The Daily Chronicle from De Kalb, Illinois • Page 1

BE KALB DAILY CHRONICLE TWENTY-NINTH YEAR No. '133 DE KALB. ILLINOIS. THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1929 PRICE THREE CENTS (o) 0) i i LzjL -V SCENE OF CLEVELAND HOSPITAL DISASTER GAS HORROR PHILLIPS GRAF TURNS BACK TODAY Got As Far As Spain Before Engine Trouble Forces .1 Return 'A I IS GROWING Death List Is Being Increased Hourly As Victims Succumb LOOK FOR CAUSE 5 faulty tire door was discovered today In the Cleveland clinic X-ray room, the- seat of the origin of the explosion that has resulted "in 119 deaths. The fire door was discovered by the city Investigation commission when It Tinted the clinic early to day.

Had the door worked It would have shut otf the room from the rest of the bulldine and caused the in, 5 deadly poison pas to be forced out I to the street throuch. a ventilator. Dr. H. I health com mtasioner and head of the investi --1k -v.

Graphically pictured above is the scene at the Cleveland Cllnle hoe pi tal where, more than ISO were killed and many were injured when ex-plosions and fire swept the building. Many of the dead and injured were carried down lalJrra from their rooms. Others had been rushed tK the roof where firemen, doctors and nurses worked desperately to resuscitate hem. Powerful gaa fumes poured from the building, hampering rescue efforts. Airport Near DcKalb Listed On Large Map The Crouse-lllnds Company, man-ofacturers of airport and airways lighting, equipment, has Just Issued a map showing the location of all large airports that may be used by commercial aviators.

The map Is of Interest to this community In that the DcKalb airport, located a few miles south of DeKalb, is listed on the map as being recognized as dependable and -reliable airport. The map discloses that the airport south this City is the only recognized commercial field between Chicago and Iowa City, on the east- west transcontinental system. The officers of the DeKalb Coun ty Airport have received notifica tion from the state water survey division that the water secured from the well at the airport passes all standards and Is acceptable drinking water. as WET BATTLE (IEXTWEEK Test of Strength In The State Senate Will Be Due On, Next Wednesday The Capitol. Springfield.

Ill, "May 16 U.R Wet strength In the upper branch of the general assembly will be tested next week when Senator John noehrn of Chicago will call up his bill to makei the Illinois prohibition act coincide with the federal law. The senate made the bill a special order for next Wednesday. The bill adds sec tion f.O to the Illinois prohibition act and provides "that nothing In this act shall prohibit the manufacture, transportation, purchase, sale or possession of any Intoxicating liquor by any person, firm or. corporation when munu-fncturt'd, transported or possessed strirtty tn accordance with a permit Iwwued by authority of the United Prates, provided such permit ts at all tiroes posted or otherwise kept." The real purpose of the bill is to permit the sale or beer containing two per cent of alcohol which Is not prohibited under the federal act. The bill appropriating $12,030,000 to the University of Illinois for the a dissenting yot late yesterday.

The senate defeated the congressional reapportionment bill by a vote of 20 to 19 and the measure is dead (Turn to Page 10 Please.) USE WILL YIELD POiriT Accepts Farm Relief Bill From The Senate And It Goes To Conference Washington. May 16 U.R3h In order not to block the farm relief legislation, house leaders agreed today to accept thfe senate farm bill and send It a conference of committees representing the senate and the house so that differences between the two houses may be amicably threshed out. In reaching their decision, the leaders abandoned their old plan of sending the bill back to the senate because it contains the debenture clause to which they, like President Hoover, have strong objections. The house rules committee will be Instructed to prepare a rule saying the house considers- the debenture clause an infringement on Its constitutional prerogative of originating all revenue legislation. Virtually all Republican leaders of consequence attended the meeting in the office of Speaker Dongworth.

Banking members of the agriculture committee urged leaders to adopt the milder course. The rule probably Win be presented to the house tomorrow. Floor leader John Q. Tilson anticipated some, objection to It on the floor, but felt confident the opinion of the leaders would prevail. The house leaders were confident the disputed debenture clause can be eliminated from the bill In conference.

