The Indianapolis times. [volume], April 02, 1936, Final Home Edition, Image 1

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

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tSatIPPS^^WWARD
TORNADO RIPS
ACROSS SOUTH;
SIXTEEN DEAD
Many Are Reported Hurt,
Cordele Property Loss
Put at $250,000.
RED CROSS SENDS HELP
Buildings Are Flattened as
Gale Cuts Wide Swath
Through Town.
By United Pre**
Tornadoes, storms and floods
ravaged the South today, killing
at least 16 persons, injuring
scores and leaving an estimated
property damage of more than
$500,000.
Seven deaths were reported at
Cordele, Ga., where a tornado
ripped through a three-block lane
of the residential area. Three were
killed in other Georgia storms,
one was killed at Hampton, S. C.,
and a tornado that struck Con
cord, N. C., left SIOO,OOO damage
but no deaths were reported.
Two were killed at Washington,
Ga., one at Sassar, one at Dawson
and one at Dalton.
A woman, Mrs. Willie McCool,
was killed when a tornado struck
in the Hannah’s Church com
muni‘ r in the western part of
Alab .na.
By T'nUcd Press' *
CORDELE, Ga., April 2.—Cutting
a three-block swath entirely
through the city of Cordele, a tor
nado today killed at least seven
persons, injured dozens more and
caused $250,000 property damage.
Hundreds were without homes as
the storm smashed the lane for
about seven miles through Crisp
County and Cordele.
The city stadium was turned into
a hospital to aid in caring for the
injured. Ambulances rushed others
to Macon and Americus for treat
ment.
The American Red Cross dis
patched disaster workers to the
stricken city, while Gov. Eugene
Talmadge stood ready to giVe any
aid needed. Sheriff J. H. Pitts of
Crisp County, indicated National
Guardsmen may be needed.
Other Storms Sweep South
The dstructive tornado here was
(he worst of a series of storms that
swept the South. Concord, N. C.,
was struck by a tornado today, with
$50,000 property damage occur
ring.
Another storm struck last night
near Athens, Ga„ causing property
damage and killing cattle.
Power lines were down in Cordele.
The storm struck its worst blows
at a residential section and a Negro
district.
The grammar and high schools
were demolished.
Mrs. Pitts, wife of the sheriff,
said the scene of destruction was
terrible, with many homes reduced
to kindling.
“The storm swept clear through
the town, but it did not hit the
business section,” she said.
1 Listed Among Dead
Houses were flattened and the
dead and injured are being removed
as soon as possible.
It was difficult to learn the names
of the dead, but among the first
listed were a Mrs. Mimms, wife of
a Baptist preacher, Bill Braswell,
and Mr. and Mrs. Vivian Hyman.
After smashing through this city
of approximately 7000, the storm
also struck Penia, a little settlement
five miles east of here. It was re
ported great damage was done there.
Red Cross Sends Aid
By t nited Prei
WASHINGTON. April 2. The
American Red Cross today rushed
disaster workers to Crisp County,
Georgia, where a severe tornado
struck early today, causing wide
spread damage and loss of life.
STOCK RISE CHECKED
BY LATE-HOUR SALES
Steel, Auto Shares Hold Part of
Early Gains; Case Drops.
By United Press
NEW YORK. April 2.—Profit
taking checked a rising market on
the Stock Exchange early this aft
ernoon.
The list had had a substantial
rise after a firm opening. Later
trading quieted and prices slipped
back from the tops, only to resume
the forward trend at midday 1 .
Steel and automobile shares held
part of early gains that ranged to
more than a point. Copper resumed
upturn; me. entile issues continued
strong and Westinghouse Electric
gained more than 3 points. Sim
mor-3 Cos. made anew high.
Losses were shown by Case, West
ern Union and other leaders.
COUNCIL TO ARBITRATE
NEW HORSE-AUTO ROW
Equestrians Want Right-Of-Way
Over Motorist in Parks.
The horse and the auto squared
awa* at earh other for another bat
tle of protocol today, and the horse
was told to take its appeal to City
Council.
A delegation from the Indianap
olis Haddle Horse barns asked A. C.
Sallee, parks superintendent: to rule
that equestrians be given right-of
way over autos where bridle paths
cross park department noulevards.
Mr. Sallee told the delegation that
the law makes no such provision and
suggested that they draw up an
ordinance and present it to council
at its next meeting. Delegates in
dicated they would.
