Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 23 April 1946 — Page 1

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VOLUME 57—NUMBER 37

TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 1946

Entered as Second-Class Matter at, Postoffice Indianapolis 9, Ind. Issued daily except Sunday

PRICE FIVE CENTS

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LAWYERS FILE INSANITY PLEA FOR EDWARDS

Faces Possible Life Imprisonment if Convicted Brosnan Shooting.

By KENNETH HUFFORD Cleo Edwards, charged with robbing’ and shooting % North Side woman last Oct. 20,” observed his 24th birthday today as his trial opened in criminal court. The Tennessee native faces life imprisonment if convicted on a charge of inflicting physical injury in the commission of a felony and a 10 to 25-year sentence on a robbery charge. Deputy Prosecutor James Stewart started a parade of state witnesses in an attempt to prove that Edwards held up Miss Helen Brosnan as she collected rents in the vicinity of Bright and Hadley sts. Miss Brosnan lives at 1934 N. Meridian st, Insanity Plea

The first move of his attorneys, M. Wilson Beene and W. S. Henry, was to file an insanity plea. Drs. T. Victor Keene and C. K. Hepburn were appointed alienists. Their report will be made after all the testimonw has been heard. At the time of his arrest, Edwards revealed to police a sketchy story of ceaseless drinking prior to the attack. He also said he had become dazed from smoking marijuana weed. Miss Brosnan lingered near death for .days at St. Vincent's hospital, finally recovering sufficiently to identify Edwards positively, police charge. They say a gun found in Edwards’ room also has been identi-

‘ fied from ballistics tests as the

&

weapon used. Unlike many eriminals, the 24-year-old defendant has no juvenile court record, nor has he ever been taken to the police department’s juvenile aid division. Crime Begins at 20 His crime record began when he was 20. Since then, he has been arrested eight times, including the present three charges. Twice he has been convicted, once for cars rying a concealed weapon and once for assault and battery. - Edwards has never served a

vestigation. His personal chronology: Aug. 4, 1942—Arrested on a vagrancy charge. Aug. 12, 1942—Dismissed by Prosecutor Sherwood Blue's deputies (85 per cent of all vagrancy charges eventually are dismissed), July 22, 1944—Arrested, vagrancy and carrying a concealed weapon (butcher knife) charges. of strongarm tactics in Military park. . July 24, 1944—Arraigned before Judge John L. McNelis of municipal court 3, who continued the case. Aug. 30, 1944—Vagrancy charge dismissed; convicted of carrying a concealed weapon and fined $25 and costs. Judge McNelis suspended judgment. Sept. 29, 1944—Arrested on a vagrancy charge. Oct, ‘3, 1944 — Vagrancy charge dismissed; reslated on an asault and battery charge, Oct. 5, 1944—Convicted of assault and battery for being one of three men who attacked a man and woman on the street, cutting the man, Judge Pro Tem George Dailey of municipal court 3 fined $26 and costs and sentenced to 60 days in jail." Edwards appealed. Nov. 20, 1944—Pleaded guilty on the appeal before Judge Pro Tem Paul Wetter of criminal court, fined $25 and costs (totaling $43.40), sen~tenced to 180 days on state farm, days suspended. Place on probation one year, to report twice monthly. Dec. 5, 1944—Paid $10 to criminal eourt probation department. Jan. 3, 1945—Paid another $10, the last payment. Edwards became a fugitive shortly thereafter. Oct. 28, 1945 — Arrested TIT N.

(Continued on Page 6—Column 6)

TWO ‘SEVERE’ EARTH SHOCKS RECORDED

NEW YORK, April 23 (U, P.).— Two earthquakes, described as ‘“severe,” were recorded early today on the Fordham university seismograph. The Rev. Fr. Joseph Lynch, university seismologist, said the disturbances were at a distance of 10,400 miles and apparently were centered south of Java. He sald the first shock was at 11:16 a. m. and the second at 11:20:05 a. m. (Indianapolis time).

TIMES INDEX

Amusements . 14 Labor Eddie Ash.... 18|Bill Mauldin . 11 Business ..... 8|Wm. McGaffin 5 Carnival ..... 12{Ruth Millett. . Classified ..19-21 (Movies ,..... 1 Comics ...... 22|Obituaries ... 7 Crossword ... 19|Dr, O'Brien.. 11 Editorials . 12|F. ©. Othman 6 Europe Today 12] Politics Fashions . Mi{Radio -....... 22 Mrs, Ferguson 17|Reflections .. 12 Forum 12| Mrs. Roosevelt 11 G.I. Rights... 5 [Science Meta Given .. 17|Serial Dona Hoover .. 12 |Sports In Indpls.,... 3|Troop Arrivals 9 Inside Indpls.. 11 Washington . 12 Jane Jordan.. 22 Women's ..16-17

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day 1 jafl ul though held there often under in-|

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Times Spelling Bee last night as the letters, *

school;

Judge Jennie Strain.

