Indianapolis Times, Volume 43, Number 68, Indianapolis, Marion County, 29 July 1931 — Page 2

PAGE 2

CITY PROBES PA Y SCALE ON STREET WIDENING PROJECT

M'KINNEY SEES VIOLATIONS OF , PACT ONWAGES Some Workers Receive Less Than 35 Cents an Hour, Inquiry Shows. ’ 25 CENTS TO FLOATERS Subcontractors’ Men Get Amount Nearly Double for Same Work. Probe into the alleged violation by a paving company of agreement with the city to pay construction workmen on a 35-cent hourly basis was launched today by E. Kirk McKinney, works board president. McKinney’s action, followed an investigation by The Times of reports that laborers, working for the Indiana Asphalt Paving Company on the East New York street widening project are receiving more than 5 cents an hour below the figure specified under the contract. The probe disclosed that common Tabor on the project is receiving in some instances 25 to 30 cents, and. according to McKinney, violates the agreement made by the city with construction companies less than a year ago. Claude I. Brillhart. superintendent of Indiana Asphalt, when questioned by The Times, admitted unskilled labor is being paid 25 cents. Lower Pay for ‘Floaters’ He qualified workmen under that Beale of “floaters.” Brillhart did not know how many are receiving the 25-cent wage. “There arc only a few,” he said. Reports that applicants for work at the project are referred to the “city hall garage” for recommendation were denied by Brillhart. He admitted, however, that “several applicants had been given jobs “because they were told to come out and see us.” Brillhart stated further that "So far as I’m concerned, the wage agreement with the city still holds good. “The reason we are paying some 25 cents is because only our regular men get over 35 cents.” Others Paid More “If the floaters prove to be good men, we raise them up to the scale,” Brillhart added. The inquiry disclosed further that unskilled labor working on the same project for subcontracting companies is being paid almost double the wage earned by workmen for the Indiana Asphalt Company. Pick and shovel men for a plumbing firm working in the East New York street, job are being paid 65 cents an hour, several of them Stated when questioned today. Their duties are almost identical with those of laborers working for 30 cents for the asphalt paving company. Laborers on the street widening are, in the majority, Negroes. Truck drivers, when questioned, verified reports received by The Times asserting they are receiving the 30-cent wage. Gel 35-Cent Scale At the same time, a probe of salaries paid by the Million Population Wrecking Company revealed that unskilled laborers working at the Randolph street clearing are receiving 35 cents an hour. Only two men. it was admitted by Henry Foxworthy, superintendent, are receiving 30 cents, and they are qualified as “pickup labor,” Foxworthy said. “We are paying them just to give them work,” he declared. I Workmen for the wrecking company under the 35-cent rate all arc Negroes. With launching of the inquiry by city officials, McKinney declared that in his opinion the wage agreement with contractors still is in effect. W. C. Richter, an official of the Indiana Asphalt company, was called in conference today with the works board, this morning shortly before Brillhart appeared at the city hall, and told officials that laborers are receiving from 35 to 40 cents, except a water boy, who gets 25 cents. CAN DIDATE ENDS REST Aspirant to Kentucky Governorship Leaves Martinsville. BU United Press MARTINSVILLE, Ind., July 29Judge Ruby Laffoon, Democrat gubernatorial candidate in Kentucky, planned to leave here today after a ten-day rest to begin the fall campaign. Judge Laffoon, who was nominated almost unanimously at. a recent convention of his party, 6aid he would go directly to his home in Madisonville, Ky. More than a week ago he came here to recover from injuries suffered in an automobile accident. He expressed confidence in a Democratic victory this fall. He said he was pleased by the harmony that prevailed in the party's ranks and believed it indicated a recovery from the defeat of 1928. Quake Rocks Santiago SANTIAGO, Chile, July 29.—A severe earthquake rocked Santiago early today.

