Indianapolis Times, Volume 45, Number 52, Indianapolis, Marion County, 11 July 1933 — Page 1

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‘FREE VERY SICK MAN’ IS PLEA TO BANKER CAPTORS Wealthy, Long if Kept From Medical Care, Is Warning of Son. WIFE, 75, INJURED BY ABDUCTORS Young Woman and Two Men Invade Home While Couple Are Listening to Radio and Take Prisoner After Short Fight. THREE PROMINENT, wealthy men were held for ransom today. SENATOR ROYAL S. COPELAND and other government officials blamed the abductions on the drift of gangsters from prohibition rackets to “snatching " DEATH WAS THREATENED to John J. O'Connell Jr.. 24-year-old nephew of powerful New York political bosses, if $250,000 ransom is not paid. AI (it ST LITER, 77, president of an Alton (111.) bank, was abducted from his home Monday night, but no word has been received from the kidnapers. JOHN (JAKE JTIIE BARBER) FACTOR has been held for more than a week with no authentic word from his captors. 111 1 1 ni.nl Press ALTON, 111., July 11.—An appeal to the kidnapers of August Luer, 77, wealthy hanker and meat packer, either to return him or make known their ransom demands, was made today by Carl Luer, his son. “My father has been suffering from angina pectoris for a long time. He is a very sick man. I fear he will not survive long if kept from medical attention,” said an appeal broadcast through the press by the son. Luer’s physician and 75-year-old wife, confirmed the son’s statement that Luer is ill and might not survive a heart attack.

Both young Luer and police ; said today no word had been j received from the abductors of the banker. The son said he was anxious to make immediate contact with the kidnapers and urged them to get in touch with him at once. Woman Aids Kidnapers Mrs. Luer was confined to a hos-! pital today suffering from head' wounds inflicted by the kidnapers, when she sought to aid her hus- j band. She sustained a deep scalp | wound and a possible fractured skull j Two men and a young woman dragged Luer rrom his home Monday night despite efforts of his wife j to fight them off. Police said Luer, who is president | the Alton Bank and Trust Company, and owner of the Luer Meat j Packing Company, received a threat- j fning letter demanding $5,000 about fifteen months ago, but none recently. Phone Wires Are Cut A witness to the abduction fur- | nished police with their only clew. He described the kidnapers’ auto- j mobile as a black Pontiac sedan j bearing 1933 Illinois license plates, J the first numbers of which were 288. ; He failed to obtain the last three j numbers. Luer and his wife were listening I to their radio shortly after 9 p. m. j when a man and a young woman, | both well dressed, rang the doorbell. j Mrs. Luer answered and the woman inquired if Henry Busse, a neigh- j bor, lived there. She then asked if j she might use the telephone, and j was invited inside. The young woman immediately went to the telephone and cut the wires. Her companion seized the! banker by the shoulders and dragged; him out of his chair. Comes to Husband's Aid Mrs. Luer screamed and came to j her husband's aid. A second man j then appeared and grabbed the ag?d woman. He flung her across the room with such force that a gash | was cut in her head when she j struck the mantelpiece. With blood flowing from the wound she again attacked the men and was knocked down. She followed as the men dragged Luer by his arms across the lawn to an automobile parked in the driveway. Crying "Carl, they’ve stolen papa!’’ she ran across the street to the home of their son. Carl Luer. Fails in Pursuit by Auto Young Luer ran from the house in time to see the automobile back from the driveway and speed down the street. Kidnapers “Contacted' Fii t niteil /'I tan ALBANY. N. Y„ July 11.—Kidnapers holding John J. O'Connell Jr., 24, nephew of the bosses of the powerful OConneil Democratic machine. were believed early today to have re-established contact with the harassed O'Connell family. Jack Murphy, an O'Connell poi Turn to Page Five) Times Index Book-A-Day 14 Bridge 9 Broun Column 6 Classified 14 Comics 15 Crossword Puzzle 11 Curious World .. 15 Dietz on Science 14 Editorial 6 Financial 13 Fishing 9 Hickman Theater Reviews 9 Lippmann Column 13 Medical Triumphs—A Series 4 Obituaries 3 Radio 14 Serial Btory 15 Sports 12 Talburt Cartoon 6 Vital Statistics 13 Woman's Pages 8, 9