The Indianapolis Times
FORECAST: Cloudy and colder tonight with lowest temperature between 20 and 25; tomorrow fair and cold.
VOLUME 48—NUMBER 19
236 Drivers Ignore New
‘Fix-Proof’ Traffic Tags;
Police Outline Campaign
Second Notices to Be Sent Those Who Have Not Appeared
by Deadline; Only 14 Pay Fines for Violations
. of Local Ordinances.
Believing something about the new triplicate, “fix-proof” stickers lias
backfired, Capt. Lewis Jonnson, police traffic department head, prepared
today to send out second notices to all but 14 of the 250 people who
received the tags.
He declared he was amazed to learn that only 14 people have paid a
total of S2B since the drive started Monday. This, he pointed out, is in
MONGOLS DENY
JAPAN CHARGES
Claim Victory in 2-Day
Clash With Forces of
Manchukuo.
By United Pri es
MOSCOW, April 2.—Outer Mon
golia, claiming a decisive victory
in a two-day battle with Japanese-
Manchukuoan forces, denounced to
day as “shameless lies” Japanese
versions of the fighting.
Mongolian officials said a dis
patch from Ulan Bator, capital of
the republic, charged that Jap
anese army leaders were deliberate
ly trying to create a false impres
sion.
It was indicated that the fight
ing was on a bigger scale, and the
resulting anger on both sides more
intense, than had been the case in
any previous frontier incident.
Official dispatches from Ulan
Bator said that the Japanese-Man
chukuoan invaders tried to take by
storm the outer Mongolian city of
Tamik Bulak, 28 miles inside the
Mongolian frontier.
After a battle that lasted Tues
day and Wednesday morning, the
dispatches asserted, the “invaders”
were driven back over the border
into Manchukuo.
Russia was expected to make an
other and possibly even more stern
protest over the battle than that
which Boris S. Stomoniakox. as
sistant commissar of foreign affairs,
made to Japanese Ambassador
Tamekichi Ohta Tuesday.
Manchus Protest Battle
By United Press
TOKYO, April 2.—The Manchu
kuoan government has sent a sharp
protest to Outer Mongolia against
a two-day battle on the frontier.
It was understood that the note
alleged Mongolians were the aggres
sors, attacking a Japanese-Manchu
kuoan force on its own soil.
FRANCE DENOUNCES
HITLER PEACE PLAN
Wholly Inadequate, Says
Paris; Demands Parley.
(Copyright. 1936. by United Press)
PARIS, April 2. —France today
denounced Germany’s proposals for
European peace consolidation as ut
terly inadequate. She pressed for
joint French-Belgian-British gen
eral staff consultations and a meet
ing of the Locarno powers.
Foreign Minister Pierre Etienne
Flandin summoned the principal
French ambassadors in Europe to
Paris for a conference tomorrow.
They will consider the Gez-man pro
posals.
It was expected that a cabinet
meeting would be called as the re
sult of a conference between Flan
din and Premier Albert Sarraut.
Whatever is done regarding the
proposals made by Hitler, the gov
ernment wants to make sure that
they do not interfere with general
staff conversations on a plan of
mutual French-Belgian-British ac
tion in event Germany attacks
France or Belgium.
COL. LEA IS PAROLED
FROM CAROLINA PRISON
Publisher Last of Trio to Be Freed
in Bank Crash Case.
By United Press
RALEIGH, N. C., April 2.—Prison
gates opened today for Col. Luke
Lea. former Uhited States Senator
from Tennessee, newspaper pub
lisher, banker and political boss, the
last of three men to be freed after
conviction in 1931 of an alleged sl,-
300.000 fraud that wrecked the Cen
tral Bank and Trust Cos. of Ashe
ville, N. C.
A parole, granted by Gov. J. C. B.
Ehringhaus after Lea had served
one year, 11 months of a six-to-ten
year sentence, became effective at
10 a. m.
Home-Made Bidding Deals Pair Out of Bridge Tourney
Two Indianapolis bridge players,
who use a system of bidding one of
invented, have been ruled out
of masters play in the tenth an
nual national inter-club contract
bridge tournament of the American
Bridge League, scheduled to begin
Saturday in the Indianapolis Ath
letic Club, they said today.
The players are Dr. Louis Segar
and Easley Blacxwood. Metropolitan
Life Insurance Cos. general agent.