Dr. Home Brew MEMPHIS, July 29. — The use of home brew as a cure for pellagra Is being discussed in medical circles this week after a survey revealed fortyfour cases in Shelby county. Three bottles of home brcv. a day will bring about a stead' improvement and ultimate cure, said a physician who objected to the use of his name. “I had occasion to run tests on 3,000 cases In cotton mills, and, although no other feature of their diet was changed, thev were allowed to drink home brew under medical superviI 'jion. Without exception they showed improvement,” the doctor said.

Dogs Life Isn’t So Bad, at That

When they say “Dog-pone” around the city pound it means merely that one of the bonecrushers has taken French leave from the rest of the pack and can be found in— The swimming pool shown in the

LAWS' SEVERITY PACKS PRISONS Flat Sentences Big Factor. Charities Board Told. Action of recent legislatures in making mandatory long determinate sentences for certain crimes was cited as one of the primary causes of overcrowding in Indiana penal institutions at the state charities board meeting Tuesday afternoon. Another cause cited was the growing number of insane and mentally-defective men committed. Both were pointed out by John A. Brown, board secretary, in presenting the census for state institutions as of June 30, 1931. Nearly all state institutions are overcrowded, the report disclosed. “Os 1,080 new commitments to the reformatory between Oct. 1, 1930, and June 30, 1931, a total of 155 had flat sentences of ten years each and forty others had sentences ranging from eleven to twenty-five years each," Brown reported . “At the state prison the men under life sentence and the insane criminals constitute about onefourth of the population.” BLUEBEARD ON TRIAL Jury Chosen Tentatively in Murder Case. By I nit i'd I'res ft EAGLE RIVER. Wis., July 29Eleven perspiring men and a woman were in the jury box today at the opening of the second session of George W. E. (Jiggs) Perry’s trial on charges of murdering one of six women he was accused of marrying bigamously during a Bluebeardian career which has had few parallels in modern history. Os the twelve jurors accepted tentatively, five were farmers, three merchants, two summer resort owners of this northland Indian country, another was a retired salesman, and the twelfth was a woman. Attorneys indicated some of these probably would be exc\sed and that the jury would be completed from an extra venire which Judge C. M. Davidson of Beaver Dam ordered Sheriff Thomas McGregor to bring today into the furnace-like courtroom. RULES ON STATE COAL Per Ton Cost Basis for Outside Buying Banned by Ogden. British thermal units and not per ton cost, must determine whether any governmental unit may buy other than Indiana coal for public use, it was ruled today by AttorneyGeneral James M. Ogden. The ruling was. asked by L. O. Chassey, secretary to Governor Harry G. Leslie. It was an interpretation of the 1931 statute requiring the use of Indiana coal by governmental units, where the price difference is not greater than 10 per cent. The B. T. U. test on Indiana coal is high and tlie ruling gives the state mines an additional advantage, it was said. Train Kills Boy By United Press RIDGEVILLE, Ind., July 29 Joseph Addington. 9, was killed instantly when the truck in which he was ridiryj. driven by his brother George, was demolished by a Pennsylvania passenger train here. George, suffering severe injuries, WM Iftkfifi- & b gQEttfcPd bQSBttflW

top photo. But of course he may not be in the pool, he may be on the diving board, just as Spot is in the top photo. And one glorious portion of this leading a “dog’s life” is that you don’t have to bother with swimming suits.

