The Indianapolis times. [volume], July 22, 1933, Home Edition, Page PAGE 3, Image 3

About The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965

Image provided by: Indiana State Library

                
JULY 22, 1933
MISMANAGEMENT, REIGN OF
CRUELTY AND TERROR LAID
TO PENAL FARM OFFICIALS
Former Choir Singer Paints Appalling
Picture of Life at Putnamville
Institution for Petty Offenders.
Ttm l the tenth nf a xnriex on renditions at the Indiana penal
farm.
BY ARC II STEINEI,
Timti Mff Writer
The rhurrh organ plays softly Voices hum out of the multi-colored
stained windows. One baritone voice rubs like a smooth chamois on the
restful windows.
The windows change. They are barred. The scene is the Indiana
state penal farm.
Tiie baritone who sang for churches, took leads in cantatas, taught
voice, changes to the crescendo of life. Violence!
He. Maurice Lucas, once a singer
of I>ead, Kindly Light" in the
churches of Connersvtile, marches
with other men into the state farm
mess hall.
A matter of some checks issued
against his bank account when no
money was there changed the win
dows from the stained glass, with in
scriptions of donors "In Memory of
My Mother." to bars
Behind those bars the choir
singer saw. according to his affi
davit to The Times, an old man
stagger in thp line entering the
farm s mess hall.
"Old Man Struck,” He Says
"One of the guards saw him. He
grabbed hold nf his arm, jerked him
out of line, cursed him. ‘I ll teach
yfWi how to march straight!*
"The old man shuddered A fist
lashed out. The old man was spun
against a brick wall.
I turned to see what happened
and the guard told me to go on and
attend to my business, or the same
thing would happen to me," relates
Lucas, the baritone, in his affidavit
to The Times.
The old man went out to the penal
yard, without hts dinner.
Tplls of Violence
The choir singer forgot the glass
stained windows.
But in an affidavit to The Times.
Lucas, the former choir leader, tells
of bickerings and quarrels between
officials of the farm, tells of the
farms violent life.
Sentenced to the state farm from
Richmond. Inri.. on a charge of
issuing a check without funds. Lucas
learned before bus release that the
very crime he was charged with
could be committed by the state of
Indiana without fear of punishment
or retribution, he says.
"On one aeoasion,” he says ver
bally. "while I worked in the state
farm office as a clerk, the guards
and farm employes had to wait for
money to be placed in the bank so
that, their pay vouchers could be
cashed ”
On Lucas' entrance to the farm,
around April 7, 1932, he was placed
in the kitchen.
Sanitation Called Bad
"The sanitary conditions were not
good in the kitchen. Half of the
time men handling the food had
dirty hands. Plenty of flips and
roaches in the kitchen. The milk
looked like blue water," his affidavit
says.
' I got sick from eating some of
the meat beef. I got ptomaine
poisoning. I tried to get a runner
to take me to the hospital, but the
guard said. 'I haven't
got time'.'’
"Finally they let me go to the hos
pital. Both and Gil
lespie ithe farm's doctor! were gone
and so an inmate watted on me for
three days. They said an outside
doctor camp through, but he didn't
come up to the sun parlor," Lucas
says under oath
Clubs and Oaths
" carried a club during
the time he was in charge of the
kitchen He would curse continu
ally. They all do that They can't
talk to you without saying
he charges in his sworn statement.
One of the farm's rules is that
prisoners and officers shall not
curse.
Lucas declares in his affidavit that
the "spoiled beef” that sickened him
was reported to have been from a
cow that became sick and that was
ordered killed by a veterinarian.
■ After we got sick, they said it
wasn't tlmt cow and that it was
another cow that broke its leg. Lu
cas charges in his affidavit.
Craig Is Defended
Clifford Craif. superintendent of
the farm at the time Lucas was an
inmate, is defended by him against
brutality charges.
• l saw a man knocked down In
the flshroom one Sunday by a
guard and the guard had a black
jack in his hand Craig, the super
intendent. took it away from him,"
swears Lucas in his statement.
He says, in his notarized state
ment, that Craig told the guard. “I
don't want any more of that going
on around here."
Placed in the office of Harry- H.
