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

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58th YEAR—-NUMBER 91

- 9

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 1947

FORECAST: Mostly cloudy, thunderstorms tonight, Thursday morning; decreasing cloudiness Thursday afternoon

Fntered as Second-Class Matter at Postoffice a Indianapolis, Ind, Issued daily except Sunday

: little change in temperature.

— Stop the ‘Fix'—

Pressure Tactics Obstruct Justice In Traffic Cases

Dangerous Drivers Gain Acquittals, .

Causing Breakdown of Law Enforcement By NOBLE REED : HE. worst deterrent to adequate enforcement of Indianapolis traffic laws and reduction of the street slaughter “of 100 human lives here every year is the “fix.” !

This three-letter word rears its head in hundreds of

traffic law violation cases every year, resulting in acquittals for some of the most dangerous types of drivers. The “fix” on witnesses and law enforcement officers is more prevalent in traffic violation cases than any other type of crime because many of the motoring defendants are persons of means and influence in the community. The number of cases in which the

*fix” is applied somewhere along the line is enough to ‘turn the wheels of ‘Justice toward a com-

Difficult to Get Perjury Evidence This kind of “doctored” testimony, of course, is designed to raise the most important of all elements in trial of a criminal case—"reason-

able doubt.”

Under the constitution a judge or jury must not convict any defendant if there is an element of

“reasonable doubt” about guilt.

Thus, dozens of serious traffic manslaughter and reckless driving cases go off the books and the, drivers are sent back on the streets

to kill more citizens.

“It is difficult if not impossible to trace down evidence sufficient to

‘Doctored’ Testimony Handicaps Court Judge Saul I. Rabb of criminal court No. 2 said the courts are seri‘ously handicapped by “doctored”

“The only way we have found to

still more pressufe by citing a simi-

are familiar, If the their famil

husbands or

evicted from

judge suspended a sentence.

Often, the, pressure is so strong

Dr. Harger Cites Ap This pressure often swings the pendulum of judgment in some cases although any jurist would deny it emphatically, citing extenuating circumstances to back up

their verdict.

Recently * in’ criminal court a pro tem, linked closely with freed a precinct committeewoman’s husband' on a drunken driving charge although he had been convicted and sentenced to jail in municipal court. The defendant had appealed the lower court's verdict, thus giving him time ta build up some pressure

Judge

a political clique,

y will go hungry

sons

their

Pork Chop Price

May Go Higher

CHICAGO, June 25 (U. P.) ~The high price of corn on the Chicago board of trade may force housewives to pay more than usual for pork chops next fall, the experts

said today.

Corn, the nation’s basic crop, rose to an all-time high of more than $3.02 per bushel on the board of

trade today.

Housewives may wonder what this has to do with the price they will Livestock pro-

pay for cen ket analysts and grain

ducers, mar

ter cuts.

traders explained it this way:

Farmers, who produce both corn and hogs, will find it more profitable to sell their corn, instead of feeding it to hogs and then selling the

hogs.

Market experts

prices.

Hogs have

fully fattened.

been arriving ~t the big Midwestern stockyards in heavy numbers, but the animals themselves are lighter because they were marketed early—they have not been

said the ratio is fess favorable for raising hogs than it has been for the last few years As a result, many farmers are marketing both their corn and hogs to take advantage of the high

Times Index

Amusements... 8] Movies Eddie Ash.... 18

Carnival ...... Classified. . 20-22 Comics .:.... Crossword ,..

Editorigls .... 14iScherrer ... ..+vs 14 Side Glances 14 ‘Meta Given .. 17)Sports ..:. 18-19 . ++. 13{ Washington .. 14 / Home Page... io Nenther Mp a Inside Indpls.. 13} Women...

Forum ..

eee

23 | Reflections

' 5 Mrs. Roosevelt 15

Obituaries ... F. C. Othman 13

plete breakdown of traffic law enforcement.