WATCHERS SEIZE 2 RIFLING CORN FIELD

Youthful Pair Faces Theft Trial After Capture With Booty. Hoosier roasting ears have many | i enviable qualities, but walking isn’t j one of thorn. Os that, Ivan Fowler, j ■ R. R. 7, Box 333, was certain. Thus when fifty dozen fine ears disap- j peared from his field recently, he ! | suspected some dark work by I someone. Consequently he and James Scott, ; R. R. 7, Box 349, stood guard in j the corn field Tuesday night, and when two shadows attracted them, | they captured Albert Leftwick, 16, of 1017 St. Paul street, and Ray- j mond Knapp. 19. of 444 North Wolcott street. Fowler said the youths had loaded twenty dozen ears in an auto before they were caught. At police headquarters both were charged with petit larceny. Two gunmen held up Phineas' I Moroney, night man at a restaurl ant at 332 Virginia avenue early today, bound him with adhesive j tape to a sink, and took sl6. Burglars looted a grocery at 241* | Martindale avenue of merchandise j ! and money totaling more than S6O. ( Two 12-year-old boys were ar- : j rested Tuesday night, and. police 1 i say, confessed theft of pearls valued at S6O from the dressing room j of Daniel Reed at English’s theater. COMPROMISE LOOMS IN TOW-IN TEST SUIT Judge Williams Predicts Agreement Between City, Business Men. Possibility of a compromise set- : tlement illuminated the traffic towin dispute today when an attorney told Judge Joseph R. Williams he believed business men and the city ; council could agree o.n enforcement j of the new traffic ordinance. Judge Williams returned to his bench in superior court two this | morning from a vacation in WLs- | consin. and set about at once to ar- j j range a decision on the argument. Then William Boyce, attorney for business men who have fought the tow-in clause of the ordiance, said his clients probably would amend their complaint if city council agreed to tow in autos for overparking as well as for parking in restricted districts. THREATENS BREAD WAR ; Til Use Prison Products to Force j Lower Price,’ Says Alfalfa Bill. By United Press OKLAHOMA CITY. July 29. Bread manufacturers will be Governor W. H. Murray's next target In ; his war for lower costs of living in Oklahoma, he announced today. The chie executive is gathering information on production costs of j bread and said he would use penal institutions to fight bakers and force lower prices. “In view of wheat selling at 30 cents a bushel, bread prices are ridiculous,” the Governor said. "We can sell prison bread to force bakers to lower their prices.” Host Slays Guest FT. WAYNE, Ind., July 29 Michael McKerning, 27. is dead of a bullet wound inflicted by ArlingI ton Watson, in whose home he was a guest. It is said hfcKernlng interfered in a quarre-fbetween Watson and his wife. Watson attempted suicide by sheeting when police arrived to arrest him, but a revolver M

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

One of the greatest events at the pound, outside of swimming, for the knight-err ants of the street is greeting a newcomer. The bottom photo shows wanderers of dogdom welcoming anew inmate to the “hoosegow.”

0. K. ON CHILE REGIME Premier Montero to Be Recognized, Says Secretary Castle. By United Press WASHINGTON, July 29.—Acting Secretary of State Castle, in reply to questions, said today there would be no question t>f United States recognition of the new Chilean regime headed by Premier Juan Esteban Montero. He explained Montero succeeded former President Pedro Opazo by constitutional means, and hence, the former’s regime was a constitutional continuation of the latter’s.

TOWNSHIP TAX HEARINGS SET Boundary Case Evidence to Be Aired Tuesday. Motion to dissolve a restraining order against the Marion county board of review and permit the South Harding street plant of the Indianapolis Power and Light Company to be placed on the tax rolls of Decatur township, will be heard Tuesday by Judge John A. Kern of superior court one. In hearing the motion on Tuesday, Judge Kern will be forced to decide a boundary line dispute between Decatur and Perry townships. Each township claims the new $5,000,000 power plant, on the Decatur tax roll for fifty years, is within its environs. If the restraining order obtained by Perry township trustees is dissolved, the power company will be saved approximately 432,000 in taxes, it is said. Change in the course of the White river resulted in the boundary dispute. COST OF WAR BLAMED Reform Association Head Expresses View on Business Depression. By Times Special WARSAW, Ind.. July 29.—1n the first of a series of addresses on the Winona Lake program, Dr. R. H. Martin, Pittsburgh, Pa., president of the National Reform Association, declared one of the principal causes of the present business depression is the cost of the World war. Maintenance of national armaments was given as another cause. Dr. Martin placed the total cost of the war at $335,000,000,000 pointing out that sum exceeds the total wealth of the United States. “We must put an end to war If we want get rid of financial depression,” the speaker declared.

