Altoona Tribune from Altoona, Pennsylvania • Page 1

Blair Traffic Toll, '38 '37 Accidents 197 626 Injured 385 537 Dead 22 39 THREE CENTS THE WEATHER MORALLY FAIR. WARMER TO mum CLOUDY AND FOG TONIGHT YESTERDAY'S TEMPERATURES High 66 Low 32 CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA'S GREAT MORNING NEWSPAPER ALTOONA, TUESDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 1938 "HONE 8181 Continuously Published Since January 8, 1856 Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation mm, sniQ 'Just Stunned' Assure President They Will Seek Peaceful Settlement Two Hunters Killed, Three Die Of Heart Attacks In State Bogey Play Spurs Move For Federal Radio Investigation Raps Lack of Aid Stronger Control for Radio Seen Hunter Killed By Shot From Friend's Gun; High School Boy Fatally Wounded Shotgun accidents cost two lives in the state yesterday on the first day of Pennsylvania's 30-day small-game season. Three more gunners died of heart attacks in the field and a score were injured by careless use of their own guns or the heedlessness of others. Those shot to death were Harry Miller, 38, of Cairnbrook, struck by the charge from a companion's gun, and Paul Matsick, 16, a Nesquehoning High school boy, 'Strike So Far Away No Need To Says Enochs; FDR Promises Legislation To Help Carriers WASHINGTON, 31 (10 Railroad management and labor assured President Roosevelt today they would cooperate in an effort to settle their wage dispute peacefully, and received in return the chief executive's promise of vigoi--ous support for legislation to help the carriers. John J.

Pelley, president of the Association of American Railroads, and George M. Harrison, chairman of the Railway Labor Executives' association, conferred separately with Mr. Roosevelt. Both spokesmen said the President expressed confidence that a helpful legislative program for the carriers would be presented by an Informal committee of six for consideration by the next congress. Mr.

Roosevelt appointed the committeethree representatives of management and three of labor-some months ago. To Aid Program Pelley added that Mr. Roosevelt said he would "do everything he could to get such a program enacted into law." The rail management leader said he was asked to find out from the individual railroads what their attitude was toward a report made Saturday by the President's special fact-finding committee. Pelley said he would gladly do that and later he summoned the railroads heads to meet in Chicago Friday. The fact-finding committee report asked the railroads to withdraw their order for a 15 per cent wage reduction, scheduled to go into effect Dec.

1. Nearly 1,000,000 rail employes have voted to strike if the wage cut estimated by officials to total $250,000,000 annually, is made effective. Officials of the national media WASHINGTON, October 31. Wl The radio industry viewed today a hobgoblin more terrifying to it than any Hallowe'en spook. The prospect of increasing federal control of broadcasts was discussed here as an aftermath of a radio presentation of an H.

G. Wells' imaginative story which caused many listeners to believe that men from Mars had invaded the United States with death rays. When reports of terror that accompanied the fantastic drama reached the communications commission there was a growing feeling that "something should be done about it." Commission officials explained that the law conferred upon it no general regulatory power over broadcasts. Certain specific offenses, such as obscenity, are forbidden, and the commission has the right to refuse license renewal to any station which has not been operating "in the public interest." All station licenses must be renewed every six months. Within the commission there has developed strong opposition to using the public-interest clause to impose restrictions upon programs.

Commissioner T. A. M. Craven has been particularly outspoken against anything resembling censorship and today he repeated his warning that the commission should make no attempt at "censoring what shall or shall not be said over the radio." "The public does not want a spineless radio," he said. Commissioner George Henry Payne recalled that last November he had protested against broadcasts that "produced terrorism and nightmares among children" and said that for two years he had urged that there be a "standard of broadcasts." Saying that radio is an entirely different medium from the theater or lecture platform, Payne added: "People who have material broadcast into their homes without warning have a right to protection.

Too many broadcasters have insisted that they could broadcast anything they liked, contending that they were protected by the prohibition of censorship. Certainly when people are injured morally, physically, spiritually and psychically, they have just as much right to complain as if the laws against obscenity and indecency were violated." The commission called upon Columbia Broadcasting system, which presented the fantasy, to submit a transcript and electrical recording of it. None of the commissioners who could be reached for comment had heard the program. FORFEITS SECURITY Charles McChesney, arrested by city police over the weekend for being drunk and driving an automobile in that condition, forfeited his security when he failed to appear in police court yesterday monning for a hearing before Alderman H. Frank Berkstresser.

