Indianapolis Times, Volume 45, Number 62, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 July 1933 Edition 02 — Page 3

JULY 22, 1933

MISMANAGEMENT, REIGN OF CRUELTY AND TERROR LAID TO PENAL FARM OFFICIALS Former Choir Singer Paints Appalling Picture of Life at Putnamville Institution for Petty Offenders. Ttm l the tenth nf a xnriex on renditions at the Indiana penal farm. BY ARC II STEINEI, Timti Mff Writer The rhurrh organ plays softly Voices hum out of the multi-colored stained windows. One baritone voice rubs like a smooth chamois on the restful windows. The windows change. They are barred. The scene is the Indiana state penal farm. Tiie baritone who sang for churches, took leads in cantatas, taught voice, changes to the crescendo of life. Violence!

He. Maurice Lucas, once a singer of I>ead, Kindly Light" in the churches of Connersvtile, marches with other men into the state farm mess hall. A matter of some checks issued against his bank account when no money was there changed the windows from the stained glass, with inscriptions of donors "In Memory of My Mother." to bars Behind those bars the choir singer saw. according to his affidavit to The Times, an old man stagger in thp line entering the farm s mess hall. "Old Man Struck,” He Says "One of the guards saw him. He grabbed hold nf his arm, jerked him out of line, cursed him. ‘I ll teach yfWi how to march straight!* "The old man shuddered A fist lashed out. The old man was spun against a brick wall. I turned to see what happened and the guard told me to go on and attend to my business, or the same thing would happen to me," relates Lucas, the baritone, in his affidavit to The Times. The old man went out to the penal yard, without hts dinner. Tplls of Violence The choir singer forgot the glassstained windows. But in an affidavit to The Times. Lucas, the former choir leader, tells of bickerings and quarrels between officials of the farm, tells of the farms violent life. Sentenced to the state farm from Richmond. Inri.. on a charge of issuing a check without funds. Lucas learned before bus release that the very crime he was charged with could be committed by the state of Indiana without fear of punishment or retribution, he says. "On one aeoasion,” he says verbally. "while I worked in the state farm office as a clerk, the guards and farm employes had to wait for money to be placed in the bank so that, their pay vouchers could be cashed ” On Lucas' entrance to the farm, around April 7, 1932, he was placed in the kitchen. Sanitation Called Bad "The sanitary conditions were not good in the kitchen. Half of the time men handling the food had dirty hands. Plenty of flips and roaches in the kitchen. The milk looked like blue water," his affidavit says. ' I got sick from eating some of the meat beef. I got ptomaine poisoning. I tried to get a runner to take me to the hospital, but the guard said. 'I haven't got time'.'’ "Finally they let me go to the hospital. Both and Gillespie ithe farm's doctor! were gone and so an inmate watted on me for three days. They said an outside doctor camp through, but he didn't come up to the sun parlor," Lucas says under oath Clubs and Oaths " carried a club during the time he was in charge of the kitchen He would curse continually. They all do that They can't talk to you without saying he charges in his sworn statement. One of the farm's rules is that prisoners and officers shall not curse. Lucas declares in his affidavit that the "spoiled beef” that sickened him was reported to have been from a cow that became sick and that was ordered killed by a veterinarian. ■ After we got sick, they said it wasn't tlmt cow and that it was another cow that broke its leg. Lucas charges in his affidavit. Craig Is Defended Clifford Craif. superintendent of the farm at the time Lucas was an inmate, is defended by him against brutality charges. • l saw a man knocked down In the flshroom one Sunday by a guard and the guard had a blackjack in his hand Craig, the superintendent. took it away from him," swears Lucas in his statement. He says, in his notarized statement, that Craig told the guard. “I don't want any more of that going on around here." Placed in the office of Harry- H. XVissel. acting superintendent of the farm, as a clerk, the choir singer overheard quarrels between officials of the farm. Heard Hitler Arguments "Tli? office of Arment. captain in charge of discipline, was just across the hall from Wissel's office. I have heard cursing and loud noises in his office Arment s officedeclares Lucas in his affidavit. "I have heard Arment, standing at the window in Wissels office, receive an order to do something from Craig, and I have seen him tear the pa-per up and throw it away, saying. ‘Hell, he doesn't know anything about a place like this!" asserts Lucas in his affidavit. "I have been in Wissel’s office." he continues, "and the man from the storeroom, an inmate, would report to Wissel that hams were missing and there was no order for them. Wissel would say, 'I told every one to g?t an order.' A guard was over the inmate at the storeroom." Lucas charges in his sworn statement. Bribe Charges Made In other affidavits to The Times, charge* have been made by former prisoner* that guards bribed inmate* to slip them meat and provision* that they could take home. Subsistence is furnished to the superintendent, assistant superintendent and chief clerk, according to Wissel. Wissel denies any improper Issuance of food. "I have heard inmates say that