Py thians Will Go To Rockf ord For, A Meeting Between B0 and 60 Pythlans Sisters and their husbands will go to Jtockford tomorrow evening for a meeting of District No. 20 of the state "organization of Pythian Sisters. A number will leave in the morning for the afternoon session. Four DeKalb Pythian Sisters Mrs. Emil Lundgren, Mrs.

Hattie Larson, Mrs. Guy Grimes, and Mrs. Grace Tadd, officers here, will take part in a of Instruction to be held In the afternoon. Mrs. Harvey Snyder, past grand chief, will also speak during the afternoon.

Library Will Be Closed For The Murray Rites The DeKalb "public library win be closed at o'clock tomorrow morning the funeral services of Mrs. E. B. McMurray. for over 20 years the librarian.

The library will be closed during the "services, which will be held from the St. Mary's church. HQ IS HERE COMING Will Succeed Floyd R. Ritz man As Head of The School System Here DECISION SUDDEN Frank W. Phillips, superintendent of the Freeport schools for the past year, will succeed Floyd R.

Ritz-man as superintendent of the DeKalb school system, according to Information secured from Freeport today. (Mr. (Phillips will also be di rector pf the teacher training de partment at the State Teachers' Col lege. Mr. Phillips resigned as sup erintendent: of the Freeport school system last evening, according to the information available today.

Mr. Rttzman announced his resig nation as superintendent of schools on Monday, April 22. his resignation to become effective on September 1 As yet Mr. Ritzman has not made known his plans for the future. Mr.

Phillips has been at Freeport but a year and at a meeting of the Freeport board of education, held two weeks ago, he signed a two- year -contract to remain as super mtendent or schools. At a meeting of the board, last evening, his resignation was accepted, despite the fact that a-two-year contract had been signed a few weeks ago. Is Tonng Man DeKalb's new superintendent of schools is a young man, according to the meager information available this afternoon. Previous to becoming the head or the Freeport school system. Mr.

Phillips was connected with the Monmouth system. In addition to becoming head of the city school system. Mr. Phillips will also become supervisor of practice teaching at the State Teachers College. The city board of education and the State College officials have felt for some time past that only by merging the duties of the two executive positions can the school system of DeKalb and the State College beat be served.

Two of the city schools, the Glldden and the Me-Murry, are used as training schools In practice teaching by the college. Cas- legion Post To Have A Big Meeting Commander William Runnells. Adjutant Ray Frautschy and Julius Silverman of the DeKalb post of the American Legion will go to Cap-: ron tomorrow evening to attend a meeting of the Capron post. The meeting has been announced as the annual spring festival of the post and a number of officers of the posts of the northern portion of the state will be in attendance. State officers of the American Legion will be present while two or three Legion drum corps will also be in attendance.

The three DeKalb Legionnaires are looking forward to a most Interesting meeting. Ninety Year Old Doctor Still Working At The Job Benton. 111.. May 16 CU.R) rr. D.

Smith celebrated his 80th birthday here by visiting hia usual daily quota of patients. BUSH SELLS TO SPRINGER W. J. Springer Buys The II. Bush Insurance And Real Estate Business J.

Springer, for the past eight years in the insurance business in this city, has purchased the C. H. Bush insurance and real estate business, formerly the W. J. Hope business.

It was learned today. Mr. Springer will take over the new bus iness on June 1. Mr. Springer has also purchased the Interest of M.

D. Allen In the Springer-Allen insur ance and real estate firm, this also to become effective on June 1 Mr. Springer today stated that after June 1 he will transact all Insurance and real estate business from the former Hope agency of flees In the Knights of Columbus building and that the Springer -Al len offices In the new Kennedy building will be closed. Miss Margaret Gleason, who was connected with the Hope office for a num ber of years, will remain with Mr. Springer.

Future Plans Unknown Mr. Bush, who purchased the W. J. Hope insurance and real estate business a few months ago, has not yet completed plans for the future, Although Mr. Allen has made no announcement regarding his future plafjs.

It Is understood that he will continue In the real estate business. Few, young men in this city have a wider acquaintance than Mr. Springer. He is a graduate of the DeKalb schools, including the high school and the State Teachers College. Eight yeam ago he entered the insurance and real estate business, becoming a member of the staff of th WHtberger atrency in this city.

xwo years ago he opened his own business, having been very success ful In both the insurance and real state fields, i i 't 4' 4 ts Death Takes A Pioneer Farmer of South Grove Daniel McMurchy. age 88. for over 40 years a farmer In South Grove township, died at his home shortly after 6.00 o'clock yesterday afternoon. Although In failing health for over two years. Mr.

