Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 1 February 1947 — Page 1
FORECAST: Clearing and much colder tonight with lowest — ures 10 to 15 depress’ tomorrow, po and ¢ co
[erp ~rowae] 57th YEAT_NUMBER 281
OPA Agent Jiesin Beating: Wouths Held
One Admits Hitting Victim on Jaw
City detectives prepared to .flle a!
charge today against an polis youth who has ad-| mitted hitting and knocking down OPA Investigator Jerome C. Hester. \ Another youth will face charges 18s an accessory, | Mr. Hester, 84, died early this at City hospital of multiple 1 and face injuries and a posble fractured skull. He was beaten Friday, Jan. 24, whilé standing in front of the Barnes hotel, 233 McCrea st. Held are Harry Ettinger, 19, of 1109 River ave, and Marvin Law rence, 20, of 1358 Unjon st. Both are in the county jail in default of $3000 bail, ‘Insulted,’ Says Youth Ettinger told detectives he hit he victim in the jaw because of an “insult.” Detectives sald that Ettinger would be charged with murder and Lawrence with being an accessory. Meanwhile, ' OPA investigators from €leveland have probed the » to determine whether the beat
ing had ‘any conection with Mr.|
Hester's work, He was surveying the rental situ lon in Indianapolis for the Wash. ington office of OPA. Indianapolis ent Control Director Robert M. DéWeese sald Mr. Hester arrived and presented his credentials here three weeks ago and went: to work. Mr. Hester never fully regained onsciousness after the slugging and s unable to identify anyone or coherently what had happened By his beside since Sunday night his wife, Mrs, Mary Hester, 39. [Near collapse in a downtown hotel today, she was being cared for by } DeWeese, wife of the local ant director, pending arrangements lo ship the body to Ft. Worth, Tex, p victim's home, County Coroner Roy B. Storms d he thought Mr. Hester's death poked like homicide. The victim A d multiple bruises and contusi bout the face and head and a fry
4 skull, he sald. a pretty pad _corfnented,
like he took * the coroner ‘Seized Near Scene “We expected him to die a couple of days ago,” said Coroner Storms. Maybe it is’ a case of homicide.
PALIT
I don't know whether it's necessary |
p do an autopsy.” Both Ettinger and Lawrence were arrested near the scene of the slug- [' "mn called by a witness. They found Mr. Hester lying unconscious in the gutter. The wit~ ness pointed out. Ettinger and Lawgence who were lurking nearby. " Police did not take the name of the witness who promptly disappeared. Picked up for questioning only, the youthful suspects were released by police, then later arrested by detectives after Mr. Hester's condition was found to be critical. The youths said they had been hanging around a restaurant and Ravern the night of the slugging, d were wandering around town after trying to get into a dance hall when they were “insulted.” Home in Ft. Worth ‘Mr. Hester lived at 3708 New Hampshire ave, Washington, while he was on duty there as an account[ant- investigator for the rent section of OPA. His home was in Ft. Worth, however: Mrs. Hester flew from there to Indianapolis Sunday when she was notified of his condition. Mr. Hester was born in Missisgippi. He has worked for the government for 20 years. Immediate family survivors in addition to his wife are a brother, Ralph, of Ft. Worth, and a sister, Mrs. Rowena Peabody of San Antonio, Tex. For many years, he was a resident of Colorado City, Tex. and was a member of the Methodist urch there. City hospital officials and Coroner Storms remained vague as to the exact cause of death, No one lat the hospital seemed to know much about the case, although Mr. [Hester had been there a week.
Muncie G. L's Sentence
Reduced to 20 ‘Years
FRANKFURT, Germany, Feb. 1 (U. P.). ~The prison sentence of pvt. Gene F. Jackson, Muncie and French Lick, Ind, who feigned amnesia to explain mearly two years’ absence without leave, -has {peers reduced from 40 to 20 years. Maj. Gen. Ernest M. Harmon, 3d army commander, ordered the shorter term after reviewing the gentence passed Jan. 10.
Times Index
Amusements . 5|In Indpls, ... ‘Fddie Ash ... 6/Dan Kidney, Books 14| Ruth Millett . Boots 12|Movies ......~ carnival sere 8/F. CG Othman Churches a... 4 RaAIO .ivsusn Classified . .10-12| Serial ....... Comics IIy Notions, Crossword .,. 12{8ports ....... Editorials Stranahan | Forum Gardening 5. | Hollywood . "Indika Saga.