guards slipped hams in their cars that they were not paid for, or a requisition obtained for the ham from Wissel,” swears Lucas. During my term there in April. 1932. I was in the office and chief bookkeeper, , was talking to Wissel. He said, in my presence, -Can this be right? We show a $20,000 loss this month,’ ” charges the affidavit of the choir singer and vocal teacher. "Wissel said. ‘lf that's what it shows, I guess that's what it is. Things are in such a muddle that well just have to charge it off, ” declares the sworn statement of Lucas. Alleges Envelope Sales "Things are guarded loosely. The inmate who had the job just before I did told me he sold more than S6OO in stamped envelopes that were in the offire. He said he sold them to inmates for tobacco," charges Lucas under oath. "I have heard Craig and Arment get in at least a dozen arguments about the discipline and work on the farm,” accused Lucas in his state-1 ment. "On one occasion I heard Arment talking to Wissel. They were talk-! mg about a bridge that was being built on the place and Arment wanted another fifty bags of cement. Wissel said to him. This is the sixth time you've been after fifty bags of cement for this bridge and the original requisition called for only fifty bags. That's 300 bags you've gotten so far', ' relates Lucas in his sworn j statement. Lucas in his affidavit says Arment replied, "Bv God, we're using it down there." Barred From Library "The wife of Mr. Arment used to purchase her groceries in Putnamville and the bills were sent to the farm for payment. Many times this included gr-en vegetables that were already available on the farm.” asserts Lucas in his sworn statement. Lucas, in his affidavit, says the farm has a library, but that prisoners can't use it. "Sometimes Christian Science practitioners would tell prisoners they could get 'Science and Health’ in the library and when the prisoner would go to th? library they'd laugh at him. The prisoner could not get a book out of the library. Guards use it for a loafing room,” declares Luca.* under oath. Sent to State Prison On a count similar to the one for which he was sent to the farm, Lucas was taken to the state prison at Michigan City to serve a one to five-year sentence. On Junue 29, 1933. he was released from Michigan City, after serving the minimum of his sentence. "As far as the treatment is concerned." concludes Lucas in his affidavit. “I'd rather do a year at Michigan City than six months on the state farm. That is. if I had to take the regular line of labor." (Next—The Farm Versus the Prisoner.) TEETH KNOCKEO OUT BY DIVE INTO POOL Boy. 15. Suffers Peculiar Accident at Douglas Park. Macv Williams, Negro, was having difficulty in eating today because he fancies himself somewhat a diver. May. 15. climbed on to the diving board of the Douglas park swimming pool Friday afternoon. An admiring crow and lookeed on while Macy decided what to do about it. With all this audience. Macy decided something special was in order. so he selected a back dive. Macy walked to the end of the board and arched his body gracefully. He gave a gentle spring and his body shot into the air. It looked good so far and then something happened. Macy struck the water with a resounding "plop." Pulled out. Macy was found suffering with loss of several teeth when his face was struck by his knees. Police took him to city hospital and advised him not to get too proud of his diving in the future. Church Services Ends Ru T'nitui I'rrut BETHANY PARK. Ind.. July 22. —The Rev. A. B. Myers. Norwood. O. was elected president of the Young Peoples' Evangelical Synod at the closing session of the annual conference here.

What*B What in Employment Program

Bv Sfr:pps-Ho ard Newspaper Alliance. Q- Do women workers get short work hours and higher wages as well as men? A—They do, and on the same basis. There is no discrimination in the plan. Q—Will every worker in the country get a raise in pay? A—Higher paid workers will not necessarily be raised at once. Those whose pay is close to the minimum will get raises proportionate to the difference now existing between their pay and those of the lowest paid workers. Q —When is child labor ended under the agreement? A—Ori Aug. 31. Q—When do other provisions of the agreement take effect? A—As soon after Aug. las business firms sign the agreement.

THERE’S SPEED HERE

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Here’s what the new lightweight. streamline train being built for the Union Pacific railroad will look like when completed. The train will be 205 feet long, nine feet wide, weigh only eighty tons and attain a speed of 110 miles an hour. The photos are made from an engineer’s model.