McMurchy did not become seriously in until last Sunday. The death occurred at the farm home, near Esmond Daniel McMurchy waa horn la Coburg, Canada, January 22, 184S. coming to the United States with his parents when two years old. Mr. McMurchy located on the farm on which his death occurred 41 years ago.

becoming one of the best known farmers of the community In which he made his home for so many years. He leaves to mourn his death his widow, three children, Frank McMurchy of this city, Charles living on the farm with the mother, and Mrs. Eva Clegg of Chicago, two grandchildren. LaVerne Clegg and Hiouise McMurchy, and one sister. Miss McMurchy of Sycamore.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday afternoon at 2. -00 o'clock from the home, burial to be in the South Grove cemetery. Rev. N. T.

Gottschall of the Methodist church at Esmond will conduct the services. Wind And Rain Storm Causes little Damage Dast night's wind and rain storm, which caused a drop in the temperature during the latter part of the night, did but minor damage in this city. At the Illinois Power Company It was learned that lightning struck some of the power lines, causing some of the street light circuits to go out. The damage was of a slight nature and repairs were made during the night and this morning. The lightning did not cause any of the circuits serving residential districts to go out.

The mercury went to within a few degrees of freezing during the night. Had last night been a clear night, the thermometer would no doubt have reached, the freezing mark. Lutherans of This District Meeting Here About 20 pastors and laymen, rep resenting such towns as Genoa. Undenwood, Belvldere, Hampshire, Burlington, Hinckley, Rochelle, Squaw Grove, and Sycamore, were in this city Tuesday, attending a conference of circuit eight of the Lutheran church of the Missouri synod. The Conference was held at the Immanuel Lutheran church, the delegates being served a dinner "at noon by the women of the church and a luncheon during the 4:00 o'clock vesper hour service.

Matters pertaining to th churches of the Immediate district were dis cussed during the all-day conference. Delegates here spoke very highly of the manner in which they were en tertained while guests of DeKalb. Generous Banker Will Reimburse Child Losers EdwardsvUle, HL. Hay 1 (UJ0 To preserve the confidence of youngsters under fourteen years of age in banks. George W.

Meyer, president of the Bank of Edwards-ville. has agreed to pay out of his own funds the balance due ZZS boys and girls who stood to lose SO cents of each dollar deposited in the defunct Troy State bank of Troy, HL The total deposits of the group I 3 Jf -V'y i a as MOTOR GOES BAD BULLETIN Friedrtchshafen, Germany, May 16 (U The great iepp-lln has abandoned her trip to America because of motor trouble and is returning here. It was officially announced tonight. The Graf Zeppelin, with eighteen passengers and a' crew of 41, had started at 5:54 a. m.

on her second trans-Atlantic voyage and had progressed favorably down the Mediterranean coast of Spain before the trou-blo developed which compelled her to turn back. Frledrichshafen. Germany, May 16 U.R) Germany's mammoth dirigible Graf Zeppelin, pointed Its silver nose toward the west early today for its second trans-Atlantic flight to. the United States. "When last seen by the hug throng which came to bid it bon voyage It was floating toward the ocean with the dawn.

The giant of, the air took off at 2Jnder favrable weather "pected to reach i.n est)ntion, Lakehurst. at -00 nv Sundae 9 for 4 rPorta wer asrlcioue rout! th9 'outhern Pted that tbe atCvIon' Prevail for Mother 26 hours. Dr. Hugo Eckentr. commander of the flight, expressed aatinfaction with conditions.

Seventeen male passengers were board and one woman. Mrs. Mary nerce of New York. Mrs. Pierce said yesterday that she had cancelled her Passage.

This morning, however, she was with the rest. The crew of was practlcrlly tha aame as that which made the first trip, with th exception of a new cook An ample unount of fresh vegt a M. was" taken on luuitf'S naa Trouble la Rising Engineers said the Graf had some difficulty In, rising because of the weight of the cargo. The crew overcame this difficulty, by releasing some of the ballast. Guard spotted a would-be stowaway In the network of girders In the hangar after the ship was taken out They climbed to the spot and arrested the man, Adolf Lenk, 20, a Bavarian tailor.

