Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 25 February 1947 — Page 1

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2 AY

57th YEAR—NUMBER 301

"PURDUE TRA EDY — Seconds after the east bleachers in fhe Purdue univarsity fieldhouse collapsed under 3400 spectators at half-time’ of the Purdue-Wisconsin basketball: game gt night, Don

a " TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1947

snapped this 250 injured.

Judge Bain Orders Grand Jury Panel

Legal machinery was started to- |e day by Judge W. D. Bain of criminal court for the impaneling of a 1947 grand jury, delayed two months by irregularties in the old jury drawnig system. Judge Bain issued an order for the drawing of a panel of 25 names from which six persons will be selected fér ‘a grand ‘jury to investigate crimes in Marion county. The rushed court order today was necessary to avoid new complications that might have delayed selection of a grand jury for another month. Bill Not Signed The prospective complications developed as a result of passage by the legislature last weék of a’ bill creating a second criminal court for Marion county. - However, the bill’ had not yet been signed by Governor Gates, thus permitting Judge Bain to act without waiting for the ‘appointment of a new judge of the newly created second division of criminal court. If the bill creating a_ second criminal court had become law today the order for a grand jury would have been delayed until a new judge was appointed because the judges would have had to act Jointly. The governor's office indicated the bill will not be signed before Thursday. The grand jury panel, ordered drawn at 10 a. m. Friday, will be selected under a new law just passed by the legislature and signed by the governor, eliminating provisions of the old law which resulted in irregularities. Selection of a grand jury and

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LOCAL TEMPERATURES

6am, ,2 10am..... 25 7a.m..... 24 llam..... 2 8$am..... 24 12 (Noon), 26 Sa.m..... 5 lpm,.... 2%

Times Index

Amusements . 6|Inside nip, 11 Eddie Ash.... 16|Labor Boots .....«.. 20|Ruth Millett. . 11

Business ..... 8|Movies ...... 6

Find Man Dead In Mystery Fire | At Apartment

Co. employee who had planned to return to his native Turkey next|

mysterious fire in his two-room’ apartment at 556 W. Pearl st. Pire department investigators immediately began a probe into the

could not have burned to death partly-paralyzed Pando Chioff. He retired eight years ago and had planned to spend his last days in Istanbul, Turkey. Son Rushes to Aid A son, Ilia, 33,’ who last fall'came here from Turkey to accompany his father home rushed to the smokefilled kitchen and found his father lying on the floor, his clothing afire. Young Chipoff, who lives at 563 W. Washington st., threw water on the elderly man. and dragged him outside. Since he arrived here, the son had attended his invalid father, | preparing breakfast each morning. He was later than usual today and investigators specualted the father

Hog Prices Set Record for 134

high for 1947 today with a top price of $20.50—50 cents lower than the all-time high set in October when OPA ceilings were lifted. Meanwhile a department of agriculture livestock expert in Chicago predicted today it would mot be long before $1 a pound park cuts would hit meat market counters. Already he said loins and shoulders were selling for 57 to 58 cents a pound wholesale and a few cuts were selling for as much as 60 cents, An industry source said that the

tains g!average retail butcher had marked

|up meat 30 to 33 per cent. In Chicago, hogs sold today for

Heze Clark... 7|Obituaries ... 9/an all-time high of $20.50 per hun-

Classified ..18-20(F. C. Othman 11 Comics ...... 21{Radio ....... 2

dredweight. The new Chicago record was 50 cents higher than the

Crossword ... 20|Reflections .. 12 high set yesterday and only 50 cents

Editorials ,... 12|Mrs. "Roosevelt 15 Fashions .... 15|Serial Forum ... Meta Given.. 15] Fred Sparks. 13 Burton Heath 8|Sports

less than the all-time U. 8. record

i dea 10|price of $30 set in Indianapolis and .... 12|8ide Glances. 12|equaled at Kansas City.