The Indianapolis Times

VOLUME 45—NUMBER 52

ROAD CHIEFS TO BAR TRUCKERS Permits Must Be Obtained, Is Warning Issued by State Board. Thousands of truckmen, now doing contract hauling, will be ordered off the road after July 19, unless they file immediately for operator permits from the public service commission. This warning was issue at the statehouse today, when representatives of contract haulers assembled for an informal conference. It was pointed out that only about 150 of the between 10,000 and 15,000 contract haulers have filed for permits under the 1933 law. The new statute requires that all contract truckmen, operating when the law was passed, register with the commission before July 19. They then are given a commission permit, pending further hearing. Russell Kelioe, head of the bus and truck division of the commission. stated today that every effort will be made to enforce the law. He admitted that difficulties will be faced in the fact that no record of truckers engaged in contract hauling is available, nor will be until the next annual licenses are issued. Frank Finney, chief of the license bureau, will co-operate with the commission in enforcement. GIRL GETS 180 DAYS ON LARCENY COUNT Bad Check Charge Dropped; Pleads Guilty. Mrs. Dorothy Brown Jenr.er. 21. who asserts she is a former Purdue university student, today was fined $1 and costs and sentenced to 180 days at the Indiana women's prison on a plea of guilty in municipal court four to a larceny charge, Mrs. Jenner was charged with issuing fraudulent checks, but the charge was changed. She obtained $lO, evidence disclosed, by giving a $757 check to an auto firm for a car. later returning it. Truman Lamar. 29, Rural Route 12. auto salesman, arrested in connection with her case, pleaded not guilty to the same charge, but was convicted and fined $1 and costs and given a sixty-day sentence.

Arthur Chevrolet Attack Case Verdict Withheld

Case of Arthur Chevrolet. 2909 East Riverside drive, prominent automobile manufacturer, charged with assault and battery on an elderly woman, was taken under advisement today after trial in municipal court three before Judge Dewey F. Myers. Chevrolet was charged by Fred Frei.ie. 20. and his mother. Mrs. Rebecca Freije. 4102 Cornelius avenue, with striking them with a wire after their autos collided on North Meridian street. Young Freije. his mother and his sister. Lucille Freije. 17, all charged Chevrolet with beating the youth and woman. Chevrolet defended himself with h - * wire, he said, when Frei’~ came M him w th a barcbp'l bat. C ltvrclet denied striking Mrs. Freije, but

Fair tonight; Wednesday, increasing cloudiness and somewhat warmer, becoming unsettled by night.