They offered to waive in writing all
masters points, emblems and cups
that might accrue to them, and to
be considered as not to have played
if jtfiey should get a first.
sharp contrast to collections under
the old tags, which often ran be
tween $25 and SSO a day, and on one
Saturday went to S2OO.
The police department was pro
vided with 650 of the new type
pasteboards, and 250 already have
been given out. The 72-hour limit
on many of these expires tonight.
Capt. Johnson pointed out that
the warning cards, which are to be
made out in duplicate, will give
violators additional time to pay.
Hint at Trouble
“If they don’t show up at the
traffic office then,” he said, “they
will be in trouble. Warrants are to
be sent out for their arrest.”
Chief Morrissey declared today
that he did not intend to “hedge
on this sticker question.”
“We have Mayor Kern and the
Safety Board behind us,” he said,
“and we intend to carry the com
plete program through. We may
get some heat from politicians, but
I hope the newspapers will aid us
in building up a favorable public
opinion.”
He added that the department
wants to get the “sticker problem
cleaned up by June,” so it can de
vote more of its time to other work.
$2 Payment Required
•
Stickers, which are used for minor
traffic violations, do not require an
appearance in court, but merely
payment of $2 in the traffic divi
sion’s office.
Detective Lieut. Harvey Hires, of
state police, paid for a ticket he re
ceived yesterday, and tcld Capt.
Lewis Johnson the state policemen
he sent to city headquarters had
misunderstood his instructions. He
said a hotel doorman had mis
parked his car, but that he had in
tended to pay the fine.
Frank T. Sissons, an attorney,
said his client was going to fight
the new stickers in municipal court
on the grounds that parking limit
signs can not be seen at night on
poorly illuminated streets.
Auto Owners Censured
Two auto owners who refused to
sign drunken driving affidavits
against a motorist- who had reim
bursed them for damage done to
their cars were sevefely censured
today by Municipal Judge Charles
J. Karabell.
“It is men like you who make it
impossible to get convictions on
drunken driving charges,” Judge
Karabell said.
The motorist, Elbert L. Miers, R.
R. 10, Box 241D, was fined sls and
costs on a charge of drunkenness.
Because he had been convicted
once before, according to police, on
drunken driving charges, Virgil
Johnson, 735 N. Pershing-av, was
held to the Marion County grand
jury today. He was fined $37 and
sentenced to 30 days on charges of
drunkenness, no driver's license and
no license plates.
STATE TO RECEIVE
$450,000 ROAD BIDS
Muncie-Anderson Highway
to Be Improved.
Four improvement projects on
Road 67 between Anderson and
Muncie and in Muncie, expected to
cost approximately $450,000, will be
eligible for bids April 21, James D.
Adams, State Highway Commission
chairman, said today.
Two of the projects are for grad
ing and structures on the new loca
tion of Road 67 between Anderson
and Muncie. The portion of the
road involved is from the new An
derson bypass almost to Muncie.
The other two projects are for
improvement of anew route for
Road 67 traffic through Muncie.
DENIES MOVE TO SAVE
VERA FROM EXECUTION
Jurist Turns Down Motion to Drop
First Degree Charge.
By United Press
NEW YORK, April 2.—Vera
Stretz must face the possibility of
death in the electric chair when a
jury late today or tmorrow delib
erates the charges against her for
the killing of Dr. Fritz Gebhardt,
her German lover.
Judge Cornelius F. Collins, at
the convening of court today, de
nied all defense motions, including
one tc throw out the first-degree
murder charge against and confine
the jury to counts of second-de
gree murder or manslaughter.
They explained to the local com
mittee, they claim, that they wanted
merely to test their bidding system
in masters play, and that they
would, at any time, explain any bid
ding points either of them made to
any one in the game if requested
to do so.
A member of the local committee
today said that this reason was
given Mr. Blackwood and Dr. Segar
for the refusal to let them play:
“The system, while an excellent
one, is too confusing for the major
ity of players. It is entirely arti
ficial and. in rz much as they would
be the only two in the whole tourna
ment playing it, the request was de
THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 1936
JOEL A. BAKER
NAMED COUNTY
WELFARE HEAD
Board Begins Its Duties
With Selection of Court
Aid as Director,
BELZER ACCEPTS POST
Scout Chief Replaces Block;
Office to Be Rented in
Private Building.
With the appointment of Joel A.
