Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 5 January 1940 — Page 1
FORECAST: Fair tonight and tomorrow; continued cold tonight with tem perature of zero or somewhat lows slowly rising temperature tomorrow.
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FINAL HOME
VOLUME 51—NUMBER 257
FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 1940
Entered as Second-Class Matter at Postoffice, Indianapolis,
Ind.
PRICE THREE CENTS
12 OVERCOME IN GAS MAIN BREAK
Victims of Near Tragedy in W. 10th St. Neighborhood
TWO KILLED BY SOVIET BOMBS
Ten Houses Fired by Reds; Finns Claim to Have Cut Russian Rail Line.
War at a Glance
HELSINKI — Bombing airplanes are reported aiding Finnish ski patrols in attacks on Russian railroad.
BERLIN—Hermann Goering takes over post as absolute economic dictator of Germany. SHANGHAI — Peiping dispatch says American sentry is alleged . to have wounded Japanese soldier.
TOKYO—Complete agreement reported on formation of Japa-nese-dominated National Gov‘ernment for China.
'ROME-Ration cards will be disfiimied through Italy by Jan. 5
BRUSSELS—Belgian Cabinet Tésigns to make reorganization possible under Premier Pierlot.
HELSINKI, Jan. 5 (U., P.).—Nine Soviet, Russian planes dropped - 22 bombs today on Voikka, near Kovo1a, halfway between Helsinki and Viborg, setting fire to 10 houses and killing two persons, including a girl of 18. Fifteen women and one old man were injured. It was reported that the Red Air Force bombed other points in Finland but details were not immediately available. An official communique said that the Finns yesterday defeated a Russian detachment at Suomussalmi, killing 250 men, presumably in the course of mopping up operations following their victory on the Suomussalmi Front over the Red Army's 163d Division last week.
Fight Near Border
Fighting was continuing at Juntusranta, the communique said. Juntusranta is near the Russian border on the Eastern Central front where the Finns have been pursuing Russian remnants fleeing from last week’s Lake Kianta battle. The communique said that the Finns had repulsed Russian attacks at Kirvesmaki in the Taipale River sector of the Karelian Us front. Another attack was repulsed at Aittojoki, Russian base of operations north of Lake Ladoga taken by the Finns last week. According to the communique 150 Russians were killed at an unspecified point northeast of Lake Ladoga Planes Aid Ski Patrols
| Finnish ski patrols, now aided hy bombing airplanes, have so seripusly hampered traffic on Russia's vital. railroad supply line to the Arctic that the civil population of Murmansk is threatened with a serious food shortage, it was reported. Reindeer herders and other men fnured to the bitter ¢old of" the Far North have now joined the ski patrols, it was reported. Finnish officials decline to discuss the ski patrol activities but it was, understood that small marauding groups of between 15 and 20 men pach, camping in the snow at night and living on dried reindeer meat and*beans are engaged in constant forays across the frontier. There was no amplification of the re reports that bombing airplanes are now aiding the patrols. Build Concrete Defenses
The country along the frontier is uch that little lasting damage can be done by raiding parties. There are no big bridges to destroy, for stance. But both the patrol raids nd the intensified bombing activijes might seriously hamper the eavy, exceedingly important Rusian traffic on the only railroad to (Continued on Page Seven) ee e——
10G PRICES DECLINE: N.Y. STOCKS QUIET
— By UNITED BRESS
| Hog prices at Indianapolis deelined 5 to 15 cents on weights beween 160 and 260 pounds today, bringing Price levels back to those of Wi New York stock trading was quiet. dihg issues were narrowly irregarly while a few selected shares Weakness in Winnipeg Chicago prices
wheat, prices caused
Political Plate Served at $25 —or 25 Cents
Two political dinners, one the annual $25-a-plate Democratic Jackson Day Dinner, and the other a 25 cents-a-plate “Lincoln Day Dinner” for Young Republicans, are scheduled Monday night. : Both will be held at the Claypool Hotel. E. Kirk McKinney, banquet manager for the Democratic affair, said more than 600 reservations already have been received and about 400 more are expected by noon Monday. A vaudeville show will be staged in connection with the banquet. In explaining why Republicans would observe Lincoln's birthday Monday, Ralph Hamill, Young Republican county chairman, said: “With all this date changing on the calendar, we have a sneaking suspicion that they (Democrats) might change Lincoln’s real birthday, or even eliminate it. For this reason, we decided to hold this meeting on Jackson day. We know good and well the Democrats won’t change that.” _ Mr. Hamill said a menu of milk and crackers would be served and honor guest would be ‘Abraham Lincoln,” impersonated by one of the Young Republicans.
