The Edwardsville Intelligencer from Edwardsville, Illinois • Page 1

Newi of County and Nation Pub- Rjhed Speedily and Ao. eurately. Wednesday, April 12, 1950 88th Year Intelligencer ally 124 IP Pages 5 Cents THE WEATHER Illinois General fair Wed nesday night and Thursday somewhat colder Wednes day night, warmer Thursday High, 40: low, 33 Thirteen Crewmen Die In B-29 Superior! Crash County Total Vote Approaches Of 100,000 Eligible Herrin and Callahan To Vie in November For Office of Sheriff Approximately 30,000 of Madison county's 100.000 registered voters went to the polls In Tuesday's primary election. Winners in the top local attraction the Republican a Democratic races for the nominations were Edwardsville Township Supervisor Earl E. Herrin and County Auditor James T.

Callnhan, Alton. The complete, unofficial returns from the county's 123 precincts showed Herrin won the Republican nomination by a plurality votes over his nearest rival, Walter J. Etude of Granite City, who polled 1,911. The vote for Herrin was 4.117. Tho three other unsuccessful bidders for the GOP nomination were George G.

Briley, Alton, 202 votes; Harold. Massa, Collinsville, 98; and Al Meyers, Alton, 202. Meyers, however, dropped out of the running' as an active candidate last month. Callahan rolled up an unofficial tally of 8.446 to'become Merrill's Democratic opponent in the Nov. 7 general election.

The incumbent county auditor finished i a plurality of 1.981 over Kenneth T. Ogle of Granite City who received 6,405 votes. Others in the Democratic running and their votes were John A. Mangiaracino, Madison, 582; Arthur W. (Cooper; Moore, Madison, 4.2:.l; Ed Decker, Wood River.

404; and Fred Craycraft. 2.413. Best indicator of tho total vote, pending the official canvass, was the balloting for sheriff. The unofficial returns showed the aggregate Republican vote for tlicsc candidates was 6.620 while 111 the Democratic primary for the same office the total was 22.561, making a grand total of 29.181. The official canvass was begun Wednesday afternoon at tile office County Clerk Eulattn HoU, who said the board hoped to complete its work by late Saturday afternoon.

In tlie only other Democratic con- for county office nomination, Guy Harper of Wood River defeated two fellow-party members to oppose Mrs. Muriel E. Ambro- suis ot Collinsville. the Republican Incumbent, for the county trensur- ei'slup in November. (Continued on Page 2) Touhy Seeks His Freedom Springfield.

1P--Roaer (The Tcr rbile) Tough sought Wednesday to be pardoned for tlie kidnaping of John (Jake The Barber) Factor- kidnapping Toughy has Insisted occurred. A Robert Jolmstonc of hitacr). represent ing Touhy, ask I he state pardon board to rec- niii'i'iul executive clemency for Touhy. Aik-r hearing Johnstonc's argu jnonls. the board took the case un dor It will made sec- rot recommendations to governor Stevenson.

Touhy. now 51. Is serving a 99 year term nt Statcvillo prison Joliet. for the 1933 kidnapping of Factor, and a 199-year term for hi- part in jallbreak at State- villi- in 1942. Tu back up his pardon attempt, 'JiiKtone submitted a letter from Factor to the pardon board.

Factor, a bootblack who became a bisMime gambler ami is now free on parole from a mall fraud sen- ttm-e, said in thu letter "I feel that 16 years Imprisonment Is enough for any man." "Under those circumstances I would not try to stand In' the way Of Touhy's release its accomplishment was sought In any regular manner." he said'. The try for a pardon was the latest in a long scries of attempts by Touhy to gain freedom. Last year he tried In vain to get a writ of habeas corpus from the federal court in Chicago freeing him, but the court ruled he should exhaust his remedies In the state courts first. Touhy, Gus Schafer. Al (Polly- nose) Kator, and Basil (The owl) were convicted In Cook county in 1934 of kidnaping Factor khe previous year.

The court records showed the gang got $75,000 ransom from FMtor. Pour Youths Are Held For Grand Jury Action Buffalo, N. (IK--Four youths arrested on the international peace bridge as they sought to enter Canada were held for grand jury action Wednesday after waiving hearings on robbery and assault charges. The youths, Marvin Board, 19, and Robert Broughton, 22, of Lincoln, 111., Richard Thorns, 30, of Brunt Hills, N. and George Lntliron, 19, of Jacksonville, were said to have admitted robberies across New York state.

