Indianapolis Times, Volume 44, Number 241, Indianapolis, Marion County, 16 February 1933 — Page 1

CERMAK’S WOUND MAY COSir LIFE

Roosevelt Unhurt in Miami Attack; 5 Others Shot

NATURAL GAS OFFER TO CITY TURNED DOWN Cincinnati Banking Firm’s Proposal Is Branded •Not Feasible.’ WITHDRAWAL FOLLOWS Door Left Open for New Proposition: Columbia Cos. Also Interested. Executive committee of the Cnlzrns Gas Company today informed Mayor Reginald Sullivan that the proposal of Westheimer <V, Cos. to bring natural gas to this city was “not feasible.” Very promptly the offer was withdrawn by the Cincinnati banking f.rm whose representatives had claimed that their offer would cut the cast to consumers more than $600,000 a year, and eventually return a greater profit for the company. In declaring against the offer, gas company officials at the same time left the door open to a revised offer or for any other offers that may be made. The proposal was based upon an understanding with receivers of the Missouri - Kansas Company, whose pipe lines now extend to the Terre Haute line. Columbia In Background For more than two years, proposals have been made from time to time to bring natural gas to this city, mix it with the manufactured gas, and provide a fuel of higher heat content. At all times the Columbia organization, which owns the gas companies in a large number of cities, including Cincinnati and Columbus, has been in the background, suggesting a readiness to bring in gas. When the Westheimer offer was made, officials of the Columbia came to this city, and, under introductions by former Governer James E. Goodrich, held conferences with city officials and directors of the gas company. They made no formal offer. Confer With City Advisers They returned to the city last week and spent considerable time with their advisers, just previous to the decision made by the executive committee. which is composed of Clarence Kirk, general manager; H. H. Hornbrook, and G. A. Efroymson. It was the claim of the representatives of Westheimer that the offer to Indianapolis was at a lower rate than is given to any other middlewest city by Columbia, and that the chance to get natural gas, if not accepted, would leave the city later exposed to higher rates. They pointed to charges made in Cincinnati and Columbus as evidence that their offer was particularly advantageous, made possible only by receivership of the pipe line company and probably not available If turned away at this time. For several months T. W. Wickham of Cincinnati and John Maxon of Muncie. representing the Cincinnati banking house, have studied the situation. They were emphatic In their assertion that the offer made would save the city large sums in fuel costs and would result in greater profits to the company when the city takes it over. Demanded by Industries Most of the other large cities of the nation, especially industrial cities, now use natural gas. It is being piped from the Texas fields to Denver. Minneapolis and Chicago. Local manufacturers for months have demanded that it be brought to this city, claiming that it would put factories on a better competitive level wth those of other cities. The Columbia system has had its eye on the local market, but never has made a definite offer. It has a pipe line, an extension of the same pipe line from which the gas was to be furnished under the Westheimer proj*osal. which runs to Muncie. Its lines pass through Marion county. W’hen constructed, the per(Turn to Page Four) TEMPERATURES ON RISE Rain or Snow Due Here Tonight. Is Bureau Forecast. Slightly higher temperatures here tonight will bring rain or snow, according to today's weather bureau forecast. Unsettled conditions will prevail through Friday with a mercury rise of about eight degrees, it was predicted. Temperature today was about six degrees higher than Wednesday, with 24 the lowest mercury reading Wednesday night. Weather in the west is unsettled and temperatures are rising, the bureau said. ORDER NIGHT SESSION House Adjourns at Noon; To Reconvene at 7. Taking a recess at noon, members of the house of representatives went into committee meetings and the hous will reconven at 7 tonight, the second night meeting in the cession.

The Indianapolis Times Mostly cloudy tonight and Friday with rain or snow Friday; slightly warmer tonight with lowest temperature about 30.

