Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 9 May 1939 — Page 2
PAGE 2
INQUIRY BARES ‘DEATH OFFICE’ IN NEW JERSEY
35 More Are Implicated in Murder-for-Money Ring.
PHILADELPHIA, Mav 9 (U. P). ~—An arsenic murder-for-insurance ring, the greatest group of Killers in American criminal history, operated a branch in New Jersey which was so large that 35 men and women in that state already have been implicated. it was revealed today. Investigating authorities said they had gathered enough evidence to arrest all of those implicated, but indicated that were waiting until they could make their cases “air tight.” The thriving New Jersey branch was only one of the many operated by the merchants of death, who used arsenic as their chief weapon and wives tired their husbands and! willing to poison them for their life insurance. Number Held Secret
they
of
a
{ §
i Authorities declined to reveal the]
number of deaths traced to the New Jersey branch, but they indicated ’ bp : : that the’ number of victims might
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be in excess of the 100 attributed to
the Philadelphia headquarters of] the mass murder syndicate. |
York, Delaware in addition to
operated in New and Connecticut,
ives P
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rix de Rome
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Times-Acme Photo,
{ Robert Pippinger, 27. of Plymouth, Ind., is shown with his statue The ring also is known to have | “Daniela” after being awarded the Prix de Rome fellowship in sculp-
ture by the American Academy in Grand Central art gallery in New
Rome, The award was made at the York. Mr. Pippinger is a graduate
Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and| of the John Herron Art School in Indianapolis.
Wife Testifies for Father Who Ki led Imbecilic Son
also was reported to have “mail” connections with the Pacific Coast. | Secret descriptions of six persons, | described as the leaders of the New| Jersey branch, have been furnished | New Jersey State Police with a re- | quest for their arrest on sight as | fugitives. The operation of the New Jersey | branch was revealed after homicide| squad detectives uncovered another key figure—the syndicate’s suspected “banker’—and predicted the imminent arrest of another arsenic widow” within three hours. At the same time detectives were investigating the activities of another physician and a druggist, who is accused of making up the arsenic poison solutions which the ring administered
{
Implicated by 22
The physician and druggist have been implicated, it was learned, by the 22 persons already in custody here | The suspected banker has been placed under a 24-hour-a-day sur-| veillance { The man, authorities believe, holds nearly $100,000 for the ring which used arsenic as its chief weapon and operated a matrimonial bureau to line up new husbands— and new victims for "arsenic widows.” Police said Mrs. Rose Carina, the “woman with the kiss of death,” was linked with the matrimonial agency's operation She has been impli-| cated in the death of at least five men, some of whom were her husbands, authorities said Meanwhile, exhumation of the Body of Antonio Giacobbe was to be ordered 1 spectacular suicide attempts widow, Millie, 50, while held as a “customer” of the “murder merchants.” Disinterment of the bodies of five | more persons, including that of Gia-| cobbe. was to be ordered by Coroner | Charles H. Hersch today or tomor-| row, according to the office of District Attorney Charles F. Kelley,
following two
by his
i { {
DECIDE FOR PEACE, | HULL ASKS NATIONS
WASHINGTON, May 8 (U. P) — Secretary of State Hull, warning that the world must soon decide between peace and war, called upon all nations today “to compose their differences amicably and with honor” around a conference table. He declared that never before in history has there been such a “erying need” for the ideals of “‘generosity, sympathy and understanding” in international relations. His assertions were contained in a formal statement read by Assistant Secretary of State George S. Messersmith to the 10th International Congress of Military Medicine and Pharmacy, Military representatives of 31 nations, including Great Britain, Italy and Germany, are participating in the congress to humanize war Secretary Hull's statement contained a brief message from Presi-| dent Roosevelt, describing the Con-| gress as a “significant experience in international collaboration and amity” the work of which “will be instrumental in demonstrating to the world the indisputable advan-| tages of meeting on a common] ground of friendship to discuss] problems of mutual interest.”
|
PRESIDENTIAL BOOM FOR DEWEY STARTS
TRENTON. N. J, May 8 (U. P).| —A Presidential boom for District Attorney Thomas E. Dewey of New York had started in New Jersey today. Four Republican leaders. close associates of former Governor Harold G. Hoffman, announced their can-| didacies for delegates-at-large to| the party's 1940 convention, pledged to nominate the quiet little New York racket buster
STATE HOTEL MEN | TO MEET JUNE 2-3
Times Special FRENCH LICK, May 9.—The In-/ diana Hotel Association mid-year] meeting will be held here June 2| and 3. John H. Hopkins of Holabird &! Root Architects, is to speak. Prizes will be given to the winners of the women's and men’s golf tournament on Saturday
——
i
{26 of our elementary schools.
