Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 9 September 1937 — Page 1
VOLUME 49—NUMBER 156
LUMBER PLANT DESTROYED BY 475.000 FIRE
Crews Fight Through Night “To Curb Flames; Arson Possibility Probed.
8 FLEE NEARBY HOUSE
Paint and Gasoline Feed Blaze; Protection Wall Saves Home.
(Photos, Bottom of Page)
A spectacular fire, fed by turpentine, paint and gasoline, destroyed the Phoenix I.umber & Hardware Co., 1319 N. Capitol Ave., early today. The two alarms were sounded at 10:23 and 10:25 p. m. last night, _ and this afternoon three .pumpers - still poured water on the smouldering ruins. Fire officials said they probably would stay the rest of the day. .Firemen worked all through the night, on into the dawn, confining the flames to the company’s property in the building-crowded district. : Charles E. Conner, company president, estimated loss at $75,000, covered by insurance. Eight persons were forced to flee from a nearby house. Cause Undetermined
Bernard Lynch, Fire Prevention Bureau Chief, said cause of the blaze had not been determined, but could be spontaneous combustion, wiring or incendiarism. He said thievery had been reported by the company several times and he was working on a theory that some burglar may have set fire to the building to cover up a theft. | Fire Chief Fred Kennedy said an unidentified man reported the fire about 10:20 p. m. at fire station 5, a block and a half north of the laze. : When the apparatus arrived at the scene, Chief Kennedy said, flames were shooting skyward: through the fireproof roof and the. property was like a blazing torch, | At the front of the lot on the east side of Capitol Ave. were two storefronts. They were built on the fronts of two old private residences. " Between them ran a driveway. Behind them were a warehouse and huge lumber stacks. All were joined together closely.
Spreads to Warehouse
The fire apparently started hetween the two-story lumber sheds. It spread quickly to the warehouse, filled with oils, paints and mill work. ‘ : The warehouse was enveloped in a flash; the flames swept toward Capitol Ave. and licked through the Potts home, on the northwest corner of the lot. , That building housed great piles of 50-gallon tanks of benzol and turpentine. 2 _ While the flames destroyed the business property, firemen battled to confine the blaze to the one place. To the south was a private residence and a garage. An alley at the rear and one at the north
helped. Shacks were across the rear |
alley. From the private residence to the south, at 124 W, 13th St., eight persons fled in terror. They were Mr. (Turn to Page Three)
ATKINS WILL LISTS ESTATE OF "$125,000
The will of William Coleman Atkins, who was injured fatally in an auto accident in Illinois Aug. 31, was filed in Probate Court today, listing an estate estimated to be worth $125,000. : The wife. of the 27-year-old broker, Mrs. Brownie Miskimen Atkins, who was injured badly in the accident, was named executrix of the document, which left the ontire estate to her. Because of Mrs. Atkins’ condition, William H. Coleman, Mr. Atkins’ grandfather, was named executor.
BOB BURNS Says: QLLYWOGD,
the old days, the famliy doctor took care of everything, You called him if .you had a cold, fever, stomach
ache or a nail in your foot, but to-: 2 day it looks like | you have’ta havg
a specialist for every little thing that ails you. All
you hav'ta do’ now is find out|
what ails you and then go to the right specialist. My Uncle
Chig came out]:
to see me not long ago and when he started
complainin® about his. health bein*|’
bad, I took him down to see a big health specialist. The first thing he asked Uncle Chig was, “Do you
sleep with your windows open?”
Uncle Chig says, “No, I ain’t got no
windows,” and the - specialist says, |
“Well, that’s just the trouble with you. You've got to have more air at night. tion.” Uncle Chig says, “Well, then, I reckon I'll have to knock some spokes out of the wheels—I been sleepin’ under my wagon for three
_ (Copyrignt, 1030)
You need more ventila- |
French Bid for American Action With League, if ‘China Protests.
