Indianapolis Times, Volume 44, Number 79, Indianapolis, Marion County, 11 August 1932 — Page 7

AUG. 11, 1932

LAY MUNGIE POLICE KILLING TO CITY MEN Two City Gangsters Admit Part in McCracken Murder, Is Claim. Two Indianapolis gangsters, members of a mob that participated in at least sixteen theater robberies in three states, were held at Muncie today after they are said to have confessed complicity in the slaying of patrolman James <Obiei McCracken of Muncie. Caught in Indianapolis Wednesday. Donald Rohr, alias Melvin Price, 27, of 222 North Mount street, and Edgar Luker, alias Bill Cope, 35, of 225 North Richland avenue, were rushed to Muncie. Only one member of the gang of six—whose guns are believed to have brought down three policemen —still is at liberty. Their arrests have ended the robbery career that netted the gang $10,589 in loot, local and Muncie police said. Used City as Hideout The mob, using Indianapolis as a base and hideout, staged robberies in Indiana, Illinois and Ohio, it is charged. fy)hr and Luker, under heavy guard in the Muncie jail today, confessed aiding in holdup of two Muncie theater messengers April 25, when McCracken was killed, police said. The bandits obtained $747 in the robbery. Three other members of the gang are awaiting trial in Springfield, 0., for the murder of patrolman Charles Holt in that city. They are: Russell Ijames, alias Campbell; Sherman Clemons and William Garrison, all of Indianapolis. Rohr said, according to police, that he drove the bandit car while Luker was stationed in a doorway to grab McCracken as he passed. Police nabbed Rohr in Indianola park, where he was preparing to play a game of ball, Luker was captured at his home thirty minutes later. No Guns Found at Homes Both were taken to Muncie by Frank Massey, Muncie police chief, W'ho for weeks has conducted a widespread manhunt for slayers of McCracken. The duo was unarmed and police found no guns at their homes. Luker was at home with his wife and two small children. Luker’s wife brought his coat and sobbed on his shoulder as she kissed him goodbye. “You’d better take your coat, daddy," were her only words. In his purported confession, Luker said Rohr and Ijames made three trips to Muncie planning the robbery. SET STALNAKER RITES Funeral Services to Be Held at 2:30 Saturday. Funeral services for Frank D. Stalnaker, president of the Indianapolis National bank, who died Tuesday after a month's illness, will be held in the Scottish Rite cathedral at 2:30 Saturday. The body will lie in state from 11 until the funeral. Dr. Lewis Brown, rector of St. Paul's Episcopal church and chaplain of the supreme council, highest body in masonry, will have charge of the services. Burial services at Crown Hill cemetery will be conducted by Mystic Tie lodge. F. & A. M. Pallbearers will be Mr. Stalnaker’s associates in the bank. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the supreme council. ’TWAS COLD IN THERE WITH ICE CREAM BARS So Fire Department Rushed Up to Rescue Prisoner. By Timm Xptrinl CHICAGO. Aug. 11.—The heat didn't bother Joseph Taylor Wednesday. In fact, he had strange visions of leaping flames in fireplaces and gloated over the thought of leaning against the side of an active furnace. It was cold in the vault with the ice cream bars and Joseph craved to go some place from there. Then the fire department came and the police. No one knew why the fire lads had been called and all employes of Polar Bar, Inc., disclaimed any knowledge of the summons. Then police decided it must have been the robber, who departed with SIOO, after locking Taylor in his chilly prison. OLD NELL REWARDED Ringling’s First Elephant Sent to Florida Pastures. Bn Timm S/hc in) CHICAGO. Aug. 11.—Forty-five years of circus life ended today for Old Nell. 76-year-old elephant with the Rir.gling shows. The first elephant with the shows, which have grown into the greatest in the world. Old Nell hauled seven wagons across the WisconsinIllinois line to escape a deputy with "plasters," when Ringling started with his one-nng outfit. She saved the show. Charles Ringling raised the money to meet his bills and started his spectacular rise. Oid Nell will spend the remainder of her days in the company’s pastures at Sarasota, Fla., headquarters. BOOZE SUSPECTS FLEE Two Alleged Rum Runners Elude. Police Squad in Chase. Two alleged booze runners, one armed with a rifle, escaped from a police squad today after an automobile chase over west side streets, during which the officers fired one shot. The radio patrol squad, in charge of Sergeant Arthur Hueber. sighted the men in a light coupe near Belmont avenue and West Michigan street. After a pursuit at high speed the squad lost their quarry at Fourteenth and Mount streets. License number of the coupe was obtained by; officers.