Baker, 211 Beverly-dr, Criminal
Court investigator, as county wel
fare director, the machinery for
administration in Marion County
of the recently enacted social se
curity laws was ready to begin
functioning,
(EDITORIAL, PAGE 18)
The Marion County Welfare
Board took over all county welfare
work today, and announced that
no immediate changes in the per
sonnel of departments, now under
its jurisdiction, are to be made.
Board members named Mr. Baker
at a private session in the Indian
apolis Athletic Club yesterday eve
ning. The salary was fixed'at S4OOO
a year.
L. Ert Slack, former mayor, was
elected board president, and the
Rev. Linn A. Tripp, social service
director of the Indianapolis Church
Federation, was chosen vice presi
dent.
Belzer Withholds Vote
Other members of the board are
Mrs. Marie R. Woolling, Mrs. Mar
garet Ruddell and F. O. Belzer, In
dianapolis Boy Scout executive.
Mr. Belzer was named a member
by Judge Earl R. Cox of Circuit
Court, after Meier S. Block, presi
dent of William H. Block Cos., de
clined the appointment.
After accepting the post yester
day, Mr. Belzer refused to take part
in the election of the director. He
said he had been a member of the
board only two or three hours, and
was not acquainted with the appli
cants.
Office Space to Be Rented
Space in a downtown office is to
be rented immediately and the
welfare departments are to be
moved from the Courthouse. Judge
Cox asked that this be done in
order, he said, to divorce this new
department from politics.
The board will be in charge of
the expenditure of approximately
$14,000,000 yearly in the work of
paying old-age and blind pensions,
administration of the Board of
Children’s Guardians’ Home and
care of dependent children.
The 3200 persons now on the old
age pension rolls automatically are
to be dropped from the list under
terms of the welfare act, but all
are entitled to reinstatement at the
pleasure of the board, it was an
nounced.
New Investigations Due
Although pensioners received their
April checks today, they must be
reinstated under the new welfare
setup to be entitled to additional
payments, Mr. Slack explained.
New forms are to be provided by
the state welfare board, and all
cases are to be reinvestigated, he
explained. This work will con
tinue for several weeks, and until
all cases are checked the board de
cided to re-enroll all pensioners
temporarily.
When notified of his appoint
ment, Mr. Baker immediately re
signed his post as court investigator,
and was sworn in as director by
Glenn B. Ralston, Circuit Court
Clerk.
He issued the following state
ment:
“There must be no politics in any
of the work that is to be done under
the new welfare board. The work
must be pitched on the high plane
that actuated the men who wrote
the provisions of the law.
“No one will be placed in any po
sition that is not peculiarly fitted
for the job.
“The present setup for : irving the
blind, the widows, the neglected
children and other activities that
are actually functioning will not be
disturbed until it can be done for
their benefit.
“It is essential that the old-age
pension department be revamped
immediately, as the new law has
vitally changed its complexion. We
(Turn to Page Three)
MILK PRICES ARE SET
Local Administrator Announces List
for March 16-31.
Milk prices for the delivery pe
riod from March 16 to 31 for dis
tributors were announced today by
Leon C. Coller, local milk adminis
trator. They are $2.20 a hundred
weight, Class I; $1.61 a hundred
weight, Class 11, and $1.41 a hun
dredweight, Classs 111.
nied for the benefit of the majority,
and the best interests of the tourna
ment.”
’ Dr. Segar and Mr. Blackwood have
been playing their system ior the
last two years with what they de
scribe as great success. Mr. Black
wood, whose he toby is mathematics,
invented the system.
In the Columbia Club Contractors’
Club season, now about to end. they
stand tops at .5623 per cent, with Ed
Gates and Joseph Zeller, next rank
ing pair, and both past national
title holders, at .5490 per cent.
Joseph Cain and Edson Wood, two
of the present co-hokiers of the
& - fc ‘ '■ : *
STILL CONFIDENT OF ‘BETTER THINGS’
1 Ifcjjjf ip
m
Raised from the depths of despair to a feverish* new hope, Mrs.
Anna Hauptmann is shown here with C Loyd Fisher, her husband’s
counsel, after the attorney had broken the news to her of the re
prieve. “Now I shall be able to go to bed and sleep,” she declared,
expressing confidence that the turn had come for her husband.
Democrats Make Truce;
G. 0. P. Waits Hoover Talk
Greenlee, Townsend, Others
to Attend Banquet
Here Tonight.