XVissel. acting superintendent of the
farm, as a clerk, the choir singer
overheard quarrels between officials
of the farm.
Heard Hitler Arguments
"Tli? office of Arment. captain in
charge of discipline, was just across
the hall from Wissel's office. I have
heard cursing and loud noises in
his office Arment s officedeclares
Lucas in his affidavit.
"I have heard Arment, standing
at the window in Wissels office, re
ceive an order to do something from
Craig, and I have seen him tear the
pa-per up and throw it away, say
ing. ‘Hell, he doesn't know anything
about a place like this!" asserts Lu
cas in his affidavit.
"I have been in Wissel’s office."
he continues, "and the man from
the storeroom, an inmate, would re
port to Wissel that hams were miss
ing and there was no order for
them. Wissel would say, 'I told
every one to g?t an order.' A guard
was over the inmate at the store
room." Lucas charges in his sworn
statement.
Bribe Charges Made
In other affidavits to The Times,
charge* have been made by former
prisoner* that guards bribed in
mate* to slip them meat and pro
vision* that they could take home.
Subsistence is furnished to the
superintendent, assistant superin
tendent and chief clerk, according
to Wissel.
Wissel denies any improper Issu
ance of food.
"I have heard inmates say that
guards slipped hams in their cars
that they were not paid for, or a
requisition obtained for the ham
from Wissel,” swears Lucas.
During my term there in April.
1932. I was in the office and chief
bookkeeper, , was talk
ing to Wissel. He said, in my pres
ence, -Can this be right? We show a
$20,000 loss this month,’ ” charges
the affidavit of the choir singer and
vocal teacher.
"Wissel said. ‘lf that's what it
shows, I guess that's what it is.
Things are in such a muddle that
well just have to charge it off, ”
declares the sworn statement of
Lucas.
Alleges Envelope Sales
"Things are guarded loosely. The
inmate who had the job just before
I did told me he sold more than
S6OO in stamped envelopes that were
in the offire. He said he sold them
to inmates for tobacco," charges
Lucas under oath.
"I have heard Craig and Arment
get in at least a dozen arguments
about the discipline and work on the
farm,” accused Lucas in his state-1
ment.
"On one occasion I heard Arment
talking to Wissel. They were talk-!
mg about a bridge that was being
built on the place and Arment
wanted another fifty bags of cement.
Wissel said to him. This is the sixth
time you've been after fifty bags of
cement for this bridge and the origi
nal requisition called for only fifty
bags. That's 300 bags you've gotten
so far', ' relates Lucas in his sworn j
statement.
Lucas in his affidavit says Arment
replied, "Bv God, we're using it
down there."
Barred From Library
"The wife of Mr. Arment used
to purchase her groceries in Put
namville and the bills were sent to
the farm for payment. Many times
this included gr-en vegetables that
were already available on the farm.”
asserts Lucas in his sworn state
ment.
Lucas, in his affidavit, says the farm
has a library, but that prisoners
can't use it.
"Sometimes Christian Science
practitioners would tell prisoners
they could get 'Science and Health’
in the library and when the prisoner
would go to th? library they'd laugh
at him. The prisoner could not get
a book out of the library. Guards
use it for a loafing room,” declares
Luca.* under oath.
Sent to State Prison
On a count similar to the one
for which he was sent to the farm,
Lucas was taken to the state prison
at Michigan City to serve a one to
five-year sentence.
On Junue 29, 1933. he was released
from Michigan City, after serving
the minimum of his sentence.
"As far as the treatment is con
cerned." concludes Lucas in his af
fidavit. “I'd rather do a year at
Michigan City than six months on
the state farm. That is. if I had to
take the regular line of labor."
(Next—The Farm Versus the
Prisoner.)
TEETH KNOCKEO OUT
BY DIVE INTO POOL
Boy. 15. Suffers Peculiar Accident
at Douglas Park.
Macv Williams, Negro, was hav
ing difficulty in eating today be
cause he fancies himself somewhat
a diver.
May. 15. climbed on to the div
ing board of the Douglas park swim
ming pool Friday afternoon. An ad
miring crow and lookeed on while Macy
decided what to do about it.