RAILWAY LINES IN CITY SHOW BUSINESS GAIN Freight Shipment Increases Range From 20 to 45 Per Cent. MORE MEN AT WORK Hours of Labor Also Are on Upgrade; Fair Booms Passenger Trade. Increase in railroad business out of Indianapolis of from 20 to 45 per cent was reported today by the passenger and freight offices of various lines. The largest gain in freight business was noted by the Baltimore & Ohio, which showed an estimated increase of 45 per cent in freight, also a 20 per cent gain in passenger business. Figures w'ere based on the business of June, 1932, as compared with that of June of this year. M. V. Hynes, superintendent, reported the same trend in the first part of July. He estimated that July's business will show a gain over that of j June of this year. Hynes credits the increase in pas- ! senger business to the Century of Progress exposition in Chicago. A like increase in passenger business, due to the fair, is noted by J. P. Ridgely, superintendent of the Pennsylvania railroad. More Men at Work Extra cars and entire extra sections have been run by the Pennsylvania to take care of the increase in passenger business between Indianapolis and Chicago. In the freight division of the Pennsylvania an increase of 25 per cent for June, 1933 over June, 1932, is noted, according to Ridgely. A slight decrease in the shipping of coal has been made up in the movement of higher class freight, he said. Increase in working hours and hiring of additional men have resulted from the increase in both passenger and freight business, Ridgely says. The Chesapeake & Ohio railroad has had an increase for June, as compared to last year, of 41 per cent. All general commodities show an increase, according to Frank Z. Sims, general agent. Freight Business Gains Freight increases amounting to 20 I per cent are noted at the offices of j the Big Four railroad, out of IndiI anapolis. Passenger service to the west has shown a decrease, according to the offices of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad, due, it is believed. to the increase in travel to j Chicago for the fair. No service is available on this railroad from Indianapolis to Chicago. Freight shows an increase | amounting to 11 per cent, covering all general commodities, with the ex- ! oeption of automobiles and stone. ; Canned goods, glass, iron and steel, i and other freight commodities show ! a steady increase. In spite of the slight decrease in travel to the west, the passenger business compares favorably with that of last year. A substantial increase in freight, and a slight increase in passenger business, has been noted by the offices of the Erie railroad. Other Lines Benefited The L. & N. railroad reports a 25 per cent increase in freight traffic over last year, according to figures made available at the commercial agent’s office today. Automobiles are moving slowly to the south, but a general increase in other conimodities has been noted. May showed a greater per cent of increase than June. S. L. Wehrung. division freight agent, of the Chicago. Indianapolis & Louisville railroad, reports an increase has been noted in passenger service. U. S. WARNS KENTUCKY POOR AID ENDS AUG. 15 Federal Relief Administrator Urges Specail Legislative Session. , B/i l nitcd Press WASHINGTON. July 11.—Federal i Relief Administrator Harry L. Hopkins today warned Governor Ruby ; Laffoon of Kentucky that the gov- | ernment would not finance relief in . that state beyond Aug. 15. Hopkins urged the executive to summon an immediate special legislature session to provide funds to care for the destitute.

said he did slap Freije with his right hand while holding off the bat with his left. This latter testimony about the bat was corroborated by Louis Schneider, well-known local race driver, who was passing the scene of the altercation Chevrolet charged the Freijes were driving north on Meridian street at a rate of ten or twelve miles an hour, using the middle traffic lane, and refused u let him pass, laughing at him through the rear window of their car and making derisive gestures. He said his car struck the bumper of the Freije car lightly at the Thirty-second and Meridian streets stop light when the Freije car was halted suddenly. Myers withheld judgment until Aug. 9.

INDIANAPOLIS, TUESDAY, JULY 11, 1933

UNIVERSAL 35-HOUR WORK WEEK MAY BE ORDERED BY ROOSEVELT

Couzens Touted as Next Secretary of Treasury

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Michigan Senator Reported Under Consideration as Woodin’s Successor. By Times Special WASHINGTON. July 11.—Senator James Couzens (Rep., Mich.) may be the next secretary of the treasury in the Roosevelt cabinet. This report gained greater credence today, with revival of rumors that William H. Woodin would resign as treasury head within the next three months. Intimation that Woodin would quit office as result of the clamor aroused when he was revealed as one of the beneficiaries of tile Hcsuse of Morgan in stock deals is gaining ground. Woodin has been absent from the capital for three weeks, undergoing treatment in New York for a throat infection. Couzens now is in London as a member of the American delegation to the world economic conference. BREAD PRICE BOOSTS TO BEJJ, S, TARGET Government to Aid in War Against Profiteers. By United Press WASHINGTON. July 11.—Bread profiteers were found in many cities of the country in the preliminary examination conducted by the agricultural adjustment administration, Frederick C. Howe, consumers’ counsel of the administration, announced today. "Examination of bread price advances throughout the country shows that they range from 1 to 4 cents on the pound loaf. The latter figure is an extreme example of unjustifiable increase,” Howe said. Howe promised that every effort will be made to check food price advances when unjustified by cost factors. Agriculture Secretary Henry Wallace, meantime, telegraphed the mayors of forty-nine cities in twen-ty-five states promising vhe use of government power to prevent unwarranted bread price increases. The message was sent to mayor of Terre Haute and North Vernon, Ind. BARRELS ARE STYLISH Lad's Clothes Stolen While He Swims; He Got Home Some Way. Police failed to report today how Gilbert Heck. 11, of 262 South Summit street, got home after his blue overalls and white shirt were stolen from a free locker while he was swimming Monday in the Willard park pool.