(Other Political Stories, Page Six)
Truce over a banquet board is
to be the Democratic political bill
of fare at 8 tonight when Pleas
Greenlee, M. Clifford Townsend
and a proxy for E. Kirk McKin
ney, all Democratic gubernatorial
candidates, are scheduled to speak
at a dinner in Walker’s Casino.
The Negro meeting is to open
the Indianapolis campaign for con
vention delegates by Mr. Greenlee.
Omer S. Jackson, Democratic
state chairman, and Mayor John
W. Kern are other guests invited
to the rally of precinct workers.
Pledges Armistice
The former secretary to Gov. Mc-
Nutt said today upon his return
from a Lake County trip, where
he charged the party teamed with
“McHale-ism,” that he would re
frain from further attacks at to
night’s dinner.
“I have never attacked my op
ponents for the nomination and do
not intend to do so at tonight’s
meeting,” Mr. Greenlee said as he
pledged an armistice in hostilities
and a temporary cessation of an
oral barrage against Democratic ad
ministration leaders.
Lieut. Gov. Townsend said he ex
pected to attend tonight’s meeting,
to be held under the auspices of the
Democratic Workers’ Committee.
Mr. McKinney, out of the city,
is to be represented by Reginald H.
Sullivan, former Mayor, his head
quarters reported.
Charges Discussed
Meantime, both Democrats and
Republicans, in hotels and offices of
Statehouse, City Hall and Court
house, discussed charges by Mr.
Greenlee against leaders in the
administration of Gov. McNutt.
Mr. Greenlee proffered today to
back up charges of alleged expense
account abuses by Virgil (Skits)
Simmons, Conservation Depart
ment head.
Prank McHale, termed a “back
room” boss by Mr. Greenlee, was
“too busy” yesterday to reply to
Mr. Greenlee’s charges.
HOLIDAY BEGINS MONDAY
Children, School Teachers to Have
Week’s Vacation.
i
Approximately 60,000 Indianapolis
public school pupils and 1904 teach
ers are to have spring vacation next
week, Supt. Paul C. Stetson an
nounced today.
Chicago title of the American
Bridge League, are next with .3425
per cent, and Frank Buck and
Lawrence Welsh, other co-holders,
follow -with .5367 per cent.
Walter Pray and John Vitale,
past title holders, are still lower at
.5220 per cent. Neither Dr. Segar
nor Mr. Blackwood has ever won a
master’s point.
When they wrote the committee
they inclosed this brief description
of their bidding system*
“When we open the bidding, our
first bid and first response are ar
tificial. The lower the bid. the
smaller the hand in high-card val
. ,
Entered as Recond-Clts" Matter
at I'ostoirice. Indianapolis. Ind.
Ex-President, to Confer
With Party Chiefs
before Speech.
Indiana Republicans today
planned week-end trips to Port
Wayne to hear former President
Herbert Hoover speak Saturday
night.
Prior to Mr. Hover’s speaking
engagement he is to confer here
with Republican Party leaders.
He is to be the guest of Warren
C. Fairbanks, president and general
manager of the Indianapolis News,
at an informal dinner tomorrow
night at the Columbia Club. Forty
guests have been invited.
“The dinner-meeting here has no
political significance,” Mr. Fair
banks said.
Denies Political Significance
Following the dinner, the former
chief executive of the nation is ex
pected to go to Fort Wayne to
spend the night.
Presence of Everett Sanders, for
mer national Republican chair
man, in Indianapolis, and an al
most daily 'commuting to this city
of James E. Watson, former U. S.
Senator, gave credence to rumors
of a party conference, G. O. P.
leaders declared.
Three hundred and fifty mem
bers of the Hoosier Republicans,
Inc., a reorganization group, in the
party, are to go to the Fort Wayne
meeting from Indianapolis.
Executive Session Called
The Hoosier Republicans are to
have headquarters in the Indiana
Hotel, Fort Wayne. An executive
committee meeting is scheduled for
4 Saturday with Samuel Boys,
Plymouth, state president, presiding.
Members of the Republican state
central committee and state party
leaders are expected to attend the
rally.
Harry C. Fenton, state G. O. P.
secretary, said today that organiza
tion leaders would not attend in a
group and do not plan any private
gatherings in honor of Mr. Hoover.