HOURS LONG ON HIGHWAY WORK Inspection Men Must Stay on Job From Dawn to Dusk. (Continued From Page One) hour for common labor and 45 cents for skilled. Nor are they benefited by the thirty-hour weekly limita‘ion. They stay on the job as long as there is work in progress and regardless of how many shifts are made in the contracting crew, these men do not change. Pay rolls showing that the minimum wage requirements and the thirty-hour weekly time limitation are being carried out are submitted to the state highway department monthly by contractors. On file at the statehouse, these disclose the various methods employed In staggering work on the thirty-hour basis. There are some with the twelve and eighteen stagger basis, after which ?, new crewtakes over and carries on in similar manner, giving three crews a chance to function during a sixday week. The ten-hour day system divides workers into two crews, working three days a week each. Another system, more in line with President Roosevelt's program, divides crew-s daily on a five-hour basis and gives six days' work a week. However the labor is divided, the state engineering and inspection crews get no relief. Project engineers are scaled at from $l3O to SIBO a month, assistants at $l2O to $l4O. and inspectors at from sllO to $l5O. Department heads explained that engineers with the commission throughout the year do not object to the summer speed-up. BOY S CAUSE S4O FIRE Start Blaze on Church Roof to Smoke Out Pigeons. Approximately S4O damage was done early today to the St. Paul Presbyterian church. Twenty-fifth street and Paris avenue. The flames were caused by two Negro boys who were on the roof hunting pigeons and decided to smoke them out. a pigeon nest catching fire. The Rev. Verne Anderson. Negro, said regular services would be held Sunday. Death Takes Centenarian R<i Vnitrri Vrrt* FRANKFORT. Ind.. July 22 Clinton county has lost its only centenarian with the death of Mrs. Mary Ann Reed, at her country home near here. She wus 101 years old She was a native of Marion county, being born near Indianapolis in 1832.

Q —What happens to stores and plants that do not sign? A—Public opinion will treat them as slackers were treated during the war. The public will be asked to buy goods only of those firms which have signed the agreement and which live up to it. Q —How will the public know where to buy? A—Firms living up to the agreement will display red white and blue cards bearing the letters N R A. a blue eaeie and the legend "we do our part.’’ Q—Will goods cost more in stores that join the recovery move? A—The agreement pledges the business man not to take profiteering advantage of the consuming public. It pledges him to raise prices only after giving weight to the benefit of increased sales volume, and, then only’ t<y

’THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

WELLS NAMED AS RECOVERY HEADIN STATE Bureau of Commerce City Manager to Direct Indiana Drive. (Continued From Page One)

operation in the nation-wide attack on depression. Business men were not the only ones to pore over the first prints of the President's agreement. Stenographers. clerks, street car conductors, millmen and miners read it with equal eagerness to learn just what it promises in the way of increased wages, shorter work hours, and relief from the burden of carrying unemployed dependents. The President. Recovery Administrator Hugh Johnson and the staff of workers who have labored for two weeks whipping the agreement into shape and preparing the machinery by which it is to be put into effect radiated confidence today that the plan will work. industry to Fall in Line Their confidence is baaed on two things: 1. An apparent readiness on the part of industry to fall in with the recovery plan. 2. A belief that the buying public, on whom success or failure ultimately depends, can be :elied upon to take full advantage of the opportunity given it to save itself from future suffering.

Even before details of the plan had been announced. Administrator Johnson was receiving telegraphic pledges from large business organizations, promising co-operation. It will be impossible for every business concert in the country to preuent proof of compliance with the new wage and hour scales on Aug. 1, but the consuming public, nevertheless will be asked to start looking for the blue recovery eagle on that day. Stores wh'ch increase wage scales and cut working hours at once thus will enjoy a temporary trade advantage. Customers to Display Eagle The blue eagle—wings outspread, one claw clutching a cogwheel, the other bolts of lightning—will be displayed by consumers as well as employers. Families which agree to purchase all goods from blue eagle stores will be given cards to put in their windows. Meanwhile the public relations di- ! vision of the recovery administration worked at top speed today get--1 ting ready to kindle in every corner ; of the country the flame of enthusiasm which is to furnish the motive power of the emergency drive. Speakers' handbooks will be ready | the early part of next week, and at | once the work of preparing volunteer speakers to blanket the country as four minute men did during the war will begin. Chambers of commerce in every city already have been asked to enroll speakers. By the end of the week, the task of impressing every person in the country with the part assigned to him in the concerted move to bring back good times will be under way.