RAILWAY EXPRESS STRIKE SET FRIDAY

65,000 to Be Called Out; Negotiations Collapse.

By UNITED PRESS A nation-wide strike of 65,000

Railway Express workers has been set for 12:01 a. m, Friday after a breakdown in. negotiations over a 16-cent hourly wage increase. George M. Harrison, grand president of the Brotherhood of Railway and Steamship Clerks, A. F. of L, said in Cincinnati he had notified

General Agent G. A. McLachlan of the Indianapolis Railway Express office said today 350 emloyees are employed here. About * 330 of them are members of the union and would be affected, he added. The rest are supervisors. Negotiations are being handled on a national basis, with no local activity.

the national mediation board in Washington that the workers would leave - their jobs. He said that express operations over the nation would “probably be paralyzed.” The strike Lall was ordered on request of representatives of ‘the workers, who have been negotiating with the company in Chicago. The company has offered to grant a 10-cent-an-hour increase if rates ‘are increased accordingly. “At Detroit, Ernest T. Weir, chair-| man of the Nationa] Steel Corp. predicted that if the strike of 300,

(Coptnued on Page 9—Column 8

bi fy pis 1 " .

Judges and Webster Check Spollers

Nathaniel Jones, of School 24, masters a “tough word” in the

Pronouncer Gaylord Allen checks

Discussing next Friday night's prospects after winning out last night are, left to right, Joan Litzelman, St. Fremcis de Sales Catholic Joe Dezelan, Holy Trinity, and Patricia’ Kauffman, Crooked Creek school, Washington township.

Webster's mammoth International dictionary becomes the judges’ authority to keep Charles Drullinger (left background), Sacred Heart Catholic school, in the match for his version of a word. In the front row (left to right) are Pronouncer Gaylord Allen and Judges Miss Irene Rhodes and Miss Helen Thornton. Standing beside Charles is

29 Girls, 11 Boys Remain In The Times Spelling Bee

By ART WRIGHT Twenty-nine girls and 11 boys made up the field of best grade school spellers * in Indianapolis and Marion county today after last night's first semi-final in The Times §gelling Bee. Twenty pupils who had won district eliminations in the city and in townships of the county school system were spelled down at Caleb Mills hall of Shortridge high school,

The 40 remaining will make amother bid for the Indianapolis champion’s title Friday night in the last semi-final, which will be held at Caleb Mills hall. Twenty of them will be eliminated and the remaining 20 will match wits in the Grand Finals May 3 at Caleb Mills hall. Friday's event will be open to the public again and there will be no admission charges of any kind, The program will start at 7 o'clock with organ music—both popular and semi-classical—and the spellers. will begin their match at 7:30 o'clock. Several hundred parents, children, teachers and other spectators made up an enthusiastic audience last night as the preliminary winners displayed a keen vocabulary in one of the closest matches yet developed in the contest. Catholie school pupils lead the fleld with 15 still in the contest. Nineteen from Catholic schools were on the roster last night and four were gliminated. City schools

(Continued on Page 6—Column 2) AWOL FROM ARMY, FACES BIGAMY CHARGE A criminal court capias charging bigamy was issued today for John Fidler, 19, of 1901 Pershing ave, who already faces an army A, W, 0. L. charge, Fidler was' nabbed yesterday by city police internal security investigators ‘who said they were shown two marriage licenses by two different women bearing Fidler's name, One of the licenses was issued to Fidler and Mrs. Marcella Fidler, of the Pershing ave. address, on Feb. 29, 1944. The other said Fidler had been married to a (Mrs. Kathleen Fidler, of 2030 CarIrolton ave, on April 17 a Greenfield, Ind. Internal securities officers said

.J Fidler has been missing from Camp Pike, Va. > Maren, 8,

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SMITH INVITES FULL ARING OF LIQUOR SETUP

City, County and State Officials Are Invited to Meeting Friday.

