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THE WEATHER Thunder showers tonight. Clear and cooler Saturday. VOL. ixxiv. CITIZENS COMPANY ASKS $1.25 GAS RATE TALE OF TWO CITIES ECHOES IN BECK DEATH Oklahoma Capital and Lawton Involved by Slaying. ARMY IS AROUSED Officers Come to Clear Name of Ft. Sill Victim. Says Judge Day Is Not Telling W hole Truth on Shooting OKLAHOMA CITY. April 7.—" The shot that killed Llent. Col. Panl Ward Beck was fired from the back, after. In my opinion. Judge Day saw some thing that swept him oft his feet." County Attorney Forrest Hughes de clared In a statement today, analyzing the slaying of the idol of the Army air service. ‘‘lt is in respect to that vision that, in my opinion, Judge Day has not told the whole truth. “Judge Day asserts he fired in self defense. In my judgment, if the shot was fired in self-defense, it was in defense of home and not of honor.” OKLAHOMA CITY, April 7.—This is the tale of two pities. One —Oklahoma City—its Stet soned plainsmen —united almost to the man— armed with the "unwritten code” —is fighting for the honor of a woman's name—Mrs. Jean P. Day. The other —Lawton, with its Army post—is beating back to keep dis honor from the uniform of its first son —Lieutenant Paul Ward Beck. Meanwhile, the triple investigation Army. State and prohibition forces —continued along trails which led to the killing of Lieutenant Beck by Jean P. Day. former Supreme Court Justin and millionaire oil man, in Day’s home in the small hoars of Tuesday morning. State authorities sought to keep their findings secret until the coroner’s In quest. set for tomorrow. The Army was less secretive about Us course. army officers IVILL TESTIFY. Headed by Maj. L. G. Lampher. senior officer of the military court, eight air planes, carrying CaptS. Vernon L. Burge and Roger McCullough, Jr., R. B. Pad dock. relative of General Pershing, and Beck's companion on the night of the tragedy; Lieut. John W. Beck, newhew of the slain man; Lieut. Kenneth Walker and others, will proceed from Tost field to Oklahoma City tomorrow morning. (Continued on Page' Thirteen.) WINTER WHEAT CROPSHORTAGE IS PREDICTED Department of Agriculture Estimates $15,000,000 Bushel Decline. WASHINGTON, April 7.—A production of 572.974.000 bushels of winter wheat was forecast today by the liepartnieut of Ag ricuirure for 1922, as compared with 587,. 032.000 bushels last year and an average of 575,575,000 bushels Fw the last live year*. This forecast was made on estimated average condition of winter wheat on April 1 this year as 75.4 per cent com pared with 91.0 per cent April 1, 1921, and an average of 84.3 per cent for the past ten years. There was an increase in condition from Dec. 1. 1921 to April 1. 1922 of 2.4 points 38 compared with an average de cline in the last ten years of 4.7 per cent between these dates. Th© average condition of rye April 1 was SO per cent of normal compared with 90.3 per cent April 1, last year and com pared with the average of SS.S for the past ten years. The condition of rye on April 1. forecasts a production of ap proximately 09,607.000 bushels compared with 57.915.000 bushels last year and an average of 06,174.000 bushels during the preceding five years. Want Council O. K. on Daylight Saving Citizens from all parts of the city will be urged to write letters to members of the city council recommending passage of the daylight saving ordinance in troduced Monday evening, it was de cided today at a meeting of a committee of business men interested in the move ment. Bert A. Boyd is chairman of the committee with Emerson IV. Cbaille, A. Brown, B. D. Judkins. A. Leroy Porteus and Edward W. Hunter as members. Mr. Boyd and Mr. Brown said that In dianapolis is handicapped in its business relations with other cities because most of the large places have daylight saving In summer months. WEATHER Forecast for Indianapolis and vicinitv for the twenty-four hour© ending Y p. m.. April 8, 1912: Shower* and thunder storms tonight, probably followed by clearing Saturday morning; cooler Saturday. 6 a. m 61 7 a. m 6V s a. m. 68 9 a. m 73 10 a. m... 77 11 a. in 79 12 (noon) 62 1 p. m 68 S p. m. 69 ‘The Woman Pays, ’ Says Wife of Jurist, Telling Story of Society Tragedy Mrs . Day , Apex of Triangle , on Ways of Women By MRS. JEAN P. DAY. OKLAHOMA CITY, April 7.