SPENGER'S RULING IN GAMING SUIT VOIDED
Ordered to Expunge Action Setting Aside Verdict.
The State Supreme Court today ordered Superior Court Judge Herbert M. Spencer to expunge from his own court records a ruling he returned June 27, 1939, which set aside a gambling suit verdict in favor of Mrs. Ida Helen Freeman. Mrs. Freeman, records show, won a judgment in Judge. Spencer's court June 12 while Special Judge Harry B. Perkins presided. The defendant in the suit, Thomas B. Dillon, was ordered to pay $3500 to Mrs. Freeman which she said her husband, Harry, lost through gambling. The judgment. in favor of Mrs. Freeman was given when Dillon failed to appear at the trial. On June 27 Judge Spencer, in a ruling from his sick bed at the Methodist | Hospital, set aside the judgnient. This was the order which the high court voided today and ordered expunged from the records.
WATER CO. SUED BY CHILD AQUATIC STAR
A suit seeking $10.0 $10,000 damages for alleged personal injuries was filed in Superior Court Room 4 today in behalf of Jane Aspinall, 9-year-old local child swimming star. The Indianapolis Water: Co. was named defendant in the action, which was filed by the girl's father, J. Edwin Aspinall, 135 Hampton Drive. The suit alleges the child tripped and fell over a water company curb fixture near her home Aug. 2, 1939, and received injuries including a fractured elbow. The injuries, the suit charges, “may prevent the child from ever engaging again in Som petitive swimming.”
2,152,252 ON WPA
The WPA announced today that 2,152,252 persons were on its rolls on Dec. 27, an increase of 8582 over Dec. 20. This figure compared with 3,093,855 on Dec. 28, 1938, and with the all-time WPA high of 3,353,000 in October, 1938.
+ VU. S. WARNS BRITAIN . WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (U. P.).— The United states formally has notified the British Government that it) will hold it strictly accountable for any damages or injuries sustained by American vessels or their crews by reason of being takem into belligerent ports for
search,
|duly 1.
ROLLS LAST DEC. 27
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (U. P.).—
EE
TWO STORES
Both Plan to Double Present Size.
Plans t6 exand the facilities of the G. C. Murphy Co. and the Harry W. Krause Co. were announced today. The G. C. Murphy 5 & 10 store at 41 N. Illinois St. will expand into the six-story and basement property at 29-37 N. Illinois St, now occupied by Rink’s store. Klein & Kuhn, property management company, announced signing of the long-term lease which involves more than $1,000,000 con-
sideration. Alterations are to start March 1 and are to be completed
Size to Be Doubled
, The Murphy store ‘in the Illinois Building will be connected with the new facilities in the adjacent structure. The store will have a 142-foot frontage on Illinois St.and a 57-foot frontage on Market St. and will be approximately double the present store in size. Plans call .for two large selling floors, main floor and a downstairs salesroom. In all 16,400 square feet of space will be added. The present store will remain open during remodeling.
in McKeesport, Pa., in 1906 and 202 stores are now in operation.
Store to ‘Be Moved
Alton Blauner, president of Rink’s, has announced the store will close as soon as the $500,000 stock can be liquidated. W. A. Brennan, Inc. realtors at 428 Illinois Bldg. announced that the Krause store will move from its location at 30 E. Washington St. to 24 N. Pennsylvania ‘St. at the end
Mr. Krause | said the new store will double the capacity of the present one.
Krause’s father, Reinhold Krause, 59 years ago. It was located at 205207 E. Washington St., 54 years until moved to its present location. Mr. Krause said the store Wed open at its new location Feb.
UNITY IS| SUFFERING LAPSE OF MEMORY
LONDON, Jan. 5 (U, P.)—Members of Lord Redesdale’s household said today that the peer’s 25-year-old daughter, Unity Freeman-Mit-ford, just returned from Germany, after a five-year friendship with Adolf Hitler, was suffering from temporary loss of memory and didn’t even know there was a war. . She reached home yesterday after a trip from Germany in a special ambulance train reportedly supplied by Herr Hitler, to Switzerland, thence to France and across the Channel by steamer. Reports that she was suffering from a bullet wound in the head were not confirmed.
WILL EXPAND
Murphy 5 & 10, Krause Co.
The Murphy stores were founded |in
The store was founded by Mr.|
1. Fireman Ward Storm, avercome in rescue work,
Times Photos.
2. A stricken family: Left fo right, Finis Wright, Jehn, 3, his son;
‘Mrs. Mamie Wright, his wife, and
Shirley, another son...
3. Charles Alley, a young victim, and Arthur Kennedy, who first
discovered trouble,
home.