When the four attempted to enter Canada In two cars Sunday, Canadian customs officials kept them occupied signing forms until police arrived. U. 5. Investigating Russian Protest Washington, (IPi--Secretary State Dean Acheson said Wednesday that the United States is making complete Investigation of Russia's charge that an American bomber fired on Soviet fighter planes before It decides on its next step. Acheson said the Defense Department is pushing an inquiry into the Moscow a i a the planes exchanged fire over Latvia last Saturday.

The inference plain that the United States will take its good time and ascertain all the facts as best it can before it answers Russia's protest. It was widely believed, in defense circles that If there was any such ncidcnt as the Russians describe, involved an unarmed Navy patrol plane which has been missing Saturday on a routine flight from Welsbaden, Germany, to Copenhagen. Some officials, Informally, expressed belief that the Navy plane might have been shot down by the Russians. Official Washington explored the allegee Latvian Incident seriously, jut calmly. Officials said It didn't heat up the cold war.

Defense Secretary Louis Johnson conferred with Mr. Truman this morning, but a defense spokesman, said the plane incident was not discussed, The spokesman also said that no top level conternce on the matter is planned--at least for the time being. Defense withheld further comment, thv oulcime of the search Ion 1 the plane Adm. For.jrt Sherman, chief of naval operations, and Gen. Hoyt S.

Vomlenberg, Air Force chief of staff, Tuesday gave the lie to Russian claims that an American bomber'fired on Soviet fighters. Vandenberg flatly denied that any Air Force plane was in the area. And Sherman said" that the missing Navy plane was unarmed and "therefore could not have fire on any other aircraft or returned the fire of any other aircraft." For the time being, tho one best hope of clearing up the big international mystery was the hoped- rescue of crew members aboard the missing Navy plane. Such a rescue would enable the survivors to reveal what happened in tho two and a half hours between the time that the Navy plane took off from Welsbaden and its last radio report that it was approaching "the coast" last Saturday--about the time of the Moscow-reported air fight. Acheson declined at his news conference to comment on the alleged Latvian incident.

He said he knows nothing more about it than already has been made public. Diplomatic quarters said that if It develops the 10 men aboard the Navy plane died as a result, of a brush with Soviet planes, the United States then could almost certainly accuse Russia of being responsible for their deaths. Stratton Wins GOP Nomination For Treasurer Dirksen Victor In Race for Republican Senatorial Nomination Three Illinois Men Among B-29 Death Toll Roswell, N. (IP)--Walker Air Force base, Wednesday released the following list of victims from the area In Tuesday night's B-29 crash at the Sandia atomic weapons base near Albuquerque. All of the men were killed.

Copt. John R. Martin, West Frankfort, 111., the pilot. Capt. David H.

Foust, Fayette, First Ralph E. Farmer, Centrallo, First Thomas Stultz, Russell, Staff Sgt, Walter C. fioedecker, Danville, 111. Chicago (IB-William G. Stratton defeated six opponents for the Republican nominations for state treasurere Wednesday in a contest which proved the potency of his downstate support.

Stratton, former "boy wizard" politician who was content to campaign on the strength of his name, led his closest opponent, Cook County Treasurer Louis F. Nelson, by a proportion of about 5 to 3. The hot, seven-way race highlighted an otherwise dull Illinois primary election. Democratic and Republican leaders alike interpreted the results as strengthening their position for the fall elections." Stratton, who had campaigned in routine fashion, was an" unexpectedly strong candidate. His victory was a blow to the political prestige of Sinon A.

Murray, Chicago GOP coder who had supported Nelson. Nelson had a big advantage in 2ook county but it meant little. Stratton apparently capitalized on lis careful cultivation of downstate leaders, and the long-standing reputation of his family name in Illinois politics. He formerly served as state treasurer, and also as congressman-at-large. His victory apparently showed once again that downstate voters regard the candidates put up by Chi' big-wigs as city slickers.

In i comparatively dull race for tho GOP senatorial nomination, former Rep. Everett M. Dirksen won hands down over the token opposition he got from two political unknowns, William Baker and iar Daly, both of Chicago. Dirksen will-try to unseat San. Scott W.

