The Indianapolis times. [volume], May 27, 1936, Final Stocks Home Edition, Image 1

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

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CROUCH MAKES
CONFESSION OF
KILLING, CLAIM
Suspect in U. S. Agent’s 1
Death Captured in
Local Hideout.
OFFERS NO RESISTANCE
Given No Chance to Use
Gun as Officers Wake
Him From Sleep.
Harlan Crouch Sr., 4’J, who was
captured by police and Federal
men as he slept in a, hideout at 427
E. Louisiana-st, today confessed
firng the shots that killed John R.
Foster, 37, of Marion, United States
revenue agent, Lieut. Roy Pope, po
lice homicide squad head, claimed.
“I thought we were being pur
sued by hijackers,” Lieut. Pope
quoted Crouch as saying. “James
Jacobs, who was riding in the car
with me, handed me a rifle, and I
let them have it.”
Foster was killed May 14 during
a chase of suspected rum runners
near St. John, 13 miles south of
Hammond. Guy Goodin, another
agent, was uninjured.
Crouch’s statement that he
thought V was firing at other gang
sters conflicts with one attributed
to Jacobs following his capture sev
eral days ago by Chicago Heights
police. Authorities quoted Jacobs
as saying that Crouch opened fire
because he thought the pursuing
car contained Federal agents.
Asks Speedy Trial
Demands for immediate indict
ment and a speedy trial were made
in Chicago by E. C. Yellowley, Fed
eral Alcohol Tax Unit head. Yellow
ley said he would appear before
Federal Judge Thomas W. Slick at
Hammond, Ind., later today.
“I will ask Judge Slick for a
special grand jury to indict Crouch
at once,” Yellowley said, when in
formed of the capture. “We hope to
have an immediate trial. A murder
warrant against Crouch already has
been sworn out and will be served
on him when he reaches Hammond.”
Yellowley also said that his agents
would pursue every one suspected of
harboring Crouch during the two
weeks he was hunted and would
prosecute all found to have aided
him.
Captured with Crouch was a man
who gave his name as Sam Burns.
Police said the second prisoner was
Sam Pendgraft, alias Blackburn,
who has been wanted two years to
answer charges of auto banditry and
assault and battery.
Also taken to police headquarters
for questioning were Miss Pearl
Pendgraft, 32, whom police said was
a sister of Sam, and 14-year-old
Dewey Wiley.
Held for Questioning
A man who gave his name as
Paul Mueller, 33, of 2631 Applegate
st, later was arrested by city po
lice for questioning in connection
with the case and slated on va
grancy charge under $20,00!) bond.
Police believe Mueller returned
Crouch to Indianapolis from an
out-of-town hideout recently.
“How did I get in this place?”
Crouch asked officers who shook
him out of a sound sleep. “What
time is it?”
Police said the hunted man had
a ,45-calibcr revolver under his pil
low, but had no chance to use it.
The house had been surrounded.
Officers with machine guns were
stationed at front and rear doors,
and others armed with sawed-off
shotguns guarded windows.
Crouch on Probation
Crouch was on probation from the
La Porte Circuit Court, Alexander
Spychalski, court clerk, said. He re
ceived a suspended 1 to 10-year
sentence from the La Porte court on
Nov. 15, 1935, on a charge of carry
ing concealed weapons, records
show.
Four Taken to Hammond
Four men accused of aiding
Crouch to escape from Federal
agents were taken to Hammond
Monday for action by the Northern
District Federal court.
Sam Curry, owner of a Moores
ville chicken farm; his son, John
Curry, and Tommy Burns and
Frank Dold, farm tenants, were re
leased from Indianapolis Municipal
Court to the custody of Federal au
thorities.
Neighbors told police the house
where Crouch was captured was
operated by Mr. and Mrs. Earl Hall.
It was an orderly establishment,
they said. Mr. Hall is employed as a
truck driver for the Wheeler Rescue
Mission.
$286,000 EXCISE TAXES
TO BE DISTRIBUTED
Marion County Civil Units Are to
Get $32,000.
The State Excise Department
announced today that $192,092
would be available for distribution
to civil units and $94,487 to school
units June 1.
The figures represent excise tax
collections from Dec. 1 to June 1.