Fatal Date By United Press LONDON, July 29.—Seventeen years ago today—July 29, 1914—the first shot in the greatest war the world yet has known was fired. In the thirteen years since it ended in 1918, the powers have sought to gain peace permanently through such efforts at the League of Nations and conferences on arms limitation. Efforts at present are aimed at a world arms limitation agreement, to be sought at the arms parley in Geneva next February.

LAND-O-DANGE TOO NOISY, SO NEIGHBORS SOE Ask Abatement of Hall on National Road East of City Limits. Land-O-Dance may be a celestial world of terpsichore to some, but to neighbors it’s just a “lot of noise” that keeps them from getting their nightly “shut-eye.” At least the Land-O-Dance hall on the National road, two miles east of the city, is that to its neighbors, and that’s the only dance land they’ve had dinned into their ears since the hall’s opening on June 15. Complaints against Land-O-Dance are voiced W’ith vigor in a suit filed today in superior court five requesting abatement of the dance hall as a public nuisance. Fear that Land-O s Dance might awaken “Miss Indiana” atop the Soldiers and Sailors’ monument or other city statues is expressed in the suit with the assertion: “You can hear the noise for miles around.” “The orchestra plays until the early hours of the morning. The hall is brilliantly lighted, so that sleep is almost impossible,” the abatement, suit charges. Neighbors petitioning for a clamp on the hilarity at Land-O-Dance are Jesse O. Cross, Harry K. Karns and Cecil Brewer. Defendants named as owners of the dance hall are Robert Riser, Herbert Riser and Kathleen M. Hall.

BLAZE SPREADS OVER7OMILES Losing Battle Is Waged in Western States. By United Press MISSOULA. Mont., July 29. Weary men in the green of the forest service huddled about a table at their headquarters here today and plotted like generals their war against fire roaring along many fronts. Over a seventy-mile stretch, an army of fire fighters sought to dig a huge trench to stop the onrush ing conflagration, which had burned over 40,000 acres of the Pend Oreille forest of Idaho and, carried forward by a gale, ate it way into the Kootenai forest in Montana. Reports from Yellowstone National park in Wyoming revealed little change in the fire situation there. The Basin Creek blaze was spreading slowly, but vigorous efforts of fire fighters had it under control. GREENFIELD GIRL IS HURT IN AUTO CRASH Car Crashes Into Tree When Mother Loses Control. Miss Orpha Laverne Young, 17, Greenfield, was cut seriously on the face today when she was hurled through the windshield of an automobile driven by her mother, Mrs. Rcsie Young. Mrs. Young lost control of the machine and crashed into a tree at Harlan street and West Pleasant Run boulevard. The girl was treated at city hospital. Collision of cars driven by Clarence Mamann, 40, 2268 Hawthorne boulevard, and William E. Barton, 56 of 3002 Fall Creek boulevard, at New York and Rural streets, resulted in slight injuries to Barton.

STREET WORK LET $42,685 in Contracts Is Awarded by Board. Contracts totaling $42,685.04 for widening and resurfacing of East Michigan street were awarded today by the board of works. All paving on these projects is to concrete. Contracts awarded are: From State avenue to first alley east of Randolph street, to William D. Vogel, $G,557.86. This work is for half of the street only. Woodruff Place, along which the job extends, will pay for paving the other half. From Highland avenue to State avenue, Standard Paving Company, $19,069.54. From alley east of Randolph street to Tecumseh street, W. D. Vogel, $17,057.64. A contract for resurfacing and widening Thirtieth street from Meridian to Capitol avenue, was awarded to the Standard Paving Company for $10,692. This paving will be asphalt. DEFENSE PLAN VEILED Counsel for Slayer of Two Dry Agents Refuses to Comment. By Times Special FT. WAYNE, Ind., July 29. Counsel for George Adams, bootlegger, who killed Walter N. Gilbert and John J. Wilson, federal dry agents, refuses to reveal what the defense will be to a first degree murder charge “because it might hurt his case.” In the meantime, the state is proceeding with gathering evidence against Adams and now has a list of eleven. Identity of nine of the witnesses is being withheld. The other two are Oliver J. Gettle and C. E. Green, government officers who were with the slain men. ORDER FINANCIER HELD Rogers Caldwell Faces Conspiracy Charge in Bank Case. By United Press NASHVILLE. Tenn., July 27 Federal Commissioner Julian Campbell ordered Rogers Caldwell, former southern financier, held today for removal to Louisville, to face trial on a federal indictment charging conspiracy to misapply SIOO,OOO in funds of thfrpational bank of Kentucky. f Attorneys i\r Caldwell announced they would a> >eal Campbell’s order tn iftHArol tviiirt-