| unknown.
of; . \)
NEW YORK, May 8 (U. P.).—A haggard woman in black today told a | story of the years of maternal agony
She told it in Bronx Court, where her aver. | 14 10 GRADUATE
baby was an imbecile
that followed the realization that her
stands accused of killing his son with a chloroferms-saturated handker-
600D REPORTS
SCHOOL GAINS
Purchasing Agents Told How Housing Problem Is Being Solved.
The pupil population of portable on an errand so that he could “do
buildings in Indianapolis has decreased approximately in the last 10 years, A. B. Good, Public School's business said today Speaking before the Indianavolis Purchasing Agents Association at the Athenaeum today, Mr. Good said “Ten years ago, the Board of School Commissioners was faced with the problem of removing from 46 double room and 5 single room frame portable buildings, some 3000 children, or about 7 per cent of the elementary school population. “These buildings were located at
school
day only about 400 elementary school children, or about one per cent, are housed in portable buildings New construction work in progress at this time will remove approximately 200 more children from portables,” Mr. Good said The payroll for the School City this year will be about $4939.000 and the purchases this year
said.
WOMAN'S SCREAMS |
ROUT HOLDUP MAN
An armed, masked bandit, described as only 14 years old,
St. and Martindale Ave. last night, the intended victim told police. Mrs. Ursa Blair, of 1302 E. 25th St, said she was walking to church when the youthful gunman stepped from behind a tree and pointed the weapon at her.
In fright, she dropped her purse C jand screamed.
The boy ran. She picked up the purse and walked away Mrs. Mildred Crabb, of 551 E. 39th St., reported that her pocketbook containing $15 was grabbed as she was walking on 39th St. near Park Ave. She said the man jumped into a parked car and drove away.
FOUR LOCAL SOLDIERS ARE STILL ‘A. W. 0. L.
Four of nine fugitives from the Ft. Harrison guardhouse still were at large today. Officers said State
| Police were aiding in the search, but | {had obtained no clues.
They also said the soldiers’ homes were under surveillance because the escaped men might visit them for a change of clothing or money. Those sought are Floyd Humphrey, Judson; Charles Kline, Dan-
|ville, Ky.; Frederick Bradburn, El-
wood, and Parker Stansell, address
HIGH TIMES ON TOP OF THE WORLD AT
2600 |
director,
2) | % Banff National Park : a
chief, Mrs. Anna Greenfield spoke in a monotone, scarcely above a whisper. She was called as the first defense witness. The State rested today with the testimony of the stenographer who heard Louis Greenfield's confession to the slaving of his son, Louis, 16, a 6-foot. 170-pound lad with the mind of a 2-year-old child. Greenfield told his story to Assistant District Attorney Ralph Peltin with a stenographer, Ralph | King, sitting nearby. Mr. King said |e told how
jmind and how he had sent his wife
away with” the boy. Killed Youth, Called Police
| Greenfield clamped two chloro-|
{ form-saturated handkerchiefs over
the boy's nose and mouth. He waited an hour after the boy's struggles
had ceased before he called police, submitted to arrest
because “he’s better off dead.” The State presented its case yes-
terday without asking directly for
a conviction. It only established {the fact and circumstances of the death and contended that
| father was sane at the time. It
To- | closed today with the reading of
| Greenfield's statement, in which he | told of awakening at 4 a. m,, listenling to the boy's moans, and making the decision which he had been weighing for many months.
Greenfield Seems Indifferent
! Greenfield seemed indifferent to his fate. Attorney Samuel Leibowitz indicated that the defense
Will} would stress the father’s “defective and Meridian Sts. and had taken 13 amount to about $500,000, Mr. Good | yeason.” ‘ :
a result of years of anguish
and his condition was quickly apparent. Every doctor told the parents the same thing—the case was hopeless. They tried twice to put the boy in institutions but both times he seemed to become worse.