The $32,084 available to Marion
County civil units is to be distrib
uted as follows: Indianapolis, $31,-
305; Beech Grove, $333; Marion
County, $100; Ravenswood, $133,
and Speedway City, $212.
FLEEING SUSPECT SHOT
Wounded Prisoner Held in Probe of
Series of Burglaries.
By T nit,,l Press
FRANKFORT, Ind., May 27
Wounded In an alleged attempt to
evade arrest by state and local po
lice, Edward Smith, 28, was held
today in connection with an inves
tigation of a series of burglaries in
central Indiana.
- - . /.' - v * * ■
The Indianapolis Times
VOLUME 48—NUMBER 66
ALLEGED SLAYER RUSHED TO POLICE STATION
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—inan Croucn, uauess ana rea-eyea, was rusnea to police station
following his capture at 427 E. Louisiana-st, early today. The accused
Federal agent slayer is shown being led into headquarters by officers
who made the arrest.
Board Appoints Teachers;
City May Raise Salaries
De Pauw Educator Named
Head of Department
at Shortridge.
(Complete list of teachers ap
pointed is on Pages 14, 15 and 21).
Accepting the recommendations of
Superintendent Paul C. Stetson, the
School Board today had appointed
the full teaching personnel of In
dianapolis public schools for 1936-
37. Nearly all of those named are
to receive a fiat SIOO restoration of
pay cuts next year.
The board accepted 29 resigna
tions, granted eight leaves of ab
sence, approved the retirement of
12 teachers who have reached the
age limit and affirmed 11 changes of
principals in the elementary schools.
Charles J. Wilkerson, English in
structor at De Pauw University,
was appointed head of the depart
ment of English at Shortrdige High
School. Miss Flora Love who, with
a committee, has been in charge of
the department, is to retire this
year.
Teachers appointed but unas
signed . are Misses Theta Byrkett,
Ruth Holmes, Martha Horner. Clio
Kurtz, Ida Pingpank and Helen
Consand, substitute.
Virgil Stinebaugh. who has been
in charge of junior high schools and
curriculum studies since 1933, was
promoted to assistant superintendent
of schools.
Changes In assignments of ele
mentary principals are as follows:
Frank Echolds, principal No. 82,
transferred to No. 75, succeeding
Mrs. Maude Moudy, resigned.
Miss .Frieda Herbst, principal of
No. 13, is to succeed J. L. Dunn, who
retires this year as principal of No.
(Turn to Page Three)
FAVORS BILL, IS REPORT
F. D. R. Sees Need for New Guffey
Measure, Union Head Says.
By United Press
WASHINGTON, May 27.—Presi
dent Roosevelt believes a bill along
the lines of the new Guffey-Vinson
measure is necessary to maintain
temporary stability of the coal in
dustry, pending permanent reform
by Congress, John Lewis, head of
the United Mine Workers, said to
day after a White House conference.
Dionnes Are Growing Up!
They’ll Be 2 Tomorrow
Bit United PrtM
CALLANDER, Ontario, May 27.
Oliva and Mrs. Dionne, parents of
the world famous quintuplets, will
not be invited to the party celebrat
ing the babies’ second birthday to
morrow, it was revealed today.
Last year, the parents were invited
to the party in Dafoe Memorial Hos
pital, which is the quints home, but,
because they still are not reconciled
to the province taking charge of
their famous offspring, they did not
attend.
This year they will not have the
opportunity of rejecting an invita
tion, though if they go to Dafoe
Hospital they’ll be welcomed.
The hospital today was gayly be
decked, five frosted cakes with a
name on each were in the pantry,
new toys were wrapped and ready
all for tomorrow’s party.
A dress rehearsal of the radio
part of the party will be held this
afternoon. Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe,
their physician; Judge J. A. Valin,
chairman of the board of guardians,
thftlr two nurses, Jacqueline Noel
.■ ' " • •* >-V j
FORECAST: Fair tonight and tomorrow; slightly cooler tonight.
Employes Given Hope of
Increase at Parley of
Kern and Aids.
The 2000 employes of the Indi
anapolis civil city today anticipated
a partial restoration next year of
salary reductions. Mayor Kern
and department heads gave them
this hope in a conference yester
day.