Times Index
Births 26 Merry-Go-R’d 17
Books .......17 Movies 22
Bridge 17 Mrs. Roosevelt 13
Barnes 17 Music 20
Clapper 17 Pegler 17
Comics 29 Pyle 18
Editorials 18 Radio 20
Fashions 13 Serial Stsry . 14:
Financial 28 Society 12 j
Gardening .. 14 Sports 24 ;
Hoosier Editor 18 State Deaths 10
Johnson 17 Want Ads 27
ues. An opening bid of one club in
dicates a minimum hand. An open
ing bid of one diamond is a hand
slightly stronger, and so forth, and
the responding bid likewise shows
the high card values held in the
hand.
“On subsequent rounds of bid
ding, we are liable to bid any four
card suit, no matter how weak the
suit might be. Our overcalls are
normal with the exception on an
overcall of one no-trump, which
shows the hand stronger than an
informative double would show, but
does not necessarily show a stopper
in the opposing suit.”
BRUNO’S HOPES
FOR STAY ARE
RAISED BY QUIZ
Brooklyn Prosecutor Opens
Investigation of Suspect’s
Torture Story.
HELD 10 DAYS, IS CLAIM
Beaten, Kicked and Forced
to Admit Crime, Is
Lawyer’s Charge.
By United Press
NEW YORK, April 2.
District Attorney William F.
X. Geoghan of Brooklyn an
nounced today that a “search
ing investigation” was being
made into charges that Paul
Wendel, disbarred Trenton
lawyer, had been kept prison
er in a Brooklyn house and
tortured into making a con
fession, later repudiated, that
he kidnaped Charles A. Lind
bergh Jr.
Geoghan stressed that he was not
interested in the truth or falsity of
the alleged confession, but simply
wanted to determine whether a
crime had been committed
Wendel.
He said that one of his assistants,
William F. McGuinness, a stenog
rapher and a county detective,
visited Wendel in the Mercer County
jail yesterday.
Held 10 Days, Is Claim
Wendel told McGuinness, Geog
han said, that he was about to
enter a hotel in Manhattan on
Feb. 14 when a man approached and
told him “De Louie wants to see you
at headquarters.” Wendel identified
“De Louie” as a Trenton detective.
“Another man behind him pressed
a gun against him, according to his
story,” Geoghan said. “He was or
dered into a car parked near the ho
tel. He said there were four men in
the car.”
Then, according to Wendel’s story
to McGuinness, he was driven to a
place near Coney Island where he
was held prisoner for 10 days “and
tortured into making a confession.”
Wendel, Geoghan said, was cer
tain he could identify the house
where he was imprisoned.
“Punched, Kicked, Threatened”
“He said his captors told him
they wanted him to sign a confes
sion to the kidnaping of the Lind
bergh baby,” the District Attorney
said.
“He said they took the manacles
off from time to time and strung
him up by his thumbs on a board
leaning against the wall with his
arms outstretched and chains on
his ankles..
“Wendel said they punched and
kicked him and took lighted cigarets
and placed them close to the corner
of his eyes. After one week of the
torture, at their dictation, Wendel
claims he drew up a confession in
longhand which he signed. The
confession was deemed unsatisfac
tory and he says he was forced to
make another.
“On Feb. 24, Wendel said, he was
taken by two men in an automobile
to the home of Ellis Parker in New
Jersey.”
MERCURY IS DUE TO
DROP AGAIN TONIGHT
Temperature May Go to 24,
Is Forecast.
The mercury, which started on a
toboggan ride two days ago, is ex
pected to continue its downward
course today, J. H. Armington, Fed
eral meteorologist, said.
Tonight it is expected to stop
some place between 20 and 24 de
grees.
Tomorrow should be fair but cold,
he said, and maybe the weather
will be warmer tomorrow night.
This temperature, Mr. Armington
added, is 11 degrees below normal
for the season.
Although a blustering snowstorm
whipped over some sections of the
Midwest and hindered automobile
and airplane traffic in Chicago, Mr.
Armington is expecting only light
snow flurries here.
The 44.4-foot flood crest of the
Ohio, reached after a 26-foot rise in
14 days, began a gradual recession
today.
U. S. SHOWS SURPLUS;
IT’S FIRST IN A YEAR
Treasury in “Black” by $175,000,009
for March, Is Report.
By Vnilfil Prrst
WASHINGTON, April ?.-The
United States Treasury today
boasted its first monthly surplus
since March, 1935. The govern
ment was in the “black” by al
most $175,000,000. the daily state
ment for the end of March re
vealed.
An excess of receipts over ex
penditures of $173,274,170 was shown
as compared with $50,224,266 at the
same date last year.