VOLUME 14 —NUMBER 241

Congressman Is Killed in 5-Story Fall Minnesota Republican Dies in Plunge From His Capital Hotel. flu I nilnl firs* WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.—Representative Godfrey G. Goodwin of Minnesota fell or jumped to his death today from a fifth-floor window of his hotel here. Goodw'in’s body was found by an employe of the hotel shortly before 8 a. m. Police estimated he had been dead about two hours. Goodwin, a Republican, had represented the Tenth Minnesota district in the house since 1325. Associates said Goodwin had been despondent in recent months. He was defeated in the last election and his term of service would have ended March 4. He w r as 60 years old. Modest and retiring, he was a hard-working member of the important house banking and currency committee. His body was found beneath a back window of the hotel acrass from the capitol where he had been living alone this winter. MANY MICHIGAN BANKS REOPEN Reconstruction of Financial Structure Progressing at Swift Pace. Ril I nihil Press DETROIT, Feb. 16. —Banks reopened all over Michigan today in the course of an eight-day gubernatorial moratorium. Reconstruction of the shaken financial structure of this farflung state progressed rapidly. William A. Comstock tarried in Detroit after a hurried trip from the state capital at Lansing to arrange for cashing R. F. C. relief checks. Michigan's bank holiday was not rescind 1, the Governor made it plain, but his allowance for the "common sense of bankers” resulted in quick recovery of normal banking conditions over most of the state. As Governor Comstock met men of affairs here today to detail his statement that a dictator for all banks is necessary to avert chaos, small city, village and hamlet banks reopened because of the faith of the common folk. All Detroit banks, with the exception of the Guardian Trust Company and its branches, reopened to do business up to 5 per cent of deposits. That action released $25,000.000 cash to the city's business. Some of the legislation that the Governor declared necessary for sane, healthy continuation of the financial equilibrium of Michigan was introduced at Lansing. WINCHESTER HOLDS SUSPECT IN MURDER Indianapolis Police on Way to View Man. lOthfr drtails on Tare 8) Bii Timm Special WINCHESTER, Ind.. Feb. 16. Hunt for slayers of Sergeant Lester E. Jones of the Indianapolis police force, turned to this tow T n today with arrest of Fred Miller, 30. as a suspect. Indianapolis police and witnesses to the shooting of the officer "'ere expected to arrive later today to view Miller, who is held in the Randolph county jail. ” Ed Corbin. 22. Winchester, arrested with Miller, was released. Muncie officers aided in the arrest of Miller. Hourly Temperatuers 6a. m 24 10 a. m 36 7a. m 25 11 a. m 39 Ba. m 28 12 moon'.. 42 9 a. m 32 1 p. m 44

Two Victims of Maniac's Bullets Battle for Lives I nitril Prct s* MIAMI. Fla.. Feb. 16.—'Those wounded in the attempt to assassinate President-Elect Roosevelt follow: Mayor Anton J. Cermak of Chicago—Bullet lodged between liver and kidneys. given an even chance to recover, with this statement from attending physicians: "Condition dangerous, but not immediately critical. Bullet evidently traversed diaphram. a margin of the liver, and lodged in the vicinity of the eleventh dorsal vertebrae. Surgical operation unwise unless condition becomes worse.’’ Mrs. Joseph H. Gill. Miami. Wife of the President of the Florida Power and Light Company—Shot in abdomen, condition critical. Emergency operation performed. "Bullet not found.” a physician's bulletin said, "wounds in stomach closed." William Sinnott. New York City—Shot in head. Wound superficial. Miss Margaret Kruis, Newark. N. J.—Slight body wound. Russell .Caldwell, Cocoanut Grove, Fla.—Flesh wound in forehead.