The conference was called by the
Mayor to inform his aids that prac
tically all data had been collected
for a salary survey. He cautioned
them to use the utmost economy in
preparation of their 1937 budgets.
Mayor Kern pointed out that the
data had not yet been classified and
that the increase in salaries, if
finally allowed, could not be de
termined until this was accom
plished. The new salary scheduled
is to be prepared after careful com
parison of city positions with cor
responding positions in private
business and wages paid by 25 or
30 municipalities similar in size to
Indianapolis, it was said.
Persons who have made a study
of the proposed increase believe it
may be approximately 7(4 per cent
or one-half of the 15 per cent by
which the salaries have been re
duced. It was recalled that pre
viously Mayor Kern had promised
firemen that he would recommend
such an increase.
In preparing their budgets the
department heads were told to re
duce all other items as much as
possible in an effort to offset the
prospective increase in salaries.
The mayor also urged speed in
transmitting the estimates to City
Controller Walter Boetcher so that
ample time could be given to a
study of salary adjustments.
According to figures in the city
controller’s office, if the salary in
crease averages 7(4 per cent it
would raise the civil city’s annual
pay roll by $261,012.71. The pay roll
for the current year is $3,480,169.52.
Such an increase would require
raising of the tax rate approxi
mately 5 cents if based on the pres
ent valuation of $540,000,000, it was
said.
and Yvonne Leroux, and the babies
will go before the microphone.
This birthday Papa Dionne is
likely to be working on the refresh
ment booth which he is building
near his home. He had not made
up his mind whether he would at
tend the “grande messe” the Rev.
Father J. B. McNally will conduct
at the Sacred Heart Parish Church
at Corbeil tomorrow morning.
The mass of thanksgiving is for
the intention of the quintuplets.
Last year, Mr. and Mrs. Dionne did
not attend the service.
All their friends and neighbors
will be at the service this year.
All the men, women and children
in the district will be there.
TODAY’S TIMES
includes a six-page
rotogravure section
featuring the
Dionne quintuplets.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1936
SCHOOLS AND
HOME FAILING
YOUTHJHARGE
Head of Institution for Ohio
Girl Delinquents Makes
Assertion.
PROGRAM CHANGE URGED
Woman Advises More Social
Plan of Training
Young People.
BY SAM TYNDALL
Schools, churches, the home and
correctional institutions share the
blame for juvenile delinquency in
America today, Rose C. Beatty, Ohio
penologist, attending the Central
States Probation and Parole Con
ference in the Claypool, told The
Times today.
Mrs. Beatty, superintendent of
the Ohio Girls’ Industrial School,
second largest such institution in
the nation, charged that parents
and public school teachers and cur
ricula have failed to teach self
control in the new freedom to which
youth now is heir.
“We have arrived in anew era
for dealing with the youth of our
country and the training in our de
linquency schools has not kept pace
with the change,” she said.
“We are living in a different age
—youth is seeking freedom; boys
and girls are thinking today; they
must make mistakes to arrive, and
the first thing we must do before
we can help them is to realize and
understand this.”
The second day of the four-day
Central States Probation and Pa
role Conference opened with an
open forum breakfast. Mrs. Beatty
spoke at 10. Frank t. Flynn Jr.,
University of Notre Dame case work
director, also spoke.
An inspection of the Indiana Re
formatory at Pendleton was sched
uled for 12:30.
Urges Change in Viewpoint
“We should not change our stand
ard of morals,” Mrs. Beatty said,
“but we should look upon morals
with a different point of view.
“Our delinquency institutions
should adopt a more social program
of training. We should have psy
chiatrists, young teachers and in in
telligent trained personnel.”
Youth hasn’t been taught self
control, she said. Training is up to
parents, churches and the schools,
she added.
Mrs. Beatty, who said that she
was a school teacher at one time,
blamed much of the delinquency on
the schools. She said that not only
were the teachers old-fashioned, but
that the school curriculum was too
regimented.
“Our institutions for youthful
waywards should no longer be places
for punishment but places where the
child is oriented and made to realize
that it is more fun playing the game
of life according to the rules of the
game,” she said.