First Aid Do you know what to do when an accident or other emergency occurs in tne home? Prompt action on your part may save a life. You'll find valuable suggestions in a series of articles on “First Aid for the Home” By Dr. Morris Fishbein Starting on The Times Editorial Page Today

Senator Janies Couzens

RAIL WORKERS AGREE ON PAY i • t ' Present Scale of Wages to Be in Effect Until June, 1934. Bit Vnitrd Press CLEVELAND, July 11.—Organizations representing ail railroad employes have agreed to accept, for another year, the 10 per cent wage reduction now in effect. A. E. Whitney, chairman of the Railway Labor Executives Association, announced today. Under the wage agreement, reached by the railroads and the unions through the help of the federal government, the flat 10 per cent reduction will continue to June 30. 1934. The union accepted the agreement in return for abandonment of a proposal whereby the roads planned to make a further 12 per cent reduction. The agreement was accepted tentatively June 21 in Washington by the conference committee of managers, representing the railroads and the Railway Labor Executives’ Association. Following the meeting the agreement was submitted to the separate unions for confirmation. HURLS SELF TO DEATH Cripple, Awaiting Trial. Plunges Out Fourth Story Window. B.n Vnitrd Press CHICAGO. July 11.—Spectators in the courtroom of Chief Justice John Prystalski of the criminal court were horrified today to see William Henry. 22, a cripple awaiting arraignment on a stolen auto charge, suddenly drag himself' from his wheel chair, and plunge out a fourth story window to his death.

Man, Criticised for Undressing Without Drawing Blinds, Slays Three Neighbors

By United Press EAST ST. LOUIS. 111.. July 11.— Anthony Lutz, 60. who Monday night shot and killed three neighbors. who suggested he draw his window sha.des while undressing, was to be given a sanity hearing today. Victims of Lutz's frenzied attack were Mrs. Grace Welch. 25; her husband, Claude B. Welch, 45. a pipefitter, and Swope TallenL 25-year-old mechanic. Mrs. Welch was wounded mortally as she bent over her dying husband. Welch and Tallent were dead when taken to a hospital. Lutz was captured by a railroad watchman as he fled along a railroad track after the shooting, pursued by police. Lutz's neighbors said he had been in the habit of undressing without drawing the window shades, and that Tallent had complained to him. Lutz resented the complaint, and the two engaged in a fist fight from which neighbors separated them. Lutz returned to his house and emerged a few minutes later with a pistol. Tallent and his wife and Mr. and Mrs. Welch were standing in front of the Tallent home discussing the fight when Lutz approached. He fired two shots, both of which

SUPER-CABINET IS ORGANIZED BY ROOSEVELT Council Is Composed of Secretaries, Heads of Recovery Groups. 81l Vnitrd Brins WASHINGTON, July 11—Creation of a temporary super-cabinet to co-ordinate the administration battle against depression was ordered today by President Roosevelt who summoned his enlarged council to meet at 2 p. m. The administration termed the new organization a “temporary council.” It will include the President, all cabinet members and heads of various emergency organizations authorized to deal with depression problems. The super-cabinet will supplant the regular cabinet on one meeting day each week, it was announced at the White House. The setup is for the duration of the summer. Picks Executive Secretary “For the sake of brevity, it will be known as the council meeting,” the White House announcement said, “in order to provide orderly presentation of business and to coordinate inter-agency problems between various departments and agencies. “The President has asked Frank C. Walker to act as executive secretary of this temporary council.” Although the organization was described as a summer-time agency, questions elicited the further statement that it wolud continue to function “as long as necessary.” Meet in Executive Office Meetings wil ltake place in Mr. Roosevelt’s office. Tn addition to the President an dthe cabinet, the council will consist of: Budget Director Lewis W. Douglas, Cairman Jesse H. Jones of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Governor Henrx Morgenthau of the federal farm credit administration; the chairman of the Home Owners' Loan Corporation; Hugh S. Johnson, administrator of the industrial recovery act; Administrator George N. Peer of the agricultural adjustment organization; Federal Relief Administrator Harry L. Hopkins; Chairman Arthur E. Morgan of the Tennessee valley authority; Joseph Eastman, federal co-ordinator of transportation, and Director Robert Fechner of the civilian conservation corps. The public works administration, which is not represented among the new members, is under direct control of Interior Secretary Harold L. Ickes.