5,000 INDIANA FARMERS HERE FOR TAX PLEA ‘Reduce Levies or We Strike’ Is Threat Sounded to Legislature. JOINED BY REALTY MEN Throng Will Stage March to Statehouse This Afternoon. Carrying demands of “tax reduction or w T e strike,” about 5,000 Indiana farmers and real estate owners are in Indianapolis to march on Governor Paul V. McNutt and the legislature this afternoon. Arriving in motor cavalcades from all parts of the state, farmers bore petitions with about 75.000 signatures, asking substitution of sales, income, or intangible taxes for that now levied against real property. .The farmers were to be joined in the march at about 3 this afternoon by members of the Indianapolis Real Estate Board, following a joint conference of leaders in the Claypool. Before marching on the statehouse. delegates were to stage a meeting in the Claypool assembly room, where a committee will be named to formulate demands to be placed before McNutt and the legislators. Will Meet McNutt It was understood that McNutt personally would confer with representatives of both organizations and that both houses of the legislature are ready to hear the demands. Leaders of farm groups will be James R. Moore and William H. Settle of the Indiana Farm Bureau, while J. Harry Miles, Albert E. Uhl and Larry Holmes, officials of the Real Estate Board, will head columns of real estate owners. “McNutt and legislators will be told that farmers and real estate owners of the state will stage a tax strike unless they are relieved of the tax burden,” Settle declared. Joint meeting of leaders of both groups was held at noon in the Cl a y pot 1. “Demands of the marchers will be submitted in an orderly manner, without violence,” leaders of both groups declared. “This is not a demonstration of unemployment, but a demand of the real property owners of Indiana for tax relief.” Demand Sales Tax Prior to the meetings, county delegations milled about the statehouse corridors, talking with senators and representatives. Demands of the organizations are for levying of a sales tax. which it is contended will draw $30,000,000 of revenue annually, and enactment of intangible and income taxes. The intangibles tax, it is contended, would draw ? more revenue than the state's entire tanglible property now being taxed. The income tax alone would relieve the property tax situation, it was declared. KNIFED IN PRICE ROW Negro Argues Over Kerosene Cost, Slashes Station Man. Police Say. In an argument over the price of kerosene. Eugene Williamson, 25, of 1643 Roosevelt avenue, was cut Wednesday by Charles Parker, Negro. 32, 3011 East Twenty-seventh street. Williamson, an attendant in a filling station at 2022 Winter avenue, called police, who arrested Parker at his home. The cut was only a slight injury, police said. Parker was charged with assault and battery with intent to kill, drawing deadly weapons, drunkenness, and resisting an officer. In the Air Weather condition at 9 a. m.: South wind. 18 miles an hour; temperature, 31; barometric pressure, 30.15 at sea level; general condition. scattered clouds; ceiling, unlimited; visibility, 15 miles, "field, good.

INDIANAPOLIS, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1933

Bullet Checks Cermak at High Tide of His War on Chicago’s Gangsters

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Relentless Battle Against Thugs Has Made Windy City Chief Executive Bitterly Hated by Underworld Terror Czars. B*J United Press CHICAGO. Feb. 16.—The bullet which a would-be assassin fired into Mayor Anton J. Cermak’s chest at Miami. Fla., Wednesday night, felled the millionaire mayor at one of the busiest and most critical periods of his always busy life. It stopped him in the midst of a powerful drive against gangsters, a drive which he had carried on constantly, sometimes working all day and then going personally in the dead of night to lead his personal police squad in a raid on gang hideouts.