TOO DARING; HURT Joan Bennett Tossed Off Horse

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By United Press HOLLYWOOD, July 29.—Efforts of Joan Bennett, film actress, to ride an unmanageable horse, resulted in her being confined today in a hospital with a broken hip. It was said she probably would have to remain there five weeks. Miss Bennett, while on location Tuesday, heard James Kirkwood actor, decline to ride a certain animal.

DENIES BLAME FOR RAILROAD DISASTER

BILL FOR ALFALFA BILL He Claims River, We’ll Charge Him for Bridge, Says Sterling. By United Press AUSTIN, Tex., July 29 —Governor Ross Sterling, of Texas says he is going to send Oklahoma and its governor, W. H. Murray, a bill for Texas’ contribution to building the free Red river bridge at Denison, Tex. “Governor Murray Is claiming both sides of the Red river under that old Spanish treaty,” Governor Sterling remarked, smiling. “And that’s all right with us. We’ll just bill him for the $200,000 we spent on building those bridges.” DRY CHIEF HITS AT ROOSEVELT Wet Support Is ‘Challenge/ Says Anti-Saloon Head. By United Press WASHINGTON. July 29.—The Anti-Saloon league today viewed anti-prohibitionist indorsements of Franklin D. Roosevelt for president as “a challenge and a warning to the friends of the Eighteenth amendment.” From his Michigan Summer home F. Scott Mcßride, general superintendent of the league, telegraphed a statement which said in part: “When Mayor Cermak of Chicago publicly asserts that ‘Governor Roosevelt is wet enough to be acceptable to the wets of the Middle West,’ the question immediately arises as to whether he is dry enough to be acceptable to the drys of the Middle West, where friends of prohibition greatly outnumber its enemies. “A parallel statement of Joseph F. Guffey, the old-time wet Pennsylvania Democratic leader, pledging Franklin Roosevelt more than sixty Pennsylvania delegates ought to put Democrats of Pennsylvania on their guard. “The people of the country can not be blamed for wondering whether Mr. Roosevelt’s silence means approval of the CermakGuffey interpretation of his candidacy .” SHOT FATAL TO BABY Mother Afieges Man Who Held Gun Aimed at Her. By Times Special GARY, Ird., July 29.—James Haines, 22, Negro, is under arrest as a result of the fatal shooting of James Matthews, 15-month-old son of James and Margaret Matthews, Negroes. The accused man maintains the tragedy was due to an accident, but the baby’s mother asserts a shot aimed at her struck the baby, which suffered a wound in the abdomen. RUPTURE TEST FREE If you are considering operation or purchase of truss maybe you don’t need either. We have a test that may open your eyes._Write for free book now—tomorrow you may forget. Howard G. Lewis. S. M., 315 Bray Bldg., Steubenville, Ohio.— JR,'. .. -'*?* t

Joan Bennett

“I know that horse,” said Kirkwood. “I’ve ridden him and he’s bad. I won’t get aboard him again.” Another man seconded Kirkwood’s statement. “You don’t know how to ride,” Miss Bennett was reported to have said, jokingly. “I’ll ride him.” She climbed into the saddle and a moment later was thrown against a tree by the plunging steed.