Sears Backs Drive The Indianapolis store of Sears. Roebuck <fc Cos. will be operated in full accord with President Roosevelt's recovery program, it was announced today by John Burke, manager. He pointed out that R. E. Wood, company president, long has been an advocate of a program such as the President has submitted, and that minimum wage generally in Sears stores is above the lowest set by the program. Employment of additional workers and an increase in purchasing power will follow application of the plan. Burke predicted. Fifty-six Regal groceries will be operated under the code, it was announced today by F. C. Buddenbaum, general manager. L. S. Ayres & Cos. today announced their full co-operation for the President's new plan. TAX L A PROVED New State Measures Popular, Say Members of Board. New tax law s are meeting with general approval in the state, it was reported today by two members of the state tax board who returned from inspection tours. Albert F. Walsman visited northeastern counties and Gaylord S. Morton toured counties in the south. Both agreed that th? new intangibles tax is the most popular. Several slight changes were suggested in the grass income tax law during the trips, the commissioners said. Bankers Hold Outing Marion County Bankers’ Association outing was to be held at the Franklin Country Club this afternoon and tonight. Dancing and card playing are on the night program. following dinner and election of officers. Saw Makers Submit Code Tentative code for the saw manufacturing industry has been submitted to General Hugh S. Johnson, national recovery act administrator, and probably will be redrawn before it can be announced, according to word received by Indianapolis manufacturers.

the amount actually added to his casts through increased pay rolls. Q—-If a worker gets paid on a piece basis, does he get a raise? A—He does, if his pay at present is less than the minimum fixed. He may get shorter working hours and a higher hourly rate that will bring him up to the level of the minimum. Q—ls an employer hires members of his family, does he have to shorten their working hours and raise their wages to the minimum level? A—He does. An employe is an employe regardless of blood relationship. Q—Do newspaper reporters come under the terms of the agreement? A—They will probably be classified as professional workers, who are exempted from the forty-hour week requirement.

JAILED ON ISLAND

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The jailing of five Am n ricans at Palma, on the island of Majorca, on the charge of assaulting a civil guard, has l°d the state department to bring pressure to bear upon the Spanish government for their release. Two of the five just granted bail are Mr. and Mrs. Clinton B Lockwood < shown above) of Springfield. Mass.

POOR RELIEF IN STATEIS LESS Drop of 11,954 Families on Aid Rolls Shown Between April and June. Number of families on poor relief has dropped 11,954 in seventyone counties of the state and costs cut $139,536.33 between April and June. This report was sent Harry L. Hopkins, federal emergency relief administrator at Washington. D C.. today by William H. Book, director of state relief. It set out that in April there were 92,654 families receiving relief, 87.472 in May and 80,700 in June. Costs for the three months respectively were given as $1,162,079.16; SI,OBO - 793.49 and $1,023,542.83. In Marion county, the number of families dropped from 12.685 in April to 12.309 in June and costs from $188,566.63 to $137,834.09.

NEW SETUP AT CITY HALL IS APPROVED Mayor Announces Changes Are Completed. Changes in government personnel have been completed following resignations of E. Kirk McKinney, works board president, and Martin H. Walpole, chief clerk of the Barrett Law department, to take their respective positions as state manager and assistant manager of the new federal home owners' loan corporation. Walter C. Boetcher, president of the Marion county council is expected to retain that position and also serve as president of the works board succeeding McKinney. George D. Yeazel, of the Barrett law department will succeed Walpole and Cecil McConahay, also of the department will assume Yeazel's duties.

Ernest T. Frick, works board secretary, was informed by Mayor Reginald H. Sullivan of the changes. The mayor expressed regret that it was necessary to accept McKinnpy's resignation. He cited many accomplishments while McKinney headed the board. Sullivan thanked McKinney personally for his efforts in obtaining removal of all barriers to the Improvement of East New York street and East Sixteenth street.