It stopped him also in the midst of a drive to bring Chicago back to her feet financially. That was a campaign which the fighting mayor himself sometimes called “heartbreaking.” Night and day since his inauguration two years ago, Cermak has been busy, pushing first one campaign and then another. He made frequent trips to Washington and New York to confer with other national Democratic leaders. Near Physical Breakdown Last year his powerful physical frame began to weaken under the relentless driving which he forced himself to undergo. A trip to Europe partially restored his health. Probably no mayor in the history of any American city faced a harder job than did Cermak two years ago. When he took office, the city was facing bankruptcy. Teachers were unpaid. The city had a reputation of being “gang ridden.” The great world's fair of 1933 was in prospect. Cermak tackled them all and in addition played an important part in bringing both national political conventions to Chicago last year. During the convention of his own party, he became recognized as one of the most powerful Democratic leaders in the country. Ruthless With Gangsters “Hie mayor's drive against gangsters was so ruthless, so bold, and so determined that all gangsters came to hate him. Recently, rumors became so widespread that they were plotting attempts upon his life that Cermak moved to a downtown hotel. Later he moved back to his home in his political stronghold. The shooting of Frank Nitti. leader of the old Capone gang, was an outstanding example of the determination with which the mayor fought criminals. Nitti was surprised in a loop office by police of Cermak's personal raiding and investigation squad. A fight started. Nitti was shot down. A few nights later another gangster was shot down by the same squad in another hotel. Foe of Prohibition Cermak has been a bitter foe of prohibition ever since the law was passed, but he was just as bitter an “.emy of the men who violated the dry laws. He wanted the eighteenth amendment repealed and liquor sold legally, but he had no use for the j powerful gangs which made millions in the sale of illegal liquor. His fight to carry the tremendous j load of fighting gangs, bankruptcy, and a hundred other problems all at 1 once almost wrecked his health. His present trip to Florida was as much to rest as to confer with political allies. DIRECTORS ARE ELECTED Hoosier A. C. Officers to Meet, Set Future Policies. Newly elected directors of the Hoosier Athletic Club will meet at 8 Friday night to formulate policies ; of the organization. Directors are H. J. Hampton. John L. Nicholson. Charles Bowes. Robert Owens. Walter Loritzen. John McGewan and William Shrive.

Mayor Anton J. Cermak

DALE WINS IN OUSTER FIGHT Council Had No Right to Order Removal, Holds Special Judge. Bn United Press MUNCIE. Ind.. Feb. 16.—The Muncie city council lost its fight to oust Mayor George R. Dale today, under a ruling by Judge John S. Lairy, Logansport. Sitting as a special judge appointed by Governor McNutt, Lairy held that the council had no right to remove Dale without bringing impeachment proceedings. Dale's office was declared vacant by the city council last September following his conviction in federal court on charges of conspiracy to violate the prohibition laws. He refused to give up the job pending a decision on his appeal to a federal circuit court of appeals in Chicago. Earl Everett, a member of the council, was appointed as his successor. But Dale, still controlling the police force, would not let Everett into his office. Council members took the case to Delaware superior court. Lairy was appointed special judge. The judge held today that the council had no authority to remove Dale without impeachment. The federal circuit court of appeals at Chicago is expected to rule on Dale's conviction within a short time. GARNER IS CONFIDENT Intends to Put Repeal Up to House Monday If Possible. Bn United Press WASHINGTON. Feb. 16.—Speaker John N. Garner said today that if the senate passed the prohibition repeal resolution today he would bring it up for action in the house Monday. He said he was confident it would be approved by the necessary two-thirds majority.

Teddy Roosevelt Target of Mad Gunman in 1912

Bv t'nited Prfs>i The last attempt to assassinate a presidential figuie before the attack upon Franklin D. Roosevelt Wednesday night, was in 1912. and a Roosevelt was the victim. Theodore Roosevelt, who already had been President for one complete term and part of another, was campaigning for the presidency on the Bull Moose ticket, when, on Oct. 14, 1912, he arrived in Milwaukee. Wis., to speak. He was stepping into an automobile to be driven from the Hotel Gilpatrick to the Milwaukee