He will face a commonwealth hearing later. killed trying to release his shotgun from underbrush on a mountain near his home. The gunners who died of heart attacks were Robert J. Hoffman, 34, Meadville merchant; Coover A. Miedhamer, 48, of Wormleysburg, and Harry McCommon, 65, of York.

Hoffman collapsed in Crawford county and the others in Lancaster county. On the opening day of the 1937 small game season three hunters were fatally injured and 90 were hurt. During the season 27 hunters died and 308 were injured. Judd C. Turner, assistant director of the state game commission, said there was plenty of small game in the fields because the light winter "gave it a chance to live and propagate." The hunting season did not open until 9 o'clock.

Nicholas Biddle, president of the commission, explained that heavy concentration of hunters in any area had a ten dency to increase the possibility fo. hunting accidents if they were permitted to shoot at daybreak. "Rural school children have an opportunity to get to school before shooting starts and the farmers have their chores finished and are ready for gunning under the 9 o'clock opening day rule," he said. SOMERSET, Oct. 31.

JO A blast froni a fellow 'hunter's shotgun today killed Harry Miller, 38, of Cairnbrook, the first reported opening day fatality of Pennsylvania's hunting season. Sheriff Fred B. Hare of Somerset county, said a single barrel, 16-gauge shotgun in the hands of Edward Kinzie, 25, of Central City, discharged accidentally and the blast struck Miller in the body. Hare said Kinzie and Miller were hunting with four other men five miles northeast of Somerset. Miller, the sheriff added, left the group and walked to a small knoll 60 feet distant.

As he stood there, a dog chased a rabbit between the two men. The sheriff said Kinzie, fearing he would strike the dog if he shot lowered his gun to his hip. He started to release the hammer, but it slipped and discharged the gun. Joseph Clark, 48, of 225 Walnut street) McKeesport, was wounded in both legs by buckshot while hunting in the county. He was treated at a Somerset hospital, where attendants said he apparently had been hit by shots from an unidentified hunter's gun.

TWO KILLED MIDDLETOWN, Oct. 31. (10 A train engineer and driver of a gasoline laden truckWere burned to death today and another trainman burned critically in a train-truck collision at Trenton, south of here. Arthur Kopp, 55, Baltimore Ohio engineer of Dayton was killed, and Fireman Virgil Belcher, Hamilton was burned critically when a crown sheet on the engine boiler dropped after the crash, trainmen said, filling the cab with steam. Spy's Aid To Fatherland Revealed NEW YORK, Oct.

31. (IP) A statement quoting Otto Hermann Voss, tall, thin aviation mechanic, as saying he gave construction secrets Of U. S. army and navy planes to German agents "for Germany and not for money," was read into the record today at the spy trial in federal court. Voss, one of the three persons on trial, stood stoically erect, in German military fashion, during the reading.

His counsel objected to admission of the "confession" on the ground that it was not voluntary. In the statement given to federal bureau of investigation agents, Voss, a naturalized American citizen, told of exposing construction secrets of planes to both Karl Eitel and Herbert Jaenichen, accused as Nazi agents who are fugitives from the indictment. The statement said he reported to Dr. Erich Pfeiffer, chief of German naval intelligence In Bremen, another absent defendant, and was thanked profusely for the good he had done his native land. Voss was employed at the Se-versky airplne factory at Farm-ingdale, Long Island.

The statement said, "the only money I ever received was $75 which was for expenses on my trips to a hotel to report to the German agents. "I never expected to receive any money. I told both Eitel and Jaenichen, and made it expressly clear, that I didn't want any money but was doing it solely for the fatherland." Before the statement was read, slim, blond Eleanor C. Boehme, a Hunter college graduate of 1936, described efforts of Karl Schlueter (Contlnned on Pago 2, Cot 5) Woolsey, Of Comedy Team, Dies MALIBU BEACH, Oct. 31.