City, county and state officials today were invited to a comprehensive “liquor tontrol” conference Friday in the Columbia club by Robert S. Smith, new president of the Marion county liquor board. Purpose of the session, scheduled for 10 a. m,, is to “promote better co-operation” between liquor l= censing and enforcement agencies, Mr. Smith said. At the meeting, he added, those attending will-be given “every opportunity” to air conflicting views on Marion county's currently stormy tavern situation. He said criticism would be solicited from “all those persons officially interested in the issue.” Smith Plans for Cleanup “We're going to clean up conditions,” said Mr. Smith, “regardless of who gets hurt.” He disclosed that the Marion county council has promised the liquor board an office, a hearing room and a full-time secretary, none of which it has ever had be-

fore. The board formerly has met in various unused rooms in the| courthouse. " | Mr. Smith said that as soon as|

[offices are established in the near|

future, “all records will be per-| manently filed for public inspec- | tion.” He deplored the fact that of-| ficials have had to “carry the rec- |

. \ords around in their pockets.”

Meanwhile, the alcoholic beverage commission today rescinded a previous suspension order issued against the Liberal View league, road house on the Bluff rd. A. B. C. officials said John L. McNelis, as. attorney for the Liberal View league, had requested a rehearing on charges of “after hour sales at the establishment. Remains Open Temporarily Dr. Burrell Diefendorf, A. B. C. chairman, said it was routine procedure to grant rehearings upon request when proprietors “feel they haven't gotten a square deal” The club was supposed to have been closed for a month on April 12, but will remain open pending the rehearing. The A. B. C. has also assigned 30 additional excise officers to assist local agencies in cracking down on “trouble taverns.” Schooled for three weeks, the new officers will be apportioned among the A. B. C.’s eight excise police posts. About 15 will be stationed in Indianapolis. A. B. C. officials said assignment of additional excise men had been planned for several months, They indicated the move did not result from Mayor Tyndall's recent charge of “laxity,” hurled at Marion county excise forces.

NOTABLES ATTEND MOONSHOWER RITES

Services for Holdup Victim Held at Home Here.

Numerous Indianapolis political and business figures today attended funeral services for Rex Moonshower, Hoosier Mint Co, official, slain in a gun battle with a bandit Saturday. Services were held at 9:30 a. m. at his home, 636 E. 58th st., with the Rev. Edwin Sahm, pastor of St. Joan of Arc church, officiating. Burial was to be in Athens, Ind. home of his parents, Honorary pallbearers are former Judge ~ John L. McNelis, “Edwin Smith, Richard Uhl, Earl Robinson, John H. Reider and John Shields. Meanwhile, city police queried Willlam H. Armitage, owner of the Hoosier Mint Co., about the doublyfatal :gun duel between Mr. Moonshower and John Balpho Miles, almost a month after Miles had held up the firm on a previous occasion.

from Mr. Moonshower's gun, Last month he had forced Mr. Moonshower at gunpoint to accompany him to the American National bank and cash a check. The incident was not reported to police.

SENATE GROUP VOTES FOR DEFENSE MERGER

Committee Favors Uniting ‘War Services.

WASHINGTON, April 23 (U, P.). -—The senate military affairs committee today approved a- bill to merge the armed services under a single department of common defense.. The vote-was 10.-to 1. . The measure, drafted by a threeman subcommittee -after lengthy hearings, would elminate, the present secretaries of war and navy They would be replaced by a single secretary. of common defense. Committee Chairman Elbert D. Thomas (D. Utah) said only 11 of the committee's 18 members were

récorded in today's roll call

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Body Of Mussolini

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Stolen From Grave

Park Benches Get New Paint in City's Cleanup Campaign

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Even the park benches in University park are coming in for a facelifting in the city's annual clean-up

Applying the paint are (left to right) Victor Ellison, Schuyler Kelley and James Mcllvain,

JUSTICE STONE

RITES THURSDAY

Jackson, Reed Considered As Probable Successor.

(Stories of Chief Justice Harlan F. Stone's career, Page 3; editorial, Page 12.)