4. Alvan Jones and son, Wesley, 11, carried unconscious from their
Billings, Al thongh Free,
Continues: ‘Serving Time’
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 5 (U. P). —A few blocks along Market Street from the scene of the 1916 Preparedness Day bombing which sent him to prison, Warren K. Billings repaired watches today. He opened a tiny watchmaking shop to practice the trade he learned in 23 years in prison for the explosion which killed 10 persons and injured many. Billings’ life sentence was commuted three months ago by Governor Culbert L. Olson, six months after Tom Mooney was freed. Mooney has been lecturing and rest-
g. With the first business he has ever owned, Billings, 46, hopes to support a home. When his civil rights have been ascertained—an application for a full pardon is now before Governor
. .
Olson—he will marry Miss Josephine Rudolph ¥f San’ Mateo, Above his bench hangs a certifi cate of membership in the International Jewelry Workers Union, ‘an A. FP, of L. affiliate. Billings before the war was a member of the shoemakers union and had worked as an automobile mechanic. In prison he took up watch repairing as a. hobby. With only an old watchmakers’ catalog to guide him and a pocket knife and piece of wire as tools, he took his own watch apart and put. it back together many times. Before the catalog he fashioned more tools out of the crude materials available. Other : prisoners brought their watches to him and soon he was made official prison watchmaker.
SUB-ZERO COLD BLAMED;
MERCURY HITS 7 BELOW AS FIRE CALLS POUR IN
Sligpt Relief Expected omorrow; Zero Due Tonight.
(Photo, Page 17) * Indianapolis temperatures, which were 7 degrees below zero and the coldest in four years at 8 a. m. this morning, edged slowly above thé zero mark today. The Weather Bureau gave no encouragement to shivering thousands for today, but predicted clear skies and slowly rising temperatures tomorrow. The prediction for to-
night was zero or possibly
sub-zero cold.
. While frigid blasts ripped the city, one fireman was stricken while fighting a $15,000 spectacular warehouse fire, an aged woman was burned to death downstate and a workman was burned in an explosion here. Hundreds of autos, were left in garages. Those autos that were brought out, kept the Fire Department busy due. to smoking alcohol and shortcircuited wiring. H. B. Henderson, 64, of 955 Eugene St., was uninjured when his coupe was: struck today by a switch engine at the w. Washington St. Belt Rail-
frozen up,
_|road crossing. He said his car
skidded on ice. The mercury began a steady de-
‘[eline at 6 p.m. yesterday, following
a rise to 23 that brought the city temporary relief from the cold wave which began the day after Christmas. It dropped to 10 below zero at Municipal Airport at 7:30 a. m. today. The previous record cold here this winter was 5 below. Today's 7-below mark downtown was the lowest recorded since Jan. 23, 1936, when the mercury hit 18 below. The fireman stricken was Ward Storm, 29, of 5924 Dewey Ave. assigned to Headquarters company. He was overcome by gas fumes on W. 10th St., 3700 block, where firemer. were rescuing residents overcome by gas from a leaking main. A short time later he became ill while fighting flames on the J. Solotken & Co., Inc., junk ware(Continued on Page Four)
QUICK APPROVAL OF
MURPHY INI INDICATED
Nominee for Sure Supreme Court Confers With President.
Page 19)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (U. P.).— Senate reaction today indicated that
(Another Story,
| Frank Murphy would be confirmed
at once to the Supreme Court— perhaps even before he is ready to relinquish his office as Attorney General. * Nominated by President Roosevelt yesterday to succeed the late Justice Pierce Butler, “Mr. Justice” Murphy blinked at klieg lights and movie cameras, wiped perspiration from the forehead above his heavy red eyebrows, and answered reporters’ questions with bits of his personal philosophy. Mr. Murphy “stole the
show” at the annual White House reception for the Supreme Court and judiciary. And when the President retired at 11 p. m, to his private study, Mr. Murphy Joined him for one of his last private conferences before he dons the black-robes of a
wd
justice.
Romeo, Juliet Fly to Altar
. NORTH CONWAY, N. H,, Jan. 5; (U. P.)—George (Romeo) Lowther and Eileen (Juliet) Herrick were
married here today, climaxing society’s most turbulent romance of the season. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. H. Raymond Phelps, pastor of First Congregational Church, after the New York sweethearts had eloped by airplane to this White Mountains resort. The couple earlier had obtained a waiver of New Hampshire's five=day law at nearby Conway. The bride wore a plain traveling dress. : The wedding was witnesed by newsmen and photographers who followed the elopers from New York in an airplane.