(O Robert Woolsey, 49, motion picture comedian, died today at his home here after a long illness. At his bedside were his wife, the former Mignone Reed, and her mother, Mrs. Mary Reed. Woolsey, who teamed with Bert Wheeler in numerous comedies, had been suffering from a kidney ailment for the past 18 months, said Dr. Ralph Tandowsky, his physician, He finished one picture after being stricken, but then was forced to retire.

Woolsey was born in Oakland, Aug. 14, 1889, the son of non-professionals. The future comic star was reared and educated in Murphysboro, 111. After appearing in vaudeville and stock shows, Woolsey teamed up with Wheeler and the two enjoyed a long association except for a split in 1932. Some sort of argument, the nature of which neither revealed publicly, led to their break, but after a few months they made up and appeared in several films.

In 1932, Wheeler and Woolsey came to Hollywood to co-star in "Rio Rita." They also starred In "The Cuckoos," "Half Shot at Sunrise," "Hold 'Em Jail," "So This Is Africa" and many others. Must Decide Between 'Democracy or Fascism' BARTLESVILLE, Oct. 31. () Alf M. Landon, 1936 Republican presidential nominee, said tonight the country must decide in its next two elections "whether we are going to be a Democracy or a Fascist state." "We cannot vest too much power in a few individuals as we have now and remain a representative democracy," said Landon in an address prepared for delivery at a campaign railly.

"We cannot transfer this power to government and last long as a democracy." The former Kansas governor! assailed the administration's "failure" to remedy the country's economic ills even though it "has had the most complete control over congress and the 48 states of any party in our history." He called election of Republican congressmen and governors "an important step in leading the way back to economic Improve- Orson Welles, Who Produced Panic Drama, 'Just Stunned' By Reaction NEW YORK, Oct. 31 (10 Urgent demands for federal in vestigation multiplied tonight in the wake of the radio drama that Spread mass hysteria among listeners across the nation with its "news broadcast" fantasy of octopus-like monsters from Mars invading the United States and annihilating cities and populaces with a lethal "heat ray." While officials- at the Harvard astronomical observatory calmed fears of such a conquest by space-devouring hordes from another planet with the dry comment that (there was no evidence of higher life existing on Mars some miles distant Iqcal and federal officials acted to prevent a repetition of such a nightmarish episode. As for the 23-year-old "man from Mars" himself Orson Welles, youthful actor-manager and theatrical prodigy, whose vivid dramatization of H. G. Wells' imaginative "The War of the Worlds" jumped the pulse-beat of radio listeners, declared himself "Just stunned" by the reaction.

"Everything seems like a dream," he said. The Columbia broadcasting system whose network sent the spine-chilling dramatization into millions of homes issued a statement expressing "regrets" and announced that hereafter it would not use the "technique of a simulated news broadcast" which might "cause immediate alarm" among listeners. The federal communications commission started a quick investigation' with Chairman. Frank P. -McNinch asking CBS for an electrical transcription of the broadcast which thousands believed to be authentic news reports.

"Any broadcast that creates such general panic and fear as this one is reported to have done is, to say the least, regrettable," McNinch declared. Public reaction, he said, airain demonstrated the force of radio and "points out again the serious public responsibility of those who are licensed to' operate stations." Fresh reports from many sections of the country depicted the wave of terror unleashed by young Welles whose weird, maniacal laughter was known to millions of radio listeners in his former role as "The Shadow." Unaware of the sensation he was creating, Welles played the part Of a rapid-fire news announcer in the CBS drama which vied with the NBc Charlie McCarthy program on the air from 8 to 9 o'clock last night. (Continued on Page 2, Col. 3) Wins Loving Cup, Then Loses It Misfortune fell hard on the heels of Chisf Squire Paul O'Friel, of McCort circle, No. 181, Columbian Squires, Sunday following his victorious participation in the ninth annual regional conference of Columbian Squires leaders and officers held in New York city.

Although edged out by Chief Squire John Stevens, of New York city, No. 27 circle, the Altoona circle head took runner-up honors in the chief squire ceremonial contest. A loving cup presented him in recognition of his achievement was lost in some manner. Chief Squire O'Friel was singularly honored a second time in his appointment as chairman of the round table discussions. The hign spot of the conference at which Knights of Columbus boy workers also participated was the ceremonial contest.