A drunken driver is arrested on the basis of statements made by two or more key witnesses,

later the witnesses’ testimony is radically changed on some of the vital evidence . . . their memories “fail” and the courts get a foggy and conflicting picture of what happened.

prosecute these witnesses for perjury,” declared Prosecutor Judson L. Stark.

to prove that their testimony was false is impossible in many instances,” he said.

court No. 1, who gets scores of traffic cases every year on appeal from municipal courts, said “changed testimony is getting to be a common thing in trafic cases but I have not suffic quan yet been able to find a remedy tor| gent Hy. itr

one key witness statement was sufficient for clear-out conviction on the drunken forms. driving cese.

couldn't even identify the defendant as the driver of the car in the

Onié case two mon of & drunken driver whose 30-day! mediately, he said jail sentence was suspended after friends of the defendant interceded Science Service staff writer, conprominent| armed the statements of Indianapolis veterinarians. He quoted Fred C. Bishopp, assistant’ entomologist

earlier judgment was “too harsh.”

County Board Told

\board, the residents charged that

The procedure is a familiar one.

Then, at the trial a week or two 5

“We suspect that the witnesses re lying but to get the evidence

Judge W, D. Bain of criminal

In a case recently the state had whose original

At the trial the witness said he

ago was that

worked. | Dr. R. N. Harger, chairman of the law enforcement committee of the Indianapolis safety council, commented recently that records disclose many drunken drivers have jail sentences removed or their fines reduced by appealing their cases. “Usually this occurs with a ‘pro tem’ on the bench,” he said. “As a result, the municipal court judges have felt that it is almost useless to assess jail sentences if they can be so easily ‘knocked off’ by appeal to the higher courts.”

No Zoning Means ‘Shanty Town’ Soon

Sixty residents of the addition known as Kenyon-Highland Home Place, between Mickleyville and Ben Davis, today charged that their community is' rapidly becoming a “shanty town” because the county zoning board refuses to set up building restrictions. . In a petition to the county zoning

chicken houses, mud shacks and Nissen huts are being erected in their neighborhood in profusion and that their property values will decline unless some action is taken. However, county zoning board members say there is nothing much they can do about the situation. . » [J T. J. SCHORY, county building commissioner, explained that the board has power to designate the area only for residential buildings and prohibit doubles unless they meet ground specifications. Mr. S8chory explained that restrictions contained in land deeds in that area expired in’ 1942.

Kiss Stops at Veil, But He Gets Jail .

CAMDEN, N. J., June 25 (U. P.).

kiss a lady.

four years. \-

18-17

Cat Owners Here Assail - DDT Spraying

tested the city wide DDT-spraying as & menace to their pets—and

plaints.

vi ported a flurry of telephone calls reporting sicknesses and at least five cat deaths following city wide spraying of garbage cans.

of the 8. P. C. A, said she had

become poisoned because they lick their fur after rubbing against the DDT-covered garbage cans.

toxicologist, and Dr, Gerald Kempf, | §

poisoned by DDT.

cial products which contain DDT carry warnings to users not to use on or around cats.

ave., sail he believed DDT in the strength used in fly spray will either kill cats or make them ill and also injure dogs if absorbed

he uses on pets contain no DDT.

erinary Clinic, 1434 E. 63d st., also said DDT has a toxic effect on animals, particularly in oil or liquid

cats according to our journals,” Dr. Pratt said,’ “either if taken into

citing the danger of cats licking Judges who have to depend Upon | pyr from tt c politicians to hold their jobs are if fr andl thus be

forced to listen to pressure from their party leaders.

peals From Sentence

said th before trial in the higher court. It! ®

—It cost Charles Coulter, 49, six months in jail. for attempting to

| “He called me Esther, threw his arms around me, and tried to lift Radio . ...... my veil to kiss me,” Mrs. Vera | pean, Westville Grove, N. J, testified before Judge Benjamin Dzick. Coulter said he thought Mrs. Dean was his wife, Esther, from| Marsh whom he had been separated for