ELECTROCUTED IN TUB
HILLSDALE, II, Jan. 5 (U.P.).— It was cold last night when Robert
bathtub so he plugged in a small electric heater and set it on a shelf over the tub. The heater fell in the water. Current coursed instantly
through the water into McCutcheon’s body and he was electrocuted.
McCutcheon, 23, climbed into the)
6. 0. P. SENATE BLOC OPPOSES NEW TAXES
Favors Study of Budget Problems and Defense.
| (Another Story, Page 17).
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (U. P.).— A bloc of Senate Republicans today indorsed proposals for a joint Congressional study of budgetary problems, proposed a similar investigation of national defense, and opposed any new taxes at this session of Congress. Fourteen of the Senate's 23 Republicans reached those decisions at a two-hour conference. They post‘poned consideration of farm problems and the reciprocal trade treaty program until a later date.
TRACK BARS ROONEY BECAUSE HE’S MINOR
MIAMI, Fla.,, Jan. 5 (U. P.).— Mickey Rooney, the young movie actor, is one celebrity who won't be seen at the race tracks here this season. He tried to attend Tropical Park yesterday, but officials refused to admit him because a state .law prohibits minors at the races.
and perhaps the Near East.
ing the neutrals to beware.
their only present weapon.
SAIgues, the State,
United Press Cable Editor Germany either has attacked on a new front in the familiar Nazi war of nerves, or there is actual danger that the fighting may spread soon into the Scandinavian countries
That seems the only explanation of the concerted outburst in the German press, charging the Allies with seeking to attack Germany through Norway and Sweden, and warn-
The campaign is reminiscent of the reat and warnings which kept Belgium and the Netherlands on edge during the early months of the war, : Predictions in this war are futile, but an examination of the possibilities is permissible. The stalemate on the Western Front leaves the Allies with the blockade of Germany a as
Is Nazi Press Ou tburst Prelude to Spread of War?
By LOUIS F. KEEMLE
sources. of supply. for the Reich and one source which the Allied blockade has not been able to block. Any threat to the Scandinavian supply lines is of greatest concern to the Reich and probably is mainly responsible for Berlin's critical attitude toward Sweden and Norway. The German official news agency says that the Allies
are “convinced: of the hopelessness of their blockade.”
that is true—and there are
If no present indications from
London or Paris that it is true—it is logical to assume that the Allies would choose another weapon to accomplish their
aim of crushing’ the dictatorships. Two weapons are possible, one in the North and the
other in ‘Southeastern Europe. For the Allies to go to Finland’s rescue by land, sea and air would involve taking on ia together in a general war.
franc have
hesitated to do so thus far,
Going Down TEMPERATURES
6 p. 7p.
m.. m.. m.. m.. m.. m.. Midnight 7 la.m... 2am... Sa MM...
m. m. m. m. m, — me... 1 12 (Noon) 4
1pm... 6 2p. m... 9
GRINDLE, NOTED ARCHITECT, DIES
Leading Midwest Designer; Made His Home in Brown County.
rant
Alfr Gri“ le, noted midwest
home of his son, A. Vernon Grindle, 407 W. 46th St.
Mr. Grindle was horn in England near the Sherwood Forest which pm the legendary Robin Hood « made famous. He was graduated from the King Charles School, after which he studied architecture for four years with Bell & Roper, London architects. Attending the Manchester Institute of Art, Mr. Grindle won the South Kensington certificate in drawing and construction, He later attended Owens College. and was considered -an authority on the Owens-Jones Grammar of Ornament. - His drawings as a boy in the King Charles School, especially a crayon study of a portion of Acropolis, attracted early attention.
Comes to America
After two years of private practice in England, Mr. Grindle brought his wife to America to live. He began his practice in New Jersey, but later came to Ft. Wayne, Ind., and at’ the same time maintained a branch office in Muncie. Later, he opened an office in Indianapolis. During the World War, Mr. and Mrs. Grindle moved to Brown County, and in 1920, he opened wp his practice in Bloomington. His long career as an architect established him as one of the leading designers in the Middle West. His works included "more than $20,000,000 in buildings ai d_ homes. Among these are the Jasper County Court House, the public library, the Clay School and Root Memorial in Pt. Wayne, the McKinley School in Muncie, the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Greencastle, the Trinity and University Lutheran Churches and the Elm Heights and D. Eckley Hunter Schools in Bloomington. Mr. Grindle was a member of the American Institute of Architects, a society limited to the foremost men of the profession, and also was a member of the Indiana’ Society of Architects.