Lucas, Democratic leader who has the job of trying to enact President Truman's "fair deal" progiam. Tho y-ott- was light, apparently ilufl to bad weather and a lack of issues. The number of ballots cast for all senatorial hopefuls was no 1 to exceed despite a registered voting list of mure than 5,000,000 throughout the state. Earle Searcy, clerk of the Supreme court, outdistanced three to win Republican re- nomination. Searcy, an old fighter in state politics, will face Ora Smith, who was unopposed f-r the Democratic nomination, in the November election for the six-year office.

Smith, the present state treasurer, is not permitted to succeed himself under the Illinois'constitu- tion. The incumbent superintendent of i instruction, Vernon L. Nickfll, won renomination by more than a 2 to 1 vote over his single opponent, Clyde 1 Burgess. On the Democratic ballot, C. Hohart Englc won nomination for the schools post against the surprisingly strong opposition by Mark Peterman, Springfield teacher and coach who twice pushed teams to the state basketball championship.

All of the 23 incumbent con(Continued on Page 2) Madison County Totals REPUBLICAN Plurality U. S. Senator Daly I08h Dirksen 1775 Baker 1514 State Treasurer Simpson 881 Stratton 3544 2618 Wright 363 Blanchard 136 Merryman 72 Nelson 926 Simuel 112 Supt. State Instruction Burgess 1615 Nickell 4015 2400 Clerk Supreme Court Moffat 1006 Searcy 2575 1088 Brown 1487 Devitt 352 Clerk Appellate Court Stanard 0130 987 Pritchard 2143 Rep. Congress Jones 4746 State Cent.

Com. Fischer 1953 Wadlow 3226 1273 Pollock 403 McTigue 210 State Senator Mueller '5622 State Representative Hodge 13886 Senatorial Com, Halbe 4058 Kessman 3845 County Judge Manning 5144 County Clerk Osborne 4932 Probate Judge Smith 3363 1038 Gwillim 2325 Probate Clerk Hoaley 5171 County Treasurer Ambroslus 5279 Sheriff Emde 1911 Herrin 4117 2206 Briley 202 Massa 98 Meyers 292 DEMOCRATIC Plurality U. S. Senator Lucas 19098 State Treasurer Hewlett 14294 Supt. State Instruction Engle 10672 5001 Peterman 5671 Clerk Supreme Court Smith 14334 Clerk Appellate Court Mallett 7308 Berry 7700 392 Rep.

Congress Price 18566 State dent. Com. Dougherty 8758 4399 O'Brien 431i Van Preter 4359 State Senator Monroe 11664 3755 Moran 7909 State Representative Harris 24272 16694 Kennedy 17532 9954 Moor 4469 Ruedin 7573 Senatorial Com. Reidelberger 10907 Eckman 10504 County Judge Kinney 14922 County Clerk Hotz 17223 Probate Judge Barr 14669 Probate Clerk Hilt 14437 County Treasurer Harper 8393 2027 Hopper 2171 Webb 6366 Sheriff Callahan 8446 1981 Mangiaracino 582 Ogle 6465 Moore 4251 Decker 404 Craycraft 2413 County Supt. Schools Wilkins 14794 State Representative Dies After Renomination Chicago, (IP)--David I.

Swanson, veteran Republican state representative, died of a heart attack Wed nesday a few hours after he was renommated to a 12th two-year sT'lnois General As- suddenly clutched his throat and dropped dead as listened to election returns at the 18lh ward GOP headquarters. Relatives said he had appeared in good health. He had campaigned actively for re-election in the llth senatorial district, Swanson was well ahead of his three opponents--Walter McAvoy, Albin Peters and Henry Butler-when he was stricken. Subsequent returns showed he had been re- nated. McAvoy also won nomination.

Farmland Prices At High Level Champaign, (IP)--A group of farm economists agreed Wednesday that a young man who wants to own a farm faces an uphill battle these days. They said prices ot farmland are double the p.war level, farmland is becoming more concentrated into fewer hands and prospective farm owners "face a tough struggle" unless the; can get financial aid. Those views were put forth in a circular entitled "Can You Own Your published jointly by the University of Illinois college of agriculture and schools in 12 ether midwestern states. Other points cited in the ciivUar included: 1. The trend in the midwest is toward fewer 'and larger farms.