Veteran Engineer Dazedly Faces Accusers in Coroner’s Court. By United Press NEW HAVEN, Conn., July 29William A. Rice, 69-year-old railroad engineer whose only blemish on a record of forty years’ service with the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad was the Fourth of July eve collision between the Merchants Limited and a local train, fought back today against a coroner’s finding holding him criminally responsible for the wreck. Deputy Coroner Nathan G. Sachs held Rice to blame for the head-on collision in which James F. Russ, 70, Shreveport, Louisiana merchant was killed, and two score other persons injured near the New Haven railroad station. Rice, dazed, trembling, and evidently aged by the strain of the accusation, was arraigned in superior court a few hours after the finding was issued. “The railroad is more responsible in every way, shape and manner than i am.” he declared. “I never expected to be held criminally responsible. “The railroad should not have permitted me and my train to pass that signal and enter into that 1,400-foot stretch with a train composed of obsolete equipment, when a train like the Merchants Limited was approaching from the opposite direction. You will notice the railroad has not used a wooden car since the accident.” Rice had difficulty in raising SI,OOO bond. He telephoned to several officials of the railroad, but was unable to obtain the money. An Argentina inventor has perfected an instrument which he claims will give warning of an approaching earthquake. Week-End EXCURSIONS CHICAGO sgoo H JP ROUND TRIP Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday Leave Indianapolis 11:30 a.m. Friday, 2:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. Saturday, or 2:30 a.m. Sunday. Returning to reach Indianapolis not later than 4:05 a.m. Tuesday following date of sale. s'2:6o Round Trip to LOUISVILLE In coaches on all trains leaving July 24. 25 and 28. returning July 27; also, July 81. August 1 and 2, returning August 3. Coach Service Only For tickets and full particulars apply to CITY TICKET OFFICE 116 Monument Place v Phone Riley 9331 Pennsylvania Railroad

JULY 29, 1931

WHITEWASH IS LAID TO LESLIE GRIME PROBERS Refused to Hit Tactics of Parole Board, Says Ex-Member. Governor Harry G. Leslie's crirnd commission, which turned in a report January, 1931, was fujly aware of the conduct of the Indiana stale prison trustees in parole matters, but declined to make such criticism as has been made in the Wickersham report. This allegation was made todav by Captain Howard Smith of the state police, who was a member of the commission. Smith at the time was on the staff of the Indianapolis Star and had written a series of stories on crime and the courts. He was appointed to the commission by the Governor and incurred the animosity of some of the oldtime Indiana prison experts bywanting to report such matters as the Wickersham report contains. Prisoners Are Railed Recently Smith became a captain of the state police, where he hopes to make effective some of his sociological studies. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, scholastic honor society, and majored in social scilneee at Columbia university. “Every member of the so-called crime commission knew how prisoners are railed at when they appear before the prison trustees sitting as a board of parole,” Smith said. “For we held a commission meeting and sat in with the trustees on one such hearing. “It was conducted exactly as represented in the Wickersham report. This report was made by Winthrop D. Lane, who is himself a Hoosier. He is the son of Chester T. Lane, principal of Ft. Wayne high school for half a century. Defends Hoover Prober “I am sure that Lane is thoroughly a competent investigator. The criticism has been made that he was at the prison but half a day. About ten minutes of listening to a trustee lecture a prisoner before a crowd would be long enough for any authority on penology to decide that the system should be changed.” Smith says that abolition of th# central pardon and parole boar* was “a step backward,” and that the matters are being handled now “about as stupidly as possible.” The crime commission report had a chapter on parole, in which it dealt vaguely with the subject. It neither advocated a central nor institutional system, but did say there should be complete history records on each prisoner. FEAR HICCOUGH DEATH Doctors Hold Little Hope for Patient, Victim 29 Days. Bji United Press CHICAGO, July 29.—A twenty-nine-day attack of hiccoughs placed Christ Karzas, 53-year-old patient in the University hospital, near death today. For the first time since the convulsive movements began, science conquered the attack Tuesday night, but the hiccoughs began again today and continued for twenty minutes without pause. Dr. Adolph Kraft, attending physician, said Karzas’ condition appeared due to hardening of the arteries, complicated by heart trouble.

She Couldn’t EAT or SLEEP

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