—The wo man pays! How true that age-old say ing has come home to me in the terrible, eventful hours since Tuesday morning: how pitifully it has laid its hand Upon my baby—my daughter and myself! They have tried to shield me —to still the whispers of the street. But I am a woman and I know what other women say. I know the wag of women's tongues. For I am the innocent apex In the tri angle which took as its toll the life of one of America's bravest military men—brave and yet, for all that, a coward who vio lated the most sacred trust a man can bestow upon another —the sacred trust of his home and wife. My husband trusted me with Limit. Col. Paul Ward Beck, as I In turn trusted my husband’s friend. And now — But then, perhaps my story may be the guiding hand which will lead an other woman or women to know that men can not be trusted. I do not say that with bitterness. Neither have I lost faith in men. For that is not a woman's soul. And then 1 have ray husband —my defender, who stands, head erect, to face the world, unashamed of his act. My first meeting with Colonel Beck is written into the memory of ray thoughts. . sat waiehtng Colonel Beck f.nd my mighty minded husband, whose brain holds the secrets of those compli cated laws, sit and talk of war ns though It were but a game—boys played at being savages—the game In which men kill. Little did I think then that my words would ring back so true that this man would prove the savage he proved him self Tuesday. After that Colonel Beck's visits grew more frequent. I remember distinctly my remarks the time before the last, when Colonel Beck visited cs. We talked many hours. "I never knew a man,” I said, "more devoted to his mother.” My husband had left the house with our friends. The statements made that a “liquor party" had been in progress are just ty, e unfounded gossip which has characterized the case. I was tired. We had been dancing We sat on the couch. Colonel Beck forced me on a chair. Sud denly he sprang from his seat and tame to my sfte. “I must tell yon—he said. Then he poured out an impassioned plea that I submit to h!m. lie grasped me, clutching me to him. 1 streamed aloud for him to release me. He did not heed. Instead, ne held me closer, crying out that he would have me. 1 fought, but was too weak. The events which fol lowed are all a blank to me. I w-B still struggling—his arms about me, his face pressed to mine, when I suw the form of my husband before ua. I ceased to struggle tneu —and only then—for l knew I was safe. I knew no more until I Saw Beck’s body there, dead at my feet. And now they whisper. And why? That is the internal ques tion of the feminine heart —that "why?” Why must the woman be blamed—why always does the silent condemning whisper of unfairness assume the things it does not know? Perhaps womankind, can answer.—Copyright, 1922, I!y In ternational News Service. BOY, 7, IS HURT IN ATTEMPTING TO STEAL RIDE Witnesses Say Youngster Fell Directly in Trailer’s Path. v Everett Manazey, 7, son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Manazey, 229 South Sum mit street, was seriously Injured today when he was run over by a trailer at tached to a truck. The accident occurred In front of 1322 Bates street. According to witnesses, a number of boys rushed In between the truck and trailer and were climbing on the truck when the Manazey boy slipped and fell directly in tho path of the trailer. He was taken to his home In an am bulance. It Is believed his leg is broken In at least two places above the knee. The truck belonged to the Conklin Lumber Company of Cumberland and was driven by William Fonts. J. A. San ford was riding with him. Both men live in Cumberland. They said they did not know the boys were on the truck until they felt a slight bump. Thinking they had struck a rut they slowed down and on looking back buw John U. Mc- Callian, M3 North Gray street, rush out from the sidewalk and pick up the boy. The boy's grandfather. Edward Ma nazey, arrived shortly after the accident and said he had warned his grandson re peatedly of the danger of "hooking'' rides and playing in the street. Date Set for Trial of Former Pugilist ANDERSON, Ind., April 7. Edgar Mulltn, former pugilist, charged with killing Roy Mudd, of Elwood, who died following a recent boxing bout will go on trial for man slaughter, May 3, in Madison County Circuit Court. Jitneys Barred From State Soldiers' Home LAFAYETTE, Ind., April 7.—Jitney cars and busses are barred from the grounds of the State Soldiers' Home by a recently promulgated order, which is in tended to protect the reorganized Lafay ette Street Car Company. Thieves Starting Spring Offensive Milburn Washburn. 