Neither enthusiasts for indetermi
nate sentences and supervised pa
role systems nor advocates of longer
sentences and greater prison dis
cipline have any facts to prove that
either method will lessen crime,
Stanley P. Ashe, Western State
Penitentiary warden at Pittsburgh,
Pa., told the conference.
Imprisonment Safer for Public
“Imprisonment certainly makes it
safer for the public,” he said, “but
only for those cases in which we
permanently incarcerate or execute.
“Personally, I do not expect the
indeterminate sentence, probation
and parole to be a panacea for re
cidivism. I do believe that care
fully supervised parole, with proper
personnel and with vastly increased
facilities in our school system for
adult education, along with a na
tionally organized system for job
analysis and placement will lessen
the number of repeaters in our in
stitutions.”
M’NUTT SILENT ON
TOWNSEND SUPPORT
Will Not Issue Public In
dorsement, He Says.
Gov. McNutt does not intend to
make a statement sponsoring the
candidacy of Lieut. Gov. M. Clifford
Townsenc. for the gubernatorial
nomination either before or at the
Democratic state convention here
June 16, he indicated today.
The Governor was asked:
“Before the Democratic conven
tion meets are you going to make
any statement sponsoring the can
didacy of Lieut. Gov. Townsend?”
“No, I’m not going to make any
statement,” he said.
“Either before or at the conven
tion?’” he was asked.
“That’s right,” he answered.
Gov. McNutt is to be the conven
tion’s keynoter. Mr. Townsend may
be placed in nomination by his
mother, who lives in Hartford City,
or by Harvey Cole, Fifth District
leader, it was reported.
Times Index
Births 27
Books .. 19
Bridge 17
Broun 19
Clapper 19
Comics .......29
Crossword .... 5
Curious World 12
Editorials 20
Fashions 16
Financial 22
Fishbein 20
Flynn 22
Forum 20
Grin, Bear It 19
Hunt 19
Jane Jordan . .16
Merry-Go-R’d 19
Movies 23
Mrs. Ferguson 20
Mrs. Roosevelt 16
Pegler 19
Pyle 20
Questions 20
Radio -....10
Scherrer 20
Serial Story .. 9
Short Story ...29
Society 17
Sports 24
State Deaths .*.13
Wiggam 19
SNOWBERGER CRASHES
u a st
STRIKES WALL
ON JEST SPIN
Driver, Mechanic Uninjured;
Car May Not Be Able
to Qualify.
Russell Snowberger, veteran De
troit racing pilot, crashed on the
southwest curve at the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway today during a
practice run in preparation for the
qualification trials which were to be
resumed at 4 this afternoon.
Although the driver and his me
chanic escaped injury, the car prob
ably will not be repaired in time
for the qualifying deadline tomor
row at 4.
Snowberger was circling the
course on the second lap of a test
run when he lost control and ca
reened into the outside retaining
wall. He had completed the initial
lap at a speed of 111 miles an hour
when he heard a noise in the lower
part of the car and glanced over the
side to locate the source of trouble.
The front axle and steering appara
tus of the car, anew six-cylinder
creation entered by Joe Thorne,
were damaged.
His riding mechanic was Blackie
Richards of Indianapolis. Both were
shaken, but able to walk from the
wrecked charger.
The accident was expected to
eliminate Snowberger from the list
of 14 drivers who were to stage late
attempts for the 500-mile race Sat
urday.
Twenty-nine nominees for the
classic already have passed the tests.
Some may be dislodged by better
performances today from 4 until
sundown and tomorrow, when final
chances are to be given the pilots
from 1 to 4.
QUEEN MARY STARTS
ON MAIDEN VOYAGE
Super-Liner Expected to
Set New Record.
By United Press
SOUTHAMPTON, England, May
27.—The Queen Mary, Great Brit
ain’s proudest ship, put out to sea
today on her maiden voyage.
The super-liner, which is ex
pected to smash all commercial
speed records in a run to end Mon
day at Ambrose Lightship, off New
York, was edged slowly from her
pier at Southampton by six tugs.
While half a million proud British
ers cheered her on her way her
nose swung eastward toward the
Isle of Wight and the passage to
the open sea.
A favorable sea and a following
wind awaited her beyond the jag
ged entrance to the Needles, gate
way to Southampton.