Home Is Show Place
The Grindle home in Brown County, with its artificidl lake; a cottage and barn made into an old English homestead, is one of the show places of that area, I was here that Mr. and Mrs. Grindie
celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in May, 1936. The Rev. Elliston Cole, pastor of the Trinity Episcopal Church, Bloomington, will officiate at funeral
services to be held here tomorrow at All Saints Cathedral. Burial will be in Brown County. Active pallbearers will be Merritt Harrison, Anton Scherrer, Kurt Vonnegut, O. D. Walden, Charles A.
latter of Bloomington. Honorary pallbearers will be Paul Feltus, Edward Williams, Dr. Vernon Haskett, Herbert Buckley, Will Curry, Dr. Fred Prow and Fred Seward, Bloomington; L. O. Griffith and Dr. WN. Culmer, Nashville, and Chester: es, Indianapolis. Survivors ‘are his wife, the son, and a granddaughter, Miss Marjorie Grindle.
“ALLIES BUY MORE PLANES
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (U. P).— Great Britain and France have in-
architect, died last night at the|
Trask and ‘William Henry, the}
Police and Firemen Batter In Doors to Save Many.
(Other Stories, Page 4 and 7) Twelve persons were overcome as they slept early today when gas from a broken high-pressure main seeped into their homes in the 3700 block of W. 10th St. Nine of the 12 at first were reported to be in a serious condition at City Hospital. All were taken off the serious list at noon, but remained at
| the hospital.
For more than an hour after the first alarm at 3:30 a. m., police and firemen were busy effecting rescues,
breaking doors and windows in| some instances to do so. Several persons were carried in night . clothes into sub-zero temperatures. | Those at City Hospital are: ALVAN JONES, 33, of 3718 W.| 10th St. WESLEY JONES, 11, his son. ARTHUR KENNEDY, %*, of 3722 W. 10th St. CLARA KENNEDY, 47, his wife, FINIS WRIGHT, 46, of 37121 W, 10th St. MRS. MAMIE WRIGHT, 44, his wife. JOHN WRIGHT, ‘3, their son. IRENE SMITH, 15, of 3n117 Ww. 10th St. CHARLES ALLEY, 13, of 2211 {Winter Ave... 5 Treated at “oity Hospital, but not admitted, were? MRS. EMMA SMITH, 41, mother of Irene Smith. SHIRLEY WRIGHT, 16, son of Finis Wright. WARD STORM, 29, of 5924 Dewey Ave. City fireman of Headquarters Company, who was engaged In rescue work. : Cold Weather Blamed
Citizens Gas & Coke Utility officials said that the main had been cracked by the sub-zero weather and that it was repaired before noon. It was the main that supplied industries in Speedway City but that service was not interrupted. Apparently Arthur Kennedy was the first to become aware that something was wrong. He® awakened
'|when he heard a noise in the
kitchen of his home and investigated, to find his wife had collapsed on the floor, shattering a water glass she was carrying. Mrs. Kennedy had been ill for several weeks and had gone to the kitchen to mix a glass of soda water when she was overcome. After finding her in a faint, Mr. Kennedy heard his step-grandson, Charles Alley, crying. He called his step-daughter, Mrs. Ruth Bryant, 3708 W. 10th St, and told her to come down, that ‘something is wrong.” > Mrs. Bryant hurried to the Kennedy home and at once detected the gas odor. She immediately called police.
Phones Physician
At about the same time at the Finis Wright home across the street, Mr. Wright awakened his son Shirley, and told him that another son, John, was sick. They did not identify the odor of gas but each said he had a headache. Shirley dressed and went across the street to the Kennedy home and phoned Dr. John Hancock, 2226 W. Michigan St., asking him to come quickly because several members of the family were sick. Mrs. Bryant, at that time, had not arrived at the Kennedy hcme ang none of the Kénnedys knew that (Continued on Page Four) ed a a
ROBBED OR JOKING? PLEASE, CONSTANCE!
Whether Miss Constance Bennett, stage and screen actress, was or was not robbed of $1520 in cash and valuables while she was in Indianapolis this week, was still a mystery today. ~ Police reported that Miss Bennett said she very definitely had been - robbed in a downtown hotel here. At Milwaukee, Wis., where her play, “Easy Virtue,” is now in performance, she said she wasn’t robbed. Indianapolis police would like to hear from Miss Bennett.
TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES
L
veesse 20) Jane Jordan or idle ‘Johnson . ie val 27 Movies Crossword ... 26 Mrs. Ferguson 20 Curious World 27| Pegler ....... 20 Editorials ... 20| Pyle ae Financial .... 21|Questions .... 19 ‘ 38 Radio ....... 21
Books Cla Co
creased their orders for American F planes to a t be 4000
20| Mrs. Roosevelt 19 Scherrer