3163 Boulevard riaee. reports the theft of a cushion from his automobile while he was attend ing the Yankee Circus at the fairground. Edward Ingstad, 3820 Carrolton avenue, reported the theft of an automobile tire from his machine at the fairgrounds. MRS. JEAN I*. DAY. jf' LIEUT. COL. BECK. TWENTY-FOUR DROP OUT OF OFFICE RACE Marion County Aspirants Withdraw on Last Possible Day. Twenty-four candidates who filed dec laration papers with the secretary of State had withdrawn from their re spective contests today, the last day for withdrawing. Five of this number were Marion County aspirants. Two of those withdrawing sought nominations for Congress. Several can didates for judge nnd prosecuting at torney also withdrew. The list follows: MARION COI'STY. Thomas C. Whaiion, Republican, In dianapolis. State Represenative. T. A. Flaherty, Democrat, Indianapolis, State Representative. .. , Carl E. Wood. Democrat. Marion County Superior Court judge, room 3. Griffith E. Thomas. Republican, Marlon Countv Superior Court judge, room 5. Arthur C. EikhofT, Republican, Marion County commissioner. Second district. Other withdrawals to date are: Theobald i\ Gaesser, Republican, Troy, Slate Representative. Charles E. Greenwald, Republican, Gary. Superior Court judge, room 3, Lake County. „ .ci Perry Douglas. Democrat, Superior Court‘Vigo County, judge. Maurice H. Evans, Republican, Now port, prosecuting attorney. Rex Bailenger, Kokomo, Republican, prosecuting attorney. William Ogden, Democrat, Madison, State Senator. Dorsey Reed, Boonvllle, Republican, State Senator. _ . . Elmore Barce, Democrat, Fowler, State Representative. Wilson R. Berry, Democrat, Logans rtrirt. Represenitaiire. James B. Strange, Democrat, Marlon, Representative. Dan Rose, Republican, Martinsville, Representative. Calvin Mclntosh. Democrat, Worthing ton. State Representative. Charles F. Hamid, Republican, Austin, State Representative. Edwin L. Denting. Franklin. Repub lican. joint Senator, Maroin and Johnsan Counties. Guy M. Dausman. Republican, Elkhart County. Representative. \y. Emmett Everett, Seottsburs, Con gress. Third district. Republican. Harry E. Heed, Democrat, Delpbla, Congressman. Ninth district. \vtli E. Cad.v, Reput lican, South Bend. State Senator. . Arenibald Shaw. Lawrenceburg, Re publican. State Senator. _____ SUCCOR! CALI'MUS, lowa, April 7—“ Jail the bootleggers and save our girls from cigarettes and booze,” is the battle cry of Mrs. H. P. Strong, new ly-elected mayor. Her first offical act was to Luy anew lock for tho jail. INDIANAPOLIS, FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1922. I fill . | JUDGE DAY. BUCHANAN DID NOT SHARE ANY FAVORS, HE SAYS Council Member Denies That Mayor Shank Helped Him. Statements of leaders of the Shank city administration, that they cannot understand the enemity of the city coun cil toward them, since they have tried to modify tho councllmen by making ap pointments, fixing streets and having other things done on councllmen’s rec ommendations, today drew from Council man Heydon W. Buchanan, Democrat, as assertion that if favors have been granted he has lot been one to re ceive them. "That fellow (referring to Mayor Shank), has never given mo an appoint ment,’’ said Mr. Buchanan. “All I ever got was one little promotion and my friend in that case, was a Republican. 1 haven't been shown a single favor. The administration did cinder four or five streets, over here in West Indianapolis, but that was because fire trucks got mired in them. There hasn’t been a street patched, over here, since Mayor Shank took office. I defy him or any of his boards to show me one single, solitary improvement that has been made in West Indianapolis since he became mayor. “I couldn’t even get an appointment for a friend on the $2-a-day pay roll.” While the councilman said that the fact that councllmen have not received politi cal favors they wished from the admin istration has something to do with the unfriendly feeling, the big thing that he feels is the tendency toward extrava gance on the part of department heads. "They could give me 100 appointments and they'd never change my mind on propositions that mean an increase in taxes. I'm dead set against such propo sitions.” He said the council is holding up au thorization of a bond issue for additions to the city hospital because it feels the board of health’s plan to spend $£50,000 is too ambitious at this itime. “It looks like they think we're there to see