With all this audience. Macy de
cided something special was in or
der. so he selected a back dive. Macy
walked to the end of the board and
arched his body gracefully.
He gave a gentle spring and his
body shot into the air. It looked
good so far and then something
happened. Macy struck the water
with a resounding "plop."
Pulled out. Macy was found suf
fering with loss of several teeth
when his face was struck by his
knees. Police took him to city hos
pital and advised him not to get too
proud of his diving in the future.
Church Services Ends
Ru T'nitui I'rrut
BETHANY PARK. Ind.. July 22.
—The Rev. A. B. Myers. Norwood.
O. was elected president of the
Young Peoples' Evangelical Synod
at the closing session of the annual
conference here.
What*B What in Employment Program
Bv Sfr:pps-Ho ard Newspaper Alliance.
Q- Do women workers get short
work hours and higher wages as
well as men?
A—They do, and on the same
basis. There is no discrimination
in the plan.
Q—Will every worker in the
country get a raise in pay?
A—Higher paid workers will not
necessarily be raised at once.
Those whose pay is close to the
minimum will get raises pro
portionate to the difference now
existing between their pay and
those of the lowest paid workers.
Q —When is child labor ended
under the agreement?
A—Ori Aug. 31.
Q—When do other provisions of
the agreement take effect?
A—As soon after Aug. las busi
ness firms sign the agreement.
THERE’S SPEED HERE
If Sik; '
Here’s what the new light
weight. streamline train being
built for the Union Pacific rail
road will look like when completed.
The train will be 205 feet long,
nine feet wide, weigh only eighty
tons and attain a speed of 110
miles an hour. The photos are
made from an engineer’s model.
HOURS LONG ON
HIGHWAY WORK
Inspection Men Must Stay
on Job From Dawn
to Dusk.
(Continued From Page One)
hour for common labor and 45 cents
for skilled.
Nor are they benefited by the
thirty-hour weekly limita‘ion. They
stay on the job as long as there is
work in progress and regardless of
how many shifts are made in the
contracting crew, these men do not
change.
Pay rolls showing that the mini
mum wage requirements and the
thirty-hour weekly time limitation
are being carried out are submitted
to the state highway department
monthly by contractors.
On file at the statehouse, these
disclose the various methods em
ployed In staggering work on the
thirty-hour basis. There are some
with the twelve and eighteen stag
ger basis, after which ?, new crew
takes over and carries on in simi
lar manner, giving three crews a
chance to function during a six
day week.
The ten-hour day system divides
workers into two crews, working
three days a week each.
Another system, more in line with
President Roosevelt's program, di
vides crew-s daily on a five-hour basis
and gives six days' work a week.
However the labor is divided, the
state engineering and inspection
crews get no relief.
Project engineers are scaled at
from $l3O to SIBO a month, assist
ants at $l2O to $l4O. and inspectors
at from sllO to $l5O.
Department heads explained that
engineers with the commission
throughout the year do not object
to the summer speed-up.
BOY S CAUSE S4O FIRE
Start Blaze on Church Roof to
Smoke Out Pigeons.
Approximately S4O damage was
done early today to the St. Paul
Presbyterian church. Twenty-fifth
street and Paris avenue.
The flames were caused by two
Negro boys who were on the roof
hunting pigeons and decided to
smoke them out. a pigeon nest
catching fire. The Rev. Verne An
derson. Negro, said regular services
would be held Sunday.
Death Takes Centenarian
R<i Vnitrri Vrrt*
FRANKFORT. Ind.. July 22
Clinton county has lost its only
centenarian with the death of Mrs.
Mary Ann Reed, at her country
home near here. She wus 101 years
old She was a native of Marion
county, being born near Indianap
olis in 1832.
Q —What happens to stores and
plants that do not sign?
A—Public opinion will treat
them as slackers were treated
during the war. The public will
be asked to buy goods only of
those firms which have signed the
agreement and which live up to it.
Q —How will the public know
where to buy?
A—Firms living up to the agree
ment will display red white and
blue cards bearing the letters
N R A. a blue eaeie and the legend
"we do our part.’’
Q—Will goods cost more in
stores that join the recovery
move?