judge didn't believe him and

Charge Fly Crusade Makes Pets li

Indianapolis cat lovers today pro-

The Indiana Society for the Preention of Cruelty to Animals re-

Mrs. Russel] Jenkins, secretary

prayed with DDT. Cats Most Vulnerable Cats, she sald, are more likely to

Bank Shortage [Further Probe

Although Dr. R. N. Harger, state | 7#

ity health officer, both said the

DDT preparation would not harm pets,

city veterinarians warned

residents. that their pets might be

They pointed out that commer-

Dr. FR. Bartlow, 910 N. Capitol

Report Toxic Effects He added that sll powders which

Dr. D. W. Pratt, of the Vet-

“DDT is toxic to both dogs and

{oly Tes

§ can re d the source

In Washington, ‘Dr. Prank Thone,

at the agriculture department, as

agriculture department would investigate the Indianapolis) situation.

A Rare’ June Day

LOCAL TEMPERATURES

The answer to the line—"What is so rare as a day in June?”—is a dry June day, as far as Indianapolis is concerned. B Today was just another “June day,” as drizzly as the early part of thé month, More thundershowers are forecast for tonight. While no clouds have yet appeared on the horizon for tomorrow, the best the weatherman can promise Is “mostly fair.”

Vote Registration Plea Considered

Aroused to new political interest by passage. of the Taft-Hartley union regulation bill, a delegation of union workers today. received assurance that their demands for extension of voters’ registration hours will be considered. * Ray Mendenhall, president of the board of county commissioners, said he willyask the county council for extra funds to hire a staff to take voters’ registrations one night a week all summer,

mands made by a delegation of labor union workers headed by William Brewer. The delegation charged that working people were unable to register because the courthouse registration office is open in the daytime only from 8 a m. to-4 p. m. . Mr, Brewer said: “We intend to pick our men for; office from now on and we are going to get registered to vote, if we have to close down the factories to do it.”

OPPOSES RUHR PLAN

—Secretary of State George C. all said §oday the United States is still opposed to the world bank's plan to create a special

st.,

His announcement followed de- p

‘WASHINGTON, June 25 (U. P.).| 4

TRAFFIC VICTIM—Roy Wilmeth, killed in a highway eccident in lowa last night.

Local Auto Dealer Killed in lowa

Roy Wilmeth Dies In Highway Crash

Roy Wilmeth, 5141 N. Meridian automobilé dealer here for more than 25 years, was killed in a traffic accident in Iowa last night while en route to California, according to word received here. He was 52. The car he was driving collided with & large trailer-truck on a highway - just south of Emerson, Iowa, and mear Red Oak, Iowa. Bruce Hulbert, 39, of 7102 N. | Pennsylvania st, former president of the. Century Biscuit Co. here, WO! who was riding with Mr. Wilmeth, ,POLT | 'was seriously injured but his condition ‘this morning was reported

Tapttved. e car Mr. Wilmeth was driv. ing was owned

World War I Veteran

According - to hospital officials at Red Oak where both men were taken, Mr. Wilmeth received multiple bone fractures and a crushed skull. SAE The car he was driving sideswiped the truck as they were passing each other on the highway. Mr. Wilmeth started in the autoing rats exposed to the agent. He nob oe medial following world war I. He was associated with the Olin Sales Co. and in 1925 he purchased the firm and » 3 founded the Roy Wilmeth Co., Ford his Sure | t dealers, at 720 N. Meridian st. Sh L. Survivors are his wife, Mrs. Rosep ry Wilmeth; a daughter, Ann; son, David; three sisters, Mrs, Herbert Curtze, Boulder, Colo.; Mrs. Wayne Hedges, Denver, Colo.; Mrs. Nelson Brown, Los Angeles, Cal., and a brother, D. O. Wilmeth, Indian-

Set 27-Year Record

exchange today.

vember “butter was 64.06 cents pound and fresh butter 63.10.

U.S." ACCUSES ROMANIA

the Romanian “deliberately”

government,

of the "Romanian peace treaty.