Perhaps the most unconcerned passenger was Susy, the female gorilla which is destined for Chicago. Susy retired rather- early to her cabin and. looked on comolaeentlv from her cage while the members of me crew hustled about the ship. The passengers had been awakened at their hotel at 4:00 a. m.

and transported to the flying field after a hasty breakfast. They arrived at the hangar at 6:00 a. m. and boarded the ship at 6:30 a. m.

Aboard the Graf was sufficient fuel for 130 hours, 60 per cent more than needed, according to Captain Leh- mann Half a ton ot mail bad been placed aboard. Knird Eckener. Dr. Frkprnr'n nn whom his father described as "an ele vator man" will, return to the United States to fill a rort with th Goodyear Riibber Company after he makes the ijound trip on the Graf Zeppelin. It was announced.

The Graf Zeppelin flew low over Kimes at 11:40 a. m. and turned aouthwestward towards Mbntpellier and Perpignan, near the' Spanish (Turn to Page 19 Please Band Going To Denver To Join limited Here The Belvldere bih school band of 70 pieces, winners In its class in mo state uign school band contest? held at Champaign a. few weeks ago. Will KO to the national hich m-hJ band contest to be.

held at Denverl next week. The band will Join the North Western train at DeKsih for! the trip west. It Is learned. The band will make a trip In two special Pullmans. which will ha brought to Belvldere on Tuesday morning to Join the through train' that reaches DeKalb at 12:01 o'clock in the afternoon.

i European Fly Weights Battle To a Draw Parta. May .1 Of.R) Eraile (Spider) Pladner, European flyweight champion, and Tid Francis, Italian-American fought a twelve-round draw at catchweights in the Velodrome D'Hlver here last night. Pladner weighed 115, Francis 117. The decision was unpopular and many sporting critics thought Francis bad slightly te better of the struggle. lie was fee aggressor and landed more clean punches.

i ir Benton Miners Quit On A Sympathetic Strike Benton, 111., May 16 0JJ!) Six hundred, miners refused to work at the Franklin Coal Mining Company here yesterday following refusal of the management to reinstate three men discftarged for loading dirty gating commission said. The door Is the only entrance to the -X-ray room. "It Is lartre, thirk. metallic. The dvr works automatically releasing a lever when the of tbe room reaches a certain heat.

This lever closes the The lever worked when fire hroke out In the room "Wednesday. But a heavy metal pipe, carrying; either gm or water, stood 'in -the 'direct path of the lever. This prevented the door from closing more than half Dr. Rockwood alo found that the ventilator did not work but pointed out that a draft carried the fumes through the open fire door, and thence through the building. Cleveland.

May 16 U.R The finger of tragedy rose and fell over Cleveland today, counting' off the dead In the explosions and fire that turned Its famous clinic into a honeycomb of lethal chambers. One hundred and twenty-nix person re dead and scores of other victim re In hospitals, some with poison fumes tn their lungs and by no means out of danger. The city remained dazed and horror-stricken. Ambulances clanjrd through the streets, enroute to the morgue with bodies and to funeral parlors with Identified dead. "efer the csi'nmit firemen who helped I tt rescue work were stricken by gas poisoning.

Blood transfusions were resorted to It. Blnal hospital In an effort to ave their lives. A trl-fold Investigation was underway to determine how the clinic was transformed so sud- denly at noon yesterday Into a char-nel house of poison gas, ilames and panic. Gov. Meyers Cooper ordered all state agencies to join the investigation.

Coroner A- J. Pearse. was to confer with all county officials ascertain cause of the blasts and 'fire. An official commission was named by City Manager V. R.

Hop-t kins. Storage Room Cause Authorities agreed that the blame lay In the x-ray storage room In the basement of the four-story brick Structure and that the deadly fumes Swirled from Ignited x-ray film. They disagreed whether the clouds of dark yellow gas responsible for the staggering loss of life were nitrous oxide or a bromine and Iodine vapor. seared and yellowed by the paa. were found in the x-ray room and? twelve other bodies equally discolored, were taken from the roof.