By United Press SHANGHAI--Shrapnel endangers U. S. Consulate and Navy patrol ship; Japanese open merciless airplane bombing. drive. PARIS—France puts out bid to United States to co-operate with League of Nations in Sino-Japa-nese war if China protests to League. :
presents credentials while Britain still awaits “fullest measure of redress” for attack on ambassador to China. L HONGKONG—Japanese Navy men board second British ship. WASHINGTON—Administration officials say U. S. unable to guarantee protection to nationals abroad at present.
PARIS, Sept. 9 (U. P.)—France put out a bid to the United States tonight to co-operate with the League of Nations in dealing with the Chinese-Japanese war, if China protests to the League. A foreign office spokesman said if China protests, France hopes that the United States will attend the council sessions as an observer, adding that “collective action in which the United States would take part might be agreed upon.” The spokesman predicted that a ‘resolution might be voted offering arbitration of the conflict.
U. S. Gunboat Flees
Battle at Shanghai
By H. R. EKIN (Copyright, 1937, by United Press) SHANGHAI, Sept. 9.—Shrapnel shells endangered the United States Consulate and the American Navy patrol ship Isabel today as fighting between Japanese and Chinese armies approached the peak of fury. ‘One shell burst 10 yards away from the entrance to the American Consulate General and left four shattered bodies of Chinese in the street. The lithe little Isabel, steaming up the river, was brought under heavy fire in the Whangpoo River, Japanese artillery, bombarding the native Chapei quarter north of the International Settlement, started one of the biggest fires of the battle for Shanghai.
All But Immobilized
Its Army all but immobilized by a stonewall Chinese defense, Japan announced—and put into effect=a merciless bombing campaign. Area after area of Shanghai and the (Turn to Page Three)
STOCKS AND BONDS MAKE RECOVERIES
NEW YORK, Sept. 9 (U.P.).— Stocks and bonds made good recoveries from their war-scare lows in. reduced volume today. Commodities were mixed. As French banknote circulation reached an all-time high, the franc fell back to 3.64, the lowest level since 1926 in relation to the dollar, indicating another Government crisis in the next few months. The stock gain. at Paris, however, was a factor in the New York advance, as was also a better sentiment at London. After the London exchange closed, traders jammed the street market excitedly trading American securities in line with the Wall Street gains.
price rise was short covering : high-priced issues. ~ Cofton rose on Far Eastern buying, but Chiczgo grains fell along with weaker ‘European markets. Business news was perdominately favorable, despite a reported. drop in activity for the week. Electricity output and carloadings were at highs for the. year.
TOKYO—New British ambassador.
LPgench
6 r Principal impetus 'for the stogly 3
FORECAST: Fair tonight and probably tomorrow; somewhat warmer tonight.
Germany Accuses Britain And France of Blocking
Mediterranean Peace
Charges ‘Refusal to Join in Earlier Efforts; English Map Ship Convoy.
By United Press BERLIN—Germany accuses Britain and France of blocking her earlier attempt to. pacify Mediterranean. Refuses to join piracy parley. LONDON—Britain. prepares convoy plan to escort merchant ships; plan was drafted in anticipation of Italian-German boycott. ROME—Italy rejects invitation to Lake Geneva conference, refusing to sit at same table with Russia,
BERLIN, Sept. 9 (U. P.) —Germany refusing a British-French in-
vitation to join in a conference on the Mediterranean submarine piracy crisis, accused Britain and France today of blocking an earlier at-
Germany, in a note to the two powers expressing solidarity with Italy in refusing to accept the invitation, said that after an airplane attack on the German cruiser Deutschland in the Mediterranean, in which 27 of the crew were Killed, Britain and France made binding pledges to prevent a repetition of such attacks. Nevertheless, Germany said, when the German cruiser Leipzig was attacked a short time later, Britain and France did not respect their pledge and were unable to show “a minimum of solidarity” with Germany. Therefore, the German note declared, the question should be referred to the Nonintervention Committee, which would remove it from a selected group invited by Britain and France and enable other powers to express their opinion.