GERMANS MUST KEEP ORDER, HITLER EDICT Nazi Revolution Is Over, Decree of Chief. Bn Vnitrdtf’rrss BERLIN, July 11.—Chancellor Adolf Hitler advised all state governors and governments today that the Nazi “revolution” was over and that unauthorized interference with business or industry was strictly forbidden. Hitler told the authorities that henceforth they would be held responsible for maintenance of order and quiet in their realms. Hourly Temperatures 6a. m.' 68 10 a. m 79 7 a. n\. 70 11 a. m 81 Ba. m 74 12 (noon).. 81 9a. m 78 Ip. m 83

struck Tallent in the chest. He fired several shots at Mrs. Tallent as she fled into the house, but missed. Welch and his wife started to run down the street and Lutz followed, firing as he ran. Welch fell mortally wounded, and his wife was shot twice in the

The Times Will Expose State Farm Conditions He was beaten. Bread and water was his diet. He was handcuffed to bars. He was chained so he could not run away. HE is an inmate of the state penal faim at Putnamville, Ind. HE may have been ycur brother, father, sweetheart. HE was just in that state farm for a petty offense, a slip-up that might come in any one's life. But HE was treated with a brutality equaled only by that accorded murderers, the men chained in Georgia's prison camps. The Indianapolis Times, in an expose of conditions at the state farm, beginning Wednesday, will tell you how Hoosieriand treats her petty prisoners—the coal thief, the man without a job. The roadside vagrant will be shown crying for mercy from the cane of a guard. It will be shown how the lot of incorrigibles at the farm is one of curses, blows, and chains. Get Wednesday's copy of The Times and read the first of a series on how an institution for correction for petty offenders has a “hole" of hell, chains, and starvation.

Entered as Second-Class Matter at Postoffice. Indianapolis

Minimum Wage of sl4 for Male Workers to Govern All Industry Also Probable Proposal Under Plan to Spur Recovery. ALTERNATIVE TO DRASTIC ACTION Employers Not Agreeing to Schedule While Codes Are Being Drafted Will Be Required to Get Licenses. BY RUTH FINNEY Times Special Writer. WASHINGTON, July 11.—A universal thirty-five-hour work week with sl4 minimum wage for male workers to govern all industry, while codes of fair competition are being drawn, probably will be proposed to the country today or Wednesday by President Roosevelt. Industrial, labor, and consumer advisory groups, with officials of the industrial recovery administration, formulated this plan Monday night as an alternative to drastic action, under the recovery act, to force immediate submission of codes of fair competition. Within the last ten days hasty overproduction, unaccompanied by increased purchasing power, has threatened the success of the recovery program while industries lagged in submitting codes.