Six percent of the landlords own almost 20 per cent of all land owned by landlords. 2. It's "next to impossible" to start as a hired mat! or farmer and eventually own own farm. Only 2 oat of 100 can climb this ladder without outside financial help. 3.

More than two out of-five farm owners got help la buying land. Wadlow Defeated In Committee Bid Congressman Melvin Price, East St. Louis, piled up a total of 38,644 votes in his unopposed bid for re- nomination, and Rogers D. Jones, his Republican opponent next fall, accumulated 14,318 in the 25th congressional district, according to unofficial returns from Madison and St. Clair counties.

Jones, Belleville attorney, drew 4,746 votes in this county and 9,572 in his home Price received 18,566 In irfadison county and 20,078 in St. Clair. The cumulative totals for Democratic state central committeeman showed Leo Dougherty, East St. Louis, defeated James J. O'Brien, also of East St.

Louis, and Charles A. Van Preter of East Alton. Dougherty's aggregate in the two countries was O'Brien received 11,227 ajid Van Preter finished with 5,983. Although he led Us rivals in Madison county, former Alton Mayor Harold F. Wadlow was Beaten for Republican state central committeeman by Martin H.

Fischer, Belleville, when the St. Clair eoun- returns came in. Fir-cher's cumulative total was 8,903 while had 7,037. The other unsuccessful candidates and their total vote were Earl C. Pollock, East St.

Louis, 3,209, and John McTigue, also of East St. Louis, 694. Voting Machines 'Very Successful' East St. Louis, (IP)--St. Clair County Judge C.C.

Dreman pronounced the first large-scale use of voting machines here as "very successful" Wednesday, but some precinct committeemen showed marked distrust of-the modern devices. Election observers reported that several committeemen, for election themselves, asked voters to ignore other candidates on the primary ballot Tuesday and concentrate on getting their vote for committeeman right. committeemen reasoned that voters using the foolproof gadget for the' first time might make errors costing them personal votes if the uninitiated tackled the entire crowded ballot. The names of candidates for committeeman were easier to spot, being listed on the far right side of both party ballots. Charges that the machines were being "jammed" by organization voters were discounted as purely political.

Factions bucking the city hall machine complained that their opponents deliberately tied up the machines by using the full four minutes alloted, thus preventing others from voting before the polls closed. Election officials believed complaint stemmed from an instance in one precinct where all votes were held up 30 minutes while jumbled ballot numbers were straightened out. Scattered complaints that nameplates had not been changed and levers were not set correctly were blamed on the fact that election board crews had only a few hours to work on the machines following a school board election last Satu- urday. Sister of Gen. Pershing Reported Slightly Better Jefferson, City, Mary's hospital attendants said Wednesday, Miss May Pershing, sister of the late general of the armies, was "slightly improved." Miss Pershing, about 80, suffered a stroke Monday night after, presenting the state of Missouri a jeweled sword of honor owned by Gen.

John Pershing. Hospital attendants said the elderly woman was "more alert" this morning, but stil remained-on the critical list. She lives at Lincoln, Nebraska. Planes Sight Life Raft Near Danish Island Craft Believed to Be From U. S.

Airship Lost Since Saturday Copenhagen, Denmark (IP) Two American search planes Wednesday they believed to be an overturned life raft from a U. privateer aircraft missing with 10 men aboard since Saturday. The planes radioed search headquarters at 3 p.m. (8 a.m. CST) that they had spotted the object near the Danish island of Bornholm and were circling overhead.

The privateer is believed to have been the plane which a Russian protest-note reported Tuesday had flown 13 miles into Soviet Latvia Saturday, exchanged machine-gun fire with Soviet fighters and disappeared over the Baltic. However, the missing privateer was unarmed. It disappeared on what was supposed to have been a routine round-trip training flight from Wiesbaden, Germany, to Copenhagen. Air Force officials be lieved the plane's radio and directional equipment may have failed. First plane to sight what may have been a liferaft from the priva teer was a U.S.

Air Force FB-17. The pilot, Capt. Banta M. York, radioed that he had sighted what he took to be a lift raft, an exposure suit and several unidentified objects in the Baltic at 55 degrees 23 minutes north and 15 degrees 36 minutes 15 miles northeast of Bornholm. Although he dropped buoys at once to mark the spot, York radioed later that he had lost sight of the objects.