Between those points were sprawled many bodies and Injured, surrounded by cracked walls, broken pipes, shattered windows and overturned tables. i a. nurse was round cead across a chair bearing patient she had tried vainly to wheel to safety. Some pat-tents were trapped and killed In bed, Others ran partly dressed toward exits, only to die before reaching safety. First Warning Is Roar TheTflrst warning was when pat ients heard a muffled roar from the x-ray room.

All fire doors Immediately closed, but poison gas poured through the ventilator shaft, forced long by the heat. Thin yellow wisps were seen float ing around the second floor eddying Upward through a court Into the third and fourth floors and emerg ing through the blown-out skylight Into open air. Those on tha first floor ran to safety or remained to warn persons on the floors above. Telephone operator stayed at their posts to give warnings. Confusion Indescribable followed.

Fire raced tip a rear stairway and pread. Fifteen minutes after the first explosion, a second came driving rescuers back. Forty five minutes later, a. third occurred, tearing out pipes, crumbling the walls and breaking all windows In the clinic and adjoining Little of the building Interior was left ln-tact. Persons standing outside were felled by the force of the first blast.

One 4 THREE SHIPS FORCED D0W Heavy Windstorm And Bain Late Yesterday Af ternooa Causes Landing Three airmail planes, one carr' i two passengers and th uLUar two ii passenger each, were forced to land at the DeKalb Airport near Waterman yesterday afternoon. The airport Is used as an Intermediate emergency field by the government. The three landings yesterday make total of nine since the DeKalb Airport was opened, the last five occurring during the past week. One hundred and two planes have been forced to land at the DeKalb emergency airmail field elnce transcontinental mail has been carried by planes. Wind Tery Strong Pilot Ed Kopen.

flying west for tbe Boeing Air Transport Company with 1,200 pounds of mail and two passengers, encountered the storm about 4:30 o'clock just before he reached the airport landing field. Paul Eakle, in charge of the field, saw the plane approaching and turned on his beacon lights to guide the flyer. The plane passed over the field because of tbe terrific rain but at 4:55 o'clock returned and made a (Turn to Pace 10 Please.) ROAD POLICE BILL PASSES Provides For Force of Three Hundred Patrolmen For The State Hard Roads The Capitol. Springfield. Ill, May 16 U.Rr-By a vote of 97 to 17.

the lower branch of the general assembly today passed the bill giving state highway patrolmen full police powers and Increasing their number to S00. It is the nearest thing to a state police force bill that this legislature would pass. By Increasing the number of men and giving them full police power sponsors of the bill say the rural communities of the state will be better protected against gangs who have been using the hard roads for quick raids and getaways. The measure now goes to the senate which already has passed the Abt bill similar In all details to the one passed by the house today. Its passage by the senate therefore is The house passed the bin after It had undergone several severe tests.

The Democrats attacked the measure a vehicle for the building up of a political machine. McCarthy Sponsers Ik In calling up the bill. Rep. Frank McCarthy of Elgin, told the house he wanted the lower branch to pass the bill today because an industrious senator (Senator Abt from St. Louis) was trying to steal his thunder and had introduced and passed a similar bill in the senate.

Representative O'Grady sought to have the bill recalled to second reading for the purpose of adding a civil clause. His effort failed when the house voted 73 to 85 not to suspend the rules. The house then passed the bilL- Representative Homer Tice's bill s. Business Will Be Main Topic For Merchants Business will be the chief topic of discussion at the meeting of tbe Merchants Division of the Chamber of Commerce, to be held tomorrow noon at the Innovation. De-cause bo many matters of business are scheduled to come up for discussion, a speaker was not secured for tomorrow's meeting.

Xj -a meetings of the division have Pi much itttMasg, the ness men of the city for the past few months and as a result the at tendance has been larger than usual. Matters to be discussed tomorrow noon are of such a nature that a large attendance should be present. SHIELDS TO MAKE FIGHT Win Seek To Hare The Injunction Against The Des Moines Trustees Dissolved Buffalo, N. May 16 ILR Steps to dismiss an injunction under which the University of Des Moines, a fundamentalist Institution sponsored by the Baptist Bible Union of North America, Is now operating, will be taken immediately, it was announced, today by Dr. T.