Twenty-one hundred passengers,
a crew of 1000, and 5000 bags of
mail were aboard when Sir Edgar
Britten, commodore of the line,
gave the quiet order which started
the ship on her first North Atlantic
run.
MARKETS AT A GLANCE
By United Press
Stocks—Firm in moderate trading.
Bonds—Corporate issues higher;
U. S. Governments mixed.
Curb—Utilities and industrials
strong.
Chicago Stocks—lrregular.
Call Money—l per cent.
Foreign Exchange—Steady; ster
ling higher.
Cotton—Unchanged to 2 points
higher.
Grains—lrregularly higher; wheat
slightly lower.
Silver in New York—Unchanged.
Scores File Entries for
Parts in Local Movie
Indianapolis is fast becoming
“Hollywood-conscious.” An enthusi
astic reception greeted the an
nouncement that The Times and
Loew’s Theater would film a com
plete local talking movie, “It Hap
pened in Indianapolis,” within the
next two weeks and scores of local
aspirants answered the call for
actors and actresses.
How often have you heard some
one say to you:
“Mary, you should go into the
movies. You’re twice as good-look
ing as some of those actresses out
there,” or—
“ Jim, that voice of yours should
get you a job in the talkies. It
sounds almost like Clark Gabie’s.”
Well, the opportunity to find out
whether or not you could make good
as a movie star is here. Every one,
between the ages of 16 and 22, in
clusive. is eligible to try for a part in
“It Happened in Indianapolis.”
There are absolutely no strings at
Entered as Serond-Clas* Matter •••••
at Postoffice, Indianapolis, Ind.
ATKINS SCANS
BID TO LOCATE
IN NEWCASTLE
Availability of Natural Gas
Makes Offer Attractive,
Official Says.
FACTORY EMPLOYS 800
Vice President Conferring
With Business Group on
$250,000 Offer.
E. C, Atkins, vice president of the
E. C. Atkins <fc Cos., Indianapolis
saw manufacturers employing more
than 800 men, was in Newcastle
today to hear a proposal for re
moval of the industry to that city.
Mr. Atkins told The Indianapolis
Times today that the most im
portant consideration in the pro
posal from his standpoint is the
availability of natural gas at New
castle. It was reported to be avail
able there for as low at 32 cents
a thousand cubic feet.
“Are you open to a proposition
like that?” Mr. Atkins was asked.
“Yes,” he replied, “if the terms
are right.”
Fred T. Loftin, Indianapolis in
dustrial housing consultant* and in
termediary in the proposed deal,
said that the Newcastle Community
Council is prepared to build a fac
tory for the company and to move
equipment from Indianapolis.
The Newcastle Community Coun
cil of business men, Mr. Loftin said,
planned to finance the proposed
$250,000 factory for the Atkins com
pany as the center of a community
housing project. Federal funds
would be obtained and the project
would liquidate itself and pay for
the factory, he added.
The Atkins company, situated at
402-428 S. Illinois-st, has manu
factured its own gas since 1902. Sev
eral appeals have been made by the
firm to introduce natural gas here
for industrial plants.
DEFINITE PLAN
ON JOBS URGED
Trained Workers Essential,
U. S. Employment Chief
Tells Parley.
Public employment services should
develop a planned program in order
to become “an integral part of the
new industrial system,” w. Frank
Persons, director of the United
States Employment Service, said
today.
Mr. Persons addressed the twen
ty-fourth annual convention of the
International Association of Public
Employment Services which opened
this morning at the Claypool.
The convention was opened with
welcoming addresses by Gov. Mc-
Nutt and Mayor Kern.
“A professional attitude of service
workers is necessary, and the di
rector of a service should take his
place in the community along with
doctors, lawyers and the superin
tendent of schools,” Mr. Persons
said.
“The most important part of our
improvement program is the de
velopment of professional attitudes
and practices. Well educated per
sons with specialized training and
knowledge are necessary to the
service,” he said.
H. C. Hudson, superintendent of
the Ontario Service, said that al
though public employment services
had been established in Canada
since 1918, they had not progressed
as much as the United Services
duringduring the last year.
J. Neish, Manitoba Service super
intendent, and Alfred Crowp, Que
bec superintendent, said that the
employment situation in their prov
inces was improving.