HATE FOR RICH GIVEN BLAME FOR TRAGEDY Prisoner Foe of Kings and Those in Power Since Boyhood. STORY TOLD TO POLICE Sore Stomach Caused Him to Buy Gun for Deed at Park. By United Pres* MIAMI. Fla., Feb. 16.—Guiseppe Zangara, the 33-year-old bricklayer who shot at President-Elect Franklin D. Roosevelt, told this story of of his crime, police said: “I have hated Presidents and kings since I was a boy. I have always hated the rich and powerful. ‘‘l have a sore stomach, too, and that has made me hate. “When I read in the Miami newspapers that Roosevelt was coming to Miami, I bought with $8 a gun with which to kill him. “I got to the scene early, but the crowd was too big for me to get near the platform. ”1 meant to shoot him while he was talking, but the crowd was in the way and I am a short man. Blames Stomach Operation “I always have haied the rich and powerful. I hoped that I would have better luck this time than I did ten years ago in Italy when I bought a pistol to kill King Victor Emmanuel. The same thing blocked me in Italy as blocked me here. There was too big a crowd. “I guess I tried to kill Roosevelt because I have been troubled by a stomach operation. ‘‘l would not shoot a workingman or a policeman. It is the rich and powerful I hate. lam poor. I always have been poor. My people have been oppressed. Asa child I had to work hard in the fields, and when I was 16 I had to go to War. “I hated all my officers. I determined that some day I would do my share in wiping out every official and every rich man I could find. “Life has been very bad for me.” Lifetime of Hatred I was a little boy in school 1 began to hate very violently my richer schoolmates who had money to spend, and who had more privileges than I. ‘‘l am 33 years old, and was born in Calabria, Italy. ‘‘As I grew older, this hatred for the rich became more intense and ten years ago it reached a climax when I purchased a gun and determined to kill the king of Italy. As I told you before, this plan did not work. “I came to Miami from New York City, but I have also lived in Hackensack, N. J, ‘‘l thought it would do my stomach good to come here, but it seemed to be getting worse instead of better. The pain seemed to make my extreme hatred for the rich and for everybody in authority all the more intense.”

Appetizing! That's the proper word for The Times’ new food feature. It’ll appear in the food section every Friday. It’ll tell you about new dress for old standby dishes, tempting new dishes, entertaining ways of preparing smart plates from routine dishes, new table setups, linens, etc. Favorite concoctions of famous chefs, dainties liked by prominent people, and advice on almost every possible problem faced by the modern hostess will be included in this series. Watch for it every week. Read the first one Friday in the food section. It’ll tell you of chicken Louisiana, and it’ll make your mouth water when you read it.

auditorium when John Schrank of New York fired a shot at close range into Mr. Roosevelt's chest. The former President insisted on going to the auditorium and delivering his speech from a bloodsoaked manuscript, which had been penetrated by the bullet and had served to check the missile and prevent a more serious injury. Mr. Roosevelt was able to go to Chicago the same night, and after a rest resumed his campaign. Schrank was committed to an insane asylum where he still is.

EnterPil as Second Class Mailer at I’ostoffice. Indianapolis

CONDITION OF CHICAGO CHIEF STILL CRITICAL Apparently Crazed Gunman Stands on Chair to Fire at President-Elect Immediately After Speech to Vast Throng-. ASSAILANT AND ROOMMATE HELD Saved From Angry Crowd Who Shout ‘Lynch Him’; Wife of Utility Magnate Is One of Injured Bystanders. F‘l l nitril Press MIAMI Feh. 16.—A noon bulletin at the Jackson Memorial hospital announced Mayor Anton Cermak is “resting much easier. He has slept part of the morning.’’ His name was still carried on the danger list. The condition of Mrs. Joseph H. Gill was considered as extremely critical. She underwent one blood transfusion today and another probably will he required within a few hours. BY FREDERICK A. STORM United Tress Staff Correspondent MIAMI, Fla., Feb. 16.—President-Elect Franklin D. Roosevelt, saved from an assassin’s bullets by the heroism of a woman, departed for New York today, leaving behind him, dangerously wounded, his friend, Mayor Anton J. Cermak of Chicago. Mr. Roosevelt’s last act before leaving the scene of the most dramatic event of his career, was to visit the Jackson memorial hospital, and express words of comfort and hope to Cermak and four other wounded victims of Wednesday night’s attempted assassination. For five minutes he remained with the mayor, whose name is on the hospital's danger list, and then in turn visited Mrs. Joseph H. Gill, also desperately wounded, and Miss Margaret Kruis of Newark, N. J., William Sinnott of New York and Russell Caldwell of Florida, less seriously wounded. In the last hours of his stay in Miami, he learned of the courageous action of Mrs. W. F. Cross, wife of a Miami physician, who seized the would-be killer’s arm as he was pumping shots at the Roosevelt party, and deflected the bullets from their course.