John J. Contway, executive secretary of the Boys' Life bureau, was general chairman of the conclave which was held in the Capitol hotel. The conference dinner speaker was Rev. Brother Bede Amedy, F. S.

director of 'La-Salle academy. "Youth and the Future" was the theme of his address. Raymond Hoyer, of the University of Notre faculty, was the general conference speaker. Efforts to find the loving cup lost by Chief Squire O'Friel will be made in conjunction with, the hotel management where the cup had been placed in a cloak room for safe keeping during the conference. The room was closed before the returned.

Three Deer Visit PRR Yards P. R. R. brakemen and others working in the yards reported seeing three doe deer leaping across the tracks, and under car couplings yesterday. They were first noticed north of the East Altoona tunnel about noon.

The three, about half grown, traveled west along the tracks to about opposite Fifteenth street, Juniata, where they started across the yard, crawling under the couplers of a train standing In their path. It was believed the animals were frightened down out of the woods by the small game gunners yesterday morning. Ten-Year-Old Bride and Mother Jailed PRE STONSBURG, Oct. 31. () Child bride Rosie Columbus Tackett and her mother were jailed here today on warrants growing out of the girl's week-old marriage to a 34-year-old mountain country coal miner.

But the husband, Fleming Tackett, was still being hunted by Floyd county sheriff's deupties. Deputy Sheriff Tom James said the girl shown by medical records to be ten years old was taken into custody with her mother at their former home on Barnett's creek in adjacent Johnson county. The warrants were issued here by County Judge Edwin P. Hill. One charged the girl's husband with rape.

Another charged the mother, Mrs. Grace with conspiring with Tackett "in the crime of rape upon the person of Rosie Columbus." The third warrant charged Rosie with being a delinquent child growing up in "idleness and crime." Mrs. Columbus told officers she didn't know where "Flem' was. Rosie shook her head at questioners. "Flem brought us here last night, then put on a coat and his cap and left," Mrs.

Columbus said. Rosie and her mother were at the home of her father when the officers arrived. Neither appeared worried over their situations. "I'm not married, I'm not married," Rosie called out, "My old tnan run off and left me." Both the girl and her mother 'Z (Continued on Page t. Col.

2) AS I SEE IT Bv Olin Miller Explorers have learned that men of ancient Babylon used to tender their wives in payment of debts. It must have been extremely difficult to secure credit in ancient Babylon. In ever so many cases another thing that doesn't improve with age is life. It's dead easy to tell when a person is lying. He says too much and then repeats it.

Let's shed a few tears of sympathy for Henry Wallace whose job is highly complicated by two uncontrollable factors, namety: (1) weather, and (2) farmers. When nothing is done to control the 'lunatic fringe" the whole moral fabric of a nation soon unracels. A mathematician says the California $30-every-Thursday plan wouldn't work. Doesn't he know that the laws of rrathematics, as applied to governmental financing, have been suspended for more than five years? Those who always come straight to the point often get stuck. We keep hearing that Herbert Hoover is going to write a God forbid.

The earth the eek will inherit will be thrown over them with a spade. So many circuses slid Into bankruptcy during the past summer that there remain in business not more than 15 Greatest Shows on Earth. "An Eskimo seldom commits suicide." Newspaper filler. Well, even seldom is too often to commit suicide. SIMMS FOR ELGIN WATCHES ORSON WELLES His Play Tanlcked' Nation Fair Enough COUNCIL BLUFFS, Oct 31 (George S.

Wright planned a good time for his friends at his wake when he took out a $1,000 insurance policy for that purpose 10 years ago, but he'll have the fun instead. The policy matured today and Wright collected the $1,000. "Most of my old friends are dead and they couldn't have come anyway," philosophized the 70-year-old Council Bluffs attorney. He said he was undecided what to do with the money and added "I'm going to call a meeting cf my friends the young ones and the old ones to decide on a course of action. They all want in on it." MISTAKE SUFFOLK, Oct.

31. (JO R. C. Marble, elderly retired merchant, put his money in the wrong basket. It was filled with apples and covered with burlap.