LIBBY HAS STRIKING CAST

Colorful Figures in Murder Trial

Central figure in a real life-and-death drama of love and mystery is Libby Holman Reynolds (above), glamorous and petulant torch singer. At top are four other members of the strange cast. Left to right: Carlisle Higgins, in charge of the prosecution; Alfred Holman, father of Mrs. Reynolds, who is assisting in her defense; Judge A. M. Stack, who will preside at the trial; Sheriff Transou Scott, who secured the evidence on which she was indicted.

BY GILBERT SWAIN NEA Service Writer WINSTON-SALEM, Aug. 11.— The quiet-mannered, hospitable, untheatrical Blue Ridge foothill folk well may challenge Broadway to provide a better supporting cast of characters for the mystery drama in which Libby Holman, throaty chanteuse of melancholy ballads, is starred. Assembling this dramatic personae of the Smit h Reynolds death inquiry, you’ll find, in order of their appearance; Transou Scott, sheriff. The j name Transou, uncommon as it j may seem elsewhere, appears frequently in the phone books and directories hereabouts. The Scotts have been up to their necks in politics hereabouts these many j years. Sheriff Scott hails from Pfafftown, a German colony sprung up in the Moravian settlement. The Moravian settlement is that historic area which established Salem, later to become hyphenated into Winston-Salem when tobacco interests intruded civic government upon a people who were religiously and socially above jails and courts and the like. Scott's grandfather was a Socialist candidate for Governor some twenty-five years ago. Scott himself had held several government jobs. The story goes that he opposed a candidate for sheriff who was supported by the Reynolds interests. It requires but a few r hours in this community to determine that such opposition plays no part in the current case. This is a direct, truth-seeking sector. The people hereabouts are not pointing any accusing fingers. They are asking: What really happened that night? They will accept the verdict of the facts when they are all revealed. a u a CHIEF of the prosecution is Carlisle Higgins, solicitor. Higgins hails from the "Lost Province,” a colorful epithet applied to a sector of the Alleghenies where the world has been admitted only during the last fifteen or twenty years. < His home is a hundred miles away from the scene of his activities. Higgins has traveled far—both in space and achievement. He is a "mountain man" who has made his way in the local legal world. Next comes the judge—Judge A. M. Stack. They'll tell you hereabouts that the lawyers view him as the most "hard-boiled" of the jurists. He is tall. Still wears choker collars about two inches above the Adam's apple, with a small halfinch bow tie. He has a bristly mustache. Each morning, when the sixcounty circuit brings him to this town, he arrives with his wife. Their attachment has become a town legend. With one hand on his cane and the other holding her arm, he leads her into the courtroom. There, despite her position as the wife of the presiding judge, she sits in the chair of the court stenographer and scribbles fiotes. It is her pastime to function as notationist, although there is no necessity. W T hen court adjourns they leave, arm in arm. tt it u IN the many years during which he has presided, as many legends have sprung up concerning his kindliness as his severity. Negro offenders are in preponderance. It is recorded that he deals with them in Solomonic fashion; tempering the sentence according to the offense. During a disturbance involving Communists in a neighboring mill town the prosecution held that

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Communists were per se atheists, and hence could not take a witness' Biblical oath. Judge Stack held that a man's oath held good, atheist or no. For the defense is Benet Polikoff, who arrived from Aiken, S. C.. some seven years ago. and William Graves, who is the Clarence Darrow of criminal trials in these parts. Not overlooking, o* course, the father, Alfred Holman, as chief of defense for his own daughter—there is drama. Holman w r as not a criminal lawyer. His practice in Cincinnati was connected largely with brokerage deals. The histrionics of Libby may be traced to the father—a slender, emotional man who does not reveal his 65 years. Seemingly gentle, he is given to hasty outbreaks of emotion, during which he upbraids and praises in turn. The mother is described as a chatty, friendly individual, en-

Radio Dial Twisters

WFBM (1200) Indianapolis Indianapolis Power and light Comoanr THURSDAY P. M. s:3o—Skippy. s:4s—Records. 6:oo—Edwin C. Hill (CBS>. 6:ls—Abe Lyman's band (CBS'. 6:3o—Midsummer Nights (CBS). 6:4s—Joe Palooka (CBS). 7:oo—Columbians (CBSi. 7:ls—Mills Brothers (CBSi. 7:3o—Bohemians. B,oo—Music That Satisfies (CBS). B:ls—Fast Freight (CBS). B:3o—President Hoover speech or acceptance (CBSi. 9:oo—Entertainers. 9:ls—Bohemians. 9:3o—Olympic summaries iCBSc 9 45—Columbia symphony (CBS' 10:00—Noble Sissle orchestra (CBS). 10:30—The Columnist. 10:45—Dancing by the Sea (CBS). 11:00—Sign off.