§ hv

and business trip. Mr. Hulbert was planning to'open a new business in California. ;

51-Cent Chicago Eggs

CHICAGO, June 25 (U. P.).— Butter and shell egg futures rose to 27-year highs on the mercantile

The previous 27-year record was made June 20. October eggs today reached 51 cents’a dozen, June fresh eggs brought 48%; cents, No-

WASHINGTON, June 25 (U. P). ~The United States today accused

suppressing democratic opponents in direct violation

——

Jimmy Doyle, Hurt in Title Bout, May Die

Brain Injured By Knockout Blow

By JACK CUDDY United Press Sports Writer CLEVELAND, June 25.—~For the second time within 15 months young Jimmy Doyle of Los Angeles hovered between life and death today— this time as the result of injuries suffered when he was technically knocked out in the eighth round by champion Ray (Sugar) Robinson. They were fighting for the world ' welterweight championship last night before 11,275 fans at the. Cleveland arena. “Condition poor,” was the terse summary of the challenger's condition given by Dr! R. R. Miller at St. Vincent's hospital just after young Doyle, his head swathed in bandages, emerged from a 45-min-ute brain operation. | Doyle was placed under an oxygen tent and was given artificial respiration. This afternoon, hospital attaches said Doyle's condition remained unchanged.

Robinson Visits Hospital Robinson, with a patch over his right brow, visited the hospital near Aawn and inquired, “Is there anything IT can do? I didn’t realize how serious this was.” When Robinson climbed down from the ring, at the end of the eighth round, Doyle was lying flat on his back near a neutral corner, where he had been smashed by an explosive left hook to the chin. Doyle tried to rige three times before he fell back into unconsciousness—a coma from which he had not recovered when the brain

today: wR LE ih Bn Doyle, who had come gclose 40. death in the same ring.in March, 1046, when knocked out by Middleweight Artie Levine, was saved from a full-count knockout last night by the gong that ended the eighth round just as Referee Jackie Davis had reached the count of nine. The crowd, completely pro-Doyle because of his magnificent ® stand against the great Negro champion, waited in hushed silence for reports from the dressing room. Sugar Always Ahead Although Doyle managed to gash Robinson’s right brow in the sixth round, he failed to win a single round against the fast-stepping, hard-hitting champion. He did fight on even terms in the third session. The gross gate of $70,340 was about $10,000 less than expected. However, Robinson received a guarantee of $25000 for this first defense of the 147-pound crown— which, he won in an elimination final with Tommy Bell on. Dec. 20.

6a m..... 62 10a m..... 65 |apolis. d Tam 6 11mm... 6 | Funeral arrangements have not{Devie's 20 per cent of the net gate Sam... 62 12 (Noom).. 68 [been completed. was expected ‘to approximate 9a. m..... 4 1p. m..... 68 i $15,000. ?

Doyle had 4 one-pound advantage, scaling 147 pounds. ! Won't Fight Again The challenger’s manager, Paul Doyle (no relation), announced at dawn in St. Vincent's hospital that if Jimmy recovers from his injury, he never would fight again. Before the brain operation, Doyle had been given last -sacraments by a Catholic priest. Robinson, as he sat despondently in the hospital corridor, declined to discuss his future plans with reporters. However, his manager George Gainford said that Sugar Ray would accept no matches until late August when he hoped for a Yankee stadium bout at New York with Marcel Cerdan, middleweight champion of JEurope. Vi EC

entenced him to six months in the

rnational “authority” over Germany’ indusrial Ruhr 10 revive

welterweight title. An an efiort fo save his life.

wos completed ently

my Doyle still unconscious, ied fi frer being floored in the 8th.round by Ray’ An immediate

UNWORRIED—Cashier Robert’ M. McClanahan of the Napoleon (Ind) State bank beams self-confidence after being finger- . printed in the U. S, marshal's office. He admitted misusing $43,494 of his institution's funds. :

200 Citizens of Napoleon Buzzing as Never Before

‘Biggest News Story’ in Town's History

Starts Talkfest—Everybody Has an Opinion By VICTOR PETERSON, Times Staff Writer. : NAPOLEON, Ind., June 25.~This town of 200 is buzzing as it never buzzed before. The biggest story in cashier at the Napoleon State bank. He