Britain May Urge Convoys Against Subs
By WEBB MILLER (Copyright, 1937, by United Press) LONDON, Sept. 9.—Great Britain, faced with an Italian-German boycott of the ke Geneva “pirate” submarine conference, intends to propose a World War model convoy system to protect shipping in the Mediterranean, it was understood today. 4 Italy and Germany today delivered notes rejecting the Britishinvitation “to attend the conference, to be held tomorrow. As the result delegates of nine
{ European - powers—Britain, France,
Russia, Yugoslavia, Rumania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and Egypt— are to meet either at Nyon or Geneva to discuss the submarine menace to Mediterranean shipping. Albania was invited also, but being 1taly’s satellite, was expected to abstain. The conference might well mark definitively the begining of a new, acutely dangerous phase _ of European politics. Everybody knows that the powers believe Italy is the officially unidentified power whose submarines are aiding the Spanish Rebels—seeking to immobilize the Loyalist armies by depriving them of the fuel they must import in steamships. It was in expectation of an Italian-German boycott that Britain prepared the convoy plan. Put bluntly and undiplomatically, the plan is to protect merchant shipping against, and sink if necessary, Italian submarines which may
The plan is britain’s own and is (Turn to Page Three)
HIGH TEMPERATURES FORECAST TODAY
OCAL TEMPERATURES 65 10 a, m... 0 11 a. m... 75 12 (Noon) RY 1p m...
79 81 83 84
L a. m... a. m.., a. m.. 9a m...
) Temperatures started at 2 degrees above normal this morning under a brilliant and unclouded September sky ‘and gave every indication of “going to town.” The Weather Bureau said it would
be fair tonight and probably tomorrow and somewhat warmer tonight.
tempt by Germany to pacify the »| Mediterranean. :
aid the Rebels by practical activities. ,
olis
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1937
$121,287 GOAL OF COMMUNITY FUND FOR 1937
Annual Drive for Support of 37 Agencies Set for Oct. 8 to 20.
To List of Groups Receiving Aid.
Indianapolis welfare leaders today set $721,287 as the goal for the 18th annual Community Fund Drive Oct. 8 to 20. The amount is approximately 3 per cent higher than that raised last year and represents the minimum needs of the 37 Fund-support-
ed agencies, officials said. Cochairmen in charge of the campaign are Harold B. West, Perry W. Lesh and Theodore B. Griffith. If the goal is reached the funds will be divided thus: Relief for families and individuals, $280,185; institutional care of homeless children, $86,210; care of the sick and handicapped and disease prevention, $47,840; care of the aged, $11,590; work in the field of delinquency prevention and the guidance of youth, $195,462; Council of Social Agencies, $10,000; campaign expenses, $29,000; central office expenses, $29,000, and emergency fund, $32,000. The sum also provides for support of the Indianapolis Goodwill Industries, 625 Fletcher Ave. newest member of the Community Fund “family.” Officials said the - Community
raising money and 4 per cent for year-round expenses. The campaign this year is set for a month earlier than the one held in 1936.
CONTROL OF U.S. AIM OF NAZIS IS CLAIM
Indianapolis Chosen as Camp Site, Paper Says.
By United Press Ct The Chicago Times said in a copyrighted story today that it had completed a six months’ undercover investigation which revealed an army
of 20,000 American Nazis preparing |
to seize control of the United States. The disclosure brought demands from Congressional leaders for investigation by Congress and the Federal Bureau of Investigation into alleged “un-American” activities. Senator Borah (R. Ida.) raid in Washington he would urge a Congressional inquiry. Rep. Dickstein (D. N. Y.) said he would seek to broaden the investigation he previously had been making.
The Times said that dozens of camps were being established, and that Indianapolis had been chosen as the site for one.