A—The agreement pledges the
business man not to take
profiteering advantage of the con
suming public. It pledges him
to raise prices only after giving
weight to the benefit of increased
sales volume, and, then only’ t<y
’THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES
WELLS NAMED
AS RECOVERY
HEADIN STATE
Bureau of Commerce City
Manager to Direct
Indiana Drive.
(Continued From Page One)
operation in the nation-wide attack
on depression.
Business men were not the only
ones to pore over the first prints
of the President's agreement. Sten
ographers. clerks, street car con
ductors, millmen and miners read
it with equal eagerness to learn
just what it promises in the way
of increased wages, shorter work
hours, and relief from the burden
of carrying unemployed dependents.
The President. Recovery Admin
istrator Hugh Johnson and the staff
of workers who have labored for
two weeks whipping the agreement
into shape and preparing the ma
chinery by which it is to be put into
effect radiated confidence today
that the plan will work.
industry to Fall in Line
Their confidence is baaed on two
things:
1. An apparent readiness on the
part of industry to fall in with the
recovery plan.
2. A belief that the buying public,
on whom success or failure ulti
mately depends, can be :elied upon
to take full advantage of the oppor
tunity given it to save itself from
future suffering.
Even before details of the plan
had been announced. Administrator
Johnson was receiving telegraphic
pledges from large business organ
izations, promising co-operation.
It will be impossible for every
business concert in the country to
preuent proof of compliance with
the new wage and hour scales on
Aug. 1, but the consuming public,
nevertheless will be asked to start
looking for the blue recovery eagle
on that day. Stores wh'ch in
crease wage scales and cut working
hours at once thus will enjoy a tem
porary trade advantage.
Customers to Display Eagle
The blue eagle—wings outspread,
one claw clutching a cogwheel, the
other bolts of lightning—will be dis
played by consumers as well as em
ployers. Families which agree to
purchase all goods from blue eagle
stores will be given cards to put in
their windows.
Meanwhile the public relations di
! vision of the recovery administra
tion worked at top speed today get
-1 ting ready to kindle in every corner
; of the country the flame of en
thusiasm which is to furnish the
motive power of the emergency
drive.
Speakers' handbooks will be ready
| the early part of next week, and at
| once the work of preparing volun
teer speakers to blanket the country
as four minute men did during the
war will begin.
Chambers of commerce in every
city already have been asked to en
roll speakers.
By the end of the week, the task
of impressing every person in the
country with the part assigned to
him in the concerted move to bring
back good times will be under way.
Sears Backs Drive
The Indianapolis store of Sears.
Roebuck <fc Cos. will be operated in
full accord with President Roose
velt's recovery program, it was an
nounced today by John Burke, man
ager.
He pointed out that R. E. Wood,
company president, long has been
an advocate of a program such as
the President has submitted, and
that minimum wage generally in
Sears stores is above the lowest set
by the program.
Employment of additional work
ers and an increase in purchasing
power will follow application of the
plan. Burke predicted.
Fifty-six Regal groceries will be
operated under the code, it was an
nounced today by F. C. Budden
baum, general manager.
L. S. Ayres & Cos. today announced
their full co-operation for the Pres
ident's new plan.
TAX L A PROVED
New State Measures Popular, Say
Members of Board.
New tax law s are meeting with
general approval in the state, it was
reported today by two members of
the state tax board who returned
from inspection tours.
Albert F. Walsman visited north
eastern counties and Gaylord S.
Morton toured counties in the south.
Both agreed that th? new intangi
bles tax is the most popular.
Several slight changes were sug
gested in the grass income tax law
during the trips, the commissioners
said.
Bankers Hold Outing
Marion County Bankers’ Associ
ation outing was to be held at the
Franklin Country Club this after
noon and tonight. Dancing and
card playing are on the night pro
gram. following dinner and election
of officers.
Saw Makers Submit Code
Tentative code for the saw man
ufacturing industry has been sub
mitted to General Hugh S. Johnson,
national recovery act administrator,
and probably will be redrawn be
fore it can be announced, accord
ing to word received by Indianapolis
manufacturers.
the amount actually added to his
casts through increased pay rolls.
Q—-If a worker gets paid on a
piece basis, does he get a raise?