how much wo can spend instead of save," Mr. Buchanan said. "All we want Is a square deal. If department heads will just take the trouble to call the council together and go over with them in detail the problems they want the council to help with I’m sure they'll re ceive fair treatment.” Mr. Buchanan said he did not believe the council should pass the ordinance authorizing a bond issue of s2oo’ooo for the purchase of a site for anew police station until the present headquarters building is either sold or a deal made for its sale. WOMAN HURT BY VIOLENT WIND STORM Carried 50 Feet by Wind and Shocked Severely. HAILSTONES BIG Heavy Damage to Property Is Re ported. A large wooden repai* shop at tile plant of the Interstate Car Company, Sherman drive and Massachusetts avenue, was blown down by the storm. Tlie loss was estimated at be tween *IO.OOO and *!3,OK>. The build ing had been used as a repair shop for, wooden ears, but It was empty when it fell. Among the largest losers at the hands of the storm were florists and owners of greenhouses which were riddled by the lighten!*. Irwin Bertermnn, florist, said his loss would amount to *I,OOO. One woman was hurt, hundred of windows were broken, wires were blown down in all parts of the city, streets, cellars and sewers were flooded, a horse was killed and other j damage was done by a storm which swept the central and north central part of th ecity just before noon to \ day. Mrs. Edith Erwood, 30. 2039 North LaSalle street, was badly bruised and suffered from shock when she was carried off her feet and blown for fifty feet down the street. Mrs. Erwood said that when she was in front of 3411 Massachusetts avenue a sudden gust of wind threw her to the ground and carried her down the street to the front of 3415 Massachu setts avenue. Her head struck a curbstone and she was severely cut an the forehead, he was taken Into a nearby house and later sent to the City hospital. Hailstone*, (tome of them nearly an inch in diameter, poured down for sev eral minutes, smashing windows and damaging property generally. Tha wind reached a velocity of fifty eight mllea an hour at one time and a half inch of rain fell, the weather bureau reported. For five minutes the average velocity of the wind was thirty seven miles an hour. The horse of John Haskins, 40, negro, 81.1 West Twelfth street, became fright ened In the storm and ran into the canal near Twelfth street. Haskins dived Into the canal, cut the horse loose and res cued It. Most of the reports of electric wires Mown down came from the northern part of the city. Three horses# which had become frightened at the storm and ran avray were Htopped. Tho owners have not been located. The horses are put lip at stables at 2228 West Michigan street, at No. 13 Engine House, Kentucky avenue and Maryland street, and at 927 Ft. Wayne avenue. Many persons reported that hall pierced the tops of their automobiles and that the w-lndows of automobiles and side curtains were broken, A horse fell and broke his neck In the midst of the downtown district when it became frightened at the storm. The hall was pelting down on the horse, It became unruly and wild and began to leap and paw- in the air. The accident occurred In front of the Washington street entrance to the Lincoln Hotel. The (Continued on Page Thirteen.) PHLOOMPH! Somebody shot a cigarette into a gutterful of gasoline in front ot the office of the Denham Oil Company, 103 South Liberty street early today and immediately there was enough excitement to get out all the down town fire apparatus and the entire neighborhood. The flames leaped high into the air, spread across the sidewalk to the door of the buUdlng and for a time threatened to become serious. How ever, little damage was done. DESTROY COMBINES THAT HOLD UP PRICES ADVISES McCARDLE Prosperity May Be Just Around Corner, but It Awaits Lowe r Freight Rates, He Says. Prosperity may or may not L'e just around the corner, but business condi tions in the United States today are what they are largely because of rail road freight rates, in the opinion of John W. McCardle, chairman of the Indiana public service commission. “Freight rates and the close organi zation of related business in every line to hold up prices are the chief causes of stagnation. It is a dangerous policy continually to endeavor to make our selves think things are what they are not," declared Mr. McCardle. "A strong Government policy is neces sary to step in and break up these combinations," he