WASHINGTON, A April 23 (U. P.). —The White House said today that President Truman probably will cut short his sea-going vacation to at tend the funeral of Chief Justice Harlan PF. Stone of the supreme court. Funeral services will be held at 1 p. m. (Indianapolis time) Thursday at th& Episcopal National Ca-

Miles was killed by four shots]

thedral. Burial will be in ington at a private service. As the capital mourned the unexpected death of the famed jurist, the names of Associate Justices Robert H. Jackson and Stanley F. Reed, both liberal Democrats, were ranked at the top of the list of possible successors to the chief Jjusticeship. Planned Return Sunday

President Truman originally planned to return Sunday from-his vacation in the Atlantic and Chesapeake bay. But Assistant White House Press Secretary Eben Ayres said that Mr, Stone's death last night probably will hasten the President's return. He said there had been no diréct word from Mr. Truman as yet. After Mr. Truman returns, he will be confronted with the task of appointing a successor to the 73-year-old chief justice who was appointed to the high court by Calvin Coolidge in 1925 and elevated to the chief justiceship by the late President Roosevelt in 1941. Members of the senate generally believed that Mr. Truman would elevate one of the present justices and name a new associate justice. Mr. Jackson, prosecutor of the Nazi war crimes trials, and Mr. Reed

{Continued on Page 6—Column 3)

LOCAL -SCOUTS JOIN FOOD SAVINGS PLAN

Indianapolis Boy Scouts today joined the nation's drive to conserve food with the announcement there will be food bins at the Scout! Circus May 10 and 11 at the annual scout fair at the Coliseum.

The bins, to be placed at the entrances to the Coliseum, will be for a voluntary collection of canned goods for war stricken countries, Henry Schricker, general chairman of the Boy Scout circus committee, announced.

Wash- |

killed nine American nayy seamen sailor was armed with a carbine, a

watch on the LST 172 last night land about 3 a. m. this morning entered the sleeping compartment of the ship where 30 of his shipmates were asleep, Fires 20 Shots Smith tumed on the light and opened up with a 30 caliber carbine, firing about 20 shots. He also started firing with a ,22 caliber revolver and stabbed scme seamen with his knife, Kenneth M. Stalnecker, seaman second class, Reading, Pa., and another seaman who was wounded, {grappled with the crazed man. |Despite his wound the unnamed {seaman managed to tear the guns from Smith's hands. Stalnecker then floored him with a blow with a metal bench. The unnamed sailor died of his wounds almost immediately after Smith-was subdued. Stalnecker was uninjured.

{mates as a silent, introspective per-

TRUMAN APPROVES V. A HOSPITAL HERE

Location.

President Truman has approved construction of a 500-bed veterans’ hospital for Indianapolis, Arf earlier plan was to house an out-patient department and administrative offices at the Indianapolis hospital, also increasing the number of beds by 275, the official added. The President's approval indicated that the hospital may eventually be expanded to 1000 beds. No decision has been reached on the {location of the proposed hospital. | Some proponents argue in favor lof locating a hospital at the site of |the present one on Cold Springs rd. | Mayor Tyndall and other city officials favor locating the hospital lon grounds of the Indiana univer[sity hospitals, near White river and Michigan st. V.A. officials at Washington were {ordered by President Truman to be[gin acquisition of a site at once. The Indianapolis hespital is one of four new V.A. hospitals ap{proved by the President. Others |are at Chicago, Boston and Omaha.

{

Crazed Seaman Kills Nine

Americans on Yangtze River

SHANGHAI, April 23 (U. P).—An armed sailor ran amok aboard an amphibious boat of the 7th fleet in the Yangtze river today and

to take his own life, the navy sald, The seaman was William V. Smith, Ashville, N. C. He was on

(Continued on Page 6—Column 0!

Decision Still Awaited on [to make such “deals.”

and wounded another. The crased revolver and a knife, He attempted

SEEK T0 LINK ROBBERY WITH NEO-FASCISTS

Coffin - Smashed Open, Tomb of Mistress Is Undisturbed.

MILAN, April 28 (U. P.). —The body of Benito Musso lini was stolen today from the potters field where it had rested almost exactly a year, Police- launched an immedi ate investigation of a reported ree emergence among neo-Fascist ste dent groups of the old “Mussolind action squads.” The grave-robbers left a note behind them, signed ‘“Democratis Fascists.” The note said they would surround Mussolini “with roses but the pers

fume of your virtues hii he stronger than roses.” > Police centered their among university students, where it, was known that a certain amound of monarchical and neo-Fasoist age tivity is in progress. Whether there was a tie-up be= tween these groups and remnants of the old “action squads” was nod

but was finally overpowered.

HUNT DEATH GUN IN MILLER CASE

Life Term ‘Deal.’

State police detectives and Homer Pollard, father of Howard Pollard, were in central Kentucky today searching for the death weapon in the Miller murder case, The father of the 24-year-old confessed slayer accompanied state police to Kentucky after informing them he knew the whereabouts of the .38 caliber revolver Pollard said he wielded in self-defense, He im-

Smith was known to his ship-|plied it was held by relatives or {friends of the family.