Nevertheless, the government Is
in the “red" $2,237,130311 for the
fiscal year, which closes on June 30.
Last year at this time the deficit was
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Gov. Hoffman Testifies a*
Inquiry Into Wendel
‘Confession.’ \
SILENT ON REPRIEVE!
Executive May Act if Jury
Fails to Complete
Case, Is Hint.
(Copyright, 1936, by United Press)
TRENTON, N. J., April 2.
Bruno Richard Haupt
mann’s chances of escaping
the electric chair tomorrow
night increased rapidly today
as the Mercer County Grand
Jury opened new lines of in
quiry in its consideration of
the Lindbergh baby murder.
Gov. Harold G. Hoffman, who be
lieves Hauptmann did not commit
the crime alone, was the first of
several new witnesses to go before
the grand jurors, indicating that
their investigation might extend far
beyond 7 p. m. (Indianapolis time,
tomorrow), the time set for Haupt
mann’s execution.
There was no official word from
the jury as to how far it would in
quire into the murder and the case
of Paul H. Wendel, who wrote and
tile* repudiated a confession to the
crime.
Wilentz, Jafsie May Testify
But with the appearance of Ue
Governor to urge that the nr>yste)*y
be solved before Hauptmann Is put
to death; with the preparations of
Atty. Gen. David T. Wilentz to go
before the jury in opposition to any
such delay, and with reports that
Dr. John F. (Jafsie) Condon, who
paid over $50,000 ransom to the kid
naper just four years ago today,
would be called, there was every in
dication that the jury would be un
able to complete its inquiry before
the hour now set for Hauptmann’*
death. •
Wilentz, state police superin
tendent, H. Norman Schwarzkopf
and Hunterdon County Prosecutor
Anthony M. Hauck made every ef
fort to force the grand jury to drop
the murder charge placed against
Wendel and thus permit Haupt
mann to go to the electric chair
this week.
But so heavy was the tangle of
political animosities, so powerful
was the momentum of sensational
developments in the climactic hours
of the case that it appeared only
drastic action could force the jury
to bring its inquiry to an end to
morrow.
Kimberling Studies Delay
Whether Hoffman, under such
circumstances, would issue another
reprieve was uncertain, but Head
Keeper Mark O. Kimberling of the
state prison, already has announced
that he will delay execution until
Saturday or Sunday if necessary,
unless the grand jury has reached a
decision before then.
Federal investigators made their
first appearance in the case when
Edward C. Dougherty, Philadelphia
district supervisor of the alcoholic
tax unit of Pennsylvania, ap
peared at the Statehouse and made
available records concerning the ac
tivities of Wendel from March to
November, 1932.
Dougherty was the first Federal
officer actually to appear in the
case, although there have been re
ports that the Department of Justice
is investigating Wendels charge
that he was kidnaped in New York
and tortured.
Wendel’s Record Bared
According to Wilentz, the records
show that in March, 1932, about
the time of the abduction of the
Lindbergh baby, Wendel was al
leged to be under the alias of Christ
Narr and connected with a com
pany which was negotiating for
construction of a huge still near
Scranton. Pa. The plant was seized
before.the still could be put into
operation.
The exact significance was not
disclosed but it was inferred that
a man involved in a project of that
magnitude would not have had time
lor a kidnaping at the same time.
Hauck, meanwhile, charged ih&fc
Hoffman was attempting to block
his investigation of an attack by
five men yesterday on the caretaker
at the Lindbergh home in the Sour
land Mountains—scene of the kid
naping.
Gov. Hoffman testified for 1 hour
and 15 minutes. Upon completing
his testimony he descended the nar
row, winding private stairway to the
county prosecutor’s office.
A few minutes later he came out
and with guards holding back every
one who attempted to speak to him,
went down the elevator and drove
away in his automobile.
As the Governor’s automobile sped
away from the Courthouse Wilentz
stepped out of his office at the
Statehouse several blocks away and
(Turn t® Page Three)
f. and. r7is nearing u. s.
Observers Believe Presidential Cruise
to End Soon.
By IJnitta Prrtt
MIAMI, Fla., April 2.—President
Ftoosevelt cruised leisurely through
Bahaman waters today, his course
bringing him gradually ewser to
American shores.
Indications were that the Presi
dent probably will remain aboard
his yacht Potomac until the end of
the week, then come ashore and re
turn u wm. h™.