Shields, chairman of the board of trustees, who is here attending the seventh annual convention, of the Baptist Bible Union. The court order allowing the school to remain open will be fought at once," Dr. Shields said. "When I was first 'Informed that the school had opened for classes Monday, after tbe board of trustees "had ordered It closed and the faculty positions vacated, I was surprised. I wired President Wayman to keep It closed.

"However, I later learned that an injunction had been secured, but not before the telegram had been sent. It Isn't our intention to close the school permanently at all; only to make a complete reorganization of the faculty." Dlames President Wayman Dr. Shields attributed the upheaval in Des Moines to the "utter weak- nees and vacillation of President Wayman and that there was a weakness of character manifest In the evident fact he for some years used academic degrees to which he had no legal title." Is determination, when faced with the necessity of a thorough Investigation ot his degrees, to permit the student body to be roused In a frenzy of hatred by reports which were destitute of an atom of truth. Is characteristic of the methods "of modernists and near-modernists always." A special meeting of the board of trustees of the university resulted this morning in appointing a committee of three to administer the affairs of the institution until the annual official meeting of the board at Des Moines in June. They were Dr.

T. T. Shields of Toronto, chairman of the board: E. A. Roberts of Cleveland, O- and Dr.

O. W. Van Osdel. Grand Rapids, Mich. Goes East To Attend Services For Father Mr.

and Mrs. A. Neal Annas have departed for Geneva, N. to attend funeral services for the father of Mr. Annas.

Word of the death of the parent reached this city the early portion of the week. the State College faculty member leaving on Tuesday on the sad mission. PLAY DAY IS HUGEJVENT McJUurry Playground Is Oret-run By Children And Parents Yesterday An outstanding success la aewo of the word, ws the erajo-Murry-Gltdden Play-Day. held yesterday afternoon on the McMurry playgrounds, and on the college athletic field. All the students In the two training schools of the city were gathered together in one group Where they participated in games and athletic contests of all sorts.

No attempt was made in this field-day to develop any competitive spirit between the pupils of the. two schools and on the other hand every effort was put forth to build up rather, a cooperative feeling. Towards this end, the boys and girls were divided into various color groups, in which there were some pupils for either school. and then these color groups vied with each other for high honors. Because of the great number participating in the Play-Day, these color groups were still further divided into subgroups depending on the age and grade of the boys and girls.

The Play-Day was under the general supervision of Miss Mabel Hup-prich, physical education critic of the training schools and she was assisted in her work by the faculty members of the two training schools and by the various student teachers tinder her supervision. Those from tbe college who helped In the Play-Day included the following; Benita Watson, Charlotte Thiess. Vera Bab-cock, Fannie Crull, Ruby Wallin. Mary Frey. Phyllis Halsey, Marie Vogei, Gunnar Benson and several others.

Miss Bellls, Miss Peterson, Miss Duffy and Miss Tague, critic teachers, acted in the capacity of official scorers. Jeanette Bollinger acted as clerk for the various vents. The first and second grade pupils of the two schools participated during the afternoon, in a group of story plays and prsyground games especially adapted to -children of this age. Here no attempt was made to decide winners in tbe various contests, the only purpose of this group being to entertain the little folks. Kiddles Have Fun Another group of contestants was composed of the pupils of the third and fourth grades and still another included tbe fifth, sixth, seventh and (Turn to Page 8 Please.) DeKalb Labor Will Be Used By Contractor B.

J. Nelson of Sycamore, who will the Fargo theatre building, today stated that he will use DeKalb labor and material as much as can possibly be done In building the theatre. Mr. Nelson started work on the new building this morning. Kred Nelson of this city was to day given the contract for the ex cavation work.

Mr. Nelson has a large excavating machine and will use the machine in getting the ground in condition for tbe building. The Sycamore contractor today hired a number of DeKalb laborers, It was reported. Knights of Pythias To Have Degree Work Tonight Pour candidates will be riven work In" the second degree at a meeting of the DeKalb lodge of Knights of Pythias, to be held tonichl. All members are urged to be present lor the degree work.

aase rby was reported to have been (Turn to Page 10 Please.) WEATHER For Illinois: Fair tonight and probably Friday, rising temperature Friday and northwest portion tonight, possibly light frost northeast portion tonight. amounted to 13,9:7. IT urn to Fag 19 A.