POAD ICO IO TDW
cirene 1
ans en
8 3 7 8
by two patrolmen who were
, i hon Lf { fi»
VICTIM—Jerome C. Hester, 54-year-old OPA investigator, who died of injuries suffered in a beating,
a
"
BY No Strikes {In Building [Trade Pledged IMO her
Elasmline Mina § TONY
Truman Announces ‘Labor Peace Move
RATA CIEFTATASPAAAY Wn lL. 4 /o¥ ws & TONY TAIERRAVAT EWING TOW, EUW TT ee
President Truman today announced a “no strike, no lockout” agreement for settling labor disputes in the construction industry. : He told. a specially summoned news conference tha the agreement covers two million workers in the vital home, highway, heavy and specialized -construction fields. The voluntary agreement was made Cdhtractors - of America and the
‘|Building and Construction Trades
WIFE—Mrs. Mary Hester, 39, the victim's wife. She flew here from Texas to be at her hus-
band's bedside.
ASSAILANT — ie is Harry plea 19, of 1109 River ave. who admitted he struck Mr. Hester on the jaw.
ALSO HELD—Police said Marvin Lawrence, 20, of 1358 Union st., was with Ettinger when the victim was beaten.
Two Bind Woman, Flee With $1650
EATON, Ind, Feb. 1 (U, P.).—A middle-aged couple who bound and | gagged a housewife, threatened]
death to her husband and fled with $1650 were sought today by police. Mrs. D. P. Ratican, 50, told authorities that a man and a woman wearing dark glasses entered her home, tied her in a chair and took the money from her purse. A note penciled in lipstick. was found on a table. It said: “If you call police we'll kill your husband.” Mrs. Ratican’s husband was at work in a Muncie factory. For two hours the woman struggled to free herself. Then her daughter, Iva, 18, came home from school and released her, Mrs. Ratican said a fur coat and a ring were missing. She told police she withdrew the money from
a bank and had just returned home when the couple knocked.
‘Jet Plane Forced Down
Near Connersville
CONNERSVILLE, Ind, ‘Feb. 1 (U. P.).—A St. Louis pilot was uninjured when his Navy jet type plane ran out of fuel and made a forced landing in a field. Indiana state police said the plane came down during a snowstorm and landed undamaged near the Connersville district police post. Lt. Melvin L. Chapman was the pilot. He sald he was en route from St. Louis to” Wright Field at Dayton, O.
Camp Atterbury Dial
Phone Service Removed "Times $iate Service
COLUMBUS, Ind, Feb. 1—An-4
other move in reduction.cof Camp Atterbury services was made this week with shift from a dial telephone system capable of handling a maximum of 1400 phones, to a anual switchboard with 756 phones. ‘ During the war the camp system handled EPseosimulely 1000 “local”
department of the American Federation of Labor. Mr. Truman sald that he regarded his announcement of the agreement as “one of the most important (statements) I have made in a good while.” In reply to a question, he said that he hoped the
. |example of the construction indus- - {try would ‘be followed by other in-
dustries. Agreement Warmly Praised Mr. Truman and Secretary of Labor Lewis B.- Schwellenbach warmly praisec-the agreement. It comes at a time when there is great need to avoid stoppages in construction, especially of houses and apartments. - Contractor and union officials told Mr. Truman and Mr. Schwellenbach in a letter that the purpose of the plan is to settle all disputes without strikes or lockouts. They said it applied to new contract terms as well as grievances arising under existing contracts. The agreement is to run for an indefinite period. Labor department sources said that the agreement was virtually industry-wide since the unions involved have organized up to more than 90 per cent of the workers,
Employed in Building
for this year is reached in Septema record-breaking $15,400,000,000.
a notable step along the road to industrial peace.” “You have negotiated the present plan without government pérticipation. The public and the government look to you to make it work.”