New Senator Takes Oath
By United Press
WASHINGTON. May 27.—Scott
M. Loftin, Jacksonville, Fla., was
sworn in today as new United
States Senator from Florida. Mr.
Loftin was appointed to fill the
seat of the late Park Trammell.
tached to the offer. It is a project
sponsored by The Times and Loew s
in an effort to stimulate interest in
amateur and professional dramatics
and screen work.
But more important than that, it
is the chance of a lifetime for boys
and girls, especially those of high
school and college age, to test their
personality, voice and “filmability”
in the presence of a real movie
production staff, imported just to
film this picture.
Leonard A. De Menna, veteran
director, is interviewing aspirants
for roles in “It Happened in Indian
apolis’’ daily at Parlor B, in the
Hotel Antlers. In speaking of those
who should be invited to try out for
parts in the picture, Mr. De Menna
said:
“We are looking, not especially
for persons with a great deal of dra -
matic talent, but for boys and girls
of high school aqd college age, who
.{Turn to Page Three)
FORCED TO JOIN
BLACK LEGION,
MEMBERS SAY
Reputed Chief of 3 States
Deplores ‘Unfortunate
Detroit Affair.’
DENIES POLITICAL LINK
Group ‘Promoting Best
Interests of America,’
Ohio Man Claims.
(A scientist’s interpretation of
the Black Legion is on Page 5).
limes Special
LIMA, 0., May 27.—De
ploring “that unfortunate
affair in Detroit,” Vern F.
Effinger, reputed chief of the
Black Legion in Indiana, Ohio
and Michigan, today said the
organization “will go right
ahead promoting the best in
terests of America and Amer
ican citizens.”
As he did so, he pointed to a
printed copy of the Ku-Klux Klan’s
famous dedication of 1924 which be
gins with the quotation “God Give
Us Men.”
“Men whom the lust of office can
not buy,” he said in elaboration,
“tall men, sun-crowned, that stand
above the crowd.
“The thing I value most,” he said
as he pointed to the document, “is
that framed thing over there.”
He evaded answering questions
that would have tied the Legion and
the Klan definitely, neither confirm
ing nor denying. He pointed out that
thfe Legion is a "secret organiza
tion.”
Claims Six Million Members
Effinger was interviewed by
special reporter of The Indianapolis
Times in his basement office-home.
He wore a large black felt hat, high
topped shoes with light socks, and
smoked a cigar.
He leaned back expansively in his
swivel chair. He admitted he was a
member of the Klan, had been an
organizer in 1924. He estimated
there were six million members in
the Legion. When asked where they
were, he said:
“You’d be surprised. Brother, you
don’t know.”
Scores ‘Liquor Men’
Mr. Effinger emphatically denied
that the Black Legion intends to
seize the government.
“Why should we do that?” he
asked.
“A two-party system is the only
system/’ he went on. “That’s the
way it always has been in this coun
try. We are not political. We ap
prove the best man for any office,
regardless of politics. These liquor
men,” he rambled on, “have got to
be curbed. Liquor is the curse of
the country.”
Mr. Effinger, in his basement of
fice, has a dozen folding chairs,
which could easily be arranged for
a meeting of a small group.
CONTEMPT CITATION
FOR DOCTOR VOTED
House Action Advised for
Townsend, Two Aids.
By United Press
WASHINGTON, May 27.—The
House Old-Age Pension Investiga
tion Committee today voted six to
two to recommend a contempt ci
tation to the House for Dr.
Francis E. Townsend and two
aids, who have refused to appear
for questioning.
The by the same
vote, also agreed to refer the case
to the United States District At
torney’s office for court trial in
stead of recommending trial .by
the House. Those to be cited are
the Rev. Clinton Wunder, New
York, and John B. Kiefer, Chi
cago, both directors in the Town
send movement.
The committee did not act on
defiance of its powers today by
Sheridan Downey, Townsend’s at
torney.
WEATHER TO REMAIN
FAIR HERE, FORECAST
Temperature of Last Week Aided
Crops, Bureau Says.
Predicting fair weather here for
tonight and tomorrow, J. H. Arming
ton, United States meteorologist,
today reported that temperature
conditions of the past week have
been favorable for crop growth.
Much of the extreme north and
considerable of the extreme south
of the state is dry and in need of
rain, he said. In other parts, how
ever, the soil is moist.