In hi he Sheriff J. Frank Culpeper, someone entered the house and took the money $2,850.73 in gold, coin, gold certificates, currency, silver and pennies. Sheriff Culpeper asked state authorities for bloodhounds to put on the trail of the thief. WASHDAY AT COURT ST. LOUIS, Oct.

31. (IP) Today was washday even in the dignified eighth district U. S. circuit court of appeals. A dozen washing machines, exhibits "in a patent case, swish ad merrily while attorneys for the general electric supply company of Kansas City and the Maytag company of Newton, argued over the "gyrator" principle of clothe washing.

The appeal was from a decision by Federal Judge Merrill E. Otis of Kansas City, who ordered the GenersJ Electric subsidiary to cease using the principle. The Mayjag company claims its patents cover the method. General Electric claimed the patents were void. EAGER JURORS LOS ANGELES, Oct.

31. (10-Prospective jurors in the battery trial of Sally Rand, fan and bubble dancer, professed today to be broadminded when her attorney asked if they objected to th scanty attire she wears on the stage. Miss Rand is charged with biting and scratching Miss Hazel Drain and C. Ray Stanford, after chasing them down a theater aisle into a cloakroom and attempting to take Stanford's camera. Talesmen showed a more thaVi passing interest in serving when it became known Sally's attor ney, Milton Golden, planned io ask her to re-enact in court her dance and her version of the scene in the theater last July 12 after Stanford snapped her picture.

Gag where groups had parades of their own, (considering that this annual event is officially overlooked in Altoona), in other sections of the city little groups in the holiday mood, pulled off the usual Hallowe'en pranks with their neighbors as the victims. The firemen, too, had a taste ofHallowe'en. The two general alarms of fire turned In last night were both listed as false. Turned in within 40 minutes of each other the calls were from opposite ends of the city. At 9:13 o'clock companies Nos.

5 and 6 and truck went to Ward and Aldrich avenues, Llyswen, after box 434 had been pulled. Nos. 4, 8 and and truck B. companies responded to an alarm from box 213, Cherry avenue and Third street, at 9:40 o'clock. REP.

MARTIN DIES Dies Deplores Lack of Aid For Prohe WASHINGTON, Oct. 31. (JO Chairman Dies (D-Tex) of the house committee investigating un-American activities charged tonight that President Roosevelt, the justice department and WPA had ignored a congressional request that they assist in his inquiry. In addition, he asserted that the secretary of the LaFollette Civil Liberties committee of. the senate had attempted to "sabotage" his investigation by sending over "two investigators" for his use.

Dies spoke over the Mutual broadcasting system, after he had charged that many stations originally for inclusion in the chain had cancelled his speech. He did not know the reason, he said, but thought it was "more of the same old thing." Immediately after his speech, time was reserved for an address criticizing the committee's activities by Paul Y. Anderson, Washington correspondent for the St. Louis Star-Times. His broadcast was arranged by the Democratic national committee.

Throughout the day and eve ning, Dies refused to give copies of his speech in advance to newspapermen, lest his intended remarks teach Anderson. The later, too, was chary of releasing copies Of his talk lest it, in some way, reach Dies before he spoke. Dies said that after a campaign of ridicule" against the committee's activities had failed to curb the investigation, a "torrent of abuse" was loosed against his group. "No longer do the Communists and their sympathizers sneer," he said. "We have probed too deeply to evoke smiles.

No, we see pained expressions of uncontroll able anger, there is no precedent in history for this torrent of abuse. "Here we are struggling desperately under almost inconceivable handicaps, without lawyers and with only three investigators to. perform one of the most difficult and important tasks ever as-(Continned on Page 2, Col. S) the actual emotions pounding within him. He was scared to death." Deering's heart beat, normally 72 per minute, rose to 180 nearly three times normal the few minutes he was in the chair.

"Each time he was spoken to, his heart fluttered. The rhythm was very irregular," said Doctor Besley. When Deering was asked for a final statement, his heart raced, it calmed after he spoke, and beat fast but even the remaining 30 seconds before the shots rang out. When the bullets shattered the heart, the beat fluctuated wildly, then gradually ebbed to a stop 15.6 seconds after Deering was shot. Physicians pronounced the body dead 134.4 seconds after the heart stopped.