‘its history centers about Robert McClanahan, admitted taking $43.494 from the firm's funds. - ;

’ Townsfolk who described the little community as being “Just big]

e machine,” are quite sharply divided in their opinion of 's sui :

a dlin sat at, hu sure getting “hem now.” |,

v 28 India

Are Closed Down By UNITED PRESS - | how Bob (McClanahan) managed Wildcat - work stoppages in. the he 1 country’s ‘coal mines continued to spread ‘today. More than 200,000 A. F. of L. United Mine Workers left their jobs in 10 states in a mounting protest to the enactment of the Taft-Hartley labor law. This ‘was more than half of the U. M. Ww. members in the nation. } All 15 of Indiana's major shafts and 13 of .37 strip mines were closed. The state’s coal production

"Eick Tullis, former paratrooper, said that youngsters were running He was i up and down the streets yellingl 1g : a at “EXTRA” like mad. : 8. Ootamisioner Brift “One of them beat on my door|Hughes and waived pref . until I thought it would come down. heating oi a charg of ol

He was shouting ‘Read all about the dent Charles Steuri and Vice

big bank robbery.’ It sure gave us

was cut three-quarters—about 79,-{plenty to talk about last night,” Mr. 000 tons daily. Seven thousand | Tullis said. dent Edward H. Fox, both Hoosler miners were idle. George Richter and Charles good, posted a real” estate

Anthracite Area Affected In Pennsylvania's Panther valley area, 2800 hard ‘coal miners refused to report to work in the first anthracite walkout. The coal strikes aggravated a national fuel shortage. The U. S. Steel Corp. announced it already had been forced to cut iron-mak-ing in Pittsburgh~-Youngstown district blast furnaces by more than 13 per cent and Bessemer production by 25 per cent. ~ Production’ in: the mill-feeding| mines was off 75 to 80 per cent, and further reduction in steel mill operations were expected tomorrow. The government was reported in-

Page 9—Column 5)

Shane, retired farmers, have known the McClanahan family ail their oe defenaanh. directort lives. Both firmly feel that the| returned: confessed embezzler is as “honest as : the day is long.” X “Bob is a very nice fellow. I hope he gets out of this all right

(Continued on Page $—Column 1) Zoercher, Former Tax Official, Di ax UTTICIal, DIES Philip Zoercher, former member of the state tax board and of the Indiana general assembly, died today in his home at 68 Whittier pl. He was 80 years old. Mr. Zoercher was a native of Tell City and came to Indianapolis to practice law in 1012. _Puneral services will be at 2 p. m. Friday from the Irvington Presbyterian church of which he was a member and for many years an elder. ! Burial will be in Washington Park. Mr, Zoercher was a tax commis sioner for 24 years and for eight years of that time was chairman of the board. He was a member of the x general assembly in 1890 and. 1891,ia partner in the serve a term as prosecuting at-|firm, told FBI agents

torney for the Perry-Dubois-Spencer ip county circuit court in 1902 and was (Continued on Page ————————————

supreme court reporter from 1913 to TT . He Important

He was graduated from Central » @in |

bod Js

(Continued on

Newsmen ‘Pretty Sober’ CHICAGO, June 25 (U. P.).—The Keeley institute today produced statistics to refute “at least part of the legend” that mnewspapermen often are alcoholics. : : Out of 12,012 cases of alcoholism treated at the institute at Dwignt, 111, between 1930 and 1046, only 95 were newspapermen.

Normal college at Danville in 1890, He was a member of the Irvington Masonic Lodge, Optimist club, Scot~ tish Rite and a director of the Central Y. M. C. A. here. . Survivors are the widow, Mrs. Martha Zoercher, a son James M. {Zoercher of Indiana a daugh[ter Mrs. Robert u. of Buffalo, i N. Y.. two brothers, Louis and Christ Zoercher of Tell City and three grandchildren. ~~ ‘

| [UN Accuses 3 Nations 3 SUCCESS, N. Y., |

| LAKE - l(U. P)~The United Nat | Balkans investigating commission

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