A—He does, if his pay at pres
ent is less than the minimum
fixed. He may get shorter work
ing hours and a higher hourly
rate that will bring him up to
the level of the minimum.
Q—ls an employer hires mem
bers of his family, does he have
to shorten their working hours
and raise their wages to the min
imum level?
A—He does. An employe is
an employe regardless of blood
relationship.
Q—Do newspaper reporters
come under the terms of the
agreement?
A—They will probably be clas
sified as professional workers, who
are exempted from the forty-hour
week requirement.
JAILED ON ISLAND
'•jjf 3*
'■>*, w
' | i*. Jfe
I **
The jailing of five Am n ricans at
Palma, on the island of Majorca,
on the charge of assaulting a civil
guard, has l°d the state depart
ment to bring pressure to bear
upon the Spanish government for
their release. Two of the five just
granted bail are Mr. and Mrs.
Clinton B Lockwood < shown
above) of Springfield. Mass.
POOR RELIEF IN
STATEIS LESS
Drop of 11,954 Families on
Aid Rolls Shown Between
April and June.
Number of families on poor re
lief has dropped 11,954 in seventy
one counties of the state and costs
cut $139,536.33 between April and
June.
This report was sent Harry L.
Hopkins, federal emergency relief
administrator at Washington. D C..
today by William H. Book, director
of state relief.
It set out that in April there were
92,654 families receiving relief, 87.472
in May and 80,700 in June. Costs
for the three months respectively
were given as $1,162,079.16; SI,OBO -
793.49 and $1,023,542.83.
In Marion county, the number of
families dropped from 12.685 in
April to 12.309 in June and costs
from $188,566.63 to $137,834.09.
NEW SETUP AT CITY
HALL IS APPROVED
Mayor Announces Changes
Are Completed.
Changes in government personnel
have been completed following
resignations of E. Kirk McKinney,
works board president, and Martin
H. Walpole, chief clerk of the Bar
rett Law department, to take their
respective positions as state man
ager and assistant manager of the
new federal home owners' loan cor
poration.
Walter C. Boetcher, president of
the Marion county council is ex
pected to retain that position and
also serve as president of the works
board succeeding McKinney. George
D. Yeazel, of the Barrett law de
partment will succeed Walpole and
Cecil McConahay, also of the de
partment will assume Yeazel's
duties.
Ernest T. Frick, works board sec
retary, was informed by Mayor
Reginald H. Sullivan of the changes.
The mayor expressed regret that it
was necessary to accept McKinnpy's
resignation. He cited many accom
plishments while McKinney headed
the board. Sullivan thanked Mc-
Kinney personally for his efforts in
obtaining removal of all barriers to
the Improvement of East New York
street and East Sixteenth street.
CADETS ARE REVIEWED
Parents and Friends Watch Inspec
tion at Ft. Harrison.
Parents and friends watched C
M. T. C. cadets today in a review
at Ft. Benjamin Harrison.
Cadets were inspected by Briga
dier-General George H. Jamerson
as part of the visitor's day program.
Albert Stump was to address massed
student corps and guests at con
clusion of the review.
Fourth year cadets served as of
ficers during the day. Guests dined
with cadets at regular army mess
at noon, followed by a visiting hour.
TWO BITTEN BY DOGS
Woman Injured in Attempt to
Separate Fighting * Animals.
In an attempt to separate two
dogs which were fighting In front
of her home. Miss Mary La Francis.
19. of 2909 Talbot avenue was bit
ten on the left hand Friday and
was given first aid by police.
Mrs. Johanna Harris. 30, of 516
North Mlley avenue was bitten on
the left leg by a dog owned by
Charles Wytten. 546 North Miley
avenue, as she was walking near her
home. She was treated at city hos
pital.
Ban Interest on Tax Penalties
Ruling that county treasurers can
not collect interest charges on tax
penalties, but only on installments
upon which payment has been de
layed. was made today by Attornej-
General Philip Lutz Jr. The ruling
was asked for by William P. Cos
grove. chief examiner of the state
beard of accounts.
CODE PROPOSES
ROOSEVELT AS
OIL JHCTATOR
Hearing on Rules Urged by
Petroleum Institute
Begins Monday.