ASKS AID OF SKILLED IN PARALYSIS CHECK
CHICAGO, Sept. 9 (U. P.).—Chicago health authorities today sought advice of skilled physicians in treatment of infantile paralysis victims. Dr. Herman Bundesen, Board of Health president, reported 187 cases of the disease in Chicago since Aug. 1.—19 of them in the 24 hours ended yesterday. ‘The U. S. Public Health Service in Washington announced 106 cases reported by the Illinois Health Department last week—more
than any other date.
BUDGET IS INCREASED Goodwill Industries Added ]
Fund “overhead” is 4 per cent for |
C
Gains Strength
FAVOR GAINING FOR HAMILTON
G. 0. P. Leader Popular for Money-Raising Ability, Observer Finds.
By THOMAS L. STOKES Times Special Writer
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9.—Elements within the Republican Party who have been plotting to depose John D. M. Hamilton as chairman of the National Committee are likely to be surprised when they get their first opportunity for action in a few weeks. This will be at a meeting of the National Committee - which, it is learned, will- be called to Chicago in November, following a session here of the ‘National Executive Committee Sept. 23. Mr. Hamilton has been quietly canvassing the committee with such success, his friends assert, that the ouster movement will get nowhere, and an attempt may not even be made to displace him when the committee meets in Chicago. The 45-year-old Republican chieftain, who was catapulted from
Kansas politics to national notice
by the Landon campaign, has a practical advantage in his access-.to big Republican pocketbooks to raise funds to pay off’ the election debts.
Cuts Party Debt ‘He has whittled down a deficit of
considering the present dilapidated state “of the Republican political fortunes. : For the present, hard-boiled leaders. constituting the National Committee, most of them conservatives, are influenced more by the practical consideration of getting the party’s: finances in order than by
‘questions of policy—that is, whether
the party shall try to assume a more liberal complexion by installing a
‘party chairman more closely iden-
tified ‘with the progressive ‘wing of the party.” : The ‘younger Republican element {Turn to Page Three)
TOWNSEND RAPED AS A ‘SPOILSAN
Civil Service League Aid
‘Attacks Party Fund.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill, Sept. 9 (U. P.) —H. Eliot Kaplan, executive secretary of the National Civil Service Reform League, today attacked Governor M, Clifford Townsend of Indiana in an address before the National Federation of Federal Employees’ Convention. Governor Townsend, Mr. Kaplan said, has the ‘“audacity” to require state employees. to contribute to a political fund or resign. : “Governor ‘Townsend must: stand
‘accused of turning the state of In-
diana over to the spoilsmen—Ilock,
: stock and barrel,” he declared.
party's:
nearly a million dollars to around | $600,000, which is not a bad record:
imes
Entered as Second-Class Matter at Postoffice, Indianapolis, Ind.
DRIVER DIES IN FLAMES AFTER TRUCK CRASH
Vehicle Catches Fire When It Hits Underpass on S. Meridian St.
CROWD IS ENDANGERED
Greenville Resident Victim of Explosion; Death 107th in Traffic.
(Photo, Page Three)
Willard Hopper, 37, of Greenville, Ind. is dead today, victim of a spectacular downtown accident thaf last night menaced the lives of firemen and many of the hundreds of curious attracted to the scene. . His was Marion County’s 107th traffic death this year, four above the toll at this time last yea: | He was driving an empty 10-ton {ruck and trailer through.the Belt Railroad underpass on S. Meridien St. when the truck sideswiped the concrete pillars and burst into fames, burning him to death. The concrete tore away the gasoline tank, police said. The gasoline ignited and transformed the ynderpass into a furnace of heat, g#cording to witnesses. The heaf/ melted the trolley wires and they fell onto the truck and short-circuited. : Wires Endanger Autos For three blocks each way, the trolley wires became red and smoking in the heat of the short-circuit, and seemed to be ready to fall at any moment on the tops of autos, Firemen and Indianapolis Rail-
a
to work near the underpass fire, and it was only with great difficulty that Indianapolis Railways workmen cut the trolley wires and stopped the electrical display in the underpass and took other cars out of danger. Police said that at times they were unable to control the crowd of curious and were forced to place
(Turn to Page Three)
CHECK POLLUTION,
State fo ‘Issue Orders to “Calumet District.