Indianapolis stockyards "sales to-

A 16-17/day were 50 cents higher than yes-

Hollywood ... 11|Stranahan ... 17|terday with. good and choice 160-225 Don Hoover.. 12{Teen Talk.... 15{Weights selling at mostly $20.

Indiana Saga. 12| Weather Map 13 In Indplsi.... 2{Women's

Calendar .. 2iWorld,

News vie 4018 while vealers were. Aan. Ramps were 25 to 50

At the same time cattle trade averaged 25 to 50 cents higher, teady. Fat nts Bjgtier

H. S. Semi-Finals

A 64-year-old el Kingan &!to determine whether the Purdue | fieldhouse will be used as one of

week was found dead today after a | {March 15.

origin of a small wall fire they said

(Continued on Page 5—Column 6) |

Local hog prices reached a new |

Up in the Air

Efforts were being mnmiade today

four “semi-final tournament sites

L. V. Phillips, I. H.S. A.A. commissioner, said today he has not been able’ to contact Lynn Miller, principal of Jefferson high school, sponsor of .the Lafayette tourney, to reach a decision.

Mr. Phillips pointed ' out that even without the temporary bleachers which collapsed last night, killing two and injuring 250, the fieldhouse can seat 8000 spectators. In the meantime efforts are being made by the THSAA office to contact the New Amsterdam Casualty Co. fleld inspegjor to ascertain whether or not the Purdue bleachers had been inspected prior to the tragedy last night. All tourney sites using temporary bleachers, Mr. Phillips said, are inspected before tournament play begins but since the semi-finals at Lafayette were to be held March 15, there is a possibility that the 40tier all-wooden stands were not inspected. before the Purdue-Wiscon-sin game, Butler university President M. O. Ross today requested a thorough

(Continued on Page 3—Column §)

Interesting News

Broeking of —— Purdue student ond Faolincs photographer.

| Ashore’ as Bleachers Fell

Indian

¥ntéred as Second-Class ‘Master At Postofies |

apolis, Ind, Snguad, daily except ‘Sunday

RESCUE BEGINS — Quick inking by a Lafayette radio announce panic in the third major disaster in Purdue athletic history. He seized a

and urged victims in the bleachers collapse to stay where they were until oy 6

be extricated.

dramatic picture. Two were killed and approximately

College Career Ended—

Crash of Purdue Stands Kills Normandy Survivor

Roger Gelhausen Had Just Started University Education After Three Years in Navy

Photo of Mr. Gelhausen, Page 3

Roger Gelhausen was one of the thousands of ex-G. I.’s in Indiana who was just starting his college education, a project delayed by the war. He died in the collapse of the stands at Purdue's fieldhouse last night, crushed beneath thé crumpled bleachers. He had surrvived the invasion of Normandy and now at last he was going to school Nearly ‘everybody in Garrett knew Roger Gelhausen. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. George G. Gelhausen of that town. They. knew| SIX feet tall, weighing 200 pounds him as the big, srugged end and and a high school football star, he guard on the Garrett high school!gesideq to enroll at Purdue as a

football team in 1941. |physical education major. And then he was in the navy, like Last ath t to the Pur thousands of other high school boys st nig e wen ‘0'ihe > his age. He was a member of the due-Wisconsin basketball game with U. S. naval task force which pa-ihis sister, Mrs. Patricia Carlin, and trolled the English Channel and |, friend, Loren Modisett. levelled enemy defenses during the| charles Carlin, the victim's broth-

invasion. er-in-law, decided he would remain After three yeéars of service, heat home.

was discharged as an Clesirician’s “I have to study,” he said. “Wish mate third class. He came back ri home to Garrett. | (Continued on Page 3—Column 4)

Hs » » ~ ” ”