Fishing the Air

Ward Wilson will impersonate Pat Barnes and his One Man show during the Royal Vagabonds program Thursday at 5:15 p. m.. over WENR and an NBC network. Gene Austin, the American tenor, shows favoritism in his song “I’m Coming, Virginia," heard during the program Thursday, at 5:45 p. m.. over WLW and an NBC network. , An Irish-Scottish program will be offered by the band of Edwin Franko Goldman Thursday, at 6:30 p. m., over WLW and an NBC network.

HIGH SPOTS OF THURSDAY NIGHT PROGRAM s:4s—Columbia—Georgie Price and Kreugers orchestra. 6:OO—NBC (WE AF) —V allee's orchestra. 6:30 —NEC iWJZ) —Goldman band-Irish-Scotch program. 7:ls—Columbia —The Mills Brothers. 7:30 —Columbia—Love Story hourdrama. NBC (WJZ) Real FolksThompkins Coroner. 8 00—Columbia —Boswell Sisters and Shilkret's orchestra. NBC iWEAF) Walter Winchell. 9:OO—NBC CWEAFI Paul Whiteman and orchestra. 9:15 —NBC WJZi —Cesare Sodero and concert orchestra. 9:3o—Columbia—Columbia symphony.

lr Sate of PERMANENT WAVES Twe wares fop the price of m plue only le. Briny a friend sad diride the cost. Hollywood "Push- a. *P" Wave $0.50 t Have* only $2.51 f Alretta Marie S Famous Paris wSS-y.'tt.Ol El”* 53.01 Onr Popular m Standard Wave $ 1 : |0 Hot Specially Priced. 25e--FIMGER WAYE-~-2Se~ permanent FVwe LI. PT3S ,WKr

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIME?

gaged in the affairs of women’s clubs and popular socially. tt it tt AMONG the witnesses, J. R. Shepherd is something of this town's, dilettante, His art shop is decorated with one of those “come in and browse" signs. His family stem runs far back in town history. Had young Reynolds lived, Shepherd would have had the job of furnishing the period chairs and tables. He provided many of the luxurious appointments of the local Reynolds castle. He was. it is said, the last man to leave the party. Every one knows "Uncle Jim Dunn,” garrulous uncle of the dead youth. He is one of the city’s fixtures and occupies an estate adjoining the Reynolds kingdom. There are less colorful others —but, altogether a worthy cast to appear with Miss Holman in her forthcoming trial.

.-v rv< {1400) Indianapolis (Indianapolis Broadcasting. Ine.) THURSDAY P M. 4:3o—Tea time tunes. 4:3s—Legislative analysis. 4:oo—News flashes. s:oo—Harry Bason. s:ls—Vaughn Cornish. s:3o—Dinner melodies. 6:oo—Cecil and Sally. 6:2o—Baseball score*. 6:3o—Announced. 6:4s—Dinner dance. 7:oo—Harry Bason. 7:ls—Sport's spotlight. 7:3o—Russ-Dol-Ray trio. 7:4s—Golden melodies. B:oo—Orchestra. B:ls—The Hoofers. B:3o—Sam. the Accordian man. B:4s—Worthless talk. 9:00—Old gang of mine. 9:ls—The Jewel Box. 9:3o—Among the classics. 9:4s—Harry Bason. 10:00—The Merrymen. 10:30—Sign off. WLW (700) Cincinnati THURSDAY P. M. 4:oo—Ted Black’s orchestra (NBC). 4:2s—Talk by John B. Kennedy (NEC). 4:30—01d Sengs of Church (NBC). 4:4s—Lowell Thomas (NBC). s:oo—Amos ’n’ Andv (NBC). 5:15—0. M. I. talk'. s:2o—Josef Chern'avsky dance orchestra. 5:30—80b Newhall. s:4s—Southern singers. 6:00—Blue Moments. 6:ls—Rin-Tin-Tin Thriller (NBC). 6:3o—Goldman band (NBCi. 7:oo—Review.7:ls—Walter Esberger's band. 7:3o—Real Folks (NBC). B:oo—The Tylers On Tour. B:3o—Bands of Distinction. B:4s—Walter Esberger's band. 9:oo—Bryant's Showboat. 9:3o—Threesome and organ. 9:4s—Headlines of Yesterday. 10:00—Los Amigos. 10:30—Benny Kyte's orchestra (NBC'. 11:00—Moon river. * 11:30—Duke Ellington's dance orchestra. 12:00 Midnight—Sign off.