How Plan Works
The plan calls for establishment of a joint national committee with equal representation for contractors and unions. Subcommittees are established for the heavy, home and highway construction industries. Each committee will consist of an equal number of contractor and union representatives. Provision is made for the joint national committee to establish such other joint subcommittees as
_____|may be necessary to settle disputes
in the fields. Whenever the parties to a dispute fail to make a settlement by available machinery, they may jointly submit it to the particular industrial subcommittee. The decision of the subcommittee is final and binding upon both sides.
specialized construction
|
| Studebaker Adds ;
‘Luxury’ Model
SOUTH BEND, Ind, Feb. 1 (U. P.)—The Studebaker Corp. today announced production of a new luxury model in its 1947 line of motor cars, the land cruiser. The company said the land cruiser would be built only as a fourdoor model, four inches longer in wheelbase than any other model and designed “to excel in luxury.” It said limited shipments to dealers already have begun,
by the Associated General!
. The department has estimated that more than 2,500,000 persons will be employed in building con- |.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1947
= Indisnapolis, Jad.
Frain Hits Cor In f Three Is
i as sacar Clas Matter At Posto 3 Issued dally exeept Sunday
Sy Ra
Hunts |
1 Navy
PORTSMOUTH, England,
of a mine today.
|of South Africa.
Periling Royal Family British Fleet Scatters in Search For Explosive as King, Queen Sail
TVEEIS
Feb. % {U.P) —a dramatic
It was drifting ‘toward the course of the battleship Van-. guard on which the royal family departed today for a tour
w
Ships of the British home fléet, drawn up in a massive sea lane through which the Vanguard sailed, broke ranks for the search. The mine was pinpointed off Durlstone Head, less than two miles
from the great dreadnought which empire. ” E J . resultant search sent King George, Queen Elizabeth and the two princesses off on a tingling start of their tour, Once the mine was spotied, the Vanguard, newest and biggest of Britain’s dreadnoughts, was directed safely through the danger area. Details of the information which enabled the admiralty to flash the warning were not forthcoming at once. The mine was presumed to be one
of those periodically washed loose
had become the symbolic seat of
”
THE ADMIRALTY’S high priority oberatiousl EN and the
from wartime moorings to drift into | the green light to a bill that would | the safe lanes through .the danger |
zones. ” » » THE ENTIRE home fleet had been drawn up in impressive array 20 miles off the Isle of Wight to dispatch the royal family with an impression of Britain's might. The Vangaurd plowed majestically through the lane and put out into the open sea for the long journey to the south.
Through Articles Left
riding with him a lesson ini check-
Mr. Truman told the contractors|ing drivers’ licenses. and unions that “you have taken
That decision cost his life and that of one rookie, Donald Cook.
It set off a complex investigation which led through a dozen blind leys to the capture of ex-convic Frank Badgely and Robert vices said by police to be “without a doubt” the slayers. To newspaper readers who had followed the story from the time of the double slaying to the capture it was another “crime doesn’t pay” case. Behind the arrests, however, lies an almost incredible story of false starts, dogged police work and unbelievable coincidences which almost ‘convicted” innocent men. Hammond detectives Andy. Peller and Frank O'Donnell were nearby when they heard shots over their police radio, followed by Patrolman Cook's cries for help. They were the first to arrive at the scene.
Patrolman Found
They found Patrolman Gerka dead, Patrolman Cook dying and Patrolman’ Rudolph Mamala dazed after a struggle with two gunmen. The gunmen had fled but they left scattered over the stolen car and the road the clues which put them behihd bars. The two Hammond policemen, State Police Detectives Robert Shields. and Robert Stewart and several city detectives were assigned to the -case. Out, of the helter-skelter of hats clothing, guns, other weapons and personal possessions found at the scene these emerged as major clews: A hat which bore the label of Levison’s Hat store here. Detectives learned it had been
(Continued on Page 2—Column 4)
Washington Calling—
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 cut in taxes you’ expected. much cut—if any—this year.
from that promised 20 per Remember?
time excise taxes. Already tinue them indefinitely.
chairman. of the powerful senate flatly “there will be no across-the-
«
Income Tax Cut in 1947 Doubted as G.O.P. Retreats
Talk of 20% Reduction Starts to Fade; Budget-Balancing, Debt Get Priority
~—Don't start spending that Chances are there won’t be
It looks now as if Republicans will have to back away
cent reduction just as they
have from some other pledges. Too many obstacles. Republicans promised to end all war-
house has passed bill to con-
G. 0. P. house steering committee promised 20 per cent across-the-board tax cut. .Now leaders have stopped talking about across-the-board action.. L leader say Rep. Knutson's 20 per cent bill wouldn't get more than 25
per cent of Republican house votes today. In a radio broadcast last night, Senator Robert A. Taft (R. O),
One Republican
Republican. policy committee, said board 20 per cent income tax cut as
a general policy.” Instead; he said, Republicans will concentrate on a graduated cut of “10, 15 and 20 and in some cases, no Leaders now put budget-balancing and reduction of national Qebt
per cent.”