City police detectives revealed today that Homer Pollard had approached them with a proposition whereby his son would plead guilty and receive a life-sentence. State police disclosed” he had presented the same proposition to them previously, Both agencies told the father that they would furnish all possible evidence to the county prosecutor, but were not authorized

Detectives also were scouring the

{Continued « on Page 6—Column 35)

18 KILLED IN PLANE CRASH IN NICARAGUA

MIAMI; Fla, April 23 (U, P.).— Taca Airways headquarters here announced today that 18 persons were killed in the crash of a plane at La Libertad, Nicaragua, late yesterday. A child was known to have escaped without injury, and the pilot and co-pilot were injured, Taca said. Details of the accident, which occurred on a take-off, were unavailable here because of transmission difficulties. The flight was a local one within Nicaragua,

REPORT CLASH AT HANOI PARIS, April 28 (U,P.).—A French press agency dispatch from Saigon said today that 12 persons were killed and 20 injured in a clash between French and Chinese troops at Hanoi in northern Indo-China.

By PATRICIA CLARY United Press Staff Correspondent HOLLYWOOD, April 23.—S8hirley Temple, once the world’s favorite baby star, celebrates her 18th birthday today. She will hold a coming-of-age party for half of Hollywood. The menu: Ice cream and cake. She invited 250 stars—who suddenly felt a lot older—to celebrate her becoming a grown-up . movie star, “I'm my own boss from now on,”

she said. “Except,” nodding to husband John Agar, “for him.” Shirley, her husband and her

family planned a quiet celebration at home tonight. “It'll be a celebration not to have to cook the dinner myself,” she

said,

Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple Marks 18th Birthday Today; Will Have School Certificate to Prove Age

be the stars and directors who worked with her way back when. They include Actors George Murph¥; Jack Oakie, Jimmy Dunn and Adolphe Menjou and Directors David Butler, Henry Hathaway and Allan Dwan, The party wasn't only for stars, 25 of her girl friends from the exclusive Westlake high school were coming alsa,

Harry Ravel and Mack Gordon, |

who wrote most of her early songs, were going to be there, and Shirley promised she'd sing some of them. “I'll even do one of my baby dance routines—if I can remember that far back,” she added.

But her big party was to be late this afternoon at R. K. O. studios, where she’ 1% ‘working in "“Honeymoon,” © Her spesial kjosea ye were to

She added there'd be a birthday cake with ‘18 candles at the party,

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at the hands of partisan bands the display of his body lic square here wh 0 in ne | blackshirts start after | world war I. : Workmen noticed this morning hy earth had been disturbed at | Mussolini's grave, situated fn a of the city cemetery sot

section Police Reveal “Attempts at wide for German dead,

ey investigated and found Ms

rotting shoe, and a part of a leg. The nearby grave of Claretta Petaccl, Mussolini's was executed with him in the oute burst of violence during the liberae tion of Italy last year, was undise turbed. Start Investigation Authorities opened an investige« tion and posted guards to keep back crowds of curious persons who gathered at the gates, Some officials believed the. ree moval of the body might be the work of Fascist fanatics trying to prevent any further possible vioe lence on the anniversary of his death. All of Mussolini's family ‘in this country are in prison or under surveillance. Authorities said seemed unlikely they could hewe had anything to do with the thef§,

ROXAS TAKES LEAD IN FILIPINO VOTING

MANILA, April 23 (U, P.) —Man«uel Roxas took an early lead in the Philippines presidential race tonight when the first handful of votes in today’s election were counted. Roxas, president of the senate, gob 298 votes and Osmena, who became president in 1944, got 114 in returns from four complete’ and three ine complete precincts. Osmena, conservative presidend of the Philippine commonwealih, voted early. Roxas, who is supe ported by liberal elements, was a8 companied by armed guards when - he cast his ballot later in the day,

SHOWERS AND COOLER WEATHER FORECAST

Intermittent showers and cooler weather will be our weather menm for today and tomorrow, according to the U., S. weather bureau. Scattered showers are forecast for the northern and southern see tions of the state tomorrow and Thursday and the entire state is due for a drenching Saturday. The 86 registered here yesterday afternodn was high for the nation,

LOCAL TEMPERATURES

6am ,..6 10am ..7%" 7am,..61 llam..."73 8am ... 7 12 (noom).. aM iB APM. as

Want a Home in the South? The Deep South , ., Side of Town

Then this lovely, modern, closes in suburban with all city ‘come veniences will have a remarks able appeal, especially to a ily that enjoys having own garden

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