HsttlaU&apk /ennajettick\ I SHOES FOR WOMEN 1 • While theu last ' I Store Clows—s:3o P M. Pr/ii?rlf*| saturdar ~ €:30 p ' M ' f 18-20 E. Wash. St.

NATION AWAITS HOOVER VERSION ON DIG ISSUES / President .to Accept G. 0. P. Nomination; No Replica of 1928 Scene. (Continued from rage One)

must be solved if we are to bring prosperity and contentment to onethird of our people directly and to all of our people indirectly.” Tonight he is expected to discuss the present farm distress, the activities of the $500,000,000 farm board he had created, and kindred farm problems, now more severe than four years ago. Four years ago. Hoover said: "We have pledged ourselves to make such revisions in the tariff laws as may be necessary to provide real protection against the shifting of economic tides in our various industries.” Tonight, he is expected to comment on the Hawley-Smoot tariff, which revised upwards several hundred rates; and the international demand for reduction of tariff walls to stimulate International trading again. Four years ago, he said: "I do not favor repeal of the eighteenth amendment. I stand for the efficient enforcement of the la’vsienactea thereunder. Our country deliberately has undertaken a great social and economic experiment, noble in motive and far-reaching in purpose. It must be worked out constructively.” Tonight, he is expected to announce his attitude on his party s straddling proposal for submission of a dry law revision plan. What He Has Done These excerpts give only a partial picture of what has occurred during the last four years, between that August in Palo Alto and this August in Washington. Hoover appointed the Wickersham commission, a majority of which declared for modification or repeal of prohibition. He appointed two unemployed commissions. His secretary of state acted quickly in at least two instances to bring peace between warring countries. His administration has shunned the recognition of Russia. He modified the democratic War Finance Corporation, and had congress create the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to help banks and business. Out of lengthy and acrimonious controversy grew the act intended to relieve unemployment, just now being administered. Hoover recommended, and got, the home loan bank system, together with a provision which permitted limited currency inflation. Got Some Economy He took a strong stand for wage maintenance, which stood until such large corporations as United States Steel cut wages, to be followed by the railroads and numerous other smaller employers—and the government. He fought vigorously and successfully against payment of the soldiers’ cash bonus, he demanded governmental economy, and over the protests of some of his cabineet officers. got a little. Circumstances forced an increase in federal taxation, and he spoke personally to the senate asking a sales tax, which it and the house refused to approve. He improved 'the administration of the Indian bureau, he helped arrange the German moratorium, he has promised to take the troops out of Nicaragua, and he called out the army to disperse the bonus army in Washington and burn its huts. Two Injured in Auto Crash Chest injuries were incurred by a man and wife Wednesday night When a truck in which they were riding collided with an automobile at Twenty-fourth and Delaware streets. The injured are Dr>d Yassenoff, 67, and his wife, 59, of 337 Sanders street. Driver of the automobile was Max Emmrick, 419 North Linwood avenue. In Rome it is possible to arrest a person on suspicion, and the arrested man has to prove his innocence.