Issuance of an order to four cities in the Calumet District to eliminate stream pollution iii that area by Jan. 1, 1939, was aut orized today by the State Commerc: and Industry Department. The Department authorized the State Health Department to issue the order at once to Gary, I'ammond, East Chicago and Whitiig. .. W.-H. Frazier, assistant {tate Health - Director, said. the (ities would be instructed to . eliminate pollution from Little Calumet River, Grand Calumet River, Ind ana Harbor Ship Canal and the Cali imet shore line on Lake Michigan. The State Commerce and Industry Department was create: by an act of the 1935 Legislature. Its chief function is to direct abate; nent of stream pollution in the State.
BARBARA SILENT ON * MARRIAGE RUMOR
QUEBEC, Sept. 9 (U. P.).— jarbara Stanwyck, blue-eyed, aub irnhaired movie star, locked herse f in her hotel room today and ref ised to discuss reports that she plained to sail for England Saturda; to join Robert Taylor, Hollywood’s jublic heart’ throb No. 1. : There have been persistent reports that theyepianned to m irry, and when Mr. Taylor sailed ‘rom New York Aug. 21 he repeated {hat he was “very fond” of Miss £tanwyck, who is four years his senior. But he added that he had no nar-
riage plans.
ways workmen found it impossible |
themselves, the firemen and . the |
* 4 CITIES TO BE TOLD
wh
HOME
PRICE THREE CENTS
FINAL
SEIZED,
Times Special
the money and escaped.
armed, were Muncie persons. Brady gang, police said.
MUNCIE BANKER
ROBBED
BY BANDIT PAIR
| Oliver Storer, 68-Year-Old Millionaire, Held Captive in House Until $2000 Sum Is Delivered by Cashier.
WIFE ALSO IS BOUND AND GAGGED
Police Believe Gunmen May Be Home Town Men; ‘Reprisal’ Hint Discounted by Victim of Holdup Duo.
MUNCIE, Ind., Sept. 9.—Two bandits held Oliver Storer, millionaire banker, and his wife prisoners in their home here today for two hours until a bank cashier, summoned by phone could deliver $2000 cash to them.
The bandits took or
Pe
Muncie police said they had “several suspects” in mind and indicated they believed the bandits, who were young and
They were not members of the
Mr. Storer, who is 68, was exercising in the back garden
CROWD RECORDS
Hoosier Farmers Honored in Program Today; Cat Show Opens.
(Photos, Pages 12 and 17)
TONIGHT’S PROGRAM
/ Grandstand—Stage show and fireworks, 7:45 p. m. Coliseum—Horse show, parade of champions, band’ concert, 7:30 p. m.
TOMORROW
Indianapolis and Manufacturers’ Day
Swine—Tamworths and Fat Barrows judged in Swine Arena. Cattle—Milking Shorthorns and. Ayrshires judged in Coliseum. Horses—Belgians judged in ColIseum. Cattle—Sale of 4-H Club beef calves in Coliseum, 1 p, m. | Grandstand, Afternoon—Grand Circuit . races, vaudeville and. band concerts. z Grandstand, Night—Stage show and fireworks, 7:45 p. m. Coliseum, Night—Horse show, parade of champions, band concert, 7:30: p. m. Style Show—Women’s ing, 10:30 a. m., 2:30 p. m.
