Marriage to Graham McNamee

NEW YORK, May 21. Graham McNamee, whose radio voice is known to millions, was unable to explain today why his wife suddenly has filed suit for separation. The noted apnouncer, whose “ideal marriage” has been publicized widely, both in print and on the air, admitted that Mrs. McNamee filed the suit in supreme court two weeks ago. He is making a desperate effort, his friends said, to find his wife in an effort to learn the cause of her action, though so far he has been unable to locate her. News of the suit came as a shock to friends and acquaintances of the couple.

since many stories have been written about their “perfect” romance. A short time ago Mrs. McNamee, broadcasting over the NBC chain, told of her husband and their home life, and how, whenever he is on the air, she sits at home and compares his performance witb\ that of competing announcers. j

Peggy Sweeney, Troop 8, is out in front in the sales race with orders for 232 dozen cookies in her book. Betty Jean Heath, Troop 46, is next with 205 dozen. Others who have sold more than 100 dozen are: Dorothy De Long, Troop 24, 105 dozen; Mary Louise Merrill, Troop 22, 170 dozen; Charlotte Densford, Troop 46, 126 dozen; Adele Herwitz, Troop 22, 100 dozen; Elizabeth Kadel, Troop 46, 100 dozen, and Marjorie Allerdice, Troop 46, 112 dozen.

COUNCIL SNUBS VEHLINFS PLEA Slice $345 From Coroner's Fund Request. County councilmen today slapped Coroner Fred W. Vehling when, despite the pleas of his attorney, they granted him financial aid of $1,725, after having cut $345 from his appropriation requests of $2,170. Already having exhausted an SI,BOO autopsy fund, Vehling sought $1,725 additional, but this was cut to $1,500, and some councilmen wanted to reduce it to SI,OOO. The council also sliced Vehling’s office supply appropriation from $320 to SIOO. At the preliminary session Wednesday several members of the council told Fred Barrett, attorney for the coroner, that they believed Vehling could have saved money out of the SI,BOO fund. Barrett today presented figures, revealing that more autopsies had been performed this year than in 1930. Barrett also declared that Vehling had cut the expenses of the* office more than $2,000 annually after recent revelations in a probe of the office conducted by The Times.

REVOLT REPORTED LAUNCHED IN CUBA

By United Press HAVANA, May 21.—Armed insurrection against the government of President Gerardo Machado, long anticipated, has begun in half a dozen towns today, unconfirmed reports from Santiago De Cuba said. Rebels were reported in action in Manzanillo, Jiguani, Guantanamo, Ueurto Tarafa, Holguin and Bayamo. Censorship on the government telegraph wires prevented correspondents from communicating with the allegedly disturbed zone. Precautions were taken in Havana against an outbreak in the capital, however. Reports of insurrection in Santiago province caused great excitement in Havana. The reports were vague and

By United Press

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McNamee

radio set and Mrs. McNamee used to go out and stand in front of radio stores to hear her husband's broadcasting. She would always report her impressions to him, and later they had their home equipped with five radios, that she might compare his broadcasts with others. S

Entered as Second-Class Matter at Poatoffice, Indianapolis. Ind.

NATION’S RAILWAYS TO ASK FREIGHT RATE INCREASE OF AT LEAST 10 PER CENT Carriers Contend That Hike Would Break’ Depression, Save Wage Standards, Revive Prosperity. BOOST WOULD NET HALF BILLION Transportation System of Country Will Collapse Unless Revenue Gain Is Allowed, Officials Declare. (Copyright by Scrlpps-Howard Newspaper Alliance. 1931.) NEW YORK, May 21.—0n the contention that the move will break the depression, save the wage standard, and turn the country back to better times, the railroads of the nation are considering application for a horizontal increase in freight rates. The rate to be asked probably would raise the present rate by not less than 10 per cent and perhaps as high as 15 per cent. In money this would amount to $500,000,000 a year. The Scripps-Howard newspapers have learned that conferences leading to such action, which will go directly in the face of the prevailing trend toward lower prices, now are being held. Below is summarized the railway argument as it will be presented to the interstate commerce commission. The quotations are from a man high in railway affairs:

“The railroads, as distinct from private business, are governmentally regulated institutions. As such, we are entitled to adequate revenue for adequate maintenance, adequate wages, and adequate return on investment. “We do not now have such adequate revenue. We have cut to the bone and a continuation of such cuts will mean a breaking down of the transportation system of (.he nation; will mean inadequate maintenance, service, wages, as well as return on investment. Out of Market “Our cuts to date have taken out of the market the nation’s largest single buyer. We are buying only the barest Restore our buying power and our demands for material will be so great as to tum the economic tide. “Formerly we purchased 20 per cent of the nation’s total volume of goods. Today we are purchasing only an Infinitesimal part of that. “We buy in normal times, for example, 23 per cent of the soft coal, 19 per cent of the fuel oil, 17 per cent of the iron and steel, 20 per cent of the timber. Many in those industries find their market ‘frozen’ because we lire out of it. “Our normal demands, as contrasted with the depreciated demand of the present, would represent the difference between stagnation ar.d activity in all those lines, as well as many others not mentioned. Must Spend Money “Bear in mind that we have to spend when we get the revenues. We are permitted to take out only our governmentally fixed rate of return on our investment. The rest must be ploughed back into rolling stock, grade crossing elimination,

difficult to confirm because of censorship on telephone calls and telegraph wires. FALL PROVES FATAL TO OWEN YOUNG’S MOTHER Noted Financier at Bedside When End Comes to Aged Woman. By United Press VAN HORNESVTLLE, N. Y„ May 21.—Mrs. Ida Bradow Young, 93, mother of Owen D. Young, died at her home here this morning from the effects of a fall downstairs more than a month ago. Young, noted financier and chairman of the board of directors of the General Electric Company* was at her bedside when the end came.

Less than a month ago a New York newspaper carried in ,its magazine section an article headed, “The Love Romance of Graham McNamee.” The McNamees met ten years ago when both were singing in a church choir. In 1923, during the summer, McNamee was doing Jury duty in New York at $3 a day, and during a recess period, while walking by the American Telephone and Telegraph building, he suddenly decided to apply for a job as an announcer. The profession of announcing at that time was far less glamorous than it is today. In his early days as an announcer, the McNamees were too poor to own a

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safety devices, better roadbeds, into whatever constitutes public interest in a better traffic condition. “We can’t do as private businesses do; we can’t get 15 per cent on our money in good times and thereby ‘hive’ up against bad times. We must spend as we go. ‘Accordingly, we feel that we are entitled to adequate return in bad times as well as good. Without it the whole transportation system slumps in bad times and thereby is unable to handle the necessities of the situation when good times come. “The American public of the ! present day easily can remember what an inadequate transportation system means when shipping demands are high and transportation service is low. The cost of such condition can not be estimated completely. Against Wage Cuts "But any shipper who will recollect what slow and uncertain deliveries meant to him in a time when the transportation system was inadequate will be able to make the personal application. “We are paying today what we consider to be good wages, but not by any means too good. The last thing we would want to do would be to cut wages. . * “But there are only three ways of meeting decreased revenues. One is increased rates, the other two are decreased service and decreased wages. Decreased wages mean decreased purchasing power and the resultant acceleration of the downward trend of consumption, “Already we have had to make tremendous cuts in the number of men employed. At the peak. 1,660,000 were on the job at full time. Today the full time number is 1,000.000; Brotherhoods Back Move “That the move for increased rates will be ardently backed'by the brotherhoods is illustrated by state'ments from their organ, Labor.” Leaders of railroad labor organizations are convinced that the carriers are facing a situation which calls for an immediate increase in freight rates of from 10 to 15 per cent. “Gross operating revenues of Class 1 roads for the first three months of this year showed a decrease of 19.1 per cent as com- ' pared with the same period in 1930—and the revenues for the latter year were far below those of 1929. Operating costs have been cut to the bone. There was a reduction of more than $18,000,000, or over 17 per cent, in the first three months of this year as compared with the same period last year. Practically all this vast sum has come out of the pay envelopes of the railroad workers. Tens of thousands are out of work, and tens of thousands more are working on part time. It is clear that railroad revenues must be increased, or additional men must be thrown out of work. Already the reduction in the buying power of the vast army cf railroad workers seriously has affected business. In the opinion of railroad employes, the psychological hour is here. If the interstate commerce commission will act without unnecessary delay, it may assist materially in getting the country back on its economic legs. Will Be Heard on Merits WASHINGTON, May 21.—Anticipated application of railroads for increased freight rates will be considered on its merits, it was said at the interstate commerce commission today. Because it is concerned over the rapidly decreasing railroad earnings, the commission, it was declared authoritatively, will listen sympathetically to the application, but on the other hand, it will give a full and complete hearing to shippero and other interested parties who may oppose rate increases. At the commission, it is expected a general rate increase will not be asked. The desired increase, it is anticipated, will be confined to heavy bulk commodities, such as coal, steel, iron ore, cafid and gravel moving over a long distance f

OutsSd* Marlon County 3 Cents