Eyewitness—

‘Looked Like Wave Coming

On Inside Pages

Page House Adopts Four Amendments to Liquor Reform Bill ........ 2 State Bonus Issue Heads for 1948 VOUl iii cinnrinrsusvssines 3 U. 8S. Senate Group Favors 10 Per Cent Rent Boost ............. “Human Runway” Aids Arctic Rescue Blane ................. House Approves Township School Billa ssiarevssveiianrerirones Reciprocal Trade Compromise Made ..ci...ois00 00s iiqins. Russ Back U. 8. Rule of Pacific Isles

a ov

Boom Spend Millions to Attract Rall Passengers , U. 8. Senate Pie Crisis (Othman) 11 Are We Making It Tough for Teen Agers (Ruth Millet) .... 11 Dana, Ind. Cinderella Role Ends. 11 Retreat From Little America ... 13 Florida Gem Theft Wave ...... 13 New Peak in Cost of Living Been Near Simmons Wins Twice in Golden Gloves Tourney Gates Warns Mayors, ‘Don’t Expect State Handouts” - Machines to Tally 75 Per Cent of VOLBB :vcvisvvins Vsaei ine 22 Bevin Says Truman Upset "Holy

Lang settgebianeintinne ' .

22lall right, © Li

Crowd Moved Slowly Forward, Writes Girl Who Saw Purdue Game Tragedy

By PATRICIA FREE, Times Special Writer

{1 AFAYETTE, Ind, Feb. 24.—I was sitting in the permanent stand just above the temporary bleachers that collapsed. At half-time, when Purdue was ahead by one point the crowd went crazy with joy, jumping and screaming. It must have been the impact of the crowd rising all at once and'then sitting at once that broke the seats down. I was standing up and happened to look down and see the whole crowd below me moving |very slowly. It looked just like a| Several people had broken legs wave coming on shore. and crushed chests, and several

The bleachers fell forward with more were suffering from shock. 3400 people in them. There was no panic. Everyone took Several of my friends were if |1t well. : jured—some critically. Girls here| When the bleachers first fell the in Cary East hall are suffering from students in the opposite bleachers shock and minor leg cuts. started to rush forward, but they The reports on the radio. that|were quieted before anything happeople were going wild wdre exag-|pened. .It was so hard to believe gerated after the accident. Fans/and came so slowly that the rest left remarkably calmly. of the audience was fairly calm. One of my friends, Carol Leeson,| A fellow I talked to was sitting was sitting three-quarters of the in thé fifth row from the top and

happening. He said he fell forward Several

like she was: falling through space, but. very slowly. Finally, it seemed and: then straight down. as if everything settled. persons fell on him. The student in front of her got| One of the girls in Cary East and

boards.

his leg caught between two of the another student siiting behind me He was crying in agony had remarked before the accident g,yette, but after he was helped up he was how terrible it would be if the

———

Casualty“ List

| ! i

Following is & rayjsed casualty list “of Joi bleachers “rash victims, inglyding those. who avrg 3 main’ in hospitdls and those were released after first aid:

HOME HOSPITAL Remaining in hospital, none listed

as serious, are 48 studerits:

Kessel, John, Dayton, O., compound fracture. Garretson, Barbara, Hammond,

two broken legs. | Baldwin, Mrs. Susanne L, eye and | leg injuries. Nordquist, Theodofe Edwin, Lafayette, back injury. Downe, Morgan, foot injury. Betcone, David, Lafayette, back injury. Mohler, Marshall, Springport, face and ankle injuries.

Bryant, Geraldine, Valparaiso, back injury. Thomas, Jane, side, leg, knee cap injuries.

Swagel, Donald, abdomen injuries. Sudduth, James, Milwaukee, Wis.,

left leg cut. Hattin, Martha, bruises and leg injury. Catt, Gene, Princeton, back injury. Dodder, Wayne, compound left

leg fracture. Monger, Robert, Elkhart, right knee injury. Mainer, Robert, South Bend, left

{leg fracture.