Doctor Besley said the test was of great benefit scientifically. It disclosed the effect of fear on the heart and how soon death occurs after a heart is wounded. Five legal executioners who received $50 each were in the squad that blasted out Deering's life. rifle contained a blank cart ridge, however. The marksmen were not identified.

They drew lots Ma the guns tion board, authorized to attempt setltement of controversies between raii management and labor, ex- I Continued on 2. Col 2) 400 Attend Pythian Banquet Pythians and their ladies filled St. Luke's auditorium to overflowing to hear Attorney Robert Smith of Hollidaysburg deliver the principal address at the annual banquet of the Knights of Pythias last night. An estimated 400 persons were present, to make it one Of the largest lodge dffairs held in recent years. Grand Chancellor W.

L. Guss-man of Carlisle gave a brief address. General Chairman Milton S. Emeigh served as toastmaster. Attorney Smith, one of the old est members in the county, delivered an interesting address on thfi history of the organization in Blair county.

He recalled the old charter members and the progress leading up to the institution oi the temple in Altoona. The lawyer spoke of the three cardinal principles of the Knights of Pythias friendship, charitj and benevolence. He was introduced by District Attorney Chester B. Wray. Grand Chancellor Gussman spoke on Pythian brotherhood and fidelity, complimenting the local lodges and their members for their progress.

He was introduced by Pasl Grand Chancellor F. Jacksor of Bellwood. Opening with the singing of "America" and invocation by John T. McDonald, the banquet program was carried out by the toastmaster. Honored guests were introduced.

Entertainment Chairman Thomas E. Stewart presented the Rosemond quartet, consisting of Dr. and Mrs. Walker, Mrs. Calvin Bell and William Merritts, which rendered several vocal selections.

J. Lucian Root sang several vocal solos. Phylls Bassler of Roaring Spring gave several readings. At the conclusion of the pro gram the members and their ladies adjourned to the Pythian temple where the Pythian sisters went through an exhibition drill. Participating in the floor work were the following ladies dressed in white evening gowns and wear ing different colored flowers: Mrs.

Instrument Reveals Slayer's Fright As Bullets End His Life City Marks Hallowe'en, Even SALT LAKE cITY, Oct. 31. (IP) Killer John W. Deering faced five picked riflemen willingly and and without apparent emotion at the state prison today, yet he was "scared to death." Study Of an electro-cardiograph film tonight disclosed Deering hid an extremely excited heart behind a "bold front." The 40-year-old, bushy-haired convict, behind prison bars most of his adult life, was executed by a firing squad for the confessed killing of Oliver R. Meredith, Salt Lake City businessman, during a robbery.

Deering smiled and spoke calmly as he emerged from "death row." He walked unaided to the executioner's wooden chair against the rock wall and sat rigid, awaiting without a word four death-dealing bullets. Yet his heart i pounded like a trip-hammer. Deering, his life deemed a failure, co-operated with scientists to record for the first time the actions of a human heart pierced by bullets. "He put on a good front," said Dr. Stephen H.

Besley, prison physician. "The electro-cardiograph film shows his bold demeanor hid To the Old Gate If your back wait, maybe it's a front is missing you might look somewhere along the Fairview street car route. We know of at least one gate which was seen trailing behind one of the Fairview cars last evening. Not having the time to follow, it is not known just where the gate was united but maybe the operator took it to the end of the line. You can look there, anyway.

Last night on Eleventh avenue the goblins, the ghosts and crea tures of all even the devil himself, roamed undisturbed as the spirit of Hallowe'en reigned supreme or nearly supreme, anyway. Hundreds came to town Just to see the sights and they weren't disappointed. While the festivities' were going full swing in the tTCT.ntM district C. W. Hawkins, director; Mrs Carrie Wildes; flagbearer; Mrs Bait and Mrs.

Rhoades, leaders: Betty Swope, pianist, and Mrs Isenberg, Mrs. McMonigal, Mrs Harrison, Mrs. Bartram, Mrs. Car ter. Mrs.

Gurley, Mrs. Hammaker. Mrs. Strunk, Mrs. Shay, Mrs.

Rose Mrs. Strobel, Mrs. Eardt, Mr Wolf and Mrs. Snow. (Continued on rage 2, Col.

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