CADETS ARE REVIEWED Parents and Friends Watch Inspection at Ft. Harrison. Parents and friends watched C M. T. C. cadets today in a review at Ft. Benjamin Harrison. Cadets were inspected by Briga-dier-General George H. Jamerson as part of the visitor's day program. Albert Stump was to address massed student corps and guests at conclusion of the review. Fourth year cadets served as officers during the day. Guests dined with cadets at regular army mess at noon, followed by a visiting hour. TWO BITTEN BY DOGS Woman Injured in Attempt to Separate Fighting * Animals. In an attempt to separate two dogs which were fighting In front of her home. Miss Mary La Francis. 19. of 2909 Talbot avenue was bitten on the left hand Friday and was given first aid by police. Mrs. Johanna Harris. 30, of 516 North Mlley avenue was bitten on the left leg by a dog owned by Charles Wytten. 546 North Miley avenue, as she was walking near her home. She was treated at city hospital. Ban Interest on Tax Penalties Ruling that county treasurers can not collect interest charges on tax penalties, but only on installments upon which payment has been delayed. was made today by AttornejGeneral Philip Lutz Jr. The ruling was asked for by William P. Cosgrove. chief examiner of the state beard of accounts.

CODE PROPOSES ROOSEVELT AS OIL JHCTATOR Hearing on Rules Urged by Petroleum Institute Begins Monday. BY MARSHALL M’NEIL Times Special Writer WASHINGTON. July 22.—President Roosevelt would take on the role of oil czar, controlling production and licensing marketing under the American Petroleum Institute's code of fair competition which is to be headed by the national recovery administration starting Monday. In this hearing the pressure of the great international figures of oil will be felt: there, too. the governments of the oil-producing states will be represented: and the small independent wildcatters whose enterprise in seeking for this black liquid wealth will raise their voices. The issues are clear and the code hearing controversies will revolve about four major points: 1. Whether the federal govern- | ment shall b# given authority to control production. 2. Whether marketers of petroleum shall be licensed. 3. Whether the federal government shall fix prices. 4. Labor provisions. These latter are paramount to the Roosevelt administration and j the recovery administration, but generally they are of secondary importance to the industry'-* leaders, who are concerned more deeply in price-fixing, licensing, federal production control. The institute’s code proposes a forty-hour week, with minimum wages ranging from 40 to 47 cents, depending upon the region. An independent code that will be proposed at the hearing provides minimum wages of 50 cents and a 30hour week. The production provision?* of the code leave no doubt that the great of the oil industry want President Roosevelt as their dictator. For they provide that before a well

** * * •'VThe PRESIDENT has proclaimed a “blanket code” dealing with wages and hours of employment to be effective Sept. 1, 1933. This code is intended to bring about more employment at better wages pending the adoption of specific codes by the nation’s varying businesses and industries. We intend to support the President and the National Recovery Administration to the best of our ability. We shall sign the President’s Agreement when offered and when the Code for Retail Business is completed and accepted, we shall comply with the provisions of that Code in the spirit of the President’s Proclamation of July 20. L. S. Ayres & Cos.

MAY BE GOVERNOR

Retention of Major-General Briant Wells, above, as h-ad of the Hawaiian department of the United States army for another year lends weight to rumors that General Well* may be the next governor of Hawaii. The officer s term was to have expired this year. It is thought he is being held over to establish the three-year residence required for appointment as governor. can be drilled the drillers must obtain a permit from the government at Washington: and. having found oil. the pool in which it is located may not be developed until a plan for its utilization is worked out. Thus if Farmer Smith in Chambers county down in Texas wants to drill a well in an abandoned pasture on his own land, he must first come to Washington, or through the mails seek federal permission. If and after Farmer Smith produces his oil. its price would be set at Washington.

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ORDER 380 TO DELIVER CITY’S RECOVERY MAIL Postmen to Become Special Messengers for President on July 27. Official notification that 380 city mail carriers will become messengers for President Franklin D Roosevelt July 27 was received today by Postmaster Leslie D. Clancy. On that day they will deliver official communications from the President to Indianapolis employers regarding the industrial recovery act Clancy expects 25 000 pieces of mail from the Industrial Recovery administration. Washington, early next week. Larger past offices will have more than three days to complete deliveries. However, all deliveries must be made not later than July 29, Joseph C OMahonev, acting post-master-general. notified Clancy. MAKES NEW EXHIBIT Public Service Commission Engineer to Explain Appraisal Errors. Harry Wenger, chid engineer of the Indiana public service commission. will prepare another exhibit, explaining errors in his appraisal, for introduction when the Indianapolis Water Company rate case is reopened in federal court Wednesday Cross-examination of Wenger regarding his appraisal of the company's properties disclosed certain omissions and errors. Wenger volunteered to make the corrections. Hearing in the ease was adjourned Friday afternoon by Albert Ward, special master in chancery. Stamp Club Plans Convention The Indiana Stamp Club has outlined plans for a convention here Aug. 28 to 31. Collectors from parts of the nation will attend. Next club meeting will be held at the Lockerbie. Aug. 4