Build-
This was Farmers’ Day at the Indiana State Fair, nearing its record-
breaking close tomorrow. Record crowds continued to throng
the Fair Grounds. Yesterday 73,428 persons paid to enter the grounds, compared to 71,373 on Wednesday last year. Up to yesterday, 14,171 more had visited the Fair this year ihan attended in the first five days in 1936 with a record crowd chalked up each day. ! Greyhound, world champion trotter, is scheduled to race against time tomorrow in an effort to break the world’s record for the mile trot. This feature is expected to draw another record. throng. Farm folk have held the spotlight all week, however. Livestock and farm produce judging, 4-H Club activities, new agrarian methods— all these have been shown by and for farmers. But the Fair also is a mecca for
(Turn to Page 12)
i@,stream of water into. blazing 2 ; By
BATTLES LEAPING FLAMES . .
_ A fireman’ stands ynger tatteriing. | Bitaision wires:
CRASH!
ROOF CAVES IN
gd
waa i + +. «BLAZE DEVOURS SHEDS
BROKEN AT FAIR|
of his home at 6:30 a. m, when the two men, one believed to be about 28 and the other about 30, approached him. “They started asking me for a contract to. do some business with me and I told them I had nothing to offer them at the time,” Mr,
Storer said. ! He said he did not recognize either. “After they talked for a while, each of them grabbed one of my arms and pulled me roughly “oward ihe house, saying ‘Come on, get in ere.’
Pair Draws Guns
“We went in the kitchen door and there was Mrs. Storer cooking my breakfast. They produced their guns, talked vilely profane, and ore
«-deréd us both into what we call our
library. : “There they bound us with wire which they must , have brought along, and taped our eyes and mouths shut with adhesive tape. They kept up a running chatter of profane threats, and told me they wanted me to call the bank and have $2000 cash delivered to me for them. “They said they were going to take a trip to Florida on me, and they hinted that they were doing this in reprisal for some wrong I had done them. But I think that was a red herring. “When the breakfast started to burn in the kitchen they went out and turned out the fire. We could not see them, of course, but we could gauge pretty well where. they were by hearing them.
Forced to Phone Bank
“After two hours, time for the bank to open, they took the tape from my mouth and, one on each side of me, took me ‘to the phone and ordered me to call Miss Thecla Haffner, bank cashier, and ask for the $2000. They told me if I made any breaks they would shoot, and I could feel the guns .at my sides. “I tried to give Miss Haffner a hint in the brief phone conversation that I was in trouble, but it was difficult to do with both of them threatening me. She said she would bring the money. ‘She got $2000 in $10 bills and walked the three blocks from the bank to my home. Meanwhile, I had been taped again and bound. The two of them met Miss Haffner at the kitchen door and took her prisoner. They brought her into the library and bound and gagged her. “At first they demanded £7500. I told them that was ridiculous be cause there wouldn’t be that much cash in the bank. I said they might be able to dig up $1000. ; ‘When I called Miss Haffner I (Turn to Page Three)
SON FACES SUBPENA IN FATHER’S DEATH
Police said today that Byran Hawkins, 29, of 739 Buchanan St. would be subpenaed to testify be= fore Coroner E. R. Wilson in cone nection with the death of his father, Samuel Hawkins, 56, same address. Hawkins was questioned by police today. The father died yesterday in City Hospital. He was taken there Aug. 6 after Byran is alleged to have kicked him in the abdomen during a fight.
TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES
Merry-Go-Rd ‘18 Movies .| 6 Mrs. Ferguson 17 Mrs. Roosevelt 17 Music 25 Obituaries ... 10 Pegler og Pyle. ....... Questions ... Radio ....... | Scherrer .... | Serial Story.. Short Story.
Books (EERE RE EN] 17 Bridge ..s... 15 Broun ....... 18 Comics ... 24, 25 Crossword ... 24 Curious World 25 Editorials . 18 Fashions 15 Financial .... 20
Grin, Bear It 24 In Indpls.... 3
Society snes ais : ’ Sports cose 21, of State Deaths.
Jane Jordan.. 15 Johnson . "eee 18
dts