said, "and to force freight rates to a place where business can get back where it should be. Freight rates are approximately 47 per cent high er now than four years ago. The rail roads today are not in as healthy con dition as they were ten years ago, their ierviee to shippers Is poorer and this Petition Says More Revenue Is Needed MAYOR SHANK DECLARES WAR ON GAS RAISE City Executive Says He Will Go After Company. WANTS RECEIVER Recalls Story About Cost to Produce Thousands. Filing of the Citizens’ Gas Com pany’s petition with the State public service commission for an increase of the gas rate to $1.25 per thousand cubic feet today was the signal for a declaration of war on the company by Mayor Shank. “Ask for $1.25 for gas?” ejaculated the mayor. “Say, we’ll do everything we can to go right after them on that. Why, we were going to try to cut them down to 60 cents again. Why they had a fire not long ago„ and I have been informed that they testified to tho insurance company that it only cost them 64j cents a thousand cubic feet to make gas. “That company ought to be thrown into the hands of a receiver. I’ll turn every bit of power we've got to do it too if th'-.y’ro up to something like this. If there's one company that ought to be broken, this one's it. "If a fellow got by In tbe last three or four years there's no reason on earth why he can't get by now. We're not going to humbugged, tied and thrown out the back door." Corporation Counsel Taylor E. Gronin ger said that he ts sorry the company Is asking for any raise and that he will resist the petition. “I shall make a very careful examination of their demands," be said. The public service commission now ha* an expert investigating the company’s financial status and It had been our in tention to tile a petition for a decrease in the gas rate just as soon as this ex pert completed his work and made avail able Information upon which we could act. "We had hoped the company had made enough out of the sale of Its by-product, particularly coke, to justify a decrease." One of the campaign pledges which Mr. Shank made both before the primary and fall elections was that an attempt would j be made to restore ttO-eent gas. JITNEY PILOTS ARE DISMISSED IN CITY COURT Police Admit Drivers Were Within Limit Fixed by Ordinance. Ten jitney bus drivers charged with Violating tlie Jitney bus ordinance were discharged by Judge Delbert O. Wilmetli In city court today following a brief hearing. The men were charged with loading and unloading passengers on a street where there are oar trucks. Patrolmen Dennis and Jones admitted the passengers were unloaded on Pearl street, where there are no car tracks. They said while the busses were near Meridian street, where there are car tracks, they always were wholly within Pearl street while taking on nnd discharging passengers. Deputy Prosecutor Jones expressed the opinion the cases were much ado about nothing nnd the discharge of the prison ers followed. despite the fact that they receive much higher freight und pasengpr rates. "Twenty years ago there was no vi cious circle of organization. Now, the cement men, the gravel men, the coal men—try to break in on the Indiauapolis selling combination, for instance—the stone men, are all organized to keep prices up." "Those fellows can be reached. Look what Satnuel Untermyer did in New York. The national Government can break up those combinations. The Gov ernment is still bigger than the numer ous combines. A few real prosecutions and you would see those fellows scat tering and running to cover.” In reference to the nation-wide strike of coal miners. Mr. McCardle declared that labor is still inflated. He said that he believed both sides should have the right of bargaining, however. He declared that rates and the coal industry are closely bound up. The Citizens Gas Company filed with the public service commission today a petition for $1.25 gas. The present rate is 90 cents. A second petition asks for permission to issue $925,000 in 5 per cent first and refunding bonds. These bonds would be sold at not less than 78 per cent of par value and the proceeds would be used to pay indebtedness incurred to provide working capital. Less than a year ago, on May 4, 1921, the commission increased the rate in Indianapolis from 60 cents a thousand cubic feet to the present rate of 90 cents. Some time previous to that the rate had been 55 cents a thousand cubic feet- The petition sets out that at the hearing which resulted In 90-cent gas the company showed the commission that 90 cents would be insufficient to meet its operating expenses and fixed charges, or to realize a reasonable return on the fair value of the property unless there should be a sub stantial revival of business. Earnings of Gas Company Set Out in Rate Petition 1 Tbe results of the operation of the Citizens Gas Company during the first ten months when 90 cents a thousand cubic feet was charged for gas are sot out by the company in its petition and exhibits as follows: Gas earnings ..