Then a Danish Naval Catalina flying boat circled the areea for a half hour without sight ing any floating object. But at 3 p.m. came the terse announcement from search headquarters "Two American planes are circling what appears to be an overturned life raft in the Bornholm island area." York, piloting one of the two planes, radioed: 'I've relocated the raft and am now on target." A U. S. Naval Catalina flying boat and numerous surface craft were converging on the scene.

The spot is about 190 miles west southwest of the Latvian port of Lepaya, where Russia said the American and Soviet planes exchanged fire last Saturday, and about 150 miles est of Copenhagen. The exposure suit is of the type worn by American airmen when they are forced to take to the (Continued on Page 2) Political Killing Blamed on 'Talk' St. Louis (IP)--The St. Louis Post- Dispatch said Wednesday that the assassination of Charles Binaggio, Kansas City Democratic leader, was ordered two weeks ago during a conference of gangsters and gamblers at the Hyde Park gambling club in Venice. In a copyrighted story by Crime Reporter Theodore C.

Link, the newspaper said Binaggio was one of three politicians whose "elimination" was discussed at the conference. The story said the first man on the 'gangsters'- list was "3 major political figure," the second was Binaggio and the third was a minor politician who had a voice in Gov. Forrest Smith's appointments to the St. Louis board of police commissioners. Plans to kill the first victim were dropped because he war "too big," the story said.

Btaaggio's name was the only one left after they deeded the minor politician had not handled any money for the governor's 1948 campaign. The Post-Dispatch said it was informed that "a former St. Louis political officeholder" presided at the meeting. He was quoted as saytag: "That Binaggio) can't push me around "When others in the meeting concurred," the newspaper asserted, "Binaggio's death was assured." The story said that $50,000 cash they contributed to Smith's campaign was "uppermost in the minds of the hoodlums gathered for the showdown meeting." It said the keeper of the gamblers' fund was City Has More 'Spring' Amid Snow Flurries Edwardsville shivered through another day of "spring" Wednesday as the sun occasionally filtered through the clouds and snow flurries fell during the morning. But the wind had moderated, although the mercury hit a low of 33 degrees Wednesday morning, and the Weather bureau for a change had welcome news in the form of a forecast of fair weather and rising temperatures Thursday.

By 1 p.m. the mercury had risen to 40. The mercury is expected to drop slightly below freezing in this area during the night but a rise into the 50's was forecast for Thursday afternoon. District Solons Sure of Election Madison and Bond counties' triumvirate of Orville E. Hodge, Lloyd "Curly" Harris and Leland J.

Kennedy were assured of reelection to the Illinois House of Representatives from the 47th district next November as a result of Tuesday's primary. Harris and Kennedy, Democrats, won over Nell Essington Moor and Roger R. Ruedin by impressive margins, while Hodge, Granite City Republican, received a complimentary total vote of 17,690 in his unopposed campaign for re- nomination, which is tantamount to re-election. Harris of Granite City polled 272 votes in Madison county and 1,280 in Bond county for a total of 25,552. His fellow incumbent, Kennedy of Alton, receved 17,532 ballots in this county and 1,401 in Bond, giving him a total of 18,933.

Nell Moor of Granite City had a cumulative total of 5,193 which included 4,469 from Madison county and 724 from Bond. The other defeated candidate, Ruedin of Alton, compiled a total of 7.863, with 7,578 of the votes coming from Madison county. In the Democratic primary race for state senator, James O. Monroe, Collinsville publisher and a former legislator, defeated Assistant State's Attorney George J. Moran of Granite City to become the November opponent of Republican incumbent i "Mink" Mueller, Highland.

Mueller, without opposition in primary, received a total of 7,276 votes from the counties of Madison and Bond, with 5.622 of his total coming from Madison county. Monroe received 11,664 ballots in Madison county and 671 in Bond for a total of 12,335. Moran lost with an aggregate of 8,385 which included 7,909 votes in Madison county and 476 in Bond. Ballot Vacancy Prompts Write-ins With no Republican on the ballot for nomination to the office of county superintendent of schools, City Schools Supt. L.