BY MARSHALL M’NEIL
Times Special Writer
WASHINGTON. July 22.—Presi
dent Roosevelt would take on the
role of oil czar, controlling produc
tion and licensing marketing under
the American Petroleum Institute's
code of fair competition which is
to be headed by the national recov
ery administration starting Monday.
In this hearing the pressure of
the great international figures of oil
will be felt: there, too. the govern
ments of the oil-producing states
will be represented: and the small
independent wildcatters whose en
terprise in seeking for this black
liquid wealth will raise their voices.
The issues are clear and the code
hearing controversies will revolve
about four major points:
1. Whether the federal govern
| ment shall b# given authority to
control production.
2. Whether marketers of petro
leum shall be licensed.
3. Whether the federal govern
ment shall fix prices.
4. Labor provisions.
These latter are paramount to
the Roosevelt administration and
j the recovery administration, but
generally they are of secondary im
portance to the industry'-* leaders,
who are concerned more deeply in
price-fixing, licensing, federal pro
duction control.
The institute’s code proposes a
forty-hour week, with minimum
wages ranging from 40 to 47 cents,
depending upon the region. An in
dependent code that will be pro
posed at the hearing provides mini
mum wages of 50 cents and a 30-
hour week.
The production provision?* of the
code leave no doubt that the great
of the oil industry want President
Roosevelt as their dictator. For
they provide that before a well
** * *
•'V-
The PRESIDENT has proclaimed a
“blanket code” dealing with wages and
hours of employment to be effective
Sept. 1, 1933. This code is intended to
bring about more employment at better
wages pending the adoption of specific
codes by the nation’s varying busi
nesses and industries.
We intend to support the President
and the National Recovery Adminis
tration to the best of our ability. We
shall sign the President’s Agreement
when offered and when the Code for
Retail Business is completed and ac
cepted, we shall comply with the pro
visions of that Code in the spirit of the
President’s Proclamation of July 20.
L. S. Ayres & Cos.
MAY BE GOVERNOR
Retention of Major-General
Briant Wells, above, as h-ad of
the Hawaiian department of the
United States army for another
year lends weight to rumors that
General Well* may be the next
governor of Hawaii.
The officer s term was to have
expired this year. It is thought
he is being held over to estab
lish the three-year residence re
quired for appointment as gov
ernor.
can be drilled the drillers must
obtain a permit from the govern
ment at Washington: and. having
found oil. the pool in which it is
located may not be developed until
a plan for its utilization is worked
out.
Thus if Farmer Smith in Chambers
county down in Texas wants to drill
a well in an abandoned pasture on
his own land, he must first come to
Washington, or through the mails
seek federal permission.
If and after Farmer Smith pro
duces his oil. its price would be set
at Washington.
PAGE 3
ORDER 380 TO
DELIVER CITY’S
RECOVERY MAIL
Postmen to Become Special
Messengers for President
on July 27.
Official notification that 380 city
mail carriers will become messen
gers for President Franklin D Roose
velt July 27 was received today by
Postmaster Leslie D. Clancy.
On that day they will deliver of
ficial communications from the
President to Indianapolis employers
regarding the industrial recovery
act
Clancy expects 25 000 pieces of
mail from the Industrial Recovery
administration. Washington, early
next week.
Larger past offices will have more
than three days to complete deliv
eries. However, all deliveries must
be made not later than July 29,
Joseph C OMahonev, acting post
master-general. notified Clancy.
MAKES NEW EXHIBIT
Public Service Commission Engineer
to Explain Appraisal Errors.
Harry Wenger, chid engineer of
the Indiana public service commis
sion. will prepare another exhibit,
explaining errors in his appraisal,
for introduction when the Indian
apolis Water Company rate case is
reopened in federal court Wednes
day
Cross-examination of Wenger re
garding his appraisal of the com
pany's properties disclosed certain
omissions and errors. Wenger vol
unteered to make the corrections.
Hearing in the ease was adjourned
Friday afternoon by Albert Ward,
special master in chancery.
Stamp Club Plans Convention
The Indiana Stamp Club has out
lined plans for a convention here
Aug. 28 to 31. Collectors from parts
of the nation will attend. Next club
meeting will be held at the Locker
bie. Aug. 4