Mr. Armington said the progress
of wheat and oats varied in the
state with moisture conditions, but
averaged fair. Some wheat in cen
tral Indiana fields is showing heads.
Mint, he added, varies from poor
to good, and needs rain.
There is cultivation of com in
central and southern areas, he re
ported, and some planting is being
done in the north.
FINAL—STOCKS
HOME
PRICE THREE CENTS
Beaten, Compelled to Swear
Oath, Four Claim
at Detroit.
EXAMINATION DELAYED
12 Accused in Slaying Are
Ordered Returned
to Jail.
By United Press
DETROIT, May 27.
Prosecutor Duncan C. Mc-
Crea announced today that
he has asked the aid of the
Federal government in his
investigation of the vigi
lante Black Legion.
“My request was made
directly to Atty. Gen.
Homer S. Cummings at
Washington,” McCrea said.
By United Press
DETROIT, May 27.—Ex
amination of 12 members of
the Black Legion charged
with the kidnaping and mur
der of Charles A. Poole, 32,
was adjourned today for six
days despite the objections of
their attorneys.
All were ordered returned to
county jail after Judge Ralph W.
Liddy refused to entertain motions
for bail.
Wayne County Prosecutor Dun
can C. McCrea, who is investigating
reports of wide-spread terroristic
activities of the Legion, requested
the adjournment in order that his
office might pursue its inquiry.
He promised the court that “with
in four or five days I anticipate
we will be able to bring other de
fendants into court and have a
hearing for all of them at one
time.”
Claim Six Million Members
“John Doe” warrants charging 12
other members of the Legion with
the murder of Poole, who “knew too
much” about the inner workings of
the band, have not yet been served.
Meanwhile, inquiries into the
Black Legion were to be extended
state-wide in efforts to determine
whether other mysterious deaths,
tortures inflicted on citizens, bomb
ings and even arson could be at
tributed to the vigilante group.
The Legion obtained new mem
bers by beating them until they
agreed to join and kept them as
members by brutal terrorism, four
members charged today.
This development came as Atty.
Gen. David H. Crowley opened
Michigan’s campaign in Wayne
County (Detroit) to break the ter
roristic society of night-riders, one
of whose leaders boasts of 6,000,-
000 members.
Beaten, Forced to Join
In Washington, Rep. Samuel
Dickstein (B„ N. Y.), alarmed by
evidence that the Legion has at
least some semblance of national
organization, demanded a congres
sional investigator to "ascertain
its real purpose and whether it has
any international connections.”
The charge of the four Legion
members was made public by Arthur
T. Mitford, chief intelligence officer
of the municipally owned Detroit
Street Railway. He discovered them
in following the command of Mayor
Frank Couzens to weed out all mem
bers on the city pay rolls. All four
were suspended.
Another employe of the railway,
a man dead who had been believed
a suicide but is now listed by
authorities as a possible victim of
Legion vengeance, invited them to
a party, the four men told Mitford.
Death Probe Reopened
They thought it was an ordinary
function dedicated to routine con
viviality. Instead it was a conclave
of Black Legionaires. They were
asked to join. They refused. They
were beaten until they swore the
terrible oath of the organization
which prescribes death for member*
who betray its secrets or refuse to
obey orders.
Mitford did not divulg" their
names. But the man who took them
to the party was Alfred Roughley,
who was-found dead in his automo
bile, victim of carbon monoxide. His
was one of a number of supposed
cases of suicide reopened by the ex
pose of the night-riders, who are
alleged to have killed in such a way,
in some instances, that their vic
tims appeared to have killed them
selves.
SHERIFFS DOUBT LEGION
IS ACTIVE IN THIS AREA
Officers Report No Trace Found in
Central Indiana.
Central Indiana sheriffs today
doubted that the Black Legion, ter
roristic order, is operating in this
part of the state.
Sheriffs in seven counties said
they had no reasons to suspect the
organization was functioning with
in their counties.
At Martinsville the sheriff’s of
fice reported investigation of a ru
mor that the Legion was function
ing there, but said no evidence
could be found.
Other counties reporting were
Hendricks, Boone. Hancock, Madi
son, Johnson and Shelby.