WORLD PARLEY IN LAST STAGES Delegates Confer on Agreed Subjects: End Seen in Two Weeks. Bil Vnitrd Press LONDON, July 11.—The world economic conference entered the final phase of its first efforts today, with the expectation of continuing another two weeks before a long adjournment, but in extremely skeletonized form. The conference has been spared from sudden death, but is being allowed to live only in a comatose state. The Anglo-American effort to get full continuation of the conference's work failed, except that they forced the gold standard nations to make one concession—discussion of cooperation between central banks, which in a way involves the gold standard. Silver and international debts also will be discussed as the conference melts into various committees for academic discussion of subjects not. considered generally objectionable. The outstanding possibilities for concrete achievements are for wheat and silver agreements, the subcommittee on timber already has adjourned until October. The conference itself is expected to adjourn the last week of this month. DEPOSITORS SEE HOPE “Morgenthau Plan” for Liquidations Extended to Illinois. By United Pres ft WASHINGTON, July 11.—Release of funds for depositors in closed banks in Illinois rural districts was promised today following announcement of the farm credit administration that the "Morgenthau plan" of Iquidating frozen farm mortgages had been extended to that state. FARM SLAYER IN PRISON One of Fourteen Mortgage Death Suspects Starts Life Term. Bn Vnitrd Prrss MICHIGAN CITY. Ind., July 11. —Otis Turner, one of fourteen men involved in the farm mortgage foreclosure slayings of Andy and Oral Reedy, Hymera, started serving a life sentence in state prison today.

stomach as she bent over him. She died four hours later. Lutz told police that Tallent struck him. "Then I go crazy,” he said. "I go back in house and get gun. I shoot—shoot everybody I can.” Lutz had been arrested previously on charges of shooting at children in the neighborhood.

HOME EDITION PRICE TWO CENTS Outside Marion County. 3 Cents

If employers do not agree to observe the 35-hour week and sl4 wage schedule while codes are formulated, present plans call for the fixing a deadline for submission of basic codes, after which time licensing powers conferred on the government by the recovery act would be used. Plans for the temporary schedule were formulated at an ail day and all night session of the industrial, labor and consumer advisory boards of the recovery administration After hours of dispute the 35-hour, sl4 plan was drafted by William Green and Leo Wolman for labor, Alfred P. Sloan and Gerard Swope for industry and Mrs. Mary H. Rumsey, chairman of the consumers’ board. Roosevelt May Act Today The plan will be submitted to President Roosevelt today. If he agrees, he probably will lay it before the country, asking for voluntary observance of the schedule and calling for public opinion to support it. The proposed ; schedule is calculated to give a swift boost to purchasing power throughout the country, even though it is to apply only to men workers during the preliminary period. The work week will be made flexible to permit forty hours work for a limited period in emergencies. To industries which believe a work week lo!*, than thirty-five hours is essential, the temporary schedule will offer powerful incentive for quick agreement on a code.

Fear Overproduction Peril For as fast as agreements are drawn for an industry and accepted by the President, the temporary schedule will be lifted. The cotton textile industry, which already has a code, will operate under its fortyhour and sl3 and sl2 minimum wage provisions. For weeks, coal, steel and oil industries, as well as other basic groups, have failed to reach code agreements acceptable to the administration. Meanwhile, production and buying have increased to an alarming ; extent which administration offi- ! cials fear will presage another eco- , nomic collapse. It fears, for instance, that all I possible purchasers of steel will be well stocked before a steel code is : drawn, and that when the industry | is ready to operate at last on an approved wage and hour basis it will be forced to close mills. Instead of taking on numbers of unem- | ployed men. Deadline to Be Fixed If the government is forced to use j its powers of coercion on lagging industries, the present plan of j campaign is somewhat as follows. A deadline will be fixed for all industries to submit codes. Those who have not complied at ! the fixed time will be given indivi- ! dual deadline in order of their importance. Those still not submitting codes ! at the time specified would be required to secure licenses from the government, and to operate under a ! code written by the government. Attempts to reach an agreement | in the bituminous coal industry have reached a point where Johnson ex- , pects to summon the various groups unable to agree among themselves for consideration of the codes already written. This probably will be done within the next few days, not under mandatory procedure, but on the basis of whatever code is supported by the largest percentage of the industry. Steel and oil codes have been submitted, but both have been returned as unsatisfactory. 400.000 TAX WRITS” OUT Blanks Are Issued to Indiana Residents from 500 Places. Nearly 400.000 gross receipts tax returns have been distributed from 500 places throughout the state, it was announced today by Collector Clarence Jackson. There were 340.000 individual return blanks distributed; 24.250 for partnerships and 34,645 others.