Dogged Digging Triumphs— How Police Solved Slaying
Of 2 Hammond Patrolmen Suspects Traced and Trapped
«
at Scene
: By DONNA MIKELS ab looked like a petting party , . , a car parked in “lovers lane” Pry held in the afternoon ih the in a sparsely settled Hammond residential district. The night of Jan. 11 was-cold. The two ccupants of the auto were cers’ group. ‘Tonight’ struction when the peak of activity |almost obscured’ by mist on the windows. Sfoup. Tonight's afta wil Patrolman John Gerka, driving by in a Hammond squad car, ordi-
Limit Likely, .. Halleck Says
admiralty warning sent British yarshiss scuttling in sear ch|
|D. C.. Monday for a conference with President Truman.
ber, It estimates all types of new {marily Would have “let the petters alone.” Bo oe Sa ed construction for the year will reach !be a chance to give the two rookies) =
EB. Lowell Juvenile Center
Red Cross Man Named By Judge Hoffmann
Edwin B. Lowell today was named by Juvenile Judge Joseph O. Hoffmann as superintendent of the Marion County Juvenile Center. The 37-year-old present superin-
| tendent of the intake department of
the Indianapolis Chapter, Red Cross, will replace Mrs, Hazel Jordan, who resigned last month. > Other key juvenile court appointments announced today by the judge were Mrs. Dora -E. Robson as intake supervisor and Mrs. Mary Frances 1rout, new case work supervisor, Mr. Lowell, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, was manager of three Chicago boys’ clubs from 1937 to 1942. During the war he was Red Cross field director
visor for Hawali, Midway and Johnson Islands and supervisor of Red Cross personnel at Camp Atterbury separation center.
"Reds Cut Marine
(Wanted to See Puppies’; Boy, 5, Bitten to Death
at Camp Bowie, Tex.; field super-|
rere Puts in Plug For Aviation
Portal Pay
—President Truman put in a solid
feels. as safe ‘on an airplane as “anything else. Besides, he“told a news confer-
ence, if- your number is up you're Limitations on portal-to-portal going to die whether you are on a
Majority Leader Here For Banquet Tonight
| pay suits were predicted “within train or a plane or something else. {three weeks” today by Rep. Charles |
The nation’s flyingest President Halleck (R. Ind). |offered his views at a time when |congress: and the nation have evi-
In th { cen n the. city for a banquet in his ldenced od 5 Over the t
bo tonight at the Claypool hotel, | wave of air erashes.
| the house majority leader said the| Mr. Truman made it plain that
house judiciary committee had givey [he was all for improving flying jsatety, but that he was not worried
¥ limit the period of time for which | about his own plane travels.
back pay could be - sought. The 2d district representative was {stressing air safety.
expected also to review the entire | tax and spending structure of SM Si |
nation at the banquet sponsored by | the Republicans Veterans’ organization, . The Indiana representative said he is expected back in Washington, Green Asks Merger Of A.F.of L,C.1.O. a telegram from the President asking him to attend a conference of, MIAMI, Fla, Feb. 1 (U, P).— the “Big Six" —congressional lead- | {A F, of L. President William Green ers whose responsibility it is to| steer legislation through the senate] and house of representatives. * In addition, Mr, Halleck will serve as pro tem speaker Monday. td The congressman arrived here | this morning and went immediately | to 2 suite in the Columbia «club. reception in his honor w
Telegram From Truman While en route here, he received |
unite into one strong union for a solid front against congressional and other anti-labor forces. Mr. Green's proposal was sent to {Philip Murray, C. 1. O. Mr. Murray said in Pittsburgh {he had no immediate comment on the proposal, which would bring some 12 million workers under one labor banner. begin at 6:30 p. m. ; { Union and government Jubiog The honor guest will be presented 8ders hailed the “fresh. staxt
by Governor Gates. John M. Miller, ~jchéirman of the veterans’ organiization, will preside. Judge Alex |; Clark of municipal court 4 also will speak.