Effort to Free ‘Steve’ Is Thwarted in House

Representatives Secretly Term Measure Move to Get Klan Boss Out. Enactment of a law which, it was reported, would have pa%-ed way for release on bail of D. C. Stephenson, former Ku-Klux Klan grand dragon. in his legal fight to escape life imprisonment, was blocked today by the house of representatives. Although Stephenson’s name did not figure in debate lasting nearly two hours, several members of the house were reported as secretlybranding the bill as a measure to gain release for the former Klaa official. The proposed bill would have denied courts the right of discretion in passing on appeals for bail, making release of convicted prisoners man- j datory on providing of acceptable bond. Vote Is 66 to 23 By a vote of 66 to 23 the measure was postponed indefinitely. Voting against passage, Representative John B. Kuespert (Dem.), South Bend police chief, declared: “I will resign office tomorrow if this becomes a law.” * “This bill would open doors of all the prisons and turn thousands of criminals loose on society," he asse.’ted. School teachers and others on public pay rolls who are making SBOO a year will not have their salary cut under the amended salary reduction measure passed by the senate today. But should they make SBOI a year they will be reduced to $744.93. This queer quirk was written into the bill w-hen it was on second reading in the senate today. Afterward the rules were suspended and the bill passed by a vote of 40 to 3. Ncjdl Puts Over Amendment Senator James J. Nejdl (Rcp.L j Whiting, put over a successful amendment which would retain the SBOO minimum salary for school teachers, as approved by the senate in a previous bill. The flat 5 per cent cut, provided in the bill as revamped in the senate to include the Hoffman formula for reduction, will not apply to that group. But as soon as SBOI is reached, the | 5 per cent flat cut and formula both : apply. Another amendment, which j would have put the two universities ; and normal schools under the bill’s ; provisions, w-as voted down. FRED MERZJS DEAD Official of Home Building and Loan Association. A week’s illness resulted in the death Wednesday of Fred Merz, 56. i of 4555 Guilford avenue, vice-presi-dent of the Home Building and Loan Association, in St. Vincent’s hospital. He was a member of Prather lodge, F. & A. M., Scottish Rite, Shrine. Germania lodge, I. O. O. F., Schweitzer Bund, the Academy of Music, and the Christian Science church. Funeral services will be held at 2 Friday in Flanner & Buchanan mortuary. Burial will be in Crown Hill cemetery. PLAN FOR AIR DERBY; Pilots in National Race Will Be Greeted Here. Arrangements for arrival of planes and reception of pilots taking part in the 1932 National Air Derby, which will land at Municipal airport at 12:30, Aug. 26. are being completed by Charles E. Cox. j airport superintendent, and W. V. Terry, superintendent of the "block- , aid” plan of the southside poor re- j lief. Proceeds of ticket sales for the step here will be used to establish a babies’ milk fund. Tickets are being sold by workers of the poor relief organization.

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Cop Logic By ( niffd Prrtn NEW YORK. Aug. 11.—A secretary of state is a secretary of state, nothing more, nothing less, tp New York police. A sergeant in charge of an escort detail called State Secretary Edward J. Flynn at the Biltmore Democratic headquarters. "Your escort is ready.” "But I’m not going anywhere.” Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt gave the sergeant an idea. "You must want State Secretary Henry L. Stimson —of the United States. He's also stopping at this hotel ” And Stimson it was.

PROWLER IS SHOT Negro Is Arrested, Charged With Vagrancy. Bullet wound in the left leg was suffered early today by James Gregory, Negro, 2430 Columbia avenue, when one of five shots fired in an apartment building at 2152 North Meridian street found its mark. Police who followed a trail of blood arrested Gregory. The shots were fired from a revolver in the hands of Elbert Hunter. 28, Negro, custodian of the building, 'who he found Gregory prowling near a stairway leading to the basement. Gregory is charged w’ith vagrancy and entering a house to commit a felony. DRY AGENTS ARREST 11 Federal Raiders Stage Series of Attacks in Dubois County. Federal dry agents under John W. Morrill, deputy dry administrator, arested eleven persons in a series of raids in Dubois county Wednesday. Six-stills ranging from ten to sixty gallons capacity, ninety-four gallons of whisky, seventeen gallons of wine and a small quantity of home brew were confiscated. Defendants were to be arraigned in city court at Huntingburg and before a United States commissioner at Evansville.

Around the Corner by Gene Carr

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PAGE 7

DEATH WRECKS PARENTS' HOPES FOR SLAIN GIRL Mother Sobs as She Tells of Plans Cherished for Daughter. (Continued from Page One! arrest, charged with shooting of Margaret, Mrs. Byers showed no interest. "Oh, I don’t care. Nothing anybody can do will bring her back,** she said. Three brothers and a younger sister survive her. William and Charles. 20 and 18, respectively, are employed at St. Vincent’s hospital. Joseph, 13. and Katherine, 11, attend school in West Newton. The body of the girl was taken to an undertaking establishment in West Newton. Funeral services will be held at 2 Saturday afternoon in the West Newton Methodist church. Burial will be in the West Newton cemetery. Left Orphan at 12 Kenneth has been making hia home with George Kelly, R. R. 18, Box 610, located on Thirty-eighth street, a half mile west of the High school road. Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Mendenhall, who live west of West Newton, took the boy into their home when he was 12. at the death of his father and mother, who died two weeks apart. A younger sister of Kenneth's Mary, 14. is living in Martinsville. A brother Floyd, 18, makes his home with Charles Bain in Valley Mills. Lad Steady, Reliable "Kenneth lived with us and we sent him to West Newton high school," Mendenhall said. "About two years ago, he decided to quit school and go to work. He wanted to earn money to support his little sister, Mary, and he told us many times of his plan to have her come and live with him in the home he would provide.” Hard working, steady and reliable. Kenneth earned the reputation among the neighbors of being a "good boy.” He frequently came to visit the Mendenhalls from the Kelly farm. It was in the West Newton high school that he met Margaret, and began escorting her to parties and dances.