The President-Elect escaped injury by the narrowest of margins. The assailant was a crazed Italian bricklayer from Hackensack, N. J. He rose in a crowd of thousands which had turned out to welcome the President-elect from a vacation trip and spatted bullets around the Roosevelt automobile. The assailant, Guiseppi Zangara, 33, and his roommate, Andra Valenti, were held safely by police after aroused Floridians had threatened violence. Sympathy Is Expressed As the President, wheeled softly through the corridors of the hospital, approached Mrs. Gill’s room, she was undergoing a blood transfusion. He stood .silently, a moment, at her bedside, and then turned away. Mrs. Gil, conscious and recognizing the presence of the Presidentelect, smiled weakly, in response to his murmured expression of sympathy and hope. The President-elect remained at the hospital until it was time for him to go to the train, which left Miami at 10:15 a. m. Police regulations, already drastic, were tightened as Mr. Roosevelt, surrounded by a swarm of secret service men and uniformed police, made his visit to the hospital. Even members of the Roosevelt party had difficulty in getting getting through the heavy lines. Several thousand Miami citizens and visitors gathered behind the ropes to cheer as he passed. Greeted by Patients There was an air of informality in the hospital from the moment Mr. Roosevelt passed up its palmfrinted walks, and extered the open door, where a large staff of resident physicians greeted him. Every patient able to leave his bed. or sit up. waved to the Presi-dent-Elect as he was wheeled along the corridor to the pavilion where Mayor Cermak was lying. As he reached the side of the mayor, Mr. Roosevelt looked down and smiled. “You look finee,” he said. “I hope you will be back on your feet soon—certainly in time for the inauguration.” Mr. Roosevelt arrived here aboard Vincent Astor's yacht, Nourmahal, at 7 p. m. Wednesday after a tenday ' ,r uise of southern waters, resting in preparation for the ardors of the presidency. Jovial, tanned, appearing fit in

HOME EDITION PRICE TWO CENTS Outside Marion County. 3 CenLa

every way, he received newspapermen to discuss his trip, and conferred briefly with intimate advisers. Thousands See Attack Then he left the yacht to accept the formal welcome of Miami officials and to drive in a motor parade to Bay Front park, at the end of Flagler street, the principal business thoroughfare of the city. A crowd of thousands waited there. Mr. Roosevelt spoke briefly from the rear of an open automobile. As he concluded and the crowd broke into cheers, Mr. Roosevelt leaned over and shook hands with Mayor Cermak, who was standing . on the running board of the car. Then the President-elect sat down abruptly—and at that moment six shots were fired! Events happened faster than the eye could record. From stories of witnesses pieced together later, it appeared that just as Mr. Roosevelt concluded speaking, Zangara, who had been standing, stooped, some thirty-five feet from Mr. Roosevelt’s car, suddenly straightened and pulled a pistol from his pocket. Assassin Stands L'pon Chair Mrs. W. F. Cross, standing next to him, saw the gun and tried to grasp it. Zangara stod upon a chair. Mrs. Cross leaped for his gun. Zangara fired. Mayor Cermak fell to his knees. A secret service man leaped to protect Mr. Roosevelt. The driver of the car, his presence of mind unshaken, slipped the machine into gear, and almost before the crowd realized what was happening, started away. Mr. Roosevelt waved his hand to show he was unhurt. He seemed calm. He did not know then that any one had been injured. Detectives and secret service men leaped upon Zangara as he stood with the still-hot gun in his hand. The crowd surged around. There were cries of “lynch him.” Officers surrounded Zangara. They led him to an automobile, and hurried to the Miami jail, two officers holding him upon the trunk rack of the car. Cancels Plan to Leave Mayor Cermak was lifted into Mr. Roosevelt’s car, which left at once. Mr. Roosevelt felt the Chicago mayor's pulse, and comforted him on the way to the hospital. The other injured were taken to the hospital in another car from the Roosevelt parade. From the hospital, Mr. Roosevelt was driven to the Florida East Coast (Turn to Page Two)