$1,941,236.61 Coke earnings .. 1,447,500.48 Ammonia earn ings 99,744.67 Coal tar earn ings 75,349.87 Water gas tar earnings 10,674.78 Mlsetd. operating earnings 45,619.75 Operating earnings $3,620,126.16 ..Operating expenses 3,249,299.05 Net operating earing* 370,747.11 Net benzol earnings 11,485.78 Dividends from subsidiary com pany 305,000.00 Other non-operating earnings. 17,221.01 Total earnings $ 704.453.90 Taxes 221,225.19 Gross earnings $ 483.288.71 Fixed charges 797,487.00 Deficit .$314,198^29 I'ortion of receipts from sub sidiary company, net cur rent earnings $233.279 00 Total deficit $567,477.29 BANKS’RECORDS INQUIRY CAUSE IN SMALL CASE Court Investigating Reasons Why Books Were De stroyed. WAUKEGAN, 111., April 7.—lnquiry into the circumstances surrounding the alleged destruction of records of the Grant Park Trust & Savings Bank at Grant Park. Ills., and thej-'irst Trust and Savings Bank of Kankakee was resumed today la Judge Elwards' court when the State Is seeking to obtain from the bank's evidence desired in the prosecution of Governor I-en Small for conspiracy of embezzlement. Norman Griffin, cashier of the Grant Park Bank, is being questioned. STRONG BOMB ' NEAR WINDOW IS ONLY DUD Was Powerful Enough to Com pletely Wreck Build ing. PITTSBURGH, Pa., April 7.—A dyna mite bomb which the police say was powerful enough to wreck a large build ing, was found early today under the dining room window of the palatial home of Mrs. Annie McMullin, widow of Mat thew E. McMullin, millionaire steel man and stock broker, the police announced this afternoon. An alarm clock mechanism had been set to touch off the bomb at 2 o’clock this morning, but it failed to explode. The bomb was encircled in a suit case in which were found thirty sticks of dyna mite, four dry batteries and a coil of wire. Charred paper showed that sparks had been made by the Ignition appa ratus, but a heavy rain is lelleved to have prevented it functioning properly. Bids on Equipment for Disposal Plant Proposals of five firms for supplying equipment for the power plant of the new city sewage disposal plant have been accepted, the board of sanitary commissioners announced today. The total cost of the equipment will be $173.- 658 on proposals accepted as follows: Three 400-borsepower water tube boil ers. and three chain grate stokers; Bab coek-Wilcox Company, boilers and Green Engineering Company, stokers, to tal bid $45,999. Three De Laval steam turbo blowers, Dravo-Doyle Company, $53,348. Two steam turbo electric generator units, five surface condensers with aux iliaries, one mine panel electric switch board with all Instruments and con nections as specified, General Electric Company, $66,501. Sludge removers, weir gates and weir controls. Link Belt Comppany, $4.518. Four drilled wells, J. \V. Hensley, $2,- 992. The engineer's estimate of th© total cost of the above equipment was $200,000. WOOF! “I am going to tell Taylor Grontn gcr to fight that petition until h©ll freezes over.” This was the statement made by Mayor Shank today in commenting on the petition of the Citizens Gas Company for $1.35 gas. Mr. Groninger is city corporation counsel and represents the city In utility cases. HOME EDITION TWO CENTS PER COPY The expected improvement in business conditions did not materialize with the result that in 1921 the company sold only 2,792.288,000 cubic feet of gas as com pared with 3,051,634,000 in 1920, according to tbe petition. It points out further that the coke sold In 1921 amounted to only 141,659 tons as compared wtth 457,- 200 tons in 1920. The gross earnings of the company from May 1, 1921, to March 1, 1922, with out making any deduction for deprecia tion, amounted to $483,228, which sum in cludes $305,000 received from Jha Milburn By-rroduets Coal Company. All the stock of the Milburn organization is owned by the gas company. The net earnings fbr the coal company, according to the petition, amounted to only $51,721. The