naval armory by the reserve offi-
defeated. rani Flos ‘when
Iden was at the C. 1. O. helm. Reply to Leiter Other groups, however, gave significance to the new bid pointing _|to Mr: Lewis, now a dominant figure in A. F, of L. councils, The previous merger attempt was made in 1942 with Mr. Lewis and William L. Hutcheson of Indianapolis, presi-
ters 4A. PF, of L.) reportedly the instigators. Later Mr, Lewis withdrew from the C. I. O. bringing his miners inte into the A. F. of Ln
Rossow Assumes
VIRGINIA, Minn, Feb. 1. (U. P.). —Glen Brace, 5, rushed home from kindergarten yesterday, through the house and out the back door. He was in a hurry to see his neighbor's! “puppies.” He was found dead in the snow a short time later. He was the victim of a neighbor's six halfgrown Doberman . Pinschers who | 0 ice ommand were yapping wildly around his torn and bitten body. Col. Robert Rossow, former comMost of his clothing had been |manding officer of Culver ‘military ripped off. |academy, today assumed the superA. E. Bibbines, the dogs’ owner, |iritendency of the Indiana state found the little boy’s body. He sum-|police. moned Glen’s father, Howard Bruce,| Sworn in by Supreme Court construction supervisor for a mining Judge Howard Young, Col. Rossow company. immediately went into conference : Couldn’t Recognize Him with the state police board on policy “Just what happened: we'll never | matters, know,” the boy's father said. “He| “I believe the department's pernever had any pets of his own, but|formance now will become more he liked dogs. He used.to pet-them efficient, ” V. M. Armstrong, board on the street. He wasn't afraid of president, said gs he welcomed the them.” colonel,” who retired recently from Mr. Bibbins said the neighbor-|the regular army. hood children often had come to| Col. Rossow’s arrival from Calisee the 7-months-old dogs. fornia, where he has been living
EE : i WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (U. PJ.
He said he hoped congress would}. 3 Jadopt a national~aviation policy Crossing .! railroad
| invited the rival C. I. O. today to |
th
United Mine Workers |,
dent of the Brotherhood of hg :
“They were never vicious but they! often wduld jump on a »erson,” he sald. “ ehow they got out of]
Evacuation Route
recently, came as the board an- | nounced it had completed its shakeup of the. department that brought
PEIPING, Feb. 1 (U, P.).—~Communist troops cut the marines’ evacuation route along the PeipingTientsin railroad today, It was the second tinte in three days, reliable milita® informants reported. An estimated 6000 communists attacked the Station town of Wei-shang-Chuan, 28 miles southeast of Peiping. They were engaged by Chinese Nationalist reinforcements using armored cars, The marines t0 be withdrawn from the abandoned peace team executive headquarters are sched-
battled railroad.
Labor Dispute Silences WIBC
Radio Station WIBC was off the air today as a result of a strike of technicians comprising the station's technical staff over failure to reach an agreement on a new contract. The technicians are members of Radio Broadcast Technicians Local 1225," International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. They notified the station's management they
satisfactory -
atis contract negotiated.
‘could be
«| broadcast. ocd isp patrolled the entrance to the station which is located at the Indianapolis News
§ ovtaact on Page 2—Column 1)
bullding, 30 W: Washington st.
uled to leave Peiping along the em-
would not return to work until af
They walked off the job at 1am. today after completing last night's}.
their pen and attacked Glen.” He shot all six of the dogs.
resignations from Austin R. Killian, superintendent, and Maj, Walter Eckert, executive officer. The probe also brought reducHAMBURG, Feb. 1 (U., P..—|tions of Capt Ivan Miller; field opStriking coal miners in Ruhr towns rations director, and Capt. Clarence chalked up signs “No bread, no|W. Grinstead, supply officer, to the coal” today in protest against bread rank of trooper, The ex-3upply shortages. officer then resigned. i * 8
4
PROTEST BREAD SHORTAGE
»
of TAKES POLICE POST—Col. Robert Re took over as new state police intenden to the state house We Gove
O'Neal, executive of
plug for flying today, saying he|™®
— ar wes dic} I