GERMAN REFUGEE
ate | tempted to hold up a woman at 25th | MEASURE INDORSED
{
The Indianapolis chapter of the American Association of Social Workers indorsed the WagnerRogers Bill now being considered in (Congress at a meeting at the Y. W. A. last night. The bill would admit 10,000 German refugee children each year to the United States (for a two-year period. | Officers for 1939-40 were installed. They are Louis E. Evans, Indiana {University professor, chapter chairman: Joseph Hyman, Jewish Welfare Federation director, vice chair-
man; Randel Shake, Marion Coun-| {ty Juvenile Court chief probation
officer, second vice chairman, Juliana Thorman of the General Protestant Orphans’ Home, secretary, jand Mrs. Mary Ellen George, divi sion supervisor of the Marion County Welfare Department, treas-
FINAL TAX FIGURES SHOWN The staff in the County Treasurer's office today began opening the last of more than 10,000 letters con- | taining checks and money orders in payment of the spring installment 'of property taxes. Treasurer Frank | McKinney said final figures on the annual collection would be an- | nounced Thursday or Friday.
)/
JAK LOUISE EMERALD LAK
She Comadsan Rockies.
an Alpine
wonderland==with mile-high golf. tennis,
swimming, trail rides and
ikes, castle-like
hotels at Banff, Lake Louise, A Swiss-like chalet at Emerald Lake. Invigorating
mou
ballrooms. Canadian Rockies all-ex
in romantic nse
ntain air=—dancin
tours—2 days to 6 days—from $37.50. Beginning at Banff (or Field). Low round-trip summer rail fares to Banff,
Paci
fic Northwest, California = via fast
Canadian Pacific airconditioned trains.
| 480 Merchants Bank Bldg.
leh
See Your Travel Agent, or
+ LOST $338,000,
the plight of his epileptic son had preyed on his
and begged chureh. ‘them not to try to revive the boy be held in the hospital dining room
the
The boy was born March 10, 1022, >
JL. S. AYRES & COMPANY
TRACTION LINE P. S.C. 1S TOLD
Figures for 1938 Given in| Plea to Abandon Jeffersonville Unit.
Indiana Railroad officials today told the Public Service Commission | that the Indianapolis-Jeffersonville | traction line operated at a loss of]
$338,000 last year.
The railroad officials were testi|fying during a hearing on their | petition to abandon a section of the | railroad system. The petition proposes to continue operating the line from Indianapolis to Seymour on a | doubled schedule if permission to] {abandon the Sevmour-Jeffersonville | [section is granted. | Louis Rappaport, general agent of the road, testified that during the first three months of this year, the Indianapolis-Jeffersonville line lost $85,316. In 1637, he said, the line] lost $328,000. adding there was a deficit of more than $100,000 for | each of the two preceding years. The Indiana Railroad has been i operating the line under a 199-year | lease, paying the Public Service Co. | $100,000 a year. | Meanwhile, the Public Service Commission took under advisement arguments on its jurisdiction in hearing a petition to abandon the Indianapolis-Terre Haute traction line, also operated by the Indiana Railroad. Perry McCart, commission chairman, raised the question of jurisdiction last week on the ground that the railroad is under receivership in Superior Court 5 and also that the Interstate Commerce Commission may have some jurisdiction. Attorneys said they expected the question of jurisdiction to be raised
THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES
[in the Indianapolis-Jeffersonville | | hearing. |
AT METHODIST
{
‘School of Nursing Exercises To Be Held at Broadway Church May 22.
A clas of 74 students of the Meth- | lodist Hospital School of Nursing | will be graduated at exercises at 8 (p. m. May 22, at the Broadway
Methodist Church.
Dr. John G. Benson, hospital
Central Avenue Methodist Church, |
morning, May 21, at the The Senior breakfast will
Sunday
that morning. Alumni will be hosts to seniors at {a supper dance next Friday night at the Severin Roof. Senior chapel will be Wednesday night, May 17, in the nurses’ home auditorium.
BURGLAR WITH 13 GOLF CLUBS SOUGHT
Police today sought a burglar who had stolen the necessary equipment for a spring swing session. | D.C. Walmsley, 2142 N. New Jer[sey St., reported that someone had | broken into his parked car at 27th
| was halted by the court action, will
superintendent, will speak. The Rev. | Guy O. Carpenter, pastor of the |
will give the Baccalaureate sermon |
golf clubs.
Ruled Insane
Times Photo. William Ray Butsch
GILLIE DEMANDS WPA WORKERS LIST IN HOUSE
Asks Congress to Force Report on Nonrelief Aids By Districts.