Weston, Perry, Aurora, Ill, -left arm fracture.’ Wagner, David, Evanston, Ill, fracture right arm. Raub, Ruby, foot injury. Larson, Kenneth, Chicago, abdomen injury. Richey, Clyde, arm fracture, Irwin, Olive, Tipton, leg injury. Jones, Geraldine, possible fracture left leg. McKenzie, jury. BeVier, Cathryn, fractured pelvis. Holzjauer, Earl, Dwight, Ill, leg injury. Washburn, Mary, right leg injury. Brown, Glenn, leg and ankle inJury. Reed, Steven, leg. Noland, Jim, South Bend, wrenched back. Plizcopink, Carl, ankle. McConnell, sprained back. Kendall, Lawrence D. Logansport, Bruised and cut leg. Horner, John F. 4754 Hinesley ave., Indianapolis, broken ankle, Viney, Betty, Lafayette.

Shelbyville, left

Bernard, back in-

Charlestown,

Sullivan, broken

Detroit, broken

C. A. Logansport,

Deckman, Yee, 8t. Louis, Mo, back injury. Sublette, Ivan, Fredericksburg, Va., broken ankle, Coling, Forest, leg injury: and shock.

Hessler, Reid, shock. Novak, Richard, leg injury and

way back and said that she felt said that he didn't realize what was|

Robinson, Frank, fractured ankle. Somer, Nan, no address. Ziegler; Louise, Michigan City. Steffes, Mary Ann, no address. Warren, Harold, “25, West La-

bleachers & should ‘fall,

isaid 166 persons were treated at hospitals and’ 142

death: of two and injury’ to 250 others. MLE Governor Gates ordered an immediate joint, ive tion by the general assembly and state tra assist Purdue authorities in finding the cause of the. | Hoosier basketball disaster in history. :

night when the ‘64-row stands bh ( In a report to the governor today, President

injured remained there today. 5 20h Eight of the injured were in “serious but not condition, Dr. Hovde said. Crushed to death were: Roger R. Gelhausen, 22, a freshman shoal i tion student of Garrett, who sufvived the D-day invasion® Europe to die at this basketball ganie. :

William J. Feldman, 21, a sophomore aeronautical neering student, of East Chicago, who died two hours the crash at St. Elizabeth’s hospital. Dr. Hovde said that ma- S aoEe™ outside. 'e terials for the bleachers were |e flattened stands, he

“bought from a reputable the basketball floor & few ming company” and used without [3% boy was extricated from mishap during the football The feldhouse was closet} season last fall. Then. they Were|,plic today pending the. moved to the field house for the gation which President Bowtie: basketball season. would start ‘immediately. %

The committee ordered by the| «The stands were not loaded Governor to leave for Purdue today yond their capacity,” includes: Bert Westover, state ad-|Hovde said. ministrative building = director; George Hadley, attorney general's sumed classes this office; Senator Paul Kerr (R. EIk-|classmates, fraternity ra hart), and Rep. Henry Kreft (R.|relatives jammed the two Michigan City). hospitals here. ad They were to join a committee| The half of the close game I appointed by President Hovde made just epded. Students had | up of engineering school faculty cheer the Purdue: and 00 members with “special knowledge [teams which were trotting off of construction.” ; By 11:30 p. m. last night, three hours after the disaster, all of the injured were cared for, the Purdue president said. He praised the staff and student body for calm mastery of the situation, after a personal : : visit to victims in hospitals. witness story of the 1903 Mr. Gelhausen had slipped under na neath the stand to bypass the! crowd so that he could “catch IL

Parents Swamp | With Lafayette Ca

Long distance lines and Western) the chief Union wires wete swamped last Lafayet ! night as frantic parents tried to|not contact their children at Purdue, owe At noon today the Indiana Bell Telephone Co. still was only emergency calls to West EN ette, where bleachers collapsed dur-s ITO ing the Purdue-Wisconsin basket~ Long distance calls

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