remainder represented accumulated surplus. Taking only the earnings of the coal company for the ten months, the petition fixes $229,919 as the gas company's gross earnings, while the company's fixed charges for the ten months amounted to $797,487, leaving a deficit of $567,53-8 for i the ten months.. The fixed charges elude depreciation charged off at tbe rate of $150,000 a year. EARNINGS REPRESENT RETURN OF 2.1 PER CENT, The gross earnings, according to the petition, represent a return of only 2.1 per cent a year on the valuation of valuation of $12,000,000 fixed on the property by the commission when it fixed a rate of 90 cents. The petition says the figures for March of th 8 year would not be materially different from the figures for each of the preceeding ten months. ' r ' ~ "Petitioner's present financial con dition Is critical and there is an im perative need for an Immediate and sub stantial increase in its revenues,” the petition says. Petitioner has bonds in the sum of $450,000 which fall due and are payable on May I. 1922, as well as notes in bank of substantial sums which are now maturing. Petitioner has made numerous efforts to secure funds to pay said bonds due May 1, 1922. and said notes, and wit,, ut success has exhausted every means bj tvhteh said bonds and notes mar be paid, refunded or renewed. NET EARNINGS TOO LOW TO GET CREDIT. “The reason petitioner is unable to pay, refund or renew said obligations is that the net earnings of the company are so low as seriously to Impair the credit of pet.itioner, and it is o’nly through adequate revenues, and a rea sonable return, on the fair value of its property, that petitioner will be abbs' to meet said obligations and prevent tiie disastrous consequences of the failure to do so.” An increase In rates is the only way in which the petitioner may increase its revenues, the petition adds. The petition is filed in two paragraphs, the first asking for the customary emer gency relief and the second asking for permanent relief. In each case the rate asked for is the same, $1.25. In its petition, asking to issue bonds, the company declares that its demands for working capital have increased by more than $1,000,000, since the last order of the commission was made authorizing the issuance of securi ties, which was also in order to provide* for additional working capital. CITY IS CLASSED WITH TWO OTHERS Indianapolis la in a class with Gary and Connersville in the rate it pays for gas. These three cities have the lowest rate of any of the principal cities in Indiana with a population over 5,000, each having a rate of 90 cents per 1.000 cubic feet. The rate for gas at Gary, has remained unchanged since 1917 and the same has been the case at Conners ville. Connersville has a population of slight ly less than 10,00 and Gary 55,378. The size of the city and the number of gag consumers does not determine the cost of gas production, according to figures ob tainable at the public service commission. The city of Brazil has the highest rate for gas of any city in the State, $2.25, which is an increase of 95 per cent since 1917. Although the list of cities following does not include any of the size of In dianapolis, it gives an indication of what other Indiana cities are paying for gas and the percentage of increase since 1917. Elkhart, population, 24,277, rate $1.05, increase since 1917, 42 per cent. Evansville, population, 53,264, rate $1.35, increase since 1917. 58 per cent. Ft. Wayne, population, 53.549, rot* $1.35, increase since 1917, 58 per cent. Kokomo, population, 30,067, rate sl, B 0 increase since 1917. Lafayette, population, 22,486, rate $1.45, Increase since 1917( 60 per cent. La Porte, population, 15.155, rate $1.68; Increase since 1917, 44 per cent. Logansport, population, 21,626, rate $1.55. increase since 1917, 55 per cent. Linton, population, 5,845, rate $1.75, In crease since 1917, 75 per cent. Mishawaka, population, 15,195. rate $1.25, increase since 1917, 25 per cent. South Bend, population, 70.953. rate $1.25, increase since 1917, 25 per cent. Terre * Haute, population, 66.053, rate $1.20, Increase since 1917, 33 per cent. Michigan City, population, 19,457, rate $1.65, increase since 1917, 65 per cent. Woman Is Killed by lowa Cyclone WOODWARD, lowa. April 7.—Mrs. Will Tierman, wife of a farmer, was killed by a cyclone that swept this section last night. Many farm homes and out buildings were wrecked by the twister which did damage estimated at $200,000. NO. 283.