Times Special WASHINGTON, May 9.—A resolution to force Col. F. C. Harrington, WPA administrator, to give Congressmen the names and salaries of Works Progress Administra-
tion nonrelief employees in their districts, was introduced in the House today by Rep. George W. Gillie (R. Ind.). In presenting the resolution. Rep. Gillie disclosed a letter from Col. Harrington wherein the WPA chief denied the Ft. Wayne Congressman’s request for names of administrative employees in the Fourth District on the grounds that “such information subjects the individuals concerned to embarrassment.” The Gillie resolution has complete Republican support and Rep. Joseph W. Martin Jr. (R. Mass.), minority floor leader, expects to speak in its behalf, Rep. Gillie said.
Resolution Offered The resolution reads:
BUTSCH TRIP SET. FOR THURSDAY
Alleged Slayer to Be Taken To Michigan City State Asylum.
William Ray Butsch, alleged slayer of Mrs. Carrie Lelah Romig, is to be taken to the Colony for the
Criminally Insane at Michigan City | Thursday, Sheriff Al Feeney said | today. Butsch was declared legally insane yesterday in criminal court. The 57-year-old ex-convict, whose scheduled trial on charges that he murdered and robbed Mrs. Romig the
be confined indefinitely at
colony. Groups to Be Transferred
Sheriff Feeney said deputies would drive Butsch to Michigan City along with other prisoners who are to enter Indiana State Prison. Special Judge Omar O'Harrow yesterday declared Butsch of unsound mind, citing testimony of two physicians who after examination declared that Butsch was “definitely insane.” The court's ruling was made over the protest of Butsch who told Judge O'Harrow, “I am sane and desire to be tried by a jury.” The Court's action temporarily closes the Romig murder case. Reexamination of Butsch to determine his sanity may be held after two years have expired.
Would Face Trial
In event Butsch should be found of sound mind he would be obliged to stand trial on the murder and robbery charges. However, the two examining physicians, Dr. Max Bahr, Central State Hospital superintendent, and Dr. Larue Carter, who testified at the opening of the sanity hearings in Criminal Court, declared the chances of curing the defendant's mental! disease were “very poor.” It was on Judge O’'Harrow's own motion that the examination of
“Resolved, that it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the Administrator of the Works Progress Administration shali, upon written request of any member of Congress, nrovide said member with a list of thie names, positions and salaries of noncertified employees of the Works Progress Administration in said member's Congressional District.” Meanwhile no action has yet been taken by the WPA Investigating Committee on the request of the seven Republican Congressmen from Indiana for an investigation in the state, : Evidence Is Awaited
Rep. Louis Ludlow (D. Ind.), committee member, said that the evidence submitted by them to Rep. John Taber (R. N. Y.) had not yet been presented for the committee to pass upon and determine whether or not such an investigation is justified. Since the request of the Congressmen was predicated partly upon the affidavits of alleged WPA irregularities contained in the Willis petition against Senator VanNuys (D. Ind), Rep. Ludlow has filed with the committee a point by point denial of all of these charges prepared by John K. Jennings, Indiana WPA director. The Willis petition was rejected by the Senate.
SUMMER TRAFFIC DRIVE STARTED
The heavy week-end traffic death toll today had spurred State Police to new efforts in a state- | wide safety drive as summer traffic began to clog Indiana highways. State Safety Director Donald F. Stiver said officers will their arrests under the new “selective enforcement” program. “Selective enforcement means concentration on the types of driving that cause most of the highway accidents as shown by our extensive files on all accidents for the last several months,” he said. “Our records also show the time of day most accidents occur and more officers will be patroling roads during these ‘dangerous’ hours than any other time.” Mr. Stiver said State officers had “increased traffic arrests consider-
Butsch was made,
ably in the last few weeks.”
|
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NEW YORK, May 9 (U. P.).—The vengeance vowed by Rosa Weber, a German housemaid, for an uncomplimentary remark about Adolf Hitler, brought the resignation today
of Justice Edgar J. Lauer from the State Supreme Court. Judge Lauer's socially prominent wife, hostess at the dinner party
| where the remark about Herr Hitler
was made, is serving a three-month jail term for smuggling. “While fully conscious of my own innocence . I fully appreciate that any criticism of a member of
TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1939
Maid’s Revenge Complete
the judiciary necessarily tends to impair his usefulness to some exe tent,” Judge Lauer wrote. Miss Weber was the Lauers’ maid until last fall, when she overheard the. remark about Herr Hitler while serving a dinner party and remone strated with the guest who made it. She was fired, and immediately reported to customs agents that Mrs. Lauer had smuggled her fall ward robe from Paris. Federal raids fol= lowed.
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