Alexander received 55 unsolicited write-ins at various Edwardsville township precincts. There were eight of the same nature for Robert Harlow, Alton, principal of Roosevelt Junior high school, and two for the late Joseph Snodgrass who at the time of his death was superintendent of East Alton-Wood River high school. Scattered write-ins were reported from other parts of the county 'or various school men. The detailed Vote in Edwardsville jownship is tabulated elsewhere in tonight's Intelligencer. In addition, wecinct committeemen candidates from the township's nine precincts were elected without opposition.

The Republican committeemen and their precinct numbers are: August Neuenschwander, John Harmening, Dallas T. Harrell, Wilfred Halbe, J. G. Zilch, iharles A. O'Neil, Otto D.

Raffaelle, Christ P. Dustman, and F. Percy Betzold, 9. The elected Democratic commit- are: Joseph F. Kellermann, Louis Zak, C.

W. Burton, Arthur L. Wetzel, Joseph Gregor Alva O. Thatcher, John Thomas, Donald W. McLean, and Maurice M.

Jones, 9. Plane Wrecked Near the Sandia A-Bomb Base Unofficial Observers Barred From Closely Guarded Atomic Area Albuquerque, IP--Thirteen bodies were recovered Wednesday from the wreckage of a B-29 super- fort which crashed Tuesday night at the Sandia secret weapons base where atomic bombs are built. A terse announcement from authorities at Kirtland Air Force Base, near the atomic weapons center, said the bodies of all 13 crewmen aboard the plane were found. Six bodies were recovered during the night, and the were found when a search of the wreckage resumed after daybreak Wednesday. All were burned beyond recognition.

Secrecy was clamped on the crash by the Atomic Energy commission. The plane, of the type that carried the first A-bomb to Japan, was believed to have crashed in the rugged Manzano mountains east of here, an area where rumors say that secret underground laboratories are hidden and atom bombs are stockpiled. But Maj. Charles Phillips, public information officer at nearby Kirtland air base, refused to confirm the location. "It is in a very touchy spot," he said.

The plane plunged to earth in one of the most closely guarded spots at the huge atomic base about five minutes after taking off from Kirtland field. Col Hunter Harris, commanding officer at Walker air base where the plane was based, came hereto direct an investigation. Newsmen and other unofficial observers were barred from the closely-guarded atomic area where the crash occurred. The plane was based Walker Air Base near Roswell, N.M., as part of the strategic bombing command which ha's direct responsibility for delivering the atomic bomb to any potential enemy. The ship had landed at Kirtland field near here as part of a routine training mission.

As it took off, the giant four-en- gined craft faltered and plowed into a hill seven miles from the field within the resCricted area. Flaraes roared into the night and flared like a torch on the hillside. G. F. Heckman, a civilian who lives three miles away, said the plane exploded, sending up a cloud of flame and smoite that resembled a miniature blast from an atomic bomb.

"I was at my bedroom he said. "It was the oddest explosion I ever saw. I 'vas like a (Continued on 2) Drunk 'Driving' Sheffield, England (IP)--A 40-year- old man, crippled by infantile paralysis, was convicted Wednesday of driving his mechanical" wheel chair while under the influence of drink. The defendant, Bernard Ellis, was ordered to pay $7.56 court costs. Group Okays Slot Machine Bill Washington (IB--The Senate Commerce committee Wednesday okayed a bill to curb "one-armed bandits." It unanimously approved a measure to ban interstate shipment of slot machines and other gambling devices.

The prohibition would not apply to states where operation of such machines is legal. The conmittee completed action on the bill just eight days after its its introduction at the request of Attorney General J. Howard McGrath. A subcommittee will start hearings Monday on another bill proposed by McGrath which would forbid interstate transmission gambling information. Under the slot machine bill manufacturers of gambling devices would have to register with the internal Revenue bureau and provide monthly sales reports.

The machines would be numbered to help authorities keep track of them. Maximum penalty for violation of the interstate shipment bah would be two years in jail and $5,000 fine. For violation of the registration provision lit would be a year jn jail and $2,000 fine. March Collections Springfield, IP--The State Revenue Department reported Wednesday that last month was the "best March, collection-wise in the last 10 years." Total state tax collections in March were $22,642.000, which was $309,000 more than was collected in Mar- 1 1949, and ahead ot March, 1943..